Chapter 101: Get Back the Red Shadow 4
Lin Yao's eyes fell on the sign on the corridor wall, and the two walked to the door of the corresponding room.
Ye Heng inserted the key in his hand into the keyhole and turned it, with a crisp "click" sound.
When he pushed the door open, he also checked the hidden monitor on the door frame to confirm that it had not been tampered with before stepping aside to let Lin Yao in.
The furnishings in the room are simple but neat.
Lin Yao walked to the window, lifted half of the curtains, and glanced at the training ground downstairs.
Several soldiers were slowly sorting their equipment, looking towards Zhao Cheng's office with dissatisfaction in their eyes.
He retracted his gaze and said calmly, "According to the time, after the Royal Guard arrives, we have exactly two hours to check the details of the operation. That's more than enough."
Ye Heng walked to the metal table, clicked on the banquet layout and a list:
"Bian Miao sent over the list of people who will be attending the meeting tonight."
Ye Heng asked Lin Yao to come and take a look at the photos of these participants. He needed to hit them with one strike, especially those brought by Zhao Cheng.
Lin Yao turned around when he heard the voice and walked quickly to the metal table.
Under the dim blue light, two documents unfolded clearly.
On the left is a three-dimensional layout of the banquet hall, with the placement of tables and chairs, aisle directions, and emergency exits clearly marked;
On the right is the list of participants, with each person's front photo and identity notes, and a red star under the photo.
These were obviously Zhao Cheng’s core private soldiers that Bian Miao had marked out in advance.
"The red star personnel marked by Bian Miao are the backbone of Zhao Cheng's team and are the targets that need to be controlled tonight."
Ye Heng pointed at the first line of the list. The person in the photo had broad shoulders and a strong body, with a fierce look between his eyebrows.
The remarks column reads [A Meng, Zhao Cheng's personal bodyguard, good at close combat].
Lin Yao leaned closer to the projection, his eyes swept across the photo, and he remembered him firmly in his mind.
He didn't speak immediately, but divided the list into three parts according to region.
The main table in the banquet hall, the beverage area on the east side, and the rest area on the west side correspond to the positions on the layout map. My fingertips gently slide on the projection:
“There are 12 people at the main table, all of them are Zhao Cheng’s confidants;
The rest were in the beverage area and rest area, mostly ordinary soldiers, but among them were six Red Star personnel responsible for perimeter security."
Then Lin Yao sneered. He remembered Zhao Cheng's confidants and would take good care of them when he launched a mental attack.
Ye Heng pulled up the banquet schedule and superimposed it on the layout diagram:
"At 8:15, Zhao Cheng will be on stage giving a speech. This is when he is at his most proud and relaxed, and it is also the best time for us to take action."
"When I get in, you'll launch a mental attack and knock them all down first."
"The timing must be accurate." Lin Yao took over the conversation. "The whole process should not exceed ten seconds. We won't give them time to react."
"I'll take the others on standby. Once you've broken through the defense, we'll rush in and control the people."
Ye Heng added, pointing his finger at the gate on the layout diagram.
"I'll be responsible for the perimeter security." Lin Yao took over the conversation, his tone calm but full of confidence.
"After the mental attack is over, I will stay outside and use my mental power to cover all the exits of the banquet hall.
The main entrance, back door, emergency passage, and the exit to the stands on the second floor,
If any fish slip through the net and try to escape, I can detect it immediately and either give them a mental shock or notify the nearest soldiers to intercept them."
Ye Heng nodded slightly. Considering the mental energy consumption, he asked, "Will it be difficult to cover so many targets at the same time and maintain perimeter alert?"
"No problem." Lin Yao raised his eyes, his eyes full of confidence.
"I looked at the participants and found that the higher-ranking officers were those from our Red Shadow.
Zhao Cheng and his men used their mental strength to break the barrier, and for Chiying's officers, they could just use the killing poison gas, which didn't consume much.
To maintain outer security, you only need to deploy a mental force field, without continuous attacks, which is more than enough to last for two or three hours.
