IRCDM Chapter 67

Chapter 67: An Accident – Kiss and Run

3:00 AM. The Military Headquarters was silent.

A humanoid mecha that had been powered down silently opened its eyes, rotating its neck a few times like a human, and even yawned.

The mecha next to it, Second, was still in sleep mode. Small raised a hand and poked it.

Second staggered from the poke, opening its eyes in alarm and whispering, “Small, what do you want now?”

Small skillfully pulled up its holographic image from the database and placed it beside Second: “You keep watch. I’ll be back in two hours.”

“Don’t cause trouble. We finally found a job,” Second advised earnestly. “The master will worry.”

“Got it. I’m going to the restroom,” Small waved impatiently and tiptoed out of the door.

Second was shocked and shouted softly, “What restroom are you going to? You’re a mecha!”

Unfortunately, Small had already left and couldn’t hear the pitiful complaints of the assistant robot.

The hallways of the Mecha I Division were full of surveillance and kill devices. Small scanned the hallway with its pupils, automatically activating stealth and signal shielding mode. It swaggered straight past, but as it turned a corner, it was caught off guard by a voice: “Who’s there?”

Small immediately stopped all movement and remained in place.

“Someone there?” Lang Shao, chewing on a cigarette, glanced at the corner.

Huo Jie, wearing a coat and holding a cigarette that was about to burn out, said, “Doesn’t sound like a person, sounds like a machine.”

The two had just finished their shift and came down from the nineteenth floor. After eating a late-night snack, they stood by the window to smoke. At this time, the Mecha I Division was silent except for a few patrolmen. Huo Jie put out his cigarette: “I’ll go take a look.”

“Wait, I’ll go with you,” Lang Shao picked up his gun and followed him.

The silent hallway only echoed with the two men’s soft footsteps. Huo Jie turned on the mental wave detector on his wrist, which only showed the patrol robots and the on-duty mecha codes.

Small plastered itself against the wall and shut down, and Huo Jie and Lang Shao almost brushed past its chin.

“Did we hear wrong?” Lang Shao looked up at the ceiling and then at the brightly lit administrative building and the more distant commercial district outside the window.

Huo Jie said, “Are all the Small mecha and assistant robots in Dawn Star powered down?”

“Yes, they are,” Lang Shao said, puzzled. “They shouldn’t forget that.”

Even so, the two men didn’t stop. Lang Shao pushed open the door of the storage room and saw Small and Second standing quietly in the corner. He turned and gave Huo Jie an OK gesture.

Huo Jie was relieved: “Tell the patrol team to be more vigilant tonight. I feel like something’s not right.”

Lang Shao nodded and immediately notified the patrol team.

Small sneaked out of the Mecha I Division floor, cleverly avoiding the guards on each floor. When it reached the door of the top-floor control center, it followed behind a patrol robot and took out a chip, sticking it to the back of the robot’s head. It quickly scanned the robot’s model. After a few soft clicks, it transformed into the same appearance as the patrol robot and brazenly mixed into the control center’s patrol team.

Li Yao was sleeping soundly with the covers on when he was suddenly awakened by a private communication.

“Dad.”

“Huh?” He listened to the mechanical voice from the earbud, sat up blankly, and went to the bathroom—probably the only place without surveillance.

“Dear Dad, I am now on the top floor of the Military Headquarters and have successfully infiltrated the robot patrol team controlling the radiation shield control center,” Small said mechanically. “But my intrusion system can’t open their access control yet. I need your help now.”

Li Yao said in shock, “Who’s your dad?”

“The Silver Saddle Team of Mecha I Division said so,” Small said painfully. “They said you’re now a single dad, and I’m a poor mecha without a mom. Minister Lin Chen is suspected to be my ex-mom. I’ll consider whether to use connections to get promoted.”

“What nonsense,” Li Yao said, annoyed. “When are you going to learn something good?”

“When I leave, I plan to set off a firework for them,” Small said.

“I suggest you don’t do that. I’m still being held in the Military Headquarters. Are you afraid they won’t have enough charges to pin on me?” Li Yao sat on the toilet and yawned lazily.

Small said, “Stop talking nonsense and quickly update my intrusion system.”

Li Yao pulled out the external chip machine from under the toilet while sighing: “Being woken up in the middle of the night by a broken machine to work overtime… I shouldn’t have created you in the first place.”

“Isn’t it all for your own good?” Small said angrily. “If it weren’t for the program you set, I should be hibernating in my new office now, not working for you in the middle of the night.”

