Chapter 108

Zhao Jianguo had just come out of the Abandoned Factory, his hand still resting on the rusted edge of the Iron Gate, the lingering alarm in his ears prickling his nerves like a fine needle. He didn't stop, turned and headed toward the alley entrance, his steps twice as fast as when he arrived. Chen Jianguo followed behind, his breathing suppressed to a low murmur.

"That person was carrying the same model system?" Chen Jianguo asked.

"Not the same model." Zhao Jianguo said without turning his head, "It's the same class. Being able to decode remotely and force an intrusion shows there's technical backing. Our little moves have already been spotted."

As he walked, he fished a small packet of blue powder from his coat pocket; the plastic bag was sealed tightly, though the corner had begun to gray. It was magnetic powder he had covertly mixed into the experimental sample yesterday, intended to trace the Black Market transaction chain, but before he could use it, the enemy acted first.

His phone vibrated twice; it was a code from an informant: **The goods weren't delivered, the location is vacant, there's blue residue on the ground**.

Zhao Jianguo handed the message to Chen Jianguo, a corner of his mouth twitching: "So clean, even the wind gave them a once‑over."

"No matter how clean, something still slipped through," Chen Jianguo said, staring at the line, "Blue residue? Was it exposed to ultraviolet?"

"It doesn't say, but I know who would carry that thing." Zhao Jianguo lifted his foot and turned into another narrow lane, "Xu Da Mao was caught last month smuggling radios; he was investigated three times. The third time, the security squad used a UV lamp to scan out a password paper hidden in a compartment—he memorized that trick."

Chen Jianguo nodded, "He's now making a living by reselling industrial waste, and he has a speculative warehouse under his name behind the old textile mill in the western part of the city."

"Perfect timing." Zhao Jianguo pulled out a portable scanner, switched to residue detection mode, "I've added a luminescent tag to this magnetic powder; it glows for forty hours straight. As long as they touch the sample, they'll leave a trace."

The two quickened their pace and, twenty minutes later, arrived at the patrol team's temporary rally point. Zhao Jianguo went straight to the Team Leader, requisitioned five men, and briefly outlined the plan: "Check Xu Da Mao's warehouse. Don't stir up a fuss; we only need to see if there are any abnormal traces."

"Xu Da Mao?" the Team Member frowned, "That guy slips away like an eel; even if there's a problem, would he dare show his face?"

"That's why he won't appear in person." Zhao Jianguo handed the scanner to someone, "You handle the outer search for glowing points. Chen Jianguo and I will go inside to check the ventilation and storage structure."

The convoy slipped silently toward the warehouse district as night had already fallen. The patrol car stopped two streets away, and six men walked in covertly. The warehouse's outer wall was mottled, the Iron Gate bore a new lock, but beside the drainage ditch at the wall corner, a faint blue glimmer flickered under night‑vision.

"Someone's been here," Zhao Jianguo crouched, sweeping side light from his flashlight, "and they left in a hurry; the sole of their shoe brushed off some powder."

He looked up toward the rooftop ventilation duct outlet; the mesh at the opening was slightly deformed, as if it had been removed and reinstalled recently.

"Get ready to move," he gave Chen Jianguo a signal with his eyes.

The group forced the side door open and entered; the interior was pitch black. Their flashlights lit up, revealing a wooden table in the center of the spacious factory, with a glass bottle on it, filled to the brim with blue powder.

Xu Da Mao stood on a raised platform, wearing an oily work coat, a bottle of white liquor in hand, grinning as he looked at them.

"Ah, I was just saying you wouldn't show up until tomorrow!" he raised his voice, making the whole warehouse buzz, "Technician Zhao, welcome, welcome! I've prepared fine tea—oh no, I mean fine powder!"

Zhao Jianguo stayed still, his gaze sweeping the surroundings. It was too quiet; even a mouse shouldn't be that obedient.

"You set this trap?" he asked.

"Smart!" Xu Da Mao clapped his hands, "I'm just a messenger. Someone told me to put this bottle here, saying you'd come looking. They also said… as long as you step into this room, you won't die."

After speaking, he tipped his head back, downed a swig of liquor, and deliberately tipped the bottle onto the table.

But in that instant, Zhao Jianguo's peripheral vision caught a faint glint on the inner wall of the ventilation duct—like a metal blade scraping metal.

He jerked his hand up, "Spread out!"

Before the words finished, a loud "Clang!" rang overhead as the ventilation cover was kicked away. A silhouette leapt down from above, moving so fast it left an afterimage, charging straight at Zhao Jianguo.

