Nana, My Condolences

Did they know Xiang Kun went to Antarctica?

Tang Baona's eyes widened, and for a moment she didn't know how to answer.

Tang Baoting smiled and said, "Nana, do you still remember that Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Wooden Carving that Xiang Kun made before?"

Tang Baona suddenly realized that when Xiang Kun made that Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Wooden Carving for her grandfather, her sister Bao Ting and brother-in-law Gao Yao had both seen it and even played with it.

Needless to say, her maternal grandfather and second uncle were even more upset. Her second uncle even took the wood carving to a craftsman to have it made, but the craftsman sent it back saying "it can't be made," which is when she found out and threw a tantrum.

Looking back now, it seems that the so-called "master" wasn't just talking nonsense. The dreams that my second uncle and maternal grandfather had weren't without reason either. Xiang Kun's Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Wooden Carving really did have the ability to evoke fear.

When the Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Giant illusion appeared in Montamira, her older sister and second uncle had subtly inquired about it. However, at that time, she herself did not believe that the eight-armed, eight-eyed illusion in Montamira was really related to Xiang Kun. Yang Zhen'er's conjecture was refuted by her, so she did not respond to her second uncle and older sister's tactful inquiries.

After the Antarctic Crisis, the vision of Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Giant appeared simultaneously around the world and was directly related to the Pacific Ocean superstorm that averted the Antarctic Crisis. People all over the world were discussing it enthusiastically, but my uncle, sister, and brother-in-law stopped asking about it.

She thought her family had dispelled their suspicions about Xiang Kun and the wood carving, but unexpectedly, three years later, her second uncle suddenly spoke and revealed Xiang Kun's true whereabouts.

So, they've always known the truth, but just kept quiet about it?

Seeing that Nana still had her beautiful big eyes wide open, with an expression that said, "What are you saying? I don't understand," Grandpa Mr. Feng also said:

"Nana, we know that the resolution of the 'Antarctic Crisis' is related to Xiang Kun."

"Ah, Grandpa, Second Uncle, you all know?" Upon hearing this, Tang Baona truly relaxed, because she no longer had to worry about saying the wrong thing and "leaking" the secret.

Second Uncle Feng Xiuye laughed and said, "I thought that wood carving was a bit magical at first, but later that 'master' surnamed Du was arrested by the police for fraud. I thought I was just overthinking it, and I felt really guilty towards Nana and Xiang Kun."

Tang Baona smiled a little embarrassedly, "I didn't know that back then either."

Feng Xiuye continued, "Later, when I saw the news about the Montamira incident and the tourists being interviewed about their experiences seeing the Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Giant, I knew... my nightmare wasn't a coincidence; it was definitely related to the wood carving. Since the wood carving was made by Xiang Kun, it means that the Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Giant... should also be related to Xiang Kun."

Tang Baoting laughed, "Back then, my second uncle secretly asked me if Xiang Kun had shown any unusual behavior, like frequently disappearing for extended periods. He suspected Xiang Kun might have an official background, something not recorded in his resume, the kind that ordinary people couldn't find. Otherwise, why would the 'master' be arrested by the police as soon as the wood carving came into his hands? Xiang Kun wasn't in Shenhai at the time; he went to Haixi, so my second uncle suspected that the Montamira incident was Xiang Kun carrying out an official mission..."

Tang Baona laughed non-stop for a while before finally stopping and saying, "Second Uncle, your imagination is really on the same wavelength as Yang the Third's, hahaha!"

Feng Xiuye said helplessly, "I wasn't really sure at the time. I just suddenly had that idea, so I only asked Tingting about it in private. I didn't dare to tell the old man."

"But I didn't expect that my second uncle would actually guess right this time," Tang Baoting said.

"Oh? How did you know you guessed right?" Tang Baona asked curiously. She had heard some things from Lao Xia and Alice, and knew that Xiang Kun had made contact with "Shenxing Technology," Mr. Liang, and Old He several months after the Montamira incident. Before that, he probably wasn't an official. He went to Montamira mainly to save Lao Xia's cousin Xia Tianhuo, but he happened to encounter a riot, so he used the fear projection of the "Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Wooden Carving" to quell it.

