Section 01: The vast sea transforms into mulberry fields
The tent was set up, leaving gaps on all sides to allow the warm air to carry away the moisture. After checking that all the equipment was intact, Yun Ye let out a long sigh of relief. He had long since given up hope on the positioning device; the more precise the instrument, the more prone it was to damage, which was common knowledge. The compass stubbornly pointed north, even though it was filled with water. After determining his location on the map using the intersection method, he was astonished to find that his position had not changed at all from before. How could this be? Was the compass broken? After observing the plants, Yun Ye dismissed the idea that the compass was faulty, leaving him perplexed. The powerful counterfeit phone had no signal at all. Looking at the outline of the distant mountains, he realized that apart from being covered in trees, this was indeed the desolate Gobi.
The goat fell into the stream, desperately struggling to stand up, probably with a leg broken by a shovel. It had just managed to turn itself over when it fell back into the water again. Seeing its painful state, Yun Ye had no choice but to raise the steel shovel again
A wild chicken suddenly sprang up from the grass, startling Yun Ye, who stumbled in surprise, thus awakening from his daze. His eyes regained their liveliness, and his mind emerged from its confusion.
Yun Ye confirmed that he was still on Earth, with low elms and scattered locust trees quietly mixed among the half-human-high wild mugwort. This brought him a sense of calm. Since he was in the northwest, it was nothing to worry about; he could just go back, merely a few more steps to walk. Yun Ye estimated that he had encountered the legendary wormhole, simply moving from one side of the paper to the other, and not having left the paper's range was purely a stroke of luck. He had been making a living in this northwestern wilderness for fifteen years, having witnessed sandstorms, encountered mudslides, experienced quicksand, faced wolf packs, and been bitten by large ants. His nerves had long since become extremely resilient, so encountering a wormhole now was nothing unusual.
The wind carries the fresh scent of grass. The air is filled with various life forces, and nature is so beautiful
In May, the temperature in the northwest was not yet warm enough to run around in the nude. He remembered before coming out, he was replenishing water at the sixth water station when he saw a flash of golden light at the bottom of the pond. Thinking it was a natural gold nugget, he reached out to scoop it up with a * map * book, only to be pulled here by a tremendous suction force. No wonder greed is the original sin of humanity. Yun Ye gave his right hand a hard slap, saying, "This is what you get for being greedy; now you've gotten yourself into trouble."
Yun Ye shook off the heavy suede boots on his feet, feeling an indescribable discomfort from the damp leather boots encasing his feet. With each step he took, they emitted a "puff, puff" sound. In his hand, he held a wooden stick as thick as an egg, occasionally swiping at the grass to bolster his courage.
Yun Ye spread his hands, looking at these white and tender hands, which were a whole circle smaller than his own hands from before. These were not adult hands at all. He had long noticed this issue but had tried hard not to think about it. He reached back to grab the hair that was cascading over his shoulders and tugged at it forcefully, feeling a sharp pain; this was not a dream. Turning to look at the familiar youthful face in the water, Yun Ye faintly sensed that things were not as simple as he had thought.
Yun Ye once again felt proud of his formidable public relations skills. He recalled the first time he tasted the roasted lamb from the elderly Uyghur man, nearly swallowing his tongue in delight. It took a complete set of English-style knives and a week of hard work to extract the secret recipe from the old man. The crux of the matter was the abundant straw found everywhere, which almost led to a falling out between them. Although using it for smoking meat might seem somewhat devalued, the early summer weather could attract all the flies in the world if not handled promptly.
Where is the road? Lu Xun once said that when many people walk, a road will be formed. However, Yun Ye is the first person to step onto the wilderness, so he can only forge his own path. After walking less than a mile, Yun Ye was already panting. What physical strength can a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy be expected to have, especially when he has to carry over thirty pounds of equipment? Regardless, Yun Ye decided to follow the stream, as he ultimately needed to converge with the Yellow River.
Did the wormhole not change my position, but rather change time
Yun Ye saw a vast expanse of sandy land ahead, covering at least 2 mu. He hurriedly took a few steps forward, and just as he stepped onto the red sand, a dark shadow suddenly lunged at him, causing his heart to race with fear. Instinctively, he swung his shovel and the * diagram * book at the shadow, only to hear a tragic "baa" as a gray wild goat tumbled into the creek, splashing water all over him.