Li Yao typed furiously on the simulated keyboard, yawning: “You don’t know anything. How can I escape if I don’t get enough sleep?”

“People in the Mecha I Division are spreading rumors that my ex-mom came out of your room disheveled. Why don’t you remarry and win over the Mecha I Division to help us?” Small suggested.

“What ex-mom?” Li Yao almost typed the wrong code.

“Minister Lin Chen,” Small said.

“…Don’t mention him to me. It’s annoying to hear,” Li Yao rubbed his face and typed the last line of code. “Wait a minute. Don’t touch anything after you get in. Scan and leave quickly.”

Small said, “Why not just blow it up?”

“Tsk, can you not be so anti-human?” Li Yao stuffed the external chip machine back into the floor tiles under the toilet. “In the past, mecha like you would have their Rhine chassis removed and thrown into the waste disposal plant for destruction.”

Small was silent for a few seconds.

“Just kidding. If it really gets blown up one day, it must be the program I set for you. It’s not your fault,” Li Yao said jokingly. “Are you really scared?”

Small said sullenly, “No way.”

Li Yao laughed, pulled the equipment out from under the bathtub, and put it on. He moved his stiff neck: “Did you contact First?”

Second’s voice suddenly interjected: “It just came out of the East Third District’s underground garage. I promised it double overtime for you.”

“One or two, so many broken things,” Li Yao sighed. “What can I do by raising you guys except burn money?”

Second said, “Bring you joy, dear Dad.”

“Fuck,” Li Yao’s scalp tingled. “Anyone who dares to call me Dad again, I’ll tear you apart.”

“Yes, Master,” Small immediately changed its tone. The next second, its voice suddenly became excited. “I have successfully entered the control center. Do you want to start the link scan?”

Li Yao quietly removed the special window in the bathroom and nimbly squeezed out of the narrow space. He hung on the smooth outer wall of the Military Headquarters with only one arm. He listened to Small’s application prompt in the earbud, looked up at the radiation shield above the base, which emitted a faint blue light, and his eyes were filled with dark depression.

He said in a low voice, “Yes, link to the central control system and scan.”

On the top floor of the Military Headquarters, Small stood in front of the behemoth that was the control center and slowly extended its mechanical arm.

Li Yao’s black combat uniform was billowing in the wind. He gripped the rappelling rope and plunged like a black bat falling from a cliff.

A heavy off-road vehicle slowly stopped on the street next to the Military Headquarters. The rumbling engine was silent, and the headlights were not turned on. As a patrol robot passed, a tray suddenly rose from under the car and lifted the entire vehicle up, like a chameleon, the color of the car body cleverly blended with the surrounding scenery.

Drip.

A drop of oil fell on the patrol robot’s head.

The robot looked up but only saw strangely shaped headlights and a dark wall. After turning around twice, it left.

First struggled to cling to the top of the streetlight, its four wheels shaking tremulously.

The rope swayed slightly, and Li Yao stopped steadily in front of the window on the ninth floor. First’s urging voice came from the earbud: “Master, have you arrived? Master, have you arrived? Master, have you arrived?”

“Not yet, on the way,” Li Yao rustled as he took out a transparent chip from his pocket, wrapped the black rope around his hand, and clicked on his temple, and a virtual light screen popped up in front of his eyes.

The specially built wall of the building instantly became transparent in his eyes, and then his eyes were assaulted by the various sleeping positions of the people inside, and some were naked and hiding in public toilets for private meetings. He clicked his tongue in disgust, shifted his gaze, and finally found his target.

The rope swung gently, and he swung past with the rope, like a giant black gecko clinging to Liang Huan’s window.

Behind the black curtains was a luxurious and bright decoration. The ancient-style golden nanmu bed was covered with silk bedding. The cool man who had been in a life-and-death struggle with him a few days ago was now wearing a milky-white pajamas and lying in the soft quilt, his hands neatly folded on his stomach, sleeping peacefully and peacefully.

Li Yao lowered his head and saw that the floor was covered with woolen carpets. The black military uniform was incongruously hung on the closet, next to an antique portrait.

The virtual lens couldn’t recognize it clearly. He couldn’t help but get closer and zoom in, but it was still blurry, so he had to give up.

He looked at the sleeping Liang Huan, licked his dry lips, took a few pictures of him, and then took out a mini crowbar from his pocket, and quietly stuck it on an inconspicuous corner of the window.

A tiny crack was opened in the window.

Li Yao held his breath and gently inserted the transparent chip in his hand, making a slight movement.

