The Last Mr. Dongguo

"Li Feng, we meet again."

Fei Li returned to reality, her expression grave.

"I didn't expect that even in my condition, you would still recognize me." Li Feng took off his baseball cap and looked into Fei Li's eyes through the screen. "Fifteen years. After spending fifteen years in that kind of place, I almost forgot what I looked like. When I looked in the mirror again, all I saw was unfamiliarity and sorrow."

"What exactly happened? Cheng Luan, Meng Ying, how much do you know?"

Fei Li had asked herself this question countless times, and today, faced with one unexpected situation after another, she finally voiced the question that had been hidden in her heart.

"Hmph, the truth? Sometimes what you hear from others isn't the truth, and what you see with your own eyes isn't necessarily the truth. The truth is what you look at with your heart, think with your heart, and arrive at through your own clear analysis. Fei Li, what do you think is the truth?"

The ambiguous answer was unbearable for Fei Li, but he still managed to control his emotions.

Li Mengying could no longer control herself, and tears welled up in her eyes. Her suppressed emotions erupted in that instant, and she sobbed uncontrollably. Like a deflated balloon, she released all the pent-up frustration in her heart.

"Fei Li, actually Bai Sen is just my godfather, Li Feng is my real father..."

"Mengying," Li Feng roared, stopping Li Mengying from speaking, "Girl, don't gamble with your future." Li Feng quickly avoided Li Mengying's gaze. Although they were separated by a screen, when the father and daughter looked at each other, Li Feng could still sense some complex emotions, like long-lost kinship, and also like deep sorrow.

"I request the use of privileges."

privilege?

Li Feng's loud words startled everyone.

"I request the use of privileges."

"Okay, have you thought it through?"

Li Feng's shouts received a response.

"I've made up my mind."

"Yes, please."

A smile appeared on Li Feng's face; it was a smile of guilt from a father.

"Friends, the air quality here isn't good. Let's find a more comfortable environment to continue."

The words had barely left his lips when a deafening roar of gears grinding together filled the air, and the release of carbon dioxide from his trachea ceased. In its place, smoke cartridges rained down from above, instantly filling the entire room with smoke.

After the smoke in the room slowly dissipated, a warm and cozy room appeared before Fei Li.

The Chinese-style decor made Fei Li feel very comfortable. His big golden retriever, Xiao Fei, was sitting obediently to the side, still wearing his signature smile.

On the sofa, Gu Hezhi was skillfully handling the tea set in front of him. Soon, a cup of emerald green tea was placed in front of Fei Li.

"Come to Feili and try this year's new tea."

Fei Li was still confused by the scene before her, but she still sat down opposite Gu Hezhi, picked up the teacup in front of her, and a fragrant aroma of tea wafted over.

Gu Hezhi also picked up his teacup, gazing at the gentle tea within. "Feili, do you know why I love tea? It's because I admire the spirit of tea. Good tea leaves absorb the essence of the sun and moon, accumulating little by little over the long years. They are not as tall as trees, nor as fragrant as flowers. They do not compete or fight, but slowly settle for their own dreams, ultimately bringing people the finest tea and the spirit of tea. Of course, good tea should be shared with those who understand it to truly highlight its nobility."

Gu Hezhi slowly sipped the tea in his hand, his expression one of savoring, but more like listening attentively.

"My life is like tea, silently moving forward for my ideals. But some people only see the value of profit and ignore the essence of scientific research, just like someone who doesn't understand tea ruins a pot of good tea."

"Benefit?"

"Yes, it was no coincidence that they dragged me into the case five years ago. On the one hand, they were threatening me, threatening me to hand over the scientific research results of Baizhugou. On the other hand, they wanted to get the Seven-Colored Stone."

"What are seven-colored stones?"

"The Seven-Colored Stone was a stone I found by chance in Baizhugou, a stone whose color changes with temperature. Baizhugou is located at 30° North latitude, a strange world where even pigeons can enter but never leave, known as the 'Valley of Death,' China's Bermuda Triangle. As a researcher at 30° North latitude, I became deeply interested in it, firmly believing that everything can be explained scientifically. To explore the mysteries of Baizhugou, I repeatedly ventured there alone with my equipment for scientific investigations. Each research trip almost teetered on the edge of death. Giant rocks appearing and disappearing out of nowhere, animal skeletons that seemed to sing, strangely colored weather, and incantations that seemed to echo through the sky at any moment—those scenes, usually only seen in disaster movies, remain vivid in my memory. But that one time made me truly experience death!"

"That was the farthest I ever ventured into Baizhugou. At first, everything was fine, but after entering Shimen Pass, the surrounding environment slowly changed, and suddenly colorful auspicious clouds floated in the sky. At first, I thought I was hallucinating, but the further I went, the more vibrant the colors of the surrounding environment became, until finally, the entire environment turned into a seven-colored spectacle. I was very surprised and immediately started collecting samples for research. Unexpectedly, I lost consciousness shortly after starting to collect samples. In my hazy state of mind, I felt many wild beasts tearing at my body at the same time, but I couldn't feel any pain; instead, I felt very comfortable. What I felt was the call of the gods, a chilling feeling that could suppress your survival instinct and make you die slowly."

Gu Hezhi looked at the dumbfounded Fei Li, stroked his beard, smiled, and said, "Do you know about the 'boiling frog' experiment? That's how I felt back then. Don't you find it unbelievable?"

"And then what happened?"

"Later, when I woke up, I found myself lying by a stream outside Shimen Pass. At first, I thought it was all a dream, until I saw the seven-colored stone in the sample box, and I realized it wasn't a dream. But even now, I don't know how I got out of Shimen Pass. Later, I entered Baizhugou many times, but I never saw such a scene again."

"What exactly is that seven-colored stone?" Fei Li asked.

"The energy within the seven-colored stone is immense; it's like a magnet, yet it isn't. While I'm not entirely sure of its true secrets, I'm certain of its powerful medicinal properties. If studied thoroughly, it could potentially revolutionize the entire medical field, though our current scientific capabilities aren't sufficient to fully control it. Just like tea leaves, it doesn't receive genuine respect; if it falls into the hands of those with vested interests, it could become a deadly weapon."

A brief silence fell over them, and both fell into deep thought. The only sound was the hissing of steam from the kettle, creating an eerie atmosphere.

"Anything else?" Fei Li broke the silence, like a thunderclap that suddenly erupted from dark clouds after accumulating enough energy.