This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation
“Thank you,” Lin Xian said, accepting the small, calming pouch with a nod. He slipped it into his coat pocket, offering a warm smile. “Is there anything you want from New Donghai City, Ning Ning? I could bring you a gift.”
“I don’t care about that,” Li Ning Ning laughed lightly. “I just want to blow this city up.”
“Got it,” Lin Xian responded softly.
He looked up to see CC standing with her arms crossed, wearing an Ultraman mask. Her eyes sparkled warmly through the mask’s eyeholes.
“What?” Lin Xian asked.
“Nothing,” CC replied with a chuckle, looking away. “It just seems you’re quite popular with the girls.”
“Focus! We’re near a surveillance blind spot!” Big Cat Face interjected, his command bringing silence to the group.
They tensed, watching a drone fly by before moving on.
“Now!”
“Ah Zhuang! San Pang! Er Zhuzi!”
With swift coordination, Er Zhuzi completed their makeshift human ladder.
“Hurry up and climb, you two! Watch for guards!” Big Cat Face yelled, his face turning red.
Lin Xian and CC exchanged a quick glance, nodded, and climbed the human structure, vaulting over—
Thud. Thud.
They landed safely atop a heap of discarded furniture, then sprinted twenty meters to a safer spot, away from the drone’s reach.
“Safe,” Lin Xian murmured.
He peered into the monitoring room. Inside, the guard was unaware of any disturbances, the noisy junkyard masking their movements.
Lin Xian blew a few short bursts on his whistle.
Tweet—tweet tweet—
Big Cat Face quickly responded.
Their next mission after reaching disposal plant 221 was to infiltrate plant 314 to steal books.
“You’re pretty agile,” CC noted, eyeing Lin Xian. His leopard-like speed and agility were surprising.
“I’m actually better with firearms,” Lin Xian admitted. “But without guns here, I can’t show you.”
“I have an animal injector, but it’s non-lethal, just injects through the skin.”
“Keep it. It’s our only weapon.”
Boom—
As they spoke, the steel gate of the wall opened…
Garbage trucks, loaded to the brim, began to exit.
“This batch of trucks is our target,” CC declared, attaching a Bluetooth-like device to her ear. “After dumping, they’ll return to New Donghai City by 9:11 PM. We just need to pick one.”
She pointed to a nearby truck, “Let’s take that one. It’s close, and there’s no risk in sneaking in.”
Lin Xian checked the monitoring room again. The distracted guard hadn’t noticed them.
“Go!”
They scrambled through the garbage, weaving between cover, until they reached the truck.
The trucks were large, the gaps in the dump bed just wide enough for concealment but cramped for two.
“You go in first,” Lin Xian directed CC towards the gap.
“Me on the bottom?” she asked.
“Do you have a preference?” Lin Xian looked puzzled.
“It’s not about preference…” CC explained, holding up the device. “I need space to use this, to see the holographic screen and crack the password. I should be on top.”
“Don’t worry about that now,” Lin Xian urged. “Get in first, we’ll adjust inside. Hurry, the truck’s leaving.”
CC stored the device, climbed up, and squeezed into the gap.
Lin Xian followed, his taller frame barely fitting. He propped himself in a half-suspended position.
“Are you… comfortable like that?” CC inquired, noting his awkward position.
“Do I look comfortable?”
“If you need to, just press down.”
“Forget it. I’m good with push-ups.”
The truck’s electric engine hummed as they started moving.
Lin Xian, looking through a gap, noted the direction they were headed.
The target was the steel gate ahead.
Boom—
As they approached, the gate rumbled open, the convoy entering a sloping ramp.
Lin Xian clenched his fist. They were inching closer to the truth.
Beep beep.
CC’s device beeped twice.
“Connection established,” she murmured, eyes flickering as she scanned the air.
“Cracking the security door’s code?” Lin Xian asked.
“Yes,” CC focused, brow furrowed. “It’s a dynamic key… each truck has a different one!”
Boom!
As the first truck passed through the security door, it closed again. Scanners checked each truck thoroughly.
Their truck, fifth in line, approached the checkpoint.
“How’s it going?” Lin Xian asked.
“Still working… These dynamic keys are linked to each truck’s ID. I need to access the database,” CC sweated under pressure.
“So, no progress?” Lin Xian was taken aback.
“Quiet!” CC snapped, concentrating.
As their truck reached the security door, CC exclaimed, “Done!”
The door rumbled open, scanners frozen.
“Nice job,” Lin Xian complimented, giving her a thumbs-up. “You’re an expert.”
CC removed the device and sat up, surveying ahead.
The area was barren, designated only for trucks. No buildings or pedestrians in sight, except for two uniformed workers emerging from a building, chatting and laughing.
“There’s a manual check?” Lin Xian turned to CC.
“Didn’t your plan cover this?” CC shook her head. “The outer junkyard and the city have separate systems. What now?”
Lin Xian peered out, observing the “entry inspectors” casually checking trucks.
“They won’t miss us,” he realized.
This deviation from his plan—riding directly to Time Bank—was thwarted by unexpected tight city security; the outer junkyards were just a facade.
“We need to take action,” Lin Xian decided, noticing CC holding the animal injector.
“That’s too slow and non-lethal… they have real guns, put away your toy,” he advised.
“What’s your plan?” CC asked.
“We eliminate them,” Lin Xian suggested with a grim gesture.
This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation
“They’re relaxed, unaware of any danger… this is our chance for a surprise attack.”
“If we succeed, we take their weapons and uniforms to infiltrate the city.”
“And if we fail?” CC considered the risks.
“Then we try again tomorrow. No big deal,” Lin Xian grinned, unfazed. “Got a knife or something?”
CC pulled out a sharp knife from her waist and another small one hidden within her hair tie, camellias scenting the air.
“Are you Doraemon?” Lin Xian joked.
“What’s that?”
“Never mind, it’s not important,” Lin Xian dismissed, taking the regular knife and leaving the smaller one for CC.
“The guy checks from the left, the woman from the right. We’ll ambush them at the truck’s blind spot. I’ll take the guy, you handle the woman. Quick and lethal!”
“Understood,” CC nodded, positioning herself.
Lin Xian had no doubts about her; she was a skilled killer, unfazed by danger.
Himself? He was equally confident.
The inspectors approached, chatting about office politics.
Reaching the truck, they split to check each side.
“If this leaks, it’s bad for his promotion.”
“Once one knows, everyone knows,” they laughed, unaware of the imminent threat.
“Ugh!”
“Pfft—”
Two muffled thuds! Lin Xian and CC struck swiftly, slashing the inspectors’ throats before they could react.
Blood sprayed, marking the truck like cyberpunk graffiti.
“How about you, CC?” Lin Xian checked.
“No issues here,” she confirmed, the threat neutralized.
“These guys were too complacent,” Lin Xian observed. “Never expected intruders.”
“Yeah… it’s been centuries since anyone dared enter. Plus, the live scan at the gate makes it nearly impossible,” CC added, peering through the gap.
“So, what’s next? Change into their uniforms and sneak in?” she proposed.
“Exactly,” Lin Xian confirmed, securing a gun and feeling a surge of confidence.
He looked toward the neon-lit city skyline.
“It’s time to shake things up.”
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation