Chapter 308 An Interesting Game
Lily pulled Nathan aside to a spot where they could dodge any prying eyes.
Using some grown-up talk, she started feeling out Nathan's thoughts on West Mountain Base.
After hearing her out, Nathan's face twisted with anger. "Ms. Evans, they treat us like we're nothing! Just lab rats! You wouldn't believe the stuff they put us through in that lab!"
Just thinking about it made Nathan start shaking.
He spilled everything to Lily.
Turns out, West Mountain Base had figured out that people might get superpowers when they're pushed to the edge.
So, their first move was to torture folks in all sorts of ways, making them feel like they were about to die over and over.
This included two minutes of suffocation, electric shocks, spinning... and a bunch of other nasty stuff.
If none of that worked, it meant the person probably didn't have any superpower potential.
But even then, they wouldn't let the test subjects go.
"The last thing they did was stick mutant cells into us." Nathan said, his hand instinctively going to his chest.
"If we could handle the rejection and not get eaten up by the mutant cells, we'd survive and get powers like the mutants. But it messes up your body for good and even shortens your life."
Nathan's teeth clenched, tears in his eyes, and his hatred for West Mountain Base was crystal clear.
Lily hugged him, then looked him in the eye and asked seriously, "If you had a chance to get out of here, would you take it?"
Nathan was taken aback for a second, then hope lit up his eyes, and he nodded firmly. "Yes, I dream about it! And if we could destroy this hellhole, even better!"
Lily felt a weight lift off her shoulders. "Alright, if that's the case, I need your help."
Because they were short on staff, Nathan got moved to patrol The Second Life Warehouse.
Every day, there was a time when he'd be near the Information Department.
With his help, it would be way easier for Lily to get into the Information Department.
Once she got through that door, slipping a small chip into the computer would be a breeze for her, a former special agent.
Meanwhile, Steven and his team had been holed up in the safe house for a day when they got a call from Peter.
Peter asked, "Steven, it's been a day. What's your answer?"
Steven smirked, "My answer's the same. No way I'm giving in!"
Peter's face darkened. "Fine, you asked for it! Get ready to be wiped out along with your shelter!"
With that, Peter hung up, not wasting another word.
Steven stayed calm, but he knew Peter's threat probably meant the missile was real.
"Whatever," Steven muttered, lying back on the couch, feeling oddly at peace.
If they lost the shelter, so be it. As long as they were alive, they could find another place.
With people and supplies, he could leave the past behind and forge a new path in the vastness of the world.
Steven's strength lay in his unwavering optimism and ability to adapt. As long as they could stay alive, he knew they could overcome any obstacle.
Just as he was about to give up on the shelter, he got a message from Lily: [I've done what you asked. Now I hope you will keep your promise and help us escape from here.]
Steven glanced at his phone and shot up from the couch.
"She did it?" he murmured.
He had only given Lily a Trojan chip with a "let's see what happens" attitude and didn't expect much.
But she had pulled it off. No wonder she was a former special department bodyguard!
Without hesitation, Steven rushed to Aubrey and Cindy's room, bursting in with excitement. "Cindy, great news! Our plan worked!"
The two girls were surprised to see him so hyped, but they quickly caught on.
Cindy's eyes sparkled with excitement.
As a world-class hacker, cracking a highly secure shelter was a huge win for her!
"Alright, I'll get started right away!" Cindy said.
She wheeled herself to the workbench by the bed, where Steven had already set up the control center's computer.
Cindy's fingers flew over the keyboard like she was playing a symphony.
Steven didn't understand the flood of characters on the screen; he just stood behind Cindy, waiting.
Before long, Cindy's hands paused.
She looked up proudly at Steven. "I've completely taken over West Mountain Base's network!"
Steven was stunned. "That fast?"
From start to finish, it took Cindy less than ten minutes to take control of West Mountain Base's network system.
Steven felt like he was dreaming; the happiness hit him out of nowhere.
Cindy snorted. "If they were using a public network instead of an independent one, I would've cracked their security ages ago. All I needed was a key to open that door. Honestly, their tech guys have nothing on me."
After all, she was the hacker who had once planted a flag on the NexusPulse website!
Steven raised an eyebrow and grinned. "True. Just because someone works in the government info department doesn't mean they're the best."
Most of the real computer whizzes were in the private sector.
Government jobs couldn't compete with the short-term benefits of private gigs.
Plus, without strong connections, no matter how good you were, climbing the ladder in the government was tough.
So, government units usually outsourced their software projects.
And those government techies couldn't hold a candle to a world-class hacker like Cindy.
Steven held onto her wheelchair and looked at the computer screen. "Will they notice our intrusion? And can we see everything in their network?"
Steven instinctively leaned closer to Cindy, making her blush slightly as she looked down. "I have the highest control authority over West Mountain Base's network now. It's like having a god's-eye view. We can see all their operations, but they can't see us."
Steven's smile widened. "Awesome! Now we can know everything they're up to."
He pointed at the screen. "Quick, pull up all the intel on the missile launch. I want to see if they're bluffing!"
This was Steven's biggest concern.
Cindy's fingers danced over the keyboard, quickly pulling up the intel Steven wanted.
"According to West Mountain Base's records, they don't have the authority to launch missiles," Cindy said.
Steven felt a bit of relief.
But then he asked, "Could they request external support? Like, get permission from other major military districts?"
Cindy immediately started digging through West Mountain Base's external communication records.
After multiple searches, Cindy found some key conversations.
The call records were from Peter at West Mountain Base.
And the person he was talking to was in Teksbo City, hundreds of miles away from Starlight City.
"Mr. Peterson, I need a favor. Help me use a missile to attack a unit in Starlight City."
"Mr. Martin, you better think this through. I can only repay your favor once."
"I know, I've made up my mind. I'll have my department send you the coordinates. Let's set the time for tomorrow night at 12."
"No problem."
After hearing this, Steven took a deep breath.
Teksbo City was home to the Silvercrest District, one of the six major military districts of The Astralium Kingdom.
They had extremely powerful armed forces, way beyond what Starlight City had.
Steven quickly said to Cindy, "Check if they've sent the coordinates of the shelter!"
Cindy didn't say a word; she looked serious and her hands moved swiftly.
Soon, a smile appeared on her face. "Steven, we're in luck. They haven't sent the coordinates yet!"
After the apocalypse, most base stations were destroyed, so ordinary people and units couldn't access precise coordinate systems.
However, important national units were exceptions.
For example, the major military districts could directly use the nebula system and military satellites for positioning.
Of course, West Mountain Base didn't have this authority; it was a way for the higher-ups to control the local units.
So, for West Mountain Base to get the precise coordinates of Steven's shelter, they would need multiple verifications.
Moreover, West Mountain Base still operated mainly as a bureaucratic unit, with cumbersome processes and low efficiency.
As a result, the process was still stuck with Peter's secretary, Lisa.
Steven breathed a sigh of relief.
At this moment, Cindy looked at him and suddenly showed a mischievous smile. "Steven, how about we play an interesting game?"
"What interesting game?" Steven blinked.
When he saw Cindy's smile, he knew someone was going to have a bad day.
Despite her paralyzed legs, her brain was ten times more agile than an average person's.
In the shelter, everyone except Steven had been pranked by her.
Cindy squinted her eyes and smiled gently. "How about we change the missile strike coordinates to West Mountain Base? Let them bomb themselves; wouldn't that be fun?"
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