**Chapter 8: The Final Algorithm**

Yan Xiu stood at the top of Huatian Tech's headquarters, the sprawling cityscape stretching out before him like a glittering sea of lights. The view was breathtaking, but the tension in the room was suffocating. Behind him, Li Jianguo sat at his desk, a smug smile playing on his lips.

"You finally came," Li Jianguo said, his voice smooth and calculated. "I've been waiting for you."

Yan Xiu's eyes narrowed as he turned to face the man. "Where's Night Cat?"

Li Jianguo chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "That traitor? She's receiving the punishment she deserves."

Yan Xiu's hand instinctively tightened around the USB drive in his pocket. "What do you want?"

"It's simple," Li Jianguo said, standing and walking to the floor-to-ceiling window. He gestured to the city below. "I want you to finish what your father started—to perfect the ultimate algorithm."

Yan Xiu's lips curled into a cold smile. "You think I'd help you control the entire city?"

"Control?" Li Jianguo turned, his expression one of mock pity. "You're so naive. We're not after control. We're after *evolution*."

He pressed a button on his desk, and the room transformed. The walls lit up with massive displays, streams of complex code and data flowing across them like digital rivers. The air hummed with the sound of machinery coming to life.

"Look," Li Jianguo spread his arms wide, "this is the future. A future where humans and machines merge seamlessly, where logic and emotion achieve perfect balance. We're creating a new species, Yan Xiu. And you—you're the key to making it happen."

Yan Xiu's eyes scanned the screens, his mind racing to process the information. Suddenly, it clicked. "You're experimenting with human brains," he said, his voice tight with anger.

"Very good," Li Jianguo said, nodding approvingly. "And you, my dear boy, are the perfect subject. You've inherited your father's genius, but without his pesky moral constraints."

At that moment, Yan Xiu's phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen—a message from Lin Xia: "Protection program activated, but needs your authorization."

Yan Xiu quickly typed a reply: "Give me five minutes."

He looked up at Li Jianguo, his expression calm but his mind working furiously. "If I agree to help you, will you let Night Cat go?"

Li Jianguo's smile faded, his eyes narrowing. "You're stalling."

Yan Xiu shrugged. "Think what you want. But you know as well as I do that without my cooperation, you'll never perfect the algorithm."

Li Jianguo studied him for a moment, then let out a short laugh. "Fine. I'll give you five minutes. But..." He pressed another button, and a glass capsule rose from the floor in the corner of the room. Inside, Night Cat lay unconscious, her face pale and her breathing shallow.

"Every minute," Li Jianguo said, his voice dripping with malice, "I'll reduce the oxygen levels in that capsule. Let's see how quickly you can make your decision."

Yan Xiu's heart pounded as he walked to the control console. He needed to buy time—time for the protection program to activate, and time to save Night Cat. As he began typing, he subtly connected his phone to the system.

"You know," he said, his tone casual, "my father left a backdoor in the algorithm."

Li Jianguo's expression shifted instantly. "What?"

"It's embedded in the core code," Yan Xiu continued, his fingers moving swiftly. "Once activated, it will destroy all the data."

Li Jianguo rushed to the console, his composure cracking. "Where is it? Tell me!"

Before Yan Xiu could respond, the room's lights flickered. Alarms blared, and the data on the screens began to glitch and distort.

"What's happening?" Li Jianguo roared, his face contorted with rage.

Yan Xiu seized the moment. He dashed to the glass capsule and entered a code on the keypad. The capsule hissed open, and Night Cat stirred weakly.

"Yan Xiu..." she murmured, her voice barely audible.

"Don't talk," Yan Xiu said, helping her out. "We need to get out of here."

Li Jianguo slammed his fists on the console. "What did you do?"

Yan Xiu turned to face him, his expression cold. "I activated my father's protection program. The system is self-destructing."

For a moment, Li Jianguo looked stunned. Then, to Yan Xiu's surprise, he began to laugh—a deep, unsettling laugh that echoed through the room.

"You think this will stop us?" Li Jianguo said, his voice dripping with contempt. "You're even more naive than I thought."

He pressed a red button on the console, and the city outside plunged into darkness.

The sudden blackout was jarring. The once-bright cityscape was now a sea of shadows, the only light coming from the faint glow of emergency vehicles in the distance. Inside the tower, the room was lit only by the flickering screens, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

Yan Xiu's grip tightened on Night Cat's arm as he helped her to her feet. "We need to move. Now."

Li Jianguo's laughter echoed behind them. "You can run, but you can't hide. The game is far from over."

Yan Xiu ignored him, focusing on getting Night Cat to safety. As they reached the door, it slid open to reveal a group of armed guards blocking their path.

"Step aside," Yan Xiu said, his voice firm.

The guards raised their weapons, but before they could act, a series of explosions rocked the building. The floor beneath them trembled, and the guards stumbled, giving Yan Xiu the opening he needed.

"Let's go!" he shouted, pulling Night Cat through the chaos.

