The Last 299 Days of Humanity

Chapter 30 Professor Lu's Courtyard
"My lord, the map shows that Ma Luo is less than thirty li ahead."

"Huh? You can receive location signals now?"

"Not yet. There's a botanical garden down there built by Yu Lin's students, so I know it's not far from Maluo."

Upon hearing the name "Yu Lin," Yu Qing immediately became alert and said, "Then fly over there quickly. That person is a madman, and his students are probably even mader. They were born to harm humanity."

Yao Dan laughed and said, "On the contrary, he opposed his teacher, so he set up his own business and built a botanical garden here called 'Paradise'."

"You didn't raise any monsters?"

“There are no monsters. Professor Lu only improves plants. He believes that plant and animal varieties are the result of millions of years of natural evolution, and the rationality of their current existence has been verified to some extent. We cannot rashly make subversive changes to them.”

"That makes sense. Let's go down and take a look. We can also find a place to charge Chang'e while we're at it."

Yao Dan said, "This..."

Yu Qing asked, "What's wrong? Can't we go?"

"No, it's just that I think this place has been abandoned for a long time, maybe..."

"Professor Lu died a long time ago, didn't he?"

"Yes. His proposals were considered too conservative back then, so he didn't attract much investment, and he died in depression not long after the park was built."

"So he passed away without doing anything."

"My lord is wrong again. He did accomplish something that caused a sensation around the world at the time. It's just that he was very stubborn. He gave up the huge fortune and insisted on dying poor here."

It turns out that Professor Lu used genetic technology to grow some very special large trees here.

Yao Dan led Yu Qing and Daji to a place called "Paradise Botanical Garden," only to find it in ruins, with large pits overgrown with weeds everywhere. To the right of the garden was a rather quaint little courtyard.

A huge stone tablet stands in front of the courtyard gate, with several chilling characters engraved on it: "Unauthorized trespassing will result in death!"

A few lines of smaller text nearby indicated that this courtyard was indeed Lu Ming's burial site, and that it had been nuclear-sealed and prepared for self-destruction. It seemed this wasn't a threat, but rather a fact.

Yu Qing sighed, "The person is gone, why care so much about where you are buried!"

Yao Dan said, "My lord, you've misunderstood. He's protecting the fruits of his labor. Did you see those pits just now? Many people came here to steal his trees back then, but I'm sorry, once they left, those stolen trees died very quickly."

"Aren't there any saplings or seeds?"

"No. Professor Lu destroyed the tree's reproductive function. He said that although the tree was good, it was a disaster for plants and should never be allowed to grow freely on Earth. It could only be planted one by one under human control."

“Then he must have his reasons. Tell me.”

He said that if it were allowed to grow freely, under selective protection by humans, it would replace all other plants on Earth, and the Earth might eventually become a world of a single plant species.

Yu Qing laughed and said, "We humans aren't much better off. Before long, everyone will have a single type of gene, called a 100% perfect gene. But I really wanted to see Professor Lu's tree, but unfortunately it was destroyed by those profit-seeking people."

"Not all of them were destroyed; there's still one last tree left in the yard."

"Sigh, isn't that obvious? It says 'Unauthorized entry into forbidden territory will result in death' on it. I can't risk my life just to look at a tree, can I?"

"We can go up to about 100 meters in the air and get a better view."

After saying that, Yao Dan carried Yu Qing on her back and flew up to the sky above the courtyard. She pointed down and said, "Do you see it? It stands gracefully in the courtyard, it's so beautiful."

Looking down, Yu Qing saw a towering tree, twenty or thirty meters tall, its canopy resembling an enormous crown of flowers, covered in vibrant, multicolored blossoms, as if a kaleidoscope of colors had been set ablaze. It was truly difficult to describe its magnificent beauty in words.

"How long is its flowering period?" Yu Qing asked.

Yao Dan replied, "You ask about the blooming season, but there is no set date. A night of rain has scattered all the flowers. Only after three days of bright sunshine will the colorful clouds return to the world."

This is a poem that described it back then. "As long as the sun shines, it will keep blooming; after a heavy rain, it will wither and fall, regardless of the season."

"It is indeed amazing. Such a perfect tree will naturally attract people from all over the world. If Professor Lu had been willing to sell it to the public back then, he would have made a fortune."

"There are some amazing things you might not know about, like the things it grows..."

"What, do you think beautiful women will grow on tree branches?"

