novelraw Chapter 15: Sea of Darkness - (15) (6k+ words)
Chapter 15: Sea of Darkness - (15) (6k+ words)
“What is that you’re carrying?” Silver Mask looked perplexed at the glass jar tucked under Kui Xin’s arm.
“A tea blend given by a colleague.” Kui Xin leaned against the door frame while changing her shoes.
“Have you successfully infiltrated and gained their trust?” Silver Mask asked with interest.
Casually, Kui Xin placed the jar of goji berry and jujube tea in the kitchen. “Don’t pry unnecessarily; I have no obligation to report everything to you.”
“Alright,” Silver Mask said. “Why haven’t you responded to my messages?”
Because you rambled too much, Kui Xin mentally grumbled.
She fabricated an excuse: “My teammates were around, so I didn’t have the chance.”
Silver Mask momentarily choked, then dejectedly pulled out a metallic sphere from his pocket and tossed it to her. “This contains the intelligence I gathered today… The good news is that I accessed the Coastal Security Office’s network and stole the data. The bad news is, that I accidentally broke the data reader; now it only has viewing capabilities, not reading functions. The recent month’s port personnel movement details are all here—take a look.”
“Not bad, efficient work,” Kui Xin remarked indifferently, offering him lukewarm praise. “Do you have a backup for the data reader?”
“No, we need to return to Headquarters’ laboratory to get a replacement, along with updating some other equipment,” Silver Mask replied dispiritedly.Headquarters’ laboratory? Kui Xin had read about it in mission materials—the third-floor laboratory at Rick Technologies provided technological assistance to operatives. Since the data reader was a tech product, could the “Headquarters’ laboratory” mentioned by Silver Mask refer to the one at Rick Technologies?
The Investigation Department typically finishes work around 6:30 PM, but Kui Xin arrived home earlier today. Her bracelet displayed the time at 7:40 PM.
“Let’s eat,” Silver Mask said. “I bought real meat—it’s so expensive! Soy meat is cheaper, but it doesn’t taste as good…”
Does this guy even know what tastes good and what doesn’t? Kui Xin couldn’t help but glance sideways, skeptically.
Silver Mask wasn’t picky about food; no matter how unappetizing it was, he would finish it all. Even when she boiled plain noodles, he devoured them eagerly, leading Kui Xin to suspect that he lacked discernment for culinary flavors.
Feeling hungry herself, Kui Xin entered the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Seated at the dining table, Silver Mask watched intently as Kui Xin filled water and ignited the stove, resembling a cat eagerly awaiting its owner to open a can of food—his pale pink eyes mixed with attentiveness and slight impatience.
“Did you receive the message?” Kui Xin unexpectedly asked, and her back turned towards Silver Mask.
“You mean from Red?” Silver Mask pondered briefly.
“Mm-hmm,” Kui Xin replied, keeping her gaze fixed on the bubbling water in the pot, waiting for Silver Mask’s response.
“I did.” Silver Mask sounded dispirited. “He always does this, notifying us right before meetings, claiming he fears too long a notice might lead to information leaks to enemies… He’s just like you—a person overly cautious, constantly suspicious.”
Kui Xin’s thoughts shifted, and she deliberately said, “So that’s your assessment of Red.”
“You’re not going to badmouth me to him, are you?” Silver Mask asked cautiously.
“Do I look like I have time for gossip?” Kui Xin responded.
Silver Mask scrutinized Kui Xin, confirming that she indeed had no intention of reporting him, and then continued, “Working under you is much better than working under him. Whenever he assigns tasks, I’m so busy I barely have time to eat.”
Kui Xin remarked, “Your logic seems to be that since you get meals here, you think I’m preferable, correct?”
“… Can I put it that way?” Silver Mask’s response was hesitant.
Well then, he’s truly a bottomless pit for food. Kui Xin was now convinced of this.
After dinner, as usual, Silver Mask proceeded to clean up the kitchen.
As Kui Xin returned to her room to review the data, she instructed him, “Once you’re done cleaning, help me water the plants; they’re almost withering. The living room floor needs mopping too, so take care of that. With such a great superhuman ability, not using it for chores would be a waste. Remember to check the time and let me know when it’s time to leave.”
