Swallowed Star
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chapter-2
The southern sector is primarily used as a cheap rental area. It’s packed to its limits and each of the apartments are like huge, square concrete poles and are built with no consideration to sun’s exposure.
Luo Feng’s home is on the 32nd floor out of the 36 floors in a certain apartment.
“Feng, wanna go to the dojo tonight?” Wei Wen says as he heads toward another apartment.
“I have to go out for some family education matters tonight. After that’s done, I might go to the dojo. Don’t wait for me tonight.” Luo Feng smiles and waves his hand and then flies up the staircase; each of Luo Feng’s step covering four stair steps. Like a speeding panther, Luo Feng reached the second story within two blinks.
Third floor, Fourth floor…“Step! Step!”
Even while sprinting, Luo Feng is still extremely flexible, having enough time to make way for other residents on the staircase.
“Feng, out of school?”
“Yea, Uncle Wang.” Luo Feng’s breathing pattern is not affected at all. As an ‘Elite’ member, this speed of climbing is no different from a relaxing walk.
To the vast majority of the residents opinions’, no elevator was built in the building. If an elevator was built, then the residents’ rental fee would be increased. As of now, to many of the residents, climbing up a few dozen stories is very easy.
To them, building a elevator in the building is just a waste.
Since electricity is expensive and the city’s defense system is electric-powered, the entire country needs electricity.32nd floor!
On the 32nd floor, there are eight families, and Luo Feng’s is one of them.
“Kacha!” Holding the key, Luo Feng opens the door.
“Brother, is that you?” A sound came within the home.
“Yup” Luo Feng closes the door. At a glance, Luo Feng’s home consists of one room and one living room, the area being 36 ping*.
*A “ping” is approximately 3.306 square meters.
Ever since the beginning of his memory, he has lived here with his brother and parents, a family of four, in this 36 ping place.
“Hua, what are you reading?” Luo Feng heads toward the balcony.
On the balcony, a skinny, sickly white teenager sits on a wheelchair, holding an english book. When Feng saw that, he laughed, “Oh, is that ‘Pulaisi’ the investing expert? Within the investing experts, isn’t the stock god ‘Bafeite’ the most famous?”
Towards investments and stock, Luo Feng understands nothing.
“Bafeite isn’t really suited for me. Also, Pulaisi’s theories and thoughts are closer to my own ideals, so I can learn more from them.” The skinny teenager raised his head and let out a small smile.
“You continue reading.” Luo Feng laughed.
Inadvertently, Luo Feng glanced at his younger brother’s legs and felt a pain in his heart… During his younger years, his younger brother’s legs were crushed by a car. Everything below his thigh was crushed, which crippled him. As a cripple, he faces immense pressure under living in the current society. Even his education can only be taught through long-distance internet lessons.
Since he hasn’t been exposed to any sunlight for a long duration of time, his brother’s face is a sickly white, as if he’s sick.
And…. he doesn’t have many friends, since he is a bit introverted.
“Mom and Dad’s salary aren’t high and they have to raise me and my brother, and my brother is even crippled… the burden on our family is too large, so we can only live in this cheap rental home.”
“I have to change the destiny of our home!”
Luo Feng thinks to his heart.
“I have a crush on Xu Xin, and yet I haven’t made any moves, haven’t tried to start a relationship”
“According to the law, one can marry at 18 years old, so lots of people have relationships during high school and marry when they graduate. Those who haven’t had relationships in high school are few within few. How come I don’t have one?”
“Because, I don’t have time to waste on romance! My family isn’t rich, so I don’t have an amazing teacher’s guidance. I can only depend on myself for everything.” Luo Feng’s gaze lands on the living room’s old sofa, which could also act as a bed. “This many years, a family of four, just in this house of one room and one living room. My brother and I are in the only room, while after all these years, my parents sleep on the living room’s sofa…”
“I will definitely let my family live in a huge house, a huge house with an elevator.”
“Let dad and Mom sleep on a huge bed.”
“Let my brother not have to struggle so much when going down the stairs.”
“The house must have a huge window so the sunlight can completely shine through!.”
