TIC 90

 Chapter 90

Standing before him was Hein Burton, his expression as impassive as ever; everything that had transpired in that other world seemed never to have truly shaken him.

A soft chuckle reached his ears. Xiao Yan turned his head to see Major General Cité leaning back against the sofa, wearing an air of utter leisure.

"You performed far better than I had imagined. This marks the first time anyone has ever managed to trap Hein Burton."

Cité’s praise did nothing to swell Xiao Yan’s ego; he replied coolly, "But, Major General, this trap I set for him is one he could break free of at any moment. Against a true enemy, such a method would be utterly useless."

"How long has it been since you were released from the 'Mind Sniping' protocol? Did you expect me to ask you to perform miracles?" Major General Cité shook his head with an amused smile. "Xiao Yan, at least three aspects of this exercise are worthy of commendation. First, you remembered the key principles I taught you regarding trap-setting: a trap must either possess an irresistible allure for the target or induce them to willingly surrender to it. You offered Colonel Burton a beautiful dream—and I’d wager that had I not been here to supervise you both, Colonel Burton would likely have preferred never to return to reality. Whether his willingness to succumb stemmed from your being uniquely special to him, or simply from the sheer ingenuity of your trap, at least from a theoretical standpoint, you executed it admirably."

"And the second point?"

"You constructed a scenario far more intricate than any I had previously devised—one that even incorporated characters you have never actually met in person, such as His Excellency, the President. This was an extremely audacious maneuver, one that risked exposure at any instant. Yet, you proved remarkably astute; you extrapolated the President’s persona directly from the mental data you gleaned from Hein’s mind. You then utilized that very data to construct a distinct scenario, thereby guiding Hein into the trap—a truly ingenious stratagem."

"And the final point?"

"As for the final point, perhaps we should let Colonel Burton explain it to you himself." Major General Cité gestured toward Hein, offering him the floor.

Hein began to speak unhurriedly, his cool, crisp voice flowing along Xiao Yan’s auditory nerves and flooding his mind—as if their thoughts remained inextricably linked. “You lay in ambush with great patience; when suppressed by the force of my mind, you didn’t rush to resist. Instead, you played along with me—using the ‘return to reality’ as a turning point—and lured me into a world of your own design. With perfect composure, you recreated the most mundane aspects of life—your research, for instance, or the preparations for the banquet—making me believe that we had truly returned to reality. Even when the waltz began, you didn’t rush to seduce me; instead, you used Lily to wear down my patience, thereby compelling me—against my own will—to step right into the trap you had crafted specifically to ensnare me.”

“But actually... even before we started dancing, you had already realized that none of this was real... hadn't you?” Xiao Yan asked, his voice tinged with hesitation.

“Yes.”

Hein’s answer made him close his eyes and press his hands firmly against his temples.

“Alright, tell me: where did I slip up? Was it the setup of the banquet? The scenery? Or...?”

“The moment I kissed your fingers back in the corridor, I knew I was still trapped within your mind.”

Xiao Yan was left completely dumbfounded. “...Why?”

“You once told me that you didn’t believe anyone could fabricate the sensation of my kiss well enough to deceive you. By the same token, you couldn’t possibly know—or recreate—the exact sensation I experience every time I touch you.”

Xiao Yan stared blankly at Hein for a long moment before finally lowering his head and bursting into laughter.

“So that’s it... my cover was blown ages ago...”

*You absolute bastard! Why didn’t you just call me out on it right then and there?!*

Major General Cité cleared his throat. “Very well. Regardless, this training exercise has served its purpose. At the very least, Xiao Yan, you now understand the techniques required for success, as well as exactly where you went wrong. I cannot continue to instruct you on how to ‘kill’ another person within the realm of the mind, as doing so would inflict irreversible neurological damage upon the infiltrator. However, I am confident that, as of this moment, should a genuine enemy ever become trapped within your mindscape, you will know precisely how to take them down. Show no mercy to your enemy, and harbor no hesitation; the window of opportunity lasts but a single instant.”

“I am deeply grateful for your unreserved instruction. Farewell, Major General.” Composing himself, Xiao Yan rose to his feet and rendered a crisp salute to Major General Cité. “The next time I see you, I hope you’ll be coming simply to... join me for afternoon tea.”

