novelraw Chapter 1158 590: Bitter Old Tang (Part 2)
Chapter 1158 590: Bitter Old Tang (Part 2)
Upon hearing Ji Jue's question at this moment, he shook his head without thinking.
"No!"
He skillfully picked his nose and started drooling, "Sorry, boss, I'm from a dumb family with no culture. This kind of thing is really beyond my ability..."
"—We do, boss, we do!"
Before Tang Qian could finish, an old face appeared at his neck, answering loudly without hesitation, "We have nine methods for this! Nine!"
"Fourth Great Uncle?"
Tang Qian was dumbfounded, his face turning utterly green: Old coot, what are you doing? Can't you see this shady guy is definitely up to something big? Why are you eager to walk into his trap?
"What Fourth Great Uncle? I don't have an ungrateful descendant like you!"
Fourth Great Uncle exploded in anger, "Our clan has one word for doing business—fairness! The boss paid us, how can we slack off? Have you forgotten the Tang Family's ancestral teachings?!"
"..."
Tang Qian was left speechless, too many things to refute in Fourth Great Uncle's words that he didn't know where to start.
—First of all, not to mention how many words are in 'fairness,' what the heck are ancestral teachings, and since when was our last name really Tang?!
Before he could react, Fourth Great Uncle had already made the decision: "To be an employee is to have a commitment. Boss, rest assured, you paid, and our service will be exceptional! Don't see Ah Qian as young; he's a rising star, so don't spare him! No matter how tough the mission is, just command us!"
"..."
Tang Qian was silent, unable to say another word.
Overwhelmed with complaints, he just wanted to find a crooked-neck tree and end himself, maybe dying with innocence.
This pirate ship, he clearly couldn't get off it!
"Since Fourth Great Uncle said so, I won't hold back." Along with Ji Jue's words, a lighter was tossed over the wall again: "Here, take this."
"Looking for more people?"
Old Tang was suspicious, always doubting something was off with Ji Jue.
"No need, we've found the person, but I need your small help," Ji Jue said calmly. "Don't worry, there's no risk involved.
Although it involves shady competition among military enterprises, it's inconvenient to elaborate more to you, and I don't expect you to change the whole situation, I just need your help to dig some dirt on the competitors."
"Then you've got the wrong person."
Old Tang skeptically examined the lighter, turning it back and forth: "I'm just a poor outsider; a single wrong move in this base and I'd be shot to death, what could I possibly find."
"That's your blind spot of expertise."
Ji Jue's voice chuckled: "Let me tell you a fare-dodging trick — go find a toolbox, and better have a set of work clothes, wear a hat and carry a ladder.
In the entire base, go wherever you wish.
If you're lucky, you might even get close and personal with a cute girl and enjoy a wondrous journey!"
I swear you're full of crap!
Old Tang rolled his eyes, unwilling to say more.
He always felt this shady character was up to no good!
.
.
In the evening, after a satisfying feast as usual, Old Tang started burping and rubbing his round belly, taking a stroll around the sports field to digest.
After downing a dozen ice-cold beers, he finally concluded today's gluttonous adventure.
Guided by the music in his headphones, he turned a corner and walked into a secluded restroom, ignoring the out-of-order sign at the door, marching right in.
Amidst the sound of running water, a sweaty worker was startled, turning around and waving to remind him: "Sir, this restroom is currently out of use..."
"I know."
Tang Qian nodded, observing that the worker was about the same build, similar skin tone, and bore a faint resemblance, shaking his head in a moment of awe, he pointed to the other side, reminding:
"There's a leak over there too."
"Huh?"
The worker turned back blankly, then his vision went dark.
With a snap, he collapsed unconscious.
Immediately after, Tang Qian retracted his fist, hammer-like, grabbed the man's collar, and dragged him into the toilet stall.
Facing the now powerless maintenance worker, Tang Qian's expression twitched, pinching his nose, extending his large hands to undo the worker's buttons one by one, revealing a large patch of dark chest hair...
Old Tang's hands were trembling, tears welling up in his eyes.
He couldn't help but despise himself for taking on any job just for gold coins.
"Ji Jue, you piece of crap, you really are heartless..."
He pinched his nose and changed clothes, putting on the worker's earpiece, hearing the familiar voice from the other end, he finally asked out of curiosity:
"How did you do it? Did you hack into the entire base's system?"
"Why the hell would I hack that thing, looking to die?"
Ji Jue chuckled, knowing his own limits, causing trouble with the Empire's strategic foothold on Central Earth?
Know that while the existence of Isis is precious, it's not unique, if I can make it, others certainly can, just not as special.
The internet isn't beyond the law, not something you can do whatever with when you have computing power.
Moreover, the most resourceful and developed from computing power to technology and hardware in the world are none other than the Federation and the Empire.
The central control systems of such military bases, not to mention specifications, are definitely fully alarmed, and inside they have custom Spirits of Creation on high alert, and certainly not just one.
The rules are written directly into the core of the base architecture, without the key, even if Ji Jue went on a Mechanical Descent, they wouldn't give him any favor, likely just a report sending him sky-high.
However, even the base's central control does not manage everything.
Due to confidentiality and security considerations, it only handles key areas and tasks, ensuring complete internal-external segregation.
Access for outsiders is as hard as ascending to heaven.
But just like even the strictest base needs plumbers, no matter how complete and advanced the system is, it won't manage trivial maintenance like bathrooms.
This is the inherent problem of Tian Yuan, sometimes the bigger the layout, the more loopholes exist.
Under the criteria of input-output efficiency, it's impossible to cover everything perfectly, inevitably focusing on major issues while neglecting minor ones. The most economical method isn't to plug every gap but to have an effective and timely response team and actionable plans and preparedness.
It is for this reason that Ji Jue found a sliver of room to maneuver within limited scope.
Ji Jue dared not touch the base's central control, but the outsourced maintenance company's system, couldn't he tweak it as he liked?
Even though the outsourced company also had Empire ties, it still wasn't as pressuring and dangerous as the base, as long as it didn't involve critical departments, in what seemed an impenetrable military base, with proper operation, there was actually a lot that could be achieved!
And now, the plan was laid before Old Tang.