As the vehicle slowly pulled up at the edge of District 25, Ye Hua and Yue Chen opened their doors in unison and hopped lightly out. As the doors gently closed, an almost imperceptible click dissolved into the bustle around them.
Ye Hua stood straight, her long black hair catching a faint sheen under the lights. Her gaze swept over their unfamiliar surroundings, and her fitted black work clothes lent her an air of veiled menace.
Yue Chen looked a little more relaxed. Her short hair stirred in the night breeze, her eyes bright with curiosity and a desire to explore. She wore a simple leather jacket whose hem swayed gently with her movements. The two barely exchanged a word, as though the surrounding clamor had nothing to do with them.
Yue Chen's silhouette looked especially bulky. She carried bags of every size, the largest backpack seemingly packed with mechanical equipment and electronic tools. They looked heavy under the soft streetlights, yet she held them steadily on her shoulders without the slightest wobble.
The smaller bags probably held personal belongings, such as changes of clothes, basic first-aid supplies, and high-energy food for potentially lengthy operations. The bags were covered in dark waterproof fabric, and even under the moonlight, only their outlines reflected a faint gleam.
"We're just going on a mission. Do you really need all those bags?"
Looking at Yue Chen and her luggage, Ye Hua felt she was completely out of place in District 25. No one had noticed them when they first got out, but within two or three seconds, nearby pedestrians had begun looking them over.
Arriving somewhere unfamiliar and being instantly recognizable as tourists could mean plenty of unnecessary obstacles for their next moves.
"Oh, come on. This is a long-term mission. How am I