“As you wish.”

Xiao Yan and Hein left Major General Hiti’s office.

The two walked in silence down the corridor, followed—as always—by an entire Special Operations squad.

“Tell me: am I in reality right now, or have you trapped me inside my own subconscious?” Xiao Yan suddenly turned his face to look at the stern-faced man walking beside him.

The other man abruptly lowered his head, pressing his lips against Xiao Yan’s with intense force. He clamped a tight grip on the back of Xiao Yan’s head, rendering him unable to move. Hein thrust his tongue deep into Xiao Yan’s mouth, sweeping it forcefully against his palate. When the brief kiss ended, Hein asked in a voice devoid of any emotional fluctuation: “What do *you* think, Major?”

Xiao Yan smiled and walked forward, stretching his arms over his head as he went. “It makes no difference to me—even if I *am* trapped by you, it’s still a beautiful dream.”

The Federation’s Anniversary Celebration was fast approaching; it wasn’t just the military—the ordinary citizens of Char were also busy making preparations for the festivities.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan remained in the research lab, relentlessly tormenting Lauren by constantly pointing out the oversights in his data analysis. Xiao Yan found himself taking a particular delight in watching the young man’s demeanor shift—from proudly displaying his results with a swagger, to looking utterly crestfallen the moment his flaws were exposed.

The day’s research session finally concluded. Lauren stretched his arms overhead but showed no signs of leaving the lab.

“Aren’t you heading home yet?”

“I have to fix my mistakes first; otherwise, I won’t be able to sleep,” Lauren replied, waving a dismissive hand.

Suddenly, Xiao Yan found himself thinking the young man was actually rather endearing. Just as he was about to log out of the system, a notification flashed across his communication screen.

“Apologies for interrupting your research, Major. The Central Academy of Sciences is convening an emergency meeting in Conference Room 201. Please ensure you attend on time.”

Xiao Yan sighed. He had been looking forward to enjoying a gourmet dinner and then lying in bed listening to music, but that meeting notification had just dashed all those plans.

As he stepped out of the research lab, he saw that—aside from the two Special Forces soldiers standing guard at the door—a man with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall, had already been waiting there for him for quite some time. The man’s gaze, previously fixed elsewhere, slowly shifted toward Xiao Yan—as if something had penetrated the depths of his mind, seizing absolute control over his very being.

Xiao Yan’s heart began to pound wildly. A sensation of scorching, intertwined breath—a force of frenzied, crashing intensity—surged through his mind like a boiling tide.

In the most unshakeable manner possible, this man was laying claim to his absolute ownership over Xiao Yan. Meanwhile, memories of Hein Burton began to piece themselves together in Xiao Yan’s mind, fragment by fragment; those moments of sheer astonishment now felt even more vivid and deeply etched than his memories of logical, scientific experiments.

Instinctively, Xiao Yan reached out to brace himself against the wall, feeling a sudden amusement at his own abrupt flutter of the heart. *Damn it—why is my heart going haywire? It’s not like this is the first time I’ve seen the guy!*

He always had to keep his nerves taut just to withstand the sheer, oppressive intensity that Hein exuded—yet, at the very same time... he found himself irresistibly drawn to the man.

Take this moment, for instance: the sharp, chiseled contours of Hein’s face—hard and cold as if hewn from stone—seemed indelibly etched onto Xiao Yan’s very retinas. The rise and fall of Hein’s chest as he breathed—even the subtle bob of his Adam’s apple—sent a sudden wave of hoarseness washing over Xiao Yan.

“I have a meeting.”

His calm tone served as a mask for the inexplicable restlessness stirring within his heart.

“I’ll wait for you.”

Hein made no move to follow him, remaining exactly where he stood. The two special forces operatives continued to escort Xiao Yan forward.

Passing by one of the research labs, Xiao Yan ran into Ritz, who wore a look of utter dejection.

“I had a date lined up today with a real looker from the Quartermaster Corps... and now the whole thing’s completely blown!” Ritz lamented, his face a picture of regret.

Loch walked past him and added with a dismissive air, “If that ‘looker’ actually fell for your line, *then* her life would truly be considered blown.”

