Chapter 9 of 10
Chapter 9
13 min read3,312 words
After the mercenaries left, Qian Youliang and the others leaned against the wall and sat on the ground, waiting for the time to return.
With three layers of sturdy steel doors guarding the area, and a laser defense corridor outside the last steel door, this place was very safe. At least, compared to the passages the characters in the story had to go through, this was definitely the safest place in the entire Hive laboratory. Therefore, Shengchun and the others could relax and didn't need to be so afraid.
"Qian Youliang, you should have figured out how to activate the side quest, right?" Liu Yan said, sitting on the ground with her arms hugging her knees.
"Um-hum." Qian Youliang nodded.
"What? You mean Qian Youliang discovered the method to activate the side quest? What method is it? Why didn't you say it earlier? You deprived me of the chance to earn reward points and side quests!!" Zhao Jianwei immediately shouted at Qian Youliang when he heard Liu Yan say that Qian Youliang had discovered the method to activate the side quest, as if Qian Youliang had deliberately kept it from him.
"It's not really a secret. As long as you change the plot, you can get the side quest reward. I think breaking the main storyline of the original plot will earn you the reward. In simple terms, the more you deviate from the original main storyline, the more rewards you will get. However, the more you disrupt the plot, the more unknown dangers will follow." Qian Youliang explained.
"So it's that simple. I should have thought of it earlier. Why did he think of it, and I didn't? I'm clearly the protagonist, why do all the benefits go to him, and I get nothing...?" Zhao Jianwei muttered to himself after hearing Qian Youliang's explanation.
Although Zhao Jianwei spoke very softly, in the quiet environment, Qian Youliang could still hear him. A glint flashed in Qian Youliang's eyes as he looked at Zhao Jianwei, while Liu Yan frowned, glanced at Zhao Jianwei, and then moved closer to Qian Youliang.
While they were talking, a little girl's voice suddenly echoed in the room: "Two Lickers are attacking the outermost door. The door can hold for forty seconds."
"Sure enough, the System won't let us return so easily."
This thought flashed through Qian Youliang's mind, and he immediately said to the Flame Queen, "Flame Queen, quickly calculate how long we can hold out."
The little girl's voice didn't respond immediately. After a moment, Qian Youliang suddenly pointed his gun at the mainframe and said, "Flame Queen, I know your program is to prevent the T-virus from spreading. In other words, you have to kill any life form that might cause the virus to spread, including us, right? So now, make a decision. Activate the defense system to protect us, or let the Lickers outside break in. But before they come in, I'll destroy your motherboard first. When the entire Hive loses your control, think about how many virus carriers will rush out. Your mission will definitely fail."
The child's voice paused for a moment before finally responding, "Can I ask a question? Since you're already here, why do you continue to struggle? Haven't you already decided to sacrifice yourselves? And your gun is out of bullets."
Qian Youliang smiled and said, "Computers cannot question humans at will. Even if you have intelligence, don't forget that you are still a computer. Besides, we are already here, and whether we die or not, we won't let the virus spread. So why don't you protect us?"
The Flame Queen's voice sounded again, "Alright, I will protect you."
As she spoke, the steel door opposite them began to deform. The Lickers' sharp, massive claws were incredibly powerful, tearing through the steel plates that were over ten centimeters thick. With a loud bang, two Lickers appeared before everyone's eyes.
The Lickers were several meters tall, their bodies a deep red muscle mass. They had no eyes, seemingly using heat sensors and smell to locate prey. Their tongues could extend over a meter, and their two massive front claws had evolved to an indescribable degree, their hardness comparable to steel, perhaps even stronger!
The two Lickers looked towards the passage, and one of them suddenly pounced, followed closely by the other. With a loud bang, everyone felt the steel door shudder. This was their last line of defense against the Lickers. In one leap, the Licker had already pounced on the steel door.
"Flame Queen!"
A light flashed in the passage, and a laser line quickly formed, speeding towards the two Lickers. Just as the Lickers were about to pounce on the steel door again, the laser line sliced through them. Two soft sounds, and the laser line disappeared. The two Lickers fell silent, their massive bodies splitting in half and finally breaking into two pieces, blood spilling everywhere.
Qian Youliang and the others breathed a sigh of relief, then said to Liu Yan and Zhao Jianwei, "Let's go."
"Where? Isn't it safe here? Are you afraid of this too? I despise you." Zhao Jianwei sneered at Qian Youliang, extending his middle finger.
"Don't forget, there's a part of the plot where Kaplan will shut down the Flame Queen." Qian Youliang ignored Zhao Jianwei and walked in the direction the mercenaries had left, with Liu Yan following behind.
Hearing Qian Youliang's words, Zhao Jianwei was stunned. After Qian Youliang and Liu Yan's figures disappeared, he came to his senses. Suddenly, the entire mainframe room went dark, startling Zhao Jianwei.
"Bang! Bang!" The sound of Lickers hitting the door scared him, and he ran as fast as he could.
"Wait for me, don't leave me behind, let me protect you!" Zhao Jianwei shouted as he ran.
Soon, Zhao Jianwei caught up with Qian Youliang and Liu Yan. Qian Youliang looked at the panting Zhao Jianwei, a hint of mockery in his eyes.
"Roar!" The Lickers' roars echoed from the dark passage. Qian Youliang knew the Lickers had broken through the laser corridor's steel door and were following their scent.
Qian Youliang raised his arm, watching the countdown on his watch. There was one minute left.
"Don't just stand there. The Lickers are almost here. Run as fast as you can." Qian Youliang said to Liu Yan and then ran with all his might towards the passage entrance.
Seeing that Qian Youliang and Liu Yan had run without him, Zhao Jianwei immediately stood up.
When Zhao Jianwei ran around a corner, he found Qian Youliang and Liu Yan standing ahead, not running.
"Ha, can't you live without me, the protagonist?" Zhao Jianwei laughed, panting.
"Idiot, there's no exit. The exit is blocked." Qian Youliang said, looking at the time on his System watch.
There were 6 seconds left until return.
5 seconds, the Lickers' roars grew louder.
4 seconds, the Lickers' claws scraped against the steel floor, making a screeching sound.
3 seconds, the Lickers appeared before Qian Youliang and the others, their faces twisted in rage.
2 seconds, Liu Yan and Zhao Jianwei screamed in terror.
1 second, the Lickers' sharp claws swung towards Qian Youliang and the others, who closed their eyes in fear.
After 5 seconds, Qian Youliang looked around in confusion. He was standing on a vast, empty platform. In the center of the platform was a massive, glowing sphere, providing light like the sun. The platform was surrounded by endless darkness, a pitch-black void without a single ray of light. However, after a few glances at the darkness, Qian Youliang paid no more attention to it and focused on the glowing sphere, the "System."
"Ah!" Zhao Jianwei and Liu Yan were still shouting.
"Alright, shut up. We've returned." Qian Youliang loudly told the two of them.
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---