24 Chapter 21 Goodbye Ross_1

Novels are just fiction. No one took the made-up story in "Bomb Man" seriously, nor did anyone associate it with the recent events in real life. Even those who did think of it deemed it impossible, for it was too fantastical. Little did they know, reality is often more magical than fiction.

Who was the happiest? Of course, it was the reporters and the media. This series of serial killings was one bombshell after another, involving people from all walks of life: the poor, the middle-class landlords, wealthy socialites, pharmaceutical executives, even a Mafia godfather, and a colonel from the military.

The entire America was ignited by the fire of vengeance, whipping up a storm of blood and violence.

The FBI and CAI were frazzled and clueless about where to start their investigation. They couldn't find even a trace of evidence. It seemed as if a group of highly intelligent criminals were killing people at random, with no discernable connection between the victims.

Despite racking their brains, they would never have guessed that it had anything to do with a woman. This was a man's revenge.

What relieved them was that, after the Mafia had been eradicated, this group disappeared, and the case ultimately became a top-secret archived file, as well as the world's greatest unsolved mystery.

Public memory is always quick to fade, except the popularity of "Bomb Man" remained unabated.

Ross knew of a novel called "Bomb Man," and he had also watched the superhero movie adapted from the "Bomb Man" novel. He couldn't say it was completely unrelated to him, it was exactly the same.

The movie grossed over 5 billion dollars worldwide, and was later incorporated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, becoming a massive IP. Its standing in the Marvel Universe was akin to Superman's in DC. In the final battle of the Marvel Universe, Bomb Man and Thanos perished together with a super bomb, making it the swan song. Iron Man, who failed to snap his fingers, started living a brazen life with Pepper Potts.

After completing his revenge, Ross disbanded his team. Laru, Jerry, and the others, with more money than they could ever spend, went off to live their swanky lives.

As for him, he returned to the small town farm with his daughter and two dogs, becoming a farmer.

In the spacious fields, green barley, blue skies and white clouds, small paths with rustic houses, cowsheds and sheep pens, Ross would leisurely work with his farming tools during the tranquil times, with his Husky wagging its tail beside him…

Ross began to enjoy the pleasures of family life, tender moments playing with his daughter, taking her to visit graves. The fissures in his heart were slowly healing.

Over a decade later, Liliya had grown into a tall and elegant young woman, bearing a striking seven-point resemblance to her late mother, especially with her beautiful blond hair.

"Dad, Uncle Laru is here for dinner," she said.

Laru, now a mature middle-aged man, entered the house with Ross.

Ross couldn't help but ask, "Still no trace of Dr. Qin?"

"No, I've taken people to search every corner of the globe, but we've found no sign of Dr. Qin."

Ross looked disappointed.

Another decade passed.

One day, Liliya, now a married woman, gazed at her father, who was old and frail, and asked a question that had been buried in her heart, "Dad, who is Dr. Qin? You often mention that person."

The old man, sitting in a wheelchair and stroking the head of Erha, which was the son of the Samoyed and Tom, buried the two parents together after they passed away.

With cloudy eyes, Ross looked at his daughter and with a wistful expression, began to recount their story.

"That day, I was drinking..."

Liliya, now a wife, was mesmerized as she listened to her father's tale.

"And the ending, Dad?"

"He left, vanished without a trace, and I don't know where he went."

"After that, I searched for over a decade, but I couldn't find him no matter how hard I tried."

"Liliya, I so wish to see him once more."

After Ross finished the story, his wrinkled face was streaked with old tears, leaving Liliya at a loss beside him.

It was a sunny afternoon.

Ross came back for the grenade but noticed something was off. Dr. Qin wasn't engrossed in his lab as usual but sitting on a stool, appearing pensive and somewhat lonely.

"Doctor, what's wrong?" Ross felt an uneasiness in his heart.

Qin Ming did not directly answer his question, "Ross, what is the purpose of a person's life?"

His gaze was distant, still so profound, yet Ross saw an uncommon confusion in his eyes.

Gazing at the boy's youthful face, only then did he suddenly realize that Dr. Qin was just a young kid after all.

Ever since Ross had met Qin Ming, the youth had always acted very maturely, which made Ross feel like he was the child all along.

Ross remained silent; he didn't know the answer to that question, he just wanted to quickly exact revenge on his enemies and then return to a normal life, living with his daughter.

"I'm going to search for the answer."

He patted the dust off himself and stood up, "I have to go now, Ross."

"Dr., where are you going?"

"To a place very, very far away, I might never come back."

"Can you tell me where you're going? Is there something I did wrong, maybe I can change?" Ross asked helplessly, like a child who had accidentally set the house on fire while playing with firecrackers during New Year, with the look of having made a mistake in front of his parents,

"It's not about you, it's my own reasons."

"Then I can call them back to say goodbye to you."

"No, I have to leave immediately, there's not much time left."

Qin Ming shook his head.

05:59

The countdown in front of him displayed clearly.

In six minutes, he was about to leave this world.

There were still many things left undone, the immunotherapy hadn't succeeded yet, he hadn't had time to unveil the secret of the fifth level, but there was no time left.

Qin Ming got up and took the elevator to the second floor, to the room where he always rested.

Ross followed him to the doorway, disheartened: "Will I see you again, Dr.?"

He struggled to suppress his sadness.

"If fate allows, we will meet again."

Qin Ming's back faced Ross, his hand on the doorknob, he paused suddenly, "Oh, Ross, I left you a note, there's something very important in it, I believe you will know what to do."

"Sorry, Ross, I wasn't able to bring Lisa back."

After speaking, he no longer hesitated, pushed the door open and entered.

3, 2, 1.

The countdown ended.

Goodbye, Ross.

Behind the door, Qin Ming's figure gradually blurred and disappeared into the air.

After a long time, seeing that the doctor had not come out, Ross couldn't help but push the door open and walk in, only to see that it was empty without a trace of Qin Ming.

Walking into the room, he found everything was there—guns, food and water, even gas masks and oxygen masks. What shone the brightest were the bag of diamonds and gold, which he recognized as worth hundreds of millions of dollars, that Qin Ming had asked him to buy, still left untouched.

The doctor hadn't taken them but left them for him; Ross was truly moved.

He then picked up the note, and after reading it, his face changed dramatically, staring straight down at the floor, as if trying to see through it.

The note Qin Ming left him held the secret of the fifth level of the base.