Chapter 84 His kindness is too hurtful
After getting off work and returning to the dormitory of the Bureau of Justice, Lin Xili found a small, dark brown, solid wood box with openwork design under the drawer.
She sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers tracing the blue snowflake jade pendant around her neck; it was ice-cold, no longer able to warm her.
She took a deep breath, took off the jade pendant, opened the wooden box, put it inside, closed the lid, and locked it.
Her life was destined to lack love, so why should she crave love again, or even have such a luxurious love?
This realization carried an almost self-destructive clarity, yet it also brought her a strange sense of peace.
At least, I won't ask for anything more; without expectations, there will be no more disappointment.
Three days later, after returning to her post, Lin Xili completely transformed herself into a highly efficient, calm, and tireless work machine.
She took the initiative to analyze the physical evidence of three backlogged major cases, and working overtime became the norm.
The lights on the lab bench always stayed on until late at night, and the microscopic world under the microscope became her best refuge.
There are only objective data and conclusive evidence there, no subjective human emotions, and no unspeakable concealments.
But when I return to my empty dorm room, tears always uncontrollably slide down my cheeks and disappear into my collar.
She would still unconsciously pick up her phone and tap on that familiar WeChat profile picture.
The chat history ended with his message to her: "Remember to eat, and be careful."
His world had completely shut down to her.
Grandma called several times, her tone filled with hesitant worry.
"Xi Li, how are things between you and Nan Chen lately? Why haven't you called Grandma recently?"
Lin Xili calmly replied, "Grandma, I've been extremely busy with work lately, with several major cases piling up."
"Nan Chen is busy too. Please take care of yourself and don't worry about us."
She couldn't bring herself to say it; it would be too cruel to her grandmother.
Lunchtime at the Justice Bureau cafeteria three days later.
Lin Xili sat alone by the window, and a figure sat down opposite her.
She looked up and saw Xiao Zhang from the forensic department, a male colleague two years younger than her who had just joined the team.
Xiao Zhang's face turned slightly red. He took a deep breath and mustered up his courage to confess: "Engineer Lin, I heard that you've recently become single again."
Lin Xili's hand holding the chopsticks froze in mid-air.
"Um, can I...can I pursue you?" Xiao Zhang's voice trembled slightly, but his eyes were fervent and sincere.
"I swear, I will definitely treat you well. Actually, I heard about you when I was in school, and I have secretly liked you for a long time."
His affection was so direct, like the midday sun, so intense that there was nowhere to hide.
This is completely different from Huo Nanchen's kind of affection, which lies beneath the calm surface.
Lin Xili lowered her eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then said calmly, "Thank you for your kindness, but it's not necessary."
"Why?" Xiao Zhang asked anxiously. "Give me a chance, and I'll prove it..."
“Sometimes,” Lin Xili interrupted him, “the price we pay for what we get is too painful, and I won’t want it anymore.”
Xiao Zhang's eyes dimmed. He opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing and silently got up and left.
Lin Xili continued to eat with her head down, each bite still tasting like chewing wax.
One month later, at the Deep Vision Base.
“Final simulation test,” Old Master Yan’s voice was hoarse, as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper, “Start.”
Huo Nanchen's fingers tapped rapidly on the control panel, entering the final series of parameters.
On the screen, complex molecular structure models begin to rotate and combine, simulating the binding process of antibodies and viral antigens.
The progress bar slowly climbs: 70%, 80%, 90%...
The laboratory was so quiet that only the suppressed breathing of the three people could be heard.
99%!
100%!
"The simulated neutralization rate is 100%, it's a success! Mr. Yan, Brother Yisheng, we've succeeded!"
As dawn broke, his voice trembled as he watched the green characters appear on the screen, and he wept with joy.
Over the past month, they have experienced countless failures, restarts, and sleepless nights of anxiety, but now they have finally pierced through the darkness.
Old Master Yan's bloodshot eyes were fixed on the screen, and his usually steady hands were trembling slightly.
He took a deep breath. "Immediately compile all the final data!"
"The synthesis formula ratio, process flow, and stability parameters were packaged and transmitted to the Kyoto headquarters according to the 'Azure Dragon' level encryption standard."
"Antibody stock solution and the first batch of finished products, activate the 'Vermilion Bird' contingency plan. Security team, prepare to escort them out in thirty minutes. Ensure safe delivery!"
Huo Nanchen leaned against the control panel and let out a long sigh of relief.
Just then, a strange laugh with a strong foreign accent suddenly came through the base's internal broadcast system.
"Hahahaha, brilliant, absolutely brilliant!"
