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Chixia quickly thrust the dagger forward, but the Drunk Man was even faster, rolling away on the spot. The dagger made a light clink as it struck the stone ground, sending sparks flying. He squinted through a mess of disheveled hair, looking up at the young man whose pants he had accurately caught. It was clear to him that this young man possessed an extraordinary presence, exuding a chilling aura honed through countless battles.
How could an ordinary Drunk Man have such quick reflexes? Xiao Qiang was taken aback. He hurriedly scolded Chixia, who was preparing to stab again, and crouched down to help the Drunk Man up, carefully apologizing, "Sir, please get up."
The Drunk Man was not actually drunk; his name was Ding Baoshan. Aside from some memory issues, he seemed to be fine.
He introduced himself as a meteorological surveyor and mentioned that this city had been less affected by pollution, with recovery times better than in other areas. However, this had led to an influx of people from different regions and backgrounds, creating chaos in what was once a peaceful and beautiful city.
Before the outbreak of biological contamination, he had been working elsewhere, engaged in meteorological inspections and related tasks.
Ding Baoshan explained that there were signs preceding the biochemical outbreak. During their meteorological surveys, they had noticed unexplained warming trends and glaciers melting earlier than expected.
He mentioned that some parts of the glaciers had turned a dark red color, which was indeed a strange phenomenon.
Xiao Qiang was no expert in meteorology. However, seeing Ding Baoshan speak so eloquently, he found himself inexplicably calm as he listened to him continue.
Ding Baoshan agreed to take them to the Lair of the Fallen but had one condition. In fact, it wasn't really a condition; it was more of an invitation for the three of them to come to his home.
Having been alone for so long, Ding Baoshan felt he had much to say. After encountering Xiao Qiang, it was as if he had opened a floodgate and showed no signs of wanting to stop. He spoke incessantly, regardless of whether his audience accepted or understood him.
He claimed that humanity faced crises due to extraterrestrial influences. Aliens had never ceased their surveys and experiments on Earth. Four thousand years ago, the DNA mutation among Europeans stemmed from new genes introduced by migrating populations. Researchers had also extracted DNA samples from prehistoric human bones and teeth for maternal lineage analysis, revealing that 45% belonged to Europeans.
Dr. Wolfgang Hack from the Ancient DNA Research Center in Adelaide, Australia, who led this research, had stated that this was the first time historical human lineage genetic analysis could directly observe human DNA evolution in real-time and present significant changes in European populations.
Xiao Qiang had heard about these topics from Professor R before but never expected that the seemingly eccentric Ding Baoshan would know so much.
Ding Baoshan lowered his head humbly, deliberately keeping his distance from Xiao Qiang.
Behind them, Chixia and Redemption of the Fallen walked like wooden figures; aside from their human-like gait, their faces showed almost no expression as they mechanically followed Xiao Qiang and Ding Baoshan.
The slightly intoxicated Ding Baoshan occasionally glanced back at Chixia and Redemption of the Fallen with eyes full of admiration and envy.
Along the way, they encountered one or two nervous individuals who pointed and whispered upon seeing Ding Baoshan. When they noticed Xiao Qiang and Chixia with him, they quickly fell silent and retreated into hiding.
After winding through a maze of alleys, they finally arrived at a secluded corner. Ding Boshang's home was located in a makeshift residential area, which had once housed many people but had gradually emptied out, leaving him as the sole occupant.
He was unkempt and embraced a laid-back, natural lifestyle. His material needs were minimal; a single backpack and a piece of clothing could last him a long time.
Inside the house, the furnishings were simple: a bed and a cabinet. A few dirty clothes were draped over the cabinet, while underneath the bed lay a chaotic pile of worn-out shoes, covered in dust.
Ding Boshang smoked cheap cigarettes, filling the room with swirling smoke. After Xiao Qiang and the others entered, even with all the windows thrown open, they couldn't dispel the lingering odor and haze.
Chixia and Redemption of the Fallen stayed outside, standing guard like loyal sentinels.
Searching for a place to sit yielded no results. Xiao Qiang shook his head in disappointment, sighing silently; the harshness of life was maddening. He noticed Ding Boshang was grooming himself in front of the mirror on the cabinet and casually asked, "Why haven't you left here?" In truth, he wanted to ask why Ding Boshang was pretending to be mad, but he felt that might not be appropriate and rephrased his question.
"I'm waiting for someone."
"Your wife?"
Ding Boshang wiped the foam from his face, his gaze fixed intently on the mirror as he replied seriously, "I have no woman..."
"Then who are you waiting for?"
"Waiting for you."
"Me?" Xiao Qiang chuckled in disbelief; this guy seemed quite mad. Coming from the future—he was from 2038—how could he possibly be waiting for himself?
"We are Meteor Patrol Officers; there were eight of us, but now I'm the only one left..." It seemed he was getting to the point. When Ding Boshang said this, emotion clearly seeped into his voice. His black eyes, similar to those of other humans, sparkled with a complex and inscrutable light that set him apart from the lifeless gaze of decay.
"What happened to the others?"
"They're dead." Ding Boshang's expression turned serious. After finishing his grooming, he appeared before Xiao Qiang with a renewed dignity that made him almost unrecognizable at first glance; after all, he wasn't very old.
"What happened?"
"One day, a terrifying viral infection appeared in the glaciers. This virus belonged to Organic Matter. The changing colors of the glaciers were covered with this viral substance. They invaded all living beings in that area, and any creature attacked by the virus began to nurture new mutated organisms to continue their reproductive energy and spread."
"Is this related to the Fallen One? You don't seriously suspect that UFOs created this virus, do you?" Xiao Qiang found Ding Bosheng's words somewhat absurd.
Ding Bosheng replied, "It is related. We wanted to report this matter to the relevant authorities, but our colleagues in the group dismissed it. At that time, the eight of us had differing opinions and argued endlessly..."
"And then?"
"We missed the best timing due to delays, and later, things went wrong." Ding Bosheng's eyes became moist as he took a deep drag from his cigarette. "Why didn't you ask me why I was acting crazy?"
Xiao Qiang paused slightly and teased, "Maybe it's because of you."
"No one is willing to believe what I say." Ding Bosheng exhaled a perfect smoke ring, gazing up as it slowly dissipated before correcting himself to continue. "No one believes the true reason behind the incident at the Patrol Station; I was arrested for spreading rumors."
"I want to hear about what happened at the Patrol Station."
"Of course, if it doesn't interfere with your business, I can tell you." He extinguished his cigarette and cast a deep, unfathomable glance at Xiao Qiang before looking out the door. "Are those two not human?"
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