Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 1020 - 806: One Answer Per Can

Chapter 1020: Chapter 806: One Answer Per Can

Above the Weak Water.

The corporate military of Heavenly Cardinal Manufacturing has already assembled.

The entire army of the mega-corporation, vast in scale.

The space motherships Tianxuan and Heavenly Cardinal block the skies; their massive forms not only obscure the sun’s rays but also cast enormous shadows, completely covering the Kunxu Strange Tales Zone.

Yan Qingyun stood at the bow of the Heavenly Cardinal, gazing downward. The Kunxu Strange Tales Zone was under the blockade and control of the army under his command.

This scene made his blood surge.

Sweeping across the eight wildernesses.

The Heavenly Cardinal stretches 3.4 kilometers in length, while the Tianxuan stretches 5.6 kilometers—not a single ancient beast or mythical creature from legends can compare to the technological miracles crafted by human industry.

After relentless shelling with large-caliber brass bullets and Ning-style energy rounds, the Kunxu is covered from top to bottom in the corpses of supernatural creatures. These corpses, taken for research and recovery by the scientific teams, were previously cloistered in the Kunxu, living hidden lives. Each possesses three heads and six arms, bizarre shapes, riddled with bullet holes. Now, they’ve been swept clean.

Moreover, a large number of captured rare and exotic beasts are being swiftly contained. Azure shuttle machines shuttle between the two colossal spaceships and the ground like diligent hummingbirds.

At the heart of the Kunxu lies the shattered Weak Water. Once a great river, it has now collapsed into an abyss, surrounded by soldiers on all sides.

A voice from his communicator belonging to his older cousin, Yan Huarou, rang in Yan Qingyun’s ears.

"Brother Cloud, is everything arranged?"

"The ships are here," Yan Qingyun said curtly. "Even if something goes wrong with Lu Sizhou’s side, just controlling Kunxu alone is an achievement, enough for our family to climb higher."

"Fully surrounded, right?"

"Correct, we’re just short of leveling Kunxu completely. Not a whisper can leak out, and outsiders can’t interfere. Sis, what about your side?"

"Summoning the Riot Control Mobile Unit was the right call; now I’m logically stationed at Nestor Headquarters. There’s a technical Witch named Rinne who is obsessively monitoring the signals from Lu Jing’s location. She hasn’t slept in dozens of hours, acting like a lunatic, practically terrified—as if Lu Jing were her own family. What a waste of energy. I observed her for two days. Lu Jing transmitted out a total of three times; she should still be alive," Yan Huarou said.

"What if we capture Lu Sizhou?" Yan Qingyun asked.

"We extract the truth about what use Dragon Gate Mansion actually serves. The Lu family, Yan family, Huang family... all these years, whenever someone suddenly rockets upward or suddenly falls out of favor—sometimes even face extermination—you’ve seen it all clearly. The most suspicious part is how that old fox Lu Shibo managed to go from a nobody department manager to skyrocketing in just a few short years, almost as if he carries the gift of prophecy, foreseeing the human trajectory of the past two decades. It’s obvious there’s something fishy. He’s been playing the group like puppets on strings. Using this opportunity Lu Sizhou helped uncover, we might just be able to take down the Lu family’s power. If it is unmasked that Lu Shibo has been exploiting Dragon Gate Mansion to manipulate his own fate, the rest of the group will undoubtedly skin him alive," Yan Huarou spoke with undisguised frustration.

"Sis, only you dare talk like this out in the open," Yan Qingyun remarked wistfully.

"Aren’t you stationed ten gazillion miles from headquarters yourself? Though, you’re right. I’m safe for now—I’ve got the entirety of the Riot Control Mobile Unit backing me. These people trust me; without me, they wouldn’t be able to decode the gossipy cipher signals sent by Lu Jing," Yan Huarou said.

"By the way... Mr. Xu..." Yan Qingyun suddenly recalled an important point.

"Indeed, the network surveillance team from Nestor Corporation has gone in. If your army proceeds down there, you might encounter both Lu Sizhou and Mr. Xu together," Yan Huarou mused.

"What am I supposed to do with Mr. Xu?" Yan Qingyun inquired.

