Chapter 80 The Man in Brown Clothes (6)
"The attire of a top student." Shu Ningmiao adjusted her glasses, which rested on her perfectly healthy eyes.
Her originally upturned almond-shaped eyes appeared somewhat distorted through the thick lenses.
Weston turned around, and the chandelier above cast a soft shadow at her feet, swaying gently but not at all bothersome.
Overwhelmed with emotion, he experienced the feeling of a dry mouth for the first time.
Shu Ningmiao was still wearing that short-sleeved shirt, looking like a primary school student who had just run out of a spring outing, as if she had appeared out of nowhere.
Yu Lu had never seen her dressed like this before, and couldn't help but ask, "Why are you dressed like this?"
She peeked out from behind Weston, crossed her arms, and said, "You should be more low-key in front of your teacher, lest you be criticized for being arrogant and domineering."
Weston's forehead twitched, as if he wanted to say something, but then he shut his mouth.
Shu Ningmiao didn't give him a chance to speak and immediately changed the subject: "Yu Lu, do you know the teacher?"
Damn it, how could these two be so familiar? Weston, who had just relieved his throbbing temples, immediately gave Shu Ningmiao a suspicious look.
“I worked as an assistant to Weston when I was interning at the National Research Center.”
Yu Lu gave her a reassuring smile, but the smile also looked serious on his stern face. The young man glanced down at his terminal: "Now is not the time to talk. I'm sorry, senior, I'll have to trouble you to wait a moment."
"What happened?" Shu Ningmiao looked impatient, as if she really knew nothing about it: "First there was a power outage, then they wouldn't let people leave... I have to go back to class."
"It won't be too long," Yu Lu explained patiently, unperturbed by her complaint.
He hears even harsher things than Shu Ningmiao every day.
The police department was often jokingly referred to as a "garbage can" by other public officials in Pietès, as it would dump all the things that the parliament and the military didn't want to deal with onto the police department.
Yu Lu patiently explained, "There's been a problem inside the research center, but it has nothing to do with you—it's just that the military needs to check everyone who entered and left the research center today."
However, this screening was merely a superficial exercise; the military and the police department were not focused on the people who came in and out today.
The technicians at the research center analyzed that the damage to the combat simulation system had occurred at least three days ago, and the intruders had already entered the National Research Center much earlier: "We'll have to wait about thirty more minutes, don't rush."
Shu Ningmiao nodded reluctantly, beckoned to him, and gestured for him to come closer so they could whisper to each other.
He leaned down slightly and heard Shu Ningmiao whisper in his ear, "Can I go see Teacher Yelü Qi?"
Yu Lu said helplessly, "No."
"Don't obstruct official business."
Shu Ningmiao felt a chill on her head. Weston placed his hand on her head and gently pulled her back: "Go do what you need to do."
These words were spoken to Yulu.
Yu Lu nodded slightly and disappeared into the crowd. More and more members of the Security Bureau entered the ability detection center, and these experienced staff quickly divided the area into several orderly modules.
The surrounding loiterers had all left, but that didn't mean it was safe here. Shu Ningmiao didn't bring up Jiang Gongshi first, but instead casually brought up something unrelated: "Yu Lu used to be your assistant, what's he doing at the police station now? Did you drive him away?"
Weston had become indifferent to her words, even lacking any anger, and said coldly, "Because he has no talent."
A national research center is not a goal that can be achieved simply through hard work.
If only the most outstanding superhumans in Pinhea could enter the ranks of the Enforcers, then by analogy, only the most brilliant minds are qualified to enter the National Research Center. Neither of these paths can be taken solely through one's own efforts.
Weston invented the Heartstone during his time at the college, but after entering the National Research Council, he could only start as a researcher at the very bottom.
Yu Lu's grades at school were indeed good, but excellent grades are not the same as special talent. "Talent" is a kind of innate ability, and Yu Lu does not have this talent. Staying at the National Research Center would only be a waste of time.
When Weston was still in Parliament, he wrote a letter of recommendation for Yulu to go to the Sheriff's Office, so the two had a decent relationship.
However, he didn't want to tell Shu Ningmiao about these things.
The military's search was indeed not thorough; those present were all wealthy and influential, and there was no body search procedure.
When it was Shu Ningmiao's turn, the woman she had comforted before leaving recognized her voice and came over to chat with her in surprise.
The search officers, seeing that she was a student, quickly let her through.
Shu Ningmiao stood confidently in front of the search team with a large pile of things in her pockets, yet no one suspected that she was the intruder.
Weston, on the other hand, was searched.
She quickly exchanged contact information with the new woman she met and chatted enthusiastically. Even the experienced agent couldn't see anything wrong with her. Weston found that she seemed to have a unique charm and could get along with anyone if she wanted to.
