“What’s the situation inside?”
“Everything is normal. Titan pilot Ji Mingzhu is still in his room, and there are no other abnormal situations.”
The guard at the door peeked into the rest area, looking somewhat hesitant. “Could the Fire Division have made a mistake? How could Titan pilot Ji Mingzhu be…”
“Whether he is or not, it’s an order from above. We just have to follow it,” the relieving guard said. “It’s a pity; we thought Titan pilot Ji Mingzhu would become the successor to Red Guard Commander. Now, it seems…”
Ji Mingzhu, young and talented, was seen by everyone as having boundless prospects. As long as nothing unexpected happened, a bright future awaited him. Unfortunately, life is unpredictable. Who could have expected that the radiant protagonist who should have stood at the center during the award ceremony would be arrested just minutes before, awaiting trial in Sky City?
It truly evokes a sense of regret.
As night fell, time quickly passed.
“To the left a bit, yes, a bit more left…”
Several members of the Fire Division were directing. Not far away, a massive device, escorted by armed motorcycles, was arriving at the headquarters of Calamity Control Bureau for the final unloading work.
Li Li looked at the device with a complex expression. “Is this sent down from Sky City?”
“Yes.”
Wen Kang stood beside Li Li, sighing. “The fourth-generation neural control device. Ordinary people rarely have the privilege… It seems that the ministers are not planning to execute Ji Mingzhu but instead intend to turn him into an obedient puppet.”
Li Li’s expression carried a touch of mockery. “If it were me, I’d rather die.”
At the very least, this way, my thoughts will still be free before death.
Although doing this is at the behest of Sky City, Li Li and others, as Titan pilots, couldn’t help but feel a sense of despair. Perhaps in the eyes of the Immortals, whether it’s the ministers of the Calamity Control Bureau or their group of Titan pilots, they are all the same—just tools they can manipulate at will.
“Pilot Ji Mingzhu.”
The guards entered through the door and said to Ji Mingzhu, “Please come with us.”
Behind them were fully armed members of the Fire Division. Even facing a non-threatening Titan pilot, they didn’t let their guard down.
As long as Ji Mingzhu showed any unusual movement, he would be greeted with the cold muzzles of their guns.
Ji Mingzhu stood up, glanced at the group in front of him, and then said, “Can I change my clothes?”
“Please don’t make things difficult for us; we are just following orders.”
“Very well, three minutes.”
Ji Mingzhu looked up at the time and said, “Don’t worry, it won’t delay your affairs.”
Several guards exchanged glances, and after a while, they nodded, “We’ll wait for you at the door.”
After all, he was once the hero who saved the entire Shangjing City. They were willing to afford him some dignity. If Ji Mingzhu could cooperate, it would be the best. They didn’t want to treat this young hero like a criminal and lead him to a dead end.
Once the guards left and closed the door, Ji Mingzhu looked at the time again.
7:58 PM.
It was almost time.
Ji Mingzhu knew what awaited him was not something he could confidently confront with Sky City’s technology. If he truly became a puppet controlled by Sky City, that would be the real doomsday for Ji Mingzhu.
He hoped that Axiu and the others could act quickly.
“Where is Pilot Ji Mingzhu?”
Minister of the Fire Division, Xie Cang, didn’t see Ji Mingzhu and couldn’t help frowning, asking, “Did something unexpected happen?”
“No, Pilot Ji Mingzhu said he wanted to change his clothes, probably taking a few minutes.”
“At this time…”
Xie Cang was about to say something when suddenly a loud noise echoed in his ears.
“Boom!!!”
It seemed like something had hit the side of the headquarters building, causing it to shake. Xie Cang’s mind suddenly flashed a sense of impending danger. “What’s happening?”
“Minister Xie Cang!” A panicked voice came through the earpiece. “It’s the Laiqu Group’s anti-reconnaissance unmanned sentinel guns! They’re firing at us!”
“What?!” Xie Cang’s face changed. “Have the people from the Laiqu Group gone mad? Immediately connect me to their communication!”
