"Over there? What is over there?" Yu Daoqing gazed down toward the opening below; the space on the lower level seemed vast.

"The Oxygen Generation Room," Zhong Yun uttered in three clipped words.

"You're going to blow it up?" Yu Daoqing blinked her bright eyes, looking at him with confusion. The Oxygen Generation Room was arguably the vital core of the entire ship; destroying it would doom everyone aboard. Even the two of them wouldn't escape the consequence of suffocating to death.

"Don't worry," Zhong Yun understood her apprehension and explained, "One of my aircraft is trailing the ship. Once we disable this vessel, we can depart openly."

"Really?" Yu Daoqing was simultaneously shocked and overjoyed.

Seeing her unfeigned delight, Zhong Yun suddenly felt she was somehow different from usual, though he couldn't quite pinpoint how.

Shaking his head, now was hardly the time for such musings.

Before that, some preparations were necessary. Zhong Yun moved to a corner and scattered ninety-eight small and seven large energy block bombs, which he had hidden beforehand, across the warehouse floor.

Then, Zhong Yun beckoned her and they began moving the remaining energy blocks downstairs.

Each energy block was about the size of an adult's fist, and moving tens of thousands of them was no easy task. Fortunately, they found a surviving transport cart tucked away in a corner, and then secured several intact metal crates.

Placing the energy blocks into the metal crates, they used the transport cart to haul the crates to the edge of the massive hole in the floor. The cart could manage five crates at a time, and after just a few trips, all the tens of thousands of energy blocks were moved.

The hole in the floor was large enough. Zhong Yun simply tossed the sealed crates down. Instantly, the resounding thud of heavy objects crashing onto the ground echoed incessantly.

After pushing all the crates over, Zhong Yun clapped his hands and looked at Yu Daoqing, opening his arms. "It's going to be up to you again."

The lower level was nearly ten meters deep, about the same height as this warehouse. When he had jumped down from Yu Daoqing's room earlier, it had left him wincing; he did not want to repeat the experience.

Yu Daoqing bit her lip lightly, two faint blushes rising on her cheeks, yet she walked over meekly. She looped her arms under his armpits, encircling his chest.

Zhong Yun finally knew what felt different about her today. Previously, she always carried an aura of sacred inviolability about her; the confidence and pride emanating from her every movement made anyone approaching her feel inherently inadequate.

But today, she completely lacked that quality that demanded reverence. She was so gentle that Zhong Yun almost thought he was facing Xiao Ruo.

If he had made such a request before, she would have likely responded by hitting him senseless out of annoyance.

What had happened to her? Had she dropped her facade in this extraordinary situation? Zhong Yun speculated internally.

Tentatively, he placed his hand on her lower back—the placement was undeniably intimate, his fingers already brushing against her hip—and he felt the body in his embrace stiffen.

Do I look like I'm taking advantage of the situation? A flicker of unease crossed Zhong Yun's mind. Inconspicuously, he shifted his hand slightly higher, moving it to a more justifiable position.

"Let's go," Zhong Yun urged, trying to mask his awkwardness.

As soon as his hand moved away, Yu Daoqing’s body softened again. Without a word, she embraced Zhong Yun, took flight, and passed through the hole in the floor to land on the ground below.

They separated immediately afterward, the brief intimacy seeming like a shallow mark on fine sand, smoothed away by a sudden gust of wind.

However, the seed of that possibility had been sown. The way Zhong Yun looked at Yu Daoqing now carried a subtle difference from before.

"What are they doing?" Seeing Zhong Yun and Yu Daoqing pushing a dozen metal crates over the edge, Wang Jingze felt a jolt in his stomach, a distinct premonition of disaster.

No one answered his question.

Wang Jingze narrowed his eyes, watching the pair in the surveillance video open the metal crates and pour out the contents. He recognized them instantly as energy blocks.

"What is that place down there?" Seeing them arranging the energy blocks against the wall, Wang Jingze suddenly inquired.

"The Oxygen Generation Room," his deputy replied with a chilling flatness.

A terrifying thought erupted uncontrollably in Wang Jingze’s mind. Countless tiny beads of cold sweat instantly surfaced on his forehead, and dread seized his heart.

They were going to blow up the Oxygen Generation Room!

This realization exploded in Wang Jingze's mind, shaking his composure completely.

They were insane!

Wang Jingze shot up from his seat. His lips trembled several times before he sank back onto the chair. He tasted only bitterness in his mouth; how could things have devolved to this point?

The plan had been proceeding perfectly. The Captain, possessing immense, overwhelming power, was subdued by him. Yu Daoqing had successfully boarded this vessel. Even if she were a Level Ten expert, out in the vastness of space, aboard his ship, wouldn't she be easily captured?

But it was because of Zhong Yun—this youth whose physical prowess was only Level Seven. Normally, he could dispose of someone like that with one hand. Yet, it was this youth he had overlooked who not only uncovered his conspiracy but forced his sneak attack plan to abort.

Furthermore, he escaped the trap room meticulously set by Wang Jingze. From that moment on, events began slipping out of his control. Still, he believed he held the advantage; at that time, he remained convinced Yu Daoqing could not escape his grasp.

But the facts proved him wrong once more; he had underestimated the inconspicuous youth, Zhong Yun, who had managed to create an explosion of Level Three intensity using energy blocks in the warehouse! Not only did this break through his blockade, but it also cost him nearly half his armed personnel.

Now, looking at their actions, it was clear they intended to drag everyone down with them by destroying the Oxygen Generation Room.

These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Wang Jingze stood up, grinding his teeth. "Listen to my orders! Open the sealed passages and concentrate all armed personnel."

He scanned the assembled crew members, his gaze intensely cold. "You all saw it—they intend to blow up the Oxygen Generation Room. If they succeed, every single one of us will be buried with them. If you don't want to die, follow me and stop them."

With that, Wang Jingze strode out of the main control room.

"I estimate they won't just let us blow up the Oxygen Generation Room," Zhong Yun said to Yu Daoqing while stacking energy blocks. "But it doesn't matter. As long as we kill them all, whether the Oxygen Generation Room is destroyed or not is irrelevant."

Yu Daoqing listened quietly; she hadn't spoken a word since the previous exchange.

"Once the enemy appears, kill a batch first, then fall back into the warehouse. That is where our real battle will be fought."

The enemy arrived sooner than Zhong Yun had anticipated. Before he had even finished stacking half a crate of energy blocks, he heard footsteps approaching from the passage.

Yu Daoqing rose without hesitation and moved toward the passage opening, while Zhong Yun continued energetically piling energy blocks against the wall.

A few minutes later, Yu Daoqing flew back, snatched up Zhong Yun, and flew up to the upper level of the warehouse.

Zhong Yun grabbed a pulse rifle and aimed it at the openings. Soon, a silhouette emerged. Zhong Yun triggered the switch, a flash of white light invisible to the naked eye streaked past, and the silhouette immediately collapsed to the floor.

He kicked a small energy block bomb up, caught it, and hurled it forcefully across the opening, letting it impact the opposite wall before leaping into the passage.

Pulling out his communicator, he pressed a button. With a loud roar accompanied by piercing screams, the ship vibrated lightly once more.

"Do you think Wang Jingze might have been blown up too?" Zhong Yun turned to look at Yu Daoqing.

"You may die, but I will not," Wang Jingze's voice echoed from directly above them.

P: My recent form has been poor, resulting in a reduction in updates. I feel quite ashamed asking for monthly votes. Brothers, motivate me with your monthly votes, and let me reignite my passion.