Mr. Si
The wooden house trembled in the violent blast of the helicopter's blades, and snow rustled off the roof. Silver Wolf's men didn't attempt a violent attack, but quickly formed a circle around them. The glaring headlights of the snowmobiles illuminated the dilapidated whaling station like daylight. Silver Wolf's icy voice pierced the wind and snow as it came from the loudspeaker:
"Mr. Shao Wei, Mr. Si Qi. Hand over the data, and the general will consider giving you a decent ending."
Si Qi stood by the window, gun in hand. Through the gaps, shadowy figures of black-clad soldiers loomed. A respectable ending? A cold smile curled his lips. From the moment he learned the truth, the battle between him and Shao Qing was a life-or-death struggle.
He looked at Shao Wei. Shao Wei stood in the center of the room, the fire dancing in his icy blue eyes, reflecting no warmth. In his hand was a tablet displaying the progress of the key data transmission—fragmented into dozens of encrypted packets, transmitted via the temporary satellite link set up by White Fox to an unknown destination.
"It will take another seven minutes for the transmission to complete." White Fox's voice remained calm. She checked the assault rifle in her hand, her movements smooth and professional. "They won't wait that long."
"It won't take seven minutes." Shao Wei didn't even look up, his fingers sliding quickly across the tablet. "Mr. Gu, the archives' emergency defense system, the backdoor you mentioned earlier..."
Gu Zhixing immediately leaned over and typed a few lines of code on the tablet: "Activated! But it can only delay for three minutes at most, and it will trigger a full blockade, trapping us!"
"Three minutes is enough." Shao Wei pressed the confirmation button.
Outside the window, a series of muffled explosions suddenly erupted from the direction of the archives! It wasn't the sound of violent destruction, but rather the precise detonation of key nodes. Then, all the searchlights pointed at the whaling station went out, leaving only the dim taillights of the snowmobiles swaying in the wind and snow—the archives' independent power supply had been severed!
"Now!" White Fox growled, suddenly pushing open a camouflaged secret door on the back wall of the cabin, revealing a narrow ice path leading to the coastal cliffs. "Follow me!"
Almost immediately, the front door of the cabin was blown open, and the bright light and loud noise of the stun grenade filled the room! Si Qi was well prepared. He closed his eyes and tilted his head. Relying on memory and sound, he fired a series of bursts of shots towards the door, suppressing the first wave of enemies rushing in.
"Go!" he yelled at Shao Wei.
Without hesitation, Shao Wei, escorted by one of Baihu's men, rushed into the icy path behind the secret door. Gu Zhixing followed closely behind. Si Qi retreated, firing as bullets grazed his body and hit the wooden wall behind him, sending up countless sawdust.
Retreating onto the ice track, White Fox immediately triggered a trigger, and a heavy alloy gate crashed down, temporarily isolating the pursuers. The ice track was steep and slippery, and below was the pitch-black Disko Bay, dotted with floating ice fragments.
"Jump!" Bai Hu gave a terse command and was the first to leap into the freezing water. Her men and Gu Zhixing followed without hesitation.
Si Qi looked at Shao Wei. Shao Wei's face looked even paler in the dim light, but when he met Si Qi's gaze, he didn't flinch at all, only showed a determination to burn his boats.
"Believe me." After saying these three words, Shao Wei took a deep breath and immediately jumped into the dark sea.
Si Qi no longer hesitated and jumped down immediately after him.
The icy water instantly enveloped his entire body, like countless needles piercing his bones. Si Qi surfaced, wiped the water off his face, and saw a small, lightless submersible rising silently from the water not far away, its hatch opening. Bai Hu and the others were quickly climbing aboard.
Si Qi swam over and pushed the shivering Shao Wei onto the submersible before climbing in himself. The hatch closed, isolating him from the cold outside and the pursuit.
The submersible's interior was cramped, but the equipment was advanced. White Fox removed his soaking wet coat, revealing his close-fitting combat uniform, and began operating the control console. The submersible quickly descended, silently gliding into the darkness of the deep sea.
"All data packets have been sent." White Fox confirmed, looking at the screen on the console. "The recipient has confirmed receipt. Now, it's time to let the world see General Shao Qing's true face."
She tapped a few keys, and dozens of news publishing platforms, government watchdogs, and military court internal systems popped up on the screen, showing upload progress bars.
Si Qi watched the progress bars tick by, knowing this was the final, irreversible step. Once this data became public, it wouldn't just be Shao Qing's downfall; it would also severely impact the entire Alpha-dominated society and even the ethical boundaries of genetic research.
He looked at Shao Wei. Wrapped in a thermal blanket, Shao Wei leaned against the bulkhead, his eyes closed. Tiny drops of water clung to his long eyelashes. He seemed to sense Si Qi's gaze and slowly opened his eyes.
"You planned all this long ago," Si Qi said, not as a question, but as a statement. From contacting the White Fox, to pretending to be taken away from Iceland, to using his recovered memories and Gu Zhixing's skills to activate the archives' defenses and guide the escape route... Shao Wei was terrifyingly calm.
Shao Wei didn't deny it. His voice was filled with fatigue, though it was remarkably clear. "When life is filled with nothing but pain and deception, it's either destruction or counterattack. I chose the latter." He paused and looked at Si Qi. "I just didn't expect you to follow."
This sentence was like a thorn, gently pricking Si Qi. He remembered his previous hesitation and Shao Wei's question, "Do you love me?"
"I……"
"No need to say." Shao Wei interrupted him, looked away, and closed his eyes again. "Now, we are just temporary allies. In order to survive, in order to... make those who should pay the price pay the price."
Ally. The word made Si Qi's heart inexplicably tighten. Was the only thing between them now an alliance bound by interests?
