166: Chapter 165 Pipeline Horror! Breaking Through to Find the Mysterious Shadow, Fragments First Melt to Open a New Chapter (1)

Dust in the ventilation duct forced its way into his nose as if it were free, making his throat tighten. Mu Li gritted his teeth, his jaw set firmly. The wound on his shoulder still throbbed with a dull ache; with every crawl, the tearing sensation in his flesh intensified. Blood had long since dried on the fabric of his work clothes, forming a stiff, dark red scab that left faint bloody streaks as it rubbed against the duct walls. He crawled rapidly, the back of his uniform soon soaked with sweat and coated in a thick layer of dust. Mottled with gray and black, he looked like he had just crawled out of a coal kiln, with even his hair covered in fine particles that fell in flurries whenever he moved. The secrets of the core system must never fall into Locke's hands; he had to escape the Mercenaries' pursuit as quickly as possible. Even if it meant sacrificing his broken body, he had to lead his team to safety. This obsession allowed him to ignore most of the pain.

Behind him came Old Yang's suppressed cries of pain and a teammate's apology. Old Yang was a bit stout, and while squeezing through a particularly narrow section of the pipe, his abdomen had been rubbed raw, forcing a muffled groan from him. The teammate behind, eager to keep up, accidentally bumped his ankle. The two could only whisper reminders to each other, not daring to make any loud noise. Outside the duct, the chaotic footsteps of the Mercenaries, angry curses, and the clatter of firearms rose and fell. Locke's exasperated roars filtered through the thin metal walls, adding a touch of absurd liveliness to this life-or-death breakout. Mu Li's brow furrowed and his gaze darkened. The greater Locke's fury, the tighter the search would be. They were running out of time and had to find an exit quickly. He didn't dare let a trace of panic take root in his heart, forcing himself to remain even calmer.

"Engineer Mu, there's a fork ahead!" Old Yang's voice came from behind, accompanied by hurried gasps and unmistakable exhaustion. He had just barely squeezed through that narrow section; his abdominal muscles were bulging slightly from the pressure, his face was flushed red, and sweat mixed with dust to carve muddy tracks down his face. At that moment, using the faint light from the teammate's flashlight ahead, he stared at the two diverging pipes before him. His brow was tightly knit, caught in a dilemma—one pipe was thick and the other thin, their ends invisible, and he couldn't tell which one would lead to a successful escape.

Mu Li stopped moving. The pain in his shoulder made him subconsciously frown, his fingertips curling slightly. He slowly turned his head and shone his flashlight beam at the fork ahead. The light swayed in the dim duct, illuminating two vastly different paths. The pipe on the left looked thicker, its inner walls relatively smooth; a faint sound of wind could be heard from the distance, carrying the chill of the Gobi Desert night, suggesting it likely led to an outdoor vent. The pipe on the right was a size smaller, its inner walls covered in rust and dust. It was eerily quiet, without even a whisper of wind, as if leading to some forgotten, deathly silent corner. His brain worked at high speed as his eyes darted between the two pipes. On one side was the seemingly safe but likely ambushed outdoors; on the other was a strange, unknown depth that might hide clues. He knew that every choice he made concerned the lives of everyone present and allowed for no errors.

He pondered for a moment, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the "Entrenching Tool" at his waist, rubbing repeatedly against the cold metal as he calculated rapidly. The left led outside; it seemed safe, but they would likely encounter patrolling Mercenaries, making the breakout difficult. Although the right was eerie, the silence suggested there likely wasn't a dense defense, and perhaps they could find more clues about the core system. Just as he was about to speak and deploy the team, a loud "clang" echoed from the pipe behind them, making the walls vibrate. This was followed by the piercing sound of metal scraping. Clearly, the Mercenaries had discovered the vent and were using tools to frantically smash the pipe walls, trying to break in and capture them. Mu Li's heart tightened, his breath hitching for a beat. The Mercenaries were coming faster than expected. He could no longer hesitate; they had to split up immediately to distract the enemy's attention to have any hope of breaking out. He clenched his fists, steadied his mind, and prepared to give the order.

"No time to hesitate!" Mu Li barked in a low voice. It wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable firmness that drowned out the noise behind them, his eyes hiding a resolute determination. "Old Yang, take one teammate and go left to break out toward the exterior. Once you're out, contact support immediately and have them meet you behind the dunes on the base's perimeter. Be sure to stay hidden and don't reveal your position! I'll take the other teammate to the right to scout the situation. We might find more clues about the core system and distract the Mercenaries!" He appeared calm on the surface, his back ramrod straight, but only he knew that his palms were already soaked with cold sweat. The unknown dangers to the right might far exceed his imagination, but he had to go. The clues to the core system were the key to their mission. Even if he had to face the danger alone, he couldn't give up. This responsibility left him no room to retreat.

"Engineer Mu, this is too dangerous!" Old Yang grew anxious, his voice tinged with urgency. "We don't know what's on the right; it might be a trap. It's too risky for you to take just one teammate. I'll go with you, let the other teammate break out to the left!" He knew Mu Li's importance and was even more aware of the dangers of unknown areas. No matter what, he didn't want Mu Li to fall into a death trap.

