Chapter 96: Inescapable

Translator: _Min_ Editor: Yukira_

Jiang Chen opened the door.

“There’s not much difference between day and night. If I am consistently being monitored, then even selecting daytime would not increase my chances of winning. Or maybe, it is safer in the day since the majority of the people will be in their home, and there would be less pawns that the secret protector could use.”

He went downstairs and saw the cleaning robot.

It still gave off the same hollow look that instinctively produced a disquieting feeling.

[The cleaning robot left the first clue, so it should be considered “friendly”? Although he didn’t know who left this clue, but presumably, it wasn’t on the secret protector’s side,] Jiang Chen thought as he walked past the robot and turned back.

The robot was looking at another direction.

“South? Is there something over there? There was also another cleaning robot in front of the library. In the N cycle, it blocked the security guard for me.” Jiang Chen looked south, but the tall buildings blocked his view. From the general direction, it should be located in the center of the city.

“Wait a minute, when Yao Tingting took me away from the library, the robot at the door also appeared to be looking at the same direction after exchanging eye contact with me.”

Suddenly, Jiang Chen realized this clue and his face turned exulted. He then walked to the robot that seemed to be lagging.

He took out the terminal, followed the robot’s direction, and drew a line on the map. The line skidded across the boundary of the town center.

“There is also another robot in front of the library door. With only two-line intersection, it would be difficult to guess the accurate location on the map. Therefore, there must be another robot. With three-line intersection, it would be able to pinpoint and mark a possible area. There should be something in there that could help me beat the game. But where is the third robot?”

Jiang Chen frowned. [The N cycle plot was incomplete with this logic.]

He put his hand into his pocket and grabbed the two movie tickets, his face then lit up with a triumphant smile.

“In front of the movie theater? That should be right.”

If nothing happened, the two movie tickets should serve its purpose on the third day. But the secret protector’s intervention forced the plot to advance and even introduced a huge move of canceling the holiday. This made the movie plot never occurred and triggered the sex scene.

[I see.]

Without hesitation, Jiang rushed to the nearest subway and then headed downtown.

He sprinted out of the subway, jogged across two streets and stopped in front of the movie theater, gasping for air.

It was that cleaning robot, and it was looking straight into his eyes. Then, it looked away…

Southwest!

He pulled out his terminal again and drew a line on the map. Without stopping for a moment, he then returned to the subway and caught the last train.

Breathlessly, Jiang Chen sat on the cold, hard chair. He looked around the empty train and looked at the time.

<9:39 pm>

[It’s already this late?]

The train arrived at the station as Jiang Chen quickly rushed to the school’s direction and stopped in front of the school gate.

[The school is considered as Danger Zone, so going directly to the activity room on the second floor…will be pretty difficult.] Troubled by the thought, he looked around and looked up.

[I’m afraid that the Secret Guardian must be closely monitoring my move, and just waiting to make a move as soon as I enter…]

Thinking of this, his face showed a wry smile.

Jiang Chen took a deep breath and after observing the height of the gate, he rushed towards the door.

[If it had been before, two meters would be unreachable but…]

Jiang Chen leaped easily across the gate. The increase in muscle strength due to <Fury> was perfectly replicated within the game; indeed, the game data is based on physical data in the real world.

The shrill alarm sounded instantly.

Having predicted that this would happen, he cursed and rushed to the direction of the library.

“Stop!”

It was the security guard!

Jiang Chen ignored him, knowing full well that with his current muscle strength, no one would be able to catch up to him. Even if all the “units” in the school were pawns of the Secret Guardian, it shouldn’t be able to change the body stats of the characters.

It took less than ten seconds for Jiang Chen to outran the security by 100 meters from the security room. Then, he spotted the cleaning robot at the door.

Southeast!

With a rough view from the street light, Jiang Chen did not slow down the slightest as he slammed into the glass door of the library.

“Warning! Security system activated.”

100 meters more!

The metal gate of the library started closing, and Jiang Chen, who noticed this, gritted his teeth and accelerated. He turned around and maintained his velocity and smashed into the closed glass door.

CRASH!

The glass door was smashed into pieces. At the last possible second, Jiang Chen broke into the library with the metal gate behind firmly shut.

Jiang Chen felt the painful cut from his arms, legs and face but didn’t have time to tend to his wounds. Ignoring the glass shards on the floor, he scrambled to his feet and continued towards the stairs.

Second floor.

End of the hallway.

Activity room!

The door is shut!

Jiang Chen slammed the door, but the door remained firmly shut.

Did it close after the security system got activated?

“Damn! How could it be like this!” Jiang Chen desperately beat down the door.

[Could it be the activity room door is closed at night? That’s impossible… What should I do!]

“Haha, where are you going to run now, you bloody thief!” the security guard’s frightening voice from the other end of the hallway made him drenched in cold sweat.

“Fu*k, how did you get in with the metal door being shut?]

Jiang Chen swore in his mind, but since it was not the time to think about it, he quickly forced himself to calm down.

With a start, he suddenly remembered that he had acquired an access to the terminal using the electronic key on the desk when he turned on the air conditioner with it.

[No, after the timeline is reset, the access should also be removed…

Wait a minute—if the activity room is a special place, then the “whitelisted” ID’s will probably be retained even after the timeline reset!]

Jiang Chen didn’t hesitate anymore after seeing the twisted and hideous face along with the taser in his hand from the end of the corridor.

He took out the terminal, connected to the local network, and opened the electronic lock.

CLICK.

The light sound was like an angel’s voice to Jiang Chen as his heart turned ecstatic. Then, he rushed to the door and slammed it shut.

DONG!

The frustrated kicking sound was transmitted through the door. Just as he thought, the room’s existence was rather unique, a place similar to the “backdoor” of the game. As for the reason for its existence and why the <Colonel’s Diary> was kept in here, everything still remained a mystery.

However, he had a hunch that he was getting closer to the truth.

At the same time, a white light pierced the night sky and light up the entire city.

Jiang Chen quickly went to the window and looked at the bright sky with astonishment.

The bright, white light fell down like rain drops as they left ripples on the city’s dome. The deafening explosion soon followed as the “Holy Barrier System” protecting Wanghai was broken through.

[What kind of energy weapon is this?]

There was no time to hesitate, Jiang Chen rushed towards the table, opened the drawer, and picked up the pistol inside.

A violent explosion came from the outside and made the window viciously vibrate.

Was that an airdrop pod?

Jiang Chen was alarmed by the explosion coming from downstairs. It should be NATO soldiers forcing their way in.

Looking at the gun in his hand, he suddenly realized the purpose of the gun.

Jiang Chen took a final glance at the triangle area where the three lines intersected on the map.

He disengaged the safety and loaded the gun.

He raised the gun and aimed the muzzle at his own temple; a grim smile appearing on his lips.

BANG!