I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

There was a murmur and a gasp of fear from the crowd:

"Oh my god, how many forms do these guys have? They can even lurk underground!"

"It's over, it's over. How can we beat this? We don't even have many laser guns. I'm afraid a single punch from this thing could smash the elevator door!"

However, at this extremely depressing moment, the university student who had just been teased as the "novel's protagonist" suddenly stepped forward and shouted in a firm tone, "Don't panic! Its movement pattern can definitely be cracked! Everyone, move aside. I'll see if I can find a weakness."

His companion immediately grabbed his sleeve and yelled, "Old Zhang, are you crazy? That's a mechanical monster. Your screwdriver is useless! It's wise to retreat and make a new plan!"

But the university student just gritted his teeth and turned back and said, "If we run away now, it will only delay us even more. By the time the main force arrives here, the control core may have been destroyed. I have to try!"

His words were like a thunderclap, stirring up the passion and anticipation hidden in the hearts of many teammates - after all, in this kind of desperate heroic act, everyone present had imagined themselves as the savior in the script.

***

"How dare he! This nerd actually rushed forward!" The technician in charge of defense in the rear watched in amazement as the college student took out a portable electronic terminal from his bag, pointed the screen at the enemy's chest armor and began to scan.

The robot seemed to sense some threat, and suddenly let out a warning, vibrating hissing sound, then raised its giant steel arm and rushed towards the college student!

But the next second, a miracle happened.

Just when everyone thought that this "reckless man" was destined to become a meat pie, the college student suddenly pressed the device in his hand, and three crisp prompt sounds of "beep, beep" were heard. Then the mechanical monster's movements suddenly stiffened and even stopped for a moment.

"Wow!" A thin passerby standing at the farthest point exclaimed in amazement. "The boss is so foresighted. He actually hacked into the core code of this monster?!"

"How is that possible?!" another math major muttered in disbelief, leaning against the wall. "He just used the most common civilian terminal on the market, which shouldn't be compatible with military-grade security protocols! Is he hiding his identity as some top hacker genius? So cool!"

Faced with everyone's shock, the college student didn't have time to explain. Instead, he quickly adjusted the equipment parameters, looked up and glanced around, and asked, "Everyone, find cover! Its defense mechanism will recover quickly! Now comes the real danger!"

As if to confirm his words, the robot revived after a brief malfunction, and became even more violent and aggressive than before, waving its arms and sweeping the surrounding area with sharp roars.

Qin Yifei quickly organized a counterattack and whispered, "You continue to disrupt it, and the others cover his evacuation—don't waste this time! We must understand more about the structural layout of the basement before we can decide our next move!"

***

Meanwhile, the situation on the street outside was becoming increasingly chaotic.

Some civilians who tried to rush to the city border were constantly attacked by patrol drones, and screams were heard one after another.

Suddenly, a motorcycle raced into the crowded crowd at lightning speed, and the rider shouted at the top of his voice, "I heard that an underground team broke into the main control center and destroyed it! Want to volunteer and help? They seem to be in need of technical support! Professionals who understand communications networks, come and sign up!"

A nearby fruit vendor asked suspiciously, "Is it reliable? Don't let anyone get rescued and end up getting stuck and losing your life!"

But a few young boys nearby enthusiastically leaned over and responded, "Don't worry about that. We're going to die sooner or later if we stay here. If we successfully destroy the enemy headquarters, at least we'll be doing our last bit for humanity. We can't let the robot dogs take advantage of us for nothing, right?! Let's go! We've earned our lives anyway!"

So in less than five minutes, a temporary support team consisting of dozens of young people rushed towards the target building.

……

Back in the underground tunnel, the battle became increasingly stalemate.

Thanks to the successful delay of the college students, the team finally found an iron gate leading to a deeper floor, which was embedded with complex locking devices.

Just as he was about to check, a familiar yet malicious voice appeared again.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, it looks like you're having a blast." Du Fan slowly emerged from the shadows, his eyes mocking the large group of people working to crack the mechanism. "But I'd like to ask, if we open this passage and find an entire automated defense fortress waiting for us inside, what do you think we should do? Hehehe~"

"Shut up! Who allowed you to trespass into our territory?" Zhao Li said sternly with a gloomy face.

Du Fan, however, showed no fear at all. Instead, his smile widened. He waved the data pad he'd unknowingly retrieved and said, "Oh, haha, hey! Have you forgotten who I am? Actually, the answer is already clear... But I urge some people to proceed with caution—like this cute little guy with glasses. Don't put all your hopes on so-called technological advances. The truth may not be as simple as you think."

Before he finished speaking, he turned around and left casually, leaving the room filled with silence and a heavy atmosphere.

---

"What on earth did Du Fan mean by his last sentence..." the college student muttered with a frown, his hand still hesitantly on the cipher disk.

"No matter what, we can't stop." Qin Yifei interrupted the questioning with a firm voice, "Since we have decided to take the risk, we will not shrink back. Either survive and control the future, or be completely destroyed - no matter what the outcome, at least we must take a gamble now!"

After saying that, he slammed the combination lock button and ordered, "Hurry and crack it. If we delay any longer, the fate of the entire city may be completely changed by our hesitation for a few minutes!"

Under the light, everyone exchanged a resolute look.

With a click, the iron gate finally swung open under the university student's control. A damp, cold air emanated from the crack, accompanied by a faint mechanical hum. Everyone's heartbeat leaped into their throats at this moment.

"I smell... danger," a technician in a ragged jacket muttered, wrinkling his nose. "But could it also be a sign of victory? Who knows?"

Qin Yifei took the lead and stepped into the passage, the beam of his flashlight piercing the darkness. He glanced back at the crowd, his tone steady but revealing unquestionable determination: "Follow us, don't fall behind."

Upon entering the passage, the sight inside was breathtaking—the walls were covered in dense circuits and gleaming data ports, and the faint hum of electricity could be heard. The entire space looked like a tunnel consumed by technology, filled with an oppressive feeling.

Just as the team reached the center of the passage, a familiar sound of metal friction was suddenly heard.