"Crack progress: ten percent, eleven percent…"
Watching the numbers rapidly tick upward on the screen, Bai Hao was greatly shocked. This decryption system must belong to the silver key card.
"Crack progress: fifty percent, fifty-one percent…"
Bai Hao stared dumbfounded at the numbers on the screen, hardly believing his eyes. The decryption system on this silver key card was far too powerful. The mecha's authentication system was top-secret technology within the Empire, protected by dozens of advanced security protocols. Even with deliberate attempts to crack it, it would be an extremely difficult task.
For a moment, Bai Hao didn't know how to describe his feelings.
"Crack progress: eighty percent… ninety-nine percent, one hundred percent."
"Authentication system passed. Operational permissions: S-level."
"Operating system initializing…"
Staring at the dialog boxes rapidly popping up on the screen, Bai Hao's heart stirred again. S-level operational permissions—the highest level—meant all the mecha's functions were now accessible.
Mecha operational permissions were divided into three levels: S, A, and B. S-level key cards were typically held by the military or the mecha designers. A and B-level key cards were in the hands of pilots and mechanics, respectively.
"Control system activated."
A few seconds later, another prompt appeared on the screen.
Bai Hao took a deep breath, barely calming the tumultuous emotions in his heart. He was just about to attempt inputting a simple command when the screen before him flickered, suddenly displaying a little girl of about eleven or twelve.
The girl had long silver hair, a pretty face, and large, dark, bright eyes—utterly adorable. Her luminous eyes were directed straight at Bai Hao in the pilot's seat.
"Who are you?"
Suddenly, a voice like a silver bell, clear and melodious, rang out within the cramped mecha cockpit.
Bai Hao was momentarily stunned. He quickly glanced around, seeing no one else, then muttered in confusion, "Am I hearing things?"
"Who are you? Where's Sister An Jie?"
The silvery voice rose again in the cockpit.
Bai Hao immediately realized it wasn't an auditory hallucination; the voice was real. Quickly, he focused his gaze on the silver-haired girl on the screen before him. Pointing at her, he asked with an incredulous expression, "Is… is that you talking to me?"
"Yes. I asked who you are."
The silver-haired girl nodded, pouting slightly as she repeated the question.
Bai Hao was dumbfounded. His eyes were fixed on the silver-haired girl on the screen, but his mind was in turmoil. The girl on the display was actually speaking to him, using human language and asking questions. It was simply unbelievable.
Seeing Bai Hao's dazed expression, the silver-haired girl on the screen frowned. "Pervert."
As she spoke, she extended a slender finger and gently tapped the space before her. A small black dot instantly appeared, rapidly expanding to fill the entire screen before morphing into the head of a tiger.
"Roar!"
The tiger roared, its bloody maw wide open as if to bite Bai Hao.
Seeing the gaping maw lunging toward him, the stunned Bai Hao jolted in alarm, nearly leaping out of the pilot's seat. However, he reacted quickly, forcing himself to stay calm. Wiping a cold sweat from his brow, he said awkwardly, "I'm not a pervert."
On the screen, the bloody maw vanished, replaced once more by the image of the utterly adorable silver-haired girl.
The pretty face of the silver-haired girl now wore an incongruous expression of anger. She hmphed, "If you're not a pervert, why are you staring at me? Hey, pervert, you still haven't answered my question."
Bai Hao was speechless. What kind of logic was that? One look and he was a pervert? Besides, he wasn't interested in little girls, especially not virtual ones. "Ahem, ahem, what question did you ask?"
"Who are you?" the silver-haired girl repeated, her voice still tinged with anger.
By now, Bai Hao's mind had somewhat settled. "Bai Hao," he replied.
"Haven't heard of you," the silver-haired girl pouted, continuing, "Where's Sister An Jie?"
"An Jie?!" Bai Hao's brows furrowed slightly. After hesitating for a few seconds, he slowly said, "I don't know."
A flicker of worry passed over the silver-haired girl's face. "Then how did you get me?"
Hearing this, Bai Hao was fairly certain the silver-haired girl before him was a virtual persona generated by the silver key card. As for her question, he couldn't explain in detail and gave a vague answer, "She gave you to me."
"Gave me to you? Has something really happened to Sister An Jie?" The silver-haired girl seemed slightly flustered, speaking with concern.
Bai Hao shook his head. "I'm not sure about that either."
"Then will you help me find out? If you're willing to help me find Sister An Jie, I'll listen to anything you say." The silver-haired girl looked pitiful, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Bai Hao's protective instincts surged momentarily, though not to the point of overflowing. He took a light breath and asked unhurriedly, "Listen to me? Do you have any special functions?"
"Yes. I can independently pilot mechas, fighter craft, warships, spacecraft…"
"Stop, stop!" Before the silver-haired girl could finish, Bai Hao hurriedly interrupted, his face full of skepticism. A tiny key card that could pilot mechas, fighters, and spacecraft? That sounded like boasting that could make cows fly. "So, can you pilot a star carrier too?"
Bai Hao's tone clearly carried a hint of teasing.
The silver-haired girl, however, replied with utmost seriousness, "Theoretically, yes, as long as the star carrier has a network control system, I can control and pilot it. However, the data load of a star carrier is enormous; I'm not sure if normal control would be possible."
Hearing this, Bai Hao's expression changed slightly. He examined the silver-haired girl on the screen more carefully. Judging by her expression, she didn't seem to be lying. This left him somewhat baffled. Could a tiny key card really control a star carrier? No, this probably went beyond the scope of a mere key card.
Seeing Bai Hao deep in thought, the silver-haired girl didn't rush him. She waited quietly, maintaining a pitiful demeanor.
"If what the silver-haired girl says is true, then this silver key card really has quite a few functions. But piloting fighters, warships, spacecraft… none of that seems particularly useful to me right now…"
After pondering for a moment, Bai Hao rubbed his chin and asked in a somewhat doubtful tone, "You can really independently pilot all those things you mentioned?"
The silver-haired girl nodded earnestly. "Would you like me to pilot this mecha right now to show you?"
"N-No, that's fine. I believe you."
Bai Hao quickly stopped her. If some big commotion were caused in this research lab, it would probably alarm the entire Second Research Institute. By then, he'd be in serious trouble.