"Following Lu Shibo’s secret orders, I handed the remote device to Mr. Xu—so he doesn’t die prematurely. Let’s see when he decides to press it," Yan Huarou hesitated briefly and then said.

"Is Director Lu interfering now too?" Yan Qingyun’s tone carried a trace of vigilance.

"Of course he’s not directly negotiating with me—everything’s been passed through over a dozen departments before landing in my hands. But how can I not know it’s him behind the scenes? Most likely, he wants to strengthen ties with Nestor Corporation as well," Yan Huarou sneered. "Okay, Brother Cloud, I’ve laid the groundwork, the troops are in your hands. The rest is up to you. Besides, Lu Sizhou doesn’t even know her departure put you in this spot, replacing her useless relative."

"Got it." Yan Qingyun agreed repeatedly. "Leave it to me. Sis, when the Yan family rises, you’ll have everything you want."

"Waiting for your good news."

Ending the communication, Yan Qingyun deliberated for a moment.

The advanced auxiliary thinking implant nestled in his nervous system warmed slightly, sharpening his thoughts like he had just downed a large coffee.

An officer under his command approached with a report.

"Commander." The officer saluted him. "The Kunxu is largely subdued. However, the scale of this operation was so immense that it has entirely breached other departments’ restrictions. News has reached headquarters, and many researchers and higher-ups have explicitly voiced their opposition."

"And so what?" Yan Qingyun approached the glass porthole in the bow cabin, overlooking the Kunxu Strange Tales Zone below. "On a small scale, this prevents monsters from harming people; on a large scale, if we can utilize the unique biological traits of these ancient creatures to develop new drugs and therapies, how many new industries would flourish, how many employees would see raised incomes? How many civilian lives saved, how much could our company’s performance improve? We must balance the scales—in our left hand, corporate advancement; in our right hand, protecting the people. As military personnel, it’s our duty, and besides, Director Lu supports this initiative too."

"However, there’s more... during the clearing of Kunxu’s exotic beasts, when the auspicious beasts described in paintings and ancient texts truly appeared—only to be shot and turned into corpses right away—some field operatives felt conflicted," reported the officer.

"What auspicious beasts? Just a bunch of grotesque evildoers with deformed faces and spirits. Feeling conflicted only proves they’re unqualified soldiers, unfit for this line of work. Tell HR to stain the records of anyone filing related reports. We don’t keep idle people; if they don’t want to fight, let them leave. How many times has Director Lu emphasized loving your profession if you choose it? They’ve all thrown it out to the Ninth Heaven. Are they even worthy of Director Lu’s painstaking efforts?" Yan Qingyun waved dismissively.

"Understood. We also captured Cheng Huang, said to live for a thousand years; and Zouyu, said to bring luck and fortune—some soldiers requested permission to interact with them," the officer added another report.

"Interact? Director Lu hasn’t even tried yet, but mere grunts want a go? Insolence. Keep them well-fed and handled as per company regulations," Yan Qingyun brusquely replied.

"Got it." The officer acknowledged, "I’ll reject their petitions."

As the officer was about to leave, Yan Qingyun raised his hand to stop him.

"... Xiao Li, organize a squad to investigate below," Yan Qingyun ordered.

"Right now?" The officer sought clarification.

"Not immediately—let Lu Sizhou stew for a few more hours. Send additional drones for reconnaissance and observe her reaction. If she panics, send a team of about ten, handle matters meticulously, avoid unnecessary trouble, and ensure no sacrifices are wasted. Capturing Lu Sizhou is paramount," Yan Qingyun instructed.

"Understood." The officer saluted Yan Qingyun.

...

Inside the Waterfall Cave.

Lu Sizhou lay on the rocky ground, feigning sleep. When Xu Yang passed by, she beckoned him over.

"Hey," Lu Sizhou said.

"What?"

"Get me a blanket," Lu Sizhou requested.

"What happened to your company’s heavenly army? You’ve been trapped here for so long—why haven’t they come to rescue Nestor Corporation’s esteemed successor, Miss Lu?" Xu Yang asked.

