ATFBETIBM Chapter 506

The maglev truck didn’t give anyone a chance to regret as it plunged into the garage.

Bai Lixin: “…”

Unknown: [Are you in?]

Bai Lixin: […Who are you?]

Unknown: [It’s me. I sent you a message before. I’m Li Cangshan.]

Bai Lixin glanced at Li Cancan, who was playing with the computer: [Are you really Li Cangshan?]

Unknown: [Yes, I am. Just come in, and I’ll guide you in the right direction.]

Bai Lixin: [Before, you told me to come to you. Why were you telling me not to come in today?]

Unknown: [It’s indeed very dangerous here. But I didn’t stop you from coming in.]

Bai Lixin: [?]

Unknown: [I just didn’t want Sister Cancan to come in. But, God Xin, you should come in.]

Bai Lixin: […]

‘I thank you.’

Because he’s worried about Li Cancan’s safety, he doesn’t want Li Cancan to come in.

So, he’s worried about his secret crush?

S419M: [So, this is the real Li Cangshan, right? Heh, this sneaky brat Li Cangshan.]

Escape System: [I’ve eaten a mouthful of sour dog food, bah.]

S419M: [Sister System, don’t be angry. Brother will hug you, and you won’t be angry anymore, hehe.]

Escape System: [Wuuu, Brother M, you’re so kind.]

Bai Lixin: […]

‘Did I commit any sin in my past life?’

Bai Lixin focused on the chat box: [Who is using your chat window?]

Unknown: [It’s Dr. Serkhi artificial intelligence. Its language system is very advanced and can mimic the tone of the original owner of the chat window for conversation.]

Bai Lixin: [Why is your chat window with the artificial intelligence?]

Unknown: [After entering Dr. Serkhi’s underground secret research base, we are not allowed to communicate with the outside world. All communication devices were confiscated. When I secretly investigated, I found that the AI was luring people here by mimicking everyone’s tone in the chat window.]

[Fortunately, I learned some programming and coding in the army, so I made a simulated interface that allows brief communication with the outside world.]

Bai Lixin: […Do you learn everything in the army?]

‘How come you know a bit of everything?’

Unknown: [No, of course not. How is that possible? We don’t learn how to do bad things.]

Bai Lixin: […]

Bai Lixin: [Li Cancan came in to find you. Where should I find you?]

Unknown: [I can’t send you my location. I’ll tell you how to get there after you go in. First help me send Sister Cancan out, then come find me. I’ll find a way to meet up with you.]

“Ah!” Li Cancan on the other side exclaimed.

Bai Lixin looked up and saw Li Cancan pointing at the translucent screen in front of her excitedly. “God Xin, it’s Li Cangshan.”

Looking in the direction of Li Cancan’s finger, the chat window of “Li Cangshan” had just sent Li Cancan a dynamic picture. In the picture, Li Cangshan was waving at the screen.

Unknown: [That’s fake!]

Li Cancan: “But it seems fake.”

Her fingers flew across the keyboard, quickly disassembling the character in the dynamic picture. “It looks like it’s synthesized by AI.”

Unknown: [As expected of my goddess, amazing.]

Bai Lixin: “…”

‘I suspect you’re playing some kind of new form of unrequited love.’

Li Cancan: “But if you want to create an AI image, you need to collect a lot of photos from different angles of the person. Since this person can send me a dynamic AI picture of Li Cangshan, it means the other party has definitely seen Li Cangshan, and can take many photos of him. Xiao Li must have been caught by Dr. Serkhi.”

Unknown: [I haven’t been caught, I’m just restricted in my movements!]

[…] Bai Lixin, [Btw, can’t you just talk directly to Li Cancan?]

Unknown: [No, she insisted on finding me even after the fake Li Cangshan talked to her. If I talk to her, she’ll definitely turn this dangerous place upside down to find me. How can I let my goddess take such risks for me?]

[Don’t let my goddess know about my existence. You need to find a way to cover up for me, just say I’m not here.]

Bai Lixin: […]

‘So, it’s okay for me to take this risk?’

Unknown: [I can’t meet you now, but I’ve hacked a robot that will guide you to the exit. After Sister Cancan leaves safely, the robot will bring you to find me. After I finish my work, I’ll try to hurry over to your side.]

Bai Lixin: [What work do you have?]

Unknown: [Dr. Serkhi arranged for us to clean up the energy. It will take some time to complete, and I can’t leave now.]

