Su Zhan returned to the car.
The five of them looked at the industrial zone 3D holographic projection that Liu Ziming had obtained, spread out before them.
"The intelligence only mentions a suspected gathering."
Su Zhan's finger traced across the projection: "We need to first confirm the targets, their numbers, and exact locations."
Xie Xi stared at the crisscrossing pipes in the projection: "Split into two teams - one for high ground observation, one for close-range reconnaissance."
"Me, me, me! I'll do reconnaissance!"
Liu Ziming suddenly raised his hand, then awkwardly lowered it under everyone's skeptical gazes: "Alright, alright... I'll handle technical support, is that acceptable?"
As he spoke, he pulled out a palm-sized drone: "Latest model, thermal imaging, can be controlled from up to 5km away, four-hour battery life."
Feng Jue pointed to the cooling tower in the southeast corner of the 3D holographic projection: "There, it covers the entire area with its field of view."
Su Zhan noticed Xie Xi was already checking telescope accessories, so he assigned her to high observation.
"Myself, Liu Ziming, and Xu Hao will coordinate with the drone for close-range observation."
Xie Xi nodded upon hearing this.
"Good, let's begin operations now."
Su Zhan made the final decision.
Everyone immediately sprang into action.
Su Zhan wore ordinary black clothing.
This kind of mission was discovered by the Aberrant Purge Division, passed through multiple layers at Vermilion Bird Academy, and eventually assigned to the academy's students.
So in this situation, the Aberrant Purge Division personnel understood this was Vermilion Bird Academy's mission and wouldn't interfere.
To prevent purge officers from greedily taking unauthorized action, they even implemented severe punishments in this regard.
Now, they could only rely on themselves.
But they didn't expect this mission would be more difficult than they imagined.
...
The dew on the cooling tower roof hadn't yet dried.
Two figures lay prone on top.
Xie Xi's telescope had already scanned the factory area for the third time.
Feng Jue's breath condensed into white mist in the chilly morning air.
"Area A clear."
Xie Xi reported through the communicator: "Only wind-blown torn sheet metal."
At the drainage pipe entrance.
Su Zhan adjusted the drone's sensitivity.
Liu Ziming crouched nearby fiddling with the drone, cursing: "Dammit, rats again! The thermal imaging is full of these little bastards!"
Xu Hao's protective suit was soaked with sweat.
He lay inside a broken concrete pipe, watching the raw materials warehouse thirty meters away.
According to tactical protocol, they reported every fifteen minutes.
"Area B normal."
Xu Hao's voice trembled slightly: "It's just... I just keep feeling like someone's watching me..."
Su Zhan's voice came through the communicator: "The drone has already scanned this area, you're the only one there. It's psychological, continue observing."
Xie Xi's sketchbook was already filled with factory layout diagrams. She bit her pen cap, putting a question mark next to the 12th marked "suspicious shadow."
Every time she thought she'd found something, when she looked back there was only fluttering torn cloth.
In the underground pipeline network.
Su Zhan suddenly heard some movement.
He and Liu Ziming immediately pressed against the wall for cover.
But the next second they heard a "clatter" sound—
"..."
"...It's just rust flakes."
Liu Ziming's drone returned empty-handed for the Nth time.
The battery alarm rang annoyingly.
Two days passed.
On the cooling tower top, Xie Xi put down her telescope and rubbed her sore eyes.
Her telescope lens showed nothing but occasional stray cats—not even a shadow of an aberrant.
"Damn it..."
Xie Xi looked at Feng Jue beside her.
These two days they had maintained at least one person on tower observation duty.
Taking turns eating, handling physiological needs.
"Damn it..."
Xie Xi turned to Feng Jue who was chewing an energy bar: "Did the academy play us?"
Feng Jue slowly swallowed his last bite of food: "Either the intelligence was wrong, or they heard wind and relocated, or there's another possibility... we just have bad luck."
Xie Xi fell silent for a moment.
But the communicator sounded with Su Zhan's voice: "All units attention, observe for 24 more hours. If we still find nothing, we'll request mission termination from the academy."
Underground in the pipes, after saying this through the communication device, Su Zhan also felt somewhat helpless.
Two days already.
This abandoned industrial zone still showed no activity whatsoever.
Sigh, better cut losses in time.
Can't waste too much time here.
...
Moonlight was blocked by thick clouds.
The industrial zone plunged into darkness.
Xie Xi and Feng Jue still lay prone on the cooling tower top.
Night vision goggles cast green light on their focused faces.
At this moment.
Feng Jue's finger twitched slightly, pointing toward a concealed side door in the northwest corner of the factory area.
Xie Xi immediately adjusted her telescope.
Dozens of black figures appeared silently, dressed in black clothing, efficiently picking the rusted iron door.
"Targets spotted."
Xie Xi whispered into the communicator: "Northwest corner, 10+ people, suspected aberrants."
Inside the drainage pipes.
Su Zhan's communicator vibrated slightly.
He immediately pressed Liu Ziming's shoulder, signaling silence.
"Situation developing."
Su Zhan said quietly: "Black-clad figures, over ten people, entering from northwest side door."
Liu Ziming's eyes widened: "Holy shit, we actually managed to stake them out?"
Xu Hao's voice came through the communicator: "Should we follow them?"
"Feng Jue continue monitoring from tower top, wait for opportunities."
Su Zhan decided immediately: "The three of us will circle to their rear through underground pipes. Xu Hao, Liu Ziming, with me."
Four words: we're already here.
Xie Xi said into the communicator: "Understood."
The three moved silently through the pipes.
Liu Ziming's drone quietly ascended, tracking the black-clad figures' movements under night's cover.
"They're heading toward the central workshop."
Liu Ziming stared at the screen, whispering: "Gathered together doing something unknown."
Su Zhan made a hand signal.
The three quietly climbed out from a maintenance shaft.
Using shadows of abandoned equipment for cover, they slowly approached the central workshop.
Su Zhan leaned against rusted steel supports, breathing extremely lightly.
Behind him, Xu Hao and Liu Ziming also took their positions.
After hearing that Xie Xi was also in position.
Su Zhan raised three fingers, counting down—
Three, two, one!
All four charged into the workshop simultaneously, their Life Souls aimed at various corners of the building.
Xu Hao held two daggers in his hands.
Liu Ziming's palms crackled with lightning.
Xie Xi's Destruction Scythe stood taller than herself, now gripped in both her hands.
Su Zhan's Abyssal Gaze manifested before his chest, twin blades in hand.
But the scene was...
Empty.
The massive workshop contained only tilted machinery remnants and broken glass.
Night wind blew through shattered windows, stirring up years of accumulated dust on the floor.
No black-clad figures, no aberrants...
Xu Hao blinked in confusion: "...Where are they?"
Liu Ziming's drone circled fruitlessly.
He stared at the blank thermal imaging on his screen, expression grim: "Impossible... I clearly watched them enter..."
Su Zhan's eyes focused sharply.
What's going on?
A trap?