Chapter 74

Chapter 74 – The Firewall Falls

The security doors hissed open as Bai Xueqing and Mo Chen slipped inside the archives, their footsteps muffled by the silent tension that filled the air. Every motion was calculated. Every breath measured.

"This way," Mo Chen whispered, guiding her through a narrow corridor lit only by red emergency lights. "Yanshang's signal is coming from Lab B-13."

Xueqing's pulse quickened. "We're almost out of time."

---

Inside Lab B-13, Xu Yanshang's fingers hovered over the emergency shutdown protocol, tension radiating from every inch of him.

The Gloved Man circled slowly, predator-like. "You really think you can destroy it from the inside?"

"I helped build the firewall," Yanshang said evenly. "I know where the cracks are."

A smile tugged at the man's lips. "Then I suppose I should thank you. Oracle would've been nothing without you."

"That's why I'm here to end it."

The Gloved Man raised the pistol. "A shame."

Click.

A second passed. Nothing.

The Gloved Man looked down. The magazine was gone.

"I think you dropped this," came a cold, feminine voice.

He turned.

Bai Xueqing stepped into the room, gun raised, the shadows melting off her like smoke. Mo Chen followed, eyes glinting.

"Hello again," she said coolly.

The Gloved Man smiled, slowly raising his hands. "You never disappoint, Miss Bai."

"You do," she replied, pulling the trigger.

Bang! The bullet grazed his shoulder and he stumbled backward, hitting the lab console.

"Surrender now, and we might let you keep that hand," Mo Chen offered with a smirk.

But the Gloved Man only laughed. "You don't get it. You're too late."

Alarms blared.

The central console's interface began to flicker.

Yanshang's face turned pale. "He activated the remote firewall backup—Oracle's emergency self-defense!"

The system's screen began to flood with encrypted data, its core shielding itself. Access was collapsing.

"Can you stop it?" Xueqing asked.

"I can slow it. But we'll need time."

Mo Chen moved to cover the entrance. "Then get moving."

The room turned into a race against the clock. Yanshang's fingers flew across the keys, firewalls slamming shut one after another, but he knew each line of code. He knew their weaknesses. Because he had built them.

---

Outside the lab, more footsteps echoed.

Mo Chen pressed his earpiece. "Lin Nuo, do we have company?"

"Uh, yes. And I don't think they're here for coffee."

"How many?"

"At least six. Armed."

Xueqing's eyes narrowed. "Hold the hallway."

Mo Chen grinned, flipping his second pistol out from his jacket. "With pleasure."

---

Inside, Yanshang shouted, "One more breach—then the node's vulnerable!"

A sudden surge of electricity burst from the console. Sparks rained down, and the lights flickered.

The Gloved Man, still slumped against the wall, laughed through gritted teeth. "You think cutting the head off Oracle will kill it?"

"No," Xueqing said, walking up to him. "But it'll feel a hell of a lot of pain."

---

As Yanshang hit the final command, the console's hum dulled. The encrypted firewall shattered—line by line.

The node crashed.

Oracle's central server was down.

And just like that, the nest began to fall.