Spy Meteor

Qian Yuliu was a remarkably "perfect" victim.

Qian Yuliu had an excellent memory. He had mastered a mnemonic technique similar to a memory palace and organized his memories himself. His memories were like a neatly arranged grand library; whatever Le Yu wanted to know, he could simply follow the catalog. Nothing would be missed, and nothing would be wrong.

But this method of digesting things bit by bit had one drawback: without key information, Le Yu could not access the corresponding important memories.

If he had not heard the keyword "Lin Jinyao," Le Yu would never have known that Qian Yuliu was actually an undercover agent—an Anti-Light Rebel!

Qian Yuliu was exceptionally gifted and accomplished at a young age. Given time, he would surely become an important court official, so why did he want to rebel? Le Yu suppressed his curiosity and turned to consider what to do next.

Now was not the time to read through Qian Yuliu's life story like a spectator. He was not an onlooker standing outside the story with folded arms, but its protagonist, forced to play his part!

"Teams Four and Five, surround the residence and breach through the back door. Persuade any escapees to surrender before subduing them. Teams Two and Three, take the east and west exterior walls and move in under encirclement. Team One, breach the front door with me. Logistics, prepare the illumination lamps... Everyone, although the matter has not yet been conclusively settled, and I do not wish to cause casualties, for everyone's safety..."

Lan Yan clapped his hands and said solemnly, "In the name of the Statistics Department, I authorize all operatives to freely attack armed targets! Firearm restrictions lifted!"

Three black crates were pushed before the operatives. With Lan Yan's clap, the crates burst open, revealing weapon racks packed with light handguns!

Le Yu reached out and gripped a handgun's handle. The back of his neck trembled slightly as a stream of heat flowed from there into the weapon, and an indescribable sensation surfaced in his heart.

It was as though the handgun had formed some sort of connection with him. It was no longer an object outside his body, but an extension of it.

"Radiant Certification."

For thousands of years, the Radiant Court had been developing the potential of Radiant Stones. Among its achievements, "Radiant Certification" was known as one of Radiance's four great inventions. Radiant Stone chips were implanted into the key components of most devices. Anyone using a device needed to undergo Radiant Certification, and only those authorized by the Radiant Charter could use important equipment.

Firearms and cannons were unquestionably important equipment. The handguns Le Yu and the others held were exclusive to Statistics Department operatives; even if others obtained them, they could not use them without passing certification.

Though its technology was inferior to that of his previous life, the Radiant Court's control over its people was, in its own ingenious way, far more thorough.

"Operation begins!"

At Lan Yan's command, everyone silently moved according to orders. Their military boots thundered against the ground. At that moment, a cold rain began to fall from the sky, as though adding a footnote to what was about to happen.

Noticing Lan Yan's gaze, Le Yu quietly exhaled and pressed the watch-like device on his left wrist. The next second, fifteen red dots appeared beneath its glass face, along with a tiny scale. Anyone with training could estimate the red dots' actual distance from themselves at a glance.

The Light and Shadow Detector, an essential tool for Statistics Department operatives, could emit a special sonar signal that resonated with the Radiant Charter, with a detection range of fifty meters. With this device, the location of every Radiant citizen within fifty meters was plainly visible.

Looking at the glowing red dots, a chill rose in Le Yu's heart.

The existence of the Light and Shadow Detector was enough to allow court departments to nip all covert operations, secret gatherings, ambushes, assassinations, and other conspiracies in the bud. It was practically a primitive all-seeing-eye system.

Yet despite the court's sophisticated equipment and stringent control, despite the extremely slim chance of a successful rebellion, the Anti-Light Faction still threw themselves into rebellion and revolution without hesitation. That meant the class conflict in this world had reached an irreconcilable point.

With countless thoughts flashing through his mind, Le Yu was the first to approach the residence gate with his handgun drawn. He did not knock. Instead, he shot off the lock and kicked the door open—

"Statistics Department investigation!"

The operatives filed inside. At the same time, the logistics team erected three powerful lamps, illuminating every corner of the courtyard from outside as though lighting a stage. But the light was not warm; it was pale and cold.

Hearing the commotion, the people inside the house came out. A young man in uniform was briefly startled upon seeing Le Yu and the others, but immediately glared at them. "Statistics Department lapdog spies!"

Spies?

Le Yu froze slightly. Thinking it over carefully, Qian Yuliu and the others were tasked with arresting rebels, conducting secret detentions, and even had discretionary authority to kill. Even their title was Special Operations Agent... They really did resemble the spies of legend.

As miscellaneous thoughts flashed through his mind, Le Yu and the other operatives raised their guns at the youths. "Statistics Department investigation. Everyone, raise your hands!"

