Chapter 15: The First Iteration

"Wait a moment, let me sort this out."

On the other end of the phone, Wang Wei shook his head. He had gotten up too quickly just now and his head was still buzzing.

"You said someone is trying to kill you? The recent cases of middle school students falling off buildings were attempts to silence you?"

"Brother Wang, save me!"

"But why? Why are you still okay?"

Song Han quickly said,

"I suspect that the other side can't find my real location information. They'd rather kill wrongly than let me go, and now they're randomly killing people. It's going to turn into a bloodbath soon!"

Wang Wei clearly didn't believe the words of this little kid Song Han.

"It's the new century in 2002. Is there really such a perverted organization in the world?"

"It must be the foreign organization! They've discovered the secrets I've uncovered and they want to silence me by killing me!"

Wang Wei pondered for a moment and said,

"The methods are simple and crude. If the foreign organization is really willing to use such methods and pay such a high price to silence you, I think it's better for you to turn yourself in to the foreign organization."

"I've made contributions to national security!"

"The country will remember you."

"I've already sorted out the detailed description of the XP system vulnerability. Brother Wang, when do you think it's convenient for you to submit it to the leaders for me?"

That night, Song Han moved into the safe house of the Municipal Security Bureau overnight.

At the same time, Wang Wei also received a document regarding collaborative defense from the local public security system.

Looking at the notice in his hand, without disturbing Song Han who was resting in the room, Wang Wei directly stepped forward and blocked the people who came.

The night passed without any incident. The next day, as soon as it dawned, the detailed investigation record from the Municipal Public Security Bureau was sent over. Looking at the title on the document, Wang Wei's bleary eyes, which had endured a sleepless night, suddenly froze for a moment.

"Anti-social personality, random homicides committed by a schizophrenic teenager..."

"Is this way of closing the case for real?"

Along with the document, there was also a call from their director.

"The Security Bureau takes over the investigation of the case of the middle school student falling and being killed in the city and combines it with the explosion case at Jingdian Primary School for filing and investigation!

One incident might be just an accident, but two incidents of manipulating children to carry out suicide bomb attacks behind the scenes within a short period of time. No matter who is behind it, if they dare to act recklessly in domestic, they must be made to pay the price!

Not even the highest authorities can stop it! That's what I said!"

"Yes!!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Wei immediately stood up and replied affirmatively. But then, as if thinking of something, he asked,

"By the way, Director, didn't you say that they wouldn't have the opportunity to carry out a second operation in the near future?

Is there a loophole in our security measures?"

What greeted him was the busy tone of the phone being hung up with a click.

When the sun was already high in the sky, Song Han's biological clock, which hadn't been fully adjusted yet, failed quite smoothly in this unfamiliar environment of the safe house.

"I'm going to be late for class!"

The intense sunlight outside the window made Song Han jump up suddenly.

Wang Wei, who was reading the materials in the living room, waved his hand when he saw Song Han's busy figure and said,

"Wait a moment. Liu Xi and I will drive you there."

Upon hearing this, Song Han's hasty actions of washing up suddenly slowed down.

"If you put it that way, I'll just go back to sleep for a while. You have no idea that these days, I've been living in constant fear and haven't had a good sleep for quite a few times." 

In the kitchen, Liu Xi came out carrying soybean milk and deep-fried dough sticks. Picking up the conversation between Song Han and Wang Wei, she smiled and said,

"Are you worried that a Terminator will travel through time to come and terminate you?"

Coming out of the washroom, Song Han shook his head and said,

"I'm more worried that what comes isn't a Terminator!"

"If it's not a Terminator, then what is it?"

"Who knows? Maybe it's just an 180-jin (about 90 kilograms) primary school student with anti-social personality and schizophrenia that I happen to meet on the road!"

Song Han's words made Wang Wei's gaze freeze. He glanced at the file bag he had put away and instinctively looked at Liu Xi. After seeing her gently shake her head, he said thoughtfully,

"Why a primary school student instead of an adult?"

Song Han grinned and said,

"It's 2003 now. If it's a primary school student, there's still a chance for them to live until 2112 with the extension of lifespan brought about by technological development.

No matter how much you try to extend the lifespan of an adult, it's very difficult to break through the limitation of the self-atrophy of their telomeres."

Wang Wei and Liu Xi beside him looked at each other in confusion, certain that they didn't understand what Song Han was saying. Then they continued to ask nonchalantly,

"Then why does one have to live until 2112?"

"I came back from 2112. If they aren't people from after 2112, what grudges could they possibly have against me!"

Although they knew that what Song Han said was just the wild talk of a junior high school student who had just left the ranks of primary school students not long ago, looking at his serious expression, it was hard for people not to refute him. 

Liu Xi smiled and said,

"You've really got the time pinpointed accurately. It's the same year as when Doraemon traveled back!

Did you also invent the time machine in 2112?"

"Huh? Is that so? Why do I remember that Doraemon traveled back in 2023?"

Song Han was quite surprised upon hearing this.

Seeing that the two were getting further and further off - topic, Wang Wei helplessly cleared his throat and interrupted their idle chat.

"Let's eat. Aren't you going to be late for school?"

Song Han raised his eyebrows as he looked at the breakfast on the table and said,

"These are clearly soybean milk and deep - fried dough sticks bought downstairs. Why did you have to plate them in the kitchen and bring them out? Do you always live your daily life with such a sense of style?"

