musicians of old

Chapter 953 Land of Hope
Fan Ning stood on the villa's rooftop, reading the report about snails several times before folding and putting it away.

There are moments when Fanning feels that if there are any unknown "problems" in this world, the most likely connection lies between snails and "double-disc flukes".

But at other moments, he felt that this was just one of the many normal biological and parasitological phenomena.

After thinking about it repeatedly for a while, he figured out why he was so sensitive.

Why does this "double-disc fluke" still exist in the world even after the abnormal zone has completely disappeared?

Yes, this is the thing I've been holding onto.

But isn't that obvious?

After the abnormal zone completely disappeared, the "worms" could no longer be seen. But what does the "double-disc fluke" have to do with the "worms"? They are completely different concepts. It is just a parasite with a somewhat strange and cruel way of reproduction. If we have to talk about it, all kinds of "parasites" are somewhat strange and cruel to their hosts. Does that mean that all kinds of creatures must disappear from the normal biosphere of this world?
I have another copy of the document.

白纸黑字，没有任何信头或落款，只用打字机敲出直接了当的标题：《11月29日-12月29日部分官方有知者迷失或畸变事故统计表（新历915年与916年对比）》。

This data was compiled by Roy at Fanning's request, integrating two sets of samples of over three thousand people from official channels, including some investigators from the Special Patrol Department. Fanning has never formally accepted a visit from the Special Patrol Department, but these people, in the current situation, have shown unusual cooperation in the face of Roy's collection, reporting, and contact.

Fanning wasn't interested in the specifics of how these knowledgeable people were lost or distorted; he just wanted to see a broad range of proportions.

The time span of nearly one month is 2.5%.

The figure for the same period last year was 2.2%.

Surprisingly, it even rose by 0.3 percentage points.

But it may just be normal random differences and fluctuations, and in reality it can be considered to be flat.

Fanning once again "speculated" why she cared about this data.

Perhaps the hope is that the officials in the new world, who are aware of the situation, will prevent or almost prevent the occurrence of obsession and distortion.

But, as I said before, if we're already chasing the mystery, why wouldn't we find something? What about a new world? What does it matter if things stay the same or only slightly rise?
"The skepticism of a perfectionist." A ghostly voice sounded from behind Fanning.

Mr. F was still wearing that impeccable retro suit, holding a steaming cup of Earl Grey tea in his hand. He leaned against the door frame, not stepping into the morning breeze.

"So-called lower organisms, following the principles they can manage, complete the metabolism of the biosphere, and their methods are not necessarily filthy; so-called higher organisms strive to reach higher realms, even though their methods are not necessarily superior." He smiled, sipped his tea, his gaze not on the report in Fan Ning's hand, but fixed on the rising sun bursting forth with golden light. "Master Fan Ning, another ten days have passed. Since you're a perfectionist, why not bring everything to a perfect conclusion sooner?"

Fanning glanced at the dangerous individual.

At the same time, in the shadows behind the door frame where the dangerous elements were standing, two very faint shadowy figures wearing loose cotton shirts and simple priestly robes turned into thin lines and pulled back to Fanning.

During this period, no matter what he went out to do, Fan Ning left at least two-thirds of his divine consciousness to keep a close watch on this person's every move, and he still does so now.

"You seem to be hoping you'll die sooner," Fan Ning said calmly, taking a step forward.

Any opponent who isn't stupid should be able to figure this out by now.

Whether Fanning ascends to the position of Witness Lord or enters the final "convergence point" through the "three paths that are not countable," regardless of whether one is completed before the other, what Fanning will do next is self-evident.

Unless, of course, some other problem arises. "The words 'death' and 'life' are inherently flawed; they are expressions of things before they reach a perfect state, full of imperfections." Mr. F's smile deepened, seemingly acknowledging the progressive relationship in Fanning's words.

"Then tell me a perfect way to put it, and I'll hear it," Fan Ning scoffed.

His current divine purity means he is not afraid of any potential contamination from the other party's transmission of hidden knowledge.

“I am neither born nor die,” Mr. F replied earnestly, but then he admitted meaningfully, “Hehe, that is somewhat clumsy, because it is not perfect, and I cannot obtain the expression of that truth.”

