Chapter 33
The tranquility of Pelican Harbor was like a thin, brittle layer of glass, seemingly intact, yet already riddled with cracks beneath. The sudden attack and subsequent underwater explosion were like a sledgehammer, completely shattering the last shred of false peace.
The cruise ship underwent emergency repairs and barely restored power, but it was no longer safe. With the help of the "Lighthouse", they quickly moved to a safe house converted from an old warehouse in the depths of the harbor, which was more hidden and more heavily guarded.
Life seemed to have returned to its previous tense state, or even worse.
Qin Yu's recovery was astonishing, perhaps fueled by the deep hatred and sense of crisis. He barely rested, devoting all his time to processing the constant influx of intelligence and issuing orders. The bloodshot in his eyes remained, his face pale, but his commanding, cold aura had fully returned, even more stern and intimidating than before his injury.
Gu Jing's recovery was slower, but he was allowed to participate in core affairs. He found himself increasingly adapting to this rhythm, understanding and applying the rules and methods of the dark world as if instinctively. He and Qin Yu had formed a strange tacit understanding, often understanding each other's intentions with just a glance.
However, that broken window paper didn't make their relationship any easier or more tender. On the contrary, something heavier, more desperate, permeated their relationship. There was no time for sentimental romance; behind every glance, every unintentional touch of fingertips, lay turbulent undercurrents and unspoken vows.
They are dancing on the edge of a knife, with a bottomless abyss under their feet and no way to retreat.
The atmosphere in the safe house that day was particularly solemn.
Qin Yu lay before him several specially processed photos, recently delivered through secret channels. They were taken in a war-torn border region of Southeast Asia. Though blurry, they still revealed several makeshift mass graves and the bizarre, unnatural signs of necrosis and rapid organ decay on some of the deceased.
It is highly consistent with the late effects of genetic weapons described by "Nightingale".
"Confirmed." Qin Yu's voice was cold as ice, and he pointed his finger at one of the photos. "'Nirvana' is not a threat. He has already begun 'cleansing'."
Gu Jing's stomach churned, and he forced himself to look away: "Are there any survivors? Or... specimens?"
"The scene was completely burned and sprayed with powerful disinfectant. It was handled very professionally." Qin Yu's eyes were sinister. "But our people took the risk and brought back some... marginal soil and unburned clothing fibers. They have been urgently sent to our secret laboratory in Switzerland for analysis."
It's a slim chance of success, but it's the only clue we have right now.
"Where's Qin Xiao?" Gu Jing asked the man who took Viper away.
"I pried open a little bit, but not much." Qin Yu rubbed his brow. "'Viper' was one of the early executors of the 'Nirvana' plan, responsible for the security and 'cleaning' of the 'test site'. But he only knew how to follow orders and knew nothing about the core technology and antibodies. He didn't even know that he had been implanted with a gene lock..."
Qin Yu paused, his tone tinged with a hint of sarcasm: "Qin Zhengfeng doesn't trust anyone, including his best sword."
"Then Qin Xiao..."
"He took the 'interest' he wanted—some information about the old man's secret accounts in Europe and a smuggling route—and then disappeared from the face of the earth." Qin Yu snorted coldly, "Don't worry about him. He has always lived only for himself."
During the conversation, 739 walked in quickly, his face solemn: "Brother Yu, Mr. Gu, there's news about Nightingale!"
The two of them looked up instantly!
"It's not a communication. It's a scheduled, multi-encrypted data packet that's just been decrypted." 739 placed a tablet on the table. "It was sent six hours before he lost contact. The content... is shocking."
The screen lights up and the data stream scrolls rapidly.
There are no longer vague speculations and warnings, but a large number of extremely detailed technical parameter fragments, screenshots of capital flows, and even a few extremely short videos of the inside of the laboratory that were obviously secretly filmed!
"...Gene editing technology is based on... a variant of CRISPR-Cas12... It has extremely high targeting capabilities... but carries the risk of an uncontrollable... 'gene storm'... which can lead to... rapid collapse of the host in the long run..."
