**Chapter 7: Fragments of Truth**

Yan Xiu sat on the hospital rooftop, the cool night breeze brushing against his face. The USB drive in his hand glimmered faintly under the moonlight, a small device that held the potential to unravel a truth that could change everything. Beside him, Night Cat sat in her wheelchair, her violet eyes fixed on the distant city lights that twinkled like stars against the dark sky.

"Are you ready?" Night Cat asked, her voice soft but steady.

Yan Xiu took a deep breath, the weight of her question pressing down on him. "Tell me everything."

Night Cat was silent for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts. Then, slowly, she began to speak. "Twenty years ago, our fathers were working on a secret project together. It was about the ultimate algorithm for quantum computing—a system capable of cracking any encryption, no matter how complex."

"But then," she continued, her voice tinged with sorrow, "your father discovered something terrifying. He realized that this algorithm could be used to control the entire city's smart systems. He wanted to shut down the project, but..."

"But someone disagreed," Yan Xiu finished, his voice low. "So they killed him."

Night Cat shook her head. "Not exactly. Your father... he took his own life. But it wasn't out of despair. It was to protect you."

Yan Xiu froze, his heart skipping a beat. "What do you mean?"

Night Cat reached into her pocket and pulled out an old photograph. The image showed two men standing in front of a massive machine. One was Yan Xiu's father, and the other was Night Cat's.

"Look here," she said, pointing to the corner of the photo. Yan Xiu leaned in closer and saw a stroller with a baby inside.

"That's..."

"You," Night Cat said, her voice softening. "During the time your father worked with mine, he often brought me to the lab. Your father always took care of us. He was kind, protective... and he knew too much."

Yan Xiu's heart raced as the pieces began to fall into place. "So you're saying..."

"Your father realized that the organization wanted to use the algorithm to control the entire city," Night Cat explained. "But what scared him more was that they wanted to use *you* to perfect it. Because you were born with an extraordinary ability for logical thinking—a gift they wanted to exploit."

Yan Xiu's hands trembled as the implications sank in. "So they..."

"Your father chose to end his life to sever your connection to the project," Night Cat said, her voice breaking slightly. "The code he left behind wasn't just a random string of numbers. It was a protection program, designed to stop the algorithm from ever being completed."

The revelation hit Yan Xiu like a punch to the gut. For years, he had believed his father's death was a tragic accident, a result of his obsession with his work. But now, the truth was far more sinister.

Before he could respond, the rooftop door burst open. Several black-clad figures stormed in, their guns raised and their faces hidden behind masks.

"Hand over the USB drive!" the leader barked, his voice cold and commanding.

Night Cat shoved Yan Xiu. "Run!"

Yan Xiu hesitated, but the determination in Night Cat's eyes left no room for argument. He turned and bolted for the stairwell, bullets whizzing past his ears. Behind him, he heard Night Cat's scream, but he didn't dare look back.

He raced down the stairs, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and fear. The truth about his father's death, the organization's conspiracy, Night Cat's identity—all of it swirled together, threatening to overwhelm him.

Suddenly, he collided with someone.

"Yan Xiu!" It was Lin Xia's voice.

She steadied him, her eyes wide with concern as she took in his pale face and frantic expression. "What happened?"

Yan Xiu gasped for breath. "Night Cat... the rooftop... they're after her!"

Lin Xia immediately grabbed her radio and called for backup. Meanwhile, Yan Xiu pulled out his phone and began typing furiously.

"What are you doing?" Lin Xia asked, her voice tense.

"Activating my father's protection program," Yan Xiu said, his fingers flying across the screen. "If what Night Cat said is true, this program can stop their plan."

The phone screen flickered, and a progress bar appeared. Suddenly, the hospital lights began to flicker, and alarms blared throughout the building.

"What's happening?" Lin Xia asked, her hand instinctively reaching for her weapon as she scanned their surroundings.

Yan Xiu kept his eyes glued to the screen. "The program is activating. It's scanning the city's smart systems, looking for their intrusion points."

Just then, his phone buzzed with a new message. He glanced at the screen and felt a chill run down his spine. The message read: "Game over, Yan Xiu. Meet me at the old place for the final showdown.—Li Jianguo"

Yan Xiu clenched his phone, his jaw tightening with resolve. "I know what to do."

The rooftop confrontation had left Yan Xiu shaken but more determined than ever. As he and Lin Xia made their way to the hospital's secure command center, his mind raced with the implications of what Night Cat had revealed.

"Are you sure about this?" Lin Xia asked as they entered the room. "If Li Jianguo is involved, this could be a trap."

Yan Xiu nodded, his expression grim. "I know. But we don't have a choice. If we don't stop them now, they'll use the algorithm to control the entire city."

Lin Xia sighed, her hand resting on her holstered weapon. "Alright. But we're doing this together. No heroics."

Yan Xiu managed a faint smile. "Deal."

The command center was a hive of activity, with officers and technicians working to contain the chaos caused by the activation of Yan Xiu's father's protection program. Screens displayed maps of the city, with red dots marking areas where the organization's systems had been detected.

