Xiang Yu pressed a button on the device strapped to his wrist. A red light blinked, and the recording began.

Xiang Yu: Do you have anything to say?

Xiang Yu: I received the distress signal you sent through Li Ying, that human. I came here in response to it.

Xiang Yu: It wasn’t just a pure consciousness wave. You could say there’s another person residing in my body.

Xiang Yu: Before what? Before saving you? No, I came here with a story to tell you—about another person who lives within my soul.

Xiang Yu: Zheng Feng is dead. The soul that truly governs this body is mine.

Xiang Yu: Zheng Feng was a man who entrusted his life’s mission to me, along with his younger brother. If you want to erase his memories from me and leave me with a blank consciousness, perhaps you should see these first. They are the promises made between brothers.

In the darkness of a silent ship...

"Brother," whispered five-year-old Zheng Rong, "that kid is dirty."

Zheng Feng hushed him gently, shielding Zheng Rong from the jostling crowd of adults. He waved at a young, grimy Li Ying, who was huddled in a corner, staring back with the wary eyes of a mistrustful wolf cub.

"Zheng Rong, take this over to him," Zheng Feng handed his younger brother a bottle of water and a piece of bread.

Zheng Rong crawled cautiously toward Li Ying as the ship swayed. "Be careful, the boat’s rocking," Zheng Feng reminded him.

Though Li Ying’s eyes weren’t glowing green, Zheng Rong still felt a chill run down his spine. He placed the water and bread by Li Ying’s feet before scurrying back to Zheng Feng’s arms. After watching them for a while, Li Ying grabbed the bread, tore it open, and devoured it ravenously, choking on water in the process.

He drank every last drop, then carefully placed the empty bottle aside, planning to steal another portion of water during the next distribution.

Zheng Feng said, "Come over here. It’s cold where you are."

"What's your name?" Zheng Rong asked.

Li Ying didn’t answer right away. After a while, Zheng Feng fell asleep, but Zheng Rong stayed awake, still watching the wolfish boy.

Li Ying eventually crawled over and, in a small, nervous voice, whispered, "My name is Li Ying. Where is this boat going? Do you know?"

Zheng Rong answered in a low voice, "To Northern Ireland. Stick with us, and you won’t die."

Li Ying nodded and leaned against him. Zheng Feng’s lips curled into a gentle smile as he opened his eyes and shared part of their blanket with Li Ying. Li Ying initially flinched but, realizing Zheng Feng meant no harm, nestled into the blanket.

"When we land, I’ll go contact the rescue center. Li Ying, please take care of my brother. Don’t wander off. He’ll be in your care from now on," Zheng Feng instructed.

Zheng Rong walked out of the prison. Westwind City’s lights were nearly all extinguished. He stood at the foot of the pilgrimage steps and approached a soldier. "Lend me a gun."

The soldier stared at him for a long time. "What do you plan to do? Please, for the sake of humanity, cherish your life."

Zheng Rong smiled. "I’m not going to kill myself."

He took the electromagnetic gun from the soldier and returned to the prison.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

In the dark, submerged tunnels.

The freezing water made the lips of the hundred boys who swam into the tunnel turn purple. Zheng Rong trembled uncontrollably from the cold as he huddled at the entrance, embraced by Li Ying.

Zheng Feng, gripping a magnetic cannon in one hand, shouted, "Let us in! The city can afford to take in a few more! They’re just children!"

Terror filled Zheng Rong’s eyes as he looked at his brother. An hour ago, Zheng Feng had killed several guards, stolen an electromagnetic cannon, and led the fleeing boys into the water, blasting open the escape door at the bottom of the tunnel.

In the distance, the red alert lights of the Northern Ireland tunnels flashed, accompanied by ear-splitting alarms.

Lance and over a hundred reserve soldiers charged through the passageway, yelling, "Drop your weapons! You’re surrounded!"

Blinding lights illuminated Zheng Feng’s resolute face. He crouched down, placing the magnetic cannon on the ground, and raised his hands.

"They’ve been waiting outside for a month," Zheng Feng said. "Execute me if you must, but let them into the underground city."

"Enough talk! Hands behind your neck and move!" Lance barked, roughly pressing the gun to Zheng Feng’s temple.

"Brother!" Zheng Rong cried out.

Lance turned his gun toward Zheng Rong, and in a sudden burst of strength, Zheng Rong lunged forward, shouting, "Don’t touch him!"

Taken by surprise, Lance was knocked off balance as Zheng Rong bit into his wrist with all his might. Lance screamed in pain, and Zheng Rong clung fiercely to his arm. Zheng Feng’s face turned pale as he yelled, "Don’t do anything rash!"

Li Ying growled and leaped at Lance, but Lance kicked Zheng Rong off and, in the ensuing chaos, Zheng Feng screamed, "They’re just children! Don’t shoot!"

Zheng Rong tested the magnetic gun, recalling the blood-soaked wound on Lance’s wrist from years ago.

He fired the gun, shattering the door lock, and freed the first prisoner.

The blaring alarm echoed as Zheng Rong strode through the prison halls bathed in red light. "You’re free. Don’t kill anyone. Find a way to survive," he said.

