The tranquil sea surface shimmered with the glint of waves. Underneath the deep blue sky, a crescent moon curved gently. A small boat drifted along with the waves, while people leaned against the railing, listening to the wind. A melodious flute echoed, its clear notes flowing from the lips of Xiao Guang, drifting out to the sea, touching the hearts of those present.
A celestial voice, as if from heaven, exquisitely soft and tender, harmonized with the melody, flowing like a gentle stream, etching its way into their souls. "We rely on each other, drifting through the ocean. The starry sky reflects upon us, shining brightly in our hearts. I remember your name, as well as your appearance, and the enchantment of your free flight. Across time, you and I meet once more. Our song comes from within, never ceasing."
As the song concluded, each person contemplated their own thoughts. The musical notes scattered across the vast expanse of the sea, carrying their delicate vibrations to a distance imperceptible to human senses. In the underwater world of the night, blurry outlines revealed the semblance of a giant creature. It was as if statues under a slumbering enchantment had awakened with the passage of ages, suddenly opening their eyes. Those eyes shimmered beneath the sea, eagerly capturing memories from the distant past—an announcement that someone had returned!
Seated at the bow of the boat, leaning against the lovable Dou Dou, Xiao Guang reminisced about days gone by. The woman who would wake up every morning to wipe away dewdrops, the one who would tease him in the evenings for his inability to grasp knowledge, the same woman whose mischievous eyes shone beneath the moonlight as she spun absurd tales—those were his moments of joy. The woman who used to mock him with her intelligence and play tricks on him was now the one who wholeheartedly supported him, paying no heed to idle gossip.
People who are too greedy often lose sight of the beauty before them. Xiao Guang carefully cherished this hard-earned affection, never allowing himself to overstep any boundaries. Only in the pitch-black loneliness of deep night did he dare to dream of his beloved. Countless times, he imagined plucking down the stars from the night sky with his own two hands, all for her.
Over the past year, Xiao Guang had diligently improved himself, dedicating his efforts to helping others. In this time, he had tried to examine his heart, attempting to decipher his feelings for Jun Ya. Was it fondness or a hidden crush? Was it love or admiration?
Numerous times, he had escorted the rescued survivors to the outpost's mountain cave base, where Old Wei and others steadfastly held their ground. Many chose to stay, making it their new home. They had transformed the outpost into a small village, utilizing the caves to construct the village, even creating a vast cavernous inn capable of accommodating thousands. Xiao Guang would occasionally spend a night there. Each time, Old Wei would set aside his work to engage in lengthy conversations with him. He would listen to Xiao Guang recount his observations from the wilderness and would pass along news from Jin Lao, along with a wealth of books and equipment gifted by Jin Lao.
Xiao Guang could feel Old Wei's sincere goodwill. Old Wei believed that Xiao Guang might need to move on from his emotions. Whether it was the base or the outpost, there were plenty of good girls around. For example, there was that girl Zhēn Zǐ, her best friend. She was quite nice, too.
Old Wei had orchestrated a few chance encounters between Xiao Guang and some girls, but Xiao Guang was like a child dodging a blind date. He blamed it on fate, hoping that time would gradually fade away everything.
As the person in charge of the outpost, Old Wei naturally had access to more information. With his seasoned wisdom, he sensed the shifts in personnel at the base, a clear sign that the game of power had begun.
In the past, Old Wei was a party and government worker in the small town. He possessed ample experience in coordinating between departments and resolving disputes between neighbors. His adeptness at problem-solving and his understated disposition resulted in him being assigned important roles by the government. He became a pivotal figure in the town for handling and mediating various complex personnel matters.
Therefore, through the snippets brought by the relocated people, Old Wei was keenly attuned to the changes. Old Wei didn't meddle much in trivial affairs, but he held the outpost, which he had helped build, in high regard. So, regardless of how much gossip circulated about the base, no matter how rampant moral decay became among some, and even as a few individuals indulged in casual relationships under the pressure of survival, the outpost adhered to the world's rightful moral standards. Using his superior political wisdom of governing by inaction, Old Wei leveraged the security surveillance capabilities of both grandpas and grandmas, ensuring that the outpost's moral standards and code of conduct not only matched but even surpassed those of the world's small towns.
Although the outpost was small, it was not short on people. Under Old Wei's leadership, with hard work and simplicity, it thrived with an unwavering determination to overcome challenges. This confidence wasn't just an upliftment for the younger generation; it also invigorated the spirited efforts of many elders. During this time, the outpost seemed to return to a certain era in the world's history, with the red flag flying high, unafraid to conquer nature's difficulties, exuding a fervor to challenge the heavens.
