Chapter 3: I Honestly Could Not Eat Another Bite

"So, you mean there’s only one hour left for the entire human race?"

"Is that why you’re raiding the aerospace launch base, planning to escape on a spaceship?"

Before Skull could finish, Lin Xu interrupted him.

"No."

"The apocalypse is just a cover story. I’m actually just here to steal their flight control program data."

As his words faded, a "just as I thought" glint appeared in Skull’s eyes.

"I knew it!"

"There aren't that many doomsday survivalists in this world; this is what a businessman is supposed to do!"

"Then there’s no need for further talk. We go in fast and get out fast—storm the place, grab the data, and retreat!"

"Drone reconnaissance complete, security positions confirmed. Let’s move!"

Skull raised his hand to give the order, and Lin Xu followed closely as they exited the vehicle.

The attack followed an identical process: power cut, radio jamming established, and relying on Lin Xu’s guidance, the team quickly infiltrated the main control room at the rear of the facility.

However, this time, both Lin Xu and Skull seemed much more relaxed.

After locking the main control room door, Skull watched with interest as Lin Xu went to work, then asked the exact same question as before.

"So, are you actually an inside man?"

"You act like you’re coming home; you know all the passwords and can even bypass the biometric scanners."

"Tsk... you even have clearance for the main console."

"Honestly, if you really wanted to steal classified data, why not just sneak in when no one is around?"

"...Good question."

Lin Xu’s fingers didn't stop tapping the keyboard as he replied:

"Maybe I’m doing it to balance the books?"

"You know how it is. If things go missing quietly, it’s always hard to explain, but if they’re snatched away in a big, public spectacle, then no one can say a word."

"You capitalists... you’re all damned." Skull clicked his tongue.

"To be fair, you’re a capitalist too."

"You’re worth over a hundred million, yet you’re still here on the front lines risking your life instead of retiring. That’s a strange way to live."

"You don't understand. I’m just a mercenary driven by interest."

Skull shrugged nonchalantly. Lin Xu chuckled.

"If your wife weren't an alarm clock driven by interest, you probably wouldn't be a mercenary driven by interest either, right?"

Silence.

Only the clacking of the keyboard remained in the control room.

"She isn’t... She’s just a bit extravagant and likes to have fun."

"She loves me, she has never done—wait, how do you know that?!"

"Did you investigate me? Who the hell are you?"

Lin Xu cast a look of sympathy at Skull. The other mercenaries in the room instinctively looked at Skull, then quickly averted their eyes.

"You told me yourself."

Lin Xu didn't even look up.

In this world, he didn't actually have the memory of "investigating the mercenary squad" or "hiring the mercenary squad." His memory began exactly at the one-hour countdown.

However, in the many repetitions before this, he had indeed heard Skull talk about his wife.

And the sympathy in the other team members' eyes had already said it all.

Poor turtle.

"I told you myself?? When did I ever tell you that?"

Skull raised his gun, aiming it at Lin Xu.

"Does it matter?"

Lin Xu glanced at his watch. There were 45 minutes left.

He had found the flight control code, but it wasn't what he was looking for.

What was on the screen now was a series of mature, production-ready flight control systems. Not only was the volume too large for him to memorize in such a short time, but even if he could, it wouldn't be of much use to his current project.

What he needed was the code from the first outer space experimental rocket built by Zenith Tech twenty years ago.

"Does it not matter? I would never slander my own wife in front of an outsider! No matter what she’s done wrong, it’s our own business!"

"You have to tell me how you know these things! I have to know!"

"Oh, for heaven’s sake..."

Lin Xu was stunned.

He had never encountered this situation in any of his previous attempts.

Good grief, are you actually a romantic fool?

"Tell me!"

Skull was still pressing him, but just then, an explosion echoed from outside.

"Boom!"

"Hold them off! Just hold them for 40 minutes, and I’ll tell you!"

"40 minutes??"

Skull was dumbfounded.

"What kind of thing takes 40 minutes to steal?!"

"In 40 minutes, they could flood the place and drown us all!"

"There’s no other way—the mission is the mission. Just hold them as long as you can, I’ll be as fast as I can!"

"...Fine!"

Skull gritted his teeth and agreed.

Although he was unhappy about Lin Xu’s remarks regarding his wife, a mission was a mission. That was his professional code.

The isolation door opened, and the firefight began immediately.

Lin Xu frantically searched the system for the target information. After twenty years of development, the database was staggering in size.

But fortunately, the company’s archival work was excellent. Finally, after a few minutes, he found the folder named in the way he was most familiar with among the massive database.

"Test Ship-003 Main Project Shared Files."

This was it!

Lin Xu couldn't wait to open the file. He found the flight control code and scanned through it ten lines at a time.

"No, are you planning to memorize all this?!"

Skull, having emptied a magazine, turned back to look at Lin Xu. Lin Xu held up a hand.

"Quiet! I’m thinking!"

He was indeed thinking—thinking about how to commit the most critical parts to memory as quickly as possible.

"We can't hold them much longer!"

"Two minutes! I’m calling for external support to cover our retreat!"

Skull’s voice was hoarse, but Lin Xu remained unmoved.

He scanned the sparse code and finally found those few lines of core data.

The solution was so simple.

It was just adding a few self-check loops to the PID algorithm.

Lin Xu checked the time. There were still 35 minutes remaining.

Since he was already here, he might as well take a look at something else!

He quickly opened a file labeled 2030, titled "Star Voyager 1 Reusable Rocket Project Master Package."

This time, he didn't delve into the details, but scanned the general design plan ten lines at a time.

Propulsion, engines, core module, flight control, return system, fuel, communications...

The complex scheme unfolded before his eyes. Lin Xu was truly absorbed.

Just then.

"Boom!"

A massive explosion rocked the room.

Lin Xu was thrown back by the shockwave, and Skull, standing nearby, slammed hard against the ground.

Blood gushed from his mouth and nose, his life fading rapidly.

"You... who exactly..."

"I’m just a normal person!"

Lin Xu answered with difficulty.

"No... I wanted to ask..."

"Did you... or did you not... sleep with my wife?!"

Lin Xu was speechless.

He grabbed a rifle from the side and pressed it against his own head.

The next second.

"Bang!"

...

Lin Xu opened his eyes again.

He shook his groggy head, struggled to climb to the computer, and entered what he had memorized into the system.

When he ran the simulation again, the program finally started running smoothly.

It really worked!

Lin Xu let out a long sigh of relief.

So, was this the actual correct way to use this bracelet??

He paused, thought for a moment, then picked up the mouse and created a new folder on the computer.

*Star Voyager 1 Reusable Rocket Project Master Package.*

Then, he began to fill in the project framework.

Even though it lacked details, if he could keep entering the Zenith Tech headquarters of twenty years later...

Maybe he could copy the whole thing out in advance!

Wouldn't that be a massive leap forward?

Lin Xu nodded with satisfaction and dialed Jiang Xingye’s number.

"Hey, Team Leader."

"The problem is solved."

"Yes, it wasn't complex, but it required a lot of luck."

"I’m updating it right now."

"What? Late-night snack?"

"Forget it, I’m really too exhausted to eat..."