boyutpedia Chapter 316 Sakura Spy
Chapter 316 Sakura Spy
At 3:15 a.m., near Heixiazigou.
This is a relatively flat river valley, named for the black bears that used to frequent it. Now, the ecology has improved, and the bears are gone. However, the terrain is complex, crisscrossed by ravines, and with heavy snow cover in winter, there's a subtle gap in the border fence and patrol trails—a frequent route for illegal immigrants and smugglers, and a key area for border patrol. But at this moment, under Erzhuang's powerful electronic interference, several nearby surveillance cameras briefly malfunctioned for a few seconds, and the patrol team's communication channels crackled with unintelligible static.
In those few seconds, several dark figures sped through the gap in the barbed wire fence, which was half-covered by snow, and silently crossed the border into the land of the Bear Kingdom.
"Infiltration successful. Current location: approximately 15 kilometers southeast of Ussuriysk. No alarm triggered." Erzhuang's calm voice came through the headset. "There is a small outpost 3 kilometers ahead. We recommend detouring via the left ridge. Note that there is deep snow on the shady side of the ridge, and there may be black ice."
"Received." Nie Lingfeng responded in a low voice, gesturing for the group to immediately turn to the left, advancing swiftly and laboriously through knee-deep snow. Zhang Chulan and Zhang Lingyu, one on each side, carefully probed the path ahead with their Qi, clearing away any hidden traps or pitfalls. Daoist Wang Ye occasionally made calculations with his fingers, avoiding naturally formed, chaotic "dangerous spots." Feng Baobao walked in the middle of the group, seemingly casual, but her ears twitched slightly, constantly listening for any unusual activity hidden by the snow. Chen Duo brought up the rear, her fingers flicking lightly from her sleeve, sending several tiny, almost invisible insects flying into the darkness ahead, acting as extra sentinels.
"Brother Nie, this snow is so deep, it's really hard to walk on." Zhang Chulan complained softly, panting. "Now I understand why people from Northeast China walk with their toes pointing outwards. If you don't walk like that in this snow, you can't even get your feet out!"
"Enough talk, save your energy." Nie Lingfeng said without turning his head. "This is just the beginning. Erzhuang, what's the situation in the city?"
"We're monitoring them. Bald Bear's men are mainly distributed in the abandoned industrial area in the west of the city, several warehouses in the south of the city, and a hotel he controls in the city center. The patrol density is high, but the shift change times are predictable. The people from the Sakura Kingdom are the most secretive, with intermittent signals. The last time they were detected was near an abandoned church in the east of the city. The people from the Bear Kingdom's 'Snowfield Fang' are more flamboyant, about seven or eight of them, and they've checked into a bar they control in the north of the city. There haven't been any large-scale movements so far. As for the people from the Eagle Kingdom's 'Freedom Vanguard'... we haven't found any definite traces yet, but there have been several suspicious external signals near the city hall and communications tower, which we suspect are their electronic warfare units."
"Any clues about the missile's location?"
"Not yet. The electromagnetic interference in the abandoned chemical plant area is very strong, and there are a lot of metal structures blocking the view, making thermal imaging and ordinary detection very ineffective. I'm trying to compare historical electricity consumption data, recent vehicle entry and exit records, and... um? Wait!" Erzhuang's voice suddenly paused, with a hint of surprise, "Underground in the chemical plant, there are weak, regular low-frequency vibration signals emanating, about once every three seconds. They're very weak and were previously masked by clutter. This doesn't seem like ordinary mechanical vibration; it's more like... some kind of large energy source slowly charging? Or... an engine?"
Nie Lingfeng's heart skipped a beat. Were the missiles ready to launch? Or was there something else beneath the chemical plant besides missiles?
"Continue monitoring, focusing on analyzing that vibration signal. Lao Meng, you can start now. Deploy the first batch of 'gifts' according to the nodes Er Zhuang marked for you."
