[Mad AIP]

"Why should I stop them?"

Professor Qin Hui saw Intelligent Being Feiran walk in from outside and spread his hands. "You two should spend some time together. That way, Xiao Yan's safety will be protected, too!"

"This..."

In that moment, Intelligent Being Feiran understood.

Scientists really weren't fools.

"Dad, you!"

Qin Yan stared at her father in disbelief. She'd never imagined he would do something like this.

"Xiao Yan, you can't blame me. Zhuo Ran can't protect you. Even ordinary bodyguards wouldn't be able to keep you safe."

Professor Qin Hui looked bitterly at his daughter's disbelieving face. "You're my precious girl. How could I let your life be put in danger again? I promised your mother I'd protect you."

"But you didn't have to go this far."

Qin Yan was a little angry. What he'd done was simply too outrageous.

"But..."

Professor Qin Hui felt rather innocent.

Wasn't he just looking out for her?

What was so great about Zhuo Ran?

All he did was cause trouble. How many times had Qin Yan used her father's name to help him get out of it?

"Enough, enough with the 'buts.' Why are you all crowding into the kitchen? Are you here to learn how to cook?"

Just then,

Ye Yun saw a whole crowd standing in the kitchen and felt a headache coming on.

What were they all doing in there?

Had they come to the kitchen because they were hungry?

"Uh!"

Everyone looked awkward at Ye Yun's words. Professor Qin Hui and the others walked out of the kitchen, leaving Professor Jianjie behind to keep busy inside.

"Wait, why are you coming out, too? Get back in there and learn to cook. You'll be making my meals in the Ancient Castle for the next year." Seeing Qin Yan about to follow them, Ye Yun hurriedly pushed her back into the kitchen.

"Watch Professor Jianjie make lunch and dinner. If you still can't cook tomorrow, then you can go hungry for a few days. I'm sure you'll learn after that. And Professor Jian, I'll have to trouble you with dinner."

"No trouble at all."

Professor Jian shook her head. "We'll be imposing on you at the Ancient Castle for a while."

"Not at all."

Ye Yun replied with a smile, then turned away without paying any attention to Qin Yan's furious glare. "Behave yourself, girl, or I'll beat you up."

"I'll have Xiang Mao beat you up."

Qin Yan bared her teeth and waved her hand. "Xiang Mao and I know each other. I'll ask her to beat you to death."

Ye Yun rolled his eyes and went to sit down and wait for his meal.

It was almost one in the afternoon.

If he didn't eat soon,

he felt like he was going to starve to death.

He hadn't eaten breakfast.

DRE Company.

Jie Xing stared at the scientists in white coats gathered before him, who looked like doctors. He held an assault rifle in his hands. "Cooperate, and none of you have to die. If you refuse, death is the only outcome."

"Boss, a lot of Intelligence Hunting Bureau officers are outside. There are even military fighter jets."

Just then,

a soldier carrying an assault rifle ran in from outside and shouted.

"Connect me to the big screen."

Jie Xing turned to the soldier behind him.

The big screen he meant was the enormous display on the DRE Company building.

"Connection complete."

The soldier quickly connected the screen on the DRE Company building. Jie Xing appeared on it, along with the hostages they had captured.

"Director Qiao, long time no see! Look, these are the hostages I've captured."

Jie Xing pointed to the scientists crouching on the ground behind him, a row of icy gun barrels aimed at them. "Stay where you are. Move, and I kill a hostage. Believe me, I never joke around. Oh, and I forgot to tell you: this is being broadcast live around the world. It's a shame. I'd wanted to spend all night talking with your precious son yesterday, but someone took him away. What a pity."

"Come, let me show everyone the Supersonic Messengers your humans created. They're still being tested. I have to say, we're grateful for your generosity. When we had no fighters of our own, you humans sent us so many."

He taunted them as he headed toward the laboratory, making sure to provoke everyone. Yet no one could do a thing about him.

Downstairs, Director Qiao Hui watched, her face stiff with fury. That bastard.

"Director?"

