23: Chapter 23 Infiltrating the Military Base and Stealing Core Code

The night was like a piece of velvet soaked in ink, pressing heavily over the city. Victor's military base stood on the wasteland on the outskirts of the city, like a dormant steel beast, its cold silhouette glinting with a sharp, frigid light under the moonlight. The base was surrounded by a three-meter-high alloy wall, the top of which was covered with sharp barbs. The beams of the searchlights were like the eyes of the God of Death, sweeping back and forth across the ground, illuminating every inch and corner with meticulous detail. The wild grass outside the wall swayed frantically in the night wind, making a rustling sound, like a desolate overture to an infiltration destined to be a narrow escape from death.

Inside the makeshift hidden stronghold, the light was dim. A topographical map of the base was spread out on a worn-out camp bed, cluttered with markings that made one's head spin. Lin Fan sat on the cold floor in front of a modified laptop, the blue light from the screen reflecting on his face and outlining his tight jawline. Ghost, Franklin, and Michael surrounded him, all four of them keeping their breathing extremely low. The air was thick with an inextricable tension.

"Victor's core code is stored in the main control room on the third basement level of the base. That is the hub of the entire virtual world, and its defense strength is at the highest level." Ghost's voice was kept very low as he pointed to a red dot on the map, his fingertips turning slightly white from the pressure. "We only have ten minutes—from infiltration to downloading the code to evacuation. If we exceed that by even one minute, the base's defense system will initiate a global lockdown. By then, none of us can hope to get out alive."

Franklin rubbed the gun in his hand, the cold touch of the metal helping him calm down slightly. He glanced at the dense defense nodes on the map, his brow furrowing deeply. "The outer patrol teams change shifts every three minutes, and the blind spot of the searchlights lasts only twenty seconds. How the hell is this any different from a suicide mission?"

"The difference is that a suicide mission might still have a glimmer of hope." Michael's voice carried a hint of raspiness. He held several high-explosive grenades in his hand, his eyes reflecting a desperate determination to give it his all. "Victor has already noticed our movements. In three days, he will launch a new Purge Plan. When that happens, not just us, but everyone he treats as pawns will be completely deleted."

Lin Fan's fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard, producing a crisp clattering sound. The data stream on the screen scrolled frantically like a waterfall, as lines of code were continuously generated and cracked under his fingertips. His forehead was covered in fine beads of cold sweat that slid down his cheeks and dripped onto the keyboard, creating small wet spots. He didn't even dare to raise a hand to wipe them away, his eyes fixed intently on the screen for fear of missing any critical node.

"I've cracked eighty percent of the outer surveillance system. In the remaining twenty minutes, I can use an interference program to create a three-minute blind spot." Lin Fan's voice held an imperceptible tremor, not from fear, but from the physiological reaction of high nervous tension. "But the Defense AI Robots are independent of the surveillance system. Their attack patterns are based on autonomous judgment, with no predictable rhythm. If we fail this time, we're finished."

These words were like a stone, weighing heavily on everyone's heart. The stronghold fell into a dead silence, with only the sound of Lin Fan's typing echoing through the empty room, sounding particularly piercing.

Ten minutes later, Lin Fan abruptly closed the laptop, and the blue light of the screen instantly vanished. He stood up, stuffed the computer into his backpack, and took a deep breath. "Alright, the interference program has been activated. Let's go."

The four figures moved like ghosts, quickly blending into the thick darkness of the night.

The searchlights outside the base were still sweeping back and forth, but the beams that should have left no blind spots were now forming a brief gap in a specific area. Ghost led the way, his steps as light as a cat's, a silenced pistol in his hand as his eyes alertly scanned the surroundings. Franklin and Michael followed behind Lin Fan on either side, the three of them forming a triangular formation to protect Lin Fan in the middle, staying vigilant against any possible danger.

Twenty seconds was a suffocatingly short amount of time.

The moment the four figures barely cleared the alloy wall, the searchlight beam swept back again, illuminating the spot where they had just been hiding with brilliant light. Lin Fan's heart pounded wildly, his back already soaked in cold sweat. A frigid chill crawled up his spine, making the hair on his body stand on end.

The interior of the base was even more heavily guarded than imagined. Straight corridors stretched into the depths of the darkness, with surveillance cameras installed every few meters on the walls. Although they had been temporarily disabled by Lin Fan's interference program, those cold lenses still sent shivers down one's spine. From the end of the corridor came the faint sound of footsteps—patrolling soldiers.