"Roger that, Commander Nie." Old Meng's voice came through the headset, tinged with tension and excitement. "I... I've already released enhanced versions of 'Fatigue Bacteria' and 'Itchy Fungal Spores' at several main sewer entrances and near the ventilation shafts close to their base. The effects will gradually appear in four to six hours. Initial symptoms are mild drowsiness and itchy skin, which will gradually worsen if not carefully managed..."
"Well done, Lao Meng. Be careful, evacuate to the safe point immediately after the delivery."
"clear!"
The team continued its stealthy advance in the darkness. After bypassing a checkpoint and crossing a frozen, hardened swamp, they could already see scattered lights on the outskirts of Ussuriysk. The city's outline appeared blurred and somber in the wind, snow, and night, like a lurking beast.
"We're about to enter the urban-rural fringe. Two hundred meters ahead, on the right, there's an abandoned repair shop with four signs of life, possibly sentries," Erzhuang warned.
"Should we go around it, or...?" Zhang Chulan asked in a low voice.
"Go around them, to avoid alerting them," Nie Lingfeng said decisively. What they needed now was concealment, not combat.
The group turned again, preparing to detour along the more remote riverbank, littered with construction debris. However, just as they approached a half-collapsed wall by the river, something unexpected happened!
Zhang Lingyu, who was walking at the front, suddenly stopped and shouted in a low voice, "Watch out! There's an ambush!"
Almost at the same moment he spoke, three cold lights shot out without warning from the shadows of the wall, heading straight for Nie Lingfeng, Zhang Lingyu, and Zhang Chulan at the front! They were shuriken! And at tricky angles, blocking off the upper, middle, and lower routes!
The attackers timed their attack perfectly, catching everyone off guard the moment they turned away and their guard was slightly relaxed! Moreover, the attackers were clearly skilled at concealing themselves in the icy environment; they didn't even detect the detection worms that Chen Duo had released beforehand until the attack was launched!
"Hmph!" Nie Lingfeng's eyes turned cold. He held Xiaoyun still, and casually waved his free left hand in front of him. A gentle yet powerful force surged out, and the three shuriken that had shot towards him seemed to crash into an invisible, viscous cloud of energy, their momentum greatly reduced, and then they fell to the ground with a clatter.
Zhang Lingyu reacted even faster. While issuing the warning, he had already stepped forward. With a flick of his right sleeve, a stream of extremely soft and yin black lightning energy spread out like mercury, instantly enveloping a shadowy area on the left! Northern Azure Pool!
"Ugh!" A muffled groan came from the shadows, and a small, thin figure, completely shrouded in black night clothes with only his eyes showing, stumbled out. Tiny black sparks crackled around his body, and his movements became noticeably stiff and slow. It was a ninja from the Sakura Country!
At the same time, a cold light flashed again on the top of the wall on the right! Two faster and swifter blades, like venomous snakes flicking their tongues, crossed and slashed towards Master Wang Ye and Feng Baobao in the middle of the group, one on the left and one on the right! The blades were chilling and carried a resolute killing intent, clearly indicating that they were from elite troops!
As if he had anticipated this, Daoist Wang Ye stood with his feet planted awkwardly, making a sweeping motion with his hands in front of him. The two sharp blades, about to strike him, strangely veered off course, as if drawn by an invisible force, grazing the hem of Daoist Wang Ye's robes and striking the frozen ground beside him with a splash of ice and snow! The Wind After Qimen, Chaotic Golden Clang! Although the effect was only momentary, it was enough to deflect the blades.
Feng Baobao's reaction was even simpler and more direct. Facing the blade aimed at her, she neither dodged nor evaded, but simply raised the kitchen knife in her hand—the ordinary kitchen knife she usually used for cutting vegetables, but which now gleamed coldly in the night.
clang!