I've also prepared some mental strength supplements in advance, so nothing will go wrong."
As the two were talking, they heard light footsteps outside the door. It was probably the soldiers of the Royal Guard coming to report the assembly situation.
Lin Yao raised his hand to turn off the projection, then turned to Ye Heng and said:
"I've memorized the physical and mental characteristics of everyone on the list. I won't miss a single target tonight, no problem."
His tone was steady, without the slightest hesitation, and he was clearly confident in his control over his mental power.
Ye Heng nodded and picked up the terminal: "Let's go and connect with the guards."
Lin Yao followed Ye Heng out of the dormitory. The cold white light in the corridor shone on his face. There was no tension in his eyes, only determination to succeed.
He kept replaying the photos and mental characteristics on the list in his mind, as if rehearsing the trajectory covered by his mental power.
From launching the attack to the mental force field at the outer exit, every step is clearly formed.
The guards were waiting for them.
-
Just after the eight o'clock bell, the lights in the banquet hall of the Red Shadow Base suddenly lit up.
The gilded light strips are wrapped around the metal pillars, illuminating the entire space like daylight.
A huge crystal chandelier hung in the dome, reflecting light onto the red carpeted floor, making the silver cutlery on the main table glow with a cold luster.
Zhao Cheng almost emptied the base's reserves for this celebration banquet.
He even pried open Ye Heng's private vault and took away the red wine that Ye Heng treasured.
They are all placed on the bar in the beverage area. The air is filled with the mixed aroma of alcohol and food, exuding a deliberately created sense of luxury.
The layout of the banquet hall was designed exactly as Zhao Cheng wanted:
At the front is a high platform for Zhao Cheng to speak.
Not far from the platform is a circular main table with a diameter of three meters, covered with a dark golden tablecloth.
There were twelve high-backed chairs placed around it, with the third prince's exclusive coat of arms embroidered on the backs.
He had this specially made overnight, intending to show everyone his close relationship with the Third Prince.
On both sides of the main table are the beverage area and the rest area.
Two soldiers in waiter uniforms stood behind the bar in the beverage area, busy pouring drinks for everyone;
There were several sets of sofas in the rest area, and many soldiers were leaning on them, smoking, playing with their standard weapons in their hands, their eyes full of casual arrogance.
In the corner of the banquet hall, there were several small tables scattered around, where more than a dozen Red Shadow officers were sitting.
They were all selected by Zhao Cheng to attend, but there was no smile on their faces, instead they looked a bit uncomfortable.
At a table near the main table, Du Ming, deputy battalion commander of the third battalion of the fourth team, was holding a wine glass. He quickly approached the main table with a flattering smile on his face.
"Zhao Shuai! You've only been in charge of Chiying for a short time, but you've already managed the base so well. We'll definitely have a bright future if we follow you!"
As he spoke, he did not forget to secretly glance at the modified marshal uniform on Zhao Cheng, his eyes full of envy.
Zhao Cheng was so pleased with this that he smiled broadly and patted Du Ming on the shoulder.
"You're still sensible! From now on, I'll give you an extra 30% of the Third Battalion's supplies!"
Du Ming immediately smiled and thanked him repeatedly. When he turned around, he did not forget to wink at the officer next to him, as if to show off his wisdom.
But he didn't notice that at another table behind him,
The commander of the Fifth Battalion, Shen Rui, was clenching his wine glass tightly, his knuckles turning white. A few days ago, his subordinates refused to help Zhao Cheng hide supplies.
He was severely beaten by A Meng and is now lying in the medical department, but he can only endure it and dare not even say a word of resistance.
"Brothers!" Zhao Cheng's voice suddenly rose, drowning out the whispers in the corner.
He was wearing an ill-fitting marshal's uniform that he had found in Ye Heng's wardrobe, with the shoulder straps forcibly replaced with his own insignia.
Because Ye Heng is 195cm tall, Zhao Cheng, who is 176cm tall, looks out of place in his outfit.
He held a red wine glass in his hand, and when he stood up, the sword at his waist hit the table leg.
