Chapter 137: Ascending the Tower, Crisis
“The laboratory… is everything ready?”
Qualcomm asked indifferently, gently tapping the armrest of his wheelchair, his gaze seemingly fixed on something ahead, or perhaps just staring into space.
“Yes, everything is prepared, Mayor.”
His subordinates, their heads lowered, replied.
Qualcomm had anticipated the Federation sending personnel to investigate the unauthorized restart of the laboratory, but he hadn’t expected it to be so soon.
After all, this kind of mission wasn’t lucrative and wouldn’t add much to one’s resume. Secondly… the Federal Council had already tacitly approved Qualcomm’s plan.
Issuing the mission through the Federal Investigation Bureau was just a formality.
And only part-time personnel would accept such missions. These part-timers were usually ability users from various Suspended High Towers, taking on missions for the reward.
Missions without rewards might be backlogged for years.
Of course, the reason Qualcomm was surprised was simple: he hadn’t expected these two to take on this mission just to use the Federation’s small aircraft to reach Suspended High Tower 132.
However… although it was just a formality, he still had to show some respect. Being part-time personnel didn’t mean they could be underestimated. All personnel carrying out missions should be seen as representatives of the Federation.
The aircraft in the distance slowly approached, decelerating as it neared the Suspended High Tower.
At the same time, the Suspended High Tower activated its docking procedure, initiating a small-scale docking—the entire Suspended High Tower was completely sealed. Only by activating the docking procedure could it interact with the outside world.
This was five thousand kilometers above the ground. Without protective gear, direct exposure would lead to frostbite, or even suffocation.
“Docking procedure activated! All departments prepare, commencing docking with ‘Sparrow’!”
“After docking with ‘Sparrow,’ all systems will return to normal operation.”
“Sparrow” was the official codename for this type of small aircraft. There was another type of small aircraft with combat capabilities, called “Eaglet.”
The docking process was very short. Within seconds, the Federation’s “Sparrow” docked with Suspended High Tower 132.
Docking Bay 3 slowly rose, and the heavy doors rumbled open, revealing a tall, thin figure.
A blonde woman with rimless glasses, holding a few files, stood at the entrance. Seeing Qualcomm, she seemed surprised.
“Oh, it’s Master Qualcomm… You came to greet us personally?”
“Heh… Young Federal Officer, you represent the Federation, after all. We have to show some respect.” Qualcomm chuckled and extended his hand to Ceres. “Are you alone on this mission? Or…”
He seemed to have heard Ceres say “we” earlier, but he didn’t see anyone else.
Ceres’s expression turned slightly awkward, and she glanced at the docking bay and called out,
“Miss Guijiao, wake up…”
“I’m not sleeping, I was just meditating.”
A clear, childish voice rang out, and a small, pale girl, who looked like a ghost, appeared at the entrance.
The ghostly girl stepped out, supporting herself against the door. She was so small that she wasn’t even half the height of the door.
“This is… another officer?” Qualcomm looked at Luo Xue, his expression turning strange. “So… young?”
Qualcomm was actually wondering if the Federation was also violating the rules by employing a minor, after all, he had just been punished for it.
Although he was also using one… but Lingxi’s daughter’s situation was special. It wasn’t so much that Ling Ling was conducting the research, but rather her father, using her body, was restarting the research.
Whether it was the thoughts or the memories, they were all Lingxi’s.
“Don’t worry, she’s an adult.” Ceres smiled faintly, then pulled Luo Xue closer and whispered, “Didn’t you say we were almost there? Why are you still sleeping?”
“I was… never mind, I was sleeping, I’m a bit tired.”
Luo Xue stopped explaining and sighed, admitting it.
Having arrived at Suspended High Tower 132, the possible lair of the assassin, Luo Xue had to be cautious.
The assassin was indeed only around the Spirit Condensation Realm, but that didn’t mean he was weak.
