On the outskirts of Rong City's eastern district, a sprawling breeding base stood in silence.
A three-meter-high wire fence surrounded the base, its top bristling with surveillance cameras, lending the place an air of solemnity even in broad daylight.
The morning mist had yet to disperse, draping the cultivation fields in a hazy white veil. The air was filled with the damp scent of earth and the fresh fragrance of grass and trees.
A man in black, about 1.75 meters tall, crept furtively along the edge of the wire fence.
His figure flickered in and out of sight through the mist. His gaze remained locked on the white building in the distance bearing the sign "Seed Reserve Warehouse," while his steps were so light they made not a sound.
Inside the breeding base, a young man named Gu Feng stood by the roadside.
He was a newly hired security guard at this breeding base, having completed his onboarding procedures only a week ago.
Dressed in a dark blue security uniform with a rubber baton at his waist, he stood upright at the start of his patrol route, his eyes vigilantly sweeping the surroundings.
Just yesterday, the base's security supervisor had gathered all the guards together and given them a vicious dressing-down, slamming the table as he ordered them all, "You'd all better stay on high alert! The last seed theft has already alerted headquarters. If you let the thief succeed again, every last one of you can pack up and get out!"
That harsh tone still echoed in Gu Feng's ears.
On the tree-lined road in the distance, a sluggish figure slowly approached.
Wang Nan yawned as he rubbed his bleary eyes. Crust still clung to the corners of them, and his unsteady steps made it seem as though he