Hearing this, Liu Xi beside him couldn't help but secretly glance at Wang Wei, and her pretty face turned red.

...

"What are you looking at? You seemed so rushed when we went out just now, but now you're not in a hurry?"

Sitting in this vintage - style wide - fronted Santana, Song Han withdrew his gaze from the familiar figure at the roadside breakfast stand.

"Anyway, I'm going to be late. What's the difference between being a little earlier or a little later?"

"So open - minded! I wish I could have been as carefree as you when I was in school!"

Song Han casually waved his hand.

"You'll get used to it after experiencing such things many times."

Wang Wei sighed with emotion upon hearing this.

"Yes! If I could have been as open - minded as you back then, I wouldn't have simply entered the Political Science and Law College and been selected to work in the current department."

Hearing this, Song Han turned his head to look at the other person's calm face with a hint of pride, and couldn't help but secretly scoff at him.

"Your parents have gone back. We used the excuse of a competition training camp for your going - out. If you let it slip when you call your family, it's none of our business."

Having no intention to continue the conversation, Song Han waved his hand to show that he understood.

"By the way, here you are."

Just about to get out of the car, Song Han took the envelope handed over by Wang Wei. Feeling the uneven and hard texture inside, he raised his eyebrows and asked, "A bank card?"

"The system vulnerability you submitted last night has been verified. This is the approved bonus. The amount is too large, so we didn't withdraw the cash for you."

Song Han thought for a moment and then asked, "Is it safe for me to use it?"

Wang Wei smiled and said, "This is a bank card under our bureau's name, and it's anonymous."

Song Han nodded, casually stuffed the envelope into his pocket, and turned to walk towards the school.

"Report!"

"Stand beside the door!"

Song Han looked at the arrangement made by the head teacher in the classroom without even turning around, and helplessly stood beside the classroom door.

"Re... report..."

A timid voice sounded behind him. Before Song Han could turn his head, he smelled a strong smell of Chinese chives.

"Are all of you here?"

Only then did the head teacher turn his head. He quietly looked at the watch on his wrist, and soon the bell for the end of the class rang.

"Very good. It's only been a little over a month since the start of the semester, and you two have the guts to skip a whole class directly!

Tell me, what excuses have you come up with? If they're not creative, it won't be easy for you to get past me today."

At this moment, Song Han didn't say anything and turned his head to look at the classmate who was late with him.

The loose school uniform, which had been washed until it turned white, was stained with a lot of grease. The long ponytail and thick bangs covered her face. Her small hands hidden in her sleeves, with several Band-Aids on them, were nervously intertwined at the moment.

Only then did Song Han suddenly realize that he had been at school for over a month, yet he still hadn't clearly seen what the female classmate behind his seat looked like. 

"Song Han, you speak first!"

"I did my homework too late yesterday and didn't notice that the alarm clock had run out of battery."

"Creative and reasonable. You can come in!"

"An Jian, what about you? This is the second time you've been late this week, right?

I'm not mistaken that it's only Tuesday today, am I?"

The head teacher's question made the little girl beside him, who had been lowering her head, lower her head even more. At this moment, Song Han realized that inside the loose school uniform was such a thin and weak body.

"Song Han, if you don't come in, do you want to come up with an excuse for your classmate as well?"

Hearing the head teacher's question, Song Han frowned slightly. He looked at the classmate he had just met this morning beside him and said uncertainly, "Working part-time to support her studies?"

Song Han's words made the little girl's body tremble inexplicably.

Song Han's words made the head teacher open his mouth several times as if he wanted to speak, but in the end, he closed it again.

"Forget it. You both come in!"

Back at his seat, the head teacher began his admonition:

"Think about how much money your families spend sending you to school every year. It's so difficult to earn money nowadays. If you don't study hard and are always late, who are you worthy of?

Do you think that just because you can get into the experimental class, you can rest easy? How many in the whole city, the whole province, and the whole country are waiting for you!

If you don't study hard, what will you use to compete with them in the future!

Think about it carefully! Class is over!"

As soon as the words fell, the bell for the next class rang. 

The head teacher coughed awkwardly twice and said,

"The next class is physical education. The PE teacher is ill, so it's been changed to mathematics temporarily. If you need to use the restroom, go quickly. I'll give you an extra 5 minutes!"

It's another day of filling the brain with knowledge.

On the way home from school, Song Han quickly got into the Santana waiting by the side in two steps. Looking at the classmates behind him who were curiously peering over, he couldn't help but frown.

"Isn't this a bit too ostentatious?"

Wang Wei explained,

"There are 132 students in No.1 Middle School who are picked up and dropped off by cars. It's neither too many nor too few. As long as you don't draw attention to it, no one will pay extra attention to you.

If there are no accidents in a while, we will rearrange the security work for you in a non-contact way."

As the car slowly started, Wang Wei turned his head and said,

"By the way, there was a logistics call today saying that the goods had arrived. Did you buy something?"

"Really? So fast? I thought it would take half a month!"

In the car, Song Han rubbed his hands excitedly.

"Let's go to the internet café!"

The group made a detour to the internet café that was still signed in Wang Wei's name.

"What's this thing?"

Li Wei kicked the box that he had struggled to carry in. Looking at Song Han who was clicking away in front of the computer and not knowing what he was busy with, he helplessly turned around and continued unloading the goods.

"Xiaohan, carry out the first local iteration!"