Being sent to kill a little girl, his combat power probably wasn’t considered high within the tower.
Take Ceres, for example. Even without her making a move, Luo Xue could sense that she was stronger than the assassin.
At least, when Luo Xue used her spiritual sense on Ceres, Ceres could detect it and sense Luo Xue in return.
This level of strength, if not Nascent Soul, was definitely Foundation Establishment.
Therefore, before entering the tower, Luo Xue had made some preparations.
She didn’t bring her all-purpose storage ring, and many items couldn’t be used here, such as the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle with the Nascent Soul will, but her cultivation techniques were still there.
Although the Falling Flower Scripture wasn’t as good as the Xuanyin Phoenix Transformation Scripture, it was still a top-tier technique in the Immortal Martial World, with many corresponding divine abilities.
The Falling Flower Scripture was the culmination of sword-based techniques. Luo Xue had once described it as “a mage with a sword.”
And mages… were best at preparing their spells in advance.
The fourth-grade technique, Hidden Flower, internalized all spiritual power circulation, silencing the spiritual aperture and the sea of consciousness, to condense the strongest possible strike.
Hidden Flower could be charged for a long time, up to several days. During this period, the user’s apparent cultivation level would gradually decrease, but the power of the strike would increase, until it reached its limit.
Luo Xue estimated that with her current strength, after charging for a few days, she could kill an early Core Formation cultivator with a single strike.
If it was a Human Core cultivator, even an early Core Formation cultivator might die at her hands.
To prepare, Luo Xue had meditated before entering the tower, hence the delay.
“…”
Qualcomm looked deeply at Luo Xue, then looked down at his wheelchair, his expression relaxing slightly, and said with a smile,
“Not bad, a talented young lady. The Federation needs pillars like you. The future of humanity depends on you.”
“You flatter me.” Luo Xue’s expression remained calm, as if she was used to such praise. “You are… the mayor of this tower city?”
Her gaze involuntarily fell on Qualcomm’s wheelchair, but feeling it was impolite, she quickly looked away.
“I apologize for my appearance… My legs aren’t very good, and I don’t want prosthetics, so I can only use a wheelchair.”
Qualcomm said with a smile. “I’m often called an old fogey, and I used to disagree, but now seeing how young the Federal Officers are, well… I’m indeed old.”
“How can that be, Mayor? You’re still in your prime.”
Ceres said with a gentle smile. “By the way, can we put the laboratory investigation aside for now? This little sister and I want to look around the Suspended High Tower, to see the city under your rule.”
She winked at Luo Xue, who nodded in agreement, standing beside her.
Luo Xue wasn’t here to investigate the laboratory. She wanted to know more than just Qualcomm’s carefully crafted facade.
This proposal surprised Qualcomm, and he was stunned for a moment before saying,
“Is this… the Federation’s intention?”
“No, it’s just our little whim.” Ceres replied with a smile.
“In that case, please, feel free.” Qualcomm seemed slightly relieved, but his expression remained unchanged. “I hope you enjoy Suspended High Tower 132. Although it’s not beautiful or magnificent, it’s our warmest home.”
“Oh… we will, Mayor.”
Ceres maintained her smile.
…
“Hurry, hurry…”
“Don’t delay the schedule…”
On the second level of the Suspended High Tower, several technicians were called in, their expressions hurried.
Ye Xiao, whose alias was Night Owl, was among them. He was supposed to be off duty and was still sleeping when he was called in.
“Team Leader… what’s going on?”
Ye Xiao looked at the team leader who had pulled him out of bed and asked. He tried to force himself awake, but his eyes were still heavy with sleep.
“Don’t ask too many questions,” the team leader looked around, then whispered, “Emergency docking mission!”
“Emergency docking?” Ye Xiao was instantly awake, his eyes widening in shock. “How… wasn’t there any prior notice?”