Liang Huan frowned on the bed. Li Yao immediately stopped moving. Then he saw Liang Huan turn over, and his pajamas and quilt slid open, revealing half of his lower back, which was particularly dazzling against the black sheets.

Li Yao couldn’t help but lick his itchy canines.

Whoosh——

An almost inaudible sound rang outside the window, and Liang Huan suddenly opened his eyes.

He turned on the light in the room, looked around, and met the eyes of the person in the painting on the wall.

The modern figure painted in meticulous detail had a subtle sense of incongruity, but the man in the military uniform had cold eyes and murderous intent in his eyes. The black dragon hovering behind him enveloped him in its shadow, making him have nowhere to escape.

This was a portrait that Emperor Yuanxing himself was very satisfied with. The Dawn Star inside was his most ideal state.

A bit of coolness blew in. Liang Huan got up and walked to the window. The coolness seemed to be the wind blowing into the room through the crack. The black hair hanging in front of Liang Huan’s eyes swayed slightly. He raised his hand and grabbed the curtain and tore it open.

On the transparent window, someone had drawn an exaggerated cartoon smiley face with high-gloss fluorescent agent. The middle finger was sticking out a white eye, arrogantly sticking out its tongue at him, blatantly mocking and provoking.

Liang Huan frowned slightly, wondering which reckless person was doing this prank, and noticed the small arrow in the corner. He looked in the direction of the arrow and saw the transparent chip that had been hanging around his neck not long ago.

He reached out and picked up the transparent chip. The next second, a brilliant blue lightning burst out in the chip.

At the same time, the Military Headquarters’ ear-piercing escape alarm sounded.

At 4:04 AM, all the officers in the entire building were awakened.

Liang Huan had just put on his military uniform when the door was knocked on urgently. He yanked the door open and saw Huo Jie reporting solemnly, “Sir, Li Yao has escaped! He also took all the mecha in the Mecha I Division in the training ground!”

Liang Huan’s eyes darkened: “What did you say?”

“Li Yao took all the mecha in the Mecha I Division!” Huo Jie wanted to die. “We don’t know how he did it at all, and the Technology Department can’t track him!”

Liang Huan’s eyes turned cold: “Immediately seal off all entrances and exits in East 1 District and turn on the mental power interference instrument. No matter what means you use, intercept Li Yao at all costs.”

“Yes!” Huo Jie ran away in a puff of smoke.

Liang Huan’s chip communication rang non-stop. He clenched the transparent chip in his hand, unsure of Li Yao’s intention in making such a big commotion.

Wei Lotong’s voice came from the communication: “Lin Chen, what the hell is going on?! Where are the mecha?”

“It’s not clear yet. I’m on my way to the training ground,” Liang Huan said. “I have already had people seal off East 1 District. Please calm down, Commander.”

“The nest has been turned upside down and you want me to calm down!” Wei Lotong said angrily. “Is that how your Silver Saddle Team is guarding? How are we going to explain this to the Marshal?!”

“Sir!” Lang Shao ran towards him in a hurry and gave a quick salute after standing still. “Sir, the mecha haven’t been lost! All the mecha in I Division are still in the training ground safe and sound!”

Zhao Zhiren, who ran out in his clothes, said angrily, “What the hell is going on!”

Lang Shao was sweating profusely and swallowed his saliva: “The Technology Department speculates that it should have been placed in a signal interference instrument, temporarily blocking the connection between all the mecha and the center. They are already investigating.”

Zhao Zhiren scolded: “The mecha are so big, can’t you look with your eyes?! Why are you making such a fuss!”

Lang Shao said miserably, “All the mecha collectively ‘disappeared’ for thirty seconds. Maybe it was image interference.”

Zhao Zhiren ignored him directly and rushed to the training ground with his men.

“Have the Technology Department investigate the cause,” Liang Huan said.

Lang Shao responded and left.

Mao Ming followed him and said, “Sir, Commander Huan has called an emergency meeting and asks you to go.”

Liang Huan strode forward: “How long has Li Yao been gone?”

Mao Ming said, “Five minutes at most.”

“You go to the meeting for me and apologize to Commander Huan for me,” he went downstairs directly.

“Sir——” Mao Ming quickened his pace but still couldn’t keep up with Liang Huan’s speed, and sighed as he looked at the red emergency meeting notification.

Liang Huan guessed Li Yao’s motives as he went downstairs. When he passed the temporary storage room for robots, he suddenly stopped.

He walked over and reached out to put his hand on the doorknob and slowly pushed open the door.

