Chapter 2: Wind - Thorns on the Back

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The pale yellow minibus had been driving for almost four hours, and the sky gradually darkened. Shen An looked as the bus left Ningjiang City and headed west for three hours. By now, they were in a place she couldn't recognize at all. Even the road signs became fewer and fewer, as if they had entered the mountains.

The sky had completely darkened, and Shen An closed her eyes to rest. The past two days of inner conflict and frustration caused her to quickly fall asleep.

Not long after, Shen An was awakened by a harsh alarm sound. Opening her eyes, she saw the red lights flashing outside the window, the pitch-black night sky, and a panicked crowd.

"We have arrived, everyone," the leading teacher said, clearly never having encountered such a situation before. Still, he followed the driver's instructions and led everyone off the bus.

"Is there anyone who can help with the luggage?"

"What happened?" Just as they got off the bus, Shen An overheard the two seniors asking the leading teacher. She and Lin Jiasheng were just tightly holding onto their suitcases and backpacks.

"I don't know, let's go down and take a look first." The leading teacher saw the situation and could only tell the truth. However, he had received a notification for a farewell party, but now, the atmosphere outside was so tense that it didn't seem like...

"Let's go check it out." One of the seniors looked at Shen An and Lin Jiasheng, as well as the leading teacher. "Teacher, could you please help us with some luggage? Shen An and Lin Jiasheng, could you help us carry some of the luggage?"

Shen An looked over and saw that the two of them had eight or nine suitcases combined. She could only nod.

"Thank you, by the way, my name is Zhong Han." The boy politely introduced himself as he handed over a suitcase, smiling slightly. But Shen An had already lowered her head and didn't see it.

"Thank you," Liu Siyan also said with surprise, glancing at Zhong Han beside her.

"You're welcome," Lin Jiasheng accepted the suitcase awkwardly, immediately lowering his head and anxiously holding onto the handle.

Shen An also lowered her head. Zhong Han and Liu Siyan were the recognized school beauties and school hunks of Ningjiang High School, a golden couple. They were on the same team as Han Chengyi, and just like the suitcase Shen An had received, they exuded exquisite taste and were clearly of considerable value.

"Let's go quickly." The leading teacher saw the chaotic scene and felt uncertain. Seeing many people walking towards the hall, he hurriedly urged everyone on.

Thinking that something must have happened, Shen An didn't bother to guess. There were already staff members walking towards their direction.

Shen An immediately recognized the staff members because their uniforms were exactly the same as the ones in the promotional posters - light blue uniforms with deep blue metallic lines along the front, hem, and the sides of their legs. There were no visible seams, giving them a strong sense of technology and outlining the staff members' graceful figures.

A staff member held a camera-sized device and scanned them. In the next moment, the staff member confidently addressed Shen An, Liu Siyan, and the other two.

"Four of you, please follow me."

"What happened?" Zhong Han asked.

"Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with the passage. It's just that the solar particle flare started early, and all flights have been moved up an hour," the staff member turned around and explained patiently with a slight smile.

Lin Jiasheng looked at the panicked crowd around them, everyone's face filled with nervousness. He glanced anxiously at the other three. It wasn't that he was timid, but this was, after all, interstellar travel. What if something...

"Let's go," Zhong Han said and took a step forward, followed by Liu Siyan who quickly walked ahead.

Silently, Shen An followed suit. Despite the nervousness evident in everyone's expressions, not a single person showed any signs of backing out. It was evident that the allure of the New World was even greater than Shen An had imagined.

The hall was already crowded with many people bustling around. The selected individuals were a diverse group, including students like Shen An, as well as middle-aged and even elderly individuals, although there weren't many of the latter. Shen An saw four or five men who looked to be in their fifties or sixties. There was even a young boy who was eating an ice cream with a Minion-themed yellow backpack on his back, quietly enjoying the ice cream amidst the panic.

Shen An was surprised. A young boy? He was eating ice cream while the crowd was in a panic. Could he really handle being an animal trainer?

The leading teacher could only accompany them to the entrance of the hall, so Shen An's suitcase was now carrying two more suitcases, which almost hid half of her body.

"Four students, follow the flow and board the aircraft directly. Due to the rush, please make sure not to leave the line. The intelligent aerial robot will guide you through the next steps." After a brief instruction, the staff member quickly went out to welcome newcomers.

"Is that it?" Liu Siyan couldn't believe it, pointing at the departing staff member and looking surprised at the others.

"That's how it is. We haven't even collected all our luggage," the male student in front of the line complained in a dissatisfied tone.

"But I heard that there was supposed to be a farewell party?" Shen An overheard another older male student complaining while checking his watch.

"That's right, but I told you, the party was canceled. We're going straight into the aircraft and find our seats..."

"Oh no, what are we going to do? I heard that over there, our phones won't work, and we can't watch TikTok. It's going to be so difficult to live like this..."

"It seems like there are similar apps over there. Why are you so worried..."

Amidst the cacophony of voices, a soft and gentle female voice from above interrupted them.

"Welcome to the Wind Domain Alliance Research Institute. Choosing the Wind Domain Alliance will lead to a brilliant life. Here, we will provide you with a whole new life choice, stepping onto a higher life platform."

"Please follow the guidance of the Wind Domain Alliance aerial robot and proceed in an orderly manner to the boarding platform..." The broadcast repeated this announcement over and over again. Everyone looked up, trying to locate the robotic voice from the lights shining in the darkness.

The line began to move slowly, with footsteps and the wheels of suitcases intermingling. The line in front stretched out endlessly, with more luggage than people. Only a few, like Shen An and Lin Jiasheng, had brought just one suitcase. Most had three or more suitcases.

But the hall's ceiling was very high, and from Shen An's position, it appeared like a dark night sky, with lights shooting down like stars, not glaring but illuminating the hall brightly. The cool breeze brought chills, making it feel like every move was being watched, like thorns on the back.

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