The submersible lurked in the deep sea, its destination unknown. Baihu focused on navigation and communications, Gu Zhixing checked the equipment, and the others rested in silence. The oppressive silence was broken only by the faint hum of the equipment.
Suddenly, a rapid alarm sounded from the console!
"It's been locked onto by active sonar!" White Fox's face changed. "It's military-grade! Did they mobilize the navy?!"
The sonar image on the screen showed that at least two high-speed underwater vehicles were approaching from the side and rear!
"Impossible! Shao Qing's hand can't reach here!" Gu Zhixing said in shock.
"It's not a 'Watcher'." White Fox stared at the identification signal on the screen, a trace of solemnity flashing in his light gray eyes. "It's an enforcement ship of the International Genetic Ethics Committee (IGEC)!"
IGEC? That mysterious organization that transcends national sovereignty and is responsible for monitoring the abuse of genetic technology worldwide? Why are they here?
"We spread the data and triggered their surveillance network!" White Fox understood instantly, "They're not here to help Shao Qing, they're here to 'reclaim' us and the data! In their eyes, we, like Shao Qing, are 'dangerous anomalies'!"
There are wolves in front and tigers behind! Just after escaping the "Watchers", they fell into the hands of the more powerful IGEC!
The submersible accelerated sharply, trying to break free from the lock, but the opponent's vehicle was clearly superior. The distance was rapidly closing.
"There's no way to get rid of it!" the driver shouted.
Bai Hu's eyes sharpened as he looked at Shao Wei and Si Qi: "There's only one way. IGEC's target is those directly connected to the data and the 'Twin Project'. We must act separately!"
She quickly gave orders: "I'll lead the main force, driving the submersible forward to attract IGEC's attention. The four of you—" She pointed at Si Qi, Shao Wei, Gu Zhixing, and a technician, "take the emergency escape pod and surface from here! The coordinates have been set, and a support ship disguised as a scientific research vessel will be nearby!"
"This is too dangerous! You will be..." Gu Zhixing said anxiously.
"This is the only way to save the data and you!" White Fox said firmly, "Execute the order!"
There was no time for argument. Si Qi pulled Shao Wei up and followed the technicians to the escape hatch at the rear of the submersible. Gu Zhixing gritted his teeth and followed.
The escape pod was a giant metal capsule that could only hold four people. They squeezed in, and technicians quickly closed the hatch and initiated the separation procedure.
Through the small porthole, Siqi saw the White Fox submersible suddenly turn and actively face the IGEC law enforcement ship, while releasing a large number of sonar interference bubbles.
"Bang!" The escape capsule was ejected and rapidly floated up under the strong water pressure.
A feeling of weightlessness washed over him. Shao Wei closed his eyes tightly, his face pale, his fingers gripping the edge of the seat tightly. Si Qi subconsciously reached out and tightly grasped his cold hand.
This time, Shao Wei did not break free.
The escape pod pitched violently, breaking through the sea's surface. The hatch flew open, letting in a cold, salty breeze. Outside, it was still dark, the wind and snow a bit lighter. In the distance, White Fox's submersible could be seen being flanked by two larger, black ships, tracer bullets streaking through the night sky.
A seemingly ordinary icebreaker research vessel was slowly approaching. They swam over with all their might and were pulled aboard by the crew.
Standing on the swaying deck, watching the unequal battle unfold in the distance, Si Qi's heart sank. Bai Hu and her men, in their quest to buy them time, were likely in great danger.
"Come into the cabin quickly! We must leave this sea area immediately!" the captain shouted.
At this moment, Siqi's satellite phone rang again. It was an unfamiliar number, but with a familiar sense of majesty.
He hesitated for a moment and answered the call.
"Siqi." General Shao Qing's voice came from the other side. This time, it was no longer cold, but instead carried an extremely suppressed calmness, as if a storm was about to come. "You did very well. Very good."
Si Qi held the phone tightly and said nothing.
"IGEC has intervened. Things are beyond any of our control," Shao Qing said slowly, a subtle hint of... fatigue in his voice. "If the data is released, the Shao family will be destroyed, but do you think IGEC will let you go? In their eyes, you are abnormal beings that must be 'purified'."
"What do you want to say?" Si Qi asked coldly.
"Cooperation," Shao Qing said. "Let's put aside our grudges for now. I know a weakness of IGEC: the location of their 'core database' that they must protect. With the raw data in your hands, combined with my intelligence and connections, we have a chance... to turn the tables."
Si Qi was shocked. Shao Qing actually proposed cooperation?
"Do you think I will believe you?"
"You don't have to believe it." Shao Qing's voice suddenly turned cold. "Then wait for IGEC to capture you one by one, dismantle you, study you, and 'purify' you. Or, like crushing ants, make you disappear completely. The choice is yours, Siqi. Of course, it's also in the hands of...Commissioner Shao."
The call was hung up.
Si Qi stood there, the sea breeze chilling him to the bone. Shao Wei approached him, evidently having heard the conversation. His face was expressionless, his gaze fixed on the distant sea, where the White Fox submersible had been forcibly seized and its lights gradually dimmed.
The ice-blue eyes reflected the sinking starlight and endless darkness.
The road ahead seems to have forked, but each one leads to deeper fog and danger. Should I try to get the tiger's skin, or sit and wait for death?
Shao Wei slowly turned his head and looked at Si Qi, his voice so soft that it was almost blown away by the wind:
"He's right. Do we... have any choice?"
This is no longer about love or hate, or even right or wrong. It's survival, the most primal and brutal of survivals. And after enduring betrayal, struggle, and resistance, their fate is once again thrust onto an even grander and more dangerous gamble. At stake are their lives, and the future of the entire world.
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