Chapter 1, When We Meet Again

The man at the forefront has a head of jet-black, tousled hair, with both hands tucked into the pockets of his white robe. He is tall and slender, moving with a gait that appears leisurely yet decisive. The lenses of his glasses reflect the sunlight, obscuring his eyes; however, the curve from his jawline to chin is graceful, his nose is straight, and his lips are thin. Although he wears the same white robe as everyone else, the sunlight striking him seems to reflect intensely, yet it carries no warmth, exuding an air of cold indifference. He is so striking that one cannot help but notice him at a glance, much like a solitary tree standing straight in a vast ice field, isolated from the world and repelling all who approach.

"Hey! Are you feeling nervous?" Jian Zhongli Jin appeared somewhat distracted, while Chu Zhenting looked around. She gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder, "Don't worry, since you passed the written exam, the interview will definitely be fine. Although the threshold for COT is quite high, nothing in this world is absolute. As long as you have the capability, even without a university degree, it doesn't mean you can't find a job! Just stay calm and perform normally. Even if you can't enter the research institute as a researcher, you can still consider working as an ordinary employee at the Thorn Crown Group. The salary at Thorn Crown is famously high, and the employee benefits are quite good. By the way, what is your name?"

The headquarters of the Thorn Crown Group is located in the urban area of Lan City, while the COT Research Institute is situated on the outskirts of Lan City, in a sparsely populated area with a vast expanse of land. Three research buildings, several staff dormitories, and employee recreational facilities are all concealed within the five undulating mountains surrounding the site. The entire northern edge of Lan City is the territory of COT.

The notebook was opened, and the first page read "A Zhongli Jin." Zhongli Jin quickly picked up the pen and wrote a few words in the blank space, noticing that the handwriting was the same, thinking to himself that "Zhongli Jin" must be his name. Continuing to flip through, the notebook contained simple phrases, without complete records of any events, usually only a few words per page, such as: Annoyed, incomplete DNA molecular structure, Z, cancer cells being engulfed, excessive recoil, detestable Z, not finished with him, Z, Z, Z... Continuing to flip, the notebook contained simple phrases, without complete records of any events, usually only a few words per page, such as: Annoyed, incomplete DNA molecular structure, Z, cancer cells being engulfed, excessive recoil, detestable Z, not finished with him, Z, Z, Z... Height 188cm, COT, robbed again, damn...

Hmm?

Lan City is a first-tier metropolis at the forefront of development, where several prominent families have established their presence. Among them, the century-old Fu family stands as the leading figure and a symbol of Lan City, making it a mere fantasy for outsiders to seek to settle here

Dr. Z is not only the chief scientist at the COT Institute under the Thorn Crown Group, but also the big boss of the Thorn Crown Group. The scientific machines, medical instruments, weaponry, and pharmaceuticals developed by the Thorn Crown Group occupy more than half of the market in Asia, almost presenting a state of semi-monopoly, leaving others far behind, both in legitimate and illicit circles, retreating in avoidance.

The bus stopped in front of one of the research institutes, the doors opened, and people began to get off. Zhong Li Jin suddenly heard a short gasp from Chu Zhen Ting. Before he could react, he was pushed and bumped against the back of the seat in front of him. Frowning, he looked at Chu Zhen Ting, who was leaning against the glass window, staring blankly outside. Following her gaze, he immediately squinted slightly as his eyes were somewhat scorched by the sight.

Upon waking from a deep sleep, I found that I had forgotten everything, including what my feelings were like

The young lady, however, seemed completely oblivious to her surroundings, still excitedly and uncontrollably engaging in conversation with Zhong Li Jin: "Are you also going for the COT interview? No, everyone should be going for interviews today! Which department are you interviewing for? The Biological Research Department? The Weapons Development Department? Or the Medical Research Department? I am interviewing for the Medical Research Department! For my male idol! Oh my, oh my, just thinking about working under the same roof with someone who has a doctor's degree makes me so excited! The Weapons Development Department? Or the Medical Research Department? I am interviewing for the Medical Research Department! For my male idol! Oh my, oh my, just thinking about working under the same roof with someone who has a doctor's degree makes me so excited! What should I do, what should I do!"

This world is very unfamiliar, so something happened. Everything is strange, including herself; everything is inexplicably unsettling, instilling a sense of insecurity and a certain fear within her, as if there are landmines everywhere, as if she is an unexpected outsider, and none of this belongs to her, with the constant threat of being expelled at any moment.

Zhong Li Jin displayed a look of impatience as he gazed out the window. Outside, there were the continuously unfolding man-made mountain walls that moved along with the bus. The walls were covered with vines and delicate purple flowers, while tall trees stood majestically above the cliffs, some upright and others sprawling, resembling individual knights with distinct personalities.

