Did You Destroy the World Today?
Chapter 10: Am I Really the CEO??

“So what you’re saying is, the entire human world is left with only—”

“No, that’s just a cover. I’m here to find someone.”

Lin Xu interrupted Skull Head, who had been repeating the same words dozens of times, and quickly took off his bulletproof vest.

Time was limited; he had to move fast.

He yanked off his helmet along with the night vision goggles and stuffed them into Skull Head’s arms, then said:

“The plan’s changed. The defenses here are relaxed. Maybe you don’t need to act for now.”

“I’ll go in first. If something’s wrong, I’ll send you a signal.”

“If everything’s fine, cancel today’s operation immediately.”

“Whatever.”

“Since you hired us anyway...”

“Whether we act or not, you still pay! I know that.”

Lin Xu opened the car door but didn’t expect Skull Head to follow him down immediately.

“No way, I have to come with you.”

Skull Head efficiently stripped off his gear, even putting his pistol back in the car.

He was only wearing a tactical vest now, and his skull mask was off.

“You’re the employer after all. I have to be responsible for your safety.”

“...You didn’t say that last time.”

Lin Xu muttered.

“Last time? What last time?”

Skull Head looked confused.

Lin Xu waved his hand, glancing at Skull Head’s face with interest and said:

“Nothing, just saw your story during the background check... but it’s not important.”

“To be honest, you look better than I expected — nice beard.”

Skull Head shivered.

“Damn it, I’m not some bear! I warn you, I have a wife!”

“You’re such an idiot.”

Lin Xu rolled his eyes.

“Come on then, follow me!”

“Are you sure you want to just walk in like this?”

Skull Head suspiciously followed behind Lin Xu, who ignored him and went straight to security, swiping his iris scan without hesitation and leading Skull Head into the company campus.

Skull Head didn’t even have to register—Lin Xu’s permissions at Tianqiong Technology allowed him to bring anyone in or out freely.

“I’m starting to doubt your identity... Why would a mole like you hire us?”

Skull Head clicked his tongue and shook his head. Lin Xu casually replied:

“I already told you, my original plan was to steal a spaceship.”

“But the plan changed, so it’s on hold for now.”

“Steal a spaceship for real?”

Skull Head was shocked.

“So who’s your employer? That’s way too bold.”

“NASA? No way. Even if NASA declined, they wouldn’t steal tech from a private company.”

“Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t.”

Skull Head wisely shut up. The two quickened their pace. This time Lin Xu was faster, just entering the elevator next to the exhibition hall before the man he recognized could get off the elevator.

From the floor indicators inside the elevator, Lin Xu saw the familiar department names.

Flight Control Design Department, Fuel Research Department, Engine Research Department, Hull Development Department...

Twenty years later, Tianqiong Technology’s industry had developed quite comprehensively.

Judging by the department setup, the company had the complete capability to manufacture a space-grade spacecraft from scratch.

Moreover, it seemed the company was following the “self-produced and self-used” model Lin Xu had envisioned before.

Exactly, only this way could the company compress costs and maximize operational profits.

Beyond the hardware manufacturing and design departments, floors 16 to 20 housed platform support and operation departments serving the “space travel” business.

Those departments were the real cash cows of the company.

Lin Xu carefully scanned the department list, wondering which department Jiang Xingye might be in, which office she would occupy.

If she had been doing flight control work all along, she should be in the Flight Control Design Department, right?

The elevator arrived at the 10th floor. Lin Xu and Skull Head quickly ran inside.

Every office doorway had an electronic display showing the occupant’s name and position, but after looking around, Lin Xu didn’t find Jiang Xingye’s name anywhere.

Promoted?

He was puzzled and returned to the elevator, continuing upward to search.

No sign on the 11th floor.

No sign on the 12th floor.

Even up to the 16th floor, Lin Xu still hadn’t found her name.

Suddenly, Lin Xu felt something was off.

Not only was Jiang Xingye’s name missing, but his own name was nowhere to be seen either.

Logically, with his high permissions at Tianqiong Technology at this time, he should at least be a middle-level leader.

But now, he had already looked through all the middle and upper management offices—still nothing.

“What exactly are you looking for?”

“If you’re trying to find someone, shouldn’t you come at a different time?”

Skull Head asked in confusion.

“I was originally looking for someone, but before that, I need to find my own office.”

“?? Your own office?? You don’t even remember where your own office is??”

Skull Head was shocked.

“Did you lose your memory? What kind of cheesy movie plot is this?”

“...Enough nonsense.”

Lin Xu frowned deeply.

Only 35 minutes left.

Surely, he hadn’t been transferred to an operations department, right?

From the 16th floor to the 20th floor, Lin Xu almost sprinted.

It was nearly noon, and the office building was deserted.

No sign, still no sign.

But how could this be?

His permissions in the company were very high, and in his previous experience, he could access all confidential information without obstacles.

And Jiang Xingye was even more so—she could mobilize company resources to send him an apocalypse warning, which proved her status in the company.

