Chapter 903: Twelve Hours

In the darkness of space, the research space station constantly changed positions. Every hour, Xia Fei would appear in a different location.

Though he could see the sea of stars from outside the windows, Xia Fei found it impossible to determine his position from them. After all, the universe was simply too vast. A small research space station was like a pebble in the ocean, not remarkable in the slightest. Moreover, it was pointless for Xia Fei to know his own location. What he needed was Radix’s location.

The twelve robots stood around Xia Fei like puppets, causing him to feel rather frustrated. These robots were rigorously designed, such that even Xia Fei could not modify their coding. Every day Xia Fei stayed here would be another day that he was watched.

Qing He had left ages ago, and the mission he had given Xia Fei was to prove his worth. In other words, Qing He wanted Xia Fei to show that he was worthy of staying in Pinnacle.

Xia Fei knew that proving himself was really about him handing over the law power replication technology. Xia Fei was not worried about divulging his secrets. While the law power replication technology seemed very flashy, it was actual far from usable on the battlefield.

Xia Fei had already reached his limit when he made Enhanced Warstar. It was just that Qing He and the others had not seen the robot themselves, so they did not understand its limitations.

If handing over the law power replication technology was enough to get close to Radix, Xia Fei naturally would do it. The problem was Xia Fei could not be sure.

As time ticked by, Xia Fei paced back and forth in the research space station, pretending to get used to his new home. In actuality, he was thinking about what he should do next.

After drinking a cup of tea, Xia Fei went up to the main control computer. This deep-space research station was almost completely automatic. Xia Fei simply needed to provide the blueprints, and the machines would automatically produce what was precribed.

This seemed very convenient, but it was actually bait. Every step Xia Fei did on this computer would be sent to Qing He.

He lightly tapped on the screen. Alpha had not communicated with Xia Fei. It seemed like he did not know where Xia Fei was and how he was doing. It was not just Flynn who had been separated from him; Xia Fei had also lost his connection with Radix!

Suddenly, Xia Fei craftily smiled, and his fingers began to move across the screen rapidly.

..

Far away from the deep-space research station, the main research station of the Pinnacle Research Team.

The Pinnacle Research Team consisted of the main station and twelve mobile stations. Xia Fei was one of these twelve mobile stations.

Just as Xia Fei expected, Qing He returned to the main station after leaving Xia Fei in Station 12. Through the surveillance, he was able to keep track of Xia Fei’s every movement.

Next to him was the deputy supervisor of Pinnacle team, Lian Taidong. The reason the board of directors called Pinnacle the concentration camp was this pairing of Qing He and Lian Taidong. Qing He was a crafty fox, while Lian Taidong was brutal and vicious. With one as the brain and the other as the brawn, they had a vice-like grip over Pinnacle that those people in it were in such suffering that they begged for death.

“Oh? It seems like Yin Fei is starting to code? Is he planning to take out the law power replication technology?” Qing He stroked his chin and said.

Lian Taidong fiercely waved a fist around and savagely said, “He had best obediently hand it over, or else this old man will pulverize him!”

Qing He nonchalantly said, “You warriors, all you know is how to use your fists. How boorish! Look at me! I just gave Yin Fei a little taste of power, a little incentive, and he completely fell for it.”

Lian Taidong snorted. “Your methods are too slow and takes too much effort. I certainly don’t have the time to play around with that kid.”

Qing He’s suddenly brightened. Spotting a few promising buds in Xia Fei’s code, he anxiously said, “The law power replication technology! It really is the law power replication technology! Hurry! Start up the copying system!”

A worker pressed a button. In this way, all of Xia Fei’s actions would be copied by the main research station. If Xia Fei was building a robot over there, Qing He’s side would also be building an exact copy.

“Eh? This code doesn’t make much sense.. Why is it so complicated?” Qing He looked in confusion at the lines of code that Xia Fei was typing out.

Normally, AI coding was done using the mech language, similar to how a building would always be built using the same kinds of materials regardless of the shape. However, Qing He did not really get what Xia Fei was trying to do. He had brought a lot of things that had nothing to do with constructing a building, throwing them onto the worksite and slowly putting them together.

Qing He grew more and more confused, for Xia Fei’s coding was getting stranger and stranger. He did not even understand 5% of it now. It was as if Xia Fei was a naughty child, randomly pounding out this code that was extremely important for AI control.

..

In Research Station 12, Xia Fei was moving faster and faster, a happy smile on his face.

‘Don’t think that you’re something else just because you can keep a watch on me. I want you to see me complete my code and not understand a single thing!’ Xia Fei inwardly muttered.

