CH 5

Chapter 5: Zhou Qing

“If I told you I don’t agree, will be regret saving me, and wish in your heart that you had left me to die in there?”

Song Zhi shook his head, “I never speculate about the past.”

“I can’t possibly agree. You want me to join the research project that took away all of my team members? Stop joking, I just don’t know how much I want to kill all of you yet.” A cold light flashed by in Zhou Yu’s eyes.

“When was the last time you saw your younger brother Zhou Qing?” Song Zhi suddenly said.

Zhou Yu’s pupils widened as he grabbed the collar of Song Zhi’s shirt, “What did you do to Zhou Qing? Or did you also drag him into this mess?”

Song Zhi knocked his fingers on Zhou Yu’s arm, signaling at Zhou Yu to put him down, “Professor Zhou is one of our most valuable members and a leading figure in plant physiology and embryology. For every academic, being able to participate in the cutting-edge research of their chosen domain is a lifelong pursuit, which is why you shouldn’t use the phrase “dragged into this mess” to describe Professor Zhou’s current situation.”

“How did you persuade him?”

Zhou Yu knew his own younger brother. Zhou Qing was a simple academic, but he also had his own bottom line. As for Juli Corp’s research, Zhou Yu thought that it had already crossed that bottom line.

Song Zhi stood and tidied up the edges of his shirt. Zhou Yu didn’t appreciate those people who paid attention to their appearance all the time, but the feeling Song Zhi gave him was strict and businesslike.

“The main point isn’t how we persuaded Zhou Qing, but… when was the last time you sat down to have a chat or a meal with your younger brother? Do you know what his current condition is? Or what he needs? Go see him, and if you’re still determined to tell me you can’t accept our Juli Corp‘s olive branch, then I promised that we won’t bother you anymore. Juli Corp keeps its promises.

After saying that, Song Zhi left the room.

The world had been flipped upside-down in the time of only a few minutes for Zhou Yu. He didn’t have time to be immersed in the sorrow of losing his teammates when another problem had already come his way.

He survived a life-and-death confrontation with a monster, learned of a parallel world named “Nibelungen”, someone wanted to hire him to travel to this world, and he was reminded of the lack of communication he had with his younger brother Zhou Qing.

It was as if everything had played out according to plan.

Zhou Yu’s recovery period was quicker than expected, and after a month he left in a helicopter sent by Song Zhi.

When the helicopter was soaring the skies, Zhou You discovered that they had been flying over a large desert the entire time. In the gusts of wind, the sand was tossed about in large waves, as if everything below was being flooded.

Arriving at the city, Zhou Yu returned to his single apartment. He picked up a call from his superiors, thinking that he would be reprimanded, but he instead received a month-long vacation to recuperate.

Zhou Yu smiled helplessly, no matter how he thought about it, it sounded like Juli Corp was giving him the time to “think it over”.

He also got a call from Mei Xi, she was very worried about him, and after only hearing Zhou Yu say the words “Xiao Mei”, she started to cry directly into the telephone.

It was fortunate that Juli Corp didn’t investigate into Mei Xi’s two coworker’s duties, they were supposed to stop Zhou Yu, but they didn’t. Zhou You’s small team was pretty much completely wiped out, and Mei Xi was transferred onto another team’s communication staff.

When Mei Xi asked Zhou Yu what he had seen in the research center, Zhou Yu only said, “Xiao Mei, live your life well, what you don’t need to know, you don’t have to find out.”

Sometimes, closing your eyes will bring more happiness than chasing after the truth.

Mei Xi tactfully understood and didn’t pursue the topic.

“What will happen to Zhao Cheng and Chen Chong?” Zhou Yu’s fingers were locked in place.

Although he wouldn’t deliberately think back to that moment, the moment of their deaths was deeply branded into his brain.

“The funeral is already over, our superiors claimed that they died in the line of duty to outsiders and when their remains were handed back to their families, they were already cremated.”

Because their deaths were a secret, they couldn’t let their families see the remains.

“I’ll go visit them.” Zhou Yu’s gaze lowered.

Then there was silence between him and Mei Xi.

On the afternoon of that day, Zhou Yu visited the public cemetery, and seeing his teammates gravestones and the pictures on the graves, he remained silent.

On the second day, he bought a plane ticket to another city, to pay a visit to his younger brother Zhou Qing.

“Hello, I’m looking for Zhou Qing, Professor Zhou.”

“Professor Zhou isn’t here at the moment. We’re not sure when he’ll be back, are you part of a research organization or institute? Or a biotechnology company?”

Zhou Qing’s name was impressive, he received an endless stream of research or collaborative invitations, even though he himself was not good at social interactions, if it wasn’t a mandatory event, then his assistants would decline the invitations for him.

