Li Chuan stared at the countdown on the screen, his gaze turning cold. 24 hours. That meant Li Feng's plan had reached its final phase. Once the timer hit zero, the entire city would fall completely into his hands.
Shen Qiu's fingers danced rapidly on the keyboard, trying to find a way to terminate the execution, but after a few seconds, his brows furrowed, and his voice sank. "Jialat liao... This command ah, encrypted one, I cannot straightaway stop it."
Li Chuan narrowed his eyes slightly. "So, we must locate the core terminal in order to really stop it?"
Shen Qiu nodded. "Ya, based on this data, Li Feng got one highest-level control terminal. Its operating environment is synced with the main server, but… not here."
He flipped through the data quickly, then extracted a key piece of information from a complex string of code. "The location code for the core terminal is—'Nexus'."
"Nexus?" Li Chuan repeated, frowning slightly. "Sounds like a central hub."
Shen Qiu nodded again. "Correct. If my guess is right, this should be the true command center of Project A. Most likely… this is where Li Feng is hiding."
Su Man, who had remained silent all this time, finally spoke. "Then how do we find it?"
Shen Qiu turned to Li Chuan. "From the data, Nexus' exact location not directly stated. But, its connection signal got special feature—it must synchronize with the city's entire underground communication network."
He pointed to a node on the screen. "Meaning, if we can find this synchronization point, we can trace it back… and find Nexus' real location."
Li Chuan fell into deep thought for a moment before speaking slowly. "Then we must move now. If we wait until the countdown ends… too late liao."
According to Shen Qiu's analysis, the key synchronization point for the city's underground communication network was located at an abandoned subway station. The station had been officially closed years ago due to "safety concerns," but in reality, it had been repurposed for secret research projects.
Moving swiftly, Li Chuan led the team toward the target. Along the way, they evaded Li Feng's patrol units, using underground tunnels to navigate unseen.
When they finally arrived at the subway station, they found it in complete disrepair. The tracks were rusted, the platform covered in dust. However, one particular detail stood out to Li Chuan—a door beside the platform, equipped with a state-of-the-art biometric lock.
Su Man raised her gun, her voice cautious. "Looks like we found something."
Shen Qiu rushed forward, attempting to crack the security system. But after a few seconds, he let out a bitter laugh. "Aiyo, this door ah, higher defense than before. At least military-grade security, I need time."
Li Chuan didn't hesitate. Reaching into his backpack, he pulled out a compact explosive device.
Shen Qiu's eyes widened. "Eh, you wanna bomb the door?"
Li Chuan's voice was cold. "Fastest way."
Seconds later, a controlled explosion echoed through the underground tunnels. The iron door was forcefully blasted open. Without missing a beat, Su Man rushed in first, scanning the area for threats. Once she confirmed the coast was clear, the rest of the team followed.
Inside the hidden chamber, rows of operational servers lined the walls, their blinking indicators casting a dim glow. A faint metallic scent lingered in the air. The most striking object in the room, however, was a high-tech chair in the center, connected to numerous data cables.
In front of the chair, a screen displayed a chilling sight—
23:42:15
Shen Qiu rushed to the terminal, eyes scanning the system. His face turned increasingly grim. "Shit… this countdown not just a single process. It already linked to the whole city's smart network!"
Li Chuan's expression darkened. "Meaning… we can't just shut it down directly?"
Shen Qiu exhaled sharply. "Ya. If we forcefully stop it, the system will auto-activate emergency protocol. Then, the whole city's communication and power systems will crash."
Su Man's voice was low. "So we need a safe way to halt the system… without triggering the failsafe?"
Shen Qiu clenched his teeth. "Yes. But the problem is, Li Feng sure got backup plan… He won't let us crack this so easily."
Li Chuan fell silent for a moment, then murmured, "If I were Li Feng… where would I hide a backdoor?"
Shen Qiu froze, then his eyes lit up. "Wah, wait. You mean… Li Feng sure got one emergency control channel for himself?"
Li Chuan nodded. "Of course. Anyone who controls everything won't leave themselves completely stuck. He must have a way to stop it if necessary."
Shen Qiu immediately started digging through the system codes, frantically searching.
After a few tense minutes, he suddenly gasped. "Found it! The highest-level admin control… it's not here. It's at—"
"Nexus!"
Shen Qiu quickly pinpointed the general location of Nexus. But his next words made everyone's heart sink.
"It's not on the surface. It's in the deepest part of the city's underground… five levels below."
His finger tapped the map, indicating a restricted area beneath the urban infrastructure. "Last time, this place was a military blacksite. Now, it's been taken over by Li Feng, converted into his true command center."
Li Chuan's gaze was ice-cold. "That means… he's already there, waiting for us."
Su Man reloaded her gun, her voice unwavering. "No matter what, we have to go."
Shen Qiu took a deep breath. "Countdown left less than 24 hours. We must reach Nexus before Li Feng executes his final command."
Li Chuan's voice was steady and resolute.