The technician, who was focused on pressing a button, froze in mid-air, staring dumbfounded at the completely black screen: "This?! The main control... how did the main control burn out?!"

Now, only a few emergency red lights in the corner of the testing room are still flashing, barely illuminating the messy floor and the wildly flashing equipment. The alarm is still going off, but the sound is trembling with static.

The technician was completely dumbfounded. He looked at the black screen of the main control panel, then at Jiang Chan lying next to the testing table, convulsing and emitting visible hot steam. He had no idea what to do.

"Mad...madman! Monster!" The technician's voice trembled with terror as he finally snapped out of his shock at the black screen. He stared at the convulsing figure on the ground, his eyes filled with fear and disgust.

"Out of control! Seriously out of control! High-risk waste! This must be reported as the highest risk level!"

He limped to a corner where a relatively intact internal communication panel stood, and shakily pressed the highest-level red alarm button!

A piercing alarm, unlike any other before, instantly resounded throughout the entire testing room!

The pneumatic door slid open with a hiss! This time, it wasn't the supervisor who rushed in, but four fully armed security robots! Their cold metal bodies, red optical scanning eyes flashing with murderous light, and their arms equipped with gleaming stun batons and restraint chains!

They scanned Jiang Chan on the ground and immediately surrounded her! Two cold metal claws grabbed her arms without mercy and roughly lifted her off the ground like a chick!

The stun baton in the other robot's hand was already buzzing, ready to give her a stun at any moment!

"High-risk waste D-734! Out of control confirmed! Execute mandatory recycling procedure!" a synthesized mechanical voice coldly announced.

Jiang Chan was being carried like a rag doll, her body limp and she didn't even have the strength to struggle. Sweat mixed with blood streamed down her forehead.

"Wait!" the technician, clutching his foot, suddenly shouted. He glanced at Jiang Chan, who was being controlled by the robot and barely alive, then at the mess and the burned-out control panel, and his eyes flickered.

"What's wrong, technician?" The lead security robot turned its scanning eye toward him.

“This…this thing…” The technician swallowed hard, pointing at Jiang Chan, “Although she’s destroyed, the extreme conflict data and energy distortion generated when she went out of control just now…are unprecedented! The destructive power is astonishing! This data…this data has extremely high ‘reference value’ for the stress test module of the ‘new product launch’ three days later!”

He emphasized the words "reference value".

The security robot's scanning eye swept over Jiang Chan again, seemingly assessing the risks and value.

A cold, electronic voice announced: "High-risk waste status confirmed. However, the abnormal data generated under extreme out-of-control conditions meets the collection standards of the 'New Product Launch Risk Stress Test Unit.' Instruction change: Transfer this unit to the 'Launch Preparation Area' high-risk sample library and keep it under strict supervision! After the launch stress test, perform final recycling!"

The alarm for forced recall stopped, but the metal claws gripping Jiang Chan didn't loosen their hold at all.

The technician breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his brow, and looked at Jiang Chan as if she were a dangerous piece of trash. "Did you hear me? Consider yourself lucky! Take her away! Lock her in the 'cage' and keep an eye on her!"

The security robot received the instruction and acted without hesitation. Like dragging a heavy garbage bag, it roughly pulled Jiang Chan, who was limp and somewhat delirious, out of the chaotic testing room No. 17.

The cold metal floor rubbed against her body.

The glaring lights in the corridor were blinding.

My body ached as if it had been run over.

But Jiang Chan's limp lips twitched upwards very slightly.

It's done.

[Viral symbiosis] is complete.

【Glitch Art】...The stage is locked.

A cage? That's also the passageway to the final stage!

Clang!

The heavy iron gate slammed down behind us, making the ground tremble slightly. The echo of the metal clanging lingered in the narrow space for several moments before dissipating.

Jiang Chan was shoved into the small iron cage by the security robot like a bag of carelessly discarded trash. Her knees slammed hard against the cold, hard floor, the excruciating pain making her vision blur and almost causing her to collapse.

She braced herself with her hands on the ground; the cold floor made her palms go numb, and she managed to keep her balance from falling.

Panting heavily, she looked up and surveyed her surroundings.

This place resembles a corner deep backstage, with a row of small iron cages partitioned off. The cages aren't large, just big enough for a person to stand or curl up. The thick iron bars are welded tightly together, leaving only narrow gaps.

The air was thick with the smell of disinfectant and... a strange, cloying perfume scent, which mixed together to make one feel nauseous.

Through the gaps in the iron bars, one could see the chaotic scene outside. Figures moved about, hurried footsteps came and went, and impatient shouts mingled with the noise.

"Lighting team! Check platform number three one more time!"

"Speakers! Lower the main microphone gain by two points!"

"Clothing! The panel on that bionic leather skirt is missing; repair it immediately!"

Unlike the purely cold, mechanical hell of the seventh assembly line, this place, while also bustling, possessed a false sense of extravagance. A huge holographic projection screen hung in the distance, playing dazzling but hollow particle streams.

Several "people" dressed in tight, glowing suits and with exaggerated face paint were surrounded by a group of assistants touching up their makeup. On their exposed arms or necks, you could see metal parts that also shone with a cold light—they were the same low-level "exhibits" as Jiang Chan, only dressed up in a glamorous way, like meat about to be put on the shelf.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!