Inside the core command room.
Su Xiji had just finished briefing several officers and was about to look down at the schedule again when a series of hurried, almost undignified footsteps echoed from outside, rudely interrupting the relatively calm atmosphere of the room.
The door was thrown open, and a major staff officer practically stumbled in.
His chest was heaving violently, and his hand tightly gripped a palm-sized square object wrapped in waterproof cloth.
“Di… Division Commander!”
The staff officer’s voice was broken by running and excitement.
He didn’t bother to salute, nor did he care that other officers were present.
He rushed straight to Su Xiji, his face pale and etched with alarm.
“A new development! An emergency!”
Su Xiji stood up immediately, his gaze piercing like an electric bolt toward the staff officer and the object in his hand.
The other officers in the command room also stopped what they were doing and looked over.
“What happened? Speak slowly!”
Su Xiji said in a deep voice, though a hint of imperceptible tension had crept into his tone.
For a staff officer to look like this, it was certainly no small matter.
The combat staff officer gasped for air, forcing his breathing to steady as he held out the waterproof bundle with trembling hands toward Su Xiji.
“This… this was found at the entrance of Warehouse No. 4 in Area D0253!”
“It was placed in a conspicuous spot!”
“It was less than 10 meters away from the blast zone! The patrol just discovered it and brought it here immediately!” the staff officer’s voice still trembled.
Su Xiji’s brow furrowed as he took the package.
It wasn’t heavy.
He glanced at the staff officer, who nodded vigorously, signaling him to open it.
….
Su Xiji quickly undid the ties of the bundle and pulled back the waterproof cloth.
Inside were two instruments placed side-by-side.
They were entirely black, with green indicator lights flashing rhythmically.
Beneath the instruments lay a folded, slightly rough piece of paper.
The moment he saw those two black instruments, Su Xiji’s pupils—as if struck by a blinding light—suddenly contracted to the size of needlepoints!
The calm, the steadiness, and even his usual air of mystery cracked visibly in that instant.
A mixture of shock, realization, and a certain fury at having a core secret touched surged through his eyes like a cold venomous snake!
But he regained control extremely quickly.
That violent pupil contraction and the sudden shift in his eyes lasted for less than half a second before he forcibly suppressed it.
His face became as still as water as he reached out with two fingers, picked up the folded paper, and slowly unfolded it.
On the paper, several lines were written in fountain pen ink.
The handwriting was slightly messy, yet it still showed a foundation of skill:
[The Division Commander should find this familiar, right?]
The very first sentence was like a needle, stabbing straight into Su Xiji’s eyes.
[It would be impolite for us to come and disturb the Division Commander without saying hello or preparing a gift… So, does the Division Commander want to guess how many more little gifts like this we have in our hands?]
[If you’re curious, please come to Warehouse No. 203 in Area G alone at 11:00 PM tonight. Let’s talk.]
[Keep in mind, come alone. Do not bring anyone else, otherwise, you should know the consequences.]
[Awaiting your arrival.]
The signature: Zhu Yanqing.
There were no threatening words or aggressive tones.
…
Yet, it was precisely this calm and collected posture of invitation that carried more pressure than any direct threat.
Especially when this note was placed alongside those two quietly sitting black instruments.
The fingers Su Xiji used to hold the edge of the note tightened almost imperceptibly.
The paper made a slight creaking sound.
The lines of muscle on his face grew taut, making the outline of his jaw appear exceptionally sharp.
His gaze was fixed deathly still on the signature “Zhu Yanqing,” then it slowly shifted to the two instruments.
His eyes were so complex they were impossible to read.
The command room was deathly silent.
Everyone had seen the change in their commander’s expression.
They saw him grip the note tightly and felt the suffocating low pressure that had suddenly filled the room.
No one dared to ask.
A full dozen seconds passed.
Only then did Su Xiji slowly and deeply exhale a breath.
This breath seemed to carry away some of his tension.
He loosened his fingers, letting the crumpled note fall onto the edge of the sand table.
“Heh…”
An ambiguous, cold laugh escaped his throat.
The sound wasn’t loud, but it seemed to make the temperature in the command room drop a few degrees.
“I truly underestimated this young man…”
Su Xiji’s tone was heavy, carrying a complex mix of being outmaneuvered and the realization that he had to re-evaluate his opponent.
“He has significant skills, and even greater courage.”
“Division Commander, what… what was written on the note?”
A trusted officer couldn’t help but ask cautiously.
The others also cast concerned and nervous glances.
…
Su Xiji shook his head and did not explain the contents of the note.
He simply pointed at the two black instruments.
His voice had returned to a certain degree of calm, but the undercurrents beneath were surging even more violently.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’ve been checkmated… He wants to talk.”
“Talk?” another officer blurted out.
“Division Commander, this is surely a trap! Zhu Yanqing is a registered genius Oracle of the military with incredible combat prowess. Now he has that mysterious helper of unknown identity who managed to rescue someone from his hands. Their invitation is absolutely malicious! You cannot risk yourself!”
“Yes, Division Commander!” the young lieutenant from earlier also said urgently.
“You absolutely cannot go out there!”
“Please reconsider, Division Commander!”
The officers stepped forward to dissuade him, their tones anxious.
Su Xiji’s safety was tied to the control of the entire underground city and the execution of that plan.
There was no room for error.
Faced with his subordinates’ heartfelt pleas, Su Xiji only slowly raised his hand and pressed it down, signaling everyone to be quiet.
His gaze swept across the nervous faces, finally landing back on the miniature model on the sand table—representing Beihai, representing countless lives and the last hope.
“The execution of the plan will not change easily just because something happens to one person.”
“What must come will come, and what must be done will be done.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a decisive, almost cold firmness.
He paused, and a strange arc—one filled with a bit of self-deprecation and insight—appeared on the corner of his mouth again.
“Besides… do you think they made all this noise and went to such trouble to lure me there just to kill me?”
Su Xiji’s eyes grew deep, as if he were piercing through the walls to see the two young people waiting somewhere.
“If they really wanted to kill me, with Zhu Yanqing’s skills, a single encounter would be enough.”
“But they chose this method to invite me.”
He picked up the crumpled note, glanced at it once more, and then tossed it aside lightly.
“Want to talk?”
“Or rather, they want to know something.”
“It just so happens…”
Su Xiche’s gaze fell once more on the two silent, green-flashing black instruments.
His eyes were dark and difficult to read.
“I also have a few things I’d like to talk about with this audacious Captain Zhu and his mysterious friend.”
“Tonight at 11:00 PM…” He made his decision, his tone brooks no argument.
“I’m going alone.”