Chapter 77: The Sudden Countdown
“Old Li is actually leaving ahead of schedule?”
In a sumptuous residence within the Administrative Hall’s living quarters, a man with a dignified face suddenly raised his voice as he gripped a communicator.
This was an event that exceeded everyone’s expectations.
No matter which side you were on, no one had anticipated that a top-level diplomatic affair like an intercity meeting would be abruptly rescheduled to an earlier time.
It was both incomprehensible and unpredictable.
“How long before Old Li leaves the city?”
“About three hours…” came a raspy voice from the communicator, and even the usually composed man felt a surge of irritation.
Three hours. For the grand scheme they had devised, this would have a significant impact.
“How much of our setup can be activated right now?”
“It’s impossible to say,” the person on the other end admitted with frustration. “Strictly speaking, we don’t have complete control over many of the anomalies. We stretched ourselves to the limit just to time their detonation for the original date.
“If we want to trigger these anomalous weapons ahead of time, we’ll have to send people to activate them manually… But do you think anyone would risk their life to set off an anomaly?”
“Hmph! Then I’ll send my own men!” The man’s face darkened with displeasure.
Their partners were unwilling to take the risk, but he had no choice but to shoulder it himself.
After all, he would be the one who gained the most if the plan succeeded.
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“Little one, where did you get all this candy? Why do you want to share it with everyone?” Qi Chen, whose mind was still uneasy, tried to glean some information from the child before him.
“Happiness is meant to be shared,” the child replied with an innocent smile. His eyes curved into crescents, and a strong sense of joy radiated from his whole being.
Yet, to Qi Chen, this happiness felt increasingly off. The child’s smile seemed forced.
It was not the kind of smile that came from genuine happiness, but rather one worn for the sake of smiling—a deliberate, unnatural display of joy.
Qi Chen wanted to ask more, but when he turned, he noticed that at some point, even the driver beside him had adopted a similar smile, swaying back and forth in his seat with a carefree air.
There was not the slightest trace of impatience over the traffic jam.
“Beep—”
Suddenly, a communication request sounded in Qi Chen’s earpiece. He connected at once, and an anxious, familiar voice burst from the other end!
“Mask! Urgent news!
“Refractor learned from Vice Captain Fu that Old Li will be leaving the city ahead of schedule. We only have a few hours left! You must deal with your final anomalous target as quickly as possible!”
“What?!” Qi Chen was taken aback. He looked up at the still congested traffic ahead, and a wave of tension surged through him.
A few hours—could he even make it in time?
Without hesitation, he pulled out a few bills, left them on the seat, and immediately pushed open the car door to get out.
To his astonishment, the driver paid no attention to the fare, remaining serenely in the driver’s seat, rocking gently and savoring the last of his candy with a look of utter enjoyment.
No time to dwell on it, Qi Chen kept his wits about him, quickly spotting a man pushing a bicycle along the roadside. He sprinted over.
He considered flashing his credentials and requisitioning the bike, but with a pang, he instead stuffed a handful of bills into the man’s hand.
“Brother! I’m buying your bike!”
The man stared in shock at the bright currency in his palm, then looked up, bewildered, as Qi Chen’s figure sped away on his bicycle.
Who on earth was that?
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...
Pedaling hard, the cold wind stung Qi Chen’s face, but he did not relax for a second.
He still had no idea what kind of anomaly awaited at the last location, and who knew whether a few hours would be enough to deal with it?
Gritting his teeth, Qi Chen contacted the warm-hearted teammate again. As soon as the call connected, he spoke urgently: “The schedule’s been moved up. We’re caught off guard, but the enemy must be, too.
“They’re bound to act ahead of time as well. Is Vice Captain Fu’s team ready?”
On the other end, Qi Chen’s teammate seemed to be on the move as well; even through the noise-canceling earpiece, the roaring wind was clear.
“Vice Captain Fu’s not having an easy time, either. She and that Old Sovereign guy are in Shangfu City, clearing out the main force of the Vertical Eye Society that infiltrated the city, but a major anomalous incident has already broken out in the Shangfu residential district.
“One special ops team has been confirmed lost with all hands. Old Sovereign is handling the anomaly at the scene, but we’ve lost contact for now. But don’t worry—Vice Captain Fu anticipated your concern. At this point, there’s no point in anyone hiding anymore. All armed units in our department have been notified, and both the City Guard and the Security Bureau are mobilizing.
“Just focus on your task!”
With that reassurance, Qi Chen felt a weight lift from his heart. It was a relief to have reliable teammates.
Fu Ying had already anticipated the coming chaos and begun mobilizing every armed force in the city in preparation for the early outbreak.
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Still, the presence of high-level traitors meant he could never fully relax. Who knew if they’d already been tipped off?
This mission would be anything but smooth from here on out.
Lost in thought, Qi Chen’s earpiece suddenly erupted in a series of harsh alarms. The Anomaly Response Division’s intelligence analysts had abruptly patched into all agents’ communications!
“Emergency alert! Multiple high-intensity psychic surges detected citywide—average strength D-class!
“Sudden outbreaks of anomalous incidents in multiple districts. All nearby anomaly operatives, respond immediately!”
...
One blow after another sounded in his ears, and Qi Chen’s face had gone ashen. The wheels of his bicycle spun furiously beneath him.
And as he raced on, refusing to give up, disaster struck again.
His destination had just registered an anomalous outbreak, detected by the Anomaly Response Division.
Screech!
He slammed on the brakes, a troubling question forming in his mind.
“Old Li shouldn’t have left City No. 3 yet, so why would the enemy trigger the anomalies now?”
If Old Li was still in City No. 3, the original plan to act in his absence was already impossible.
Unless… Old Li had left the city even earlier!
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...
“Hahaha!” In the lavishly decorated room, hearty laughter echoed.
The dignified man’s cigar sent lazy curls of smoke drifting through the air, his face aglow with satisfaction.
“Transport Company, befriending you was truly worth it.”