Xia Zhen held Xia Lan's hand with trembling hands, her beautiful eyes fixed on the light screen. Although she couldn't understand it at all, she was reluctant to look away, as if Ling Yun would jump out of the screen and disappear if she looked away for even a moment. Her expression was both excited and thrilled, her lips tightly pressed together, her stunningly beautiful face filled with hope.
How could the young girl not be extremely excited to suddenly rise from the depths of despair to the heights of the clouds? Her heart was filled with prayers: Lingyun, where are you? Please come out soon. Do you know how much I love you? Since confessing her feelings, the young girl's heart has been completely devoted to Lingyun. Every move Lingyun makes has endlessly captured Xia Zhen's attention.
Xia Lan glanced at her, and a headache suddenly struck her. Her father and uncle wanted her to take care of this cousin, and she herself quite liked Xia Zhen. But seeing her absent-minded appearance now, it was clear that she had fallen for that boy whose fate was unknown. How could she possibly discipline her in the future? She feared that once that boy came in, the two of them would spend all their time together, forgetting everything else, and how could they possibly carry out their missions or cultivate in peace?
While the Superpower Headquarters doesn't prohibit emotional bonds between superpowered individuals, it certainly doesn't encourage them. In the Headquarters' view, superpowered individuals are warriors—warriors who must face life-or-death battles at any time. They are completely different from peacetime armies. Conflicts between superpowered individuals are not only frequent but also extremely brutal. The probability of injury or death among superpowered individuals is far greater than that between criminals and detectives. Every superpowered individual entering the Headquarters must undergo a period of mental preparation beforehand. Only those who are prepared to go to the battlefield and give their lives at any time can become official superpowered individuals.
While transcending the law and normal civil rights brings freedom and unimaginable material enjoyment, it also comes with far more brutal life-or-death tests. It is precisely for this reason that not all superhumans choose to join the Superhuman Headquarters, despite the generous benefits and the fact that most missions are not dangerous. Many superhuman families in China are primarily driven by safety concerns; after all, superhumans are extremely rare, and the significance of inheritance and succession far outweighs the benefits of joining the Superhuman Headquarters.
Although the world's major superpower organizations and most superpowered individuals have adopted a low-key approach to curb their clashes, this restraint is only based on the fact that the strength of the major forces is temporarily in a delicate balance. Once the balance is broken, large-scale conflicts will be inevitable.
The complexities of relationships between ordinary people—ethnicity, economy, politics, faith, and so on—also affect those with supernatural abilities, inevitably leading to constant friction. However, the global trend cannot be altered by the high-level power of an individual or organization; those with supernatural abilities must also adapt to the tide, unless a truly invincible being emerges. Behind all these complex issues lies one word: self-interest. At the same time, the possibility of scheming organizations and conspiracies cannot be ruled out.
The Superpower Headquarters replenishes a certain number of trainee superpower users every so often, but the total number of users has not increased significantly. In an era without large-scale superpower wars, the number of casualties is within the headquarters' considerations.
Xia Lan was unaware that Ling Yun only saw Xia Zhen as an older sister and friend. Xia Zhen was the campus belle of Jinghua University, with a good background and outstanding qualities, practically surrounded by a spotlight, making it normal for her to be pursued by countless people with supernatural abilities. Therefore, she naturally assumed that Ling Yun was also an excellent boy pursuing Xia Zhen, and that he might have won her heart.
If Ling Yun had died, it wouldn't have mattered; Xia Zhen would be heartbroken but would eventually recover. However, she hadn't expected Ling Yun to be alive. He would eventually be rescued by the instructors, and if he did… after this brush with death, their relationship would likely deepen, further hindering Xia Zhen's cultivation. Was it necessary to talk to that boy? Xia Lan pondered hesitantly.
She kept thinking about the consequences of Ling Yun's emergence. Xia Lan didn't want to hinder their relationship, but Xia Zhen was clearly too young, and Ling Yun was even younger. At that age, in itself, there was instability and emotional fragility. If they had a few more years of experience and their personalities matured, wouldn't their relationship be better if they still had feelings for each other?
Although Xia Lan is only two years older than Xia Zhen, her ability to handle affairs and her way of thinking are far more rational and mature. She has successfully completed many missions assigned by headquarters, including some dangerous ones. As a result, she was promoted to deputy leader and acting leader of a group, which has also spurred her rapid growth in abilities. At this moment, although Xia Lan is still a young girl, she has a strong and independent personality, is calm and experienced in handling affairs, and has the air of a great general. Otherwise, she would not be considered one of the two most promising newcomers in headquarters, along with Ye Feng.
Xia Lan was busy with cultivation and missions and had no experience with matters of the heart. Therefore, she hesitated when it came to Xia Zhen's feelings. If Xia Zhen misunderstood that she was trying to break up the couple, it would be counterproductive.
