BHO No.2 Traffic Line Purge, former site of Blue Sky Seafood Processing Plant.
Dozens of military tents were set up among the ruins of the factory.
In the center stood a massive vertical communication antenna module.
The Swordbearers coming and going all wore stern expressions, each armed to the teeth.
“Fourth squad reporting back—no findings ten kilometers east.”
A heavy rain fell the day before yesterday.
Now, there wasn’t even a hair left on the highway, let alone tire tracks.
“Seventh squad just sent in word as well, nothing found within seven kilometers southeast.”
“What about the second squad? Didn’t they report signs of possible human activity over there? Any updates?”
In the largest military tent, Chu You, wearing headphones, turned to Gu Qiancheng and asked.
Gu Qiancheng shook his head, raising a hand to rub the corner of his eye, only to jerk away as if shocked, drawing in a sharp breath.
“Hiss… No word yet.”
The lighting inside the tent was a little dim, but if one looked closely, they could make out a faint bruise beneath Gu Qiancheng’s left eye.
“I say, junior…,” Gu Qiancheng frowned, gently rubbing the corner of his mouth, “after so many years of friendship, how could you bear to strike your dashing senior’s face so ruthlessly?”
Hearing this, Chu You kept typing rapidly on the portable computer while shooting Gu Qiancheng a brief, icy glare.
“Keep talking and I’ll make your right cheek match your left.”
In those first days after her identity was exposed, Chu You had been extremely nervous, and so she’d restrained herself.
But after all this time, she was pretty sure this scoundrel Gu Qiancheng wouldn’t really betray her.
So their interactions had returned to normal.
In other words, heavy-handed.
It wasn’t that Gu Qiancheng wouldn’t hit back, but in private, even if they argued, there was an unspoken agreement not to use Oracle powers.
His close-combat ability was nothing special—otherwise, he wouldn’t have handed over the Martial Arts Club president position to Chu You when she was only a sophomore.
So, all these years, he’d never won a fight against Chu You.
Thinking about this, Gu Qiancheng shivered—the look Chu You just gave him brought back memories of the times he got beaten so badly he nearly cried for his mother.
“Ahem, junior, let’s get serious…” Gu Qiancheng straightened up, trying to sound authoritative.
“I’m the deputy commander of this search-and-rescue operation, you’re the communications specialist. Know your place! Who talks to a superior like that?”
“Oh, got it.”
Chu You brushed him off without even looking at him, her fingers flying over the keyboard.
Until the third-generation comms module was repaired, they had to rely on that huge old antenna outside to maintain the wartime communications network…
The thing was a relic eliminated decades ago and was a pain to use.
Every communication attempt was essentially a request from an extension to the mainframe—she had to manually enter communication codes for each connection.
Chu You was up to her neck in work, repeating this tedious process over and over.
Actually, if they’d managed to get the updated auto-access module installed on the antenna, this whole annoying process could have been skipped.
But unfortunately…
They’d ransacked the Municipal Department, Law Enforcement Bureau, Fire Command, and even the Swordbearers’ warehouse.
There wasn’t even a spare screw, let alone an upgrade module.
Just then, the tent flap was lifted from outside, letting in a chill night breeze.
Chu You and Gu Qiancheng both paused, looking up instinctively—only to see Lin Mo step in with his usual stern expression, several figures following behind him.
…
“These are the action squad leaders sent from the provincial headquarters: Captain Gao Yuan, Vice-Captain Su Tao.”
Lin Mo turned slightly, introducing the two behind him to Gu Qiancheng and Chu You inside the tent.
“I’m Gao Yuan.”
The man in the lead looked about thirty, dressed in a sharp Swordbearer uniform with a striking Golden Crow badge pinned to his chest.
His hair was cropped short and neat, his skin tanned from years outdoors, eyes sharp, posture straight as a pine—a soldier’s air of efficiency about him.
Next to Gao Yuan stood a tall girl with a short wolf-cut hairstyle streaked with gray highlights.
She nodded lightly, “I’m Su Tao.”
After their concise introductions, Lin Mo turned to Gu Qiancheng and Chu You.
“This is Gu Qiancheng, leader of the headquarters’ investigation team. That’s Chu You, this operation’s communications specialist.”
As soon as Lin Mo finished, Gu Qiancheng tried to pull off his signature suave grin, but the wound at the corner of his mouth twitched, making him gasp in pain and his smile collapse.
“Hello, I’m Gu… hiss, Qiancheng.”
He bared his teeth to finish his introduction.
Chu You also looked up and offered a polite but brief smile to the two from the provincial branch.
“I’m Chu You.”
“I saw it just now outside… That big antenna—it’s a second-generation vertical comms module from decades ago, isn’t it?”
After the introductions, Vice-Captain Su Tao stepped toward Chu You, her gaze settling on the computer screen full of complicated command prompts.
Her expression was a bit surprised.
“Didn’t expect Specialist Chu to be so young, and yet so skilled at handling such antique equipment.”
Chu You lowered her head a little, her eyes returning to the screen as her fingers danced over the keys.
She answered casually, “Just a personal hobby. I tinkered with this stuff before—never thought it’d actually come in handy now.”
Hearing this, Su Tao’s brows furrowed and her tone turned openly dissatisfied, part complaint, part frustration.
“Honestly, it’s too rigid, too conservative!”
“Why insist on having two completely separate communications systems? Civilian and military so strictly divided! Why not just build a high-level encrypted military band on top of the existing civilian network?”
“And they claim civilian towers are structurally weak, easily intercepted or jammed… Hah, I’ve never seen any aberrant with the brains or skills for electronic warfare or signal interception.”