Silver Mask momentarily paused, scrubbing dishes with slightly more vigor. “… You and Red were indeed former partners, both equally adept at bossing people around!”
Her only response was the crisp sound of the door closing.
Kui Xin lay on her bed, expressionlessly staring at the ceiling.
The revelation that Red was her former partner was an unexpected piece of information. To what extent did Red’s relationship with her go? How well did he understand her?
According to Silver Mask’s description, Red was overly cautious. Might he notice something amiss?
Tonight’s visit to the Ruby Bar would likely be fraught with danger.
Propping herself up against the pillow, Kui Xin took out the data reader given by Silver Mask and began reading the contained information.
This intelligence has meticulously documented personnel data since the Mooring Harbor bombing incident. It included those who had been listed as criminal suspects, who frequently appeared around the port, who were members of the port gangs, and who were designated for close surveillance.
Criminal suspects and those under heightened scrutiny were marked in red font, witnesses and suspicious individuals in yellow, and those tangentially related to the bombing but with minimal suspicion in green.
In Black Sea City, the surveillance systems served as silent observers, watching every individual and recording their information. This data was aggregated in the Investigation Department, where the super-artificial intelligence Yadang assessed whether it warranted suspicion or required tracking.
However, there were surveillance blind spots within Black Sea City; the Investigation Department couldn’t extend its reach to every corner.
The city was distinctly divided into two parts—the vibrant and prosperous section and the decaying portion hidden beneath the facade of affluence. These contrasting elements coexisted paradoxically.
With too much diverse data, Kui Xin couldn’t immediately analyze anything meaningful. She put down the data reader, pulled out a textbook on criminal investigation techniques from the Black Sea Academy’s curriculum, and began studying it carefully, intending to learn something different to clear her mind.
Having just escaped the hellish final year of high school, she now had to dive back into the ocean of knowledge. The crucial part was that this learning could not be avoided; as a security officer, a lack of understanding of investigative theories would eventually expose her inadequacies.
Grimly determined, she delved into the book, simultaneously searching online for various obscure terms and names of high-tech equipment. Without these searches, she wouldn’t comprehend the specialized vocabulary or grasp the functions of those devices.
Time flew by during her study session. At eleven o’clock, someone knocked on Kui Xin’s room door.
Silver Mask said, “It’s time to leave.”
Kui Xin set aside her book, retrieved a black hooded sweatshirt from the wardrobe, and changed into it. She then found a mask and windproof goggles to cover her face before stepping out of her bedroom.
Silver Mask had already put on his mask and said, “I’m familiar with the camera positions; I’ll lead the way… Hey, what’s up with that attire?”
Kui Xin responded, “It’s easy to encounter colleagues.”
“True, you’re now a security officer, so not disguising yourself won’t do.” Silver Mask pondered for a moment before suggesting, “For tonight, make do with this mask. Once we reach Headquarters’ laboratory, they can create a specialized disguise mask for you.”
“Let’s go,” Kui Xin said.
Silver Mask walked towards the balcony. “By jumping down from here, there’s a small alley without surveillance cameras. We’ll take this route.”
No wonder he always used the balcony for entering and exiting. Kui Xin approached and opened the window, glancing downward. The third floor was approximately ten meters high, making it extremely dangerous to jump from such a height.
“Can you manage?” Silver Mask crossed his arms. “An ordinary person who hasn’t awakened probably couldn’t handle it, right?”
Kui Xin quickly scanned the wall, noticing an old water pipe near the window. As a fighter with physical prowess akin to Bruce Lee, she felt confident enough to take the risk.
“Don’t forget to close the window after you descend.” Stepping onto the windowsill, Kui Xin grasped the pipe embedded in the wall and effortlessly leaped off, rapidly descending to the ground with the aid of the pipe.
When she was about two meters from the ground, Kui Xin released her grip on the pipe and landed steadily, with the slight noise of her descent masked by the pitter-patter of rain.
On the other hand, Silver Mask didn’t need to rely on the pipe. Surrounded by flowing water, he leaped directly from the third floor, allowing the water to cushion his impact upon landing.
“I underestimated you,” Silver Mask remarked. “Let’s go.”
He walked ahead, with Kui Xin following behind.
