Chapter 1587: Struggle of the Trapped Beast
The biggest mistake that the thin, gaunt woman made was to completely relax after trapping the two prisoners with the Special Item.
Of course, from her perspective, this could hardly be considered a mistake. No one could break her Special Item, and this building was the main base for her and the Changelings. Everyone working in this building was under her command and an enemy of Wu Yiliu. What did she have to worry about?
She probably never imagined that Wu Yiliu's reach had unknowingly spread everywhere, and that the Changelings were the least reliable of all.
"If you want me to let you out, that's impossible. This cell belongs to Huanzi, and only she can remove it," Pisces said, then pointed at his collar. "You've taken off your devices, right?"
Wu Yiliu quickly nodded, took out the monitor and receiver he had removed from his pockets, showed them to him, and said, "I've already been exposed and captured, so I have nothing to lose. I've destroyed them."
"What do you want from me then?" Pisces asked, folding his arms and glancing at the guard who had accompanied him. The latter hadn't received his reward yet and might have been trying to ensure the situation didn't escalate, so he was lingering nearby, unwilling to leave.
"I'm very worried about you," Wu Yiliu said, knowing full well that no one would believe him but forcing himself to continue. "You're still a posthuman, aren't you?"
Pisces frowned and snorted. "What are you trying to say?"
Ever since he realized that Wu Yiliu had no more value to him, he had treated Wu Yiliu like something to avoid at all costs. Wu Yiliu understood that the reason he had come was not the vague "vital interests" but fear of Wu Yiliu speaking recklessly.
"They've found the location of the object," Wu Yiliu said, watching him, hoping to discern something. "I think they may have already gotten their hands on it."
Pisces stood up straight, pausing for a moment. It was hard to tell if this news was new to him. "What's that got to do with me?"
"This place is soon going to become a real pocket dimension," Wu Yiliu said, "After it becomes a real pocket dimension, where can you go? What will you do with the Special Item?"
"So, that's what you're getting at, but you'll be disappointed." Pisces laughed. "I've already..." His line of sight froze.
Wu Yiliu followed his gaze and saw Professor Qiao sitting serenely, her hands resting on her knees, twisting a silver ring on her finger.
Pisces stared at it for a few moments, then looked at the old lady, his expression of confusion and surprise gradually deepening.
Professor Qiao smiled at him and said, "It's full."
These two words meant nothing to the guard, but Pisces's face turn red with anger. "You—how did you—" He finally remembered there were others present and swallowed the rest of his words.
"It's good that you understand. I'm just a weak, ordinary old lady, with failing eyesight," Professor Qiao said. "Even if the object is useful, I can't use it."
'Well done,' Wu Yiliu praised in his heart and quickly took advantage of the situation. "I just want to ask a few questions. It won't put you in danger!"
Pisces finally managed to cool down a bit from his burning greed and looked at the guard.
"Get out," he said, showing no loss of posthuman authority when dealing with Changelings. "Don't think you can eavesdrop. I know where each person is standing in the entire corridor."
It seemed he still retained a bit of his evolved ability, though its disappearance was only a matter of time.
The guard began to protest. "What about what you promised to give me—"
"Come back later!" Pisces interjected.
The security guard grumbled a bit but didn't dare to say anything more. He glared at Wu Yiliu, as if it was his fault that he didn't get his reward, and reluctantly left the room.
Only after the guard closed the door and the sounds of footsteps and keys had receded did Wu Yiliu approach the railing.
"You seem to have learned some news, haven't you?" he said. "As a posthuman, you must have better information than others. I just want to know what their specific plans are next."
"What's it to you?" Pisces said, eyeing him suspiciously. "You think you can escape?"
Faced with this question, Wu Yiliu merely smiled.
"I don't know how the two of you managed to cross them, but you won't get out," Pisces said, probably appeased by the prospect of information, and seemingly more cooperative. "Not just you two, but all the NPCs and staff in this fake pocket dimension can't leave."
Wu Yiliu hadn't expected such news and asked urgently, "What do you mean?"
Pisces listened to the noise outside the door for a moment, then continued, "I'll start from the beginning. The item they went to find is called the [Pocket Dimension Setting]. It can indeed create a pocket dimension, but not out of nothing. First, the venue must be set up, personnel found, and the content of the pocket dimension arranged properly before it can be created."
