boyutpedia Chapter 315 The Chaotic Town
Chapter 315 The Chaotic Town
Gao Xiaomei nodded timidly but firmly: "I... I'll try my best. Tonight I'll try to chat with my 'old friends' in the mountains..." Gao Yuhuan patted his chest confidently: "Don't worry, Brother Nie, I've got it covered!"
"As for the missile," Nie Lingfeng looked at Wang Ye, "Master Wang Ye, you have the deepest knowledge of divination, mechanisms, and formations. If the missile's detonation device involves supernatural methods or special mechanisms, we might need your expertise. If it's just a regular electronic or mechanical fuse, Er Zhuang might be able to interfere remotely. Alternatively, we can only try to physically destroy the key components, which is very risky. The worst-case scenario is to launch it into harmless airspace, which requires finding and controlling the launch device, and also requires both skill and luck. Let's take it one step at a time and adapt to the situation."
Master Wang sighed, his face saying, "I knew it wouldn't be good." He continued, "Well, after all this time, the most troublesome task still fell on my shoulders. Fine, I guess I got on your pirate ship. But let's make this clear beforehand: if things don't go well, I'll activate the formation and run away. Don't blame me."
"We won't blame you. We'll do your job too, and then go back and tell the old master of Wudang that Daoist Wang Ye deserted his post," Zhang Chulan said with a grin.
"Damn it! Chu Lan, that's not fair!" Daoist Wang Ye rolled his eyes.
Everyone laughed, and the tense atmosphere eased a little.
"Well then, let's confirm one last time." Nie Lingfeng tapped the table. "The visible containment team: Gao Lian is in charge, and the members are Wang Zhenqiu, Hei Guan, Gao Yuhuan, Gao Xiaomei, as well as some of our family's best members and the company's field agents. Mission: To create chaos, draw fire, and contain the enemy's manpower, especially their superhuman combat power."
"Infiltration Team: Me, Zhang Chulan, Zhang Lingyu, Wang Ye, Feng Baobao, Chen Duo. Mission: Secretly infiltrate Ussuriysk, locate and handle missiles, and investigate abnormal areas as needed."
"Special Support: Gao Erzhuang, responsible for full support of electronic information warfare; Lao Meng, responsible for biological support to weaken the enemy."
"Is there a problem?"
"No!" everyone responded in unison, and even Gao Erzhuang's laptop flashed an "OK" sign.
"Alright." Nie Lingfeng stood up. "Now, Brother Gao, please arrange for everyone to eat and rest. Erzhuang, hurry up and gather intelligence. Xiaomei, Yuhuan, begin reconnaissance after nightfall. Lao Meng, prepare your 'little gift.' Everyone else, check your equipment and get ready. We... will depart promptly at three in the morning!"
"yes!"
The crackling fire illuminated the faces of the people—some resolute, some excited, some calm, and some eager to try. Outside, the cold wind howled, swirling up piles of snow.
A storm is brewing. And they have sharpened their claws, ready to tear through the frozen night.
At 2:30 a.m., at the edge of a sheltered forest outside Xueling Town.
A biting wind howled, whipping up snowflakes that stung our faces like tiny knives. The temperature had dropped to minus thirty degrees Celsius, and our breath turned to ice. But the people gathered there seemed to feel little of the cold; they were all in high spirits, their eyes shining brightly in the darkness.
Nie Lingfeng stood at the forefront, his arms wrapped tightly in a specially made swaddle with an insulating array, only half of Xiaoyun's face showing as she slept soundly. Chen Duo stood beside him, holding her Gu jar, while Hei Guan stood in the shadows a little further away, like a lifeless rock. Gao Yuhuan and Gao Xiaomei stood behind Gao Lian, both dressed in dark winter clothes for ease of movement. Gao Yuhuan carried a bulging cloth bag on his back, containing his shamanic implements; Gao Xiaomei clutched a small bell woven from animal bones and colorful threads, appearing somewhat nervous.
"One last check of the equipment, the communicator," Nie Lingfeng said in a deep voice, his voice still clear in the wind.
Everyone began inspecting the miniature bone conduction earphones clipped to their ears. This was the company's latest technology, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern electronics. It could maintain clear communication over short distances in complex environments and was extremely difficult to detect or interfere with. Of course, within Ussuriysk, the main communication support still relied on Gao Erzhuang.
"Frontline team, headset check complete," Gao Lian said, pressing his headset. Beside him, Wang Zhenqiu was fixing his red hair in front of a small mirror, humming an unknown tune. He looked more like he was going to a party than on a dangerous mission. Hei Guan simply gave a brief "hmm."
