CC successfully cracked the password lock.

She kicked the door open and strode in first.

Big-Faced Cat dragged in a tank of acetylene, pulling it along.

Lin Xian was the last to enter the bank vault.

"Huh?"

When he saw the gleaming, brand-new, mirror-smooth wall of safes inside—

He was immediately stunned.

What's going on?

What changed!

The safes he saw before were clearly old, with peeling paint and rust.

But now, they were as new as if they had just been made!

He quickly walked closer to the safe with his name on it, stroking its surface...

Smooth and bright, cold and hard.

He vigorously scratched it with the nozzle of the torch, but not a single mark was left!

Thump!

Lin Xian punched the safe.

In his mind, he suddenly recalled the words of Professor Xu Yun:

"By the way, during my research, I accidentally obtained a byproduct. I have sent it to a friend at the Aerospace Research Institute, and they have verified the same results."

"It is a hafnium compound, a brand new substance. This compound can be used to create a hafnium alloy, which is high in hardness, corrosion resistance, and high-temperature resistance, and may be useful in the aerospace field."

"Lin Xian, if you don't mind... I would like to publicly publish the experimental data of this hafnium alloy as well. Although I don't know what its use is, it can always promote some technological development."

Clang.

Lin Xian lowered his head and threw the mask and torch on the ground:

"We've been had."

CC and Big-Faced Cat, upon hearing this, turned their heads in confusion:

"What do you mean, 'had'?" "Had by whom?"

Lin Xian raised his hand, pointing to the nameplate on the safe:

"Lin Xian."

He shook his head and smiled helplessly:

"We've been had by Lin Xian."

...

Big-Faced Cat and CC exchanged glances, completely unable to understand what Lin Xian was talking about.

But Lin Xian, at this moment, understood the reason for this [Spacetime Variation] and the [Spacetime Butterfly Effect].

[Spacetime variations are uncontrollable.]

Lin Xian suddenly realized this.

What he did could indeed rewrite the future, but this change would not always provide positive feedback as he wished!

Sometimes, like now, he would only shoot himself in the foot, rewriting a future that was originally beneficial to him into one that was detrimental!

This brand-new safe in front of him.

Undoubtedly, it was because of what he did 600 years ago that triggered the spacetime variation.

Lin Xian was certain...

The previous times he came to this bank vault, the safes embedded in the wall were definitely made of steel and were very old. The paint was almost completely peeling off, and the inside was also covered in rust. It looked like it was at least a hundred years old.

If it weren't for the usual storage and maintenance, without being exposed to wind and sun... it could probably be called an unearthed relic.

But.

Because of Lin Xian's intervention in history.

Professor Xu Yun discovered a new compound while researching the hibernation pod filling liquid—

A new type of hafnium alloy.

Lin Xian didn't understand the specific properties of this alloy.

But Professor Xu Yun said that it was high in hardness, high-temperature resistant, and corrosion resistant, and could be used in the aerospace field... then it must be an extremely advanced material.

And in the news reports a few days ago, the Dragon Country Aerospace Research Institute also confirmed that they had received samples from Xu Yun. The fact that the Research Institute would issue an announcement specifically was enough to show that the performance of this new type of hafnium alloy was indeed outstanding.

Then it was conceivable...

If the patent for this substance was really released for free, then all industries would use this new type of hafnium alloy material.

Naturally, this also included manufacturers of safes and vaults.

When he saw the gleaming, brand-new safes in the bank vault...

Lin Xian instantly realized this terrifying logic.

A stone he inadvertently threw into the sky 600 years ago fell 600 years later, accurately hitting his own foot.

Although Lin Xian had never actually seen the hafnium alloy that Professor Xu Yun mentioned.

But the current situation was likely as he thought.

But...

[Why did only the new type of hafnium alloy trigger a spacetime variation, while the hibernation pod filling liquid, which was successfully researched at the same time, did not trigger a corresponding spacetime variation?]

Where was the problem?

"Hey, hey, hey! Stop standing there like an idiot! Bring the torch over here!"

Big-Faced Cat had already dragged in the oxygen cylinder, picked up the torch and hose that Lin Xian had thrown on the ground, and started connecting them.

CC was also very confused, walking closer to Lin Xian:

"What do you mean by what you said?"

"Didn't you confidently say just now... that this high-temperature cutting torch can generate 3000 degrees Celsius, enough to melt all metals?"

Lin Xian didn't know how to explain this:

"If it's melting steel, it's definitely possible. The melting point of steel is only 1500 degrees Celsius. But I'm not sure what the melting point of this material is. If it's greater than 3000 degrees Celsius..."

Lin Xian scratched his head, feeling that this feeling of being tricked was really unpleasant.

Especially when he was tricked by himself.

How frustrating.

Whoosh————

Over there, Big-Faced Cat had already connected the torch, lit the flame, and the torch began to spew out a yellow flame.