These words have been repeated through Luo Feng’s mind countless times, which is why he is so hard working.
So──
He became one of the three ‘Elite’ members in the #3 high school and is the only one out of the three who has an average family. The other two are extremely wealthy.
…..
“Huahua~~” From the faucet’s unending stream, it filled up the electric kettle very quickly.
“Chichi……” Plugging in the electric kettle, Luo Feng sat on the sofa with a history textbook in home, continuously memorizing the important parts of the book.
Suddenly──
“Di!”
The kettle’s water has boiled. Luo Feng puts down his book and pours the water into an insulating bottle. He also poured it into a large plastic cup and placed it on the table.
“AD 2026, the battle of Hong Ze happened in the Hong Ze lake… Yup, year 2026.” Luo Feng memorized historical events one by one. Out of his regular education, Luo Feng is best at math. However, he is most interested in history. Because everytime he sees the 21st century’s history
…..
He feels uneasy.
This is the history of human reformation!
“Hua.” Luo Feng walks towards his brother.
“Yes, brother?” Younger Brother Luo Hua puts down the book in his hands.
“I have highlighted the 139 important parts in this book, quiz me a bit.” Luo Feng hands the history textbook in his hand. Luo Hua listened and laughed. “Sure, I rarely get the chance to quiz you. Brother, listen up, I’m going to give a question. If you get it wrong, it would be embarrassing.”
“Ask away.” Luo Feng laughs, sitting on the couch.
“There was one man who slayed the ‘Tiger head dragon’ and saved hundreds of thousands of people, which let thousands of them successfully transfer to the Jiang Nan base. Who is the hero? From where? How old was he when he died?” “What exact date did this happen?” Luo Hua asked as he flipped through the book.
“The hero was ‘Dong Nan Bao’ who was granted a four star hero medal by the country. He’s Yuan Jiang Tai Xing. He died when he was 39 years old. This happened… should be AD 2018…” Luo Feng raised his eyebrows.
Luo Hua continued asking, “The exact date is AD 2018, what month, what day?”
“Um.. I think it was…” Luo Feng said hesitantly, “June 18th.”
“Haha, you got the first question wrong.” Luo Hua shaked his head, “Dong Nan Bao is indeed from Yuan Jiang Tai Xing and died when he was 39 years old. However, this happened on AD 2018, June 16th.”
“Ah!”
Luo Feng hit his head and laughed bitterly. “I get 16 and 18 mixed up all the time, continue asking.”
“Okay, listen carefully, second question.” Luo Hua was clearly excited. “AD 2013 in…”
…..
The two brothers asked and answered, and time flew by quickly.
“I already asked half the questions in this book. I asked 68 questions and you got 63 right and 5 wrong.” Luo Hua raised his head and looked at the clock hanging on the wall. “Dad and Mom are going to be back soon. I’ll ask you one last question and ask you the other half some other time.”
“Last question? Okay, ask away.” Luo Feng’s concentration increased.
“This question, is very basic. Review the important events of the ‘Da Nie Pan’* period.” asked Luo Hua.
*Da Nie Pan’s pan character was slightly different, but this basically means Nirvana/Grand Nirvana, or at least hints at it. I will call it the Grand Nirvana period from now on.
Luo Hua had a serious expression, for the Grand Nirvana period was the most important part of the history of human reformation. “In the beginning of the 21st century, the entire world continued to have several virus outbreaks. AD 2003 was SARS, 2009 was H1N1, and 2013, finally the even more horrifying R-type virus broke out. As the R-type virus spread, it mutated into around twenty different kinds, which made it even more challenging for anti-virals to fight against. As a result, all of the countries of the world had many deaths.”
“As the medical department advanced, the virus got under control.”
“However, on AD 2015 January, the R virus mutated into its most horrifying mutation, the one which became known was the RR virus!”
“In the past, many R virus mutations were spread through body fluids, some which could be spread through water. However, its life span in water is very short. On the other hand, this RR virus could go through body fluid, go through water, and even worse… it could even go through air! With a lifespan of up to three hours in the air!”
