Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 150 - 146: Baiyue’s Background

Chapter 150: Chapter 146: Baiyue’s Background

"What did her father leave her?" Luo’er asked.

"A diary, it should contain information related to Baiyue’s background." Wang Xu replied.

"Haven’t you read it?" Luo’er inquired.

"It’s unethical to read others’ letters," Wang Xu chuckled, "It was entrusted to me by Dr. Anatoli’s friend, Dr. Han Gu, for safekeeping, with the hopes I’d pass it on to Baiyue once she’s of age."

"And what about him?" Luo’er couldn’t help but ask.

"He has been put under house arrest by the Russian Federal Security Bureau," Wang Xu replied.

"Why?"

"I’m not quite sure, supposedly Dr. Anatoli leaked some national secrets, but that’s just a more official explanation," said Wang Xu.

"Has Dr. Anatoli been involved in the Origin Project?" A thought suddenly occurred to Luo’er and he voiced his question.

"Yes," Wang Xu nodded, "Dr. Anatoli had a good friend, Dr. Han Gu, who was a key figure in the Origin Project."

"So then you revealed the Origin Project to him?" Luo’er asked.

"I can’t quite put it that way, Russia was also involved in the Origin Project," Wang Xu shrugged, "We were all conducting our own research, not collaborating together. Dr. Anatoli wanted to save his wife and brought her from the Otherworld to Earth. Technically, Dr. Anatoli should have given his wife over to the Russian head of the Origin Project, but his wife was barely hanging on, so he chose the nearby Haiya Academy and handed her over to his good friend, Dr. Han Gu."

"Dr. Anatoli’s wife, is her name Aniya?" Luo’er asked.

"I’m not sure," Wang Xu shook his head, "At that time, I was just a service soldier, and only had a bit of inside information because I was close with Dr. Han Gu."

Pausing, Wang Xu continued: "Dr. Anatoli hoped to use Earth’s medical technology to save his wife. There weren’t many research institutes conducting studies on people from Otherworld on Earth at that time. So he brought his wife to Haiya Academy, hoping we could save her. By the time she reached the academy, she was at her last gasp and beyond saving. We discovered she was pregnant during the check-up; so Dr. Han Gu made a decision to extract the fertilized egg, enhance its genes to adapt to Earth’s environment, and leave this child for Dr. Anatoli."

"That child is Baiyue?" Luo’er asked.

"Yes," Wang Xu nodded, his gaze became somber and he sighed softly, "We couldn’t save her mother. Her body was already very weak, coupled with the inability to adapt to the Earth’s environment, so we had to make this tough decision."

Luo’er fell silent upon hearing this, Baiyue’s parents’ ordeal was so similar to his own parents. The only difference was that Luo’er’s father, Luo Chuan, passed away due to erosion of magical power, while Baiyue’s mother indirectly died due to the Earth’s environment. Were unions between Earthlings and Otherworlders destined to only end in tragedy.

Luo’er could understand the decision made by the researchers at Haiya Academy. Unable to save Baiyue’s mother, they decisively chose to let her go, electing to save the child in her womb. If not for that, Baiyue might have died along with her mother.

"Is Dr. Anatoli still under house arrest?" Luo’er asked.

"Yes," Wang Xu nodded after a pause, he couldn’t help but add, "If I guess right, Dr. Anatoli’s house arrest should be related to Baiyue’s matter."

Luo’er nodded in understanding. It was obviously a reasonable guess. Dr. Anatoli chose Haiya Academy, close at hand, instead of handing over his wife to the Russian researchers, giving the academy the second sample of the union between an Earthling and an Otherworlder. This was undoubtedly a great loss for Russia, so his arrest and house arrest by the Federal Security Bureau was essentially expected.

"Can we save him," Luo’er couldn’t help but ask, "using negotiation?"

Wang Xu glanced at Luo’er, and then shook his head, "It’s impossible. Dr. Anatoli is a physics engineering expert, and has no contribution to the Origin Project. The country will not choose to antagonize Russia for his sake."

Luo’er pursed his lips, and nodded in understanding. From a broad perspective, there was indeed no need for the country to disrupt international relations over an insignificant individual.

"But it’s not entirely hopeless," Wang Xu comforted, "If we achieve great success in the Otherworld, our say would be far greater. Perhaps then, we could save Dr. Anatoli."

With a desolate mood, Luo’er left the office. Upon walking to the door, Luo’er realized that Baiyue had been standing outside the door for some unknown time. She leaned against the wall, quietly waiting for Luo’er’s arrival. The glow of the magic crystal lamp illuminated her face, and Luo’er could see her similarly desolate expression.

