IJWTRQ Chapter 004

Early in the morning, in front of a nameless tombstone in Ping County Cemetery.

First, there was a strange distortion in the air, followed by what seemed to be a concentration of particles converging, as the particles became more and more condensed, the outline became clearer and clearer. Tan Yan, who was carrying Minister Yu, appeared in front of the tombstone on his knees.

Putting Minister Yu down, Tan Yan raised his hand and gently touched the tombstone, and said in a low voice: “I was saved by you again.”

He seemed to be communicating with the person in the tombstone for a while, and then after controlling his emotions, Tan Yan turned his attention on Minister Yu.

A bit worried.

He is now a bit afraid to go home, the county must have blocked the intersection out of town, someone is guarding his house and the Ping County Security Management Office, and scientific researchers are probably concentrated near the traffic patrol booth, trying to find a way to rescue Minister Yu.

At this time, if he appeared in Ping County, even if he was carrying the unconscious Minister Yu, he would be immediately detained and his actions would be very passive.

There seems to be only one option now.

Tan Yan rubbed his throbbing temples, pinching Minister Yu hard to wake him up.

Minister Yu woke up with a jolt after being stimulated. He was different from ordinary people. After waking up, he neither shouted nor panicked. The first thing he did was to make sure his surroundings were safe, and only after seeing the familiar Chinese characters on the tombstone next to him did he breathe a little easier, and his muscles were less tense.

“We’re back?” Despite the numerous questions in his mind, Minister Yu’s first priority was their safety.

Tan Yan nodded.

Although there are some complaints about the countless problems that Minister Yu may bring to his future, he has to admit that this person is really quite good, both in terms of physical function and mental state.

This is a person whose nerves are strong enough to handle any difficulty.

Seeing that Tan Yan’s face had become old again, Minister Yu didn’t show too much surprise. He quickly recalled what happened before, and the first words he said were actually: “What are your request?”

Even though Tan Yan had imagined hundreds of possible reactions from Minister Yu, but he still didn’t expect him to ask such a question.

The hidden meaning of Minister Yu’s words is: when everything is likely to be exposed, what is most important to you, because you may be placed under house arrest or ‘protected’ later, I will do my best to satisfy your wishes.

“I hope I can still be on every nightly patrol list.” Tan Yan replied.

“I’m afraid this is not possible.” Minister Yu flatly rejected Tan Yan, “Don’t worry, I know what you’re worried about, but as far as I know, there is a time interval for the void to appear, although the law of this interval has not been found yet, there is a high probability that there will be no void for at least three months.

Tan Yan frowned slightly: “The pattern you know is different from what I know, sometimes I will go into the void for three or four nights in a row, but there are also cases where it is fine for a few years.”

“It seems that you really know a lot,” Minister Yu pinched the center of his brows to keep himself awake after the chaos he had just experienced, “Well, let me put it another way, the patrol can be replaced, if we find a void, we will send you there as you wish, is this okay?”

“In terms of time…” Tan Yan frowned, “The void is expanding rapidly.”

“We have a way to stop the void from spreading, or stop spreading for a short time.” Minister Yu said, “It seems that you know something different from what we know, we need to exchange information.”

“…” After a moment of hesitation, Tan Yan said, “Can I still retire normally?”

Minister Yu: “… This will have to be discussed later.”

–

Three hours later, in a secret base of the Ministry of State Security¹國家技術安全部 Guójiā jìshù ānquán bù: Ministry of State Technical Security; IRL China’s Ministry of State Security, the principal civilian intelligence, security and secret police agency of the People’s Republic of China, responsible for foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, and the political security of the Chinese Communist Party. One of the largest and most secretive intelligence organizations in the world, it is headquartered in the Haidian District of Beijing, with powerful semi-autonomous branches at the provincial, city, municipality and township levels throughout China..

“Minister Yu, everyone in the Ping County Public Security Bureau Office has signed a confidentiality agreement not to tell anyone about what they saw. We will also send people to monitor those who were present that day.” Information officer Xiao Xu, also known as Xu Mingyu and another young man in a white coat and gold-rimmed glasses are reporting to Minister Yu.

“Understood.” Minister Yu, who had already changed his clothes and washed off the stains on his face, said while reading Xu Mingyu’s report, “After we disappeared, the void reaction disappeared too?”

“That’s right.” Speaking of this, Xu Mingyu is a little excited, “According to our known information, in the past twenty-eight years, void reactions have occurred 137 times worldwide. The time, location, range of voids, and energy responses of each occurrence are different, but there has never been a case that disappears so quickly, almost without causing any damage, which has never been recorded in the past. Perhaps we can find a way to solve the natural disaster of “the void” so that it no longer endangers the safety of the earth.”

After reading the information, Minister Yu muttered: “The number 137 needs to be verified, perhaps the real number of voids appears far exceeds this record. How long is the longest void we have known?”

