Moving to the Golden Courtyard

Chief Engineer Xia looked up in astonishment, gazing at Xu Qi, who always stood at the forefront, never seeming to panic, always so calm and collected.

"Xia Ya is doing this not only to awaken this company and this society to the importance of respecting life.

Perhaps he also wants to change the Mode Capital Metro. Otherwise, wouldn't it be easy to just kill a few people? All it would take is one train with failed traction or one with failed brakes."

Chief Engineer Xia was momentarily speechless—indeed, they wouldn't even have a chance to remedy that now.

Xu Qi's gaze swept across the faces of those in high positions.

"This day is worth remembering for all Metro employees—but it's not over yet. If a company is truly rotten to the core, it will collapse on its own, even without Xia Ya's actions today.

So the Mode Capital Metro still has hope, but that hope isn't here—it's not time to give up yet, Chief Engineer Xia."

35. Professor Mobius, prepare V2V

"Track Team Three's Exoskeleton Auxiliary Armor squad has arrived at the location and is ready to perform manual switch changes."

"Command Center received, Track Team Three, commence operation."

The large screen in the Melong Base Command Center now displayed the internal monitoring of the tunnel.

This was already the best response from the information security team—the monitoring was still working; otherwise, the entire Mode Capital Metro would truly be blind.

On the screen, two public works employees wearing light cyan Exoskeleton Auxiliary Armor were using the armor's high output to help with the switch change operation.

It was a manual push rod, but it required a tremendous amount of force.

Normal humans couldn't possibly push it; it required two employees wearing Exoskeleton Auxiliary Armor to work together to pull the switch change rod.

This was also a safety measure to prevent unauthorized switch changes.

"Switch change complete, awaiting train passage."

Inside the hall, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Since they could solve the switch problem, it also meant they could perform a power outage—the hope of stopping 956 was constantly increasing.

However, only Xu Qi… he remained frowning, unable to tell what he was thinking.

"Power Supply Team Two has arrived at Point A, ready to close the switch and cut off power to the grid."

"Command Center received, begin operation!"

Perhaps because hope was in sight, the communications employee responsible for scheduling and command seemed unusually excited, after all, victory was at hand!

On the monitoring screen, the power supply employee began preparing to close the switch.

There were two people in a group, but his colleague suddenly turned to look into the tunnel.

"What's wrong?"

"Uh… I just feel like something is watching us."

"Huh?" The employee preparing to close the switch paused, but after thinking about it, he still prepared to close the switch first.

"Probably just a rat, after all, there's everything in this tunnel…"

"Bang!"

A flash of light lit up the dark tunnel, a gunshot rang out, the firing pin detonated the gunpowder, and the bullet pierced through the chamber, inevitably penetrating the head of the employee who was preparing to close the switch.

As blood splattered, his colleague didn't even react, still standing there blankly.

In fact, it wasn't just him; everyone in the vehicle command hall was staring blankly at the scene unfolding before them, mouths half-open.

A gun…

More than that…

In the monitoring screen, a massive mech, at least two people tall, slowly walked into the area illuminated by the tunnel lights.

Its entire body was a vibrant red, echoing the blood flowing on the ground, making the scene feel somewhat artistic for a moment…

"This! Exoskeleton Armor!?"

"Heavy Exoskeleton Armor… could it be military!?"

The hall was filled with noise, and everyone's nerves were on the verge of collapse! How could it be… how could such a monster have been guarding there all along!

And—someone died…

Although it wasn't a passenger who died, the one who died there was a Metro Company employee!

Xu Qi seemed to realize something and snatched the communicator from the communications officer, shouting.

"Xia Ya! Is that you in there!?"

The voice suddenly coming from the walkie-talkie hanging on the body of the deceased employee clearly attracted Xia Ya's attention.

So much so that he didn't even bother with the employee who had been frightened into a puddle of incontinence on the ground.

The dark red Exoskeleton Armor slowly walked onto the tunnel platform, its massive body making the tunnel, which was huge for ordinary people, seem slightly narrow.

"Xia Ya! Answer me! Is it you!"

The red armor's mask slowly opened, revealing the face of the person wearing the armor.

Chief Engineer Xia stood up abruptly! His face was pale and bloodless.

Xia Ya...

"So it really was you... Xia Ya!"

"Long time no see, Xu Qi. Your initiative and leadership haven't disappointed me."

"What a joke! Xia Ya! The only one who's ever been disappointing is you!"

"I'm merely guiding the Mode Capital Metro to continue forward, guiding humanity to continue forward, so don't stop me, Xu Qi! No..."

