The night was their finest stage, and the volcano's rumbling their perfect accompaniment.
Under Ye Li's meticulous direction, this "League patrol," made up of disguised members of Team Rocket's elite Ghost Unit, began swaggering down the main road toward the harbor with an almost brazen air.
Their disguises were flawless. Their newly issued League "Storm" series combat uniforms could subtly adjust their camouflage colors to the ambient light. Under the checkpoint scanners, the identification tags on their chests would display the records of actual reservists-records Ye Li had carefully selected, using his clearance, from deep within the League's vast personnel database, all belonging to people who could not possibly be on Cinnabar Island at this moment. From their weapon models to the spacing of their marching formation, and even the unconsciously displayed expressions unique to League soldiers, blending fatigue with vigilance, every detail was imitated to perfection.
Apollo walked beside Ye Li, currently posing as the captain of Sigma7 Squad. Looking at the first League checkpoint a short distance ahead and sensing the taut muscles and restrained breathing of the squad members around him, even he felt his palms sweat. This was sheer madness. They were like a pack of wolves walking a tightrope, with a bottomless abyss beneath them.
Yet when they reached the checkpoint, the anticipated questioning and fierce fighting never came. Having received an emergency rotation order of the highest priority directly from "senior command," the checkpoint guards harbored no suspicions at all.
"Password?" the guard captain asked routinely.
"Eye of the storm," Apollo answered in a low voice, using the current password Ye Li had supplied.
"Confirmed. Sigma7 Squad, welcome to the front." Having verified the password, the guard captain gave them a regulation salute, then waved a hand and ordered, "Open the checkpoint and let