There was a harsh clanging sound, but it did not affect his interest at all.
"Today, I want to toast everyone with this glass of wine! If you follow me, you are following the Third Prince. Once the Third Prince's men arrive, we will be heroes!"
The private soldiers in the audience immediately joined in the cheers. Du Ming and several other flattering officers jumped up and cheered, raising their glasses and crowding towards the main table.
Officers like Shen Rui only raised their glasses symbolically, their lips pressed into a straight line, their eyes filled with suppressed anger.
Chi Ying is Ye Heng's hard work, but now he is being used as a tool by those in power. They feel distressed but can do nothing about it.
Ah Meng stood behind Zhao Cheng, his arms folded across his chest. The three scratches on his left face were particularly conspicuous under the light.
He glanced at the silent officers in the corner, his eyes full of disdain, as if he was looking at a group of "lambs to be slaughtered".
Zhao Cheng smiled triumphantly, drank the red wine in the glass in one gulp, and put the empty glass heavily on the table.
He looked at the current harmony with satisfaction, and his heart was filled with uncontrollable pride.
Ye Heng has always been someone else's child. That kid has always been the one who has dominated him since he was little.
But sometimes, choice is more important than effort.
As a member of the Central Star Family, if you don’t stand on the right side, you will be like a stray dog now!
"Chiying, I have the final say now. Anyone who dares to disobey can't blame me for being ruthless!" Zhao Cheng said this bluntly.
These words were like a needle, piercing the hearts of officers like Shen Rui.
Shen Rui's fingers were tightly gripping the edge of the wine glass, and his hand was almost crushing the glass.
He remembered that when Ye Heng first came, he worked his way up from the grassroots level and took over Chi Ying to become the marshal. All that was earned by Ye Heng through one war after another.
Looking at the arrogant Zhao Cheng in front of him, his eyes quietly turned red, but he could only lower his head and pretend to tidy up the tablecloth to hide his emotions.
"Don't worry, you old subordinates!" Zhao Cheng seemed to have noticed the silence in the corner, and turned to look at Shen Rui and others with a fake smile on his face.
"As long as you follow me, you will definitely get some benefits! From now on, I will have the final say on the distribution of Chiying's supplies. I will give more to those who are loyal!"
Li Tong, who was in the drinks section, had already drunk a lot of wine. He approached the main table with his glass of wine, and the mole on the left corner of his mouth trembled with his smile.
"Zhao Shuai, don't worry! I've arranged the security for the banquet hall. The patrolmen outside will report every ten minutes. Even if that brat Ye Heng comes back, he won't be able to get close to here!"
"You're sensible." Zhao Cheng patted Li Tong's shoulder and handed him his empty cup. "Pour me another one. We won't leave until we're drunk tonight!"
Li Tong quickly took the wine glass and smiled flatteringly: "Zhao Shuai has a huge appetite! I'll pour you the best wine!"
He turned and walked towards the bar, his steps unsteady. The security communicator on his waist lit up from time to time, but he didn't even look at it.
In his opinion, Chiying was already in his pocket, and no one dared to cause trouble at this time.
Wang Hao leaned on the sofa in the lounge area, raised his eyebrows and looked at Zhao Cheng who was acting unscrupulously at the main table with disdain, and whispered to Liu Qian beside him:
"This Zhao Cheng is such a boaster. Does he really think that just by taking down Chi Ying, he'll become a marshal? Isn't he afraid that Ye Heng will come back and have a chat with him?"
Liu Qian played with the silver lighter at her waist, her high ponytail swaying as she shook her head:
"Who cares? Ye Heng's whereabouts are unknown, what are you afraid of?
As long as there's wine and meat, it's not bad to follow him. When the Third Prince comes, maybe we can move up a level."
As she spoke, she lit a cigarette. Amidst the smoke, her eyes were filled with blind longing for the future.
Zhao Cheng didn't notice the whispers of the soldiers he brought with him, nor did he notice the forbearance of the officers in the corner.
