jdhmnovel Chapter 414 A Bright Beacon
Chapter 414 A Bright Beacon
The cold ground of the rooftop terrace of the villa briefly pulled Yuan Bao back to reality from his intense feeling of exhaustion.
She leaned against the railing, panting heavily, her thin clothes soaked with cold sweat, and her fingertips trembling slightly.
In the silence after the Guardian's force field dissipated, only her heavy breathing and the whisper of the simulated night wind remained.
[Warning: Your physiological indicators show moderate stress response and mental fatigue. It is recommended to take an energy supplement immediately and begin a deep recovery program.] Little 9's notification tone carried an undeniable concern.
Yuan Bao struggled to retrieve a vial of concentrated energy liquid specially supplied by the system space and tremblingly injected it into his vein.
A warm current spread quickly, temporarily dispelling some of the cold and dizziness, but the mental sting and physical fatigue remained heavy.
She lowered her head, opened her palm, and the fingernail-sized fragment, half a ghostly blue crystal and half a deathly silver-gray, reflected a cold and eerie luster under the simulated starlight in the space.
This was all the "gains" she had gained from her first exploration of the star system, at the cost of damage to the Guardian Force Field core and almost depletion of her spatial energy reserves.
She leaned on the railing, staggered to her feet, and walked unsteadily down the terrace.
At this moment, more than ever, she longs for the safe and secure "home and light" of being with her family.
The living room was still lit by a soft nightlight.
Lin Qing was still awake, sitting on the sofa, flipping through a meridian chart by the light, her hand habitually twirling the warm, smooth [Life-Giving Needle].
Yuan Baoguo sat on a single sofa not far away, with a small light screen floating in front of him displaying a diagram of the thruster structure. He was clearly still studying it for his own interest.
Aunt Yuan is already resting.
Yuan Bao appeared at the entrance to the living room. His pale face and unsteady steps immediately attracted the attention of Yuan Baoguo and Lin Qing.
"Bao'er?" Lin Qing immediately put down the chart and needles, quickly got up to greet her, her face full of worry. "What's wrong? You look so pale?" Her keen sense of traditional Chinese medicine made her immediately notice Yuan Bao's disordered breathing and extreme mental exhaustion.
Yuan Baoguo quickly turned off the light screen, stood up, his brows furrowed, and his sharp gaze behind his glasses swept over his sister's condition: "What happened? Is the training too intense?" He thought of Yuan Bao's "unusual" behavior in the past few days.
Looking at her brother and sister-in-law's concerned eyes, Yuan Bao finally relaxed completely. A strong sense of grievance and lingering fear welled up in her heart, making her eyes slightly hot.
She made no attempt to hide anything, nor did she have the energy to gloss over the truth; her voice was hoarse and weary, as if she had survived a catastrophe.
“Brother, sister-in-law… I… I just came back from ‘outside’.” She paused, then saw the understanding and even more serious look in her brother and sister-in-law’s eyes, knowing they understood where “outside” referred to. “I went to the ‘Unending Star Region’ that the main system mentioned… I almost… almost didn’t make it back.”
She recounted the entire perilous ordeal briefly but clearly: the shock of the jump, the unpredictability of the shattered nebula, the deadly disguise of the crystalline meteorite, the sudden mental shock and attack from the active substance, the close-quarters emergency jump, and the disheveled return after the force field collapsed, energy was depleted, and her spirit was nearly exhausted.
She didn't exaggerate the danger, but every detail was enough to make the listener's heart pound.
"...In the end, I only brought this back." Yuan Bao opened his palm, and the cold fragment looked even more glaring under the light.
The living room was silent.
The only sound was the faint crackling of the virtual flames dancing in the simulated fireplace.
Lin Qing gasped, her face turning pale. She gripped Yuan Bao's icy hand tightly, as if to transfer her life force to him. Her voice trembled as she said, "Oh my god...it was too dangerous! Bao'er, how...how are you feeling? Does your head hurt? Is your heart racing? Sit down quickly, let me massage your acupoints!" She immediately tried to pull Yuan Bao down to administer acupuncture.
Yuan Baoguo stared intently at the fragment, his gaze so sharp it seemed he wanted to pierce through it.
He walked up to Yuan Bao, not immediately looking at the fragments, but first forcefully and heavily patting his sister's shoulder. The force carried a suppressed excitement and lingering fear, his voice low and powerful:
"It's good that you're back! It's good that you're alright!" He took a deep breath before turning his gaze to the fragment, his tone becoming extremely serious. "This thing... is extremely dangerous! Its structure... is completely beyond my comprehension!"