“The Way of Night and its arts are inherently about the ‘end’. Now that it’s coming to an end, isn’t it a kind of embracing its own destiny? Since it’s destined to be this way, hehe, then perhaps it means that the Way that Master Fanning is promoting is the ‘correct’ new world.”

"So, as someone who has been through the 'exploration' and 'trial and error' of the early stages, I now have an urgent expectation for what this new world will look like when it finally matures, and for the pinnacle of human joy. Well, that's understandable, and you must understand."

"Let's go for a walk." Fan Ning took another step, no longer wanting to discuss things further with this person.

But his words were not an invitation at all; rather, they left almost no room for negotiation. Since the divine power of surveillance had just been withdrawn, it must be preparing to take this "human time bomb" with it.

"Actually, there's nothing much to see anywhere now. Living in the attic in a corner of the villa, waiting for the countdown to end, I feel very happy and peaceful."

Mr. F shook his head, but still gestured for him to proceed.

Fan Ning's figure flickered several times as he took a step, appearing on the rooftop, in the air, on the lawn of the villa's courtyard, and at the gate where a long queue still stood.

The city below has awakened, with smoke rising from chimneys and the sound of bells echoing, brimming with vibrant, mundane life.

How beautiful the morning star shines!

Bach's cantata drifted from the distant church, the wind whipping up the thick snow that hadn't been swept away from the balconies of every house. The two walked into the swirling snow, their figures quickly blurring, not in the way of gradually disappearing into the distance, but more like melting into the snow curtain, leaving no trace.

Southern Continent, outskirts of Tia City, Fox Lily Plains.

The chilly air suddenly changed; the temperature on the skin became dry and warm, while it was a bit noisy in the ears.

The two stood on a high slope and looked out at the bustling scene before them. Airships of all sizes hovered in the sky, while steam-powered pile drivers worked tirelessly on the ground, driving cast iron piles into the unfamiliar soil. Precast steel beams were lifted by gantry cranes through newly laid temporary tracks and precisely positioned at the engineer's whistle.

Further out, in the far reaches of the sea, newly cleared ports are filled with cargo ships flying the flags of various countries and chambers of commerce, unloading tons of building materials, machinery and canned food. Tents stretch to the horizon, smoke from cooking fires mingling with dust rising in the air. The cries of vendors in different languages, the sounds of bargaining, the noise of machinery and the occasional argument intertwine to create a rough symphony of pioneering.

This was once an abnormal zone, which has continued to extend into what was originally a "normal zone." Of course, the latter has remained a place of reconstruction since the dream of the "Maslenitsa" in the South vanished. However, in just two years, the construction has taken shape. Compared to the distant place that Fanning was gazing at, it is now much more "static."

Looking out into the distance.
Those areas of distorted perception, once steeped in garish colors, never returned after the tide receded a month ago, leaving behind vast expanses of "normal" land and water. The reports from surveyors and expeditions are astonishing: fertile alluvial plains, shallowly buried mineral veins, a pleasant coastline, and a new strait connecting the Old World to the West, shortening voyages by thousands of nautical miles.
Geography textbooks became obsolete overnight, and civilian maps urgently needed to be redrawn—the people of the new world themselves have memories of the "old days," and the "return" of these land and water areas is nothing short of tearing open a brand new blank in the margins of an already filled history book with an invisible giant hand.

For countries plagued by population pressure, resource competition, and colonial anxieties under the industrial wave, this was nothing short of a divine gift. The brief political squabbles and factional negotiations were completed at an astonishing speed. This was completely different from the "Southern Land Enclosure Movement" after the "Maslenitsa" incident. This time, the pie was so big that no one was willing to waste time on "dividing the pie" and overturning the table.

Exploration teams, engineering companies, speculators, land-craving poor people, and adventurers seeking opportunities flocked to these "newborn" lands of hope like sharks smelling blood.

"Amazing efficiency, isn't it?"

Mr. F's voice was clear in the noisy wind, and his cane tapped the ground, making a peculiar, light sound as if striking some kind of hard shell.

"Humans are always adept at quickly filling 'blanks' with familiar templates, Theoline Railway Company. Oh, and it seems the biggest 'winner' right now is them, their young master, who seems to have been working part-time at your 'music company' since the Old World, receiving another salary?"