Beneath the main peak of North Mountain.
The snow that fell from the mountain peak blanketed all vegetation within twenty li (around 10 kilometers) enough to press down every creature nearby.
The fallen snow reached a thickness of five meters, and avalanches like this often occurred in North Mountain.
But once the sun came out, the snow melted, and everything returned to calm.
But today was different: the two people who kept outsiders anxious were still inside North Mountain, and according to the evacuation route, they were included within the avalanche’s reach.
The snow rushing down from the summit destroyed all the trees and vegetation below, ruined in an instant.
The tremendous force was enough to wipe out everyone present.
After the flowing snow settled, beneath five meters it was pitch‑black, and Wen Li took out a flashlight to illuminate the entire area.
A blue glass dome covered the three‑meter area around the two of them, like a protective shield, blocking all the snow pouring down.
The flashlight’s beam lit up the darkness here, allowing the two to clearly see each other’s faces.
Wen Li looked up at the snow outside the blue transparent shield and gently raised his hand to knock.
“It hasn’t been used for so long, yet no big problem has come up.”
The flashlight’s beam lit up both of their faces, casting a shadow across the man’s profile.
Fu Yuxiu looked at the calm and carefree young girl opposite him, and the smile at his lips reached only a trace before cutting off abruptly.
“Baby, shouldn’t you explain to me? How did this thing appear?”
The man’s slender fingers tapped lightly against the blue glass dome.
Wen Li looked at him, her expression barely shifting, and slowly uttered a few words: “Molecular space technology.”
It was precisely the spatial technology that Dr. Wanta had long sought to create.
Fu Yuxiu was so provoked by those few words that he laughed in anger; staring at her cool little face, he reached out and pulled her close.
Wen Li had just been pulled tightly into his arms when she felt her left cheek bitten hard.
“You’re lying to me, aren’t you?” he said, biting Wen Li’s right cheek again.
He really used some force; Wen Li’s face hurt, the sharp clash of teeth against skin sounding out.
“You never asked me.” Wen Li said it with firm conviction.
Fu Yuxiu held her tightly without letting go, speaking at her ear: “You know I’m looking for Wanta, and you know why I’m working with Soya.”
But this heartless little thing really kept her composure, not letting a single word slip.
“Didn’t you already guess?” Wen Li turned her face toward him, the bite marks clear upon her cheek.
The bracelet on Xia Chen’s wrist was given by her; though its capacity was smaller, Xia Chen obeyed her completely.
From beginning to end, he never told anyone about the existence of this thing.
All the way into North Mountain, he could pull out the strangest things from his backpack.
With this man’s eyes, there’s no way he wouldn’t notice.
“What if I hadn’t found out?” Fu Yuxiu panted, his eyes fixed on her.
“Wen Li lowered her head thoughtfully, then asked, ‘Weren’t you planning to meet Wanta?’”
Once he met Wanta, everything will become clear to him.
Fu Yuxiu kept his grip on her hand, biting down hard, and said: “Baby, have you forgotten the lesson from last time?”
This little thing was like a riddle—layer after layer of skin peeled away, yet the true form remained unseen.
The renowned Medicine God, the infamous hacker IO—now even greater, holding the molecular‑space technology coveted across the continent.
This gold‑trimmed treasure he clutched so tightly, yet he didn’t notice a thing.
Wen Li thought for a moment, glanced at the man’s flustered expression, and blinked her eyes.
“Am I supposed to apologize to you?”
Good grief—no sooner was the question asked than Fu Yuxiu fixed her with a mocking stare: “What do you think?”
Wen Li pondered for a moment—between lovers, secrets like these made her feel she truly ought to apologize to him.
Thinking back to that time in the canyon, she learned quickly this time.
The sulking man was suddenly pulled close, and at once his lips were covered with softness.
Carrying warmth, soft and tender.
The young girl wrapped both arms around his neck, lifted her head slightly, closed her eyes, and kissed him with utter seriousness.
