8: Chapter 8 Choices and Glimmers of Light

The cold white light stung Lin Feng's eyes so much he couldn't open them, while that calm electronic voice was like an ice pick, precisely stabbing into his taut nerves.

Not Agent 734?

An efficient data processor? A very special algorithm? Interested in a chat?

A series of questions instantly dispersed some of his fear, replaced by deeper confusion and vigilance. The other party wasn't here to capture him? Instead, they were interested in... his ability to process data?

`＞＞ ETA: 02H`

`＞＞ Agent 734 Proximity: High.`

The scarlet warning in the corner of his vision remained eye-searing, reminding him that the true danger was approaching at high speed. He had no time to waste here!

Lin Feng struggled to crawl up from the ground, but the sharp pain in his ribs and the sense of exhaustion made his movements stumble. Leaning against a cold, abandoned server rack, he gasped for air, trying to make his voice sound less weak and terrified. "Talk about what? Who are you?"

Squinting against the light, he couldn't see the other person's expression; he could only see the sophisticated Tactical Goggles adjust their focus slightly.

"Someone interested in the optimization algorithm you just demonstrated in the 'Data Stream'." The electronic voice was calm and flat, devoid of emotion. "As for who I am, that depends on the outcome of our conversation. You can call me 'The Engineer'."

The Engineer? Lin Feng's heart sank. The other party was indeed here because of how he handled that sensor log task! And they were able to locate his physical position so quickly? This was definitely no ordinary tech enthusiast!

"I don't know what you're talking about." Lin Feng tried to deny it, but his body tensed up secretly, searching for any gap to escape or debris he could use. `＞＞ Scan Environment...` He subconsciously issued a command to his ability.

`＞＞ Environment: Dead-End Alley. Debris: Non-Hazardous. Exit: Blocked by Subject.`

`＞＞ Subject: Physical Capability - Moderate. Equipment: Advanced Sensory/Tactical Gear. No Overt Weapons Detected.`

The blue scan results were fed back quickly, and the situation was not optimistic. This was a dead-end alley, the other party was blocking the only exit, and they were equipped with advanced sensory tactical gear.

"Denial is a reasonable reaction." The Engineer didn't seem surprised and took a slow step forward, the cold white beam of light steadily enveloping Lin Feng with an unquestionable sense of control. "But you wasted 1.7 seconds. According to an analysis of encrypted communication records on public channels, the field agent responsible for handling your 'anomaly' will scan this area in approximately 1 hour and 52 minutes. Your time is running out."

Lin Feng's blood almost froze. This person even knew the agent's number and the precise ETA?! Just who was this?

"What do you want?" Lin Feng's voice was dry as he gave up on pointless denials. The other party clearly possessed information far beyond his imagination.

"A proposal." The Engineer stopped, about five meters away from Lin Feng—a distance that maintained pressure while remaining relatively safe. "I admire your technical potential, especially your emergency optimization capabilities under pressure. It's very valuable. I can provide you with a temporary, relatively safe haven, basic medical aid, and... a certain degree of technical guidance to help you 'hide' better."

The offer sounded too good to be true. But Lin Feng knew well that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

"What's the price?" he asked bluntly.

"The price is that you need to work for me. Handle some... similar data tasks. Of course, there will be corresponding compensation, much higher than your previous one." The Engineer's electronic voice remained steady. "At the same time, I need to study and record your algorithm optimization patterns. It's a kind of... knowledge exchange."

Study his algorithm patterns? A chill ran down Lin Feng's spine. This was almost equivalent to dissecting how his ability worked! What the other party was truly interested in probably wasn't his surface-level skills, but the tip of the iceberg of the "Source" System he possessed that supported it all!

This was an opportunity, but also a massive trap. Accepting might grant him a brief respite and guidance, but it would likely expose his core secrets. Refusing would mean immediately facing this unfathomable The Engineer and the impending Agent 734.

`＞＞ ETA: 02H 07M 58S...`

Time was ticking away, second by second.

