We moved to Golden Courtyard

Chief Engineer Xia looked up in surprise at Xu Qi, who always stood at the front, seemingly never flustered and always so calm and composed.

"Char did this not only to awaken the company and society to respect life."

Perhaps he also wanted to change the Shanghai subway system. Otherwise, wouldn't killing a few people be a piece of cake? All it would take is one train's traction failure and another's brake failure.

Chief Engineer Xia was speechless for a moment—indeed, they didn't even have a chance to make amends now.

Xu Qi's gaze swept over the faces of those standing in high positions.

"This day is one that all subway workers should remember—but it's not over yet. If a company is truly rotten to the core, it will collapse naturally without even needing what Xia did today."

So there's still hope for the Shanghai Metro, but that hope doesn't lie here—it's not time to give up yet, Professor Xia.

35. Professor Möbius, preparing for V2V

"The third track shift exoskeleton-assisted armor team has arrived at the location and is ready to carry out manual switch modification operations."

"Command center received, track shift three to commence operations."

On the large screen in the Meilong base command center, the monitoring situation inside the tunnel is being displayed.

This is already the best answer the information security team could give—the surveillance system is still working; otherwise, the entire Shanghai subway would truly be blind.

On the screen, two maintenance workers wearing light blue exoskeleton armor are using the armor's high output to help with switch modification work.

It was a manual push rod, but it required a tremendous amount of force.

It is impossible for a normal human to push it; it requires two employees wearing exoskeleton armor to work together to pull the switch change lever.

This is also a safety measure to prevent human intervention in the switch.

"The switch change is complete, and the train is waiting to pass."

Inside the hall, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Since the switch problem can be solved, it means that power outage work can be carried out—the hope of stopping 956 is increasing.

However, only Xu Qi... he kept his brows furrowed, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

"Power supply team 2 has arrived at point A and is preparing to close the switch to cut off power to the grid."

"Command center received, commence operations!"

Perhaps because hope was just around the corner, the communications staff in charge of dispatch and command appeared unusually excited and thrilled, after all, victory was within reach!

On the monitor screen, the power company employee began preparing to close the switch.

There were two people in a group, but his colleague suddenly turned his head to look at the tunnel.

"what happened?"

"Um... I have a feeling that something is watching us."

"Huh?" The employee who was about to close the circuit breaker stopped, but after thinking about it, he decided to close the circuit breaker first.

"It's probably a rat, after all, there's nothing in this tunnel..."

"boom!"

A flash of light illuminated the pitch-black tunnel, followed by a gunshot. The firing pin ignited the gunpowder, and the bullet, unsurprisingly, pierced the head of the employee who was about to close the switch.

When the blood splattered, his colleagues didn't even react and just stood there dumbfounded.

In fact, it wasn't just him. Everyone in the entire vehicle command hall was staring blankly at the scene unfolding before them, their mouths agape.

gun……

more than……

In the surveillance footage, a massive mech, as tall as two people, slowly walked to the area illuminated by the tunnel lights.

Its vibrant red body, contrasting with the flowing blood on the ground, momentarily gave the scene an artistic quality...

"This! An exoskeleton armor!?"

"Heavy exoskeleton armor... Could it be military-grade!?"

The hall erupted in chaos; everyone's nerves were on the verge of collapse! How could this be... how could such a monster have been guarding that spot all this time!

And—someone died…

Although the dead were not passengers, the ones who died there were subway company employees!

Xu Qi seemed to realize something, snatched the communicator's walkie-talkie, and shouted.

"Char! Is that you in there!?"

The voice coming from the walkie-talkie hanging on the body of the deceased employee clearly caught Char's attention.

So much so that he didn't even bother with the employee who was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground and had lost control of his bladder and bowels.

The dark red exoskeleton armor slowly walked onto the tunnel platform. Its massive size made the tunnel, which was enormous to an average person, seem somewhat narrow.

"Char! Answer me! Was it you?!"

The red armor's mask slowly opened, revealing the face of the person wearing the armor.

Chief Engineer Xia suddenly stood up! His face was deathly pale, devoid of any color.

Char...

"It really was you... Char!"

"Long time no see, Xu Qi. Your drive and leadership have not disappointed me."

"What a joke! Char! You're the only one who's been disappointing from beginning to end!"

"I'm just guiding the Shanghai Metro forward, guiding humanity forward, so don't stop me, Xu Qi! No..."

Xia shook his head.

