Chapter 140: Rescue Operation (Part One)

Jiang Huan found out very quickly.

Because not long after they set off, they encountered signal interference in the waters of the island nation, and were attacked by the enemy using grenades. They almost lost control of the submarine, which would have meant a watery reunion for everyone.

The helicopter acting as a decoy was also attacked, resulting in the loss of a co-pilot.

Yet, no one stopped.

Having finally broken through the first hurdle and reached the shore, exhausted before they could even rest, they had to immediately leave their current area, constantly regrouping and changing locations. In the end, Jiang Huan and three genuine mission members arrived in front of a tall building.

Compared to the surrounding dilapidated and abandoned structures, this five-story building looked exceptionally out of place.

"Which floor?" Jiang Huan asked the team leader.

The leader was holding the actual mission details. To ensure authenticity, the rest of the team had been kept in the dark about each step of the plan, being assigned tasks as they went.

Initially, Jiang Huan was not accepted by this leader. However, along the way, not a single scratch appeared on her. When they encountered an attack from the Ark Squad, she single-handedly severed the oxygen tubes of four enemies, later claiming it was an accident. Only then did the leader experience what defying-the-heavens luck truly was.

Consequently, Jiang Huan found herself included in the final core team.

"You, and you, go upstairs. Jiang Huan and I will stay downstairs to provide cover. If you don't see us, leave immediately. Do not worry about us; follow the previous evacuation route to the submarine."

"Understood."

Both possessed exceptional combat skills and vanished into the stairwell a moment later without triggering the enemy's alarm.

Jiang Huan was also eager to test her skills, keeping her eyes fixed on the perimeter movements, but the team leader beside her motioned for her to follow him.

Jiang Huan obeyed the order, though a sense of doubt arose in her heart.

Because instead of staying put, the leader led her to a nearby sewer manhole, pulled off the cover, and told Jiang Huan to go down first while he took responsibility for closing the lid upon leaving.

Jiang Huan climbed down the very narrow ladder, using her night-vision goggles to spot quite a few living creatures.

As well as a rickety ladder covered in rust. Judging by the stench hitting her nose, there was no shortage of filth clinging to it.

Even with the body-tempering fluid in her system, Jiang Huan dared not let her guard down. She concentrated fully on avoiding sharp spots and kept giving prompts to the leader above her.

Once both of them reached the bottom, they found the water in the sewer had already risen to knee height. Jiang Huan chose not to look at the objects floating on the surface.

The leader offered no explanations as he walked familiarly through the tunnels, bringing Jiang Huan to a circular concrete conduit. They discovered dirty water leaking outward, and someone grumbled as they crawled out from inside, using an iron rod to poke and clear away blocked garbage and sludge.

Jiang Huan and the leader instantly silenced themselves, not making the slightest sound.

After the person's movements had ceased for about five or six minutes, the leader led Jiang Huan forward again. They walked along the conduit, and as they neared the end, the leader checked his communicator. After waiting a few minutes, alarms suddenly blazed downstairs. Jiang Huan instinctively drew her gun, but the leader pressed her down and shook his head.

Before long, two yellow-haired men dressed as workers who had been stationed near the pipe entrance also chased outside. Only then did the two of them jump in.

This was a place resembling a laundry room, where all kinds of dirty and smelly clothes and bedding were washed. Jiang Huan and the leader each slipped into a pair of yellow overall-style rain trousers and oversized rubber boots, covered their faces, and chased outward.

Along the way, the leader responded with composure, using an all-access card to open numerous doors and simply bypassing those that wouldn't budge. Finally, ten minutes later, they found their destination.

"Failed, failed. Please scan iris."

Damn it, this was clearly the rhythm of an impending alarm.

Jiang Huan drew her gun and fired two rapid shots, then fiercely drove her rose dagger into the switch panel. With a twist, the formidable material of the dagger easily surpassed the so-called new composite materials, instantly destroying the iron box shielding the switch.

The leader looked in disbelief as Jiang Huan pressed the manual open button. Good grief, how dared she resort to a blade directly? Weren't you afraid the knife wouldn't destroy the iron box and would instead trigger the alarm?

Yet, somehow, she had indeed destroyed the iron box.

The switch opened, and a voice in British English emanated from within, demanding to know what they were here for.

The leader neutralized two opponents with two gunshots, then took the lead in clearing the room, discovering a total of three people inside. The only one left uneliminated was held at gunpoint by him, and the mission target was quickly located.

It was an extremely young male—a boy with acne on his face?!

"Lv Pengchun." The leader confirmed his appearance and prepared to take him away.

"Ah, you really came to rescue me! Let's go, let's go quickly. This place serves nothing but salad and chicken breast every day; it's driving me crazy, my brain is barely functioning."

The boy—no, at least a youth named Lv Pengchun—prepared to leave with the two of them. Everyone called him by his English name, and very few knew his actual name, let alone such an earthy one, so anyone who could call him by it must be family.

Since family had come, how could he not follow along?

Yet, despite saying they were leaving, the target still copied something in place and then sabotaged a certain device before following the two of them. This delay caused the three of them to hear other people rushing over as they approached the drainage pipe.

The leader made a split-second decision, throwing a bomb in the opposite direction to create a massive distraction, and shoved Lv Pengchun toward Jiang Huan: "Take him and leave! Hide first; our people will definitely find you. Pay attention, don't lose your communicator!"

With that, he ran off to create further commotions. Jiang Huan had no time to change her equipment, grabbed Lv Pengchun, and bolted into the concrete pipe. The commotion behind her did not pause, chasing after the leader instead.

A sudden blockage formed in Jiang Huan's chest. The leader...

And the team members who had gone upstairs earlier were probably all gone now.

Lv Pengchun, your value better be worth everyone's sacrifice and dedication. If you're just some high-ranking official's relative, I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth and kill you.

Jiang Huan dragged the person along, running, climbing, and crawling. When the two finally rested amidst a ruins, the guy immediately collapsed against a wall and vomited uncontrollably.

"You—you're a woman, why are you so rude!" After finishing vomiting, Lv Pengchun started bickering with Jiang Huan and even threatened to report her.

Jiang Huan looked at him coldly: "Out here for so long, and that's all you've learned? You probably have no idea how many people sacrificed themselves just to pull you out. You better be worth this trouble."

Lv Pengchun choked back his words, looking sheepish and falling silent.

Yet his personality wasn't one that could be changed so easily. Having apparently grown up sheltered and pampered all the way, it wasn't long before he demanded water, a wash, and something to wipe his hands.

Fortunately, Jiang Huan had all of those and satisfied every request.

Lv Pengchun looked curiously at Jiang Huan's small backpack, only to be intimidated away by a single glare from her, not daring to ask any more questions.

Jiang Huan and Lv Pengchun waited until evening without anyone contacting them. Anxiety and sorrow welled up in her heart.

"Beep, beep." Finally, her communicator rang.

Jiang Huan joyfully opened it, only to find that the incoming video feed displayed a stranger with blue eyes.