Bai Lixin said, [Okay]. The truck had slowly descended during their conversation, finally coming to a stop.

Outside came a “clank clank” sound of metal friction, followed by a feeling of shaking around and their bodies swayed a few times.

Xia Chi whispered, “It seems like we’re being lifted up.”

Li Cancan also whispered, “I feel it too.”

She discreetly plugged the data cable into a metal interface and began to operate it quietly. After a while, a slightly blurry black and white image appeared on the previously blue screen.

This angle was somewhat like looking up from the truck’s perspective. You could see a black hook slowly lifting the truck up.

Li Cancan: “I hacked into the truck’s video system.”

The hook lifted the truck onto a conveyor belt, and the truck moved along with the long, dark conveyor belt, finally stopping in a warehouse filled with various boxes.

There were no people in the warehouse, only two mechanical vehicles similar to forklifts moving back and forth.

After the maglev truck stopped here, it automatically opened its cargo door.

A diagonal metal slope extended from the truck’s cargo door to the ground, apparently waiting for the two forklifts to come and unload the cargo.

The three of them poked their heads out and took a look. Seeing that the two forklifts were busy with other things, they immediately ducked out of the cargo compartment and found a hidden place to hide.

Just as they hid, the two forklifts put down what they were carrying and slowly moved towards them.

Taking advantage of the gap when the two forklifts were moving cargo, Bai Lixin began to observe the warehouse.

The warehouse only had one exit, which should be the exit from the warehouse. However, that exit was diagonally opposite to their current position. To get there, they had to pass through the area where the two forklifts were working.

The truck was hooked in here and it looked like it will be hooked on the conveyor belt and return the same way.

This warehouse served as a kind of buffer transfer station. Goods from outside were temporarily stored here, but the trucks transporting the goods did not directly enter the base.

The one who called himself “Li Cangshan” wanted Li Cancan to leave.

Although the other party claimed to be “Li Cangshan,” Bai Lixin had no way to verify it. But this “Li Cangshan,” who didn’t want Li Cancan to take risks, seemed at least more authentic than the “Li Cangshan” who kept asking Li Cancan to come in.

Actually, the simplest and best way to make Li Cancan leave the base was to let her return to the truck and follow the truck back the same way.

But while this method sounded simple, it was difficult to implement in practice.

Li Cancan was now focused on finding Li Cangshan and would definitely not return the same way now.

So, this method was not feasible.

The three looked at each other, and Bai Lixin pointed to the two forklifts, then pointed to the door, and gestured.

The meaning was to move to the door while the forklifts weren’t paying attention.

Xia Chi stared at Bai Lixin’s gesture for two seconds, immediately understanding, and made a “yeah” gesture, then patted his chest.

Bai Lixin guessed that he meant, “Don’t worry, I understand.”

Bai Lixin was very relieved.

But the next moment, Bai Lixin suddenly felt like he was the clown in a circus.

Xia Chi somehow found a rock from somewhere and smashed it heavily against the metal wall of one of the forklifts.

The collision of the rock and metal made a crisp “bang.”

The two forklifts immediately stopped their actions.

Their “eyes” changed from blue to red, and two red lights shot out from their eyes. They began to scan the warehouse, emitting a harsh “buzzing” noise.

Bai Lixin was stunned.

Bai Lixin: [What are you doing, Xia Chi?]

Xia Chi: [Didn’t you say we should divert the forklift’s attention and then take the opportunity to rush out the door? I told you “No problem, let me do it, trust me,” and you smiled at me in satisfaction.]

Bai Lixin: […I meant to go past the forklifts while they weren’t paying attention!]

Xia Chi blinked: [Ah, I misunderstood, what do we do now?]

Li Cancan whispered, “I think I can hack the systems of these two forklifts, but it will take time, and we don’t have enough time.”

Bai Lixin frowned slightly, and prepared to resolve it directly with force.

He had long known that entering here would inevitably attract attention, and he had also prepared to challenge the base’s security system. But he didn’t expect to attract attention as soon as he entered.

Taking down these two forklifts would definitely alert the entire base.

Seeing the red lights of the two forklifts getting closer and closer to them, Bai Lixin silently grabbed the scythe from his backpack.

At the critical moment, there was a crisp sound from the warehouse door.

The sound was similar to the one just now, resembling the collision of stones and metal.

The similar sound immediately attracted the attention of the two forklifts. They stopped in unison, turned their bodies and aimed the red lights at the door. The two forklifts moved toward the door in unison and passed through it to the outside.

