The time for parting had finally arrived. Tang Xiao and Tang Chen sat in the vehicle, waving goodbye to their parents, who were standing in front of their home.
Tang Chen got into the car, looking like he wanted to say something but hesitated, perhaps wary of the driver in the front seat. In the end, he said nothing. But Tang Xiao seemed to know what he wanted to ask and turned his head. “Don't worry, we're doing well.”
Earlier, Jun Tesi had lost control of his emotions and unintentionally released some pressure. Although Tang Xiao didn't feel anything, Tang Chen, who was on the first floor, sensed it immediately. If the dangerous feeling hadn't disappeared so quickly, he might have rushed upstairs.
“That's good,” Tang Chen said. Then, after some hesitation, he added, “ittle brother, do you remember when I tried to rescue you? At the time, we thought you were in danger. To secure a chance to save you, we probably had to report some of your information…”
Tang Chen was referring to the relationship between Jun Tesi and Tang Xiao. Originally, the people of Third Eye were highly secretive about this matter. Since he was already considered dead, they didn’t want to bring it up and give others a reason to gossip. However, to save Tang Xiao, they had no choice but to report it.
“It doesn't matter,” Tang Xiao replied calmly. If it had been before, he might have worried, but now that press conferences had been held in both worlds, their stance was already clear.
He touched the white mycelium bracelet wrapped around his wrist, a faint smile appearing on his lips. “Nothing can keep us apart anymore.”
All the obstacles between them had almost disappeared, and Jun Tesi’s inner turmoil had also dissipated.
Now, it was just a matter of seeing how far humanity could struggle before the final moment arrived.
Since Tang Xiao had spoken so assuredly, Tang Chen finally put his worries to rest. Though he still had lingering concerns about his brother’s choice, he had no time to dwell on them. Even though they worked in the same area, Tang Chen was the first to get off the vehicle while Tang Xiao continued on with the driver into the fog-covered region.
Of course, this area was an absolute safe zone, patrolled daily by military forces from both worlds. Though it was called a ‘joint research institute,’ it actually had two separate divisions, though they interacted frequently. Technically, based on his background, Tang Xiao should have been assigned to the research institute in the real world. However, since the citizens there had petitioned too much, and he had more acquaintances on that side, Tang Xiao chose to be stationed in the other world's research institute instead.
He could always return whenever he wanted—it was only a few minutes away.
Soon, Tang Xiao and the driver passed through the fog, revealing an unfamiliar research institute. A few familiar faces stood at the entrance, watching him as he approached.
Xiao Bai, Lodge, Feng Shuyun, and some of Tang Xiao’s old teammates were all staring at him. Some of the more sentimental ones already had reddened eyes.
“As promised, I’m here.” Tang Xiao finally stopped in front of Xiao Bai and smiled.
Xiao Bai gazed at him deeply. “Welcome.”
Their hands clasped tightly, like a teacher and student, like comrades-in-arms.
Lodge couldn’t hold back anymore. He stepped forward, and Tang Xiao, catching his movement from the corner of his eye, preemptively spread his arms open. This time, it was Lodge who hesitated.
“What's wrong?” Tang Xiao tilted his head. “It's been so long since we last saw each other. Aren't you going to give me a hug?”
A wave of heat surged to Lodge’s eyes. He pressed his lips together and strode forward, giving Tang Xiao a firm embrace.
“You scared us to death.”
It was hard to put into words—the turmoil Lodge had felt upon first believing Tang Xiao was dead, only to later learn that he was still alive.
All he knew was that in this moment of reunion, all the past joys and sorrows blended into this embrace.
With Lodge taking the lead, Feng Shuyun and the others followed suit, and soon, everyone was gathered at the research institute entrance, chatting. Mostly, they were asking about how Tang Xiao had been and whether he had been mistreated.
“How could I be mistreated?” Tang Xiao smiled. “With all of you supporting me, I’ve been doing just fine.”
“If it really comes to that, you could always immigrate to our world,” Aberk suddenly suggested eagerly. “No one here would oppose you. Honestly, your reputation is even higher than the leaders' at this point.”