“My lord, what good things are you thinking about! I’m talking about the flowers of that tree. It is said that these flowers are as light as feathers. When they fall in the rain, they do not fall to the ground, but instead rise slowly towards the sky. Therefore, people have given them a beautiful name, ‘Unstained by Dust’.”

"Is that amazing? Let's go down and pick one to take a look."

Yao Dan said, "My lord, we can't go there. It has a more luxurious roof than the First Paradise. However, if we get permission, we can still swagger in through the gate."

"Why didn't you say so earlier? Let's go down and see how we can get Professor Lu's permission."

"Professor Lu is dead."

"Maybe he also has a tomb-guarding maid or something..."

"He never uses humanoid creatures to serve him. If it weren't for the gene editing his ancestors underwent several rounds of genetic modification, he would be almost a primitive person like you, except he prefers a more primitive lifestyle..."

"My darling, can I take this to mean that you're implying I can't get anywhere without you guys?"

"No, no, husband, absolutely not. Besides, we're begging you to use it, even if it's worn out or ruined..."

Yu Qing laughed and said, "You're so shameless, it makes me feel really good. Now I'm going to use you to find out exactly what Professor Lu wants in order to get me permission to swagger into his courtyard for a visit?"

They arrived at the stone tablet in Professor Lu's courtyard.

Yu Qing circled the stone several times, but couldn't find a clue to enter the courtyard. Yao Dan stood there pondering for a long time, but still didn't know the answer.

Seeing Yao Dan's expression, Yu Qing knew that relying on her was hopeless, so he glanced at Daji and asked, "Darling, you are the boss, do you have any discoveries or solutions?"

Daji stammered, "I...I...I think we should find a place to recharge Chang'e first..."

At this moment, Yao Dan exclaimed, "We're already in the charging area! But I don't see any charging facilities!"

Yu Qing said, "Really?" Then he looked around and saw that the place was empty and there were no charging facilities.

However, he quickly focused his attention on the stone tablet, pointing at it and saying, "I'm sure the charging facility is inside this stone. Professor Lu is a smart man; he knows that everyone who comes here needs electricity, and he doesn't want them to be stuck here messing around because of insufficient power."

Yu Qing had Daji release Chang'e from her backpack and let her charge against the stone tablet. Near-field charging is always more efficient than far-field charging. Yao Dan, unable to figure out a way to enter the courtyard, was naturally frustrated. Taking advantage of everyone's attention being focused on Chang'e, she decided to force her way in. Ignoring the consequences, she walked directly towards the courtyard entrance.

Just as Yu Qing was about to stop her, she raised her hand to push the door open, but was pushed out by a powerful force. She staggered a few times and fell backward about 20 or 30 meters from the door.

Yu Qing and Daji rushed over to check on her and found that Yao Dan had fainted, so they had to carry her to Chang'e's side to lean on her.

Yu Qing hurriedly instructed Daji, "You mustn't go on any more reckless behavior! Two have already collapsed. If you collapse too, I'll go crazy or at least become stupid."

Daji laughed and said, "Now you realize how precious I am?"

"They're all precious. You're the eldest, so naturally you're even more precious. Damn it, now that I don't have to coax two of them anymore, it seems like things are a lot easier."

"You brought this on yourself..."

"Stop! If we had only relied on you, do you think we could have made it this far?"

"That's not what I meant..."

“I know what you mean. Looks like we'll be spending the night here. You need to make sure we're all safe. Come here and give me a leg massage; I'm exhausted after a long day.”

Daji placed Yu Qing's head against Yao Dan's body, hugged his legs, and chatted with him while rubbing them.

She asked, "I still don't understand, why do we have to go to the second amusement park? Wouldn't it be better to just stay together somewhere? This journey is so dangerous."

"It's impossible to explain to you no matter how I try. You always ask yourselves if it makes sense, but people have choices beyond logic. To be honest, I don't fully understand it myself..."

"That's even stranger, since I don't even fully understand what I'm supposed to do."

"Yeah. Looking at your thoughtful little face, I have this inexplicable urge to hug you and bite you hard. Why do you think that is?"

Daji laughed and said, "That just means you're a pervert."

"Yes. It's this kind of illogical and perverse demand, while you always think within the bounds of logic. In a sense, humanity is like a child that will never mature, but you are designed to be flawless saints."

"So you're saying we're even better than human girls?"

"Indeed. Your destructive power may be even greater than Professor Lu's tree."

So, are we good or bad?

"I don't know. Loving you is like honey, but eating you is like poison. Only by finding humans can I find the antidote."

Daji lightly tapped Yu Qing and said, "Hmph! He just wants to find someone to be his wife before he'll be satisfied..."

Yu Qing laughed and said, "It's not as simple as you make it out to be. Let's change the subject. When do you think Yao Dan and Chang'e will be able to recover?"

"I really can't say, I haven't experienced it. If it were me, it would probably take at least 32 hours to recover after a complete power outage. Their charging efficiency is high, so it should be shorter."

Yu Qing teased, "You've had so much time alone with me, what are you planning to do with me?"

Daji said, "Whatever you say, I will do."

Yu Qing laughed heartily and pointed at Daji, saying, "You're teasing me. But I'm obsessed right now, all I can think about is that tree in Professor Lu's courtyard. I really want to go in and pick a flower to take a look."

"But I really don't know how to get in. But since he left a door open, he must be letting certain people in."

Yu Qing agreed with Daji. If Professor Lu truly didn't want anyone to enter and admire his masterpiece, he didn't need to erect a monument as a warning; he could simply seal off the courtyard. Even if he reinforced the surrounding area with the roof material, no one could get in without special force.

Lu Jiaoyuan did not do that, which means he still intends to let people who really want to see his achievements go in, or let his successor visit and learn.

The latter may possess something like a key to enter the courtyard, but such a thing is unlikely to be available to other visitors who are merely curious or admiring.

So how did he distinguish between genuine visitors and despicable scoundrels?
If you can answer this question correctly, you will definitely get permission to enter the courtyard.

In an attempt to find some clues or hints, Yu Qing circled the stone tablet several more times, but still found nothing.

One slightly suspicious point is the character "擅" in "惮入禁地" (unauthorized entry into forbidden territory). It's a bit odd; the middle right side, the "回" radical, is a bit large, while the bottom side, the "旦," is noticeably smaller. Also, the characters for "body" and "head" are rather strange... Is this just a calligraphy issue?

But Yu Qing firmly believed in his judgment: Professor Lu must have pre-set a standard procedure to distinguish between real and fake visitors, and his door was open to real visitors.

Anyone who wants to steal the trees in his yard for profit must be short-sighted and greedy. They wouldn't waste time trying to solve his riddles; they would either force their way in or walk away in a huff.

All the trees that could be dug up in the garden have been taken away, and people who came after them probably knew that they couldn't be transplanted and survive. The only people who would be willing to go to great lengths to enter the garden are probably just real visitors.

One of the simplest ways to identify who truly wants to go inside and appreciate the trees is to test their sincerity: if they linger there quietly for a long time…

Yu Qing suddenly had a flash of inspiration, clapped his hands and laughed, "I think I've guessed what Professor Lu is thinking!"

Daji asked, puzzled, "Have you thought of a way to get in?"

"It's not a solution, it's more like a procedure for entering the courtyard. We've already taken the first step."

"What did we do? I have no idea."

"Yes, it's done. Professor Lu is a kind person. He couldn't serve us tea, but he knew we would need electricity since we came from afar, so he used electricity to entertain us. Do you understand?"

"Still don't understand."

“We’re using his electricity, which is like drinking his tea. Once we’ve finished our tea, the owner will naturally let us in. The gate here will definitely be opened for me tomorrow morning.”

Why not tomorrow afternoon or tonight?

"Absolutely not. It's clearly stated on the stone tablet. The word 'arbitrarily entering forbidden territory' deliberately emphasizes the characters 'return' and 'dawn,' which means 'come back the next morning,' doesn't it?"

"That makes some sense. That's great! I'm very interested too. Let's go and admire Professor Lu's masterpiece together tomorrow."

Yu Qing pondered for a moment and said, "I'm afraid I have something bad to tell you. You are not allowed to enter the courtyard."

"Are you kidding me? Where is there such a rule?"

"Didn't you notice something strange about the phrase 'body and head separated'? The character for 'body' is very low and small, while the character for 'head' is large and high up. Considering Professor Lu's lifelong habit of not using humanoid maidens, isn't he implying that I'm not allowed to bring humanoid maidens as 'personal' attendants, but am I supposed to go in with my 'head'?"

Daji stamped her foot and said, "So being decapitated meant we'd be in two different places! How wicked this person is!"

(End of this chapter)