The Last 299 Days of Humanity

Chapter 54 Parallel Humans
The first thing Yu Qing did upon waking the next day was ask what time it was. When Daji told him it was only seven o'clock, he said with some disappointment, "This time is so incredibly long!"

"That's a novel idea. There's still a long way to go before nine o'clock. How about I go for a walk with you?"

"Forget it. It's safer to stay in the car and not get kidnapped by the people from Shengdi. Once I get into the city, I doubt they'll dare cause trouble in Tianqing City."

Finally, the time has come when I can apply to enter the city.

However, Yu Qing was dealt a blow when he was refused entry because he was deemed to have no valid reason to enter the city, while Chang'e and the others were allowed to drive right in.

What's most infuriating is that the beautiful woman in charge only glanced at me on the distant screen before casually saying, "This place isn't suitable for you."

Yu Qing was furious but helpless. However, he quickly calmed down.

As the saying goes, one has to bow one's head when under someone's roof. He had to change his approach, explaining the necessity and significance of entering the city to her, and moving her with sincerity.

After all, they should still have a vulnerable side to human emotions.

He submitted another application, briefly recounting his harrowing journey from the First Paradise to witness the extraordinary modern technology of Azure City, a journey fraught with peril.

He also mentioned his admiration for Tianqing City and his strong desire to learn from it.

This time he clearly impressed the beautiful woman and obtained permission to enter the city, but he had to wear the suit provided by Tianqing City.

It's actually a cylindrical shell, and he needs to wear this shell.

"Can't I sit down or lie down anymore? This is too uncomfortable..."

"No, when you sit or lie down, they are softer than water and there is no discomfort. They only become strong when you walk upright in the street."

"Understood. May I go in now?"

"There's one more step. You need to go over there and get a bag to carry with you."

Yu Qing hurriedly asked, "Why do you carry such a large bag with you?"

The beautiful woman replied, "Well... you have to take your excrement with you when you leave Tianqing City. Because Tianqing City doesn't provide toilets for primitive humans."

Yu Qing almost jumped up when he heard this. It sounded like they were talking about putting a manure bag over a horse's rump when it entered the city.

But he still held back. It's a fact that the people of Tianqing City no longer care about physical bodies, so there are naturally no facilities like restrooms.

Yu Qing, dressed in a specially made suit and carrying a bag, returned to the car with a livid face. He said to the others, "Get in. Damn it..."

Yan'er asked clumsily, "Honey, don't we have bags? Why are you carrying a pouch?"

Yu Qing irritably put the bag over her head and said, "I'm going to wrap it around your head."

Yao Dan held back her laughter because she had just seen Yu Qing make a self-deprecating gesture as if he were catching feces.

After the car entered the city, Yu Qing found that, just as Chang'e had said, people were moving around in the city at breakneck speed, making people dizzy.

Most incredibly, the skyscrapers are all razor-thin, some even reaching a thousand or two meters in height.

Strangely, these buildings were so thin that they had no rooms, just thick, colorful panels. People didn't live in rooms, but were instead hung on those panels in a staggered fashion. Without flesh, their steel bodies were much freer.

Choosing to hang oneself on the wall might be for ease of movement. Indeed, neither lying nor sitting is as convenient as hanging; hanging at least eliminates the need to get up.

He was even more surprised by the open structure of these buildings. While they might not be afraid of wind and rain, nor worry about the changing seasons, did they also disregard privacy? Perhaps privacy is only a physical prerogative, and they have nothing to hide.

However, the ground floors here all have spacious and bright rooms. They passed a commercial area and discovered it sold human-shaped hands, feet, and internal organs… This startled Yu Qing, and it took him a while to realize that these weren't made of the same material as his own hands and feet. It seemed that replacing their hearts with powerful ones was simpler than putting on a pair of glasses. Moreover, this heart didn't pump blood in and out; it must have only supplied electricity. Therefore, they achieved immortality, something impossible for the physical body.

They could also possess superpowers that humanity had dreamed of for millennia. They became immortals living in the mortal realm. Before them, Yu Qing experienced for the first time what inferiority truly meant.

In front of a magnificent building, Yu Qing parked his car. He heard pleasant music coming from inside.

People from Tianqing City drifted in and out of there like a gust of wind. He thought, this must be one of the entertainment venues here.

He wanted to go in and see for himself. However, to his disappointment, he was refused entry, with the reason given being that "unhygienic creatures are not permitted."

He himself believed this claim and could only enjoy the wonderful shows inside from outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.

Amidst the shimmering, colorful lights, the people of Tianqing City danced gracefully, displaying their elegant forms freely in the air. There was none of the nauseating stench of alcohol and acrid smoke typical of humans; only melodious music echoed in the air.

Will they still believe in love? Will they be attracted by tempting delicacies or have their hearts flutter for gorgeous clothes?
Perhaps they no longer need these things; they have transcended and entered a completely new metaphysical spiritual world.

Yu Qing walked away, lost in thought. The liveliness here didn't belong to him.

Chang'e and the others were caught up in the lively atmosphere inside and couldn't help but imitate some of the scenes, spinning around in front of Yu Qing.

Yu Qing said, "You shouldn't be considered 'unhygienic creatures,' so go ahead and have fun if you want. Don't worry about me."

Upon hearing this, everyone except Furong rushed off.

Yu Qing asked, "Furong, why aren't you going?"

"But you don't have anyone by your side anymore."

"You are still the most loyal."

Yu Qing took Fu Rong's hand and returned to the car. He figured that if he continued wandering around like this, he would only become more bored, so he might as well stay in the car and chat with Fu Rong.

But she's a bit silly, so she really can't come up with any fresh topics.

He stared blankly at a slogan on a building in the distance. It read: "Before us lies only the vast universe; let's journey to the Milky Way and envision the future!"

"Do you know what the Golden River System is, Hibiscus?"

Furong shook her head, indicating that she had never heard of it.

"I think it should be a larger galaxy corresponding to the Milky Way. They have already looked down on Earth and have the idea of ​​going to the Milky Way."

"So, they're going to escape?"

"It's not a question of whether they're fleeing or not; judging from their slogans, their minds are definitely no longer on Earth."

Yu Qing tried asking his second sister, "Where is the Jinhe Galaxy?" His second sister replied, "It is a galaxy in the upper layer of the Milky Way."

The Milky Way is a galaxy within a constellation of the Sun. The entire universe is like a series of nested dolls.

Yu Qing laughed and said, "Then who is the nesting doll that's on top of me?"

The second sister said, "It's my turn now."

Yu Qing and Fu Rong couldn't help but laugh so hard they bent over.

(End of this chapter)