novelraw Chapter 307: The Wonder of Fate
Chapter 307: The Wonder of Fate
Su Zhan had to utilize his speed to break through the final blockade before the enemy could complete their encirclement.
But he also couldn't run at full throttle without restraint;
that kind of energy fluctuation would be too obvious and easier for detection equipment to pick up.
He needed to find a balance between speed and stealth.
Su Zhan took a deep breath and set off again.
He deliberately chose complex terrain like mountain forests, his figure nimbly weaving through them.
When hungry, he would catch wild beasts and eat them raw;
when thirsty, he would drink from mountain springs and dew.
...
A mountain wind swept through the treetops, carrying a murderous aura.
Several black off-road vehicles crunched over the gravel road.
The doors opened.Qin Bai stepped out first, the hem of his black trench coat fluttering in the mountain wind.
"Reporting, Commander Qin, this is the last known location where Team 17 lost contact."
A team member stepped forward to report: "The scene has been cordoned off. Preliminary investigation confirms both team members were killed by having their cervical vertebrae manually snapped. Instant death."
Qin Bai crouched down, his gloved fingertips lightly brushing the ground: "Clean and efficient... didn't even leave footprints. He probably headed towards Black City."
Another team member hurried over: "Commander Qin, word has come from Vermilion Bird Academy. They are sending a student squad to assist with the practical training. They say they've already received headquarters approval. Expected arrival in about four hours."
No one asked further questions.
This kind of student training exercise happened often;
they were used to it.
Qin Bai didn't turn his head: "Which ones?"
The member replied: "Feng Jue, Liu Ziming, Xu Hao."
Qin Bai's eyebrow twitched slightly: "Understood. Arrange it as per standard procedure. Assign them a peripheral zone. Remember, they are here for training. Don't let them get in the way."
The member saluted and left.
Qin Bai shook his head lightly, chuckling softly as if to himself: "This fate... truly is a wonder."
But he quickly pushed this interlude to the back of his mind.
Just a few students;
they weren't worth distracting his attention.
Qin Bai turned to face the fully assembled squad, his voice suddenly turning cold:
"The target is cornered and desperate;
this is our opportunity. Form groups of three, advance in a fan formation. Focus on searching caves, ravines, abandoned buildings. He doesn't dare run fast, so he can't have gone far."
Everyone responded in unison: "Yes!"
"Remember, I want him alive. But if he resists stubbornly..."
Qin Bai's voice was icy: "Kill him on sight."
Before the words fully faded, he was the first to leap down the steep slope, disappearing into the depths of the dense forest.
Behind him, several more black off-road vehicles arrived.
Han Xiao kicked the car door open, grinning as he surveyed the surroundings: "Damn, he runs pretty fast. This time, we've gotta catch that kid for sure!"
He let out a loud laugh, his figure transforming into a stream of golden-red light that shot into the woods.
At the same time.
Ling Shuang stood quietly beside the command vehicle, a translucent light screen unfolded before her, marked with dozens of moving red dots.
"UAVs are airborne. Thermal imaging scan initiated."
Ling Shuang issued orders into the comms: "Abnormal heat source detected in Zone Three. Team Seven, proceed to confirm. All units, be advised, the target may have altered his appearance. Prioritize screening solitary individuals."
She lightly tapped her earpiece: "Commander Qin, I have obtained temporary access to the air defense systems of the three surrounding cities.
All launch units have completed coordinate calibration, covering a fifty-kilometer airspace radius.
If the target takes to the air, over a dozen interceptor missiles will launch within three seconds. This time, he won't escape even if he grows wings."
Qin Bai's voice came through the earpiece: "Good. Stay alert."
...
At this moment.
Su Zhan, hidden within a rock crevice, was holding his breath and concentrating.
Through gaps in the foliage, he could clearly see several UAVs hovering at low altitude, the spots of infrared scanning occasionally sweeping across the ground.
Further away, figures wearing Aberrant Purge Division uniforms were advancing in a dragnet formation, maintaining tactical spacing between them.
"Have they locked down this area..."
Su Zhan's eyes darkened.
The search net was slowly tightening. If he continued hiding in the wilderness, discovery was only a matter of time.
Su Zhan's gaze shifted to the faintly visible outline of a town in the distance.
Only by blending into the crowd could he tear an opening in this ever-tightening net.
Su Zhan forcefully suppressed the urge to run at full speed, keeping his pace at the very edge of a normal human's limit.
Using the dense trees as cover, he reached the outskirts of the town.
He used the shadows of buildings as cover.
After crossing the third block, he slipped into a seven-story residential building, making his way up the fire escape to the rooftop.
It was piled with discarded flower pots and clothes drying racks, forming a natural blind spot.
Su Zhan curled up behind the water tank. From this height, he could clearly observe Aberrant Purge Division members setting up checkpoints several streets away.
In the distant sky, the faint hum of UAVs could be heard intermittently.
Su Zhan slowly let out a long breath.
At least for now, he had found a moment of respite within this concrete jungle.
Su Zhan watched the busy figures in black uniforms on the streets below.
He understood in his heart.
When he killed those two Aberrant Purge Division members, his actions were clean and efficient, leaving no concrete evidence that could directly point to the identity of "Chen Qing."
Qin Bai... well, he guessed it was Qin Bai... the current frantic search was more based on his intuitive guesswork, a gamble based on probability.
"You're betting I'm hiding here, betting I'm desperate to break out..."
Su Zhan smiled: "Then I'll do the exact opposite."
The other side was using high-pressure tactics to force him into making a mistake.
As long as he remained still, all of their predictions would fall flat.
Now it was a contest of patience.
After a long time, if they still found no clues about him.
They would start doubting their own judgment, wondering if he had already run somewhere else, or perhaps entered Black City.
That way, they couldn't just stubbornly stick to this one path. Consequently, they would question whether this was a waste of time, whether it was possible that he, Su Zhan, had already run off to some place completely unrelated to them early in the morning.
If that happened, the team's morale would definitely plummet.
Furthermore, Qin Bai might also start doubting his own judgment. He might not pull everyone out of this area, but he would at least withdraw a large portion of the personnel to investigate elsewhere.
Once they did that.
He would have a chance to leave.
So, right now, it was a battle of patience between the two sides.
Exhaust the other side's patience, make them doubt their judgment, and thereby create an opportunity for himself to escape.
Su Zhan adjusted his breathing, lowering his vital signs to a minimum.
Soon.
Aberrant Purge Division members in black uniforms appeared on the town's streets.
"This person is very dangerous, a high-risk Aberrant."
A team member pointed at the portrait: "He may use disguises, so be alert to any unfamiliar faces recently. If you notice anything suspicious, you can call us immediately. If the information is verified, we will offer a reward, starting from one hundred thousand. For major contributions in the western region, it can go up to three hundred thousand."
A resident nodded hurriedly: "Understood, understood! If we see anything suspicious, we'll call right away!"
In the vegetable market, the same conversation was repeating.
A vegetable-selling auntie clutched a copy of the wanted notice, swearing earnestly: "Don't worry, officer! Everyone in this neighborhood knows each other. We'd spot a stranger at a glance!"