Chapter Eighty-Seven: Homecoming

Chapter 87: Homeland

The roar of massive engines filled the air. As the plane touched down, the slight vibration finally jolted Chen Xiao from his deep contemplation.

"We have arrived."

Old Tian, sitting beside him, offered a faint smile and a look of reassurance.

Chen Xiao gazed out at the airport beyond the window. They were in Sydney, Australia, in the Southern Hemisphere.

It had taken less than four days to finalize all the passports, visas, and necessary documentation. Accompanied by Old Tian, Chen Xiao had traveled to the city of Sydney.

Stepping out of Sydney Airport, Chen Xiao remained indifferent to the endless stream of fair-skinned, blonde, and blue-eyed people passing by. In truth, his mood had been low for some time, and he had grown increasingly quiet.

Before setting out with Old Tian, he had returned home and locked himself in his room, going through all his parents' belongings for a full day and night, as if hoping to find some hidden clues among their remnants.

"...I hope he lives under the vast, free blue sky."

These final words from his parents' diary had been flashing before Chen Xiao's eyes for the past few days. Things he once refused to believe now seemed to be revealing more and more doubts in his mind.

Am I... truly who they say I am?

Although this was his first time in the world-renowned tourist city of Sydney, Chen Xiao had no desire for sightseeing. He had no mood to visit the Sydney Harbour Bridge, let alone the Sydney Opera House.

Even after leaving the airport and sitting in the taxi, Chen Xiao remained in the back seat, head tilted, staring blankly out the window—his eyes clearly unfocused.

After spending a day at a hotel in Sydney, someone from the Service arrived.

It was an old acquaintance of Chen Xiao: Red Seven.

When Red Seven walked into the room, Chen Xiao stood up immediately, watching her with vigilance. After all, this woman was the first person he had seen display supernatural abilities! He could not forget that it was Red Seven who, with a single scream, had hurled a car through the air—and nearly killed him in the process.

"Long time no see, young man. You look well. I hear you've been doing a good job with Old Tian and the others."

Red Seven’s demeanor was relaxed. She was still wearing a red suit, though the style was different from the one he had seen before—still, did this woman own nothing but red clothing?

Just as Chen Xiao hesitated over how to greet her, Red Seven walked over and gave him a warm hug. "Welcome to Sydney!"

Chen Xiao felt somewhat uncomfortable. Red Seven was a beautiful woman, and even though she was much older than him, being hugged so firmly by her still made him blush slightly.

"Haha," Red Seven laughed, looking at him. "It seems your spirits are a bit low. I know you are full of questions, but I cannot answer them—though there are others who can give you satisfactory answers."

"Alright, Red Seven," Old Tian smiled. "He’s clearly not in the best mood, so let’s skip that for now."

He had just pulled out a pack of cigarettes when Red Seven snatched it away, pinching the box as she teased, "Uncle Tian, I recall you quit smoking—more than once!"

"I've broken that habit more than once, too. One more time doesn't matter." Old Tian smiled, his hand flickered, and the cigarettes were back in his grasp.

Red Seven looked at Chen Xiao and pondered for a moment. "Rest for a while. I've made arrangements. A boat will take you out to sea tonight."

"Out to sea?" Chen Xiao asked, stunned. "The Service's headquarters isn't in Sydney?"

"Did we ever tell you the headquarters was in Sydney?" Red Seven glanced at Old Tian before looking back at Chen Xiao. "The headquarters is not here. Just follow my arrangements... Besides, there are many in the headquarters waiting to meet you, the prodigy with special abilities."

A prodigy... Hmph, "monster" would be more fitting.

Seeing Red Seven again, she still wore that faint smile. Yet, even when she smiled, there was little warmth in her eyes. Perhaps that feeling was why Chen Xiao held such a poor impression of her.

That evening, Red Seven personally drove them to a private yacht marina, where a vessel was already prepared for departure. She did not board the ship with them, only escorting them to the dock.

"Is she not coming with us?" Chen Xiao asked Old Tian.

Old Tian smiled slightly. "Oh, the Australian Grand Prix is about to start. This girl has her own business to attend to."

