35: The ultimate secret!

When Wang Yi announced that all three clues had been collected,

the entire Dragon Country Operations Center erupted into thunderous applause and cheers.

"We won! We won!"

"Excellent! We're finally going to clear the game!"

"Comrade Su Yuan, you are the hero of our Dragon Country!"

Countless people embraced each other in excitement,

and some elderly generals

could not help but shed tears of joy.

They had witnessed too many storms,

and understood all too well what this victory meant for Dragon Country.

This was not just a victory in a game dungeon;

it represented Dragon Country taking absolute initiative in the future global landscape!

Major General Li Guodong rushed over even more excitedly,

grabbed Su Yuan in a hug, and patted his back forcefully.

"Good lad! Good lad! I, Old Li, have never looked up to anyone in my life, but today I'm impressed by you! Completely and utterly impressed!"

Su Yuan was coughed from the patting, but his face was filled with a heartfelt smile.

Looking at the three key clue items on the screen, his heart was also filled with pride and ambition.

Along this journey, from the initial confusion and fear to the resolute decision to hand it over to the state,

and now to this moment, fighting side by side with the nation's top minds,

step by step leading Dragon Country from a disadvantageous start to its current undisputed lead.

Such a sense of accomplishment was unparalleled.

"General Lin, Major General Li, now is not the time to celebrate."

Su Yuan suppressed the excitement in his heart and said calmly,

"we haven't obtained the final t-virus serum yet."

His words were like a bucket of cold water, causing the feverish command center to instantly quiet down.

Everyone turned their gaze back to the large screen.

That's right, they had only gathered the keys; the treasure chest hadn't been opened yet.

Inside the City Hall office.

Wang Yi laid the three items out on the huge desk.

A city map marked with an "X".

A piece of parchment with gears and ancient script drawn on it.

A shimmering blue keycard.

"What's the connection between these three things?"

Chen Hu scratched his head, completely baffled.

He had just come up, still carrying a heavy scent of blood.

Wu Qiong and Zhao Zihan also gathered around, studying them carefully.

"The 'X' on the map, based on the reconnaissance drone footage, should be the entrance to the secret passage under the City Hall," Wu Qiong analyzed.

"Then what about 'The door of hope can only be opened when light and shadow intertwine' on the parchment?" Zhao Zihan asked.

"And this keycard, it should be used to open some electronic door."

Wang Yi's gaze finally fell on the keycard.

He suddenly remembered something.

"Li Bingyao, are you still at the Fire Station?"

Wang Yi asked through the channel.

"I'm here, Captain Wang. Is something wrong?"

Li Bingyao's voice came through immediately.

"You mentioned before that you saw a pattern similar to the one on the parchment in a medical journal in the infirmary, right?"

"Yes!"

Li Bingyao replied affirmatively,

"That journal said the pattern represents an ancient energy conversion device that requires the coordination of light and shadow to activate."

"Energy conversion device..."

Wang Yi muttered to himself, feeling as if he had grasped a key point.

He picked up the parchment,

and looked at the keycard in his hand.

A bold guess formed in his mind.

"I understand!"

Wang Yi's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Captain Wang, what do you understand?" Chen Hu asked hurriedly.

"These three clues aren't isolated! They are a whole, a complete process for opening the door!"

There was a hint of excitement in Wang Yi's voice.

"First, this map." He pointed to the "X" on the map, "It tells us the final location is under the City Hall."

"Second, this keycard." He picked up the blue card, "It is the key to opening that metal door in the underground passage!"

"What about the parchment?" Wu Qiong pressed.

"The parchment is the most critical link!"

Wang Yi's gaze became profound,

"It's not talking about the method to open the door, but... the method to start the power source!"

"Start the power source?" Everyone was stunned.

"Exactly!"

Wang Yi said with certainty,

"That underground laboratory must be a high-tech facility that requires massive energy to operate.

And after all this time, its regular power source has likely been exhausted.

This parchment is telling us how to activate its backup power system!"

"Light and shadow intertwining... energy conversion device..."

Wang Yi's gaze swept across the luxurious office,

finally stopping on the huge floor-to-ceiling window that the mayor had covered in countless scratches.

It was daytime, and bright sunlight was streaming through the window, filling the entire room.

"If 'light' refers to sunlight..."

Wang Yi walked slowly to the window and looked out,

"then what is the 'shadow'?"

His gaze followed the path of the sunlight and landed in the center of the office,

on a globe next to the smashed mahogany desk.

He walked over and gently rotated the globe.

When the globe turned to a specific angle,

its shadow was projected exactly onto an abstract painting on the opposite wall.

And in the center of that painting was a complex gear pattern almost identical to the one on the parchment!

"Found it!"

Wang Yi, Wu Qiong, and Zhao Zihan shouted in unison!

So that was it!

This was the "intertwining of light and shadow"!

Using sunlight to project the shadow of the globe onto the mechanism on the wall!

This design was simply ingenious!

Wu Qiong immediately rushed over and began feeling around on the painting.

Soon, he found a subtle indentation in the center of the gear pattern.

The shape of the indentation fit the blue keycard perfectly!

"My God... this design is just too incredible..."

Wu Qiong couldn't help but marvel.

If they hadn't gathered all the clues and understood their meaning,

even if someone found this place, they would never be able to open the final door!

"Stop marveling and try it quickly!" Chen Hu urged.

Wu Qiong nodded, took a deep breath,

and slowly inserted the blue keycard

into the indentation.

"Click."

With a soft click, the keycard fit in perfectly.

The next second, the entire office suddenly shook violently!

The painting on the wall, along with the entire wall itself, began to slowly slide open to both sides,

revealing a downward staircase with a metallic luster behind it!

At the same time, a cold,

emotionless synthesized mechanical voice echoed throughout the City Hall.

[Backup power system activated...]

[Underground laboratory, passage open...]

[Welcome back, Dr. Osborn.]