As soon as he spoke, the car fell into silence, chewing sounds ceased, and both the driver and the passenger in the front seats simultaneously put down their soy milk, turning to look at Xiao Nian’s source code screen.
The text on the screen was like hieroglyphics to Xiao Zhenyun and Si Di. Xiao Nian had to translate it for them word by word while comparing it with the hardcover book: “I can’t get real-time plot updates. Hedgehog entered the secret passage an hour ago… It’s correct, this path leads to Lab 9. Si Chu also goes there once later, and everything matches—the layout, mechanisms, and directions. If Hedgehog has indeed entered Lab 9, things don’t look good…”
Xiao Nian suddenly paused in a strange manner, then his face lit up with realization: “…Han Bang’s death fits perfectly into the original storyline, doesn’t it? The long-awaited return of the tomb grass sentinel to the grave after two years will greatly enhance the plot’s completion.”
With that, he promptly closed the source code interface and happily bit into his pancake.
Xiao Zhenyun: “…”
Si Di thought for a moment and asked, “In the original text, Hedgehog could die at the hands of the professor because he was too arrogant and the professor’s strength was at its peak. Now, even if Hedgehog has learned to be humble and cautious, the professor, unable to even handle Duan Fei, is in no position to protect himself, let alone deal with Hedgehog in Lab 9. Would Hedgehog still die if he entered that Lab?”
His words clearly reminded Xiao Nian that the plot before and after was interconnected, like a chain reaction. Just like in the original text where the professor killed Hedgehog but lost an arm, in reality, Hedgehog was running amok while the professor remained unharmed.
After struggling with his thoughts for a moment, Xiao Nian could only sigh in disappointment at his dashed hopes: “You’re right… without the professor, even if Hedgehog enters Lab 9, he’ll just face some hardship at most.”
“What’s in Lab 9 anyway?” Xiao Zhenyun asked.
“It’s a sealed abandoned laboratory. The professor once attempted to produce a spray version of the spiritual body drug inside, but the effect was less than ideal. It only induced a brief hallucinogenic state in the spiritual bodies of special individuals, and normal people experienced dizziness and other discomforts after inhaling it. Moreover, due to a mistake by one of his researchers, a serious leak occurred later, prompting the professor to seal Lab 9 altogether.”
“…”
Xiao Zhenyun vaguely guessed the subsequent plot, and as expected, Xiao Nian’s narration matched his conjecture: “Han Bang finally reached the outer door of Lab 9 after groping through the secret passage, only to find the professor had plastered warnings all around the room to prevent intrusion, and set up triple passwords on the door. You guys know Hedgehog’s personality. The more resistance he faces, the more excited he gets. After using all his wits and efforts, he finally breaks in, only to be instantly hallucinated and bitten by the viper. Even the professor, watching from the surveillance room, was dumbfounded, picking up a dark sentinel for nothing.”
Xiao Zhenyun remarked on how Hedgehog could pull off great feats in reality, being seemingly omnipotent, yet in the novel, he died so suddenly and quietly. It turns out he was digging his own grave, ending his life of wickedness prematurely… The only one who could defeat an S-class dark sentinel was the dark sentinel himself.
Mid-conversation, Xiao Zhenyun’s terminal suddenly rang, displaying a military emblem floating in the air, slowly rotating.
A message from Duan Fei?
He clicked on it in confusion, seeing Duan Fei’s message, formal and standard, similar to a work report, informing Xiao Zhenyun: First, the signal control station in the Yao Town had been liberated by their brave soldiers, restoring communication, so he came to report safety as soon as possible; Second, fortunately, he found Hedgehog, but this person was elusive and had a strong sense of personal heroism, and now they didn’t know where he had run off to; Third, the professor was still putting up a last-ditch struggle, with some scattered followers still fighting desperately. Their team and the Blaze Team were clearing out the remnants. The revolution had not yet succeeded, and comrades still needed to work hard. Please await his good news.
Really reliable, Captain Duan Fei, Xiao Zhenyun marveled.
But sorry, your greatest enemy on this trip to Yao Town is about to arrive on the battlefield.
After quickly finishing breakfast, the vehicle happened to arrive at a remote and desolate outskirts. Xiao Nian jumped out of the car with his hardcover book, comparing the words in the book with the vegetation on the ground and the marks on the trees, “This way.”
