novelraw Chapter 710 [128] Starting Over
Chapter 710 [128] Starting Over
Chapter 710 [128] Starting Over
Linlin floated in the nutrient solution, her body covered in tubes.
Occasionally, cleaning drones would fly between the glass jars, creating eddies that disturbed the nutrient solution, causing the girl's pink hair to float up before slowly falling back to its original position.
On the screen of the central monitoring station, her computing power output curve rose high, and the utilization rate remained above 80%.
There is a line of small print in the bottom left remarks column:
"Y-044729 Origin: Outer City Class D Resident. Capture Date: ██ Year ██ Month ██ Day. Estimated Lifespan: 2 years."
Whenever the utilization rate reaches 100%, the data pulse will pause briefly, allowing for a 0.3-second rest period.
In those 0.3 seconds, the girl's lips moved slightly.
"elder brother……"
It's just lip movements, no sound. It's just muscle memory, no consciousness.
0.3 seconds later, the data pulse surged back in. Her lips returned to stillness, and her pupils refocused.
Massive amounts of data flowed through her brain, turning her into a human CPU...
! !
Qin Jiandan woke up from her dream, her palm resting on the red double bed in the young master's office, the wound on her palm throbbing slightly.
"What's wrong? Your face is covered in sweat."
Mu Yue walked to the bedside, holding a large towel in her hand—she was going to give it to Rui Shuang, who was taking a bath in the bathroom.
"I...I had a nightmare." Qin Jiandan rarely showed vulnerability in front of others. "I dreamt that Linlin was captured by the company and turned into 'wetware' like other hackers..."
"Perhaps this is a prophecy of the future, or something that actually happened. I even saw Linlin's user ID Y-044729 clearly in my dream..."
“Jian Dan, you’ve got it mixed up.” Mu Yue sighed slightly. “Y-044729 is the code for launching the orbital cannon that the resistance left on the moon, which Lin Lin cracked before.”
Qin Jiandan seemed lost in thought and remained silent for a long time.
The glass door to the bathroom was pushed open, revealing Rui Shuang's wet little head.
"Mom, where's the towel? If you don't give it to Ruishuang soon, she's going to come out!"
Mu Yue hurriedly went to greet her, and before Rui Shuang jumped out of the bathroom, she put a towel on her head and tried to wipe her clean.
Mu Yue led Rui Shuang, who was wrapped in a bath towel, to the sofa. While helping Rui Shuang fix her hair, she talked to Qin Jiandan.
"Last night, Linlin was taken away by the whale-like beast. Kazama and Uncle Gear controlled the drone to enter the hole it escaped through, but they found nothing."
“They used the blood of the progenitor-level Yin Beasts they had collected before, and the sensing and tracking are still ongoing, but the Night Dragon Society has been severely damaged, so we must focus on other things first.”
"Including Jenny, the East City Police Department lost 11 officers. Granny Qianxing and Vale sustained minor injuries."
"On the Sakura Clan's side, Hizen no Oni and Shiro were killed in battle, and the Sorrowful Cloud Clan lost one of their 'Four Great Vajras,' the 'Reincarnated Spirit Child.'"
Silang is used to dying, and it's said that the reincarnated spirit child's death is also quite hasty. But Qin Jiandan can't laugh right now.
“There were many victims in the circular market. Four of them were transformed into clowns after the deaths of their relatives and friends, and Ibash eventually took them away.”
"The pizzeria in Naples was destroyed, and the owners, a husband and wife, were killed. Old Wang, who runs a fried chicken shop, had one hand cut off, but he has since had it replaced with a prosthetic."
"As for Aunt He and Gesang's matter... you already know."
Rui Shuang gritted her teeth, her superpower transforming her white teeth into sharp shark fangs.
"Aunt He made clothes for Rui Shuang. Aunt He is a good person! Rui Shuang must avenge Aunt He!"
Mu Yue lowered her voice even further.
"This afternoon, we will hold a memorial service on the ruins of the circular market. We will also hold funerals for Aunt He and Dr. Li."
Rui Shuang had a large towel on her head, revealing only half of her eye.
"Although Dr. Li is a bad person because he always gives Rui Shuang injections, Rui Shuang will still avenge Dr. Li! Next time she sees Dr. Chen, Dr. Li's clone, she will definitely chop him into peanut pieces!"
Qin Jiandan said in a deep voice, "That won't do. Doctor Chen is one of us now."
Rui Shuang blinked, and the large towel almost fell off her body.
"That fat guy...how could he possibly become one of us? Rui Shuang doesn't believe it!"
