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There was a passageway in the cave and soldiers on guard. Though papers had been presented at the gates the soldiers in the cave still checked Long Bing’s identity and asked about Xia Lei’s status. Long Bing gave them a brief summary, then brought Xia Lei into the passageway in the cave.

‘Bureau 101 sure has high clearance. Showing identification at a military place like this can gain us entry too,’ thought Xia Lei.

Their footsteps echoed. Who knew how deep this cave was.

“Lei, don’t probe into things when you’re in there,” said Long Bing as she walked. “I know you’re close with Ning Jing but I must remind you that you cannot ask her things.”

Xia Lei wrinkled his brows. “I’m not the enemy. What’s the point of guarding against me like this?”

“It’s not guarding against you, it’s the system and limits,” said Long Bing. “This place has its own system and we are limited in what we can do here. It’s not just you - I can’t ask about what Doctor Ning Jing and the other experts are doing in here either. I will be punished if it’s discovered that I got information from them.”

Xia Lei groaned to himself. How was he going to get information on the alloy if he could not ask Ning Jing about it?

He had not insisted on coming here just to take a look around. He wanted to know the secret of the alloy and its link to AE, especially about AE. He was fairly disgruntled about not being able to get any information on the subject now that he was here.

‘I’ll have to be pragmatic. It’s difficult enough to come to this military base so I must take something away from this,’ grumbled Xia Lei to himself.

He memorised every single bit of surveillance and guards’ positions as they walked.

There was a checkpoint at the end of the passageway. Long Bing and Xia Lei handed in their phones, car keys, wallets, watches and so on at this checkpoint. They also put on an anti-bacterial suit and were brought to a lift by one of the workers there.

Long Bing nagged at Xia Lei again when they entered the lift. “Remember what I said. No asking.”

Xia Lei nodded. “I know, don’t worry.”

The lift descended for goodness knows how long and they were at the lowest level when it stopped. The lift doors opened and a space even bigger than a football field appeared in their field of vision. There was not a trace of dirt or stone in sight - the entire space was a silver-metal area. There were many pieces of scientific equipment and many researchers, giving one the impression that he had stepped into the hold of a spaceship. It all felt very scientific.

Xia Lei said in surprise, “This place is...”

Long Bing gave him a light kick.

“Oh, I nearly forgot. Sorry.” Xia Lei shrugged, then shut his mouth.

They were led by the worker to an isolated area. They had to go through a identification-approved electric door before they could enter a large laboratory.

The laboratory was isolated too, with all four of its walls made of special glass. The researchers working inside could be seen through the glass, and Ning Jing was one of them. She was examining a bronze artifact and looked very focused on her task; she did not notice the newly-arrived Xia Lei and Long Bing.

Xia Lei’s gaze went to the bronze item and was struck by a thought, ‘Is that the bronze book she mentioned before?’

What was written in the bronze book? Xia Lei was full of curiosity and his imagination was fired up.

The worker leading the way picked up the intercom by the door and said, “Scholar Wang, please come out for a bit.”

The worker’s voice was carried over the speakers of the laboratory. A tall, skinny old man looked back at them, then stopped what he was doing and walked over.

Ning Jing looked over too and she was stunned when she saw Xia Lei standing outside the door. A smile spread unbidden across her face. She put down the bronze book in her hands and walked towards the door too.

At that moment, Xia Lei spotted the alloy he had brought back from Princess Yong-Mei’s tomb. There wasn’t just one piece, but two. Both the pieces of green alloy were placed on a silver-coloured metal table and were being scanned by a scanner. Two researchers were standing close by, keeping a close watch on the alloy pieces. The researchers were totally focused and the sound from the speakers did not affect them at all.

‘Could they already have results with all this research equipment, manpower and technology available?’ thought Xia Lei to himself.

The glass door opened and the tall, skinny old man walked out. A work badge with his position and name was clipped to his chest. He was from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a Doctor, and his name was Wang Lei.

To be called ‘Scholar’ and be a Doctor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences must mean that he had outstanding achievements in scientific research in a particular field or representative of it. This showed how much importance this was to the nation to have a person like this here!

“Chief Long, I do apologise,” said Wang Lei apologetically, “for calling you over at this hour. It is a truly urgent matter.”

“Don’t stand on ceremony, this is our job,” said Long Bing.

Wang Lei looked at Xia Lei. “And this is?”

Xia Lei was about to introduce himself when Ning Jing, who’d just walked out of the glass door, said with a smile, “Scholar Wang, he’s the person I’ve told you about, Xia Lei. It was him who brought back what we needed from Afghanistan."

