The train departed, its rumbling along the tracks stirring up a flurry of dry yellow leaves, carrying with it the desolation of autumn.
Wang Xuan stood watching until the train gradually disappeared into the distance. Only then did he turn away, having just seen off several classmates.
From now on, they would be scattered across the skies, and it was uncertain how many years might pass before they would meet again—if ever.
Around him, some were still slowly waving their hands, unwilling to lower them; others stood silent, overcome with melancholy.
After four years of university together, bonds had been formed—bonds not so easily severed.
The setting sun shone slantwise through falling yellow leaves. Light and shadow danced, weaving a sense of time's passage.
A gentle-looking girl turned away, quietly wiping tears from behind her glasses.
In this unique era, after graduation, each would return to their place. Some might never cross paths again in this lifetime.
The autumn wind blew, leaves fluttering and tumbling in disarray.
In this season, some found fortune, others misfortune.
Four months had passed since graduation. Some had stayed in this city and seen their prospects brighten. Others waited anxiously, clinging to hope. Most, however, had left in disappointment, heading back to their hometowns.
Wang Xuan walked along the road, lost in thought, uncertain about his own path forward.
The street was aged. On either side, plane trees shed their leaves in great numbers, blanketing the ground.
Someone walked beside him, speaking up on his behalf: "You should've stayed. Why did they pass over you? This makes no sense!"
As a fellow student and close friend, Qin Cheng couldn't understand it. In his eyes, Wang Xuan deserved a place without question.
When the final list came out, many were left with complicated feelings. It was shocking that Wang Xuan wasn't selected.
"Enough about me. What about you—any news?" Wang Xuan asked.
Qin Cheng lowered his voice. "My family pulled some strings. I might be going to New Moon."
"New Moon… across the deep space… Who knows if we'll ever see each other again," Wang Xuan stopped walking. One by one, his friends were leaving for distant places.
He was tall and well-built, strong yet graceful. In the glow of the sunset, a soft golden hue seemed to wrap around him. His eyes were clear and bright.
"I'll come back. We'll definitely see each other again," Qin Cheng said emotionally. He felt a deep attachment to his homeland, and the thought of not seeing his friend again weighed on him.
"When you return, call for me!" Wang Xuan gripped his friend's shoulder tightly.
A sobbing voice drifted on the wind. Wang Xuan and Qin Cheng turned around and saw a male classmate visibly shaken, his emotions raw.
His face pale, he cried out loud: "I really wanted to stay in this city. I waited till the very end… I didn't want to go back home like this!"
He had lived and studied here for four years, working hard to plan for his future, trying to find his place. But in the end, he couldn't stay.
He broke down in tears.
The chilly autumn wind made other classmates feel just as low.
Nearby, a couple stood still, staring at each other without speaking. Silent tears streamed down their faces.
They were about to part. From now on, it wouldn't just be thousands of miles between them—but the vastness of space. They might never meet again in this lifetime.
Their faces streaked with tears, they embraced one last time. Then came only silence.
The city was large but old, still bearing traces of a bygone era. Many of the trees lining the streets were ancient—some over a hundred years old.
Unlike more modern places, this city preserved much of its historical character.
Elsewhere, some old cities left behind by the past had been completely abandoned, overtaken by vines and thorns, gradually swallowed by nature.
Back at the campus, Qin Cheng still fumed over Wang Xuan's rejection, urging him to find out the real reason—why he'd been excluded, to get a proper explanation.
Even though they had graduated, they were still allowed to stay on campus until the final list of candidates was confirmed.
This was a rare opportunity. Those selected would stay in the city for now but would soon depart for the "New Star"—a recently discovered planet with some sort of astonishing discovery.
Qin Cheng hadn't been chosen either. His family's efforts could only get him as far as New Moon.
New Moon, a satellite orbiting New Star, had become its most important base of operations.
Qin Cheng whispered, "Even though the news is sparse, just the rumors have people fired up. No matter what, you have to get a spot!"
Under the moonlight, the shadows of trees danced. Wang Xuan stretched out on the lawn, practicing an old technique known as "scattered arts." It was extremely practical for combat. The yellow leaves around him flew wildly, caught in the motion of his body.
He didn't stop. His movements were swift, yet his breathing remained steady.
"I'm waiting for the final results," he said.
Deep space is vast and cold, deathly silent. Aside from the Old Earth, only one other habitable planet had been found.
Yet years ago, the gate to New Star was closed. Ordinary people from the Old Earth could no longer enter.
Compared to the New Star, people had begun calling this place the "Old Earth."
Once, it had been called Earth—the birthplace of humanity.
Perhaps it was indeed outdated. Many cities were now desolate, overgrown with weeds, and completely uninhabited.
All of this stemmed from a war in the old era.
When technology reaches a certain level, a hot war can be devastating.
The prosperous world was destroyed, left barren and bleak.
Back then, many fled into space.
In truth, human technology hadn't been that advanced yet. Just before the war, humanity had barely begun building bases on the moon.
So those who escaped could only settle temporarily on the moon.
And then, humanity suddenly made a massive leap—discovering and settling a new life-supporting planet!
Even today, those on the Old Earth find it hard to believe.
Many still question that moment in history. What triggered such a sudden breakthrough in frontier technology?
No one would say.
By the standards of that time, technologies like stable wormholes or warp drives were nowhere near achievable.
Some suspect all the answers lie on the moon!
Sadly, the war left too much devastation. The earth was half-ruined. Even after all these years, the Old Earth hasn't recovered. Technology has regressed heavily. For a long time, even lunar missions were impossible.
More than a century later, the Old Earth's population has only now rebounded to about a billion—still far from its peak. Vast regions remain desolate.
During the early development of New Star, many survivors from the Old Earth were relocated. Talent followed. This mass migration lasted for decades and severely hindered the Old Earth's recovery.
Eventually, more than a hundred years ago, New Star shut its doors.
The aftermath of the war—scars upon the earth and a devastated environment—left few survivors. Recovery has been painfully slow.
Under the hazy moonlight, Wang Xuan sped up his movements. With a bang, he struck a large tree, leaving a clear handprint on its trunk. The tree trembled violently, and golden leaves rained down like a waterfall.
Qin Cheng was shocked. "Scattered arts… You really managed to master it? They'll regret abandoning you!"