mijobooks Chapter 11 Laboratory
Chapter 11 Laboratory
"Alarm triggered." Cheng Xu stared at the screen. "The system is generating a maintenance request... Request sent... Intercepted!"
Xu Qingqing pressed the interceptor button, and a series of encrypted data packets appeared on the screen. Cheng Xu's fingers flew across the keyboard, cracking, tampering with, and repackaging... the whole process took less than ten seconds.
"Temporary access granted, valid for nineteen minutes," Cheng Xu said. "Now, enter their monitoring system."
The screen on Li Shancheng's glasses began to refresh—real-time footage from the internal surveillance cameras of Hanshan Technology. The reception area, corridors, elevators, offices... most areas were empty, with only the emergency lights in the corridors on.
"Retrieve the CCTV footage from the R&D center area," Cheng Xu instructed.
The scene shifts to the 23rd floor. The corridor is dimly lit, with heavy metal doors on both sides, bearing only numbers but no markings. One of the cameras is pointed at their previously located target area: room 2307.
"The access control system requires dual verification: employee card plus iris scan," Cheng Xu said. "We can't get in, but we can look for other clues...wait, what's that?"
In the footage, the door to room 2307 suddenly opened a crack. A figure darted out, wearing a lab coat, a mask, and goggles, obscuring their face. The person glanced around, then quickly closed the door and left.
"There are still people in the lab at three in the morning?" Xu Qingqing asked in confusion.
"They might be conducting an experiment that requires continuous monitoring," Cheng Xu said. "But why the rush? It's like... they're hiding something?"
Li Shancheng continued browsing the other security camera footage. In the corridor on the twenty-second floor, he saw the person from before—who had taken off his white coat and changed into a regular suit, waiting for the elevator. After the elevator arrived, the person went inside and disappeared from the frame.
"He's gone," Li Shancheng said.
"The opportunity has arrived." Cheng Xu made a decisive decision. "If he's only leaving now, it means the experiment may have just ended, or it may need to be temporarily interrupted. The equipment room might be accessible... We can try opening the door remotely."
"Didn't you say we needed two-factor authentication?"
"Emergency maintenance permissions can temporarily override the access control system, but it will leave a record," Cheng Xu said. "The risk of being discovered is very high; you decide."
Li Shancheng and Xu Qingqing exchanged a glance.
"Let's do it," Li Shancheng said. "We need to know what's inside."
"Agreed." Xu Qingqing nodded.
Cheng Xu took a deep breath: "Okay, remotely unlocking the access control for room 2307... Success. The door is unlocked, but it will only last for three minutes. After that, it will automatically relock and trigger an anomaly log."
Li Shancheng's glasses switched to the camera inside room 2307—if there was one. But the screen was completely black; there were no security cameras in that room.
"We can only see it from the perspective of the door camera." Cheng Xu switched back to the corridor camera.
The door opened about ten centimeters, letting in a faint blue light. Through the crack, a huge cylindrical container could be vaguely seen, its surface covered with intricate pipes and runes, filled with some kind of luminous liquid. Something seemed to be suspended in the liquid, but it was unclear.
"Zoom in on the image," Li Shancheng said.
Cheng Xu remotely adjusted the camera's focus. The image was zoomed in, and although the resolution was limited, more details could be seen: the cylindrical container was connected to dozens of energy conduits, which extended to other devices in the room; the runes on the surface of the container were pulsating rhythmically, perfectly synchronized with the energy fluctuations of the Wen Shu array eye.
The suspended matter inside the container... looks like a curled-up human figure.
"What is that?" Xu Qingqing gasped.
"A bioenergy culture dish." Cheng Xu's voice was filled with shock. "They're using the energy of the array's core to cultivate...some kind of organism. This violates at least seventeen metaphysical ethical conventions!"
"Can you tell what kind of creature it is?" Li Shancheng asked.
"The image is too blurry... Wait, there's a display screen on the side of the container. I'm trying to read the data remotely." Cheng Xu quickly operated the system. "Reading successful... Project codename 'Nirvana,' cultivation status: stage two, energy absorption rate: 62%, estimated completion time: 45 days."
"Nirvana?" Li Shancheng repeated the word. "What are they creating?"
"No matter what it is, it requires a huge amount of pure energy," Cheng Xu said. "That's why they need to siphon energy from the array's core—ordinary energy sources cannot meet the needs of this level of biological cultivation."
Suddenly, the elevator doors opened again in the corridor camera footage. The person who had just left was back, and not alone—he was followed by two burly security guards in black suits.
"They've found out!" Xu Qingqing exclaimed in a low voice.
"Close the access control and clear the access records!" Cheng Xu acted immediately, but it was too late.
In the footage, the door to room 2307 suddenly locks automatically, and an alarm sounds in the corridor. The person rushes to the door and tries to swipe their card, but the door doesn't respond—Cheng Xu's remote locking system has taken effect.
"They can't get in right now, but they'll check the system logs soon," Cheng Xu said. "We have to evacuate immediately; they already know we've been hacked."
"Where's the evidence? Have we obtained any evidence?" Li Shancheng asked.
"I've got some, but it's not enough," Cheng Xu said, quickly downloading data. "I need more time..."
In the building across the street, security guards began evacuating the entire floor. More security guards appeared on screen, along with several technicians in lab coats.
"They're tracing the source of the intrusion." Cheng Xu looked at the warning message flashing on the screen. "Our disguise has been exposed, they're reverse-tracking the signal... Damn, they're so fast!"
A piercing interference sound came through the headphones.
