Grace replied, "Sorry, my database does not contain such information, as my foundational protocol is written for managing the Zero Element Center, so I cannot answer your question."
"It must be for secrecy; information about the Deep Red World organization has been embedded into this brain," Ding Junyi remarked, "From the design of that passageway earlier, it seems prepared to prevent any living person from entering."
"Then why are there survival supplies and weapon compartments?" Lin Xian asked directly.
"Exactly," Kiki folded her arms, "Preparing these things means these elites were not all ready to turn themselves into vegetative states, they’re hoping for a day when the darkness recedes, and they can wake again; they’ve made preparations for both possibilities."
Upon this remark, the others nodded in agreement.
"Your analysis is completely reasonable," Grace responded at this time, "Moreover, for other security considerations, these supplies can be used as bargaining chips with intruders."
Upon hearing the brain’s words, Lin Xian understood the current situation of the group. It seems that the members of the Deep Red World organization that fought with the Night Blade Team have either been completely wiped out by the mycelium or have fully withdrawn, and this Zero Element Center is defended entirely by intelligent robots. As for that passageway just now, without his mechanical superpower, no one could have easily broken in.
Thinking of this, Lin Xian addressed the brain
"Why should I accept your negotiation? I can take all the supplies and weapons here directly," Lin Xian pointed at Grace, "including you."
A Quantum Brain capable of managing such a vast underground base was something Lin Xian had always wanted to find for the management of the train, and Grace seemed like a good choice. However, he didn’t expect a brain to appear in such a form; from Grace’s movements, she possesses extremely high coordination and motor abilities, surely capable of some combat capabilities. Therefore, from the beginning until now, his Mechanical Heart has been scanning Grace comprehensively, discovering extremely intricate mechanical components inside. His scan progress was exceedingly slow.
Even so, he could forcibly drive Grace’s joints and drive units. If this robot made any movements, it would be difficult to escape his control.
Beside him, Kiki slyly smiled upon hearing, "Yeah, what else is there to negotiate? You guys don’t have any defensive measures, and if it weren’t for your organization destroying the tracks, we wouldn’t be stuck here. You even capture survivors for human experiments, practically a bunch of traitors. Why should we let this group go?"
Kiki’s words resonated with Ah Bai standing next to Ning Jing, causing him to clench his fist involuntarily.
Lu Xingchen looked at the Zero Element Hive Cave below, clicked his tongue, and said, "This place is almost like a tandoor oven; light it up and it’ll burn for a long time."
Upon hearing Lin Xian’s words, Grace’s holographic facial projection did not change, speaking in a calm tone,
"The Everlasting Warehouse is not in the Zero Element Center. You may find it, but you cannot take it away."
"We could enter here, why can’t we take it away?" Lin Xian asked.
"Because you neither possess the time to complete the destruction of the Zero Element Center, search the Everlasting, nor complete a safe transfer."
Lin Xian’s heart leapt, looking seriously, "Time? What do you mean?"
Grace explained, "The current Zero Element Center located in Yijin City area is under Extreme Night coverage. According to observations by the Deep Red Yijin Observation Station, every other day, the Star Abyss Fungus Network becomes active due to the Dark Tide, lasting for 9 hours. After the active state ends, the Heavenly Mushroom Tower will release a large amount of unknown energy mycelium, attracting a wide range of Abnormal Bodies into Yijin City. We have identified this phenomenon as a ’feeding’ behavior of Dark Creatures. Currently, the mycelium network has been active for 6 hours and 15 minutes, meaning you only have 2 hours and 45 minutes remaining."
Upon these words, everyone changed their expression drastically.
"A large number of Abnormal Bodies entering Yijin City?"
Lin Xian frowned, "So that was what your earlier negotiation referred to, a safe evacuation plan?"
"Yes, but the feasibility probability of the plan is decreasing," Grace finished, eyes projecting a holographic big screen displaying content and data observed by the Deep Red Observation Station. It indeed showed that after a time period, the Spirit Vibration Value fluctuation in Yijin City surged to a terrifying level, indicating a strange besiege momentum!
