Chapter Seventy-Seven: Forming a Party to Clear the Dungeon

“Are you out of your mind?” Ji Cheng glanced at her in confusion and then pressed his hand lightly to her forehead.

“No fever,” he muttered.

He turned to Luo Rao, hoping for an explanation.

But Luo Rao was covering her eyes, looking exasperated and disappointed.

Zhang Lingfei slumped to the ground in resignation.

Ji Cheng shook his head and gently pulled Luo Rao’s hands from her eyes. “Sister, I want to go to the central zone, but it might be a bit risky...”

He felt he should at least respect Luo Rao’s opinion, even though he knew full well she would never refuse him.

“Of course,” Luo Rao replied with a smile, naturally supporting any decision Ji Cheng made.

“You want to go to the central zone?” Zhang Jing’e asked quietly from the side.

“Yes. After all these years, most people who come in only wander around the outer experimental zones. The central area has barely been searched. If there are any second-tier protogene specimens, they’ll almost certainly be in the central zone.”

Ji Cheng decided to muddy the waters further, adding, “And I just broke into a minor network node. It mentioned that the main research focus of Hive Laboratory is genetic protogenes.”

He couldn’t very well say he’d hacked into Area A’s network hub—it would draw too much attention—so he changed his story.

“Does that mean...?” Zhang Lingfei, still crouched on the ground, looked up at Ji Cheng, her breathing quickening.

The main research focus of Hive Laboratory was actually genetic protogene technology!

This was explosive news. They had indeed found several protogene samples here before, but never enough to draw such a sweeping conclusion.

If the intelligence was accurate, then the central area’s value was unimaginable.

Seeing the hunger in Zhang Lingfei’s eyes, Ji Cheng glanced sidelong at Zhang Jing’e and felt quite satisfied with their reactions.

“That’s right. I think there are probably multiple second-tier protogenes in the central area—quite a few, in fact.”

“Then... could you...” Zhang Lingfei hesitated, her lips moving.

Ji Cheng looked down at her with a smile. Even wrapped head to toe in his combat suit, his presence was as fierce and overwhelming as ever.

But that wasn’t what Ji Cheng was focusing on.

“Could I what?” he asked, feigning ignorance, but in his mind he was thinking:

Say it. Just say it already.

He’d dangled this information precisely to get them to join him in exploring the central zone, but if he could get them to ask for it themselves, all the better—he’d have the upper hand.

“Then could you take us with you? We promise we won’t hold you back,” Zhang Jing’e spoke up on her sister’s behalf.

Her eyes were shining now, nothing like her usual shy and quiet demeanor.

“Well... it’s not impossible,” Ji Cheng replied, purposely pausing. “But you’ll have to follow my lead.”

“No problem!”

The Zhang sisters agreed at once, clearly seeing Ji Cheng as their golden ticket.

Beep—beep—

His earpiece chimed again.

“So far, none of the teams have withdrawn. If anyone is considering retreating from Hive Laboratory, register now,” Zhou Ze announced over the public channel.

Everyone’s desire to become a second-tier ability user was just too strong to resist. Ji Cheng’s eyes lit up, and he smiled.

All the better—it would make his plan even easier to carry out.

He pressed his earpiece, switched to the public channel, and said clearly, “Base, reporting in. I’ve just learned that Hive Laboratory’s main research focus is genetic protogene technology.”

The channel went silent for several seconds.

Then Zhou Ze, Huang Long, and Yao Lun all demanded answers at once.

“What’s going on?”

“Is the intel reliable?”

“Explain in detail.”

Their voices betrayed their urgency—impatience, even.

Ji Cheng dragged a chair over and sat down, perfectly composed as he delivered his well-prepared explanation:

“I just hacked a minor network node. It mentioned that Hive Laboratory’s main goal is the mass, low-cost production of second-tier genetic protogenes.”