Silver Mask intentionally maintained his pace, wanting to test if Kui Xin could keep up. He stepped onto a pile of garbage in the alleyway and vaulted onto a low building, then glanced back at Kui Xin. To his surprise, she effortlessly followed suit, using her fingers to grip the roof edge. With strong arm muscles propelling her upward and coordinated limbs, she executed precise movements.
Witnessing her agility, Silver Mask couldn’t resist showing off himself, turning around and leaping between two closely spaced rooftops.
Kui Xin quickly matched him, sprinting and jumping across a three-meter gap between buildings before landing beside Silver Mask.
She raised an eyebrow. “Are you challenging me to an obstacle parkour race?”
“No, no,” Silver Mask hastily denied, feeling slightly uneasy. “Your physical abilities now rival those of some awakened beings.”
He became more cautious as time went on. After jumping over several buildings, Silver Mask switched to walking along the ground, navigating through narrow alleyways.
Half an hour later, Silver Mask stopped and pointed towards a nearby alley illuminated by vibrant neon lights. “We’re here—the bar is over there. Let’s enter through the back door.”
The bar’s signage was excessively flamboyant, adorned with various garish colors and crude fluorescent graffiti that covered it entirely. The exterior lacked any sophistication, even bordering on tasteless, which greatly differed from Kui Xin’s expectations.
Even before they entered, they could hear the raucous noise and loud music emanating from within the bar.
Upon approaching the back entrance, a waiter greeted them, holding a tray as he said, “Tonight’s theme is a masked frenzy. Would this guest like to choose a mask to wear?”
Kui Xin had been concerned that her goggles were not fully covering her forehead. She took a mask with a spider design from the tray, turned away, removed her goggles, and placed it over her face.
“You’re not taking off your mask?” Silver Mask murmured.
“Double protection,” Kui Xin replied.
Together, they entered the dance hall, where dancers passionately moved on the floor. Amidst the patrons’ cheering, a few men dressed in black trousers, revealing their muscular thighs, performed pole dances bare-chested.
The music was deafeningly loud. Kui Xin dug her fingers into her ears and let out an annoyed “tsk.”
A drunken burly man approached, holding his glass, and flaunted his muscular tattooed arms to Kui Xin. He slurred, “Hey, wanna have… burp! Have a drink with me!”
Kui Xin spent less than a second contemplating how to handle this drunkard. However, as his hand reached dishonestly towards her, she abandoned her thoughts and swiftly punched him in the nose, knocking him unconscious on the spot.
Blood gushed profusely from his broken nose as he collapsed onto the ground, rendered senseless.
Having high combat capabilities certainly comes in handy; Kui Xin had already learned how to wield violence effectively.
No one noticed the minor incident unfolding in the corner. Kui Xin stepped over the unconscious man’s body and walked towards the bar.
The male bartender, dressed in a uniform, asked, “What would you like to drink, darling?”
“A Deep Blue Intoxication,” Kui Xin said, uttering the code phrase.
“Sure thing.” With a smile, Bartender served Kui Xin a drink and whispered, “Room 206 on the second floor underground.”
“I’m really going to go deaf,” Silver Mask grumbled while following Kui Xin downstairs. “Why did we have to choose this place?!”
“You’ll have to ask Red about that.” Kui Xin casually poured out the drink, then placed the glass haphazardly on a passing glass coffee table.
Now, standing outside Room 206, it seemed that the second floor underground was being used as a liquor storage area. The music here was significantly quieter, with no bustling crowd or dazzling lights—only rows of boxes emitting the rich aroma of alcohol.
Kui Xin grasped the door handle.
“Biometric information is confirmed.”
The door opened.
As soon as Kui Xin entered, she heard someone inside sarcastically remark, “You arrived too early; there’s still half an hour before the meeting begins.”
At the far end of the conference room sat a heavily made-up man dressed in a shimmering purple suit. Holding an eyeshadow palette, he meticulously touched up his makeup. After finishing, he puckered his vivid red lips towards the mirror, seemingly quite pleased with his appearance.
Silver Mask appeared accustomed to the man’s behavior and casually walked to the conference table, choosing any seat to sit down.
“Red, do we have backup data readers here?” Silver Mask’s focus was on the task at hand.