"…delivery method…aerosol…water source…or even…soundwave catalysis…at a specific frequency range…"
"...antibody research...is being carried out simultaneously...but...progress is slow...the key data...is being...separated and saved by Qin Zhengfeng...the only possible...complete backup...is..."
Here the data packets suddenly become extremely chaotic, full of interference codes and jumping fragments.
Finally, it settled on a corner of an extremely blurry blueprint of what appeared to be the interior structure of an ancient building, with a fragmented sign next to it.
Archives Zero
And a blood-red line, as if it was the last shocking warning left by "Nightingale" with all his strength:
[…Be careful…Shadow…He’s not…]
The information is completely cut off here.
The safe house was dead silent.
"'Archives Zero'..." Qin Yu chewed over the name, his eyes sharp as an eagle's. "I seem to have heard of it somewhere..."
He stood up suddenly, walked to a secure filing cabinet, quickly entered the password, and pulled out a paper file bag from the bottom layer. The bag was old, the edges were worn, and the word "destroyed" was printed on it, but it was obviously resealed and preserved later.
He pulled out the documents inside. They were some extremely old, fragmentary records of the Qin family's earliest history and a sketch of their genealogy, mixed with some seemingly unrelated land deeds and architectural designs.
Qin Yu's fingers flipped the yellowed pages quickly and accurately, his eyes sharp as a torch.
Gu Jing and 739 waited with bated breath.
Suddenly, Qin Yu stopped moving.
His finger touched the corner of a very blurry diagram of what appeared to be some underground structure. There, outlined with a very fine ink pen, was a barely discernible symbol—a key entangled in thorns.
Below the pattern, there is a line of faded small words:
[…The Family Key…begins…with Zero…]
"It's here!" Qin Yu's pupils contracted. "The Qin family's ancestral home! Underground! There's a place called 'Archive Zero' that's only sporadically mentioned in the family tree! It's said to contain the Qin family's most original and core... everything!"
His breathing quickened slightly. "If Nightingale's information is correct... the complete data on genetic weapons and antibody research... are most likely right there!"
The only hope! And also the biggest trap!
Qin Zhengfeng must have set up a tight net there!
"We must go!" Gu Jing said without hesitation.
"Of course I'll go." Qin Yu closed the document, his eyes cold and fanatical, like a wolf that has seen its prey, "but not 'we'."
He looked at Gu Jing and said in an unquestionable tone: "You stay here."
"Impossible!" Gu Jing flatly refused. "That's the Qin family's ancestral home! It's a dangerous place! You're all alone..."
"Precisely because it's a dangerous place, you can't go there!" Qin Yu interrupted him, his voice suddenly rising with an uncontrollable anxiety and fear. "Have you forgotten what happened underwater?! I can't bear to see you like that again..."
His words were stuck in his throat, and his eyes were filled with fear and pain.
Gu Jing's heart felt like it was hit hard, but his voice was extremely firm: "It's because it's dangerous that we can't let you go alone! We said... we have to go together."
"That's different!" Qin Yu growled, grabbing Gu Jing's shoulders with astonishing strength, "That's courting death! Qin Zhengfeng is waiting for me! All his traps are set for me! You are different! You..."
He suddenly stopped, as if realizing something, his eyes changed drastically, and finally settled into a deep, almost desperate sorrow.
He slowly loosened his grip, took a step back, and said in a hoarse voice, "...You still have the Gu Group. You still have...a way out."
"If I can't come back... 739 will escort you away to a place where Qin Zhengfeng can't find you. I will cancel those agreements in advance. You can..."
"Qin Yu!" Gu Jing interrupted him harshly, his chest heaving violently with anger and some indescribable pain. "Look at me now... can I still leave?!"
He suddenly raised his hand and pointed to the invisible, dangerous distance outside the window, pointing to the location of his heart.
"From the moment you dragged me into this mess! From the moment I signed that agreement! From the moment I crawled into the cooling pipes of the hospital ship! There's no turning back!"
His eyes were red with excitement, but his voice was clear and every word fell to the ground.
"Do you think I did all this just for the Gu family? Just to stay alive?"
