Chapter 86 Dark Night Decoding
Huo Shen's pointed warning hung like a sword of Damocles over Su Yan's head, causing him to live under invisible pressure for the next few days. He tried his best to act normal, even deliberately reducing his activities in the common areas of the apartment and spending more time in his assigned bedroom.
He no longer dared to use the study computer. He carefully hid the black access card in the compartment of his suitcase. The most urgent task was the encrypted file titled "Akatsuki - The Last Recording."
He needed equipment, computing power, and an absolutely secure environment, but he had none of these.
Trapped in this ornate cage, he felt like a trapped beast with its claws plucked out. He possessed the key to discover the secret, but lacked the power to open the door. Anxiety and powerlessness grew like vines, quietly entangling his heart.
Late that night, Su Yan woke from another chaotic dream. It was a shattered image: the cold needles on the yacht, Su Chen's desperate, furious eyes, and Huo Shen's bottomless, all-consuming gaze. He sat up, his hair soaked with sweat, his chest heaving violently.
The neon lights of the city outside the window shone through the gaps in the curtains, casting a faint glow in the dim room. In the silence, he suddenly heard extremely light, almost imperceptible footsteps in the living room.
It wasn't a servant; they wouldn't be around at this hour. It wasn't Chen Mo either; his footsteps were even heavier.
It’s Huo Shen.
Su Yan's heart instantly rose. He held his breath and listened attentively. The footsteps seemed to linger in the living room for a moment, then headed towards his bedroom.
He lay down suddenly, pulled up the quilt, closed his eyes tightly, and pretended to be asleep. His heart was beating wildly in his chest, almost breaking his ribs.
The footsteps stopped outside the door.
The door handle was turned extremely slowly and silently.
The door was pushed open a crack.
Su Yan's muscles were tense, not even his eyelashes dared to tremble. He could feel a gaze falling heavily on him, with a complex scrutiny, as if confirming something, or... protecting something?
That gaze lingered for a full minute, as long as a century. Su Yan could even smell the faintest scent of Huo Shen's cigar mixed with cold wood in the air.
Finally, the door closed silently, and the footsteps faded away.
Su Yan continued to lie there stiffly, and only after confirming that there was no more movement outside did he slowly open his eyes and gasp for breath. In the darkness, his eyes were filled with uncertainty.
What did Huo Shen mean by this? Was he patrolling in the middle of the night to make sure his belongings were safe? Or... had he discovered something and was specifically coming to test him?
This midnight scare, far from reassuring Su Yan, only heightened his sense of crisis. He couldn't wait any longer. He had to decipher the recording as soon as possible; it might be his only leverage to seize the initiative.
The next day, an unexpected opportunity arose.
Huo Shen came back early in the afternoon and seemed in a good mood. He glanced at the introductory book on data encryption that Su Yan had placed on the coffee table and asked casually, "Where did you read it?"
Su Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he replied casually, "I'm looking into some basic encryption principles. It's quite complicated." He paused, as if suddenly remembering something. With a tone tinged with curiosity and thirst for knowledge, he asked cautiously, "Mr. Huo, I heard that some audio files are now encrypted with very special algorithms. Are those... particularly difficult to crack?"
Su Yan's palms were sweating as he asked this question. He was taking a risk, testing the waters on the edge of a knife.
Huo Shen paused imperceptibly while pouring the wine. He raised his eyes and fixed them on Su Yan's seemingly innocent face, his gaze deep and difficult to discern.
"Why are you suddenly interested in this?" There was no emotion in his tone.
Su Yan forced himself to meet his gaze, trying to keep his expression natural. "I was just reading this and got a little curious... I think the person who could design this encryption method must be amazing."
Huo Shen stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled. The chuckle was deep and contained a meaning that Su Yan couldn't understand.
"It's true that some algorithms are very special and require specific keys or cracking environments." Huo Shen shook his wine glass and spoke slowly, "However, no matter how complicated the lock is, there is always a way to open it. Sometimes, the key to cracking the code is not how advanced the technology is, but... whether you have found the unique, correct 'key'."
His words carried a metaphorical depth, and his gaze seemed to be able to penetrate Su Yan's disguise and see the shadow of the encrypted file in his heart.
Su Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he almost thought that Huo Shen had seen through everything.
However, Huo Shen did not continue the topic, but changed the subject: "I'm going to the laboratory on the outskirts of the city for a day tomorrow. The signal there may not be very good. You stay there peacefully. If you have any questions, find Chen Mo."
laboratory?
Su Yan caught on to this key word. Does Huo Shen's cutting-edge laboratory possess the equipment and technical environment he needs to crack the code? This thought spread like wildfire, instantly igniting his mind.
"Okay, Mr. Huo." He lowered his head to hide the gleam in his eyes.
After Huo Shen left, Su Yan sat alone in the living room, his heart in turmoil.
Was Huo Shen's words a coincidence or a hint? He mentioned the "key" and the laboratory... It was like a bait, exuding a dangerous and charming aroma.
He knew that this was probably another test from Huo Shen, an even more dangerous game.
But at this moment, he was like a dying traveler in the desert. Even if what he saw was a mirage, he was willing to risk everything for it.
He touched the encrypted USB drive hidden in his pocket.
Could the only correct "key"... be in that laboratory?
He had to find a way to go there and take a look.
Even if that could be a trap leading to a deeper abyss.
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