Tang Xiao just smiled and didn’t respond to that topic. Feng Shuyun changed the subject. “Alright, let’s not just stand around outside. Tang Xiao just arrived, so let him get familiar with the place and settle in. We’ll have plenty of time to catch up later.”
“Oh, right!” Aberk and the others realized and stopped crowding Tang Xiao, instead enthusiastically leading him inside. “Come on, let’s take a look around. You’ll see a lot of familiar faces.”
As Tang Xiao walked through the research institute, registering his fingerprint and gaining access permissions, people cheered and applauded nearly everywhere he went. Most of them were familiar faces from Third Eye. Some researchers even peeked out from their lab windows just to get a glimpse of him. It felt like he had suddenly become a celebrity overnight, making him a little embarrassed. It felt like he had suddenly become a celebrity overnight, making him a little embarrassed.
“Everyone, calm down! You can stop fangirling—there’ll be plenty of time to interact later. Don’t crowd the hallway; let us through!” Aberk sighed and stepped up to maintain order. Taking the opportunity, Tang Xiao and the others made their way past the experimental areas toward the living quarters.
The accommodations were almost identical to those in Third Eye, with single-occupancy dormitories. However, the rooms here were much larger, complete with a bathroom, kitchen, and balcony—practically a small apartment. When Tang Xiao walked inside, he saw his luggage already there. “The conditions here are pretty nice,” he commented.
“Of course,” Xiao Bai said casually. “After all, this is a joint project between both worlds. Your government was quite generous with funding, so for now, money won’t be an issue. And since they knew you’d be living here, they specifically picked the brightest room for you.”
“That’s a bit much,” Tang Xiao said awkwardly. “The results weren’t just my work alone.”
“Just accept it. Given your current rank, you should be living in a place like this. Otherwise, the current government will get complaints from the public.”
Tang Xiao sighed. “Well then, I won’t be too polite.”
“Make yourself at home,” Xiao Bai said. “Do you need help unpacking? Looks like you brought a lot of stuff.”
“Nah, no need,” Tang Xiao replied offhandedly. “Jun Tesi will help me.”
Jun Tesi?
Xiao Bai was stunned. The next moment, he saw something move on Tang Xiao’s wrist. The white mycelium extended and expanded, growing larger and longer until, finally, a silver-haired, dark-skinned man materialized beside Tang Xiao.
Jun Tesi bent down and placed a kiss near Tang Xiao’s temple, then lifted his gaze challengingly, sweeping his eyes over the stunned Xiao Bai and the guards at the door.
Xiao Bai's eye twitched. “428?”
“I'm not called that name.” Jun Tesi said, “My name is Jun Tesi.”
This was only the second time they had met since Tang Xiao's supposed death. Xiao Bai gazed deeply at Jun Tesi, then after a moment of silence, he said nothing, simply stuffing a blue wristband into Tang Xiao's hands. His tone was stiff. “You should pack up first. Call me when you're done, and I'll talk to you.” With that, Xiao Bai left. The guards outside did not even shift their gaze, as if they had not noticed the sudden appearance of the unfamiliar silver-haired man. They simply allowed him to shut the dormitory door behind him.
Tang Xiao gave Jun Tesi a light push. “Why did you suddenly show up?”
Jun Tesi blinked slowly. “I thought this was what you meant.”
This little test had thoroughly confirmed that they could now move about freely here in the open.
Tang Xiao did not refute him. “Pack up your things. We might have to stay here for a while.”
“Alright.” Though he said this, Jun Tesi did not move. Instead, the muscles on his back extended outward in dense mycelium, which spread out and covered the luggage, both large and small. The threads automatically unzipped the bags and began tidying up the room.
Each strand was engaged in its own task, functioning like an advanced AI robot that would not make a single mistake. Tang Xiao curiously observed the mycelium, wondering if they possessed a decentralized intelligence like octopus tentacles. Just then, Jun Tesi, dissatisfied with Tang Xiao's wandering attention, gently cupped his face and murmured, “A reward…”
Tang Xiao’s dark eyes shifted to Jun Tesi’s face. Their foreheads touched, breaths intermingling, the distance between them closing until it was nonexistent. The young man's fingers trembled slightly before he finally couldn’t resist reaching out to clutch Jun Tesi’s sleeve.
