TIC 94

 Chapter 94

Liv remained silent, offering only an approving nod.

Xiao Yan’s gaze finally settled upon Lauren. "I can’t take you with me this time. Since there’s no guarantee I’ll make it back alive..."

Lauren curled the corners of her lips. "I am your research assistant; therefore, no matter where you go or what you do, I remain your assistant. Don’t underestimate me! There is plenty I can do!"

Wynn smiled as he asked, "Such as? Getting in the way?"

Lauren shot Wynn a frosty glare. "At least I’m smarter than you!"

Thanks to the insistence of Ritz and Loch, not a single research supervisor chose to withdraw. Despite their lingering doubts and fears, no one wanted to be branded a "coward."

Xiao Yan pressed his hands against his desk, his gaze sweeping over the group with an air of intense authority. "From this moment on, everything I say is to be treated as top-level classified information. Even if the President himself were to question you, you must remain absolutely tight-lipped."

For even the simplest communication ran the risk of being intercepted by Valentine. Shen Bing stepped forward, collected everyone’s communicators, shut down the local terminal equipment, and blocked all signals. Only then did Xiao Yan speak up to continue: “In one week, Jane Wallis will broadcast a set of coordinates to the outside world. The transmission will reach every signal-receiving device globally—meaning Valentine Sheehan will also learn of Jane Wallis’s whereabouts. He will head toward those coordinates. There are two possible scenarios. First: Valentine arrives at the location in person. Second: Valentine dispatches others to go there. If Valentine goes personally, it presents us with an opportunity to capture him. If he sends others, they will take Jane away; in that case, all we have to do is give chase—and by pursuing the Tide Organization operatives, we stand an excellent chance of discovering Valentine’s true location. To achieve this, I require two things of paramount importance.”

Reitz lowered his head and smiled faintly. “You need a wireless terminal capable of keeping pace with your brain’s processing speed, as well as a spacecraft pushed to the absolute limits of both flight velocity and payload capacity.”

“Precisely. For this final week, I’m counting on all of you—thank you for your hard work!”

When Xiao Yan returned to his room, he walked with his head bowed the entire way, moving through the corridor with a purely mechanical gait. After unlocking his door with his fingerprint and stepping inside—even though the lights had yet to switch on—he continued walking forward absentmindedly. Suddenly, Hein, who had been following close behind him, abruptly cut in front of him, adopting a stance of extreme vigilance.

Xiao Yan looked up, and a sudden sense of peril washed over him; his mind, previously lost in thought, snapped instantly into a state of high alert.

Sitting on the bed—which was positioned against the wall—was a man, poised and ready to strike within the darkness. He sat with his legs crossed, his frame lean and slender, his head tilted slightly to one side.

The moment the lights flickered on, Xiao Yan froze in astonishment.

“Jane Wallis—what on earth are you doing here?!”

The Jane standing before him was clad in a researcher’s uniform. Xiao Yan found it utterly inconceivable that Base No. 2—a facility under such stringent security—had actually been infiltrated by Jane!

“Colonel Burton, you really wouldn’t want to get into a brawl with me in here.” Jane rose slowly, picked up a pillow, and brought it to his nose to take a gentle sniff—inhaling the scent that belonged unmistakably to Xiao Yan.

Hein turned his head slightly, fixing Jane with a gaze that felt as heavy and crushing as a mountain range; yet Jane remained utterly unperturbed. “Aside from the contact codes, did Major General Gordon also provide you with the access codes for Base 2?”

“Are you suspecting that I deliberately infiltrated this place with malicious intent?” Jian laughed with unbridled audacity. “All I can say is that Major General Gordon is truly in a do-or-die mindset regarding his determination to kill Valentine Sheehan.”

“In that case, I assume your presence here is also for the purpose of taking down Valentine.”

Xiao Yan strolled past Hein and met Jian’s gaze.

Jian tossed a sample vial toward Xiao Yan. “This is Casey’s research. You’ll understand the function of this virus once you’ve deciphered it. I need you to stabilize this virus.”

“Since it is Casey’s research, I’m certain he is fully capable of completing it himself.” Xiao Yan couldn’t help but wonder: what exactly was Jian’s true objective?