The Laiqu Group’s anti-reconnaissance unmanned sentinel guns had an extremely wide coverage range. However, under normal circumstances, the sentinel guns couldn’t reach the side of the Calamity Control Bureau’s headquarters, as there were several buildings in between. But after the invasion of the Aberration Tide, some of these buildings had collapsed and were yet to be rebuilt, leaving the Calamity Control Bureau’s headquarters exposed to the firing range of the sentinel guns.
“Minister Xie Cang!”
A panicked male voice came through the communication, belonging to Laiqu Group’s current leader, Liu Nai.
“Are they firing at the Calamity Control Bureau? What are they up to?!” Xie Cang’s tone carried a chilling threat.
“No… it’s not us…” Liu Nai’s voice sounded fearful. “Our sentinel guns have been invaded by an unidentified hacker. They’re out of control now!”
Xie Cang was stunned. The firewall of the Laiqu Group was extremely tight, only one level below that of the Division of Jupiter. What kind of hacker could silently invade the sentinel guns and dare to open fire at the Calamity Control Bureau?
Is it the Netherworld Organization or the Feibo Organization?
Several force names flashed through his mind, and then Xie Cang suddenly woke up, “Oh no… Hurry to Ji Mingzhu’s side!”
Urgent footsteps intertwined as a large number of Fire Division guards instantly mobilized, rushing towards the Titan pilot lounge of the Thunder Division’s main building.
“Inform the guards of Ji Mingzhu’s location, immediately arrest Ji Mingzhu. If he resists, execute him on the spot!” Xie Cang shouted loudly into the communication.
“Understood!… No, Minister Xie, our communication has been hacked! Someone is invading our network!”
Xie Cang’s face changed drastically.
…
“Beautiful!”
On the rooftop of a building not far from the Calamity Control Bureau, Yao Guang swiftly tapped on the keyboard. As the final line of code was entered, the internal network of the Calamity Control Bureau was finally breached by him, and the internal communication system was cut off at the same moment.
“Boom! Boom!”
Two more loud noises, and the anti-reconnaissance unmanned sentinel guns fired again at the Calamity Control Bureau building. The flames illuminated the night, and smoke slowly rose.
“Axiu… You’re amazing,” Yao Guang couldn’t help but say.
As a hacker, no one understood better than him how terrifying the firewall of the Lyric Corporation’s sentinel guns was. Yao Guang admitted that it was something he couldn’t possibly achieve, but for Axiu, intrusion was just a matter of moments.
When Ji Mingzhu confronted Tian Quan in the alley before, Axiu had already manipulated the Laiqu Group’s sentinel guns to prevent Tian Quan from taking action against Ji Mingzhu once he learned about Ji Mingzhu’s secret.
In the realm of data, Axiu was an omnipotent presence. No matter how robust the Laiqu Group’s firewall was, it was like paper to him.
Previously, after Ji Mingzhu obtained Huo Zai’s access key, Axiu, with Ji Mingzhu’s authorization, copied a duplicate key. With this, infiltrating the internal network of Calamity Control Bureau became exceptionally easy. With Huo Zai’s access permission, even Yao Guang could effortlessly cut off their communication network.
“The Fire Division guards have been mobilized and are heading to the Jupiter Division building,” Axiu’s calm voice echoed from the computer, “Laiqu Group’s personnel are attempting to disarm the sentinel guns.”
Having someone else control the sentinel guns was undoubtedly the most urgent matter for the Laiqu Group. This act of firing upon the headquarters of Calamity Control Bureau was the most serious provocation. Even the Laiqu Group couldn’t afford the consequences. At this moment, their technicians had arrived at the location of the sentinel guns, attempting to revoke the permissions. Even if it meant destroying these three invaluable sentinel guns, they were willing to do so.
“Boom!”
The commotion within the headquarters building resonated throughout the entire Calamity Control Bureau. The guards stationed at Ji Mingzhu’s door looked at each other in astonishment.
“What’s happening?”
“Is the headquarters under attack?!”
“Sending an emergency communication to the Jupiter Division… Oh no, our communication has been severed!”
Chaos erupted at the entrance, reminiscent of the recent disaster caused by the surge of aberrations. Explosions echoed, making everyone think of that dreadful day.
