35: Intrusion into the lab? Welcome to the inescapable net!

"Side effects... for whom?"

When Lu Chen's rhetorical question, filled with cold and philosophical meaning, clearly reached Long Weiguo's ears via the encrypted phone call.

Long Weiguo shivered violently!

He instantly understood Lu Chen's unspoken meaning.

These two terrifying technologies, which could be called "mind-reading" and "all-seeing eye."

For the enemy, they were devastating side effects.

But for their own people... they were invincible artifacts!

"I understand."

Long Weiguo let out a long, turbid breath, his voice becoming incredibly firm!

"Go ahead and do it!"

"Whatever happens, I'll cover you!"

...Three days later.

The night was as thick as ink.

At a very concealed ventilation shaft on the outskirts of the Kunlun Mountain Underground Base.

A slender figure, dressed in a base security uniform, was stealthily lying in the grass, observing the brightly lit watchtower in the distance with military binoculars.

He was the "guide" who had been turned by the CIA three years ago.

His codename was Oriole.

At this moment, his face was filled with tension and... greed!

Just now, he had received the latest instructions from his superior, Jack Anderson!

The instructions were simple.

Utilize the fifteen-minute defensive vacuum during tonight's shift change.

Open the electronic lock of this ventilation shaft, which he had secretly tampered with.

Then... do nothing else, and immediately withdraw!

Afterward, he would receive a huge sum of money, enough for him to live a life of debauchery abroad for the rest of his days!

"Damn it! I'll do it!"

Oriole gritted his teeth and pulled out a miniature electronic jammer from hisHuai.

He aimed at the surveillance camera on the watchtower, and the moment it turned away!

He fiercely pressed the activation button!

"Beep—"

After a slight, almost inaudible sound.

The ventilation grille, made of special alloy, slowly and silently rose, creating a gap just wide enough for one person to pass through!

It worked!

A flash of ecstasy appeared in Oriole's eyes!

Without any hesitation, he immediately turned and disappeared into the vast night like a startled rabbit.

He didn't know.

The moment he pressed the jammer button.

Five hundred meters underground, in the pangu control room.

On the huge virtual light screen in front of Lu Chen, a red alarm, representing the ventilation shaft's location, was flashing wildly!

[Alert! Area A, Ventilation Shaft No. 3, electronic lock, illegally opened!]

[Retrieving all nearby surveillance footage...]

[Suspect locked: Security team member, Wang Fugui, codename: Oriole.]

[Initiate immediate arrest?]

"Arrest?"

Lu Chen looked at the pitiful wretch scrambling away from the scene on the screen and smiled.

It was the playful smile of a cat watching a mouse that had just stolen the cheese it had deliberately placed next to a mousetrap.

"No rush."

He picked up the cup of hot tea that Su Qingying had just brewed for him and took a gentle sip.

"The bait has been cast."

"Next..."

"It's time to wait for that self-important big fish to... take the bait."

He turned around and looked at the ice-cold goddess behind him, whose eyes, though seemingly emotionless, hid a trace of nervousness and curiosity deep within.

"Qingying."

"Hmm?"

"Want to watch a... good show?"

...Meanwhile.

In an abandoned factory five kilometers away from the Kunlun Mountain Base.

A mysterious figure, clad in a black, futuristic-looking combat suit, slowly emerged from the shadows.

He wore a special mask that blocked all infrared detection.

In his hand, he carried a silver-white briefcase.

He was the second, and final... ace sent by the CIA!

An existence even more mysterious and powerful than "Shadow"!

Codename—

"Ghost"!

Jack Anderson's voice, suppressed with excitement, came through his earpiece.

"Oriole has opened the passage!"

"You have fifteen minutes to infiltrate!"

"Remember, your mission is not to steal data!"

"It's to..."

"Install it!"

Ghost opened the silver-white briefcase in his hand.

Inside the briefcase lay a palm-sized, spider-shaped metal construct!

It shimmered with an eerie, bluish light!

"This is our newly developed 'Quantum Eavesdropping' robot!"

"As long as it's installed near the pangu's core server!"

"It can silently copy all data from the server!"

"Understood?!"

"Understood."

Ghost replied faintly, his voice hoarse yet confident.

He closed the briefcase, and his entire figure instantly transformed into a black lightning bolt, almost imperceptible to the naked eye!

He sped towards the Kunlun Mountain Base!

His speed was incredibly fast!

His movements were as agile as a cheetah in the night!

He perfectly avoided all overt and covert sentries!

He silently infiltrated the open ventilation shaft meant for him!

He successfully entered this underground fortress, reputed to be the most heavily guarded in the world!

Everything proceeded flawlessly!

He could even smell the scent of victory!

He didn't know.

The moment he stepped into the ventilation shaft.

The entire Heaven's Net security system of the Kunlun Mountain Underground Base, personally designed by Lu Chen, had been... completely activated!

Every step he took.

Every breath he drew.

Every beat of his heart.

Was clearly captured by thousands of invisible sensors and transmitted in real-time to Lu Chen!

What kind of infiltrator was he?

He was clearly a foolish moth that had flown straight into a spider's web!

"Boss."

In the control room, Su Qingying looked at the black figure on the light screen, stepping into the death trap composed of countless red laser traps, her voice tinged with a hint of reluctance.

"Are we really... not going to stop him?"

"Why stop him?"

Lu Chen smiled.

He pointed at the black figure on the screen, who was only one door away from the core laboratory.

"Look."

"He worked so hard to get here."

"As hosts, we should at least let him in... for a seat, shouldn't we?"

He gently pressed a green button in front of him.

The next second!

The half-meter thick core laboratory door, made of special alloy.

Slowly and silently... opened in front of Ghost.

A flash of ecstasy appeared in Ghost's eyes!

Without a second thought, he darted in!

Then... he saw a scene that would be etched in his memory forever.

In the spacious laboratory.

A handsome young man sat smiling at the central control console.

Beside him stood a stunningly beautiful ice queen.

At their feet were the dense, dark muzzles of automatically rising and retracting machine guns.

And behind them, on the huge holographic screen, a classic Western Alliance movie was playing on a loop.

The movie's name was—

The Truman Show.

"Welcome."

Lu Chen smiled and greeted the black figure who had completely frozen in place.

"To our esteemed guest who has traveled so far."

"Allow me to introduce myself."

"I am the one you are looking for this time..."

"The 'Devil'."

"So..."

"May I know your name?"