Deep Space Wandering Fleet
Chapter 418 - 416: The Death of Yamamoto Ichiro

Chapter 418: Chapter 416: The Death of Yamamoto Ichiro

Years went by, one after another, and while the days spent traveling in the cosmic space were mundane, they possessed a unique aura of time...

Over these years, Zhang Yuan had traversed every nook and cranny of the Kunlun Mountain, engaging in various trades, and had come to understand things he never had time to explore before.

Is the society of the new human civilization perfect?

It could be said to be the most perfect moment in human history. Under the monitoring of various big data systems, politics were clear of corruption, and as material resources gradually became abundant, there was no longer any need to pursue wealth in a highly affluent society.

The ideological drive of the populace was also considerably strong.

However, Zhang Yuan still felt a subtle sense of laziness, the origins of which he didn’t know, nor did he know how to improve it... Even in the Virtual Space, he set up educational segments allowing everyone to experience the past human life, to show everyone how hard-won the current good life was.

But the effectiveness of this education was not as good as imagined.

As Ye Junchang always said, most people were simply drifting along with society, holding no special ideals. It was determined by human nature.

If it weren’t for social contribution tied to economic gains and the "number of reincarnations" in the virtual world, perhaps people’s work enthusiasm would decrease significantly. Humans are such lazy creatures by nature, the development of science became slower and the path forward increasingly difficult.

In the days to come, humans must forge a new rising path.

Driving societal development was not just science but also politics, economics, art, and various other humanities disciplines.

Is the mission of humans merely to explore nature and develop technology?

Certainly not, if that were all, it would make human life seem too monotonous and boring.

Ten years...

Twenty years...

Thirty years...

Traveling in the universe indeed proved to be lonely and solitary. Near the vast cosmic strings, there were no significant events, not even a meteor encountered, let alone any contact with alien civilizations.

The new officials quickly became familiar with their duties and got into the regular work routine.

A civilization should be able to operate independently of anyone. That is a normal and healthy civilization.

As expected, Li Zhendong died first...

Or rather, he was the first to enter the Virtual Space...

This old guy, who didn’t take care of himself, often stayed up late, enjoyed eating late-night snacks, and as a scientific researcher, didn’t hibernate much more than Zhang Yuan. In the 32nd year after Zhang Yuan retired, he passed away.

Following him were Ye Kaifu, Major Guo, and others...

Instead, Zhang Yuan, the oldest, remained till the last.

There was a certain unsettling feeling in seeing off old friends. Everyone knew there was a chance to return to the real world, but the probability was so slim...

Slim enough to be negligible.

How hard was it to grasp one’s life? Who could confidently say, in another world, that they would resist the temptations of money, beauty, power, and other various lures?

Entering the Virtual Space, perhaps never to meet again, was akin to death.

Life was like a swinging ball, its swings getting smaller and smaller until they stopped... When one’s physical condition deteriorated to a certain extent, doctors would suggest entering the Virtual Space. This kind of aging was comprehensive and something Modern Science couldn’t save.

Strangely, at this last moment, many elderly people were actually unwilling.

But Zhang Yuan could understand these old men’s thoughts; no matter which world they reincarnated in, no matter if they regained their youth or what pleasures they can enjoy, nothing could compare to the Kunlun Mountain that they had built with their own hands.

Today, it was Professor Yamamoto Ichiro’s turn, an expert in bionics and the Virtual World, this old fellow was already paralyzed in a wheelchair, no longer displaying his once vibrant spirit.

Zhang Yuan could still walk on his own with the aid of a cane. He looked at Professor Yamamoto Ichiro, this once lively and troublemaking professor, who now exhaled more than he inhaled.

Like a dim flame, seemingly ready to extinguish at any moment.

"How do you manage to live so long? You’re the eldest, yet still alive... Truly a superior genetic species. If we cloned ten thousand Zhang Yuans, would our society progress greatly?" Yamamoto looked somewhat spirited.

He was deeply intimidated by Zhang Yuan, still feeling a bit of fear even after retirement. This might be an innate reverence for the strong.

Today, however, he was not afraid, seizing the last moments to chatter nonstop, even beginning to talk nonsense.

Zhang Yuan said, "Clone ten thousand of me? Why not clone ten thousand of you?"

"Because there’s only one of me, and I cannot find another me again. A clone is not the present me."

This great scientist of the Unreal Laboratory was about to enter the Virtual World he had researched all his life, feeling a complex mix of emotions.

"Living a bit longer is good, eat a bit more food to break even."

Zhang Yuan grasped his hand, rough like tree bark, and comforted him, "Don’t be afraid, there are already many old friends inside, and although we can’t meet face-to-face, they still exist. Everyone must die sometime; don’t be afraid."

"It’s not fear, but a natural sense of dread. Going to another world feels utterly insecure." Yamamoto gasped a few breaths and whispered in a low voice, "I’ve never liked socializing or making friends, and now I have to start over in another world. Getting to know strangers always feels draining. Sometimes I think, death might be a good end... What’s the point of living? I don’t know, it’s really boring."

"It’s indeed like that," Zhang Yuan said, "fearing death is merely a genetic instinct... but not fearing death is not human, life inherently fears death."

He could still recall when they were in the Earth Era at the Star Museum, a youthful Yamamoto asking him about mathematical problems, quite confused about his own life.

In the blink of an eye, this guy was also leaving the world.

"Is it like that..." Yamamoto lifted his dry hand, resembling tree bark, "It’s a bit lonely, I should have created a clone to talk to myself. Ah, so boring."

Zhang Yuan said, "Is being really bored your last words?"

"Yes."

"What a boring life."

Tip: You can use left, right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.Tap the middle of the screen to reveal Reading Options.

If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report