The Mechanic [BL]

[57]

Chapter 57 - Doom (3)

Zhang Xun watched Adam's figure move away quickly in the blue sky and had just released his held breath when suddenly his collar was grabbed.

He came to his senses and found himself surrounded by an angry crowd. The man holding him was yelling something, but the voice was too loud for Zhang Xun to hear. Looking at his mouth, he seemed to be saying: You're going to kill us all! You're going to kill my child!

Countless hands stretched out and scratched at his hair, clothes and arms, fists landed on his face and body and when he was about to fall, he was shoved by another force, as if he would be torn to shreds. He felt like he was surrounded by ferocious beasts and his terrified desire to survive made him struggle constantly, but like a worm entangled in a spider web, he couldn't move at all.

He had bleeding scratches on his cheeks and he was kicked a few times on his stomach but he couldn't even tell who had done it. He almost thought he might be beaten to death.

At this moment, countless anaesthesia needles suddenly shot at the mob like a torrential rain. The irrational mass of people began to fall one by one. It turned out that Pan had activated the No. 3 expulsion system without authorization. Zhang Xun felt himself freed from the countless hands, but he was then confronted with a cold gun muzzle.

It was Zhang Shuo, looking down at him coldly.

Zhang Shuo grabbed Zhang Xun's arms with his strong hands and forcibly lifted him up from kneeling on the floor in a sorry state, but there was no anger in his solemn eyes, only suppressed worry, "Mechanic Zhang Xun, where is Adam?!"

The blood from his forehead flowed down to the corner of his eye, but Zhang Xun sneered in a hoarse voice, "I don't know either."

"There's no way you don't know! Your report said you had a tracking device on him!"

Zhang Xun remained silent, staring stubbornly at his father.

Zhang Shuo stepped closer to Zhang Xun and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Don't you want to live anymore?! Hurry up and hand over Adam! Don't get involved in this!"

Zhang Xun vaguely realised that Zhang Shuo might be trying to protect him, wanting to pull him out of the vortex involving AIs, but it was too late. From the moment he became a mechanic, he was destined to reach this point.

"I. Don't. Know!" Zhang Xun said loudly.

Zhang Shuo looked at him in disappointment, as if he was looking at an ignorant child. That was a look that Zhang Xun was familiar with and the look he hated the most.

"It's an AI, I don't care what delusions you have, it won't care about your life or death!" Zhang Shuo growled, his deep pupils seemed to burn through the confusion in Zhang Xun's mind, "If it cares about you, how could it leave you behind alone?! You fool!"

Zhang Xun was unmoved, "Because I made him go. He only listens to me."

Looking at Zhang Xun's eyes full of obsession, Zhang Shuo knew that his son had been completely brainwashed and controlled by that Adam. He pushed Zhang Xun away suddenly in frustration and ordered, "Cuff him and bring him back to the Headquarters!"

At this time, there were only two hours left before the time limit given by Eden.

The nine Chiefs, several key members of parliament and high-ranking officers were gathered in the war room below the Headquarters. Zhang Xun's hands were handcuffed in front of him and he was led into a depressing and dimly lit room. He noticed that the Sixth Chief was now sitting at the very centre of the row of seats that the Fifth Chief would have usually occupied.