The man’s hand hovered lightly at her waist, his brows tinged with mischief and a smile. His thin lips stayed still, eyes locked on her—yet he gave no response.
Only when Wen Li let go did the man’s fingertip brush across her lips, his phoenix eyes glinting with a touch of wicked charm.
“What are you doing?”
The young girl answered with utter seriousness: “I’m coaxing you.”
The man’s eyes darkened, his fingertip brushed across her lips, then he pressed her nape and pulled her tightly against him.
The overwhelming force pressed Wen Li down, surging like a storm, as if to consume her whole.
In the cramped space, the temperature spiked, and the rustle of fabric was strikingly clear.
Half an hour later, Wen Li rubbed her neck, muttering that the damned man had gone at her so hard it felt like he wanted to swallow her whole.
“So this is your way of coaxing me. But there’s an even better one—I’ll tell you later.”
His thin lips breathed out this burning line against her ear.
But after all that, Wen Li wasn’t the one suffering—she glanced at the man leaning against the glass, breathing lightly.
“This is what they call bringing fire upon yourself.”
With a gloating remark, Fu Yuxiu chuckled and leaned in to nip at her chin.
“You little heartless thing.”
But the two of them couldn’t stay here forever—Fu Yuxiu lifted his gaze for a glance.
The glass dome was likely made of composite material, able to withstand immense impact—and so, once it enclosed the two of them…
Through the glass they could clearly see the blizzard raging overhead, yet inside it was utterly still.
“It’s calm outside now. If you want to leave, you can go anytime.” Wen Li lifted her gaze.
But now wasn’t the right time. Wen Li pulled out the energy sensor, and on the screen the red signal dots were clearly visible.
This was a pure heat sensor, able to detect every animal appearing in the snowy field.
This single‑line sensor system wasn’t affected by the magnetic field here, and Wen Li made corresponding adjustments.
“What are you trying to do?” Fu Yuxiu asked, watching the person crouched on the ground.
“Ten meters underground, there’s something.” Wen Li watched the fluctuation appear on the screen.
Fu Yuxiu stared at the ripples on the screen. Wen Li had been tinkering with the machine before the avalanche, but before she could finish, chaos struck.
“How are you sure it’s right here?” Fu Yuxiu looked at her.
“The whole northern mountain covers a vast area, but only here is the terrain flat. Most importantly, it connects eastward—beyond the east lies an endless forest.”
Fu Yuxiu nodded. Before setting out, he had already investigated; every terrain had been surveyed, and the most suitable place was here.
“Besides, that man is deeply devoted to feng shui—this spot counts as a prime site.”
Wanta, a renowned scientist with outstanding contributions in molecular research, actually believed in feng shui.
If word got out, it would inevitably draw ridicule.
But that was simply his nature. Because of it, he couldn’t get along with many scientists; being reclusive by temperament, he had few friends.
Wen Li set the drilling machine on the ground; once she pressed the start button, it roared into a frenzy.
At the same time, the glass dome rose higher and higher, like a broad umbrella, pushing away the snow around them.
It was already sunset. In the distance, fiery clouds painted the sky red, and even the snow carried a faint blush.
As the drill roared in frenzy, soon there was movement behind them.
"Stop!”
Without turning her head, Wen Li said, “The mole has come out.”
Fu Yuxiu smiled, then turned to see in the rising lift from underground a bald man in a white lab coat, wearing black‑rimmed glasses.
“So it really is you.” Wanta lowered his gaze, scrutinizing Wen Li.
Though many years have passed, the girl has truly grown more and more beautiful—far lovelier than before, many times over.
“Dr. Wanta, it’s rare for me to come all this way—won’t you invite me down for a seat?”
Wen Li turned back. The man before her looked exactly as he had years ago—unchanged in the slightest.
Wanta glanced at the fiery clouds overhead; he himself could no longer recall how long it had been since he last came to the surface.
