Time flies. Fifty cosmic years have passed since Lin left Third Earth. After he fixed the life-support device, it never malfunctioned again. Lin also successfully traveled across countless light-years in the universe like a fish in water.
As for that strange Earth, it had long been thrown to the back of his mind after he reported the information coordinates to the Interstellar Alliance. The bizarre journey through the universe had stolen all his attention.
Unknowingly, a human born on Third Earth had gained some fame in the universe. Even the Interstellar Alliance began to commission him to do some things. As long as the price was right and it was on his way, he didn't mind maintaining cosmic peace.
Today was no exception.
"Quantum Disturbance?"
Hearing this troublesome name, Lin instantly went from lying down to sitting up.
"Quantum Disturbance" was actually a shorthand, but because the full name was too long, this shorthand was mostly used to refer to it.
Quantum Disturbance was one of the mysterious phenomena in the universe. There were far too many unsolved mysteries in the universe, and the sources of most of them were still not understood. Quantum Disturbance was one of them.
Calling it "Quantum" was just following the saying "When in doubt, use quantum mechanics," treating it as something related to cosmic quantum mechanics. What it actually was was still open to debate, mainly manifesting as a kind of "chaotic interweaving of time and space."
Basically, anything could be encountered. In a sense, it was a time machine that could travel through time and space.
The long-distance communication from the Interstellar Alliance continued: "Yes. We hope you can go and investigate the Quantum Disturbance area. A deep investigation isn't needed—just do an investigation on the periphery and send the report to us. The reward will be at the highest rate."
"...Fine."
Lin accepted this task.
The reward was at the highest rate. If it were truly just an investigation, it would be impossible to give such a high reward. People who knew Lin knew that he did as much work as he was paid for. Giving this much meant that the Quantum Disturbance phenomenon there might not be that simple.
But Lin still decided to take a look. Not because of the reward, but because he was interested in everything, especially such rare cosmic phenomena.
So, he headed toward the coordinates.
...
"Near here..."
Lin arrived at this calm dark region and didn't find the so-called Quantum Disturbance phenomenon. However, in reality, Quantum Disturbance indeed had no prominent manifestation. Only specialized scanners could find the fluctuations of spacetime folding.
But this situation where nothing at all could be observed was indeed rare...
"Hmm? What's that?"
At this moment, Lin saw a planet that caught his attention.
Compared to the numerous lifeless gas giants, that planet was truly too dazzling and beautiful. The large area of azure was like a shining jewel.
"Strange... How could a habitable planet like this exist in this environment... No." Lin reacted halfway through his sentence. Since it was impossible for a planet with such an ecological environment to appear here, it meant that the main body of the Quantum Disturbance phenomenon was this Water Star.
Lin was about to reply to the Interstellar Alliance when he found his communication was cut off.
This sudden communication interruption instantly made Lin recall something from half a cosmic century ago.
As he unearthed his memories, the appearance of the Water Star before him became increasingly familiar.
...
"Whew... I haven't been here for fifty years, and the air is still so fresh."
Lin stepped off the ship. He stood on a deserted roof, as if returning to that scene fifty years ago when he stood on this planet.
The time-travel phenomenon caused by Quantum Disturbance was hard to determine the range of. He could only infer the time on Earth through the buildings and plants beneath his feet.
This desolation... it looked like it was after he left.
Lin pulled up the coordinates of the shelter and flew toward it in his ship.
Along the way, he saw that everything after the end of the world was full of life, but he didn't see any humans. There weren't even Honkai beasts. It seemed that the humans on Earth had been completely wiped out by the Honkai.
Following the trail of his memory, he arrived at the entrance of the shelter. Its dilapidated state, along with a towering giant tree growing there, all indicated that this place had long been abandoned.
Did that woman lead humanity to fight the Honkai until the end of their lives...
"...Hmm?"
Just as Lin was feeling sentimental, his life detector detected a humanoid organism. He rubbed his eyes in confusion to make sure he hadn't seen it wrong, then looked at the shelter before him.
There were still humans here?
He noticed then that although the shelter looked dilapidated, there was very little dust.
Human survivors?
Lin raised an eyebrow. He pushed open the door, and the lush green scene before him made him catch his breath.
In the once cramped place full of filth and weapons, bright-colored plants were packed everywhere, taking in the sunlight through the cracks and growing to their hearts' content.
"Who... is it?"
An aged voice made Lin shift his gaze from the plants to the person standing on the side with a hunched back.
With a head of gray hair and wrinkled skin, this phenomenon called human aging was something Lin hadn't seen for a long time, but that didn't stop him from recognizing that this was an old person.
It was an old woman carrying a watering can. She wore a pair of white glasses and looked at Lin walking in blankly, trembling as if struck by lightning.
"Hello, elder."
Although Lin age might not necessarily be younger than hers, it didn't stop him from being humble in terms of appearance recognition.
"Alien...?"
Lin was stunned.
"You... you're that woman?"
A sensitive intuition made Lin instantly recognize this as the black-haired woman who had led humanity against the Honkai back then.
"It's me..." The old woman nodded slowly, showing a kind smile.
In this state, she didn't look like that woman who was cold as ice at all. Her sharp gaze had completely disappeared; now there seemed only to be an elder of advanced years.
"This is truly an unexpected reunion." Lin sized her up. She didn't match the woman in his memories. "How much time has passed since I left?"
"Let me think... it's been fifty years." The old woman showed her toothless mouth and chuckled happily with her head tilted. "You really... haven't changed at all."
"My body's aging speed is different from yours. As long as I'm willing, I can live forever."
"Hahaha... unlike me, who has become an old crone."
"If you want, I can also help you restore your physical body to its prime."
"No need. I'm old, so let it be. Everyone has to die eventually, and I'm just meeting the end I should have..." The old woman seemed to have not talked to anyone for a long time. Now that she had someone to talk to, she was incredibly happy. "Did you meet them?"
"What? Meet who?"
"You said it... the humans who left their mother planet for the universe... The people on this Earth have already gone to the universe."
Lin eyes widened.