Floating life reflects two lotuses

Chu Wanlian stood before the laboratory's filing cabinet, flipping through the latest research report. The title boldly proclaimed: "Research on Rune Energy and Soul Fluctuation Phenomena." Her gaze quickly swept over several key descriptions; the words "soul resonance," "energy field," and "rune cracks" seemed to ring alarm bells in her mind. Her fingertips involuntarily lingered on a page of analytical diagrams, a strange tremor rising within her.

“These contents…” she murmured softly, her brows furrowing slightly, “could they really be connected to my experiences in some way?”

"It seems this report has indeed piqued your interest." A deep voice suddenly came from behind.

Chu Wanlian was startled and turned around abruptly. Li Chenyao was already standing behind her, holding a cup of coffee in his hand, with a faint smile in his eyes.

"When did you arrive?" Chu Wanlian quickly composed herself, slowly closing the report in her hand with a polite smile on her face.

Li Chenyao shrugged, his tone relaxed: "It probably started when you read about 'soul fluctuations'. The way you were so focused just now almost made me think this was your graduation thesis."

Chu Wanlian was slightly taken aback, then smiled faintly: "I just find the research direction very interesting. The term 'soul fluctuation' is indeed quite attractive."

Li Chenyao approached, placed the coffee cup next to the filing cabinet, and casually moved a few steps closer, his tone slightly teasing: "Not only is it attractive, but it also carries a touch of mystery. For example... does it remind you of anything?"

Chu Wanlian's heart sank slightly, but she remained calm on the surface: "What reminded you of? Director Li, you're really interested in me..."

Li Chenyao smiled, but his gaze never left her face: "I rarely speak without reason. However, some things can't be explained simply by saying them. For example... have you ever felt as if you are sometimes drawn by some kind of energy? Or perhaps, have you experienced memories that don't belong to you?"

Chu Wanlian's fingertips trembled slightly as she suppressed the strange feeling in her heart. She looked up and smiled faintly, "This kind of experience sounds quite mysterious, like a scene from some so-called science fiction novel."

Li Chenyao narrowed his eyes, looking at her with a half-smile: "Science fiction? Maybe. But don't many great discoveries begin in seemingly mysterious places?"

Chu Wanlian smiled lightly and changed the subject: "It seems that Director Li is really interested in these runes."

Li Chenyao leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering: "It's not just runes, there are people too."

Chu Wanlian was taken aback, but quickly concealed her surprise and took the report he handed her: "If there are any other research directions that require my assistance, I will do my best. However, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you regarding those 'soul fluctuations'."

Li Chenyao raised an eyebrow, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "Disappointed? I've never been disappointed in you. On the contrary, I think you're more perceptive than anyone else in the lab."

Chu Wanlian smiled and replied casually, "Thank you so much for your trust, Director Li."

Li Chenyao took a step back, picked up his coffee, and said in a meaningful tone, "Trust is mutual, and I hope that one day you can trust me."

He turned and left. Chu Wanlian watched his retreating figure, the report in her hand slightly warm, but Xiao Jinlian's voice echoed in her mind: "Princess Chu, don't be fooled by his sweet talk."

"Do you need to tell me?" Chu Wanlian replied softly, a complex look in her eyes. "I just hope that I can unravel all the mysteries before he knows everything."

The room returned to silence, but a turbulent undercurrent stirred within her, a mixture of vigilance and a vague unease.

After Li Chenyao left, Chu Wanlian leaned against the filing cabinet, her gaze fixed on the report in her hands, her heart churning with turmoil. Suddenly, Xiao Jinlian's voice rang in her mind, carrying a hint of warning: "Your Highness, you must be careful. His probing is quite obvious."

Chu Wanlian replied in a low voice, "I know, but if we keep pretending to be stupid, he will see through us sooner or later. We can't hide forever."

“We can’t take the risk.” Xiao Jinlian’s voice was calm and decisive. “Li Chenyao clearly has a deep understanding of the connection between runes and the soul, which is something that ordinary researchers cannot do. We haven’t fully figured out his background yet.”

Chu Wanlian sighed softly and closed the report: "And what about you? What exactly did you discover at that place of offering spirits?"

Xiao Jinlian's voice trailed off for a moment, tinged with a hint of helplessness: "That secret chamber is unfathomable. Although we found some clues about the runes, we couldn't get to the core. However, I suspect that these runes point to a secret of royal inheritance, possibly related to ancestral sacrifices."

"Inheritance?" Chu Wanlian frowned. "Is it the inheritance of power, or some kind of information?"

“It’s more like an ancient ritual.” Xiao Jinlian’s tone became more serious. “The runes repeatedly mention ‘bloodline.’ Perhaps the key to activating some kind of power lies hidden in the royal bloodline.”

Chu Wanlian pondered for a moment, her gaze falling back to a page of data in the report: "The laboratory is also studying the phenomenon of 'bloodline resonance.' If these runes really have such an effect, then the laboratory's research direction... may be more dangerous than we imagine."

“Chu Wanlian,” Xiao Jinlian said urgently, “you must find out the core research content of the laboratory as soon as possible. If they are really trying to activate the power of the runes, the consequences could get out of control.”

Chu Wanlian closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then said firmly, "I will find a way. But before that, we must maintain our disguise and not reveal any flaws."

As night fell, Chu Wanlian sat alone at her desk, the report in her hands reopening. The soft, candlelight of the desk lamp illuminated the pages, and her gaze lingered on an analysis chart of runic energy fluctuations. A certain set of symbols was strikingly identical to the runes Xiao Jinlian had described at the Land of Sacrifice.

“It really wasn’t a coincidence.” She murmured to herself, her finger tracing the edge of the symbol, a bold conjecture gradually emerging in her mind: “If the laboratory is also simulating these energy fields, perhaps we can use their research to find deeper secrets of the Sacrifice Land.”

Xiao Jinlian's voice echoed in his mind again, tinged with caution: "What do you plan to do?"

Chu Wanlian's lips curled into a cold smile: "I'll borrow their power. Since they're so eager to unlock the secrets of the runes, I'll go with the flow and find the answer before they do."

She closed the report and put it back in the drawer, but unexpectedly her phone screen lit up. It was an anonymous text message, simple in wording, yet chilling:

"The power of runes is far beyond your imagination; be careful of those around you."

Chu Wanlian stared at the screen, her brows furrowing slightly, her fingertips tracing the edge of the phone: "It seems someone doesn't want me to continue the investigation."

"Friend or foe?" Xiao Jinlian's voice was low and cold. "But no matter who it is, we cannot let our guard down."

Chu Wanlian remained silent for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the lab report on the table with a deep intensity. A resolute thought rose in her heart: "No matter who they are, the more they try to stop me, the more I will investigate to the end."

Outside the window, the night was deep and still. A few gusts of wind swept by, rustling the leaves. The stillness of the night concealed the turmoil that was about to unfold.