"Burp."
Qin Xuezhong satisfiedly let out a burp.
This morning, it was rare for Xigu City to have clear skies. The sunlight streamed through the living room window of the Wangwan Apartment, casting a golden hue over the entire room.
Qin Xuezhong looked at the plate she had cleaned out in front of her and said to Yu Zhezhong, who was expertly cutting a fried egg on his plate, "Thank you! This is the best breakfast I've had in Xigu City."
Yu Zhezhong nodded slightly, a hint of shyness in his demeanor.
Qin Xuezhong wasn't exaggerating. Before her time traveling, she had traveled extensively for work and tasted various cuisines. Compared to those delicious meals, most of the food in Xigu City was a notch lower.
She couldn't help but wonder what kind of magic Yu Zhezhong possessed to turn those synthetic proteins and fibers, which had no fresh taste, into something so delectable.
"How are you so good at cooking?"
Yu Zhezhong's gaze lifted slightly, momentarily lost in thought as if recalling a distant memory. He answered a bit bashfully, "After spending a few years in the stationed troops in the New World, with nothing available, you have to find ways to make something tasty."
Qin Xuezhong didn't push further. While Yu Zhezhong was excellent at following orders and keeping the house clean, he wasn't very chatty. And she wasn't much better at it either.
She smiled to ease the awkwardness and asked, "Shall I take a look at your head again?"
Last night, she had figured out Yu Zhezhong's condition—her mental void seemed to have a remarkable healing effect on him. He had managed to do so much around the house without any apparent issues. It wasn't until late at night that he began to feel some discomfort.
As long as Qin Xuezhong spent some time adjusting his mental state, he could function almost the entire day. However, as powerful as the mental void was, it couldn't determine what exactly was wrong with Yu Zhezhong's head.
Regardless, for Yu Zhezhong, not having to lie in a sleep pod all day and being able to move freely was the happiest moment he had experienced in ten years. He seemed particularly grateful to Qin Xuezhong but didn't know how to express it.
He had originally thought that a woman who could infiltrate the core of the mainframe and effortlessly take down Tang Kede must be someone from a secret department or organization. With his vast knowledge of the Federation and top-notch combat skills, he believed he could provide some assistance to Qin Xuezhong.
But he hadn't expected that Qin Xuezhong seemed to just… feel sorry for him and pulled him out. And then he discovered that Qin Xuezhong was merely an office worker.
She genuinely appeared to be just an office worker.
For the past two days, she had gone to work on time, retrieved memories from before her death, recorded data onto chips, and shared amusing stories about her colleagues—nothing more. It seemed as though… she was just an amateur saving the world?
This left Yu Zhezhong feeling somewhat confused. For the past decade and a half, his life had been dictated by orders. From the time he woke up to where he was assigned to execute tasks and where he rested—all of it was predetermined, and he had gradually gotten used to that state.
But now, after two days at Qin Xuezhong's place, he hadn't received any orders. Qin Xuezhong had simply said, "Since your head is doing much better, do whatever you want." And then she left for work without looking back.
Standing alone in the empty apartment for ten minutes, Yu Zhezhong recalled the genuine joy on Qin Xuezhong's face when she saw the tidy home and the delicious dinner on the first night.
So he thought, since he didn't have to go out and fight anymore, he might as well take good care of the home.
For the past two days, he had cleaned the house in the morning and tidied up a bit in the evening. Based on Qin Xuezhong's work schedule, he prepared breakfast ahead of time and packed her a lunch for midday. He also made sure to cook a special dinner in the evening, considering the weather and available ingredients.
Moreover, he always kept two different snacks in the fridge in case Qin Xuezhong got hungry at night.
After just two days, Qin Xuezhong felt she was starting to gain weight. Due to the frequent rain in Xigu City, Yu Zhezhong had even personally adjusted two soundproof dehumidifiers hidden in the walls. Having gotten used to the dampness and moldy smell of the walled city district, Qin Xuezhong now found the air in her home refreshing and comfortable.
Yu Zhezhong had even coordinated additional decorations and plants to match the furniture colors, making the entire room vibrant and lively.
Although he couldn't do much right now, this could at least be a way to pay back a bit of his gratitude. Not being able to complete any challenging tasks for Qin Xuezhong left him feeling a bit uneasy.
Actually, Qin Xuezhong thought similarly. She hadn't anticipated that Yu Zhezhong could do so much, nor did she think about how to arrange for him. His daily housekeeper-like presence made her feel somewhat uneasy as well.
As a result, a subtle awkwardness lingered between the two.
Qin Xuezhong quickly connected her chip to help Yu Zhezhong reorganize his somewhat muddled brain before getting ready to leave.
Before heading out, she turned back and said, "Don't just stay cooped up at home; get out more. You've been locked up for ten years—aren't there people you want to meet or things you want to do? You really don't have to worry about me."
Yu Zhezhong silently nodded, his mind focused on perfectly executing Qin Xuezhong's directive.
---
Qin Xuezhong left the house and headed to the division.
Having slept well last night and enjoyed a decent breakfast gave her a good boost of energy.
She needed that energy because today would be busy. In the morning, there was a commendation meeting at the division to reward those who had performed excellently during the viral outbreak. In the afternoon, the anti-intrusion team was also holding a work summary, and there were important matters to discuss that required everyone's attendance.
Life wasn't easy, Qin Xuezhong sighed.
She hadn't been in the office long when she joined her colleagues in the division's grand auditorium.