"Have you been here long?" Luo’er asked.

"Yes," Baiyue replied softly.

"Did you hear everything?" Luo’er asked next.

"Yes!" Baiyue pursed her lips and then nodded slightly.

Luo’er came to her, looking down at her from above. After a long time, he took a deep breath and said softly, "I’m sorry."

Baiyue didn’t speak, but just shook her head. Bowing her head, her fluffy bunny ears drooping, she looked very depressed.

"Let’s go back," Luo’er said.

Baiyue nodded, and the two walked through the long hallway towards the dormitory. But for some inexplicable reason, they ended up on the ground floor and exited through the main entrance. Basking in the bright moonlight outside, Luo’er took a deep, cold breath as a faint sound of sobbing reached his ears.

He looked back to find Baiyue, heads down, incessantly wiping away tears with the back of her hand. But the tears didn’t seem to stop falling; they went drip-drop, and she kept sobbing.

Luo’er reached out, but he stopped just before touching her. In this scenario, he didn’t know how to comfort Baiyue either. They were both in the same situation, so he could understand her anguish.

Baiyue didn’t wait for Luo’er to comfort her, taking the initiative instead. With a step forward, she nestled against his chest, and her low sobs turned into soft whimpers.

"Cry it out!"

Luo’er’s words seemed like a switch for Baiyue; her pent-up emotions suddenly came pouring out like floodwaters. Nestled against Luo’er’s chest, she clutched his clothes tightly and burst into tears.

Luo’er hesitated, but eventually put his arms around her. At this moment, too, he didn’t know how to console Baiyue. She’d just learned about her biological mother, just to find out she had died before Baiyue was even born.

He had always thought his life was the most tragic of all, but now, it seemed like Baiyue’s life was more heartbreaking than his. At least he had some hope, his mother whom he hadn’t seen for decades.

On the other hand, Baiyue had lost everything. Her mother had died before Baiyue was born, and her father was imprisoned by the federal security bureau because of her. Within moments, Baiyue had found her parents, only to lose them in the next.

This kind of pain, of gaining and losing, was undoubtedly a heavy blow to a young girl like Baiyue.

Luo’er vaguely remembered the scene of their first meeting. Dr. Anatoli had looked at Baiyue with the gentle gaze of a father. But they had never imagined that this meeting would be the last for the father and daughter.

After so many years, he didn’t know how Dr. Anatoli was doing. According to Wang Xu, if they wanted to save Dr. Anatoli, they had to make a significant achievement in the Otherworld, only then could they increase their influence.

Baiyue kept crying until her voice was hoarse. Luo’er did not say a word to comfort her; he knew that Baiyue needed to let it all out.

After an unknown period, Baiyue finally stopped crying. She lay in Luo’er’s arms, which by now was soaked with tears, and sniffled occasionally.

"Don’t worry, we know your father is alive in this world somewhere. We will certainly find a way to save him," said Luo’er finally beginning to console her.

"Hm," replied Baiyue with a sniffle.

"When Wang Xu reports his tasks, he will give you your father’s diary as per your father’s wishes," Luo’er continued.

"Thank you, Luo’er," Baiyue, looking up at him sincerely, gratefully responded.

Her big eyes were all red, her fair cheeks clearly marked by tear streaks.

"It’s okay, we’re comrades in arms," Luo’er replied, with a gentle smile.

"Just... comrades?" Baiyue bit her lip. After hesitating for a while, she managed to muster up the courage to ask.

Luo’er was taken aback, facing Baiyue’s passionate eyes; he felt a hot flush on his face. He averted his gaze, gave a cough, and said, "Um, the wind has risen, let’s... go in."

"Hm," Baiyue replied, biting her lip, slightly disappointed.

The two walked side by side into the villa, Luo’er’s chest still stained with Baiyue’s teardrops. They were silent, each lost in their thoughts.

For Baiyue, this was probably her first time confessing her feelings to Luo’er. Although he didn’t respond directly, which was slightly disappointing for her, she was not surprised. After all, Tangmo’s straightforward confession had hit a wall with Luo’er, so she didn’t have full confidence in succeeding either.

At present, for Luo’er, finding his mother was the priority. Plus, with the mission assigned by the headquarters, he simply didn’t have any time to think about personal issues. Whether it was Tangmo or Baiyue’s confessions, or Hu Daoke’s questions, he had always chosen to avoid them.