He took a step forward and stared into Qin Yu's eyes that were filled with shock and confusion.
"I'm telling you, Qin Yu, if it was me going to that damn place today, would you stay behind and wait for news?!"
Can you?
The answer is self-evident.
Qin Yu's pupils trembled as he looked at Gu Jing, who seemed to be burning with cold flames. All the words he used to push him away seemed pale and powerless.
Yeah. He won't. He won't, even if he dies.
Then why does he think Gu Jing would?
A huge, surging emotion that almost overwhelmed him swept away all reason and pretense.
He suddenly stretched out his hand, not to push away, but to pull Gu Jing fiercely and forcefully into his arms! His arms clamped him tightly like iron clamps, as if he wanted to crush him into his bones and blood!
Gu Jing was strangled by him so hard that he could even hear the slight sound of his bones, but he did not struggle. Instead, he raised his hands and hugged the other's cold and trembling body with the same force.
Two equally proud, equally stubborn souls struggling in the darkness, at this moment, abandoned all calculations and disguises, leaving only the most primitive instinct to hold on to each other tightly.
"Asshole..." Qin Yu buried his face deep in Gu Jing's neck, his voice muffled and choked with barely perceptible sobs, "...You are here to defeat me..."
Gu Jing closed his eyes, feeling the hot and wet touch on his neck, and his heart ached.
“…Same here.”
After a long time, Qin Yu slowly let him go. His eyes were still red, but he had regained that cold determination.
He raised his hand and used his fingertips to roughly wipe away the moisture that had seeped out of the corner of Gu Jing's eyes. His movements were awkward, but his eyes were surprisingly focused.
"Okay." He only said one word.
No more dissuasion, no more disagreement.
There is only the determination to die together.
Plans were quickly formulated.
Target: Qin family ancestral home, "Archives No. 0".
Action plan: Infiltrate, obtain core data and antibody samples, destroy, and evacuate.
Personnel: Extremely streamlined. Qin Yu, Gu Jing, 739, and four other core members selected by Costin for their absolute reliability and best skills.
Equipment: State-of-the-art night vision, communications, hacking equipment, and... enough firepower to handle the worst-case scenario.
Departure time: Early the next morning. Take advantage of the darkest hour before dawn.
The night is dark.
Everyone gathered on the bottom floor of the warehouse for a final equipment check and mission briefing.
The atmosphere was solemn and grim.
Qin Yu and Gu Jing changed into the same black combat uniforms and checked each other's equipment. Their movements were skillful and coordinated, as if they had practiced it countless times.
The occasional touch of fingertips brought a slight tremor, but no one backed down.
"Remember," Qin Yu's eyes swept over everyone, his voice as cold as a knife, "Our primary target is the data sample, not a fight. Once you succeed, immediately evacuate along the predetermined route. If anything happens to me or Mr. Gu..."
He paused and looked at 739 and Saker Falcon.
“…make sure the samples reach the Swiss labs as a priority. That’s an order.”
739 and Haidongqing's faces turned serious and they nodded heavily: "Yes!"
Gu Jing didn't say anything, but just silently tied a dagger to his calf with steady movements.
Everything is ready.
Everyone boarded two camouflaged, inconspicuous black vans, drove out of Pelican Harbor, merged into the thick night, and headed towards the Qin family's ancestral home, which was like a huge tomb and was located on the edge of the city.
No one spoke in the car.
There was only the roar of the engine and everyone's heavy heartbeat.
Gu Jing looked at the scenery outside the window that was rapidly receding and swallowed by the night, and then looked at Qin Yu who was resting with his eyes closed and his profile as cold and hard as stone.
He slowly stretched out his hand, and under the cover of the shadow, gently grasped Qin Yu's slightly clenched fist on his knees.
Qin Yu's body stiffened imperceptibly for a moment, then he turned his hand and gripped him even harder. His fingertips were cold, yet filled with unwavering strength.
Fingers clasped together.
A silent oath was passed between clasped fingers.
No matter if there is an abyss or hell ahead.
They went together.
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