He raised his glass again, his voice higher than before:
"I've already informed the Third Prince. His troops will arrive tomorrow! Then, we'll go together to meet our master."
The cheers from the audience rang out again. Du Ming and several other Chiying officers crowded to the main table, vying to clink glasses with Zhao Cheng.
Shen Rui and others sat quietly in the corner, their fingertips unconsciously stroking the wine glasses.
No one noticed that outside the east ventilation vent, a sharp gaze was looking through the gap, watching everything coldly.
Lin Yao had already deployed his mental force field in advance, not only locking onto the private soldiers' mental fluctuations, but also capturing the suppressed emotions of Shen Rui and others.
So he temporarily adjusted the plan. He would not use poison on those officers who could be identified at a glance as Ye Heng's men.
After all, being poisoned by Shasha's poison once is enough to take a heavy toll.
Lin Yao raised his wrist and glanced at the military terminal. It was 8:10.
It was five minutes earlier than the scheduled attack time, but the noise coming from the banquet hall was like a needle piercing everyone's heart.
He turned his head and looked at Ye Heng beside him. He was leaning against the wall with his jawline straight.
He didn't look inside, but there was a coldness in his eyes, but his expression remained calm, and he was obviously deliberately suppressing his emotions.
Although the guards behind him were also trying to restrain themselves, the occasional rapid breathing sound showed that they were not at peace in their hearts.
Seeing the base he personally guarded being destroyed by Zhao Cheng, and seeing the marshal's uniform that symbolized the glory of Chiying being worn in a weird way,
The fire in his heart was probably already burning. If it weren't for the constraints of military discipline, he would have rushed in long ago.
Lin Yao held Ye Heng's hand and asked him when he looked over, "Do you want to change the way we fight here?"
-
As soon as 8:15 arrived, Zhao Cheng straightened his inappropriate clothes and walked up the stairs to the platform.
He stood in the center of the platform, the light falling from above his head, just illuminating the smug smile on his face, as if the entire red shadow was held in his palm.
Zhao Cheng cleared his throat: "Everyone——"
These two words brought complete silence to the room. Zhao Cheng was very satisfied with this and was about to continue expressing his grand ambitions.
"Snap, snap, snap"
A slow and rhythmic clapping sound suddenly broke everything in the banquet hall.
Each sound was not loud, but it was like ice falling on metal, bringing with it a biting chill that instantly drowned out the noise in the venue.
The smile on Zhao Cheng's face froze, and he was furious. "Who? Who's got the itch? Get out here!"
He swept his gaze across the room, and his own soldiers' laughter stopped abruptly, and they all looked around in confusion;
Zhou Ming and the others also stopped flattering each other, and a hint of uneasiness was hidden in their eyes;
Only officers such as Shen Rui quietly raised their heads, with a barely perceptible flash of expectation and curiosity in their eyes.
The clapping continued, neither fast nor slow, as if giving Zhao Cheng's performance a score.
At this moment, there was a noise coming from the main door of the banquet hall. It was not the friction of cloth, but the dull sound of a huge body crushing the metal door frame.
This was followed by the rustling sound of scales scraping across the ground, so frequent that it made one's scalp tingle.
The heavy dark red velvet door curtain was suddenly opened by an invisible force, and cold white light poured in from outside the door.
First, an extremely tall figure appeared. Ye Heng stood in the middle of the door, his shoulders straight as a pine tree, his waist and abdomen tightly gathered.
The hem of the black and red combat uniform swayed slightly in the air, and every line of it revealed the soldier's coldness and majesty.
It is in stark contrast to the person who was secretly wearing clothes on the platform.
Behind him, a huge dark green figure was slowly coming in.
Mo Yun is huge, and his scales glow with a dark green metallic luster under the light.
The brown vertical pupils were the gaze of a ferocious beast, spitting out a forked tongue, and its body was winding and entwined behind Ye Heng.
The tip of the tail lightly swept across the ground, leaving a shallow mark.
The sheer size of it that blocked out the sky and the sun was enough to make everyone in the venue gasp.
