Two hours later, the battle ended. It was Stardragon's most successful operation against the Germinal Organization yet. They had destroyed the base and gathered a wealth of information. Thanks to Han Xiao's intelligence, the Thirteenth Bureau's top brass were very satisfied.
But Lin Yao had found neither of the two pieces of information they cared about most: the communications records for [DarkStar] and the significance of Han Xiao's codename, "Zero," within the Germinal Organization.
The former was a fabrication and naturally did not exist. The latter concerned the Germinal Organization's test subject program and was protected by top-level encryption, making it impossible to leak.
The secret operations trio returned to headquarters without stopping. Li Yalin reluctantly returned the mechanical arm, and her superior asked, "Was the Light Power Arm any good?"
So that was what it was called. Something so brutal was right up Li Yalin's alley. She nodded. "This mission succeeded thanks to that piece of equipment. Who made it?"
"I can't tell you that."
"Will the department supply more Light Power Arms in the future?" Li Yalin looked at him expectantly.
"That depends on what the higher-ups decide."
Unwilling to give up, Li Yalin's eyes darted about. She stopped pestering her superior and went to the logistics department to find Luo Xuan, the most likely inventor.
The badge on her chest was the symbol of the secret operations department, so she passed through without hindrance. Her arrival drew a crowd of idle logistics staff. Her delicate, pretty face made the personnel, who spent all year surrounded by machine oil and the stink of sweat, drool.
Although the thirteen departments were nominally equal in rank, their duties and authority differed, and people regarded some more highly than others. The secret operations department was full of powerful people (and beautiful women) and packed with elites (and excellent benefits). It had always been a place people aspired to join.
Li Yalin looked around and called out, "I'm looking for Luo Xuan."
Everyone turned to Luo Xuan, envy written all over their faces.
Nice going. The logistics department's ace really lived up to his reputation. He'd quietly gotten himself acquainted with a beauty from secret operations, and she'd even come looking for him. Maybe he'd be able to join the secret operations department one day and rise to the top.
Quite a few people wondered whether they should congratulate Luo Xuan in advance and curry favor with him.
Luo Xuan didn't know Li Yalin and was utterly baffled. Could the secret operations department be looking to recruit me?
His heart skipped a beat. The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Suppressing his excitement, he feigned composure and said, "I'm Luo Xuan. May I ask your name?"
"Li Yalin."
"What can I help you with?" Luo Xuan thought he looked every bit the gentleman.
"Are you the one who invented that mechanical power arm?"
Mechanical arm? Luo Xuan immediately thought of the Light Power Arm that had made him lose face in front of the department head. Assuming something had gone wrong with it and she had come to demand an explanation, he secretly gloated and put on a serious expression. "Was there a problem with it?"
"No. I thought it worked really well, and I wanted to order one for myself."
That made things awkward. The logistics staff exchanged peculiar looks. They remembered Luo Xuan's disdainful assessment of the mechanical arm, and they all stared at him. Their gazes made him wish the ground would swallow him whole.
Luo Xuan's expression darkened. A secret operations agent was actually raving about the machine he had called garbage, and its user had even come specifically to order one. The misunderstanding made him feel as if he had swallowed a fly, but he couldn't very well lash out. He could only force a smile. "I didn't invent it."
Li Yalin was baffled. Annoyed, she said, "Why didn't you say so earlier? You wasted my time."
Luo Xuan's face darkened. He watched his colleagues walk away, stifling mischievous smiles, and felt thoroughly frustrated.
Feng Jun walked over and said in a businesslike tone, "The inventor's identity is classified. Please don't discuss it or speculate about it."
Li Yalin looked surprised. "Classified?"
Luo Xuan, however, felt a flicker of unease. He thought the bureau was placing a little too much importance on this mysterious mechanic. He worried that the man might threaten his position; after all, there was competition between people in the same profession.
If he joins the logistics department, I have to suppress him.
Luo Xuan made up his mind in secret.
At one of the Germinal Organization's bases.
"Leader, sub-base forty-five has been destroyed."
"Who did it?"
"Stardragon."
"Where did they get the information?"
"We don't know."
The leader was baffled. The Germinal Organization's sub-bases were spread across the globe. Some secret bases were hidden within the borders of the six nations, serving as trump cards for a full-scale war in the future. They had remained in "frozen dormancy," conducting no activities whatsoever. There was no chance they could have been exposed, so how had one been discovered?!
Could someone on the inside have leaked the information? Was there a spy in the organization?
Only the upper ranks knew where the secret bases were. If one of them had defected, it would be a major blow to the organization.
He secretly decided to purge the organization.
The leader never suspected Han Xiao at all. How could a lowly test subject who had never had access to the organization's secrets be responsible? He was the first person who could be ruled out.
The mere thought of Zero irritated the leader. The dark web bounty had been up for so long, yet there had been no news at all.
"The little bug ran fast enough. You had the nerve to declare war on us so brazenly. Sooner or later, I'll crush you. With your strength alone, don't even dream of dislodging a single brick from the organization!"
The leader smiled coldly and arrogantly.
"Han Xiao's been missing for three days. Where on earth did he go?"
Lü Qian paced anxiously, blaming herself. "Could he have gotten lost?" she murmured. "It's all my fault. I didn't buy him a phone, and now I can't get in touch with him. He's from out of town and doesn't know anyone or anything in West Capital. What is he going to do?"
Old Man Lü comforted her. "Look on the bright side. Maybe he's just dead?"
"..."
Lü Qian was speechless. "Grandpa, why are you so prejudiced against him?"
Old Man Lü picked his nose and didn't answer.
Lü Qian's eyes suddenly lit up. She leaned toward Old Man Lü and said, "Grandpa, please ask someone to help look for him."
"In your dreams," Old Man Lü grumbled.
"Just do your granddaughter a favor."
"Ha! When you stole my book collection, why didn't you remember I was your grandpa?"
"Those were little things. Please forgive me."
"Give it up."
"You really won't help?"
"No!"
Lü Qian smiled, a dark aura rising from her. "How about I help you sell all that fine liquor you've hidden under your bedroom floor?"
Old Man Lü jolted. "Now, listen to yourself. How could your grandpa be so petty? It's just a matter of finding someone. Leave it to me."
"Thank you, Grandpa." Lü Qian smiled sweetly.
Old Man Lü sighed and went aside to call Old Man Gao. "Old man, did your people take Han Xiao away?"
"...You figured it out?"
"What did he do?"
"Nothing. We just need to work with him."
"As long as he didn't do anything wrong, hurry up and send him back. Otherwise, my granddaughter will ruin all the liquor I've treasured."
"That's against regulations. You're putting me in a difficult position."
"Cut the crap. You made the regulations. You still owe me for screwing me over last time. I don't care-just hurry up and get Han Xiao back here."
Old Man Gao said helplessly, "All right, got it."
After hanging up, Old Man Lü looked indignant. He wanted nothing more than for Han Xiao to get lost, yet he had been forced to bring him back. Hmph, women really do all side with outsiders, especially that woman who gave me a son back then. She had no sense of propriety. She was someone else's wife, yet it was so easy for me to win her over. Sigh, the charm I had in my youth is gone for good.
Old Man Lü stroked his bald head and sighed.