Joint Operation

Ye Mo's finger hovered above the communicator button, the pricking pain still lingering in his temples. The cave command room was deathly silent, save for the low hum of the server's cooling fans, like the breathing of some colossal creature in its slumber. He didn't immediately press send, but stared at the now-extinguished red marker on the holographic map, his eyes as cold as a frozen lake. It had gone too smoothly. This intuition was like a thorn, pricking the most sensitive spot in his nerves. But he had no time to dwell on it, because T'Challa had already picked up the communicator, and Emma Frost had closed her eyes, entering a state of near-meditative concentration.

"Send it." T'Challa's voice broke the silence, carrying an undeniable authority. "Now that you've seen the 'scenery,' let's turn that scenery into ruins."

Ye Mo took a deep breath, suppressing the inexplicable unease in his heart, and his finger fell heavily. The data packet was like a stone thrown into the deep sea, instantly creating ripples. This was not a one-sided attack, but a meticulously planned global encirclement. As the command was issued, the air in the command room seemed to ignite, and various encrypted channels began to pulse wildly.

"Received. First assault team in position."

"Heat signals are surging in the direction of the coastal port; drone swarms are covering the area."

"The industrial zone... Damn it, why are there so many reactions over there?!"

The voices on the communication channel were noisy and urgent, filled with tension. Ye Mo stopped listening to the details. He deactivated part of his Vibranium Sense to avoid the dizziness caused by overload affecting his judgment, and instead focused his attention entirely on the main screen in front of him. He didn't want to see the data, but the visuals.

A few seconds later, the holographic projection switched to real-time battlefield monitoring.

The skies over East Africa were torn apart by the contrails of fighter jets, several silver streaks slicing through the air – the joint air strike formation deployed by Wakanda and S.H.I.E.L.D.. The missiles, trailing long plumes of flame, pointed precisely at the three coordinates marked by Ye Mo, like the fingers of death.

The first target: the underground warehouse.

The massive explosion was even transmitted back to the command center via sensors. Although noise reduction was applied, the muffled roar still sent a chill down one's spine. The crack in the load-bearing column in the southeast corner, which Ye Mo had previously pointed out, proved fatal. With the first guided bomb hitting its target, the entire underground structure collapsed in a chain reaction. Amidst the billowing dust, the once-impregnated fortifications vanished instantly, trapping Klaue's main force in darkness and ruins. Flames shot into the sky, illuminating half the night sky—a visually stunning spectacle of destruction.

The second target: private marinas along the coast.

The situation here was slightly different. There was no direct bombing, but rather a violent short-circuit spark. Ye Mo's intelligence indicated that the hydraulic systems of the cranes there were severely aged; once the power source was cut off and a localized short circuit occurred, chaos could ensue. In the footage, the massive crane emitted a piercing metallic scraping sound before completely malfunctioning. Containers suspended in mid-air swayed precariously before finally crashing onto the cargo-laden deck. Thick smoke billowed, sparks flew, and Klaue's men scrambled in the chaos, trying to salvage the precious Vibranium samples, but it was all too late. S.H.I.E.L.D.. drones swarmed overhead like flies, recording every frame of the chaotic scene.

The third target is abandoned industrial areas.

This was the most complex part. The steam explosion triggered by the burst cooling pipes not only paralyzed the electronic equipment but also provided perfect cover for the special forces. In the footage, white steam filled the entire factory area, reducing visibility to extremely low levels. But under the thermal imaging lens, the enemies attempting to resist were as conspicuous as fireflies in the night. T'Challa's elite team silently infiltrated, using the steam as cover to eliminate the resistance one by one. The pressure valves in the cooling pipes had indeed reached their limit, and high-pressure steam gushed out like angry fire dragons, engulfing all the precision instruments.

The three strongholds collapsed almost simultaneously.

Ye Mo watched as the red markers on the screen went out one by one, replaced by blue control areas and yellow explosion icons representing the destruction effect. The feeling of unease he had was miraculously dissipated somewhat in the face of such massive and realistic physical destruction. Regardless of whether there was a larger conspiracy behind it, the blow before him was real. The fact that Klaue's power had been weakened was undeniable, and those once invincible mercenaries and agents could only wail in the ruins.

"Well done." T'Challa turned around, a victor's composure on his face. He didn't cheer or laugh, but calmly looked at Ye Mo, a glint of admiration in his eyes. For a king, this recognition was more weighty than any words. He walked to the holographic map and quickly issued the retrieval command, "Note that all Vibranium samples must be retrieved. I want to make sure nothing is missed, especially the core components."