With a flamboyant twist, Red turned, furrowed his eyebrows, and glared menacingly at Silver Mask. “No, did you break another one? How many of these are there now? I’ve told you countless times, these aren’t cheap to replace.”
“It’s unavoidable mission wear and tear,” Silver Mask defended himself.
Kui Xin also casually took a seat, striving to appear natural.
Red slouched indolently in his chair, his lips curling as he looked at Kui Xin. “So, how is Silver Mask working for you?”
“Not bad, just a bit clumsy,” Kui Xin gave her honest assessment.
Silver Mask shot an indignant glare at Kui Xin.
Red drawled, “How’s your undercover life going?” He opened his mouth, seemingly about to say something more, but paused. “I almost forgot; you’re not using your old code name anymore… What’s your new one?”
After a moment of silence, Kui Xin replied, “Rich Lady.”
Red blinks, momentarily taken aback. Then he offered a candid evaluation: “A code name with such comedic undertones indeed makes it hard to associate it with you.”
The original persona must have been the typical cold-blooded assassin archetype—aloof, meticulous, and efficiency-driven. Both Red and Silver Mask described her similarly.
Members from other mission execution squads had not arrived yet. In an exaggerated manner, Red produced a bottle of perfume and sprayed it liberally around himself. To be honest, the scent wasn’t unpleasant, but Kui Xin was currently highly anxious. Witnessing someone else so relaxed irked her.
After spraying for a while, Red paused and exclaimed with surprise, “Rich Lady, why haven’t you told me to get lost this time when I’m using perfume? Have you changed your heart?”
He readily accepted Kui Xin’s nickname, effortlessly incorporating it into his speech.
Kui Xin, partly sincere and partly maintaining her snarky persona, retorted, “The makeup on your face is too hideous; I don’t want to speak facing that.”
She expected Red to erupt in fury, but surprisingly, he merely turned around contentedly and continued spraying perfume. “Ah, now that tone sounds more like you.”
Kui Xin thought to herself, Is this Red secretly a masochist who feels uncomfortable without being scolded? Well, that’s enlightening.
Once finished with the perfume, Red pulled out a small box and tossed it to Kui Xin. “Use this to communicate. Your identity must remain confidential, even among organization members. Since you already have a mask, I won’t give you a new one; just attach the voice changer to your throat.”
Kui Xin opened the box and placed the thin, flesh-colored voice changer, as delicate as a cicada’s wing, on her throat. She cleared her throat, and the sound emerging was instantly distinct from her original voice.
After adjusting the voice changer, the door swung open again, admitting a man and a woman.
The woman wore a revealing black leather skirt, her sun-kissed skin almost entirely covered with tattoos. Thorny Rose adorned her face, giving her a dangerous yet captivating appearance. The man was bald, with a black python tattoo coiled across his entire scalp. He had a robust build, his arms thicker than Kui Xin’s thighs. Because of his large size, he occupied the space of two people at the conference table, causing the chair beneath him to creak under the strain.
“Fuck, how many times have I said it? Can’t we get larger chairs? My ass is about to get stuck,” the man loudly complained.
“You should save your breath; most people don’t have asses as big as yours.” Red rolled her eyes.
“It’s muscle on my ass, not fat like others! Because I have more muscle, their asses will naturally be smaller!” The man vehemently protested.
“All right, ball python, shut up,” the woman with the rose tattoo impatience snapped. “Be more refined; stop talking about asses all the time.”
Red, equally unyielding, chimed in, “All the chairs in the conference room follow this standard. If you don’t want to sit, then squat on the floor.”
The man, code-named Ball Python, sulkily hunched in his chair. “Thorny Rose, even if you won’t help me, why tell me to shut up… These chairs really are too small, my butt…”
Thorny Rose warned, “If you say ‘butt’ one more time, I’ll rip it right out of you.”
Ball Python’s head retracted, and he dared not make another sound.
Thorny Rose looked at Silver Mask and Kui Xin before switching to Red. “You should introduce the new faces.”
“You know him, Silver Mask,” Red said. “And the other one as well, but there’s no need to mention her previous codename since she has adopted a new one. From now on, call her Rich Lady.”
