Chapter 92

Chapter 92: Artificial Soul Part 19

Lin Xinji could easily discern the extraordinary abilities of the person before him with just one glance.

At that moment, he naturally also saw Meng Xiuran’s extraordinary ability – future foreknowledge.

The effect was to see another person’s future by physical contact; the visions showed were random and they couldn’t probe a specific period of time, with a certain cooldown time. For instance, after Meng Xiuran had seen someone’s future, he must wait ten days before being able to view their future again, overusing this would result in physical exhaustion.

“What does it mean for a preordained destiny?” Lin Xinji tightly stared at Meng Xiuran’s eyes, “Can’t it be changed? Is the future immutable under your foresight?”

He knew the general effects and defects of extraordinary abilities in others but couldn’t know those very minute details.

Meng Xiuran said, “I once tried to modify certain already predicted futures but failed. Just as our conversation now, it’s a part of our destined paths, I will tell you of your date to die, you’ll know you will be killed, but you can’t do anything to prevent it.”

“Have you seen anything else?”

“Your corpse, people from the Investigation Bureau are collecting it. Your body is covered in a cloth, blood has seeped through it. A hand with a watch hanging outside the stretcher, the digital display showing August 12th, 23:59.” Meng Xiuran didn’t express any emotion, “These are all the details I have seen.”

Lin Xinji turned pale with barely noticeable change.

“Who will kill me?” He looked around, turning his head as if suspecting whether there were assassins hiding among the guests.

“I can only see fixed scenes, I cannot answer the questions you ask,” Meng Xiuran responded calmly, “You indeed are dead. Mr. Lin, it’s better to accept it gracefully than struggle. You can communicate to your family members and allocate your estates. It’s more honorable like that.”

Lin Xinji felt his anger rising; relying on his composure, he suppressed it, “Thank you for your advice, Meng Xiuran, but I decline.”

Meng Xiuran replied, “You have the right not to accept my advice.”

He gave a deep look at Meng Xiuran, took a step back, and turned to leave, pressing the hidden communicator behind his ear, “Augus, inform all relevant personnel to be alert! Prepare the rooftop helicopters and patrol cars, have the Investigation Bureau send reinforcements, check all surveillance of Emerald Eye, confirm if any suspects have sneaked in.”

“Yes, all alert measures are in place, notice sent, helicopters need five minutes preparation,” Augus responded.

“Yu Liang!” Lin Xinji said calmly, “Come and join me, protect me.”

An alarm rang out suddenly within the Emerald Eye, security guards, security officers, and the family bodyguards rushed out to closely protect the people inside the banquet hall.

“Could there be an assassin hidden in this building?” Meng Xiuran’s solemn uncle Meng Qi remarked.

“Perhaps. We shouldn’t linger, we’re not sure if the assassin’s target is everyone or just Lin Xinji. If they can kill Lin Xinji, they wouldn’t mind taking us all down too. We don’t know how many enemies are out there,” Meng Xiuran said while grabbing his uncle’s hand, activating his foreknowledge.

Several seconds later, Meng Xiuran eased up, “We’ll be fine.”

Without hesitation, he grabbed another younger member of his family’s wrist, startling him, “Xiuran-ge, what are you doing?”

After closing then reopening his eyes, Meng Xiuran switched targets, using his extraordinary ability on different Meng family members until he saw what he wanted to see.

Wiping his hands with a handkerchief, he then said, “Uncle, I see us leaving on the helicopter.”

Coughing and wiping off the dripping nosebleed, which was a side effect of using his ability.

Meng Qi didn’t care about his nephew and hurriedly contacted the helicopter.

There were many members of the Meng family present, needing at least three helicopters; however, the roof of Emerald Eye could only accommodate one. After all, it wasn’t a military facility and had limited rooftop space.

The Shu family also arrived with many people, Lin Xinji had to rescue them too.

“Let Lin Xinji line up, my family members must go first,” Meng Qi stated blankly, “The Inspection Bureau’s helicopters will land in three minutes—do not let them land. As for investments in this place, I decide which helicopter goes where. What about the Shu family? They must either line up or take the stairs and drive away.”