"Obey orders!" Mu Li's tone was indisputable, his gaze as sharp as a knife as he stared intently at Old Yang. "By splitting into two paths, we can distract them, reduce the difficulty of the breakout, and increase our success rate. We might even gain something on both fronts. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing; I won't gamble with my life." He shook the "Entrenching Tool" at his waist, his tone softening slightly with a hint of banter, though there was no humor in his eyes—only a carefully concealed gravity. He used a joking tone to ease the atmosphere, but in his heart, he knew this journey was fraught with peril. He couldn't show weakness; he was the backbone of the team. If he panicked, the whole team would be lost.

Old Yang knew Mu Li's temperament; once he decided on something, he wouldn't change it easily. He could only nod through gritted teeth, his eyes full of worry. "Fine! Engineer Mu, you must be careful. Don't push yourself too hard. We'll wait for you at the perimeter. If there's danger, fire a signal flare immediately!" Having said that, he patted the shoulder of the teammate beside him and gave a solemn instruction, "You come with me to the left. Stay alert and move fast!" Then, he turned to the other teammate and said, "Protect Engineer Mu. Even if you have to give your all, you must not let anything happen to him!"

"Don't worry, Captain Yang! I guarantee the mission will be completed!" the teammate said, thumping his chest firmly. However, his movement was too large, and his head hit the top of the pipe with a loud "thud." He winced in pain, tears nearly welling up, but he didn't dare make a sound. Clutching his head and grimacing, he followed Mu Li and carefully crawled into the right-hand pipe.

The pipe on the right was indeed much narrower than the one on the left. Mu Li wasn't particularly burly, so he could crawl through relatively smoothly with a slight hunch, but the wound on his shoulder was still being pulled. Every movement brought a sharp sting, yet his expression remained unchanged. He simply increased his speed, jaw clenched, suppressing the pain. The teammate behind him had it worse; a tall man over 1.8 meters with a sturdy build, he had to force his back to arch and his shoulders to shrink, looking like a loach stuffed into a tin can. His shoulders and back frequently rubbed against the rust and dust of the pipe walls, and every step was accompanied by a suppressed grunt. Sweat poured down his face like beads from a broken string, soaking his fringe. From the corner of his eye, Mu Li caught a glimpse of his teammate's struggle and felt a slight sense of relief. Although the teammate was struggling, he wasn't injured. As long as they could find the clues, his own pain was worth it.

"Team member, are you doing okay? If not, just say the word and we'll slow down. Don't push yourself," Mu Li asked, looking back. The flashlight beam hit the team member's flushed face, revealing dirt, sweat, and an undeniable exhaustion. Mu Li couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth as a hint of warmth flickered in his eyes. This team member was usually full of life on the training grounds, possessing incredible physical stamina, yet he had unexpectedly met his match in this narrow ventilation duct, looking rather disheveled.

"Engineer Mu... I'm fine... I can do it..." the team member panted, his voice intermittent, gasping for air after every sentence. "It's just this duct... the design is too inhumane... Is this meant for humans to crawl through? It looks like it was designed for hamsters... If we keep crawling, I suspect my shoulders are going to be rubbed raw." As he spoke, he struggled to shift his body, his face filled with helplessness.

Mu Li was amused by him, and his tense nerves relaxed slightly. Even the pain in his shoulder seemed to lessen a bit. He said softly, "Endure it. Once we're out, I'll treat you to a big meal to compensate you for this 'dust feast,' and I'll give you two days off to get some proper rest." Looking at the team member's disheveled yet stubborn appearance, a sense of warmth welled up in his heart. In this desperate situation where life and death were uncertain, this camaraderie of fighting side-by-side was one of the strengths supporting him to keep going, adding a bit of softness to his cold heart.

The two crawled for about another ten minutes when the duct ahead suddenly widened, becoming less oppressive. He could vaguely smell a faint scent of machine oil mixed with the scorched smell of electronic components, similar to the odor he had smelled in the factory earlier. Mu Li's heart stirred, and his eyes instantly lit up. He immediately signaled the team member to stop while he slowed down, crawling forward cautiously. His fingertips lightly touched the duct wall, and he could feel a faint vibration—clearly, there were machines running nearby. This smell and vibration were most likely emitted by equipment related to the core system. It seemed his choice was correct; clues were indeed hidden here. A sliver of anticipation quietly spread through his heart.

After crawling a few more meters, a vent appeared ahead. The vent's grille was covered in dust and rust. Through the gaps in the grille, he could see a small room below. The lighting was dim, yet the room's layout was clearly visible. Mu Li lightly shone his flashlight beam; the room contained several old desks piled high with documents and computers. Papers were scattered across the floor, looking somewhat cluttered. In the corner sat several black safes with shiny lock cylinders, indicating they were frequently opened. More importantly, the room was empty, with only one computer screen still lit, displaying dense lines of English code that looked like some kind of data transmission interface, the cursor blinking incessantly. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. The closer he got to the clues, the more cautious he had to be; he couldn't let everything fail due to carelessness. The anticipation in his eyes was gradually replaced by composure.

