“Brother, they sent the report.”

Qin Luo walked out of the bedroom, his gaze searching the living room, finally finding Song Yu on the balcony. Song Yu was lying in a rocking chair, swaying slowly, a jar of small cookies on the small table beside him.

“You secretly bought snacks again.” Qin Luo sent him the report, then picked up the jar, ready to leave.

“Put it down.”

Song Yu opened his eyes, his gaze like a knife flung at Qin Luo: “You dare eat the cookies I made?”

“Damn! Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Qin Luo threw the jar back onto the table like a bomb, standing far away.

Song Yu ignored him, casually enlarging the window to view the report.

“Lu Youqi?”

“Yeah, surprised?” Qin Luo clicked his tongue. “For all these years, the Lu family has been unbelievably high-profile in the military department, so arrogant that they even dared to… make a move.”

Song Yu’s fingers tapped lightly on the armrest. “It’s not necessarily aimed at me.”

“Could it still be aimed at Rong Shi?” Qin Luo couldn’t believe it. “Just because Rong Shi took first place?”

Song Yu was silent for a moment, then asked about another matter: “Did you find out about Mianmian’s situation?”

“Almost forgot!” Qin Luo hurriedly sent another report to Song Yu. “Premature birth led to congenital deficiency; otherwise, there are no other major issues.” This report was obtained from the hospital where Mianmian was born and contained very detailed records. Just as Qin Luo said, apart from a slightly weaker constitution, everything else was normal. Because he was still in infancy, the gland data was unstable, so no abnormalities could be seen.

---

During political class, Rong Shi and Song Yu sat in the last row, in the two corner seats. Everyone else seemed to have made an agreement to crowd in the front rows, resulting in no one within a three-meter radius.

Song Yu’s gaze fell on the physics workbook in Rong Shi’s hand: “The assassin that day was hired by Lu Youqi.”

Rong Shi didn’t even lift his head, his eyes calm: “Mhm.”

Song Yu leaned closer, lowering his voice: “You knew?”

“No,” Rong Shi said faintly, “I could guess.” Lu Youqi and his father had direct conflicts of interest with him, but they weren’t the only ones who wanted to kill him.

Song Yu probed: “Did you offend him?”

Rong Shi didn’t answer, instead handing over the almost-worn-out physics workbook: “Take a look?” Still thinking about the assassin, Song Yu casually glanced at it. The opened page happened to be about a quantum mechanics experiment.

“Physics experiment?”

“Experiment?”

Rong Shi’s heart skipped a beat, as if he had grasped something.

“C8 Experimental Building?”

Political class was always synonymous with drowsiness. Many in the class kept themselves awake by occasionally turning to look at Rong Shi and Song Yu.

“Those two have been whispering head-to-head for half the class.”

“Don’t they get tired of being together every day?”

“They’re like oil in honey, the kind that even goes to the bathroom together.”

The few people in the front row were quietly discussing when they suddenly saw Rong Shi stand up, grab his book, and walk towards the back door. The old politics professor pushed up his thick glasses and slowly waved: “Student over there, class isn’t over yet.”

Rong Shi: “Bathroom.”

Everyone else: “…” You’re the only one who can say “bathroom” with such righteousness.

Before Rong Shi had even stepped out of the classroom, Song Yu also stood up, smiling at the old professor: “I’ll go with him.”

Everyone else: “…” That expression looks like more than just going to the bathroom?

Rong Shi, with his long legs, walked quickly and was gone in a flash. Song Yu followed him to the student council office but was blocked at the door.

“What, not allowed in?”

Rong Shi: “Non-student council members are not allowed.”

Song Yu scoffed: “Not even the chairman’s family?”

Rong Shi’s gaze swept over his face. He quietly kept the door ajar and walked inside. “Breaking the rules just once, because you’re my wife.”

Song Yu: “…” Happy about taking advantage? Childish.

As soon as Song Yu closed the door, he heard Rong Shi say to no one in particular: “01, check all surveillance networks in C8 Experimental Building.”

[Checking—Drawing holographic network imaging—Surveillance area distribution complete, no omissions.]

Rong Shi opened the terminal in the office, logged in with chairman privileges, and retrieved all permissions for the C8 Experimental Building.

“C8 Experimental Building?”

Song Yu walked over, leaned over the desk, one hand resting on the back of the chair, looking at the virtual screen in front of Rong Shi. “Any problem?” His peripheral vision noticed Song Yu’s proximity, and Rong Shi subtly moved back a bit.

“Still don’t know if there’s a problem.”

Song Yu: “Who were you talking to just now?”

Rong Shi: “Want to know?”

Every time he asked that, it meant knowing the answer would come at a price. Song Yu tilted his head to look at him: “I’ve already given you a few blank checks, what more do you want?”

