Chapter 20 The End of the World is Coming

"Tell me if it'll work or not."

Time was running out; the dream was about to end.

Lin Xian didn't bother arguing with CC, urging her to get to the point.

CC shook something in her hand that looked like a Bluetooth headset:

"This thing can remotely connect to that live-detection security gate. It needs a certain distance... but if the password can be cracked fast enough, that distance is manageable."

"With the security gate's password, we can go straight through it. The live-detection program won't even activate. It's a bypass, probably used by internal personnel."

Lin Xian understood.

CC's plan was to sneak into New Eastern Sea City by hiding in a garbage truck and entering through the steel gate.

Even though there was a live-detection security gate inside.

But CC was a password expert, and she could use this Bluetooth-like device to remotely connect to the security gate and crack the password.

If they could crack the password before the live-detection program ran, they could safely enter New Eastern Sea City.

This plan didn't sound safe... it was downright dangerous, and any slip-up could be fatal.

But to Lin Xian, his life was the least valuable thing.

If there was even a sliver of a chance, he could try it countless times to make that possibility a reality.

That was his unique advantage in the dream world.

"I understand."

Lin Xian took off the Rhine cat mask from his face, stood up, and looked at the steel gate crashing down in the distance:

"Your plan sounds pretty good. Logically, it's feasible."

"But the only difficulty lies in..."

"Implementing this plan requires a password expert."

Lin Xian looked down at CC:

"That's you."

"Hold on."

CC smiled, turning her head away:

"I'm just telling you this method. I never said I'd go with you. I'm only telling you this because I promised you when we exchanged information before. There's no other meaning."

"You said that safe was more important than your life just now."

"There's a difference between risking your life and throwing it away."

CC brushed her bangs and looked up at Lin Xian:

"Maybe I wasn't clear enough just now, which is why you didn't understand."

"Cracking the password isn't a guaranteed 100% success, and it's not certain it can be done in a limited time."

"I only know the various garbage truck transfer procedures through the information in this device. That doesn't mean I've actually been inside. I don't know the specifics of that security gate and live-detection program."

"It's just theoretically, can you understand? It's theoretically possible to skip the live-detection by cracking the security gate's password. But in reality? Who can guarantee it will definitely work? Definitely succeed?"

Lin Xian crouched down and sat on the same safe as CC.

"What are you doing?"

CC glanced at him warily and moved to the right:

"Why are you sitting over here? Isn't there room on your side?"

"I'm thinking..."

Lin Xian thought, resting his chin on his hand:

"I'm thinking about how to make you believe that the world will be destroyed at 00:42, and that time can loop back, that there is no tomorrow here, only countless todays."

"What does that have to do with you sitting over here? Can't you say it while sitting across from me?"

With that said.

CC stood up directly, leaning against the stacked safes next to her, staring at Lin Xian.

Sigh.

That was the problem.

Lin Xian sighed helplessly in his heart.

This woman, CC, simply didn't

trust him.

And now, what he had to do was not only to make the current CC trust him, but also to make the CC at noon and in the afternoon trust him as well.

This was even more difficult.

He believed that the information CC was providing him now was not a lie.

But the problem was...

Without the assistance of a password expert, he definitely wouldn't be able to crack the security gate's password.

Did he really have to sign up for a class in reality and study hacking for a few months?

Obviously, that wasn't realistic.

And even if he learned it in a short time.

Getting the Bluetooth headset-like device from CC would also be difficult.

In comparison...

Perhaps convincing CC to trust him would be easier.

"CC."

Lin Xian said seriously:

"Actually, the bearded, long-haired middle-aged man in your memory fragments is probably me too."

"Don't joke around, you're getting more outrageous."

"Otherwise, why would our voices be the same?"

"There are many people with the same voice."

"My name is Lin Xian."

"Why don't you say your name is Safe? Wouldn't that be more direct?"

...

Fine.

Lin Xian spread his hands.

This weird woman was impossible to communicate with.

She was a million miles away from Chu Anqing in terms of being likeable and understanding!

"Whether you believe what I'm saying or not, let me go over the current situation one last time."

They say sincerity is a deadly weapon.

Lin Xian decided to try one last time, revealing everything in the hopes that something might change CC's mind.

He looked up:

"First of all, the world will be destroyed at 00:42, which is in a few minutes. A white light will incinerate everything in the world. You can wait here for a lifetime, but you won't see the 00:57 garbage truck. All your careful plans will become a joke in the face of the 00:42 white light."

"And I have the ability to rewind time and loop back to August 28, 2624. I know these words might sound absurd to you. But since we met, have we encountered few absurd things?"

"You know that those memory fragments don't belong to this world, and I myself am not from this world, but I actually jumped here from another world. Isn't that absurd enough? Isn't it absurd to predict the garbage truck's unloading location accurately, or to say the location and position of each safe correctly?"

