I write obituaries for the gods

Jürgen sat down next to Lin Chen and looked at the instruments covered with white sheets with him.

"Speaking of which, why did you choose to become a paranormal researcher?" Lin Chen asked.

"This one..."

Jürgen pondered for a moment, then said softly:

“My parents died early, and our family business declined early on, so I plunged into vision studies as soon as I graduated.”

"Ah... I'm sorry," Lin Chen said.

"It's alright, there's nothing offensive about it. Even if none of this had happened, I would have chosen this path anyway."

Professor Jürgen smiled.

"The mysteries of the subspace are more important to me than anything else in the world. For more than 20 years, I have hardly left the laboratory, hardly taken a vacation, let alone gotten married and had children."

"At that time, I felt that I would probably spend my whole life in the laboratory, and paranormal studies was the meaning of my life."

"As a result, I fell ill later."

"Is it serious?" Lin Chen asked.

“It’s just acute cholecystitis,” Jürgen laughed. “Remember to eat three meals a day regularly, and it’s best to eat breakfast. It’s not a big deal, but it can be really painful.”

“I stayed in the hospital for a week. I had anti-inflammatory treatment a few days ago, and then I had surgery to remove my gallbladder. Because I have no relatives, I was taken care of by caregivers the whole time.”

"The night after the surgery, I lay in the hospital bed, and it was pitch black outside the window. I stayed up until the caregiver fell asleep, but I was still in so much pain that I couldn't fall asleep."

Jürgen unscrewed the lid of the thermos and stared at the steam rising from it, his gaze momentarily unfocused.

"That night was very quiet. There were only footsteps once in a long while in the corridor. The monitoring equipment, however, kept making noise, reminding me that I was still alive."

"That darkness... I suddenly felt like the first half of my life had been a failure."

Jürgen sighed softly.

"I have no friends, no family, only a series of experiments waiting for me to lead, and a whole bunch of cold, impersonal machines."

“But those things won’t be there for you when you’re powerless. It’s just a minor surgery, and I can’t even find someone to stay with me at the hospital.”

"That kind of belated loneliness is deadly, like a knife suddenly stabbing you, and you don't realize for more than 20 years that your wound is still bleeding."

“I was able to get out of bed the next day. I met Litty at the rehabilitation center. She had been taken out for isolation by the caregivers at the welfare home. At that time, the effect of the blocking agent was still very weak, and she had to be sent to the isolation room when she developed symptoms.”

"She chatted with me, saying that the isolation room was scary, but she wasn't afraid because she would use her feathers as a talisman..."

"Then, she gave me the first feather and said it would help me recover quickly."

Jürgen took the feather pendant from his chest and gently stroked it.

"On a whim, I contacted the orphanage and expressed my desire to adopt Litty."

The professor turned to look at Lin Chen and gave him a faint smile:

"Isn't it pathetic? A self-proclaimed visionary only thinks of mending the fence after his mind and body have already decayed."

“I can’t get married. My conscience won’t allow me to do so. All I can do is adopt a child, a child like me, who is isolated from society, incomplete, and in need of help.”

"And my way of making amends after the fact... is to do everything I can to cure her insomnia so that she can grow up like a normal child."

"That way, when I'm old and frail, at least someone will be there to see me off in my old age."

“Isn’t that selfish? Actually, I just wanted to use her,” Jürgen blew on the steam rising from his thermos. “I used her to find more meaning, and I also used her companionship.”

“She was always bullied by her classmates, had to report to anyone she went to in public, and was often looked down upon because of her appearance… Every time I defended her, it felt like I was defending myself, who was also disliked by others.”

"It's as if only in this way can I know who I am."

Jürgen took a sip of water, put the thermos back on, and then looked at Lin Chen with great sincerity.

“Kobayashi, I will not be bought off by the foundation,” he said softly. “Besides Litty, you are my second family, and I have enjoyed working with you.”

“I understand,” Lin Chen quickly said, “that’s not what I was thinking.”

For a fleeting moment, he did wonder: what if the professor, after being bribed by the Foundation, turned around and sold some intelligence from within the Bureau of Investigation to them?

