novelraw Chapter 282: The First “Cargo”
Chapter 282: The First “Cargo”
"Escort?"
Lin Jie pulled out that orange mission card, his fingertips feeling the hard texture unique to thick copperplate paper.
Corresponding to this mission codename was a reward of up to five thousand dollars, plus three hundred Association points.
This reward seemed a bit too generous for a non-combat mission marked as "C-class (Alert-class)."
"Good eye." Morgan's voice came from the side, carrying a hint of amusement. "This is currently the most cost-effective commission on the mission list."
Lin Jie flipped the card over and carefully read the mission briefing on the back.
The content of the briefing was unexpectedly concise, even to the point of being vague and ambiguous.
[Mission Number: NA-C-1889-074]
[Mission Codename: Escort]
[Mission Level: C (Town-class)][Mission Objective: Safely transport a special cargo codenamed 'Package-074' from the No. 3 secret warehouse at New York Harbor via railway to the I.A.R.C. New Orleans branch.]
[Mission Duration: Ten days.]
[Known Intelligence:]
[1. 'Package-074' has been sealed inside a B-class spiritual inertia cargo container made from a composite of lead, mithril, and Stasis Ore.]
[2. The cargo itself possesses extremely strong physical destructive capabilities. Opening the cargo container during transport for any reason is strictly prohibited.]
[3. The cargo has a strong attraction to spiritual fluctuations of specific frequencies and may attract the attention of unknown UMAs.]
[Execution Requirement: Solo execution.]
"Solo execution?" Lin Jie's brows furrowed slightly. "Escorting such a dangerous cargo across half the continental United States, with only one person assigned?"
"Because this isn't an ordinary escort mission, Mr. Lin," Morgan replied frankly. "It's a 'moving bait.' We need a sufficiently strong 'bait' to lure out a 'big fish' we've been tracking for a long time, hidden deep in the Appalachian Mountains."
"Several previous attempts failed because the 'bait' wasn't strong enough. Both the person and the cargo disappeared together into those damned deep mountains and old forests."
His words confirmed Lin Jie's speculation.
This was indeed not a simple escort, but a meticulously designed test full of traps and trials.
A test of a hunter's personal limits in intelligence analysis, tactical planning, and handling sudden crises while operating completely independently with no support.
"So, this generous reward is both payment and... compensation for death?" Lin Jie's tone betrayed no emotion.
"You could understand it that way." Morgan smiled and nodded, appreciating Lin Jie's directness. "Of course, you can also choose to decline. There are many safer, simpler commissions on the mission list."
"Like going to Chicago to deal with a few 'financial goblins' that disrupted the stock exchange, or investigating the 'ghost bell-ringer' in Philadelphia's Independence Bell Tower who always rings the bell early."
Morgan began introducing Lin Jie to the distinctive features of the North American branch's missions.
"You'll have to get used to it, Mr. Lin. This is America, different from Europe. Our UMAs also carry the unique characteristics of this country." A hint of self-mockery could be heard in Morgan's tone.
"On the East Coast, due to the high development of industrialization and the financial industry, we most often encounter UMAs like 'financial goblins,' 'steam grudges,' and 'telegraph demons' that coexist with modern industrial civilization."
"In the vast Midwest, that's the domain of agriculture and livestock. You might encounter a 'Nebraska Corn Man' mutated into a giant monster by a cursed meteorite, or a 'Storm Spirit' that hunts cattle and sheep within Kansas tornadoes."
"As for the more distant West, that not yet fully tamed lawless land belonging to Native Americans and gold prospectors... the legends there are even more bizarre and fantastical." Morgan's eyes grew profound. "'Mountain Yetis,' 'bloodsucking Chupacabras,' and the 'Feathered Serpent God' hidden deep in the canyons guarding the City of Gold... each one can make those self-proclaimed elite hunters pay a painful price."
"Every state in this country is like an independent kingdom. Possessing its own unique laws, culture, and unique nightmares. Being a hunter here requires not only powerful strength but also a flexible mind capable of adapting to different rules at any time."
Morgan's introduction gave Lin Jie a more intuitive and concrete understanding of the inner world of the North American continent.
"I'll take it."
