Chapter 21: Assistance

Captain Chu’s heart sank as he heard the voice through his earpiece. Although he had insisted on a gentle approach, he was far from unprepared.

The conference room was actually equipped with numerous sensors; even the military-grade computer bore a camera. The intention was for the think tank behind him to analyze Xu Chen’s words and behavior through these devices. They would then relay their assessment of the truthfulness of Xu Chen’s statements and offer advice through his earpiece.

This think tank included not only top officials from the Military District Academy of Sciences but also criminal investigation and psychological experts sent by the Joint Criminal Police Unit. Xu Chen probably never imagined he was being scrutinized as if completely exposed, magnified under a microscope.

So far, the think tank’s analysis indicated that the young man before them had been fully cooperative from start to finish, not uttering a single lie.

Yet moments ago, the think tank issued a warning. They had analyzed Xu Chen’s microexpressions and subtle movements and believed that pressing further about the source of his information would not only provoke resistance but also compromise the reliability of any subsequent questioning.

They presented two options.

First, to continue the interrogation. If Captain Chu considered the source of Xu Chen’s information a crucial lead, he could quickly press him, using his authority to coerce an answer—though Xu Chen might then become uncooperative and simply give up.

Second, to abandon the pursuit of that line of inquiry and direct questions elsewhere.

Captain Chu looked at Xu Chen, who unnerved him with his calm gaze.

Knowing his tactics had failed and confirming in his memory that he had committed no crimes, Xu Chen decided to just give up. After all, he held no compromising secrets, had done nothing wrong, and even if the highest powers came down on him, he could stand his ground. Why should he worry?

As for the Taihao Tomb and the anomalies he had uncovered—if the sky fell, let the tall ones bear the weight. It had nothing to do with him.

With this mindset, Xu Chen picked up the water cup on the table and took a long drink.

Captain Chu hesitated briefly before shaking his head. He recalled Director Yang’s assessment of Xu Chen’s character—that his thought process surpassed that of ordinary people, as if he possessed a far longer span of contemplation and a clearer, more visible moral boundary.

Such a person was beneficial to him and civilization; it was not wise to make an enemy of him just yet.

“I have no further questions. Mr. Ge, how about you?”

Xu Chen looked at Captain Chu in surprise; he had expected the questioning to continue but was taken aback when it stopped so abruptly.

Mr. Ge nodded slowly. “Young man, you’ve seen quite a bit of information. What are your thoughts on Taihao?”

“Me?” Xu Chen came to his senses and glanced at the screen. “I just found out about it recently. I can’t really offer any suggestions.”

“Old Yang doesn’t see it that way. He thinks you are special and capable of discovering something.” Mr. Ge smiled. “Besides, we reviewed the records from your internship group—you proposed a very important hypothesis.”

Xu Chen was startled. “That hypothesis? I just thought it was a coincidence; it’s hardly definitive.”

Mr. Ge gave him an inscrutable look.

Xu Chen immediately understood his meaning: his hypothesis might not be baseless and could even be true.

Mr. Ge’s refusal neither to confirm nor deny was itself a response—likely due to confidentiality.

No matter how much Xu Chen pondered, it changed nothing. Like he said, if the sky fell, let the tall ones bear it. He adjusted his mindset and soon noticed Mr. Ge’s further remarks.

“So, you said that Old Yang believes I’m special? What makes me special?”

Mr. Ge considered this, then looked at Xu Chen. “It’s your spirit. Here, ‘spirit’ is meant broadly, something mystical—like in novels... I don’t know if you understand.”

Xu Chen shook his head; the description only made him think of psychic power or sanity points, but was that really it?

“You’ll have to ask your grandpa,” Mr. Ge sighed. “But Old Yang heard about your discovery of the Taihao Tomb and seems convinced you found something. I wonder if you really uncovered anything?”

“No, I only know the location of the Taihao Tomb and those stone tablets. That’s about it,” Xu Chen replied honestly. After all, he had no other discoveries. He had come specifically for the tomb, and finding it satisfied his curiosity.