"Sister..." Xia Lan was deep in thought when she was suddenly interrupted by Xia Zhen's call. Xia Zhen's eyes were still fixed on the light screen, but her small hand involuntarily tightened its grip on Xia Lan's hand: "It's been so long, why hasn't Ling Yun come out yet? Where is he trapped? Even the instructors can't rescue him?"
"It's alright. As long as he's okay, the instructor will definitely get him out. Don't worry," Xia Lan gently comforted him. "There's nothing we can do to help right now; all we can do is wait."
Although she said so aloud, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. A whole day and night had passed since she discovered the anomaly. Although superhumans didn't need rest, such a long wait still made her feel a little worried. Even if Ling Yun was trapped inside the barrier, Fang Taiping and Zhou Mulong were instructors specifically responsible for the core control of the SkyNet, possessing most of the control authority. They should have rescued Ling Yun long ago. Why hadn't there been any movement after so long?
However, the two instructors were the highest-ranking officers in the control room, and without orders, she dared not ask any questions rashly. Moreover, just by seeing the instructors' tense faces and deeply furrowed brows, Xia Lan knew that this was a crucial moment. With her keen intelligence, she naturally wouldn't be distracted by disturbing the instructors at this time, lest she make a fool of herself.
At this moment, only two instructors, Xia Lan, Ye Feng, and Xia Zhen, remained in the control room, along with a few group leaders who had nothing else to do. Since it was confirmed that Ling Yun was still alive, there was no need to keep everyone here, so most of the ability users were sent out to attend to their own business.
Instructor Fang Taiping extended a finger, a glint of telekinetic silver light emanating from its tip, and slowly traced a three-dimensional pattern on the light screen. He was much faster and quicker than Ye Feng, but it still took him a full ten minutes to complete the light pattern. The three-dimensional pattern flashed by and disappeared into the densely lined light screen.
The gray light screen suddenly brightened, emitting a ghostly blue light like an energy fountain, instantly illuminating the control room in a blue glow. The colorful lines also began to shimmer, their colors and thicknesses constantly changing dramatically, and their trajectories altering as if stimulated by some kind of force.
After a moment, the control room returned to calm, and the lines returned to their original state, as if nothing had happened.
Fang Taiping looked puzzled: "Strange, why isn't the key working? Lao Zhou, try again."
Instructor Zhou Mulong slowly shook his head: "We've tried several times in turn. The key always works at the beginning, but it quickly slips out of our control. I don't think it's any use trying again. We've already lost control of the barrier."
Fang Taiping stared wide-eyed: "Lost control? What do you mean by that? We are the people in charge of Skynet. If we lose control, how are we supposed to answer when the chief instructor asks?"
Zhou Mulong frowned: "I just had a feeling, but as you can see, the key is indeed not working. The core seems to be deliberately trying to break free from our control, but there are no other changes. I don't know what's going on. We should report to the chief instructor as soon as possible. Several deputy chief instructors are also outside. Even if one of them comes back to take charge, it would be helpful. Without control, our superpower headquarters is in a defensive vacuum."
Fang Taiping thought for a moment and said, "I have already sent someone to inform several chief instructors. The message they sent back says they are rushing back, but we don't know when they will arrive. I think the changes in Skynet are related to that little guy who was caught in the core space. Otherwise, we can't explain why the key is invalid."
“But that little guy…” Zhou Mulong said, rubbing his hands together in distress, “is still trapped inside, what should we do?”
The two instructors were talking, but to Xia Zhen, it was like a bolt from the blue. She wasn't concerned that the two had lost control of the Skynet, but rather worried that Ling Yun couldn't be rescued. However, hearing the instructors' helpless tone, it seemed that there was no way to help them for the time being, and she couldn't help but feel anxious. She was about to ask a question.
A piercing alarm instantly assaulted everyone's eardrums.
Everyone's expression changed; the meaning of the alarm was self-evident: an attack by an A-level intruder.
Chapter 178 The Secret of the Heavenly Eye Society
With a whoosh, the two instructors transformed into two incredibly swift afterimages, rushing out of the control room first. For some reason, the A-level intrusion alarm, which hadn't sounded for decades, had gone off twice in a very short period. Although the first alarm was a lie by Fang Yu and Yun Hai to retaliate against Ling Yun, it was clear that no one would risk being imprisoned by the headquarters' barrier a second time.
Ye Feng and several group leaders were stunned for a moment, then rushed out of the control room following the instructor's back. Xia Lan pulled Xia Zhen and ran out of the control room last. Although Xia Zhen also heard the alarm, she was reluctant to leave the light screen whose meaning she could not see clearly. While she was hesitating, her body was already flying up as if riding the clouds. She was picked up by Xia Lan and leaped out of the door like an arrow.
The automatic doors to the control room slowly closed after the last person jumped out. Then, in a flash, the entire control room vanished into thin air. Skynet's control was too crucial; even the control room was only accessible to instructors and specially authorized ability users with dedicated keys, and certainly wouldn't be openly displayed to the public.
