Chapter 679: Why Must It Be Me

"This... this is..." Li Qingshan stood in place like a statue.

He knew why this flag was so large... because only a flag this big could hold these hundreds of names, allowing each one to clearly leave a mark on the oath, letting everyone in future generations see it clearly.

These words seemed to contain a certain power, impacting Li Qingshan’s soul. He didn't know who had written these, nor did he know what they meant,

but at this moment, Li Qingshan was shocked.

Grandma leaned on her cane and moved out of the room bit by bit. She stood still beside the flag and used the tip of her cane to point at the wildest, dark signature in the very center of the *Pioneer’s Declaration*, speaking tremblingly:

"My dear grandson... this one, is your ancestor."

Li Qingshan’s gaze followed his grandmother’s guidance, and a name leaped into his eyes:

—Li Chengwei.

A name as ordinary as could be, but at this moment, it was as if it had some kind of magic, gripping Li Qingshan’s gaze.

"Our ancestor... was a hero! A long time ago... he led a large group of people to build the railway, and he never came back. These words were all written by him..."

As she spoke, Grandma took out an extremely old diary from the very bottom of the box and handed it to Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan opened it subconsciously.

Judging from the first few pages, the timeline of this diary was after the Great Catastrophe. The owner of the diary, Li Chengwei, had taken his family into the Red Dust Base for refuge. Most of it was about the environment of the base, how they settled down, and the trivial matters of him providing psychological counseling to his wife and children...

But when Li Qingshan turned to the middle, the situation began to take a sharp turn for the worse.

【...June 23rd】

【I saw flaming meteors falling from the sky;】

【Everything happened too suddenly... By the time I came to my senses, we had all been transferred to a strange place. They said this was a small world created by the Red Dust Lord, and that the base was suffering a nuclear strike, and the situation was very bad.】

【I was a bit dazed. Wasn't it said that the human civil war had ended long ago? How could anyone still launch nuclear missiles? And, hadn't the Red Dust Lord already fallen into a deep sleep?】

【I asked a few friends around me, but they didn't know what was going on either. The base staff were also busy all the time and had no time to answer my confusion... I was very uneasy.】

【……】

【June 24th】

【Overnight, everyone seemed to have become different people... Some said the outside was suffering a nuclear strike and food and water were about to run out. Many people went crazy trying to grab supplies. Even the staff trying to maintain order was useless. It was chaotic everywhere, and two lunatics even tried to search us for our belongings, scaring Ah Zhen and Ah Yi into crying all night.】

【But I don't understand, if supplies run out, everyone will starve to death here sooner or later. What is the point of them grabbing that little bit of food now? In the face of disaster, has their reason been eaten by dogs?】

【It wasn't until that young man named Yao Qing took action that the chaotic situation stabilized.】

【This Yao Qing is very capable; he has means, power, and knows how to soothe people's hearts. I heard he is the Red Dust Lord’s younger brother? But it seems he isn't a biological one... Hmm, I feel like the look in his eyes when he mentions the Red Dust Lord is not quite right. I smell gossip... I'll find out when I have time.】

【……】

【June 25th】

【One piece of good news, one piece of bad news.】

【The good news is that the supplies weren't completely destroyed and are enough for us to use for a while; the bad news is that the originally laid Realm Train tracks were blown up, supplies from other realms can't get in, and the communication tower seems to have problems too... If this continues, starving to death is only a matter of time.】

【The Red Dust Base seems to be looking for volunteers to repair the tracks, but there is nuclear radiation everywhere there. They said that once you go, there is basically no possibility of coming back...】

【So, are they looking for people to volunteer to die?】

【……】

【June 26th】

【I have insomnia.】

【It’s not cold in the small world, and no one was noisy tonight. Even Old Four next door, who usually snores like thunder, was unusually quiet... Are they thinking about what was said during the day just like me?】

【I’m afraid of death, I’m afraid of pain. I’m ten thousand times unwilling to go repair tracks while risking radiation... But my son and daughter, they are really cute.】

【If no one goes to repair the road, then everyone can only wait here to die together. In the worst case, I even suspect they will eventually eat each other. Isn't human nature just like that?】

【I don't want my son and daughter to become someone else's food, or to eat someone else... Since that's the case, someone has to stand up, right?】

【……】

【June 27th】

【I talked to that young man named Yao Qing. He promised me that he would do his best to ensure my children live a happy life.】

【I thought about it all night yesterday. If our sacrifice can bring peace and happiness to future generations and give them a home they can rely on, then my life is actually quite worth it, right?】

【Alright, I admit I’m still scared, my legs are still trembling... But we seem to have no way out. At least in front of my children, I have to be a tough guy for once, right?! I have to let them know that their father is a hero, a pioneer who saved the Red Dust Realm!】

【Yes, I’ve made up my mind!】

【We all have parents, we all have lovers, we all have children; our bloodlines and wills have people to continue them, and we can protect the people we care about. Since that's the case...】

【Why must it be me who survives?】

The diary ended abruptly.

Li Qingshan looked at the last sentence, unable to calm down for a long time.

He grew up in Willow Town since he was a child and didn't understand the history of the Red Dust Realm, or even the Red Dust Base... Until this moment, he realized that everything they enjoyed now was exchanged by their ancestors with blood and life.

He was the descendant of a pioneer.

"My dear grandchild, you've brought honor to our family!" Grandma grinned. "You must remember... our ancestors were heroes who defended the country! Just like the Yang family generals in the operas! They were truly magnificent!"

Li Qingshan fell silent.

Withered leaves swirled in the breeze. The figure in the blood-stained green robe stood as still as a statue, gazing quietly at the flag that had pierced through the ages.

He looked at the wild, resolute characters "Li Chengwei," surrounded by hundreds of other signatures extending outward. In a trance, he saw figures holding flags high, marching toward the nuclear ruins without a backward glance...

It was because of their sacrifice that the Red Dust Realm was able to exist.

Li Qingshan didn't actually like the Red Dust that much. In the years he spent performing in Liu Town, he had seen too much darkness and too many unspoken rules. He had seen endless greed in this city, but this place was his home... it was the sanctuary his ancestors had bought for them with their lives!

Whether it was nuclear ruins or a fake Red Dust, if the people living here left, where could they go?

The Wuji Realm was powerful, and the Red Dust Realm had little chance of winning. Most people could only hide to survive... but,

Someone has to stand up, don't they?

Boom—

Under the distant sky, raging flames suddenly erupted like a sea of red dragons, their heat and crimson glow staining the distant clouds red.

Billowing smoke rose, and countless living beings wailed.

That was the direction of the Red Dust Main City.

"Old masters..."

Li Qingshan clenched his fists involuntarily, muttering to himself,

"Their war has burned its way here again."

……