A Conversation Across Three Thousand Years

He loaded the save file again.

Su Wen returned to the beginning of the game, Sprout.

The same opening CG with the overhead view.

The same future, three thousand years later.

But this time was different.

He didn't waste any time, but went straight down the stairs from the rooftop.

"I have to avoid the instant-kill in the Life Forbidden Zone at the start."

Su Wen understood that some games have so-called 'unavoidable death endings.'

He had to do something before that moment arrived.

However, the time window Chronoscape Game left him was too short.

He ran downstairs as fast as he could.

Then he met that familiar figure in the building.

"Qin Xiaodie, I'm here to save you."

"Who are you?"

"No time to explain, let's go."

Qin Xiaodie couldn't possibly trust him without any explanation.

"If you're here to save me, where are the weapons? Didn't Rainforest equip you with any? Do you have a personal jetpack and a small force field generator?"

Although only a few close people knew his name, She still didn't understand how the Rainforest organization thought sending someone in 'retro clothing' could save her.

Su Wen understood that gaining trust in such a short time was almost impossible.

Besides, She was right.

Escaping without weapons and equipment was almost an impossible task.

He watched the countdown timer he had set on his computer steadily decrease.

[47 seconds]
[46 seconds]
[45 seconds]

Pa-ta, pa-ta.

The screen went to the loading screen after death.

"Dead end."

The information he could gather in the game was too limited.

Maybe he should kowtow to the old man and try to secure a good spot in the cemetery in seven days.

In front of Su Wen.

The red prompt text stood out against the black screen background.

The approaching shadow of death weighed heavily on Su Wen, making it hard for him to breathe.

"I can't give up yet."

For him, The amount of time he had to work with was only one minute after the game CG.

What did he need to do in that minute to reverse the entire ending?

Su Wen sat in front of his computer, thinking quietly.

Existing ability:

Appraisal

Known information:

Life Forbidden Zone, Star Ring, Qin Xiaodie belonging to Rainforest organization, Morton Brotherhood pursuers, Secret Treasure

There must be some information he was missing.

"An unavoidable death ending. Qin Xiaodie didn't hesitate to escape into the Life Forbidden Zone of a destroyed civilization during the chase, which proves that the Secret Treasure she's guarding must be of extremely high value."

And in these short

47 seconds

, he must obtain information about the relics.

Humans can unleash a powerful will when facing death.

Su Wen was the same.

Under the shadow of death, he did not choose to give up.

Instead, he began attempt after attempt, crossing three thousand years of the timeline.

[You have died]

[Continue loading]

[Attempt 13]:

From a specific vantage point, using the [Appraisal] skill, he obtained a breakthrough piece of information:

[Fafner Pendant, a cherished keepsake of Qin Xiaodie, originating from the Inner Ring Explosion in District 13. It is a memento left behind by her father, Dr. Qin Mingyuan, the chief ancient civilization researcher at Helens Technology.]

[Attempt 20], during a conversation:

Using the clues he obtained by resetting the timeline, he attempted to extract [Secret Treasure] information by posing as Qin Mingyuan's confidant.

Failed to obtain information.

Death.

Failure.

Death.

Failure.

Death.

[Attempt 27]

He revealed research information about the [Broken Star Ring], posing as a fellow researcher of Qin Mingyuan:

"The mother star ring funded by the Cain Group appeared nine hundred years ago, which can prove your father's research on the mid-stage changes of the Origin Era explosion.

The Life Forbidden Zone is about to awaken; we don't have much time.

I need the information he left behind."

With enough information that only she knew.

Qin Xiaodie finally made the difficult decision to trust him.

"It's just a map; if I could understand it, I might have already opened the Secret Treasure."

She handed the pendant hanging from her fair neck to Su Wen.

[Appraisal: Information Secret Treasure, encryption level (multi-bit chained space Alpha Level)]

[Decryption unlocked]

[Live data connection successful]

['Chronoscape Game' paused, decoding in progress, data intelligence analysis in progress]

[Acquired data: Ancient Life Forbidden Zone research intelligence]

Time remaining:

[35 seconds]

Su Wen opened the Ancient Life Forbidden Zone research intelligence and obtained a map that had been constantly changing over the course of time.

[Two hundred years ago, the 'Origin Point' of the Life Forbidden Zone showed signs of migration]

[Five hundred years ago, %￥……& Ash Storm %…… data corruption]

[Nine hundred years ago, according to the data simulation from observation station twenty-eight, the Life Forbidden Zone showed a phenomenon of rank increase due to pollution]

[One thousand five hundred years ago, according to... data corruption, pollution outbreak... large-scale life activity cluster destruction phenomenon... Meme destruction.]

[Three thousand years ago, the early Origin Era, database rollback two million eight hundred thousand times, confirmed record, this place was once a habitable zone.

At that time, it had another name, 'Coastal'.

The [seed] location of the Life Forbidden Zone is at the map's designated point; I guarantee it can be accurate to the meter. ]

[I don't know who these studies can help, but the person who sees this research report.

I hope you can inherit my research and save this planet that is on the verge of destruction because it was once our only home.

Number: RT67-XYU-Chief Researcher-01-Qin Mingyuan left]

At this moment.

Looking at the text recording the civilization's changes.

And looking at the last incredibly familiar map, where he had lived for nearly twenty years.

Su Wen felt as if he had been struck by a massive hammer.

"I understand everything."

He traversed three thousand years.

He saw the man in white research attire, black-framed glasses perched on his nose, working at his desk.

It was a scholar's last stand for civilization.

Su Wen put on his coat.

He picked up the bicycle keys from the table.

Then, he calmly said, "Time record, load the [Appraisal] permission onto my retinas. I'm heading out."