The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

Chapter 100: Completing a Mission at the Village Vegetable Growing Outpost

Earth, Eastern Region of Country C, Ye Family Village, Western Suburbs of Qianmo City.

Ye Xuehan picked some stinky chaste trees on the small hill behind her house and tried to make green tofu by following online videos, but unfortunately she failed.

Seeing the basin full of green liquid, I decided to use it as hand soap to wash my hands.

I've been living in the village for over a month now, breathing in the fresh air, and my mood has improved a lot. The assets her father left her are enough for her to live a comfortable life without having to work for the rest of her life.

She wanted to keep things simple, so she followed online tutorials and planted some vegetables, most of which survived. Cabbage, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers all grew, but spinach didn't, perhaps because the weather was getting hotter.

There's no broadband in the village, but there are several 6G base stations. It's perfectly fine to watch videos on your phone while simultaneously learning how to sow seeds and fertilize.

The seeds and fertilizer were bought online, but the courier service could only deliver to the small shop at the entrance of the village; there was no intention to deliver to the door.

Grandpa Wang next door shook his head when he saw this, and told her that he had some organic fertilizer and asked if she wanted it.

Looking at the outhouse the old man was pointing to, Ye Xuehan shook her head repeatedly in refusal.

"Didn't every household in the village build a septic tank? Why are you still using a latrine?" Ye Xuehan asked.

“I’m the only one who uses it. My son and grandson use the chamber pot in the house. This fertilizer is a treasure now. Even though it’s pumped out, it’s what makes the vegetable garden grow well. Your grandma even borrowed some from my family when she was young,” Grandpa Wang said to Ye Xuehan.

Hearing others mention her grandmother, Ye Xuehan felt a lump in her throat, completely unaware that a tear was rolling down her cheek.

When I first returned to the village, it was this same old man, Wang, who asked me if I was Grandma Li's granddaughter, saying I looked like her.

Taxis can only drive to the village parking lot. Grandma's old house is at the very back of the village. Although the village has paved the road in front of the house with cement, the road is still very narrow.

Upon hearing that he was Grandma Li's granddaughter, Grandpa Wang immediately rode his electric tricycle to help her load her luggage onto the vehicle and take her home.

While Ye Xuehan was still in a daze, her phone rang.

Ye Xuehan answered the phone, and Grandpa Wang smiled and said "You're busy" before leaving.

"Xuehan, won't you reconsider? Working at the Mars base station is a rare opportunity that many people only dream of." It was Nantian's voice on the other end of the phone.

Ye Xuehan was silent for a moment, then said, "Nantian, I've thought it over. I don't want to go to Mars."

"Why?" Nan Tian asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Because what I need is here," Ye Xuehan said calmly.

“What do you need? I can help you find it,” Nan Tian said.

“I need quiet, I need peace, I need to get away from the noise,” Ye Xuehan said. “Mars is a completely new world, but it doesn’t have what I want.”

“But…” Nan Tian wanted to say something, but Ye Xuehan interrupted him.

"Nantian, thank you for your care and concern all this time, but it's over between us," Ye Xuehan said. "I hope you can find true happiness."

After saying that, Ye Xuehan hung up the phone.

She looked at her phone, a strange emotion welling up inside her.

She knew she had made a decision, a decision that might disappoint Nantian, but she had to take responsibility for her own life.

She looked up at the sky, her heart filled with anticipation and hope for the future.

No matter how many difficulties and challenges lie ahead, she will bravely face them and pursue her own happiness.

……

Nantian put down his phone and sighed.

“She doesn’t want to come,” Nan Tian said, looking at Captain Zhang.

“Okay, go train. Shen Cheng and Luo Yan will be training with you. Once you pass the physical fitness test, you can join the next batch of spaceships heading to Mars and go to the outpost base,” Captain Zhang said.

Nan Tian nodded and asked, "Captain Zhang, I heard you went to the Northwest Desert and didn't find anything?"

"It's not that there's none at all; at least we can confirm that there was once a time tunnel there," Captain Zhang said.

Nan Tian asked, "Have you found any clues?"

Team Leader Zhang shook his head. "That place has turned into a desert, and the time tunnel has been shut down. We can't find any clues. However, I believe there must be some kind of force manipulating things behind the scenes. We need more clues and information to unravel this mystery."

Nan Tian took a deep breath. "I will continue to search for clues. I believe there are still many unknowns in this world waiting for us to explore."

Team Leader Zhang patted Nantian on the shoulder. "Very good, young people should have this kind of spirit. But remember to be careful, don't let curiosity get you into trouble."

Nan Tian nodded and turned to walk towards the training ground.

Over the next few months, Nantian and the other team members underwent rigorous physical training. They exercised daily to improve their speed and strength. Nantian also continued his search for clues about the time tunnel, consulting numerous sources and asking many people, but he found nothing of value.

Finally, a month later, Nan Tian, ​​Shen Cheng, and Luo Yan passed the physical fitness test and were selected as members of the team to go to the Mars outpost. Before leaving Earth, Nan Tian went home one last time to visit his parents and tell them that he was about to go to Mars.

Nantian's parents fully supported his decision. They knew their son had always had an adventurous spirit and believed he could protect himself. Nantian bid farewell to his parents, embarking on his journey to Mars with anticipation for the future and fear of the unknown.

At the Mars outpost, Nantian met many like-minded people, and together they explored this strange planet. Nantian also continued to search for clues about the time tunnel, believing that this mystery would one day be solved.

Despite the unknowns and challenges ahead, Nantian has never given up on exploring and pursuing the unknown. He believes that as long as he perseveres, he will surely be able to uncover the secrets of this world.

That day, Nantian met Du Qi again, who was preparing to carry out a mission.

"Teacher Du, are you off on another mission?" Nan Tian asked.

“Yes, Country A’s probe has arrived on Mars, and it was attacked by an unknown creature as soon as it landed. We’re going to take a look,” Du Qi replied.

Nan Tian frowned. "Unidentified creature? Aren't we the only ones on Mars?"

Du Qi shook his head. "Not necessarily. It might be something that came from the other side of the tunnel."

Nan Tian asked in confusion, "But our base is built right next to the tunnel. With so many instruments pointed at it, we should have detected any unidentified creatures immediately."

Du Qi sighed. "That's what's strange to us too. These creatures seem to have a strong ability to hide; our instruments can't detect their presence. After Country A's probe landed, it immediately sent out a distress signal. By the time we got there, the probe had already been destroyed, leaving only some strange traces."

Nan Tian frowned. "Strange marks? What do they look like?"

Du Qi took a photo out of his pocket and handed it to Nan Tian. "Look, this is a photo we took at the scene. These marks look like they were left by the claws of some kind of creature, but we've never seen such a creature before."

Nan Tian carefully examined the marks on the photograph, a sense of unease rising within him. If these creatures truly came from the other side of the time tunnel, then they might pose a threat to human survival.

He looked up at Du Qi and said, "Teacher Du, I want to go to the scene to see for myself."