Such scenery hasn’t been seen in a long time.
Never expected that seeing this girl again would turn out to be under such circumstances.
“Come with me. If you don’t stop, you’ll end up drilling my whole house out.” Wanta gestured toward Wen Li.
Fu Yuxiu led her forward; together they sat on the lift, which swiftly dropped ten meters to the bottom.
The entire underground palace resembled a laboratory straight out of a sci‑fi film, a house built entirely of reflective glass.
To enter from the corridor, one needs both fingerprint and facial recognition unlock.
Anyone unaware would probably think this was the top floor of some skyscraper; from the lighting to the construction of the underground palace, everything brimmed with a sci‑fi aura.
“Still the same habit—just water?” Wanta turned, fetched two bottles from the fridge, and set them down.
“This is pure snow‑mountain spring water, collected directly from the surface. It’s cleaner than any water you’ve ever had, and of course rich in minerals.”
Fu Yuxiu sat down beside Wen Li. When they both turned their gaze on Wanta, he inexplicably felt an invisible pressure weighing on him, leaving him breathless.
“This must be Mr. Fu? I’ve collected your photos. The moment you contacted me, I reviewed your file. I even thought about arranging a meeting in North City—but I never expected this girl to bring you here instead.”
Fu Yuxiu twisted open the bottle and handed it to Wen Li. Looking at Wanta, he said, “Doctor, you’re too polite. But at this point, there’s no need for us to cooperate.”
Wanta nodded. Since this man could be with Wen Li, and everything he desired was already with her, there was naturally no need to cooperate with him.
“The machines you just used weigh a total of three hundred kilos. Alone, you couldn’t possibly have brought them here—and there are no living energy points nearby.”
Speaking thus, Wanta looked at Wen Li and offered the fitting answer: “You managed it?”
Back then, in the experiments they wanted to conduct, Wen Li’s mind could calculate all the world’s complex formulas and propose theories unprecedented in history.
Far smarter than him.
“You know why I came to find you.” Wen Li spoke, her gaze fixed on him.
Wanta gave a small laugh. “Of course I’m not foolish enough to think you came here to reminisce. Back then you could walk away from the lab—now all that remains between us are those old memories to talk about.”
Wen Li took a sip of water, set the bottle softly on the table, and glanced around the room.
The entire underground palace was crafted impressively by him. Rumor had it that Dr. Wanta lived in seclusion, though some claimed to have once seen the scientist in North City.
Some expedition members who entered North Mountain claimed they had seen Dr. Wanta, but in the end it was dismissed as a hallucination.
Rumor had it that Wanta built a vast underground palace for his seclusion. No one could locate it, and no one knew where he truly was.
When this place was built back then, it surely included storerooms designed to preserve food for long periods.
The reason Wanta’s whereabouts were exposed through Wen Li was because of Fu Yuxiu’s involvement.
“Don’t look at me like that. It’s as if back then you looked at me the same way—making me believe I was utterly unforgivable, beyond any cure.”
Wanta’s words carried deep bitterness.
“You should know what I came to ask of you.” Wen Li fixed her gaze on him for a long moment before finally speaking: “Where is Luo Yi?”
Wanta poured himself a cup of coffee, his grip tightening on the cup. “I told you back then—I don’t know.”
The dagger in Wen Li’s hand flipped, the blade striking down between Wanta’s two hands.
“I came all the way to North Mountain—do you really think I’m here to reminisce?” Wen Li sneered. “My people found that woman has been hiding in the North all these years. Leaning on Purgatory is one thing, but the entire North City shows no trace of her. If she wasn’t holed up in your rat’s nest, how else could she have hidden for so long?”
Wanta’s heart gave a jolt. He had hidden in North Mountain for so many years, never once reaching out to the outside world.
This time he managed to reach Fu Yuxiu because he refused to resign himself. He needed new strength to help him finish the experiment left incomplete years ago.
