Chapter 319: Kidnapping
The agents rushed into the room, aiming their guns.
“Report! The target is lying on the sofa playing ‘Star Sea’—yes, that’s right—unarmed, no threat, we are 100% certain!”
Only after confirming there was no danger at the scene did the cautious Morgan get out of his car.
He stormed into Room 301, strode forward, and snatched Song Xue’s gaming device.
“Good evening, Doctor Song, we meet again.”
Song Xue, now awake, looked at him but said nothing.
She wasn’t surprised by this scene.
“Bulletproof vests? Seriously? I’m a civilian, is all this really necessary, Executive Morgan?”
That’s only because you all gained so much combat experience in the game, each of you with excellent marksmanship and agility!
Morgan thought.
“Hmph—”
He displayed his characteristic fake smile.
“The one-week deadline is up, and you haven’t delivered on your promise; there’s still no progress on acquiring the blueprints!”
“Because I’ve had more urgent tasks recently and haven’t been able to continue my previous brain-implant research. If you’ve been watching the live streams, you should know what I’m talking about.”
“Enough!” Morgan shook his head. “I gave you a chance, but you didn’t take it.”
“So what now? Do you need me to shoot myself eight times in the back?”
Song Xue looked at the sofa cushion not far away; a Glock pistol registered in her name was hidden beneath it.
Morgan sneered.
“Do you think it’ll be that simple, that it’ll all be over? Take her away!”
Click!
Cold silver handcuffs were placed on Song Xue’s wrists.
Twenty minutes later, in the basement of the NSA Boston branch, Song Xue, wearing an electronic ankle monitor, was handcuffed to a table, undergoing interrogation.
An Asian woman with an NSA ID hanging around her neck entered the room. She was the agency’s negotiation specialist for highly educated ethnic minorities, rumored to rarely fail.
“Hello, Doctor Song, we should have met sooner. You see, we’ve always wanted to establish a friendly and healthy cooperation with you, but you never gave us the chance.”
So it’s still my fault?
Song Xue remained silent and didn’t request a lawyer, knowing such a request would be futile.
“Why make things so difficult? You could be this country’s most important talent, enjoying the best treatment. As long as you can bring out the technology from ‘Star Sea,’ the President himself will personally approve your research projects. Then, university positions, funding, personnel transfers—whatever you like, you can choose!”
“Those are worthless compared to the work I am currently engaged in—”
Song Xue stared at her restrained wrists and said in a low voice.
The negotiation specialist leaned forward, grasping her hand with pity.
“But dear, you have to admit, that’s a post-disaster world, a wasteland universe! Can you enjoy the beauty of life there? You cannot!
“But in reality, it’s different. As long as you agree to cooperate with the federal government, we can make you the queen of academia!
“We even have ways to get you to win both the Nobel Peace Prize and the Nobel Prize in Physiology, just like the great Linus Pauling!
“You will gain unimaginable social status and wealth; you can buy mansions, sports cars, and all the luxury goods you desire!
When you walk into an Hermès store, you’ll no longer need to buy extra items; everyone will recognize you as a social celebrity, and all top fashion designers will be proud that you chose their creations!
“Isn’t that tempting? You don’t need to pretend in front of me. I’ve dealt with many highly intelligent young Scholars like you; I know your true thoughts deep down, and I know your desire for wealth is no less than that of ordinary people. This is determined by more active and excited neural tissues—in other words, it’s your instinct.”
“What you said—is correct.”
Song Xue looked up at the animated negotiation specialist, who was getting carried away by her own words, with a look of pity for the intellectually challenged.
“I recently saw a four-bedroom warp yacht that I liked, but it’s too expensive, 300 million star alliance credit points. Can you buy it for me?”
The negotiation specialist’s face instantly darkened.
Her unique Asian eye-makeup appeared particularly grim under the cold overhead lights.
She stared at Song Xue, pulled out a stack of pre-prepared photos from her Hermès bag, and slapped them one by one onto the table in front of her.
These were all collected from the internet across the ocean.
“You think you’re noble? You think you’re helping the right people and engaging in the right cause?
“Look! Military exoskeletons, military drones, giant rockets about to be assembled—all military! What reason do you have to believe they will use all this for the benefit of humanity? I see this clearly as preparation to invade the entire world!”
“Because I have fought and lived with them.”
Song Xue’s eyes sparkled.
“Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of ordinary people from all walks of life. I have personally witnessed their choices; I have resisted powerful forces with them, sending the remains of slaves back to their hometowns for burial. I believe their nation is a collection of citizens like them, just as you and Morgan, as public servants, actually represent the values of this country. Therefore, I choose to believe in them.”
The negotiation specialist fell silent, her expression growing even darker.
She now knew that the other party could not be negotiated with, persuaded, or bribed.
“I’m sorry, it seems I can no longer help you.”
She stood up and walked to the corner of the room, making a call. Twenty seconds later, a group of people in suits pushed open the door and entered.
“Let me introduce you. These gentlemen are from the CIA. Given the hostile attitude you just displayed, they will take over the subsequent work.”
“Doctor Song!”
The leading CIA agent stepped forward.
“I am now officially informing you that if you continue to refuse cooperation, your identity will be redefined as a terrorist, losing all legal protection.