Thanks to continuous development and the unwavering efforts of the warriors to eliminate threatening creatures, along with the emergence of various insect repellents, the roads between bases had become increasingly safe. Groups of dozens could now venture safely between bases. In this situation, Old Wei naturally grew more concerned. The intense power struggle within the base had escalated to the point that even Jin Lao's recent partial shipment of equipment couldn't be delivered in time. This was not a favorable situation.
"Perhaps she sees me as a true friend!" Xiao Guang thought as he drifted off to sleep on the sea.
Xiao Guang woke up early. The next day, just as dawn broke, he was already awake.
Glancing at Dou Dou, he seemed energetic. This little guy had quite a remarkable endurance; he could go without food or water for a whole week.
Xiao Guang stroked his old companion. Dou Dou had been with him for over half a year. Xiao Guang felt that this beetle wasn't foolish at all. Over time, it almost felt like having a pet dog. It was obedient and clever, even giving Xiao Guang the sensation that it wanted to communicate.
This feeling made Xiao Guang contemplate the idea of raising a pet from childhood. Maybe it was really similar to having a dog? Armor Dog? No, that didn't sound good. Armor Woof? That's better. Lost in thought, Xiao Guang suddenly saw Su Pei darting over from the side.
"So early! Don't you want to sleep a bit longer?"
"No, I want to watch the sea."
"Alright, take a good look. We'll reach the land in two days. Once we're at the base, it'll be a long time before you get to see the sea again."
"Yeah, that's why I can't sleep." Su Pei hopped over to Xiao Guang but didn't sit beside him. She was intrigued by Dou Dou, circling it.
Observing Su Pei, Xiao Guang remembered the day she played with Dou Dou. A thought crossed his mind, and he handed a branch from his hand to Su Pei.
"Give it a try."
Su Pei, who was spinning around Dou Dou, blinked at Xiao Guang in puzzlement. "What do you want me to do?"
"He wants you to try it," came Su Lao's voice from behind.
"Dad, shouldn't you rest a bit more?"
"We're about to reach land. Excitement keeps you up." Su Lao chuckled, and the people nearby joined in. Indeed, after a year of life-and-death struggle, they had finally reached this dawn. Everyone was a bit excited.
Xiao Guang watched Su Lao give a slight nod and then turned his gaze to Su Pei.
"Yesterday, when you were playing with Dou Dou, I noticed that it liked you and interacted with you. But everyone was tired yesterday, including Dou Dou, so I didn't let you try. Do you want to give it a shot today?"
"Yeah, I thought it was pretty fun playing with it yesterday."
"It only interacted with you out of all of us," Li Ji added.
"There must be something different about you. You know, I've had almost everyone I've met try," Xiao Guang said.
"Oh," Su Pei nodded in suspicion, then suddenly remembered something, "I know! Is it because you're all males, and Dou Dou has a problem with males? That's easy to solve—just neuter it!"
Su Lao couldn't help but facepalm at this train of thought. His exasperation at his daughter's lack of guidance was clearly written on his face.
A scholarly-looking man in his fifties glanced at Su Lao's expression and surprisingly smiled, "Little Pei is innocent and carefree, truly open-hearted!"
Su Lao retorted unceremoniously, "You chubby old man, poor teaching begets lazy students!"
"Uh!" The scholarly man was at a loss for words.
Everyone chuckled, and Su Pei wore an expression of chagrin.
Xiao Guang smiled, "Dou Dou is a female insect."
"Oh, I see," Su Pei replied.
"Every time we return to the mountain cave as an outpost for the base, different people have tried to interact with Dou Dou, but they haven't succeeded. You're the first one, apart from me, to do so. That's significant," Xiao Guang gave Su Pei a sweet jujube, which was indeed true.
"Really?" Su Pei wasn't naive; she somewhat grasped the importance of this matter and felt a little anticipation.
"Yes," Xiao Guang replied, his honesty undisguised.
"Currently, I'm the only one who can handle beetles and some insects. No one else has managed, including many biologists who are puzzled by this. Numerous experiments have been fruitless. If more people could possess this ability, we might uncover common traits and potentially achieve groundbreaking progress," Xiao Guang explained.
The people nearby nodded frequently. If the mysteries could be unraveled and practical results achieved, a new batch of Sky Knights might emerge, offering immense assistance to humanity at this time. Xiao Guang's willingness to share his knowledge was truly admirable.
"Besides, doing this alone is quite tiring," Xiao Guang playfully remarked.
"Alright, I'll give it a try," Su Pei agreed readily.
"Good, let me teach you some methods first, and then we can take to the skies together."
"Isn't Dou Dou tired?"
"No worries, Dou Dou has rested well. The physical condition of beetles is much sturdier than you might imagine. Don't worry. When we reach land, we can treat them to a good meal."
"Listen in as well; you might need this knowledge in the future."
With nothing particular happening on the sea, people gathered around, Xiao Guang sat at the bow of the boat, blowing in the sea breeze, and he began to elaborate on the intricacies of interacting with beetles.