If there was anyone above that white-haired old man, that person must possess even more profound and mysterious powers. Why is it that even after being on the boat for so long, we never encountered this individual?

This was the last question my fading consciousness pondered. "Whoosh, whoosh..." Just as my spirit began to relax, on the verge of slipping away, several colossal sounds tearing through the air yanked me back to sudden awareness.

When I opened my eyes, I saw everyone staring upward at the sky. Across the heavens, five elongated objects were streaking past at supersonic speeds.

They zipped by no more than one or two hundred meters above our heads, their sonic booms and the powerful down-draft creating a long ripple across the sea surface. These were clearly not aircraft; there were no wings.

I must admit my ignorance; I had never seen anything like them before. But Xie Yuting immediately shouted beside me, "Damn it!

Those are ICBMs! Quick, get underwater!" No sooner had he spoken than Da Xiong, with me on his back, plunged us instantly, swimming straight down toward the seabed.

I drew a sharp breath, feeling a fiery pain in my lungs, as if they were about to explode, but I had no choice but to hold it in. Da Xiong carried me down in a straight line for about thirty meters.

Then, I felt a violent turbulence in the water. Countless sand and stones, mingled with the remains of dead fish and water weeds, swept toward us, like a sandstorm on land.

Da Xiong did his best to steady himself, but the immense thrust still pushed us backward more than ten meters, sending us tumbling end over end underwater before he regained control. Glancing unintentionally at the sea surface, I saw that the bright, sunny blue sky had turned a deep crimson.

Countless bubbles rose from the upper layers of seawater, resembling water coming to a boil. Jellyfish and small fish caught in these bubbles would contract violently and instantly die, drifting upward.

Even at thirty meters below the surface, I could feel the water temperature had noticeably increased. The turbulent water then obscured all vision.

I only felt that we stayed on the seabed for perhaps ten seconds before Da Xiong started swimming us back up. As soon as we breached the surface, both Da Xiong and I choked uncontrollably, coughing violently as we gulped in great drafts of air.

Next, Xie Yuting and Nie Chuan’s heads also emerged from the water, and they all looked in the same direction. That direction was where our boat and the enemy warships had been heading, but now the sea was only marked by rolling plumes of thick smoke; there was no sign of any vessel left.

After a long, long silence, Xie Yuting finally ground out, "It seems a very important figure wants us dead. They deployed an ICB—not only to kill us but to eliminate their own people as well.

That shows the depth of their resolve to wipe us out." None of us had ever witnessed something as terrifying as an ICBM; those were things we only saw occasionally on television. None of us expected to ever have the "honor" of being attacked by one in this life.

I genuinely didn't know whether to call it luck or utter despair. Everyone wore expressions that were a mixture of laughter and tears.

After a while, Da Xiong, his face deathly pale, said, "Xie, when is your friend's ship arriving? I’m done with this life.

I’m going back to my village in the Northeast to farm two acres of land and retire. This is ridiculous—they’re using ICBMs!

Are they trying to leave anyone alive? Next time, they’ll probably bring out nuclear weapons." Xie Yuting managed a wry smile and replied, "You don't need to worry about that.

The Japanese don't possess ICBMs." Da Xiong froze, unsure what to say next. That ICBM had shocked me awake again just as I was about to faint from exhaustion, and now my nerves were stretched taut once more.

Nie Chuan then spoke to Xie Yuting, "Which direction is your friend's ship coming from? Let's try to meet it halfway.

This area of the sea is too dangerous." Unexpectedly, Xie Yuting pointed downward, beneath the surface of the water. We were all baffled, but Da Xiong glanced into the sea and immediately shouted in alarm, "Holy crap, there’s a massive fish down there!

We’re about to be swallowed by a whale!" Just then, we too saw a huge, dark, fish-shaped shadow growing larger underwater. But on closer inspection, that enormous monster fish had lights flashing in several places on its body.

In less than a minute, the behemoth erupted from the surface with a massive splash, churning up towering waves. Now we could clearly see that it was a submarine.

Xie Yuting first looked at the black giant, water dripping from its hull, then turned back to us and smiled triumphantly, saying, "My friend has arrived." Da Xiong turned to me and whispered in my ear, "Damn! Xie Yuting’s friend is driving a submarine?

I dreamed of riding in a submarine as a kid. Today, Old Man Xiong is going to ride one to his heart’s content!" I couldn't speak, merely rolling my eyes at him, but I couldn't stop his boisterous laughter.

We then boarded the vessel via a soft ladder dangling from the top of the submarine and squeezed through a hatch with three watertight compartments. Da Xiong carried me on his back, but his hands couldn't stop moving.

He kept touching various components of the submarine, grinning foolishly and whispering to me, "Good stuff, all high-grade steel. Listen to the resonance!

This section alone would fetch hundreds selling for scrap." I had already regained consciousness, but I nearly passed out again from his idiocy. My awareness only held long enough to see a few Asian men in black uniforms walking toward us before I lost consciousness completely.

