Chapter 84 Tomorrow Village (3) The History of the Village

Chapter 84 Village of Tomorrow (Part 3): The Village's History

"Precisely!" Da Ya affirmed, "The Moon God will bless you all!"

The mention of the Moon God sparked a question in Zhao Lan’s mind. "Has your village never had a Divine Chosen?"

…

The Village of Tomorrow had never known a Divine Chosen, nor had any miracles ever graced this place.

When asked, Yu appeared utterly bewildered, not even grasping the concept of a "god."

Since the dawn of the New Era, the people of the Village of Tomorrow had endured incessant torment. Merely surviving, and clinging to the arduous task of studying a single book of poetry—deciphering its words—consumed their every ounce of effort. Anything beyond that was simply beyond their reach.

After the four painstakingly elucidated the meaning of "god," Yu shook his head. "No, we have no gods here."

Miao Yuanjin’s immediate thought was, "No wonder they've come to this—it’s because they lack the Moon God’s blessing."

As they conversed, small, grotesque heads occasionally peeked in from the doorway. These were the children of the Village of Tomorrow, stealing glances, their curiosity about Yu Xing and her companions palpable.

Mid-conversation, a villager appeared at the door, cradling a large wooden board laden with white, fragrant lumps. A sweet aroma wafted into the classroom.

Yu noticed, approached, and took the board. Turning to the four, he announced, "Time to eat."

He placed the board before them. Only then did they clearly see the fragrant items: the very plant they had encountered outside the village. Its fruit, each the size of a macadamia nut, white and seemingly steamed or boiled, looked soft and emitted wisps of steam.

"Eat," Yu urged, gently pushing the food closer, his gaze filled with anticipation.

The four hesitated, their expressions conflicted. Truth be told, they were famished, having gone days without food. Yet, confronted with these offerings, they found themselves unable to partake.

They had already discerned that this plant harbored contamination during its growth, and its seeds were similarly tainted. Consuming it would inevitably lead to their own contamination.

Exchanging uneasy glances, Miao Yuanjin finally rose. "If we Purify the contamination, it will be safe to eat!"

Pressing her palms together, she murmured an incantation. A sacred light emanated from her hands, settling upon the food on the table.

Yu’s eyes widened in astonishment, staring at Miao Yuanjin in disbelief.

Under the glow of the Purifying Holy Light, a layer of purple luminescence slowly separated from the white food. The four were well-acquainted with this sight—it was the unmistakable sign of contamination being cleansed.

Once the purple glow completely vanished, Miao Yuanjin declared, "It's done. You can eat now."

She was the first to grab a piece, and under Yu’s watchful eye, she popped it into her mouth. After a couple of bites, her expression flickered, but she quickly composed herself, resuming a cheerful smile as she ate heartily.

Zhao Lan and Da Ya, not wanting to seem impolite, also took a bite—and their expressions, too, shifted dramatically.

Yu Xing noticed their reactions and wondered what was amiss. She picked up a small piece and put it in her mouth—and instantly, everything became clear.

How could something that smelled so fragrant taste so incredibly sour and astringent?

Unlike the others, Yu Xing wasn't one to suffer in silence for the sake of appearances. She immediately called out to the doorway, "Come in, come in!"

As Yu turned away, Yu Xing discreetly spat out the food.

When she looked up, she found Miao Yuanjin and the other two glaring at her.

Pretending not to notice, Yu Xing continued waving them over. Several children had been peeking in from the door, and at her urging, they slowly entered.

Yu Xing was surprised. "They understand what I’m saying?"

Yu patted one of the children’s heads. "Actually, everyone learned to read when they were young. I... I taught them the correct pronunciation. But over time, most forgot the proper way to speak."

So that was it. No wonder Yu could communicate with them.

To preserve human civilization, they had not only studied poetry but also learned proper pronunciation. But how long could a single book of poetry sustain them?

A year at most. After that, who besides the teacher would maintain such pronunciation? Over time, it was all forgotten.

Yu Xing looked at the children before her, their tiny bodies already covered in grotesque tumors.

She asked Yu, "Do people here... start looking like this from birth, or does it happen gradually?"

Yu fell silent for a moment before slowly recounting the history of the Village of Tomorrow.

Long ago, at the beginning of the Great Disaster, the villagers had all looked normal, and their children were born healthy. But slowly, changes began—fleshy tumors appeared, warping their bodies into horrifying shapes.

This had once caused panic in the village, but as more and more people became deformed, they slowly got used to it. At first, the changes only manifested in adulthood. Then, children began showing signs. Eventually, even newborns were affected.