“I’m Zhou Yu, Professor Zhou’s older brother.”

After Zhou Yu said that, the two assistants’ attitudes immediately changed.

“So it was Captain Zhou, Professor Zhou didn’t tell you his hospital ward room number?”

Zhou Yu’s heart froze for a second, Zhou Qing was hospitalized? He had no idea.

There weren’t any unnecessary emotions shown on his face, he only continued from the assistant’s words, “That’s right, he forgot to tell me. You know his personality, he always forgets the important things.”

“Professor Zhou is staying at the First General Hospital in the city, in the special ward, room three.”

“Thank you.”

The bad premonition in his heart kept growing. Why did Zhou Qing not tell his only brother that he was sick? And he was staying in the special ward… what kind of illness did he have?

Twenty minutes later, Zhou Yu arrived at the First General Hospital, it was there that he learned that Zhou Qing had just been through a surgery to remove a colloid cyst in his brain a few hours ago. Zhou Qing’s main doctor told him the tumor was malignant, with a high rate of recurrence. Although Zhou Qing’s surgery was very successful, the prediction was that it would reappear in six months to a year. Zhou Qing’s brain will eventually be pushed aside by the tumor, and he will gradually lose his sight, motor functions, and finally, his ability to breathe.

Zhou Yu’s fingertips started shaking.

He had already lost his teammates, that fixed outcome can’t be changed.

But for his younger brother Zhou Qing, he was on the verge of losing him. He was ready to do anything to save him, but at the same time, he knew that he was powerless to go against the natural laws of the world.

Zhou Yu sat by Zhou Qing the entire time, waiting for him to wake up. While he was waiting, he kept remembering what Song Zhi had said to him.

“When was the last time you sat down to have a chat or a meal with your younger brother? Do you know what his current condition is? Or what he needs? Go see him, and if you’re still determined to tell me you can’t accept our Juli Corp’s olive branch, then I promised that we won’t bother you anymore. Juli Corp keeps its promises.”

Was the meaning of Song Zhi’s words that Juli Corp’s leading development in science and technology could save Zhou Qing’s life?

Zhou Yu was a very resolute person. He was extremely clear on what he had already lost, what he could still strive to obtain, what he had to do, and what he had to protect even if he had to stake it all.

A few hours passed by, Zhou Yu maintained his posture sitting up straight by the bedside, without moving a limb. The surrounding medical personnel had come in to check on him many times, but they were unable to disturb Zhou Yu’s train of thought.

When Zhou Yu had finally come back to his senses, the sky outside the windows had already darkened, even the hallways were quiet. It was already midnight. Lying on the hospital bed, Zhou Qing had already woken up. He was looking at Zhou Yu with a serene gaze, it was unknown how long he had been staring for.

“Zhou Qing, you’re awake…”

Having been stared at like an animal by Zhou Qing with such a penetrative gaze, he was momentarily at a loss for words.

“I didn’t think you would come.” Zhou Qing slowly said.

His voice was a little hoarse. His wan face was completely absent of color, and he had become extremely thin.

“I’m your big brother.” Zhou Yu said.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I fell ill. I only thought… that telling you wouldn’t change anything. And… you’re often out on dangerous assignments, I didn’t want to distract you.”

Zhou Yu looked downwards.

“Your surgery was very successful, but since the location of the surgery is the brain, it’s extremely complicated and delicate, even if a single nerve is touched, it can have an effect on your motor skills or other abilities.”

“I know.” Zhou Qing smiled, “From the time I gained consciousness to now, there hasn’t been any discomfort so far. While you were spacing out, I reviewed the research experiments I’ve been conducting and found that my thinking and memory skills don’t seem to be affected. I also tried moving my fingers and toes with no problem. After all, the chief surgeon who operated on me is the brain surgeon ranked first in the world, Doctor Daniel Benn.”

Zhou Yu knit his brows.

The best brain surgeon in the world, Doctor Daniel Benn, this wasn’t someone Zhou Yu had the power to request.

“It was Juli Corp.” Zhou Qing directly answered Zhou Yu’s doubts.

“What conditions?”

“The conditions are that I have to participate in a project called “Der Ring des Nibelungen”, the location is in another world.” Zhou Qing carefully observed Zhou Yu’s expression., Zhou Yu was calm, as if he’d already predicted everything, “You’re not asking about what Juli Corp does, or what “Der Ring des Nibelungen” project is, you’re not even shocked at the other world, so you already knew?”

“You’ve never seen a creature from that world. You’ll die, Zhou Qing.”

After a long time, Zhou Yu finally spoke.