The man Fu Yafang collided with head-on was the mysterious figure who had rescued her from the main conference room previously.
His ability to discern Fu Yafang’s true identity back then indicated he must be a Xian Xia agent; truly a savior sent from heaven!
Fu Yafang feigned anger and raised her hand, placing it into the one extended by the man. He had a white handkerchief spread flat across his palm, a gentlemanly gesture to avoid direct contact with her.
As the man pulled her up, he felt the strength in Fu Yafang’s hand, understanding dawning on him.
“Madam, it was my fault. How may I compensate you?” the man asked respectfully and politely. Though his demeanor seemed a bit oily, it was perfectly fitting for the situation.
The guards not far away had already noticed their interaction; they were all informants for Grand Commander Xing Chen.
“Yes, I need to return to my residence to retrieve some documents Grand Commander Xing Chen requires. Since you’ve bumped into me, as compensation, you should give me a ride home,” Fu Yafang said with a hint of annoyance in her tone.
“My pleasure~ Please, my hovercar is parked right outside,” the man said, bowing slightly with a smile.
As the two of them settled into the man’s hovercar, a subtle atmosphere immediately emerged.
Fu Yafang cut straight to the chase, “Gu Ya’s situation is extremely dangerous. I need to use your channels to report to Xian Xia. Any intelligence bureau will do! It must be fast.”
She then added, “I’ve seen the news; Mu Ye Xing Chen’s election support rate is dropping. I predict he will lose. Hong Lian Zhi Wu has already expelled me from the laboratory. I fear that Mu Ye Xing Chen, due to his potential loss, might implement even more brutal experiments on Gu Ya. It must be fast!”
The man interrupted Fu Yafang as they passed a checkpoint. After showing his credentials to the androids, they were quickly allowed through.
Having just escaped immediate danger, Fu Yafang stated, “Moreover, my situation is also very perilous. Hong Lian Zhi Wu has explicitly threatened my life.”
The man calmly replied, “You trust me so much, aren’t you afraid I might be a bad person?”
Fu Yafang affirmed, “No, as fellow intelligence personnel, I can infer your identity is extremely secretive and of no low rank. Besides, I am blessed with good fortune.”
The man smiled faintly. It was the first time he had heard someone praise his luck, especially from an intelligence operative.
For those like them working behind enemy lines, the dangers they faced daily were no less than those of battlefield mech pilots.
The man said solemnly, “You guessed correctly. I belong to Special Nine Division, and I am the overall head of Special Nine Division here. Tsk tsk, I must say, your luck is truly exceptional, encountering me during both dangerous situations.”
“Then, Ms. Qing Lian,” the man said with confidence. He had likely investigated Fu Yafang long ago and knew her information intimately. Addressing her by her codename here was a sign of respect for Fu Yafang, a fellow intelligence operative. “My name is Zhao Xuezhi, codename ‘销轴’ (Xiao Zhou). Tell me all the intelligence you know, and I will make the arrangements.”
“I have another proposal: your original identity as a special agent of the Wu He City Intelligence Bureau remains unchanged, and I also wish to recruit you as a member of Special Nine Division.”
Fu Yafang contemplated. She was already a double agent, and she would later need to infiltrate Lai Jing Fa Nan City for missions. Adding another identity as a member of Special Nine Division would make her a quadruple agent.
More identities meant more secrets, and the truth would become more concealed. This seemed to be a choice for self-preservation.
“Then, who should I serve? The Wu He City Intelligence Bureau, or Special Nine Division?” Fu Yafang asked.
Zhao Xuezhi smiled faintly, “Xian Xia.”
…
After another month of search and combat, apart from Shen Jingming, everyone else in Eagle Squadron Three was starting to buckle.
Over the past month, they had eliminated five Black Star camps entrenched in the Xian Xia territory, but the useful intelligence they had captured was meager.
Sitting amidst the enemy camp, littered with mech wreckage, Ye Ying’s weary face showed a hint of unease and anxiety.
The longer the delay, the lower the chance of rescuing Gu Ya.
A similar sense of unease flickered across the faces of the other squadron members. Apart from Shen Jingming, everyone else had witnessed Gu Ya’s unfathomable void technology. They all knew that if Gu Ya’s unknown technology were successfully researched by Black Star, it would be a devastating blow to Xian Xia.
