Chapter 225: Departure

With a furrowed brow, Zhang Wenda walked into Building 507. Sunlight streamed through the nearby glass windows, casting a mottled pattern of light and shadow on his face.

He had calculated that a single vial of the potion would last for about an hour.

Although he could have the Little Black Cat on Pink Island adjust the Inspiration Potion at any time, he had no intention of entering that state again.

It had been over ten days since he'd found the Hippocampus. For the past ten-plus days, aside from the necessary time for sleep, he had spent nearly all his time in that special state, searching for his so-called "true self."

Being in that state for so long was incredibly draining. So much so that faint dark circles had appeared under his eyes, and his white fur had lost its usual luster.

But he had scoured nearly all of Shanghai, from the forests to the seaside beaches, from the city to the underground parking garages.

But forget the three colors; he hadn't found even a single guiding trace.

'Logically speaking, even if they really ran off, they shouldn't have gone too far. Why can't I find them?'

'Is this thing really that useful? Could the Hippocampus have lied to me?'

The thought crossed Zhang Wenda's mind, and his three-lobed mouth twitched slightly. He was beginning to suspect the Hippocampus had deceived him.

'The most critical issue right now isn't whether I can find them, but whether I'm even on the right path.'

Whether he went to the records department to look through yellowed files or searched online for fragmented information, he had spent the last few days poring over every piece of data he could find, yet he still came up with nothing.

Not to mention, that Soviet had also said the process by which a person's Tide of Thought is born varies from person to person. Even if he found it, it might not be of any use.

Feeling annoyed, he walked past a 7-Eleven. The cigarettes at the entrance immediately caught his eye; the neatly arranged packs of all colors gleamed with a tempting light.

In the past, whenever something was bothering him, he would always have one to calm his nerves. The memory of that fleeting comfort brought by nicotine was now exceptionally clear in his mind.

Zhang Wenda pressed his lips together, and then, to the sound of a DING-DONG from the door, he walked straight inside. A blast of cold air from the convenience store hit him in the face.

A few dozen seconds later, Zhang Wenda walked out again.

His three-lobed mouth wasn't holding a cigarette, but the white stick of an orange-flavored lollipop.

'It was hard enough to get my body over the addiction. Better not pick up this bad habit again,' Zhang Wenda thought as he walked toward his residence.

Maybe it was a subtle impression left over from the children's world, but even though this lollipop wasn't made of liquid happiness, the sweet candy in his mouth really did seem to lift his spirits a little. The candy rolled around in his mouth, making soft clicking sounds.

The moment he pushed open the door to his dorm room, he was met with an unexpected sight.

Under Auntie's supervision, Wang Xiaohua and Song Jianguo were sitting together on the sofa, watching two men fall in love on TV and chattering away about the plot.

The flickering light from the television danced across their faces, creating an unrealistically cozy atmosphere.

'How did they end up hanging out together?' Zhang Wenda walked in, completely astonished, his gaze shifting back and forth between the three of them.

Hearing Zhang Wenda's footsteps, Wang Xiaohua quickly put down her bag of cucumber-flavored potato chips and stood up. "Big Bro! You're back!"

She moved so hastily that a few chips spilled out of the bag.

"You're here? Don't be a stranger, we're all family. Let's all eat here tonight."

As Zhang Wenda spoke, he started walking toward the fridge. "Let me see what we have."

"Big Bro, our team has a mission!" Wang Xiaohua said, catching Zhang Wenda by surprise. "I couldn't get through to you, so the captain asked me to see if you're in." Her voice held a barely perceptible trace of anxiety.

Zhang Wenda pulled out his phone and looked at the missed calls on the screen. He vaguely recalled that, while in that state, he had hit the noisy ringing with what felt like a flurry of punches, sending it fleeing in disarray. A few blurry paw prints were still visible on the screen.

"A mission?"

"Yeah, a mission. Word from the intelligence team is that this one is a B3-level assignment."

After saying this, Wang Xiaohua added emphatically, "Big Bro, don't worry. What happened last time absolutely won't happen again. We sent our own people to investigate."

"Is it the kind where we just have to fight?"

"Yep. Our combat team usually only gets those kinds of missions. But this time, the location is a bit special. It's in Tide of Thought No. 6."

"Tide of Thought No. 6?" Hearing this, Zhang Wenda's heart skipped a beat. 'Since I can't find any clues here, maybe searching somewhere else will lead to a breakthrough?'

Nearby, Song Jianguo saw Zhang Wenda's slightly drooping ears perk up.

'Whether my guess is right or not, I have to give it a try,' Zhang Wenda decided. "Alright, I'll take the mission. When do we leave?"

"This afternoon." Seeing Zhang Wenda accept the mission, Wang Xiaohua's eyes curved into crescents, making her look like a completely different person from the cold-faced girl she was before.

Zhang Wenda looked at her spirited face. Protecting Wang Xiaohua was actually one of the reasons he was going.

After all, he had no desire to deliver a funeral urn to her aunt he'd never met.

"Then let's get ready to go. Meet at the airport at 2 PM." After saying this, Wang Xiaohua immediately turned and left.

"Come visit again when you have time!" Song Jianguo called out reluctantly to her departing figure.

"How did they end up hanging out? And how did they get along so well?"

Zhang Wenda asked Auntie in astonishment, as if searching for an answer.

"With me here, you think they'd start fighting? Isn't it perfectly normal for two young girls of about the same age to hang out? Besides, Mimi is so broad-minded. Nothing ever bothers her." Auntie shrugged.

"Hurry up and eat. After you eat, get ready and head out."

Zhang Wenda then lightly touched the key on his brow and entered his inner self again, asking the Little Black Cat to brew the potion for him. That familiar feeling washed over him as the world around him gradually blurred.

Once everything was ready, a well-fed Zhang Wenda and Song Jianguo arrived at the airport. But unlike last time, Auntie was with them.

"It's been over ten days. Why haven't you left yet?" Zhang Wenda's gaze fell on Auntie's outfit, which was completely out of place.

"Damn! You that eager to see me go?" Auntie shot back, flexing her veiny biceps at Zhang Wenda. Her muscles gleamed with a healthy sheen under the lights.

"Listen to you. I'm just worried about Song Jianguo. Having 'Aunt Flo' visit for this long can't be good for her. I should probably take her to a doctor."

With that, Zhang Wenda walked off toward the crowd in the distance.

Once they were back on the military helicopter, Zhang Wenda noticed a new face in the eight-person squad: a man with a buzz cut and a beard, likely a replacement for the one who died before. The newcomer's eyes held the mix of nervousness and excitement of a first-timer.

But Zhang Wenda wasn't interested in him.

"Can you tell me about Tide of Thought No. 6? It's my first time going to this one, and I'm worried about breaking some taboo."