Short, Light, Free

End of the year 2069, aliens invaded Earth.

The resources on their planet had run out.

The whole Southern Hemisphere had been destroyed, leaving only the island states China and Russia holding up a united front.

They formed an alliance, using a new type of light shield to resist the aliens’ attack.

Beginning of the year 2070, China received a letter from the Alien Freedom Alliance.

The Alien Freedom Alliance consisted of a group of self-proclaimed peace-loving aliens.

Of course, their so-called peace did not include regular invasion.

They were against time travel battling, like going back in time to provide their army with a destructive light ray.

It was written in the letter that the aliens were planning to go back a thousand year to destroy the island state.

The next morning, before sunrise, the whole island state became an empty land with no trace of humans and animals.

Only lush vegetation grew as if there had never been any biological creatures that lived there.

As a result, the light shield that was supposed to come into existence did not.

The most frightening part was that all information related to the island had vanished completely.

However, those who had read the Alien Freedom Alliance’s letter had some memory of the island.

China, Beijing’s military base.

“Qiao Ke, do you understand the mission?” the chief dressed in white asked.

I shook my head, paused a little, and nodded.

“After four hours of careful calculations, the time gap should be about right,” the chief continued as he pulled his belt up.

“Can we succeed?” I asked.

The chief took off his black-framed sunglasses and wiped the smudges away. “The aliens have soft bodies so they aren’t able to enter the time gap. Your goal is to prevent the light ray from being released. Get ready, quick. Don’t shoot off target when you use the anti-laser.”

“Understood.” I entered the cockpit.

Metal doors started closing one after another.

Sounds of the electronics could be heard.

“First sluice gate closed.”

“Fifth sluice gate closed.”

“Sixth sluice gate closed.”

“Man-made black hole starting to develop.”

“Coordinates X4-818, Y6-29. BCE233, locked down.”

“3 minutes countdown, started.”

…

Suddenly, the main door was sliced open by a laser.

Hundreds and thousands of squid-like aliens made their way toward the laboratory.

They used their laser guns to shoot the staffs within the lab.

I’d witnessed the whole scene but I was unable to budge and could only watch those squid-like aliens take down my people.

A laser ray shot toward me and melted off a large chunk of the cockpit’s glass.

The sound of electronics started again.

“The sixth outer shell’s been damaged and can’t be sealed properly.

“Countdown is about to stop.”

My heart momentarily turned cold, but beside me, the chief in white let out a gratified smile.

He pounced on the buttons before him and urgently activated them.

The red button was forcibly being pressed and I couldn’t hear a word that the chief was saying.

Nevertheless, I understood his OK hand signal.

Following a few more laser shots, the chief’s figure became blurry save for the thick, black-framed aviator sunglasses.

More electronic sounds.

“BCE233, locked down. Enforced transmission, start.”

The turbine in the machine spun and the black hole flowed slowly outward.

In a matter of seconds, the whole spaceship was sucked into the dimensional black hole web and vanished from view.

…

“What a miracle, a work of the Gods,” the Emperor in the palace hall smiled.

“Are you pleased with the celestial rock that your humble servant has offered as a tribute, My Emperor?” the chancellor asked, cupping his hands together respectfully.

“This is an auspicious sign. Qin Nation will prosper thanks to the blessing of the Gods,” the nation’s advisor added.

“Good good, a chest of gold for you,” the Emperor announced heartily.

“Look, Your Majesty,” the advisor called out.

“What is it? What did you see?” the Emperor asked curiously.

“There’s something in the rock!” the advisor exclaimed in shock.

“Interesting. It seems alive! Come, pry this open,” the Emperor ordered.

Four golden-armored soldiers jogged over to the spaceship.

By now, the spaceship had already rusted and just looked like a huge chunk of siderite.

The soldiers picked up their halberds and started hacking at it.

“Vital signs functioning, remove devices.”

“Start pumping glucose C6H12O6 and Epinephrine.”

“Vital signs stabilized.”

“Begin first round of electrical resuscitation.”

Zi! Zi! Thump.

“Damn.” My whole body was numb.

I slowly gained full consciousness.

Layer after layer of vehicle armor opened up and I slid out weakly onto the floor.

“Protect the Emperor,” the advisor ordered.

“Wait, this person is definitely unordinary,” the Emperor stated.

“Your Majesty is wise, but it’s better to be safe,” the advisor replied.

I had all four limbs on the ground and was surrounded by golden-armored guards.

They pointed their halberds at me.

“Introduce yourself,” the Emperor ordered faintly.

“Me? You’re asking me?” I raised my head with difficulty and spotted the Emperor on the stage.

Am I in a palace?

“Name yourself. How did you get inside the rock?”

I thought about it and figured the truth must be concealed.

“I’ve come from heaven.”

“Oh? You’re an immortal? You do look the part. Raise your head and let me take a look.”

It was then that I realized that I had a long white mustache and that my work clothes were white from the nutrient fluids.

I raised my head higher.

“Do you have any immortal powers?” the emperor questioned.

I looked down at my wrinkled skin and touched my face.

Have I aged significantly?

I’m only 23, why have I become this way?

Right, my mission.

“Where am I?” I asked.

“How presumptuous of this immortal eh?” the advisor scoffed.

Looking at me, the Emperor ordered, “How dare you disregard my question? Behead him!”

What?

My hand flew to my waist to retrieve the electric gun.

The guards were about to thrust their halberds at me.

Bang bang.

Two shots.

Electric sparks flew everywhere.

Silence filled the hall.

The guards immediately pulled back.

Five shots left. I coughed twice.

“Art of Lightning? Immortal indeed. Dare I ask for your name?” the Emperor started. He was afraid now.

I thought hard about what I should say.

“What’s your name, Your Majesty?” I asked sternly in spite of my trembling hands.

“You’re asking me? Hahaha, that’s right, why would an immortal know my name? I’m Ying Zheng, the First Emperor of Qin.”

“Ying Zheng? The Ying Zheng that destroyed six nations?” I mumbled.

“What? Heaven knows about my achievements? Wait, six? I’ve only conquered five and I am just about to attack the state of Qi. Are you saying that I’ll succeed?” the Emperor smiled merrily.

Five nations? It seemed like I was off by thirty years.

I absently fiddled with my mustache.

Or did I fall into a deep sleep upon arrival for thirty years?

I looked at the compass on my watch.

“Did the East experience any changes over the past few decades?”

“Answer his question, Advisor,” Emperor Qin instructed.

“Twenty years ago, in the East, outside where Penglai is situated, a big island was set ablaze and it burned on for three days and three nights. The sky was bright throughout that period… but what changes are you looking at?” the advisor asked.

Set ablaze? So the destructive light ray has already been released?

I collapsed.

Over before it started?

Is Man already done for?