Liu Feng sat beside Ye Ying and handed her a ration of Black Star military food, offering comfort, “Eat something. Gu Ya is my brother, and I’m just as worried as you. But people can’t go without eating, can they? You haven’t eaten for three days. If Gu Ya knew you were torturing yourself like this, he might even blame me, haha.”
“Shut up,” Ye Ying replied testily. She sighed softly and then said in a soothing tone, “Thank you. I… I am indeed very anxious.”
Liu Feng rested his arms behind his head, using them as a pillow, and leaned against a mech wreck. “Yeah, I can understand how you feel. Ever since I knew Ya Fang went to the Black Star Empire, I’ve been worried sick every day.”
Ye Ying took small bites of the military ration and looked at Liu Feng, asking, “You’ve been collecting Black Star mech initiators recently, haven’t you? Don’t think I don’t know; you want to learn mech piloting techniques from them.”
Liu Feng chuckled sheepishly, nodded, and said, “I’m the drag on the team. I can’t always rely on my teammates, so I have to find a way to improve my own piloting skills.”
As they were chatting, Shen Jingming walked over, playing a game, and said calmly, “The intelligence department has found Gu Ya’s whereabouts.”
“What!?”
Ye Ying and Liu Feng exclaimed simultaneously. Forgetting their food, Ye Ying joyfully rushed to Shen Jingming and asked, “Where?”
“Shan Hai City, Black Star Empire,” Shen Jingming replied faintly, looking up at Ye Ying, which was rare.
Liu Feng also rushed over, shouting with a smile, “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go quickly! Go to the Black Star Empire and save Gu Ya!”
Shen Jingming calmly asked, “With just the few of us?”
Ye Ying calmly recognized the issue and asked, “What are the arrangements from above? Is there an action plan? Time, where to rendezvous? What are the tactical arrangements?”
“They told us to wait,” Shen Jingming said calmly.
“Wait!?” Liu Feng shouted unhappily, “How can we wait! Don’t they know that the longer we wait, the more things will go wrong!! Damn it! I’m so angry! Gu Ya is a hero who saved Xian Xia City after all! How can we just wait! No, I’m going to save Gu Ya, if you guys aren’t going, I’ll go alone!”
Liu Feng took two steps, then realized his impulsiveness and obediently turned back to Shen Jingming and Ye Ying.
At this moment, Tao Na and Qiao Weiwei also gathered around.
Shen Jingming calmly said, “According to the intelligence, Gu Ya’s condition is still very stable and not in immediate danger. They want you to proceed to Deng Yuan City in advance and await an opportunity.”
“Ha! The Xian Xia intelligence department is finally getting serious!” Qiao Weiwei said with contempt, revealing her dissatisfaction with the intelligence department.
Tao Na spoke up, “Captain, there’s no time to lose. Let’s depart immediately.”
Ye Ying’s face was now happier than anyone else’s. She asked again, “Does the intelligence really say Gu Ya is safe now?”
Shen Jingming’s gaze held a hint of peculiarity, and he said cautiously, “Only temporarily.”
As Shen Jingming finished speaking, Ye Ying received the mission assigned by her superiors, and its content was exactly the same as what Shen Jingming had said.
Liu Feng suddenly realized how Shen Jingming knew in advance. It seemed this God of War had many secrets he couldn’t reveal.
Ye Ying declared, “Now, all personnel will proceed to Deng Yuan City. Upon arrival, we will rest well and prepare to go to the Black Star Empire for combat.”
“Okay!” Liu Feng agreed.
“Received, Captain!” Tao Xi said.
“I’d like to see what the Black Star Empire actually looks like,” Qiao Weiwei said with a smug smile.
Shen Jingming, however, said calmly, “I have my own mission, I apologize.” He then walked alone towards the Black Hell.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Liu Feng rushed over and grabbed Shen Jingming, asking, “Brother Shen, where are you going? Don’t you want to charge into the Black Star Empire, turn the place upside down, save Gu Ya, and avenge Xian Xia?”
Shen Jingming pulled Liu Feng’s hand away and walked towards the Black Hell without saying a word.
The roar of several mech engines thundered across the land. Ye Ying led three team members, flying towards Deng Yuan City in the south, while Shen Jingming detached from Eagle Squadron Three and headed alone towards Xian Xia City in the north.