hotmtlnovel Page 147
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"But it wasn't a nuclear leak, it was a 'quark experiment'."
"In 2144, under the authorization of the Alliance Government, Sabak Heavy Industries began developing 'quark weapons,' and in 2147, they created the first quark collider, which was officially named 'The Witch's Staff.'"
"Cheng Yuqiu's mother was the only qualified person who could activate that machine back then."
"Due to the irreparable damage caused by the experiment, and under pressure from public opinion and the economy, the plan has been officially halted."
"But the prototype of the [Witch's Wand] was not destroyed, but was preserved intact."
"Currently, Cheng Yuqiu is the only person in the world who can drive that machine."
Nie Qingyun stared wide-eyed; this was completely different from what he had known.
If these words hadn't come from Qin Hehuan's mouth, he would have thought the person who said them was delusional.
But the other party had no motive whatsoever to fabricate such an absurd lie.
But before he could ask a question, Qin Hehuan spoke again.
"I know it's hard for you to believe."
"But have you ever considered that the world you once knew might itself be an illusion?"
"For ordinary people, everything you see and hear is what the Allied government allows you to see and hear."
"Including those seemingly uncontrollable public opinions."
"Now, what I want to tell you is..."
“As long as you don’t break through the barriers of class, you will always be ‘Truman’ living behind the curtain.”
"And I am the one who inherited all the truths of the old world."
Chapter 190: Now I have no choice but to go to bed with the young lady.
Nie Qingyun frowned, carefully going through every word Qin Hehuan had said in his mind.
He could tell that the other person was deliberately trying to keep things brief, but the information conveyed in those few words was already quite shocking.
This is like one day you suddenly hear from a mysterious figure of high status that your cell phone, which you used to be inseparable from 24 hours a day, is actually a machine that can instantly kill thousands of people.
But after much thought, Nie Qingyun still couldn't find Qin Hehuan's motive for telling such a lie.
If we assume for the time being that what she said is true, then the young lady's situation is indeed somewhat precarious.
From this perspective, Qin Hehuan's previous actions are more reasonable.
Furthermore, Nie Qingyun strongly agreed with her last sentence.
Ordinary people cannot see the whole picture of this world. Only when one's status and position reach a certain level will certain secrets be allowed to be known.
This can be found in the cryptic descriptions in the Linjiangtai archives.
Qin Hehuan's status in the former Huabang United Kingdom was second only to the emperor.
After pondering for a long time, Nie Qingyun looked at Qin Hehuan and said briefly:
"Does the young lady know about her condition?"
“These secrets didn’t enter her life,” Qin Hehuan said, stepping back slightly and crossing her arms.
"Only a few high-ranking members of Sabak know about the [Witch's Staff], and her father is also aware of it."
"So that's the main reason you're confident you can mobilize the Linjiangtai Self-Defense Force, right?" Nie Qingyun said, sizing up the woman in front of him, his tone laced with sarcasm.
"Not entirely," Qin Hehuan replied vaguely, not noticing the change in the other person's tone.
But Nie Qingyun seemed to have thought of something, and raised an eyebrow, saying:
"Given her special status, and your ability to keep her close, why did you agree to give her to me as 'reward' in the first place?"
"That's why I stopped you from taking her away alone," Qin Hehuan said, stepping aside and gesturing to the sofa in front of the desk.
"Let's sit down and talk."
This time, Nie Qingyun did not refuse again. He sat back down on the sofa and waited attentively for the other party to continue.
Not long after, Qin Hehuan's highly distinctive mature female voice came from across the desk again.
"Although Sabak has never revealed Cheng Yuqiu's identity to the outside world, given her special status, every organization that survived this disaster will spare no effort to get their hands on her."
Nie Qingyun asked in confusion:
"Under the current conditions? Relying on manpower?"
"Let me finish," Qin Hehuan said, taking a sip of her tea before continuing:
"There's no point in explaining the specific working principle of the Witch's Wand to you; I'll just give you the conclusion directly."
"It can only be activated by the nerve signals transmitted by humans, and Cheng Yuqiu, the suitable user of this machine, is like a mobile signal source."
"Her exact location can be tracked using a 'repeater'."
"Furthermore, the technology of the 'relay device' is not the core technology of the [Witch's Hand], and anyone with the will can easily create it."
"At that time, the entire Linjiangtai will become the target of public criticism."
"The good news is that, based on the failed experiment twenty years ago, Sabak's research institute discovered that as long as the 'suitable person' engages in sexual activity with someone of the opposite sex, their connection with the [Witch's Wand] will gradually dissipate."
"In this way, I can hide her among the masses."
"And you call yourself her cousin?" Nie Qingyun couldn't help but retort, then tilted her head back, leaned against the sofa, and pinched the acupoints between her eyebrows. After calming down for a moment, she sat up straight again and said:
"Activate that machine, hmm... what's the price for the [Witch's Wand]?"
Faced with this question, Qin Hehuan answered directly:
“The brains of ‘qualified individuals’ may lose some memories due to ‘overload’, and may even fall into permanent shock.”
“Then I must take her with me,” Nie Qingyun’s eyes suddenly sharpened.
"I am not as noble as you, capable of measuring all lives equally."
"Anyone who tries to take advantage of her is my enemy."
"As long as I have a breath left, I will never let her be in danger."
The atmosphere in the office suddenly became much more tense.