"I should say you're no longer able to stop me, Xu Qi. You should have already had the switches changed on Guilin Road, right?"

Xu Qi's expression changed drastically!

"The train will enter the storage line on Guilin Road, and the 956 train, which never stops, will also go in. It will collide with the train in front, and everyone on the train will die."

"What...what did you do to the manual turnout equipment on Guilin Road!?"

"Just a few clips."

"Why would you do something like this, Char!"

"I think that after reading that letter, you should be able to fully understand me."

Xu Qi was stunned, and even the people in the Golden Courtyard who were still in the hall were stunned, especially Pado, because she was the one who found that letter.

"I will try to awaken, to awaken humanity's respect and understanding for the lives of others."

"And the price is for humanity to perish along with them!?"

“That’s right!” Xia Ya interrupted Xu Qi forcefully. “If you want to change all of this… then give me the courage to do the whole Shanghai subway.”

Otherwise, if you say that... nothing, that's right, nothing will change.

Before he finished speaking, an attack from an unknown source crushed the surveillance camera and walkie-talkie.

The surveillance camera went black, and at the same time, despairing news came from the engineering department.

"Something's wrong! The push rod for manually changing the turnout is malfunctioning. It seems like someone has added a locking mechanism, and the push rod can't return to its original position!"

……

Xu Qi put down the communication device.

Meanwhile, even worse news reached Fu Hua's ears.

Her face turned extremely pale in an instant. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to tell Xu Qi the news.

"Xu Qi... Kosmo is currently on that 956. At the last moment before the communication was interrupted, he sent a message to Golden Courtyard. It was an encrypted call."

Möbius has already translated it—'Terrorists have hijacked the train; it must be stopped.'

……

"Chief Engineer Xia! Mr. Xu Qi! Quickly check the surveillance footage!"

The scene lights up again, this time at the intersection of Guilin Road, where countless people wearing exoskeleton armor surround the two maintenance workers.

And it arrogantly sent out a signal.

"They said that these two people are now their hostages, and if anyone dares to try to push the switch lever, they will be executed."

……

At this moment, the atmosphere of despair almost condensed the air in the hall into a ball—making it impossible to breathe and impossible to think.

It's as if no matter what response they take, the other side always has a way to retaliate.

The two sides' plans... were on completely different levels...

"Inform the Shanghai police that the emergence of terrorists of this scale is beyond our ability to handle."

Chief Engineer Xia was taken aback, as were the employees in the hall.

Everyone stared at Xu Qi in a daze, speechless.

"Is it... over just like that?"

Xu Qi turned his head and looked at one of the employees.

"Why...why give in..."

"This is beyond our control..."

"Stop talking nonsense! If you can't do it, don't give us any hope in the first place! ...Don't give me...hope..."

Xu Qi frowned, and at that moment a leader from the vehicle department walked up to Xu Qi and whispered something.

"His wife and children were on that bus, number 956."

……

“I…did not give in.”

The choked voice paused, and the person slowly raised their head, tears already streaming down their face.

Xu Qi, however, remained expressionless.

"Chief Engineer Xia, I'm leaving the on-site command to you. I will personally end this. Notifying the police was simply a correct decision on my part. Hope will not be lost."

"what are you up to?"

Xu Qi didn't answer; he just made a phone call.

"Professor Mebius... please prepare V2V for me."

36. Mei: Survive

"As expected... it's come to this..."

The voice on the other end of the phone startled Xu Qi—it wasn't Möbius…it was Eden!?

"Sister Eden!?"

Fu Hua and Padma were both taken aback, and Sakura couldn't help but look up, her heart filled with surprise—Eden? Has she returned?

“Ever since the last time you had an accident, I’ve had a bad feeling. I rushed back to Golden Courtyard as soon as I got off the plane this morning, but unfortunately… it seems I was still a step too late.”

"Sister Eden..."

“Actually, I saw everything that happened in the command center through Pado’s hidden camera. I have no reason to stop a young man from doing what he wants to do…”

Xu Qi squinted at Pado.

The cat promptly and guiltily looked away, glancing left and right.

"Boy," the voice changed, it was Möbius, "come out and look up."

Xu Qi's eyes lit up, and he immediately ran out of the lobby! Seeing this, all the Shanghai Metro employees inside also rushed out. They wanted to see what Xu Qi had overheard.

And as it turns out... what happened before our eyes was something we could only see in a movie...

The deafening roar of engines rose from above, and a violent hurricane swept over every employee who rushed out of the command center.