She saw a group of individuals dressed in white research lab coats, walking briskly and decisively across the spacious concrete square under the bright sunlight, heading towards a person in a black suit approaching them from the opposite side

Oh my God! Can't you say..." She suddenly realized something, covered her mouth, and looked at her with a face full of shock and sadness

The vehicle navigated through winding mountain roads for nearly two hours, with a concealed surveillance camera and several specialized radiation scanners positioned approximately every 50 meters. These devices scanned for metal objects, radioactive materials, and even the viruses carried by the cells of the individuals inside the vehicle. By the time they passed the first monitoring device, the basic privacy of everyone in the car had already been disclosed to certain personnel at the headquarters far away.

The slender fingers tapped lightly on the table

Wen Pinyan, dressed in a casual yet elegant black suit, stood in front of the desk, looking at the person inside, his voice gentle like that of a refined gentleman: "I heard that Dr. Astrid is currently in China"

Zhong Li Jin got out of the taxi and looked at the undulating mountains ahead. A cement road stretched far into the mountains, flanked by tall trees. At the intersection, there was a bus stop sign that read "COT Direct Bus Waiting Area." Standing beside the sign were quite a few people, both men and women, young and middle-aged, totaling around thirty individuals. Some were chatting, while others had their heads down, murmuring to themselves. At the intersection, there was a bus stop sign that read "COT Direct Bus Waiting Area." Standing beside the sign were quite a few people, both men and women, young and middle-aged, totaling around thirty individuals. Some were chatting, while others had their heads down, murmuring to themselves.

Zhong Li Jin looked at her shy smile, chose to ignore it, got into the car, and took a vacant seat by the window. Unexpectedly, just as she sat down, a person appeared beside her, and it was the chubby girl.

The sound of typing has vanished without a trace

Zhong Li Jin stood in the corner, maintaining a distance from others that she felt was safe

Zhong Li Jin could not help but twitch the corner of his mouth, "Zhong Li Jin."

She woke up in a restroom stall of the airport waiting area, only to find that she had lost her memory

... ...

A black and a white faction gathered, and the two leaders shook hands before parting ways, heading towards the rows of shiny black cars parked over there

The closer they got to the area where the COT Research Institute was located, the quieter the bus became, until gradually only the sound of Chu Zhenting's chatter remained

"Then if I catch her, can I kill her?" Wen Pinyan's voice softened a little

As you wish

Hey! So you are not mute! You startled me! Li Jin, your name sounds really nice! Let me tell you...

The person continued to move, silently asking, "And then?"

She resembled an infant just born from the womb, her mind a blank slate, unaware of who she was, unaware of why she was here, with nothing in her mind, an emptiness all around

If one day you find that you have forgotten something, just go back and look for Z

Certainly, there are some exaggerations, but it must be said that this indeed demonstrates the power and authoritarian nature of COT

Zhong Li Jin finally turned to look at Chu Zhen Ting, feeling somewhat surprised. Indeed, one should not judge a person by their appearance. However, he did not think much of her capabilities; he was merely pondering whether she had attended university and, if so, which university it was.

She always goes against us, and this time she actually dared to come to our territory. Shouldn't we teach her a lesson?" Wen Pinyan said, his gaze towards that person carrying a hint of probing.

Zhong Li Jin contemplated for a moment and then walked over

Two and a half hours later, they finally arrived at the gathering place of the Thorn Crown Group's research institute, where the various buildings were scattered in front of and behind the mountains, not closely situated together

Zhong Li Jin Yi attracted considerable attention upon her arrival, as she possessed an excessively striking face. However, it was not long before everyone turned their heads away. Compared to being a beauty, the ability to become a researcher at COT was deemed far more important.

As if encountering an acquaintance in an endless nightmare, Zhong Li Jin felt a sense of security. Just as she was about to put everything back into her bag, a small note suddenly floated out from her notebook. The handwriting was not hers; it was somewhat messy, as if written in a hurry.

At this moment, in a laboratory within the first research building of the COT Institute, a figure is seated behind three computers, with both hands placed on two keyboards, typing away. The hands are long and slender, with evenly spaced joints, and the skin tone is somewhat pale

My goodness... I can't believe my luck, I actually saw my idol Zdoctor's degree before the interview!" Chu Zhenting excitedly grabbed Zhong Lijin's arm and shook it wildly, "Zdoctor's degree! You must know about him! He is hailed by the scientific community as a once-in-a-millennium genius, the only one in history to have won all the most prestigious awards in the field before turning thirty, a prodigy who has repeatedly broken the myths created by Dr. Astrid..." Chu Zhenting's eyes seemed ready to leap out of their sockets as she wanted to rush over and stick to that person. She turned her head and realized that what she was holding was not Zhong Lijin's arm, but a thick curtain. Turning again, she saw Zhong Lijin quickly running past from under the bus.