Lin Jie finally placed that orange card back on the table and made his decision.
He needed such an examination ground to verify his abilities and to find the prey he sought.
The Appalachian Mountains, one of America's oldest and most mysterious mountain ranges, the secrets hidden deep within them were far more valuable than the "industrial ghosts" in the cities.
"A wise choice." Morgan showed a satisfied smile.
He handed Lin Jie a pass stamped with the branch's highest authority seal and a thick stack of detailed information about the railway transport route.
"The train will depart from the secret freight platform at New York Harbor tomorrow night at ten o'clock. You will have your own independent carriage. Apart from the engineer and fireman responsible for driving, you will be the only passenger on the entire train."
"Good luck, Mr. Lin." Morgan extended his hand to Lin Jie. "I hope the next time we meet, you can bring me back some surprises."
...
The next night, in the area of New York Harbor shrouded in darkness and sea fog.
Lin Jie, carrying a simple suitcase, followed the map's guidance through a maze-like array of countless containers and cranes, finally arriving at that extremely concealed No. 3 secret warehouse.
At the warehouse entrance, Ethan, Hawk, and Evelyn were already waiting there.
"Are you really decided on going alone?" Ethan's brows were still tightly knit. "It's too risky. That old fox Morgan definitely doesn't have good intentions."
"Risk and reward have always been directly proportional." Lin Jie's reply was calm. "And I also need some time alone to think about some things."
He glanced into the depths of the warehouse, at that massive, silent lead-gray cargo container firmly secured to a railway flatcar by four thick iron chains.
That container was to be his "companion" for this journey.
Evelyn handed Lin Jie a spiritual spectrum analyzer she had modified overnight.
"It can monitor abnormal spiritual fluctuations within a fifteen-meter radius around you," she instructed carefully. "Although it can't pinpoint locations as precisely as my [Echo Goggles], it can at least provide you with a basic warning. If the needle's swing amplitude exceeds the red alert line, it means... you should prepare for battle."
"And this." Hawk tossed over a small pouch made from some unknown animal hide, with a primitive style. "Inside is some exorcism incense powder made by our tribe's shaman. It might be somewhat useful against those little things in the mountains."
Lin Jie solemnly accepted his friends' gifts one by one.
"Take care of yourself." Ethan finally gave Lin Jie a solid hug. "Remember, if you die, I'll set Morgan's museum on fire."
"Don't worry." Lin Jie smiled. "I haven't lived enough yet."
Accompanied by a long, drawn-out whistle blast, that lonely freight train with only three short carriages slowly pulled away from the platform, disappearing into the vast night with Lin Jie and his mysterious cargo.
The interior of the train carriage had been converted into a simple yet fully functional mobile safe house.
Inside the carriage was a camp bed, a small table fixed to the wall, and a storage cabinet stocked with ample food and fresh water.
And that massive spiritual inertia cargo container, emitting a cold aura, occupied the vast majority of the carriage space.
Lin Jie settled his luggage and then walked over to the container.
He reached out and gently placed his palm against the cold surface of the container, made of lead and mithril alloy.
[Reverberation Touch].
He wanted to know what this cargo was, the one that had caused the North American branch such heavy losses that they needed to handle it this way.
However, the moment his mental energy contacted the container, it felt like it had slammed into a wall made of absolute nothingness.
That coating made from mixed Stasis Ore powder completely isolated the inside and outside of the container into two separate worlds.
Lin Jie couldn't read any information.
But, just as he was about to withdraw his hand...
*Thump.*
An extremely faint yet abnormally clear impact sound, like a heartbeat, transmitted dully from inside the container through the thick lead layer.
Immediately after.
*Thump.*
The impact sounds began to grow increasingly dense, increasingly powerful.
As if inside the container was imprisoned an extremely enraged beast, frantically ramming its body against its cage.
Lin Jie's expression turned grave.
He glanced at the analyzer Evelyn had given him.
The needle, which had been stationary at zero, was now swinging toward the direction of the red alert zone in sync with the impact sounds from inside the container!
This lonely train was carrying a "bomb" that could explode at any moment, heading deep into the dark Appalachian Mountains.
And he was the only "bomb disposal expert."