Chapter 77 The Man in Brown Clothes Possesses Jade (3)
Compared to the No. 03 Crimson Palace Stone, whose whereabouts are unknown, the No. 02 Crimson Palace Stone, which is embedded in the combat simulation system and won't grow legs and run away on its own, is obviously easier to find.
But she had to face two problems: first, where was the Crimson Palace Stone embedded in the system, and second, how to successfully infiltrate the National Research Center and bring it out.
These two problems can be solved as long as Weston cooperates with her.
Weston looked away from the container and stared sharply at her: "However... it could also point to the research center because of another Crimson Palace Stone."
At times like this, Shu Ningmiao particularly disliked his difficulty in being fooled. She didn't show it on her face, but pressed her fingertips on the spherical container and slowly rotated it: "As you said, there are probably two pieces of Crimson Palace Stone now. Since the attraction between the Crimson Palace Stones is the same, there is a one-in-half probability that the fragment should swing between the two directions."
The crimson stone at her fingertips slowly came to a stop, with no difference from the previous result. One end that floated was pointing towards the National Research Center, while the other end that sank was pointing in her own direction.
"The fragments are only pointing in this direction, there are only two possibilities." Shu Ningmiao gently tapped the container with her index finger, making a crisp "ding" sound: "03 is still inside the National Research Center, or it has been shattered like this Crimson Palace Stone. Which one do you prefer?"
“And what about you?” Weston looked into the depths of her pupils: “Shu Ningmiao, what do you want the Crimson Palace Stone for—don’t tell me it’s out of kindness.”
Meeting his unfathomable gaze, Shu Ningmiao stared at him for a moment, then suddenly leaned forward, getting closer to him.
If the No. 03 Crimson Palace Stone is indeed found, Shu Ningmiao will certainly give it to him.
As long as the stone remains in Weston's hands, she can always find a way to borrow it for archiving, help Weston return to the National Research Center, and make him owe her a huge favor. In any case, she's guaranteed to make a profit.
"If the Crimson Palace Stone is found, consider it my way of returning the favor."
She raised her hand, her fingertips flitting at the swaying heart-shaped earring. Her face, so close to hers, showed no outrageous expression, yet possessed an undeniable sense of aggression.
Weston discovered that she only looked people in the eye like that when she really wanted to achieve something, perhaps to put psychological pressure on them.
Her presence was indeed more assertive due to the height difference.
The breath fell on his neck, slightly cool, and Weston turned his face, feeling the heat rising from his fingertips, his palms burning hot.
He narrowed his eyes, his fingers slowly pushing Shu Ningmiao's forehead backward: "How do you plan to get into the National Research Center?"
Weston wasn't particularly in awe of the idea of "infiltrating the National Center for Research," but he had to see how feasible it was.
If Shu Ningmiao intends to enter the National Research Center by climbing through the sewers, then there's nothing more for him and her to say.
She sat back down on the stool, took two access cards out of her pocket, and slapped them on the table.
It's a one-time pass from the National Research Center. Weston remembered giving her one before, and she should have used it when she went to do the ability test. How come she has two left?
One was given to her by Weston, and the other was applied for for her by Yu Lu and the police department. She didn't want to expose her superpowers, so she didn't use either of them.
Weston scoffed, "I assume you know that the Paranormal Detection Center is just a small part of the outermost layer of the National Research Center."
He picked up a pass, turned it over so that the words on the back faced Shu Ningmiao: "This pass can only be used to enter the Ability Detection Center; you can't go anywhere else."
"The four exits of the ability detection center are heavily monitored and guarded by drones. How do you plan to do something under the guise of all this?" Weston asked in a deep voice.
The machines were no threat to her; the real trouble lay in the manual re-inspection at the entrance of the National Research Center and the soldiers patrolling the area. Using a pass to enter the park would eliminate that step.
Shu Ningmiao picked up another card with two fingers: "You and I will use these two cards to enter the ability detection center first."
Online searches reveal that the average wait time for a special ability testing center is over five hours.
"I will cut off all power and signals to the National Research Center while I am in line."
This can be done using Rennagi's special ability.
The National Research Center has its own closed intranet, which she could only hack into after entering the research center.
Control may be difficult, but destruction is easy. She doesn't need to hack into the internal network to manipulate anything; she just needs to destroy everything she can see.
"The National Research Center's systems are all damaged. How long will it take to repair them?" Shu Ningmiao asked him.
“If it were me, it would probably take about twenty minutes,” Weston replied.
That means at least twenty minutes in between.
Shu Ningmiao said, "During these twenty minutes, all the lights and surveillance cameras in the superpower detection center were turned off. If there were backup power, they certainly wouldn't prioritize using it on the equipment in the superpower detection center."
—Because any part of the National Research Center is more important than the Superpower Detection Center.
"You stay where you are and play my voice message. It's best if it leaves an impression on the people around you, creating an alibi for me." Shu Ningmiao raised her terminal and opened the chat box between them: "I will record what I want to say in advance."
She could use those twenty minutes to sneak into the National Research Center to find Jiang Gongshi.
With Weston providing her with a topographical map of the National Research Center, twenty minutes was more than enough, which is why she insisted on cooperating with Weston.
