The Law of the Jungle

Lin Qi lowered his head and looked at the young man. If he remembered correctly, the man's name was Qin Wu, and he was an L-level researcher, just like Lin Qi.

Unlike Lin Qi, Researcher Qin Wu ranked at the very bottom among L-level researchers in terms of research achievements.

Lin Qi shifted his gaze, watched where he was going, and started around Qin Wu toward his own lab.

Qin Wu hurriedly shuffled forward on his knees, once again blocking Lin Qi's path. "Boss, I haven't completed an L-level project in four consecutive quarters. If this research project fails, I'll be demoted to M-level. An M-level salary won't be enough to repay my A-level Cybernetic Body Loan. Please, save me."

Qin Wu quickly made his plea, hoping Lin Qi would help him.

Throughout the entire 13th Floor, Lin Qi was the only one who could complete L-level research projects with ease.

Lin Qi frowned, looked down, kept his eyes on the path, and went around him.

Qin Wu tried to move again, but Lin Qi spoke coldly. "If you don't have the ability to do L-level research, then go down to M-level. Don't get in my way."

They were both researchers, but they were only colleagues. Lin Qi had no obligation to help anyone.

On the entire 13th Floor, Lin Qi had no pointless social interactions. It was a competitive arena governed by the law of the jungle: capable researchers advanced, deadweight was demoted, and anyone who couldn't be demoted any further was kicked out of the Weapon Research Institute.

Qin Wu stopped moving and knelt there in a daze.

Lin Qi returned to the middle of the corridor and walked past Qin Wu.

Behind him, Qin Wu turned to watch Lin Qi's retreating figure. His fists clenched, and resentment showed in his eyes.

Under Psychic Vision, Qin Wu's gaze fell within Lin Qi's perception.

Lin Qi followed the corridor to the door of Research Lab 1301. The door opened automatically, then closed behind him.

Sitting at his own workbench, Lin Qi connected to the Brain through the microelectrode behind his ear and sent Liu Xuan a request to talk.

Liu Xuan answered almost the instant the request went through.

Once the call connected, Liu Xuan remained silent for a long time. She had answered immediately, but showed not the slightest warmth. It was exactly the same as every chance encounter they'd had over the past four hundred days.

Lin Qi spoke first. "Qin Wu, an L-level researcher on the 13th Floor, may have Cyberpsychosis. It could affect the normal operation of the research institute."

He was reporting him!

Lin Qi wasn't about to let an unstable element linger. Just five minutes after the incident, he'd reported Qin Wu to a member of the Liu Family.

Who would have guessed that Lin Qi had Liu Xuan's contact information?

No one in the entire research institute knew Lin Qi could contact Liu Xuan. No one except Liu Li.

Liu Xuan's voice was calm. "All right. I know."

Lin Qi said nothing more, turning his attention to the paper manuscript on his workbench.

But the call didn't end.

Liu Xuan stayed silent for a long while, then finally asked, "Is there anything else?"

Lin Qi came back to himself. "No."

Liu Xuan's voice was still calm, but now it had the faintest tremor. "Then end the call."

Liu Xuan looked at the end-call option projected in her left eye and at Lin Qi's face in the virtual display, unable to hang up.

Lin Qi replied, "All right."

The call ended immediately, without the slightest delay.

Only then did Liu Xuan feel as if a weight had lifted from her. Her almost human body slumped into the chair, utterly drained of strength.

Meanwhile, Lin Qi picked up his pencil and made revisions to the paper design, muttering, "That Miss Liu is so strange."

When Lin Qi was fourteen, he'd noticed something wrong with Liu Xuan at the display booth during the Liu Heavy Industries Cybernetic Expo, using Psychic Vision.

On impulse, he'd risked arrest by the Riot Control Task Force, sneaked onto the platform, and saved Liu Xuan's life.

From then on, Lin Qi had been acquainted with the Liu Family's eldest young miss. He considered them friends, though Liu Xuan's behavior always seemed a little strange to him.

If Liu Xuan didn't have only one cybernetic eye, Lin Qi would have thought she had Cyberpsychosis.

He didn't dwell on it. A minor problem had already been dealt with.

That useless L-level researcher Qin Wu deserved to be demoted. Now that Liu Xuan had taken notice of him, he'd be kicked off the 13th Floor all the sooner.

Whether he got kicked out of the Weapon Research Institute was no concern of Lin Qi's.

"In this world, everyone is assigned a value. If you have none, you can't blame anyone for kicking you out."

Lin Qi continued refining his manuscript.

There were no visual surveillance systems in the lab, making the paper manuscript's security level virtually unlimited.

Compared to electronic devices, Lin Qi preferred using a pencil and paper to perfect his designs.

Twelve hours passed quickly, but that was nothing in the world of L-level research.

At nine, it was time for Lin Qi to get off work.

He went to the ultrahigh-temperature forge in the lab and took out a Short Tang Dao made from A-level material.

A-level materials belonged to the company.

With his L-level research clearance, Lin Qi was allowed a small amount of research-related material loss.

If he used some for himself, the company wouldn't pursue it as long as it fell within a reasonable range of losses. It was a perk the company gave its cyber-slaves.

But when L-level researchers tried to achieve A-level results in hopes of promotion, they usually exceeded the permitted loss limit and had to make up the difference out of pocket.

The company's freebies weren't easy to come by.

The weapon slot in the exoskeleton on his right arm opened, and he placed the Short Tang Dao inside.

He still had to go to the Doomsday World tonight, so Lin Qi planned to bring a weapon he was comfortable using.

He returned to his workbench and rummaged through a drawer.

"Advanced Sword Combat Chip. I remember applying to the company for one. Here it is."

A weapon naturally called for an assist chip.

The prosthetic body disguised by Lin Qi's exoskeleton retained more than ninety percent of the original prosthetic design's functions.

With the Brain's help, sword combat would be easy.

The chip belonged to the company, too.

As Lin Qi walked out of the lab, he saw Qin Wu again.

Qin Wu stood in front of the door to Research Lab 1322, holding a storage box against his chest, staring blankly.

How could this happen?

It was only February. The results for the first quarter weren't supposed to be reviewed until the end of March.

Why had he been demoted today?

Qin Wu couldn't understand. All that remained in his heart was despair.

He couldn't repay the loan. The company's product installment department would come to reclaim his cybernetic body in person.

A message from the Brain appeared in the corner of Qin Wu's vision.

[Dear A-level Cybernetic Body modification member, the Red Fruit Crimson Cybernetic Exchange Club sincerely invites you to tonight's "Sensual" themed exchange. We look forward to seeing you there.]

"It's over. I'm finished..." Qin Wu muttered to himself.

Lin Qi kept his eyes on the floor and went around to the other side of the corridor.

People with cybernetic modifications were prone to sudden Cyberpsychosis when their emotions ran high.

He needed to keep his distance from the mentally ill.

Only after the elevator doors closed did Lin Qi move to the center of the elevator.

At the top of the research institute, Lin Qi's elevator doors opened at the same time as those of the elevator directly opposite.

Inside were the sisters Liu Xuan and Liu Li.

"What a coincidence. Good evening."

"Good evening."