Hastily paced footsteps echoed throughout the Jupiter Division building. Every face wore a tense expression. Commanders swiftly took their positions, attempting to restore communication connections through their earpieces.
Simultaneously, the three sentinel guns of the Laiqu Group were dismantled. They couldn’t retrieve control of the sentinel guns from Axiu, so they had no choice but to physically destroy them.
Before they could heave a sigh of relief, the next second brought the continuous sound of weapons being cocked in the silent night.
The technicians of the Laiqu Group exchanged glances, their eyes filled with horror.
Countless towering buildings stared down, and one by one, sentinel guns and laser cannons were raised simultaneously!
Someone had hijacked the entire city’s unmanned weapons!!
Within the city of Shangjing, there were large and small corporations, wielding immense power. Almost every corporation had secretly prepared unmanned artillery and sentinel guns. Due to their vast quantity and the unspoken understanding among the various corporate factions, it was challenging for Calamity Control Bureau to thoroughly dismantle all these unmanned weapons. In the end, the matter was often left unresolved.
But now, these forces and the unmanned weapons under the corporations were unexpectedly activated at the same moment, and without exception, all the muzzles and barrels were aimed at Calamity Control Bureau.
“Oh my God…”
Yao Guang watched this scene in shock.
Simultaneously breaching numerous firewalls and taking control of all remote unmanned weapons—this amount of data… Axiu, was he a god?!
“Boom!”
“Boom! Boom!”
A massive barrage of gunfire erupted, and the earth-shattering flames lit up the night sky of Shangjing City, just as it had a few days ago.
“Communication is restored!!”
Through the efforts of hundreds of technicians from the Jupiter Division, they finally intercepted a path from the communication system hijacked by Axiu, successfully reconnecting two communication lines.
In the first instance, Xie Cang shouted into the communication, “Don’t worry about other places! Go find Ji Mingzhu! Find Ji Mingzhu!!”
This communication spread throughout the entire building of the Thunder Division in the shortest time.
The numerous guards responsible for guarding Ji Mingzhu were momentarily stunned. The next moment, they saw Zuo Quanzong already charging toward them with a group of people.
“Oh no…”
The guards instantly realized what was happening. Trying to push the door of the lounge behind them, it didn’t open, so they directly drew their guns and started shooting at the door.
“Bang!”
The lounge door was crashed open, and the howling night wind poured in, causing all the guards to squint their eyes.
Every building of Calamity Control Bureau had been attacked, and the commotion created by the laser cannons and sentinel guns made it impossible to discern which location was being bombed. And now, Ji Mingzhu stood at the edge of the lounge, facing a blasted opening.
The night wind roared, lifting Ji Mingzhu’s coat tails, and his disheveled hair danced in the wind.
“Ji Mingzhu!!”
Zuo Quanzong rushed in, and upon seeing this scene, he too was stunned.
The Titan lounge of the Thunder Division was on the forty-seventh floor…
Could it be that Ji Mingzhu would rather jump off the building directly than be subjected to Sky City’s brainwashing control?!
This thought flashed through Zuo Quanzong’s mind for an instant, and the next moment, he saw Ji Mingzhu smiling at him.
“Commander Zuo.”
There was a hint of relief in Ji Mingzhu’s smile. “Rather than living as a puppet, I would prefer to have an eternal life with a free soul… Farewell.”
After saying that, he fell straight backward, and his entire body tumbled down the gap in the building.
“!!!”
Did he really jump!?
Zuo Quanzong was startled, with no time to think further. Along with dozens of guards, they immediately rushed up!
Looking down from the gap, what they saw was not the shadow of Ji Mingzhu falling freely in a vertical freefall but a dazzling, phoenix-like brilliant color.
The Phoenix Redeemer came speeding from the other side of the city, dragging a trail of red remnants, and, just like countless rehearsals before, it stopped below. Ji Mingzhu landed steadily in the cockpit of the Phoenix Redeemer.
As the cockpit closed, Zuo Quanzong saw Ji Mingzhu waving at him. A sly smile adorned his face, and though the voice was not loud, it was still clear.
“Just kidding~.”