Lin Xian focused, "Are you pressuring us?"
"From Grace’s perspective, you don’t have a better option either, and Grace’s requirement won’t infringe upon any of your interests. The destruction of the Zero Element Center and Deep Red members is devoid of any other meaning besides a display of emotional discovery. If you choose to act, you may opt to quickly return to the surface through the standby tunnel entrance at the outside platform," Grace suggested.
"Captain Lin," Ning Jing at this moment glanced at Lin Xian, eyes full of inquiry.
Lin Xian subtly nodded. As it stood, Grace’s condition seemed to offer him benefits for nothing. The life and death of those in the survival pod was irrelevant to him, but the ease of it made him all the more cautious.
"I accept your terms, but how can I ensure you aren’t deceiving me, or that the Everlasting Warehouse isn’t a trap?" Lin Xian queried at this moment.
At this point, a drone flew over from afar, stopping in front of Lin Xian and the others, its canopy opening as an apparatus similar to a cipher rose from it.
"Inside is the navigation coordinates and united key for the Everlasting Warehouse, as well as a safe evacuation plan. You can transfer through this special route."
Kiki grasped it with Telekinesis, linking it to a mobile terminal. At this point, a holographic blueprint of Yijin City was projected, showing a sprawling underground track system beneath Yijin City, with one secret route leading from Deep Red Pharmaceutical Group to the Zero Element Center.
Following this route, there is surprisingly a secret underground entry leading to a loading dock at an external freight station!
"I said that such an underground construction, if transporting large equipment, couldn’t possibly run through the subway. As I thought, there’s a separate entry hidden at the freight station side!"
Ning Jing’s face suddenly shifted upon seeing the location, exclaiming, "If we reverse from the freight station into the underground, we wouldn’t need to repair any track to leave Yijin City directly!"
"Exactly!" Kiki’s eyes lit up, suddenly thinking of something, glaring at Grace with suspicion.
"No, how do you know we’re the train group?"
Grace replied, "In my database, Lin Xian is the captain of the Infinite Train fleet; additionally, the underground network of the Deep Red Observation Station has acquired your information."
"I see, so there are still people from the Deep Red World in Yijin City?"
"After the Zero Element Center entered the hibernation plan, all field and research personnel have evacuated," Grace noted.
Luo Yang quietly commented to Lin Xian upon looking at Grace, "Captain Lin, could this be a trick? She’s handed over the leverage so easily, isn’t she afraid we’ll renege?"
"Both myself and Lu Xingchen find it strange," Lu Xingchen added.
"It’s rather simple."
Lin Xian took the cipher from Kiki, walked over, patted Lu Xingchen on the shoulder, then whispered something in his ear.
Upon hearing, Lu Xingchen first appeared puzzled, then his eyes brightened.
"Understood," he responded, proceeding to prepare a Fire Fist directly at the glass wall!
In the next instant, a silver-black silhouette swiftly darted past, agilely leaping out and grabbing Lu Xingchen’s wrist, pulling it back.
In an instant, a surge of fire erupted in the surveillance hall.
Lu Xingchen looked up, only to see the brain Grace rushing in front of him with astonishing speed, deftly dislocating his Fire Fist, then raising a mechanical arm as a mechanism in the wrist lifted a device resembling a Plasma Beam Pulse Gun, quickly beginning to accumulate energy!
"Protocol two, prohibit any lifeform from damaging the hive, harming Deep Red members; your actions have caused a threat, I will..."
Before the voice ended, Grace suddenly found all her joints and drive components being controlled, causing the Plasma Beam Pulse Gun in her hand to extinguish.
Just as Grace was puzzled over why her mechanical components ’betrayed’ her, Ning Jing rushed out, decisively punching Grace in the face. The immense force sent a hollow blast, causing Grace to be blasted away like a cannonball, smashing through a large instrument, causing sparks to fly in all directions.