`＞＞ Warning: Subject's Tactical Gear Includes Neural Pattern Scanners. Low-Intensity Active Scanning Detected.`

`＞＞ Suggestion: Maintain Mental Guard. Avoid Deep Concentration.`

A new warning popped up! The other party was actually using a Neural Pattern Scanner to perform low-intensity scans of his brain activity? Was it to analyze his emotional reactions, or... to probe for something deeper?

Alarm bells rang in Lin Feng's mind. He couldn't agree! Once he entered the other party's territory, under such sophisticated equipment, his secrets would have nowhere to hide!

But what could he do? Force a breakthrough? The other party's equipment clearly wasn't just for show.

`＞＞ Query: StealthNet Protocol - Can it be used for Localized Sensory Deception?` Lin Feng asked urgently in his mind.

`＞＞ Analyzing...StealthNet Protocol Primarily for Digital Obfuscation.`

`＞＞ Adaptation Possible: Low-Energy Emission to Interfere with Short-Range Optical Sensors...Estimated Efficacy: 35%. Risk of Detection: High.`

His ability provided a high-risk plan: use the StealthNet Protocol to generate low-energy emissions to interfere with the other party's Tactical Goggles' optical sensors! But the success rate was only about one-third, and it was likely to be noticed immediately!

To gamble or not?

Just as Lin Feng gritted his teeth, prepared to stake everything on that interference plan with its touching success rate—

The Engineer's head suddenly tilted slightly to one side, as if listening to some invisible communication. The frequency of the Data Stream flickering on the Tactical Goggles abruptly accelerated.

"Tsk." For the first time, a trace of extremely subtle emotion, resembling impatience, seeped into the electronic voice. "The Peripheral Cleanup Program is seventeen percent faster than expected."

He/She suddenly raised a hand and tossed a small, metallic object toward Lin Feng.

Lin Feng caught it instinctively. It was a black metal chip without any markings, about the size of a thumbnail, and cold to the touch.

"If you change your mind, you can find me with that." The Engineer's speaking speed quickened slightly. "Remember, you've attracted more attention than you think. Besides the official hounds, other 'things' have been drawn here by your Efficient Data Fluctuations. Good luck."

Before he could finish his sentence, the other party gave Lin Feng no time to react. Their figure swayed backward, withdrawing from the alley entrance in an instant as if melting into the shadows. The cold white light vanished along with them.

The alley fell back into dimness, leaving only Lin Feng's heavy breathing and the blurred noise of the distant city.

Gone? They just left like that?

Lin Feng stood frozen on the spot, clutching the cold piece of metal tightly, finding it hard to believe for a moment. It seemed the other party was forced to interrupt the contact due to some sudden situation—the acceleration of the so-called "Peripheral Cleanup Program"?

>> ETA: 02H 05M 41S...

The crisis had not been resolved!

Lin Feng snapped back to his senses; now was not the time to be dazed! Whether "The Engineer" was friend or foe, and regardless of what other "things" he had drawn in, Agent 734 was the imminent threat!

He struggled to stand up completely, enduring the pain throughout his body as he rushed to the alley entrance, cautiously peering outside.

The street was empty; "The Engineer" was long gone.

>> Scan for Tracking Devices on Received Object... He issued a command regarding the metal piece.

>> Scanning...No Active Signals Detected. Material Composition: Standard Alloy. No Obvious Tracking Implants.

The metal piece itself appeared to be "clean."

Lin Feng breathed a slight sigh of relief, clutching it tightly in his palm. This might be a potential way out, but he didn't dare use it easily right now.

He had to leave this place immediately!

Relying on the newly acquired "Digital Identity Masking Kit," Lin Feng felt a subtle difference. Although the physical pain and exhaustion remained, the stinging sensation of being watched by invisible eyes seemed to lessen slightly as he navigated through several streets with surveillance cameras. >> Identity_Mask Active. Low-Probability of Facial Recognition. The blue prompt confirmed the kit was in effect.

This gave him a faint glimmer of confidence.

He didn't dare return to the Old Port District, nor did he dare head to any location that could be linked to him. He needed to find a place that was completely unfamiliar, required no identity verification, and was chaotic enough to hide in.