Xia Ya shook his head.

"I should say, you no longer have the ability to stop me, Xu Qi. You must have had someone switch the points at Guilin Road, right?"

Xu Qi's expression changed drastically!

"The train will enter the storage tracks at Guilin Road, and so will the eternally unstoppable 956. It will collide with the train ahead, and everyone on board will die."

"What... what did you do to the manual point switch at Guilin Road!?"

"Just a little catch."

"Why would you do something like this, Xia Ya!"

"I think you, who has read that letter, should fully understand me."

Xu Qi was stunned, and even the Golden Courtyard members remaining in the hall were taken aback, especially Pardofelis, because she was the one who found that letter.

"I will reawaken, reawaken humanity's respect and understanding for the lives of others."

"And the price is to have the current humans be buried with them!?"

"That's right!" Xia Ya interrupted Xu Qi forcefully. "If you want to change all of this... then show me the courage of the entire Mode Capital Metro.

Otherwise, you... nothing, that's right, you can't change anything."

As he finished speaking, an attack from an unknown source directly crushed the monitor and the walkie-talkie.

The monitor went black, and at the same time, the engineering department received a message that filled them with despair.

"Something's wrong! There's an anomaly with the manual point switch lever. It seems like someone added a catch, and the lever can't be returned to its original position!"

Xu Qi put down the communication device.

At the same time, even worse news reached Fu Hua.

Her face turned extremely pale in an instant. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to tell Xu Qi the news.

"Xu Qi... Kosma is on that 956 right now. In the last moment before communications were cut off, it sent a message to the Golden Courtyard, an encrypted call.

Professor Mobius has translated it—'Terrorists have hijacked the train. You must stop the train.'"

"Chief Engineer Xia! Mr. Xu Qi! Look at the monitor!"

The screen lit up again, this time showing the switch point at Guilin Road. Countless people in Exoskeleton Armor surrounded two engineering employees.

And they brazenly sent a signal.

"They're saying that these two are their hostages now. If anyone dares to come over and try to push the switch lever, they will execute these two."

At this moment, the atmosphere of despair almost solidified the air in the hall—unable to breathe, unable to think.

It was as if no matter what response they made, the other side had a countermeasure.

The planning of the two sides... was not on the same level at all...

"Notify the Shanghai police. With terrorists of this scale, it's beyond what we can handle."

Chief Engineer Xia was stunned, and the employees in the hall were also taken aback.

Everyone stared blankly at Xu Qi, without a word.

"Is it... over just like that?"

Xu Qi turned his head and looked at one of the employees.

"Why... give in..."

"This is beyond what we can..."

"Don't give me that bullshit! If you couldn't do it, then don't give us any hope in the first place!... Don't give me... hope..."

Xu Qi frowned, and a vehicle leader walked up to Xu Qi and whispered.

"His wife and children are on that 956 train."

"I... haven't given in."

The choking voice paused, and the man slowly raised his head, tears already covering his face.

But Xu Qi remained expressionless.

"Chief Engineer Xia... I'll leave the on-site command to you. I'll personally end all of this. Notifying the police was just me making a correct decision. Hope will not disappear."

"What are you... going to do?"

Xu Qi didn't answer. He just made a phone call.

"Professor Mobius... please prepare the V2V for me."

36,Mei: Survive

"As expected... it's come to this..."

The voice on the other end of the phone stunned Xu Qi—it wasn't Professor Mobius... it was Eden!?

"Eden?!"

Fu Hua and Pardofelis were both taken aback, and even Yae couldn't help but look up, her heart filled with surprise—Eden? Is she back?

"Ever since your accident last time, I've had a bad feeling in my heart. I just got off the plane this morning and rushed back to the Golden Courtyard, but unfortunately... it seems I was still a step late."

"Eden..."

"Actually, I saw everything that happened in the command hall through Pardofelis's pinhole camera. I have no reason to stop a young man from doing what he wants to do..."

Xu Qi narrowed his eyes and looked at Pardofelis.

The cat decisively shifted her gaze guiltily, looking left and right.

"Kid." The voice changed, and it was Mobius, "Come out and look overhead."

Xu Qi's eyes lit up, and he immediately ran out of the hall! Seeing this, the Mode Capital Metro employees in the hall also ran out one after another. They wanted to see what Xu Qi had heard.

And the truth proved... the scene unfolding before their eyes was something you'd only ever see in a movie...

The huge roar of engines came from overhead, and a violent hurricane washed over every employee who rushed out of the command hall.