"My grandfather was the last," Yu said. "The last one born normal. But by the time he was a year old, the deformities appeared."

Mentioning his grandfather made Miao Yuanjin think of her own. Her grandfather had also been born at the start of the New Era. Assuming they were around the same age, she asked, "When did your grandfather die?"

Yu thought for a moment. "Seventeen years ago. He was thirty-three."

The answer stunned the four. He died at thirty-three?

Yu even managed a grim smile. "He lived a long time—he was with me for many years. When I was little, he was the one who taught me."

Thirty-three was long-lived?

Yu Xing and the others struggled to process this. Inside the Wall, even the poorest defective people lived past seventy. And those who underwent genetic screening, if they could afford the best healthcare, could live for hundreds of years.

But here, thirty-three was considered a long life?

For a moment, none of them could speak, their expressions darkened as they looked at Yu.

"Ahhh!!"

"AHHHHH!!!"

Suddenly, bloodcurdling screams erupted from outside, startling the four into standing up.

Yu, however, remained calm—as did the children around him.

Through the narrow doorway, Yu Xing saw villagers gathering in the direction of the screams. Curious, she stepped closer to the door and peered out.

"What’s happening?" she asked, noting that the villagers didn’t seem alarmed by the noise.

Yu approached, and for the first time, Yu Xing thought she detected sorrow in his eyes.

"It’s beginning," he said. "Another life has reached its end."

He invited them to attend the sending-off ritual. At first, the four didn’t understand what it entailed—until Yu led them to a villager’s home.

There, a villager lay bound, his body changing in a horrific way.

The fleshy protrusions on his body seemed to take on a life of their own, trembling and twisting, with some even growing autonomously into tentacles.

The sight was utterly horrifying, sending chills down the spines of Yu Xing and her companions. This was unmistakably the signs of contamination—soon to transform into a Pollutant.

This condition persisted for a while before gradually subsiding. The villager stopped screaming, and the fleshy protrusions on his body ceased moving.

The onlooking villagers murmured to each other. Yu explained softly, "We can't wait any longer. He can't stay in the village anymore."

"What do you mean?" Miao Yuanjin didn't understand.

"He's about to turn into a monster," Yu said.

A monster? Wasn't that just a Pollutant?

It dawned on Yu Xing—Pollutants also appeared in Tomorrow Village. There was nothing special about this place.

She was curious. Within the walls, the Divine Chosen fight Pollutants, but Tomorrow Village had never seen any Divine Chosen. How do they handle Pollutants?

"When did the monsters start appearing?" Yu Xing asked. "And how do you handle them once they do?"

After the villager about to become a monster calmed down, someone untied the ropes binding him. The villager stood up, hugged a nearby child, then another person beside him. Yu Xing saw tears running down the villager's eyes.

He began hugging those around him one by one, each person stepping forward to embrace him.

Tears welled up in Yu's eyes as he approached and hugged the villager, whispered in his ear.

After stepping back, Yu kept his gaze fixed on the villager and explained quietly, "Ten years after the Great Disaster began, something horrible started happening in the village. Some people would suddenly turn into monsters and harm others."

Once the villager had embraced everyone, he started walking away, with the other villagers following behind.

"As more and more people turned into monsters, we realized that some would transform when they reached a certain age, and there were always warning signs." Yu gestured for the group to follow. "First, they'd go mad, black out briefly, and their bodies would show disturbing changes."

The villager led the way while the others followed, wiping their tears.

"Then, Tomorrow Village held a meeting, and all the villagers made a decision: whenever someone was about to turn into a monster, they would leave the village voluntarily, never allowing themselves to harm others."

As Yu explained, they gradually left the village, passing through the forest outside until they reached the familiar thick fog where Yu Xing and the others had arrived.

Everyone stopped at the edge of the fog. The villager turned to face the crowd and shouted something loudly.

Yu translated, "He says he won't leave the village—he'll guard it from the outside forever, protecting everyone here."

With that, the villager turned and walked alone into the fog.

Tears glistened in Yu's eyes as he said, "You came from outside. Did you see the swamp out there?"

Yu Xing looked at him, and Yu continued, "That swamp can trap monsters well. Whenever villagers feel they're losing control and about to turn, they bid their families farewell and leave for the swamp."

"That is our end."

The villagers began heading back, passing by Yu Xing and the others, who stood rooted to the spot.

Yu said, "That is where we all end up in Tomorrow Village."

Yu Xing gazed toward the fog, she saw again the scene she'd seen upon waking in the swamp—a sea of twisted faces, the swamp nearly filled with them.

So this was how they all entered the swamp.