Case 1.5 of the Puppet Master
The command center was brightly lit, and the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed like you could wring water out of it.
After hearing Yu Yan's retelling of the information about M-10, everyone felt a chill run down their spines. A "kindred spirit" of the same rank as Fan Jinci, possessing superb infiltration and manufacturing skills, and with an extremely twisted mind, had identified the captain as their primary target for elimination.
"Damn it, this freak is being discriminatory!" Wen Lin kicked a chair in anger. "Why is it only 'collecting' Brother Fan? Don't I deserve it?"
Wenwen, are we wrong to be so careful?
Li Weimian glanced at him coldly: "Your words probably only deserve to be made into a specimen and nailed to the wall."
Jiang Zhaoyan ignored their banter and quickly swiped his finger across the tablet: "M-10's obsession with Fan Jinci is his biggest weakness. We can use this to set up a trap that he absolutely cannot ignore."
"How do we do it?" Yu Yan asked in a deep voice, his gaze fixed on Fan Jinci.
Fan Jinci walked to the electronic map and pointed to an abandoned biopharmaceutical factory on the outskirts of the city—one of Ryan's early bases for illegal experiments. It had long been shut down, but its complex structure and familiar environment might have some kind of "holy land" symbolic significance for M-10.
“Here.” Fan Jinci’s voice was flat. “I’ve released word that I’ve found key data about the stability of the ‘Perfect Container’ that Ryan had sealed away, and that I need to return to the old site for on-site verification.”
Li Weimian immediately understood: "The information must be leaked through a seemingly 'accidental' channel to ensure authenticity. M-10 is obsessed with 'perfection,' and he will never allow any factor that might affect your 'perfection,' nor will he miss the opportunity to obtain this data."
“I’ll arrange the chain of information leakage.” Jiang Zhaoyan stood up. “I’ll make sure he can’t trace the source, but he’ll still believe it without a doubt.”
"Wen Lin and I will lead a team to infiltrate the factory in advance and set up surveillance and firing positions." Yu Yan immediately deployed. "Situ Jin, you are in charge of technical support to ensure that the communication and tracking equipment is foolproof."
"What about me?" Li Weimian looked at Fan Jinci.
“You will remain in the command center to provide real-time psychological profiling support.” Fan Jinci paused and looked at her. “In addition, I need you to analyze all the extreme measures that M-10 might take, especially… those targeting Yu Yan.”
He said those last words very calmly, yet they warmed Yu Yan's heart.
Three days later, late at night. The abandoned pharmaceutical factory, like a lurking steel behemoth, cast large shadows under the moonlight.
Alone, wearing his signature white lab coat (over which he wore a bulletproof vest), and carrying a silver metal testing case, Fan Jinci walked into the core laboratory area deep within the factory. Every step he took echoed in the empty building, as if treading on someone's heart.
In the command center, everyone held their breath, their eyes glued to dozens of split-screen displays. Yu Yan, along with Wen Lin and several elite team members, were hidden behind the ventilation ducts above the laboratory and the surrounding cover, their guns aimed downwards, their suppressed breathing coming through their earpieces.
Time passed second by second.
Suddenly, Situ Jin exclaimed in a low voice, "Signal interference! Source unknown, locating it!"
Almost simultaneously, the lights in the laboratory flickered a few times and then went out abruptly. Only the portable emergency light that Fan Jinci had brought cast a pale halo around the central experimental table.
They've arrived.
In the darkness, an elegant figure slowly emerged from behind a pile of discarded equipment. M-10 was still dressed in a well-tailored suit, a pleasant smile on his face, as if going to a long-awaited date.
“M-0, you finally found it.” His gaze lingered greedily on Fan Jinci and the metal box beside him. “Give me the data, and I can make you… suffer less.”
Fan Jinci stood still, looking at him coldly: "The data is fake."
M-10's smile froze.
"The purpose is to lure you out." Fan Jinci's voice echoed clearly in the empty laboratory.
A surge of furious rage at being deceived flashed in M-10's eyes, but he had no time to react—
"Bang!"
A gunshot rang out, and the bullet struck the ground precisely in front of M-10's feet, sending sparks flying.
Yu Yan emerged from the shadows above, gun pointed at the M-10, his eyes as fierce as a wolf's: "You bastard, where are you looking?"
M-10 slowly raised its head, looked at Yu Yan, and the anger on its face suddenly melted away, turning into an extremely eerie smile.
“Ah… a flawed product eager to die.” He said softly, slowly raising his right hand to hold a device resembling a remote control. “Did you think I was unprepared?”
He pressed the button.
Suddenly, a series of soft "click" sounds came from all over the factory. Then, dozens of androids, identical to the "Fan Jinci Doll" but with empty eyes, stiffly emerged from the shadows and surrounded the laboratory. In their hands, they all held sharp blades or small guns that gleamed coldly.
"Cleanup begins," M-10 said with a smile.
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