His tone contained no accusation, only extreme vigilance against unknown dangers and deep concern for his sister.
Just then, a series of light footsteps came from the stairwell.
Wearing bear pajamas, Xiao Zhi rubbed his eyes, standing groggily on the stairs, clearly awakened by the noise from the living room.
He first saw his pale-faced mother, then his uncle's frighteningly serious expression and his aunt's worried look, and his sleepiness vanished instantly.
"Mom? Uncle? Aunt? What's wrong?" Xiao Zhi ran barefoot down the stairs and rushed to Yuan Bao's side, his little hands nervously grabbing the hem of her clothes. "Mom, your hands are so cold! Are you sick?" He looked up at her, his big eyes filled with pure worry and fear.
Looking at her son's innocent yet concerned face, Yuan Bao's heart was touched.
She knelt down and hugged Xiaozhi, feeling the comfort brought by his small, warm body.
She didn't want to frighten the child, but she also didn't want to deceive him.
"Mommy's okay, baby, I'm just... a little tired." She tried to keep her voice steady as she gently stroked Xiaozhi's hair. "Mommy just... went on an adventure to a very, very far place with lots of stars. It was a little dangerous there, and Mommy got a fright."
"An adventure?!" Xiao Zhi's eyes lit up, but then a deeper worry settled over them. "Is it dangerous? Uncle said he almost didn't make it back... Is Mom hurt?" He reached out his little hand and carefully touched Yuan Bao's cheek and forehead, like a little doctor.
“You’re not hurt, baby. Mommy is amazing. I’m back safe and sound.” Yuan Bao held her son’s little hand and forced a smile. “Look, Mommy also brought back a ‘star fragment’.” She opened her other hand, revealing the strange fragment.
Ash looked curiously at the fragment that was half blue and half gray, wanting to reach out and touch it, but he was also a little scared. In the end, he only gently touched the cold crystal part with his fingertips.
"It's so cold... Why is it two colors? Is it fierce in that dangerous place?"
“Yes, it…like the other things there, it’s a bit fierce and will suddenly attack people.” Yuan Bao didn’t hide this fact.
Xiao Zhi's little face scrunched up. He looked at the "fierce" piece of broken glass, then at his mother's still pale face, and slowly clenched his little fists.
He suddenly puffed out his small chest and said loudly in an unprecedentedly serious and firm tone:
"Mom, don't be afraid! When I grow up, I'll study hard and learn lots and lots of amazing knowledge! I'll become even more amazing than Uncle! I'll go on adventures with Mom! I'll protect Mom and not let those fierce things bully her!"
A child's innocent yet resolute voice echoed in the living room, carrying an unquestionable determination.
Yuan Bao froze, an indescribable warmth instantly welling up in her eyes, her nose stinging. She hugged her son tightly, burying her face in his small, milky-scented shoulder, her voice choked with emotion: "Okay...okay...Mommy will wait for Xiaozhi to grow up and protect Mommy..."
Lin Qing's eyes also reddened. She stepped forward and hugged Yuan Bao and Xiao Zhi together, her voice gentle yet firm: "Yes, our Xiao Zhi is the bravest! Auntie believes you can do it!"
Yuan Baoguo's serious and tense expression completely melted away after Xiao Zhi's declaration.
He walked over to the mother and son, squatted down, and gently placed his large hand on Xiaozhi's shoulder. His eyes were filled with unprecedented solemnity and pride: "Good boy! You have ambition! Study hard, your uncle will study with you! We'll learn everything about stars, energy, and how to become stronger and smarter! We'll protect Mom and this family together!"
At this moment, all the worries, fears, and exhaustion seemed to be dispelled by Xiaozhi's "Home Light," which was full of courage and determination to protect.
Yuan Bao raised her head, her face still streaked with tears, but her eyes were unusually bright and warm.
Looking at her son in her arms and her brother and sister-in-law beside her, she felt a surge of strength.
Although her first exploration of the star system was messy and even painful, it made her realize more deeply that no matter how far away the stars she went or how dangerous the journey was, this home, this "home light" lit up by her family members and named "protection" and "growth", will always be her strongest support and her warmest home.
Ash's vow, like a beacon illuminating the future on a map of the vast universe, is a testament to his unwavering commitment to the future.