No matter how simple she makes it sound, this method is too risky and too arrogant.
There are many uncertainties, and encountering just one of them could be fatal.
If discovered, the consequences are either death or being caught and brought to trial in a central court; this is no small matter like what happens in school.
“You’re incredibly bold,” Weston frowned.
"And you, teacher, do you want to stay here teaching for the rest of your life?" Shu Ningmiao smiled instead of answering: "It seems you enjoy the pleasure of being a gardener."
"If the garden wasn't filled with pumpkins."
Weston stood up, squinted, and said, "I can provide you with a topographical map; just follow the direction indicated by the debris."
The only good thing about talking to someone like him is that it's effortless. Shu Ningmiao rested her chin on her hand and watched him unfold a piece of paper, dip his pen in ink, and draw clear lines on the paper.
He didn't even need to recall much; he went straight to the National Research Center after graduation and worked there for many years. He knew the internal structure better than his own home.
Starting from the protective wall of the National Research Center, you first enter through the main gate. The outermost cube-shaped building is the Ability Detection Center. Behind the Ability Detection Center is the huge hemispherical building that Shu Ningmiao had seen before. This building is the main body of the National Research Center.
Although the two buildings are connected, there is only one passageway, which is only for the convenience of researchers going to and from get off work.
There was nowhere to hide in this passage, and it was easy to bump into people, so she could only pass through the ventilation ducts above the passage.
Weston drew a circle around a location in the ability detection center: "Go from here."
Once inside, you'll find the actual research center.
Weston added a dot to the center of the circle symbolizing the hemispherical building, with the tip of the pen passing through the center point, and the line divided the circle into eight parts.
These eight sections house eight separate institutes, including the Pandora Institute, the Mechanical Research Institute, and the Life Sciences Institute.
The research center is structured like a fully open flower, with petals tightly interlocked. Weston pointed to the center: "This is the intersection of the eight departments, and also the main hall of the research center. Go there first; it will make it easier to determine which direction the fragment is pointing."
After he finished speaking, his pen paused for a moment before he said, "Whether or not it has been found, it must be out within twenty minutes."
Shu Ningmiao stared intently at the paper Weston was writing down, memorizing the entire map: "Understood."
She was confident of success, which is why she dared to take such a risk.
As long as the Crimson Palace Stone doesn't break, she has an unlimited number of save opportunities. Faced with such benefits, taking a little risk is nothing.
“Regardless of whether there’s an alibi, until the intruder is identified, those present that day will remain under suspicion by the police. You need to be prepared.” Weston’s voice was cold: “…Think about the consequences of doing so.”
“No, they will know who infiltrated the National Research Center.” Shu Ningmiao tapped her temple with her fingertip.
Weston sneered: "Who, you?"
“Of course it’s Prometheus.” Shu Ningmiao laughed. “Haven’t they already used this method to hack into the combat simulation system?”
Weston's pupils froze for a moment, slightly taken aback.
Using Rennagi's special ability, she can imitate their style and methods, and then pretend to "inadvertently" leave some small traces, such as having so many life charms that she could buy them in bulk. Would they still suspect other people?
—Especially the National Research Center, which had been humiliated by Rennagi in front of many officials.
Prometheus wouldn't mind this one thing.
Weston opened his mouth slightly, as if he wanted to question her about how she framed him.
Shu Ningmiao suddenly crossed her arms and raised her chin: "No questions allowed."
She returned Weston's words in full, her eyes slightly upturned at the corners with amusement, making her face, with its domineering air, exceptionally clear and beautiful.
When she was pleased with herself, she was more lively than when she was aloof, which made him stare in amazement for a moment.
Several seconds passed before Weston picked up the book again, the spines clattering together. He looked down and said, "You can go now."
Shu Ningmiao picked up the container on the table, held up the ball containing liquid and fragments, and held it up to the light above her head. The liquid inside had a slightly bluish tint and was faintly glowing: "This liquid isn't water, is it?"
“It’s processed and purified Pandora, which can enhance the fragments’ sensitivity to other Crimson Palace Stones.” Weston’s speech became faster and faster, and by the end, he was even a little impatient: “You’re noisy, get out.”
She didn't want to stay in this room, which was worse than a warehouse—Shu Ningmiao must have touched a nerve in him again, making him speak as if he'd swallowed a bomb, and she just felt confused: "I'll come to see you on my day off."
Seeing that Weston didn't object, she put the ball container away and quietly closed the door.
Yelüqi had previously mentioned that the pills Weston made for him contained processed Pandora ingredients, and the complex glassware in Weston's house was probably used to purify Pandora.
Weston was a senior fellow at the Pandora Institute before he was expelled from the National Center for Research.
Of the eight divisions of the National Research Center, the Pandora Division has always been the most valued and received the most funding, while the Life Sciences Division has been largely neglected.
However, Yelüqi said that Weston had always wanted to enter the School of Life Sciences.
It's human nature to want to climb higher, but it's abnormal to want to go from a high place to a low place without any reason.
Does Weston have any compelling reasons to get into the School of Life Sciences?
A question crossed Shu Ningmiao's mind, but she quickly dismissed it—it had nothing to do with her anyway.
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