Chapter 79: The Truth Behind the Past

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"How much do you actually know about the time when the master first came to Kestarl—the occasion when he adopted the young lady?" Shaotian did not answer directly, but instead posed a question to Chen Hao.

Chen Hao was startled and responded instinctively, "Uh... not much. I just know that Mengyan’s biological parents were among a group of researchers who went to Kestarl with my father. There were several elites from various fields with them, all exceptionally accomplished in their respective domains.

But something happened to those people. All of them... except for my father, it seems, either died or disappeared. Mengyan became an orphan because of this and was then adopted by my father.

When I first saw the records, I couldn’t understand why so many experts from different fields would all go to Kestarl at the same time. Now, after hearing your explanation, I finally get it—Kestarl is home to advanced technologies and strange structures! I suppose those people came to research them?"

Chen Shaotian nodded, "Yes, that’s roughly how it happened, but there is a slight discrepancy."

"Where is the discrepancy?" Chen Hao asked.

"Though the records you’ve seen claim that everyone except the master and the young lady died or disappeared, that’s not actually the case," Shaotian explained. "Not all the others met with misfortune. Quite a few actually survived."

"Oh?" Chen Hao was surprised. "Is that so? Why do the records say otherwise?"

Shaotian considered for a moment. "Young master, what I’m about to tell you has been classified as highly confidential by the master—it is strictly forbidden to be disclosed. Technically, I shouldn’t be telling you, but since this trip to Kestarl is related, and because you, the young lady, and Miss Fan are all here—and Mengyan is a survivor from those events—so be it.

But please don’t let this information spread any further. As for the young lady... that’s up to you. You can decide whether to tell her or not, as per the master’s instructions."

"Oh?" Chen Hao was surprised, but also somewhat excited. 'After all these years, Dad is finally willing to share a few things with me.'

"Uh..." Shaotian was a bit speechless and embarrassed. "Please don’t get too excited, young master. The master has strictly forbidden me from telling you anything about the young lady, because he knows you’ll eventually tell her.

He believes it’s still not the right time for her to learn about those events. Besides... actually, regarding her parents, the master didn’t tell me anything either, so even if I wanted to, I couldn’t tell you."

"...Alright! It’s always like this," Chen Hao said helplessly. "Then just tell me what you can and what you know!"

Shaotian nodded. "Earlier we discussed how the master and many researchers came to Kestarl. The truth is, not all those involved in the incident died or disappeared as the records claim."

Chen Hao nodded. "So the story about the accident was fabricated to hide Kestarl’s secrets?"

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"Exactly!" Shaotian affirmed. "The secrets of Kestarl are of grave importance. The building and barrier discovered in the primeval forest are beyond ordinary comprehension. If word got out, it would certainly cause unpleasant repercussions. Most immediately, it would stir panic and curiosity among the locals.

If the locals then spread the news beyond Kestarl, it would become uncontrollable. Merely passing on the message is one thing, but if panic starts to spread, it will hinder social progress.

Moreover, the events at Kestarl proved that the area around the building is fraught with danger. If people, driven by curiosity, ventured there alone, unnecessary casualties would follow—something nobody wants to see."

Chen Hao nodded, then asked, "After the incident, how many survived? What became of them?"

"Besides those confirmed dead or missing, about half of the researchers and support staff survived. Before the mission, they had all signed confidentiality agreements to ensure the secrets of Kestarl were kept.

After the incident, those people were temporarily placed under supervision in a sanatorium. Though they lost some personal freedom, their needs in life and work were met as fully as possible. The only restriction was that they couldn’t contact the outside world.

This was done to prevent leaks, but more importantly, to ensure their safety."

"For safety?" Chen Hao questioned. "Why?"

Shaotian lit another cigarette and took a drag. "The situation back then was a bit different from now. Due to certain circumstances I can’t disclose, some researchers who participated were infected with an unknown virus. The master and his group didn’t know whether it was contagious, nor its potential lethality.

So, for safety’s sake, all those involved—including the master himself—were placed under quarantine."

"There was such a thing?" Chen Hao was shocked. "Dad never mentioned it! No wonder, though he had returned from Kestarl, he didn’t come home for a long time—a rarity for him. He traveled often, but always returned immediately after each trip. So that time, it was because of this!

Dad wasn’t infected, was he?" Chen Hao asked anxiously, though he hadn’t noticed any abnormalities in his father over the years.

Shaotian shook his head. "Don’t worry, the master was not infected. He’s quite healthy, so you needn’t be concerned. After prolonged observation, they found the virus wasn’t contagious; it only parasitized the first host. When the host died, the virus died with them, so there was no secondary infection."

Chen Hao caught a detail in Shaotian’s words. "Wait! You said 'when the host died'? If I remember correctly, the records show that the researchers and support staff involved in the investigation were all quite young—the oldest not over forty. Even if some died recently, that’s only twenty years later, meaning some died before reaching sixty. That’s unnatural death, isn’t it?"

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Shaotian gave Chen Hao a meaningful look. "I didn’t expect you to spot the anomaly from just my words. You’re right—many survivors from that event died unnatural deaths, most during the quarantine."

Chen Hao raised his eyebrows. "Was it because of the virus?"

Shaotian pondered, then replied uncertainly, "It’s highly likely, but we have no direct evidence that the virus caused their deaths."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Chen Hao was puzzled.

"Though all those who died were researchers directly infected with the virus, after investigation, the master and his team found no signs that the virus was fatal. On the contrary, those infected were healthier than normal, even healthier than before.

Some researchers originally suffered from ailments—cervical spondylosis, migraines, hypertension—but after contracting the virus, they recovered. Just as we can’t prove the virus killed them, we also can’t confirm it cured their illnesses."

...

"What a mess!" Chen Hao frowned, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and tossing one to Shaotian before lighting his own.

"So, even now, Dad and his group have no clue about Kestarl. Not only have they failed to unravel the mysteries of the building and barrier, they haven’t figured out the virus either?"

Shaotian sighed helplessly. "That’s just how it is. The barrier around the building is impenetrable; none of our tools or people can enter. Without access, we can’t collect samples for research. As for those involved in the incident, all who contracted the virus died. Those who didn’t, there’s no need to study. So, after all these years, our research into Kestarl has barely progressed."

"What about now?" Chen Hao finally grasped the situation, but pressed another question he had long cared about. "Why did Dad and you come to Kestarl this time? Did something new happen in the primeval forest where the building is? Did someone trespass? Before you arrived today, I heard many planes overhead—not regular passenger jets, but military transports. Has something happened?"

He dropped all pretense and asked directly.

"This is exactly why I came to see you, young master. Something has happened in Kestarl! I’m here to warn you and Miss Mengyan to be very careful. If possible, it’s best to leave here as soon as you can!"

...