Thorny Rose furrowed her brows. “Rich Lady?” She stared thoughtfully at Kui Xin, then suddenly burst out laughing. “So it was you all along! With your identity concealed, recognizing you was indeed quite challenging.”
Kui Xin gave Thorny Rose a cold glance, but she did not respond.
Impatiently waiting for the meeting to commence, Ball Python fished out a cigar, lit it, took a puff, and comfortably blew a smoke ring, letting the smoke dissipate around him.
Silver Mask raised his hand and swiftly extinguished the cigar with a splash of water.
Just as Ball Python’s eyes widened, ready to erupt, he seemed to recall something and glanced at Thorny Rose instead. Suppressing his reaction, he sat obediently, pursing his lips.
At that moment, the conference room door opened again, admitting two individuals… No, two youths.
They were clearly not much older, with identical appearances—turning out to be twins. Their movements were synchronized, their strides equally spaced, and even the actions of pulling out chairs and sitting down occurred concurrently.
They remained very quiet, not greeting or making eye contact with anyone upon entering the room. Instead, they simply sat with bowed heads, seemingly immersed in their own world.
The last person to enter was dressed as a waiter. He pushed open the door, elegantly adjusted his sleeves and bow tie, and leisurely took his seat. “Business at the bar is truly thriving tonight; I’m somewhat reluctant to leave the counter.”
“Don’t bring up your little bartending hobby during serious discussions,” Red said. “Alright, all four core squads have assembled. Some of you are meeting for the first time, so let’s follow protocol and introduce ourselves.”
The man dressed as a waiter spoke first: “Call sign ‘Bartender’, Red’s partner.”
“Call sign ‘Thorny Rose’; teammate is that bald guy,” Thorny Rose said.
Ball Python chimed in, “My call sign is ‘Ball Python’. Not bald, everyone, don’t get it wrong!”
The identical twin brothers lifted their heads.
The youth on the right said, “I am ‘Amber’.”
“I am ‘Obsidian’,” the youth on the left quickly replied.
Lastly, Kui Xin’s team introduced themselves.
“Code name ‘Silver Mask’,” Silver Mask said.
“Rich Lady,” Kui Xin succinctly stated.
Bartender looked at Silver Mask and earnestly suggested, “You could change your code name to ‘Pretty Boy.’ It would significantly enhance your compatibility with your teammate Rich Lady.”
Silver Mask didn’t immediately grasp what kind of joke was being made.
Ball Python understood it, though. He slapped the table and burst out laughing uncontrollably. Realizing that Bartender wasn’t saying anything complimentary, Silver Mask promptly responded, “I must decline. My code name is quite good; I don’t want to change it.”
Thorny Rose glanced irritably at Ball Python, who couldn’t stop laughing, and asked Red, “Is it still possible to switch partners now? He’s too noisy.”
“No, no, you two have been working together for a year already. Switching now would be such a waste.” Red blew on their manicured nails. “Once there are new recruits in need of training, I can assign one to you.”
“Fine,” Thorny Rose reluctantly agreed.
“All pleasantries and small talk end here.” Red’s expression turned serious. “Let’s begin the mission briefing.”
With a tap on the table, a small circular hole opened in its surface, from which a holographic projection device emerged.
As light patterns shifted, a large map materialized clearly before them. On the blue representing the ocean, a flashing red dot captured everyone’s attention. A small label above it read “The Kraken,” and a dotted red line traced out the Kraken’s planned route.
“The cargo ship starts from Antarctica, with stops en route at White Whale City and Leiden City. After a lengthy month-long voyage, it will enter Black Sea City’s waters on August 11th and unload its cargo here.” Red’s usually flirtatious face wore an unusually serious expression. “The shipping company publicly claims that the cargo is clean energy and flammable ice, but we all know it’s merely a facade.”
“We must, at all costs, prevent this danger from reaching us and stop them from unloading their goods in Black Sea City,” Red said. “Intelligence obtained from our informant onboard indicates that there is a high likelihood that the Investigation Department’s coastal security force will take over the ship’s security duties before it enters Black Sea City. Blowing up the cargo ship while under the heavy protection of the Investigation Department is unrealistic, so our best approach would be to target the port. By destroying Black Sea City’s port, the cargo ship won’t be able to dock, forcing The Kraken to divert to another port city instead.”