"Of course, it's because of the Antarctic Crisis three years ago," Feng Xiuye said. "Now, the international community basically believes that our country secretly orchestrated the resolution of the Antarctic Crisis. Your grandfather knows some information; our official sources did know in advance that the Antarctic Crisis would occur, and even the specific time it would be resolved. The story circulating online about someone causing a lightning storm on the beach and then taking off on the lightning is also true. After analyzing all this information, we think that Xiang Kun is very likely that person. Even if it's not him, he's definitely involved."

Mr. Feng also said, "I heard you mention before that Yang Zhen'er's cousin, the little girl surnamed Xia who always played with you, quit her job at the hospital and has been in charge of a breeding Research Base in Haixi Province. I've heard some news that the Research Base has gathered many important researchers and may be a place that can determine the future direction of the world. These are the exact words of an old friend I trust very much."

"Nana, 'Shenxing Technology' and your 'Universe Technology' have also been assisting the government in secret research, right?" Feng Xiuye said, paused, and added, "Of course, if there are any classified details, you won't answer."

"Well... all I can say is that Grandpa is really well-informed," Tang Baona said with a hint of helplessness.

In fact, she also knew that the strategy set by Xiang Kun, Mr. Liang, and Old He was to reveal some of the truth about the resolution of the "Antarctic Crisis" in a moderate way, so that some people in other countries would know who the savior of the world was and who had the right to speak in the "Post-Antarctic Crisis Era".

Therefore, within China, the topics of "Mutated Creature," "Antarctic Crisis," the illusion of Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Giant, "Universe Technology," the Research Base in Chongyun Village, and Xiang Kun are, within a small circle, open secrets to high-ranking officials and researchers involved in related fields.

Given his maternal grandfather's connections, it's not surprising that he was able to obtain some relevant information. Combined with his prior knowledge of the "Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Wooden Carving," it's not surprising that he was able to deduce a conclusion close to the truth.

However, it was precisely because they thought Xiang Kun was going to Antarctica to save the world that his maternal grandfather, uncle, sister, and brother-in-law didn't join his mother in questioning Xiang Kun whereabouts.

Tang Baoting had been observing her younger sister's expression, and suddenly asked, "Nana, Xiang Kun... he couldn't have already sacrificed himself, could he?"

Tang Baona was taken aback and asked in surprise, "Sister, why do you say that?" She noticed that at the same time her sister asked the question, Gao Yao, her two uncles, and her maternal grandfather all looked at her at the same time, obviously they had discussed this question in private.

"It was your brother-in-law who analyzed it!" Tang Baoting immediately betrayed her teammate.

Gao Yao could only say, "I just have some doubts... because after the 'Antarctic Crisis' was averted by that super lightning storm that formed in the Pacific Ocean, our country didn't immediately send anyone to Antarctica, nor were we proactive in establishing Research Base Antarctica. And the various national expeditions and survey teams that did land in Antarctica didn't find anything substantial other than the huge footprints. And Xiang Kun hasn't returned..."

Tang Baona asked curiously, "But didn't I tell you that Zhen'er, Lao Xia, and other people in the company often talk to Xiang Kun still involved in company decision-making? By the way, sister, last New Year's Day, when Xiang Kun was talking to Brother Bin and Zicheng on speakerphone, weren't you there? You heard it, right?"

Gao Yao said, "That's exactly what's strange. Since we know that Xiang Kun didn't go to Europe on a business trip three years ago, but to Antarctica, how could he possibly have the means to call back so often? If he could call back so often, he should logically have a way to come back too. So I suspect that Xiang Kun's voice might be a fake created by your company using AI. After all, in the 'Voice Genesis' game three years ago, you already had voice NPCs that were indistinguishable from players' voices."

Then, Gao Yao said somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm just guessing, I'm not really sure, and I don't have any concrete evidence. Besides, your sister didn't finish what I was saying. What I said was... I think Xiang Kun might be injured or even killed. The probability of him being killed is still very small. I think maybe he was injured in the 'Antarctic Crisis' and is recuperating somewhere, making it inconvenient for him to come back, or maybe he has actually already come back but it's inconvenient for him to meet with his parents or others, so he can only use the excuse of a business trip to delay it."

Tang Baona was stunned. Although her brother-in-law's "guess" differed in many details, the result was not far off— Xiang Kun's current condition, while not "sacrificed" or "recovering from injuries," was indeed "inconvenient to come back," and he could only use the excuse of a business trip to delay.

