Hidden Dead Ends-Chapter 53

Sima Gui soon returned as well, completely unscathed.

After eating and setting up rooms to rest, everyone regrouped the next morning on the third-floor rooftop at Zhang Sinda’s request.

“We need to resume our investigation. The Fog Street mission has already dragged on, and the closer we get to the deadline, the trickier it will be,” Zhang Sinda said, dressed in a white robe and holding a projection flashlight.

He walked to the center of the rooftop, activated the flashlight, and pointed it at the ground.

Instantly, detailed information on Fog Street appeared in the projection, with rows of data and a top-down map of the area.

“This is a reconstructed map based on the data we’ve gathered. Let’s see if it looks accurate,” he said, looking at Sima Gui, Li Chengyi, and Zhong Ying.

Sima Gui and Zhong Ying stepped forward to examine the details carefully, but Li Chengyi frowned and approached Zhang Sinda instead.

“I have a question, Boss.”

“Worried about those attackers from yesterday?” Zhang Sinda smiled calmly.

“Yes, they were so powerful… It doesn’t seem right to just ignore them. Are we really okay with this?” Li Chengyi asked, uneasy.

“You underestimate Yiguo’s power,” Zhang Sinda replied with a smirk. “Under the Silent Fortress Law, every city in Yiguo is governed by a council of top-tier intellective engineers and augmented individuals. With the highest level of control over the Silent Fortress system, no one can evade their hunt.”

“Are they really that formidable?” Li Chengyi was skeptical.

“Most people don’t know, but in our field, we’re aware of many things,” Zhang Sinda explained. “Feiyi drones, made of Rainbow Iron, are far deadlier than any augmented human. When combined with city-level AI and intellective engineers’ terrifying computing power, they can control everything through countless micro-drones and cameras. When augmented humans come to a city, they’re just fodder. Many of Yiguo’s strategic wins in over-the-horizon urban warfare were achieved this way.”

“I see… I didn’t realize the Council was this powerful,” Li Chengyi mused. He’d heard of the Council but always assumed it was a commercial alliance. He hadn’t realized its true power.

“Yes, the Council is a coalition of urban interests unique to Yiguo. Combined with other self-sustaining urban councils, it forms the Joint Parliament—the highest authority,” Zhang Sinda explained.

“And the so-called Silent Fortress was created to combat the destruction caused by top-level hackers. Each city operates independently, producing items suited to its own needs and strengths.

“The Silent Fortress is an all-encompassing defense system that uses widespread radiation scanning to monitor everyone within the city. Any attempt to send out a signal will be instantly detected, checked, and blocked.”

“So, signals can’t get out?” Li Chengyi quickly realized the implications.

“Exactly. Those fully-modified assassins won’t be able to transmit the results or memories of their attack outside the city.

“Of course, if someone physically extracted the data storage unit from their bodies, it’d be different. But for now, they’re probably waiting for a cycle to pass, to see if the mission is complete.”

“Got it…” Li Chengyi’s face showed a hint of understanding.

Zhang Sinda’s explanation was clear, yet something in his gut told him that this group wouldn’t just give up. If they dared to operate within Yiguo, they likely had a backup plan.

*Could this be because of the trouble I stirred up at the Gleis Parking Lot…?* Li Chengyi suddenly wondered.

There was something shadowy about Ai Xi Real Estate. What was really going on in Gleis? All those people gathering for experiments—what were they working on?

When he infiltrated Ai Xi, took down the so-called boss, and escaped, he’d realized that the secrets of Gleis were beyond any ordinary real estate company.

*Could it be that someone from Ai Xi’s backers has come after me?*

Li Chengyi couldn’t shake the suspicion from his mind.

Of course, it could also be trouble that Zhang Sinda’s team had attracted. Determining the true cause would require further observation.

*If it really is Ai Xi’s backers coming for revenge because I killed so many of their people, then staying here might only bring danger to the others.*

Watching Sima Gui and Zhong Ying scrutinize the map, Li Chengyi’s mind raced with possibilities.

Soon, Zhong Ying and Sima Gui confirmed the map’s accuracy, and Zhang Sinda wrapped up the discussion.

The group dispersed.

Song Ran was still in the hospital, and Zhang Sinda had an appointment with a friend for lunch.

Zhong Ying ordered takeout and, before heading to her room, said she didn’t want to see the “brutes” Sima Gui and Li Chengyi.

That left just the two of them sitting on the living room sofa, staring at each other in silence.

“Hotpot?” Sima Gui suggested.

“I’m in the mood for stir-fried dishes. A small place would be nice,” Li Chengyi replied.

“Hotpot’s flavorful, stir-fry’s just all MSG. What’s the appeal?” Sima Gui shot back.

“Fine,” Li Chengyi thought for a moment and agreed.

He had some questions for Sima Gui anyway.

The two of them left the villa, taking a yellow van from the open-air parking lot.

Li Chengyi opened the door, instantly sensing that this van wasn’t ordinary.

Even the door felt heavier than usual. Taking a seat in the back, he watched Sima Gui tap the front panel to start some video and music files.

“Mind if I ask a few questions?” he quickly spoke up before the music could start, which would make talking difficult.

“Perfect. I have something to ask you too.” Sima Gui grinned, his bizarre hairstyle somehow adding an oddly friendly vibe.

“Go ahead,” Li Chengyi said.

“Simple. I created a special chat group for us ‘dead-enders’—folks like us who’ve been in dead-end zones. Everyone in there is on the same wavelength. Want me to add you?” Sima Gui asked.

“A group chat? What app?” Li Chengyi was intrigued.

“Feiyu.”

“Does the boss know?” Li Chengyi immediately thought of Zhang Sinda. Given how he constantly sought out dead-enders to recruit, would he ignore a whole group of them?

“He knows a bit, but he doesn’t care,” Sima Gui replied with a smile.

“Why?” Li Chengyi asked, puzzled.

“You really don’t know?” Sima Gui seemed surprised. “The world is vast, and so is Yiguo. Why does the boss travel to all these places to find dead-enders? Couldn’t he search closer to home? Baixing is his territory, with a strong network. Why go out of his way to places he’s unfamiliar with?”

“To find clues about his missing son?” Li Chengyi replied instantly.

“Exactly!” Sima Gui chuckled. “Zhang Sinda is a good boss, generous, trustworthy, but he’s not purely altruistic. He’s tracing his son’s last known paths.”

“His son’s last known paths?” Li Chengyi realized.

“His son, Lin, like

all dead-enders, spent his life searching for a way to break free from dead-end zones. He traveled across Baixing and Yiguo, facing many dangers. In the end, he disappeared,” Sima Gui explained, sighing. “Nobody knows if he’s alive, but given the nature of dead-ends, the odds are high that he didn’t make it.”

“It’s likely that the boss wants to find his son’s body, retrieve his brain, and upload his memories into a personality register. Even if his son only remembers life before encountering dead-ends, he’d still have him by his side,” Sima Gui concluded.

“Is there really a way to permanently escape dead-ends?” Li Chengyi asked, scanning the QR code Sima Gui displayed, which led him to a group on the Feiyu app.

—**Tower of Despair**—

The group name had an oddly melodramatic ring to it, bluntly expressing the members’ shared feelings.

“Welcome, newbie. By the way, anyone interested in a joint suicide? Charcoal burning or jumping from a building—either works.” —**Sincerely Honest Me**

As soon as he joined, someone in the group popped up with this inquiry.