Chapter 228: Haunting Ambush

Not long after.

A transport craft shaped like an upside-down concave shape, belonging to the municipal authority, arrived above the street.

The transport craft moved directly above the old sedan, aligned, descended, and successfully attached the car within the indentation of the concave shape.

Then the transport craft, carrying the old sedan, slowly rose into the air under the reluctant, resentful gaze of the explosive‑hair driver.

From the moment the explosive‑hair driver paid for the car and hit the road to being towed away by the municipal authorities, it took less than an hour.

Because his parents did not support buying a car, his own funds were limited, and there were other factors.

The explosive‑hair driver bought this used car, which failed every road‑worthiness standard, from a dealer who promised "emissions compliant", "all paperwork complete", and "definitely will be entered into the system", paying cash.

Since Umbrella's hydrogen‑engine vehicles entered the market, thanks to their reliable performance and low‑cost energy, they have begun gradually replacing traditional vehicles.

At the end of 2019, UGE officially released data showing that hydrogen‑engine vehicles held an 89% market share.

Thus, on November 1, 2021, UGE promulgated a "Carbon Emission Law" banning the sale of traditional vehicles that fail emissions standards.

The enactment of the Carbon Emission Law was a natural outcome, after all, it was a choice made by society itself.

Following this, traditional vehicle prices plummeted, but for dealers who spotted a business opportunity, it brought a brief "spring".

Now, it is "late spring".

As of today, February 4, 2022, after just three months, thanks to coordinated efforts by police, customs and other departments, the phenomenon of buying low and selling high has been effectively contained.

Because of a lucky‑streak mentality, the explosive‑hair driver blindly trusted the dealer, and still had to follow officers back to the station to give a statement, then receive a penalty for dangerous driving.

However, the dealer who specialized in swindling money entered the police station half an hour before the explosive‑hair driver.

After the police hovercraft took off, the street returned to normal and tourists continued to enjoy the summer at Africa's southernmost tip.

This highly modernized city is Africa's second‑ranked Elizabeth City, located by the sea at Elizabeth Harbor, and also Africa's second‑largest starport.

Various engineering ships, ore carriers and large cruise liners hovering above the coastline are one reason Elizabeth City attracts many tourists.

Twenty kilometers northwest of Elizabeth City, on the desert plain, lies a UNSC base capable of accommodating thirty thousand people.

On the base's airfield, large numbers of olive‑green‑painted Cormorants, dagger bombers and other transport and attack craft are parked, along with many small assault craft operating within the atmosphere.

Looking down from the air, aside from a full variety of aerial vehicles, ground vehicles are mostly off‑road cars and light armor, though there are a few Scorpion main battle tanks.

At this moment, on the eastern open field and parade ground of the base, large numbers of soldiers in black short‑sleeve shirts and desert‑colored combat pants are conducting high‑intensity training.

One can see that on one of the parade grounds, soldiers in groups of fifty‑five are jointly carrying a solid log, running around the field.

On the three flagpoles planted in the center of the parade ground hang the flags of UGE and UNSC, as well as a military flag bearing an inverted dagger engulfed in flames.

Around the dagger are also printed the words "UNSC th Airborne Division".

Including logistics, personnel and various staff, the UNSC th Airborne Division totals over thirty‑six thousand.

However, the actual number of people stationed at the base is about twenty‑one thousand, most of whom are still "recruits" who have not met standards, while another fifteen thousand have been deployed aboard UNSC naval vessels.

Although they are recruits, their physical fitness and reaction speed far exceed those of ordinary marines or army soldiers.

After all, the duty of airborne troops is to board a four‑person drop pod, leave the naval vessel directly, break through the atmosphere, and carry out rapid strikes on ground targets.

Essentially, it is the same as Umbrella's HellParatrooper battalion.

Therefore, the nine airborne divisions under UNSC are elite, second only to the Special Command.

The central office building of the base.

Inside a room on the fifth floor.

A military officer with white‑tinged hair, just over fifty, wearing the insignia of a colonel, sat behind his desk.

Apparently disliking high technology, the colonel was reading paper documents to learn the recent status of the airborne division.

"Whoosh—".

At that moment, the sound of the automatic door opening and closing echoed through the office.

Hearing the noise, the colonel, without looking up from his documents, asked, "Is there something urgent, second lieutenant?"

However, after several seconds of silence, the second lieutenant did not respond,

?

Sensing something was off, the colonel lifted his head, but saw no sign of the second lieutenant who usually helped him with daily work; the office remained empty except for him.

Seeing this,

The colonel's brows knit in vigilance; he didn't bother with personal preferences, called up the holographic screen on his desk, and contacted that second lieutenant.

Once the screen showed the second lieutenant's image, the colonel said, "Second lieutenant, have maintenance personnel come to my office."

"Yes, sir."

Less than two minutes after the call ended, the automatic door opened again.

But this time it was not like the earlier "haunting"; instead, the second lieutenant led two maintenance workers in identical uniforms into the office.

"Check my office door," the colonel said.

"Yes."

The two maintenance workers began inspecting the automatic door and the terminal installed on the wall; finally, one maintenance worker reported:

"Colonel, the wiring of the automatic door is indeed somewhat aged; would you like us to replace it now?"

"Hmm, go ahead."

The colonel nodded in agreement, and found it laughable that he had made a big fuss over the sudden opening and closing of the door, feeling overly tense.

But in fact, a "ghost" that cannot be seen with the naked eye slipped out of the colonel's office through the gap while the second lieutenant and maintenance workers were opening the automatic door.

If one could outline the "ghost", it would reveal a figure of nearly perfect proportions; she is, in fact, one of the first ghost agents personally trained by Sui Bian—

NuoWa.

Her purpose here is to assist the Red Queen in fully grasping detailed information about all officers of the rank of lieutenant and above in the UNSC's newly formed Seventh Airborne Division.

For example, whether their temper is easily provoked, whether they act cautiously, and so on.

The Red Queen can analyze big data, but field verification still requires ghost agents like NuoWa who possess spiritual perception.

The Red Queen, once it obtains accurate information and monitors the vicinity of an abnormal event, has combat personnel from the th Airborne Division…

Then the Red Queen can rely on each officer's personality, give them different orders, thereby assisting Umbrella more efficiently in handling incidents.

For someone like NuoWa, who possesses extremely strong Spiritual Energy, such an investigation task is equivalent to relaxation and leisure.

She arrived at the central hall on the fifth floor, using the stairwell, preparing to leave this office building.

「Beep—! Beep—! 」

「All personnel, take note! Elizabeth City is under attack! 」

But suddenly, the entire base sounded its alarm, and the broadcast reminder left NuoWa no longer in a leisurely mood.

(End of chapter)