“Sigh, who knows what the higher-ups are thinking… Anyway, let’s activate the corresponding docking devices first. Hurry up, if we delay, they’ll blame us!”
The team leader grabbed his coat and ran towards the work area.
Ye Xiao didn’t dare to delay and also grabbed a piece of clothing and put it on.
But he didn’t immediately go to the work area.
After hesitating for a moment, he decided to activate the little tricks he had set up.
Although he didn’t know why Qualcomm wanted an emergency docking, such a rare opportunity… Ye Xiao couldn’t miss it.
If he activated them after the docking was complete, it would be too late.
The first, second, and third levels of the tower were completely sealed. Besides docking with the ground, there was basically no way to see the outside world. The reason Ye Xiao risked exposure by joining the docking technical team was to know when the docking would take place.
This information was the key to his escape.
Ye Xiao moved quickly. As an assassin, his speed far surpassed that of ordinary people.
Not long after the team leader arrived at the work area in a hurry, Ye Xiao had already activated the sixteen devices he had planted and entered the work area right after.
“Ye Xiao, come over here, check the status of Docking Bay 3.”
The team leader waved at Ye Xiao, then sat down, panting.
“Yes, Team Leader… huh?” Ye Xiao nodded, then suddenly reacted, his face paling. “Why are we checking the docking bay?”
Docking with the ground didn’t require a docking bay. In that situation, the entire Suspended High Tower was the docking bay.
“What nonsense, what else would we use to dock with ‘Sparrow’? Your ass?”
The team leader glared at Ye Xiao, not noticing his pale face.
“Just docking with ‘Sparrow’…”
Ye Xiao’s heart sank, his legs going weak.
“If it was really docking with the ground, why would they only send our team?” The team leader was dissatisfied with Ye Xiao’s muttering and kicked him. “Stop talking nonsense and get to work!”
Work my ass…
Ye Xiao couldn’t maintain his usual silent and diligent disguise any longer. He immediately rushed out the door, ignoring the team leader’s curses behind him.
“You brat! Where are you going? Damn it, there’s no need for such a big reaction just because I said a few words…”
Ye Xiao’s mind was filled with the devices he had planted, and he just wanted to shut them down immediately.
Activating these devices during docking would affect the docking process, overloading the docking facility and causing a series of accidents.
But it wouldn’t endanger the Suspended High Tower itself, just extend the docking time by half a tower cycle.
But if they weren’t activated during docking…
The docking facility might be damaged, and in the worst case, the Suspended High Tower would lose its ability to dock with the ground, forced to continue traveling in the sky until its demise.
At that time, at least 90% of the Tower People would die along with Suspended High Tower 132. Millions of people couldn’t all escape through “Sparrow,” and the other Suspended High Towers didn’t have enough capacity.
Ye Xiao wasn’t as ruthless as Qualcomm, who saw lives as numbers. Besides, if that really happened, he wouldn’t be able to escape either.
Even if he was lucky enough to survive, such a crime against a Suspended High Tower was a crime against humanity. The most severe punishment was exile to deep space.
For all humans, deep space was a place of certain death. Half of those who looked at deep space would develop lifelong deep space phobia, unable to stay outside the Suspended High Towers for long.
“Hurry…”
“There’s still time… I can still make it…”
Ye Xiao took a deep breath. The overload after activating the devices would take time. A docking facility not in operation wouldn’t be so easily damaged.
Ye Xiao didn’t even bother concealing himself, afraid of being too late.
Therefore, his unusual behavior was noticed by many. They saw him opening panels on the tower floor, retrieving and destroying the devices.
At such a sensitive time, this information quickly reached the tower’s security department, and after analyzing Ye Xiao’s identity, they confirmed who he was.
After Ye Xiao desperately removed all the devices, the damage to the docking facility hadn’t reached a critical level.
But…
“Damn it… I still alerted the Investigation Department.”
Ye Xiao narrowed his eyes, sensing the approaching danger, and exhaled.
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