“Hey! Instead of wasting your time mocking me, why don’t you go get some sleep? You lunatic!” Ritz raised his foot, intending to kick Loch, but the other man had already sidestepped out of the way.

The three of them arrived at Conference Room 201, where a number of research supervisors—holding ranks of Major or higher—had already gathered.

The room buzzed with conversation as everyone speculated on the agenda for today’s meeting. “Could this be about tomorrow’s Federal Anniversary Celebration?”

“What does the celebration have to do with us? We just need to put on our evening wear and show up!”

“Then what is this meeting about? And where is Lieutenant General Avil?”

Xiao Yan nudged Ritz with his elbow. “Hey... is Lieutenant General Avil late, too?”

“Almost never.” Ritz pulled up a chair, sat down, and yawned.

It wasn't until the very last colonel entered the conference room that the sliding doors suddenly slammed shut, locking everything down tight.

A sense of foreboding welled up in Xiao Yan’s heart. He strode quickly to the sliding doors, only to find that the identification system was completely unresponsive.

“This is Major Xiao Yan, ID 1665. Activate identification system!”

Xiao Yan repeated the command over and over, but the result remained unchanged.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Ritz walked over to Xiao Yan’s side.

“The identification system has been disabled. The conference room doors are locked.”

Ritz sighed and patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder. “It’s probably just some classified meeting; don’t go...”

“A classified meeting without even a host?” Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. At that moment, even Ritz began to feel that something was amiss.

Everyone in the room was still murmuring amongst themselves.

Xiao Yan scanned his surroundings and said in a cold voice, “Almost every research director is trapped in here. If someone were to release a gaseous toxin through the conference room’s air-exchange system, we would all die right here—and the entire Central Academy of Sciences would be completely paralyzed.”

Xiao Yan kept his voice low, but Ritz’s expression instantly changed.

Just then, the largest holographic display in the conference room suddenly flickered to life. However, the figure that appeared was not Lieutenant General Avil, but a man who was a complete stranger to everyone else—though to Xiao Yan, his face was still vividly fresh in his memory. His features were elegant and exuded an air of distinct nobility; his profound demeanor left an indelible impression on anyone who saw him. When he spoke, his mellow voice resonated like the lingering aftertaste of a fine red wine.

“Good evening, you research elites of Char. At this hour, you should rightfully be enjoying a leisurely dinner. I offer my sincerest apologies for intruding upon your time of rest.”

The murmuring within the conference room grew even louder. “Who on earth is this? Could it be that someone is trying to replace Lieutenant General Averil?”

“But he isn’t wearing a military uniform!”

Xiao Yan stood completely dumbfounded, his eyes wide with shock.

Ritz, standing beside him, noticed his expression. “Xiao Yan! Who is this guy?”

The man’s gaze settled upon Xiao Yan, his expression resembling that of someone encountering an old friend they hadn’t seen in ages.

“Ah… Xiao Yan. You’re a Major now. Should I congratulate you, or should I feel sorry for you? With your talent, it’s shocking that they only gave you the rank of Major.”

“Xiao Yan, this guy knows you?” Ritz’s bewilderment deepened.

“He… is Valentine…”

“Who…?” As a mid-level administrator at the Central Academy of Sciences, Ritz had never heard the name Valentine before.

“The leader of the Surge Organization.”

No sooner had Xiao Yan’s words left his lips than the entire conference room—after three seconds of stunned silence—erupted into chaos, as if struck by a bombardment; everyone was seized by panic.

Valentine smiled, savoring the look on every single person’s face.

“If I were to cut off the oxygen supply to this conference room, you would all suffocate within half an hour.”

His features resembled those of a statue in a cathedral—handsome, yet brooding.

Everyone realized that their fates now lay entirely in Valentine’s hands.

They could not trigger the alarm system; they could not notify other units to come to their rescue; they didn’t even know the full extent of Valentine’s control over the Central Academy of Sciences.

“However, you need not worry. For if I were to cut off the oxygen supply, Major Xiao Yan—the man I admire most—would perish as well. And that is not an outcome I desire.”

