Chapter 1198: Clues on the Corpse

Before she could finish speaking, her body jolted violently.

She looked down at her own chest.

A blue flower of blood suddenly bloomed on her uniform.

Her eyes widened at the same time.

She looked at Alan, her lips moving, but no sound came out.

Then, she fell backward.

Alan caught her.

He controlled the direction and posture of the fall to ensure it matched the narrative of "a brother catching his sister after she is shot."

Lina lay in the crook of his arm, her eyes still open, looking at him.

"Why..."

She finally squeezed out a sound, so faint it was almost inaudible.

Alan did not answer.

Lina's hand lifted, as if wanting to touch his face, but it dropped powerlessly halfway.

Her pupils began to dilate.

Alan gently laid her body down, letting her lie flat on the ground.

He checked the wound; it was precise, fatal, and according to plan.

Then, he stood up and stopped looking at her.

Alan looked down from the window to ensure the "retreat route" for himself and Yingzhou was clear.

Then, he pressed another signal; the Task was complete, and he prepared to evacuate.

Afterward, he knelt on one knee and gently covered Lina's not-yet-fully-closed eyes with his palm.

His fingers were steady, his movements gentle, but there was no fluctuation in his heart.

This was just the closing act of a performance, a step that had to be completed.

The sound of gunfire outside the window had ceased.

The attackers had "retreated with the bodies of their companions" after "failing to achieve the goal of total annihilation."

Now, only the burning wreckage of vehicles, scattered weapon parts, and two attacker corpses left behind on purpose remained on the street.

Alan took a deep breath and adjusted his state.

The first family escort vehicle landed on the street outside the building, the door slid open, and six fully armed guards rushed out, quickly establishing a defensive formation.

Leading them was the Saladin Family Captain, a veteran named Ketuo with three intersecting scars on his face, left during a border conflict in his youth.

"Major!"

Ketuo rushed into the building.

"Report your position!"

"Third floor!"

Alan responded.

Tuoke led two guards up the stairs, and when he entered the room, this was the scene he saw:

Alan was kneeling beside Lina's corpse, his left hand pressing on his sister's already cold hand, his right hand hanging at his side.

There was a scorch mark from an Energy Beam on the left shoulder of his uniform, and the cuff of his right sleeve was torn, revealing a bleeding wound underneath.

"Miss Lina..."

Ketuo's voice choked up.

He had known Lina for many years, watching her grow from a young girl into an outstanding Intelligence Officer.

This tough man's Third Eye instantly grew moist.

"She was covering me..."

Alan spoke, his voice hoarse.

"The bullet was aimed at me, she pushed me away..."

Ketuo walked to Lina's side, knelt on one knee, and checked her vital signs.

After confirming her death, he closed his eyes and whispered a traditional Fengqi requiem prayer.

Then he stood up and said to Alan.

"Major, we need to evacuate immediately. The attackers might come back."

"No."

Alan shook his head and slowly stood up.

"Collect the evidence first. Those attackers left two bodies behind; I want to know who they are and who sent them."

"But your wound..."

"Flesh wound."

Alan interrupted him.

"Lina is dead. I cannot let her die in vain."

Ketuo looked into Alan's eyes, nodded, and stopped trying to dissuade him.

"You lot,"

he ordered the guards behind him.

"Escort the Major and Miss Lina's remains back to the official residence. I will take men to collect evidence from the scene."

"I am going with you."

Alan said.

"Major, this is not in accordance with safety protocols..."

"I am the Commander."

Alan's voice allowed for no questioning.

"Besides, I saw the attackers with my own eyes; I might recognize certain features."

Ketuo hesitated for a moment, but ultimately conceded.

He understood Alan's state of mind; after losing a loved one, one needs to do something rather than wait passively.

They went downstairs and arrived on the street.

The wreckage of the family vehicle was still burning.

The exterior walls of the surrounding buildings were covered in dense bullet holes and energy scorch marks.

The corpses of two attackers lay near a pile of rubble not far away, remaining in the positions they had died in.

Yingzhou and the driver stood a little further away, guarded by two sentries.

Both were injured: Yingzhou's left arm was simply bandaged, with blood seeping through the gauze; the driver had a contusion on his forehead, with blood covering half his face.

Seeing Alan, Yingzhou immediately stepped forward and gave a standard military salute.

"Major. There were eight attackers, well-equipped and tactically professional. After destroying the vehicle, they attempted to capture us alive; when they failed, they switched to a full-scale assault. We killed two, and the remaining six retreated with their companions' bodies."

Alan patted Yingzhou on the shoulder.

"You did well, Kelan. How are your injuries?"

"They do not affect my ability to act, Major."

Alan nodded, then walked toward the two corpses.

Ketuo had already had the sentries perform a preliminary inspection.

Both corpses were Fengqi males between thirty and forty years old, wearing black combat suits without any markings, but their equipment consisted of military-standard models: modified M-7 Energy Rifles, S-3 Tactical Armor, as well as standard individual communication and night-vision equipment.

Ketuo judged.

"Professional mercenaries. The equipment is military surplus or replicas, but well-maintained. Not ordinary bandits."

Alan crouched down and carefully inspected one of the corpses.

He searched the pockets of the combat suit, tore open the lining, and discovered a micro-implanted chip on the inside of the corpse's left arm.

He did not remove the chip immediately, but pointed to that location and spoke to Tuoke.

"There is something here."

Ketuo stepped forward, carefully cut the skin with a tactical knife, and extracted the chip.

The chip was only the size of a grain of rice, silver, with no markings on its surface.

"It requires professional equipment to read."

Ketuo placed the chip into an evidence bag.

"Check the other corpse as well."

Alan said.

In the same location, another chip was discovered.

Ketuo frowned.

"This is too obvious. Professional mercenaries wouldn't leave such an obvious mark of identity, unless..."

Alan stood up and spoke.

"Unless they wanted to be identified. Or, someone wanted us to find these."