The Old Textile Factory stood silent beneath clouds that blotted out the sky. Abandoned for nearly a decade, the building had once been Gotham's pride. Now it was nothing but a forgotten ruin overgrown with weeds.
"All teams in position," came the voices of the other officers over the radio.
Li Jie nodded, though no one could see him.
"Confirmed. Team A, cover the east exit. Team B, the west. Team C, follow me through the front entrance. Remember, these people are extremely dangerous. Don't underestimate them."
The three teams silently surrounded the area like well-trained hunting dogs.
"Prepare to breach."
Two burly officers from Team C raised the heavy steel battering ram. Li Jie held up three fingers, then two, then one.
"GCPD!"
The battering ram slammed into the rusty door with a deafening crash. The lock snapped, and Li Jie charged in first, gun raised. His team streamed in behind him, the tactical flashlights on their guns casting crisscrossing beams through the dim interior.
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
The calls echoed through the empty space. Dust danced in the light streaming through the doorway, and the air reeked of mildew and rust.
The vast factory interior was like a cavern forgotten by time. Most of the once-roaring textile machinery had been dismantled and hauled away, leaving only concrete bases and broken bolts. Steel beams crisscrossed beneath the high ceiling, and shafts of light fell through several holes in the roof like stage spotlights.
But there were no footsteps, no startled cries, no sign of any human activity.
"First floor clear!" a voice called over the radio.
Li Jie's brow furrowed further. "Check the second-floor offices. Don't skip the basement."
The officers spread out, their footsteps unnaturally loud in the empty space. Li Jie stood where he was, feeling his unease