Ye Mo tightened the laces of his tactical boots and checked the inserts on his bulletproof vest one last time. The Velcro snapped shut with a sharp "hiss," which sounded particularly clear in the quiet lounge. He stood up, walked to the window, and glanced at the night outside through the gaps in the blinds. The streets of New York were deserted, with only the occasional red streak of a taxi taillight in the distance.
This calm made him feel uneasy.
Just ten minutes earlier, as he reached for the kettle on the corner of the table, the " X-Gene Resonance System " in his mind, which usually only reported data, suddenly froze. There were no light effects, no sound, only a line of cold white text projected directly onto his retina, as if someone had written a line on his eyeball with a marker: [Warning: Hunter in position.]
Ye Mo's hand froze in mid-air. The water in the kettle sloshed, splashing a few drops onto his trouser leg.
He didn't move or turn around. He knew Emma Frost was sitting on the sofa on the other side of the room, organizing her communication devices. Showing panic now would only alert her. He slowly lowered his hand, pretending to just yawn, then turned and walked towards the bathroom.
"What's wrong?" Emma Frost's voice came from behind him, a little hoarse from just waking up, but her eyes were already clear. She didn't look up, her fingers were still typing on the keyboard, but Ye Mo could feel that her attention was completely focused on him.
"It's nothing." Ye Mo turned on the tap, opened the cold water, and splashed it on his face. The icy water dripped down his chin, stimulating his nerves. "I had a nightmare."
Emma Frost turned off the computer screen, stood up, and walked to his side. She didn't ask what he had dreamed about, but instead reached out and placed her hand on Ye Mo's shoulder. The touch from her fingertips was cool, a testament to the body temperature regulation ability unique to Mutants.
"Your heart is beating fast," Emma Frost whispered. "And your pupils dilated by 0.5 millimeters when you looked out the window. That's not a nightmare reaction; it's a stress response."
Ye Mo dried his face and picked up a towel to dry his hands. He didn't hide anything, because in this room, lying was more dangerous than admitting it. He turned around and looked into Emma Frost's eyes. "The system sent me a message. The source is unknown and cannot be traced. The content is only one sentence: 'The hunter is in position.'"
Emma Frost's expression changed slightly. As Telepathy, she was extremely sensitive to fluctuations in the mental realm. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to use her mental power to detect any remaining pheromones or energy traces in the air. A few seconds later, she opened her eyes, her brows furrowing even more deeply.
"There's nothing there," she said. "It's as if the information just popped out of thin air, without any physical carrier or magical fluctuations. I couldn't even sense its 'existence' unless it deliberately made me see it."
Ye Mo leaned against the edge of the sink, arms crossed. This posture made him appear relaxed, but his taut calf muscles betrayed his vigilance. "This means the other side either possesses extremely high-level mind control abilities, or... they've mastered some method that can bypass all our surveillance."
"If it's the latter, then our operation tonight is tantamount to running naked." Emma Frost walked to the table, picked up the operational map of the Africa border, and glanced at the several red coordinates marked on it. "If the people behind Klaue know we're coming, they can lay a trap in advance."
"Or perhaps this is just a psychological tactic," Ye Mo interrupted her. He took out a cigarette from his pocket, thought for a moment, and then put it back. He didn't smoke, but this gesture helped him focus better when he was thinking. "If the other side is really powerful enough to easily annihilate us, why bother issuing this warning? Wouldn't it be easier to just take action directly? Issuing this warning is to distract us, to make us hesitate and fear before we act."
Emma Frost was silent for a moment. She sat back down on the sofa, crossed her legs, and hugged her chest. It was a defensive posture, but the coldness in her eyes did not subside.
"You're betting that they're bluffing," she said.
"I'm betting on their greed," Ye Mo corrected. "Whoever is pulling the strings behind the scenes, their goal is profit. Klaue is after Vibranium, and the mastermind is after some kind of control. If we cancel the operation because of a random text message, we'll be playing right into their hands. Mutants under the Superhuman Registration Act have no way out; backing down will only embolden Klaue's power."