Their duo was conspicuous wherever they went, and not wanting anyone to see her alone with Weston, Shu Ningmiao kept her head down and walked several meters behind Weston, wearing those silly glasses.
Only after they returned to school and entered a safe place did Weston casually close the door before asking her the result: "Did you find it?"
“If you’re referring to Crimson Palace Stone No. 03,” Shu Ningmiao tilted her head, “I couldn’t find it.”
Even though he was already mentally prepared, Weston couldn't help but frown.
"So, you're going to tell me you've taken the Crimson Palace Stone from the combat simulation system? I really underestimated your abilities."
Weston knew, of course, that Shu Ningmiao was using him—or rather, that they were using each other. Shu Ningmiao needed the Crimson Palace Stone, but not a particular one. Objectively speaking, handing over the execution of the plan to Shu Ningmiao was a gamble with only a one in five chance.
However, he agreed to cooperate not because he was convinced by her nonsense, but because the No. 02 Crimson Palace Stone was embedded in the deepest part of the combat simulation system, and it was impossible for anyone other than an insider to unlock the program and retrieve it within twenty minutes.
Shu Ningmiao only had enough time to search for the mysteriously missing No. 03 Crimson Palace Stone, which was an insurance policy that Weston had not made clear to her.
Being able to escape danger was already the best outcome, and not finding the Crimson Palace Stone was also within his expectations.
"Don't put it so harshly." Shu Ningmiao put her hands in her pockets: "I didn't take it or damage it. I just happened to come across an unconscious person and picked up a piece of Crimson Palace Stone from the ground."
She handed Weston the spherical container containing the fragments from her pocket.
Unlike before when it steadily pointed in a certain direction, the fragments drifted and spun randomly in the liquid, finally coming to a stop in front of Shu Ningmiao after a long time.
"This insulating crystal box doesn't seem to work very well either." Shu Ningmiao pulled out another black box: "Isn't it supposed to be able to block Pandora?"
The insulating crystal box is a creation of Pandora's Palace.
"Insulating crystal" is a special type of crystal found in the northern polar region of the last star.
The North Pole has always been considered the most barren place on Pandora, the only uninhabited area on the last planet without Pandora's Springs, but it has unique and incomparably beautiful crystals.
This crystal has a dense structure that does not react with Pandora and can also isolate Pandora's activity.
The insulating crystal box is only available in Pandora's Courtyard, so Shu Ningmiao would never have thought of specifically going to get it.
She either picked it up on the street or stole it.
Weston frowned, realizing things were more complicated than he'd thought: "Who told you that? And who else wants the Crimson Palace Stone?"
"You know Gawande, right? He's the dean of the School of Life Sciences. Is he afraid you'll take his position?"
Shu Ningmiao tossed the black box in her hand, her tone not very serious.
Gawande's theft of the Crimson Palace Stone No. 03 was a brilliant move, killing two birds with one stone. He could keep the Crimson Palace Stone for his own research and also secretly work with other members of parliament to pin the blame on Weston, thus getting rid of this major threat.
Weston has always wanted to get into the School of Life Sciences, and his grades are outstanding. If he gets into the School of Life Sciences, he'll definitely push this bald guy out.
Stealing the No. 02 Crimson Palace Stone was nothing more than him repeating the same old trick—unfortunately, he ran into her.
She listened to the whole thing while lying on top of the man's head, then kicked the ceiling down, knocking Gawande unconscious and taking everything from his body.
After committing this series of robberies, she made a point of checking Gawande's vital signs before leaving.
He was still alive thanks to the force she deliberately controlled.
If Gavin died in his office, the military and the police would definitely investigate his death thoroughly; but if he didn't die, he wouldn't dare to expose that he stole the Crimson Palace Stone, so he would have to suffer in silence and cover for her.
That said, this bald guy really had bad luck.
Not only are the funds for the branch schools under his command reduced year after year because he can't produce results, but he also loses the Crimson Palace Stone every time he steals it. His bad luck is a bit strange.
— Number 03 was lost, and the number 02 that I just stole was also taken away by her.
However, the most pitiful one should be Weston, who was inexplicably blamed. In the theft of the Crimson Palace Stone, he was the only victim.
She was able to obtain the Crimson Palace Stone thanks in no small part to Weston's help, and she didn't hold back, truthfully repeating Gawande's words to Weston without missing a single detail.
To her surprise, Weston was not surprised to hear the truth about the culprit who framed her and the theft of the No. 03 Crimson Palace Stone. His expression was even calmer than when he usually scolded her, as if he had known about it all along.
