The Bunker's temperature was well suited for human habitation. Only around the time of the Great Devourment did drastic temperature fluctuations occur.
But at that moment, sweat covered Xie Changfeng's forehead despite the pleasant temperature.
He knew perfectly well that if Wen Xishu was rescued from his hands, his fate would surely not be a pleasant one.
He wanted to firmly tell Albert that even a new student of Three Towers Academy could not evade the law.
But when the words reached his lips, he could no longer say them.
There were fifty-four guards outside, yet amid one muffled groan after another, all fifty-four had already collapsed unconscious.
Xie Changfeng stammered,
"Even... even you cannot take... take him away! The director personally ordered his interrogation."
"You should know that if you take him away, we will deploy armed forces!"
Albert actually stopped.
He said with some difficulty,
"That would be terrifying. Ah, I am merely a frail old man in the twilight of my years. I certainly do not wish to face the Bunker's army."
Seeing Albert stop, Xie Changfeng let out a breath of relief. In the end, Albert was still human.
This old man might have some abilities, but he could never possibly stand against a fully armed army by himself.
"Principal, my apologies, but Wen Xishu carries the secrets of the criminal Wen Chaohua. We..."
Xie Changfeng wanted to say that they would not allow Wen Xishu to leave.
But dense footsteps from afar interrupted him. A large group of people was approaching the interrogation room where he stood.
A familiar voice rang out, and Xie Changfeng immediately sensed trouble.
"Surround the area! Ensure Mr. Albert's safety at all costs!"
Liu Jinsen.
A man Xie Changfeng loathed from the bottom of his heart.
Perhaps he had not disliked him quite this much before, but during Wen Xishu's interrogation, Wen Xishu had repeatedly conveyed the same message: Bring Liu Jinsen here. You are nowhere near Liu's equal.
That was why Xie Changfeng now hated Liu Jinsen so intensely.
After Albert arrived, people from the Bunker Security Bureau's First Bureau had followed close behind.
Albert rubbed the back of his head and burst into laughter again.
"Hahahahaha! Thank you for your protection. You scared this old man half to death! Looks like you will not be spraying me with bullets after all. That would have been quite troublesome!"
Liu Jinsen had arrived with more than thirty elite field agents from the Bunker Security Bureau's First Bureau.
There were not many of them, but against the First Bureau interrogation department, whose guards had all been wiped out, they were more than enough.
Even if Xie Changfeng called for reinforcements now, it would be too late. Besides... he might not even be able to summon any.
The First Bureau dared to openly seize someone, which likely meant the outcome of the struggle among the higher-ups had not gone well.
And if someone were held accountable for all this, the blame would most likely fall on him—Xie Changfeng had failed in his interrogation. Even with authorization to use drugs, he had dragged things out until a variable appeared.
Growing increasingly anxious, Xie Changfeng could not help shouting at Liu Jinsen,
"Do you know what you are doing?! Wen Xishu is a criminal! This is a prison break!"
Liu Jinsen was an upright man, but even he had learned to play dumb at this moment.
"I do not know what you are talking about. We merely came to protect an important figure of the Bunker, the legend who turned the tide during the Great Devourment and was awarded a medal by the Bunker Elder Council—Mr. Albert Napolitano."
"What prison break? Where is Wen Xishu? I do not understand."
Xie Changfeng was stunned.
Why could he not argue with anyone today? Liu Jinsen, with those thick brows and big eyes, had learned to pretend to be blind too?
Albert hoisted the unconscious Wen Xishu onto his back and gave his familiar laugh.
"Hahahahaha! This old man accepts this favor! Young people these days are truly terrifying. They want to gang up on the old and weak at every turn. Without your help, I could never have left this interrogation room."
This was actually Liu Jinsen's first contact with this legend.
When he brought his people over, he had not expected the more than fifty elite First Bureau agents outside to all be lying on the ground.
Hearing Albert's words, even someone as quiet as Liu Jinsen could not help grumbling inwardly.
You are the most terrifying one here... The people who should be afraid are from the First Bureau.
Carrying Wen Xishu on his back, Albert left the interrogation room and soon headed toward the ascending passage, preparing to go to the eighth floor.