“What’s the situation inside?”
“Everything is normal. Titan pilot Ji Mingzhu is still in his room, and there are no other abnormal situations.”
The guard at the door peeked into the rest area, looking somewhat hesitant. “Could the Fire Division have made a mistake? How could Titan pilot Ji Mingzhu be…”
“Whether he is or not, it’s an order from above. We just have to follow it,” the relieving guard said. “It’s a pity; we thought Titan pilot Ji Mingzhu would become the successor to Red Guard Commander. Now, it seems…”
Ji Mingzhu, young and talented, was seen by everyone as having boundless prospects. As long as nothing unexpected happened, a bright future awaited him. Unfortunately, life is unpredictable. Who could have expected that the radiant protagonist who should have stood at the center during the award ceremony would be arrested just minutes before, awaiting trial in Sky City?
It truly evokes a sense of regret.
As night fell, time quickly passed.
“To the left a bit, yes, a bit more left…”
Several members of the Fire Division were directing. Not far away, a massive device, escorted by armed motorcycles, was arriving at the headquarters of Calamity Control Bureau for the final unloading work.
Li Li looked at the device with a complex expression. “Is this sent down from Sky City?”
“Yes.”
Wen Kang stood beside Li Li, sighing. “The fourth-generation neural control device. Ordinary people rarely have the privilege… It seems that the ministers are not planning to execute Ji Mingzhu but instead intend to turn him into an obedient puppet.”
Li Li’s expression carried a touch of mockery. “If it were me, I’d rather die.”
At the very least, this way, my thoughts will still be free before death.
Although doing this is at the behest of Sky City, Li Li and others, as Titan pilots, couldn’t help but feel a sense of despair. Perhaps in the eyes of the Immortals, whether it’s the ministers of the Calamity Control Bureau or their group of Titan pilots, they are all the same—just tools they can manipulate at will.
“Pilot Ji Mingzhu.”
The guards entered through the door and said to Ji Mingzhu, “Please come with us.”
Behind them were fully armed members of the Fire Division. Even facing a non-threatening Titan pilot, they didn’t let their guard down.
As long as Ji Mingzhu showed any unusual movement, he would be greeted with the cold muzzles of their guns.
Ji Mingzhu stood up, glanced at the group in front of him, and then said, “Can I change my clothes?”
“Please don’t make things difficult for us; we are just following orders.”
“Very well, three minutes.”
Ji Mingzhu looked up at the time and said, “Don’t worry, it won’t delay your affairs.”
Several guards exchanged glances, and after a while, they nodded, “We’ll wait for you at the door.”
After all, he was once the hero who saved the entire Shangjing City. They were willing to afford him some dignity. If Ji Mingzhu could cooperate, it would be the best. They didn’t want to treat this young hero like a criminal and lead him to a dead end.
Once the guards left and closed the door, Ji Mingzhu looked at the time again.
7:58 PM.
It was almost time.
Ji Mingzhu knew what awaited him was not something he could confidently confront with Sky City’s technology. If he truly became a puppet controlled by Sky City, that would be the real doomsday for Ji Mingzhu.
He hoped that Axiu and the others could act quickly.
“Where is Pilot Ji Mingzhu?”
Minister of the Fire Division, Xie Cang, didn’t see Ji Mingzhu and couldn’t help frowning, asking, “Did something unexpected happen?”
“No, Pilot Ji Mingzhu said he wanted to change his clothes, probably taking a few minutes.”
“At this time…”
Xie Cang was about to say something when suddenly a loud noise echoed in his ears.
“Boom!!!”
It seemed like something had hit the side of the headquarters building, causing it to shake. Xie Cang’s mind suddenly flashed a sense of impending danger. “What’s happening?”
“Minister Xie Cang!” A panicked voice came through the earpiece. “It’s the Laiqu Group’s anti-reconnaissance unmanned sentinel guns! They’re firing at us!”
“What?!” Xie Cang’s face changed. “Have the people from the Laiqu Group gone mad? Immediately connect me to their communication!”
