novelraw Chapter 193 : The Toughest Holdout
Chapter 193 : The Toughest Holdout
The plane began to taxi down the runway.
Shen Han removed the camera from around her neck and happily squeezed into the same seat as Gu Junwan.
Her eyes darted around, surveying their surroundings, before she leaned in close to whisper in her companion's ear, "Wife, is it safe for us to talk here?"
The Alpha's sudden proximity made Gu Junwan's heart beat a little faster.
That deliberately lowered voice entering her ear sent tiny electric currents, causing a tingling sensation around the Omega's gland area.
Gu Junwan imperceptibly shrank her neck, reaching out to gently pinch the soft flesh at her beloved's waist, saying softly, "Don't be naughty."
"If we couldn't talk safely, would I have called you over to be my pillow?"
The Omega's strength was already minimal, and she hadn't applied much force. The light pinch gave Shen Han a wonderfully pleasant sensation.
She wanted her wife to pinch her a few more times!
Earlier, while waiting to board, Shen Han had sat on the bench as if on pins and needles.
She had a belly full of questions she wanted to ask Gu Junwan.
But now that she was by her side, her attention had wandered elsewhere.
"Huh? Wife, why are your ears red?"
"Are you not acclimatized? Let me take a good look."
Shen Han asked with feigned seriousness while lifting her lips to lightly brush Gu Junwan's earlobe.
She carefully avoided the other's earrings, her breath fanning out to paint the Omega's fair skin behind her ear a rosy red.
Gu Junwan rarely wore such long earrings.
Perhaps that's why her occasional change in style was so captivating.
"You're so annoying," Gu Junwan pressed her palm against the other's shoulder, trying to push away the clingy puppy. "We haven't even left Federation territory yet, how could I not be acclimatized?"
After voicing her rebuttal, she found it rather amusing.
The silly Alpha beside her was clearly telling a straight-faced lie, and she had actually taken it seriously.
After playing around for a bit, Shen Han consciously reined in her thoughts.
She tidied her wife's disheveled hair, then asked the question she was most curious about.
"Wife, why did you come to participate in the operation personally?"
Shen Han understood Gu Junwan's temperament very well.
She was extremely measured in her actions and emphasized the big picture.
So, Shen Han didn't believe for a moment that her wife couldn't bear to be apart from her, disregarding safety to insist on accompanying her spouse.
Discussing serious matters, Gu Junwan's earlier bashfulness and tenderness disappeared.
She took a tablet from the small desk beside her, and after iris verification, presented a confidential file to Shen Han.
"After this plane lands, you'll continue leading the team to the auction site."
"I'll take the others and leave Solanguo for a border city in the neighboring Jiying Empire. I'll be the behind-the-scenes commander, overseeing two crucial operations this time."
Shen Han had just taken the tablet, not yet having time to check the information on it, when she curiously asked, "Two operations?"
Gu Junwan nodded slightly: "Do you remember Takeda Tatsuya's fake wife? Her codename was White Ant."
"Two months after her capture, the interrogation work made a major breakthrough."
"Based on the leads she provided, our people have been monitoring Takeda Tatsuya's residence in Yin Country."
"But he's extremely cautious, and with the Yin Country authorities' protection, we've been unable to carry out a secret arrest or decapitation operation."
At this point, Gu Junwan's gaze had become profound.
She hadn't forgotten for a day the crimes Takeda Tatsuya had committed within the Free Federation's borders.
"Just as we were departing for Ksenrode, our spies reported that Takeda Tatsuya was taken away by the Yin Country authorities."
"That night, a special plane carrying a delegation took off from the Yin Country capital's airport, heading for a border city in the Jiying Empire. Face contour matching confirmed Takeda Tatsuya was on that plane."
"I'm not sure if they're coming for the auction in Solanguo, but this time, I don't want to give him another chance to escape!"
There was actually another point Gu Junwan didn't elaborate on.
If Takeda Tatsuya's target was also the Dragon Horn Ginseng, the small team led by Shen Han might be at a great disadvantage!
Gu Junwan never underestimated her enemies.
And Takeda Tatsuya definitely ranked as the most formidable opponent she had encountered so far.
He was extremely skilled at manipulating people's hearts.
His mental control ability allowed him to leverage his strengths to an even greater degree.
His disciples were willing to die for him, genuinely believing it to be an honor.
After hearing Gu Junwan's words, Shen Han's expression also grew solemn.
How could she not guess what her wife was worried about?
With this in mind, she quickly focused her attention on reading the information on the tablet.
It contained some files on Takeda Tatsuya, as well as intelligence gathered on several key personnel from the auction organizers.
Knowing both oneself and the enemy was crucial for increasing the odds of victory.
Shen Han wanted to do her utmost to complete this mission, rather than having Gu Junwan worry about every aspect.