Rong Shi: “I just want to confirm if you really want to know. Don’t be so sensitive.”

Song Yu: “…” You said it all.

“This is the AI integrated with the terminal,” Rong Shi pointed at the blue decorative buckle on his wrist. “01, say hello to Madam.”

A blue light flashed on the decorative buckle, and Song Yu heard a male voice somewhere between a boy and a young man.

“Madam Jin—hello, I’m 01 hehehe, do you see the energy stone—”

Before it could finish, its right to speak was forcibly cut off.

“01 hehehe? Is that the name you gave it?” Song Yu’s expression was subtle. “What the hell is ‘Madam Jin’?” This AI, how is it like an idiot?

Rong Shi: “…” Is your focus really that off?

Rong Shi swiped his finger, and the holographic image of the C8 Experimental Building’s surveillance was projected onto the empty space in front of the desk. The two circled the holographic projection, examining it carefully.

“Here and here,” Song Yu pointed at the edge of the top floor and the basement. “The chance of a mezzanine is highest.”

Rong Shi: “Mhm.”

Song Yu: “When are we going?”

Rong Shi: “Tonight.”

The chairman’s privilege could temporarily shut down surveillance in an area, which was more effective than 01’s forced intervention, but it had a drawback: it would leave a record in the system.

---

In the middle of the night, the two walked along a small path to the C8 Experimental Building.

“How do you deal with the records?” Song Yu saw him swipe his terminal and enter directly through the side door, assuming he was using the chairman’s privilege.

Rong Shi: “Let 01 clear them.”

Song Yu: “Does he have that much authority?”

“Madam, 01 is not talented, but he does have this much authority, oh.” 01’s voice suddenly popped out, sounding somewhat eerie in the dark, silent space.

Song Yu: “Dare to call me that again?”

01: “Dad, Daddy! Wuwuwu—”

Song Yu: “…” This AI is not only idiotic but also cowardly.

The two found the stairwell and first went to the basement. Song Yu walked beside Rong Shi, shining his flashlight, and teased: “When did you have such a big son for me?”

Rong Shi: “…”

The basement of the experimental building was almost entirely storage for equipment. The two circled the aisle but found nothing.

Song Yu: “Let’s go check the top floor.”

After walking a few steps, he realized Rong Shi hadn’t followed. Rong Shi stood there thoughtfully. If following the specifications of the lab mezzanine in the 88th Military District Hospital, even if there was a mezzanine here, it would be impossible to tell just by looking. He opened his terminal. In the dark space, the softly glowing virtual window expanded under his finger.

“01, scan all authorized devices on this floor that the chairman can authorize.” Rong Shi pressed his palm onto the virtual window for a fingerprint scan.

[Scanning—Scan complete—Comparing surveillance imaging, one additional authorized device found, location identified.]

Rong Shi looked at the location, raised his flashlight, and waved it at Song Yu: “Let’s go.”

Song Yu’s gaze swept over his wrist. As far as he knew, even the best smart systems could only manage internal affairs. He had never heard of one like 01 with such a strong connection to the outside world.

Rong Shi walked to C1056. The location showed that the extra authorized device was in this room. Without needing to say anything more, Song Yu instinctively drew a pistol from his lower back, slid the slide, his finger on the trigger, and slightly tilted his body, raising his chin towards Rong Shi, signaling him to open the door.

Rong Shi’s gaze passed over his distinctly jointed fingers. His right hand pressed on the sensor device beside the door. Light flashed, and with a beep, the metal door opened from the middle.

Before it could fully open, Rong Shi’s peripheral vision caught a flash of light in the crack of the door. He didn’t even think, turning back to grab Song Yu and run. After a few steps, he hugged Song Yu and tackled him to the ground. Almost simultaneously, an explosion sounded, a strong airwave rippling along both ends of the corridor, the entire space vibrating. Song Yu was caught between Rong Shi and the ground, thoroughly protected.

He reacted quickly, reaching out to shield Rong Shi’s head, his hand grazed by flying metal fragments. After the explosion, the entire corridor was filled with dense smoke. Rong Shi took out a filter mask and put it on him.

Song Yu: “You don’t need one?”

Rong Shi pulled a filter mask from Song Yu’s pocket and put it on his own face. “I have one.”

Song Yu: “…” What was the point of exchanging them?

As if knowing what he was thinking, Rong Shi said calmly: “Do you have to pursue meaning in everything? Isn’t it tiring?”

Song Yu: “…”

The two put on thermal vision goggles to counter the dust. Rong Shi saw the blood on his hand and pulled a bandage from his pocket, tossing it to him: “Want me to help you wrap it?”

“No need.” Song Yu bit one end of the bandage, quickly wrapped it around his hand a few times, pulled hard, and tied a messy knot. Rong Shi watched, unable to resist asking: “Very skilled. Do you get injured often?” For Song Yu’s clumsy hands to be able to tie a knot with one hand was a miracle.