He walked to the map and pointed to one of the coordinates. "Look here. This is Klaue's main transshipment point. If we don't cut off the supply chain here, more illegal weapons will flood the streets next week. It won't just be us who die, but also the ordinary people hiding in the shadows."
Emma Frost looked at the spot he was pointing to, her eyes gradually hardening. She knew Ye Mo was right. Fear stemmed from the unknown, but action could dispel the darkness. Now that they had chosen this path, there was no turning back.
"Okay." Emma Frost stood up, walked to Ye Mo's side, and stood beside him. "So what do you plan to do? Continue with the original plan, or add extra security measures?"
"Add two layers of redundancy," Ye Mo said. "First, change the starting route. The originally planned subway exit is too conspicuous; we'll take the underground drainage pipes instead. It'll be dirtier, but safer. Second, I'll activate the ' Gene Spiral Tower's' passive sensing mode to monitor surrounding energy fluctuations at all times. If any abnormal energy accumulation is detected, retreat immediately and don't linger."
Emma Frost nodded. "I'll adjust my mental shielding range as well. I'll focus my attention on the area within five meters of you, and I'll intercept any mental attacks targeting you immediately."
The two exchanged a glance, needing no further words. Their years of partnership and tacit understanding allowed them to quickly reach a consensus.
Ye Mo turned and walked towards the wardrobe, beginning to pack his last bit of equipment. He put the spare batteries, first-aid kit, and the high-frequency vibrating knife into his backpack one by one. Every movement was precise and swift, without the slightest hesitation.
Emma Frost went to the door and checked the lock and alarm. She placed a thin Mind Barrier over the door so she could immediately detect anyone trying to approach.
After all this was done, the room returned to silence. But this silence was no longer the oppressive stillness of the beginning; it was the calm before the storm. A sense of tension permeated the air, like a fully drawn bow, ready to release an arrow at any moment.
Ye Mo slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked to the door. He reached out and grasped the doorknob. The coolness of the metal seeped into his palm through his gloves.
"Are you ready?" Emma Frost stood behind him, her voice calm.
"Ready?" Ye Mo replied.
He turned the doorknob and pushed open the door. The hallway was dimly lit, and the paint on the walls was peeling, revealing the dark gray cement layer underneath. Footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, the two of them walking in unison, their rhythm steady.
They didn't look back at the warehouse that held countless secrets and plans. Ahead lay an unknown battlefield, a position they had to hold.
The elevator shaft doors were wide open, and its dark depths resembled a gigantic maw, waiting to devour everything. Ye Mo glanced down, then turned to look at Emma Frost.
"Take the stairs or jump?" he asked.
Emma Frost's lips curled into a faint smile, "If you're not afraid of breaking your leg, we can try jumping. After all, the system didn't tell us if there are any traps down there."
Ye Mo paused for a moment, then laughed. He shook his head. "Forget it, I think believing in the laws of physics is more reliable. Let's take the stairs; at least we can catch our breath."
The two walked into the dark stairwell, one after the other.
The moment they took their first step, the system notification sounded in Ye Mo's mind again. This time, it wasn't cold text, but a faint electrical sound, like someone whispering in his ear.
[High-energy reaction detected. Distance: 300 meters. Direction: Directly above.]
Ye Mo paused. He looked up at the dark ceiling. There was nothing there, only exposed steel bars and dust.
But he knew something was waiting for them up there.
"What's wrong?" Emma Frost noticed his pause, stopped, and turned to look at him.
"It's nothing," Ye Mo said in a low voice, pointing overhead, "It's a bit windy."
He pulled up his hood, covering most of his face, and continued walking downhill. Each step he took was exceptionally heavy, as if he were testing the solidity of the ground.
In the darkness behind them, a pair of eyes were fixed intently on their backs. There was no murderous intent in those eyes, only a playful, cat-and-mouse glint in them.
Ye Mo didn't turn around. He knew that this game had only just begun.