The Longyuan team members slowly advanced along the dilapidated underground pipes, each of them on edge.
The rusty steel pipes gleamed with a dark reddish luster under the dim emergency lights, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of chemicals.
Han Feng had his back pressed against an oil pipeline with a diameter of two meters, and the heavy breathing of the tower could be heard through his earpiece.
"Three more are coming from the three o'clock direction!" Viper's voice rang out in the communication channel, followed by a series of muffled thuds from silenced pistols.
Han Feng leaned to the side, and a bullet immediately grazed the spot where his head had just been, sparking a burst of sparks on the metal pipe. The mercenaries' familiarity with the chemical plant was chilling; they appeared like ghosts from all sorts of unbelievable pipe joints and maintenance passages, disappearing after firing, as if the entire chemical plant was an extension of their bodies.
"Retreat! Everyone retreat!" Han Feng decisively ordered, simultaneously throwing a smoke grenade behind him. The grayish-white smoke instantly filled the narrow gap in the pipes, providing cover for the squad's retreat.
Five minutes later, the Longyuan Squad regrouped in an abandoned control room on the outskirts of the chemical plant. Han Feng quickly scanned his team members. Viper had a graze wound on his arm from a stray bullet and was bandaging it himself; Iron Tower had two deformed rifle bullets embedded in his bulletproof vest; Liu Xiaoran's face was pale, and it was clear that a bullet had pierced his forearm.
"This isn't right." Night Owl removed his night-vision goggles, his eyes still sharp as an eagle's even in the dim light. "They know our every move, just like..."
"It's like they're monitoring the pipes here." Han Feng finished his sentence, his brows furrowed. He pressed the holographic projection button to bring up a 3D structural diagram of the chemical plant, but the diagram was clearly incomplete; at least a third of the piping system was not labeled.
Just then, Han Feng's phone vibrated. He knew this number all too well. He pressed the answer button, and Mu Xiaoxiao's languid voice came through the phone, tinged with a hint of mockery.
"It seems you're not here to talk in good faith, Mr. Han."
Han Feng's knuckles turned white from gripping the phone so tightly: "Same here. Your 'please talk' is the mercenary's 'welcome'?"
A crisp laugh came from the other end of the phone, like the gentle clinking of glasses. "I'm just making sure the conversation takes place in...an equal environment," her voice suddenly turned cold. "In that case, let's play a game."
The air in the control room seemed to freeze. The team members stopped what they were doing and all looked at Han Feng.
"You have half an hour," Mu Xiaoxiao continued, each word as sharp as a knife. "If you can't get into the chemical plant's central control room, then I'll take both of their lives."
Han Feng's pupils suddenly contracted: "What?" Han Feng's heart sank. He should have known better; Mu Xiaoxiao never played by the rules.
"You came for me, why did you hurt others?" Han Feng's voice was very low, but it contained a fury that was about to erupt.
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone. "Wasn't this the same thing when you were targeting my Mu family?" Mu Xiaoxiao's voice suddenly turned icy cold, as if it came from the depths of hell.
Before he could finish speaking, the call abruptly ended. Han Feng slowly put down the phone and noticed that all his teammates were staring at him. The atmosphere in the control room was so tense it could melt ice.
"Captain?" Iron Tower asked tentatively.
Han Feng took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He turned to his tactical tablet, his fingers rapidly zooming in and out of the chemical plant's structural diagram. "Viper, pull up the historical production records for this chemical plant; Liu Xiaoran, contact the base and see if you can find out if this plant has any other production lines."
The team members sprang into action. Han Feng stared at the incomplete structural diagram on the screen, his mind racing.
"Zero!" Han Feng called out to the system.
"Why did you only remember me now, host?" Zero's lazy voice rang out.
"Is there any way to find those inlets and outlets in the pipeline system you've retrieved?"
"Host, are you out of your mind?" Zero said to Han Feng with a look of disdain. "Don't you have predictive abilities? Why don't you use them?"
Han Feng was speechless. Although he had gained many abilities, he now only frequently used those related to combat and business.
"How do you use this thing?"
Zero was practically furious with Han Feng. "How could I have such a stupid host? You just need to use your Predictive Eye on those passages. But let me warn you, you haven't upgraded this skill before, it's only level 3 now, and you can only predict for 10 seconds."
"Uh...that doesn't seem to be of much use."
"Something is better than nothing. I've given you the map and told you the method. If you can't even solve this little problem, what else can this system say?"
"Then I'll give it a try." Han Feng then composed himself.
"Alright, get ready to accept the mission," Zero said with a sigh.
Han Feng was somewhat puzzled, but before he could ask, the option for zero appeared:
A rescue mission has been detected on the host's end. System options are being issued:
Option 1: Successfully infiltrate the chemical plant alone and rescue Qin Chuan and Liu Mengran. Reward: Any skill level +1
Option Two: Annihilate the ambushing mercenaries and rescue Qin Chuan and Liu Mengran. Reward: R Country Genetic Technology Analysis Skill: Radar Scan
Han Feng looked at the options this time and found that there were no options for synthesis or upgrading. He asked the system but received no reply. After thinking for a while, he decided that the first option was too risky and chose the second option. This time, the system remained silent.
Just then, Viper's voice broke Han Feng's thoughts. "Found it!" Viper suddenly shouted. "This chemical plant produced vinyl chloride ten years ago. There's a complete emergency emission system underground, but it's not marked on the blueprints!"
Han Feng immediately leaned over to take a look. It was a yellowed old blueprint, showing a huge underground circular network of discharge pipes connecting each of the main workshops of the chemical plant.
"This must be their secret passage." Han Feng's eyes lit up. "The emissions system was abandoned and turned into an underground transportation network."
Liu Xiaoran, looking rather grim, approached and said, "Headquarters said the detailed drawings would take twenty minutes to arrive, but we only have..."
"Twenty-five minutes." Han Feng glanced at his watch and quickly made a decision, "We can't wait. We'll go through the emissions system."
"But it's a maze!" Viper couldn't help but exclaim. "Those mercenaries know it better than rats!"
"It's alright, you guys follow behind me. I've memorized the locations of these pipes," Han Feng said while organizing his equipment.
The entire team sprang into action; they trusted Han Feng and their captain.
"Mengran, wait for me!" Han Feng secretly vowed in his heart.
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