“The port is too vast; we need to split up our efforts,” Thorny Rose said. “Only Mooring Harbors No. 2 and No. 5 can accommodate massive cargo ships, while the other harbors are for smaller vessels. However, even if we only target Harbors No. 2 and No. 5, we’ll still require an enormous amount of explosives.”
“There’s no need to worry about armaments; the boss will handle it,” Red stated. “Today is July 30th. Within these next five days, what you need to do is gather data on the port structures and transmit it back to Headquarters. The headquarters will calculate the location of the load-bearing columns, and then we’ll install bombs on those columns for targeted explosions.”
Bartender pondered, “It sounds quite simple, almost as if there are just two steps… But the port is controlled by both gangs and the Investigation Department, with ongoing battles between them.”
“The mission carries high risks,” Amber suddenly said, “but we are all awakened beings.”
“The gangs at the port aren’t worth mentioning. As long as the Investigation Department doesn’t deploy their awakened ones, we have confidence in completing the task,” Heiyao said. “Unfortunately, that’s unlikely—their awakened individuals are not mere decorations.”
“Don’t worry, we have Rich Lady.” Red smiled warmly at Kui Xin. “She will inform you about any relevant movements of the Investigation Department, so simply follow her instructions.”
“She’s an undercover agent? Rich Lady is a mole planted by the organization?” Ball Python twisted his neck in surprise.
Thorny Rose admonished him, “Don’t pry into matters you shouldn’t; why can’t you learn from past warnings?”
Bartender chuckled. “No wonder she wears a mask…”
“The mask is simply a personal preference of Rich Lady and Silver Mask,” Red said firmly, leaving no room for doubt. “I never stated that Rich Lady is an undercover agent, nor did I reveal the source of the intelligence. Don’t make wild guesses about things you shouldn’t; be cautious not to invite trouble upon yourself.”
Determining Rich Lady’s true identity, whether the intelligence was first-hand or second-hand, if Rich Lady acted as an intermediary or directly obtained the information, and how the movements were tracked and reported—all these were not concerns for ordinary organization members.
Red had instructed Kui Xin to wear a mask and use a voice changer not because the people in the conference room were untrustworthy, but rather because if they were captured during missions, there was a high likelihood they might inadvertently disclose sensitive information against their will. In such cases, maintaining secrecy about identities became crucial.
As a double agent, Kui Xin held the highest level of confidentiality regarding her status. Others didn’t necessarily need to exercise the same level of caution; tonight’s gathering was primarily a meeting between unfamiliar members.
Everyone in the conference room looked at Kui Xin.
“Rich Lady is the deputy commander for this operation. If something unexpected happens to me and I’m unable to contact you, follow Rich Lady’s instructions. In terms of planning strategies and making decisions, she is highly experienced,” Red said.
Kui Xin thought inwardly, Oh wow, you really trust me, giving me so much responsibility.
She was merely an outsider with no prior knowledge of any intelligence, relying solely on her acting skills and piecing together limited information to survive so far.
Given the situation, Kui Xin had no choice but to feign confidence and assert control. “Apart from reporting to Red, you must also report to me so that I can assess the situation accurately.”
“Understood, Deputy Commander.” Thorny Rose smiled at Kui Xin.
The others echoed their agreement, indicating they would comply with Kui Xin’s directives.
Kui Xin felt slightly more relaxed. So far, her performance has been remarkably convincing, with nobody suspecting she wasn’t the original person.
When she boldly commanded the others to report to her, Red did not object, and none of them defied the order. This indicated that she could afford to be even bolder. Issuing instructions to strike squads was entirely normal for the Deputy Commander.
Kui Xin could utilize the reports from various strike squads to supplement her own intelligence, gaining deeper insights into Mechanical Dawn while also investigating matters related to The Kraken.
“Next is the division of tasks,” Red said. “I, along with Bartender and Amber Obsidian Squad, will be responsible for data collection and detonator installation at Mooring Harbor No. 2. Dock No. 5 will be handled by Rich Lady Silver Mask Squad and Thorny Rose Ball Python Squad.”
