It had been some time since Wei returned from London. After a brief trip to visit his parents, he had finally settled in Peking. Before arriving, he had asked Lam for his address and then headed to a supermarket to buy some items before making his way to Lam’s dorm.

Thanks to Lam's introduction, Wei had met Professor Zhou and had, with his recommendation, successfully joined the Bureau of Advanced and Unknown Research. However, when Professor Zhou noticed the fatigue in Wei's eyes, he didn't delve into details and simply suggested that Wei take some time to rest before officially starting work.

Since Wei didn’t yet have a place to stay in Peking, Lam had no choice but to let him stay temporarily in his dorm until the bureau assigned him a place.

"Lam, you’ve been so good to me. I have nothing to repay you with. But if you don’t mind, I’d be willing to…" Wei, lugging his bags, addressed Lam with an exaggerated and theatrical tone.

Before he could finish, Lam cut him off with an eye roll. "I do mind. Very much so. Come on, I’ll take you upstairs. How much stuff did you buy? Did you rob the supermarket?" Lam picked up the heaviest bag, slinging it over his shoulder before leading the way.

To be fair, Wei was surprisingly strong. Lam almost couldn't lift the massive bag, yet Wei had somehow carried it all the way from the supermarket. Who would have thought?

Lam glanced back at Wei, who followed leisurely behind, admiring the surroundings with a satisfied nod every now and then.

For a moment, Lam considered dumping the heavy bag back on him. But in the end, he sighed, reminding himself that Wei had traveled all the way from Guangdong, and out of a sense of humanity, Lam continued carrying the load.

Just as they were about to head upstairs, Zoe Sun and Muzi emerged from the nearby building. They spotted Lam struggling with the large bag, while Wei trailed behind, his hands empty. Zoe Sun called out.

"Lam! What are you doing? How come you're the one carrying that huge bag? Hey, you, the guy behind! How can you not help out?" Sun strode over, ready to take the bag from Lam and toss it to Wei.

"Is this your wife? I've heard Lam mention you before. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’m Wei," he said with a smile, seemingly unfazed by Sun’s earlier comments. He introduced himself warmly.

Sun, who had already grabbed hold of Lam’s bag, suddenly found herself feeling a bit shy at being called his wife. Nevertheless, she found Wei likable—after all, he had good taste.

Letting go of the bag, she extended her hand. "Dr. Wei, hello! I’m Zoe Sun. I’ve heard a lot about you. Please, offer me your guidance in the future."

Lam, trying to stifle a laugh, was met with a mock-angry shout from Sun. "Honestly, Lam, Dr. Wei came all this way, and you didn’t think to help him carry his things? Hurry up and take this upstairs, then come back down for the rest!" Turning back to Wei, she added, "Dr. Wei, don’t mind him; he’s a bit thoughtless sometimes."

"No worries, no worries. Your training has been effective," Wei said with a wink. He rummaged through his bags like a magician, producing two small boxes. Handing one to Sun, he said, "A little gift from Longland—a turquoise brooch."

Afterward, Wei glanced at Lam, then at Muzi standing behind Sun. "And this is also your wife, I presume? Lam, you sly dog!" He extended the second box to Muzi.

"No, no! I’m not—no!" Muzi stammered, glancing nervously between Sun and Lam. Her face flushed with embarrassment.

Seeing her reluctance, Sun swiftly grabbed the box from Wei and placed it into Muzi’s hands.

Then she lifted the bag off Lam’s shoulders and dumped it at Wei’s feet, shooting him a cold huff and glaring at Lam before striding away, pulling Muzi along with her. The entire exchange happened so smoothly, like a well-rehearsed scene.

"You lucky dog, Lam! Some guys have all the luck. Seriously, give your big brother here some tips!" Wei patted Lam on the shoulder with a deep sigh of admiration.

"Luck, my foot! I’m not in that kind of relationship with Sun, and definitely not with Muzi either. I’ll head up and unlock the door. You can carry the rest of your stuff yourself! Good luck if you want to cross women." Lam rolled his eyes and went ahead to open the door, ignoring Wei’s protests.

Meanwhile, Han watched everything unfold from upstairs. Initially intending to go out, he had halted when he saw Lam and Wei entering. Observing the jovial scene between them, his expression turned icy.

How could they be laughing? Had they already forgotten that Wang had died for them? People really are forgetful, always discarding the sacrifices others have made for them. Bitterness surged in his chest as he thought of Wang’s death, filling him with a deep sense of injustice.

His face grew desolate as he thought of Wang. He regretted not telling her everything. Now, it was too late to say anything to her. The only thing he could do for her was to ensure she wasn’t forgotten. He wouldn’t allow anyone to forget her. His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

The next morning, Lam woke up Wei with a few forceful slaps on the back. Wei had snored the entire night like a jackhammer, leaving Lam sleepless. By dawn, Lam was at his wit's end.

“Get up, Wei! You have a meeting with Professor Zhou today!” No matter how hard Lam tried, Wei wouldn’t wake up. In fact, his snoring grew even louder.

Finally, Lam had an idea. Leaning in close, he whispered, “Blue eyes.” Instantly, Wei’s eyes snapped open, and he sprang out of bed, startled.

Seeing only Lam in the room, Wei breathed a sigh of relief. That phrase—those words—triggered something within him now.

