novelraw Chapter 53 : Defection from Bureau 869
Chapter 53 : Defection from Bureau 869
Chapter 53: Defection from Bureau 869
In the corner of the cafeteria, Bai Yu stared into Mo Fan’s frenzied eyes and felt a chill rising from the depths of his soul.
He staggered backward, distancing himself from Mo Fan, that madman who spread ominous prophecies.
Elsewhere, after Meng Chao returned to her room, Chu Hanyue’s cold words kept echoing in her mind.
“They lured us here just to cooperate with him—to wipe out every member of our 【Radiance】 faction!”
“If only one player can survive, who do you think the officials will choose?”
Meng Chao began frantically recalling every detail since entering the base—each expression, every word, every hidden implication.
Li Wei’s righteous composure, Chen Mo’s impassioned speeches—all of it now seemed so utterly false.
They were like a pack of wolves in sheep’s clothing, luring lambs like them here under the lie of “national duty,” all to make the slaughter more convenient.
“No… that can’t be…” Meng Chao murmured, though she couldn’t convince even herself.
Agitated, she paced the room like a beast trapped in a cage.
The cold red dot of the surveillance camera watched her ceaselessly, suffocating her.
She felt herself on the verge of madness, as suspicion and fear—like an invisible hand—tightened around her throat.
Late at night, when only the monotonous footsteps of patrolling guards echoed in the halls, Chu Hanyue sat quietly on the edge of her bed.
Her expression was as calm as ever, as if the provocation from earlier in the day had nothing to do with her.
She lifted her gaze and cast a cold glance at the surveillance camera in the corner of the wall.
She knew that beyond the screen, a group of people were watching her every move, analyzing each microexpression, trying to find flaws.
Pathetic.
A bunch of mortals, daring to speculate on the pawn of a “god”?
Chu Hanyue’s fingertips traced lightly across the icy surface of the desk. The words she had spoken to Meng Chao earlier were, of course, not out of kindness—but because she had already chosen a new path for herself.
Her mind drifted back to yesterday.
On her way back from the interrogation room, a janitor passed by her in the corridor.
In that fleeting instant, a tightly folded note was silently slipped into her palm.
Taking the chance to visit the restroom, she quickly read the note’s contents.
“Miss Chu, the facts have proven this.”
“To entrust the power of a ‘god’ to the control of mortal bureaucrats can only lead to disaster and inefficiency.”
“They’ve imprisoned you here with the lie of noble duty, yet cannot even guarantee your safety.”
“But we are different.”
“We speak not of national righteousness, but of eternal profit.”
“We believe that ‘divine grace’ should not be monopolized by any nation or organization—it belongs to those truly worthy of wielding it.”
“We, the ‘Ascension Alliance,’ hereby extend our most sincere invitation.”
“Join us. The Alliance commands hidden resources across the globe—wealth, influence, and power—all at your service.”
“We shall help you eliminate your enemies and win this game.”
“Our only goal is to help one another seize this divine authority—and together become true ‘gods.’”
“By the way, the Alliance has already established preliminary cooperation with another ‘player’ and obtained valuable intelligence about the ‘game.’”
“The officials are not your only choice.”
“We have both the capability and the right to be part of this grand feast.”
“Besides, can you really trust the officials?”
“Think of those Transcendents in Jiang City whom they labeled ‘terrorists.’”
“We sincerely await your joining us—The Ascension Alliance.”
Chu Hanyue had never truly believed in so-called “national duty.”
Her choice to side with the officials had been nothing more than a rational investment after weighing the pros and cons.
She had thought that leaning on the great tree of the state would allow her to survive this bloody game more safely.
But now, the officials’ incompetence had completely disillusioned her.
The tragic death of the 【Sea Demon】, the wrongful execution of the 【Time Walker】, the bizarre self-destruction of the 【Thunder God】…
Each absurd farce revealed one truth—that entrusting her life to this group of arrogant, inept bureaucrats was no different from suicide.
Thus, Chu Hanyue did not hesitate for even a moment before deciding to defect.
