Upon seeing Ding Meng, the smile on Zheng Ming's face became even wider. "Ding Meng, are you ready?"
Ding Meng nodded with a complicated expression.
Zheng Ming patted his frail shoulder in a friendly manner and smiled. "I'll have to trouble you to carry this bundle of firewood to Uncle Yuan Liang's house. In order to save Miss Qiao this morning, Uncle Yuan Liang dropped the bundle of firewood into the river. I went to help him chop another bundle of firewood..."
Miss Qiao was the peasant girl who went to the Tian family compound with Zheng Ming. This was the day before his big brother left. At night, his big brother and Aunt Qiao would appear at Tian Qing's birthday banquet. All of Ding Meng's parting feelings suddenly turned into endless nervousness because his big brother's departure would be an eternal farewell. His big brother would be walking a path of no return.
Even though he knew that this was an illusion created by the K-virus, Ding Meng was still moved because this was the softest part of his heart. Even when he was at his happiest, he did not want to touch these memories.
While he was still in a daze, Zheng Ming reached out to him and said, "Ding Meng, give me the hero's knife that Big Sister Wenhe gave us."
Although Zheng Ming lived an ideal life, he was not a foolish person. He also had a faint premonition that the Tian family compound was not a place where a country bumpkin like him could enter. If the situation went wrong, the T-shaped claw knife could be used to defend himself.
This precious knife was like a god in the hearts of Zheng Ming and Ding Meng. It was like a protective talisman. No matter what you wanted to do, as long as you carried it, you would definitely succeed.
When Ding Meng took out this knife, he had the same thought. This knife could even defeat an expert like Yu Xingyang, let alone others.
But now, Ding Meng knew that once Zheng Ming obtained the saber, he would take Miss Qiao away from the wooden house and rush to Tian Qing's private manor. The Tian family's courtyard was not too far from here. It would only take a day to reach there.
He only had a day left. Perhaps it was not a day, but a thought.
Ding Meng suddenly raised his head and said, "Big Brother, can you not go this time?"
The smile on Zheng Ming's face disappeared. "Ding Meng, what are you talking about?"
Ding Meng looked embarrassed. "Big Brother, I'm worried about your safety. I'm afraid that something might happen to you."
Zheng Ming smiled again. "What's there to worry about?
What accident could happen to me? "
Ding Meng hesitated and said, "Big brother, the Tian family is the royal family, and General Tian is the most powerful general in our kingdom. Even the monarch has to respect him. The one who did the wrong thing is his son. Can you guarantee that he won't be biased?"
Zheng Ming said proudly, "I dare to go because I believe in General Tian's strict military discipline. If it were someone else, I wouldn't necessarily go."
Ding Meng was a little anxious. He knew Zheng Ming's personality very well, so he changed his tone and said, "Big Brother, I still think that it's better if you don't go so rashly. We can slowly think of a way to deal with this matter. I heard that today is Great General Tian's 100th birthday. The Tian Family must have invited all sorts of heroes and nobles. If you go like this and the news spreads, Great General Tian's face will be swept to the ground. In their eyes, you are undoubtedly causing trouble.
What if General Tian doesn't do anything to you?
What about his friends?
What about his colleagues?
Can you guarantee that they won't do anything to you? "
As expected, Zheng Ming was surprised. "100th birthday?
Is that true? "
Ding Meng had an idea and said, "It's true. I just saw a lot of ceremonial carriages on the road over there. They were all coming out of the city to celebrate the birthday of the Tian family."
Zheng Ming finally fell silent. However, this silence did not last long. He slowly said, "Ding Meng!"
Ding Meng looked up. "Big Brother!"
Zheng Ming said meaningfully, "When I handed this hero's knife to you, do you still remember what you promised me?"
Ding Meng immediately puffed out his chest. "Of course I remember!"
Use this knife well. We must leave it for those who really need it. We must preserve it well, use it well, love it, and fight hard for the people we protect. We must never back down...
These words were no longer as simple as words. They were the promises and vows of generations. None of the successors of each generation had ever forgotten them. They would never forget them.
Zheng Ming nodded and continued, "When Big Sister Wen-He handed it to me, I also made the same promise. The reason why I made the promise was not just because of this knife, but because when Big Sister Wen-He saved us, what she faced was more difficult, more dangerous, and more terrifying than what I am about to face."
Ding Meng did not want to speak, so he could only say, "Yes!