Emma Frost stood beside Ye Mo, maintaining an elegant posture. She didn't use Telepathy to read his thoughts, but instead gently enveloped the slightly tense Ye Mo with her spiritual energy. She sensed the unease deep within Ye Mo's heart, but also conveyed a firm sense of support. Their eyes met in the air; no words were needed, and trust was solidified in that moment. Emma Frost's gaze was gentle yet resolute, as if saying: No matter what happens, we're here for you.

Ye Mo felt the burden on his shoulders lighten slightly. He picked up the water bottle on the table, took a sip, and moistened his dry throat. Water droplets slid down the bottle and dripped onto the tactical table, making a soft sound. He looked at the constantly scrolling battle reports on the screen, a smile curving his lips. The smile carried a hint of fatigue, but more so a sense of accomplishment from being in control of the overall situation.

"Clean up the scene," Ye Mo said into the communicator, his voice regaining its usual calm. "Make sure there are no residual energy fluctuations. 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."

"Understood." The replies from various factions came one after another, full of execution.

The atmosphere in the command room gradually relaxed. The previous tension and oppression were replaced by this exhilarating victory. Ye Mo leaned back in his chair, feeling the soreness in his muscles after the relaxation. The long hours of mental work had left him feeling exhausted, but his spirit was unusually high. He realized that he was not just an observer, but the core driving force behind this storm. His name—"Mr. X"—represented accuracy and lethality in this circle.

However, just as Ye Mo was about to put down the communicator and enjoy a moment of peace, he caught a glimpse of a small window in the corner of the screen. It was a live monitoring playback from the direction of the industrial area. In the embers of the explosion, a black figure seemed to flash by and disappear into the shadows.

Ye Mo's movements froze for a moment.

He squinted, carefully discerning the blurry outline. It wasn't an ordinary soldier, nor one of Klaue's men. The figure moved fluidly and eerily, as if blending into the darkness itself.

"What's wrong?" Emma Frost noticed his change and asked softly.

Ye Mo didn't answer. He just stared intently at the window, his fingers unconsciously tightening their grip on the water bottle. The bottle made a slight squeaking sound, followed by a crisp click.

"It's nothing," Ye Mo said softly, forcibly suppressing his doubts. "It might be a false alarm, or perhaps just someone who slipped through the net."

He turned to look at T'Challa and Emma Frost. The two were focused on compiling the battle report and hadn't noticed his odd behavior at all. Ye Mo took a deep breath and erased that image from his mind. Perhaps he was just overthinking it. After all, the situation was much better now; Klaue's main force had been destroyed, and what remained were just remnants.

"Report the final results." Ye Mo stood up, straightened the collar of his black hooded sweatshirt, and his tone returned to its usual nonchalant tone. "Tell all factions that the operation is over. Mission accomplished."

He picked up the communicator, preparing to send the final case report to global command. The light from the screen reflected off his silver-rimmed glasses, casting a cold gleam.

"Roger that." T'Challa nodded, turned, and headed for the door. "I'm going to check on the frontline recovery situation. You guys stay here and organize the detailed data files."

"Okay," Ye Mo replied.

After T'Challa left, only Ye Mo and Emma Frost remained in the command room. The wind outside seemed to have picked up, causing the dust curtain at the cave entrance to sway gently. Ye Mo sat at the control panel, his fingers rapidly typing on the keyboard, generating detailed battle reports. Every word was repeatedly checked to ensure there were no loopholes.

Emma Frost sat in the chair opposite him, holding a steaming cup of tea. The aroma of the tea filled the air, bringing a rare sense of warmth. She watched Ye Mo's busy figure, a hint of appreciation in her eyes. This man always managed to find a way out of a crisis, always able to ignite hope in despair.

"Are you tired?" Emma Frost asked softly.

"Not bad." Ye Mo stopped what he was doing and rubbed his temples. "My brain's just a little sluggish. But seeing those guys like Klaue get their comeuppance is pretty satisfying."

Emma Frost smiled but didn't speak. She knew that Ye Mo's ease was just a facade. He remained highly vigilant, like a cheetah ready to pounce at any moment.

Ye Mo stood up and walked to the window. Through the thick bulletproof glass, he could see the lingering smoke in the distant sky. The flames gradually died down, replaced by the faint light of dawn. A new day was about to begin, and their battle had only just entered its next phase.

He reached out, his fingertips lightly touching the cold glass surface. His slightly tired face was reflected in the glass, along with the deep darkness behind him.

"Let's go." Ye Mo withdrew his hand and turned to Emma Frost. "Let's check if T'Challa is in any trouble. And while we're at it, let's grab something to eat. I'm hungry."

Emma Frost picked up her teacup and stood up. The two walked out of the command room side by side, their footsteps echoing clearly in the empty corridor.

Behind them, on the holographic map, the location of the industrial zone still flickered with a faint red light, like an open eye, silently watching everything.