Yun Mengxi's heart was gently bumped.
"Later, he became very strong, extremely strong." Fu Hua continued, her tone not carrying much joy but a deeper heaviness. "Strong enough to clear most obstacles on our path forward.
"Protecting us seemed to become his more logical and deep-rooted principle of action.
"He wanted to arrange everything well—battles, resources, routes, even the emotions of us people... He seemed to always foresee difficulties in advance, and then silently solve them before we noticed or got involved."
"But," Fu Hua's voice lowered, "difficulties won't disappear, only become bigger and trickier.
"From a small group of monsters to the overlord of an area, then to larger, darker threats... The enemies he faced and the responsibilities he bore were like a snowball.
"And the word 'protect' occupied a heavier and heavier weight in his life... and gradually..."
Fu Hua was silent for a longer time. This silence was full of helplessness, a trace of vague resentment, and a deep sense of powerlessness.
"Gradually... his life seemed to only consist of 'protecting.'
"His joys and sorrows, his thinking and actions, every minute and second of his existence seemed to revolve around 'how to better protect more people,' 'how to deal with the next threat,' 'how to fight for more space and future for survivors.'
"He became a perfect guardian, an incredibly reliable mountain... but also seemed to live as that mountain itself, heavy, silent, carrying everything but having nothing else."
Fu Hua raised her eyes and looked at Yun Mengxi. Deep in those always calm eyes, extremely complex emotions surged.
It was admiration for Shu's supreme dedication, heartache for him being gradually swallowed by responsibility, and perhaps a trace of... indescribable resistance to the inhuman loneliness and heaviness brought by this "purity" going to the extreme.
"Do you think," Fu Hua asked softly, this question seeming not only to Yun Mengxi but also to that receding back, "is such a life... tiring?"
...
—
Sapphire City, Heliopolis Life Sciences Pharmaceutical Branch Building
Unlike the exceptionally smooth progress of "A Thousand Fu Hua and Ten Thousand Hua" here, on another noisier and more perilous front line, the gears of the plan had tightly engaged and begun to turn.
The news carefully released by Natasha through Heliopolis Life Sciences Pharmaceutical channels about "breakthrough progress in ALS treatment, key case showing amazing potential" was like a depth charge thrown into a calm lake.
Although it didn't explode publicly, the undercurrents stirred had already swept through the deep water zones of related fields in the entire Sapphire City and even a broader range.
Capital, research institutions, medical groups, and even some forces with complex backgrounds—the sharks with keen sense of smell had already smelled blood, or rather, the scent they dreamed of.
Gold and immortal prestige.
As a guise for "result display" and "communication of potential cooperation intentions," a semi-public, semi-private "special case analysis and technology prospect seminar" was held low-key in the Heliopolis Life Sciences Pharmaceutical Sapphire City Branch.
The invitation screening was strict, but those who could enter the venue were all characters with amazing energy.
Joachim—or rather, Welt Yang, disguised as a representative of a low-key but historically long biological technology foundation from Western Europe at this moment—was holding a glass of tasteless champagne, standing at the edge of the venue.
Dressed in a well-tailored dark gray suit, his blue eyes behind gold-rimmed glasses calmly scanned everything in the venue, a faint smile appropriate for a knowledgeable investor playing on his lips.
The venue was brightly lit, with fragrant clothes and shadowy temples, whispers and chuckles intertwined, presenting a superficial atmosphere of upper-class academic exchange.
But Joachim could clearly feel the undercurrent surging beneath that calm appearance.
Over there, the head of the Asia-Pacific region of a certain international pharmaceutical giant was whispering with an academician from the Shenzhou Academy of Sciences, but his eyes drifted from time to time to the empty seat prepared for the "key case" in the center of the display area.
Over here, helmsmen or representatives of several top domestic private medical groups gathered together, smiling, but the exchanged glances were full of assessment and calculation.
And what concerned him most were the few people in plain clothes with capable temperaments in the corner.
These guys looked casual, but their standing positions blocked all the best observation and evacuation angles.
As he expected, these were people from the Shenzhou officials, and more than one group.
Their attention was clearly divided, part on the VIPs in the venue, and the other part vigilantly monitoring the entrances and exits as well as all suspicious figures who might carry "unconventional equipment."
An invisible tension permeated the air, a special aura formed by the mixture of power, money, knowledge, and security demands.
The magnetic field of capital greed had been established, and the official stability maintenance radar had also been turned on at high frequency... Everything so far was basically consistent with Joachim's prediction.
Joachim gently swirled his wine glass. The slight clinking sound of ice cubes was almost inaudible.
Arahato's appearance must be dramatic enough, "rough" enough, to tear apart this layer of hypocritical calm in an instant, turning everyone's spearhead instantly to the "City of the Future," this common imaginary enemy.
Timing, position, evacuation route... every detail could not go wrong.
He appeared composed, even occasionally exchanging pleasantries with a manager who came up to strike a conversation, talking about some specious industry prospects.
But only he knew that his heart was beating steadily in his chest at a rhythm slightly faster than usual.
This wasn't fear, but a physiological reaction under high concentration.
The plan was bold and precise, but there were too many variables.
Could Yae Rin withstand the fright? Could Natasha's background scheduling completely shield interference? Could Kallen's Arahato break through the encirclement before the official forces reacted? And...
The unknown regarding the disappearance of Ana and Chen Tianwu that always shrouded like a dark cloud...
He took a sip of champagne. The cold liquid slid down his throat, suppressing the implicit nervousness generated by shouldering heavy responsibilities.
Trust companions.
He said to himself.
This was the only creed for them to survive countless desperate situations.
Just then, the main lights of the venue dimmed slightly, and the spotlight hit the side door of the podium ahead.
The host announced with an enthusiastic voice: "Next, let's welcome Ms. Natasha Cioara, the person in charge of the Heliopolis Life Sciences Pharmaceutical Special Case Care Center, and our focus today, the brave little angel—Yae Rin!"
Applause rang out, sincere or perfunctory.
Joyce's gaze also turned to that door. He knew the countdown of the plan had entered the final seconds.
"And this time, we solemnly invite a core member of Heliopolis Life Sciences Pharmaceutical to visit and guide us here. He is—"