Jincheng, Central Plains.

Thunder Bureau Headquarters Command Center.

Upon hearing the urgent report, Director Lei Zhanyong abruptly stood up, his face filled with disbelief and fury:

"What did you just say? That damned orbital cannon that blasted the Third Legion is hidden in Silver City?!"

His voice trembled slightly with extreme anger and a sense of humiliation at being fooled and belittled.

"The ruins of Silver City are right under our noses, less than a hundred kilometers away?!"

You should know that ever since the Third Legion of Central Continent, which was heading to the Northern Territory, was nearly wiped out by a star-orbiting bombardment from an unknown source, their Thunder Bureau, together with the military intelligence agencies, has used countless manpower and resources to find out this hidden cancer and potential threat!

Who would have thought that this thing was hidden so close to Jincheng! Right under the nose of their Thunder Bureau headquarters!

This is simply rubbing the face of their Thunder Bureau and the entire Central State Military Department into the ground!

To these people who claim to be the guardians of the core security of Zhongzhou, they look like a bunch of utter good-for-nothings!

"Is the information...is the source accurate?!" Lei Zhanyong asked through gritted teeth, his face cold.

The intelligence chief, standing to the side, bowed his head deeply, his face filled with undisguised bitterness, and answered in a shameful voice:

“Absolutely true, Director. The source is... Lord Tianlong.”

"Tianlong?" Lei Zhanyong's pupils shrank. If it was that person who spoke, then there would be no more doubts about this matter.

The intelligence chief, forcing a smile, continued his report: "We've already dispatched the fastest reconnaissance team to confirm. The hidden orbital cannon base is indeed located beneath the Silver City ruins. It's massive in scale and technologically advanced, far exceeding our previous estimates. But..."

He paused, his tone carrying a complex emotion that was difficult to describe:

"But Lord Tianlong has already killed all the relevant personnel in the base. No one was left alive."

"Leave them alive? What good will leaving them alive do!" Lei Zhanyong shouted angrily, his face ashen.

"In our core defense zone, someone planted a bomb that could explode at any moment, and we were completely unaware until a knife was held to our throats! What can we expect from you?"

The faces of the surrounding commanders and judges burned with embarrassment.

The intelligence chief was also scolded so badly he couldn't lift his head, but he still hurriedly added: "However, preliminary identification of the bodies of the base personnel confirms that almost all of them are people closely related to the Ao family."

"The Ao family! How dare they?! Have they gone mad?" Lei Zhanyong was furious, pacing back and forth.

"No wonder...no wonder they could display a weapon of this caliber at Jin Cheng's doorstep, there was an inside man! If it weren't for Tianlong's chance discovery of it this time..."

Lei Zhanyong stopped abruptly as he spoke, a wave of fear washing over him.

At such close range, if it weren't for the number one figure on the Wind and Cloud Ranking overseeing Jincheng, the core leaders of Zhongzhou within Jincheng would likely face direct threats to their lives at any moment! The slightest misstep could lead to catastrophic consequences affecting the future of Zhongzhou!

Lei Zhan abruptly stopped, his sharp gaze sweeping over the intelligence chief and the other judges who were trembling with fear:

"A disgrace! This is the greatest disgrace since the establishment of our Thunder Bureau!"

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his churning blood, and with a deep voice, issued the order:

"First, immediately seal off the Silver City base with the highest level of security! Take control of all the wreckage, data, and technology! Investigate it inch by inch. I need to know how this thing was built, whether there are any accomplices, and whether there are any other hidden bases!"

"Secondly, the Ao family... Hmph!" Lei Zhanyong's eyes flashed with cold light:

"Report this to the authorities immediately! Prepare for a complete purge of the Ao family! All direct and collateral relatives, all related industries and personnel—not a single one can be spared! I want everyone to know what the consequences are for betraying Zhongzhou and using forbidden weapons to harm one's own people!"

“Third,” he said, glancing at the intelligence chief beside him, his tone grave:

"Tianlong mentioned...Zhou Zhenbei?"

The intelligence chief, his face pale, nodded with difficulty:

"Yes, Lord Tianlong only left behind this name before he left."

The command room fell into a deathly silence; you could hear a pin drop.

Zhou Zhenbei, General of Zhongzhou on the northern border defense line.

A veteran general! High-ranking and powerful!

If even he...

Lei Zhanyong's face immediately turned extremely ugly. He remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, his voice carrying a hint of weariness and a deeper determination:

"Regarding Zhou Zhenbei... initiate a top-level secret investigation, but be extremely careful not to alert him. However, all information related to him should be reported directly to me with the highest clearance level."

"Yes," the intelligence chief replied immediately.

Lei Zhanyong then raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his usual imposing demeanor returning:

"Gentlemen, beneath the skies of Central Plains, the rats lurking are more numerous, more cunning, and more deadly than we imagine!"

"This time it was a hidden orbital weapon from the Au family. What will it be next time? Could there be a knife already hanging over our heads without our knowledge?!"

"Everyone, pay close attention! I don't want to hear about another crisis where our Thunder Bureau is the last to know!"

"Yes, Chief!" The crowd responded in unison, their hearts filled with trepidation.

Lei Zhanyong gave a wink, and the intelligence chief immediately turned around to report the emergency.

While awaiting the official response, Lei Zhanyong remained silent, and the atmosphere in the command room became extremely tense.

A loud "boom" rang out!

A pale white bolt of lightning tore through the clouds above Jin City, instantly illuminating the world.

The rain poured down, and the rain got heavier and heavier.

Such terrible weather made it hard to even breathe.

As the wheels roughly rolled over the puddles, the splashing water was mixed with a cold metallic sheen.

Dozens of heavy armored vehicles painted with the Thunder Bureau insignia were parked in front of the Ao family mansion.

"Everyone assemble!"

The car door slid open suddenly, and rows of Awakened members dressed in black combat uniforms and wearing Thunder Bureau badges jumped out of the car and quickly lined up.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized, their faces stern, adding to the chill in the heavy rain.

Lei Zhanyong personally led the team, wearing a raincoat and standing at the very front of the group:

"Turn right!"

Countless dark gun barrels, glowing with concentrated energy, were all aimed at the gate of the Ao family.

Lei Zhanyong looked at the gate of the Ao family's residence and gave the order directly:

"Seal all entrances and exits! Implement Level A control: entry only, exit not allowed!"

"Yes." The blockade team behind him immediately sprang into action.

A moment later, a faint purple halo appeared in the sky, and the rising energy barrier completely sealed off the Ao family, preventing even a single bird from escaping.

The Thunder Bureau has completely surrounded the O's family.

Inside the Ao family mansion, the entire Ao family, who were anxiously awaiting "good news" from the Silver City base, suddenly erupted into chaos and were in complete disarray!

"What's going on?!"

What's that noise outside?!