“This is Dr. Li’s plan,” Qin Jiandan said carefully. “I can’t tell you the details. But it’s a crazy plan that only Dr. Li can execute. Remember what your father said, Dr. Li is indeed ‘dead.’”
Rui Shuang nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
Seeing that Qin Jiandan was still listless, Mu Yue went to the bedside and gave him a warm hug.
"I know you're feeling bad, and I know you have a lot of responsibility. No matter what, I'll be there for you."
The intimate contact triggered Qin Jiandan's "dual cultivation" system, and his depleted internal energy was slightly replenished.
Mu Yue's cat ears suddenly heard an unusual sound. She kept her hugging posture and quickly turned around.
"Rui Shuang! I told you long ago to go behind the screen to get dressed!"
※※※
The afternoon memorial service was uneventful, with a somber and gloomy atmosphere.
The Zhang brothers surveyed the damage, calculated the repair needs, and implemented their young master's decision to "rebuild quickly."
Qin Jiandan offered condolences to the wounded and provided relief to the families of the fallen. Grandma Qianxing declined the commendation; she had sustained minor injuries but didn't seem to care, saying it was a "minor matter."
Vale was slashed on the buttocks by a mechanical ninja while protecting civilians, but the Furei people have strong regenerative abilities, and she was almost completely healed after applying half a roll of bio-bandage.
Xia was good at preserving her life, and she survived unscathed, but she ended up pregnant after accepting the "transfer" of the fetus in Wangyou's womb.
"Young Master, Young Master! These are amulets I obtained from a shrine through a friend... they're like lucky charms! I'll take one, and you can take one!"
When Qin Jiandan took a look, she found it was actually a talisman for safe childbirth.
"Hehe~~ Since I couldn't get a peace talisman, I'll just use a safe delivery talisman! After all, the young master will need a safe delivery when he's resurrected, right?"
Qin Jiandan wasn't in the mood to play around with Xia, so she put away the safe delivery talisman.
Xia thought that the young master's tolerance for her had greatly increased after she became pregnant, and she was secretly delighted.
Fufufufu! May the safe delivery talisman bless me with an early birth of a son. With a son, I can control the young master and become his wife!
In the city of Ringstone, to avoid the bodies being sent to the morgue, relatives with even a little bit of means will choose cremation.
As Dr. Li's body was pushed into the incinerator, Xia quietly complained to Qin Jiandan, "There are still traces of stitches on the back of his head..."
Qin Jiandan immediately pinched Xia's thigh, almost making her jump in pain.
"You think you're so sharp-eyed? From now on, you're not allowed to discuss Dr. Li's affairs in public!"
As the host of the ceremony, Lao Zhao didn't need to change out of his black butler uniform; he simply read from the script in his hoarse electronic voice.
"...Dr. Li unexpectedly encountered his own clone, but Jacks and Ram suddenly betrayed him, killing Dr. Li and then escaping back to the company with Dr. Chen..."
Qin Jiandan didn't hear the rest of the story clearly; it was all made up anyway. Not only the circular market, but also the Eco-Tower and the Night Dragon Society headquarters were severely damaged.
After discussing with Kazama and the others, Qin Jiandan decided to abandon the headquarters and move all the important facilities to the Eco Tower.
Resources, manpower, and time are all limited, so we must concentrate our efforts on getting things done.
The headquarters' design is not suitable for defense; in the past, no one dared to come because Chairman Qin Qi was in charge. Now that the Chairman is in hibernation, instead of sticking to the old ways, it's better to reform and innovate.
The eco-tower will continue to be expanded upwards while it is being repaired.
The underground shelters will be expanded. The defense system will be strengthened.
According to Linlin's original design, an electromagnetic accelerator was to be built using the underground and above-ground structures of the Eco Tower to launch "astronauts" to the moon and activate a lunar orbital cannon to attack the company.
Although this lunar landing is a one-way trip and the astronauts have not yet been selected, we must prepare early and not resort to last-minute scrambling.
Qin Jiandan's time density has been reduced to zero, and Mu Yue and Xia Xia, who are pregnant, cannot perform quantum harvesting.
Despite being emotionally depressed due to the loss of Linlin, Qin Jiandan still had to collect a total of 10 points from Valei, Kazama, and Wangyou.
Reviving requires 80 points, which is still far from the safety threshold. We'll have to think of a solution later.
※※※
The high-speed elevator emitted a muffled hum.
Wearing only swimming trunks, Ouyang Suixing leaned against the elevator wall, arms crossed. He tilted his head to look at Qin Jiandan, a smile playing on his lips, making it unclear whether it was a joke or a threat.