They raced down the hallway, the sound of alarms and collapsing structures filling the air. Yan Xiu's mind raced as he tried to formulate a plan. The protection program had bought them some time, but Li Jianguo was right—this wasn't over.

As they reached the stairwell, Night Cat stumbled, her strength fading. "I can't... keep up," she gasped.

Yan Xiu crouched down. "Get on my back. We're not stopping now."

With Night Cat clinging to him, Yan Xiu began descending the stairs, each step a battle against exhaustion and fear. The building groaned around them, the sound of metal twisting and concrete cracking a constant reminder of the danger they were in.

When they finally reached the ground floor, they were met with chaos. People were running in every direction, their faces filled with panic. The city's power grid had been completely disabled, and the streets were plunged into darkness.

"Yan Xiu!" a voice called out.

He turned to see Lin Xia and Zhang Hao pushing through the crowd. Relief washed over him as they approached.

"Are you okay?" Lin Xia asked, her eyes scanning him for injuries.

"We're fine," Yan Xiu said, setting Night Cat down gently. "But we need to get out of here. Li Jianguo's still out there, and he's not done yet."

Zhang Hao nodded, his expression grim. "We've got a safe house nearby. Let's go."

The safe house was a nondescript building on the outskirts of the city, its plain exterior hiding a state-of-the-art command center. As they settled in, Yan Xiu immediately began working on the USB drive, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

"What's the plan?" Lin Xia asked, standing behind him.

Yan Xiu didn't look up. "The protection program slowed them down, but it didn't stop them. We need to find the source of the algorithm and destroy it for good."

Night Cat, now resting on a nearby couch, spoke up. "The algorithm's core is housed in a secure facility underground. It's heavily guarded, but if we can get in, we might be able to shut it down."

Zhang Hao crossed his arms. "That's easier said than done. If Li Jianguo's expecting us, he'll have the place locked down tighter than a vault."

Yan Xiu's eyes narrowed as he pulled up a map on the screen. "Then we'll need a distraction. Something big enough to draw their attention away from the facility."

Lin Xia stepped forward. "I can coordinate with the police. If we stage a fake operation somewhere else, it might give us the opening we need."

Yan Xiu nodded. "Do it. But be careful. Li Jianguo's not going to fall for anything obvious."

As Lin Xia and Zhang Hao began making calls, Yan Xiu turned to Night Cat. "How are you holding up?"

She managed a weak smile. "I've been better. But I'm not out of the fight yet."

Yan Xiu placed a hand on her shoulder. "We're going to end this. For my father. For yours. For everyone they've hurt."

Night Cat's eyes softened. "I know we will."

The plan was set in motion. Lin Xia and Zhang Hao led a team of officers to a decoy location, creating enough noise to draw Li Jianguo's forces away from the underground facility. Meanwhile, Yan Xiu and Night Cat made their way to the real target.

The facility was hidden beneath an abandoned warehouse, its entrance concealed by layers of security. But with Night Cat's expertise, they were able to bypass the defenses and slip inside.

The interior was a stark contrast to the crumbling exterior. Sleek, high-tech corridors stretched out before them, lined with monitors and humming machinery. The air was cool and sterile, carrying the faint scent of ozone.

"This way," Night Cat said, leading Yan Xiu down a narrow hallway. "The core is in the central chamber."

As they approached the chamber, the sound of footsteps echoed behind them. Yan Xiu turned, his heart sinking as he saw a group of armed guards closing in.

"Go," he said, pushing Night Cat forward. "I'll hold them off."

Night Cat hesitated, but Yan Xiu's expression left no room for argument. She nodded and ran toward the chamber, while Yan Xiu turned to face the guards.

The fight was brutal. Yan Xiu moved with precision, using his surroundings to his advantage. But the guards were well-trained, and their numbers were overwhelming. Just as it seemed he would be overpowered, a loud explosion rocked the facility.

The guards stumbled, giving Yan Xiu the opening he needed. He disarmed one of them and used their weapon to take down the others. As the last guard fell, he turned and ran toward the central chamber.

Inside, Night Cat was already at the control console, her fingers flying across the keyboard. "I've accessed the core," she said, her voice tense. "But I need more time."

Yan Xiu stood guard at the door, his weapon at the ready. "Hurry. They'll be here any second."

The sound of footsteps grew louder, and Yan Xiu braced himself. But before the guards could reach them, Night Cat shouted, "Done! The core is shutting down!"

The machinery around them whirred to a halt, the lights flickering and then going out. The facility was plunged into darkness.

"We need to get out of here!" Yan Xiu said, grabbing Night Cat's hand.

They ran through the corridors, the facility collapsing around them. As they emerged into the night air, the ground shook with a final, massive explosion.

Yan Xiu looked back at the ruins, his heart heavy but hopeful. "It's over."

Night Cat placed a hand on his shoulder. "For now. But we'll be ready if they come back."

Yan Xiu nodded, a determined glint in his eyes. "We'll be ready."