Zhang Xiaowen casually clipped the Cube's toy car form to her backpack strap. After checking her pistol, she climbed through a window into the building, barricading it with a wardrobe.
Her visor's thermal scan showed green human silhouettes behind a third-floor classroom door. "Anyone inside?"
Scuffling sounds answered before the door creaked open. Students and teachers gaped at the tactical-geared woman – face masked by a scarf, pistol raised. The Cube's analysis flashed across her lenses: *12 students, 3 teachers, 2 civilians. No weapons detected.*
Lowering her weapon, Zhang revealed her face. Gasps rippled through the room – they'd expected special forces, not a young woman barely older than college students.
"I'm Teacher He, the temporary leader." A middle-aged woman stepped forward, relief washing over her. Female rescuers meant safety for her female students.
The questions came like gunfire:
"Are the military coming?"
"Did you see my parents in Eight Street Community?"
"Is Nanmen District safe...?"
Zhang's silence spoke volumes. Sobs erupted as reality crashed down.
*Bzzt!* The Cube's headlights flickered, emitting edited audio clips from old dramas:
"Night always yields to dawn...
"Survival honors the fallen...
"Live fiercely – that's our rebellion!"
Students wiped tears, spines straightening. Zhang announced: "We depart at dawn."
As she plotted escape routes on a laptop (booted instantly by Cube-assisted optimization), a chubby student approached: "Miss Zhang... could we play with your toy car?"
"Can't. Need it for recon." Her screen suddenly shifted to ground-level footage – the Cube's perspective. Arrow keys made the toy car skitter across floor tiles.
Unseen by others, text flashed on her visor: [Entertainment Mode: Enabled]. The Cube's grumbled transmission followed: *"Five minutes. Then I reclaim my dignity."*
Outside, fireworks echoes faded as night fell. Inside, suppressed giggles arose as students "drove" the world's most advanced reconnaissance vehicle through textbook obstacle courses.