books44 Chapter 414 [Empire] Even if it is just to move forward tomorrow.
Chapter 414 [Empire] Even if it is just to move forward tomorrow.
That night's investigation yielded almost no results. Despite exhausting our energy and searching every corner of the experimental base, we still found no truly valuable clues. In the end, all our hard work seemed to have been for nothing, with only the bruises under our eyes and our still-unwashed combat uniforms as the only traces of our efforts.
I dragged myself back to school, the air thick with the chill of winter. My steps were almost mechanical, my eyes hollow, as if my soul had left my body, leaving only an empty shell in its wake. The exhaustion and anxiety of last night swirled endlessly in my mind. Although Nightingale and I had tried our best, I felt we were still far from finding the true answer.
The campus gates gradually appeared before me. The surroundings remained normal, with students hurrying through the morning sunshine. A long-lost tranquility permeated the air. But to me, this stillness seemed strangely alien. Compared to the gloomy atmosphere of the abandoned experimental base, the scene before me seemed so distant, like two different worlds.
I paused, forced myself to lift my heavy feet, took a deep breath, and tried to clear my head. These days, even my thinking had begun to slow, as if I were stuck in some kind of inescapable cycle: the dual pressures of investigation tasks and school life had already exhausted me.
As I walked onto campus, a strange anxiety surged within me. I knew I still had to sit in class for hours, facing the gazes of my teachers and classmates. On the surface, I feigned calm, trying to remain calm. Yet, my heart was already restless. Last night's experiences and the unsolved mystery hung like a sword over my head, a constant reminder that this seemingly ordinary mission posed a far deeper and more complex danger than I had imagined.
I pushed open the classroom door, quickly scanning the already-filled seats. Finding my seat, I mechanically sat down and opened my textbook. The atmosphere in the classroom was not much different from outside. A few students were whispering to each other as the teacher began today's class at the podium. Yet, I knew none of this mattered to me anymore. I could barely concentrate on the lecture. My mind was filled with images of last night, the calm face of the experimenter, and the myriad secrets hidden within that abandoned laboratory base.
"What's wrong with you?" The voice of the classmate at the next table interrupted my thoughts. She turned her head to look at me, her eyes full of concern.
I raised my eyelids and forced a smile: "It's okay, just a little tired." I didn't want her to know what I was going through. I couldn't describe the pressure and feeling of collapse, and I couldn't express it clearly.
She nodded, but seemed a little unconvinced. After all, how could I possibly deceive her in my current state? But I didn't want to hide anything anymore. Everyone has their own unspeakable difficulties, and mine was something only I knew.
Class began, and I still managed to focus, my eyes occasionally drifting between the lecture notes and the scene outside the window. The outside world was peaceful, but inside, a turmoil was brewing—the missing person being controlled by the experimenters, the eerie figure roaming the base, the unknown secret that made me uneasy, it still lingered.
Perhaps, tonight I will have to go to that place again and continue my unresolved mission, and this time, it may be even more dangerous. But no matter what, I know that since I have embarked on this path, there is no turning back.
The battle has just begun.
Nightingale looked at my wandering soul-like state, with a trace of helplessness and reluctance in his eyes. Finally, he sighed and said, "I will take Lin Hao with me tonight, and you can rest for the rest of the time." There was no room for negotiation in his words, but his tone revealed an unconcealable concern.
I lowered my head, and the world in front of me seemed to be shaking.
I felt completely overwhelmed by the relentless workload and pressure. My mind was a blank, and even the most basic ability to think was beginning to fade. Nightingale told me to rest, but I had no idea where to go—to find Wen Ya, to find Shan Qi, to go back to the dorm, or even to go somewhere alone. My mind was a tangled mess, and I couldn't make sense of it.
"Don't think too much about it. Let's go." Nightingale didn't wait for me to react. He grabbed my wrist and dragged me to his private residence. Although I was confused and uneasy, and wanted to say something, I was suppressed by his strong force.
He brought me to a place completely different from what I imagined: Nightingale's private residence—actually, more like a secret base.
The decor here is simple yet powerful. The walls are made of high-tech sound barriers, the lighting is soft, and the air is filled with a soothing aroma. The entire space is completely isolated from the hustle and bustle outside, as if here, all troubles and worries can be relieved for a moment.
He gently pushed me into a comfortable-looking guest room. The bed was spacious, the white sheets, and the clean floor exuded a relaxing atmosphere. I sat on the edge of the bed, not even able to change clothes, and fell into a state of exhaustion that could not move.
Nightingale stood at the door, with a slight smile on her lips and some unconcealable concern in her eyes: "You stay here and rest for a while, I'll take Lin Hao to deal with things, we'll talk when I come back." After he said that, he turned around and prepared to leave.
I looked at him and couldn't help but say, "Nightingale, you..." Before I could finish my words, Nightingale turned around, glanced at me, and said calmly, "Don't ask. You need to rest. You can do the next task well, but the prerequisite is that you must live well first."
That sentence made my heart tremble violently.
Live well. Yes, I did get a little lost in this endless battle and mission and lost control of my life.
Nightingale's words weren't harsh, but they sobered me up instantly. Perhaps what I needed most right now wasn't to keep moving forward, but to pause, collect myself, and rediscover myself.
He's always been like this.
Nightingale walked out of the room and gently closed the door. I sat alone on the bed, the quiet of the room allowing my thoughts to gradually clear. Although my heart was still filled with anxiety, at least, at this moment, I was no longer distracted by the outside world.
My eyelids are growing heavier, and my consciousness is gradually blurring. Perhaps, all I need tonight is a good, undisturbed sleep, if only to keep moving forward tomorrow.