The laughter was full of mockery and smugness, a cat-and-mouse game of teasing, "Too bad, you were still a step too late."
The laboratory's alloy door emitted a piercing electromagnetic interference sound, and the red light of the access control system flashed wildly.
With a loud "boom!"
The 30-centimeter-thick alloy door was violently blasted open, and a group of armed personnel dressed in black special operations uniforms and wearing gas masks rushed in like ghosts.
They moved swiftly and were well-trained, quickly taking over all the key positions in the laboratory.
The energy weapons in their hands glowed with a cold red light, and the muzzles were all pointed at the three people in the center of the laboratory.
The leader slowly removed his gas mask, revealing an East Asian face with a half-smile on his lips.
He was the leader of the Sakura Group's operation, codenamed "Night Hawk".
Old Master Yan's face instantly turned ashen. He stood in front of the core data terminal and said, "You actually managed to break through our seven-layer dynamic encryption defense system, a whole month ahead of schedule."
"You think you're the only ones who're powerful?" Night Hawk scoffed, leisurely toying with the mask in his hand.
"Are those world-class hackers, codebreakers, and spies that the Sakura Group spends billions of dollars to support every year just useless?"
He emphasized the word "lurker" with particular force, undoubtedly to tell Elder Yan and the others how our spies, who had infiltrated the enemy, had suffered inhuman torture before sacrificing themselves heroically.
Old Master Yan's pupils suddenly contracted.
Night Hawk watched his reaction with satisfaction. "Elder Yan, don't you have an old saying that goes, 'A wise man submits to circumstances'?"
"Hand over all the antibody data and samples for 'Pandora-7,' as well as all the research materials here."
He paused, his smile growing increasingly sinister. "Perhaps, we can spare the lives of geniuses like you."
"Wishful thinking!" Old Master Yan shouted sternly, while his right hand subtly moved towards the side of the control panel. "Perfect, it saves us the trouble of digging out the spies you've planted one by one."
Before he finished speaking, his hand had already slammed down on the hidden red button!
Almost at the same instant, Huo Nanchen moved.
The moment the broadcast started, he had already entered a state of extreme calm.
He had already ejected the core data hard drive with lightning speed and stuffed it into the palm-sized titanium alloy safe with absolute physical isolation and a self-destruct mechanism.
At the same time, Li Ming also put the antibody sample into a specially made insulated box and locked it, holding it tightly in his arms.
"You like our ancient sayings so much?" Huo Nanchen gripped the briefcase tightly in his hand, stepping aside to block Li Ming and the insulated box.
His voice was as cold as the Siberian wind, “We have an old saying for you: those who do many evil deeds will surely perish.”
Night Hawk's face instantly darkened further.
Taking advantage of this one-second gap, Old Master Yan slammed down the button and roared with all his might, "You two, hurry up and complete the mission!"
In less than a second, a crack appeared in the laboratory floor.
The platform beneath Huo Nanchen and Li Ming's feet suddenly descended, accompanied by a rapid pneumatic sound, and the two, along with the combination lock box and the insulated box, disappeared from the spot.
The rift closed up in less than a second after they fell in, restoring everything to its original state as if it had never existed.
"Damn it, talking too much is such a hassle!" Night Hawk roared in anger, raising his hand to fire a shot at Chao Yan.
Even though Yan Lao was wearing a specially made top-level protective suit and mask, he still couldn't withstand their specially made bullets and was eventually pierced through the chest.
Old Yan grunted and staggered back a step, but he still held on to the control panel and used his last bit of strength to press the self-destruct button for the base.
The base's self-destruct program has been activated.
At the same time, the highest-level alarm signal penetrated through layers of shielding, sending a final cry for help and warning to the outside world.
"You're asking for it!" Night Hawk's eyes were sinister as he was about to finish off the enemy when a fierce gunfight suddenly broke out outside the laboratory.
It was their base security team that broke through the encirclement; soon, gunshots and explosions echoed wildly in the enclosed space.
More armed members of the Cherry Blossom Gang continued to pour in, engaging in a fierce firefight with the security team.
Old Yan leaned against the control panel, his consciousness gradually fading, but he still stared intently at the red countdown timer on the screen.
[Self-destruct sequence initiated, time remaining: 00 minutes 59 seconds]
When the self-destruct sequence was complete, he finally collapsed on the control panel, fulfilling the final mission of his life.
Huo Nanchen and Li Ming ran wildly through the narrow passage, the faint sounds of explosions and gunshots behind them striking their hearts like heavy hammers.
"Quick, the exit is just ahead!" Huo Nanchen roared.
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