Chapter 159
Chapter 159
“This company really does run a tight ship. Cameras everywhere, keycards, passwords… But the hotlink protection on this server is trash. They’re still using something this outdated?”
As Wen Xin typed away, prying open the server’s back door, he mocked it silently to himself.
“Too easy. Way too easy. There’s no challenge at all.”
He slipped into the server effortlessly, only to unexpectedly discover two encrypted databases. But after taking a closer look, he couldn’t help letting out a derisive snort.
These two layers of encryption were completely unnecessary. They would have been better off not using them at all. It was like locking gold in a cage with a toy padlock-one glance told you there was something valuable inside, and the lock was so flimsy it would come off with a tug. This kind of old, crude technology was no better than a child’s toy lock. To anyone truly intent on getting the information, it was practically useless.
Wen Xin cracked the password. Once inside, he found two folders. Their names were “Regeneration of Nerve Cells and Cloning Research of Stem Cells” and “Quantum Computers.”
Wen Xin was a little puzzled. “What is this? Aren’t they just two research projects? Is there any need to make them so mysterious? They even went out of their way to lock them with encryption…”
Besides, neither of these research projects was anything rare.
“Regeneration of Nerve Cells and Cloning Research of Stem Cells.”
Although Wen Xin was not in biology, the name was very familiar to him, because this was the exact research project Wen Tangtang was currently working on under Professor Hu.
The reason she had coaxed Professor Hu into going to Jia Lingyuan before was because, within this research project, the step involving the “directed induction and differentiation of stem cells into specific cells” had never been effectively advanced. They had been unable to achieve precise directed induction at specific sites.
The other project, “Quantum Computers,” was even more familiar to Wen Xin.
Because this was the project being researched by Meng Ran’s team, the group he had joined.
Back when he and Wen Miao were still at school, they had also followed their advisor in working on models related to quantum computers.
This sort of thing was used to solve specific problems. For example, mathematical problems involving Gaussian boson sampling, code breaking, weather forecasting, materials design, drug analysis, and so on.
“What the hell are they doing?”
As Wen Xin grumbled, he clicked open the folder labeled “Regeneration of Nerve Cells and Cloning Research of Stem Cells” and found the Experimental Data Report for the project.
He casually scrolled down to the section containing the conclusions drawn from the experimental research.
But as he read on, his relaxed expression gradually froze. His back straightened involuntarily, and his gaze grew sharper and sharper, like an eagle’s, fixed on the words on the screen as though he wanted to pierce through every single one and decipher the deeper meaning hidden within.
The more he read, the more terrifying the contents became. At some point, beads of sweat had begun to seep across Wen Xin’s forehead. His breathing, too, gradually grew rapid.
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning tore across the night sky, shattering the pitch-black darkness. It flashed through the glass window behind Wen Xin, illuminating the entire office.
He froze, startled by the lightning. Then he snapped back to his senses and realized he had to seize this opportunity. He had to download these contents and take them out immediately.
He began typing code rapidly on the keyboard. Perhaps because the information he had just read was too shocking, and because his nerves had been stretched taut the entire time, he forgot to stay vigilant.
Wen Xin did not notice that the moment he pressed the Enter key and began downloading the two files, the anti-theft system at the database terminal of Wisdom Biotech Company quietly began rebooting in the background. A warning red light flashed once and vanished.
===
Night descended silently. The neon lights throughout the city lit up one after another, dyeing the sky outside the window in a dazzling wash of vibrant colors.
Wen Tangtang and Wen Miao took turns calling Wen Xin several times, but no one ever picked up on the other end.
As soon as Nan Mu voiced his theory, neither of them could sit still anymore. They decided to go to Wisdom Biotech Company and find out what was going on.
Nan Mu stopped Wen Miao, then turned and picked up the jacket draped over the back of the chair. “Don’t go. I’ll go.”
“Wait.” Wen Miao grabbed Nan Mu before he could head out, her voice urgent. “Do you know what time it is?”
There was less than an hour left before Nan Mu’s return time. Even if he left for Wisdom Biotech Company right now, after accounting for the time spent on the road, he would only have about twenty minutes there at most. During that window, whether he was inside Wisdom Biotech Company or still on the way, his sudden disappearance would cause a huge problem.
“So it’s better if I go.”
Nan Mu looked at Wen Miao in clear disapproval. “No. It’s not like you don’t know what Xu Lei wants from you. If you go now, you might be walking right into his trap.”
“But I can’t let Wen Tangtang go alone either.”
Nan Mu kept a firm grip on her wrist and refused to let go.
After thinking for a moment, Wen Miao suggested a compromise. “How about this? I’ll message Xing Shuyuan and ask her to come with me. No matter how deranged they are, they wouldn’t dare openly attack a public official, right?”
That seemed to be the only option, but Nan Mu still felt deeply uneasy.
Wen Miao clasped Nan Mu’s hand in return and said seriously, “Trust me. I’m not going there to throw my life away. I promise I’ll be careful with every decision I make.”
The strength in Nan Mu’s hand slowly faded, and he let go of Wen Miao.
He really was helpless against her.
Through gritted teeth, his eyes rimmed red, he stared at Wen Miao. “Swear it. Swear you won’t get hurt.”
His gaze was fierce yet restrained. He clearly wore the cold, noble shell of a man above it all, yet inside lived a fragile, pitiful little puppy wagging its tail.
Wen Miao suddenly laughed and made a gentle promise. “I swear.”
Looking at the wronged man before her, something stirred in her heart.
Wen Miao rose onto her tiptoes and pressed her soft lips to Nan Mu’s cheek. Then she leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Nan Mu, I’ll look forward to seeing you again in ten years.”
===
Wen Tangtang arrived downstairs at Wisdom Biotech Company before Wen Miao did.
She called Wen Miao, and when she learned that Wen Miao still needed another ten minutes to get there, Wen Tangtang became frantic.
“Then I’ll go up first!” she said to Wen Miao.
“No! It’s too dangerous. Don’t do anything impulsive!”
Before Wen Miao could finish, the other end had already gone silent. She pulled the phone away and looked at it, only to realize Wen Tangtang had hung up long ago.
“She hung up?”
Xing Shuyuan was the one driving. Wen Miao had only fallen ten minutes behind Wen Tangtang because she had waited for her.
“Yeah.”
Wen Miao clutched her phone, so anxious she felt like she was about to burst into flames. When she called again, Wen Tangtang rejected the call.
Xing Shuyuan frowned, pressed down slightly harder with her foot, and the police car shot forward with a roar.
…
Wen Tangtang wanted to go in, but the security guard at Wisdom Biotech Company insisted that she show an employee ID. Otherwise, he refused to let her enter.
Pacing in circles from anxiety, Wen Tangtang could only call Nan Mu.
She had just found Nan Mu’s number in her contacts when an unfamiliar number suddenly cut off her attempt to dial.
She hung up on the unknown caller and tried to call Nan Mu again, but that unfamiliar number kept calling her relentlessly.
Furious and desperate, she answered and snapped, “I hung up on you, and you still keep calling? Can’t you tell I’m busy?”
“Wen Tangtang?”
A familiar voice came from the other end. Wen Tangtang froze. “Nan Mu?”
“Mm?”
“Why did you change your number?” Wen Tangtang asked in surprise. But as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized this wasn’t the time to discuss that, and hurriedly asked, “Right. I want to go upstairs, but the security guard won’t let me in. Can you say something to him?”