"Infiltration team, earphones are working properly," Zhang Chulan, Zhang Lingyu, Wang Ye, and Feng Baobao responded in turn. Feng Baobao even curiously fiddled with her earphones, but Zhang Chulan quickly stopped her: "Sister Bao'er, don't fiddle with them! If you break them, you won't be able to hear Erzhuang!"
"Support team, communications are working, network is in place~" Gao Erzhuang's cheerful electronic voice rang in everyone's headphones. "Initial penetration of the civilian network in Ussuriysk has been achieved, major monitoring nodes have been marked, and we are investigating abnormal energy sources and personnel gathering points. Brother Meng, I have sent the city's sewer system map and major water source distribution map that you needed to your tablet."
Old Meng quickly pulled out his reinforced tablet, and sure enough, he saw detailed diagrams on it, with several key points marked for placing the "little gifts." "Thank you, Erzhuang, that's so detailed!" Old Meng said gratefully.
"You're welcome~ Brother Meng, bring out some 'good stuff' so those bad guys can have a good time~" Er Zhuang's tone was mischievous.
"Xiaomei, Yuhuan, how's it going? Any success?" Nie Lingfeng asked the Gao siblings.
Gao Xiaomei took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and gently shook the bone bell with both hands. The bell's sound wasn't crisp; instead, it had a deep, resonant quality, as if it could penetrate the wind and snow and travel far away. She murmured incantations, using ancient shamanic prayers, her voice soft but carrying a peculiar rhythm. Gao Yuhuan stood guard beside her, vigilantly observing their surroundings.
A moment later, Gao Xiaomei opened her eyes, her face pale, with fine beads of sweat on her forehead, clearly indicating that the communication had taken a toll on her. "Brother Nie," she said weakly, "I asked the mountain spirits, tree spirits, and a few 'wind spirits' passing by, and they said... the 'qi' in Ussuriysk is chaotic and dirty. Especially in the western part of the city near the old industrial area, there's a very... very 'fierce,' 'turbid,' and 'malicious' qi that smells of rust and tar, and it's getting stronger. It must be that abandoned chemical plant you mentioned. Also, there's a lot more 'human' qi in the city. Some are cold and sharp like knives (Sakura Ninja), some are frenzied and hot like gunpowder (Bear Country's 'Snowfield Fang'?), and some... are elusive and hard to detect (Eagle Country's 'Freedom Vanguard'?). The mountain spirits don't like that qi and told me to stay away."
"Thank you, Xiaomei, you've worked hard." Nie Lingfeng nodded; this basically matched the intelligence they had. "Yu Huan, have you discovered anything?"
Gao Yuhuan shook his head: "I didn't ask the old immortal to take a closer look, I just sensed it. The direction of that chemical plant is indeed eerie, not like an ordinary ominous place or a place of yin energy, but more like... an opening, 'flowing' bad things out. Moreover, I vaguely felt that there seemed to be some kind of... 'calling' there? Very faint, but definitely there, as if it was attracting something to the past." He scratched his head, "I can't explain it, I just feel uneasy."
"A sense of being called?" Nie Lingfeng frowned slightly; this was a new situation. "Understood. Brother Gao, your frontline team, according to plan, create disturbances at 'Eagle Gully,' 'Wild Wolf Slope,' and 'Three Bends' on our side of the border. The bigger the commotion, the better, but be careful. If you encounter enemy superhumans, focus on driving them away or injuring them; there's no need for a fight to the death. Our goal is to draw their attention, not to annihilate them. Erzhuang will provide you with real-time intelligence to avoid areas where the enemy's forces are concentrated."
"Understood!" Gao Lian nodded emphatically. "You infiltration team should also be extra careful, especially with that 'calling'. I have a feeling something's off about it. Yu Huan's intuition is rarely wrong."
"We'll be careful." Nie Lingfeng checked the time: 2:50 AM. "Operation begins. Frontline team, move out!"
"Yes, sir! Let's go!" Wang Zhenqiu was the first to dart out, disappearing into the snowy forest in a few leaps. His speed was astonishing, leaving only a string of arrogant laughter echoing in the wind: "Bald Bear! Your Grandpa Qiu is here! Ready for the surprise?"
Gao Lian shook his head helplessly and waved to Hei Guan, Gao Yuhuan, and Gao Xiaomei: "Keep up, don't let this kid mess things up!" The figures of the group quickly disappeared into the darkness.
"Let's go too." Nie Lingfeng tightened his grip on Xiaoyun, then looked at Zhang Chulan and the others. "Erzhuang has already planned the route. We'll avoid the main roads and surveillance areas, infiltrating through the 'Black Bear Gully' area, the weakest point on the border and where patrols are most infrequent. Be careful to stay hidden and be prepared for any unexpected situations. Let's go!"
The group of six (plus Xiaoyun) slipped silently into the dark snow forest like ghosts, hurrying towards the border.