"You...you..." Zhao Cheng's voice was completely trembling, and his hand was on the sword but even his fingertips were shaking.
His eyes were fixed on the dark green anaconda figure, and his throat kept rolling.
Everyone in the audience turned their attention to the main entrance.
The first to collapse were the soldiers brought by Zhao Cheng. When one of them saw that the tall figure was Ye Heng, the wine glass in his hand slammed onto the carpet with a clang, and red wine splashed all over the floor.
Two other soldiers stepped back subconsciously, their heels hitting the metal chair legs behind them. The pain made their faces turn pale as paper, their lips trembled and they couldn't speak.
"It's... it's Ye Heng! Why is he back?!" A soldier finally managed to speak, his voice full of fear.
They had heard from Zhao Cheng that Ye Heng had disappeared, but they had never expected that the Imperial Marshal would appear in such a strong manner.
Especially the dark green anaconda behind him, spitting out its tongue, which made people's scalps tingle and they dared not even breathe loudly.
Even more panicked than the soldiers were the officers who betrayed Chi Ying and flattered Zhao Cheng.
Du Ming had just stood in front of the stage and shouted "Zhao Shuai is mighty!", but now he felt as if all his bones had been pulled out.
He quietly retreated into the crowd, his hands clenched tightly at his sides, cold sweat running down his temples.
He remembered that he had helped Zhao Cheng embezzle supplies a few days ago. If Ye Heng investigated the matter, according to the Chiying military regulations, the lightest punishment would be exile to the border.
There were also a few junior officers who followed him to curry favor with Zhao Cheng, either pretending to adjust their collars to avoid his sight,
Or they would stare down at the tips of their shoes, not daring to breathe, and all the flattery they had just shown would disappear, leaving only fear in their hearts.
Only those Red Shadow officers who had been enduring in the corner had uncontrollable light in their eyes.
Shen Rui clenched his fists suddenly, his knuckles turned white, and even red appeared in his eyes.
He had been waiting for this day for a month. Ever since the day Zhao Cheng occupied the base and beat up the soldiers, he had been hoping that Ye Heng would come back to uphold justice.
The communications officer next to him, Old Wu, quietly touched his arm, his voice low but full of excitement:
"It's the Marshal! It's really the Marshal! We are saved!"
Several other former officers also exchanged glances, their mouths curling up uncontrollably.
The previously suppressed anger and grievances all turned into ecstasy the moment he saw Ye Heng's figure.
Zhao Cheng on the high platform was more panicked than anyone else.
He first stared at Ye Heng intently, his pupils suddenly shrinking, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
He murmured, "Impossible, you're clearly missing!"
Until Ye Heng took a step forward, Mo Yun's huge body followed and moved forward, the dark green scales glowing coldly under the light.
He suddenly came to his senses, and fear instantly gripped his heart.
"Ye Heng! Stop right there!" Zhao Cheng screamed, but his voice was shaking, and he had completely lost his previous arrogance.
Instead, he was like a cat with its tail stepped on, "This is my territory! How dare you come in?! Ah Meng! Li Tong! Get him out!"
He called out to his two most trusted confidants, except for Ah Meng who mustered up the courage to stand before him;
Li Tong had no idea when he started hiding behind the bar, trembling. He only dared to show half of his face, his eyes were evasive, and he didn't dare to come forward.
Only then did Zhao Cheng realize that the people he brought with him had already been scared out of their wits, and the so-called control over Chi Ying was nothing but a joke to deceive himself.
"You, don't come over here!" Zhao Cheng took two steps back, his heel missed the step, and he almost fell off the platform. He hurriedly held onto the railing.
There was panic in his voice, "The Third Prince's reinforcements will be here soon! If you dare to touch me, he won't let you go!"
Ye Heng ignored his threats and walked slowly into the banquet hall. Mo Yun followed him.
Every step on the red carpet feels like stepping on everyone's heartbeat.
Finally, Ye Heng stopped in the center of the hall. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle. When he swept across the venue, even the air seemed to be frozen.
