The morgue was dimly lit, with only a few eerie green emergency lights illuminating the space, casting shadows everywhere. It was quiet, a bit scary.
Xue Zhishi, Xie Kedu, Zhang Yuan, and Qin Xuezhong were all focused on the news in the black space, silent.
With the four of them not speaking, the remaining three also fell into silence. Outside, as the virus spread, the members of the Ghost Organization had summarized a few key characteristics of the infection:
1. It causes confusion in the brain.
2. It paralyzes the functions of the main brain, such as payment processing, network transmission, and information monitoring.
3. The most troublesome aspect: it controls combat androids and robots, allowing them to act autonomously.
Any virus capable of achieving even one of these points could be recorded in the Federal software development history. But this virus managed to accomplish all three simultaneously, which was astonishing.
The first two characteristics seemed designed to create chaos, while the last was likely the virus's true trump card.
According to initial estimates, the combat androids affected by the virus were converging towards the nearest main brain terminal, all armed with heavy weaponry. Most of these combat androids were from within the precinct or private armed forces of some companies.
By now, several precincts had already suffered attacks from their own combat androids, which began from within. Additionally, some officers had become chaotic due to the virus, allowing many combat androids to reach the terminal with little resistance, resulting in complete destruction.
As they absorbed this information, everyone felt a sense of hesitation—should they go out?
Xue Zhishi knew that the terminal beneath them was crucial; if the entire terminal network of Creek Valley City was destroyed, the consequences would be dire. He wanted to go check it out, but he was also concerned about the safety of the people here.
Zhang Yuan felt the same way. As a tech cop, he had limited combat ability; saving the world was not his forte.
Qin Xuezhong maintained a calm demeanor. After assessing the situation, she resolved that with so many capable people in the black space worrying about the world, there was no need for her to stick her neck out. Besides, this was just one terminal; there were hundreds throughout the city. Even if this one failed, the world wouldn't end.
She gave Zhang Yuan a meaningful glance, signaling him not to act recklessly. Little Qin felt that after all this time, she had been conveying the idea of "no overtime, just chill" in various situations, and she trusted Zhang Yuan to understand her message. The people present had varied abilities; it was best not to engage in a world-saving mission.
Zhang Yuan had initially considered hiding, but when Qin Xuezhong looked at him, he felt unexpectedly uneasy. The boss had been urging action in the space long before this, and it was their delay that led to such severe circumstances.
Feeling the weight of her gaze, Zhang Yuan suddenly understood. The boss was hinting at him to take the lead.
Realizing that they couldn't continue to hide, he felt reassured. With the boss around, what was there to fear? After seeing her skills in the stairwell, he was filled with confidence.
Steeling himself, he said, "I… have a friend who said that the androids controlled by the virus are attacking the main brain terminal…"
He glanced at everyone and continued solemnly, "I think we should go check out the terminal… the Bay Flow District is a major area and a core node for the surrounding districts. If something goes wrong here, it could be a big problem."
As soon as he finished speaking, his two colleagues objected.
"Yuan Ge, are you crazy? The outside is full of criminals and combat androids! Are we looking for death?"
"Calm down, keep your voice down. Let's discuss this, okay?"
Zhang Yuan glanced at Qin Xuezhong and asked, "Supervisor Xue, what do you think?"
Xue Zhishi surveyed the group, then spoke slowly, "I think we should check it out. Even if we wait here, if something serious happens outside, we'll be in danger too. It's better to address the threat head-on."
Zhang Yuan nodded, "So, do we go together or...?"
Everyone turned their gaze to Xue Zhishi and Qin Xuezhong since they were the only ones with combat skills in the group.
Zhang Yuan pondered for a moment and suggested, "How about Supervisor Xue stays here, and I take this colleague with me?"
Uncertain about the situation, Xue Zhishi firmly refused. With the chaos outside, he couldn't trust Zhang Yuan's judgment in sending an unfamiliar person and Xiao Qin into danger.
He asserted, "No, we're all going together. If we can secure the terminal, we'll be safer there. We'll advance carefully, and if things get too risky, we'll retreat. What do you say?"
The four from the analysis department unanimously agreed, and the other two from the tech department, unable to object, complied.
The group adjusted their formation and prepared to set off again.
The corridor was eerily quiet, lit only by the dim glow of the emergency lights.
With Xue Zhishi leading and Qin Xuezhong following, they moved cautiously toward the nearest stairwell.