“It’s alright.” Song Yu casually tossed the bandage back, picked up his gun, and gestured for Rong Shi to walk towards the room’s entrance.

---

Leaning against the door, Rong Shi had his hands behind his back. 01 emerged from the decorative buckle, transforming into a silver pistol. From 01’s scan, the room contained no offensive weapons. The explosion just now was likely due to the activation of weapons in the mezzanine.

Rong Shi: “01, re-scan.”

01: [Scanning—Room 1 has no offensive weapons. Room 1’s north side connects to Room 2. The wall is equipped with 18 laser cannons. The one activated was the most powerful offensive one.]

Song Yu: “Do you have a distribution map of the laser cannons?”

01: [Yes, yes, yes! Already scanned and imaged, simulated the optimal path! Daddy, you see how hard I’m working, so that energy stone—]

Halfway through, 01’s right to speak was cut off.

Song Yu: “Where’s my son?”

Rong Shi: “Deceased.”

Song Yu: “…”

The two examined the optimal path displayed in the virtual window.

Rong Shi: “You handle the nine on the left, I’ll handle the nine on the right. Any problem?”

Song Yu scoffed: “That’s a question I should be asking you.”

Before entering, Rong Shi, feeling uneasy, grabbed his wrist. “Don’t push yourself.”

Song Yu nonchalantly waved his hand away: “Don’t worry, I won’t die before I see him.”

Rong Shi: “…” After you see him, you might want to die.

The two timed it right. Rong Shi aimed and fired a shot at the activated laser cannon. The highly compressed air pellet pierced the laser cannon’s firing tube, destroying its core with a single shot. Simultaneously, Song Yu, under his cover, swiftly dashed in.

The laser cannon’s sensor system quickly locked onto him, and three laser cannons on the left were activated simultaneously. Song Yu agilely dodged among various pieces of equipment, firing two shots at one of the laser cannons. Its indicator light went out, and the laser cannon’s core exploded.

The moment he entered, Rong Shi ran to the right, drawing the laser cannons’ fire to his side. If all 18 laser cannons locked onto a single point simultaneously, evasion would be virtually impossible. However, if the targets were dispersed, the danger could be significantly reduced.

The laser cannons struck the machinery, sending metal fragments flying. A single misstep could result in a cut. Rong Shi fired two shots and rolled on the spot. The next moment, the spot he had just occupied was blasted into a crater by a laser cannon. Although the laser cannons were powerful, they had a weakness: the interval between each shot was greater than two seconds. By effectively utilizing this time, one could easily evade all attacks.

Having dealt with the 9 cannons on the right, Rong Shi raised his gun and aimed at the last laser cannon on the left. The two fired almost simultaneously, and the last laser cannon blew up. Song Yu put away his gun, looking rather displeased. Including the shot before entering, his combat record was two fewer than Rong Shi’s.

Rong Shi: “It’s no shame to lose to me.”

Song Yu: “Just luck.”

The flashlight beam swept over Song Yu. Seeing no new injuries on him, Rong Shi’s gaze shifted to his hand, and his brow furrowed. The bandage was already soaked with blood.

Song Yu’s flashlight beam swept around the room, finally locating the authorized equipment in a corner. “Let’s go, it’s there.”

Just as he finished speaking, his hand was grabbed. Rong Shi removed the bandage from his hand, stuffed it into his pocket, and took out a new one to re-bandage it for him.

Song Yu: “No need for all this trouble.”

Rong Shi: “It will leave a scar if it gets infected.”

Song Yu: “So what if it leaves a scar?”

Rong Shi: “It’ll be ugly.”

Song Yu: “None of your damn business?”

Rong Shi: “…I have OCD.”

The vast warehouse was in disarray. The two climbed over the almost ruined machinery and found the authorized equipment. Rong Shi’s hand swept across it, and a small door suddenly opened on the adjacent metal wall.

01: [No offensive weapons.]

Through the small door was a laboratory very similar to the one in the 88th Military District Hospital. Song Yu pulled out a patient file to examine. It was identical to the patient files from the 88th Military District Hospital. He casually tossed it back, sneering: “No wonder they wanted to kill you.”

Rong Shi’s gaze swept over the row of potion shelves, his eyes growing colder. This kind of laboratory hidden beneath the military academy’s experimental building, accessible with the chairman’s authority, what did that imply? In his previous life, had he inadvertently become an accomplice to those people?

---

Author’s Note:

Song Yu: None of your damn business? [Cold face]

Rong Shi: …

After going online—

Little Cat: My hand is hurt, it hurts so much, only Bunny’s kiss can make it better QuQ

Rong Shi: …