A crisp clang of metal rang out! The sharp blade was actually blocked by Feng Baobao with a kitchen knife! The ninja wielding the knife clearly hadn't expected this woman to be so strong, able to withstand his ninja sword with a kitchen knife, and his body swayed involuntarily.
Taking advantage of his unsteady stance, Feng Baobao's free left hand shot out with lightning speed, not to attack, but to grab directly at the ninja's mask! The movement was so fast that it left afterimages!
The ninja was shocked and quickly leaned back to dodge. At the same time, he raised his left hand, and a cloud of gray smoke exploded out, carrying a pungent smell. It was obviously poisonous smoke!
"Hold your breath!" Zhang Chulan shouted, and golden light instantly shone from his body, enveloping him and Chen Duo beside him. Zhang Lingyu's Yin Lightning also automatically protected him, isolating him from the poisonous smoke. Daoist Wang Ye's Qi field circulated around him, dispersing the poisonous smoke as soon as it approached. Nie Lingfeng even rolled up his sleeve, and a gust of wind blew away the poisonous smoke.
As for Feng Baobao… she seemed completely oblivious to the poisonous smoke, or rather, utterly unconcerned. Her movements didn't falter; the instant the ninja leaned back, her left hand shifted from a grab to a thrust, two fingers like iron pincers, precisely piercing a spot below the ninja's throat!
"Hah..." The ninja's body stiffened abruptly, his long sword clattering to the ground. He clutched his throat, making strange, hoarse noises, his eyes filled with terror and disbelief, before collapsing limply to the ground. Feng Baobao didn't even glance at him a second time. She bent down, picked up the decent ninja sword from the ground, weighed it in her hand, and seemed to find it more comfortable than a kitchen knife. She casually tucked her kitchen knife back into her waistband and switched to the ninja sword.
The entire process, from the attack to the counterattack, and then to the capture and subjugation of the two ninjas, took only two or three seconds! It was as fast as lightning!
"There's one more!" Chen Duo suddenly spoke, flicking her finger. In the darkness, behind a pile of broken furniture near the riverbank, a ninja who had just raised his hand, seemingly about to launch a hidden weapon or signal, suddenly froze, then clutched his stomach and collapsed, his face instantly turning ashen as he curled up in pain. Several almost invisible tiny Gu worms were slowly crawling out from his collar.
"Done," Chen Duo said calmly, as if she had only done a trivial matter.
Zhang Chulan swallowed hard, watching the three Sakura ninjas being dispatched in an instant. He knew his teammates were strong, but he hadn't expected them to be this strong! Brother Nie casually deflected hidden weapons, Master Lingyu controlled the field with Yin Lightning, Daoist Wang Ye unpredictably deflected attacks, Sister Bao'er disarmed a blade with her bare hands and instantly killed someone, and Duo'er killed without leaving a trace... This combat power was simply unbelievably luxurious! In comparison, he had only used the Golden Light Mantra to block the poisonous smoke, which seemed a bit like slacking off? (；´д｀)ゞ
"Check and leave them alive," Nie Lingfeng ordered, while cautiously sensing his surroundings. Xiaoyun seemed to have been awakened by the commotion and shifted restlessly in his arms. Nie Lingfeng gently patted her and whispered soothingly.
Zhang Lingyu stepped forward to check on the ninja who had been paralyzed by his Yin Lightning. Daoist Wang Ye walked to the ninja who had been knocked down by Feng Baobao, squatted down to examine him, and said, "He's unconscious. He suffered a severe blow to the neck and is temporarily unable to move, but he won't die." He glanced at Feng Baobao with some surprise. This girl's attack was quick and accurate, hitting vital points directly, yet she held back just right. Her control over her strength was simply astonishing.
Feng Baobao held the newly acquired ninja sword and brandished it in the air a couple of times, seemingly quite satisfied.
"Brother Nie, this guy's been poisoned, quite badly, but he won't die anytime soon. Should we give him an antidote?" Chen Duo asked, pointing to the ninja who had been knocked down by the Gu worms.