Such two people—how could they not even have an office in the company?

Lin Xu felt as if he had entered an illogical dream.

Many things seemed natural at first glance but were extremely unreasonable upon closer inspection.

“Only one floor left.”

Skull Head seemed convinced this was a free payday mission.

“The CEO floor, 21st floor.”

“You don’t mean to tell me you’re actually the CEO of Tianqiong Technology?”

“If you really were the CEO, why steal a spaceship? Just drive it yourself.”

True enough.

The elevator continued upward, and Lin Xu grew increasingly uneasy.

Could it be that either he or Jiang Xingye had actually taken the CEO position?

But that didn’t make sense...

He felt his reasoning had hit a dead end.

The few clues he had were cut off.

The elevator doors opened, and Lin Xu stepped out.

Behind the massive reception hall was the real CEO office door.

The electronic screen above the door displayed the position and name according to company standards.

Chairman of Tianqiong Technology, Executive CEO: Xu Rushan

Below the name was a carefully taken dynamic photo. Lin Xu stared for a few moments, confirming he absolutely did not recognize the person.

The crucial thing: this person didn’t even share the surname of the Tianqiong Technology boss from twenty years ago!

The original boss was Ren Jian, who, as far as Lin Xu knew, lived a decent life with no rumors of illegitimate children.

Was this an outsider parachuted in?

Lin Xu approached the empty CEO office and cautiously brought his eyes close to the iris recognition scanner.

He didn’t expect to open the CEO office door.

After all, the name wasn’t his.

Even with high permissions, it was impossible to freely unlock the company’s top, most secure door.

Yet, the next second,

The door unlocked, and the CEO office door swung wide open.

Skull Head was stunned.

“No way, brother, you really are the CEO??”

“No, the photo outside isn’t you either!”

“Former CEO??”

“Damn, this is like a corporate war drama!”

“You’re the predecessor? The access control hasn’t been updated yet??”

“Could be.”

Lin Xu stepped into the office. His time was down to the last eight minutes.

The computer on the desk was on. He sat down and tried to unlock it with his own password.

This time, he failed.

It was a personal work computer, not a public system.

The account and password he previously figured out through trial and error didn’t work on this machine.

“Want to take it with you?”

Skull Head asked.

“I know some tech guys who might help crack it.”

“But it’ll cost extra!”

“No need.”

Lin Xu shook his head.

“All key info is stored in the cloud. Taking this won’t help.”

He thought for a moment, then picked up the somewhat “retro” phone on the desk for this era and dialed a familiar number.

He was calling himself.

After a moment, a voice came back.

Disconnected.

After a pause, he tried Jiang Xingye’s number.

Also disconnected.

Twenty years had passed. The numbers had changed?

Definitely possible.

Lin Xu sighed.

“Time’s almost up, we...”

Before he finished, his gaze suddenly stopped at a corner of the CEO office.

There was a familiar object.

Jiang Xingye’s water cup.

The cup was obviously old.

Lin Xu rushed over and held it, clearly feeling the “marks of time” on its outer wall.

This thing...

Wasn’t it the cup Jiang Xingye left at his place?

Wait, not just this water cup.

Lin Xu scanned the office and noticed more details.

Most of the books on the shelf were ones he had read.

The tea area had unbrewed ginseng and wolfberries.

All the decorations and arrangements made him feel comfortable at a glance.

This office was decorated exactly how he liked it.

This was his office!

But why was it now owned by someone else?

Really a corporate war?

Skull Head was still happily inspecting the office, probably thinking he could just collect his money by following the former CEO here.

This was way easier than fighting as a mercenary.

But at that moment, Lin Xu raised his hand and looked at the watch on his wrist.

One minute.

No time left.

Lin Xu sighed and grabbed the chair behind the desk.

“Give me a hand. Help me smash the floor-to-ceiling window.”

“Floor-to-ceiling window?”

Skull Head was stunned.

“What for?”

“Don’t ask. Smash it, then run. No one will blame you.”

“All right...”

Skull Head stepped forward, supporting the chair, and together with Lin Xu, fiercely smashed into the floor-to-ceiling window.

Crash!

The window shattered all over the floor.

“What now?”

Lin Xu clapped his hands and walked to the window.

“Wait! Don’t move!”

Skull Head urgently rushed to Lin Xu, but Lin Xu had already taken a step forward.

The moment he jumped down, he saw Skull Head’s face filled with disbelief, as if witnessing something absurd beyond belief.

“All this trouble just to die here huh huh huh huh—”

Skull Head’s voice came from above.

Lin Xu slightly raised his head.

At that moment, hundreds of meters away, the building suddenly lit up.

Then, a screen appeared on the outer wall of the building.

“Run!”

“Lin Xu! Run!”

...

Lin Xu was dumbfounded.

This was different from what he had originally thought.

Not only Tianqiong Technology—

At this moment,

Jiang Xingye was using the entire city to send him the apocalypse signal!