Ghost made a gesture for silence, and the four of them quickly ducked into a nearby utility room. The heavy iron door blocked out the sounds from outside. The utility room was piled with discarded parts and tools, and the air was thick with the smell of rust and machine oil. Lin Fan leaned against the cold wall, gasping for breath. That twenty-second limit-pushing stealth had nearly exhausted all his energy.

"In five minutes, the interference program will fail." Lin Fan's voice was extremely low. He glanced at the electronic watch on his wrist, the numbers on the face ticking by rapidly. "We must reach the third basement level within five minutes."

Ghost nodded. He pushed the iron door open just a crack, alertly observing the movements outside. The sound of the patrol's footsteps gradually faded away. He signaled the three to follow, and the four of them slipped out silently once more, moving quickly toward the elevator.

There were no guards at the entrance to the third basement level. But Lin Fan knew that this was the true dragon's den. He opened his laptop, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he attempted to hack the elevator's permissions. Just then, a piercing alarm suddenly blared!

"Beep! Beep! Beep!—"

Red warning lights flashed instantly, their glaring red glow staining the entire corridor the color of blood. Lin Fan's face turned deathly pale. He looked at the red warning characters that suddenly popped up on the screen, his heart feeling as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it painful to breathe.

"Not good! The defense system's countermeasure program has started! My interference program has been cracked!" Lin Fan's voice held a note of despair. He pounded the keyboard frantically, trying to regain control, but it was all too late.

On both sides of the corridor, the previously closed alloy doors slowly slid open. Robots standing two meters tall stepped out from behind the doors. Their bodies were crafted from silver-white alloy, with heavy machine guns mounted on their arms and cold red lights flickering in their eyes. Those were Victor's Defense AI Robots.

"Damn it! They got here fast!" Franklin cursed, raising his gun without hesitation and pulling the trigger at the foremost robot. The bullets struck the robot's alloy shell with a clanging sound, but left only a few shallow dents.

The robots didn't pause for a second. Their arms snapped up, and tongues of fire spat from the muzzles of their heavy machine guns!

"Get down!" Ghost roared, lunging to tackle Lin Fan to the ground. Bullets buzzed past Lin Fan's scalp, striking the wall behind him and sending stone fragments flying. Franklin and Michael also quickly ducked behind a corner of the corridor. A dense rain of bullets fell where they had just been hiding, riddling the wall with holes.

"These things have titanium alloy shells; ordinary bullets can't pierce them at all!" Michael's voice held a hint of panic as he watched the steadily advancing robots, his eyes filled with fear.

Ghost's eyes sharpened. He pulled several high-explosive grenades from his backpack, pulled the pins with force, and threw them toward the robots. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" After several loud explosions, flames soared into the air, and a heatwave swept through the corridor. Several robots were sent flying by the shockwave, and several cracks appeared on their alloy shells.

"Now! Move!" Ghost roared, taking the lead and charging toward the elevator. Lin Fan clutched his laptop tightly, following close behind. Franklin and Michael held their guns, firing frantically at the damaged robots to provide cover.

Just then, a cold red light suddenly locked onto Franklin. He only had time to let out a muffled groan before a bullet tore through his shoulder. Blood erupted instantly, staining his clothes red. Franklin staggered back a few steps, leaning against the wall, his face as white as paper.

"Franklin!" Michael cried out, wanting to rush over to save him.

"Don't worry about me! Go!" Franklin gritted his teeth and raised his gun, pulling the trigger at the charging robots, bullets striking the cracks in their armor one by one. "Damn it, these things are more ruthless than real people! Even if I die today, I'm taking a few of them with me!"

Lin Fan's eyes turned red. He saw the blood pouring from Franklin's shoulder and his pained yet stubborn face, and his heart felt as if it were being cut by a knife. But he knew this was no time for hesitation. He clenched his teeth, quickened his pace, and followed Ghost into the elevator.

The elevator doors slowly closed, shutting out the sounds of gunfire and explosions. Lin Fan leaned against the elevator wall, gasping for breath, tears flowing uncontrollably. Ghost's expression was also exceptionally grim as he watched the numbers ticking on the elevator display, his fists clenched tight.

The elevator soon reached the third basement level. When the doors opened, an even colder atmosphere rushed toward them. The main control room was right before them, its heavy alloy door tightly shut, secured by a complex combination lock.

