After Xia Li proposed he was willing to compensate.

  The other party actually hung up immediately, as if afraid of signal tracking.

  Xia Li wasn't worried about them competing for satellite access.

  Organizations that robbed people in the danger zones were almost all wanted criminals with bounties. Criminals weren't qualified to use satellite services—even if they had spirit stones.

  They could only pay to cancel satellite locks on themselves, extremely passive.

  On this point, corporations still had some dignity.

  Only...

  Ten minutes later.

  While Xia Li was using the satellite to search for other Snake Eyes members, Yagyu Chihaya sent him a communication request.

  "Bad news. Silver Star Group has no shame. Their satellite just locked onto this area—they're probably planning to help Snake Eyes kill you."

  "Just tell me the solution. Does Silver Star Group dare to fire orbital weapons at me?"

  "Possibly. They could claim it as accidental friendly fire while attacking a demon. Of course, such 'accidents' would trigger an investigation. Whether you'd get justice in the end is unclear—after all, corporations don't have justice."

  "Should I withdraw now? Go back to the Tax-Free Zone first?"

  Xia Li had already vented his anger and felt much better. Having him retreat now wasn't so unacceptable anymore.

  Besides, his goal was achieved. He'd told everyone eyeing his spirit stones that he would give them spirit stones.

  But those spirit stones would transform into weapons seeking them out.

  "Retreat is certainly one option, but you probably don't want to. So I have a second option."

  "Tell me."

  "Yagyu Military Industries' satellite directly interferes with Silver Star Group's satellite. Either everyone uses them, or no one does. Your call."

  "That's a tough choice..."

  Compared to Snake Eyes, Xia Li was more dependent on the satellite's position information. But if everyone could use it, Silver Star Group might just flip the table and fire orbital weapons.

  He didn't yet have the weight to hold down that table.

  Silver Star Group not firing immediately was already them considering his fame—killing him directly would damage their reputation.

  "By the way, I have new information. Snake Eyes' handler is confirmed to be Kangquan Guard Company. I'm investigating Kangquan's relationship with Silver Star. Your ability to draw out snakes is quite impressive."

  Day one he'd drawn out Park Jiseung, a Silver Star Group executive. Three days later, he'd exposed Silver Star Group's snake eyes.

  "That just means the plan is proceeding smoothly. What next?"

  "My suggestion is you come back first. I just did a new compilation of Snake Eyes' historical data and found that besides robbing, Snake Eyes seems to be preventing the Demon Hunter Association from hunting certain demon types. Those demons might be problematic."

  "Alright."

  "You're actually not volunteering to investigate deep in the snake nest? So cooperative now?"

  "I'm not afraid of Snake Eyes, but with Silver Star Group involved... I'm not that stupid. Looks like we need to plan long-term."

  The Snake Eyes organization apparently held special significance for Silver Star Group, prompting them to personally intervene to deter him.

  Once satellites were deployed, Yagyu Military Industries' intelligence department would investigate this point and quickly deduce much information by combining previous intel.

  "Take this route back. Don't go through the Tax-Free Zone—watch out for Silver Star's people intercepting you. Seems like your insistence on coming to the danger zone made Silver Star Group think you've grasped some key information."

  Yagyu Chihaya transmitted a complex underground tunnel map—probably defensive fortifications built five hundred years ago.

  There was an entrance to the underground tunnels not far from Xia Li's current position.

  Without wasting words, Xia Li immediately headed for the tunnel entrance, buried three meters under radioactive dust.

  Passing through the radioactive dust pile and rubble layer, Xia Li arrived at an open space. Activating his electronic eye's night vision, he found this seemed to be an old subway station.

  The air carried a heavy musty smell—the scent of decay over ages.

  After proceeding a distance according to the map, Heaven Chip issued an alert:

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  【You are about to enter a no-signal zone.】

  Receiving this, Xia Li immediately contacted Yagyu Chihaya.

  "Why is this underground tunnel a no-signal zone? Isn't Heavenly Dao Network supposed to have full coverage within the solar system, even reaching the planet's core? Did someone set up signal jammers?"

  Xia Li suspected this underground passage had been occupied by some organization.

  "It's the demon Infant Cry. This demon can interfere with electronic signals and implant hallucinations into human brains. But its body is fragile and cowardly—it only dares eat corpses. As long as you can still move, they won't approach."

  "Then it's simple. I'll knock myself unconscious and let Heaven Chip navigate..."

  "Absolutely not! Best to memorize the route and let Heaven Chip hibernate temporarily. Infant Cry can be kicked to death by mortals, but they can interfere with Heaven Chips!"

  "What?"

  Xia Li had never heard of demons that could counter Heaven Chips. But this demon's strengths and weaknesses were too extreme—could counter Heaven Chips yet was extremely frail, killable by mortals.

  "Currently, sixth-gen Heaven Chips might solve this problem, but you're using fifth-gen. Infant Cry can mimic brain signals."

  "You wouldn't want your Heaven Chip commanded by Infant Cry to commit suicide, right? Heaven Chip absolutely obeys brain signal commands, even if it can determine the command isn't from you."

  "Heaven Chip has no right to refuse—unless you're using open-spirit architecture."

  Open-spirit architecture...

  The type where AI develops self-awareness, can refuse owner commands, even the type with AI takeover risk.

  That indeed could distinguish his true will and refuse Infant Cry control.

  "What a bizarre demon. So will Silver Star Group risk intercepting me underground?"

  "Possibly, but without Heaven Chip, you should be stronger. After all, you absorbed Kondo Munemasa's combat memories. That guy was from the True Heart school, believing self-training was superior to Heaven Chip."

  "Fine..."

  Seems Yagyu Chihaya had calculated ahead. Feeding him combat memories was precisely for him to take this route back when facing danger.

  With no choice.

  Xia Li disconnected and put Heaven Chip into hibernation, even disconnecting all prosthetic neural links for safety.

  Losing night vision.

  Deaf in one ear, noseless—the world he perceived now was incomplete.

  Fortunately his Spirit Core still functioned normally. Now he only had his unaugmented self.

  He could barely remember a few techniques from his mind. Luckily he still had his sword skill proficiency.

  Releasing divine thought, Xia Li now realized he really needed to master some techniques learned entirely by himself. Otherwise, Heaven Chip malfunctions would be like getting banned from cheating—he'd instantly become weak.

  After proceeding some distance...

  A sudden change occurred.

  The dark tunnel suddenly transformed into a bustling subway station of old, the darkness illuminated by light from unknown sources.

  A snow-white puppy sat not far away, wagging its tail at Xia Li.

  "So this is Infant Cry's method..."

  Xia Li gazed at the puppy nearby. Every strand of fur on its body was so real, making Xia Li recall the fluffy texture of puppy fur.

  How bizarre...

  If not for fear of being ambushed by Silver Star Group, he really didn't want to take this route back.

  He just hoped Yagyu Chihaya's efforts would be worth it—that drawing out snakes would yield more key information.

  But suddenly...

  In that illusion, a mature woman wearing glasses and a white lab coat appeared beside the puppy.

  Someone who had only appeared twice in Xia Li's memories. Logically, even in illusions, more familiar people or things should appear. Why her?

  "Professor Yan?"

  Yan Qing.

  The neurology medical professor from five hundred years ago. One of the main initiators of the Human Cryopreservation Project. Xia Li had only met her when joining the project and just before being frozen.

  He'd barely exchanged a few words with her.

  Why would he see someone so unfamiliar in these illusions?