“Casey refused to complete it. You are the only person I could think of.” Jian’s voice shed its usual flippant tone, becoming earnest and resolute.

“And then?” Xiao Yan frowned.

“And then?” Jian leaned forward slightly, his hands resting in the pockets of his uniform. From his collar down to the very creases of his fabric, his appearance was utterly meticulous—even his stray strands of hair were tucked neatly behind his ears. When he wasn’t smiling, his entire demeanor exuded the rigorous, disciplined air characteristic of a true researcher. “Then, at the very least, my body will still be able to kill Valentine.”

Xiao Yan’s eyes widened as he stared, dumbfounded, at Jian.

“One must always have a backup plan ready for everything—don’t tell me Hein Burton never taught you that.”

Having said his piece, Jian cast a fleeting glance at Hein, then nonchalantly pushed open the sliding door and walked out.

Xiao Yan instinctively tightened his grip on the vial of virus in his hand. He had never imagined that Jian had gone so far as to prepare for a mutual demise with Valentine. If their operation failed and Jian fell into Valentine’s clutches, Jian would unleash this virus. Then, the moment Valentine attempted to transplant his own brain into Jian’s body, Xiao Yan could easily envision the virus attacking the host body; consequently, Valentine would face death right alongside Jian’s physical form.

Xiao Yan understood perfectly well why Casey could not bring himself to complete this research. To Casey, Jian was family; to use the fruits of his own research to destroy a loved one—that was something Casey simply could not do. "So... I’m the one who has to do it?" Xiao Yan gave a bitter smile.

"In Jane Wallis’s mind, you are certainly not the kind of cold-blooded, ruthless person who would sacrifice their comrades just to secure a victory. Yet, you—and *only* you—are the one Jane Wallis is certain can actually do it."

Xiao Yan lowered his head, clutching the virus sample in his hand even more tightly.

Hein leaned in, placing a kiss of profound significance upon Xiao Yan’s forehead. The tenderness of that moment made Xiao Yan instinctively close his eyes, savoring the lingering sensation of Hein’s touch.

"Xiao Yan, in the heat of actual combat, there is a fundamental rule of engagement among special forces operatives—one I want you to engrave firmly in your memory."

"What is it?"

"Never look back. The more critical the mission, the more imperative it is to adhere to this rule. Especially when the burden of responsibility resting on your shoulders outweighs that of everyone else, you absolutely cannot look back." Hein’s hand cupped Xiao Yan’s head firmly, compelling him to meet his gaze—as if simply to ensure that Xiao Yan had truly grasped the meaning of his words.

Suddenly, Xiao Yan was flooded with memories: Maya, who had fought single-handedly against multiple Surge Killers to cover his dash into the main control room; and Sharon, who had perished when the viral accelerator in his system failed. Back then, he had been—by far—the most physically vulnerable member of their special forces unit; yet, they had spared no effort—even going so far as to sacrifice their own lives—solely to ensure Xiao Yan could achieve his objective. It all sounded noble in theory, but for the "hero" left standing at the end to complete the mission, it was a cruelty beyond measure.

"If you look back, every one of those sacrifices will have been in vain. And there is absolutely nothing you can do to undo their loss. Your eyes must remain fixed solely on the mission; all grief and sorrow must be set aside until the mission is complete."

"I can't do it." Xiao Yan felt a surge of panic; he knew this man all too well—once Hein had made up his mind about something, he would stop at nothing to see it through, no matter the cost. “What Jane Wallis and I were able to accomplish, you most certainly can as well. We must complete the research Casey left unfinished; we must ensure this mission is absolutely foolproof.” Hein’s gaze remained unwavering. “You need not worry about a thing, for I am confident that when all is said and done, I will still be right here by your side.”

Xiao Yan’s gaze slowly hardened with resolve. “Jane is constantly worried that we might fail. Very well—I will create this virus exactly as he desires, but I will never give him the opportunity to use it.”

Less than three days after Ritz and Loch had immersed themselves completely in their research, a single message threw all their plans into disarray. Valentine Sheen had somehow discovered Jane’s whereabouts and dispatched a large force of assassins to raid the small island where Jane was hiding. In an effort to help Jane and Casey escape, Jerry was captured by the assassins. Valentine then broadcast a message across all communication frequencies, revealing that he had extracted Jerry’s brain—and providing Jane with a specific address.

