Earth Era

Part 19

Not long after, the Arcadia colonization fleet relayed a message: "Currently, the communication equipment of 93 colonization ships has been repaired, and contact has been successfully established with the fleet. Most of the missing ships are on their way back. However, there are still 7 ships unaccounted for."

The United Government replied: "Very well, depart."

Colonization Fleet: "Should we... wait a little longer?"

United Government: "No need, we've wasted enough time already."

Six days had passed since the day the one hundred colonization ships had departed, and there was no more time to delay. Following the orders, all 93 colonization ships set sail in sequence, heading straight for Arcadia.

The United Government compiled a list for the seven missing Arcadia ships and the fourteen thousand colonists on board, releasing it publicly and holding a memorial service for them.

The location was: Silver City, District 22, near the old site of the Imperial Building.

The magnificent Imperial Building had turned into ruins four years ago in the war with the aliens. Its former glory was long gone, but memories of the past resurfaced in people's minds.

Hundreds of thousands of people stood silently in the center of the square, mourning deeply.

Most of these people were relatives of the deceased or friends and family. They came from all over the world, different cities, different regions, but they all had one thing in common—they were residents of Saitan!

They traveled far and wide to the scene, listening to the speeches of the highest leaders of the United Government on stage, just to see off their loved ones for the last time.

Qin Feng and his companions also came, standing at the back of the crowd, far from the stage.

Everyone bowed their heads silently, mourning for the fourteen thousand compatriots who had passed away.

The highest leader of the United Government said, "They are heroes! They are the first martyrs in the history of human colonization! We should be proud of them..."

Ruan Xiaoyu, standing nearby, couldn't help but chuckle at these words...

People around him looked at him, and he quickly explained, "Sorry, sorry~ I didn't mean to, I just felt that what he said was a bit strange."

Qin Feng and the others felt the surrounding gazes becoming increasingly intense, so they quickly apologized to the people around them and pulled him away. It was easy to get into trouble if they lingered.

Leaving the square, not far away was a river, or rather, there used to be a river here, but now it had dried up completely.

The group sat by the dry riverbed, and Qin Feng furrowed his brow, asking, "Are you sick? Why did you suddenly laugh? You nearly got us in trouble!"

Ruan Xiaoyu kept saying "sorry" several times, saying, "I really didn't mean to, it's just that what that person said didn't make me sad at all. Instead, it felt a bit funny."

"Where's the humor? What he said was quite normal," Xiaoya said.

Ruan Xiaoyu: "It's precisely because it's so normal that I found it funny."

Qin Feng shook his head. "You're a strange person."

Ruan Xiaoyu rolled his eyes and muttered, "You've known me for a long time. What's so strange about me..."

In the following dozen days, another two hundred Arcadia colonization ships and four hundred thousand people set off from various parts of the world, embarking on a long and perilous journey to Arcadia.

Missing the conjunction period meant that the distance between the two planets would only grow farther, and the next conjunction would have to wait another two years!

Everyone was eagerly looking forward to it, waiting for the Arcadia to set sail again in two years.

"I wonder if those interstellar raiders will have mercy on us and let us live for another two years?" This was a phrase Qin Feng had been frequently saying lately.

However, whenever he said this, Xiaoya would always smile and ask, "Are you scared?"

Qin Feng shrugged nonchalantly. "Who isn't? Aren't you scared?"

Xiaoya: "I'm not scared. Because being scared is useless, what's destined to happen will happen, and we can't avoid it. Instead of sighing and looking up at the sky, it's better to make the most of every day."

Qin Feng: "If we only had one day of life left, how would you want to spend it?"

Xiaoya: "Skip it."

Qin Feng: "Um... or... who would you most want to spend it with?"

Xiaoya: "Every day could be our last."

Qin Feng: "..."

Two years could be a long lifetime or a fleeting moment, depending on how you lived it.

Hope always coexists with despair, depending on who you see.