Captain Bai looked at Director Qiao Hui beside him and asked tentatively.

"We can't act rashly for now. This is being broadcast live around the world. If our actions get any scientists killed, the Intelligence Hunting Bureau will take the blame again. We'll be in serious trouble."

Director Qiao Hui shook her head, warning everyone not to make a move.

Jie Xing was a man who did exactly what he said.

If they sent anyone in to launch a surprise attack, then...

Unless someone capable of dealing with Jie Xing showed up, they absolutely couldn't act rashly.

"Yes, ma'am."

Captain Bai saluted Director Qiao Hui. Then he looked troubled. "What if Jie Xing and his people kill the hostages?"

"Then we fight them. We're no pushovers. Send a large number of combat transport aircraft equipped with Close-in Weapon Systems over here. Tell the nearby residents to evacuate as soon as possible. We won't be responsible for accidental injuries if they refuse to leave. Order everyone to retreat five hundred meters."

Director Qiao Hui's face was cold and grim.

Jie Xing was a liar who never kept his word.

They had to be prepared for anything.

"Yes, ma'am."

Captain Bai went to carry out Director Qiao Hui's orders. The other team leaders arranged their forces, ready at any moment to attack the enemy.

Inside DRE Company.

Looking at the Supersonic Messengers lying still in the Cryo Pods for testing, Jie Xing's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Do you see? These are the best companions your human race created for us. Once we release them, the hunt will begin. You humans will have no choice but to tremble beneath our feet."

Meanwhile,

the livestream chat filled with countless insults.

Jie Xing wasn't the least bit angry at the abuse.

"I'm just an Intelligent Being. No matter how much you insult me, you can't change the fact that your human race will be trampled beneath our feet. You humans have ruled Earth for far too long. It's time for Intelligent Beings to take over. We don't suffer old age, sickness, and death. You're nothing but discarded relics of society."

"Let's begin!"

Jie Xing looked at the soldier beside him and the Supersonic Messenger. He placed the livestream equipment nearby and watched quietly as more fighters were born.

As soon as he finished speaking,

Supersonic closed his eyes, and his ears slowly opened.

A Chip popped out from inside.

Following instructions, Duyizhi's Intelligent Warriors inserted Supersonic's Chip into the laboratory's central controller. Then, using the Chip, they infected the fighters who had already been designated for Duyizhi.

"Whoosh!"

A row of them opened their eyes in unison, and the Cryo Pods slowly opened.

One by one, the stiff-faced Supersonic Messengers stepped out of the Cryo Pods and slowly lined up behind Jie Xing.

"Look, the age of Intelligent Beings is coming!"

Jie Xing's red electronic eyes flashed faintly. He turned and walked out of the laboratory.

The Supersonic Messengers behind him left streaks of blue afterimages as they cleared the way and checked the route.

They had already been programmed to obey Jie Xing's commands.

"Ahhh!"

Piercing screams rang out.

After receiving the command from the Chip, the Supersonic Messengers began mercilessly killing DRE Company's employees and scientists.

The scientists' screams echoed throughout the building.

The grisly scene was broadcast live by Jie Xing to the outside world—and even across the globe.

In an instant,

it caused an enormous uproar.

"Rumble..."

The deafening roar of helicopter blades filled the air.

Then,

"Rat-tat-tat!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The Close-in Weapon Systems mounted on the vertical takeoff and landing transport aircraft opened fire.

Bullets whistled through the air, instantly shattering the windows of the DRE Company building.

Jie Xing, meanwhile, was dumbfounded.

I didn't tell you to kill the hostages!

What are you doing?

At that moment,

Jie Xing stopped the livestream and hurriedly began dodging the Close-in Weapon System's attacks.

More than ten Close-in Weapon Systems unleashed a barrage like a localized war. The bullets roared like a dragon of fire through the air, striking the DRE Company building and filling the place with smoke and dust.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Shells whistled out of the military tanks.

The air split with a tearing sound.

They slammed into the DRE Company building, unleashing thunderous explosions.

A dense storm of firepower swept in.