Behind them, the mycelium continued their meticulous work, occasionally brushing against their shoes. Most of them subtly slowed their movements, while the tiny eyes on the threads stared enviously at the main body.
“Hah… enough.” Before Jun Tesi could take things further, Tang Xiao pulled away first, struggling to steady his breath. “Dr. Xiao is still waiting to show me around. We can’t do this now.”
“He can wait a little longer,” Jun Tesi murmured clingily as he leaned closer. “I won’t do anything… just a kiss.”
Tang Xiao turned his head away, but Jun Tesi already knew how to make him soften. Like a puppy, he nuzzled against Tang Xiao’s tightly pressed lips.
In the end, Tang Xiao sighed. “Fine.”
The moment his lips parted slightly, a shadow flickered in Jun Tesi’s eyes. Without hesitation, he pressed a hand to the back of Tang Xiao’s head and kissed him deeply.
By the time Xiao Bai finally saw Tang Xiao again at the cafeteria entrance, half an hour had passed. His gaze lingered on Tang Xiao’s slightly red lips for a long time before he spoke. Tang Xiao felt awkward. “Teacher, what’s wrong?”
It should be fine, right? Xiao Bai didn’t know much about this kind of thing…
“Young people,” Xiao Bai said. “I understand that you get excited easily, but you should still practice some restraint. After all, research work is quite exhausting.”
Tang Xiao: ???
Without waiting for a response, Xiao Bai pretended not to notice Tang Xiao’s face turning bright red and calmly turned around. “I’ll take you on a tour. Let’s top up your meal card while we’re at it.”
Tang Xiao gave a dry laugh and agreed. As he turned his head, he shot a glare at the empty corner of the room. A certain mycelium, which had been secretly peeking, quietly shut its eye and slithered back into the floor.
The process of taking over management from the original scientists in charge went even smoother than Tang Xiao had expected. He had assumed there would be some resistance to his sudden appointment, but to his surprise, the moment he arrived, Dr. Basil promptly handed over the well-organized documents and eagerly discussed the ongoing research projects with him.
“Sorry to trouble you, Dr. Basil,” Tang Xiao said.
“It’s no trouble. I was just a temporary stand-in anyway. At my age, I really can’t pull all-nighters anymore. I worked so hard to reach the academic committee, and I barely had a few years of rest before I got dragged back into frontline research.” Dr. Basil rubbed his shiny bald head, then glanced at Tang Xiao’s thick, black hair. “Ah, youth is wonderful. So much stress, yet you don’t lose a single strand.”
Tang Xiao was quietly relieved. Thank goodness for the strong genetic resistance in the Tang family—he didn’t even want to imagine what it’d be like otherwise.
The handover process went smoothly. None of the scientists under Basil’s team raised any objections. Among them were researchers from the Third Eye and rookies from the Alliance, all of whom now looked at Tang Xiao with expressions of pure reverence.
It was… like seeing a textbook figure come to life.
Tang Xiao chuckled at his own imagination. “Stop staring at me. I don’t have three heads and six arms. Get back to your experiments. We’ll have a team meeting tomorrow.”
“Understood, Dr. Tang!”
“No problem!”
The researchers responded with enthusiasm, eager to prove themselves under their new lead scientist.
As Tang Xiao watched their energized figures walking away, for a brief moment, he saw a cycle repeating itself.
New generations of researchers would always rise from these labs, carrying the torch of scientific advancement for humanity.
The days spent in the underground lab still felt like yesterday, yet now, he was the one bearing the greatest responsibilities, the one wielding the most authority, guiding the futures of these young scientists.
How should he go about nurturing these budding talents?
Tang Xiao recalled the way Xiao Bai, Dr. Feng, Professor Li, and others had conducted themselves in the lab. Gradually, a clear picture formed in his mind.
The next day, at the team meeting, Tang Xiao was the last to enter the conference room, only to find that nearly everyone in the room had developed panda-like dark circles under their eyes. He was surprised. “Did none of you get a good night’s rest?”
The short-haired young man sitting at the front gave an awkward smile. "Had a bit of trouble sleeping."
To be precise—serious trouble sleeping.
