The Shandong Peninsula is often called "the land that leaps into the sea." It truly looks like the continent is stretching its hand into the water. Uniquely, there’s a massive rocky mountain in the middle of this peninsula—Mount Lao.

Below Mount Lao, there’s a small harbor village, known as Qingdao. In Cheong's homeland, this place is famous for its beer. The clean waters of Mount Lao were said to make the beer renowned worldwide, but in the future, it would be known for something else entirely—something less to do with taste.

In any case, Qingdao is just a tiny, remote …