The three exchanged glances and took the opportunity to rush out of the warehouse door and into a small tunnel diagonally opposite.

In the corridor outside, the two forklifts stood in the corridor, scanning back and forth. When they saw a robot bending down to sweep the gravel on the ground, and the gravel occasionally hit the metal, the red lights in their eyes turned blue again.

The two forklifts returned to the warehouse and continued their work.

Xia Chi breathed a sigh of relief, “Brother, Sister Cancan, sorry about just now, I didn’t mean to.”

Li Cancan: “It’s okay, you’re just worried. What’s with that sweeping robot? It appeared too timely.”

Xia Chi peeked outside, “Hmm, strange, that robot seems to be coming towards us.”

“Oh, it’s not like it, it’s really coming.”

Li Cancan frowned.

In front of the dark narrow passage, a mechanical face suddenly broke in. On the black and silver metal face, a pair of red eyes were very eye-catching.

Li Cancan directly raised her bow, entering attack mode.

“Please verify the secret code.” The nearly two meters tall robot looked down at them, “The king of heaven will conquer the tiger of earth.”

The three of them were stunned.

Bai Lixin: “The pagoda suppresses the river demon.”

The red lights of the robot turned blue, “The secret code is correct. I am here to help you. Please follow me.”

Bai Lixin: “Oh, okay, lead the way.”

Li Cancan grabbed Bai Lixin, her eyes still wary, “God Xin, be careful, it might be a trap.”

Bai Lixin: “The secret code is correct, so it should be fine.”

“The king of heaven will conquer the tiger of earth, the pagoda suppresses the river demon,” was not only a familiar secret code, but it was also the secret code he used with Li Cangshan in the second level of virtual world.

This robot was the robot helper that “Unknown Li Cangshan” had told him about.

He, Li Cangshan, and Dijia had left the second level of the virtual world.

From this perspective, there was a high possibility that “Unknown Li Cangshan” was the real Li Cangshan.

Li Cancan was still very vigilant, questioning the robot in front of her, “Who sent you to help us?”

Robot: “Sorry, I cannot answer that question.”

Li Cancan: “Who is your master?”

Robot: “Sorry, I cannot answer that question.”

Li Cancan shook her head, “Where are you taking us?”

Robot: “To a safe place.”

Li Cancan frowned, “I’m not going with you.”

The tall robot’s blue eyes blinked twice, then it suddenly leaned down without warning, grabbing Li Cancan’s arm with its metal arms and effortlessly lifting the startled Li Cancan in a princess carry.

Afraid of attracting more attention from the robots, Li Cancan could only shout in a low voice, “Let me go!”

“Miss Li Cancan, I have been ordered that if anyone does not cooperate, I can use semi-coercive means to take you away,” the robot said in a toneless electric voice, “Miss Li Cancan, please don’t be afraid of me. I am your friend, not your enemy. You can trust me.”

Li Cancan was held in the arms of robot, looking unusually petite. She looked at Bai Lixin inquiringly. Only after seeing Bai Lixin silently nod did she calm down slightly, though she still remained vigilant.

The robot led them through the crisscrossing passages, avoiding the patrolling robot guards and the overhead sensors.

With the robot’s help, they seemed to have cleared the way effortlessly.

After Li Cancan stopped questioning, the robot put her down. She followed behind the robot, constantly scrutinizing it with suspicious eyes. “Is your master Li Cangshan?”

There was a team of patrol robots ahead, and the silver-black robot led them into a nearby concealed corner.

When the patrol robots left, the silver-black robot answered with emotionless electric voice, “Sorry, I cannot answer that question.”

Li Cancan: “Where are you taking us now? You can tell us, right?”

The question seemed to return to the starting point.

But this time, the robot’s answer changed.

Robot: “I can take you to see the person you want to see.”

Li Cancan: “Is it Li Cangshan?”

Robot: “Yes.”

Li Cancan glanced at Bai Lixin, then at the robot, and finally relaxed, “Then, thank you.”

Robot: “You’re welcome. This is what I should do.”

Bai Lixin could feel that they had been walking around the outer perimeter of the base all along.

He didn’t have much familiarity with the base when they were in the warehouse, but since they started walking inside, he began to feel some familiarity.

This base’s layout was similar to the destroyed underground laboratory he saw in the second level of the virtual world.

From the path the robot was now leading them through, it seemed to lead to that long corridor, the same tunnel where they hid from the acid rain in the second level of the virtual world.