This was my absolute limit; I couldn't hold on for another minute. What remained in my mind were a few fragments.

The first was seeing myself lying on an operating table while doctors in white coats extracted clots of blood and bits of bone from my chest cavity. I only looked once before passing out again.

The second time I woke up was deep in the night. Da Xiong was asleep, leaning over my hospital bed, holding his phone.

I tried to wake him, but the intense pain in my chest sent me under again. The third time was still in the operating room; the doctor was sweating profusely while stitching my wounds.

I thought I was going to die, but seeing the doctor’s expression clearly easing into relief, I too relaxed and closed my eyes, drifting off once more. The fourth time, the images finally became continuous.

When I dimly opened my eyes, Da Xiong, Nie Chuan, and Xie Yuting were all there. Nie Chuan, seeing me awake, immediately exclaimed with excitement, "He's up!

* is finally awake!" Da Xiong had been sitting nearby, peeling an apple for me, while Xie Yuting gazed out the window, seemingly lost in thought. Hearing I was awake, they all crowded around.

Da Xiong gently patted my shoulder and said, "* , you really are lucky. Your left lung lobe was completely necrotic, so we had to remove it all." I managed a bitter smile and said, "I thought I was done for too.

Good thing I have you guys." Then Da Xiong sighed, "You kept your life, but you can never smoke again." Hearing this news, I wasn't actually that disappointed; it felt like a forced opportunity to quit smoking. I looked at Da Xiong, then turned to Nie Chuan.

His face showed joy, but underneath was profound weariness and a barely perceptible hint of sorrow. A bad feeling settled in my gut, and I asked, "What about Liang Qian?" Nie Chuan’s smile instantly stiffened.

He vigorously rubbed his hair and sighed, saying, "You’ve been unconscious for a month and a half, stabilized after three rescues, and you’ve finally woken up. But Liang Qian still hasn't woken up, and her vital signs are weakening." A sharp pang went through my heart; for a moment, I didn't know what to say.

"That woman, Miss Liang, might be savable," Xie Yuting interjected from the side. The three of us looked at him with surprise.

Xie Yuting spoke calmly, "When I interrogated Meichuan, I learned this cerebral toxin isn't a chemical agent, but a poisonous herb—I forgot the specific name, but it’s recorded in the Bencao Gangmu. In ancient times, it was used for aphrodisiac incense, using a small dose to create toxic smoke for temporary paralysis.

But if the dosage is too high, the brain enters a deep sleep—a slumber lasting fifty or sixty years until the body fails. Listen carefully: it’s sleep, not necrosis.

Only a fully intact brain can be modified into a 'Thunder Corpse'; if the brain dies, the person is just a heap of meat." "I had someone investigate a few days ago and found this herb is quite common in Japan but rare in China. Therefore, to find the antidote, we must go into the deep mountains of Japan." Da Xiong slapped his thigh and jumped up upon hearing this, "Why didn’t you say so earlier, Xie?

We’re leaving right now to find that herb!" Xie Yuting waved his hand. "Hold on.

Haven't you forgotten that you are all wanted fugitives? There are many who want to capture or kill you.

Moving rashly now is just suicide." Nie Chuan spoke up then, "But we don't have much time. Liang Qian can't wait much longer." Xie Yuting assured him, "Don't worry, she won't die immediately.

The decline in vital signs is a necessary reaction for anyone poisoned this way. Next, her heart rate, pulse, and metabolism will drop to very low levels, similar to a frog hibernating.

She will awaken when spring arrives." He looked at me and added, "You have another partner confined to bed right now. Once he recovers, I will arrange for you all to go together.

It’s safer if you operate as a group for now; anyone who gets separated is vulnerable." Hearing Xie Yuting arrange for us to go together, as if it were already planned, made me suspicious. I asked, "Master Ting, this time, you didn't choose our destination again, did you?" Xie Yuting paused when I said that, then looked slightly embarrassed.

"To be precise, I didn't arrange it for you. I am also taking orders.

I’ll be going with you this time; whatever danger you face, I will face the same." His tone was much softer than before, so I quickly pressed him, "The people above you—they must be those wearing uniforms with the flame insignia, right? That submarine last time must also be an asset of your organization.

You guys seem quite well-equipped." Xie Yuting shook his head with a wry smile. "Stop talking, or I’ll lose my head.

In short, the higher-ups are aware of everything that has happened to you. We aren't exploiting you; we simply want to cooperate with you, which is why we’ve been secretly protecting and guiding you." Recalling all those near-death experiences, I thought to myself: protection aside, this cooperation is just a form of utilization, albeit a very subtle one.

Xie Yuting’s methods are clever; the places he directs us to happen to be places we intended to go anyway, so we willingly served them. In the end, we became wanted criminals while Xie Yuting and his group continue to live comfortably.

"I hope there really is a cure for Liang Qian there. Otherwise, I swear I’ll go toe-to-toe with you next time.

