The Frenzied Savior - Chapter 14

[Warning! Warning! Blacklisted biological gene sequence detected]

[“Hidden Thunder” explosion countdown officially initiated, three minutes remaining]

[1:59—]

[0:59—]

The blinding glare caused Fu Qingya’s pupils to contract. He raised a hand to shield his eyes for a moment, then quickly lowered it.

Enduring the searing pain of the intense light, Fu Qingya frowned slightly and strode toward the activated “Hidden Thunder.”

In his previous life, the “Hidden Thunder” program wasn’t altered until a month into the chaos, but now, it had been modified ahead of schedule by the mechanical lifeforms of the A48 galaxy.

To ensure the destruction plan succeeded, the mechanical mastermind behind the scenes had skipped directly from three minutes to two, and then jumped straight from two to one.

The purpose of this modified countdown was to stop Fu Qingya from dismantling the device, while simultaneously hoping to catch him off guard and blow him up along with it.

Luo Mingyuan’s brow was furrowed tight. He remembered the records stating there were “three minutes,” a standard, orderly countdown, but now…

That mysterious, antisocial mastermind already knew of Fu Qingya’s existence and had specifically altered the high-risk weapon’s programming just for him. This was a blatant trap aimed directly at Fu Qingya.

Luo Mingyuan followed closely behind. He subtly positioned himself to Fu Qingya’s upper-left, a spot where he wouldn’t hinder the younger man’s movements but could grab his shoulder at a moment’s notice.

By the time Luo Mingyuan was in position, the time on the metallic, high-tech timer had already dropped to 0:46. This meant Fu Qingya had to complete three highly difficult tasks, dismantling the protective layer, identifying and cutting the correct wires, and neutralizing the mechanical chip—all in just 46 seconds. This didn’t even account for the fact that the countdown would likely accelerate once the outer casing was breached.

Based on victim statements from the original timeline, Fu Qingya had needed nearly two minutes to complete these steps. Now, he had less than forty seconds.

Luo Mingyuan’s frown deepened, his grip on his car keys tightening. Looking at Fu Qingya’s lean frame, he made a silent resolution.

If the wires weren’t cut in twenty seconds, he would hurl the boy out of the blast zone. Even if he had to die in the explosion, he wasn’t going to let a kid who had just reached adulthood stand in front of him. If someone had to die, it should be someone like him first.

“Click”

The unremarkable scalpel in Fu Qingya’s hand suddenly branched out into a strange, beautiful configuration. In a single second, the blade pried open the outer shell of the “Hidden Thunder.”

[0:15—]

As the familiar mechanical voice rang out, the countdown for the explosion instantly halved.

Luo Mingyuan unconsciously held his breath, his gaze glued to Fu Qingya’s flying hands.

“Snip—”

The sound of cutting echoed as the silver-white scalpel severed the detonator wire.

[0:06—]

Luo Mingyuan’s hand was already resting lightly on Fu Qingya’s shoulder.

“Rip”

A sharp metal drill suddenly extended from the scalpel, violently prying out the core chip of the “Hidden Thunder.”

“Sizzle—”

The mechanical screen shattered into dust. Fu Qingya gave the scalpel a quick twirl, and the strange, cool-looking tool instantly reverted to its original form.

“Tell them to store this thing properly for me.”

He reached inside, pulled out a component, disassembled it with a few clicks, and shoved it into his pocket. Without a second glance, he ducked under the police tape and got back into the car.

Once inside, he pulled out the shredded parts and began using small tools to perform precision modifications on the scalpel.

Luo Mingyuan flashed his credentials to the police captain outside the perimeter, his voice stern. “Seal that pillar on the spot with S-class security clearance. Someone from above will be here to take over shortly.”

With that, Luo Mingyuan ran back to the police car. He turned to say something to Fu Qingya, only to find him tapping and tinkering away at his bizarre scalpel with incredible speed.

Luo Mingyuan swallowed his words and sensibly started the engine, racing toward the industrial zone at No. 66 East Avenue, the closest location to the intersection of No. 408 South Avenue in Kyoto’s West District.

Time waited for no one. Luo Mingyuan pushed the police car to its absolute limit. Even for a frequent speeder like him, the velocity was nauseating, yet Fu Qingya continued his modifications with a steady hand. Those jade-like hands were unnervingly stable, moving not like a human’s, but like a perfect machine unaffected by the outside world.

“Screech—”

Upon entering the No. 66 Industrial Zone, Luo Mingyuan slammed on the brakes. After a couple of jolts, the car came to a steady halt in the parking lot outside the complex.

Luo Mingyuan was an interesting character; even in a crisis like this, he didn’t forget to park the car properly in a designated spot.

“It’s closer over there.”

Fu Qingya installed the final fragment, looked up to scan the surroundings, and pointed toward the main road near the purple pillar.

“Parking there is a violation.”

Luo Mingyuan got out, stepped back, and opened the rear door. “It’s a quick walk.”

He pulled Fu Qingya out of the car, flashed his ID, and sprinted toward the road in front of the central building of the industrial zone.

As they got within a few meters of the black pillar, the familiar mechanical voice sounded again. Luo Mingyuan suddenly hoisted the unhurried Fu Qingya onto his shoulder, ran the rest of the way, and set him down.

“Go for it.”

Startled by the sudden lift, Fu Qingya was momentarily dazed. He looked at the wrinkles in his clothes where he’d been grabbed, glanced at Luo Mingyuan’s encouraging face, and decisively pulled out his scalpel.

This time, Fu Qingya was even faster. Moving with practiced ease, he dismantled the “Hidden Thunder” with seven seconds to spare.

Luo Mingyuan had barely begun to feel anxious before Fu Qingya had already clicked the device apart.

Seeing Fu Qingya standing beside him with another salvaged part, a much-relieved Luo Mingyuan instructed the police unit stationed at the industrial zone to guard the pillar. He then scooped Fu Qingya up again and bolted back to the car.

Being carried stiffly over Luo Mingyuan’s shoulder at a full sprint, Fu Qingya remained silent for a moment before silently adjusting his posture. He decided to treat the man as a peculiar mode of transport, letting himself be hauled around.

Luo Mingyuan’s efficiency was staggering. Within five minutes, he had tossed Fu Qingya into the car and sped to the final location: the commercial plaza at No. 222 Gongqi Avenue in Kyoto’s South District.

The commercial building was a chaotic mess of people. By the time they arrived, crowds were still trying to spectate despite the police’s attempts to clear the area.

Once more, Luo Mingyuan flashed his badge, hopped the perimeter, and set Fu Qingya down on the ground.

“Good luck!” Luo Mingyuan said, not even winded.

Fu Qingya steadied himself and approached the “Hidden Thunder.”

[Warning! Warning! Blacklisted biological gene sequence detected]

[“Hidden Thunder” explosion countdown officially initiated, one minute remaining]

[0:59—]

[0:50—]

The smile froze on Luo Mingyuan’s face.

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