Professor Jürgen's words made him feel somewhat guilty.

Seeing Lin Chen's reaction, Jürgen smiled faintly and said:

“It’s inconvenient for me to take Litty with me while I’m in the United States. I’ve thought about it for a long time and I think that instead of sending her back to the orphanage, I should ask you for help.”

"After all, Liti and Huihui are good friends. The two children study together, so they can keep each other company."

“No problem,” Lin Chen nodded, “You can go without worry.”

Lin Chen understood that this was what he should do.

Because if anything goes wrong with what Professor Jürgen is about to do, it will directly affect his lifelong research goals—

“I can take you to the Foundation’s Westview headquarters,” Jürgen said in a low voice. “This is the last time I will help you before I leave.”

"But we absolutely cannot be found out. If we are found out, they won't let me lead the project."

“I really need this project right now. I want Litty to grow up healthy.”

......

Chapter 123 Operation Codename: Achilles' Heel (Fifth Update)

"Clap."

When Lin Chen led Jürgen into the office of Section One, everyone was already waiting in front of the clue board.

Jiang Zhengge gently patted Jürgen on the shoulder and said:

“If it’s really difficult, you don’t have to help us like this. We can find other ways.”

“Liti also lives in Rain City,” Jürgen placed his hand on Jiang Zhengge’s hand. “Healing her is important, but if this forest is no longer suitable for birds to live in, then who will she sing to once she regains her voice?”

“Thank you for your help,” Li Zhanyi said. “We will definitely not expose you.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll oversee things for you,” Jürgen said with a faint smile. “Besides, the Foundation is my old employer; I know it very well.”

"Let's begin the meeting then." Jiang Zhengge clapped his hands.

"Snapped!"

A photo was pinned to the clue board: the Foundation's Westview Building.

"It is known that the hard drive containing Euclid's weakness and the location of 'Whale Nest' are both inside the Foundation's West Wing building. We need to infiltrate the building and kill two birds with one stone without being detected."

After Jiang Zhengge finished speaking, he looked at Louis:

"Louis, have you found the location of the server room?"

“Based on the blue light that Lin Chen mentioned, the server room is most likely located in the internal network server area on the 45th floor,” Louis said. “To find the location of the ‘Whale Nest,’ we also need to get involved from here.”

"That's definitely killing two birds with one stone," Jiang Zhengge nodded, "but are you sure it's the 45th floor?"

“Believe me, I have reliable intelligence sources,” Louis rubbed his dark circles. “This was earned with my life…”

"That sounds pretty promising," Lin Chen chuckled.

“But getting to the 45th floor is not easy; it requires a Level 3 access card,” Professor Jürgen shook his head slightly. “When I worked at the Foundation, I only had a Level 2 card.”

“I see…” Jiang Zhengge nodded slightly, then turned his head, “Oswald?”

Lin Chen turned his head and saw that Oswald had been sitting in the corner, almost blending into the shadows, like a dead man without emitting any breath.

“The unique feature of the Westview District is the Abnormal Entity Ecological Park,” Oswald said in a hoarse voice. “The ecological park is open every day, and the park’s manager has a Level 2 access card. As long as no alarm is triggered, even if he dies, it will take at least ten days to half a month before he is discovered.”

“So pitiful…” Li Zhanyi was startled.

“The park has its own elevator, which can take you up to the 47th floor,” Oswald said, looking at Jürgen.

“Floor 47 is the restaurant, floor 46 is the conference floor,” Professor Jürgen nodded slightly. “Floor 45 is separate and cannot be unlocked without a Level 3 access card.”

“Break through the outer wall,” Oswald said to Lin Chen. “You can run vertically up the building, so breaking through with a rope shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Yes…indeed?” Lin Chen nodded.

He always felt that this gloomy Oswald... actually quite approved of him.

Enter from the ecological park, get a pass, go to the 47th floor, and then rappel down to the 45th floor.

The general plan and process were thus determined.

“There is a problem,” Professor Jürgen frowned slightly, “The Foundation’s security is very tight. If Lin Chen leaves me for too long, he might be discovered.”