Big-Faced Cat kept twisting the pressure knob, gradually adjusting the flame into a sharp blue:

"I've seen this thing before. You have to adjust the flame to blue and have a white flame core in the middle. Only the temperature of the flame core can reach 3000 degrees Celsius to cut steel at high temperature."

CC also stopped talking to Lin Xian, took off the Ultraman mask, and picked up a welding mask to cover her face.

Big-Faced Cat kept adjusting the gas ratio of acetylene and oxygen.

The flame gradually became sharper while rapidly spewing out...

Finally!

A flame core only the size of a pencil appeared on the inside of the inner flame!

"Success!"

Big-Faced Cat grinned and took the welding mask handed over by CC, covering his eyes, so that he could directly look at the incandescent flame core:

"Where do we start cutting?"

CC pointed to the safe next to him:

"Let's start here. I'm not sure what's in the safe. To avoid accidentally burning anything, it's best if we cut over from the safes next to it, little by little."

"Okay, stand back a little."

Big-Faced Cat held up the shading mask in one hand, and steadily held the torch in the other, moving it towards the safe next to it—

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!

The oxy-acetylene cutting torch, with a temperature of up to 3000 degrees Celsius, seized the power of heaven and earth. The incandescent flame core pressed against the outer shell of the safe.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!

The high-temperature flame continued to burn.

The temperature of the entire space seemed to have increased by several degrees.

However...

The intense scene of flying sparks that Lin Xian saw in the video did not appear.

Everything was very calm.

Only the whooshing flame torch burned the safe.

Time passed by, and Big-Faced Cat's hand was a little unsteady.

He curiously moved the torch away, took off the mask, and looked at the intact safe, which didn't even have the slightest reaction:

"Is... is there something wrong?"

"Pui!"

He spat a mouthful of saliva directly on the safe.

Tss!!

The saliva instantly turned into steam under the high temperature and diffused into the air.

This showed that the temperature of the safe had been burned to 3000 degrees Celsius, but it was still far from reaching its melting point, and there wasn't even the slightest sign of melting!

"What material is this!"

Big-Faced Cat exclaimed:

"The shell of a spaceship!?"

Lin Xian nodded silently:

"This may be one of the few things you guessed right... By the way, I want to ask, are the safes you guys usually come into contact with on the outside this fire-resistant?"

"Of course not!" Big-Faced Cat said with a shocked face:

"I've seen a lot of safes and things like that, but I've never seen one that's so fire-resistant!"

Lin Xian thought, resting his chin on his hand...

It seemed that the previous speculation was a little wrong. Even after the spacetime variation, the vast majority of safes and vaults would not use this "spaceship shell level" material, because it was completely unnecessary.

[Then what is so special about the safes in this bank vault...? What is it worth forging with such a powerful material?]

Lin Xian didn't know the price of this new type of hafnium alloy, but from the looks of it, it was probably not cheap! Ordinary safes simply couldn't afford to use this material, so Big-Faced Cat and CC both felt surprised.

...

CC ignored the two of them and snatched the torch:

"Let me do it."

Then.

There was the sound of whooshing flames heating up again.

But no matter how they burned it, no matter how they changed the angle and position... the gleaming safe was as motionless as an ancient artifact, without even the slightest subtle change in color.

"This is really damn weird!"

Big-Faced Cat angrily cocked his handgun, then found an angle that wouldn't be ricocheted, and fired two shots at other safes.

Looking closer...

There wasn't even the slightest scratch, as smooth as before!

"This thing is too hard!"

Clang.

CC threw away the torch and mask in her hand, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and sighed.

All three realized it.

There was no hope.

...

"I'm sorry, I apologize to both of you."

Lin Xian took the initiative to admit his mistake:

"It's my fault."

However...

CC shook her head, looking at Lin Xian without resentment in her eyes:

"It's not your fault."

"I can see that you really wanted to open this safe, but you just didn't succeed."

Hearing CC say this, Lin Xian was quite surprised.

He thought CC would glare and scold him as a liar like the previous times... this was the first time she had spoken to him so politely.

It seemed that this time, her "favorability" towards him was higher.

Lin Xian took off the mask from his face and looked at CC:

"As it stands, there is no possibility of violently destroying the safe. The only way is to guess the password."

"There are many things I can't explain to you clearly, but I really know more than you, have more opportunities, and am closer to the correct answer."

"[So, CC, can we share information?]"

Lin Xian walked forward and looked at CC:

"Our goals are the same, both to open this safe."

"I can answer your previous questions and tell you what kind of person the Lin Xian I know is. But in return, after that..."

"[Can you tell me the reason why you want to open this safe? Or any clues, information, or tips related to the safe?]"

"As long as you give me some key hints and clues... maybe I can really guess the password!"

Under Lin Xian's gaze, CC slowly turned her head, staring at Lin Xian through the Ultraman mask.

After stopping for more than ten seconds...

Finally.

She nodded:

"Okay."