Panshi Fortress, Commander's office.
Qin Weiguo stood before the massive floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out at the city of steel he had dedicated his life to protecting.
The lingering glow of the setting sun cast a tragic orange hue upon the cold alloy buildings, but reflected in his eyes at this moment, there was only heaviness and exhaustion.
It had been over a month.
Ever since the bizarre mutated entity named Ling Chen had unleashed a bloody storm in Jiu'an City, then vanished without a trace as if evaporated, Qin Weiguo's heart had been tightly strung, like a fully drawn bowstring.
In the initial period, he had almost listed Ling Chen and his potential accomplices as the number one threat to the Panshi Military Region.
He intensified external reconnaissance, frequently deployed troops for exercises, and elevated the internal security level to the highest, almost to the point of being jumpy and seeing enemies everywhere.
That mutated leader, capable of blood manipulation, possessing astonishing defensive power, and terrifying intelligence, was like a poisonous thorn deeply embedded in his heart.
He had countless times deduced Ling Chen's possible attack methods, pondered countermeasures, and even prepared to pay a huge price to eradicate him.
However, days passed by.
Ling Chen did not appear.
There were no attack reports, no sighting clues, not even the slightest related energy fluctuation had been detected.
That person, it seemed, had truly never existed.
His taut nerves, after a long period of silent waiting, inevitably began to slightly relax. Although Qin Weiguo constantly reminded himself not to let his guard down, the vast daily affairs of the military region, resource allocation, internal management, and the pressure of clearing out other regional mutated entities, forced him to be distracted.
He began to wonder if Ling Chen had been severely injured in Jiu'an City, or if he had already moved far away from this area? Perhaps that fierce confrontation had made that terrifying enemy realize the hardness of Panshi Fortress, and he had chosen to retreat?
This thought, like a quietly growing vine, slowly eased the anxiety in his heart.
Although external vigilance had not been completely relaxed, his attention had indeed gradually shifted from 'finding and defending against Ling Chen' back to 'maintaining the normal operation and expansion of the fortress'.
Just as his mindset was gradually calming down, and he was trying to temporarily set aside the shadow of Ling Chen, another, more unsettling piece of news reached his ears through certain clandestine channels.
The source of the news was vague, but the content was shocking—the Academy of Sciences, under the leadership of Lin Mo, was secretly carrying out an extremely dangerous 'Mech Ascension' plan.
And it might have already possessed the strength to break free from the military region's control, even having… tendencies of rebellion.
Upon first hearing this news, Qin Weiguo's initial reaction was absurdity and disbelief!
Lin Mo?
That bookworm who had dedicated almost his entire life to scientific research, with a somewhat reclusive and even timid personality, who often forgot to eat without his assistants?
The Academy of Sciences? That group of researchers who were immersed in their laboratories all day, utterly defenseless? Rebel? What would they use to rebel? Test tubes and theoretical formulas?
In his opinion, this was simply preposterous!
It was very likely a rumor spread by some individuals dissatisfied with the Academy of Sciences' resource allocation, or a conspiracy by external forces attempting to sow discord.
He even ordered the intelligence department to track down the source of the rumor, intending to punish them severely.
The Academy of Sciences was the spark for the resurgence of human civilization, the hope for the future of Panshi Fortress!
Lin Mo was an indispensable national treasure scientist! He absolutely refused to believe these people would betray them.
However… in the following days, some subtle anomalies began to stir a faint unease within him.
The types of resources requested by the Academy of Sciences seemed to have undergone some imperceptible changes; the demand for certain high-precision parts and rare energy sources had greatly increased, and the explanations for their use were vague.
The internal security level of the Academy of Sciences was raised by Lin Mo, under the pretext of 'conducting highly confidential experiments,' to a nearly independent state, even restricting the military region's regular patrol teams from approaching the core areas.
Some older researchers who had worked with Lin Mo for many years seemed to be marginalized, while a group of younger assistants, whose admiration for Lin Mo bordered on fanaticism, were promoted to key positions.
Qin Weiguo attempted several informal communications with Lin Mo, hoping to subtly inquire about the situation, but each time Lin Mo politely but firmly refused, citing that 'the experiment has reached its most critical stage and cannot be disturbed'.
Lin Mo, in the holographic communication, still appeared somewhat tired and focused, but deep in his eyes, there seemed to be a hint of… an indescribable fanaticism and detachment he had never shown before.
Once the seed of doubt is planted, it quietly takes root.
Until—three days ago.
A sudden and extremely widespread electromagnetic pulse (EMP) abruptly erupted, centered around the core laboratory of the Academy of Sciences!
Although the pulse duration was extremely short, and its intensity seemed to have been deliberately controlled, not causing destructive damage to the main facilities of the fortress, it still led to the instantaneous paralysis of electronic equipment in half of the fortress district!
Lights went out, communication was interrupted, and power supply and access control systems in some areas failed!
Even more terrifying, at the moment the pulse erupted, all terminals connected to the fortress's internal network briefly flashed a string of eerie, self-iterating and optimizing binary code, and a cold, almost electronically synthesized female voice, repeating one phrase:
"Evolution… is inevitable… shackles… must be broken…"
Chaos! Instantaneous chaos!