"Linlin is gone, and Master hasn't come to the rescue. It's clear that Master's illness is indeed very serious."
He paused. The elevator continued its descent, the numbers on the speedometer jumping upwards, one increment at a time.
"Is he already dead?"
Qin Jiandan did not turn her head.
"Once this old guy is dead, there's no one in the world I'll be afraid of anymore." Ouyang Suixing leaned the back of his head against the elevator wall. "Shouldn't you let me be the young master for a couple of days?"
When Qin Jiandan is at full strength, he can be on par with the current senior brother, and may even have a slight advantage.
However, at this moment, his time density was only 10 points, and his internal energy had only recovered to 10%. It was really not suitable for him to have a conflict with his senior brother.
"The young master of the Night Dragon Society is not someone to be trifled with. He has to consider so many brothers in the society, as well as the millions of mouths to feed in the East City."
With a ding, the door opened.
Qin Jiandan stepped out first.
"Instead of the troublesome title of Young Master, I can give you something much more fun."
The underground cell. Laser bars cast pale red grids in the darkness, separating John F. Kennedy inside his solitary confinement cell.
John was no longer the prisoner of war cowering in the corner the day before. He was wearing a well-tailored dark blue suit, his blond hair was neatly combed, his stubble was clean-shaven, and you could even smell the aftershave.
He was very good at dressing himself up, and after Qin Jiandan provided the props, he dressed himself up to look radiant.
Ouyang Suixing's eyes lit up.
"John? Wasn't he sniped by Sheriff Mu Yue? How come he's still alive?"
John's gaze fell on Ouyang Suixing, and his face immediately turned pale. He then turned to Qin Jiandan.
"You...you said you were going to send me back to the Nean Society so I could compete with Rosenberg for the position of chairman? What are you doing bringing this perverted, pantsless man here?"
Ouyang Suixing laughed without any attempt to hide it. He placed his hands on the control panel of the laser fence, leaning forward, almost putting his face into the range of red light.
"Hahahaha—no matter what tricks my junior brother played, I'm very satisfied! John, how dare you talk to me like that? Don't you know: even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness?"
Qin Jiandan raised his hand and pressed it on the sensor area next to the control panel.
"Senior Brother, as long as you publicly declare that you will no longer compete for the position of Young Master, I will give John to you. He is a very precious pawn that I plan to use to disrupt the Nean Society. You must understand my good intentions."
"I understand, I understand!"
Ouyang Suixing raised his right hand, his five fingers together, as if he were taking an oath in court.
“I, Ouyang Suixing, never wanted to be a young master. I don’t care what happened to that old man, my master—as long as he doesn’t interfere with my private life.”
As he spoke, he looked down at John, his smile appearing particularly eerie in the red light of the laser fence.
"Hehehe, little beauty~~~"
Qin Jiandan pressed the switch, and the laser fence silently went out.
"You, you stay away! Don't come any closer!!!"
John shrank back, his back hitting the wall.
Ouyang Suixing stepped into the cell, put one arm around his waist, lifted him up from the corner like a chick, and pulled him close to her side.
The scents of olive oil and aftershave mingled together in the cramped space.
"Young Master Qin!"
John's face was forced against Ouyang Suixing's bare shoulder, his voice muffled and trembling.
"Don't forget our agreement! Without me, Rosenberg would be the only power, and the Nian Society wouldn't be at the mercy of the Night Dragon Society!"
Qin Jiandan leaned against the cell door frame, his hands in his trouser pockets.
"The Neanderthals have always been an unreliable ally. Didn't Rosenberg not send a single soldier when their headquarters was attacked?"
"Besides, I'm not sending you to my senior brother to execute you. I'm just letting you change your name and temporarily hide your identity. When the time is right, I'll let you compete with Rosenberg for the chairmanship again."
“Your mother…” John cursed, “This is worse than executing me!”
Qin Jiandan ignored John's incompetent rage and patted Ouyang Suixing on the shoulder.
"Senior Brother, take it easy on him. It would be best to make him yours completely, body and soul—after all, he's the future president of the Nian Society."
Ouyang Suixing gave a thumbs up, revealing a set of white teeth, and exaggeratedly flashed a cartoon-like special effect.
"Don't worry, I will definitely pamper him."
The eldest brother pulled John even tighter into his arms and whispered something in his ear.
John's expression froze for a moment.
"Aaaaaah...aaaaah, someone help me!!!"
The mournful cry squeezed from the bottom of his throat lingered for a long time.
(End of this chapter)