"Back then, I had just transitioned to being a producer and started my own studio. I hired an accountant—Mei Lixue. She had lost so much weight I didn’t even recognize her. While helping me with my taxes, she taught me many ’little tricks.’ I didn’t know anything at the time. She collected all this evidence to firmly manipulate me, forcing me, forcing me..."
Gorilla couldn’t continue. Chen Gu asked, "Forcing you to do what?"
"Forced me to write a song, sing it myself, praising her as the most beautiful girl in our entire school! It said we were blind not to see her beauty, that we didn’t even deserve to be her lapdogs!"
"She specifically pressed a record and left contentedly, but she still held onto my evidence. For the next three or four years, I would occasionally get a call from her around three or four in the morning. She’d say there was no other reason, just that she felt lonely, couldn’t sleep, and wanted to hear me sing!"
Gorilla shouted, "Is this something a human does? Waking me up in the middle of the night with such sentimental words, just to make me sing such a humiliating song!"
Chen Gu let out another piggy snort of laughter.
Gorilla, furious, hung up on him.
The little plump girl really holds a grudge, Chen Gu thought, growing truly vigilant. And I’ve just fallen into her hands. I really need to be extra careful from now on.
「The next day was Friday.」
Right after the first class in the morning, Chen Gu received an urgent call from Marcus: "Something happened at Zhaolun Middle School!"
Chen Gu immediately asked for leave and rushed to the precinct.
The plan to flush them out had worked. True Knowledge Sin had no suspicions but was also worried that if they delayed further, something unexpected might happen.
"This morning, after the students and teachers of Zhaolun Middle School started their classes, the school’s security system was suddenly hacked and control was seized. Then, a group of armed thugs stormed the school!"
"Now, the entire school is completely surrounded by ionized plasma walls. The armed thugs have taken about a thousand students and around two hundred faculty members hostage. They are demanding to negotiate with the city government to meet their demands, threatening to kill all the hostages otherwise!"
True Knowledge Sin chose Zhaolun Middle School because its security system, once activated, created ionized plasma walls that were easy to defend but hard to attack. Previously, Liu with white hair had jogged in the school equipped with filming gear, and True Knowledge Sin had used him to conduct a detailed survey of the terrain.
Marcus briefed Chen Gu on the situation. Chen Gu asked, "What about Park Sanyi and Mona? Have they shown up?"
"Mona has appeared. She and her daughter are the armed thug representatives responsible for negotiations. However, Park Sanyi hasn’t made an appearance; it’s unknown if he’s inside the school."
A particularly large pistol was holstered on Marcus’s uniform belt; the "Kunlun Thunder" had been delivered just in time for this operation!
Of course, it was Mei Lixue’s idea for him to shamelessly borrow money from his subordinates. But Marcus still had some pride, so whenever he saw Chen Gu, he felt a bit embarrassed and dared not look his subordinate in the eyes.
Chen Gu also had a black long bag slung over his shoulder, which contained the "Sky Fury." Zhaojieze City Precinct hadn’t requested this equipment back, so Chen Gu had secretly brought it along.
Marcus said to Chen Gu, "The Bureau is splitting its forces into two groups now. Most are headed to Zhaolun Middle School. This is a major public safety incident, with the media broadcasting live, so the Bureau has to pay close attention."
"The rest are headed to Park Sanyi’s building. Our group has been assigned there because of you, Chen Gu. We also have the Second Special Operations Squad in support."
Chen Gu frowned. "Boss, the other three groups all went to Zhaolun Middle School?"
Chen Gu grabbed the hurried Marcus. "Boss, listen to me for once! Suggest to the Director to request support from other branches immediately! Our people are tied up by these two places. If True Knowledge Sin’s target is any other location within the city, we’ll be completely helpless!"
Chen Gu’s concern stemmed from the lessons learned in Zhaojieze City.
In Zhaojieze City, the Mutant’s attack on a branch office had distracted the Bureau of Mystic Security. While their attention was focused there, the Mutant attempted to seize the antimatter energy field. Finally, taking advantage of the military’s relaxed vigilance, it hijacked a mothership.
The most valuable experience Chen Gu gained from the last incident was not to let the enemy lead him by the nose.
Marcus thought for a moment, then nodded immediately. "That makes sense. Safety first."
The team leader went to find Mei Lixue. Meanwhile, Chen Gu arrived at the Fifth Group’s office, where everyone was already fully armed. Joseph seemed a bit tense, Charles was aloof and cold, Melincha meticulously checked her equipment, and only the impish Selena looked utterly unconcerned.
After Chen Gu entered, he nodded to everyone and sat down to review the real-time surveillance footage of the building’s vicinity.
Everything was normal inside and outside the building. People working there were coming and going, as busy as on any other workday.
Suddenly, Chen Gu remembered something and immediately called over the communication channel, "Action Group?"
The leader of the team monitoring the building immediately responded, "Present. What’s the matter?"
"Send someone, disguised, to enter the building’s security corridor, then listen to my instructions. Find someone sharp, and make sure not to alarm anyone!"
The team leader hesitated. "Such an action... requires at least a Director’s authorization."
Fat chance that little fatty will authorize me! Chen Gu thought. He immediately called Chen Jixian. At that moment, Chen Jixian was naturally very busy and only answered after several rings. Chen Gu quickly stated his request. Chen Jixian hesitated, not answering immediately.
Chen Gu became anxious and said in a lowered, firm voice, "Think about Zhaojieze City! Listen to me!"
That odd sensation of "someone else’s father" returned to Chen Jixian, and he subconsciously agreed, "Authorized!"
The Action Group leader never expected that just by asking for a Director’s authorization, he would get the Branch Chief’s!
He didn’t dare delay for a moment and immediately chose his best operative, who disguised themselves as maintenance personnel and entered the building.
Chen Gu watched through the surveillance footage, directing the operative to a specific floor. There, the operative removed a cover plate and turned off the leaking valve.
Marcus came in just then and asked puzzledly, "What’s the use of that?"
Chen Gu shook his head slightly. "I don’t know either. It’s just an intuition that this detail is highly significant to True Knowledge Sin’s scheme."
Marcus didn’t ask further. Instead, he said, "The Chief and the Director have reported the situation here to Headquarters and requested support."
Chen Gu let out a sigh of relief, but a sense of unease stemming from Mind Belief persisted. It’s making me restless, he thought, pacing back and forth in the office with his hands behind his back. I feel like I’ve overlooked something.
Marcus patted the "Kunlun Thunder" on his waist and said, "Is everyone ready? Let’s head out!"