CC successfully cracked the password lock.
She kicked the door open and entered first.
Big Face Cat dragged a canister of acetylene and followed inside.
Lin Xian entered the bank vault last.
"Huh?"
When he saw the walls of the vault, shiny and new, smooth as a mirror—
He froze on the spot.
What's going on?
How did it change?
The safes he saw before were clearly old, peeling paint, rusty.
But now, they were brand new, as if just made!
He walked quickly to the safe with his name on it, feeling its material...
Smooth and bright, cold and hard.
He scratched it with the nozzle of the torch, but it left no trace!
Thud!
Lin Xian pounded the safe with his fist.
In his mind, he suddenly remembered Professor Xu Yun's words:
"Well, in the process of my research, I unexpectedly obtained a by-product. I've already shown it to my friends at the aerospace research institute, and they've confirmed the same results."
"It's a compound of hafnium, a completely new substance. This compound can produce a hafnium alloy, with high hardness, corrosion resistance, and heat resistance. Perhaps it could be useful in the aerospace field."
"Lin Xian, if you don't mind... I'd like to publish the experimental data on this hafnium alloy as well. Although I don't know its utility, it might promote certain technological developments."
Thud.
Lin Xian lowered his head, throwing the mask and torch on the ground:
"We've been fooled."
CC and Big Face Cat turned their heads in confusion:
"What do you mean by 'fooled'?" "Fooled by whom?"
Lin Xian raised his hand, pointing at the nameplate on the safe:
"Lin Xian."
He shook his head, smiling helplessly:
"We've been played by Lin Xian."
...
Big Face Cat and CC looked at each other, completely puzzled by what Lin Xian was talking about.
But Lin Xian had already understood the reason behind this [temporal change] and [butterfly effect].
[Temporal changes are uncontrollable.]
Lin Xian suddenly realized this.
What he did could indeed rewrite the future, but such changes wouldn't always be favorable!
Sometimes, like now, it would be like lifting a stone only to drop it on your own foot, turning what was originally in your favor into a disadvantageous future!
The brand new safe before him.
Without a doubt, it was caused by his actions 600 years ago, triggering a temporal change.
Lin Xian was sure...
The safes embedded in the walls here were definitely made of steel when he visited them before, very old and worn. The paint was almost peeled off, and they were rusted all over, indicating at least a hundred years of history.
If not for proper storage and maintenance, they might have already been considered archaeological artifacts.
But.
Because of Lin Xian's intervention in history.
Professor Xu Yun discovered a completely new compound while researching the filling solution for hibernation chambers—
The new hafnium alloy.
Lin Xian didn't understand the specific properties of this alloy.
But Professor Xu Yun said it had high hardness, heat resistance, and corrosion resistance, and could be used in the aerospace field... It must be an extremely advanced material.
And in the news reports a few days ago, the Dragon Country Aerospace Research Institute also confirmed that they had received samples from Xu Yun. The fact that they specifically announced it indicated that this new hafnium alloy was indeed extraordinary.
So it could be imagined...
If the patent for this material was truly made public for free, it would be used in various industries. Naturally, this would include the manufacturers of safes and vaults.
When Lin Xian saw the shiny new safes in the bank vault...
He instantly realized the terrifying logic behind this.
The stone he accidentally threw into the sky 600 years ago had fallen back down, hitting him precisely on the foot.
Although Lin Xian had never seen the hafnium alloy mentioned by Professor Xu Yun.
But from the current situation, it was probably what he had guessed.
It's just...
[Why did only the new hafnium alloy trigger the temporal change, but the successful research on the hibernation chamber filling solution didn't trigger a corresponding temporal change?]
Where was the problem?
"Hey hey hey! Stop standing there stupidly! Hand me the torch!"
Big Face Cat had already loaded his gun, then found an angle that wouldn't bounce back, and fired two shots at the other safes.
Taking a closer look...
There was still not a scratch, smooth as ever!
"This thing is too hard!"
Thud.
CC threw down the torch and mask in her hand, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and sighed.
The three of them realized.
There was no hope.
...
"Sorry, I apologize to you both."
Lin Xian admitted his mistake.
But CC shook her head, looking at Lin Xian without blame:
"It's not your fault."
"I can see that you also want to open this safe, but just didn't succeed."
Hearing CC's words, Lin Xian was quite surprised.
He thought CC would be angry at him like before, calling him a liar... This was the first time she had spoken to him so politely.
It seemed that she had a relatively high "liking" for him this time.
Lin Xian took off his mask, looking at CC:
"At the moment, there's no possibility of violently breaking open the safe. Only guessing the password remains."
"There are many things I can't explain to you, but I do know more than you, have more opportunities, and am closer to the right answers."
"[So, CC, can we share some information?]"
"Our goals are the same, to open this safe."
"I can answer your previous question and tell you what kind of person the Lin Xian I know is. But in return..."
"[Can you tell me why you want to open this safe? Or any clues, information, or tips about the safe?]"
"Just give me some key hints and clues... maybe, I really can guess the password!"
Under Lin Xian's gaze, CC slowly turned her head, staring at Lin Xian through the Ultraman mask.
After ten seconds...
Finally.
She nodded:
"Okay."