“That’s not a problem,” Oswald said. “After he leaves, I will become like him and continue to follow and protect you.”

“The key point is that Lin Chen cannot be discovered,” Jiang Zhengge said, looking at Lin Chen. “The rope rappelling plan is very idealistic, but the 46th floor is a conference floor. Basically, people are having meetings there every day. The probability of it being approved without being discovered is too low.”

"This is not a problem."

The door to the First Department office was pushed open, and Hua Molan walked in slowly with her arms crossed.

Jiang Zhengge's lips twitched slightly as he said:

"You were eavesdropping on me?"

"Stop being narcissistic. You weren't the one eavesdropping," Hua Molan looked around, "it was your office."

"What's the difference?" Jiang Zhengge asked with a look of disgust. "You're a pervert, Hua Molan."

Hua Molan glared at Jiang Zhengge and said:

"After all, you always try to bypass me in your operations. If I don't know the information, how am I supposed to clean up your messes?"

"Getting back to the point, I just got a phone call and was thinking of making some arrangements with you guys, and it turns out it's perfect."

"What call?" Jiang Zhengge asked.

"The foundation's public relations department has asked me to come for talks," Hua Molan sighed. "You heard me right, talks. You should know who's behind Ms. J, right?"

“The hawks, Mr. Z of the Executive Committee,” Jiang Zhengge nodded, “they are the elder brother of the F Council, right?”

“That’s right. What Ms. J means is that most of these problems are caused by the doves. From the Iron Point Bridge to the Republic, it’s all Euclid behind them.”

Hua Molan skillfully printed out a picture of Euclid, pinned it to the blackboard, and connected him with Ms. J.

"A dove who's even more radical than the hawks...?" Lin Chen frowned.

“You guys are now more radical doves than hawks,” Hua Molan said helplessly, glancing at Lin Chen. “Before, I was the one being pulled back from being too radical; now I’m the one pulling you guys back from being too radical.”

“We are doves of peace, and our wish is for world peace,” Jiang Zhengge smiled. “So? You’ve agreed to peace talks?”

“I originally wanted her to go sleep in Johnston’s crematorium this time,” Hua Molan nodded, “but after thinking about it, maybe your investigation needs an opportunity, and this is just what I’ve come up with.”

Hua Molan took out a floor plan, which showed the layout of the conference room:

"This is the meeting room instruction manual that Ms. J gave me after confirming the invitation. Her sincerity is indeed commendable. We will be responsible for the security arrangements on site."

"The conference hall has a very important function called 'absolute confidentiality'. When activated, it will completely isolate the conference hall from the outside world, and not a single ray of light can get in."

"During Lin Chen's descent from the 47th floor to the 45th floor, we can activate 'absolute secrecy' to prevent those inside the conference room from noticing his descent."

"Not bad, Hua Molan," Jiang Zhengge laughed, "You finally have a use besides exploding gold coins."

"I think you're really keen to confiscate your year-end bonus this year?" Hua Molan narrowed her eyes slightly.

"No, no, you're just kidding, Sister Hua," Jiang Zhengge quickly waved his hand, "You know how hard my life is..."

"Come on, just because of your beat-up wrecked car, the entire investigation bureau thinks you've embezzled." Hua Molan rolled her eyes.

“That’s really what I thought at the time,” Lin Chen nodded.

"Xiao Lin, which way are you siding with?!" Jiang Zhengge felt betrayed.

“In short, Jiang Zhengge and Zhan Yi will act as my bodyguards,” Hua Molan said, glancing around. “Lucy, you and the Second Section’s support team will be on standby a block away. Louis, you will work with Lin Chen to obtain the key data.”

"Understood," everyone said.

"Then let's get ready to go. We'll move out tomorrow."

Hua Molan's gaze finally settled on Lin Chen's face:

Operation codename: Achilles' heel.

......

Chapter 124 Trump Card (First Update)

After leaving the office of the First Department, Lin Chen did not rush home, but got into the car with Professor Jürgen and went to the school together.

It was during school dismissal time, and the setting sun cast the twilight light on the children's bouncing silhouettes, like sparks flying off the ground during blacksmithing.