“My dearest child—Jane. Although your rebellious phase has given me quite a few headaches, I still look forward to the day you return to my side.” On the screen, Valentine tapped lightly on the transparent vessel containing Jerry’s brain; the smile on his lips was so refined and elegant that it was utterly impossible to imagine he was, in reality, a creature of such extreme cruelty and narcissism. “If you continue to refuse to return, Jerry will be forced to endure the agonizing torment of thinking—on and on, without end.”

Xiao Yan and Shen Bing received this video feed in the control room. The terminal data linked to Jerry’s brain was rapidly approaching the critical threshold of total cerebral collapse; Xiao Yan could vividly imagine the agony Jerry must be enduring at this very moment—and how desperately he must be longing for release.

He closed his eyes. He had imagined this very torment countless times before—and with every imagining, he had been consumed by terror.

“Valentine Sheen truly is a madman.” Xiao Yan clenched his fists. Although he harbored no personal fondness for Jerry—after all, the man had played a role in his own abduction—Xiao Yan understood the significance Jerry held for Jane. Ever since Claire’s death, the loss of any family member had been, for Jane, a piercing wound—one that cut deep and refused to heal. “Valentine has once again gotten ahead of us.” Shen Bing pulled up the coordinates Valentine had revealed, only to discover they were located in Antarctica—and surprisingly close to Char’s former Antarctic base. “Now, I just hope Jane Wallis can keep a cool head. At least until we have everything ready...”

At that very moment, someone pushed open the door to the main control room, arms crossed and a smile playing on their lips.

“My apologies, Colonel Shen Bing, but I simply must go to that place—the sooner, the better.”

Xiao Yan and Shen Bing turned around in unison to see Jane smiling nonchalantly. She walked over to the desk, hopped up to sit on it, and fixed her gaze upon Xiao Yan. “The truth is, we all know there is no such thing as ‘perfect preparation’ in this world. Circumstances are constantly shifting; in the end, your mind is a far more effective tool than any amount of planning.”

Xiao Yan looked at Shen Bing in astonishment; yet, Shen Bing’s face betrayed neither surprise nor anger. This implied that Shen Bing had likely known all along that Jane possessed the necessary clearance to access this base.

“There is no way I’m going to let Jerry just linger on until his brain finally gives out. He is beyond saving now; the only thing I can still do for him is to bring an end to this suffering as soon as possible.”

Shen Bing closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as he spoke each word with deliberate force: “You are being too impulsive! You’re going to ruin the entire plan!”

Jane met Xiao Yan’s gaze with an air of calm detachment. “Even if it weren’t Hein Burton—if the same thing had happened to Mark or Liv—could *you* really sit here patiently, waiting until their brains had truly ceased to function?”

Xiao Yan fell silent; he knew there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop Jane.

“Besides, I know Valentine Sheehan well. If *I* were the one releasing the coordinates—and he realized it was a trap *I* had set for *him*—he certainly wouldn’t show up in person. But when *he* is the one giving *me* a set of coordinates—a trap *he* has set for *me*—there is a very high probability that Valentine Sheehan himself is actually there. And even if he isn’t, as long as I allow myself to be captured, his subordinates will be forced to deliver me to him alive in order to fulfill his objectives. For you, this presents a golden opportunity to track down his true whereabouts. From every angle, this works entirely to your advantage.”

“When do you intend to leave?” There was not a single tremor of emotion in Xiao Yan’s voice.

“Xiao Yan!” Shen Bing shot him a look of stern warning. “Opportunity is fleeting. This isn’t a research project, Colonel Shen Bing; this is war. We can never be one hundred percent certain of victory in any conflict; what we call ‘preparation’ may simply be an excuse we invent to mask our own lack of confidence.” Xiao Yan looked directly at Shen Bing, his gaze unwavering.

Shen Bing—a man renowned for his composure and steadiness—felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of pressure welling up within him. The once-naïve cadet standing before him had matured into a leader possessed of true decisiveness.

“When do you depart?”

“Right now.” Jane looked at Xiao Yan with evident admiration, a faint smile playing on his lips. “I look forward to working with you again, Major Xiao Yan.”