The precinct's underground was vast and empty, so even slight sounds of footsteps echoed in the open space, making everyone anxious.
Surprisingly, they made it to the fourth underground level without encountering anyone.
As they carefully approached the terminal, they began to hear faint sounds—like someone in a fit of extreme coughing, producing a raspy, hoarse noise.
Just around the corner, Xue Zhishi spotted several figures clad in combat armor, holding their weapons and moving in a bizarre manner.
He whispered, "This is problematic. Those are special operations combat suits, resistant to electromagnetic attacks and impact rounds. It's hard to take them down directly. Officer Zhang, do you have any tricks? Can you remotely control the armor's systems?"
"How could I..." Zhang Yuan instinctively shook his head.
The special operations suits were military-grade and heavily encrypted. Even physically connecting for an intrusion would require significant effort, let alone wireless access.
Before he could finish, he received a private message from Qin Xuezhong: [Just say you'll give it a try].
Zhang Yuan immediately altered his response: "...But I'll give it a shot."
His colleagues stared at him as if he were insane.
Ignoring their looks, Zhang Yuan crouched by the wall, pretending to be attempting something.
Meanwhile, Qin Xuezhong extended her consciousness into the void, reaching out to try and connect with the figures at the end of the corridor.
The moment she reached out, she felt an overwhelming force of erosion. Her once powerful tendril felt weak under the dissolution of the wireless signal. She struggled to even get halfway.
The atmosphere grew tense, with everyone waiting for Zhang Yuan, who was still acting, waiting for Qin Xuezhong.
"Can you do it?" Xue Zhishi asked.
Zhang Yuan wore an exaggerated expression of effort, pretending, "Just a moment, I'll try again."
At that moment, Xie Kedu whispered urgently, "Someone's coming from behind!"
Everyone turned around.
A fully armed line of combat androids and robots marched forward, moving in perfect unison. They held their weapons in the same posture, their gazes synchronized, resembling a video that had been copied and pasted multiple times.
The most terrifying aspect was the utter silence of their movements.
It was as if the world had been muted in that space.
The seven individuals felt a chill in their hearts.
They were trapped, surrounded on both sides.
Qin Xuezhong grew anxious; she wanted to reach out with her consciousness to neutralize the enemies on both sides.
As the thought crossed her mind, a surge of will surged within the void, stretching toward the three members of the Ghost Organization closest to her.
Xue Zhishi, Xie Kedu, and Zhang Yuan simultaneously felt a powerful force drawing them closer.
In an instant, Qin Xuezhong sensed her previously fragile consciousness expand. Though she felt intense pressure and pain, she could now easily extend her tendril to control a wider area.
She acted on it.
This powerful and invisible will quickly bore down on the enemies on either side, effortlessly breaching the control cores of the suits and the main chips of the androids, causing them to collapse to the ground.
At the same time, Zhang Yuan and his colleagues felt a sharp headache.
For a moment, Xue Zhishi feared they had been infected by the virus as well. However, seeing the enemies fall, he breathed a sigh of relief.
No matter what, the most critical danger had been averted.
Realizing she had succeeded, the cautious Qin Xuezhong sent Zhang Yuan another private message: [Get ready to move!].
Loyal Zhang Yuan endured the pain in his head, gritting his teeth, he overclocked his chip for a few seconds.
The intense pain radiating from his nervous system made him spasm and fall. Smoke started rising from the back of his head due to the chip overload.
To the others, it looked like he had run some illegal software, forcibly shutting down the androids and combat suits.
The best excuse was just like when Qin Xuezhong had faced the ghost in the subway—claiming it was a possession.
"Yuan Ge!"
His colleague quickly caught him as he fell.
"I... I'm fine..." Zhang Yuan spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling internal injuries from the excessive strain on his spinal nerves.
Suppressing his discomfort, he urged, "Quick! Let's get to the terminal. I don't know how long this will hold!"
—Complete the act, so the boss would be satisfied.
"Alright! Let's move!"
Xie Kedu quickly stepped in, supporting Zhang Yuan on the other side as they rushed toward the terminal.
In his weakened state, Zhang Yuan pretended to observe their surroundings, glancing back at Qin Xuezhong.
The mastermind, Little Qin, understood and sent him another private message: [Well done].
Zhang Yuan finally felt a wave of relief, a smile breaking out on his face—he had finally impressed the boss!
This smile, however, made the others uneasy.
It looked too odd; they worried their Yuan Ge might be overexerting himself and that he was about to pass out from the effort.