Where is this? Yun Ye asked himself. Ten minutes ago, he was still searching for those two missing foreigners in the Gobi Desert with his backpack on, and now he found himself standing naked on the grassland. This was beyond his comprehension. Looking up at the scorching sun, it still appeared familiar.
Heartfelt thanks to that sheep, Yun Ye once again embarked on the journey to seek out the crowd, dressed in sun-dried clothes
My dear relatives, where are you all?
Yun Ye had just taken a regret pill, but the effect was rather intense. Therefore, when he found himself standing naked in the wilderness, he could only stand there in a daze.
He cannot possibly live alone in this wilderness like a savage; humans are social animals with various emotional needs. Living in solitude will only lead to a regression to primitive states, with a deterioration of language functions and brain functions, while the limbs will become stronger. Yun Ye does not wish to be a savage on the plains
As far as the eye can see, the entire basin is devoid of any signs of human habitation. The verdant grass blankets the ground, and occasionally a small bird darts into the sky with a swift "whoosh." A herd of wild horses gallops and frolics across the grassy expanse. Their flowing manes glisten in the sunlight like countless strands of gold and silver. The yellow sheep lower their heads to graze among the grass, then stretch their necks to gaze into the distance. Even the wild chickens unabashedly flap their wings a couple of times close to the ground before dashing through the grass.
The icy stream rendered my feet nearly numb, while the sun above scorched my scalp. The reeds by the stream grew lush and tall, brushing against my cheeks like tiny knives, soon leaving red marks on my face. The alternating sensations of cold and heat are precisely how one contracts a fever.
Yun Ye always believed that he was a family-oriented person, with his mother, wife, and son forming the most solid fortress in his heart. If it were merely a matter of distance, he would not consider it a problem; even on Mars, he would kidnap little green men to take him home. However, the current situation with the book is not just about distance, but rather a vast span of over one thousand years. The disappearance of the Longzhong forest in the northwest, to be precise, occurred after the Tang Dynasty, due to drastic climate changes and rapid population growth, leading to a major ecological disaster. As a person from Longzhong, Yun Ye understands better than others what this sea of green represents.
The wind blows, and a chill pervades the body
The babbling brook carried away the crimson stains of blood, while Yun Ye gazed with shining eyes at the plump rabbit, his stomach already hungry
Yun Ye lay on his back on the soft grass, tears flowing freely like a flood released from a dam. In just a dream, the vast sea had turned into mulberry fields.
The wilderness is beautiful, with a verdant carpet of grass stretching from beneath my feet to the horizon. Occasionally, a few wildflowers emerge from the grass, adding a touch of vibrant color to this green expanse
Not far from the creek, there is a patch of red sandstone, barren of any vegetation. Yun Ye moved the site to this location and carefully cleared a flat area. The red sandstone was scorched by the sun, and he laid his wet clothes on the stone, confident that within an hour, the clothes would be dried by the heat.
Yun Ye was mumbling incoherently to herself
Is it now the Tang Dynasty, or the Han, or even the Qin? I sincerely hope it is not the Southern and Northern Dynasties. I am merely a small individual, unworthy of bearing great responsibilities
Yun Ye has completely collapsed, what is this broken scenery, where is my concrete forest? Where is the roar of my cars? Where are the acidic gases emitted from my factories? Where are my towering heavy industry chimneys? Where is my beloved municipal building, full of the spirit of the times yet reviled by many? Where have my cherished plastic bags, flying in the sky, gone? Where are those crowds I despise? Where is the urban clamor that drives me to despair? Where is the rotting, stinking, and mountainous urban waste? Where have my cherished plastic bags, flying in the sky, gone? Where are those crowds I despise? Where is the urban clamor that drives me to despair? Where is the rotting, stinking, and mountainous urban waste?