But this time is different... "
Zheng Ming mercilessly interrupted him. "Ding Meng, look at the hunters around you. Although they saved Miss Qiao, when they found out that the perpetrators were the Skywings, they avoided her like she was the plague, not even willing to come close to this courtyard. She has no parents, no friends, and is so poor that she doesn't even have a complete set of clothes. After she was humiliated, she couldn't even speak. She doesn't even have the ability to cry out for justice. Which high official, noble, or hero would be willing to offend the most powerful general in the kingdom for such a deaf-mute woman?"
Ding Meng was silent. Although he and Zheng Ming were two different types of people, when he heard these words coming from Zheng Ming's mouth, his heart was like a turbulent sea, unable to calm down at all. He even felt a lump in his throat, an impulse to cry.
Zheng Ming put a hand on his shoulder. "Ding Meng, when Big Sister Wenhe saved us, if she also had so many apprehensions and worries, as well as so many doubts and fears, would us brothers still be standing here today?"
Ding Meng could not say anything at all. His throat was choked by an indescribable emotion.
But even if he choked, he had to speak. This was a critical moment, because he knew the consequences. "Big Brother, have you thought about this? If the consequences of you going this time are too severe, you might very well die."
Zheng Ming looked around and said, "I can choose not to go. I can also hide like the other farmers around here, but if we live like this, what difference is there between us and the dead?
"Although I'm also poor, that's not a reason for my indifference. If I sit here indifferently today and let people like the Skywings run amok, have you ever thought that when the same disaster befalls me one day in the future?
If the same 'us' hide on the side and turn a blind eye, how would you feel? "
Ding Meng shook his head. "But Big Brother …"
Zheng Ming turned around, his face filled with pride and determination. "From the first day I received this hero's knife from Big Sister, I shouldered this mission. I've long since given up on life and death. Even if one of me dies, there are still thousands of me who will stand up and receive this knife …"
His tone suddenly became emotional. "Death is not something to be afraid of. From the moment a person is born to the moment he dies, that is his destiny. He has walked the path he should have walked and completed the mission he should have completed. This is something he must experience in his life, so …"
He turned around again and gripped Ding Meng's hand tightly. "Ding Meng, my good brother, if I meet with misfortune this time, please take back this knife and take good care of it. Let the hero's knife be passed down from generation to generation. Every 'big brother' of our generation has not let down the trust of their predecessors …"
With that, he took the claw knife from Ding Meng's hand and strode toward the wooden hut.
At this moment, Ding Meng suddenly felt a familiar feeling in his chest. The pressure of a mountain pressing down on him appeared once again. It was as if the origin ability in his body was somewhat sluggish, and he could no longer keep up with the development of this event. Even the surrounding scenery was changing, becoming distorted and rotating stripes...
With a whoosh, he finally retreated from the intermediate consciousness space and returned to the dark and cold beach of the wooden hut. The figure was crouched on the ground, looking at the rising and falling tide thoughtfully. The waves seemed to be its mood.
He retracted his telekinesis and entered a meditative state, retreating to the elementary consciousness space.
However, Ding Meng still could not speak at this time. He was still immersed in his memories. The past was too deep, causing his emotions to become complicated.
Little Rascal finally spoke. "Ding Meng, don't be too sad."
Ding Meng shook his head helplessly. "Why would I suddenly think of these things?"
Xiao Ai said, "Because the eighth origin is located at the center of your brain. When you construct it, it also absorbs your memories and creates the most unforgettable illusions in your memories. This origin is a test of your temperament. If you don't have a strong enough will, you won't be able to control it …"
Ding Meng said, "I just saw Little Four, Little Shanzi, and Big Brother Zheng Ming, but they're all dead."
Little Rascal said, "That's because they occupy your most important long-term memory, so the origin is automatically extracted. Moreover, no matter what choice you make, the final result will not change. If you choose to save Little Four, the result will be that all of you will die in the experiment hall. If you choose to fly the Blazing Shark Spaceship to Planet KV303, everyone on the spaceship will be buried in space. If you succeed in stopping Big Brother Zheng Ming, then Miss Qiao will commit suicide, and Big Brother Zheng Ming will feel ashamed and live in self-blame all day long.
Ding Meng said, "Is there no other way to change it?"
Little Rascal shook his head. "The current result is the best result. Forcefully changing it will only make the situation worse."
Ding Meng said hesitantly, "Then … then did I fail to construct the eighth origin?"
Xiao Ai said, "It definitely didn't fail, but it didn't succeed either."
Ding Meng said, "Why?"
Xiao Ai's voice turned cold. "My understanding is that, among the three illusions, you made a mistake in choosing the important events. I don't think that was the most reasonable choice."
Ding Meng could not help but ask, "Then what should I choose?"