"Go Snatch That Boy."

It was afternoon in Congo in the Southern Hemisphere, while Moscow, on the Eastern European Plain, was shrouded in the blackness of night.

As Russia's capital, Moscow was also one of Europe's most populous cities, with roughly fourteen million residents. It was also a city that never slept.

Not only were its ordinary tourist attractions packed with visitors from all over the world, but its red-light districts, suffused with a pinkish atmosphere, were equally crowded. Bars, nightclubs, and strip clubs were everywhere there.

Even walking along the street, one could hear the deep, pulsing beat of "thump... thump..." music.

There were also countless women dressed far too revealingly, standing outside the establishments they represented. Some blew kisses at passersby, while others directly reached out to solicit customers.

The sex industry had deep historical roots in Europe. Countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland were especially tolerant in this regard. It would not be an exaggeration to say it flourished everywhere, and it even contributed considerably to local economies.

Although the Russian authorities maintained a clearly prohibitive stance, the reality was that there was little they could do. Red-light streets and adult establishments continued to emerge one after another.

Red-light districts with massive population flows inevitably bred violence and chaos. However, the gangs controlling these businesses had instead taken the place of the Russian authorities, becoming the true "public security" force.

The deterrence of the gangs, combined with Russian law enforcement methods, maintained a stable balance in these red-light districts. Unless something major happened, that balance was difficult to disrupt.

At this moment.

Three taxis arrived one after another in Krasno District, where red-light establishments clustered.

Immediately afterward, eight sturdily built tourists in casual clothing stepped out.

The leader wore a Miami-style shirt and shorts, along with a cowboy hat, a cigar clenched between his teeth.

"Phew~" He exhaled a cloud of smoke, looked around, and exclaimed, "Guys, we're here to have fun today! Hahaha! Come on, let's go hunt some beauties!"

"I can't wait!"

"Look at you, no self-control at all!"

"I heard the girls around here are pretty fiery. Think you can handle them?"

"Hahaha!"

The group chimed in one after another, laughing and joking as they slung arms around each other's shoulders and headed toward the liveliest area.

And groups of people like them, "tourists" preparing to experience the local "flavor," were countless in Krasno District.

However, two of the eight wore comparatively cold expressions.

In truth, they were elite operatives from ARS First Company, along with Universal Soldiers that had completed their final adjustments and officially been put into service.

The "vacationing cowboy" at the front was Arthur Morgan, and they had only one objective on this trip: seize Soldier Boy.

To dispel suspicions that Atlas had organized this operation, while also making a big enough move to stop Vought from expanding so recklessly, Arthur and the others used genuine, valid "legal" identities to fly into Moscow on civilian aircraft before taking taxis to Krasno District.

As for the two Universal Soldiers, after repeated adjustments and tests by Alexia's team, they had already participated in numerous battles half a year ago and met all performance standards.

Their programmable brains allowed the Universal Soldiers to flawlessly carry out infiltration, assassination, and covert entry missions. Friend-or-foe identification was achieved through data chips implanted in Atlas employees.

At the same time, Alexia's team had implanted a vast number of everyday scenarios into the Universal Soldiers' brains, along with various response patterns, allowing them to blend into crowds more effectively while performing infiltration missions.

Among their few flaws was their inability to make complex facial expressions, which made them seem stiff and cold. But combined with their muscular builds, no one found that strange; people only assumed they were not to be messed with.

Naturally, they had not come to the red-light district for "entertainment," but to meet up with Investigators who had been embedded locally for years.

Before long, they arrived at a nightclub with a rather classical-looking facade and obediently joined the line.

Although a group of seductive women stood outside greeting customers, suited security personnel stood beside them with no attempt to hide the shoulder holsters beneath their arms. No one dared cause trouble, and Arthur's group did not want to draw attention either.

They waited several minutes before it was finally their turn.

"Handsome boys~" Dressed in a similarly classical style, though wearing miniskirts and crop tops, one of the women gave Arthur a flirtatious wink and asked in a Russian-accented voice, "Are you here to drink, dance, or... for special services~?"

"Do you even need to ask? Brothers! Which one are we here for?!"

"Woohoo~!"

"I understand~ Hehe~, please follow me." Hearing their ghostly howls, the woman covered her mouth and laughed before leading Arthur and the others into the nightclub.

It was completely different from the High Heel Club Leon had visited. The decor here was exquisite, and the dim lighting was just right.

When they reached the dance floor, they saw women deliberately dressed in Tsarist-era attire performing energetically onstage.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The main stage even shot jets of flame in time with the music to heighten the atmosphere, making the men and women gathered there cheer, dance, and spend even more enthusiastically.

The bar was packed as well, people enjoying the graceful figures while drinking strong liquor.

Numerous private rooms surrounded the stage. As for what kinds of services they offered, one could only find out through personal experience. Arthur and the others, however, followed the woman straight through the dance floor to the staircase leading to the second floor.

Once they had all gone upstairs, the muscular men guarding either side crossed their arms and blocked the stairway with their bodies. One of them casually placed a "Fully Booked" sign in front of himself.

--

Not long afterward.

On the second floor of the nightclub.

Inside a secret meeting room accessible only through a hidden door.

Arthur and the others had long since shed their earlier lecherous demeanor. They sat solemnly on folding chairs, watching a satellite overhead image projected onto the screen.

The woman who had led them inside had also changed into casual clothes and stood at the front of the meeting room, giving an explanation.

This nightclub appeared to be a gang-operated business, but it was actually an Investigator outpost Sui Yang had planted in Moscow during the chaos following the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was also one of many safe houses that allowed Atlas to secretly conduct military operations in Eastern Europe.

Moreover, this nightclub had actually achieved a degree of "self-sufficiency." Even after deducting the necessary expenses for bribing local gangs and officials, it still retained a surplus of one to one and a half million dollars each year.

At this moment.

"Everyone, the weapons and equipment have been prepared in advance according to your requirements. Do you need me to go over the Ruff Research Center's architectural blueprints and the security patrol routes around the facility again?"

When the female Investigator finished speaking, all the Hunters, including the two Universal Soldiers, responded with silence to indicate that there were no issues.

Seeing this, Arthur said, "Tell your combat personnel to prepare to raid the place with us. We leave in two hours. Before dawn, take that Boy."

"Understood."

(End of Chapter)