"Hands behind your neck," Zheng Feng instructed. "You’ll be saved. Li Ying, remember what I told you."

Li Ying shielded Zheng Rong, preventing Lance from approaching. He watched in confusion as Zheng Feng was led away by Lance and his soldiers, all while clutching a screaming and struggling Zheng Rong tightly.

Xiang Yu: Later, I was released. Yes, it’s a blessing to have comrades. We entrust each other with our lives—one may die, but the lives of millions are carried forward, leaving no regrets in death.

Northern Ireland. In the scientific apartment complex, ten years had passed since the death of Zheng Feng and Zheng Rong’s parents.

Zheng Rong, now nineteen, lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Brother, are you going to the army?" he asked coldly.

"Do you want me to?" Zheng Feng replied.

Zheng Rong didn’t answer.

Neither did Zheng Feng. He finished brushing his teeth and tidying the room, while Zheng Rong lay in bed eating chocolate.

"Don’t eat sweets before bed," Zheng Feng advised.

"None of your business," Zheng Rong retorted.

"Your teacher complained to me again today," Zheng Feng said, "You turned in something nonsensical for your exam?"

"What was I supposed to write for those questions?" Zheng Rong snapped. "I’m interested in practical work, in finding ways to bring the dead back to life. In ancient India and China, there are stories—"

"That’s just fantasy," Zheng Feng interrupted. "I’ve told you before—your theories about brainwaves, souls, and bodies can’t be explained within the modern scientific framework—"

"Then how do you explain your particle generator?!" Zheng Rong shouted.

"Listen to me, little brother," Zheng Feng said, his tone calm but firm. "I told you when you were a kid—immortality itself holds no meaning. The reason we humans—"

"Shut up, thank you," Zheng Rong said, turning to face the wall.

The next morning, when he woke, the room was tidy, and a note was stuck to the screen: Please forgive me, Zheng Rong. I have to go.

In Eastern Siberia’s underground military base, alarms blared incessantly.

"Get out of here, now!" Zheng Feng shouted. "Go!"

One of the researchers yelled, "Doctor, cut the power!"

"You all leave first!"

Zheng Feng ran out of the particle lab, but the particle energy surged out of control, creating a massive explosion. A blinding white light shot into the sky, expanding in a shockwave that sent snow and ice flying like ocean waves, revealing the bare black bedrock beneath.

Amidst the blinding light, Zheng Feng saw a man.

Xiang Yu, his eyes full of confusion, clutched his head in agony as electrical sparks crackled around him. A surge of voltage knocked him to the ground.

Xiang Yu: It’s called consciousness wave teleportation. Yes, sometimes I wonder—what am I?

"You're free!" Zheng Rong shouted. "Get out of here!"

The prisoners poured out, flooding into the streets. Zheng Rong opened the last two doors and said, "I have something else to do. Help me."

Eve continued knitting without lifting her head.

Anthony remarked, "What are you planning? Spare the old lady—I doubt she has much time left before she passes away in that wheelchair."

Zheng Rong glanced at Eve, then abandoned his plan. "Fine. Dr. Anthony, let’s go."

"Do you know their military plan?" Zheng Rong asked as they ascended the escalator together.

Dusk had fallen, and the doors of the underground city opened, revealing the stunning beauty of the sunset beyond. The statues of gods stood tall in the fading light.

Anthony remarked, "When was this escalator built?"

Zheng Rong shrugged. Anthony continued, "Another day is ending."

Zheng Rong said calmly, "After the darkness, the sun will still rise tomorrow."

Anthony seemed moved by this. After a moment, he spoke again. "From what Lance said, I can piece together some things, though it’s mostly speculation. Do you want to hear?"

"Lance talked to you?" Zheng Rong asked.

"Yes," Anthony replied. "He saw me as a sort of counselor and felt very troubled."

Zheng Rong scoffed, "Troubled about not knowing how to reject me?"

Anthony was momentarily startled, then laughed. "No, not at all. Why would you think that? He loves you deeply and firmly believes that you love him, too. He’s more worried about what will happen to you if he dies. He feels powerless..."

"That’s enough," Zheng Rong’s voice turned cold. "Thank you, Dr. Anthony."

Anthony smiled and said, "He’s in the Antarctic underground capital."

"What’s he doing there?" Zheng Rong asked.

"Serving as the first wave of bait," Anthony replied. "He’s leading the metal cocoons away from the ship, allowing their hosts to briefly escape control."

"Then Xiang Yu will kill it?" Zheng Rong asked.

Anthony replied, "Not just that. Before our teacher died, he set up three stages. First, to force those damned waves out of the hosts’ bodies and into the metal cocoons. Then, those cocoons will leave the ship to launch their final assault on humanity."

"Next, Xiang Yu will serve as the second bait, drawing the hosts’ souls into himself. At that moment, all the parasitic waves will feel the resonance of their origin and find their next host."

"The original vessels will be abandoned, and the waves will race to Xiang Yu’s body in an attempt to take it over."

Zheng Rong’s voice trembled. "And then?"

"And then," Anthony said, "Xiang Yu will activate a self-destruct mechanism, taking the original entity down with him."