7: The second refresh, this time it's a revolutionary battery!

Through the small, distorted field of view of the peephole, Lu Chen could clearly see the profound smile on the corner of the man's mouth outside the door.

It was neither mockery nor threat.

Rather, it was a kind of... appreciation.

Like a top-tier hunter who had finally spotted the equally top-tier prey he had been searching for.

Lu Chen's heart pounded wildly in his chest, but his eyes instantly became cold and calm.

He didn't open the door immediately, nor did he ask any questions.

He simply backed away slowly, step by step, returning to the center of the room, then pulled out a chair and sat down again.

He picked up his phone and deleted every single word of the email he had half-written and prepared to send to the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The fish had already jumped onto the shore by itself.

Naturally, the bait he had prepared earlier was no longer needed.

Now, the initiative had quietly changed hands.

The knocking didn't resume.

The person outside the door seemed to have more patience than he did.

They were like two master chess players, silently waiting for the other to show a flaw before making a move.

Lu Chen's gaze fell on the calendar hanging on the wall.

Today was Sunday.

A full six days had passed since he obtained the system.

This meant... "Tick-tock, tick-tock..."

The second hand of the old quartz clock on the wall seemed to slow down countless times; every jump was like a heavy hammer striking Lu Chen's heart.

His breathing was almost completely arrested.

He was waiting.

Waiting for a crucial moment!

Waiting for a new trump card that could completely secure victory in this silent game of wits!

Outside the door.

In the narrow, dim corridor, two Dragon Shield Bureau special agents stood motionless like statues.

"Boss, this kid... doesn't seem like he's going to open the door," the younger agent next to him whispered into his earpiece.

The man referred to as "Boss" was the one who had smiled into the peephole earlier. His name was Qin Feng, the leader of the Dragon Shield Bureau's Field Operations Team, known for his composure and sharp intuition.

"Calm down." Qin Feng's voice was completely steady. "The target is not an ordinary person. Elder Zhang and the others analyzed that his intelligence and psychological resilience far surpass the average person. He isn't opening the door now because he's testing us."

"Testing?"

"Exactly. He's waiting for us to make the first mistake," Qin Feng's lips curled slightly. "For example... forcing the door open."

The young agent suddenly understood, a cold sweat breaking out on his back.

"So what do we do now? Just wait here?"

"Wait." Qin Feng's reply was only one word, but it was filled with undeniable determination. "Director Long instructed that this operation is codenamed 'Inviting the Worthy.' We are here to invite him, not to arrest him. Regardless of the target's attitude, we must show one hundred percent respect and patience."

"Understood!"

Time flowed by, minute by minute, in this eerie silence.

Inside the room, Lu Chen closed his eyes, focusing all his attention on his mind.

He was racing against time!

Finally—

The moment the hour hand, minute hand, and second hand of the wall clock perfectly overlapped on the number "12"!

[Ding—]

The cold, familiar mechanical synthesized voice sounded in his mind right on schedule, like the music of the heavens!

[Jinghai Time, Monday, 00:00]

[future technology system has refreshed.]

[Injecting this week's black technology into the Host...]

Boom!

A data stream, milder than the last but equally massive in information, surged into his brain like a breached galaxy!

This time, Lu Chen was prepared. He clenched his jaw tightly, enduring the tearing sensation of his brain being forcefully "expanded," and didn't make a sound.

Countless pieces of knowledge concerning "carbon nanotubes," "ion films," and "solid-state electrolytes" rapidly arranged and combined in his mind, ultimately forming a complete technology capable of driving all the world's tech giants insane!

[Injection complete.]

[This week's Black Technology: Graphene Polymer Battery Technology (Complete Version)]

Success!

Lu Chen suddenly opened his eyes, a star-like brilliance flashing deep within them!

If the previous "Room-Temperature Superconducting Material" was merely a "stepping stone" he used to knock on the nation's door—a future IOU.

Then this brand new trump card in his hand—the Graphene Battery—was a readily redeemable, trillion-dollar... cash payment!

This technology didn't require highly sophisticated laboratories or particle accelerators.

Its material costs were low, and although the manufacturing process was delicate, with Xia Country's existing industrial foundation, mass production could be achieved in an extremely short time!

Just how terrifying was its performance?

For the same volume, its battery capacity was one hundred times that of the current top-tier lithium batteries on the market!

Its charging speed was even more outrageous! Charging a phone battery took only thirty seconds! Charging an electric car took only five minutes!

Moreover, it was absolutely safe, never exploded, and had a cycle life of over fifty thousand times!

What did this concept imply?

It meant phones could go a month without charging!

It meant the range of electric vehicles would easily exceed ten thousand kilometers! Completely sweeping gasoline cars into the dustbin of history!

It meant that every industry reliant on batteries—from phones and computers to drones and satellites—would face an unprecedented, massive reshuffle!

This technology was a gold mine that would make any nation drool!

Lu Chen slowly exhaled a mouthful of stale air.

Now, he held a Joker regarding the "future" and a Joker regarding the "present."

Double Jokers in hand!

He was invincible!

It was time.

Time to meet the "patient" guests outside the door.

He slowly stood up, straightened the T-shirt that was wrinkled from sweat, and then walked unhurriedly to the door.

A composed, everything-under-control smile played on his face.

With a "click."

The thin wooden door separating the two worlds was slowly opened from the inside.

Outside the door, Qin Feng's pupils abruptly contracted!

He saw a young man.

An ordinary-looking young man, perhaps even a little thin due to long-term malnutrition.

But the youth's eyes were astonishingly bright!

What kind of gaze was that?

Profound, calm, sharp... as if it could see through people's hearts, yet also contained a vast, starry sky!

This was absolutely not the gaze an ordinary high school student should possess!

An alarm bell rang loudly in Qin Feng's heart!

He confirmed almost instantly that they had found the right person!

"Hello, you must be Lu Chen, right?"

Qin Feng suppressed all surprise, put on the most amiable and approachable smile he could manage, and extended his hand first.

"We mean no harm. We just want to invite you to come back with us and assist us with a... very important investigation."

Lu Chen did not shake his hand.

He simply looked quietly at the two "uninvited guests," then cast his gaze toward the deep, dark corridor behind them.

It was as if he could see that more people, and more... eyes, were hidden in that darkness.

He smiled faintly and asked a question that caught Qin Feng and all the Dragon Shield Bureau members hidden in the shadows completely off guard.

"Assist with an investigation?"

"I can do that."

"However, I have one question..."

"Can you... afford the price?"