"Senior Qian, Senior Chen, why are you..."

Within the crowd, a dark-haired, fair-skinned girl revealed a look of surprise when she saw them.

Before Le Yu could search his memories, Chen Fu beside him already wore a troubled expression and called out, "Lin Xue, don't worry. The Statistics Department will neither let bad people go nor wrong good people!"

Lin Xue was lecturer Lin Jinyao's daughter. A few years younger than them, she was also a student at Star Engraving Military Academy and a junior fellow student they knew well.

Lin Xue wanted to say something more, but the young man beside her grabbed her. "Xiaoxue, they've already sided with the Statistics Department to arrest innocent people on a massive scale. There's no use saying anything to them. They're nothing but parasites who will stop at nothing to climb the ranks!"

"Who the hell are you calling that?!" Chen Fu shouted. "Everyone, raise your hands and get on your knees! Resist and die! Bullets don't have eyes!"

"Being dragged into prison by you means death, and staying here means death. Then I'd rather be shot dead right here, so everyone can know just how tyrannical and shameless your Statistics Department is!"

The young man stepped forward into the glaring light, baring his chest without concealment like a righteous martyr going bravely to his death. "And you, Qian Yuliu—how could you be so treacherous, so vile and despicable? I never imagined that you would not only side with the Statistics Department, but even lead people to arrest your own benefactor. I, Gao Jin, am ashamed to associate with you!"

As the young man shouted in fury, Le Yu also recalled his information: Gao Jin, two classes below Qian Yuliu. He had once studied and conducted research under Lin Jinyao alongside Qian Yuliu, and had been one of Qian Yuliu's biggest admirers.

Lan Yan walked up behind Le Yu then, his tone somewhat apologetic. "Sorry, Captain Qian, Deputy Chen. I knew you studied at Star Engraving Military Academy, but I didn't know you were acquainted with Lin Jinyao... You may withdraw from this operation. I won't blame you."

Chen Fu was somewhat tempted. He slowly lowered his handgun and signaled to Le Yu with his eyes—pointing a gun at former companions made him feel deeply uncomfortable. He knew withdrawing would not be much help to his friends, but given his moral standards, he only wanted the peace of mind of out of sight, out of mind.

Le Yu raised an eyebrow slightly, but before they could respond, a clear voice rang out from the main hall in the distance. "Acquainted? I cannot presume to be acquainted with these two 'pillars of the nation,' especially pillars of the nation from the Statistics Department."

Lan Yan smiled faintly, pushed up his glasses, and said loudly, "Mr. Lin, your misunderstanding of the Statistics Department runs far too deep."

A middle-aged man in a formal black suit emerged from the main house. Wearing a woolen bowler hat, he stood tall and walked with his head held high. Among the youths, he showed not the slightest sign of age. Instead, his composure and maturity stood out all the more, like winter bamboo.

"The Statistics Department acts with such reckless tyranny. What misunderstanding do I need?" he said calmly.

Star Engraving Military Academy lecturer, Lin Jinyao.

At the sight of him, fragments of memory surfaced in Le Yu's mind:

"Yuliu, the court is corrupt, its policies decayed. The realm is in chaos, rotten from within. This thousand-year dynasty has reached its end. This is a transformation unseen in two thousand years, yet the shackles it places upon the people will remain. We must not merely reform the system. We must break the shackles and extinguish Radiance, that eternally unsetting sun! We do not need the sun. Each of us is a new dawn!"

"The emperor's authority has collapsed and ritual order has crumbled. The court has granted every district autonomy, and they will surely use the arrest of rebels as an excuse to fight for power and profit. Morning Wind District's governor, Lu Zhong, is fiercely ambitious and will never let this opportunity pass, but Star Engraving Prefecture's prefect Ding Yi is no pushover either. There will inevitably be open and covert struggles between them. Yuliu, your opportunity is near."

"Just as expected, Ding Yi used the establishment of the Statistics Department to place his confidant, Lan Yan, within it. He will surely use the arrest of progressives as an opportunity to let Lan Yan's blade eliminate rivals as well. Yuliu, now is the time. When the Statistics Department comes to the academy to recruit, that will be your moment to emerge!"

"As a core department, the Statistics Department will surely be able to approach Ding Yi and obtain much information! Yuliu, you will be White Night's finest nail—a nail driven into Ding Yi's heart!"

"When Ding Yi and Lu Zhong exhaust themselves fighting over power and profit, it will be White Night's chance to set things right and shatter the shackles of Morning Wind District!"

"No one but Star-Picker and I will know your identity."

"From today onward, your codename is Meteor!"