It was through this very contact that his location was exposed.
“Are you still going to protect her?” Wen Li fixed her eyes on Wanta.
Fu Yuxiu lifted his hand gently, wrapping it around the girl’s waist. It was the first time he had ever seen this little one so stirred.
Even when he first kissed her by force, she hadn’t reacted with such intensity.
“I know you’ve been trying to find her all these years. But you can’t just assume I’ve been sheltering her—that’s unfair to me.”
Wen Li stepped down from the swivel chair, walked to the cabinet lit by two rows of lights, and took down a glass.
“If I run the DNA test and it proves she’s the one, I promise you—I won’t spare you again."
Fu Yuxiu raised an eyebrow at the two cups on the wall. A man who had lived in seclusion here for years would hardly mean to bring friends back.
But there were actually two coffee cups on the wall—that was the biggest suspicion.
“She did live here for a while, but she’s already gone.” In the end, Wanta spoke honestly.
“Where did she go?”
Wanta thought for a moment. “She left last month, said she was going to Continent D, and didn’t leave me any contact information.”
“Continent D, is it?” Wen Li sneered.
A land torn by war is the best place to hide.
Wanta saw the cold smile on her face and couldn’t help speaking: “So many years have passed. The dead are dead. Why can’t you let it go?”
Why carry this burden through all these years of living?
The delay of the molecular space technology project back then, and the dissolution of the institute, were also because Wen Li and the core creative team left.
He was left with no choice but to announce to the outside world that the student had died. With the war in Continent S, all research came to a halt.
It also drove him into seclusion, carrying regret for so many years.
“Let go?” Wen Li looked at Wanta as if she’d seen the punchline of a cruel joke. “Only when she dies before my eyes will I be able to let go!”
This expression was one Wanta had seen before.
Back then, when she accidentally discovered she was Luo Yi's uncle, she showed exactly this expression.
Wanta let out a long sigh. “You’ve discovered I was hiding her—now how do you intend to deal with me?”
He knew how deeply Wen Li hated Roy—this cold, indifferent girl could hate someone to such an extent.
It was easy to imagine what she would do.
“I won’t do anything to you. Until I catch Luo Yi, I’ll keep you alive.”
If she truly went to Continent D, there are plenty of ways to catch her. What matters now is one thing.
“From what I know of her, after all these years, she’s likely changed her face and voice. What could she have become?”
Wanta’s temples throbbed, but he said nothing.
“Not talking, is that it?”
Wen Li stepped back two paces, her fingertips dancing lightly across the keys of the nearby control computer.
Suddenly, the entire laboratory erupted with the sound of alarms.
“Warning, warning: oxygen supply system failure. Oxygen cannot be provided.”
Red light flickered across the three of them, and Wanta saw her madness with perfect clarity.
“Think it over carefully. I’ve got all the time in the world to wait for you.”
Wanta lowered his head. “I never took a photo of her, but I can draw her—it’ll take some time.”
Over the next half hour, Fu Yuxiu and Wen Li sat in place, watching as Wanta carefully sketched a human figure on the drawing paper.
At last he capped the pen, handed over the sketch paper, and said, “Take a look.”
The drawing was vivid, yet utterly different from the image Wen Li remembered.
Fu Yuxiu stared at the face on the paper, frowning slightly—it looked uncomfortably familiar.
“Stay in your mole hole and don’t show yourself before me again.”
Wen Li turned, holding the portrait in her hand.
Wanta called out to the one about to leave: “Did you really succeed?”
This was his focus from beginning to end—never anything else.
Wanta lived in seclusion with regret, knowing his own limits—back then, it was only by relying on Wen Li that the framework of space technology could be built.
After Wen Li left, he shut down the laboratory and came here—in truth, it was to escape.
He fled from his own failure, hiding like an ostrich.
Wen Li gave no reply to his question. Wanta understood in his heart, yet remained unwilling to accept it.
“Did it succeed or not?”
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