That was the fourth Function Layer, where Three Towers Academy, the Level Seven Facility, was located. Though it was a Level Seven Facility, the school had been placed in what was now the middle of the Bunker.
It was also a statement of intent, making the academy a bridge between the lower and upper levels.
It also represented that the academy could help people from the lower levels enter the upper levels.
Before leaving, Liu Jinsen said,
"Old Principal, the Security Bureau may not let Wen Xishu go so easily. Being able to bring you here to save him was, in truth, also a compromise on our part."
Albert nodded.
"Go on. What must this boy pay? And what must I pay?"
Liu Jinsen said,
"Wen Xishu must cooperate with us and regularly... regularly enter the Strange Tower."
Albert's gaze sharpened slightly.
The ascending passage was at the edge of every floor, yet despite being on the edge, it saw a considerable flow of people.
Even with many elite First Bureau agents around him, Liu Jinsen felt an oppressive force at that moment.
The passersby around them also felt inexplicably cold, their teeth beginning to chatter.
"No matter how high a score you achieved in the Strange Tower last time, the next time you enter, you may die for no reason at all."
"The Strange Tower does not follow reason. You should know that very well. At the same time, understand that he is now my student."
Liu Jinsen lowered his head slightly and said,
"My apologies, Old Principal, but we cannot yield on this matter. I can only tell you that Wen Xishu's tower-climbing arrangements will be handled by me. I will extend the intervals as much as possible."
"But the directors have all reached an agreement. Wen Xishu must explore the Strange Tower regularly."
Liu Jinsen was already beginning to feel the pressure, wondering how he should communicate this.
Yet Albert suddenly laughed.
"All right, then that is settled. Who asked me to be nothing but a lone, helpless old man? You may all disperse now. I am heading back to Three Towers Academy."
Liu Jinsen froze. He had not expected this legend to be easier to reason with than anticipated, nor had he expected Albert not to make things difficult for him.
If Albert had refused to cooperate—
The various departments of the Bunker would likely have ultimately dared do nothing. This old man truly possessed such power. Perhaps only those few members of the Elder Council could restrain him.
He had once heard the director's assistant say that Albert's Three Towers Academy was an independent entity, one whose scale might not be inferior to the Government Affairs Bureau or the Security Bureau.
If Albert had made his position known back then, perhaps the Wen family would have met a different fate.
But for various reasons, Albert had not taken a stance. Even today, the Old Principal's attitude made Liu Jinsen feel that he was unusually... cooperative.
In truth, Albert had already intended for Wen Xishu to enter the tower frequently.
It also counted as doing the Security Bureau a favor.
Neither Liu Jinsen, nor the Security Bureau's First Bureau, nor Wen Renjing, Xun Hui...
None of them could directly make Albert save Wen Xishu.
The reason he had saved Wen Xishu was that he had already wanted to do so. Albert had merely also needed to interview Wen Xishu.
Now, he was very satisfied with the results of the first round of interviews.
He did not know what methods Wen Xishu had used to keep Xie Changfeng from obtaining any intelligence despite interrogating him for so long.
But seeing that Wen Xishu was barely conscious, covered in rotting flesh, and still had not allowed Xie Changfeng to succeed, Albert was very satisfied with that.
His hearty laughter echoed through the ascending passage as the people around him watched the white-haired yet muscular old man in confusion.
The old man paid them no mind, merely considering their gazes those of adorable children.
Feeling the child's even breathing against his back, Albert had actually considered whether he should use this chance to ask about Wen Chaohua's secret.
But that would be far too boring. He did not know why Wen Chaohua, one of his three proudest disciples, had become a villain...
But so what?
Things that seemed earth-shattering to others, even to the Bunker's highest authority, could leave Albert completely uninterested.
Compared to what he was doing, everything else was so insignificant.
If possible, Albert hoped Wen Chaohua could cause something so sensational that even he would find it astonishing.
His thoughts returned to Wen Xishu.
"Among this year's new students, there are several rather interesting little ones. Counting you, along with those few fourth-years."
"Perhaps the Bunker's second golden age will arrive."
Wen Xishu had already fallen into a deep sleep. Even if Albert voiced his thoughts aloud, Wen Xishu could not respond.
However, Albert could sense the vigorous vitality within this child.
He began considering the content of the second "admission interview."
Before you continue