Seeing everyone at a loss, Tang Yue spoke up hesitantly.
"Can I give it a try?"
"Okay."
Long Ming heard her and agreed at once.
Tang Yue then took a small tool pouch from her backpack and opened it in front of Long Ming and the others.
She took out two very thin metal wires from inside, inserted them into the keyhole, and began trying to pick the lock.
A few minutes later.
Tang Yue’s brow furrowed as she helplessly pulled the wires out.
When Long Ming and the others saw this, they knew she had failed and couldn’t help but sigh.
"Sigh..."
But just then, as if unwilling to give up, Tang Yue took out a small, thin, eighty-degree hook from her pouch and inserted it.
CLICK... CLICK... CLICK...
She pulled it out little by little, then changed direction and inserted it again, pulling it out gradually once more.
This scene left the others completely bewildered, because it didn’t look like lockpicking at all!
Still, no one disturbed her.
Several minutes later.
Tang Yue took out four rectangular metal plates from her tool pouch, along with a pair of tooth-cutting pliers, and began to slowly snip out a shape.
Long Ming and the others finally understood. Their faces were full of shock. ’Is she going to craft a key on the spot?’
’How incredible.’
THUMP-THUMP...
Just then, the sound of urgent footsteps approached.
"Someone’s coming."
Long Ming was the first to react.
Xiaoqi, Johnny, and Cloud Fish quickly formed a screen outside.
Tang Yue frantically hid her things behind her back.
At that moment, two fully-armed players from the All Stars Guild ran past the three-way intersection up ahead.
Noticing Xiaoqi and the others, they immediately stopped.
One of them, a lean, well-built man with a gaunt face wearing a bulletproof vest, looked at Xiaoqi’s group and asked quizzically.
"What are you guys doing hiding here?"
"Uh, well..."
Xiaoqi and the others forced awkward smiles, secretly huddling closer together to block the view of Long Ming, trying to prevent him from being conscripted into the fighting again.
Just then, the other man standing beside him slapped his companion on the head.
"Zhang Duan, are you an idiot? Didn’t you see they’re from the Rat Group? They don’t have any weapons, so of course they can only hide here. You expect them to go out there and serve themselves up as a free gift package for the enemy?"
"Oh, oh, right. You guys stay hidden here!"
Zhang Duan quickly said to Xiaoqi and the others.
"Mister, how are things looking out there? Can we beat the Star God Guild?"
Xiaoqi quickly went along with it, asking in a sweet, delicate voice.
"Don’t you worry, miss. With us here, you’ll be fine. We’ll definitely beat those guys from the Star God Guild and protect you. Then you’ll be able to leave this place safely."
"Go get ’em, mister! You guys are the strongest!"
Cloud Fish and the others chimed in with encouragement.
"No problem! We’re heading off to kill those sons of bitches."
Hearing the encouragement from Cloud Fish and the others, Zhang Duan beamed before turning to leave.
Xiaoqi’s group let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew..."
Long Ming’s tense nerves also relaxed. ’Good thing we weren’t discovered. Getting conscripted would have been a huge pain.’
Just then, Tang Yue quickly took out a small glass vial.
The vial contained metal adhesive.
She placed the four cut metal pieces into a mold, then poured in the metal adhesive and let it set for a few minutes.
When Tang Yue opened the mold, a complex, cross-shaped mechanical key appeared before them. She then began to file the key with a special rasp.
At that moment, Cloud Fish exclaimed in amazement.
"Tang Yue, I never knew you had this kind of skill!"
"Yeah, my family used to be locksmiths. But then electronic locks became popular, and our trade went into decline. Still, my grandfather passed the skills down to me."
Tang Yue explained as she filed the key.
Hearing this, Long Ming felt even more fortunate. ’Good thing I brought Tang Yue along, or we’d just be staring at this lock with nothing to do.’
Time ticked by.
BANG! BANG!
Just then, the jarring sound of continuous gunfire rang out.
Xiaoqi and the others were startled and quickly asked Tang Yue.
"Are you done yet? Those guys are fighting their way over here."
"Almost."
Hearing the gunfire, Tang Yue grew anxious and quickened her pace.
Long Ming, however, remained calm and waited patiently.
...
「At the west entrance of the observatory base.」
Two Star God Guild players pulled the pins on high-explosive grenades and threw them into the entrance corridor.
BOOM—
A violent explosion erupted.
"Charge!"
Player after player from the Star God Guild bravely charged in.
BANG! BANG!
Just then, a fierce volley of gunfire erupted from inside, and the players who charged in were gunned down instantly.
Just then, a subordinate reported to Gefens, who had just arrived at the west entrance from the south side.
"Sir Gefens, those people from the All Stars Guild are defending the corridor entrance to the death. It’s very difficult to break through!"
"Hmph. A desperate struggle."
Gefens picked up a gas mask and put it on, and the seven subordinates behind him followed suit.
"Follow me!"
With a wave of his hand, Gefens led his subordinates in a charge.
As they neared the entrance, they pulled out tear gas canisters one by one and threw them inside.
HSSS—
Cyan smoke filled the air.
COUGH! COUGH!
In an instant, the All Stars Guild players hiding inside began to cough violently, tears streaming from their eyes.
Gefens then led his men in, quickly picking them off.
BANG! BANG!
AH—
Player after player from the All Stars Guild was eliminated.
Seeing this, Farina smiled and flattered Elder Fakam.
"Elder Fakam, your subordinates are truly one more elite than the last. These players from the All Stars Guild are no match for you at all."
"A trivial matter. Let’s go in."
Fakam led his team inside in high spirits.
...
「Inside the observatory base.」
Listening to the gunfire drawing nearer, Xiaoqi anxiously said to Tang Yue.
"Aren’t you done yet? The enemy is almost here!"
"Done!"
Tang Yue finished filing the key and inserted it into the lock.
Seeing Tang Yue insert the key, Long Ming and the others held their breath, their hearts in their throats.
Tang Yue tried turning the key, but there was no response.
"Sigh, it’s still not working."
Seeing that it wouldn’t open, Johnny sighed.
Tang Yue, however, pulled out the key, picked up the thin hook again to re-measure, and then used the rasp to file the key a few more times.
After she was done, she inserted the key again to try once more.
Unfortunately, it still wouldn’t open.
At this point, Tang Yue started to get nervous, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
Noticing this, Long Ming placed a hand on Tang Yue’s shoulder and reassured her with a calm voice.
"Take your time. Don’t rush. I believe you can do it."
"Okay."
Hearing Long Ming’s words, Tang Yue turned to glance at him, nodded firmly, and once again took out the hook to measure inside the keyhole.
Once. Twice. Three times.
Repeated failures didn’t make Tang Yue give up; she just continued to file the key.
Just then, the sound of footsteps approached from a distance.
"Someone’s coming."
Xiaoqi looked up at Long Ming.
Long Ming immediately made a hushing gesture, drew Death’s Fang, and crept to the edge of the intersection, pressing himself against the metal wall.