"I've found something!" Mu Li whispered to the team member behind him, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible excitement and a hint of vigilance. "You stay here on guard. Keep a close eye on the movement behind us. If there's anything unusual, alert me immediately. I'm going down to check it out and gather the information. We need to make this quick." After saying this, he gently pushed the vent grille. It made a slight "creak," and he immediately stopped to listen. After confirming there was no movement in the room, he leaped down. He landed lightly like an agile cat, trying not to make a sound. The wound on his shoulder was pulled, sending a sharp pang of pain, but he only frowned slightly without making a sound. The moment he landed, his gaze quickly swept across the entire room, a plan already forming in his mind: first copy the data from the computer, then check the documents and safes. He had to finish as quickly as possible to avoid any complications from a long delay.

The team member followed and jumped down, but failed to control his force, landing on the floor with a "thud." He immediately covered his mouth and looked around vigilantly. After confirming there was no danger, he breathed a sigh of relief and impatiently brushed the dust off himself. The dust fell in flurries, making him cough. He muttered, "Finally out. If I crawled any further, I suspect cacti would start growing in my lungs. I'm covered in dust; even breathing feels like I'm choking."

Mu Li ignored his complaints and walked quickly to the desk, his eyes fixed on the documents. His steps were urgent yet steady. As his fingertips brushed over the dense English text on the documents, his expression gradually grew solemn. These were all research data regarding Nuclear Fusion Power Station technology, as well as analysis reports on "core system fragments," marked with detailed parameters and decryption ideas. The more he read, the hotter the fury in his heart burned—it turned out the North American Global Energy Group had long since set their sights on the core system. They had not only stolen technical data from Zhou Mingyuan's hands but also collected a massive amount of core data in an attempt to claim this technology as their own. These people would stop at nothing; he absolutely could not let their conspiracy succeed. His fingertips trembled slightly with rage.

He picked up a black notebook from the desk. Upon opening it, the contents made his blood boil even more, his knuckles turning white from his grip. The notebook actually contained detailed records of their collusion with Zhou Mingyuan, from the initial technical transactions to the later project sabotage—every single transaction was clearly recorded. There was even detailed information about Mu Li himself, from his exploration experiences in the Gobi Desert as a young man to the current layout of the nuclear fusion power station project. It even clearly recorded that he suffered from coronary heart disease and carried emergency medicine with him year-round. Mu Li's gaze instantly turned icy, and his entire aura darkened. It turned out the enemy had long regarded him as a thorn in their side and had been plotting for a long time. This attack was no accident, but a long-premeditated conspiracy. A chill spread from his heart to his limbs.

"These guys certainly investigated thoroughly; they've calculated everything quite well." Mu Li gave a cold laugh, his eyes icy. He carefully tucked the notebook into his backpack and quickly began operating the computer on the desk. The computer had no password and the screen was still on; evidently, the people here had left in such a hurry that they forgot to lock the machine and close the running programs. His fingertips flew across the keyboard, fearing any delay. He had only one thought: copy the data as quickly as possible; there could be no mistakes. Just as the USB drive was about to finish copying, a red prompt box suddenly popped up on the computer screen: "Data transmission interrupted. External device detected. Initiating data destruction program..." Mu Li's heart sank, and his breathing suddenly quickened. Oh no, the enemy had actually set up a data destruction program. He couldn't let the data he'd obtained go to waste. He immediately accelerated his movements.

"Not good!" Mu Li's expression changed, and his heart tightened. He immediately pulled out the USB drive while simultaneously tapping the keyboard rapidly, trying to stop the data destruction program. But the enemy's program initiated very quickly; files on the screen began to disappear one by one, turning into jumbled gibberish. The red warning prompts flashed incessantly, looking exceptionally piercing. Mu Li gritted his teeth, his gaze determined. He pulled a small decoder from his backpack, quickly connected it to the computer, and his fingers flew across the keyboard. His fingertips danced as he engaged in a fierce contest with the enemy's program. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead again, sliding down his cheek and dripping onto the keyboard. He focused all his concentration, various decryption ideas flashing through his mind. He told himself over and over: I must succeed. This data is the key to exposing the enemy's conspiracy and an important clue to finding the core system. I cannot give up, even if my fingers are numb and my forehead is sweating; I cannot stop.

The team member beside him watched in stunned silence. Although he couldn't understand the code on the screen, he could sense the urgency of the situation. He gripped his gun tightly and watched the door vigilantly, his ear pressed against the door panel, listening intently to the movement outside, fearing that Mercenaries might suddenly burst in and interrupt Mu Li's operation. The only sounds left in the room were the "clack-clack" of the keyboard and the "zzzt" of the computer's electrical current. The atmosphere was tense to the extreme.