At Lam’s urging, Wei hurried through his morning routine before joining Lam and Sun on their way to the bureau.

“Good morning, sis!” Wei called out cheerfully to Sun, who was driving. Shaking his head, Wei shot a disdainful glance at Lam and clicked his tongue.

Lam ignored him, but when he saw Wei about to say something else, he quickly covered his mouth.

Sun simply responded with a huff, while Muzi, kind-hearted as always, shifted slightly to give Wei some room to sit. Once everyone was settled, Sun started the car, heading for the Bureau of Advanced and Unknown Research.

It was Wei’s first time at the bureau, and he marveled at everything he saw. He was particularly impressed by the security system that led to the bureau’s elevator, remarking on the wisdom of their ancestors.

Upon meeting Professor Zhou, the professor held a brief welcome ceremony for Wei’s arrival. Although Zhou had intended to discuss future research plans with Wei, he noticed Lam giving him a meaningful look, and quickly wrapped up the meeting, heading back to his office with Lam and Wei in tow.

Inside the office, Professor Zhou waited patiently for them to speak, curious about their unusually serious demeanor.

Before speaking, Lam glanced at Wei, who nodded in return. Lam then recounted everything that had happened in London—the mysterious organization's assassination attempts, and the transformation of those assassins into eyes upon their deaths. However, he omitted the part about the enormous eye in that strange space, deciding to keep that detail to himself for now.

After Lam finished, Wei followed with his own account of what had happened at the Gatsby Center—the appearance of the eye in the AI system, and the subsequent attacks by the mysterious organization. He emphasized that the eye had manifested within an AI system.

Professor Zhou frowned in disbelief, taking a moment to process the information. He then asked Lam, “Those people who were after you—they turned into blue eyes after they died, correct?”

Lam nodded.

“You saw the eye within the AI system at the Gatsby Center before they came after you?” Professor Zhou questioned Wei, who also nodded.

After receiving confirmation from both of them, Professor Zhou lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag before speaking. “So let me get this straight: Lam, you were pursued by a mysterious organization connected to this eye. And Wei, you saw the eye, which triggered a similar response. So this eye truly exists, and there’s an entire organization under its control.”

It was understandable why Wei was being hunted—he had seen the eye, and it likely wanted to remain hidden. But Lam hadn’t seen it at first, so why was he being pursued? Professor Zhou posed this very question to Lam. Shaking his head, Lam admitted he was still full of doubts himself, unable to grasp why the enormous eye had targeted him.

"Lam," Professor Zhou continued, "you mentioned you might have encountered this eye within the AI system at the Shanghai lab, correct? When exactly did that happen?" Professor Zhou wanted to clarify the timeline.

Lam provided a rough estimate, and Wei mentioned his encounter happening slightly later.

Professor Zhou nodded thoughtfully, acknowledging their input.

While the eye’s initial location remained uncertain, the fact that it had appeared in both Shanghai and London suggested the terrifying possibility that it might already have spread to other parts of the world. The thought left Professor Zhou deeply unsettled, though the more he considered it, the more plausible it seemed.

"This situation is critical," Professor Zhou declared, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. "We need to report this to the bureau immediately and have the Unknown Research Division handle it. For now, both of you must stay within the bureau and refrain from going out."

Suddenly, a disturbing thought struck Professor Zhou—the bureau also utilized an AI system. What if that eye had already infiltrated it? A cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he contemplated the implications. He didn’t yet know the eye’s true purpose or why it had appeared, but judging by its influence over a secretive organization and its efforts to eliminate those like Lam, it certainly wasn’t benign. He had to notify the bureau and arrange for the Unknown Research Division to run a thorough check on the AI systems immediately.

Today's revelations had shaken Professor Zhou's understanding of the world. How could something like this exist? Were there even more mysterious entities out there, yet undiscovered by humanity? It dawned on him that humans still knew so little about the true nature of the world they inhabited.

As Zhou replayed Lam and Wei’s accounts in his mind, something suddenly clicked. His heart raced with excitement as he turned to Lam, his voice trembling. "Lam, what exactly did those people say before they died? Could you repeat it for me?"

"‘Touch it with your hand, recall the battle, once but never again. To chase it is folly; to behold it brings only fear. Whoever first gave it to me shall demand repayment, for everything under heaven belongs to me,’" Lam recited.

Professor Zhou closed his eyes and began muttering the words to himself, as if trying to discern their meaning. His voice gradually grew louder, and his increasingly strange behavior alarmed both Lam and Wei.

"Professor Zhou, are you alright? What’s happening?" they asked in concern.

Snapping out of his trance, Professor Zhou opened his eyes, his face a mixture of emotions—excitement, unease, nostalgia, fear, and curiosity—all of which quickly faded. Noticing the worried expressions on Lam and Wei’s faces, he hurried to regain his composure, shaking his head as if to dispel their concerns. "It's nothing," he said quietly.

"I’ll report this to the bureau right away. This matter is far more serious than we first thought, and it concerns the future of all humanity. We’ll discuss our research plans at a later time. For now, you should both leave, and whatever you do, don’t breathe a word of this to anyone else." Professor Zhou waved them off, signaling the end of their conversation.

As Lam and Wei exited, Professor Zhou let out a long sigh. Immortality… what a powerful temptation it i