Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Prague Enigma
Prague, a city with a millennium of history, lay serene and mysterious under the cloak of night. Yet, within the unseen shadows, a silent struggle concerning the future of global new energy was quietly unfolding.
A private jet touched down at Prague International Airport. Xu Yunchuan, Shen Qingwan, and Zhao Ming swiftly disembarked, making no stops as they headed directly toward their target.
“According to the data we intercepted in Zurich, the target here is a concealed server node located in the basement of an abandoned factory within the Calvin Industrial Zone,” Zhao Ming said gravely, eyes fixed on the satellite map displayed on his tablet.
“An abandoned factory? Such places are perfect for hiding technical nodes—both discreet and easy to relocate,” Xu Yunchuan analyzed calmly.
“We must not alert them; the enemy surely monitors the surroundings closely,” Shen Qingwan whispered a warning.
“Let’s split up. Zhao Ming, stay at the hotel and provide technical support remotely. Qingwan, I’ll infiltrate the target site with you.”
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The abandoned factory
Situated on the outskirts of Prague, the Calvin Industrial Zone was once Eastern Europe’s largest heavy industrial park. Now, it lay desolate, a graveyard of dilapidated factories and rusted machinery.
The wind howled through the night, and the iron gates of the factory creaked ominously, exuding a chilling aura.
“Zhao Ming, is the signal still stable?” Xu Yunchuan whispered.
“Yes, the target is right ahead—200 meters to the basement entrance,” Zhao Ming’s voice crackled through their earpieces.
The two moved swiftly through the ruins, evading surveillance cameras and patrolling guards until they reached the underground passage entrance.
“There’s an infrared sensor here,” Shen Qingwan noted, spotting faint red dots above the passageway.
“Zhao Ming, can you jam these sensors?”
“Trying now… Got it! Thirty-second window—go!”
They slipped inside as the infrared sensors temporarily failed under Zhao Ming’s interference.
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The underground server core
The tunnel stretched into profound darkness, the air thick with dampness and the metallic scent of machinery. Holding their breath, the two advanced cautiously.
At last, they arrived at a vast underground server hall. Rows of servers emitted a faint blue glow, cables and cooling pipes sprawling across the floor.
“These servers aren’t just transmitting data; they’re performing real-time computations,” Shen Qingwan observed, watching the data streams on the consoles.
Xu Yunchuan approached the control terminal and inserted a specialized storage device. “Zhao Ming, we’re connected to the core server. Begin copying data.”
“Received. Establishing remote link… The data volume is massive; it’ll take about three minutes.”
Just as the transfer commenced, a warning window abruptly flashed on the control screen:
“Unauthorized intrusion detected. Defense protocols activated immediately.”
“Damn, they have counter-intrusion systems!” Zhao Ming shouted through the remote system.
Alarms blared, and the server hall’s lights switched to a harsh red.
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Enemy assault
The distant door was battered open, and a squad of fully armed soldiers surged into the hall, weapons aimed at Xu Yunchuan and Shen Qingwan.
“Cover me!” Xu Yunchuan shouted, continuing the data transfer at the console while drawing his pistol to return fire.
Shen Qingwan dove for cover and fired with precision, suppressing the attackers.
“How much longer, Zhao Ming?!” Xu Yunchuan yelled.
“One more minute! Hold on!”
Enemy gunfire intensified; bullets struck servers beside Xu Yunchuan, sparking and severing the data stream abruptly.
“They’re trying to sabotage the transfer!” Shen Qingwan warned.
“Zhao Ming, reroute the transfer to other nodes—now!”
“Understood, switching channels!”
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System collapse
Enemy technical interference grew stronger, causing the server data transfer rate to plummet.
“They’re cutting off our remote connection!” Zhao Ming’s voice was laced with urgency.
“We can’t let them succeed!” Xu Yunchuan pulled the storage device from the interface and turned to Shen Qingwan. “We have to get this device out.”
They began their retreat, but enemy soldiers had already sealed every exit.
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A desperate stand
“We’re surrounded,” Shen Qingwan said, leaning against a pillar, her pistol nearly out of bullets.
Xu Yunchuan’s gaze hardened as he scanned their surroundings, making a swift decision. “Qingwan, take the storage device and escape through the ventilation shaft. I’ll draw their attention.”
“No! It’s too dangerous!” Shen Qingwan protested.
“We can’t both be captured! It’s the only way!” Xu Yunchuan insisted.
Before she could respond, Xu Yunchuan burst from cover, hurling a grenade. Thick white smoke engulfed the room as bullets flew.
Gritting her teeth, Shen Qingwan quickly turned and crawled into the ventilation duct, clutching the storage device tightly.
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Narrow escape
Outside, Zhao Ming sat before the console, watching the live feed with a pale face. “Yunchuan, Qingwan is out of danger, but you… are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Xu Yunchuan’s weary voice came through. “I’ve found an exit and am retreating.”
Yet, just as he prepared to ascend the escape route, a familiar voice emerged from the shadows.
“Xu Yunchuan, we meet again.”
Cain stepped forward from the darkness, a cold smile playing on his lips.
“You think you can win? The lifeblood of the Zero-Carbon City is already in our grasp.”
Xu Yunchuan did not falter, his eyes icy as they locked onto Cain’s. “You won’t win. Your greed is destined to destroy you.”
Cain smiled faintly. “We shall see.”
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A new battlefield
Xu Yunchuan ultimately escaped and reunited with Shen Qingwan.
Seated in the backseat of a car, Zhao Ming’s voice came through their earpieces. “We successfully copied part of the core data, but the enemy continues to infiltrate. Their ultimate goal is the central control hub of the Zero-Carbon City.”
Xu Yunchuan gazed into the distance, his eyes sharp. “We must return to headquarters immediately and reinforce the defense systems. This war has reached its most critical phase.”
Shen Qingwan nodded. “Not a single step can afford error from here on.”
In the distance, dark clouds gathered, a storm looming.
The future of new energy would be decided in this battle.