She lifted the note to her lips, exhaled softly, and in an instant, the paper turned into frost crystals and shattered into powder, vanishing without a trace.
Then, using the coded signal mentioned in the note, she sent her answer to the Ascension Alliance’s spy hidden within the base.
Her plan required a spark powerful enough to ignite chaos across the entire facility.
And that simple-minded, hot-tempered Meng Chao was undoubtedly the best choice.
…
As Meng Chao drowned in her own fear, a soft knock sounded on her door.
“Miss Meng, Director Chen was worried you might not be resting well, so he had the kitchen prepare a cup of milk for you.”
The polite voice outside belonged to a guard assigned to her daily care.
“Alright, come in.”
The guard entered, holding a cup of hot milk, his face wearing a mechanical smile.
Meng Chao watched him warily, refusing to take the milk.
The guard didn’t mind; he placed the cup on the table and turned to leave.
As he passed her, a faint voice came through his earpiece. It was extremely soft, but to Meng Chao—who bore the title of 【Songstress】—it was perfectly clear.
“…Li Wei… priority… others, eliminate…”
Eliminate!
Chu Hanyue’s words, her own suspicions, and this “accidental” leak of information all pieced together into a bloody truth.
The officials had indeed set her up—they intended to kill her!
“Ah——!!!”
An uncontrollable wave of rage and terror erupted from Meng Chao’s chest like a volcano.
An invisible sonic blast of destruction burst outward from her body!
The sound wave spread across the fortress-like base in an instant!
Buzz——!
In the command center, dozens of massive surveillance screens filled with static, emitting sharp crackling noises before exploding one after another!
Chen Mo and the team of experts felt their heads split with pain, collapsing to the floor clutching their skulls.
In the corridors, fully armed guards—those with weaker mental strength—bled from their seven orifices and fell unconscious on the spot.
Even the well-trained elites could barely stand, clutching the walls as dizziness overwhelmed them.
The reinforced alloy walls groaned under the strain; ceiling lights burst in showers of sparks, plunging the entire base into darkness and chaos.
…
Sirens wailed mournfully, but were drowned beneath the overwhelming sound waves, rendered utterly meaningless.
Amid the chaos, Chu Hanyue stood before her door. Her pale fingers brushed lightly across the alloy lock, and frost spread instantly. With a crisp crack, the intricate electronic lock froze and shattered.
She pushed open the door. The corridor lay in ruin.
An operative of the Ascension Alliance, disguised as a guard, waited in the shadows.
He bowed slightly, forcing a smile. “Miss Chu, welcome to freedom. The Alliance has cleared your path.”
“Lead the way,” Chu Hanyue said curtly.
“This way, please.”
The man, enduring the pain, led her through the chaotic base. Along the way, they passed countless fallen guards and researchers—the base’s defenses were in shambles.
Chu Hanyue followed expressionlessly. As they passed a ventilation shaft, she suddenly stopped.
The man turned back, puzzled.
“Too slow.”
Chu Hanyue extended her slender fingers toward the thick metal vent and tapped lightly.
“Frost Whisper—Path of Silence.”
She whispered, and visible white frost surged from her fingertips, swiftly enveloping the entire ventilation duct.
Steel that could withstand explosions became brittle as crackers under the extreme cold.
Bang!
With a light sound, the steel disintegrated into a rain of icy shards.
A shortcut to the outside world opened before them.
A flicker of awe and reverence flashed through the man’s eyes.
This was the power of a “god”—turning things mortals deemed indestructible into dust with ease.
Chu Hanyue stepped into the dark passage, her figure soon swallowed by its depths.
…
Meanwhile, on the other side of the base—
Mo Fan sat quietly on the edge of his bed, eyes closed, seemingly dozing.
The instant the destructive sound wave struck, his eyes snapped open.
Then, Mo Fan stood and walked to the corner of the room.
He picked up a brush and lightly tapped it against the wall, murmuring, “A painting doesn’t have to be drawn on paper.”
A bizarre scene unfolded.
The flat wall began to ripple with depth, and a “door,” perfectly merging with the wall, slowly appeared.
Without hesitation, Mo Fan stepped through it.