Mo Yun followed closely behind, raising his head slightly. When his brown vertical pupils swept across the group of people, no one dared to look at him.
There was no warmth in those eyes, only the absolute pressure unique to high-level spiritual beings.
One man and one snake stood there, instantly controlling the aura of the entire banquet hall.
There was no trace of Zhao Cheng's stolen arrogance left at this moment.
"Zhao Cheng." Ye Heng finally spoke, his voice cold.
His dark green eyes stared at the person on the platform, and a faint cold arc appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Controlling the Red Shadow? He's nothing more than a thief wearing someone else's clothes and occupying someone else's place."
As soon as he finished speaking, Mo Yun let out a low roar towards the platform. The sound was not loud, but it carried a shocking pressure.
Zhao Cheng's legs went weak and he almost fell to his knees.
But he forced himself to look Ye Heng in the eye, but was irritated by those eyes full of mockery. A surge of unwilling anger suddenly rose from the bottom of his heart:
He brought two hundred soldiers with him, as well as several officers who had defected to him. Was he going to be frightened by Ye Heng alone?
"Don't panic!" Zhao Cheng raised his head suddenly, his voice still trembling, but deliberately raised a few notes, trying to incite the people around him.
"Ye Heng is alone! There's only a snake behind him! There are so many of us, and we're still afraid of him?! Whoever captures him, I'll have the Third Prince give him an official position!"
As he spoke, his eyes swept over the soldiers in the audience, trying to find a trace of hesitation on their faces.
Ah Meng was so shocked by these words that he gritted his teeth and reached for the gun at his waist.
The temptation of being an official made him temporarily forget his fear of anacondas;
Li Tong also poked his head out from behind the bar, his eyes full of hesitation, his finger repeatedly rubbing the trigger;
Several junior officers who betrayed Chi Ying were even more eager to make a move. If they could capture Ye Heng, they would not only be able to please the Third Prince, but also save their own lives.
"Yes! We have more people!" A soldier, persuaded by Zhao Cheng, raised his gun and roared, "Ye Heng is alone. If we attack together, we will definitely be able to capture him!"
The soldiers' emotions were gradually aroused.
Some took half a step forward with guns raised, while others clenched the blades in their hands, looking at Ye Heng with a bit more greed and cruelty in their eyes.
Du Ming even moved closer to Ah Meng and said in a low voice:
"Brother Meng, let's go together. As long as we subdue Ye Heng, this world will be ours from now on!"
Zhao Cheng looked at this scene, and finally a smug smile appeared on his face.
He struggled to stand upright on the platform, pointing at Ye Heng and screaming, "Go! Regardless of life or death, take him down!"
But before he could finish his words, a powerful mental force suddenly spread out from the entrance of the banquet hall.
The sharp attack, like a tide, instantly enveloped the entire banquet hall.
The first person to be affected was Ah Meng. He just raised his gun.
He suddenly covered his head, uttered a painful groan, and the gun fell to the ground with a clang.
He curled up on the carpet, his body twitching;
Li Tongze fell directly from behind the bar, clutching his hair tightly with both hands, his face as pale as paper, and making vague groans from his mouth.
Next came the incited soldiers.
As soon as someone took a step forward, it was as if they were hit by an invisible hammer, their legs gave way and they fell to the ground.
Some people tried to resist, but they didn't even have the strength to lift their arms, and could only hold their heads and roll on the ground;
Du Ming and several other rebellious officers lost their voices and just leaned on the metal chairs, their eyes rolled back and foam came out of the corners of their mouths.
The whole process took only five seconds. In the banquet hall, apart from Ye Heng, Mo Yun, and the Red Shadow officers such as Chen Rui in the corner,
The remaining people all fell to the ground, holding their heads and struggling in pain. The originally noisy scene instantly turned into wailing.
Ye Heng turned his head and looked towards the entrance.
Lin Yao was standing next to the door curtain, with golden-red and ice-blue vines appearing behind him on the left and right.
"The Major General's mental power is still so precise." Ye Heng's voice was filled with joy.
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