Su Tao vented her complaints until Gao Yuan frowned and interrupted, his voice a reminder.
“Enough, Su Tao. Watch what you say—don’t disturb Specialist Chu’s work.”
He turned to Lin Mo, cutting straight to the point, his tone brisk and direct.
“Minister Lin, headquarters ordered our team to fully cooperate with Binhai branch. Time is short, so let’s skip the formalities and get to it.”
Lin Mo nodded and walked to a metal cabinet in the corner of the tent, opening it to reveal rows of neatly stacked black individual comm devices.
He pointed to the equipment.
“Captain Gao, Vice-Captain Su, please distribute these individual comm devices to your team. Make sure every member has one and completes a device check.”
Then, Lin Mo pulled out a micro-terminal, operated it briefly, and called up a map densely marked with search areas.
He pointed out the divided zones.
“Currently, we’re using this temporary command post as our center. The search teams have fanned out in a radial pattern, but so far, no breakthroughs. Captain Gao, once your people arrive, split into two teams…”
His finger traced two clear routes on the map.
“One team takes the B7 route, the other goes along C3.”
“Report to command every fifteen minutes during the search. For safety and logistics, the maximum search radius is twenty kilometers. Any questions?”
Gao Yuan leaned in and studied the map for a few seconds, quickly plotting routes and contingencies in his mind before nodding crisply.
“Understood. No problem.”
“Alright, that’s the plan. Report any developments immediately.”
Lin Mo set the terminal down and turned to Chu You, still busy at the computer.
“Spe—cough, Specialist Chu, remember to register the identification codes of Captain Gao and Vice-Captain Su’s comm devices into the main comms list.”
Chu You didn’t even look up, fingers flying as she entered the final command.
“Got it. I’ll handle it right away.”
The clatter of keys grew rapid again.
Seeing the assignments completed, Gao Yuan, always quick to act, couldn’t sit still.
He circled the table, scooping up a stack of comm devices from the cabinet, and said to Lin Mo, “Minister Lin, we’ll get ready now and set out as soon as possible.”
He then glanced at Su Tao, who was still examining the tent’s equipment.
“Taozi, stop staring. Grab the gear, let’s go.”
“Oh, right, Captain!”
Su Tao snapped to, quickly picked up several sets of equipment, and followed Gao Yuan out of the tent.
After the two left, Gu Qiancheng, who’d been idly leaning against the side, suddenly realized that Gao Yuan and Su Tao weren’t the only ones who had come in with Lin Mo—there was another figure in the shadowy corner near the tent entrance.
That person also wore a Swordbearer’s uniform, though it seemed a bit loose, and a large mask covered most of their face, making their presence nearly undetectable.
Gu Qiancheng narrowed his eyes, which still ached a bit, and looked at the person, then at Lin Mo, raising an eyebrow.
“Hmm? This one… also from the provincial branch? Why weren’t they introduced earlier?”
Lin Mo’s gaze flickered with resignation, skipping over Gu Qiancheng to look at Chu You, who’d just stopped her work.
“Senior, stop for a moment. This one’s for you.”
Chu You paused in the middle of checking the comms list, looking at Lin Mo in confusion.
“Huh? For me? Who?”
Lin Mo turned to the Swordbearer in the corner, speaking flatly, “Go on.”
The quiet figure immediately moved, striding briskly toward Chu You.
As this oddly dressed Swordbearer approached, Chu You was struck by a strange sense of familiarity.
The next moment, the person stopped in front of Chu You and slowly removed the mask, revealing a delicate yet slightly nervous face.
“Xia Ji?!”
Chu You’s eyes widened in shock, nearly doubting her own eyes.
“What are you doing here? And dressed like this?”
Xia Ji smiled awkwardly and tugged self-consciously at the ill-fitting Swordbearer jacket, explaining in a soft voice, “.I—I asked Mr. Lin Mo to bring me.”
As it turned out, she had run into Lin Mo as he was retrieving a micro-terminal from home, preparing to return to the front line.
Upon learning there was an urgent mission and that Chu You would be present, Xia Ji had summoned her courage and begged Lin Mo to bring her along.
“I just thought… an urgent mission must be dangerous.”
Xia Ji’s voice grew smaller, timid but faintly resolute.
“I—I figured I could at least help out a little…”
Seeing her like this, whatever scolding Chu You had planned stuck in her throat.
In the end, she could only sigh softly, her face easing into an exasperated but warm smile.
“Alright, alright, you’re here already—am I supposed to send you away now?”
Chu You’s tone softened, indulgent.
Besides, Xia Ji wasn’t just an ordinary high schooler.
Once she activated her full power, most Oracles or aberrants wouldn’t last a few rounds against her.
Thinking this, Chu You relaxed completely.
She looked Xia Ji up and down in her Swordbearer uniform.
It didn’t fit, but it lent her a fresh and earnest aura.
Chu You couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, teasing, “Still… I have to say, you actually look pretty good in this Swordbearer getup. Not bad!”
“Pssh, am I invisible to everyone now, or what?”
Gu Qiancheng clicked his tongue repeatedly, tone playful.
“…You know impersonating a Swordbearer is a crime, right, you two?”
At his words, Xia Ji flinched, visibly tense.
Lin Mo shot Gu Qiancheng a cool glance.
“True, but lending your uniform to someone else should also count as abetting a crime.”
As soon as he finished…
The smile on Gu Qiancheng’s face froze.
He turned to Lin Mo, who looked perfectly calm, and silently mouthed a question.
Lin Mo nodded.
“That’s right. Just what you’re thinking—it’s your uniform.”
“In the future, don’t leave your things lying around in someone else’s car.”
“Understood?”