Chapter 1 The Old Earth
The red sun sank in the west as the train departed, stirring up large swathes of withered yellow leaves with the vibrations of the tracks, bringing forth the desolation of autumn.
Wang Xuan watched until the train gradually disappeared, then he withdrew his gaze and sent off a few classmates.
From this farewell, they would part ways, not knowing how many years it would be before they could meet again, and for some, there would be no reunion at all.
Around him, some people were still slowly waving goodbye, unable to let go for a long time, while others remained silent, feeling quite melancholic.
After four years of university, the bonds formed together were difficult to sever.
The afterglow of the setting sun cast slanting light on the falling yellow leaves, the interplay of light and shadow evoking a sense of time slipping away.
A delicate-looking girl turned away, secretly wiping away tears behind her glasses.
In this special era, after graduation, they would each return home, possibly never to meet again in this life.
The autumn wind blew, the yellow leaves scattered chaotically.
In this season, some were successful while others faced disappointment.
Four months after graduation, some stayed in the city, their futures bright, while others waited anxiously, holding on, and many more left with regret, returning to their hometowns.
As Wang Xuan walked back, he pondered where he would go from here.
The streets were old, and the large sycamore trees lining the road were shedding leaves, covering the ground completely.
Someone walked beside him, indignantly speaking up for him: "Why did they abandon you? How could they do this when there were spots available?"
As a fellow classmate and friend, Qin Cheng believed that Wang Xuan should have been chosen if there was any chance at all.
When the results were announced, many felt mixed emotions, as Wang Xuan shockingly did not get selected.
"Enough about me. What about you? Any results?" Wang Xuan asked him.
Qin Cheng quietly revealed that his family had used connections to secure him a spot, likely leading him to the New Moon.
"New Moon, across the deep void. I don't know if we will see each other again in the future," Wang Xuan halted, noticing that all his friends were departing.
He was tall and well-built, not thin but rather athletic, with a faint golden glow in the sunset. His eyes were clear and spirited.
"I will come back; we will definitely meet again," Qin Cheng, being an emotional person, felt a pang of sorrow at the thought of parting with friends.
"Call me when you return!" Wang Xuan embraced his shoulder tightly.
A choked voice came from the wind; Wang Xuan and Qin Cheng turned to see a male classmate in great distress.
His face was pale, crying out loud: "I really want to stay in this city! I want to wait for one last opportunity; I don't want to go back home like this!"
After living and studying here for four years, he had worked hard, striving to plan his future, seeking to find his place, yet ultimately, he could not remain.
He cried out in agony.
The autumn wind carried a chill, and some classmates followed suit, feeling low-spirited.
On the other side, a couple stopped in their tracks, gazing at each other silently, tears streaming down their faces.
They were about to part, and now the distance was not just thousands of miles but separated by a vast starry sky, perhaps never to see each other again.
Their faces were wet with tears, sharing one last embrace, and then only silence remained.
This city was vast yet somewhat old, retaining the traces of a bygone era; many of the ancient trees by the roadside had stood for a century or two.
In contrast, the city preserved the style of the past, remaining intact through the years.
In other places, some cities from the old era had been abandoned, long devoid of human presence, vast stretches of desolation overrun with vines and thorns, gradually submerged by nature.
Upon returning to the campus, Qin Cheng was still indignant on behalf of Wang Xuan, urging him to find out why he had been abandoned, to seek an explanation.
Even after graduation, they were allowed to stay on campus until all selections were finalized.
This opportunity was rare; those chosen would remain in the city, waiting to head to the New Star soon, where something extraordinary seemed to have been discovered.
Qin Cheng was also not selected; despite his family's efforts, he was only given a chance to go to Deep Space.
He would head to New Moon, the most important base revolving around the New Star.
Qin Cheng whispered, "You know, even though there are only whispers of the discoveries there, it has already stirred those with insider knowledge into a frenzy. No matter what, you must secure a spot!"
Under the moonlight, the shadows of the trees swayed as Wang Xuan stretched out on the lawn, practicing an ancient technique called "Scattering Art," which was highly practical, sending the vast yellow leaves swirling into the air.
He did not stop; his movements were quick yet his breathing steady. "I'm waiting for the final result."
Deep Space was boundless, the universe vast, yet it was cold and silent; aside from the Old Earth, people had only found another life-bearing star.
However, many years ago, the gates to the New Star had closed, making it difficult for ordinary people from the Old Earth to enter.
Compared to the New Star, some began to refer to this place as the Old Earth.
Once, it had been called Earth, the origin of humanity.
Perhaps it truly was somewhat "old," with many abandoned cities overgrown with weeds and devoid of inhabitants.
All of this was due to a war in the bygone era.
When technology reached a certain height, a hot war would be catastrophic.
The prosperous world was destroyed, becoming desolate and bleak.
At that time, many fled into space.
In truth, humanity's technology at that time was not as brilliant as imagined; they had only just begun to establish bases on the moon before the war.
Thus, those who fled could only temporarily rely on the moon as their foothold.
It was under such circumstances that humanity unexpectedly achieved a great migration, discovering and entering a new life-bearing star!
People from the Old Earth still found this unbelievable.
Many could not help but wonder what had triggered the sudden explosion of cutting-edge technology at that historical moment.
All parties remained tight-lipped.
Given the technology level of that time, neither stable wormholes nor warp engines could have been realized in such a short period.
Some in the Old Earth suspected that all answers might lie on the moon!
Unfortunately, the consequences of the hot war were too severe; the earth was half-destroyed, and the Old Earth had not recovered in all these years, with technology regressing severely, making lunar landings impossible for a long time.
Over a hundred years had passed, and the population of the Old Earth had only just returned to around one billion, far from the past figures, with many areas still desolate.
In the early days of developing the New Star, many survivors from the Old Earth had been taken away, resulting in a large loss of talent, which was one of the reasons for the severe regression of the Old Earth, a migration that lasted for decades.
It wasn't until over a hundred years later that the New Star finally closed its doors.
Moreover, with the earth ravaged after the hot war and the environment extremely harsh, the population of the Old Earth dwindled, making recovery difficult.
In the dim moonlight, Wang Xuan was performing the "Scattering Art," suddenly accelerating his movements. With a loud bang, his right hand left a clear imprint on a large tree, causing it to tremble violently, and yellow leaves fell like a waterfall.
Qin Cheng was astonished: "Scattering Art? You've really mastered some techniques? They will definitely regret abandoning you!"