Cataclysmic Era: I can unlock the tech tree

As dawn broke, the three of them arrived at the nearest county town.

Although it was early, the area outside the registration point for the escape plan was already packed with a dense crowd.

"Quiet!"

"Quiet down!"

"One by one! Everyone can sign up!"

Hundreds of soldiers in military uniforms, armed with guns, loudly maintained order at the scene.

Looking at the sea of ​​people in front of her, Zhang Man subconsciously took a step back.

Having grown up in the countryside, she had never seen such a chaotic scene before.

Faced with such a crowded scene, Zhang Bojun and Su Nan quickly reached out to surround Zhang Man to prevent any accidents from happening.

"Hey! Don't push!" Su Nan shouted after being shoved by someone next to her. "Didn't we say everyone could sign up?"

Su Nan's voice was quickly drowned out by the chaotic crowd.

The next second, the crowd surged forward once again.

The combined strength of Su Nan and Zhang Bojun was naturally no match for the sheer number of people.

Seeing the couple being forced apart, and their daughter about to be swallowed by the crowd, Su Nan's eyes widened in horror as she cried out in anguish, "Be careful! Be careful of the child!"

"Bang!"

A loud gunshot rang out.

Then, the crowd suddenly stopped, and a series of piercing screams came from all directions.

"Bang! Bang!! Bang!!!"

Three gunshots rang out in succession.

Like a rooster whose throat has been choked, the screaming stopped instantly.

"Quiet!" A deep voice rang out.

The chaotic crowd came to a complete halt.

Everyone turned their gaze toward the direction from which the sound came.

A tall, burly man put away his gun, stepped up to Su Nan, and asked in a deep voice, "Where is the child?"

"Mom...Mom!" Zhang Man's voice came from the crowd.

The next moment, under the burly man's gaze, the crowd automatically parted, making way for Zhang Man, who was squeezed deep inside.

Seeing that their daughter was safe and sound, Su Nan and Zhang Bojun breathed a sigh of relief.

Su Nan snapped out of her daze and quickly turned to the soldier beside her: "Thank you, thank you so much."

In response to Su Nan's thanks, the burly man smiled and waved his hand, "It's nothing."

Then, he turned to the crowd again: "Everyone."

"Keep order and register one by one."

"Those who cut in line or disrupt order will be disqualified from fleeing!"

The phrase "nothing matters" carries more weight.

Upon hearing that their escape permits might be revoked, everyone quickly and spontaneously formed a long queue.

All the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that order had been restored at the registration point.

The soldier who had just taken Zhang Man's hand led her to Su Nan's side, saluted, and asked in a deep voice, "Hello, what's your name?"

"Hello, my name is Su Nan," Su Nan replied hastily.

"Hello Ms. Su, this is Wu Pengxing, the person in charge here. May I ask your child's age?"

Su Nan quickly gave a number.

Upon hearing Su Nan's reply, Wu Pengxing's expression turned serious. He saluted again and said, "According to the regulations of the escape plan, your child's age meets the requirements, so we can give her priority in processing the escape procedures."

Upon hearing this, Su Nan and Zhang Bojun's faces immediately lit up with joy.

The two nodded repeatedly, saying, "Okay, okay! Please process her paperwork as a priority, thank you!"

As they spoke, the two bowed to Wu Pengxing.

Wu Pengxing quickly stepped aside to avoid it, and then continued to explain, "There's something I need to make clear to you."

"In the escape plan, children are the top priority, followed by highly skilled professionals from all walks of life."

"Then, it will be the turn of the young and middle-aged workforce."

"Finally, there are some middle-aged and elderly people."

"So... once the escape plan begins, you and the child will be separated into two different starships."

Upon hearing this, the smile on Su Nan's face vanished instantly.

"What...this...she's still a child, what if something happens to her..." she said, glancing at Zhang Bojun beside her.

Faced with this situation, she was having trouble making a decision.

Zhang Bojun took a deep breath and asked in a deep voice, "Sir, I only have one question."

"Is a child's starship the safest?"

Wu Pengxing remained silent for a moment, without replying, but nodded very slightly.

"Alright!" Zhang Bojun gritted his teeth. "Sir, I'm entrusting Zhang Man to you!"

Wu Pengxing silently saluted the two of them again.

"Let's talk a little longer, who knows when we'll see each other again," Wu Pengxing said softly.

Su Nan and Zhang Bojun quickly squatted down and pulled Zhang Man to their side.

"Xiaoman, wait for me and go with Uncle Wu. He will take you to a safe place." As she spoke, Su Nan raised her hand to wipe away her tears.

Let alone a child, even an adult like her couldn't bear such a scene of life and death.

……

Seeing Zhang Man following behind Wu Pengxing, turning back every few steps, Su Nan's eyes welled up with tears again.

"Bojun, do you think we'll ever see Xiaoman again?"

She looked at the long queue in front of her and muttered to herself.

"Yes, they will." Zhang Bojun was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Humanity will never fall here!"

The line gradually shortened.

Soon, it was Su Nan and Zhang Bojun's turn.

After providing his identity information, the staff member behind the computer screen looked somewhat puzzled.

"Hello Mr. Zhang, according to the data, your father, Zhang Yinian, meets the requirements for fugitive status in terms of age and physical condition. He..."

Zhang Bojun replied calmly, "He gave up."

"Another one given up...?" The staff member nodded to Zhang Bojun with a hint of respect in his eyes. "Thank you for your father's sacrifice. Humanity will remember him."

As he spoke, the staff member quickly selected an option on the computer in front of him.

"What do you mean?" Zhang Bojun asked, puzzled. "Have many people given up on fleeing?"

The staff member stopped what they were doing and sighed softly.

"yes."

「根据目前的统计数据，超过80%的60-65岁老人放弃了逃亡机会，55-60岁人群放弃比例也达到了60%。」

"They voluntarily stayed on Earth to lighten the burden of the escape plan and leave the hope of survival to the younger generation."

Both of them could see the shock in each other's eyes.

No wonder……

No wonder I didn't see many elderly people while I was queuing!

"Hello, this is your escape number. Please keep it safe."

The staff member's words brought the two back to reality: "Next, please take your wristbands to the designated area for a medical examination."

Zhang Bojun quickly took the token handed to him by the staff and led Su Nan forward.

The future is full of unknowns.