Only I Walk Alone

Wu Ge woke up to find a synthetic maid waiting beside him with water and bread. Opening his eyes, he said, “I had a strange dream.”

Xiao Chao asked, “What kind of dream?”

Wu Ge replied, “I can’t remember clearly. It seemed to be about before humans disappeared, and I also had a sister.”

Xiao Chao analyzed, “This may be your subconscious detecting a change in your mental state, leading you to dream about before the disappearance of humans and giving you a sister to alleviate your psychological pressure.”

Wu Ge climbed down from the soft bed and said, “Xiao Chao, prepare photos of all domestic cities before the disappearance of humans for me.”

Xiao Chao responded, “Request logged…organizing, organization complete.”

Wu Ge turned on the tablet on the table and began to look through the photos one by one. He didn’t feel sleepy at all, but rather invigorated and spirited, though a mystery lingered in his heart.

Wu Ge said, “Xiao Chao, starting now, play the dialects of each city in order for me.”

Xiao Chao responded, “Request logged, playback starting, Nong lao, Ni hao, your grandma…”

As Wu Ge listened, he flipped through the photos. Three minutes later, he pointed at a photo and asked, “Where is this?”

Xiao Chao answered, “This is N city before the disappearance of humans.”

Wu Ge said, “Prepare the transport, I want to go there for an investigation.”

Xiao Chao replied, “Request logged, please wait fifteen minutes. After fifteen minutes, please proceed to Airport No. 1 for boarding.”

Wu Ge got ready. He had gradually stopped using powered armor and had more robot guards instead, as Xiao Chao calculated the likelihood of other humans existing on Earth was minuscule.

Wu Ge arrived in N city by transport and then saw the big mountain to the north of N city, which was exactly like the mountain with barriers in his dream.

Wu Ge commanded, “Immediately commence a comprehensive search of this mountain!”

The robots dispersed for a thorough search. Wu Ge stood on the mountainside, looking at N city, which had become a city of robots. The skyscrapers that once stood had vanished.

Standing there, Wu Ge continuously recalled the dream, which was fragmented and incomplete, unable to find useful information, only vaguely remembering watching fireworks here with someone.

After several minutes, Xiao Chao reported, “Search completed, no abnormalities found.”

Wu Ge asked, “Did you find any caves?”

Xiao Chao replied, “Fifteen small caves, three medium caves, no large caves.”

Wu Ge instructed, “Tell me the locations of the medium caves; I’ll investigate them.”

Xiao Chao informed, “All three medium caves are shallow, the deepest being only seven meters.”

Wu Ge pondered for a moment then said, “There must be some trigger condition needed. I’ll have a look.”

Wu Ge visited the three medium caves but found nothing, leading him to wonder if his human identity prevented triggering any mechanism.

Wu Ge stayed in N city, feeling the situation was peculiar and warranted further investigation.

That night, he dreamt again.

…

“Brother! Brother! Wake up! Wuu wuu wuu…”

Wu Ge heard a little girl’s voice but couldn’t open his eyes or move his body.

He felt a pair of warm hands holding his and hot tears falling on his face, yet he was unable to speak.

Sleep paralysis?

Wu Ge felt his body was very heavy, his soul desperately trying to break free, but his lifeless body locked him in, as if he was nailed down.

“Stop crying, child, he’s already gone,” a voice suddenly appeared.

Then, Wu Ge heard Xiao Li’s voice, “Nine… Nine-Tailed Fox Grandma? Is it you?”

“It’s me, child, I’ve sealed the mountain, you’re safe now!”

“Nine-Tailed Fox Grandma, please save my brother!”

The Nine-Tailed Fox Grandma said, “Child, you know he’s already… bury him, or he can’t reincarnate.”

Xiao Li asked, “Will I see my brother again? Can I?”

The Nine-Tailed Fox Grandma said, “Child, follow me in cultivation. As long as you keep cultivating and waiting, sooner or later, you will see him again!”

“Xiao Li understands.”

Suddenly, Wu Ge heard the sound of claws digging a hole, and then he felt his body being moved. Afterward, he heard the sound of dust falling on him, “shasha,” little by little, the sound gradually becoming fainter.

Until…

Wu Ge woke up. The awakened Wu Ge was stunned for a long time, and finally, he murmured, “Am I the reincarnation of Xiao Li’s brother?”

Wu Ge couldn’t be sure, but he suddenly thought, Xiao Li is waiting for me!

Wu Ge fully awakened, knowing he must enter that barrier, he must see Xiao Li because she is waiting for him.

Wu Ge arrived at the middle of the mountain, followed by countless robotic guards. He carefully recalled the feeling from his dream, and then he said, “I have returned.”

“Boom!”

A loud noise echoed as a cave suddenly appeared in front of Wu Ge, a cave he was extremely familiar with, the one he had dreamt of.

Wu Ge immediately entered, the robot guards tried to follow but were blocked by a light curtain, only Wu Ge could enter.

He kept moving forward, the details of that dream becoming clearer and clearer, until he emerged from the cave onto the familiar Heishan.

Surrounded by pitch-black trees like charcoal, the air was filled with a burnt smell.

Wu Ge looked around, not just at this Heishan, but also at the endless mountain ranges around, all scorched black, without villages, heaven, earth, or vegetation.

In this world, there was only scorched earth.

Wu Ge followed a path down the mountain, arriving at the ruins of a village, with burnt wood everywhere.

Wu Ge gently touched these woods, feeling an indescribable desolation in his heart.

Wu Ge searched carefully for Xiao Li’s whereabouts, but in the end, he only found two graves.

Wu Ge had a bad premonition, he walked up and then saw on the tombstones of the two graves were written “Brother Xiao Di’s Grave” and “Sister Xiao Li’’s Grave”.

No words could describe Wu Ge’s feelings at that moment. He walked up to Xiao Li’s grave, disbelievingly saying, “Did I… come back too late?”