Base No. 2 convened another emergency meeting. A collective uproar erupted when Shen Bing announced that, following a mere two-hour preparation period, Xiao Yan would be deploying to Antarctica alongside Hein’s troops.

“We aren’t ready at all! This is tantamount to a suicide mission!”

“Valentine Sheehan will surely wipe us out completely! This isn’t just an attack aimed at Jane Wallis—it’s an assault on the very last of our combat capabilities here in Shire!”

“You are not wrong. That is precisely why not everyone will be going this time. I will be going personally. Colonel Burton, do you agree to move up the timetable for this operation?” Xiao Yan turned toward Hein, his tone strictly professional. “Wynn, Mark, Liv—the three of you will enter the base with me. Our primary objective is not to assassinate Valentine Sheen, but to ensure Major Xiao Yan’s safety at all costs. Once inside, we must provide cover for Xiao Yan while he hacks into the Surge Base’s central terminal. Once we have secured the situation, we will open the base and transmit a signal; only after receiving that signal are the remaining forces permitted to enter.”

“Just Xiao Yan alone? We know his mind works at lightning speed, but what if Valentine manages to breach his mental defenses?” Ritz pressed his hands against the table, speaking with barely suppressed agitation. “Loch and I have to go with you!”

Loch’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Hey! Don’t make decisions on my behalf! You haven’t even asked for my input yet!”

“Does that even need asking? Are you planning to cower here instead?”

“Of course I’m going! But I don’t need *you* to be the one to propose it!”

Seeing that the two of them were about to start bickering as usual, Xiao Yan rapped his knuckles sharply against the table; his voice rang out, charged with an overwhelming sense of authority: “Neither of you is going!”

“What?!”

“What—?!”

For once, the two of them were in perfect sync.

“Aside from myself, Casey will also be joining the team! You two must remain here as our backup support! If anything happens to me, you must take up the mantle and continue the hunt for Valentine. We absolutely cannot put all our eggs in one basket!” Xiao Yan turned his gaze toward Shen Bing.

Shen Bing paused for a brief moment, then addressed Ritz and Loch: “That is an order.”

Ritz and Loch fell into a resentful silence.

“We cannot afford any more senseless casualties! We move out in two hours!”

Hein’s unit stood fully geared and poised for action; the air hung heavy, cold, and oppressive.

Inside his room, Xiao Yan donned his combat uniform and meticulously checked every weapon he carried, verifying his gear with the practiced professionalism of a seasoned special forces operative. The moment the sliding door hissed open, Hein was standing right there on his doorstep.

“Do you remember what you said to me, Colonel?” Xiao Yan had expected to feel a surge of trepidation, yet—contrary to his expectations—he felt an unexpected sense of calm. This was a moment that had been inevitable from the very start. “I’ll always be right by your side.”

“Even if we fail, I won’t have any regrets—because someone has to make this choice.”

Even if I am destined to be nothing more than a lookout clinging to the face of a cliff—even if I end up shattered into a million pieces—at least I will have known what the world beyond looks like.

In that very moment, Xiao Yan suddenly grabbed the back of Hein’s neck and kissed him with fierce intensity. He felt like a rocket—burdened with an overwhelming amount of fuel—and as his booster stages fell away one by one, leaving only himself to hurtle toward the boundless cosmos, he realized *that* was the true meaning of solitude.

His tongue frantically pried open Hein’s lips; Xiao Yan pressed down on the other man’s shoulders with all his might. He knew that he had never feared the fall itself; what he feared was losing the man who held him up. Xiao Yan’s kiss was so forceful it nearly pinned Hein against the wall.

Hein’s hands cupped Xiao Yan’s thighs, and with a single motion, he lifted him into his arms. As Hein deepened the kiss with equal fervor, Xiao Yan instinctively tilted his chin upward.

That moment was shattered by the sound of Mark’s blithe, carefree voice: “Hey—what are you guys still doing here?”

Xiao Yan abruptly broke the kiss. His hands rested against Hein’s shoulders as he looked down at the man gazing up at him. In Hein’s eyes, he saw a blazing, scorching fire—one that incinerated every trace of anxiety and hesitation, propelling him into a space even vaster and more boundless than before.

