CDJMM – Volume 5 -Chapter 1 Civilization Rescue Team (1)

Day has broken. Please open your eyes.

Le Jing’s eyes snapped open. His dazed gaze gradually regained focus, and clarity slowly returned to his mind.

Where… is this?

He sat up and slowly took in his surroundings.

Strands of morning sunlight gently fell across his arms, warm and soft. A national college entrance exam paper from last year lay open on his desk, only half completed. The wastebasket was full of scrap paper. The solid wood bookshelf was lined with familiar books, every single one instantly recognizable. On the door hung a slightly yellowed poster of The Shawshank Redemption.

Everything here was familiar, yet foreign.

This was his bedroom.

His journey through Wonderland had ended. He had returned from the rabbit hole.

He let out a long breath and slumped against the headboard, bowing his head, fingers running into his hairline, unmoving for a long time.

“Was it… a dream?”

The pain of being devoured by swarms of Zergs still lingered in the memory of his soul. He simply could not convince himself it had all been just a dream.

And if those fantastical scenes truly were nothing more than illusions… what a pity that would be.

“Of course it wasn’t a dream.” A voice, airy and ethereal, tinged with childlike innocence—like a fairy whispering in a storybook.

Le Jing’s pupils tightened. He lifted his head, scanning the empty bedroom warily. “Who’s there?”

A second later, a cluster of glowing motes appeared mid-air, sparkling like dust in sunlight. The motes quickly converged, forming the outline of a small figure. Finally, the light faded, revealing a little boy floating in the air.

He looked about seven or eight, with black hair and black eyes, features delicate as a doll. He wore a white shirt, plaid suspenders, and small black leather shoes. His eyes curved into crescents when he smiled—pure innocence.

Le Jing narrowed his eyes, carefully watching this supernatural scene.

The boy smiled brightly and gave him a chest-tapping salute. “Nice to meet you. I hope I didn’t scare you.”

Le Jing rose from the bed, standing upright and eye-level with the child. “Who are you? And why did you make me transmigrate?”

“My name is Xingxiu. I’m a member of the Civilization Rescue Team—and also your guide.” The boy’s glowing eyes shimmered like a galaxy. “Mr. Le Jing, congratulations. You’ve passed the test and become one of us.”

Even someone as calm as Le Jing couldn’t help gaping in shock. He repeated the words stiffly: “Civilization… Rescue Team?”

The boy extended a finger and lightly tapped Le Jing’s forehead.

And then Le Jing remembered.

He remembered why he had transmigrated.

That night, after a huge fight with his father, Xingxiu had appeared in his room just like now and asked whether he was willing to join the Civilization Rescue Team.

“Do you know about parallel worlds? In this universe, there exist parallel worlds in quantities measured by the trillions. Our mission is to explore them, discover civilizations, record civilizations, protect them—ensuring their fire is passed on, generation after generation.”

“We are Noah’s Ark, the goddess Nüwa mending the sky, Prometheus delivering fire to mankind. At the same time, we are demons of the abyss, executioners dripping with blood, Shuras that destroy nations.” Xingxiu had said, “There is no good or evil. No fixed stance. Only the continuation of civilization matters.”

Le Jing could still vividly recall his excitement at that moment.

A grand, mysterious world had slowly opened before him—vast, magnificent, brimming with infinite possibility.

A world that mortal humans should never have been able to step into.

But now, a thread of divine silk had descended from the heavens.

He had known the road ahead would be covered in thorns and fraught with danger. But he would rather die halfway than cower in fear.

“Why me?”

“Because I believe you have exceptional potential. That’s why I chose to guide you.” That had been Xingxiu’s answer.

The truth didn’t matter much to Le Jing. He was already the kind of madman who didn’t care about his own life. So he had eagerly begun his journey to another world.

His memories were sealed, and he knew nothing of his mission. Everything he did was by his own will. And now, it seemed his actions had impressed the examiners—earning him a passing evaluation.

Le Jing returned from his thoughts and looked at the smiling Xingxiu. For the first time, a bright, age-appropriate smile appeared on his face. “So, what am I supposed to do next?”

Xingxiu snorted, amused. He gave Le Jing a strange look. “Newbies… always so enthusiastic.” He sighed dramatically, sounding like a little old man. “When you get to my age, all you’ll want is to lie around like a salted fish.”

Le Jing paused, then asked, “May I ask… how old are you?”

“Reporting!” Xingxiu raised his hand, shouting with “pure innocence,” “I am already two thousand years old!”

Le Jing: “…”

Xingxiu tilted his head exaggeratedly. “Eh~? Did I not tell you?” He clasped his hands behind his back, floated higher, and smiled down at Le Jing. “Members of the Civilization Rescue Team all possess infinite lifespans.”