F1? The Australian Grand Prix? Chen Xiao didn't understand, but he didn't ask.

Only Chen Xiao and Old Tian were on the yacht; there was no one else. Fresh water and food were fully stocked.

Old Tian, a man born during the Ming Dynasty of ancient China, was surprisingly capable of piloting a yacht. They sailed eastward, traveling across the sea for a full day and night. Chen Xiao’s geographical knowledge told him they were heading into the South Pacific.

"The location of the headquarters is an island. Geographically, it theoretically falls within Australia’s territorial waters. However..." Old Tian smiled mysteriously. "You will never find this island on any official world map, or any official Australian government or tourist map!"

Chen Xiao raised an eyebrow. Old Tian pointed to a blank spot on the nautical chart.

"Right here. This is our homeland."

"Homeland?"

"Yes, that is the name of the headquarters." Old Tian’s expression grew complex when he mentioned "Homeland."

According to Old Tian, the island, located at the boundary between Australia's eastern territorial waters and the high seas of the South Pacific, was the headquarters of the Service. It covered an area of over two thousand square kilometers, yet it did not exist on any officially published map. To most of the world, this island did not exist.

"You know, the Service has a long history—over two centuries... Back when Australia was still a British colony, the Service bought this island from the British government. It was a secret transaction. The British government could never admit to such a thing: the British Empire selling its own territory? That would be the ultimate scandal."

Old Tian gave a devious smile. "Do you know how much the Service paid to buy this island from the British government back then?"

Chen Xiao thought for a moment. An island of over two thousand square kilometers, the size of a medium-sized city... such a piece of land must have been worth a fortune, especially bought from a nation.

"One pound," Old Tian said with a smile.

Chen Xiao’s eyes widened. "...O-one pound?!"

"What else did you think it would be?" Old Tian said lightly. "Chen Xiao, organizations like the Service—while the general public is unaware of our existence—are not hidden from the high-level governments of some nations. They are neither blind nor deaf. For two centuries, organizations like ours have had various interactions with governments: some friction, some conflict, and some cooperation. But as times have changed, a state of non-interference has largely formed. They tolerate our existence—as long as we do not interfere with the normal operations of the world."

He paused, then smiled faintly. "Even if they wanted to stop us, they couldn't. A single A-rank powerhouse, if they wished, could become the most terrifying warrior or force of destruction on earth. No country wants to easily provoke a major supernatural organization."

"So... two centuries ago, the British government simply gave you this two-thousand-square-kilometer island for one pound?"

"Yes, it was essentially a gift," Old Tian shrugged. "But the British government cares deeply about its image. I heard the transaction was quite interesting. They had to give us the place but needed a good excuse for their own people. In the end, the British monarch had to write a top-secret patent, conferring nobility upon the leader of the Service at the time, and thus granted the island to him as a private fiefdom."

Old Tian added, "Of course, there is absolutely no record of this patent in any public document; it exists only in the highly classified archives of the British royal family and government."

After a night of sailing, dawn was beginning to break. Old Tian checked the instruments to confirm their position.

"We are about to enter the territory of the Homeland."

He went to the rear cabin, rummaged around for a while, and produced a metal device. It looked battered and even somewhat rusty, resembling a small satellite receiver—an umbrella-shaped dish like an overturned frying pan, resting on a circular base. Chen Xiao could clearly see the rust stains caused by the humid sea air.

Old Tian carefully placed the device on the bow and pressed a button. A small indicator light flickered on—first red, then quickly turned green.

"Alright, the signal is connected. We can enter the Homeland now," Old Tian said, looking pleased. "It’s been a long time since I’ve been back."

"Uh... what is that?" Chen Xiao couldn't help but ask.

"This? Well... you could call it an entry ID card," Old Tian said calmly. "After all, this is the Service headquarters. Do you think just any boat can approach the island? Only by activating this and establishing a signal link with the Homeland are you recognized as one of our own and allowed to enter the waters."

"And if... we didn't have this device?" Chen Xiao asked.

Old Tian replied with a hint of disdain, "Rest assured, without this... hmph, even if the U.S. military sent an entire carrier strike group, they wouldn't stand a chance of getting anywhere near our Homeland."