Back when he first arrived here, he’d already demonstrated his computer skills by cracking a defense matrix. In hindsight, perhaps he’d been a bit too bold, but it had left a strong impression on Zhou Ze and the others, so he spoke now with complete confidence.

Gulp.

Ji Cheng heard Zhang Lingfei swallow hard beside him and couldn’t help but smile inwardly. He imagined the forty-odd ability users on the public channel were probably reacting the same way.

“Do you have any documentation?” came the question from the temporary base.

“Yes, I do,” Ji Cheng replied without hurry.

He really did have documentation as evidence; after all, he’d genuinely hacked a network hub.

Zhou Ze’s voice came through the earpiece:

“Everyone maintain silence and clear the transmission channel. Ji Cheng, upload all data immediately.”

“Received, uploading now.”

Ji Cheng opened his wrist computer and, using the channel, uploaded an experimental report he’d downloaded from Area A’s network hub.

Earlier in the corridor, he’d had Shana and the others help him sift and edit it, making sure the data would substantiate his claims without being too shocking.

Otherwise, if those second-tier ability users outside couldn’t help themselves and rushed in, his plan would be ruined.

The ultra-high radiation here severely interfered with signals, and even though the actual distance to the temporary base wasn’t great, the upload took a full minute and twenty-five seconds.

—Transmission successful.

Hearing the notification, Ji Cheng shut his computer and pressed his earpiece. “Base, reporting in. The data has been uploaded.”

“We’ve hacked plenty of minor network nodes before. Why have we never found information of this scale?” Yao Lun questioned publicly on the channel.

Inside the Hive, there were many minor nodes, mostly for regulating room temperature, oxygen, and lighting—occasionally for uploading experimental data.

But just as you wouldn’t equip cannon fodder with artillery but with pistols, these minor network nodes used very basic firewalls.

Over the years, many ability users from Southport had hacked the Hive’s minor nodes.

“I wouldn’t know,” Ji Cheng replied indifferently.

Suspicious? Let them be.

The data was genuine, only slightly edited. He had nothing to fear if they examined it closely.

And whether or not it seemed too showy, Ji Cheng no longer cared—as long as it helped him acquire second-tier protogenes, nothing else mattered.

The channel fell silent again; he didn’t need to see it to know there was a fierce debate raging at the temporary base.

In the room, the Zhang sisters kept exchanging glances, sometimes looking at Ji Cheng.

Beep—beep—

“All Southport ability users, proceed immediately to the central zone,” Zhou Ze ordered.

And immediately the channel exploded:

“All Anxi City ability users, proceed immediately to the central zone.”

“All Rift Valley City ability users, proceed immediately to the central zone.”

“All Red Eagle Republic ability users, proceed immediately to the central zone.”

“All Blackwater Suspended City...”

...

Every second-tier ability user leading a city-state team issued the same command on the public channel, their voices grave and severe.

On Baishan Star, the value of a second-tier genetic protogene was simply too great—so great that it was worth risking the lives of ability users for a chance at one.

“As expected, everyone’s heading to the central zone,” Ji Cheng thought, deeply satisfied.

To win a gamble, you had to pick the right table.

The outer research zones of Hive Laboratory had been searched many times, but few dared venture into the central area. Based on the data Ji Cheng had provided, this was the best bet.

Not to mention, the outer zones suffered from even more severe psychic pollution—perhaps even greater dangers lurked there.

Tap, tap, tap.

Ji Cheng quickly tapped the earpiece transmission key several times, sending a brief blank message to acknowledge receipt of the order—this was the standard way to reply to public instructions while conserving bandwidth.

The others did the same, flooding the public channel with short, blank responses.

None of them had planned to retreat anyway; with this good news, their fighting spirit was at its peak.

“Let’s go. Time to set out.”

Objective achieved, Ji Cheng stood up and flashed a dazzling smile at the three of them.

After all, pioneering a high-difficulty dungeon with a team of girls—one should always bring plenty of muscle.