“What do you want?” Xiao Yan told himself he had to remain calm. There had to be a terminal somewhere in this conference room; if he could just access it—even if he couldn’t manage to reboot the room’s systems—he could at least alert the outside world that something had gone terribly wrong. “Hmm... how shall I put this? In six hours—precisely at midnight—it will be the anniversary of the Char Federation. I felt it only fitting to celebrate the occasion properly with all of you. In another half-hour, the transport craft carrying the mutant zombies will dock with the Central Academy of Sciences; at that moment, thirty research-grade mutant zombies will be locked away within the specimen repository. All I need to do is open the repository doors, and they will go ravenously hunting for food. Major Xiao Yan, this ought to provide some truly authentic and reliable data for your research, wouldn't you agree? My only regret is that the Sharon virus within your system has already been metabolized. Do stay safe.”

Xiao Yan’s pupils constricted instantly. “What exactly is your objective?”

“Why, a live spectacle, of course! To let the entire Char Federation witness the heroic valor of the Central Academy’s elites as they wage a decisive battle against the zombies!”

With that, the screen went dark.

Xiao Yan sprinted toward the terminal in the conference room, but Valentine had executed his plan with such cunning precision that the terminal remained completely unresponsive. Xiao Yan surmised that every terminal throughout the Central Academy had likely been disabled; his adversary had completely severed any possibility of him communicating with the outside world.

The research directors, still bewildered by the turn of events, looked to Xiao Yan; they had a myriad of questions, but Xiao Yan knew that now was not the time to answer them!

Valentine was a madman! Two centuries spent in pursuit of immortality had left him convinced that he transcended the mortal world!

“Listen up, everyone! Our Central Academy system has been breached by Valentine—the ringleader of the Surge Organization! It’s not just this conference room; I believe the entire Central Academy has effectively become a sealed environment!” Xiao Yan glanced down at the communicator on his wrist; the time read 6:15. “In fifteen minutes, the transport craft carrying the research-grade mutant zombies will dock with the Academy’s zombie specimen repository—and the Surge Organization’s objective is to unleash them!”

The expressions on the research directors' faces shifted dramatically, yet—being officers of field-grade rank—they regained their composure far more quickly than Xiao Yan had anticipated.

Or perhaps, as scholars, what they had always truly feared was the unknown; now that they knew exactly what lay ahead, their minds were focused less on panic and more on devising a strategy to survive it. “My laboratory... operates independently of the Central Academy of Sciences’ main system. If we can make it inside, we stand a chance of locking these mutated zombies out and waiting for rescue. If we simply run around aimlessly in here... there can be only one outcome.”

To become prey for the mutated zombies.

Not to mention, samples of ‘Sharon-3’ were stored within Xiao Yan’s laboratory; if they could retrieve those samples, they would be safe from zombie attacks.

“But you can’t even be certain that your lab is still functioning properly!” a Major interjected skeptically.

“Given that we are trapped within this sealed environment, it is our only chance. Furthermore, we are fortunate that two Special Forces operatives are stationed just outside the conference room door, and Colonel Hein Burton also remains within the Central Academy...”

—even if he was merely waiting inside his own quarters. Xiao Yan felt a pang of regret; why hadn't he dragged the guy along with him?

Upon hearing the name “Hein Burton,” a glimmer of hope flickered in their eyes.

Xiao Yan smiled inwardly. Hein was not merely the linchpin of the Special Task Force; to the entire realm of Shire, he represented absolute omnipotence—even though, in reality, no human being could ever truly be all-powerful.

Given Hein’s acute vigilance, he would surely have sensed that something was amiss within the Academy. Perhaps, the moment the folding sliding doors parted, Hein would already be standing guard on the other side.

And yet... thirty mutated zombies. Could two Special Forces operatives—even with Hein’s assistance—truly guarantee the safe evacuation of every supervisor currently present? Furthermore, the question of whether his own laboratory remained operational still loomed... He wondered how that kid, Lauren, was faring! When Lauren had insisted on staying behind, Xiao Yan really should have ordered him to go back!

Xiao Yan kept glancing at the time displayed on his communicator. In five minutes, the conference room doors would open; what exactly would be waiting for him on the other side?

The research supervisors stood poised and ready, while that guy, Ritz, clung to Xiao Yan’s side, refusing to leave him for even a moment.

“Hey—why are you sticking to me like glue?”