“If any unexpected incidents occur on either side, the other team must promptly provide support. This may be our most dangerous mission yet, so we need to be exceptionally cautious. Immediately report any signs of trouble, and swiftly share the obtained intelligence as well.”
Silver Mask raised his hand. “This is Plan A for the mission, but there is also Plan B. Completing Plan A would indeed be ideal, but we still have to prepare a contingency plan.”
“Yes, if Plan A proceeds smoothly, we can detonate the ports before August 7th, leaving us with three extra days,” Red said. “If the mission does not go as planned during these reserved three days, we execute Plan B… However, executing Plan B requires us to be prepared for potential sacrifices.”
Silver Mask stated, “I am always prepared for sacrifice.”
“Don’t dwell on the idea of sacrifice; the organization still needs you.” Red scanned the conference room. “Everyone present here is an indispensable talent to the organization, possessing formidable superhuman abilities and exceptional intellects. You are the core of our operation. Only by staying alive can you create greater value for the organization and fulfill our grand mission—these principles should be deeply ingrained in your minds.”
Red placed his hand over his heart, her elaborately made-up face unexpectedly conveying deep devotion. “Everything for the Dawn.”
In unison, everyone murmured, “Everything for the Dawn.”
Kui Xin, blending in with the group, also echoed the phrase “Everything for the Dawn.”
Yet chills ran down her spine.
What kind of sinister cult recruitment scene was this? The brainwashing power of Mechanical Dawn seemed incredibly strong, with every member fervently loyal and vying to dedicate their entire lives to the cause. It sent shivers down one’s spine.
If she ever had the chance, she was determined to break away from Mechanical Dawn. Let whoever wants to stay in this cult-like organization remain there; she certainly wouldn’t linger.
The meeting lasted for over an hour, with Red presenting existing intelligence and analyzing various details of their mission. Kui Xin listened intently, racking her brain to occasionally offer concise insights that sounded reasonable yet were unlikely to be mistaken, maintaining her persona as cool and astute.
By the end of the meeting, Kui Xin was drenched in nervous sweat.
Other squads gradually left the conference room, and upon Red’s request, Silver Mask also waited outside because he had something specific to discuss with Kui Xin privately.
“This reader is what the boss asked me to pass on to you; it was only made yesterday.” Red pushed a compact black data reader forward. “Find a way to access the core database of Yadang, the Investigation Department’s artificial intelligence. Once you plug the reader into the computer, the virus created by our organization will lie dormant within Yadang’s database, allowing it to serve as a window for us to obtain information from the Investigation Department.”
“Understood.” Kui Xin calmly kept the reader away. “Completing this task may require some time, as I currently don’t have an opportunity to enter the database.”
“Hm, your primary objective remains the Kraken,” Red said. “Don’t take unnecessary risks while at the Investigation Department. You’re carrying out a long-term infiltration mission.”
“I don’t need you to remind me, Red.” Kui Xin already had a firm grasp on projecting her outward demeanor. “I know what needs to be done.”
Red grinned. “Tsk, you really should work on that foul temper of yours. Alright, go ahead and leave now. Even seeing you irritates me.”
Kui Xin stood up and opened the conference room door. Silver Mask, leaning against the wall and dozing off, was startled awake by the sound. Shaking his head to shake off the grogginess, he perked up and asked, “Heading home?”
They departed from the second floor underground and returned to the noisy dance floor.
Silver Mask spotted a waiter carrying snacks and fruits, swiftly grabbing two plates while mumbling, “It’s our turf anyway; we don’t have to pay for food here.”
“Have the others dispersed?” Kui Xin scanned the bar’s dance floor.
“They’ve scattered, left long ago. Bartender is both the manager and owner; he hasn’t left yet and is serving over there,” Silver Mask replied.
Kui Xin navigated through the crowd and emerged from behind the bar.
As soon as she stepped out, she couldn’t help but take a deep breath. The air inside the bar was excessively polluted, with cigarette smoke, alcohol fumes, perfume scents, and sweat mingling together, making it almost suffocating.
Silver Mask also exhaled deeply with relief. “That smell inside nearly choked me to death.”
“Really? From what I saw, you seemed quite content stuffing your face with a wide-open mouth.” Kui Xin glanced at him wryly.