The Laiqu Group’s anti-reconnaissance unmanned sentinel guns had an extremely wide coverage range. However, under normal circumstances, the sentinel guns couldn’t reach the side of the Calamity Control Bureau’s headquarters, as there were several buildings in between. But after the invasion of the Aberration Tide, some of these buildings had collapsed and were yet to be rebuilt, leaving the Calamity Control Bureau’s headquarters exposed to the firing range of the sentinel guns.
“Minister Xie Cang!”
A panicked male voice came through the communication, belonging to Laiqu Group’s current leader, Liu Nai.
“Are they firing at the Calamity Control Bureau? What are they up to?!” Xie Cang’s tone carried a chilling threat.
“No… it’s not us…” Liu Nai’s voice sounded fearful. “Our sentinel guns have been invaded by an unidentified hacker. They’re out of control now!”
Xie Cang was stunned. The firewall of the Laiqu Group was extremely tight, only one level below that of the Division of Jupiter. What kind of hacker could silently invade the sentinel guns and dare to open fire at the Calamity Control Bureau?
Is it the Netherworld Organization or the Feibo Organization?
Several force names flashed through his mind, and then Xie Cang suddenly woke up, “Oh no… Hurry to Ji Mingzhu’s side!”
Urgent footsteps intertwined as a large number of Fire Division guards instantly mobilized, rushing towards the Titan pilot lounge of the Thunder Division’s main building.
“Inform the guards of Ji Mingzhu’s location, immediately arrest Ji Mingzhu. If he resists, execute him on the spot!” Xie Cang shouted loudly into the communication.
“Understood!… No, Minister Xie, our communication has been hacked! Someone is invading our network!”
Xie Cang’s face changed drastically.
…
“Beautiful!”
On the rooftop of a building not far from the Calamity Control Bureau, Yao Guang swiftly tapped on the keyboard. As the final line of code was entered, the internal network of the Calamity Control Bureau was finally breached by him, and the internal communication system was cut off at the same moment.
“Boom! Boom!”
Two more loud noises, and the anti-reconnaissance unmanned sentinel guns fired again at the Calamity Control Bureau building. The flames illuminated the night, and smoke slowly rose.
“Axiu… You’re amazing,” Yao Guang couldn’t help but say.
As a hacker, no one understood better than him how terrifying the firewall of the Lyric Corporation’s sentinel guns was. Yao Guang admitted that it was something he couldn’t possibly achieve, but for Axiu, intrusion was just a matter of moments.
When Ji Mingzhu confronted Tian Quan in the alley before, Axiu had already manipulated the Laiqu Group’s sentinel guns to prevent Tian Quan from taking action against Ji Mingzhu once he learned about Ji Mingzhu’s secret.
In the realm of data, Axiu was an omnipotent presence. No matter how robust the Laiqu Group’s firewall was, it was like paper to him.
Previously, after Ji Mingzhu obtained Huo Zai’s access key, Axiu, with Ji Mingzhu’s authorization, copied a duplicate key. With this, infiltrating the internal network of Calamity Control Bureau became exceptionally easy. With Huo Zai’s access permission, even Yao Guang could effortlessly cut off their communication network.
“The Fire Division guards have been mobilized and are heading to the Jupiter Division building,” Axiu’s calm voice echoed from the computer, “Laiqu Group’s personnel are attempting to disarm the sentinel guns.”
Having someone else control the sentinel guns was undoubtedly the most urgent matter for the Laiqu Group. This act of firing upon the headquarters of Calamity Control Bureau was the most serious provocation. Even the Laiqu Group couldn’t afford the consequences. At this moment, their technicians had arrived at the location of the sentinel guns, attempting to revoke the permissions. Even if it meant destroying these three invaluable sentinel guns, they were willing to do so.
“Boom!”
The commotion within the headquarters building resonated throughout the entire Calamity Control Bureau. The guards stationed at Ji Mingzhu’s door looked at each other in astonishment.
“What’s happening?”
“Is the headquarters under attack?!”
“Sending an emergency communication to the Jupiter Division… Oh no, our communication has been severed!”
Chaos erupted at the entrance, reminiscent of the recent disaster caused by the surge of aberrations. Explosions echoed, making everyone think of that dreadful day.