His gaze shifted toward a more distant area where the lights were sparser and the buildings more dilapidated and crowded—the low-level settlement known as "The Nest." It was a corner forgotten by the city, filled with temporary shelters, unlicensed vendors, and refugees struggling to survive, with loose management and scarce surveillance.

Dragging his battered body, Lin Feng plunged into that massive labyrinth composed of dilapidated shacks, abandoned vehicles, and crooked concrete buildings.

The air here was a mixture of low-grade fuel, trash, and the scent of crowded throngs. Narrow passages were lined on both sides with flickering, illegally tapped neon tubes, illuminating stalls selling synthetic food, second-hand parts, and medicines of unknown origin. People hurried along with wary or numb expressions; no one paid much attention to a stumbling stranger with his hood pulled tight.

>> ETA: 01H 38M 12S...

Time was still ticking away, but the chaos of the environment gave him a small chance to catch his breath.

He found an unnoticed corner and slid down against a mottled wall. His heavy gasps pulled at his wounds, making him grimace in pain. Hunger, thirst, pain, and extreme exhaustion surged like a tide, nearly drowning him.

He needed water, he needed food, he needed to treat his wounds, and he needed a place to lie down.

He fumbled through his pockets for a few crumpled bills and felt the eight thousand credits of "Anonymous Funds" within him. The change was clearly not enough, but as for using that money...

>> Query: Local Low-Security Transactions? Essential Supplies.

>> Scanning Local Ad-Hoc Network...Found: Several Unregistered Vendor Nodes.

>> Warning: Transaction Security Minimal. Anonymity Not Guaranteed.

The ability fed back several anonymous vendor nodes nearby that didn't require identity verification, mostly selling basic supplies, but their security was very low.

Lin Feng gritted his teeth and selected a node selling drinking water and basic medical kits. Carefully using the newly acquired anonymous path, he paid a negligible amount of credits.

A few minutes later, a small, thin figure in an oversized coat, whose face couldn't be seen, emerged from a fork in the road. They placed a plastic bag containing bottled water and a simple medical kit on the ground not far from Lin Feng, then quickly picked up an empty tin can used as a marker and ran off without looking back.

The transaction was completed silently and quickly.

Lin Feng picked up the bag, unscrewed the bottle cap, and greedily gulped down several mouthfuls of fresh water; the icy sensation temporarily suppressed the burning in his throat. He then took out the medical kit, which contained some basic disinfectant spray and bandages. He clumsily lifted his clothes and sprayed the bruised, swollen, and even slightly bleeding area on his ribs several times before managing to wrap and secure it with bandages.

The relief brought by the simple treatment was minimal, but psychologically, it felt like a shot of adrenaline. At least he could still move, still think.

He curled up in the corner, sipping water in small gulps while warily observing his surroundings. "The Nest" was not peaceful under the cover of night; arguments and the roar of some modified engine could be heard faintly in the distance, but at least for now, no direct danger had descended upon him.

>> ETA: 01H 05M 2

Agent 734 was constantly approaching.

>> Warning: Unidentified Network Probe Detected. Source: Obfuscated. Pattern: Does Not Match Known [Sky Curtain] Signatures.

>> Scanning...Attempting Trace...Trace Failed.

A new, unfamiliar warning suddenly popped up!

An unidentified, hidden network probe had just scanned the area where he was! Its pattern did not match the known Sky Curtain signatures!

Lin Feng snapped upright, his nerves, which had just relaxed slightly, tightening once more!

Was it "The Engineer" returning? Or was it those other "things" he mentioned, drawn in by the "Efficient Data Fluctuations"?

He felt like a small boat on the sea during a stormy night, having just barely dodged a giant wave only to find deeper, more eerie undercurrents surging from all directions.

He tightened his grip on the cold metal piece and the remaining half-bottle of water, looking into the darker, unknown labyrinth deep within "The Nest." A cold feeling of isolation and helplessness gripped him deeply.

Where should he go next?