Chapter 107

Zhao Jianguo raised his hand and pressed his temples; the tremor rising from the ground still echoed in his ears, as if someone were lightly tapping his skull with a hammer. He stared at the old camphor‑wood chest in the West Wing Room, its blue light flickering on and off, the rhythm growing more urgent, as if urging him to decide.

"You can't go." Dong Xu seized his arm. "You two are so secretive—every time you talk it's about passages and stabilizers, I don't understand! But I know this: Yi Zhonghai gave me the item, that's trust! Now you want to walk out? Leave me here to watch the chest?"

Chen Jianguo stood at the courtyard gate, motionless and silent, merely watching Zhao Jianguo.

Zhao Jianguo sighed. "It's not a matter of belief. You just heard it—the sound is 'reading the environment.' If we three approach the core device together, it might trigger some chain reaction. The system prompt is clear—only I can operate the critical node."

"Then tell me, what exactly do you intend to do?" Dong Xu's voice tightened.

"Find the answer." Zhao Jianguo patted his shoulder. "Once I confirm whether there's a Spacetime Stabilizer, I'll come back right away. Stay in the room and guard it—don't touch the chest. If the blue light turns red, splash water on the doorframe immediately—remember? Yesterday we tested it; water can briefly disrupt the signal."

Dong Xu gritted his teeth, then let go. "Fine, I'll trust you this once. But if you're not back in an hour… I'll bring a shovel down and dig!"

"Suit yourself." Zhao Jianguo smiled, turned toward Chen Jianguo, and said, "Let's go—time is short."

The two exited the Siheyuan one after the other, night wind kicking up dust that skimmed the ground. The streetlights cast a dim yellow glow, stretching their shadows long. They walked, not taking a vehicle, passing through several alleys before turning into a side door of an abandoned factory. The iron gate was rusted blotchy; Chen Jianguo produced a flat key, turned it with a click, and unlocked it.

"This place… nobody comes here?" Zhao Jianguo asked.

"It used to be the underground repair station of a state‑run factory; after half collapsed it was sealed off." Chen Jianguo pushed the door open. "Now it's mine to use."

After descending a dozen or so steps, a heavy metal door came into view. Chen Jianguo entered the code on the panel beside the door, then scanned his fingerprint; the door slid open slowly. Inside, lights came on automatically, instruments lined up neatly, with a circular operation console in the center and a data stream still flashing on the screen.

"Your lair?" Zhao Jianguo glanced around.

"A temporary outpost." Chen Jianguo hung up his coat. "It's quieter and safer than your courtyard."

Zhao Jianguo produced a copy of the Grade‑8 Fitter's Manual from his pocket and placed it on the table. "This is my refined version of modern Mechanical Lesson craft, covering precision‑part machining processes and heat‑treatment parameters. It's not core classified, but enough for you to build the first usable equipment."

Chen Jianguo flipped through it, his eyes flickering. "Aren't you afraid I'll take it and do something else with it?"

"Afraid." Zhao Jianguo leaned on the operation console. "But I'm more afraid that no one will help me figure out that chest. You called it a 'ticket'—surely someone needs to know how to swipe to get in?"

Chen Jianguo fell silent for a moment, nodded, opened his portable terminal and linked it to the main control system. After a burst of data transfer, he looked up: "This is the 2045 blueprint for miniaturized controllable fusion energy, encryption level extremely high—ordinary equipment can't open it. Only our system can decrypt."

"Aren't you afraid I'll use it to make a bomb?" Zhao Jianguo raised an eyebrow.

"If you really wanted to blow something up, you'd have acted already." Chen Jianguo closed the terminal. "The data has been sent; the check‑in system will automatically recognize and load it."

Zhao Jianguo felt his wrist warm up; the system interface popped up quietly: 【New data packet being received……verification passed, permission matched successfully】

He lifted his head, about to speak, but noticed Chen Jianguo's face had turned slightly pale, his fingers trembling faintly.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine." Chen Jianguo leaned against the table edge. "Just been using the system too often lately—feeling a bit tired."

