24: Director Long, would you like to experience a virtual life?

"A new toy?"

On the other end of the phone, Long Weiguo's sleepiness was instantly and completely scattered by Lu Chen's casual yet weighty remark!

His heart inexplicably skipped a beat!

A fierce, almost animalistic intuition was screaming at him—

This kid had definitely caused another world-shattering sensation!

"You... are at the headquarters?"

"Mhm, just arrived at the entrance."

"Don't move from where you are!"

Long Weiguo practically roared the command!

"I'll be there immediately!"

After speaking, he hung up the phone with a snap.

Listening to the dial tone, Lu Chen revealed a smile that said, "Just as expected."

He knew that once the words "virtual reality" left his mouth.

Tonight, the Kunlun Mountains were destined to have a... sleepless night. Fifteen minutes later.

It was still the same circular conference room, filled with a sense of future technology.

Only this time, the atmosphere was heavier than ever before.

Long Weiguo, Academician Li Zhenbang, Zhang Jingtong, Su Qingying... every core member of the Pangu Project had been emergency-summoned from their sleep, without exception.

Everyone's face showed a trace of sleepy fatigue and... profound confusion.

They couldn't understand what earth-shattering event had occurred that required Lu Chen to wake them all up with such "extreme urgency."

"Lu Chen."

Long Weiguo sat in the main seat, his sharp eyes fixed intently on Lu Chen.

"You had better give me a reasonable explanation."

"Otherwise, the crime of disturbing the sleep of a General and over ten National Treasure Academicians is enough to land you in deep trouble, kid."

His tone was half serious, half joking.

But the invisible pressure he exuded was enough to make any ordinary person weak in the knees.

However, Lu Chen seemed completely unaffected by this pressure.

He calmly reached behind him and took out a... seemingly ordinary, silver-white headband.

The headband had an extremely futuristic design; it was crafted entirely from an unknown metal and pulsed with a soft, light-blue glow.

"This is my... explanation."

Lu Chen gently placed the headband in the center of the conference table.

Everyone's gaze was instantly drawn to the strangely shaped headband.

"What... is this?" Academician Li Zhenbang adjusted his reading glasses and asked curiously. "Some kind of... new brainwave detector?"

"No."

Lu Chen shook his head.

"It is a door."

"A door leading to... an entirely new world."

His voice was quiet, yet it carried a mesmerizing, seductive power.

"Director Long."

Lu Chen's gaze bypassed everyone and focused directly on Long Weiguo in the main seat.

"Before you experience it, I want to ask you a question."

"If you could live your life over again."

"When would you most want to go back to?"

Long Weiguo was stunned.

He hadn't expected Lu Chen to suddenly ask such a... philosophical question.

He fell silent.

A complex emotion, rarely seen by others, flashed across his sharp eyes.

There was nostalgia, regret, and a hint of... deep, searing pain.

After a long time.

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his voice becoming slightly hoarse.

"Thirty years ago."

"The Western Region, 'Operation Falcon'."

"If I could, I would go back before that damned ambush."

"I want to... save my brothers."

After he spoke, the entire conference room fell into a sorrowful silence.

Many people present had heard of that tragic battle.

It was Long Weiguo's greatest regret in life, and his biggest... inner demon.

However, Lu Chen showed no trace of sadness on his face.

He simply nodded calmly.

Then, he picked up the headband and walked over to Long Weiguo.

"As you wish."

He gently placed the headband on Long Weiguo's slightly graying temples.

"What..."

Just as Long Weiguo was about to ask something, a slight, tingling electric current instantly spread from his temples throughout his entire body!

His vision abruptly went black!

All sound and all light instantly faded away from him!

He felt as if his consciousness was being forcefully pulled out of his body by an invisible giant hand!

And then plunged into a dazzling, multi-colored temporal tunnel!

Weightlessness!

The world spun wildly!

This sensation lasted for less than a second!

When he regained consciousness again.

He found that he was no longer in the familiar conference room.

Instead, he was surrounded by... a desert Gobi, where yellow sand filled the sky!

The scorching sun made his skin ache faintly!

The dry wind whipped up grit, striking his face and bringing a coarse sensation!

In the distance, he heard a few hoarse cries of vultures!

And what he was wearing was no longer his crisp Zhongshan Suit.

Instead, it was a faded, smoke-scented, camouflage combat uniform!

What he held in his hand was no longer the pen symbolizing authority.

Instead, it was a cold, heavy object he knew as well as his own body... a Type 95 Assault Rifle!

"Captain Long! Captain Long! What are you spacing out for! Hurry! The enemy is coming!"

An anxious shout, carrying a strong Sichuan accent, came from behind the cover next to him!

Long Weiguo suddenly turned his head!

He saw him!

He saw a dark, young, yet incredibly familiar smiling face!

It was... "Xiao... Xiao Liu?!"

Long Weiguo's eyes instantly turned red!

A torrent of hot emotion surged uncontrollably from his resolute eyes!

This was not an illusion!

This was not a dream!

This touch! This temperature! This damned, familiar smell of wind and sand!

He really... came back!

He really returned to Operation Falcon, the event thirty years ago that had caused him lifelong regret!

Just as he was frozen in a daze due to the immense emotional impact.

Lu Chen's calm voice, sounding as if it came from another dimension, slowly echoed in his mind.

"Director Long."

"Welcome to your... Second Life."

"Here, you can make up for all your regrets."

"However..."

"Please remember, you only have... one chance."

"Now..."

"How do you choose?"