At this question, Lu Sizhou’s gaze shifted, and she fell into contemplation.

"My army... A corporate brigade composed of armored troop carriers, cargo planes, and drones, with fleets of all-terrain vehicles and shuttle machines at their disposal—they have what it takes to rescue me. Yet, until now, why haven’t they come?" she murmured.

"They say you have plenty of synthetic humans, clones, and backup mind disks elsewhere. Couldn’t this Lu Sizhou in front of me be counterfeit?" Xu Yang asked.

"Impossible. The Immortals made that chilling prophecy under the world’s watchful eyes, claiming I would find the treasure and seize my father’s kingdom—there was no way I dared to remain at headquarters. They’ve burned me alive, dragged me to Dragon Gate Mansion, and plunged me into this peril. Ha! Even if I had clones outside, they’ve long since been monitored by my father," Lu Sizhou’s tone turned cold.

A beauty secures her gem; a kingdom shifts hands.

Such a sinister prophecy, once known widely, leaves no room for Lu Sizhou’s survival. Xu Yang thought to himself.

If Lu Shibo doesn’t hurry and eliminate Lu Sizhou, the dangerous one might end up being himself.

"And where exactly is the danger here? Think about Xiao Lu; she personally entered Dragon Gate Mansion and has been silent for so long. What exactly is that red-clad monstrosity?" Xu Yang asked.

"Transformed by consuming Longevity Candy—a different immortal Witch from this place. Alright, stop asking me questions unless you bring me a blanket," Lu Sizhou diverted her gaze.

Xu Yang went to the shuttle machine to fetch a blanket for Lu Sizhou; 101, 102, and Storm Princess were all playing card games to pass the time. Xu Yang took the opportunity to teach them how to play Dou Dizhu.

"The result of analyzing the device you asked me about is ready," Star Weaving Lady emerged from the console with a small black device.

It was the electronic tool Yan Huarou had handed to Xu Yang before her departure, claiming it would undoubtedly come in handy in the Weak Water region.

"Oh? Let me see." Xu Yang inspected the report. "... A remote control?"

"Yes, particularly for those electronic ’cultivators’ at the Vermilion Purple High Platform. Some of the cultivators cannot resist the summons of this remote control," Star Weaving Lady said swiftly.

"So, Heavenly Cardinal Manufacturing naturally has the capability to control these cultivators? That makes sense—they’ve all been modified head-to-toe as machines. Just implant a signal control system, and it’s enough." Xu Yang pondered aloud, "Then the question is, why let them roam freely into Dragon Gate Mansion, and why provide this device to me?"

"There’s likely a profound secret behind this! I can smell the scent of conspiracy," Star Weaving Lady exclaimed promptly.

"Forget it; take it slow. Let me gather some provisions for Lu Sizhou—poor Miss Lu is starving and exhausted, her very being nearly warped," Xu Yang muttered as he searched for supplies for Lu Sizhou.

He retrieved a few cans for her, as she appeared not to have eaten for a long time, and also brought some batteries for Liu Tianshi.

Xu Yang, holding the blanket in his arms, first tossed it to Lu Sizhou, whose eyes quickly fell on the cans Xu Yang was clutching.

"I want those too," Lu Sizhou said as she spread the blanket below her to lie down more comfortably.

"I have questions for you: you forced Lu Jing to eat ’Longevity Candy,’ making her turn into that red-clad monstrosity. Her physical disruptions can be reversed, but I want to know how her mind can be restored," Xu Yang said, gripping the cans while handing the batteries to Liu Tianshi.

"Why should I tell you?"

"Do you want the food or not?" Xu Yang shook the cans in front of Lu Sizhou.

"Do you think I’m some kind of animal waiting to be fed?" Lu Sizhou sneered.

"Do you know how people describe you?—’Pixiu.’ You consume whatever is given to you, your appetite insatiable. Now, do you want this?" Xu Yang leaned forward, displaying the fruit can in his hand to Lu Sizhou.

Lu Sizhou, sitting on the blanket Xu Yang had given her, shot him a chilling glare with her signature terrifying expression.

"One can for one answer. Ask away," she said, extending her hand.