Although the tunnel in the virtual world was severely damaged, traces of the track could still be seen on it.

That should be the track for the maglev train. It seems that the robot received orders from “Unknown Li Cangshan” to send Li Cancan out from that place.

From their current position, the entrance to that tunnel is only about a kilometer away, and they will soon reach it.

However, things often don’t go so smoothly according to one person’s wishes.

Just as they were getting closer to the entrance, a well-equipped robot team suddenly blocked their way like a steel wall.

There were also sounds behind them.

Turning around, they saw another robot team at the intersection behind them.

They were trapped between them.

The robot opened its arms, surrounded the three people behind it in a guardian posture, and stood against the wall.

The eyes of the robots on both sides were flashing red, all looking at the three of them. One of the robots stepped forward and said in a cold electric voice, “Dear human friends, welcome to the Secret Artificial Intelligence Experimental Base.”

“We have received orders to capture uninvited guests and bring you to Dr. Serkhi dead or alive .”

“For traitorous robots who defy Dr. Serkhi, they will be executed.”

After speaking, all the robots raised their weapons.

Everything happened so quickly.

Before these robot soldiers could attack, the silver-black robot that had been protecting them suddenly moved.

It was as fast as lightning, its body turning into a black meteor and crashing straight into the robot soldiers ahead.

Although they were all robots, the robot soldiers didn’t react in time.

The iron wall made of steel bodies was instantly smashed open. The robots’ bodies slammed straight into the wall, instantly flattening their delicate metal bodies.

The black-silver robot raised its hands, one on each side of the heads of the two robots trying to attack it. With a strong pull, the heads of the two robots were pulled out with the wires still attached, and the severed wire ends emitted blue sparks.

The robot slammed its palms together, and the two robot heads collided, instantly shattering into pieces.

It didn’t end there. The robot glanced at the position where Bai Lixin and the others were, then grabbed the bodies of the two headless robots and threw them over.

Li Cancan subconsciously raised her bow and arrow to shoot, but Bai Lixin pressed it down.

Although the metal bodies seemed to be thrown towards them, they actually landed behind them. At that moment, the two headless bodies blocked the laser shots from behind for them. The two robot bodies made a clanging sound of impact, and parts flew everywhere.

Li Cancan was only stunned for a moment before quickly recovering. She hid behind the broken metal bodies sparking with blue sparks and raised the golden bow and arrow in her hand diagonally upwards. White light arrows hit the robots behind them with perfect accuracy.

The laser shots stopped, and the metallic clanging in front also stopped.

Looking over, they saw a mess on the ground. The silver-black robot had lost one arm, but it was still standing steadily in the corridor. And under its feet, the once proud and arrogant robot soldiers had turned into a pile of scrap metal.

Xia Chi’s eyes sparkled, “Awesome.”

“Brother, this is the kind of mecha blockbuster I envision!”

“Big brother robot, you are my god! Thank you for your help just now.”

After the battle, the silver-black robot’s eyes turned blue again.

Its voice still had no fluctuations, “I have received orders to protect your safety. What I did just now was what I should do. Sir, there is no not need to thank me.”

“Dr. Serkhi has already discovered us, we need to leave quickly.”

The robot turned around and continued walking forward.

Li Cancan’s gaze swept over the blue sparks on the broken arm of the robot. Her mouth opened and closed slightly, but she hesitated to speak.

After two seconds of hesitation, she still asked, “Your arm fell off, does it affect you?”

The robot leaned over Li Cancan, “Are you talking about pain? Thank you for your concern, but I am a robot, I do not have pain sensors installed and do not feel pain.”

Li Cancan muttered softly, but her voice was too low for even Bai Lixin to hear what she said.

On the contrary, the footsteps of the robot in front seemed to pause for a very short moment, so short that no one noticed.

With their accelerated pace, they reached the destination in just one minute.

The robot opened the huge circular metal door, and a maglev train capable of accommodating four people appeared in front of them.

The robot: “Get on this train, the person you are looking for is at the end of the line.”

The sound of orderly and loud footsteps came from behind them, and the robot spoke faster, “Ladies first, please, Miss Li Cancan, please board first.”

Li Cancan said “Oh”, and quickly walked into the train.

As soon as she walked in, before she could even sit down, the door of the maglev train slammed shut.

Li Cancan looked outside through the glass in confusion.

Before the maglev train started, the last scene she saw was an army of dozens of robots catching up. The silver-black robot, Bai Lixin and Xia Chi faces the robot army, and a battle was about to break out.