If you tell me to go to Wukesong, I’ll go to the Zoo," I said with a wicked grin directed at Xie Yuting. Xie Yuting was left speechless, only managing a dry chuckle.

Da Xiong broke in, "Master Ting, does your organization have any tanks?" I was surprised that Da Xiong, who used to hate Xie Yuting enough to grit his teeth, was now willing to humble himself to call him 'Master.' But thinking about Da Xiong’s behavior on the submarine, I instantly understood: the guy was itching for trouble again and wanted to ride a tank. Unable to tolerate it any longer, I kicked out despite my illness, making Da Xiong stagger.

Xie Yuting saw my action and laughed, saying to Da Xiong, "We can't take a tank this time; it's too flashy and arrogant. I’m afraid the Japanese people would get too jealous.

But if you really want to ride one, I can take you for a trial run right now." Da Xiong rubbed his backside and said fawningly, "Really?" Seeing Da Xiong and Xie Yuting walk off chatting happily, completely ignoring me, I was nearly choked with rage. Nie Chuan patted my shoulder then, shaking his head helplessly.

I let out a bitter laugh and settled back onto the bed. Hearing that Liang Qian wasn't dead, Nie Chuan’s mood clearly improved.

He said to me, "Just rest well. The people who brought us back are all Xie Yuting’s men; they are standing guard outside, so you’re safe for now." I frowned.

"Is this a public hospital? Hiring so many private bodyguards will attract attention." Nie Chuan gave a mysterious smile and used the remote to turn on the TV.

Suddenly, rapid Cantonese filled the room. I immediately understood: we were in Hong Kong.

After a moment of silence, I asked Nie Chuan, "If we are going to Japan, what about the matter of the transparent beads?" Nie Chuan seemed to have anticipated my question. He looked up at me and said, "My friend came to see me.

He heard I was wanted, so he specifically traveled to Hong Kong. He studied the beads for a month and then returned them because he found nothing.

The transparent beads he discovered during past archaeological digs were polished crystal. The artisans had used some unknown method to hollow out the spheres, etching tiny characters on the interior, which could only be scanned by inserting a micro-probe through a small hole in the crystal to reveal the text.

But those writings usually recorded things like rare ancient musical scores, recipes, or even sexual techniques. Ancients considered these precious knowledge easily lost, so they preserved them this way." "But the bead you brought back—we couldn't determine its material at all.

It’s sturdier than glass, clearer than crystal, and completely pure, with no hole for inscription. So, after all the research, we still know nothing." Hearing this, my confusion deepened.

I wondered what the Atlanteans were trying to hide. Was it possible that the time hadn't come yet for them to reveal the answer?

At this point, Nie Chuan stood up and said to me, "You’ve been out for so long; you should rest more. I’m going to check on Liang Qian.

Stop obsessing over that bead; it will reveal itself when the time is right." I didn't reply, watching Nie Chuan leave. I also wanted to see Liang Qian, but I was still weak, and besides, going now seemed redundant.

So I lay back down and let my mind wander through various thoughts. The next month was spent almost entirely in bed.

Someone brought food daily and changed my clothes, so all I could do was stare blankly, watch TV, and use the restroom. I asked Da Xiong to buy me a new phone, but I dared not call my Uncle or others, as the other Nie Chuan must have already informed them I was safe.

I wanted to call my aunt’s family but didn't have a phone number. I wondered how my cousin Nie Qilan was doing, and whether the white-clad girl who looked so much like her had visited my home again.

The days passed quietly, and thus they passed quickly. A month later, I could walk around, though any strenuous movement caused a dull ache in my lungs.

Da Xiong handled my discharge, and then we spent a few days relaxing in Kowloon and other areas. They feasted on meat and wine, while I subsisted on thin rice porridge; they smoked, and I sat beside them glaring enviously, which only stoked my frustration.

Xie Yuting, being wealthy, reimbursed all our expenses. No matter where we went, three or four men in black uniforms followed us, protecting us.

For those few days, we felt like we had regained the taste of being human again, rather than being ghosts drifting through tombs and ruins. It was better to be human, better to be free.

I repeated this to myself every night, but after another half a month, when I was fully recovered, Xie Yuting forbade us from going out and arranged for us to stay in a hotel instead. I knew he was making arrangements for the trip to Japan, meaning our days of relative freedom were numbered.

One day, Xie Yuting arrived at our hotel in his dust-covered Cadillac. I happened to be on the rooftop sunbathing.

After parking, he opened the door, and four men with brightly dyed, flamboyant hair climbed out. I wondered curiously if Xie Yuting found us too bored in the hotel and had hired a world-famous boy band to entertain us.

While contemplating whether I could handle such a trendy audiovisual shock, my phone rang. Xie Yuting told me on the call to meet everyone in the ground floor lobby; he wanted to introduce our traveling companions for this trip.

When I took the elevator down to the lobby, I was stunned by the sight of the few people standing there. Da Xiong also froze on the spot and yelled, "Louis Koo!

Edison Chen! Shawn Yue!

And Nicholas Tse!"