"CC, you have to understand that this world itself is absurd. There are many things we can't explain or understand. But not understanding it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"Regarding opening the safe, there is no doubt that our goals are the same. I've told you many times that the only way to open the safe and find out what's inside... is to sneak into New Eastern Sea City this afternoon, or even earlier, find Time Bank, and open the safe before the garbage truck arrives."

"This is the only method. If you believe me, then you still have hope of opening the safe in this lifetime. But if you don't believe me, then regret it forever in the endlessly repeating white light of destruction."

Lin Xian looked down at the watch on his wrist.

00:37

"That's all I have to say."

He looked again at CC, who was leaning against the safe:

"You have five minutes to consider. Believe it or not, it's up to you."

...

The air fell silent.

In this chaotic garbage plant, not even the noisy cicadas of summer could be heard.

Only the sound of garbage trucks and robots constantly operating.

And the intermittent smell wafting from the incinerator.

For a long time.

CC's eyes softened:

"Even if I believe you, what good will it do?"

"Like you said, you don't need the current me, but the me from noon and the me from the afternoon."

"So even if I believe you now, what does it matter? You can travel back 12 hours, but I can't... How am I supposed to convince myself 12 hours ago to believe you 12 hours ago?"

Lin Xian lowered his head and smiled.

It seemed that sincerity did have some effect.

CC was clearly wavering.

"If you're willing to believe me, that's what you need to consider, CC."

Lin Xian stood up:

"You know yourself better than anyone else. You should know very well what to say and what to do to make yourself trust me."

"Even the you from 12 hours ago is the same. There's actually no difference. If the current you can trust me, then the you from 12 hours ago can probably trust me too."

"If you're willing to try to cooperate, then everything will be easy... You just need to tell me one of your secrets."

"Secret?"

CC tilted her head, looking at Lin Xian:

"What secret?"

"A secret that belongs only to you, a secret that only you know, that no one else knows, but that is very important to you, and that once you hear someone else say it, you will unconditionally trust them."

Afraid that CC didn't understand, Lin Xian continued to explain:

"I'll find you this afternoon. Then I'll tell you this secret. If the you at that time can trust me unconditionally upon hearing this secret, then our plan to sneak into New Eastern Sea City can begin."

"So... this secret is a key for me to gain your trust, to make you believe me. You must think carefully..."

"Is there anything deep in your heart... Of course, I'm not asking about personal privacy. It's not really that difficult. I myself have many secrets, and only I know them. If the other party can say them accurately, I'll definitely believe them."

"You should understand what I mean. Is there any secret deep within you that, once I say it, will make you trust everything I say, even be willing to risk your life to sneak into New Eastern Sea City with me?"

...

Lin Xian finished speaking.

CC fell into deep thought.

Perhaps she already believed Lin Xian.

Perhaps, she was just trying it out, like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse.

After all, this wasn't much of a burden for the current CC. She just needed to say a secret that could convince herself.

"VV."

After a long time, CC finally spoke.

She opened her eyes, reflecting the round jade plate above, looking at Lin Xian, who was taller than her:

"That bearded middle-aged man's name... is VV."

"VV."

Lin Xian murmured this strange name:

"Just telling the you from 12 hours ago this name is enough to gain your trust?"

"It should be."

CC nodded:

"This name is very important to me. At least, if you can tell me this name now, I will definitely trust you."

"So I think... the me from 12 hours ago is the same."

"Okay."

Lin Xian nodded:

"Thank you for your secret. Where will you be this noon and afternoon?"

"I'm always hiding in the woods behind Li Cheng's house."

CC chuckled softly:

"I really don't know why I believe your nonsense... You're really suitable to be a speaker, or a host. There's something strangely compelling about the way you talk."

"You're very perceptive."

Lin Xian looked down at his watch.

00:41:37

Luckily, he made it in time.

Twenty-three seconds before the apocalyptic white light arrived, he obtained the secret that could make CC trust him.

"Look at your watch."

Lin Xian motioned for CC to raise her wrist:

"In 20 seconds, the world will be destroyed."

"To be honest, I don't believe it." CC said softly, but still raised her wrist, staring at the second hand gradually rising on the watch:

"It's really strange to count down and wait for the world to be destroyed... It's as if this world is fake."

"Have you seen 'The Truman Show'?" Lin Xian asked.

"What's that?" CC asked in confusion.

"It's a movie."

Lin Xian smiled and waved at CC:

"If I never see you again, then good morning, good afternoon..."

"Good night."

Boom!!!!!!

Boom!!!!!!

Boom!!!!!!

The promised white light incinerated everything, leaving nothing.

...

...

...

00:42:00

In the corner of the bedroom, Lin Xian opened his eyes.