Infinite Nightmares

"Your grandpa? Your grandpa was one of the old-timers from the Third Line?" the drone head asked, a little surprised.

"No, I’ve never heard of him being part of any Third Line. He was just a fitter," Zhang Wenda said with certainty.

However, the drone head clearly didn’t think so. "Not necessarily. People like us always hide our identities. Your grandfather might not have been just a fitter."

Now that he mentioned it, Zhang Wenda wasn’t so sure anymore. Everything in this world was weird, so it seemed plausible that his grandfather had another, hidden identity.

But then Zhang Wenda had another thought and felt that the logic didn’t quite add up.

"Wait, that’s not right. If my grandpa really had that kind of status, why was my family so poor when I was a kid? Why did my parents have to get laid off?"

Hearing this, the drone head glanced at Zhang Wenda. "There were quite a few people like your grandfather in the Third Line. The older generation generally had high principles. They didn’t all strive their whole lives just for money. Their descendants didn’t receive any special treatment; they’re all ordinary people."

"Damn, isn’t that just purely..." Realizing he was talking about his own grandfather, Zhang Wenda swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

’He had high principles, but he never considered how low his grandson’s principles were. If my grandpa’s principles hadn’t been so high back then, maybe I wouldn’t have had to slave away like this.’

"I don’t know. My grandpa died when I was little. Anyway, they told me this was his only household appliance when he was young. He used it as a betrothal gift to marry my grandma," Zhang Wenda said, shaking the flashlight in his hand.

Perhaps because of Zhang Wenda’s grandfather’s identity, the drone head’s attitude toward him noticeably softened.

"Many old departments had emitters. Your grandfather probably worked in one of them. When he retired, he just bought some random flashlight to turn in and secretly kept the emitter that had been with him for years as a memento."

Zhang Wenda thought about it and realized that sounded exactly like something his grandfather would do. ’His principles were high when it came to big gains, but he was as cunning as a monkey when it came to small advantages.’

After clarifying everything, the drone head had no time to keep reminiscing with Zhang Wenda. "Alright, since you’re not from the Third Line, this matter has nothing to do with you. You should go. This place is very dangerous right now. The farther you get from here, the better."

At these words, Zhang Wenda’s eyes went wide. "Go? Where am I supposed to go? I’d love to leave if I could, but I’m trapped here."

But then, looking at the drone head before him, an idea struck Zhang Wenda. "Wait, since you’re an undercover agent planted here, you must have a way to send us back, right?"

The drone’s wings swayed from side to side along with its head. "No, I can’t send you back right now. I’m in the middle of a mission and can’t abandon my post."

"The best thing for you to do is get as far away from here as possible."

With that said, the drone directly turned on the flashlight in its hand. A silvery light shone out, projecting a circle onto the wall. It lifted its foot and started walking toward the circle.

"Wait!!" Zhang Wenda hurriedly blocked its path. He’d finally found someone he could communicate with; there was no way he was going to let them leave.

’Whether or not I can get back all depends on him.’

"Move. I don’t have time to waste on you. If I’m gone too long, they’ll get suspicious." The drone tried to go around him, but Zhang Wenda blocked it again.

"You can’t just leave me here alone! This place is in the past! I can’t be trapped here for the rest of my life!"

"Just go back the way you came. Technically, you being here is against the rules. I’ll pretend I didn’t see you, for your grandfather’s sake."

If Zhang Wenda actually had a way back, would he need to be blocking the way? Seeing that the drone didn’t seem to have any intention of helping, he said, "Can I help? I’ll help! I’ll help you, and you help me."

"I can help you deal with them, right? After it’s all over, you just have to help send me back."

This time, the drone head stopped in its tracks and looked at Zhang Wenda hesitantly. "You?"

It directly rolled up Zhang Wenda’s sleeve. After seeing the Red Core and Yellow Core, it immediately let go. "Forget it. The Third Line is already short-staffed. What help could you be?"

"Why can’t I help? I just snuck in there myself a minute ago, didn’t I? Besides, isn’t your mission to be an undercover agent? You just need to steal intelligence, not go all Dynasty Warriors and kill everyone inside. For something like this, an extra person is extra help. I can definitely be useful."

Seeing the drone hesitate, Zhang Wenda sweetened the deal. "And it’s not just me. I have two companions, and they’re very capable, too. They can definitely be of use."

After hearing about Song Jianguo raising a clowder of cats, and considering that the enemy had already been alerted, the drone head finally agreed.

"Alright then. Have your people come over. We’ll plan this out."

"My name is Zhang Wenda. And you are?" Zhang Wenda asked.

"Classified. Call me whatever you want."

"What department are you with, then?"

"Classified."

"..." ’If I wasn’t completely out of options, I really wouldn’t want to work with someone like this.’

After finding Song Jianguo and Aunt Flo, Zhang Wenda quickly explained the situation to them.

"What do you guys know about the Third Line?" Zhang Wenda asked the two of them as they hurried back.

’Right now, what I can determine is that the drone head is from a unit called the Third Line. His objective is to infiltrate this organization, steal intelligence, and use it to destroy this place.’

’If there are people using the weirdness of time to commit crimes, then there must be people responsible for policing those who exploit all this weirdness. The Third Line must be that kind of organization.’

’But the name ’Third Line’ is too broad. I need more details.’

"Third Line? No idea," Song Jianguo answered bluntly. She didn’t seem to know anything besides eating and sleeping.

Seeing Zhang Wenda look at her, the trotting Aunt Flo shook her head. "Damn it, don’t look at me. I only show up a few days a month, how would I know?"

"Sigh, I knew there was an eighty percent chance I wouldn’t get anything out of you two," Zhang Wenda said, giving up on asking them. ’I’ll just have to ask the drone head in person after this is all over.’

’Besides, I was really curious about my grandfather’s identity now. In my mind, the old man was just a little codger who liked to take back his moves in chess.’

’But thinking back, in my few memories of him, he only ever said he was a fitter. Back when he was working, I probably hadn’t even been born.’

’In a world where time can get weird and the sun can get weird, it seems perfectly normal that my grandfather was weird, too.’