The air inside the cave seemed to solidify, so heavy it was hard to breathe.
Unlike T'Challa, who stood in front of a map pointing out the landscape, or Emma Frost, who closed her eyes and focused her mind to build Mental Barrier, Ye Mo was almost half-lying on the uncomfortable tactical command chair, his hands resting on the edge of the console, his fingertips slightly white. His eyes were closed, but his eyeballs under his eyelids were moving rapidly, a physiological characteristic of his brain working at high speed and processing massive amounts of information.
"Don't speak." Ye Mo's voice was soft, slightly hoarse, as if there was sand stuck in his throat. "I'm listening to 'sounds'."
T'Challa and Emma Frost exchanged a glance and silently fell silent.
To ordinary people, Vibranium is a metal, a material, and a weapon. But for Ye Mo, since the seventh level of the Gene Spiral Tower was unlocked, Vibranium has become a "frequency." It is no longer silent; it breathes, it whispers, and it transmits location information through the vibrations of the earth's crust. At this moment, every piece of free Vibranium on the East Africa continent is stirring tiny ripples in Ye Mo's sea of consciousness.
This perception is not omniscient. That old fox, Klaue, is clearly no pushover. He used high-powered electronic jammers when transferring supplies, and may even have used some kind of sound wave shielding technology to cover up the energy fluctuations of Vibranium. It's like trying to talk to someone in a noisy disco with background noise so loud it could deafen you.
If Ye Mo acts alone, he might get lost among these chaotic signals or be misled by false signals.
Just then, a cool spiritual energy quietly enveloped the back of Ye Mo's head.
That's Emma Frost.
She didn't directly read Ye Mo's thoughts; that would be too crude and easily arouse his suspicion. What she did was "noise reduction." It was like using an algorithm to filter out all irrelevant background noise in a chaotic audio file, retaining only waveforms of specific frequencies. Emma Frost's Telepathy transformed into an invisible net, gently combing through the restless Vibranium signals in Ye Mo's mind.
The originally chaotic red noise began to gradually separate and become clear.
Ye Mo's brows relaxed a little. He felt the image in his mind transform from a blurry mosaic into a clear three-dimensional coordinate graph.
"Three locations found." Ye Mo opened his eyes, his pupils reflecting the pulsating data stream on the holographic map. "One is on the third basement level of the East Africa joint warehouse area, where there's strong residual energy, indicating cargo was just unloaded. Another is at a private dock on the coast; the signal is weak, but the fluctuations are unusually regular, like some kind of high-frequency test. The third..."
He paused for a moment, then typed a string of code on the keyboard to zoom in on the second coordinate.
"This is interesting. It's not on the regular logistics route, but in an abandoned industrial area. The Vibranium signals there aren't 'flowing,' but 'stationary' and 'dense.' This indicates that it's not a transit point, but a 'processing point.' Klaue plans to perform preliminary processing on the samples there to extract the core components."
T'Challa walked up to the holographic map, his gaze sharp as a knife. "What does the processing point mean?"
"That means they have a finished product," Ye Mo said coldly. "If it's just transportation, Klaue only needs to move the boxes around. But if it's to be processed, he needs equipment, energy, and manpower. It's an exposed process. Once processing begins, the energy radiation of Vibranium will increase. Although he can shield it, in my perception, it's like a torch in the dark."
Emma Frost added, "I just scanned the bio-waves in that industrial area. Besides Klaue's men, there were several unfamiliar energy sources. Their mental fluctuations were very stable, unlike the fear or greed typical of mercenaries. They were more like... professionally trained agents. Hydra?"
"That possibility cannot be ruled out." Ye Mo nodded. "The thread behind Klaue is thicker than we thought."
T'Challa tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound. It was a habitual gesture he made when he was thinking.
"If it's a processing site, then that's our opportunity," T'Challa said. "Destroying it would cost far less than taking it. And once the processing facility is destroyed, all of Klaue's previous efforts would be wasted, which would severely damage his morale and give the forces behind him a headache."
"But I can't guarantee a kill in one strike," Ye Mo cautioned. "The defense system in that area may have been upgraded. Moreover, if other Mutants or sensitive individuals are indeed being held inside, a direct assault could have uncontrollable consequences."
"Then don't launch a direct attack." T'Challa looked at Ye Mo, "Can your Vibranium Sense detect structural weaknesses?"
"Yes." Ye Mo pulled up another set of data. "The load-bearing pillar on the third underground level is located in the southeast corner. There's a main beam there that's cracked due to previous mining operations. If that pillar is damaged, the entire storage area will collapse. As for the coastal docks, their crane hydraulic systems are severely outdated. Cutting off the power source and causing a short circuit could create chaos. And the industrial area..."
Ye Mo took a deep breath and sank his consciousness into a deeper level. He activated the sensitivity to metal fatigue in his newly acquired " Vibranium Sense ".
"The cooling pipes in the industrial area are faulty. They're processing Vibranium in a high-temperature environment, and the pressure valves in the cooling water circulation system are nearing their limit. Injecting even a small amount of excess cold water, or causing localized overheating, could cause the pipes to burst. The high-pressure steam would instantly paralyze all electronic equipment and also provide cover for special forces."
