Chapter 93 Closing the Net in the Capital! Using me as bait, we'll catch your entire family!
As the deep roar of the military plane pierced the night and landed at the secret airport on the western outskirts of Beijing, Lu Zhanting and Su Wanqing brought back not only an overseas victory, but also a warning of a storm sweeping across the mainland.
The entire capital city appeared to be as usual.
In the media, the legendary story of the miraculous doctor Su Wanqing being rescued from thousands of miles away by her heroic husband is igniting a boiling point of national sentiment.
But in the unseen depths, an ancient venomous snake known as the "Council" is quietly shrinking its body that has taken up residence in this land.
The Lu family compound, study.
The cold, white light made everyone's faces appear exceptionally solemn.
Marshal Lu Zhenguo, Yan Yunfei, and the cold-faced man codenamed "Dragon Head," the highest commander of "Dragon Fang," all focused their gazes on Lu Zhanting, who had just returned.
On the desktop, dozens of red dots flickered faintly on a huge electronic map of Beijing, like festering sores beneath the city's skin.
"Based on Noah's testimony and the 'Ark of Life' database, we have confirmed one thing." The dragon head's voice was low, each word carrying immense weight, "'The Longevity Society's' influence in the capital has infiltrated to an extent we cannot even imagine."
Yan Yunfei clenched his fists under the table, his knuckles turning white.
"The fact that they were able to impersonate central guards during the last parking lot attack suggests that they may already have informants in our heartland."
This deduction caused the temperature in the study to drop several degrees.
All eyes eventually turned to Lu Zhanting.
He hadn't slept all night, and the bloodshot eyes revealed a terrifying murderous intent.
He didn't look at anyone; his long, thin fingers slowly traced across the electronic map, as if stroking a sleeping dragon.
"They are a net, a net rooted in the darkness, feeding off the city's resources."
His voice was hoarse, yet it was strong and resolute.
“Pulling the lines one by one will only disturb the whole net. What I need to do is to pull the net, along with all the fish inside, out of the water all at once.”
"How do you carry it?" the dragon head asked.
Lu Zhanting's gaze fell on Su Wanqing beside him.
Facing the worried gazes of the crowd, Su Wanqing remained calm, unlike a girl who had just experienced a life-or-death ordeal.
"Use me as bait."
"no!"
Lu Zhenguo and Yan Yunfei stood up at the same time and rejected the idea in unison.
"This is too risky!" Lu Zhenguo slammed his hand on the table, making the teacup rattle. "Wanqing, you can't afford any more accidents!"
"Dad, Yunfei, let me finish." Su Wanqing's expression remained completely calm, a calmness that seemed to know everything.
"This is the only way to get them to come out in full force."
"They had an almost insane greed for me, or rather, for the secrets I possessed."
"They'll risk everything if the bait smells strong enough."
Her gaze shifted to Lu Zhanting, which was filled with unconditional trust.
Lu Zhanting gripped her hand tightly, the warmth of his palm conveying an undeniable determination.
He told everyone, "I won't let anything happen to her."
"This time, the battlefield is in the capital."
“On our territory, if you’re a dragon, you have to coil up; if you’re a tiger, you have to lie down.”
He turned his head and looked directly at the dragon head: "I need the highest level of clearance. The Sky Eye system is monitoring the entire city, and all 'Dragon Fang' units are on high alert."
"Authorization approved." The dragon head did not hesitate for a moment.
Su Wanqing then revealed her plan, every word of which was earth-shattering.
"Three days later, I will hold a global live-streamed press conference in the name of 'Wanqing Group'."
"At the meeting, I will announce that regenerative medicine technology has achieved a 'revolutionary breakthrough'."
She paused for a moment, then dropped the real bombshell.
“I will demonstrate a 'life essence' that can be mass-produced.”
A collective gasp filled the study.
This bait is no longer a question of whether it's tempting or not.
This is a nuclear bomb aimed directly at the core of the desires of the "Eternal Life Society" and the "Council"!
