Upon landing, I immediately called Nie Chuan. He said he was home; Liang Qian was fine, so he had gone back to handle some urgent matters.

I asked what was wrong at home. Had his grandfather returned?

Nie Chuan replied no. It turned out the package his grandfather had sent back was empty. Initially, he thought there was nothing inside, but something seemed to have gone wrong in transit—the contents were lost. They had found a few leads and he was currently busy investigating.

I wanted to press further for details, but then I remembered: my current identity was $*$, not Nie Chuan. The words hovered on my lips, then I swallowed them back.

Next, I got Liang Qian’s hospital address from Nie Chuan and headed over with Da Xiong.

Actually, I also checked with Xie Yuting. He said he was swamped with work and had no time to visit, adding that he wasn't that close to Liang Qian anyway, so he left first.

I couldn't bring myself to ask where Xie Yuting was going, so I just watched him get into a taxi and drive away alone.

Watching the cab disappear, I felt a sudden wave of frustration. Just like every time before, as soon as we emerged from an ancient palace ruin, everyone scattered to their own concerns. There was absolutely no progress.

The more ancient palaces and ruins we entered, the more mysteries piled up. My mind was a complete jumble of question marks concerning my grandfather, the catastrophe of Atlantis, and myself—these three major enigmas remained entirely unexplained.

Moreover, Xie Yuting and Da Xiong had both suffered severe injuries, and $*$'s identity had died in the process. We had paid an agonizing price.

To be honest, when Da Xiong suggested going out for cigarettes and I was left standing alone in a narrow alley somewhere west of Beijing, I felt utterly adrift, unsure of what to do next.

Watching the stream of people—couples strolling hand-in-hand, everyone rushing about their own lives—I realized I seemed completely disconnected from society.

I currently held no job, no legitimate profession, spending my days chasing bizarre mysteries like a lunatic, twisting myself into something neither wholly human nor entirely spectral.

The worst part was that I had even lost Nie Chuan’s identity now, having morphed into $*$.

Da Xiong had told me that $* $ was a man with no parents, no spouse, no children, not even siblings or extended family; he only had one adopted "sworn sister," a half-Chinese, half-American woman who had been arrested and deported a few years ago for dealing in antiques.

$*$ was truly a solitary person. In his own words, only those unencumbered by ties could be truly free; even if eaten by a zongzi in a tomb, no one would suffer collateral damage because of them.

If he struck it rich finding treasure in a tomb raid, he’d feast and indulge for a while. Even if he found nothing, he was kept afloat by several antique shops, teahouses, and hotels, living quite comfortably.

Money was the only area where $* $ surpassed the identity I held previously.

However, in my current state—neither $* $ nor Nie Chuan—only a few people knew I was $* $. If I showed up at one of the teahouses or hotels $* $ owned, I’d surely be thrown out.

In reality, I had become utterly homeless and aimless, a solitary figure even lonelier than $*$.

I had known this outcome was possible before, but back then I believed I was a person with a mission, bearing the identity gifted to me by the Atlanteans, destined to achieve something earth-shattering.

But here I was, still having found no true purpose for my mission, stuck in the most awkward crossroads of my life.

I could, in truth, return to my home and claim to be the real Nie Chuan.

But I knew the other person was the true Nie Chuan, so I could not strip him of his life, nor cause terror among his family.

This would be bad for him, for my parents, and for Nie Qilan.

Where should I go? Who am I? I asked myself silently, but ultimately found no answer.

Looking up at the sky, I let out a deep sigh.

Just then, Da Xiong returned. Seeing my somber expression, he said, "What’s wrong, $* $? When did you get so profound?"

I forced a smile and replied, "Just tired. I feel like having a good hot pot meal and then sleeping soundly."

Da Xiong clapped me on the shoulder. "Hey, what’s so hard about that small wish? Old Xiong will treat you tonight, and then I’m heading back to the Northeast to see my mother."

I looked at him and asked, "And then?"

Da Xiong didn’t catch my meaning and asked, "Then? What then?"

I clarified, "What happens after you see your mother?"

Hearing my question, Da Xiong let out a slight sigh. "You know I helped Nie Chuan out of brotherly loyalty, plus Professor Nie showed me great kindness, which is why I went all out, following Nie Chuan into these reckless explorations. But after getting hurt this time, I clearly noticed I can’t push myself like before. I think it’s time to go home, open a small shop peacefully, marry a wife, and properly care for my mother."

I nodded. "That sounds right. I think so too. We’ve risked our lives investigating and seen enough major sights. For the latter half of our lives, we could sit on a stool by the street, earning a living just by bragging. No need to push ourselves so hard anymore."