“"I know you’ve got the X-2 virus inside you. Out of all us supervisors, you’re the only one with any combat capability." Reitz tugged at Xiao Yan’s sleeve, wearing an expression that suggested this was the most obvious thing in the world.

And—wouldn't you know it—Loch had also positioned himself right behind Xiao Yan.

These guys!

"I’m heading to the door of the conference room. Are you coming or not?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, his tone absolutely serious; even his gaze had turned three degrees colder.

"Huh? Are you crazy?" Reitz was widely known as the Research Institute’s resident heartthrob, but right now, he looked so utterly dim-witted that Xiao Yan felt an urge to just bash his head in.

"The closer we are to the door, the higher the chance of encountering zombies—but it also means a higher chance of actually getting out of here. With this many people packed in here, we’re practically a buffet for the zombies. If we wait until they all come crowding into this relatively cramped conference room, there’s no way I can take on thirty zombies all by myself."

Having said his piece, Xiao Yan moved to the door and pressed himself tight against the wall—a perfect blind spot. Without a word of protest, Reitz joined him, mimicking his posture.

In that very instant, the door burst open. Xiao Yan lunged forward, but just as he was about to clear the threshold, Reitz grabbed a hold of him. "Wait for me—"

Wait for your mother!

Veins throbbed furiously on Xiao Yan’s forehead as a single zombie came charging in like a maniac. The sounds of a struggle could be heard from outside—the two special forces soldiers stationed at the door were engaging the zombie in combat.

"Major—get out of here, fast!"

The zombie moved with surprising agility, lunging straight for Xiao Yan, who was the closest target. Reitz stumbled and fell right beside Xiao Yan, staring at the unfolding scene before him like a complete fool.

Xiao Yan clamped his hands down on the zombie’s shoulders, then drove his elbows outward with brute force. With a sudden twist of his body, he flipped the creature over and pinned it beneath him. The zombie thrashed violently, snapping its jaws in a desperate attempt to sink its teeth into Xiao Yan’s arm.

"Ooh... ooh..."

The zombie’s eyes were fixed in Reitz’s direction—bloodshot and bulging, they looked as if they were about to burst right out of their sockets.

"Xiao Yan!" To his credit, Reitz actually showed a flicker of loyalty; he started to scramble forward, intending to help Xiao Yan pry the zombie off.

"What are you still staring at? Go! If you wait until the rest of the zombies find this conference room, you won't stand a chance of getting out!" "I can handle this one!"

Xiao Yan lowered his voice. In his eyes, Ritz saw the unwavering resolve of a soldier; without a second thought, he burst out the door, with the other supervisors following close behind.

Outside the door, two special forces soldiers were struggling to hold back four zombies at the far end of the corridor; if even one more zombie appeared, they wouldn't be able to cope.

"Where are we going?"

The supervisors trailing right behind Ritz were gripped by a deep sense of unease. At the end of the brightly lit—yet eerily silent—corridor, they had no idea what might be waiting for them.

"To Xiao Yan's lab!"

"Even if we make it to the lab door, we won't be able to get in!"

"His research assistant is still inside!" By now, Ritz had shed his earlier air of languor. He was worried about Xiao Yan, and he knew that Xiao Yan had stayed behind to hold off the zombies solely to buy them time; he absolutely could not let Xiao Yan's sacrifice be in vain.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan executed a swift roll and applied a cross-arm chokehold, tightening his grip around the zombie's neck. As if sensing exactly what he intended to do, the zombie struggled ceaselessly to wrench its neck free from between Xiao Yan's legs. Gritting his teeth, Xiao Yan channeled the momentum of his twisting body into a violent pivot—and with a snap, the zombie's head was twisted clean off.

Xiao Yan scrambled to his feet instantly, leaving no room for accidents as he stomped down hard, crushing the zombie's skull. He then bolted out the door, catching a glimpse of the two special forces soldiers locked in a fierce battle.

"Major! Evacuate immediately!"

Just then, two more zombies came leaping forward, slamming violently into the two soldiers. Overwhelmed and unable to react in time, the soldiers tumbled to the ground, struggling desperately to regain their footing.

One of the zombies lunged straight toward Xiao Yan.