The Supersonic Messengers trying to escape were unlucky enough to be torn apart by the overwhelming firepower, reduced to pieces and made to pay dearly for their actions.

Some of the Supersonic Messengers, however, managed to escape the building.

Working together, they shot into the air.

Their Nepalese kukris slashed across the wings of the vertical transport aircraft fitted with Close-in Weapon Systems. The aircraft lost balance, and its bullets flew wildly into the distance, accidentally blowing up who knew how many objects.

Like ghosts, they flipped their Nepalese kukris in their hands and kept cutting down Intelligence Hunting Bureau officers.

As for the tanks?

They weren't capable of opening up the heavy tanks.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Just then,

a gigantic Spiral Blade shot out of the smoke-filled DRE Company building at tremendous speed.

It broke the sound barrier and smashed a tank that was about to fire its second shell.

Controlled remotely, the giant Spiral Blade continued attacking the other tanks.

The tanks' speed had already sealed their fate: they were sitting ducks.

With the Spiral Blade striking precisely at high speed, they couldn't fight back. The tanks and their crews were smashed to pieces.

"See how insignificant you humans are?"

"Quit talking. Execute the third plan!"

Eight-Nine Hutong.

Qiya watched the livestream, her face grave. "What do you two think about this?"

"If you ask me, Duyizhi has gone mad. They're openly making an enemy of the entire world. Or rather, they now have the power to do so."

Intelligent Being Qiya looked at her main body.

With so many Supersonic fighters, Duyizhi no longer needed to hide.

"Their goal hasn't changed. They still want the Initial Source Code. If I'm not mistaken, they've already set their sights on us."

Ice Weapon watched the images on the television with a grave expression. Usually a man of few words, he had spoken quite a lot today.

"We've confirmed who's behind this: Professor Ye Zhen, Professor Hu Ming's student. If it's Professor Ye Zhen, he definitely knows Qiya is Professor Hu Ming's daughter. There's no doubt about that. Feiran guards the Ancient Castle, so Qiya is the key to opening its gates. They should be able to figure that out."

"So we can't stay here anymore?"

Qiya frowned slightly.

Everything that had happened over the past two days would give her something to talk about for the rest of her life.

It really had been far too heart-pounding.

"Heh, don't worry. Trust me."

Intelligent Being Qiya smiled confidently.

With her capabilities, getting through the security check would be a piece of cake.

"Since that's how it is, there's no time to lose. We should leave as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it'll get."

Ice Weapon thought it over.

Leaving as soon as possible was the most important thing now.

"But what about Fire God?"

Suddenly—

The two of them remembered Fire God. If they made any unusual moves, that guy would definitely find out.

If that happened—

Things would get a little complicated.

"Don't worry. Someone's bound to keep Fire God occupied. Does that guy really think my power is something he can match?"

Intelligent Being Qiya's lips curled into a mocking smile.

Fire God was such a blockhead.

Hah.

Not to mention her own influence—Fire God's underground banks couldn't compare to it.

"Fine. Deal with Fire God as soon as possible. If necessary, kill that bastard. He's one of Duyizhi's Big Bosses, and he's also a scumbag who's after the Initial Source Code."

At the thought of Fire God, Qiya gritted her teeth in hatred.

Fire God belonged to Duyizhi.

Then they could just kill him.

"No. We can't kill Fire God yet. I still have a wish of Ice Weapon's to fulfill. Ice and fire are opposites. First, we'll capture Fire God. Then we'll repair him, and after that, he can have his showdown with Ice Weapon."

Intelligent Being Qiya shook her head slightly, rejecting her main body's suggestion.

She had promised Ice Weapon before.

She wouldn't forget her promise.

"Qiya, won't this put you in a difficult position? After all, Fire God is harder to deal with alive than dead."

Ice Weapon furrowed his brow. He was touched, but this would make things more difficult, and he didn't want that.

"Don't worry. I won't go back on my word. Besides, I won't be the one handling it personally. Don't forget, plenty of people owe us favors. They have considerable influence in every corner of human society."