... ...

"Hello, how are you?" She greeted Zhongli Jin with a radiant smile

Zhong Li Jin furrowed his brows as he stared at the note for a moment, then tucked it back into his notebook

What is that widely circulated saying? Well, in the territory of COT, you have no secrets that cannot be revealed

Ah! By the way, my name is Zhu Zhenting, and I graduated from Harvard Medical School in the United States. What about you?

She made an effort to calm herself down, trembling slightly as she emptied the contents of her bag: a wallet, a black notebook, a set of keys, and a pen. Aside from that, there was nothing else. She rummaged through the wallet, which contained several credit cards, a few hundred US dollars, and RMB. Other than that, there was nothing.

More than an hour later, the taxi took Zhong Li Jin far away from the city center, as if entering a mountain village. As far as the eye could see, there were towering mountains, undulating and shrouded in shadows

Interview

In the Western world, there exists a major arms dealer, the White Empire Group, which operates under a strict policy of avoidance. Meanwhile, the Thorned Crown in Lan City is a colossal serpent that dominates the entire Asian region, being the largest arms dealer in Asia. It has collaborations with multiple countries and maintains particularly close ties with the domestic military sector. The reason is simple: within the Thorned Crown, there is a Dr. Z, who is comparable to Dr. Astrid, working for the White Empire Group in the United States, and there are even signs of Dr. Z surpassing her.

Indeed, today is the day of the graduate school interview

The most frequently appearing letter is "Z". Flipping to the next page reveals a complete word, "Dr. Z". Upon seeing this term, a vague silhouette suddenly emerged in Zhong Li Jin's blank mind. The silhouette was white, tall and slender, with black hair like ink, quietly standing by the window, resembling a tree made of ice standing in the vast, desolate ice field, proud and indifferent, keeping others at a distance.

This is the airport

She hailed a taxi outside the airport and tentatively brought it up. The driver, however, was fully aware of the place, glancing at her in the rearview mirror while driving, and said with a smile: "Beautiful lady, are you also going for an interview at the research institute?"

She urgently needs to know any information about herself or to find anyone who might know her, so she is going to look for Z in the *Picture* book. Based on the scattered information in the notebook, it is inferred that Z holds a doctor's degree and works at a well-known research institute called Crown of Thorns (abbreviated as COT), which is located in Lan City

Before long, a blue bus bearing the emblem of the Thorns Crown Group emerged from the mountains. After changing direction, it stopped at the bus stop, and the doors opened, allowing people to board in succession. Just as Zhong Li Jin was about to get on the bus last, a small car rushed over in a hurry. A slightly plump girl wearing glasses, looking like a bookworm and sweating profusely, dashed out of the car and ran towards her, nearly colliding with Zhong Li Jin.

At this moment, Zhong Li Jin was not in the mood to make friends with anyone; her mind was blank, solely focused on finding that Zdoctor's degree to seek assistance. Aside from that, she harbored wariness and insecurity towards everyone. Thus, she furrowed her brows and leaned to the side, clearly displaying a sense of rejection.

It turns out that today is the day of the interview at the COT Research Institute. It is quite fortunate that Zhong Li Jin came, otherwise, at any other time, the institute strictly prohibits entry to anyone other than staff members.

Zhong Li Jin stood in front of the mirror, gazing at the unfamiliar woman within. She was a remarkably beautiful woman, with an exquisitely delicate and bright face the size of a palm. Her eyes, shaped like alluring peach blossoms, were long and gracefully contoured, naturally carrying a hint of a smile. Her nose was straight and prominent, her lips were red and her teeth white, and her long, thick black hair cascaded down in soft, natural large waves, exuding a bold and elegant beauty. Even though her complexion was pale at that moment, her naturally smiling peach blossom eyes were filled with confusion and panic.

However, since the passing of the old master and his wife over a decade ago, the Fu family has been under the control of the son-in-law Zhang Zhengcai. The only remaining bloodline, Fu Qingliu, has fallen into disrepute and gone missing, leading to a period of turmoil in Lan City. In the following years, although Zhang Zhengcai proved to be quite capable, he could only manage to maintain the Fu family's position as the foremost in Lan City, preventing other covetous families from usurping it. He was powerless to stop other forces from invading Lan City and dividing its limited resources. Thus, a small group, like a seed, was quietly sown, and within a few short years, it rapidly sprouted and grew.

If you think that the White Empire Group would allow her to wander around freely and seek her own demise, then that voice was flat and devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if that greatest opponent were merely an ant, with life and death being of no consequence to him, and he cared not at all