Qin Hehuan silently watched Nie Qingyun, who seemed ready to erupt at any moment, and after a long silence, she suddenly spoke:
"Are you like this with all girls, or only with Cheng Yuqiu?"
"What?" Nie Qingyun was taken aback. This kind of gossipy question was so out of place that he couldn't keep up with the other person's train of thought. Just as he was wondering what the other person's intention was in asking such a meaningless question, Qin Hehuan gave the answer with a light laugh.
"It's nothing. I was just thinking about it seriously. If you treat all girls like this, maybe it would be easier for me to make you obey me by using my body."
"However, that will have to wait until you are able to protect me."
The tense atmosphere was broken once again, and layers of black lines appeared on Nie Qingyun's forehead.
Qin Hehuan wasn't incapable of maintaining a pleasant atmosphere; she simply disdained joking.
But Nie Qingyun had no time to listen to this woman's empty promises. He wasn't interested in her either, because so far, his relationship with the young lady had only progressed to physical intimacy.
If what Qin Hehuan said is true, then doing those unspeakable things with the young lady becomes the top priority.
Just as Nie Qingyun made up his mind to leave this dangerous woman, Qin Hehuan spoke again.
"Don't leave in a hurry."
“I never said I was going to use the Witch’s Wand.”
Nie Qingyun frowned and said:
"Then what do you mean?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Hehuan stopped smiling and explained:
"The purpose of weapons is not limited to their use; often, their mere existence is enough to serve as a deterrent."
"As long as we find it and let everyone know that I possess both the [Walking Staff] and the [Key], that will be enough for us to secure a lasting foothold."
"By then, even if you want to destroy it, I won't stop you."
"Well, isn't there anything safer than you destroying this thing yourself?"
This explanation seemed quite persuasive, but Nie Qingyun still wasn't keen on cooperating with this ambitious woman, stating bluntly:
"It's still the same issue: I have no obligation to help you."
"Linjiang Terrace isn't as simple as you think," Qin Hehuan shook her head and patiently explained.
"Even if Cheng Yuqiu's exact location is not revealed in the short term, she will be found one day."
Are you planning to run away with her for the rest of your life?
"Linjiangtai is indeed an artificial island, but it is also a coastal city."
“The armed forces hidden here are not just the Allied Government.”
“There are 14 PMCs (private armed contractors) registered in Sabbak alone.”
"Most of them were military personnel, well-trained, and during their service, the Allied government invested several times more in each of them than the average family's annual income."
"If we were to unleash these incredible skills and items from the post-apocalyptic world, they would only need to send out a small squad to wipe out everyone in the comprehensive teaching area."
"Moreover, the [data system] is not the only one; they also possess various amazing abilities."
"The only way to protect Cheng Yuqiu is to cooperate with me."
At this point, Qin Hehuan suddenly stood up from her chair and looked at Nie Qingyun seriously.
"I promise you, as long as you are willing to help me, I will create a world for you where Cheng Yuqiu can be happy forever."
Chapter 191: Are you begging me to be your gigolo?
Nie Qingyun knew that what Qin Hehuan said was not an exaggeration, or rather, it was quite conservative.
The gap between civilians and soldiers, to some extent, cannot be bridged by sheer numbers.
They don't even need a fully equipped squad. A few veterans who have been on the battlefield, with enough ammunition and standard equipment, can slaughter thousands of civilians.
That's definitely true...
"But why did you strike that pose?" Nie Qingyun asked instinctively.
Across from the desk, Qin Hehuan, who had just been sitting in a chair, had moved away at some point.
She was standing at the boundary of shadows, her long legs in black stockings straight and slightly apart, her upper body upright with her chest out and stomach in, her left arm raised with her elbow bent inward and her wrist just in front of her bangs, and her right hand with its five fingers spread apart, covering half of her face.
Beneath her neatly trimmed bangs, sharp eyes peered through her fingers, while long, flowing black hair cascaded down to her waist.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the afterglow of the setting sun cast a golden outline around her body, hiding her cold and beautiful face in shadow.
Overall, even the lines seem to have become both heroic and mysterious.
If you were to replace that riverside uniform with a blue and white maid outfit, she would look just like Izayoi Sakuya striking a classic pose after activating her time-stopping ability.
Qin Hehuan remained in that stance until an awkward silence filled the air. Then, she suddenly adopted a "give up" expression, reverting to her usual aloof and superior demeanor, and said nonchalantly:
"Given the various strange remarks you made during your previous battle with Liu Chengyuan..."
"I thought you preferred this style of communication."
Upon hearing this, Nie Qingyun immediately broke out in a big # on his forehead, and became furious.
"Stop adding random settings to my character! You scheming, eccentric woman!"
He had sensed something odd about the other person's remarks earlier.
The idea of "creating a world where Cheng Yuqiu can be happy forever" sounds a bit childish.
He felt like this woman was treating him like a delusional teenager.
Now, recalling the words he uttered in the heat of the moment during his fight with Liu Chengyuan, even he couldn't help but clench his toes.
However, Nie Qingyun truly desired a world where Cheng Yuqiu could be happy forever.
This is why he has been trying to confirm whether the Allied government still exists.
Only in a relatively stable environment with a fair order could he, Cheng Yuqiu, and other important people around them possibly escape from the endless battle.
Otherwise, they would spend their entire lives struggling against monsters and humans.
Nie Qingyun stared intently into Qin Hehuan's captivating eyes.
In the depths of those dark pupils, he finally sensed the woman's ambition.