When Wang Haiyang opened his eyes, he found himself back at the explosion site of the Longevity Chamber.
"Still not dead?" a familiar voice called from behind.
Turning around, he saw the Taoist Master standing menacingly at the entrance, with several followers suddenly materializing behind him like spawning game characters.
"I'll outlive you yet," Haiyang shot back.
The Taoist Master pulled out that special device again, bathing Haiyang in red light. He howled in pain and collapsed to the ground.
"Scared now? Don't you understand? You're already dead—these nanobots are the only thing keeping you alive. This red light can temporarily stop them. Twenty minutes of exposure, and you're finished," the Taoist Master laughed.
"Haiyang, get up! Don't fear the red light. It's probably just some unknown radiation interference. It can be blocked. The nanobots in your body will keep functioning normally." Haiyang looked up to see Xu Jing.
"Are you alright? Argh..." Haiyang groaned, asking after her.
"How could she be?" In one swift motion, the Taoist Master drove a long sword through Xu Jing's back, the blade piercing through her body.
"No!" Haiyang's desperate cry was futile as he watched helplessly as Xu Jing collapsed before him.
"You bastard! Why did you kill Xu Jing? What do you want from me?" Haiyang roared at the Taoist Master.
The Taoist Master remained silent, merely pointing toward the exploded vat of the Longevity Chamber.
Haiyang turned to look and saw two zombie-like creatures emerging from the darkness, lunging toward him.
His hair stood on end, but he found himself paralyzed, unable to run. The monsters were almost upon him—
"Ah!" He sat bolt upright in bed. Looking around, he let out a long breath. It was just a dream.
He silently thanked his lucky stars it wasn't real, that the monsters hadn't devoured him.
Then he thought of Xu Jing, wondering how she was doing, with no way to contact her.
Just then, the door opened.
"Dad!" Haiyang exclaimed.
Wang Jianguo walked in.
"How are you? Fully recovered?" Jianguo asked.
"I think I'm fine now. Why are you here?" Haiyang sat up, feeling no unusual sensations in his body.
"Uncle Hu notified me after your injury. I couldn't come immediately due to important official duties, but he assured me you'd recovered, which put my mind at ease."
"Dad, be careful of Uncle Hu. He's with the Celestial Dao Society," Haiyang warned his father.
"It's not as simple as you think. Uncle Hu isn't a bad person. I know about many things, but Yang Jinming has gotten a bit out of control," Jianguo sighed.
"Yang Jinming is the Taoist Master, right? He's definitely evil," Haiyang cautioned.
"He's also under orders from superiors to complete the Ethereal Refinement Project, with Uncle Hu assisting him. Things just got out of hand. I assume you've figured out that the Project isn't really about some leaders seeking immortality? You'll understand the truth behind it all later. We're not so shallow as to pursue mere immortality. Our country lags behind in nanotechnology and other advanced technologies. The United States already has a super-soldier program that can rapidly reconstruct bodies, giving them a military advantage. Our research is stalled not only in nanotechnology but in many supporting projects. I hope you can help the country overcome these challenges."
Jianguo's words left Haiyang deep in thought.
"I'm confused. You say the Taoist Master's group is working on an important state-sanctioned research project, so why are we at this task force base trying to arrest them?" Haiyang asked, perplexed.
"It's just a departmental miscommunication. Don't worry—everyone's working for the country. When it comes to matters of national importance, someone will mediate these conflicts. You've been injected with the Beneficial Element Complex, haven't you?" Jianguo asked.
"What's the Beneficial Element Complex? You mean the Immortal Water?" Haiyang replied.
"Yes, we commonly call it Immortal Water, but we've given it an official Chinese name: Beneficial Element Complex. All early experiments failed, and the project stalled for a long time. The higher-ups finally approved the Longevity Chamber project, but Yang Jinming messed it up again not long after."
His father's words pierced Haiyang's heart like needles. The man before him seemed like a stranger, his once-towering image of justice crumbling. Haiyang was convinced the Celestial Dao Society was a terrifying cult.
"Dad, you're scaring me. Have you joined the Celestial Dao Society too?"
"I haven't joined them. My duty is to serve the country, and when our goals align, cooperation isn't out of the question. I've always taught you that nothing is more important than the nation," Jianguo replied with righteous conviction.
"They're murderers and arsonists! Don't you know that? They're completely lawless, experimenting on living people. This violates the Geneva Convention. If exposed, it would disgrace our country!" Haiyang grew agitated.
"Think about how many terminally ill patients we have in our country. If they could all be cured by the Beneficial Element Complex, wouldn't that benefit both our nation and all of humanity? Everything has a price—what matters is the result. Sacrificing a few to save thousands or millions is meaningful. I hope you'll officially join the Ethereal Refinement Project and complete this mission to serve the country." Jianguo's tone grew increasingly stern.
"Sigh... It's not about whether I want to join anymore. I probably won't live long anyway. The rejection reaction to this Beneficial Element Complex is too strong. I feel like I can't control it."
"That won't happen. I've seen your physical data reports—they're very stable. The Complex has fused with your body. We used 3D printing technology to create gear-shaped nanobots at the nanometer scale. They can automatically generate substances your body needs. In other words, you're now immortal," Jianguo said, sounding pleased.
"So what now? We're still at the task force base, aren't we?" Haiyang reminded his father.
"That's simple. This task force was only authorized at the provincial level. The special leadership will soon overrule it and dissolve the unit. You'll return to work at the research park. You're now the Deputy Director of the Research Institute—the evaluation and public announcement have already been approved."
Haiyang's head buzzed as he processed his father's words.
"Wasn't it blown up?" he asked.
"Just one bridge was destroyed. Those iron bridges can be rebuilt quickly. Don't worry, the lab and important equipment weren't damaged. Everything that needs restoration will be fixed soon," Jianguo assured him.
Haiyang thought for a few seconds, then suddenly remembered something. Xu Jing was still in the park—he needed to go back and ensure her safety.
"Let's go then," Haiyang told his father.
"I was waiting for you to say that. The helicopter's waiting outside. As long as you're physically able, we can take off immediately," Jianguo said.
As they walked toward the helipad, Haiyang noticed his father was right—the entire base had been disarmed. Only bustling staff remained. A familiar figure waited for them at the door—Captain Zhang.
"Director Wang, are you leaving?" Captain Zhang asked Jianguo.
"Yes. The National Security Department has notified you about dissolving the task force, right?" Jianguo asked in return.
"Yes, it's been dissolved. Have a safe journey. Take care of yourself, Haiyang. We'll meet again!" Captain Zhang gave Haiyang a peculiar look.
In the distance, the helicopter's rotors had started spinning. The two quickly boarded, and amid the powerful wind and roaring engines, the helicopter soon disappeared into the white clouds.
Captain Zhang stood watching, a strange smile playing across his face.