Did You Destroy the World Today?
Chapter 44: Different Paths, Same Destination

Controlling the EVTOL aircraft was much easier than Lin Xu had anticipated. There was only a simple joystick and a throttle, making it even simpler to operate than the FPV drones he had flown before.  

The entire flight control system of the aircraft was finely tuned, making the operation incredibly smooth and seamless.  

After taking off from Qixia Mountain, Lin Xu followed the other six aircraft as they ascended and entered a low-altitude flight zone above 1,200 meters.  

Then, after just two minutes of flight, they successfully reached the edge of the no-fly zone around Zhong Mountain Scenic Area.  

“Prepare to enter!”  

Skull Head’s voice came through the earpiece.  

Lin Xu took a deep breath, followed the light spot flying ahead, and then plunged straight down.  

Almost simultaneously, the communication channel was jammed, and he immediately received the no-fly zone warning.  

“You have entered a no-fly zone. Please turn back immediately.”  

“You have entered a no-fly zone. Please turn back immediately.”  

The warning repeated twice, but Lin Xu ignored it and continued to descend.  

“Interference will start in 15 seconds. Number 7, fly sideways to create a false retreat!”  

“Understood!”  

Upon receiving Skull Head’s command, Lin Xu immediately pulled the joystick to turn around.  

From the ground’s perspective, he looked like a rookie who mistakenly flew into the no-fly zone and was quickly turning back after receiving warnings.  

As the altitude continued to drop, the other six aircraft began to scatter inside the no-fly zone.  

“Prepare for an emergency landing!”  

Skull Head shouted loudly, “We’re ready to break away!”  

“Electromagnetic shielding established! Ten seconds!”  

“Roger!”  

Lin Xu yanked the joystick fiercely, and the aircraft dashed straight toward the Deep Space Observation Station.  

For ten seconds, the entire Zhong Mountain area experienced a brief electromagnetic blockade.  

But only for ten seconds!  

As the troops stationed near the sanatorium activated countermeasures, the electronic warfare equipment carried by Skull Head was instantly burnt through.  

The targeted interference on the aircraft continued to take effect, and Lin Xu’s aircraft was taken over within seconds.  

He had no way out.  

In this era, personal aircraft had to be networked.  

If the communication module was removed beforehand, forget about flying; the propellers wouldn’t even spin!  

And as long as it was networked, interference couldn’t be eliminated.  

Unless—  

Stronger directional interference was used to cover it.  

Like Skull Head’s technical team.  

They changed their strategy, no longer jamming the entire area. Instead, they concentrated all devices, using ultra-high-power directional signals to completely block the communication channel of a single aircraft.  

Cloud control also required a communication channel.  

If information from the cloud couldn’t get through, the control authority had to be handed back to the pilot!  

Lin Xu regained control of the aircraft once again. By now, he was less than 600 meters from the observation point on the outskirts of the Deep Space Observation Station.  

There was still time!  

The flight zone howled as he dove downward, then suddenly pulled up just before touching the ground.  

“Bang!”  

A loud collision echoed, and the cabin door automatically popped open.  

Lin Xu struggled to climb out of the aircraft. The moment he landed, he reached for his rifle.  

But at the same time, a loud shout rang out.  

“Drop your weapon!!”  

Lin Xu looked up toward the gate of the Deep Space Observation Station. Several fully armed security personnel were already standing there.  

Was he still too slow??  

No matter!  

There were still 43 minutes until the apocalypse, and he had at least 17 minutes left to make mistakes!  

He raised his gun and pulled the trigger. A bullet was fired.  

“Bang!”  

When good and evil collide, evil always has the upper hand.  

Because evil is always the first to strike.  

And Lin Xu was also the first to strike.  

The bullet hit the chest of the closest security guard. The tremendous impact pushed him back several steps.  

Lin Xu didn’t stop pulling the trigger.  

“Bang bang bang bang bang—”  

Bullets flew one after another. At this point, stealth didn’t matter anymore.  

Theoretically, as long as he eliminated all the enemies, it was still infiltration!  

There weren’t many enemies in front of him, only four.  

Most of the other security personnel had already been drawn to the other side by the aircraft piloted by Skull Head and his team.  

As long as Lin Xu could break through these four, he’d have a chance to enter the Deep Space Observation Station!  

Bullets flew wildly, and Lin Xu’s chest also took a heavy blow.  