Emma Frost looked at the glint in Ye Mo's eyes and felt a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her. This man always seemed to find the narrowest, yet most deadly, path in Extremis. He didn't rely on brute force, but on his intellect and his impeccable control over every detail.
"Pack these coordinates together," T'Challa ordered. "I'm sending them to S.H.I.E.L.D.., the Africa Union, and the representatives of those neutral countries that are currently observing. Tell them this is their last chance. Whoever makes the first move will reap the greatest rewards."
Without hesitation, Ye Mo's fingers flew across the keyboard. He compiled all the data he had just analyzed—structural weaknesses, blind spots in defense, peak energy fluctuations, and even the movement patterns of Klaue's agents—into a high-precision intelligence package.
This intelligence package is more than just coordinates; it's a "combat guide."
"Send." Ye Mo pressed the Enter key.
The progress bar on the screen advanced rapidly, and data packets flew like arrows to command centers around the world.
Next, we just wait.
Silence returned to the cave, but this silence was different from before. The previous silence was the oppressive calm before a storm; the current silence was the cool composure of a hunter after locking onto its prey.
Ye Mo leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath. His face was a little pale; the prolonged high-intensity mental concentration had made him feel dizzy. But he couldn't afford to rest, because he knew this was just the beginning.
"How are you?" Emma Frost walked over to him and handed him a bottle of water.
Ye Mo took the water, took a sip, and moistened his dry throat. "Still on the way. Satellite transmission takes time, and command centers in various countries also need time to assess and act."
"Are you sure they'll listen to you?" Emma Frost asked. "After all, we've only offered advice; we don't have any actual military force."
"They'll listen," Ye Mo smiled, a hint of self-deprecation in his smile. "Because I'm ' Mr. X. ' In this circle, my name means 'accuracy.' Besides, I have Klaue's ledgers; they don't want this money to go down the drain."
Just then, an urgent voice came through the communication channel.
"Roger! Coordinates confirmed! First assault team has departed!"
"Hostile activity detected towards the coastal docks; they are approaching!"
"Industrial zone direction... Good heavens, how come there are so many heat signatures over there?!"
A slight smile curved Ye Mo's lips.
"It seems the show has begun."
He closed his eyes again, expanding his perception to its limit. He didn't need to see the battle; he only needed to hear the Vibranium's "cry."
What kind of lamentations will those hidden Vibranium emit when Klaue's stronghold is destroyed? How will the flow of energy change when the enemy's defenses collapse? These are the factors Ye Mo uses to assess the battle situation.
It was a strange experience. He was like a ghost, wandering the battlefield, feeling the shock of every explosion and the resonance caused by every release of energy.
"First target hit," Ye Mo said softly. "The underground warehouse has collapsed. Klaue's main force is trapped."
"The second target..." Emma Frost frowned, "The signal at the coastal docks has disappeared. Was it destroyed, or was it moved?"
"No," Ye Mo shook his head, "The signal became erratic. Someone is trying to destroy evidence. But it's too late. S.H.I.E.L.D..'s drone swarm has already covered that area."
"What about the third target?" T'Challa asked, his eyes fixed on the red marker on the map.
Ye Mo remained silent for a moment.
The situation in the industrial zone is more complicated. The Vibranium signal there remains strong, but thermal imaging of the surrounding area indicates that a new force is intervening. It's neither Klaue's nor the Coalition's.
"There's a third party there," Ye Mo said. "Someone's trying to take advantage of the situation."
T'Challa's face darkened. " Hydra?"
"Uncertain. But their energy fluctuations are familiar." Ye Mo pointed to the flashing red dot on the map. "It's inside the industrial zone. Klaue seems to have anticipated this; he set up the processing point there to lure them out. Now, the two wolves have collided."
Emma Frost sighed. "It's a complete mess."
"This is just the beginning." Ye Mo opened his eyes, his gaze deep. " Klaue won't sit idly by. He will definitely retaliate. And what we need to do is pull out all his teeth before he retaliates."
He stood up and walked to the holographic map. At that moment, the red markers on the map were turning off one by one, and being replaced by blue control areas.
"Clean up the site," T'Challa ordered. "Make sure nothing is missed. Especially those Vibranium samples; they must all be recovered."
"Understood," Ye Mo replied.
He glanced at Emma Frost, then at T'Challa. Both of their eyes revealed exhaustion, but even more so, an excitement at the prospect of victory.
They are destined to win this battle.
At least in this phase, they are the winners.
Ye Mo picked up the communicator on the table, preparing to report the latest developments to all parties. However, just as his finger touched the button, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his mind.
That wasn't Vibranium resonance, but rather... a warning.
A gaze from the abyss.
Ye Mo froze in mid-air, his pupils suddenly contracting.
"What's wrong?" Emma Frost keenly noticed his change.
Ye Mo didn't answer. He just stared intently at the red marker on the map that had gone out, as if something there was casting a cold gaze at him through the screen.
"Something's not right," Ye Mo said in a low voice. "It's going too smoothly."