Chapter 70: Infiltrating the Realm of Ecstasy

“Why not just extract the data directly from John Carlisle's mind?” Alice asked curiously as they left the Spider’s domain.

“First, we don’t have the specialized equipment needed for such an extraction. Second, there’s no reason for us to take such a risk. That piece of gold worth a hundred thousand is enough to make others risk life and limb for us—why not let them?” Wang Jing replied.

“Besides, my real goal has never been obtaining that string of data. Once they actually get hold of it, they’ll surely be tempted to look at it out of curiosity.”

“And once they do, the promise of immense profit will blind them. They’ll rush into the space station to implant the shutdown program for us. As long as Ada Wong can successfully plant the MOOS, then this world will be within our grasp. And all it’ll have cost us is a trivial piece of gold!” Wang Jing laughed.

Elsewhere, Optimus Prime was parked behind the space station, while Ada Wong slipped inside, moving through the hull and into the heart of Elysium.

Thanks to Wang Jing’s warning, Ada Wong was careful not to be detected by surveillance or robots. She slipped silently into a mansion and hid in a wardrobe, waiting for nightfall before making her way to the station’s control center.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before the lady of the house entered the room. As she opened the wardrobe to choose a dress, Ada Wong quickly grabbed her, clamping a hand over her mouth. A powerful anesthetic in her palm sent the woman into unconsciousness within two seconds.

Ada Wong rifled through the woman’s belongings, searching for an ID card or pass. Instead, she noticed a code tattooed on the woman’s arm.

She remembered Wang Jing’s earlier words: these were the citizen identification codes inside Elysium.

She pulled a phone from her tactical pocket, but in the next moment, the phone transformed into a tiny Transformer.

Pointing at the code on the woman’s wrist, Ada Wong asked, “Can you copy this?”

“No problem! That’s a piece of cake for me, though it might sting a little.” The tiny Transformer warned her good-naturedly.

“It’s fine, I can handle it—do it!” She extended her fair, delicate right arm.

“All right, Superwoman!” The little Transformer fired twin laser beams from its eyes, etching an identical identification code onto Ada Wong’s arm.

A puff of blue smoke rose, and Ada Wong let out a long breath, sweat beading on her white brow.

“So, are you satisfied with my work?” the Transformer asked with a grin.

Ada Wong grabbed it and marched to the medical pod, pressing it against the display. “See if this machine can do cosmetic surgery. Best if you can make me look exactly like her!”

“Okay, okay, let go—you’re hurting me!” the little Transformer squealed, its face mashed against the screen.

“Hurry up, we don’t have much time,” Ada Wong said, releasing her grip and lying onto the medical pod.

The Transformer pulled a data cable from its rear and plugged it into a port beneath the screen, rapidly searching through the cosmetic options.

“Hmm, it does have a cosmetic surgery function, but it can’t reconstruct your face based on someone else’s features,” the Transformer said.

“So you’re saying it can’t be done?” Ada Wong turned to him coldly.

Seeing her icy stare, the Transformer quickly replied, “Not at all! Since you’re using her identification code, you can absolutely assume her appearance!”

“Then get started!”

“Right away! The Superwoman is about to become a master of disguise!” With that, the Transformer hit the start button.

As the pod whirred to life, a cloud of anesthetic gas sprayed out. The moment Ada Wong inhaled, she lost consciousness. Mechanical arms extended from the sides of the pod, and a laser swept across, erasing her entire face.

Staring at the skinless visage inside, the Transformer grimaced. “Oh my god, that’s disgusting!”

A saw cut through Ada Wong’s jawbone; a laser then scanned the break, reattaching it seamlessly. Cartilage was added to her nose, making it more prominent and refined.

When all was done, a final laser sweep revealed a face identical to the mansion’s owner.

Freshly formed skin still steamed, but a spray of liquid from the pod cooled it. Ada Wong took a deep breath and woke instantly, her new face in place.

“You’re awake! Come see if you’re satisfied with the result?” The Transformer angled the screen toward her.

She looked at the unfamiliar face in the camera and felt a strange sensation stirring within.

“It’s not bad, but still not quite as good as before,” Ada Wong said, a little disappointed.

“To be honest, I’m almost afraid to look at you now.”

The pod’s hatch opened. Ada Wong sat up, grabbed the little Transformer, and stuffed it into her pocket.

“Then don’t look!” she said. She strode to the unconscious woman, bound her with a belt, and shoved her back inside the wardrobe before stepping out toward the station’s control center.

As she passed by robots along the way, none detected anything amiss.

Meanwhile, on Earth, the world’s most wretched protagonist, Max, lay dying atop a factory table.

After taking some painkillers from a robot, he staggered toward his rundown home. With a friend’s help, he found the Spider.

“Hey! Max, my good man, how’s life at the factory?” Spider called out enthusiastically.

“I need help.”

“What—what did you say? I didn’t catch that,” Spider frowned.

“I need a ticket. I need to get up there. And a new identity,” Max said weakly.

“Oh, sure, no problem. Window seat, aisle, or first class?” Spider mocked him with a straight face.

“I’m not joking.”

“Listen, I’ll pay you back. I’ll come back and work for you—anything you need!” Max pleaded earnestly.

Hearing this, Spider burst into laughter, swinging his crippled left leg off the desk and approaching Max. “That’s wonderful, but answer me this, Max.”

“Do you know how many sorry souls come to me with the same story every day? Kids, too—” Spider paused, his face turning cold. “Max, if I were you, I’d get out of here, now.”

No sooner had Spider spoken than Max snatched up a pen from the table and pressed it to Spider’s throat, snarling, “I did three years in prison for you. You owe me!”