Bab 48: Strange Thing Above
If Zhang Jue were to use one word to describe his feelings at this moment. It would be regret, a deep regret. More than regret, it was the most regretful feeling—the essence of regret itself.
After a week-long review, Site-14 finally resumed its normal schedule, and most of the staff returned to work. The commendation for Zhang Jue and Yang Xue was scheduled on that day.
Since the invasion incident sacrificed many people, the commendation meeting was done in the most simplistic way. In the presence of a few site cadres, Lei Shan gave Zhang Jue and Yang Xue a medal.
There was really only one fucking medal? Zhang Jue wanted to curse at that moment.
However, Lei Shan seemed to have expected his reaction and laughed, "Advisor Zhang, the Foundation originally intended to give you each 5 million yuan, but you donated them all."
What the hell?
You donated the money yourself?
Zhang Jue was frozen on the spot.
He had donated his own money...Five million...
In his two lifetimes combined, this was the first time Zhang Jue had done such a foolish thing. No wonder Lei Shan didn't stop him back then. This person was so slick.
It was rare to see Zhang Jue defeated. Yang Xue covered her mouth and laughed. She did not take Zhang Jue's donation of her money seriously at all. To her, money was too insignificant compared to people.
"Advisor Zhang, let's take a picture together." Said Huang Xingwen, who had officially taken over as Site Director.
Zhang Jue sighed, holding the medal in his hand, revealing the ugliest smile he had ever seen.
----
With the site review and the commendation meeting finished, the auditing team from the Foundation headquarters that Lei Shan represented had one last task left. To delete all the Foundation's staff memory and the former Site-14 Site Director, Yang Wenbai.
When the process has finished, he will forget that he was once an SCP Foundation Site Director, forget everything here, and he will think he was an old veteran who retired after doing mysterious work for the country.
Inside the Site Director's office, Yang Wenbai rubbed his already very old desk with his rough hand, and a trace of reluctance flashed in his eyes.
Zhang Jue, Yang Xue, and Lei Shan stood at the door. Looking at the old man's slightly stooped body, Yang Xue's tears slipped down from the corners of her eyes. Zhang Jue put his arm around her shoulders and comforted her silently.
"Mr. Lei," Yang Wenbai suddenly said, "Can I have a few words with two of them in private?"
"Of course." Lei Shan nodded, "We'll be leaving here this evening, so it won't be a problem to start the procedure done before then."
After saying that, Lei Shan nodded to Zhang Jue and left the office, leaving room for the three of them to talk.
"Uncle-" After Lei Shan left, Yang Xue could no longer hold back the sadness in her heart. Since Yang Wensong had disappeared, Yang Wenbai had always treated her like his own daughter.
Yang Wenbai took her hand and shook his head with a smile, "No need to be sad. It's not like there's anything wrong with me. I'm just a little sad to leave this place behind."
Their uncle-nephew love was deep, and Zhang Jue couldn't help but sigh.
It's not difficult to make a person dedicated to their job, but what is difficult is to dedicate their life. At the end of the day, their dedication may never be known by the public.
This is true for all the people who worked at the Foundation. They are dedicated and careful, but one mistake will likely cost them their lives. It was a good thing that Yang Wenbai retired.
Yang Xue cried for a while and finally calmed down. She looked at her uncle and wanted to say something.
Yang Wenbai said, "If you have anything to ask, just ask. When my memory was deleted, overwritten, and then you ask afterward. I can't guarantee you an answer."
Yang Xue hummed and said, "Uncle, can you tell me what happened to my father's disappearance?"
Yang Wenbai nodded, "I knew you would ask me about this matter. Back then, when you were still just a young girl, I didn't tell you because I wanted to protect you. But now it seems that you've grown enough to handle the truth. I have nothing to lose."
Yang Wenbai pulled Yang Xue to sit on the sofa. He sighed, took out a cigarette from the drawer, and lit it. Only then did Zhang Jue realize that he knew how to smoke. Yang Xue looked at his uncle and didn't urge him on.
After a long time, Yang Wenbai's slightly hoarse voice rang out. "Your father and I joined the Foundation together, but our different personalities have long since led us to different fates."
"I liked to deal with people, while he was quiet and liked all sorts of strange and bizarre research."
"Within a few years, I was promoted to supervisor. At the same time, he became the youngest senior researcher at Site-14. He was a year younger than you."
"Not long after, the Foundation headquarters discovered his talent, more and more anomaly began to contained at Site-14. No matter how difficult it was, he was able to contain it. The entire B6 floor design, reserved secret passages, and extreme emergency protocol. All of them was his idea."
"There is nothing in Site-14 considered difficult for him. So many other Site staff came to him, asking for his help. Because of this, the Headquarters acknowledged his competency."
"Finally, he met a woman. At that time, my level was not high enough, so I did not know who that person was. Only know that she was a woman."
"The next day, he came to say goodbye to me and entrusted you to me."
"Now that I think about it. Before he set out, he already realized that the trip would be very dangerous, and there was a good chance that... he wouldn't be able to return."
"But he still went without a single doubt in his mind."
"Three years passed, he was nowhere to be found. I called headquarters to ask about his situation."
"Then, the most bizarre thing happened."
Speaking of this, Yang Wenbai suddenly stopped his story, and he took a heavy puff of the cigarette in his hand. The roll burns at a fast rate, visible to the naked eye. Ordinary people do not need to consume so much nicotine at once, and there is only one explanation. He was very nervous about it.
Zhang Jue couldn't help but be a little curious.
As the Site Director of the SCP Foundation, what horrible anomalies had Yang Wenbai not seen, and what had happened at that time that could still make him in shape after so many years. His main key was to always calm.
Yang Wenbai quickly finished his cigarette and pressed the cigarette butt in the ashtray. Zhang Jue saw that his hands were trembling slightly.
Seeing him like this, Yang Xue blamed herself and said, "Uncle, why don't you just-"
"No." Yang Wenbai stopped her, "Let me finish."
Yang Wenbai insisted on continuing his story, and Yang Xue had no choice but to look at Zhang Jue. Zhang Jue shrugged. The old man had buried this secret in his heart for most of his life. If he didn't say it now, I'm afraid he wouldn't have the courage and opportunity to say it later.
Only to see Yang Wenbai took a deep breath and continued, "At that time, I was already the Deputy Site Director of this site and could reach the staff directly at Headquarters. I asked them about your father, but the answer I got was – he never existed."
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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