The applause lasted longer than Li Wen expected.
Some stood.
Some whispered to each other.
Others quickly typed notes on their phones, already preparing articles about her speech.
Li Wen simply gave a polite nod and stepped away from the podium.
As the lights dimmed and the next speaker prepared backstage, she quietly exited the hall through a side corridor.
Berlin's cold evening air greeted her outside the building.
The summit had ended for the day, but the questions she had raised would likely travel much farther than the conference hall.
The man without a name.
Even now, the mystery lingered in her mind.
An advisor. A strategist. A shadow behind the Qin Empire.
And yet—no identity.
No grave.
No legacy.
Only fragments.
Later that evening, Li Wen returned to her hotel.
Her room overlooked a quiet Berlin street lit by rows of yellow lamps. Cars passed occasionally, their headlights reflecting on the rain-damp pavement.
She removed her coat and sat down at the small desk near the window.
In front of her lay the same book she had been studying for weeks: a collection of translated Qin-era manuscripts.
She opened it again, carefully turning the page where a short passage had been underlined.
"The emperor trusted the unnamed advisor more than his own generals."
Li Wen leaned back in her chair.
"Who were you?" she murmured softly.
A knock suddenly interrupted her thoughts.
Three slow knocks.
She glanced toward the door.
Another knock followed.
Li Wen closed the book and stood.
When she opened the door, she saw two men standing in the hallway.
One of them she immediately recognized.
Albert D'Souza.
The same man who had questioned her during the summit.
He offered a polite smile.
"Professor Li Wen," he said calmly. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."
Li Wen folded her arms slightly.
"It depends," she replied. "On why you're here."
Albert chuckled quietly.
"That's fair."
He stepped slightly to the side.
"And allow me to introduce someone."
The man standing beside him stepped forward.
He looked slightly younger, wearing a simple jacket and carrying a worn leather satchel over his shoulder.
"Arun Chakraborty," Albert said. "Archaeologist."
Arun nodded politely.
"It's an honor to meet you, Professor," he said.
Li Wen studied them both for a moment.
"This seems like an unusual time for introductions," she said.
Albert nodded.
"You're right."
He glanced toward the book on her desk inside the room.
"The Qin manuscripts, I assume?"
Li Wen's eyes narrowed slightly.
"How do you know about those?"
Albert smiled faintly.
"Because your research is exactly why I came here tonight."
There was a brief silence in the hallway.
Finally Li Wen stepped aside.
"Alright," she said. "You have five minutes."
The two men entered the room.
Albert looked around briefly before sitting in the chair opposite her desk.
Arun remained standing near the door.
Albert leaned forward slightly.
"Professor Li Wen," he said, "your speech today raised a very interesting question."
Li Wen remained standing.
"Which one?"
Albert's eyes showed a spark of excitement.
"The man who helped build the Qin Empire."
He paused.
"And the fact that history erased him."
Li Wen crossed her arms.
"That's a historical mystery," she said.
Albert shook his head slowly.
"No."
He reached into his coat pocket and placed a small folded document on the desk.
"That's a lead."
Li Wen looked down at the paper but did not touch it yet.
Albert continued.
"You asked tonight who that man was."
He leaned back slightly.
"I think we might be able to find him."
Li Wen raised an eyebrow.
"And how exactly do you plan to do that?"
Albert smiled.
"By not looking alone."
He gestured toward Arun.
"And not just with two people."
Li Wen looked between them.
"What are you suggesting?"
Albert's expression became serious.
"That uncovering forgotten history requires more than one historian."
He paused.
"It requires a team."
Li Wen finally picked up the folded paper on the desk.
"And what exactly is this team of yours?"
Albert stood up slowly.
"An expedition."
"A global project."
"To uncover the hidden truths behind the greatest empires in human history."
Li Wen looked down at the document.
It contained a map.
Several locations had been marked.
China.
India.
Turkey.
Rome.
She looked back up at Albert.
"And you think this mystery begins in China?"
Albert smiled slightly.
"No."
He pointed to the first location on the map.
"I think it begins…"
"…with the man history tried to erase."