Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
I slammed the door behind me in a fit of anger. It was infuriating.
I was not only angry at Boss Song, but also at Jack, who was fuming with rage. I considered myself to be fair to Jack; although I hadn’t shared every detail of my experiences in Lop Nur with him, it was mainly to protect him. I didn’t believe that telling him those things would do him any good; in fact, it would likely lead him into a deeper abyss.
Aside from the secrets of Lop Nur, I had shared all other information with him. During our numerous encounters with danger, we had been able to look out for each other. I had regarded him as a comrade I could trust with my back, but unexpectedly, this person I had come to trust had been plotting against me from the very beginning.
As I stepped outside, the biting winter wind mixed with the salty scent of the sea instantly transported me from the warmth of the greenhouse into an icy cave. The sweat covering my body and face quickly turned to thin ice, solidifying like a frozen sculpture.
I walked briskly like a puppet or an angry bird for a moment; however, the intense activity did not raise my body temperature. Even wrapped tightly in my coat, the air and the near-freezing sweat on my skin still made me feel bone-chilling cold.
Yet, while the cold wind froze my muscles and blood, it also calmed my mind. Just moments ago, in Boss Song’s office, I was furious because Jack had schemed against me and even used me. But now, in the cold wind, another question immediately surfaced in my mind: What did they want this model for?
My original intention in creating this Sand Table Model was to sketch a somewhat reliable diagram of the Underground Passage based on it. I believed I could accurately locate the underground Water Inlet and Underground Water Reservoir. The reference points were our initial landing site and this area of the Yadan Landform Group.
By locating the Reservoir, I could potentially pinpoint the next layer—the Underground Maze—and thus find its corresponding location on the surface.
After that incident at Lop Nur Archaeology, not only were all personnel dismissed, but the once grand Archaeology site vanished without a trace during that Black Sandstorm. I knew that with individual effort alone, it would be impossible to excavate another entrance to the Underground Passage at the original Test Pit location.
This difficulty wasn't merely about economic strength; primarily, after the failure at Lop Nur Archaeology, the site had been sealed off. Although not as tightly as this current lockdown, large-scale excavation was definitely out of the question.
Moreover, in some people's eyes, I had already become a sinner; my actions were certainly under some level of surveillance. For instance, during my last inspection at the Lop Nur Yadan Geomorphological Group, I could not escape their watchful gaze. The details of my actions would inevitably appear on someone’s desk in written or visual form.
Fortunately, I wouldn’t be going there alone; my investigation of the Lop Nur Yadan Geomorphological Group was conducted in collaboration with a geological filming crew interested in studying how the Yadan Landform Group formed for an educational program. We both benefited from this arrangement—I served as their consultant and contributed significantly.
If I wanted to enter there again, it could only be through other channels. The most feasible option would be to drill a vertical passage directly down to locate the Underground Maze. Pinpointing its location became a prerequisite for all actions.
I had always planned this but kept it to myself; I never dared to share my true thoughts with anyone, not even hinting at them to Fatty. The Underground Passage was a lifelong pain for me; currently, it seemed it might be for us all—Xiao Guolin, Cao Mingzhe, and even Liu Squad Leader were all looking forward to it. Moreover, some people were always preparing for this endeavor.
But this model is of no use to AE; they cannot locate any underground positions because they don't even know what lies beneath or what it looks like.
What do they want this model for?
What do they want this model for?
What do they want this model for?
I kept asking myself and coming up with numerous hypotheses, only to dismiss them one by one.
My mind was clear and calm, yet this question felt like a curse. I couldn't find the answer, nor could I grasp any edge of the truth.
It wasn't until I saw the streetlights illuminate that I realized it had grown dark. My mind remained alert, but my body was nearly frozen; I had left home after eating just a little in the morning, and there was nothing left in my stomach to digest. I needed to find somewhere to eat, or I would become the first frostbite victim in City in recent years.
Not only were the streetlights on, but also neon lights, flashing lights, and advertising lights. Yes, I had stepped into a bustling street, and not far ahead was the base of Cao Mingzhe’s Task Force, that hotel.
I won't mention the hotel's name since no one is paying me for advertising, and there’s a risk of defamation involved. However, this hotel is the only four-star hotel in our city, over twenty stories tall. When I asked at the front desk, the Receptionist immediately informed me that the Task Force was on the fifteenth floor. The reason was simple: only Cao Mingzhe’s Task Force had booked an entire floor.
As I exited the elevator, two men in black suits were sitting at the elevator entrance; it seemed security measures were already in place.
One of them stood up politely and said to me, “You must be Mr. Zhang. Please follow me.”
“You know me?” I asked in surprise. I didn’t think I was that famous.
“I’ve seen your photo. Director Cao instructed that you should go directly to his office upon arrival.”
Damn, it seems they had planned this all along. I muttered inwardly.
Cao Mingzhe’s office was a large suite. I’ve never stayed in a presidential suite, but having seen this one, I imagined it would be similar.
The living room, which served as Cao Mingzhe’s office, was about a hundred square meters. The reddish-brown wooden floor gleamed brightly, and the lavish crystal chandelier on the ceiling gave the room no sense of oppression; the height of the room must have been at least five meters.
Cao Mingzhe stood up from behind a redwood desk, gesturing for the man in the black suit to leave. Then he smiled at me and said, "Boss Zhang is quite popular lately."
Indeed, my temper flared up immediately. "Old Cao, what do you mean by that? I've already said my piece, and you're dragging me into this mess? Are you trying to leave me with no way out? It's not easy for us to escape from Lop Nur, and I was hoping for a couple of peaceful days. Not everyone wants to go back! Besides, you know how One Commander feels about me. If you pull me into this, do you think I'll come out unscathed? Do you want to see how I die or what? Angry? Of course I'm furious!"
Angry!?
A flash of insight suddenly struck my mind, followed by a terrifying image.
Dozens of lightning bolts simultaneously struck down from all directions, as if they were being manipulated or drawn by something on the ground. The target of the lightning was my shop. The bolts converged into a massive bouquet of lightning above my store, incredibly beautiful, magnificent, and terrifying.
Boom!
The bundle of lightning pierced through the roof, and through the black hole above, I seemed to see the lightning beam heading straight for the Sand Table Model below. (To Be Continued.)
Comment 0 Comment Count