The figure was clad entirely in dark combat gear, a half‑mask covering the face, a short dagger gripped in the right hand, the tip aimed at the chest.

Zhao Jianguo had no time to dodge.

At the split second of a thousand‑pound weight, the air before his chest seemed to freeze for an instant, and an invisible Barrier suddenly sprang up. The dagger struck it, emitting a crisp "Clang!" sound, sparks scattering, the blade deflected three inches, merely tearing his coat sleeve.

The assailant landed with a roll, quickly retreating to the wall corner, his eyes icy as they stared at Zhao Jianguo.

"Force field shield?" he whispered, his voice hoarse through a voice modulator, "You activated the defense protocol."

Zhao Jianguo's heartbeat hadn't steadied, yet his arm was already raised, shouting behind him, "Seal the exit! Don't let him get away!"

The patrol members reacted instantly; three lunged toward the main door, two held the side windows. Chen Jianguo slipped to the Control Console, swiftly pressing the encrypted send button on his handheld device.

Xu Da Mao was still frozen on the platform, the bottle suspended midair, "Wait, this wasn't in the script! We agreed it was just a scare…"

"Shut up!" Zhao Jianguo barked loudly, "You have no idea what kind of people you've attracted!"

He stared at the black‑clad figure; the opponent stood steady, breathing evenly, clearly professionally trained. Worse, the guy had just mentioned the "defense protocol"—indicating he understood the system's functions.

"Which batch are you?" Zhao Jianguo asked cautiously.

The black‑clad man gave no answer, instead slowly raising his left hand, revealing a Terminal device on his wrist similar to Zhao Jianguo's, its Screen flashing red.

"Designation CN‑1089," he said coldly, "Ordered to eliminate the anomalous transgressor. Target—Zhao Jianguo."

As the words fell, he suddenly flung a smoke bomb. Thick white fog burst instantly, filling the entire area.

"Block him!" Zhao Jianguo surged forward, but the smoke blocked his sight.

Seconds later, the fog thinned, and the figure had retreated beneath the ventilation duct, preparing to climb.

Zhao Jianguo snatched an iron rod from the ground and hammered it hard into the pipe support. A muffled thud echoed, the entire pipe segment shook violently, dust cascading down. The black‑clad man's foot slipped, nearly causing him to fall.

At that moment, the patrol members finally rushed forward, two flashlights simultaneously illuminating the opponent's face. The mask loosened at a corner, revealing half a chin and tightly drawn lips.

"Capture it!" Zhao Jianguo shouted.

With a "Click!" the camera's flash lit up.

The black‑clad figure reacted instantly, tightening the mask, flipping and diving into the depths of the duct, his silhouette vanishing into the darkness.

The scene fell silent for a few seconds.

Xu Da Mao trembled as he climbed down from the platform, his face pale, "I… I really didn't know he was a murderer! I said it was just a fake attack to scare you, pay me and that's it…"

Zhao Jianguo ignored him, walked to the table, picked up the glass bottle, and examined it under the light.

"This magnetic powder—did you pour it out from the sample?"

"Yes… but they only want the bottle, saying nothing else matters."

"Them?" Zhao Jianguo squinted, "How many? What do they look like?"

"Just a single middleman, wearing a hat, speaking with a nasal tone…" Xu Da Mao swallowed, "He said… once they have the evidence they'll let you go, otherwise the next time there'll be more than one 'cleaner' coming."

Zhao Jianguo stuffed the bottle into an evidence bag, turned his head toward Chen Jianguo.

"CN‑1089, no record," Chen Jianguo shook his head, "But anyone who can invoke a clearance command must have at least A‑level Permission. The question is who authorized it? Our system shouldn't expose this information externally."

"Someone altered the rules in the backend," Zhao Jianguo clenched his fists, "And they've already set the pieces in place."

He was about to say more when the Terminal on his wrist suddenly vibrated, its Screen flashing an urgent alert:

【Warning: The Laboratory's main server is experiencing high‑intensity data read requests; the firewall is about to collapse】

Immediately, the communicator sounded the automatic alarm that Chen Jianguo had set up earlier.

Zhao Jianguo raised his head and looked toward the East City Direction.

That was exactly the location of the underground base they had just left.

He grabbed the walkie-talkie, his voice sinking: "Everyone stay and watch Xu Da Mao. Engineer Chen, we need to go back immediately."

Chen Jianguo nodded, and the two hurried out.

Just as they reached the door, Zhao Jianguo suddenly stopped, glanced back at the dark ventilation pipe on the ceiling.

He knew that person wouldn't let it go like that.

And he finally understood—this game had never been just about finding the way home from the start.