Chapter 168: A Hundred-Billion-Dollar Gamble

Scott found it hard to understand.

This is impossible!

Absolutely impossible!

The 'Divine Oracle's' guidance is perfect, the ultimate intelligence that surpasses all technology of this era!

The route it plotted for itself avoids every official record and surveillance, a perfect blind spot!

Why does this Eastern youngster before us appear like an earth-bound spirit that has waited a thousand years, arriving here with pinpoint precision?!

Could it be... that within the Federal Weird Investigation Bureau there exists something more terrifying than the 'Divine Oracle'?

The thought, like poisonous vines, instantly coiled around Scott's heart, nearly suffocating him.

Time rewound to an hour earlier.

Landen Shi Temporary Command Center.

The atmosphere was oppressive, like the sea before a storm.

On the massive holographic map, blue dots representing three million citizens were being rudely driven away by red arrows denoting the military, converging into a torrent heading northward.

A Four-star General of the NAU stared at the apocalyptic scene, his Adam's apple laboriously bobbing as he looked toward the Eastern man standing before the map with his hands behind his back.

"Captain Wang... evacuation is fully underway, our 'Fish Tank' is built, next... should we cast the net?"

Everyone's gaze focused on Wang Zhangzhi.

According to the original plan, when the city is emptied and the killer hidden in the shadows has nowhere to hide, that is the moment to cast the net.

Wang Zhangzhi slowly shook his head.

He did not turn around, his gaze still fixed on the chaotic blue dots.

"Not enough."

"What?"

The General was stunned.

"The current Fish Tank has too many leaks."

Wang Zhangzhi finally turned, his deep eyes sweeping over all the NAU officials present, his voice steady and powerful.

"Everyone, do you really think that sealing off a city can trap a 'ghost' who can foresee your movements?"

"Everything we are doing now is under his surveillance."

"He knows we are sealing the city, knows we set up a checkpoint at the north exit. He may even know better than you how many unrecorded secret passages lie beneath Landen Shi."

His words made the command room so silent that a pin could be heard dropping.

A chill rose up everyone's spine.

If that's true, then this lockdown operation that cost hundreds of billions of dollars would become a colossal joke, wouldn't it?

Seeing the surprise and doubt on everyone's faces, Wang Zhangzhi's mouth curled into a cold arc.

"So..."

"We must give him the intelligence he 'wants' to see."

"Make him think we are a bunch of brute-force idiots."

"Make him think he has already seen the whole picture, holding a script as he watches our clownish, clumsy performance."

He paused, his gaze sharpening like a blade.

"Then, when our 'Prophet' gentleman is at his most complacent, most relaxed..."

"Flip the entire Fish Tank, water and fish together, up from underground!"

Thirty minutes after the evacuation began.

Wang Zhangzhi issued a command that left everyone gaping.

"Deploy all usable Recon Drones, Drill Radar, and Sonic Detectors from the Xi Haian coast!"

"Scan the entire city's underground pipe network, including but not limited to subways, sewers, cable tunnels, air-raid shelters, and all privately built secret passages!"

"I want a real-time updated city underground D City Underground Map with centimeter-level precision!"

"Remember, act fast! Ensure this map is something no prior intelligence has ever shown!"

Wang Zhangzhi knew the target could obtain the current 'intelligence'.

So he decided to keep his idea hidden until he estimated the opponent had already retrieved the current intelligence once, then turn his idea into an order to execute, updating the intelligence and creating an information gap.

As the order was issued,

the entire North American Union's military machine began to operate wildly with unprecedented efficiency.

Countless micro drones swarmed into every corner of the city like a hive, massive data streams flooding the command center's supercomputer like a breached dam.

On the holographic screen, an underground maze scaled to Landen Shi, composed of countless beams of light, was being illuminated and constructed at a visible speed!

Those secret passages hidden in darkness, never officially recorded, were exposed one after another under the light, with nowhere to hide!

The NAU officials present were completely stunned.

Is this... the Federal Weird Investigation Bureau's modus operandi?

In this short time, it may have already burned through a hundred billion dollars, right?

A hundred-billion-dollar gamble just to catch a fish hidden in a gutter!

【AI Analysis Activation, combining existing routes, calculating the five most probable escape routes】

On the screen, five red routes were instantly marked.

One of them led to the abandoned Subway Line 3, its exit located at a wasteland on the city outskirts.

Wang Zhangzhi's gaze fell on that route's endpoint.

He picked up the Communicator.

At the most probable location, he would dispatch the ace.

In other places, special forces must also lay the Heaven-Earth Net.

...... Coordinates XXX. XXX, get ready.

When Wang Zhangzhi's concise command rang through the earpiece, Jiang Yuan, riding a motorcycle on the streets of Landen Shi, felt a jolt in his heart.

That earth‑shattering city lockdown operation was the first layer, a publicly displayed overt scheme, deliberately sold to the enemy as "False Intelligence".

But this earth‑shattering hundred‑billion‑yuan high‑stakes gamble, this Heaven‑Earth Net‑like underground scan, is the real killing move!

I myself am the final piece responsible for the "General" in this earth‑shattering grand chessboard!

An indescribable scorching sensation surged from Jiang Yuan's chest straight up to the Heavenly Spirit Cover.

Plan meticulously, achieve victory from a thousand miles away!

Toy with the enemy at one's fingertips, crush all luck with absolute power!

Jiang Yuan clenched the Card Bag at his waist, and fierce flames ignited in his eyes.

He took a deep breath, expelled all stray thoughts, and entered an absolute state of focus as still as an ancient well.

He is a sharp blade hidden in its sheath.

Waiting for prey, he runs into the sharp edge himself.

Time returns to the present.

Abandoned subway Exit.

Scott's heavy panting sounded like a rickety bellows, and cold sweat had soaked his expensive custom shirt completely.

His gaze grew increasingly ferocious and ruthless, like a beast cornered into a dead end.

There is only one path now!

Kill this kid!

This is a desolate wilderness; as long as I kill him, I'll have enough time to escape, find a new "Blood Source", and make a comeback!

He is just a youth!

And I am the one chosen by the "God"!

"Die now!!"

Scott let out a hysterical roar, suddenly drew a Large-caliber Handgun from behind his waist, aimed it unflinchingly at Jiang Yuan's brow, and pulled the trigger!