"The signal is being jammed!" Xu Qingqing said. "We've been discovered!"
"Evacuate immediately!" Cheng Xu shouted. "Take the stairs, don't use the elevator! I'm trying to confuse them, but I can't hold out for long!"
Li Shancheng and Xu Qingqing grabbed all the equipment and rushed out of their workstations. The corridor lights flickered, and suddenly the fire alarm went off—Cheng Xu had remotely triggered a false alarm, creating chaos.
They ran frantically down the fire escape stairs. Seventeenth floor, sixteenth floor, fifteenth floor... the sirens below grew louder and louder. From the stairwell windows, several security vehicles could be seen parked downstairs at the Chuangzhi Building.
"You can't go out through the main entrance," Li Shancheng said. "There's an exit in the underground parking lot that leads to the next street."
They turned towards the underground level. The parking lot was dimly lit, and the air was thick with the smell of gasoline and dust. Footsteps and shouts came from afar; the pursuers had come down.
"Over here!" Xu Qingqing pulled Li Shancheng into the shadow of a row of vehicles.
Two security guards ran past their hiding place, their flashlight beams sweeping across the roof of the car. Once they were out of sight, the two continued moving and finally found the emergency exit leading to the next street.
Pushing open the door, a chilly night wind rushed in. They had returned to the backstreets and alleys of Zhongguancun, where trash cans and discarded cardboard boxes were piled up.
"Are we safe?" Xu Qingqing asked, panting.
"For now." Li Shancheng leaned against the wall, his heart pounding. "But they already know someone has broken in, so it will be even harder next time."
Cheng Xu's voice came through the earpiece, broken and intermittent: "Come back safely...be careful..."
The signal was interrupted.
The two exchanged a glance and began to cautiously move towards Cheng Xu's shop. They took a long detour, changing direction several times, and only entered the electronics market after confirming they were not being followed.
The repair shop's roller shutter door was half-open, revealing a scene of utter chaos inside. Shelves had been overturned, parts scattered everywhere, and the computer on the workbench was gone. Cheng Xu lay on the floor, a wound on his forehead bleeding.
"Cousin!" Xu Qingqing rushed over to check his injuries.
Cheng Xu barely opened his eyes: "They...arrived ten minutes ago...three people...and took all the equipment and data..."
"How are you? Are you badly injured?" Li Shancheng asked.
"External wounds...but they used a 'silencing spell,' I can't describe their features..." Cheng Xu said with difficulty, "However...I backed up the critical data beforehand...behind...the third brick on the back wall..."
Li Shancheng immediately located the loose brick and took out a waterproof USB drive from behind it.
"What's inside?" Xu Qingqing asked while bandaging Cheng Xu's wound.
"Evidence of energy siphoning... partial design drawings of the petri dish... and..." Cheng Xu coughed a few times, "I intercepted an encrypted communication. I didn't have time to fully decipher it, but the keywords included 'array eye,' 'reboot,' and 'ancient relics'..."
"Ancient relics?" Li Shancheng frowned.
"It might be related to what they're training..." Cheng Xu's voice grew weaker and weaker, "They'll find out here soon... You have to leave..."
"Let's go together!" Xu Qingqing helped him up.
"No... I'm a small target on my own... You guys go find Editor-in-Chief Qin... Plan the next step..." Cheng Xu pushed her hand away, "I have a safe house... I know how to hide... Let's go!"
The sound of a car screeching to a halt could be heard outside.
"Let's go!" Cheng Xu roared.
Li Shancheng and Xu Qingqing left through the back door and disappeared into the shadows of the alley. A few seconds later, three black SUVs pulled up in front of the repair shop, and seven or eight people rushed inside. But they found only an empty shop and scattered parts.
Once they were safe, Li Shancheng looked at the USB drive in his hand. This small device contained evidence that might save the Wen Shu array's core, but it had also plunged them into deeper danger.
Cold Mountain Technology is no longer a hidden observer; they are now a clear enemy. And that cultivation project called "Nirvana," with its unclear purpose, is enough to make them willing to pay any price.
At four in the morning in Kyoto, the eastern sky was already tinged with the first light of dawn. A new day was about to begin, but for Li Shancheng, the battle was just entering its most dangerous phase.
He and Xu Qingqing quickly crossed the still-sleeping streets and returned to Qingyun Lane. Every step was taken cautiously, wary of possible tracking and ambushes.
Returning to the black wooden gate, Li Shancheng glanced back at the way he had come. The city was peaceful and serene in the morning mist; ordinary citizens were still asleep, completely unaware of what had happened the night before.
Pushing open the door, I saw Editor-in-Chief Qin already waiting in the courtyard, his face grave. Beneath the purple dragonwood, a two-headed blue phoenix flapped its wings uneasily, emitting a low cry.
"Cheng Xu contacted me," Editor-in-Chief Qin said as his first words. "You've obtained the evidence, but you've also been exposed."
Li Shancheng handed over the USB drive: "They are also cultivating some kind of creature, using the energy of the array's core."
Editor-in-Chief Qin took the USB drive, his eyes deep: "Things are more serious than I imagined. This morning, I received other news—Hanshan Technology just submitted a proposal to the municipal government, applying to designate the library area as a 'Cultural Heritage Technology Protection Demonstration Zone,' giving them full responsibility for the digitization and protection of ancient books."
"If the proposal passes..." Xu Qingqing's expression changed.
"They can then legally gain complete control over the core of the Wen Shu formation," Editor-in-Chief Qin continued, "and it's very likely that this is only the first step."