Chapter 9: What Do You Carry in Your Backpack?

Chapter Nine: What’s in Your Backpack?

Jinling University City, located just across the street from the Jinling Municipal Public Security Bureau.

At the southern end of the university city stood the power distribution center, responsible for supplying electricity to Jinling University, the university city’s commercial street, and the food court.

Except for the independently powered traffic signal system, all other systems' electricity supply was managed and coordinated here.

At this very moment, inside the lobby of the power distribution center:

“Attention all departments! Soon, Duan Yu, the cyber police expert from the manhunt live broadcast team, will be coming here to discuss transferring the surveillance control rights to the Jinling Public Security Bureau,” announced a middle-aged man in a slightly oversized suit, his voice loud and commanding. Around him stood many workers dressed in uniforms.

This man was Huang Tao, the director of the power distribution center. He had gathered the staff to urgently convey an important matter.

“Everyone, our center has always upheld strict discipline, high efficiency, and layered security checks. This collaboration opportunity with the Jinling Public Security authorities is crucial. We must cooperate fully and showcase our best face!”

A proud smile crept across Director Huang Tao’s face.

He had led this center for eight years without any issues. If they could work well together this time, using the power distribution center’s resources to catch that notorious online criminal, it would be a major achievement for him.

How many people get such a chance to be seen nationwide?

Huang Tao felt his career was about to reach new heights.

As soon as he finished speaking, whispered conversations quickly spread among the staff nearby.

“No wonder they cut off our live feed of the manhunt broadcast earlier—not allowing us to watch. Turns out it’s part of the program schedule.”

“Duan Yu, huh? That famous cyber expert—just meeting him is worth it!”

“This manhunt live broadcast seems pretty serious this time, with so many resources mobilized to coordinate our entire center’s cooperation!”

A young female intern, newly arrived, opened her mouth in surprise.

Nearby, an older security guard seemed to know more.

“This program isn’t just some variety show. An old comrade told me it’s actually the police system’s internal criminal investigation training competition, presented in a variety show format.”

“Criminal investigation training competition?” some of the staff murmured uncertainly.

“It’s an old public security tradition with deep historical roots,” the security veteran said with a knowing click of his tongue.

“I heard it’s heavily connected to the country’s top ten unsolved cold cases…”

The young intern listened intently, captivated.

Suddenly, she felt someone bump into her from behind.

“Who is it?” she asked, turning around with a wary and displeased look.

But the person standing there was a young man about her age, wearing a black hoodie. Tall and handsome, carrying a backpack, he looked like an inexperienced college graduate.

Noticing her displeasure, he apologized with a slight bow and a low voice:

“Sorry, someone pushed me from behind.”

This man was none other than Su Chen.

What was inside his backpack wasn’t books.

It was liquid explosives.

Yet, upon seeing Su Chen’s appearance, the intern’s anger quickly faded.

Yes, this person was definitely not a bad guy, and it was unintentional.

“No worries, with so many people here, accidental bumps are inevitable.” She waved her hand and smiled kindly at Su Chen.

“Hey, which department are you in? Also an intern?”

Su Chen pretended to think for a moment, then came up with an idea.

“I’m also a new intern in the surveillance coordination department, you know, on the third floor.”

“Oh, so you’re a colleague from the monitoring department…” The girl silently took note of this, considering whether she should “accidentally” bump into him after work. Maybe they could chat and walk together for a bit.

Suddenly, she hesitated, then smiled:

“Wait, I think the surveillance coordination department isn’t on the third floor. Should be the fourth.”

“I just started recently. Must have remembered wrongly,” Su Chen said awkwardly, patting his head and smiling.

“I’m a bit directionally challenged. This place is huge—I still haven’t memorized the map.”

“No problem, that’s normal,” the girl offered comforting words.

She even shared her own embarrassing story, covering her mouth to laugh:

“When I first came, I was supposed to follow my mentor to get familiar, but I still got lost trailing behind.”

“Maybe that’s your mentor’s fault. If a girl like you followed me, I’d be distracted the whole time,” Su Chen said lightly.

Hearing this, a faint blush rose on the girl’s cheeks.

Their distance seemed to close significantly in that moment.

But Su Chen didn’t tell her that by now she was probably famous nationwide, with over ten million viewers watching through the tiny sky-eye cameras.

[I can’t wait to see her reaction when she learns the truth! Hahaha…]

[The girl’s too young—Su Chen tricked her into spilling the beans in just a few moves.]

[This move is called ‘The Immortal’s Guidance!’]

[Leading a wolf into the fold! (laughs)]

[No wonder! Chatting casually with a “fugitive” carrying explosives in his bag—if that were me, I’d brag about it forever!]

[…]

After a while, the girl took the initiative to start talking again.

“I wonder when that cyber police expert will arrive. We haven’t received the live manhunt broadcast signal all day. I heard it’s really exciting—I want to watch so badly…”

“After work, we’ll be able to watch it. There will be replays too,” Su Chen replied, casually scanning the surroundings.

Soon, his gaze locked onto the stairwell entrance.

The young intern opened her mouth as if to say more, but before she could, a voice cut through the chatter.

“Alright, everyone, quiet down!”

Director Huang Tao’s voice silenced the room instantly.

He cleared his throat and gave the dismissal order:

“Now that you all know, head back to your posts quickly. Don’t delay today’s schedule.”

The people in the hall exchanged glances.

“Enough gathering—we’ve got work to do.”

“Dinner at the cafeteria tonight?”

Familiar colleagues exchanged greetings and hurried back to their stations.

“Well, see you,” the girl waved at Su Chen, feeling a little reluctant. She found the meeting too short for the first time.

But no rush—after all, they worked in the same organization. They’d see each other plenty in the future, she thought happily.

“See you,” Su Chen waved back and turned toward the stairs.

…

After walking a dozen steps, Su Chen reached into his pocket and pulled out the girl’s internship ID and work card, silently apologizing.

To get inside the power distribution center’s operations area, these documents were essential.

He had stolen the intern’s credentials mainly because she was about his age—less likely to arouse suspicion.

Also, internship IDs required less personal verification than official employee badges, making them more convenient.

However, there had been a slight mishap. The girl’s pocket was too tight; even with his “Ghost Hand” skill, he couldn’t avoid the sensation of touching.

So he had to bump into her, taking advantage of her distraction at that moment.

Su Chen strolled up the stairs.

Soon he reached the fourth floor.

The place he aimed for was the Surveillance System Power Operations Department, located within the power distribution center’s operations zone.

To get there, he first had to pass through the access control at the operations area door.

“Hey, wait, what are you doing?” A female security inspector stopped Su Chen at the entrance.

“I’m a new intern in the surveillance system department. It’s my first day here, and my mentor is showing me around.”

“But I lost track of him while following,” Su Chen apologized with a smile, casually removing his backpack and placing it on the inspection table.

The female inspector internally grumbled about another careless mentor, leaving the intern to fend for herself.

She didn’t yet know that overhead, the sky-eye live broadcast system had already captured the entire scene.

[Su Chen’s parroting move was too clever, haha!]

[Not to mention everything else, his adaptability is impressive. If I faced this security check, I’d be panicking.]

[Wait… this place has security checks?]

[Well, that’s normal.]

[My god, that backpack probably contains the explosives Su Chen prepared at home!]

[How the hell can that pass security?! He’s asking for death!]

[I wonder what expression the security inspector will have.]

As expected, there was no way to avoid it.

“There’s a thermos cup here. Take it out. What’s inside?”

After the backpack passed X-ray, the inspector examined the screen, frowning slightly as she turned to ask.

The atmosphere instantly tensed.