Hein gently set Xiao Yan back down, then turned to his assembled subordinates and gave the command: “Move out!”

The spacecraft piloted by Jane and Casey glided into the docking bay at *Char*, and Xiao Yan and Hein’s unit stepped aboard with crisp, efficient strides.

The aircraft sliced ​​through the air, soaring toward the horizon. The reinforcements arranged by Major Shen Bing followed close behind.

Without a word of hesitation, Xiao Yan opened the cockpit and said to Jian, "If you want to ensure this aircraft doesn't crash due to Valentine's neural intrusion, I think you’d better hand over the pilot's seat."

Jian gave a resigned smile, removed his terminal, and Xiao Yan took his place.

As Jian entered the cabin, the gazes of Wynn and Mark bore down on him like knives; he merely offered a nonchalant smile and took a seat beside Hein.

"It feels like in the blink of an eye, he’s leaped from being a researcher who needed heavy protection from special forces to a decisive decision-maker. It seems I missed out on the most crucial period of his growth," Jian remarked semi-jokingly, tapping on the cockpit window. Mark glared at him with even greater hostility.

"Let's hope this operation isn't merely some despicable ploy of yours to try and make an impression on him." Hein kept his eyes fixed straight ahead, his posture remaining utterly rigid.

"Haha!" Jian lowered his head and laughed aloud. "He once caused me a great deal of pain, so I really ought to consider getting some payback."

"Is that why you had him develop that virus?"

"He’s capable of doing it," Jian said, closing his eyes. "And so, this marks the very last time you and I will ever see eye to eye."

"Xiao Yan must come back alive."

"That is the absolute premise of this entire operation."

The moment Xiao Yan interfaced with the flight control system, he was able to engage in a true, deep-seated mental exchange with Casey—without the need for a single spoken word.

From the instant Xiao Yan took Jian's place up until now, Casey hadn't so much as frowned; it was as if piloting this aircraft was the single most important thing in his world.

*I won't say I'm sorry to you—because you wouldn't accept it anyway, and because, from beginning to end, our respective stances have always been fundamentally different.*

Xiao Yan felt no surprise when Casey's voice echoed in his mind; it was time to let go of their past grievances, for all that had come before would soon cease to matter.

*You’ve always said that if I were to partner with you, there’s nothing we couldn't overcome. Well, this time... let's put that to the test.* The aircraft surged forward at breakneck speed, skimming over the deep blue ocean where water and sky seemed to intertwine. As floating icebergs grew increasingly numerous, vast sheets of ice came into view—a pristine white expanse crisscrossed by ever-widening fissures. When these cracks finally vanished from sight, an endless, pure-white void stretched out before them, reflecting every ray of light; this signified that they had officially entered the Antarctic Circle.

Both Xiao Yan and Casey knew full well that the closer they drew to their destination, the greater the likelihood of encountering a mental assault from Valentine.

Sure enough, just as anticipated, Xiao Yan sensed a force attempting to breach the outer perimeter of his mind. Most alarmingly, the intruders were not acting alone!

Several aircraft belonging to "Tidesurge" were bearing down on them from the opposite direction, periodically launching laser-guided missiles in an attempt to obliterate Xiao Yan’s engines and force them into an emergency landing before they could reach the Tidesurge base. Even while fending off these mental interdictors, Xiao Yan and Casey maneuvered with effortless grace, weaving through the gaps between the incoming missiles. As they skimmed low across the terrain, the ice sheet shattered in their wake; to them, the laser missiles were nothing more than child's play.

With practiced ease, Casey carved a razor-sharp trajectory across the azure firmament. Xiao Yan launched a volley of missiles, obliterating three enemy craft that were closing in fast; simultaneously, he executed a reverse mental intrusion into the minds of their pursuers, causing their aircraft to lose all control. Within a mere two or three seconds, the enemy ships plummeted from the sky, their engines emitting a final, mournful whine amidst the frozen desolation.

Mark braced himself tensely against the cabin ceiling. Wynn, too, remained shaken by their recent flight path—a maneuver so wildly audacious that for a moment, he had genuinely believed they were about to crash. Yet, directly across from them, Jane burst into applause; only Hein’s expression remained utterly unshaken.