He had indeed expected it; since he hadn't stolen the Crimson Palace Stone, there had to be some reason for its mysterious disappearance.
Weston knew it was a deliberate act, but he didn't know that the person who stole the Crimson Palace Stone was none other than Gawande, someone he had no connection with.
But even if it wasn't this incident, something else would have driven him away from Pinheis's political center—his views contradicted Pinheis's mainstream political views.
Most people believe that it would be wiser to use Pandora's heart in large combat equipment, like the combat simulation system he led the development of.
They needed expansion, they needed war, and they wanted Pinhes to become the master of the world.
During the development of the combat simulation system, most members of the parliament had already realized his uncontrollability, and his departure from the parliament was only a matter of time.
He is indeed not good at politics.
People are accustomed to ignorance when faced with power.
If you want to find fault, you can always find a pretext.
He understood everyone's jealousy, apprehension, and fear; for every person in the world who supported him, there was someone who opposed him.
Some people placed all their hopes on him, believing that he was the one who could truly save Phineas and bring about the future.
Some people hated his talent and cursed him to lose his hands and feet and be a fool forever.
He didn't care whether it was the former or the latter.
Just as ants and humans cannot understand each other, any hope placed on him stems only from "ignorance".
Aren't you angry?
Shu Ningmiao peeked out from the side next to him, making a gun gesture with her hand—if someone framed her like this, she would definitely take revenge.
His expression was more contemptuous than angry.
Weston stopped and looked at her, vaguely seeing her as she first walked into the office.
He was down on his luck at the time and had no liking for any arrogant privileged class. Shu Ningmiao was angered by him and her face was full of blunt impatience.
Whether she wore expensive jewelry or not, and whether her clothes were luxurious or not, Shu Ningmiao remained unchanged.
What changed was his own subtle mindset.
Weston gazed at her silently for a long time. After a while, he gently touched her forehead with his long, slender fingers, his fingertips carrying a chilling aura: "The most fundamental problem of mankind is not evil, but ignorance."
Shu Ningmiao looked up, the fingertips lightly brushing against her brows: "The Crimson Palace Stone No. 03 is indeed missing. How do you plan to clear your name, you clever person?"
"I'll figure something out."
Weston paused slightly, then casually changed the subject: "Excuse me for speaking frankly, but even with an insulating crystal box, keeping the Crimson Palace Stone by your side all the time is not a wise choice, Miss Shu Ningmiao."
"There's just no other way—"
Shu Ningmiao ignored his last sentence and continued, "But I have a way."
There's no need to find the Crimson Stone to clear Weston's name.
The gleam in her eyes was more captivating than any so-called solution, drawing all eyes to her.
Shu Ningmiao glanced at him smugly before taking out an ordinary-looking terminal—one she had taken from the two researchers, and it still had half a battery left.
She hacked into the terminal using "neural connection".
To prevent the research center from tracking her through the terminal, Shu Ningmiao had completely destroyed the biometric lock and network system in the terminal.
This terminal is now just a brick that can only use basic functions.
Under Weston's watchful gaze, she pressed a key, and the terminal began playing a somewhat unclear recording—
“This time, if you take away the Crimson Palace Stone No. 02, Weston won’t be there to take the blame for you.”
...
"I had no choice. I took the No. 03 Crimson Palace Stone only to study it for a few months before putting it back..."
“I should have given up on you the first time you lost the No. 03 Crimson Palace Stone… I would never have uttered a word for you in the council.”
The surroundings were eerily quiet. Weston listened quietly as the recording continued to play, until the less than one-minute recording stopped amidst Gawande's rage as he smashed the terminal.
Shu Ningmiao waved the terminal in her hand: "With this, you should be able to clear your name, right?"
After saying that, she didn't take the opportunity to make any demands, and readily tossed the terminal to Weston: "You handle it yourself."
This was Weston's reward for helping her; she had gotten what she wanted.
Shu Ningmiao touched her chin with her fingertips, pondering what else she could ask Weston before he left Cornunos.
If Weston can clear his name and return to the National Centre for Research on the Crimes of the United States or Parliament, she and Weston will likely have no further contact.
After a while, Weston remained silent.
The air was quiet, and she could feel Weston's thoughtful gaze on her.
She tilted her head slightly: "Should I say thank you?"
The tall, thin man turned away from her, his elegant and quiet figure disappearing into the soft sunlight.
The indifference and coldness on that figure were somewhat softened by the sunlight. Weston looked down at Shu Ningmiao, his expression tense and increasingly indifferent.
His lips twitched slightly, as if he had said something.
However, Shu Ningmiao was getting a little bored while she was studying the Crimson Palace Stone in her hand. She missed his gaze and didn't see anything.
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