As soon as they sat down, Xue Zhi Shi began comforting three younger colleagues. "Don't worry, it's just a show, a formality," he said with a familiar expression. "With such a big incident, we can't let everyone think the security department is incompetent, right? We need to set some examples and show that the security department put in a lot of effort, so everyone's taxes weren't paid in vain."
"Turn crisis into merit," Xue Zhi Shi summarized.
The three rolled their eyes in unison.
Soon, Director Wu of the division took the stage, beginning a monotonous speech and calling up one department after another to receive their freshly minted certificates and awards.
The only thing that made Qin Xuezhong happy was that there was a cash prize involved.
After a lengthy speech, Director Wu finally mentioned the analysis department.
"...In this incident, the chip data analysis department and a few colleagues from the technical department displayed great courage! They disregarded personal safety amidst the chaos and, at the first opportunity, overcame difficulties to rush to the mainframe room on the third underground level of the division, ensuring the safety of the room, rescuing colleagues affected by the virus, neutralizing the riotous combat androids, and capturing the fleeing suspects! Their help provided unimaginable support for the restoration of order in the division after the chaos, benefiting not only the division but also the millions of people in the Bay Flow District…"
As Director Wu began, the four members of the analysis department all wore drowsy expressions.
Xue Zhi Shi had been right; Director Wu was indeed turning the crisis into merit, praising the analysis and technical departments as if they had rushed in to protect the mainframe without regard for their own safety.
But in reality, they had just been trying to save their own skins.
"...Now, please welcome these colleagues to the stage!"
Amidst enthusiastic applause, the group followed Xue Zhi Shi to the stage. Qin Xuezhong kept her head down, afraid of being recognized.
After all, she was still an undercover agent.
According to the description from the mainframe, everyone involved in the Dream Project had been implanted with a subconscious program that prevented them from revealing any related information. Just having that thought could lead to death.
So, even though the original host had held a high position and many people knew her identity, it seemed to be limited to a small circle, posing little risk of exposure.
However, Qin Xuezhong, lacking experience as an undercover agent, still felt a bit anxious about showing her face at this division meeting.
As she looked out at the eyes watching her from the audience, she lowered her head even more, feeling like a student being punished for making a mistake and having to stand up to reflect.
Director Wu, smiling broadly, handed her a certificate, announcing, "Xiao Qin did very well. If you want to transfer to another department, just let me know. I hope you can make an even greater contribution to our division."
Qin Xuezhong replied honestly, "Thank you, Director Wu."
Director Wu laughed heartily and didn't say more.
These kinds of meetings were simply a formality, primarily focused on maintaining stability. Qin Xuezhong, who had frightened herself, successfully made it through the morning unscathed.
The afternoon held more troublesome matters, as the anti-intrusion team required her to attend a meeting at the division.
She directly asked the mainframe, "What is the anti-intrusion team going to discuss in the meeting?"
The mainframe replied, "According to the data I've acquired, the anti-intrusion team will initiate a large-scale internal purge within the security department, likely requiring long-term scrutiny and monitoring of all personnel."
Qin Xuezhong immediately understood.
The recent viral incident had severely damaged the fifth company, leading to many products and factories being boycotted, causing a drastic drop in trust within the market. The government sought to take this opportunity to regain control over certain aspects.
Qin Xuezhong sighed. — Here we go again… the same old tug-of-war over interests.
After lunch, Qin Xuezhong took a taxi to the Security Department office building in Xigu City. Following the meeting notification, she underwent layer upon layer of strict security checks until she reached the 11th floor.
She had initially thought she would be going to a large conference room, but to her surprise, the entire 11th floor was an open office space, completely connected. The equipment inside looked quite new, with some plastic films still intact.
On one side of the floor, there appeared to be a command center—large screens were mounted on the walls, and in front was a vast array of communication stations.
Clearly, this was not just an office but a command center for some operation.
Qin Xuezhong arrived relatively early, and there were already over a hundred people present, most of whom looked somewhat confused.
"Do you know what we're doing today?"
"They said it's a major purge."
"A purge? It's more like we're going to war with the fifth company, right?"
"Are we going to be cannon fodder?"
As more and more people arrived, the 11th floor began to feel a bit cramped when three clearly high-ranking individuals strode in.
The man in a trench coat clapped his hands, immediately silencing the entire room.
With a blank expression, he said, "Everyone, I am Wei Fan, the head of the anti-intrusion team, Deputy Director of the Internal Affairs Division, Senior Advisor to the Intelligence Division, and Commander of the Special Operations Department."
He then smiled slightly, a self-deprecating look mixed with a touch of menace. "The reason I introduced my titles so clearly is to let you know that even if you've passed the most rigorous screenings and audits to be here, if you have any suspicions of colluding with the enemy, I can personally provide location tracking, capture, and interrogation services—no internal traitor will escape!"
Everyone present felt a chill in their hearts.
After finishing that statement, Wei Fan took his seat at the top of the command area. He scanned the room and continued:
"Today is the first meeting of this team, and many of you have likely guessed our main task: to purge the entire security department and the federal government, rooting out the corporate spies!"
He then shifted his tone.
"Before that, we have an important mission. This task not only concerns the safety of Xigu City but could also have far-reaching implications for the future of the Federation."
He waved his hand, and a classified document appeared on the screen behind him.
"That is to find the Phantom!"
Qin Xuezhong, the Phantom present in the room, wore a dazed expression.