The 8.6mm caliber bullets used by the enemy were far more lethal than Lin Xu’s 7.62mm rifle. Although his bulletproof vest stopped the bullets, the impact almost made him pass out.  

Damn it!  

He rolled behind a stairway, using it as cover, and raised his gun to fight back.  

At this moment, the combination of electric-induced camouflage and thermal fusion night vision finally gave him some advantage.  

Even though his skills were nowhere near those of the professional security guards, he was still able to fire first every time he showed his head.  

“Bang!”  

Another guard fell. Lin Xu quickly changed position, running forward.  

“Bang bang bang bang—”  

A continuous stream of bullets fired out as Lin Xu frantically reloaded, tossing out flashbang grenades simultaneously.  

“Grenade!”  

“Take cover!”  

The terrified shouts of the security guards rang out. Lin Xu took advantage of the explosion’s moment to step out from cover.  

The 185-decibel blast stunned the remaining two security guards briefly. Using this narrow window, Lin Xu closed the distance rapidly.  

“Bang bang bang bang—”  

His rifle fired continuously, and another guard collapsed.  

Only one was left.  

When Lin Xu aimed his gun at the last man, the man aimed his gun at him too.  

There was no cover between them.  

It was a pure contest of speed and courage.  

But obviously, no one was braver than Lin Xu.  

Because he could start over.  

In the brief hesitation of the enemy, torn between whether to hide or shoot first, Lin Xu had already pulled the trigger.  

“Bang!”  

The bullet flew out.  

At the same time, the enemy’s gunshot rang out.  

“Bang bang bang—”  

Lin Xu’s rifle slipped from his hands, but the enemy’s head had already exploded.  

Got him!  

Lin Xu had no time to pick up the dropped rifle and quickly sprinted toward the gate of the Deep Space Observation Station.  

He felt his body sway, his mind dizzy in waves.  

He thought it was normal from intense exertion, but when he reached the already closed gate and tried to reach behind to place the directional explosives to breach it, he was shocked to find his hand was gone.  

Not just his hand.  

His entire forearm was missing.  

Blood was flowing out rapidly.  

Lin Xu didn’t feel pain.  

He used his right hand to pull out the prepared directional bomb and placed it. Then he staggered to the side of the gate.  

Just as he was about to press the detonator, a bloodstained hand suddenly grabbed him.  

“Drop... your... weapon...”  

Lin Xu desperately shook off the hand.  

“I’m saving you!”  

Immediately after, he pressed the detonator.  

“Boom!”  

Amid the smoke and dust, Lin Xu struggled to crawl forward.  

He no longer had the strength to stand.  

With blood pouring out rapidly, his life was draining fast.  

He didn’t know how much longer he could hold on.  

But at least, it was still not too late to take a look inside.  

Lin Xu crawled through the blown-open hole. He thought he would find a hall packed with terrified staff.  

But when the lights turned on, he was shocked to see that the Deep Space Observation Station was already fully automated.  

No staff were inside.  

There was only a cold hall and the humming of server hosts running.  

Where was what he was looking for?  

Damn it.  

It was all machines. Where was he supposed to get the password?!  

Time ticked by, and Lin Xu’s vision grew blurry.  

He struggled to crawl to the somewhat “retro” main control console screen and tried one last desperate move.  

What if?  

What if he could enter the password correctly?  

Though the odds were not much better than the apocalypse happening, the apocalypse had already happened, so entering the right password wasn’t too unreasonable.  

He entered the interface and typed a string of passwords based on instinct.  

He didn’t even know if the password length was correct.  

But the moment he pressed confirm, the screen started flickering.  

???  

Was it really right?!?  

Severely bloodied, Lin Xu suddenly became a bit more alert.  

But he soon realized it wasn’t because he entered the correct password.  

Someone was attacking the Deep Space Observation Station!  

Jiang Xingye!  

Different paths, same destination.  

They had chosen the same strategy.  

Only their methods of attack were different!  

Lin Xu was a physical intruder, while she was hacking in through the network!  

At this moment, the station’s access permissions were unlocking one by one.  

Lin Xu glanced at the time.  

32 minutes remained.  

He knew what Jiang Xingye was about to do next.  

She was going to use the station’s high-powered laser communication equipment to hack into the city-wide Internet of Things and send him a message.  

—But now, that step could be skipped.  

Lin Xu directly took over the main control console and broadcasted.  

He didn’t ask any other questions.  

Only one sentence.  

“I am Lin Xu! Give me a contact on Earth!”