Wang Lei paused, then said in surprise, “So it’s Mr Xia. Doctor Ning talks about you often. This is our first time meeting but I already know a lot about you. You really are young and capable. That’s good. Our country needs more talents like you.”

Xia Lei took the initiative to hold both hands out for a handshake, and said politely, “No, no, you praise me too highly, Scholar Wang. I just did what I should. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you need me to help with anything.”

This was a way to remind Wang Lei, and give himself a way and a chance to get close to this research project.

Long Bing glanced at Xia Lei with a hint of worry in her eyes.

“Of course I’ll ask you for help if I need it, Mr Xia. But what we need are researchers, not a soldier. I am glad for you offer,” said Wang Lei. He then spoke to Long Bing, “Chief Long, let’s go take a look.”

Long Bing nodded. Her voice was low as she said, “Please lead the way, Scholar Wang.”

Xia Lei followed Long Bing, thinking, ‘This Scholar Wang obviously doesn’t want me to come in contact with this scientific project. He rejected me without even asking what I can do. How troublesome, him being so cautious in conducting scientific research.’

Ning Jing quietly pulled at Xia Lei’s hand and said in a soft voice, “Why have you come?”

“I came to take a look,” replied Xia Lei quietly.

Wang Lei looked back at Ning Jing and said sternly, “Doctor Ning, there’s no need for you to come with us. Go back to work.”

“I...” Ning Jing did not want to return to the laboratory.

Wang Lei wrinkled his brows. “No discussion.”

No discussion - so it was an order.

Ning Jing pursed her lips, then turned and went back to the laboratory.

“Please come with me, Chief Long, Mr Xia.” Wang Lei led the way.

Xia Lei looked back, and his gaze met with Ning Jing’s. He saw her lips move, saying something.

Long Bing smacked Xia Lei on the hand. “Come on, women make a pass at you everywhere. Aren’t you tired of responding?”

Xia Lei was speechless.

Long Bing glared at Ning Jing and she quickly turned to return to her workstation.

Xia Lei ‘replayed’ what Ning Jing had said in his head and quickly deciphered it. ‘Don’t go. I’ll come find you tomorrow morning.’

A faint smile appeared in the corners of Xia Lei’s mouth as he thought, ‘With our relationship, Ning Jing will tell me all she knows if I just ask. Looks like I’ll have to find some way to stay.’

They went through a passageway and to the door of a room.

A sign which read ‘Medical Room’ hung on the door.

They entered the room and Xia Lei saw a person lying on a gurney. He was a middle-aged man, not yet fifty and fairly thin. He was tied, arms and legs to the bed and was unable to move.

He was quiet but suddenly started getting agitated when Wang Lei brought Xia Lei and Long Bing into the room. He thrashed as his face filled with a look of terror, as if the ones who had entered were not three humans but three long-tongued demons with dishevelled hair.

“His name’s Chen Kexue, one of the top Material Science experts in China and a Doctor in his field. He was fine at dinner tonight but changed soon after entering the laboratory.”

“What happened?” asked Long Bing.

At that moment, Chen Kexue suddenly quieted on the bed, then spoke in a strange voice, “Princess, go! Go! It will be too late if you don’t go now!”

Chen Kexue was silent after uttering those words. He looked up at the ceiling, his eyes dark, empty.

“See?” said Wang Lei, “Just like that. He started spouting some strange things and even took up a knife to hack at people. He was stopped, fortunately.”

“Why wasn’t he sent to the hospital?”

“We have medical doctors here too, and our equipment are very advanced. There’s no need to send him to the hospital,” said Wang Lei. “I called you over to have an understanding of the situation. I need a copy of the report of your mission in Afghanistan. This happening is not a coincidence; we must study it.”

“What sort of report?”

“How the alloy was excavated, what was in the tomb, whether anything strange happened during the process - everything. What did you experience, what did you see, what did you hear, what did you smell - write it all in the report, then hand it in to me.” Wang Lei’s gaze went to Xia Lei as he spoke.

Xia Lei then realised that Shi Boren had not relented and let him come out of the goodness of his heart. He probably contacted this Wang Lei after Long Bing called him and got permission from Wang Lei before allowing Xia Lei to come here. Who else could write the report Wang Lei wanted other than him?

Long Bing’s gaze went to Xia Lei too.

Xia Lei acted like he had not noticed and he looked at Chen Kexue lying on the bed.

Just then, Chen Kexue suddenly started talking again.