Different solutions called for different actions; it was only natural that Qing He could not understand, for Xia Fei was laying out a massive riddle!

Segmented rotation coding! This was the skill Xia Fei was applying!

Xia Fei was building 999 buildings at once, all of them connected to each other. Qing He would never be able to understand which buildings were livable and which ones were packed with danger!

Among many segments of code, only three might work. The rest were a smokescreen!

Anyone who did not know segment rotation coding would never be able to walk out of the maze!

Suddenly, Xia Fei’s coding was interrupted. Someone had abruptly input some characters, which forced Xia Fei to delete and retype.

‘What’s going? Is there something wrong with the main computer?’ Xia Fei wondered.

Xia Fei quickly changed his mind, though, for these seemingly random pieces of code were actually words. Someone had secretly sent Xia Fei a message!

Continuing to appear unperturbed, Xia Fei went back to typing while trying to understand the message.

Xia Fei was soon able to comprehend this shocking message!

[The board of directors started to doubt the safety of the corporation’s main system, and a powerful search bug was installed. I can only use this method to communicate with you, and I hope that you’re able to notice it, as I don’t have much time left. The search bug is already destroying all of the traps I set up.]

Xia Fei was stunned. This was clearly a plea for help from Alpha!

“How much time do we have left?” replied Xia Fei in the same method, using the coding language of the mech race.

“Twelve hours at most.”

His gaze went cold. Xia Fei had been planning to get closer to Radix slowly and steadily, but the enemies were moving too quickly, barely giving him any breathing time at all!

“No matter what, you must watch this computer. The moment I send the signal, immediately take control of the main system and then turn on all the screens near you and type out text on all the screens around you. Remember, only those lights around you,” Xia Fei typed back.

Alpha paused for a moment, and then he replied: [The moment I access, the main system, the system will automatically cut me off. I’ll only have access for one-ten-thousandth of a second at best! Not even enough time to find my own location. Plus, Fig Corporation has a powerful security team that can get anywhere they need to in a matter of minutes!]

Fig Corporation’s main system naturally had the ability to limit functions significantly. Radix could access the system, but he could not use the short time he had with it to find out where he was, or else Xia Fei would have had him do it a long time ago.

Unless Xia Fei was in the area when Radix lit up the screens, it would be impossible to find him.

“At this point, we can only take a gamble. Trust me!” Xia Fei typed back.

historical

This was an extremely risky endeavor. Xia Fei and Radix had only one-ten-thousandth of a second!

..

Everything moved quickly!

The automatic production system and AI coding moved in unison. A combat robot was being produced as a complete set of robot code was being written by Xia Fei.

The main research station and Station 12 were synchronized, moving at exactly the same speed!

Qing He did not have the time to understand why Xia Fei’s code was so complicated. He was only concerned with the robot taking shape in the workshop!

“No matter how smart Yin Fei is, everything he has will still be ours!” Qing He smugly declared as he stood in the workshop. Xia Fei’s coding was truly profound, so Qing He decided that he would just stop looking since he could not understand it.

Lian Taidong shook his head. “You promised Mutso that if Yin Fei has the ability, you’ll train him, but it seems like you deceived him. You only want to obtain Yin Fei’s technology.”

Qing He nonchalantly said, “I’m doing what’s best for the both of us. Think about it. Yin Fei already possesses such heaven-defying abilities. If he stays in Pinnacle for too long, won’t he eventually outshine us? Thus, we can’t keep anyone around that’s too smart!”

Lin Taidong sternly said, “I’m in charge of the team’s safety, so I’m not the one who’s afraid of being replaced. That’s just you.”

Qing He was frustrated over having his sore spot prodded, but then he began to laugh. Lian Taidong was all talk, but he would never dare to defy him. This was because Qing He had a firm grasp of information that could be used against Lian Taidong.

As minutes went by, a flashy combat robot gradually took shape, and the coding also reached the last sprint.

Qing He was very happy, muttering, “What a beautiful design! Yin Fei really is the best talent the company has seen in the last one thousand years. What a pity that the geniuses always have short lives.”

Several minutes later, a sharply designed combat robot with a skeleton of dense alloy appeared before Qing He. At the same time, the AI code was completed!

Qing He’s eyes shone as he strode forward. The robot’s head slowly moved, its electronic eyes sweeping over everyone before finally stopping on Qing He.

“You see this? Doesn’t it look like it recognizes me?” Qing He pointed as he turned his head and spoke to Lian Taidong.

Suddenly—

The eyes of the combat robot shone with a savage light! Wielding its arm like a blade, it charged at Qing He and cleaved!