A living person is difficult to control, but an immortality technology that can be mass-produced is the holy grail they are willing to wage war to seize.
“They’ll go crazy.” A calculating glint flashed in Su Wanqing’s eyes. “They’ll use all their hidden forces to launch a full-scale attack when we’re most relaxed.”
Lu Zhanting took over the conversation, pointing his finger heavily on the map.
"And that will be our moment to close the net."
...
The news sent shockwaves around the world.
The unprecedentedly high-profile endorsement from Chinese state media propelled the press conference to its peak of popularity.
Countless gazes, filled with greed, covetousness, and suspicion, focused on the capital city from every corner of the world.
Unbeknownst to anyone, a city-wide legal net had been quietly cast.
The underground command center of the National Security Center in the Western Hills of Beijing.
On the giant screen wall, data streams cascaded down like a waterfall.
What were originally isolated red dots began to be connected by countless unseen clues within two days, outlining a hideous network.
"Report! Team A has located the target 'Tailor,' who completed a death message exchange with an Eastern European art dealer in Liulichang!"
"Report! Team B has detected large-scale abnormal fund movements in three dormant accounts, with the flow pointing to a shell company on Financial Street!"
"Report! Team C has intercepted a high-frequency encrypted signal from the military attaché's residence at the embassy of a North African country!"
Lu Zhanting stood in front of the command platform, his eyes as cold as the Siberian permafrost.
“Mark 'tailor' and 'painter' as third-level nodes.”
"Investigate and seize all individuals associated with these shell companies, and mark them all."
"Military officer's residence, Level One target! 'Dragon Fang' Team Five, prepare, awaiting my orders!"
The command was like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath—precise and deadly.
Su Wanqing sat beside him with her eyes closed.
She appeared to be resting, but in reality, her immense spiritual power had already spread out, like an invisible sensory network, merging with the surveillance equipment spread throughout the city.
The cold data presented a different picture in her mind—a flow of qi, a convergence of malice.
“Southwest corner, ‘Forget to Return’ teahouse.” She suddenly opened her eyes.
“Something’s not right there. The atmosphere… is dirty.”
Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Zhanting immediately located the teahouse on the map.
According to the information, it was just an ordinary chess and card room for the elderly.
"Seventh Group, infiltration and reconnaissance."
A few hours later, the intelligence sent chills down everyone's spines.
Beneath the teahouse lay a complex and heavily guarded secret hideout. Facial recognition even led them to two internationally wanted assassins on Interpol's Red Notice!
This is the command center of the "Eternal Life Society" in the capital!
As each node is lit up, a poison network consisting of thirty-six strongholds is clearly displayed on the screen.
The time to close the net has come.
The night before the press conference, at 9 PM.
The lights in every home in Beijing gradually went out.
The underground command center was filled with a chilling aura of menace.
Fully armed "Dragon Fang" warriors were already lying in ambush around the thirty-six target points, like cheetahs holding their breath in the dark.
Lu Zhanting put on his individual communication headset and stood in the center of the command platform.
His gaze swept over the thirty-six flashing red dots on the screen, leaving only pure killing intent.
"Attention all units."
His voice, transmitted through an encrypted channel, reached the ears of every soldier.
"The 'Pure Land' campaign is counting down."
"Ten, nine, eight..."
The chilling countdown is a death knell.
"Three, two, one!"
"action!"
At a command, thirty-six sharp arrows shot out into the air!
...
"Forget to Return" Teahouse.
Lu Zhanting personally led the team, descending from the sky and using directional explosives to tear open the roof, penetrating the core of the underground stronghold like a divine weapon.
They were met with a hail of bullets and a fearless counterattack.
The guards here are "death warriors" who have been modified by secret methods, and who are unaware of pain and unafraid of death.
"Proceed under cover!"
Lu Zhanting took the lead, and each burst of his rifle precisely pierced a bloody hole between the eyebrows of a suicide soldier.