At this time, the gold-rimmed glasses replied: “We currently define the void as an unknown natural disaster. Anyone or anything that appears near the void will be swept in and disappear completely, except for Minister Yu and Tan Yan, there is no case of successful return. Each time the void will stop expanding in less than half an hour after it appears, and will disappear after about a few hours, the longest void lasted for 14 hours, it seems very dangerous indeed. But for so many years, the loss caused by the void to the earth is even less than that of a tsunami or earthquake. In the past 28 years, there were 293 missing persons and property losses of 27.82 million RMB, while our country has invested more than several billion RMB in the study of the ‘void phenomenon’.”

“Qiao Zhixue, do you mean that we should stop exploring and researching the ‘void phenomenon’ just because it is not harmful? Your idea is a desecration of life and a contempt for nature! What if one day, the void continues to expand that we can’t contain it and countless people, things and objects are sucked in? Always be in awe of the unknown and not dare to underestimate it, this is the quality that a researcher should have!” Xu Mingyu almost slapped Minister Yu’s desk and yelled at the gold-rimmed glasses.

“This is not what I meant.” Qiao Zhixue threw a report to Xu Mingyu, “You can just focus on research, but I have to be responsible for every penny spent on research. If the project wants to continue to apply for funding, it must provide justification for the benefits it will bring or the harm it may cause.”

“Okay.” Minister Yu said in a deep voice, “You guys are playing a two-man comic show²唱雙簧 chàng shuāng huáng: to perform shuanghuang (a two-man comic show/double act), also known as a comedy duo, is a form of comedy originating in the British music hall tradition, and American vaudeville, in which two comedians perform together as a single act, often highlighting differences in their characters’ personalities. to force me to tell you what happened in the void, aren’t you?”

The two quarreling people with blue veins on their necks suddenly calmed down, Xu Mingyu scratched his head in embarrassment: “Minister, you don’t say anything, that Tan Yan is also like a boring gourd, we have been studying the ‘void phenomenon’ for ten years, and I am really curious about what you encountered. Moreover, how on earth did you move from the western outskirts of Ping County to Nanshan Cemetery without any trace of movement?”

Qiao Zhixue pushes his glasses, together with Xu Mingyu, they stare firmly at Minister Yu.

“It’s not that I won’t say it, but there are some things that need to be sorted out.” Minister Yu lightly brushed off their questions.

Beyond the void is another world, there’s still so many things he needs to sure about.

Minister Yu endured the pain of being knocked on the back of his neck. After reading all the information, he made a list and handed it to Xu Mingyu: “All the information listed above, I need to get accurate information in an hour.”

Xu Mingyu took a quick glance and immediately went to check the list, leaving Qiao Zhixue to stare at Minister Yu.

“What are you looking at? Did the list I gave to Xu Mingyu don’t have anything to do with you?” Minister Yu feigned anger.

Unfortunately, Qiao Zhixue knew his character well and was unmoved.

Minister Yu sighed: “Don’t look, go to work, I’ll talk when I can.”

“You have a special energy response in you.” Qiao Zhixue took out a micro device from his pocket, “Only when you and Tan Yan were together, I detected it due to the same wave frequency, and it cannot be checked after separation, but I am sure it still exists. So far, I have not seen this kind of wave frequency on earth.”

“I will take note of it.”

“I know you won’t say it now, but if you need research, please make sure my name is on the research team.” Qiao Zhixue said stubbornly.

“Okay.” Faced with such enthusiasm, Minister Yu could only agree to him.

An hour later, Minister Yu went to see Tan Yan alone with the information brought by Xu Mingyu.

At this time, Tan Yan was quietly sleeping in bed, according to the radio wave detection of the outdoor instrument, he should have entered a deep sleep.

Minister Yu gently opened the door, Tan Yan immediately opened his eyes, and the instrument immediately showed that he was awake.

“The vigilance is good,” Minister Yu praised, “If I found such a good seed like you early, I would definitely dig you to come here.”

Tan Yan glanced at his watch, it was only four hours since they returned to Earth, the time is still early.

“Let’s talk.” Minister Yu pulled a stool and sat in front of Tan Yan, “Let me start with the progress of the country’s exploration of the void phenomenon.”

“Since the first case of void phenomenon was discovered in northern China in December 1990, there are 137 known cases of void phenomenon in the world so far, including the one we have just experienced, is already the 138th cases.”

Minister Yu noticed that when he said 1990, Tan Yan’s eyelashes twitched slightly, the movement was so faint that no one else would have noticed it.

Yes, no one other than Minister Yu can see it.

Realizing this, Minister Yu was puzzled, but he didn’t point it out. Instead, he repeated to Tan Yan what Xu Mingyu and Qiao Zhixue said just now.

“The above is all the information known in our country. These are the results of many years of research on the ‘void phenomenon’. Professor Qiao firmly believes that there is a quantum force field in the void. These are top secret, but I think you need to know.”