"Not a backlash?" Zhao Jianguo frowned.

"Not yet." Chen Jianguo shook his head. "But I can sense… someone far away is draining my energy. Just like that chest at your place—the longer it rings, the more it consumes."

Zhao Jianguo didn't press further. He knew asking more wouldn't help; the troubles of a transmigrator are never explained by a simple manual.

The air fell silent for a few seconds.

Then Chen Jianguo suddenly reached into his inner pocket, pulled out a yellowed photo. He stared at it for a long moment, then tore it in half and handed over one piece.

Zhao Jianguo took it, glanced, and his breath caught.

The woman in the photo wore an old‑style plaid skirt, her hair in two braids, sitting by a library window reading. Her features were delicate, the corners of her mouth tipped with a faint smile. That face—almost identical to Su Qing's.

His fingers unconsciously clenched.

On the back was written: 1978.3.15.

The ink varied in depth, as if it had been rubbed over many years.

"That day she walked into the library and sat opposite me." Chen Jianguo's voice dropped. "I didn't dare speak to her, so I secretly sketched her. Three years later we married, five years later we had a child. Then… a lab accident sent me here."

Zhao Jianguo's throat moved, but he said nothing.

"I'm not here to steal anything." Chen Jianguo fixed his gaze on him. "I'm looking for the way back. And you—you're the only one who might be able to help. Because your beloved is the starting point of my world."

Zhao Jianguo slowly slipped the photo into his pocket, pressing it against his chest.

"So you believe me now?" Chen Jianguo asked.

"Half." Zhao Jianguo met his eyes. "The other half depends on whether what comes next lines up."

As his words fell, the main control console suddenly blared a sharp alarm.

Red lights flashed wildly, the screen popped up a warning: 【External intrusion detected—high‑frequency decryption attack initiated, password door durability remaining: 2 minutes 47 seconds】

Zhao Jianguo whirled to look at the monitor. A black‑clad figure crouched outside the lab entrance, holding a black device, continuously sending pulse signals at the lock.

"This isn't Xu Da Mao's people." Chen Jianguo swiftly shut down all data ports, yanked out the storage card and clenched it in his palm. "This is a professional‑grade infiltration—clean, efficient, with a clear objective."

"How did they know about this place?" Zhao Jianguo lowered his voice.

"I don't know." Chen Jianguo had already moved to the side of the operation console, picking up a metal rod on the way. "But since they're here, we can't let them leave alive."

Zhao Jianguo nodded, activated the check‑in system's "stealth log" function to ensure the transaction log wouldn't be lost. He had just closed his personal interface when a faint "beep" came from outside the door.

That was the tone signalling the decoder's progress completion.

The door lock's green light flickered once, then turned red—the opponent was forcing through the final verification.

"Ready?" Chen Jianguo asked quietly.

"Anytime." Zhao Jianguo crouched against the wall, gripping a ripped‑out circuit board whose edges had been sharpened.

In the monitor, the black figure rose and slowly pushed the door.

The metal door gap had just opened ten centimeters when a strong beam shot out from inside—Chen Jianguo had pre‑emptively switched on full‑power lighting. The person outside instinctively lifted a hand to shield his eyes.

Now!

Zhao Jianguo lunged out, kicking at the door gap. The figure reacted instantly, stepping back, but his shoulder still took the hit and he staggered a few steps.

Chen Jianguo seized the moment to lunge forward, sweeping the metal rod sideways and forcing the opponent to roll aside to avoid it. As the black figure hit the ground, he whipped out a waist‑mounted tool—a fold‑out stun baton.

"Watch out!" Zhao Jianguo shouted, snatching up the circuit board and hurling it.

The stun baton glanced off, sparks flashing. The man broke off the fight, turned and sprinted for the stairwell.

"Don't let him get away!" Zhao Jianguo gave chase.

But the instant he stepped out the doorway, the system shuddered violently.

【Warning: Detected dual-frequency resonance source, target carrying same-type check-in module】

He paused his step.

That person is not an ordinary person.

He is a transmigrator.