He laughed mockingly.
"This thing has many conditions and restrictions, and wouldn't be very useful at other times, in other places. But coupled with this fake pocket dimension, it's a perfect match! Everything is arranged nicely, and as soon as it's activated, this place will turn into a real pocket dimension. No need to worry about exposure."
Wu Yiliu leaned closer to the railing, whispering, "Speak louder, my professor's ears aren't so good."
Pisces rolled his eyes but slightly raised his volume.
"But having the venue and content is not enough. They need hands-on work, and that's where you come in. So, I say, none of you can leave. Whenever they bring back the [Pocket Dimension Setting], you'll become pocket dimension inhabitants."
Wu Yiliu shivered. "Pocket dimension inhabitants are..."
"Never able to leave, forever playing the role assigned by the pocket dimension," Pisces said, chuckling with some pleasure at their predicament. "But I'm a posthuman, so I don't have to worry. Huanzi promised me that before they activate it, they'll tell me."
Wu Yiliu and the old lady exchanged a look, both seeing a pallor of shock on the other's face.
"After activation, posthumans in the fake pocket dimension will be unaffected, just truly trapped inside. As for you..." Pisces shrugged. "Not having to worry about aging, sickness, or death isn't so bad, right?"
As he said this, he approached the old lady's cage, reaching out his hand.
"No," Wu Yiliu said softly, "Professor Qiao, don't give it to him."
The old lady had no intention of giving it to him, but with this, Pisces's attention returned to Wu Yiliu.
"We won't just sit here and wait to die. I have one more request."
Pisces may not be worried about being trapped in the pocket dimension, but that didn't mean his future was secure. Wu Yiliu wants to see how far he can lure Pisces with this dangling carrot.
"Huanzi first used a Special Item to lock us up, then learned about the [Pocket Dimension Setting] and rushed over with the consular officer. This means that she won't immediately activate the [Pocket Dimension Setting] and turn the fake pocket dimension into a real one when she comes back," Wu Yiliu slowly said. "Because she has one more Special Item left in the fake pocket dimension, which is our iron cage."
Pisces stared at him, not understanding his meaning. "So what?"
Wu Yiliu smiled.
No matter how the thin and gaunt woman planned to deal with them, she would have to remove this iron cage first. That was their chance to escape. As ordinary people, including an elderly lady, escaping from a posthuman would seem impossible. But what if they had outside help?
What if their outside help was also a posthuman? Wouldn't their chances of escaping be much greater then?
"I'd like you to send a message to a friend of mine," Wu Yiliu said, looking intently at Pisces. "Just send a secret message. No one needs to know it was you... I guarantee, no one will find out. Her name is Milan Phoenix. Tell her that I've discovered many things here and need to contact her urgently. When I get her reply, we'll give you the ring."
Professor Qiao shifted slightly, a little uneasy, but said nothing.
Pisces stared at Wu Yiliu, his mouth turning down at the corners, almost as if his face was about to change shape again.
This was certainly different from answering a few questions. He hesitated for a long time, confirming several times, finally muttering "wait" and left without giving a clear answer. He looked as if he was quite indignant that he had to take risks to get something from others.
After he left, Wu Yiliu finally breathed a trembling sigh of relief.
He and Milan had only met a few times, and the atmosphere during their last meeting wasn't even friendly. Whether or not she would come to the rescue was uncertain, so he naturally didn't dare to put all his hopes on her.
He opened his palm and took out the sound receiver he had been holding all along.
He had never crushed it. What would be the point of really crushing it other than venting anger? He had kept these little gadgets, never expecting them to come in handy just now. The entire conversation with Pisces should have been captured by the sound receiver.
"Is anyone there?" he whispered to the sound receiver, not knowing if someone was listening at the moment, trying his luck. "You heard all that, right? Those posthumans plan to abandon everyone in the fake pocket dimension, including you, and you will soon become wandering ghosts in the pocket dimension. If you want to know more, I'm an NPC of Candy House No. 1 in Zone B, and I'm locked in the second room in the left corridor of the central control room."