They were like a group of cheaters holding the answer key for an exam, effortlessly finding the emergency exit buried deep by the professor.
This day, Xiao Zhenyun finally felt the belated satisfaction of holding the script in his hands. The World Administrator was their cheat code, leading them through the underground tunnels, navigating through various passwords effortlessly. When faced with obstacles not mentioned in the original text, Si Di would forcefully break through, as practically any door couldn’t withstand the brute force of an S-class sentinel; even thick walls were easily kicked open.
Seeing even thick steel bars bent by Si Di’s kicks, Xiao Zhenyun couldn’t help but think of the way Si Di would wrap his arms around him, squeezing tightly. Countless times, he would shiver halfway through and ask Si Di to loosen his grip, not to squeeze so hard, as he couldn’t move comfortably.
Now, thinking back… Si Di hadn’t even exerted much force; he had been holding back all along. Otherwise, with his steel-like strength, Xiao Zhenyun’s waist would have been twisted into a pretzel long ago.
With Xiao Nian as their living map, Si Di as their siege weapon, and Xiao Zhenyun as deadweight, the three of them advanced through the underground tunnels like a hot knife through butter. They accurately bypassed Lab 9; even though Si Di heard the commotion caused by Hedgehog and his viper above them, their footsteps didn’t falter. Instead, they ran faster, quickly leaving the troubled area behind, cutting through a nearby shortcut and smoothly arriving beneath the professor’s office.
Si Di gestured for them to stop and closed his eyes, his wolf ears emerging from his silver hair, twitching slightly as he carefully discerned the sounds above. Then, through their spiritual link, he informed Xiao Zhenyun:
There are people in the office, two inside and one outside. From the sounds, it seems they’re searching the room, and they haven’t discovered the safe hidden in the floor panel yet.
Xiao Zhenyun: Can we take the safe without alerting them?
Si Di: No.
Xiao Zhenyun: Captain Si, is your refusal too decisive? Won’t you give it a try?
Si Di: I’m not Hedgehog; I never make unrealistic misjudgments about my own strength.
Xiao Zhenyun: …
Xiao Zhenyun: Then let’s go with the old plan, break through forcibly.
With that, he pulled out a mask from his coat pocket, which he had never parted with but had yet to serve any significant purpose. Si Di immediately followed suit, fortunately, his wolf ears were hidden by the large hood of his coat, concealing his distinctive hair color; otherwise, the mask on his face would have been a joke.
With a gesture from Si Di, Xiao Nian swiftly entered the password on the tunnel door above them, and as soon as the passage lit up, Si Di flipped out. Xiao Zhenyun followed suit, leaping out, while Xiao Nian stayed behind in the tunnel to watch their backs.
The passage above was covered with a layer of carpet, positioned directly beneath the office desk.
As Xiao Zhenyun peeked out from the tunnel, Si Di had already subdued the person nearest to him in the office, and the other person, hearing the commotion, was preparing to aim his gun. In the next second, he too was taken down by Si Di.
The S-class sentinel effortlessly disarmed them, then bent down to pull Xiao Zhenyun up. Without hesitation, Xiao Zhenyun went straight to the spot where Xiao Nian had mentioned the safe was hidden in the floor.
“The safe password is the professor’s wife’s birthday, rearranged.” Xiao Zhenyun tapped on the floor, listening for a different sound. “It’s said to be hidden on the back of the office desk photo.”
“I see it,” Si Di responded tacitly. He had already opened the frame earlier, flipping to the back of the photo and reciting the correct numbers.
Just as his words fell, Xiao Zhenyun found the mechanism and pressed down hard. With a click, the floor opened, and he reached down to pull out a briefcase.
After smoothly inputting the password and opening it, a blast of cold air hit him. Inside were three amber-colored vials encased in glass tubes, with needles ready to pierce upon fingertip pressure.
Xiao Zhenyun simulated the action of piercing the carotid artery of Si Chu, feeling incredibly comfortable and exceptionally proficient.
The author has something to say:
Little Dog’s Cry: Why are you so skilled at this, Little Uncle?!
4D: Because Little Uncle often pokes me!!
Zhenyun: …Say that again, you brat???
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