His figure left afterimages amidst the hail of bullets, and each swing of his saber brought forth a cloud of blood mist.
But the suicide soldiers kept coming in, seemingly endless.
Just as the assault team was suppressed by firepower, a chilling aura suddenly exploded from deep within the stronghold.
An elderly man dressed in Tang suits, with an air of otherworldly wisdom, slowly walked out.
His face was kind, but his eyes were lifeless gray, devoid of any human radiance.
The head of the Beijing branch of the "Longevity Society" was codenamed "King Yama".
“Lu Zhanting,” “King Yama” spoke, his voice like ice rubbing together, “You shouldn’t have blocked my way.”
Before he finished speaking, he moved swiftly and appeared in front of Lu Zhanting like a ghost!
A withered hand, carrying a chilling aura capable of freezing the soul, pierced straight for Lu Zhanting's heart!
That's too fast!
Lu Zhanting's pupils contracted sharply, and he blocked the attack with his sword purely out of combat instinct.
"clang!"
With a loud bang, Lu Zhanting felt an overwhelming force surge through him, sending him flying backward. His back slammed hard against the alloy wall with a dull thud.
So strong!
This old monster's strength is from a completely different dimension!
"King Yama" gave him no chance to catch his breath, following him like a shadow, his moves insidious and vicious. Wherever his palm strikes passed, a layer of white frost would condense on the walls.
With his iron will and the experience honed in the sea of blood, Lu Zhanting managed to hold on, and several deep, bone-revealing wounds appeared on his body in an instant.
In the underground command hall, Su Wanqing, who had been keeping her eyes closed, suddenly opened them!
She "saw" Lu Zhanting in danger.
Without the slightest hesitation!
Her mental energy was highly concentrated, transforming into an invisible needle that instantly traversed tens of kilometers of space and precisely pierced a meridian node in the back of "King Yama's" head!
The "King of Hell" who was launching a fierce attack suddenly froze!
He felt a tearing pain deep in his mind, and the cold energy flowing through his body momentarily stopped!
When masters clash, life and death hang in the balance!
How could Lu Zhanting miss this fleeting opportunity!
"break!"
He let out a suppressed roar, unleashing the pure spiritual power that Su Wanqing had transferred to him without reservation!
A dazzling golden light suddenly surged from the saber!
He twisted the angle from bottom to top, slashing upwards in a way that ordinary people could not do!
"No!"
For the first time, terror appeared in the deathly gray eyes of "King Yama".
He wanted to back down, but that one-tenth of a second of stiffness became his death warrant.
Pfft!
The golden blade of light brutally tore through his protective aura, slashing from his left shoulder all the way to his right abdomen!
A chilling black aura was leaking wildly from the massive wound.
"King Yama" stared in disbelief at his ripped-open chest, then collapsed to his knees, completely incapacitated.
Lu Zhanting walked up to him, looking down at him with eyes as cold as knives.
"take away."
The operation concluded with a resounding victory.
Thirty-six strongholds and one hundred and seventy-two core members were all captured without exception.
In the underground vault of the "Forget to Return" teahouse, they found an antique metal box.
Lu Zhanting brought the box back to the command center and opened it in front of Su Wanqing.
Inside the box, a strangely shaped black communication device lay quietly.
Technicians attempted to start it.
The screen lights up, displaying a clean interface with only a constantly flashing bright red countdown.
Below the countdown, a line of cold, small text.
"Valhalla, in seven days."
At the very bottom is a series of latitude and longitude coordinates accurate to the second.
Pointing towards Switzerland, deep in the Alps.
That was not a summoning.
That was a challenge from a real snakehead.
Lu Zhanting slowly clenched his fist, his knuckles making a crisp cracking sound.
Su Wanqing looked at him, her eyes showing no fear, only the determination to fight side by side.
Lu Zhanting's voice resounded throughout the entire command hall.
"Then let's go and meet him."
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