“Sigh, to be honest, the recent two infectious diseases have left us overwhelmed. Many things have been delayed...”

“Wait, weren’t those two diseases brought under control?” Xu Chen asked in confusion. According to the data, all patients with Taihao disease had been quarantined; those infected with aflatoxin had all perished. Logically, the threat had been completely extinguished.

“Team Leader Zhu...”

Team Leader Zhu responded and met Xu Chen’s gaze. “Yesterday, we received reports that strange diseases have erupted almost simultaneously worldwide. Even in our neighboring countries, symptoms identical to ours—a fungal infection, though of different strains—have appeared.”

“The border is now under strict control. Our troops and border guards won’t allow any virus to spread domestically. But we truly fear this disease may make a comeback.”

Xu Chen was at a loss for words. What the news had reported was indeed true.

But reflecting on the Taihao Tomb, there was little he could do.

Then, suddenly, Xu Chen remembered something he had overlooked.

“Mr. Ge, now that you mention it, I do recall something that seemed off.”

Mr. Ge’s interest was piqued. “What is it, young man?”

“It’s the ‘special corrosion.’ I suspect something’s wrong with it.”

Everyone present was taken aback.

Captain Chu could even hear the think tank through his earpiece calling for anyone familiar with the term to come forward.

“I think this ‘special corrosion’ is suspicious.”

Mr. Ge, likely well-experienced, immediately guessed what Xu Chen meant. “You mean the special corrosion on artifacts? Isn’t that a normal natural phenomenon?”

“It’s not normal. It shouldn’t have corroded like that.”

“Then how do you think it should have corroded?” Mr. Ge asked in return.

Xu Chen was at a loss. According to the manuals he had read, the logic was consistent and self-contained; reality matched the facts. What could he refute?

Mr. Ge sighed. “Forget it, let’s drop the issue for now. The reason we called you here was to talk about how you discovered Taihao, since so many people didn’t know about it before...”

“We’ll handle everything else later. Don’t worry; it won’t affect your studies. Now, let’s sign this confidentiality agreement to ensure you don’t disclose anything from today’s discussion...”

Xu Chen suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, a foreboding sense warning him this matter couldn’t end so easily. He might be at a critical turning point.

“Wait! You think I’m wrong? You don’t intend to take this ‘special corrosion’ seriously?”

Mr. Ge looked at him without speaking, but his silence was a tacit acknowledgment.

“You said I made a discovery. This is my discovery. Why won’t you pay attention to it?”

Mr. Ge lowered his head thoughtfully. “Alright, I’ll arrange for my institute to verify this ‘special corrosion’ you mentioned. But since it’s a natural phenomenon, I can’t guarantee we’ll uncover anything...”

Upon hearing this, Xu Chen suddenly understood. Mr. Ge was likely a senior expert at the Military District Research Institute, deeply knowledgeable in a scientific field and thus invited here to provide technical support.

In other words, his knowledge far surpassed Xu Chen’s. Hearing Xu Chen question a natural phenomenon, he was understandably skeptical. If he had researched the causes of this corrosion mechanism in depth, he would be firmly convinced of it and likely dismissed Xu Chen as some amateur scientist.

Xu Chen grew anxious, feeling that if he remained silent, something bad might happen.

The sensation was strangely unsettling.

He saw Mr. Ge place the confidentiality agreement before him, its clauses strictly binding the secrecy of this exchange.

They took Taihao seriously and were on high alert for a possible resurgence of the disease, but until then, this must remain a secret.

Suddenly, Xu Chen remembered something else and looked at Mr. Ge.

“I just thought of another suspicious point, but I can’t be certain. I need your help.”

Mr. Ge glanced at him in surprise.

Captain Chu, however, spoke first.

“Alright, what kind of help do you want?”

“Help me investigate the artifacts damaged by special corrosion in the museums where I wrote about several archaeological sites.” Xu Chen picked up the pen and paper on the table, thought for a moment, and wrote it down.