Chapter 77

Chapter 77 – Coordinates in Code

The hum of high-speed servers pulsed through the underground bunker, a steady rhythm that echoed Xueqing's racing thoughts. The entire team had reconvened in Mo International's digital war room—rows of curved monitors, satellite feeds, and the occasional cup of untouched coffee scattered across the tables.

Mirage stood in the center, eyes locked on a holo-map projected midair. "Helix doesn't anchor. It follows a set of unpredictable trajectories based on orbital shifts and encrypted beacons sent through ghost satellites."

Mo Chen crossed his arms. "We don't have time to chase a shadow across the ocean."

"We won't," Mirage said. "Because I know the pattern."

She reached into her jacket and pulled out an old data drive, the casing cracked, edges singed. "I risked everything to steal this. It's the Architect's original seed code. Inside is a recursive cipher—a kind of living algorithm that feeds on Oracle's communications. If we decrypt it, we'll have the next predicted location of Helix."

Xueqing nodded to Lin Nuo. "Plug it in."

Lin raised a brow. "You're trusting her?"

"No," Xueqing said. "I'm trusting me."

The drive slid into the server port. Instantly, cascading streams of code raced across the primary screen, glyphs and syntax layered with chaos. Lin Nuo whistled. "Encrypted with quantum keys and layered fractals. This is next-level lunacy."

Mirage smirked. "Glad you appreciate my ex's work."

Yanshang blinked. "Wait. Ex?"

Mirage shrugged. "The Architect wasn't just my partner in Oracle. He was… my partner."

Xueqing's expression didn't change, but Mo Chen's jaw ticked. "This mission just got personal for you."

"I never said it wasn't," Mirage said evenly. "But don't worry—I'd rather kill him than kiss him."

Lin Nuo cracked his knuckles. "Give me six hours. And some bubble tea."

"Three," Xueqing said.

"Sadist," Lin muttered, already typing.

---

By 2:00 a.m., Lin Nuo leaned back, eyes bloodshot but victorious. "We've got it. Coordinates point to the South China Sea, about 200 nautical miles off Luzon. The next Helix surfacing event is in 18 hours."

Xueqing was already moving. "Yanshang, prep the stealth jet. Mo Chen, contact the Navy's old friend of yours."

Mo Chen's brow rose. "You want a submarine?"

"I want everything," she said sharply. "Oracle's about to learn what happens when ghosts mess with the living."