Disconnecting the call, the Meng family evacuated orderly, escorted by numerous security personnel.

Meng Xiuran calmly followed along with the others towards the fire staircase, heading to the rooftop, even having enough time for a chat with his uncle.

Meng Xiuran said, “Uncle, Aunt has picked a short-lived person as her business partner.”

“You can’t hold onto each potential partner’s hand to check if they live long,” Meng Qi sighed, “How many would we have to shake hands with?”

“Indeed not, shaking hands with mortally ill people is considered unlucky,” Meng Xiuran said, “Fate is fate, predestined fate is unalterable, Lin Xinji’s efforts are futile.”

“Could our action of making Lin Xinji queue up for the helicopter be his death sentence?” Meng Qi asked slowly.

“If it is, it is part of our fate,” Meng Xiuran responded coldly.

Communicators buzzed with reports from teammates.

“Floor power room just exploded!”

“Reporting, security on duty at the 121st floor has been attacked by unknown assailants, requesting backup!”

“Personnel are dispatched to the 121st floor.”

But the radio messages abruptly broke up with static.

Augus issued warnings: “Undergoing… noise… attack… signal… communication temporarily… noise… in recovery…”

Kui Xin’s ears registered the roar of explosions and tremors beneath her feet. The explosions occurred more than once.

Six elevators operated on the 121st floor with her causing a commotion here to lure security to this level.

Most security personnel stayed on the upper floors, but Kui Xin made a significant disturbance on the 121st. It was only eleven stories between floors; using elevators would save time compared to stairs.

In her time with the Investigation Bureau, she knew the patrol patterns, which led her to install small detonation charges on the elevator cables, ready to activate remotely.

A big boom rang, and the elevators carrying security plummeted, stopping several floors down due to safety mechanisms. Elevator occupants scrambled, trapped inside.

Efficiently disposing of these enemies, she activated her headgear to show a floor map indicating all security movements.

She had gone to the power room with guidance from Augus, installed a bomb that cut off electricity.

Kui Xin switched on night vision.

Shattering the elevators led nowhere except the staircase which was solid in structure.

Augus confirmed, “The Meng family is firm, unwilling to give up the landing pad. The Shu family opts to walk to the 121st floor balcony escorted by security, escaping via hover cars.”

“Hoping those spoiled rich kids can handle descending so many levels,” Kui Xin remarked coolly, “Where is Lin Xinji?”

“He received Meng Xiuran’s tip and went early to the rooftop. The Meng family won’t budge,” Augus explained, “Helicopters are time-consuming. It will take about 15 minutes for them to evacuate. Lin Xinji considers riding a helicopter or moving through the ground to the balcony. He’s surrounded, with one Awakened B-class, two Awakened C-classes, and ten security officers. Other Awakening and security units escort the Mengs and the Shus.”

“Is there a way to forcibly block the stairwell?” Kui Xin asked, “Exploding the steps, would that work?”

“If sufficient explosives are used, yes,” Augus confirmed, “You brought enough.”

“Then do it, blow the staircase from 121, leave no escape for him.”

With the explosion of elevators and staircase, two of the three escape routes were blocked, leaving Lin Xinji to run to the roof.

She tightened the circle around him. Lin Xinji was the prey in her bag; she secured the opening, and he had no means to evade.

Positioning explosive devices, Kui Xin triggered the blasts, then returned to the elevator waiting area, instructing the system to open the elevator door via remote command. Behind the door lay empty shafts and dangling cables.

Swinging with a grappling line, she headed back to the top.

“Someone on the 132nd floor, ten individuals,” Kui Xin commented from her cable position as her eye lens indicated people on the floor.

“Two C-class Awakened and eight bodyguards. B-class Yu Liang and other security are at the roof,” explained Augus, “The staircase route to 132nd is the only option. They’re covering rear, blocking off your ascent path.”

Augus pretended to be disabled by hackers, delaying aid, yet internal communications with security still functioned.

Checking the time, 23:15.

There was enough time.

Lifting herself slightly lower to the 131st floor, she exited, ascending on foot, aiming to eliminate any last barriers to her target.