A thunderous roar echoed from afar, instantly altering everyone's expressions. Clearly, someone was forcefully ramming their mental energy field against the headquarters' barrier. The sound was coming from the outer edge of the barrier; the intruder had breached its defenses without using normal channels. Otherwise, the intruder's identity would have been automatically identified.
While the outermost layer of the headquarters' barrier was the weakest point, it wasn't something an ordinary ability user could easily breach. Furthermore, judging from the sounds emanating from the outer defenses and the slight trembling of the ground, the second layer of the barrier was also on the verge of collapse. This meant that the intruders were incredibly strong, beyond imagination, and there was more than one person involved.
Fang Taiping and Zhou Mulong quickly traversed the third layer of the barrier passage, rapidly entering the second level of the headquarters. After passing through another passage, they reached the outer perimeter of the headquarters. The two instructors were extremely anxious; several of the weakest trainee ability users were positioned on the outer perimeter. If intruders breached the headquarters' gates, they would be the first to suffer.
Although the trainee superhumans are weak, they form the foundation of the superhuman headquarters' personnel. Every official superhuman, including instructors, has gradually risen through the ranks from trainee. Trainees have immense potential; who knows if any of them might become future chief instructors or powerful combatants? If any trainee suffers casualties, the headquarters will undoubtedly suffer heavy losses.
The two instructors sprinted at full speed, constantly drawing complex 3D light patterns with their hands and randomly projecting them into the surrounding air. The entire headquarters of the superpowered beings was under the protection of the barrier, even though the key to the third layer of the barrier, the Skynet, had failed. This did not mean that the instructors had lost all control over the entire barrier.
This is similar to a car whose engine might have a problem, but as long as the other parts are intact, it can still be used. This is also a problem that the creators considered when building the Skynet. The first, second, and third layers of the barrier are closely connected, yet each has its own independence. If one aspect is damaged, the other two layers of the barrier can still be used to prevent the worst-case scenario from occurring.
The first and second layers of barriers remain under the constant control of the two instructors. However, these barriers only serve auxiliary and basic defensive functions, far inferior to Skynet's formidable offensive and defensive capabilities. Without the key, the Superpower Headquarters is effectively out of control, making it difficult to withstand a sudden attack from a powerful enemy.
All the superhumans were rapidly gathering at the perimeter of the headquarters. Each superhuman was a trained elite warrior, tempered by missions, and their composure and calmness were especially evident in times of crisis. Despite the alarm, they remained calm and collected, silently and orderly converging on the outskirts of the headquarters.
Shuizhu'er's eyes were half-open, her consciousness already in a hazy state. Her delicate body was being held aloft by a burly man, at least two meters tall, with a fierce face, dressed in black. Her clothes were torn in several places, revealing large expanses of her fair and tender skin. The man's other hand was constantly groping her half-naked breasts, a lewd smile on his face. Clearly, if it weren't for the fact that it was broad daylight and in the fountain square, the man would have already raped this little girl in public.
The bodies of Yun Cai, Fang Zhen, and other trainee ability users lay scattered on the square, already unconscious. Like Shui Zhu'er, they didn't even have a chance to resist before being instantly imprisoned by a mental force field. Fortunately, they didn't lose their lives.
A dozen or so black figures stood solemnly in the square, all dressed in black uniforms. If Gu Xiaorou were here, she would be shocked to find that most of them had one to three silver Heavenly Eye emblems on their shoulders. Even the lowest-ranking person had at least three bronze Heavenly Eye emblems. Standing at the very front of everyone was a handsome young man with flowing blond hair. On his shoulder was a golden Heavenly Eye emblem.
This group consisted entirely of captains of the Sky Eye Society, and the young man with golden, blue eyes leading them was actually a major general in the Sky Eye Society. Both within the Sky Eye Society and globally, a major general was considered a high-level powerhouse. The combined strength of this group was enough to wipe out a medium-sized superpower organization or a large, ancient superpower family within a few hours.
Six or seven men in tight-fitting uniforms, at the rank of lieutenant colonel or major, strolled slowly around the square, occasionally raising their arms and emitting huge silver lights from their palms that were disproportionate to their bodies. These were shockwaves formed by telekinesis, which fiercely and concentratedly bombarded the space of the square. At times, nearly transparent, dark blue defensive barriers would appear in the air to intercept the shockwaves.
Because the outer barrier is uniform, resembling an invisible sphere, any attack placed anywhere in space is essentially an attack on the barrier's defenses. While a single colonel might not be able to breach the outer defenses even with their full strength, the combined power of seven or eight colonel-level intruders, coupled with continuous, uninterrupted attacks, would severely weaken the outer barrier's defenses.
The booming sounds were the enormous noises of the officers using their mental energy fields to directly confront the barrier defenses. Although the first layer of defense at the gate had been breached by the intruders, they immediately set up an isolation barrier after entering the outer perimeter. From outside the headquarters of superpowers, there was still nothing unusual; not only could nothing be seen, but even any sound was blocked.
The interior and exterior of the headquarters have become two completely isolated worlds.