In the dead of night, the needles on seismic monitoring stations around the world all twitched at once, without warning.
No one knew that after a pulse swept through, Earth had become the “farm” of an interstellar organization. Its designation was Chen-9, and humanity was the current crop. Buried beneath the earth was the Ninth Source Substance, which needed to choose a body from among billions of people and slowly ripen it.
Lin Ye thought he was the chosen one.
One night, with just three yuan and fifty cents left in his bank account, he awakened, gaining power that defied all reason. One by one, he trampled everyone who had once stepped on him. He always escaped danger, grew stronger against stronger foes, and gained everything from companions and fame to power. He thought his hardships had finally paid off, that he’d forged a legend with his own two fists.
He didn’t know that every step he took had already been written. He didn’t know that when the gardener came to harvest, the grain would be cut down.
When he opened his eyes again, two hundred years had passed. Steel ramparts loomed overhead, and ordinary people struggled just to stay alive. The thing that had gathered all nine sources and hung high beyond the sky was quietly waiting for his return.
This time, Lin Ye wanted to ask the gardeners: If the crops grow legs and walk away, can you still harvest this field?