Her wife was already working so hard; if she could share more of the burden, it would lighten the weight on her shoulders.
The long thirty-plus hour flight sounded interminable.
But in reality, time flew by in the blink of an eye.
Shen Han reluctantly parted from her wife, leading the original team to travel by car to the city where the auction would be held.
Knowing that Gu Junwan would be commanding operations from a border city in the Jiying Empire eased much of the anxiety weighing on Shen Han's mind.
The Jiying Empire's public security was far better than Solanguo's.
Additionally, that country had fairly good relations with the Free Federation.
If any unexpected situations arose on Gu Junwan's end, they could immediately seek assistance from the local government.
Solanguo didn't allow civilian hovercrafts, with ground vehicles being the primary mode of transportation.
This country was extremely hot in summer, like a furnace.
At this moment, Shen Han sat in a second-class carriage of the light rail, looking out through the glass window at the city streetscape, feeling a strange sense of familiarity.
The light rail wound its way forward like a playful dragon.
Crossing over great rivers, nimbly soaring between mountains, then plunging into buildings.
This experience of seeming to ascend to heaven and descend to earth left her team members dumbfounded.
Shen Han maintained a calm exterior, but inwardly she was exclaiming: Damn! Is this the mountain city from before my transmigration?
Should we go eat hotpot in an air-raid shelter tonight?!
After much hassle, Shen Han's group finally arrived at their destination, White Light City, as evening fell.
The hotel had been booked well in advance.
After checking in, she immediately began assigning tasks.
"The auction doesn't officially start for another ten days. Everyone, please work hard these next few days."
"Remember, no one is to act alone. If you notice anything unusual, report it immediately-"
After quickly allocating work, Shen Han looked towards a woman wearing a fisherman's hat in the team: "Fang Yue, grab your toolkit and come with me to a place now."
The member named Fang Yue nodded, then efficiently prepared her items for going out.
Although they couldn't openly carry weapons, for well-trained warriors, even a pencil could become a lethal tool.
In situations where regulated knives and firearms were prohibited, there were actually quite a few items that could be used for self-defense or even attack.
Fang Yue was also an Alpha, slightly older than Shen Han.
But she was petite in stature and spoke softly, often mistaken for an Omega.
In reality, however, this seemingly small and thin woman's specialty was wrestling.
As long as she could grab even a small piece of clothing, she could throw her opponent so hard their own mother wouldn't recognize them.
What Shen Han valued was Fang Yue's unexpected combat prowess.
Who would have thought that a girl who looked like she couldn't even hold a chicken steady could swing a grown man around like a whack-a-mole game?
The tasks of investigating the auction venue and secretly monitoring key auction personnel were left to other team members.
What Shen Han needed to do now was visit an old friend of Tang Yucai.
As newcomers, if they could get help from a "local snake," it would certainly be beneficial in increasing their chances of success!
Many years ago, Tang Yucai had stayed in White Light City for several months searching for the Dragon Horn Ginseng.
She hadn't found the herb, but had inadvertently saved a local woman, eventually becoming friends with her.
Shen Han followed the address Tang Yucai had given her, taking many detours before finally finding where that woman had lived years ago.
"Ah, what? Is this the toughest holdout?"
Looking at the old house surrounded by buildings and light rail tracks not far ahead, Shen Han's eyes widened slightly.
Fang Yue, following behind her, also curiously looked around, repeatedly confirming the house number.
Just as they thought they had come to the wrong place again, an unfriendly male voice sounded from nearby.
"Hey! Where are you two from? Skulking around like that, are you trying to steal something?"
Shen Han looked towards the voice and saw several men dressed like gangsters walking towards her, cigarettes dangling from their mouths.
The one who had spoken was stocky but not very tall. As he walked, the large gold chain around his neck glinted in the lamplight.
When the group of five approached, Shen Han politely spoke up: "We're from the Free Federation. Is this 334 Dragon Cave Street?"
"We're looking for someone named Yan Lin. Have you heard of her?"
Shen Han didn't have time to slowly bandy words with these people, so she got straight to the point.
She wasn't afraid they would cause any trouble; after all, they were no match for her side.
After she finished speaking, the five delinquent youths were immediately stunned.
The leader with the big gold chain's mouth gaped open, not even noticing when his cigarette fell to the ground.
Seeing their reaction, Shen Han felt a glimmer of hope.
They must know the old friend Tang Yucai had mentioned, and it seemed that person had quite a reputation here, given how shocked these street toughs looked.
However, just as Shen Han thought things would progress smoothly from here,
The man with the big gold chain suddenly bulged his eyes and started shouting: "Damn! Who gave you the guts to directly call Aunt Lin by name? Are you looking to get beaten up?!"