15:40
I stare at the satellite image on the computer screen, the massive structure hidden beneath the glacier resembling a slumbering beast.
Qi Si knocks and enters, seeing me still engrossed in the image.
"Find anything?" he asks.
"This base," I point at the screen, "is where Lin Yi conducted his final experiment."
"What was the final experiment?" Shen Yan joins us.
I take a deep breath and begin recounting Lin Yi's notes:
"He researched 'the limits of human nature' here, trying to find a way for people to stay true in extreme conditions."
15:50
Qi Si frowns. "Sounds like a utopia plan."
Shen Yan shakes his head. "More like Pandora's box."
I feel a sense of unease rising in my chest.
"If the truth really is here, we might not be able to handle it."
Qi Si falls silent for a moment, then speaks: "But if we don't go, the truth will remain buried under the ice forever."
15:55
The ship's PA system crackles again:
"Attention, passengers. We are approaching the ice shelf. Please prepare for the first icebreak."
I step out onto the deck, where the sea wind is even colder, carrying ice particles.
Shen Yan and Qi Si join me, and we stand side by side, gazing at the looming iceberg.
"No matter what the truth is, we have to face it," Qi Si repeats.
"Even if it disappoints us," Shen Yan adds.
I take a deep breath; the sea wind cuts across my face like a knife.
"The truth, whatever it is, is worth seeking," I say.
16:00
The icebreaker begins to crash into the ice shelf, the deafening roar shaking the entire ship.
I grip the railing tightly, watching the iceberg shatter at the bow.
"We're almost there," Shen Yan says.
"Yes," Qi Si replies, "the truth lies beneath the ice."
16:10
The ship finally stops at the edge of the ice shelf. We put on thick cold-weather gear, preparing to disembark.
Shen Yan checks the equipment, Qi Si organizes his backpack, and I double-check the clues in the journal.
"Are we ready?" I ask.
"Let's go," Shen Yan answers.
We step onto the ice shelf, each step a test of endurance.
"The end of the truth might not be what we imagined," Qi Si says.
"But we'll only know once we get there," Shen Yan replies.
16:20
We make our way across the ice shelf to a massive ice cave.
Lin Yi's notes mentioned that this cave is the only entrance to the secret base.
I take a deep breath and step inside.
It's freezing, and every step feels like skating on ice.
"Be careful, it's slippery here," Shen Yan warns.
"I know," I reply, continuing forward.
At the end of the cave, a huge metal door appears.
I take out the copper key Lin Yi gave me and insert it into the lock.
A click, and the door opens.
16:30
We step into the base, greeted by a long corridor lined with sealed labs and storage rooms.
Shen Yan opens one of the doors to reveal a lab filled with equipment.
"This is where Lin Yi conducted his experiments," he says.
I pick up a photo of Lin Yi with a group of scientists.
"Who are they?" I ask.
"Probably his team," Qi Si answers.
I look at the photo, thinking:
"Did they know the truth?"
16:40
We continue exploring the base and find a sealed archive room.
Shen Yan opens the door to rows of files and hard drives.
"There must be something we need in here," he says.
Qi Si takes a hard drive and plugs it into a computer.
A folder labeled "Final Report" appears on the screen.
I click it open to find a detailed report of Lin Yi's experiment process and results.
"What did he find?" I ask.
"The truth," Shen Yan answers.
16:50
The last page of the report reads:
"Experiment successful. We found a way to keep people true in extreme conditions. But the cost is great."
I look at them, a sense of unease rising in my chest.
"What's the cost?" I ask.
Shen Yan falls silent for a moment, then speaks: "Maybe, it's us."
Chapter 22, end.