Tan Yan glanced at the formula code on the paper, then looked away without interest, “I don’t understand.”

“Oh, It is indeed a bit complicated.” Minister Yu expressed that he had to study for a long time before he could understand it.

Seeing that Minister Yu still didn’t understand what he meant, Tan Yan said again: “I have a junior high school education. After graduation, I went to serve as a soldier. I was demobilized and resettled in the Ping County Public Security Bureau Office. How much do you think I can understand these things?”

Minister Yu: “…”

“And I didn’t understand what you just said to me.”

Minister Yu: “…”

“I understand what you want to ask.” Tan Yan said bluntly, “Now I don’t need to hide anything from you. When I was 18 years old, I was swallowed by a void, I escaped from a narrow escape in a strange world. Every time I return to Earth, I was in front of the nameless tombstone in the Ping County Cemetery. I can’t remember how many times I’ve been caught in the void so far, but I can be sure that it’s definitely more than 138 times.”

“Is it that world every time?” Minister Yu asked.

If it is every time, then what has Tan Yan experienced from the age of 18 to the present 40 years.

“Not the same, the last one was simple.”

Minister Yu: “…”

Remembering the terrible high temperature of the lava world, he couldn’t help but want to take another cold shower.

Seeing that Tan Yan’s attitude was very cooperative, Minister Yu continued his analysis: “The longest known void so far occurred on November 4, 2002, on the uninhabited grasslands of Africa. In terms of time, converted to Beijing time, it was 23:12:36 at night. It stopped expanding after 15 minutes, and it disappear naturally at 13:58:36 the next afternoon.”

“Maybe you think my idea is crazy, I asked Xiao Xu to check your attendance record of the day, the most accurate one.”

The so-called most accurate is not as simple as the attendance records kept in the unit ledger, some historical things are relatively vague. For example, if on a certain day Tan Yan didn’t go to work, and he came back later and told the leader that he was out in the field, taking into account his year-round attendance and hard work, no one would suspect his words, and no one to check whether he really went out in the field, only the words ‘full attendance’ will appear in the attendance record book, but whether Tan Yan was really out of the field that day remains to be verified.

It was more than ten years ago, not so easy to check. The subordinates sent by Xu Mingyu checked all the personnel who were still on duty at that time, and finally asked about Tan Yan’s whereabouts that day from a retired employee.

“Tan Yan actually didn’t go out to work that day, he went to sweep the grave.” The old retired comrade recalled, “November 5th was the anniversary of my mother’s death, and I took time off to go to the cemetery. I still remember seeing Tan Yan kneeling in front of a tombstone that day, his clothes were torn and tattered, as if he had a conflict with someone. Tan Yan, who had no parents since he was a child, was very thoughtful and didn’t tell anyone what happened. He knelt down for a long time that day, with his head bowed, as if he was crying. He looked so pitiful. I still feel a little sad when I think about it now.”

“November 5, the same time, appearing in the cemetery, I can understand that you have just returned from a very dangerous world, right?” Minister Yu asked.

“I don’t remember the exact date, but it was the winter of ’02.”Tan Yan affirmed, “I was absent from work that time.”

“Two ‘voids’ appear at the same time, one is recorded and the other is not, but they do disappear at the same time.” Minister Yu handed Tan Yan another document, “This is a record of the time when 137 cases of void are known to have appeared, stopped spreading and disappeared, followed by a note about where they were found. Do you have any impression of these times?”

Tan Yan read it carefully, and drew a few tick marks with a brush pen: “I have a little impression of these few that are too difficult, and I don’t remember the rest, there are too many.”

40 years, a person from adolescence to middle age, the span of time is too long, and too much experience.

“Let’s not mention the many doubts about your body, just by looking at this information, I can understand that you have actually saved the earth dozens or even hundreds of times without everyone knowing?” Minister Yu asked seriously.

The author has something to say:

Minister Yu: I can understand that you have actually saved the earth dozens or even hundreds of times without everyone knowing?

Tan Yan: By my calculations, it may be thousands of times…

The first author notes, most chapter will have author notes, but some don’t.

If you like my translations, a cup of coffee would be much appreciated. Thank you!

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  國家技術安全部 Guójiā jìshù ānquán bù: Ministry of State Technical Security; IRL China’s Ministry of State Security, the principal civilian intelligence, security and secret police agency of the People’s Republic of China, responsible for foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, and the political security of the Chinese Communist Party. One of the largest and most secretive intelligence organizations in the world, it is headquartered in the Haidian District of Beijing, with powerful semi-autonomous branches at the provincial, city, municipality and township levels throughout China.
• 2
  唱雙簧 chàng shuāng huáng: to perform shuanghuang (a two-man comic show/double act), also known as a comedy duo, is a form of comedy originating in the British music hall tradition, and American vaudeville, in which two comedians perform together as a single act, often highlighting differences in their characters’ personalities.