Tang Baoting, who had been paying close attention to her sister's changing expressions, misread her tone. She reached out and patted her shoulder, saying in a somewhat heavy voice, "Nana, my condolences."

Tang Baona was both amused and exasperated. "What nonsense! Sis, don't talk nonsense, Xiang Kun is alive and well!"

As she spoke, a mischievous thought suddenly came to her mind. She took out her phone and said, "If you don't believe me, I'll call Xiang Kun and have him tell you!"

So she dialed Xiang Kun's number and put it on speakerphone.

After ringing seven or eight times, the phone was answered, and it was indeed Xiang Kun's voice. "Hello, Nana?"

"Are you busy right now? My sister and my grandfather want to talk to you," Tang Baona said seriously, suppressing a laugh.

"Huh? Talk to me?" Xiang Kun sounded somewhat surprised.

Tang Baoting quickly asked, "Xiang Kun! Where are you?"

"Oh, Sister Tingting? I'm on a business trip in Europe."

"Specifically in Europe!"

"Before in Sassnitz, now in Hirtshals, you probably haven't heard of these places..."

Tang Baoting suddenly asked an unrelated question, "When Gao Yao and I first went to your house, what dishes did you cook?"

Xiang Kun's voice was hesitant and confused. "It's been so long, how could I remember? Sister Tingting, why are you suddenly asking this?"

Tang Baoting urged, "It's impossible that you can't remember any of them, just name one!"

"I remember there was dry pot rabbit, you and Lao Gao both really liked that dish, and what else... wait, Sister Tingting, why are you asking about this?"

Tang Baona said with a smile, "My sister and brother-in-law suspect that your voice is simulated by AI."

"Huh?" Xiang Kun's voice chuckled, "Why would you think I'm an AI-simulated voice? Does Sister Tingting think that you and Yang the Third killed me and secretly buried me somewhere to seize control of the company, and then replaced me with an AI voice?"

"You're kidding me!" Tang Baona laughed, secretly pinching her thigh under the table to keep herself from bursting out laughing.

"Xiang Kun, when are you coming back? I'd like to talk to you about wood carving again. The sparrow wood carving you gave me before was very nice. Do you have any new works?" Mr. Feng said with a smile.

"Teacher Feng, I've been too busy lately and haven't had time to do wood carving. I'll visit you with Nana when I get back."

"Xiang Kun, what is the connection between those Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Giants that appeared in various places three years ago and your Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Wooden Carving?" Feng Xiuye then asked.

"Well... I can't say there's no connection, but it's not convenient to talk about the exact extent of the connection over the phone. Let's talk about it when I get back," Xiang Kun said hesitantly.

Tang Baoting asked, "Xiang Kun, are you really in Europe?"

"Of course I'm here, where else would I be, in Antarctica?" Xiang Kun said with a laugh.

"In that place called hope..."

"Hirtshals, in Denmark."

"Then Nana and I will come visit you when we have some free time!"

"Sure, this place is great for tourism. But by the time you arrive, I might not be here anymore. I have to go to Norway, then Sweden, and then Finland."

"Xiang Kun, can you tell me exactly what you were doing on your business trip in Europe? If it's about market expansion, you wouldn't have gone there for so long on your own, would you?" Gao Yao asked.

"I can only say it's related to Lao Xia's research, but I can't say too much more specifically," Xiang Kun said hesitantly.

After the call connected, Tang Baona barely spoke, secretly watching her sister, brother-in-law, uncle, and grandfather communicate with "Xiang Kun" through the phone, observing their expressions and sensing their Emotional Melody to judge the state of their communication with "Xiang Kun".

After realizing that her sister and brother-in-law had all taken the voice of "Xiang Kun" in the phone as the real Xiang Kun, Tang Baona couldn't help but feel secretly delighted, as if her prank had succeeded.

The voice of "Xiang Kun" was, of course, an imitation by Alice, but Tang Baona was confident that her sisters would not be able to tell the difference.

You know, she, Yang the Third, Little Apple, and Little Bell had previously tested Alice's "simulated Xiang Kun". Just from the perspective of voice communication, even they, who were so familiar with each other, couldn't tell them apart, let alone Bao Ting and Gao Yao.