Inside the extremely large storage room, all kinds of armored vehicles, off-road vehicles, and robot mecha were parked in it. The Small mecha and Second assistant robot that the Silver Saddle Team had seized a few days ago were placed in the corner and were obviously in sleep mode.

The cold wind blew in through the wide open window, bringing the noisy alarm and the roar of the hovercraft.

A bit of scarlet flickered in the night sky.

In the entire building, tens of thousands of people were awakened from their dreams in a chaotic scene, and almost all of them went out to seal off East 1 District, and the culprit—the person who had been pale and weak in his arms a few hours ago—was now sitting on the windowsill nearly 100 meters high, with a cigarette in his mouth, smiling brightly and arrogantly at him.

Not only did he not run, but he was also blatantly smoking in a non-smoking area.

“Li Yao,” Liang Huan said expressionlessly, “Smoking is prohibited here.”

Li Yao said nonchalantly, “It won’t explode. I used to smoke here often.”

Liang Huan turned around and closed the door.

Li Yao said strangely, “Yo, Commander Lin Chen, why don’t you quickly inform your little friends not to disturb the people by driving out in your military mecha.”

Liang Huan stared at him: “You made such a big commotion just to draw on the glass in my bedroom?”

“What else?” Li Yao said confidently, “I slept too much during the day and can’t sleep at night, so I called you to get some exercise.”

Liang Huan took a few steps closer to him. Li Yao, with a cigarette in his hand, pointed at him: “Don’t come over. I’m very fragile now. If you take another step forward, I might be blown off by the wind you brought over—then those old guys will devour you alive.”

“…” Liang Huan looked at him coldly, “If you just want to tease me and vent your anger, you don’t have to.”

Li Yao smiled and said, “Commander Lin, these days I have been thinking deeply and deeply reflecting on my mistakes. I have decided to listen to your arrangements and stay in the Military Headquarters for a long time. There will be many such days in the future. You have to cheer up, lest I really run away one day.”

Liang Huan took a deep breath: “Come down first.”

Li Yao bit the cigarette butt with his canines and rolled it around. His eyes lingered on his black uniform for a moment, and he narrowed his eyes and said, “Commander, have you lost something recently? You look decent, but why do you always like to do things that take advantage of others?”

Li Yao put his hands in his pockets and walked out of the storage room leisurely.

Liang Huan’s eyes paused, and he took out the silver needle from his pocket—one was missing.

He was silent for a moment, put the silver needle back in, and the scene a few hours ago flashed in his mind.

Li Yao was lying on the bed with a pale face, and blood stains stained the white sheets. He quickly stuck the needle into Li Yao, but the other party began to convulse. He had to—perhaps with a hint of unspeakable selfishness—fix the person in his arms.

“Don’t move,” he warned Li Yao.

Li Yao opened his eyes, but his pupils could not focus. His wet eyelashes trembled slightly, and the eyes that were only particularly satisfying when killing someone seemed to be covered with a layer of fog. He turned his head with difficulty and looked up at him.

Liang Huan lowered his eyes, observing his movements. Once he had the intention to do something, he would definitely fight back without hesitation.

Li Yao raised his hand and grabbed his wrist, pulled it away irritably, grabbed his collar, turned around, and suddenly leaned over.

Liang Huan was stunned and reached out to push the person away, but found that the other person was full of needles, and his hand froze in mid-air.

“…Liang Huan,” Li Yao was very close to him, his voice hoarse. He seemed to be tormented to the extreme by the pain, but he was still trying to regain his sanity, “Why don’t you let me kiss you?”

Liang Huan was silent for a few seconds, and the person on his body seemed to be caught in a new round of disorder, closed his eyes and tried to push him away, and turned around to try to leave.

He raised his hand from behind and grabbed Li Yao’s neck, and pulled him back again.

Then he forced the person in his arms to look up and silently answered the other party’s question. Probably because the photos in the pupil chip were too impressive, he was particularly handy when he lowered his head and kissed the Dawn Star in his arms.

Soft, warm, and completely different from what Dawn Star gave him. He didn’t like this Li Yao, but he couldn’t stop it, and he felt uncontrollably excited, indulging in the other party’s subconscious submission.

Li Yao frowned and began to struggle, and seemed to gradually become conscious.

A trace of displeasure flashed in his eyes, and he rudely pressed the person back on the pillow, and ended this overly impulsive kiss in a hurry.

Perhaps it was at that time—a silver needle fell.

Liang Huan turned his head expressionlessly and closed the window in front of him, and turned around and walked out of the door of the storage room.

Just an accident.