Where Was the Negotiation We Agreed On??

After going in circles, he was back where he started.

Lin Xu stared at the man before him in astonishment. He had never imagined that his targets and clues would be connected in such a way.

"Give it back to you."

"We didn't profit from it."

"We were only the executors."

The hostage had made his meaning perfectly clear.

Both M46X and PEEK-RTM were products of the Planetary Reincarnation organization.

As for the Materials Research Institute information currently available online, it had merely acquired—or rather, "seized"—Planetary Reincarnation's achievements through some means.

So the ones who had truly enabled the success of the Star Traveler One project were not official institutions, but this mysterious organization called Planetary Reincarnation?

What exactly did they do?

How could they possess such formidable technological research capabilities?

Or had they always been deeply involved in this field, with extensive foundations already built up?

After all, this was an organization that regarded Mars as "the other shore" and was dedicated to reaching space.

It was fundamentally different from those cults that scammed people out of money and sex...

Lin Xu vaguely felt that he had grasped a tiny thread of the truth.

But for the moment, he still could not figure out how the logic of this story connected.

—However, there was no time for him to think further.

The hostage had already led him into the technical department director's office and turned on the computer on the desk.

Trembling, he entered the password and successfully accessed the system.

"It's... it's all here..."

The hostage pointed at the information displayed on the desktop. Lin Xu gestured for him to step aside, then raised his hand and fired.

Bang!

"AAAAAH—"

The man convulsed and collapsed to the floor. Shot through the knee, he had lost most of his ability to move.

Only then did Lin Xu turn to the computer screen without worry. The two process documents open on it clearly laid out the industrial production methods for the two key materials.

Well, damn.

It had been written right in the name all along.

PEEK-RTM was supposedly polyether ether ketone manufactured through liquid molding technology. The general direction was simple enough, but the technical details involved many areas that remained completely unknown.

As Lin Xu desperately crammed information about the two materials into his mind, he questioned the hostage.

"Both of these materials are products of the Planetary Reincarnation organization?"

"Yes... they're both yours..."

The man's face twisted in pain. Lin Xu checked the time. Seventeen minutes remained.

There was enough time.

He spoke reassuringly.

"Don't worry. I only shot you to keep you from attacking me."

"I'm not one of the Planetary Reincarnation people, and I didn't come here for revenge."

"From here on, as long as you answer my questions properly, no one will die by my hand. Understand?"

"I understand... understand... that's good... that's good..."

The man seemed to relax slightly. After stammering out his answer, Lin Xu continued.

"What else do you know about the origins of these two materials?"

"I really don't know anything else..."

The man shook his head frantically.

"This was never something people could discuss, and it was too long ago..."

"It's already been over a decade!"

"All I know is that the industrial production methods for these two materials originally had patents, but those patents were later taken down..."

"I was still an apprentice back then, but I was extremely familiar with those two patents."

"I remember the names of all the joint applicants on those patents. Later, I found one of those names on an official wanted notice, saying that he was the leader of a terrorist organization..."

"Then the two patents were taken down and replaced by technical guidance provided directly to us by the Materials Research Institute."

"I didn't know about Planetary Reincarnation back then. Much later, around Year 40, the organization was completely exposed. That was when I saw that name in the news for the second time and learned that it was the terrorist organization the authorities had mentioned before."

"That's all I know."

"If I've said a single lie, shoot me dead!"

Seeing the man's reaction, Lin Xu nodded in satisfaction.

"Very good. You've been cooperative."

"But I still have questions. You are—"

"People inside, listen up! Drop your weapons and surrender on the spot!"

Lin Xu was interrupted by the blare of a loudspeaker outside the door. Immediately afterward, light flashed past the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Lin Xu grabbed the laptop, rolled behind the hostage, and used the hostage's body as cover. Then he shouted:

"Don't come any closer!"

"If you do, I'll kill him!"

The hostage trembled violently in front of him. Lin Xu pressed the rifle against his head while keeping his eyes fixed on the screen, using every second to force-feed himself information about the two materials.

He could not care less about the police outside. By standard procedure, to ensure the hostage's safety, they would at least have to go through the motions—send in a negotiator and talk until there was truly no room left for negotiation before launching an assault.

Such a lengthy process would take at least half an hour, right?

And now, only fifteen minutes remained until the apocalypse arrived.

What was there to be afraid of?

As long as he stayed hidden and dragged this out for a dozen more minutes, he would come out ahead!

"Don't panic, don't panic."

Lin Xu patted the hostage's shoulder to comfort him.

"I won't hurt you, but only if you cooperate with me."

"Don't worry. Cover for me properly. Once I finish looking through this, I'll leave."

"Your injury isn't serious. Medical technology is so advanced now; you can just get an artificial knee."

Hearing Lin Xu's words, the hostage showed a bitter smile.

He sucked in cold breaths through his teeth and endured the pain as he said:

"...Thank you."

"I know you're a good person. You won't kill me, right?"

Rather than confidence in Lin Xu, it sounded more like he was trying to reassure himself.

Still, he was not wrong.

Lin Xu had no intention of killing him.

Once the apocalypse came, everyone would die.

"Of course I won't kill you. I have no grudge against any of you."

"Hold your head up! Block me!"

"As long as I'm alive, you won't die. I guarantee it."

"Understood! Understood!"

The hostage spread himself out, completely shielding Lin Xu.

At the same time, he shouted toward the window.

"Don't come in! He doesn't intend to hurt me!"

"I'm safe! I'm fine!"

"He'll leave soon! He has no ill intentions! Let him go!"

After that string of shouts, Lin Xu suddenly understood what Stockholm syndrome was all about.

Sure enough, when someone was trapped in a desperate situation, even the slightest bit of kindness would make them cling to you like a lifeline.

Lin Xu raised his head and gave the hostage a slightly grateful look. Noticing the wound on his leg, he instinctively said:

"The blood's flowing too fast. Press on the wound and hold on for another twelve minutes."

"Twelve minutes? Understood! Understood!"

The hostage immediately bent over and pressed down on his wound.

—And at the exact moment he lowered his head, another flash of light streaked past the window.

Lin Xu's pupils contracted instantly.

A hexacopter drone swept through his field of vision.

As it flew past, there was not only a blinding white flash, but also faint yellow sparks hidden within the light.

Bang!

Lin Xu heard the gunshot.

But by the time he heard it, the skin on his forehead had already been pierced by the bullet.

The next second.

Splat!

The bullet passed through, and his head burst apart like a watermelon dropped from a great height.

Blood and brain matter sprayed everywhere as his consciousness fell back into darkness.

Lin Xu opened his eyes and could not help swearing.

Fuck!

Where was the negotiation we agreed on?!!?