Zhang Hao approached, his face etched with concern. "We've got a problem. The program is causing widespread disruptions. Traffic lights are malfunctioning, power grids are fluctuating... if we don't get this under control, the entire city could go dark."

Yan Xiu's eyes narrowed. "That's exactly what they want. Chaos gives them cover to move."

Lin Xia crossed her arms. "So what's the plan?"

Yan Xiu pulled up a map on one of the screens. "Li Jianguo wants me to meet him at the old place. That has to be the original lab where my father worked. If we can get there, we might be able to shut down the algorithm for good."

Zhang Hao frowned. "It's too risky. If Li Jianguo is expecting you, he'll have the place locked down."

"Which is why we need a distraction," Yan Xiu said, his mind racing. "Lin Xia, can you coordinate with the police to create a diversion? Something big enough to draw their attention away from the lab."

Lin Xia nodded. "I'll see what I can do. But you're not going in alone."

Yan Xiu shook his head. "I have to. If Li Jianguo sees anyone else, he'll know it's a trap."

Before Lin Xia could argue, Night Cat's voice came through the comms. "I'm in. I've accessed their systems remotely. I can guide you through the lab, but you'll need to move fast."

Yan Xiu felt a surge of relief. "Night Cat, you're okay?"

"For now," she replied, her voice strained. "But they're closing in. You need to hurry."

The journey to the old lab was tense. Yan Xiu moved through the city's backstreets, avoiding the main roads where the organization's operatives were likely watching. The lab was located in an abandoned industrial complex on the outskirts of the city, its crumbling facade a stark contrast to the high-tech secrets it held.

As Yan Xiu approached the entrance, he activated the comms. "I'm here."

"Good," Night Cat said. "The security system is still active, but I've disabled the alarms. You'll have a ten-minute window before they realize something's wrong."

Yan Xiu nodded, though he knew she couldn't see him. "Understood."

He slipped inside, the dim lighting casting long shadows across the empty corridors. The lab was a maze of rooms and hallways, each one filled with outdated equipment and dusty monitors. But Yan Xiu knew that beneath the surface, this place held the key to everything.

"Turn left at the next junction," Night Cat instructed. "The control room is at the end of the hall."

Yan Xiu followed her directions, his heart pounding with every step. As he reached the control room, he found the door sealed shut. A keypad glowed faintly beside it.

"Code is 7392," Night Cat said.

Yan Xiu entered the numbers, and the door hissed open. Inside, the room was filled with humming machinery and glowing screens. At the center of it all was a massive console, its surface covered in buttons and switches.

"This is it," Yan Xiu whispered. "The heart of the algorithm."

He quickly began working, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he accessed the system. The screens lit up with streams of code, each line more complex than the last.

"Be careful," Night Cat warned. "If you trigger the wrong sequence, it could activate the algorithm instead of shutting it down."

Yan Xiu nodded, his focus unwavering. "I know. But I've got this."

As he worked, the sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor outside. Yan Xiu's heart skipped a beat. They were running out of time.

"Yan Xiu," Night Cat's voice was urgent. "You need to hurry."

"I'm almost there," he muttered, his fingers moving faster. The progress bar on the screen inched forward, but it wasn't fast enough.

The door to the control room burst open, and Li Jianguo stepped inside, flanked by armed guards. "I knew you'd come," he said, a smug smile on his face. "Just like your father."

Yan Xiu's hands froze over the keyboard. "It's over, Li Jianguo. The algorithm will never be completed."

Li Jianguo chuckled. "You really think you can stop us? We've been planning this for decades. You're just a pawn in a much larger game."

Yan Xiu's eyes narrowed. "Maybe. But even pawns can checkmate the king."

With that, he slammed his hand down on the console. The screens flickered, and the machinery around them began to whirr and spark.

"What did you do?" Li Jianguo demanded, his smugness replaced by panic.

Yan Xiu smiled grimly. "I activated the self-destruct sequence. The algorithm will be destroyed, along with everything else in this lab."

Li Jianguo's face turned pale. "You're insane! You'll kill us all!"

"Maybe," Yan Xiu said, his voice steady. "But at least I'll take you down with me."

The guards raised their weapons, but before they could fire, the room was engulfed in a blinding light. The last thing Yan Xiu saw was Li Jianguo's horrified expression as the lab collapsed around them.

When Yan Xiu opened his eyes, he was lying on the ground outside the lab, the night sky above him. Lin Xia and Zhang Hao were kneeling beside him, their faces filled with relief.

"You did it," Lin Xia said, her voice trembling. "The algorithm is gone. The city is safe."

Yan Xiu managed a weak smile. "We did it."

As they helped him to his feet, he couldn't help but feel a sense of closure. The truth about his father's death, the organization's conspiracy—it was finally over. But as he looked at the ruins of the lab, he knew that this was just the beginning. The fight for truth and justice would never truly end.

And he was ready for whatever came next.