Hastily paced footsteps echoed throughout the Jupiter Division building. Every face wore a tense expression. Commanders swiftly took their positions, attempting to restore communication connections through their earpieces.
Simultaneously, the three sentinel guns of the Laiqu Group were dismantled. They couldn’t retrieve control of the sentinel guns from Axiu, so they had no choice but to physically destroy them.
Before they could heave a sigh of relief, the next second brought the continuous sound of weapons being cocked in the silent night.
The technicians of the Laiqu Group exchanged glances, their eyes filled with horror.
Countless towering buildings stared down, and one by one, sentinel guns and laser cannons were raised simultaneously!
Someone had hijacked the entire city’s unmanned weapons!!
Within the city of Shangjing, there were large and small corporations, wielding immense power. Almost every corporation had secretly prepared unmanned artillery and sentinel guns. Due to their vast quantity and the unspoken understanding among the various corporate factions, it was challenging for Calamity Control Bureau to thoroughly dismantle all these unmanned weapons. In the end, the matter was often left unresolved.
But now, these forces and the unmanned weapons under the corporations were unexpectedly activated at the same moment, and without exception, all the muzzles and barrels were aimed at Calamity Control Bureau.
“Oh my God…”
Yao Guang watched this scene in shock.
Simultaneously breaching numerous firewalls and taking control of all remote unmanned weapons—this amount of data… Axiu, was he a god?!
“Boom!”
“Boom! Boom!”
A massive barrage of gunfire erupted, and the earth-shattering flames lit up the night sky of Shangjing City, just as it had a few days ago.
“Communication is restored!!”
Through the efforts of hundreds of technicians from the Jupiter Division, they finally intercepted a path from the communication system hijacked by Axiu, successfully reconnecting two communication lines.
In the first instance, Xie Cang shouted into the communication, “Don’t worry about other places! Go find Ji Mingzhu! Find Ji Mingzhu!!”
This communication spread throughout the entire building of the Thunder Division in the shortest time.
The numerous guards responsible for guarding Ji Mingzhu were momentarily stunned. The next moment, they saw Zuo Quanzong already charging toward them with a group of people.
“Oh no…”
The guards instantly realized what was happening. Trying to push the door of the lounge behind them, it didn’t open, so they directly drew their guns and started shooting at the door.
“Bang!”
The lounge door was crashed open, and the howling night wind poured in, causing all the guards to squint their eyes.
Every building of Calamity Control Bureau had been attacked, and the commotion created by the laser cannons and sentinel guns made it impossible to discern which location was being bombed. And now, Ji Mingzhu stood at the edge of the lounge, facing a blasted opening.
The night wind roared, lifting Ji Mingzhu’s coat tails, and his disheveled hair danced in the wind.
“Ji Mingzhu!!”
Zuo Quanzong rushed in, and upon seeing this scene, he too was stunned.
The Titan lounge of the Thunder Division was on the forty-seventh floor…
Could it be that Ji Mingzhu would rather jump off the building directly than be subjected to Sky City’s brainwashing control?!
This thought flashed through Zuo Quanzong’s mind for an instant, and the next moment, he saw Ji Mingzhu smiling at him.
“Commander Zuo.”
There was a hint of relief in Ji Mingzhu’s smile. “Rather than living as a puppet, I would prefer to have an eternal life with a free soul… Farewell.”
After saying that, he fell straight backward, and his entire body tumbled down the gap in the building.
“!!!”
Did he really jump!?
Zuo Quanzong was startled, with no time to think further. Along with dozens of guards, they immediately rushed up!
Looking down from the gap, what they saw was not the shadow of Ji Mingzhu falling freely in a vertical freefall but a dazzling, phoenix-like brilliant color.
The Phoenix Redeemer came speeding from the other side of the city, dragging a trail of red remnants, and, just like countless rehearsals before, it stopped below. Ji Mingzhu landed steadily in the cockpit of the Phoenix Redeemer.
As the cockpit closed, Zuo Quanzong saw Ji Mingzhu waving at him. A sly smile adorned his face, and though the voice was not loud, it was still clear.
“Just kidding~.”