In the past, Yun Ye's culinary skills have been advancing by leaps and bounds thanks to his wife's relentless efforts. After enjoying a hearty meal of roasted lamb, the lingering spiciness still danced on his palate. The remaining lamb was then delicately smoked with lemongrass; who would have thought that the commonly found green hair grass in the northwest is an excellent material for smoking lamb
The air is pure, the scenery is beautiful, and even the rabbit beside me is kind. It hides in the shadow next to Yun Ye to comfort him
Do not leave me alone
Yun Ye chewed heartily on the delicious rabbit meat, with grease occasionally sliding down the corners of his mouth. The campfire before him continued to burn, the sun had already set, and the sky was filled with a crimson glow pressing down on the mountain peaks. Birds of various sizes were returning to the distant forest, and Yun Ye could not help but feel a surge of sorrow, weeping uncontrollably while holding half of the roasted rabbit.
The rabbit leg eaten in the morning has long been digested, and my stomach is growling again. The young boy is draining me dry; Yun Ye has returned to this awkward age. He sighed for a long time and took out that small English knife to begin dissecting the poor goat. Only the heart and kidneys of the goat's entrails were left, while the other organs were deeply buried in the sandy soil.
The stream turned eastward at the foot of the mountain, and ninety-nine point nine percent of the rivers in the world are generally like this; this small stream is no exception. Yun Ye followed this stream for three days, and apart from the decreasing number of trees and the thinning grass, the cities marked on the map had vanished without a trace
It seemed that the deities in the sky had heard his plea, as a green canvas strap floated out from the water's edge. Yun Ye's eyes brightened; he bent down to grasp the strap and pulled it out with all his might. With a loud splash, a backpack half his height sprang out of the water. Yun Ye held onto the backpack tightly; this was fate! He swiftly drew out a spade, feeling a sense of calm in his heart.
Survival is of utmost importance. In the wilderness, you may go without clothes, but you must never go without shoes. Running, an instinct inherited from our ancestors, though clumsy, is the most effective means of escape. Yun Ye understands that a water source in the wild is not a safe camping site. Clinging to the faintest hope, he forces himself to endure the fear within, keeping a close watch on the spring, hoping that fate will return his backpack to him
Yun Ye buried his head between his knees, his head as large as a basin, his heart in a state of chaos. He had always thought that the term "time travel" was a creation of novelists, but now it was happening to him in a very real way
People are always forgetful, so after walking a certain distance on the journey of life, one inevitably stops to reflect on the gains and losses of the recent past. If the gains outweigh the losses, it proves that this period has not been wasted, and one joyfully prepares for the next leg of the journey. If the losses outweigh the gains, it indicates that this time has been squandered, leading to a desire for time to reverse and relive it. There is no remedy for regret in this world, so what is lost cannot be reclaimed, even if you run faster than Liu Xiang. This is a universal law of life. Is there really no exception in this world? In an era where even Newton's laws can be overturned, it is understandable if one or two super-scientific events occur.
The boundless chill awakened Yun Ye from his slumber. Last night, he seemed to return to that tumultuous world of the past, where his wife's tenderness, his son's rebellion, and his mother's nagging once again manifested before him. He wiped his face, dispelling the last trace of nostalgia.
Survival is the most important thing at present; only by living can one discuss anything else. Today, one must thoroughly face a new life. The bonfire is rekindled, and the leftover rabbit meat from yesterday is heated over the fire, eaten slowly with boiled water. Food is precious, and after sucking the last bit of oil from the bones, Yun Ye's resolve also solidifies
This is a virgin land where no one has ever set foot, shrouded in the breath of primordial wilderness. Hong Ye knows that he is merely a mechanical technician; if he wishes to survive here, he must not lack equipment. Only by obtaining equipment can he secure food and rely on tools to sustain this body of fourteen or fifteen years.
Covering the key parts of his body, he searched for a waterhole. As he circled around for the fourth time, the sound of flowing water finally reached his ears. Overjoyed, he hopped a few steps to the water's edge, where he saw a clear stream gently flowing through the grass. Following the stream upstream, he soon arrived at the source of the creek, where a pile of clothes was draped over the creek's outlet, rolling up and down with the waves. Yun Ye retrieved all his clothes, including shoes and socks, and even a frying pan, which he used to cook instant noodles. After wringing out the clothes, he spread them out to dry on a nearby small tree. Yun Ye let out a long sigh of relief; he was finally free from running around naked. If only he could get his backpack back, he would have no further desires.