Actually, those who made it into this research institute weren’t complete newcomers. At first, when the leadership switched to Tang Xiao, they were undoubtedly excited—after all, he was a legendary figure among their peers. Compared to following the older Dr. Basil, working under him certainly seemed more promising. But once the excitement wore off, all that remained was unease.
This was a scientist at the hero/legend level. What if he was extremely strict? No, he would definitely be super strict. His academic level was so high—what if the things they wrote weren’t even worth looking at?
What if they got scolded? What if their experiments were poorly conducted or their thought processes were completely off? Wouldn't they end up dragging down the whole team? QAQ
In any case, most of the researchers who had to present their work spent the whole night in anxiety. By four or five in the morning, they were still lingering in the lab. Some even yanked out their USB drives and headed straight to the meeting without sleeping at all.
Tang Xiao didn’t comment on it. “Alright, who wants to go first?”
The people below exchanged glances, avoiding his gaze as if they had just realized how fascinating the things on their desks were.
Finally, the short-haired young man from before gathered his courage. “I’ll go first.”
He stepped onto the stage, presenting the latest experimental data and thought process. But as he spoke, under Tang Xiao’s thoughtful gaze, his voice gradually grew smaller and smaller. “…These are my current findings. I apologize.”
“Apologize? What for? Your theoretical foundation is solid, and your thought process is correct.” Tang Xiao smiled. “Your data is a little strange, though. Eukaryotic DNA replication only occurs during the S phase, and its sequences can be used to construct self-replicating circular DNA molecules… Hmm, I think you should continue along this direction.”
The moment Tang Xiao praised his ‘solid theoretical foundation,’ the young man’s mind practically exploded with fireworks. He had to make a great effort to stay focused so he wouldn’t grin on the spot. He pressed his lips together and, under the envious gazes of his peers, returned to his seat.
Tang Xiao then called the others up to report their findings. Each one stepped onto the stage nervously, but by the time they stepped down, they were dazed—almost floating from being praised.
Truthfully, Tang Xiao wasn’t particularly good at flattering people. But with his current status, even a simple “You’ve got a sharp mind” was enough to make these rookies, who had yet to make a name for themselves, utterly elated.
The meeting went exceptionally well. As the short-haired young man walked out of the room, he still looked a little dazed. He had initially thought that Dr. Tang Xiao—famous across the scientific community—would be more arrogant or indifferent. He hadn’t expected him to be so approachable.
“By the way, none of you slept well last night, did you?” Tang Xiao was the last to leave the conference room. He glanced at their faces. “In scientific research, your body is your capital. You need to rest properly.”
“Yes! We’ll make sure to take care of ourselves in the future,” the young man immediately replied.
Tang Xiao chuckled. “This afternoon’s shift can start later. I’m extending your lunch break by three hours. Go back and get some rest.”
At this, the short-haired young man hesitated. “Uh… We’re used to pulling all-nighters. It’s fine, really. Plus, time is so tight right now—”
The institute operated on a rotating schedule, with someone working in the lab 24/7. No one knew when disaster might strike again. Everyone was exhausted, but no one dared to stop.
“No matter how tight the schedule is, a few hours won’t make a difference. Besides, I’ll keep an eye on the instruments for you. Some results take time to develop anyway. Go get some sleep.” Tang Xiao’s tone was gentle but firm, leaving no room for negotiation. With that, he turned and walked off.
The researchers watched his departing figure.
So all those rumors about Dr. Tang Xiao being cold were false! In reality, he was super kind!
At that moment, several more people silently became his fans.
Time passed steadily. During the day, Tang Xiao buried himself in the lab, while Jun Tesi went out to rescue people or control the mutant beasts to keep them away from human settlements. Both of them were incredibly busy. Only at night would they hold each other, using fleeting moments of warmth to soothe the exhaustion of the day.
And even while they slept, the lights of the research institute remained bright. Everyone was racing against time. Because of the problem confronting both worlds, governments on either side had set aside their probing, invasions, and internal strife. Instead, they were pouring all their efforts into climbing the technological tree, exchanging and integrating each other’s advancements.
Humanity had never given up on saving itself. Even knowing that the King of Mushroom existed, they would never place all their hopes on a single solution.
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