Moreover, Tang Baona and the others tested Alice even though they knew beforehand that Alice was conducting the simulation, and they still couldn't find any loopholes. Alice knew every detail of their interactions. Even things that happened before Alice integrated into the "Super-Sensing Item System" and that she didn't remember, she could "guess" them with a high degree of accuracy based on their reactions, conversations, and various past information details.

Aside from "superhuman" individuals Mom Xiang who rely on "blood intuition" to make judgments, most people simply cannot tell whether someone is the real Xiang Kun by communicating through voice alone.

However, Mom Xiang must not know that he is talking to "Xiang Kun" on the phone at this time, otherwise the "crime" of Xiang Kun deliberately not answering his mother's calls will be confirmed.

After finishing her call with "Xiang Kun," Tang Baona put her phone away and couldn't help but ask Gao Yao, "So, brother-in-law, was that voice an AI imitation? Was it a fake Xiang Kun?"

Gao Yao instinctively shook her head. "This is definitely not AI... But after talking to Xiang Kun for a bit, I'm starting to believe he's in Europe now. Did he finish resolving the 'Antarctic Crisis' and then go to Europe on another mission?"

Tang Baoting said, "I realized that we talked to Xiang Kun for a long time, and it seemed like we had a very lively conversation, but we didn't actually get any answers. After hanging up the phone, I felt even more confused."

Mr. Feng chuckled, "Forget it, as long as we know Xiang Kun is one of us, a great hero, and doing something important, that's enough. Hehe, as for his relationship with Nana, let the young people decide for themselves."

After chatting for a while at her maternal grandfather's house, Tang Baona left in her sister's and brother-in-law's car.

After getting out of the car at the entrance of her residential compound, saying goodbye to her sister and brother-in-law, and watching their car drive away, Tang Baona didn't immediately head home. Instead, she took out her phone and asked directly, "Alice, are you aware of the suspicions my sister and her family had before?"

Alice's voice came through the phone. "Of course I know!~"

"Then why didn't you notify me?" Tang Baona asked curiously.

"Nana, didn't you say that we shouldn't report every little detail about our family members, and that we should only tell them when they are in danger or in trouble?" Alice said.

Tang Baona was speechless for a moment, because these were indeed the words she had instructed Alice to say.

For a period of time, she had Alice report on what other people were saying about her and their opinions of her. As a result, Alice became particularly gossipy during that time. Not only her sister, brother-in-law, father, mother, but also her maternal grandfather, uncles, aunts, and paternal Alice would report on her whenever they talked about her in private, or even just mentioned her name. Sometimes she would even create virtual images to vividly "recreate the scene".

At first, she found it quite interesting, but as time went on, she realized that if Alice knew everything, something was not quite right. Even though those people were her relatives and they were only talking about things related to her, it was still an invasion of privacy. So she stopped Alice's all-encompassing gossip and surveillance and told her to only report when it involved the safety of her relatives.

"Well... next time, if there's a problem that might suddenly attack me and catch me off guard, please let me know in advance," Tang Baona said helplessly.

"But you didn't panic!" Alice said proudly. "I've already planned it out! Sister Nana, you can handle this with ease! No problem!"

Tang Baona was speechless again. It was a pity that "Little Alice" wasn't around right now, otherwise she really wanted to rub Alice little face.

"Alice." Tang Baona turned and walked into the residential area, then suddenly couldn't help but ask, "When will Xiang Kun be back?"

"I don't know either." Alice's tone also became somewhat dejected. "The boss's evolution this time is more extensive than expected, and I don't know when he will be able to complete it."

Tang Baona stopped in front of the flower bed in the community, looked up at the clear night sky and the twinkling stars, and couldn't help but think of what her mother had said at dinner, and then she thought of the first time she met Xiang Kun, and felt a little emotional.

When she first met Xiang Kun at the coffee shop, she never imagined that a little over a year later, she would end up saving the world with this bald man.

Now, her way of thinking and viewing the world is completely different.

Working, playing games, watching anime, recording music, posting videos, dreaming about future romantic relationships, and immersing oneself in the virtual world of anime—these were the basic lifestyles and ways of thinking that I used to have, but now most of them have been overturned.

Because the reality today is that many things were things we wouldn't have even dared to dream of before.

Even her understanding of life has undergone a radical change— Alice had told her with absolute certainty that she could now live forever.