Ye Mo stuffed his phone into his pocket, the screen still warm on his fingertips. He glanced at Emma Frost, who was leaning against the rock wall, resting with her eyes closed. Her face was paler than when they were at the camp, but her eyes had regained their clarity.
"Let's go." Ye Mo patted the dirt off his hands, his tone as casual as if discussing what to have for dinner. "Go back and have a hot drink, then we'll get our minds clear before we start."
The two men retreated from the observation post one after the other, moving quickly along the dry riverbed they had come from. The night wind grew colder, dispersing the smell of sweat and replacing it with the dry, dusty scent characteristic of the Africa highlands. By the time they returned to the makeshift safe house—the entrance to an abandoned mine hidden halfway up the mountain—it was already fully light.
The safe house had no windows, only a few emergency lights emitting a dim yellow glow. Ye Mo locked the door and drew the blackout curtains, shutting out all the noise from the outside world. He walked to the simple table made of wooden planks, took out the notebook he had prepared the night before, and the data decoder transmitted by the miniature listening device from his backpack.
Emma Frost sat opposite him, holding a freshly brewed cup of instant coffee in both hands. In the steaming heat, she finally shed the aloof queen-like demeanor she displayed in front of others, rubbing her temples like an ordinary girl next door.
" Black Serpent..." Emma Frost murmured the name, her brow furrowing slightly. " The S.H.I.E.L.D.. files mention that this organization specializes in creating chaos, doesn't care about human lives, only about control after the collapse of order. Klaue is just a tool in their hands."
"That's right." Ye Mo nodded, his fingers tapping rapidly on the table as if playing a silent piano piece. "So this isn't just about stealing Vibranium; it's a terrorist attack targeting regional stability. If we don't stop it, this place will become a living hell on the night of the full moon in three days."
He opened his laptop, and a complex 3D topographic map instantly appeared on the screen. This was generated by a skilled hacker in the resistance organization based on satellite maps and coordinates provided by Ye Mo. Red dots were densely distributed around the underground cavern, each red dot representing a guard or surveillance camera.
"Look here." Ye Mo pointed to several dense red dots at the entrance of the cave. "This is their core security zone. A frontal assault? That's suicide. Although Klaue is a businessman, the people he hires are all desperate criminals. And once it explodes, the radiation from the Vibranium combined with the explosive force will leave nothing but barren land within a ten-mile radius."
Emma Frost leaned closer to the screen, her gaze sharp. "You mean, we can't confront them head-on?"
"Of course not." Ye Mo smiled, revealing a set of bright white teeth, but his eyes were frighteningly calm. "We have to sneak in like mice. Not the kind of mice that scramble away in a panic, but mice carrying bombs."
He switched to a new chart that showed the internal structure of the cave. Ventilation ducts, maintenance passages, and the core equipment area—details that had been previously overlooked—now became the key to breaking the deadlock.
"I have two abilities. One is ' Regenerative Phasing,' also known as the Wall Phasing Technique. The other is the ice-based control fragments you taught me. Although I'm not yet proficient, it's enough to freeze precision machinery." Ye Mo held up two fingers. "I'm responsible for infiltrating the core and destroying the Vibranium processing equipment. As long as the equipment is disabled, the test explosion cannot proceed."
Emma Frost looked at him thoughtfully. "And what about you? What if you get caught?"
"I'll try my best not to get caught," Ye Mo shrugged. "But if I do get caught, I'll just use my body to shield myself. After all, I have Self-Healing abilities, and my skin is thick enough to withstand it."
Emma Frost rolled her eyes, but a slight smile played on her lips, "Stop joking. Since you're in charge of the inner layer of destruction, I'll take care of the outer layer of containment."
She stood up, walked to the mirror, and straightened her collar. The woman in the mirror had a determined look in her eyes, as if she were ready for battle.
" Diamond Form," Emma Frost said softly. "This is my defensive measure, and also the best bait. I can draw most of the firepower, making the guards think I'm the primary target. At the same time, I'll release high-frequency mental Shockwave to disrupt the commander's judgment. I don't need to deeply read their consciousness; just make them have headaches, feel dizzy, and have confused commands."
"A pincer attack from both inside and outside," Ye Mo summarized. "I'll cause sabotage from inside, and you'll be the target outside. If we coordinate well, we can finish in half an hour."
"Half an hour is too long." Emma Frost turned around and looked Ye Mo straight in the eye. "I want to end the battle within twenty minutes. The longer it goes on, the more variables there will be."
Ye Mo paused for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, twenty minutes. I'll tell you to leave if you're over."
The two began to refine their action plan. Ye Mo drew a route map on the whiteboard, marking key points with different colored markers. Red represented danger zones, green represented safe passages, and blue represented his movement path.
"I'll enter through the north ventilation duct, avoiding the main monitoring area," Ye Mo explained as he drew. "There's an inspection port there, a blind spot I discovered during my previous observations. As long as I don't trigger the vibration sensors, I can smoothly enter the core area."
"I'll appear from the east plaza," Emma Frost added. "Switch into Diamond Form immediately, shout provocatively, and draw all their attention. Your chance will come when the guards focus their fire on me."
"Be mindful of the cooldown time," Ye Mo reminded him. "Using the Wall Phasing Technique repeatedly will cause fatigue, and ice-based abilities consume even more energy. You need to maintain your mental output while I'm destroying the equipment. If you feel unwell, retreat immediately and don't worry about me."
"You too," Emma Frost said seriously. "If things go wrong, abandon the mission and prioritize survival. We're not heroes going to their deaths; we're experts going to solve problems."
Ye Mo laughed, "You're right. You can only keep showing off if you're alive."
The two exchanged a smile, and the previous tension dissipated considerably. This tacit understanding was honed through countless brushes with death. They didn't need many words; a single glance was enough for them to understand each other's intentions.
Finally, Ye Mo checked his equipment once again: bulletproof vest, dagger, energy suppressant, and the crucial miniature listening device data card. He neatly arranged everything on the table, ensuring each item was in the most convenient position.
Emma Frost closed her eyes and focused her mind, adjusting her mental state. She could feel the cold power within her flowing slowly, like a tranquil river, ready to surge forth.
"Are you ready?" Ye Mo asked.
Emma Frost opened her eyes, a cold glint flashing in them. "We can leave at any time."
Ye Mo picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. He walked to the door, placed his hand on the doorknob, and paused for a second. He glanced back at Emma Frost, who was standing under the light, her figure tall and resolute.
"Let's go." Ye Mo pushed open the door. The sunlight outside was a bit dazzling, but he didn't hesitate at all.
The night had not yet completely faded, and the distant valley remained silent, as if awaiting the approaching storm.