Chapter 256: Staking Out

Han Meng stood there quietly, as if he hadn't felt the suspicious and burning gazes around him, his expression unchanged.

For a Five-Stripe Enforcer to skip ranks and serve as the Deputy Captain for such an important mission was naturally something that would easily make people jealous. If he were a "sensible" Enforcer with a bit of experience, he should have started being humble at this point, preferably by flattering the other high-ranking Enforcers to win them over and slightly ease internal relations...

But under everyone's gaze, Han Meng only replied lightly:

"I will handle this matter."

The two Six-Stripe Enforcers immediately gritted their teeth, their gazes toward Han Meng growing colder.

Just as they were speaking, a large green-tented vehicle slowly pulled up in front of headquarters. This was the vehicle to take them to the Aurora Base. Seeing that the vehicle had arrived, Qiong Xuan didn't waste any more words; after all, he had already achieved the effect he wanted... He waved his hand.

"Get on the vehicle first."

The Enforcers immediately boarded. Chen Ling kept his head down and trailed at the very back of the line. During the mission, it was best for him to keep his distance from the others to avoid deep conversation and revealing any flaws.

Also left behind by the crowd was Han Meng.

As Chen Ling boarded and sat in the last seat, Han Meng was the last to come up and sat right across from him. After the vehicle started and moved forward with some bumps, the air suddenly fell into silence.

"Your name is Chen Xin?" Han Meng looked at him and asked calmly.

"...Yes."

"When were you promoted to Enforcer?"

"About three years ago."

"Path?"

"[Asura]."

Hearing the word [Asura], Han Meng was slightly taken aback. A figure instantly flashed through his mind.

He re-examined the young Enforcer in front of him. "Why were you late?"

"...I was saying goodbye to my family. My younger sister kept pestering me and wouldn't let me leave, so it took a bit of time..."

Han Meng nodded.

"Your salary for this month is gone. Don't let it happen again."

After saying this, Han Meng closed his eyes, as if starting to rest and gather his strength, and stopped paying attention to Chen Ling.

Chen Ling: ...

Although it wasn't Chen Ling's salary being deducted, having been a corporate slave for so long in his previous life, he hated hearing about salary deductions more than anything. But in this situation, there was nothing he could do about Han Meng...

But then again, Han Meng had just been released from court, and Tan Xin had immediately arranged for him to enter the Aurora Base. In this, Chen Ling sensed a different atmosphere.

He knew Han Meng too well. Han Meng was not the type of guy willing to be a security guard for others. If he had really done so, his goal certainly wouldn't be money or status... Then what was his goal in entering the Aurora Base?

Chen Ling also closed his eyes, calculating everything in his heart. Perhaps after entering the Aurora Base, he could make good use of Han Meng as a variable.

Chen Ling felt no guilt about using Han Meng; after all, just a few days ago, he had personally fished Han Meng out of court... Now, taking a little interest in return, that wasn't too much, right?

The two of them, each harboring their own ulterior motives, closed their eyes as the vehicle bumped along, slowly approaching the Aurora Base in the night...

……

"This is my third day staking out around the Aurora Base."

In the biting cold wind, Wen Shilin huddled in a corner, constantly blowing warm air onto his hands, which had been chilled by the wind.

As he whispered, the pen and notebook by his feet wrote rapidly.

"I've been scouting for so long, and I still haven't found a way to sneak into the Aurora Base... The security measures here are too strict; getting in is as difficult as ascending to heaven."

"The only thing I can do now is stay nearby and record the personnel or vehicles entering and leaving every day. In the absence of being able to enter the base, I can only pray for a breakthrough in this regard."

"Three vehicles entered during the day today, and three left, consistent with the previous two days. It should be the base's daily operations and maintenance. In short, there haven't been any abnormalities so far."

"I don't know if all this is in vain... but it seems this is all I can do."

As Wen Shilin was speaking, a slight humming sound approached from a distance. His eyes brightened slightly. Using the surrounding cover, he carefully poked his head out to look in the direction the sound was coming from.

"It's 1:20 AM, a vehicle is coming."

"Judging from the appearance, it's a large green-tented vehicle for transporting people. I estimate the capacity is under thirty people. It's coming from the southeast..." He picked up a pair of binoculars. "There are curtains blocking the view, so I can't see the specific situation inside, but they all seem to be Enforcers wearing black windbreakers."

"Looking at it this way, this vehicle should be coming from the Enforcer headquarters. Could it be that the Aurora Base's security is about to be rotated?"

Under Wen Shilin's gaze, the vehicle stopped in front of the base gate. Several Enforcers walked out of the base, holding a list and walking to the vehicle to verify them one by one, as if confirming the number and identities. This process lasted about ten minutes before the vehicle slowly drove into the base.

Wen Shilin was basically certain that the security inside the base was about to be rotated, but he still didn't have the slightest opportunity to enter... He could only sit back on the ground helplessly. It seemed there would be no findings tonight either.

Buzz buzz buzz—

Just as Wen Shilin was disappointed, another vehicle drove out of the darkness.

He was slightly taken aback, immediately climbed up, raised his binoculars, and his brow furrowed involuntarily...

"It's not a large green-tented vehicle, but a tightly sealed unknown vehicle. The appearance doesn't reveal its specific purpose, but it looks like it's carrying something... The vehicle is coming from the due north. Due north... besides the public hospital, there's nothing due north, right?"

Wen Shilin was thoughtful.

"Could what's being carried in that vehicle be..."

……

"Why is there another vehicle behind?"

Chen Ling had just gotten off the vehicle when he saw a mysterious vehicle following closely behind to enter the base. An Enforcer beside him asked in confusion,

"Could it be that besides us, other Enforcers are coming for the rotation? That shouldn't be..."

"That doesn't look like it's for transporting people. Could it be a supply vehicle?"

"If it's a supply vehicle, it seems a bit small, doesn't it?"

“……”

Just as the Enforcers were whispering, Qiong Xuan glanced over and said in a deep voice, "Don't be curious about things you shouldn't be."

As soon as this sentence was spoken, everyone fell silent. After lining up neatly, they were led toward the interior of the Aurora Base.

After passing through three or four small warehouses, they arrived in front of a small mound of dirt. They looked around blankly, seemingly still looking for where the main body of the base was. Just then, Qiong Xuan's voice sounded again:

"What are you standing there for? Go in."

"Go in where?"

Qiong Xuan reached out and pointed to the mound in the darkness.

Everyone looked closely and only then realized that it was a hemispherical man-made structure, shaped like a bunker. And at this moment, in the center of the bunker, an elevator leading deep underground was waiting for them quietly.

"The Aurora Base is below."