“After all, the birth and development of civilizations are long, long processes. Only with infinite life can we protect them.”

“I don’t care much about lifespan.” Le Jing lifted his gaze. “So I’m already a member of your organization?”

“Oh!” Xingxiu exclaimed. “I almost forgot—you still need to take the oath.”

“What oath?”

Xingxiu’s smile remained, but his eyes gleamed coldly. “A warning first: if you violate the oath, you’ll die in the ‘soul-shattering, nothing-left-behind’ kind of way.”

Le Jing nodded calmly. “Okay. I understand.”

“Repeat after me.” Xingxiu landed on the floor, raised his right fist, placed his left hand over his heart, and solemnly recited the ancient vow.

As he spoke, Le Jing’s expression gradually emptied, but his dark eyes grew brighter—burning like wildfire.

In the quiet bedroom, two voices alternated solemnly:

“I volunteer to join the Civilization Rescue Team. I promise from this day forth to protect civilization to the best of my ability—seeking no fame, no personal gain—pouring heart and soul into the mission until death. Though the road ahead is full of thorns, I shall move forward without fear. We are the afterglow of civilization, the final fortress guarding its survival.”

Outside, sparrows chirped. Car horns blared. Just an ordinary morning.

But legends are always born from ordinary days.

…

“Your son’s mental state is very healthy. You can rest assured.”

Le Jing smiled and glanced sideways at Le Zhengye’s expression. Though still skeptical, he noticeably relaxed.

When they stepped out of the psychological clinic, Le Zhengye suddenly received a call—urgent business at school.

He hung up, scowling, and habitually barked at Le Jing: “I’m going to school. I won’t be home tonight. You go straight home and study. Midterms are next week. If you don’t make it into the top ten again, watch how I deal with you!”

Le Jing lowered his head obediently. “Got it, Dad.”

As Le Zhengye hurried away, Xingxiu’s voice echoed in Le Jing’s mind: “When do you plan to socially ‘die’ and cut all human ties? Don’t forget Rule No.1—members of the Rescue Team are forbidden from forming intimate bonds with any lifeform in any civilization.”

Le Jing casually flagged down a taxi, gave the driver his home address, and replied to Xingxiu in his mind: “I still have two months, right? No rush.”

“That two months includes the time you’ll spend on your mission.” Xingxiu said, “This mission isn’t difficult. You should finish it quickly.”

Le Jing raised an eyebrow. Our world is encountering a crisis threatening the continuation of civilization?

“Yes. You must protect a biologist named Joseph Lee—currently being hunted by the U.S. government. A hundred years from now, Joseph’s descendants will spark a biological revolution that reshapes the world. He is a crucial link in human civilization. So you must keep him alive.”

Why is the U.S. government chasing him?

“He defected with the antidote to their newest biochemical weapon. Right now, he’s escaped to the U.K. and plans to stow away by ship to Huaguo.”

He’s Chinese?

“His great-grandfather was Chinese. He’s one-eighth Chinese.”

Understood.

Ten minutes later, the taxi stopped at his home. Le Jing paid, got out, opened the door—

—and in the next moment, he stepped from the entryway of his house onto the deck of a passenger ship. Several seagulls stood beside his feet, grooming their feathers as if he didn’t exist. Crew members chatted as they walked past him toward the bridge, unaware of his presence.

Although he stood among them, no one could see him.

That was one of his current abilities.

Joining the Civilization Rescue Team granted him not only immortal life, but also many extraordinary powers.

In simple terms, he was now like an admin in the “Earth Online” game—holding the highest permissions. In a sense, he was no different from the omnipotent gods of mythology.

Indeed, many human myths had traces of the Rescue Team behind them.

His objective here was to quietly eliminate the mercenaries and assassins sent after Joseph, ensuring the man safely reached Huaguo.

After that, he would call the authorities, let the Huaguo military protect Joseph, and secure his safety.

Once the mission was complete, Le Jing could arrange his “social death,” sever all ties, and head to a new world.

He sat at the bow of the ship, eyes closed, appearing calm—but every movement on the vessel was within his awareness.

Ten minutes later, his index finger twitched. He opened his eyes, stood, and said playfully, “Found a few restless little mice.”

“Dispose of them cleanly,” Xingxiu instructed. “No loose ends.”

Le Jing rotated his wrist lazily. “Yes, sir.”

…

Joseph heard several dull splashes outside his window. Alert, he opened it, only to see churning waves.

He exhaled, laughing at his own nerves.

Floating outside Joseph’s window, Le Jing watched the high-nosed, deep-eyed man pace anxiously inside his cabin.

The journey was far from over.