Chapter 168

Department of Homeland Security?

As a superior, Qiao'er instinctively wanted to question, after all, this Leon who had just joined the police force less than a month ago really didn't look like a covert agent of the Department of Homeland Security.

However, the wearable holographic glasses automatically scanned the credentials Leon displayed and gave the result that the credentials were 'true'.

Seeing this, Qiao'er had to admit the fact that Leon was a covert agent.

And with over a decade of police experience, Qiao'er realized that the case Leon was covertly investigating was definitely related to the atypical thugs hiding in the mall.

Thus the first to speak up in support said: 'Agent Kennedy, what kind of assistance do you need from the police?'

'Thank you, sergeant.' Leon wasn't surprised, but still expressed his thanks.

Even Sheriff Ma Wensi and the corporal from Wenlatu could tell Leon's credentials weren't forged without the aid of the holographic glasses, especially with Sergeant Qiao'er's support as a superior.

'Sheriff.' Leon then looked at Ma Wensi and asked:

'I need to understand how those thugs occupied the mall, and also, what exactly is the situation with the ritual you mentioned?'

'Good.' Ma Wensi recalled a bit and then said to everyone present:

'Around nine o'clock, our town suddenly lost power and internet, even cell phone signals became extremely poor, and not long after, we discovered someone had maliciously set fire.'

'Taking advantage of the chaos, those thugs forcibly abducted a large number of hostages and occupied the mall; by the time we discovered and arrived here, it should have been ten o'clock, just shortly before you arrived.'

'We exchanged fire with the thugs briefly, but they had fully automatic rifles and even a light machine gun, so we could only retreat.'

'As for the ritual… those thugs claimed that as long as we didn't interfere with their ritual, they wouldn't harm the hostages.'

'Didn't mention any demands?' Qiao'er asked.

'Didn't.' Ma Wensi shook his head.

'This is too abnormal.' Qiao'er frowned, saying: 'Kidnapping hostages without demanding a ransom—could they really just be trying to complete some ritual? These people are outright lunatics! Irrational lunatics!'

Leon, however, understood that while the thugs were crazy, it wasn't irrational; they genuinely wanted to accomplish a 'great undertaking'.

For example, a few months ago, Leon received orders from his superiors to go to Spain to investigate a cult calling itself the LosIlluminados.

The leader of this Los Illuminados, Osmund Saddler, discovered an ancient parasitic organism (LasPlagas).

Through experimentation, it was found that if humans were infected with the 'queen'-grade worm, they could gain greater strength while also controlling other infected humans.

However, before the cult leader Saddler could carry out more actions and enact his ambitions, the Los Illuminados headquarters—which was a small Spanish village—welcomed Leon's investigation….

In the end, the Los Illuminados were completely eradicated.

And the parasite classified as Nix-level (second tier) by the Red Queen was further controlled by Umbrella's technicians, rendering it unable to threaten human society.

Therefore, as an intelligence agent for Umbrella, Leon instinctively associates any news of a cult holding a festival or conducting a ritual with anomalous phenomena whenever he hears it.

After finishing with the Los Illuminados, Leon returned to the United States and, while enjoying a rare vacation, happened to learn that a cult devoted to believing in the 'almighty spider mastermind (SpiderMastermind)' had arisen in Aokesnade.

The followers of this cult believe that the almighty spider mastermind truly exists.

They also believe that spiders living inside houses are sent by the almighty spider mastermind to assist humanity, secretly eliminating harmful insects such as cockroaches.

Aside from instructing its followers to treat the spiders they coexist with kindly, the cult seems to have nothing particularly special.

But Leon always felt something was off.

Therefore, a month ago, Leon came to the Oxnard Police Department under the identities of a graduated officer and a covert agent of the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a covert investigation.

During this period, Leon discovered that Corporal Qiao'er Miller was experienced, decisive, and absolutely a good seed for an intelligence officer!.

Although Leon, in his twenties, praising a man in his forties like Qiao Er was somewhat inappropriate, as a senior intelligence officer Leon was indeed qualified to say so.

Just as Leon ruled out the suspicion that the All-Powerful Spider Leader Sect was linked to the anomalous phenomena, he did not expect a crisis to arise in Aohai Town.

After hearing the intelligence Ma Wensi provided and combining it with the keyword "Ritual," Leon was convinced that the thugs hiding inside the mall were followers of the All-Powerful Spider Leader Cult.

Moreover, having the prior experience of dealing with the Blood Demon, it was not hard to guess that the cultists intended to sacrifice hostages in order to summon the so‑called Spider Leader.

Immediately.

Leon pulled out his operative's dedicated phone and immediately called for armed security and MTF support.

Quickly, the support request was approved.

Leon glanced at the information transmitted to his phone screen, then put the phone away, gripped the MA5D hanging on his chest, and in a deep voice said to Ka Er, Ma Wensi, and the corporal from Wenlatou City:

"Everyone, the fastest support will still need fifteen minutes to arrive here, but based on my experience we should breach the mall interior as soon as possible to gather more intelligence, and if the situation permits, also prevent the thugs from completing the so‑called Ritual."

"What…?" Ma Wensi and the corporal hesitated slightly.

After all, in normal thinking one would just consider the thugs a bunch of lunatics, and to avoid excessive casualties among hostages and our side, waiting for support to arrive is the best option.

"Sergeant, Corporal." Qiao Er said directly: "The east side of the mall is a landscaped park, and there is a low thicket that can provide some cover."

"Our Aokesinade Police Department has the best equipment, so we'll use the low thicket to approach the mall and be responsible for a heavy assault on the thugs; the frontal feint will be yours, how does that sound?"

Qiao Er is also a normal person, but given the thugs' bizarre behavior and Leon's presence as a 'Stealth Operative,' they could no longer act according to ordinary reasoning.

"Alright (no problem)." Seeing Qiao Er's stance, the other two officers raised no further objections.

"Then we'll execute according to the sergeant's plan." Leon also agreed.

Next.

Including Qiao Er, all Aokesinade officers, plus Leon, a total of sixteen people rode in vehicles to the park on the east side of the mall.

The officers from Aohai Town and Wenlatou City likewise set their vehicles in slow motion, using the vehicles as cover to approach the main gate on the south side of the mall.

As they approached, they opened fire on the second, third floors and the rooftop of the mall.

The cultists hiding inside the mall, seeing the police split into two groups to approach, had to disperse their forces to conduct a staggered defense.

"Bang! Bang!"

In an instant, guns of various calibers unleashed a hail of fire.

The officers responsible for the frontal feint attracted most of the cultists' fire, creating an excellent opportunity for Leon's side.

And Leon, Qiao Er and the others lived up to expectations, successfully approaching and entering the first floor of the mall.

(End of Chapter)