Lin Fan didn't stop to catch his breath, immediately rushing to the lock, his fingers tapping rapidly. His brain was working at high speed; when he had cracked the surveillance system earlier, he had already obtained some fragments of the password. Now he just needed to piece those fragments together.

Time passed second by second. The gunfire outside the elevator grew more intense, and Franklin's screams could be heard faintly. Lin Fan's fingers shook more and more violently, and the cold sweat on his forehead fell like beads from a broken string.

"Hurry up!" Ghost's voice carried a hint of anxiety, and the hand holding his gun was slick with cold sweat.

"I'm trying!" Lin Fan roared, his fingertips flying over the lock. Finally, with a soft "beep," the green light on the password lock lit up. The alloy door slowly opened, revealing the main control console inside.

The main control room was empty except for a massive server, which flickered with countless indicator lights. Lin Fan rushed to the server, connected his laptop, and began downloading the core code. The progress bar on the screen ticked up bit by bit: ten percent, thirty percent, fifty percent...

Just as the progress bar was about to reach one hundred percent, the base's alarm escalated again! The piercing siren was almost enough to burst eardrums, and the entire third basement level shook violently, as if an earthquake were occurring.

"Not good! The base is initiating its self-destruct sequence!" Ghost's face changed drastically as he looked at the ceiling of the control room, which was already showing cracks.

Lin Fan's heart sank. He looked at the progress bar, which had reached ninety-nine percent. He gritted his teeth and pounded the keyboard, trying to speed up the download.

"Ding—"

With a soft chime, the progress bar finally reached the end. The core code download was complete!

Almost simultaneously, the door to the control room was slammed open! Over a dozen Defense AI Robots rushed in, their muzzles aimed at Lin Fan and Ghost, red lights flashing with murderous intent.

"Run! Don't look back!" Ghost roared, grabbing Lin Fan's arm and sprinting toward the elevator. Lin Fan clutched his laptop tightly, his feet moving as if on fire as he desperately followed Ghost.

The robots' gunfire echoed behind them, bullets hitting the floor and sending up sparks. The two of them dived into the elevator, and Ghost slammed the close button while firing frantically at the robots outside.

The elevator doors slowly closed, blocking out those cold muzzles. Lin Fan slumped in the elevator, gasping for breath. The life-and-death race just now had left his mind a complete blank.

The elevator rose rapidly and soon reached the ground floor. When the doors opened, Lin Fan and Ghost saw Michael covered in blood. He was leaning against the wall, his gun already dropped to the floor, his face filled with despair.

"Where's Franklin?" Ghost's voice trembled.

Michael shook his head, tears sliding down his cheeks. "He... he was overrun by the robots..."

These words were like a thunderclap exploding in Lin Fan and Ghost's ears. Their bodies stiffened, and the color drained from their faces.

The base's vibrations grew more intense, and debris from the ceiling continued to fall. The red warning lights were still flashing, stretching the shadows of the three men long and making them look exceptionally forlorn.

Ghost pulled Lin Fan and Michael along as they sprinted toward the base's exit. Explosions went off one after another behind them as the entire military base collapsed. Those Defense AI Robots were buried under the ruins, emitting sharp sounds of metal grinding.

The moment the three figures stumbled out of the base's main gate, the entire military base came crashing down, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.

On the wasteland, the night wind howled. The three of them slumped on the ground, gasping for breath. The laptop in Lin Fan's arms still had a glowing screen, displaying the file icon for the core code—the only light in the darkness.

Michael slowly raised his head and looked at the base that had turned into ruins. Flames soared into the sky and thick smoke billowed, staining half the sky red. His lips trembled, and his eyes were full of confusion and despair as he murmured, "Can we really win?"

These words were like a needle, piercing through the strength everyone was trying so hard to maintain.

Ghost remained silent, looking at the distant flames, his face etched with exhaustion and pain. Lin Fan clutched the laptop tightly, his fingers trembling slightly. They had the core code, but they had lost their closest comrade.

The night wind grew colder, making them shiver. The wild grass on the wasteland swayed frantically in the reflection of the fire. The three figures looked exceptionally small in the night, as if they could be swallowed by this boundless darkness at any moment.

The dawn of victory seemed far out of reach. Meanwhile, the shadow of despair had already quietly enveloped everyone's hearts.