Da Xiong laughed heartily. "Well said! But thinking is one thing; if Xie Yuting or someone similar tries to kidnap me again, there’s no way to guard against it!"

Finishing, Da Xiong lit a cigarette for me. I took a deep drag and said, "I don't think that brat Xie Yuting will be kidnapping anyone again, because he’s already been fired by his superiors. Now he’s just an unemployed vagrant like us."

Da Xiong laughed uproariously. "You're right. It looks like we’ll finally have some peace and quiet. But you aren't exactly a vagrant. Those few teahouses and shops—you haven't checked their ledgers in a while, have you? Get back and look, don't let the young managers get too greedy."

I nodded. "I will certainly check the accounts; you don't need to worry your head about that, Old Xiong. Alright then, you go back and live your life in peace. Let me know when you get married, and I’ll definitely be there."

Da Xiong said, "*$, when did you get so serious? I was just saying that. I’ve been through storms; how could I sit still? If I go back, I’ll just keep dabbling in antiques with those few friends. As for getting married? No rush... no rush..."

I understood what Da Xiong meant. People like us, who frequented ancient tombs and ruins and led such tempestuous lives—we even brushed against mythology—couldn't settle into the mundane life of a husband and wife without taking ten years to calm down.

So, I said no more. I checked my watch and said, "It’s getting late. Let’s go see Liang Qian, and then we can both get back to our own important business."

Da Xiong nodded. "I say, $$, have you gotten addicted to playing Chuanzi? Isn't it time to take off that $ $ mask?"

I touched my face and gave an awkward smile. "Oh, that... it’s been stuck on too long. It won't come off easily. I’ll need to make a trip to the hospital; I can handle that myself later."

Da Xiong chuckled. "I must say, Xie Yuting ran off too fast. I wanted to ask him where he got that $* $ look—how did he even manage to grow a beard?"

I stroked my own stubble and replied with a grin, "Heh heh, well, that’s because the area around the mouth wasn't glued down, so the beard could grow."

Da Xiong hummed thoughtfully. "Oh, no wonder I thought your mouth looked different."

Hearing that, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The fact that Da Xiong thought I didn't look like myself was a huge joke.

But I couldn't blame him. The preconceived notion that "I am $* $" was already deeply rooted in his mind. He would naturally try to fit my appearance and behavior to $* $'s mold. Moreover, the slight goatee I was currently sporting did bear some resemblance to $* $'s, which is why Da Xiong formed that impression.

Without further discussion, we hailed a taxi and headed straight for the hospital where Liang Qian was staying.

Upon arrival, we didn't linger but took the elevator directly to the eighth-floor ward.

As soon as we entered, we saw Liang Qian standing alone by the bedside, gazing outside.

Before we could speak, she said in a soft voice, "You’ve come?"

I blinked in surprise, then managed, "Did you see us in the window? Are your eyes better? Can you see things now?"

My three rapid-fire questions betrayed deep concern, but I immediately reminded myself that I was not Nie Chuan and shouldn't appear too agitated.

Fortunately, Liang Qian didn't seem surprised by my excessive concern. She slowly turned around, smiling at us, and said, "Little Chuan told me the general sequence of events. Thank you for fighting so hard to save me. Thank you."

Her eyes were covered with gauze, and her long hair had been cut into a buzzcut for easier treatment. A pang of heartache struck me. "That eye... how is it?"

Liang Qian, seeing my face looked exactly like Nie Chuan's, showed a hint of surprise and asked, "Lit... Little Chuan?"

Seeing her gaze suddenly soften, her face filling with delight, I was momentarily struck speechless.

It was the ill-fated Da Xiong who stepped in front of me and declared loudly, "Haha! You were fooled after all! He’s $* $, wearing Nie Chuan’s mask."

Liang Qian looked surprised. "Is that so? Why?"

Then Da Xiong and I took turns explaining the rough sequence of events, mostly emphasizing that this deception was a measure to ensure Nie Chuan's safety and mislead the enemy.

That's what we said, but in reality, the Four True Deities hadn't pursued Nie Chuan relentlessly; in fact, the Great Immortal of Wind Power, whom we thought was one of the True Deities, had even saved our lives.

So, this disguise hadn't actually served any useful purpose.

But Liang Qian knew none of this. She just nodded and then invited us to sit down for tea.

We then talked a bit more about her condition.

She explained that the eye itself hadn't suffered major structural damage; the toxin had been injected into her brain, so the eye was saved, though it would require a period of recovery.