“Your personal freedom will be restricted, and you will be transferred to another institution specifically for detaining terrorists. There, you must strictly follow our requirements to go online and play ‘Star Sea,’ complete specific instructions and tasks every six hours, and then go offline to provide a detailed report. If you fail to complete them—thump!”
The other party slammed a fist on the table.
“You will be punished, including but not limited to electric shock and waterboarding! You have one last week to consider. During this period, we will keep your gaming equipment safe!”
The Cangyuan Expeditionary Fleet’s progress was smooth.
The 3D printer began working, printing a basic work unit consisting of four industrial drones in less than 3 hours, doubling the ship-breaking efficiency.
However, Nan Guo de Xue had not come online again.
The players had no choice but to help her put on a spacesuit, transfer her to the Taibai, and temporarily place her back in a hibernation pod.
“What exactly happened to Sister Xue?”
In the cafeteria, everyone was focused on this matter.
“I don’t know—but from the looks of it, something unexpected must have happened.”
“What situation would prevent her from coming online? People always need to sleep.”
“I heard she’s not from our country. Does anyone know her address? We could contact Chinese students living there or something, to inquire about her.”
“No one knows, and that’s the problem.”
In the crew quarters, Lu Yuan looked at Nan Guo de Xue lying in the hibernation pod and massaged his shoulder.
Indeed, it was very stiff—
He took out his pad and, based on her last online address and time, pulled up traffic surveillance footage from the streets around the apartment.
Two riot control vehicles came into view.
He continued to track these two vehicles, hacking into the NSA branch facility’s internal network.
Lu Yuan quickly found the room where Sister Xue was being interrogated and, through facial recognition, identified the others in the room as belonging to the NSA and CIA, respectively.
Okay, situation confirmed.
Next, he logged into the player community as the Navigator and sent a private message to a user named ‘Lang Yan.’
The other party was the “official” liaison stationed in the community.
Of course, neither side had ever explicitly confirmed their identities, maintaining an unspoken understanding.
Lu Yuan knew the other party’s exact identity, and he also knew that the other party knew ‘Star Sea’ was more than just a game.
The Navigator: “‘Nan Guo de Xue,’ a ‘Star Sea’ player, is confirmed to be imprisoned. Video and audio evidence have been sent via email. Please check and keep it confidential.”
The Navigator: “Preliminary speculation is that ‘Nan Guo de Xue’ was asked to provide some in-game scientific research gameplay data, and she refused these requests. This choice is reasonable and legal.”
The Navigator: “Player ‘Nan Guo de Xue’ is the lead for several important in-game scientific research projects and a significant contributor to and maintainer of the overall atmosphere of the game community. The ‘Star Sea’ operating party is unwilling to lose such an outstanding top player and hopes she can return soon and play freely.”
Five minutes later, Lang Yan replied.
Lang Yan: “We have fully understood the situation. The other party’s actions have clearly violated basic human rights. Although Nan Guo de Xue is not a citizen of our country, in the spirit of international humanitarianism, something should still be done, at least to uphold justice for her and provide conditions and an environment for fair and impartial choices.”
Lu Yuan nodded silently.
The other party gave a positive response.
But he also, in a more subtle way, explained what could and could not be done.
The Navigator: “I’m glad you think so. As the operating party, we will provide all possible technical support. Now, we can discuss the specific details of the operation.”
More than two hours later, Lu Yuan left the crew living quarters and, on his way to the bridge, passed two Sailors.
“Executive Officer!”
They stood at attention and saluted, like true naval servicemen.
“Hello.”
Lu Yuan nodded in return.
“—Don’t you think the Executive Officer’s killing intent is even stronger now than when we were fighting the Imperial Fleet?”
The female communications officer whispered to her boyfriend, whom she found in the game.
“It seems—a little?”
“Of course, it is! It’s so obvious! Who upset Cangyuan this time?”
At the same time, Jubian and Black Smoke both received private messages from Lang Yan.
The two said nothing, told their respective teams in the guild, and then went offline.
On their phones, plane tickets were already booked.
Their leader also sent a WeChat message, saying that at the request of higher-ups, they were to be given three days off immediately; as for anything else, he didn’t know.
Three hours later, the two, who had already made preparations, departed from Youzhou and Jin Port respectively, flying to Shencheng.
Paradise Island, Blade District.
The “lair” of the Five-Star Good Citizen had been leased.
This was a spacious building, including a six-story office building and an attached large warehouse, with a total area of 8,000 square meters. The rent was 600,000 star alliance credit points per month, which was almost negligible given Cangyuan’s current financial strength.
If they hadn’t wanted to be too ostentatious, they could have rented luxurious office buildings in the bustling city center.
The warehouse roof could be opened. Currently, all materials were being hoisted in from above, and 3D printers began producing more player hibernation pods.
Cangyuan’s second branch, though not yet “officially opened,” was already ready for business.
“Not bad.”
Ye Xing put his hands on his hips, looked at the results of his and Ma Lou’s efforts over the past few days of house hunting, nodded with satisfaction, and went offline for dinner.
Ding-dong!
Just then, the doorbell rang.
“Open the door quickly! Water meter check!”
What’s wrong with them—who checks the water meter late at night? And listening to that voice, why does it sound so mischievous?