boyutpedia Chapter 350 Frozen
Chapter 350 Frozen
Just when the atmosphere was extremely tense, Nie Lingfeng, who had been quietly observing, suddenly spoke up.
"Try ice."
The sound wasn't loud, but in the absolute silence, everyone could hear it clearly.
"Huh?" Zhao Qiming and the others were all taken aback and turned to look at him. Zhang Chulan also looked bewildered, not knowing what Nie Lingfeng meant.
Nie Lingfeng pointed to the remaining supernatural seals at the keyhole and hinge of the door, which were resisting the "Qi Neutralizing Agent" and emitting unstable light. The seal patterns were dark red, like strips of red-hot iron wire, occasionally flashing with a blinding light. "These energy structures are biased towards 'melting' and 'high-temperature solidification.' A sudden impact with extreme cold might cause the structure to become brittle and break, faster than the neutralizing agent's penetration."
Zhao Qiming's eyes lit up. As the technical lead, he instantly understood Nie Lingfeng's meaning. Some energy structures have very low resistance to attacks of specific attributes, especially those with opposing properties—high temperature versus low temperature. It's like throwing red-hot glass into ice water; instead of cooling it slowly, it shatters immediately. This seal is clearly related to high temperature, so impacting it with extreme low temperature could indeed have a miraculous effect!
Moreover, Nie Lingfeng's freezing attack on Sato Ittosai just now proved the terrifying extent of his ice-based abilities. That icy blue sword energy could even shatter the "Blood Cherry" sword aura, let alone these remaining sealing patterns?
"Are you confident, Mr. Nie?" Zhao Qiming asked, his tone filled with respect. He had read Nie Lingfeng's file and knew that he was a powerful figure who even the board of directors paid close attention to, but seeing and experiencing it firsthand was another matter entirely.
Nie Lingfeng didn't speak, but simply walked forward. His pace remained unhurried, as if he were strolling in his own backyard. After gesturing for the technicians who were applying the neutralizing agent and setting up the equipment to step back slightly, he extended a finger and gently touched the keyhole of the metal gate.
The instant the fingertips touched, a wisp of condensed, icy blue energy, like a living serpent, silently burrowed into the keyhole. The energy didn't spread outwards; instead, like a needle, it precisely pierced the most concentrated point of the sealed energy.
There was no earth-shattering roar, nor any chilling cold that froze everything. All the overflowing cold air was confined to that small space inside the keyhole, as if an invisible hand had molded the chill into a ball. But everyone present who was sensitive to Qi—Wang Ye, Zhang Lingyu, and even Zhang Chulan—could feel a pure, icy power, seemingly capable of freezing the very essence of the soul, rapidly spreading and permeating along the complex energy circuits inside the keyhole, like a silent flood surging into every ditch.
"Sizzle..."
The stubborn, faintly glowing power-sealing patterns around the keyhole suddenly blazed with a blinding red light, like enraged venomous snakes, constricting and writhing in an attempt to resist the invading chill. But it lasted less than a second before the red light quickly dimmed and went out. In its place was a rapidly spreading layer of opaque, milky-white ice!
The solid ice not only covered the outside of the keyhole but also extended inward along the energy circuit. Wherever it passed, all energy reactions were instantly extinguished, like light bulbs whose power had been cut off. The dark red sealing patterns became extremely fragile in the extreme cold, like frozen snakes, peeling off the door panel one by one, turning into fine powder that fell down in a rustling sound.
"Click...click..."
A soft sound, like shattering glass, came from inside the door. It was the sound of metal contracting, and the sound of the remaining seal breaking down.
Zhao Qiming immediately looked at the instrument screen. He saw the curve representing the sealing energy intensity plummet like a diver—falling straight down from its peak and instantly returning to zero! All the red alerts on the screen turned green, indicating "safe".
"The seal is broken!" a technician exclaimed excitedly, his voice trembling. "The structural embrittlement rate is 85%! The mechanical lock cylinder was also affected by the low temperature; the internal gears shrank by about 0.3 millimeters, reducing the locking force!"
Zhao Qiming made a decisive decision, his voice firm and resolute: "Now! Use physical lock picking! Watch out for internal mechanisms!"
Two burly technicians, clearly strength-type superhumans, immediately stepped forward. They wore heavy protective suits and shock-resistant gloves, and retrieved a specially made crowbar from their toolbox—a black crowbar with fine, non-slip grooves on its surface, its wedge-shaped tip designed for inserting into extremely narrow door gaps. The two exchanged a glance, let out a low shout, their muscles bulging, their aura surging, and the veins on their arms standing out.
"Creak—Clang!"
A sickening metallic twisting sound echoed through the hall. It was the sound of steel being forcibly bent, sharp and piercing, like something screaming. Fine metal shavings and ice fragments splattered from the crack in the door, gleaming coldly under the light. The incredibly heavy metal door, which had baffled everyone, was finally slowly pried open a crack!
More crowbars were inserted. One, two, three—the technicians moved like a swarm of well-trained ants, their movements perfectly coordinated and rhythmic. The door was slowly and painstakingly pushed open, accompanied by the incessant groans of metal.
Everyone instinctively took a half step back, held their breath, and prepared for an explosion, poison gas, or any kind of trap.
No explosion. No traps triggered.
Behind the door was a slightly smaller, enclosed space than the outer hall. A dim emergency light hung from the ceiling, emitting a weak, yellowish glow. The light illuminated the launch pad in the center of the room—a complex device made of welded steel, riddled with pipes and instrument panels.
On the launch pad, a streamlined missile stood silently.