They began their journey home.
The rain had significantly lightened; now it was just a fine drizzle. The gentle drops felt soothing on their faces, unlike the swift intensity of a downpour that prompts one to seek shelter.
Silver Mask walked ahead, but Kui Xin called out to stop him, “Wait, let’s take a different route home. It’s easier to be tracked on the usual path.”
“Sure… Whatever you say,” Silver Mask responded, turning a corner to lead them on a new course.
“This route will take approximately forty-five minutes to run, while the original one took thirty,” Silver Mask said.
“The time and distance don’t matter,” Kui Xin replied. “We can’t afford any mistakes.”
Silver Mask approached a small building and used his water manipulation ability to leap onto its rooftop. This building lacked suitable footholds; Kui Xin couldn’t climb it herself. In response, Silver Mask waved, creating a water whip that wrapped around her waist and effortlessly pulled her up.
Under Silver Mask’s control, the soft and shapeless water acquired new properties. The water whip, which was as resilient as a genuine whip, allowed for easy force application.
Kui Xin followed closely behind Silver Mask, exploring this entirely new route. At the same time, she consciously surveyed their surroundings, avoiding windows and areas illuminated by lights as they stealthily moved through the night.
Her body was agile and robust, capable of pulling herself up with just one hand or adjusting her stance to absorb shock when jumping from several meters high. She was a nocturnal hunter, and the city served as her hunting ground.
After continuously leaping across buildings to evade surveillance, Silver Mask landed on solid ground. “From now on, we can simply walk along the streets.”
Kui Xin nodded, feeling an immense sense of exhilaration with each breath. Her heart pounded within her chest, and she broke out in sweat—the satisfying perspiration following intense physical exertion.
The encounter with Mechanical Dawn Organization members at the Ruby Bar had left her on edge, but now she felt composed, her thoughts returning to a calm state.
Since Red entrusted her with the reader and assigned her the task of installing the virus onto Yadang, it indicated that Red harbored no suspicions about her. As for the other organization members, apart from Thorny Rose who seemed somewhat familiar with her, the rest showed indifference. Essentially, they were strangers to Kui Xin.
In the following days, the organization members would be occupied with missions, so Kui Xin wouldn’t cross paths with Red. This significantly reduced her exposure risk.
Gradually feeling reassured, Kui Xin slowed her pace as she walked through the streets and alleys.
Nighttime strolls could indeed be leisurely.
As she continued walking, her heart suddenly skipped a beat, overtaken by an ominous premonition without any warning.
At that moment, Kui Xin’s heartbeat skyrocketed, even faster than during her recent physical exertion. Her innate talent for danger avoidance abruptly activated, sending frantic warnings through her intuition—danger was imminent!
In a split second, Kui Xin instinctively reacted by crouching to evade the threat.
At that very moment, from a blind spot within their field of view, a bullet spun out from the barrel of a silenced gun!
How could human speed possibly match the velocity of a bullet? Before Kui Xin could evade, the bullet struck her forehead.
“Clang!”
After hitting Kui Xin, half of the spider mask on her face shattered, and a distinct metallic clang emanated from her head. The modified alloy skull had protected her against the bullet.
The impact of the bullet caused Kui Xin’s head to jerk backward, making her take a step back. Her ears rang, blood flowed down her forehead, and a deformed bullet remained lodged in her alloy skull.
Instantaneously reacting nearby, Silver Mask created a large curtain of water, perfectly intercepting several more incoming bullets. The soft yet resilient water barrier stopped the bullets, causing them to clatter onto the ground.
Kui Xin extracted the deformed bullet stuck centrally on her forehead. Under the bullet hole, the metallic sheen of her silver skull was revealed.
“You little bastard…” Kui Xin seethed with anger.
So close, just barely! If the bullet had hit her heart instead of her head, she would already be a fresh corpse.
“Someone wants you dead!” Silver Mask warned vigilantly.
“I know who it is.” Kui Xin wiped away the blood from her face and glared with gritted teeth in the direction from which the bullet had been fired. A slight concussion caused her vision to blur slightly, creating double images.
Someone wanted her dead!
Who was trying to kill her?
———–
TL Note:
Fuhh! That was long. 6k words