The Law of the Jungle

Lin Qi looked down at the young man. If he remembered correctly, his name was Qin Wu. Like Lin Qi, he was an L-level Researcher.

Unlike Lin Qi, this Researcher Qin Wu's research output ranked dead last among L-level.

Lin Qi looked away, carefully watching the ground as he stepped around Qin Wu to head for his own lab.

Qin Wu quickly shifted his knees, crawling on them to block Lin Qi again: "Big shot, I've failed to meet L-level targets for four straight quarters. If this research project fails, I'll be demoted to M-level. M-level salary isn't enough to cover my A-level Cybernetic Body Loan. Please, save me."

Qin Wu hurriedly blurted out his plea, hoping Lin Qi would help.

Across the entire 13th Floor, only Lin Qi could casually complete L-level research.

Lin Qi frowned, looked down, kept watching the ground, and walked around again.

Qin Wu tried to shift his body once more, but Lin Qi spoke coldly: "If you don't have L-level research ability, then crawl to M-level. Don't block my sight."

They were both researchers, just colleagues. Lin Qi had no obligation to help anyone.

On the entire 13th Floor, Lin Qi engaged in no pointless socializing. This was an arena of survival of the fittest: capable researchers got promoted, trash got demoted, and if there was nowhere left to fall, they got kicked out of the Weapon Research Institute.

Qin Wu stopped moving, kneeling there in a daze.

Lin Qi circled back to the center of the corridor and walked past Qin Wu.

Behind Lin Qi, Qin Wu twisted his head to stare at Lin Qi's back, fists clenched, resentment flickering in his eyes.

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

Along the corridor, Lin Qi walked to the Gate of Research Lab 1301. The Gate opened automatically, and when Lin Qi entered, it closed again.

Sitting at his dedicated workstation, Lin Qi connected to his Brain through a microelectrode behind his ear and sent a contact request to Liu Xuan.

Almost the instant the request was sent, Liu Xuan answered.

Once the call connected, Liu Xuan remained silent for a long time. Though she answered instantly, she showed no warmth—exactly the same as every chance encounter over the past four hundred days.

Lin Qi spoke first: "Qin Wu, the L-level Researcher on the 13th Floor, might be infected with Cyberpsychosis. It could affect the normal operation of the institute."

Tattling!

Lin Qi wouldn't tolerate unstable elements for long. Just five minutes after the incident, he had already reported Qin Wu to a member of the Liu Family.

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

In the entire institute, aside from Liu Li, no one knew Lin Qi had Liu Xuan's contact.

Liu Xuan's voice was calm: "Alright. I understand."

Lin Qi said nothing more, focusing instead on the paper manuscript on his workstation.

But the call didn't end.

Liu Xuan was silent for a long time too, then finally asked: "Is there anything else?"

Lin Qi snapped back to attention: "No."

Liu Xuan's voice remained calm, but a slight tremor crept in: "Then end the call."

Liu Xuan stared at the "End" option in her left-eye display, and at Lin Qi's face in the virtual image, unable to hang up.

Lin Qi replied: "Alright."

The call ended immediately, without a second's delay.

Only then did Liu Xuan let out a breath of relief, her nearly human body slumping into the chair, drained of all strength.

As for Lin Qi, he picked up a pen and paper, scribbling and revising on the design draft, muttering to himself: "This Miss Liu, she's so weird."

Back when Lin Qi was fourteen, at the [Liu Heavy Industries Cybernetic Expo], he had used Psychic Vision to notice Liu Xuan's abnormal situation on the exhibition stage.

On impulse, risking arrest by the Riot Control Task Force, he snuck onto the stage and saved Liu Xuan's life.

From then on, Lin Qi had been connected to this eldest Miss of the Liu family. He considered them friends, but Liu Xuan's behavior always struck him as odd.

If not for the fact that Liu Xuan only had one cybernetic eye, Lin Qi might have thought she had Cyberpsychosis.

He didn't dwell on it. The small problem was already solved.

Qin Wu, that useless L-level Researcher, was due for demotion anyway. With Liu Xuan's attention on him, he'd be kicked off the 13th Floor even faster.

Whether he'd be kicked out of the Weapon Research Institute entirely—that wasn't Lin Qi's concern.

"In this world, everyone has a price tag. People without value have no one to blame but themselves when they're thrown out."

Lin Qi continued refining his manuscript.

Inside the lab, there were no visual surveillance systems. The paper manuscript's security level was infinitely high.

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

Twelve hours passed quickly, but for L-level research, it was nothing.

At nine o'clock, it was time for Lin Qi to clock out.

He walked over to the ultra-high-temperature forging furnace in the lab and retrieved a Short Tang Dao forged from A-level materials.

A-level materials were company property.

With Lin Qi's L-level research privileges, he had a small allowance for research losses.

Using it for personal purposes, as long as it stayed within reasonable loss limits, the company wouldn't pursue it—considered a perk for the company's cyber workhorses.

But most of the time, L-level researchers challenging A-level results for promotion would exceed the standard, needing to cover the difference out of pocket.

The company's favors weren't easy to take.

The right arm's Exoskeleton weapon slot opened, and he placed the Short Tang Dao inside.

He needed to head to the Doomsday World tonight, so Lin Qi prepared to bring a handy weapon.

Returning to the workbench, he flipped open a drawer.

"Advanced Sword Combat Chip—I remember applying for one from the company. Found it."

With a weapon, he naturally needed a support chip.

Lin Qi's cybernetic body, disguised as an Exoskeleton, retained over ninety percent of the original design's functions.

Pairing it with the Brain for sword combat was very easy.

The chip was still company property.

Walking out of the research lab's Gate, Lin Qi saw Qin Wu again.

Qin Wu stood before the Gate of Research Lab 1322, holding a storage box, his gaze vacant.

How could this be?

It was only February now; the first quarter's research results weren't supposed to be settled until the end of March.

Why had he been demoted today?

Qin Wu couldn't figure it out, only despair remaining in his heart.

He couldn't afford the loan repayments, and the company's product installment department would personally come to reclaim the cybernetic body.

At the edge of Qin Wu's vision, a message projection from the Brain appeared.

[Dear A-level Cybernetic Body Modification Member, the Red Fruit Crimson Cybernetic Exchange Club sincerely invites you to tonight's "Peach" themed exchange. We look forward to your arrival.]

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

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

Cybernetic body modifiers were prone to Cyberpsychosis when emotionally agitated.

He needed to stay far away from psychotics.

Only when the elevator doors closed did Lin Qi step to the center of the elevator.

At the top of the research institute, the elevator Lin Qi was in opened simultaneously with the one directly across from him.

Opposite, the sisters Liu Xuan and Liu Li were inside.

"What a coincidence. Good evening."

"Good evening."