It is approximately four meters long, with a diameter exceeding half a meter at its thickest point. The outer shell is coated with a matte dark gray paint, devoid of reflection, as if it absorbs light. The paint is spotless, without any rust or wear, as if it had just been manufactured. The projectile bears several serial numbers and warning signs, including a line of Russian text that reads "НЕОТЛОЖНАЯ ОПАСНОСТЬ"—"Emergency Danger."
The red warning light on the side was flashing regularly, once per second, like a heartbeat. On a nearby LCD screen, the words "STAND BY" were clearly displayed in red, the glaring red sending chills down one's spine.
A faint, yet unsettling, energy fluctuation emanated from the missile's nose cone. It was not something ordinary people could sense, but the extraordinary individuals present—especially Wang Ye, Zhang Lingyu, and others who were sensitive to Qi—felt a slight stinging sensation on their skin, as if countless invisible needles were pricking them.
This is "Polaris." The Grim Reaper's scythe is on the verge of exploding.
Everyone's hearts were in their throats. Zhang Chulan felt as if someone was choking him, unable to even swallow. Even the usually composed Nie Lingfeng's expression turned serious, his gaze lingering on the missile for a full three seconds.
Chen Duo instinctively hugged Xiao Yun tighter in her arms. Xiao Yun seemed to be affected by the tense atmosphere, squirming uncomfortably and wrinkling her little face, but she didn't wake up.
Zhao Qiming took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. His chest was heaving, but his hands—as they reached for the toolbox—were steady. He waved, and the bomb disposal experts, already prepared, wearing heavy protective suits and carrying more sophisticated instruments, like surgeons on an operating table, held their breath and carefully approached the missile.
They first set up a holographic scanner to create a comprehensive 3D image of the missile. The scanner's probe slowly rotated around the missile body, emitting rings of pale green laser light. The holographic image was displayed in real time on a large screen next to it—the missile's internal structure was clearly visible: the outer shell, heat shield, fuse, warhead, propellant, nuclear warhead... The thickness of each layer, the direction of each line, and the position of each screw were all clearly marked on the screen.
Then, the bomb disposal experts began the most complex and meticulous dismantling work.
The first step was to disconnect the external wiring. An expert crouched beside the launch pad base, using insulated tools to disconnect the cables connecting the missile and the launch pad one by one. After disconnecting each cable, he would pause for two seconds to confirm that there was no current feedback or energy fluctuation before disconnecting the next one.
The second step was to disarm the fuse. Another expert climbed the ladder next to the missile, inserted a specially made key into the small hole in the fuse compartment, and slowly turned it. The key made a "click, click" sound as it turned, each click making everyone present's hearts skip a beat.
The third step is to separate the warhead from the thruster. This is the most dangerous step—the warhead contains a nuclear warhead, and the thruster contains hundreds of kilograms of high-energy fuel. If friction or collision occurs during separation, the consequences would be unimaginable. Two experts stand on either side of the warhead and the thruster, one holding the warhead while the other loosens the bolts on the connecting ring. One bolt, two bolts, three bolts… each bolt makes a soft "squeak" as it is loosened, like a sigh.
The hall was eerily quiet, save for the faint hum of the equipment, the suppressed breathing of the bomb disposal experts, and the soft clatter of tools against metal. Zhang Chulan could hear his own heart pounding, and he dared not even breathe, afraid that his breath might disturb the bomb disposal experts.
Time seemed to stretch out. A minute felt like a year, an hour like a lifetime.
Finally, just as everyone was about to suffocate, a bomb disposal expert slowly lifted a silver-gray cylinder, enveloped in a special force field and radiating a dangerous aura, and carefully placed it into a heavy metal box filled with cushioning material and energy-isolating runes. His movements were extremely slow, as if he were handling a piece of explosives about to detonate, each step feeling like walking on cotton.
With a soft "click," the lid closed, and the special lock automatically engaged.
"Warhead successfully separated. Nuclear charge safely stored." The bomb disposal expert's voice came through his protective suit, tinged with obvious exhaustion and relief. He took off his helmet, revealing a face soaked in sweat, panting heavily.
"call--!!!"
Everyone, including Zhao Qiming and his technical team, including Gao Lian, Zhang Chulan, Wang Zhenqiu, and others, let out a long, deep sigh of relief. Many even collapsed to the ground, their legs giving way. Zhang Chulan sat heavily on the gravel, feeling his back soaked with cold sweat, his clothes clinging icy to his skin.
"Damn...that scared me to death..." Zhang Chulan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feeling more exhausted than if he'd fought ten battles. "This thing is way more exciting than that old man Sato..."
Zhao Qiming let out a long breath and took off his glasses to wipe the fog off the lenses. He directed his men to carefully disassemble and pack the other components of the missile—the propulsion unit, the missile body, and the navigation system—in preparation for transport. Although these components no longer had warheads, they were still highly technologically advanced and of significant research value.
Nie Lingfeng also breathed a slight sigh of relief and gently patted the sleeping Xiaoyun in his arms. Xiaoyun snuggled up slightly under his pats, mumbled something, and then fell into a deep sleep again. Chen Duo's tense body also relaxed, and her arms holding Xiaoyun were no longer so stiff.
However, just as everyone relaxed and began to handle the follow-up matters, a technician who was inspecting the missile launcher base suddenly exclaimed in surprise. He was squatting on the ground, his fingers brushing away the dust under the base, when he suddenly stopped.
"Engineer Zhao! Look here!"
Zhao Qiming and the others were drawn to the scene. They saw the technician crouching beneath the launch pad, brushing away a thick layer of dust from the ground. The dust had accumulated for countless years, forming a thick layer like gray snow. With his movement, a cloud of dust billowed up.