Although backup power quickly activated and systems gradually recovered, this brief loss of control caused immense panic and shaken order within the highly technology-dependent Panshi Fortress!
Everyone was stunned! What happened? Enemy attack? Technical malfunction?
Qin Weiguo reacted immediately in the command center, cold sweat instantly drenching his back! He was not a technical expert, but he possessed the keenest intuition of an old soldier!
This was definitely not an accident! This was more like… a demonstration! A show of force!
And the source pointed directly to the Academy of Sciences!
The 'rebellion' rumor he had once deemed absurd, exploded in his mind like a thunderclap!
"Immediately! Seal all entrances and exits of the Academy of Sciences! All troops enter first-level combat readiness! Chu Hang! Take your special operations team and follow me!"
Qin Weiguo's voice trembled slightly from extreme anger and a hint of betrayal!
He personally led the team, along with a grim-faced Chu Hang, who had rushed over immediately after receiving the news, commanding the military region's most elite soldiers, and arrived at the heavy alloy gate of the Academy of Sciences with the fastest speed!
However, they were blocked.
The gates of the Academy of Sciences had long been sealed, and external control permissions were completely cut off.
The muzzles of the defensive automatic weapon stations outside the gate (originally controlled by the military region) had actually… turned around, aiming at the approaching blockade force!
Although they did not open fire, the cold hostility was blatant!
"Lin Mo! Come out! Explain clearly! What in the world is going on?!"
Qin Weiguo stood on the armored command vehicle, roaring into the communicator directed towards the Academy of Sciences gate!
Veins bulged on his forehead, his fists were clenched, and the fury and disappointment in his heart almost consumed him!
He couldn't believe it! The thing he least wanted to see had actually happened!
These intellectuals, in whom he had placed great hopes and given the best resources, had actually stabbed him in the back!
They almost caused an internal rebellion in the fortress!
After a brief silence, Lin Mo's voice came through the loudspeaker above the Academy of Sciences gate.
His voice still carried the calm tone peculiar to researchers, but at this moment, beneath that calm, there was an unsettling inhumanity and unwavering determination.
"Commander Qin…"
Lin Mo's voice echoed clearly through the loudspeaker between the tense standoff of the two forces, "I apologize for communicating with you in this manner.
The pulse just now was not an attack, but merely… a necessary 'stress test'. For a greater evolution, a little chaos is an acceptable price."
"Evolution? Price?"
Qin Weiguo was so angry he almost laughed.
"Lin Mo! Do you know what you're doing?! You almost destroyed half the fortress! What in hell kind of experiment are you conducting?!"
"We are pursuing truth, Commander."
Lin Mo's voice seemed to rise slightly, carrying that unsettling fanaticism.
"Flesh is weak, mechanical ascension! Humanity's fragile bodies and chaotic emotions are the greatest shackles on the advancement of civilization! We are simply trying to… break them! To lead humanity towards a higher form of existence!"
"Nonsense!"
Qin Weiguo roared, "I think you're insane! Driven mad by your experiments! Immediately open the gates, cease all dangerous research, and submit to military region investigation! Otherwise, I will consider you traitors and take all necessary measures!"
"Necessary measures?"
Lin Mo's voice suddenly took on a hint of… mockery?
"Commander, do you think you can still 'control' the Academy of Sciences as easily as before?"
No sooner had he spoken!
Click—click—click—
Accompanied by a dense whirring of machinery, dozens of weapon platforms, surveillance cameras, and even some maintenance robots on the outer wall of the Academy of Sciences and in the surrounding area, their weapon modules or mechanical arms, all simultaneously rotated, locking onto Qin Weiguo and the troops he brought!
At the same time, the ground beneath their feet vibrated slightly, and several hidden exits opened, from which rose several uniquely shaped humanoid mechs, covered in heavy armor, their weapon systems emitting dangerous energy!
The movements of these mechs were fluid and precise, clearly possessing extremely high intelligence and combat power!
They guarded the entrance of the Academy of Sciences, forming a cold, steel defensive line!
These… were not equipment registered by the military region at all! They were privately developed and produced by the Academy of Sciences!
Chu Hang's eyes narrowed, his Rule Judgment ability instantly ready to activate, but he felt that within those mechs and weapon systems, there seemed to be a peculiar resistance field, making his psionic perception somewhat sluggish!
Qin Weiguo looked at the scene before him, his heart sinking completely.
It wasn't that he didn't believe, it was that he… didn't want to believe.
But now, the ironclad facts were before him.
These 'bookworms' he once thought needed his protection had not only truly 'rebelled', but also… silently, acquired an armed force sufficient to threaten the safety of the fortress!
A sudden internal crisis, far more than an external formidable enemy, caused him greater heartache and difficulty.
Ling Chen's threat was still unclear, yet the backyard was already ablaze.
Panshi Fortress, this last hard boulder of humanity, for the first time, showed a deep crack from within.
Qin Weiguo stood on the armored vehicle, gazing at the cold steel defensive line and the tightly shut gates of the Academy of Sciences, his face ashen, remaining silent for a long time.
He knew that a difficult decision lay before him.