บท 222: Chapter 222: You're Just a Dish on the Table
On the helicopter...
They contacted Commander Xu. The atmosphere was heavy. Qin Han didn't care who Xu was or what his position was. He just unleashed a torrent of angry words.
A nuclear bomb! It was a freaking nuclear bomb!
Who were they trying to kill?
It was clear they wanted to annihilate them all.
Li Dacheng didn't stop Qin Han from berating the Commander over the comms device. He deserved it. He needed to vent. This was entirely their fault.
If it weren't for Lin Fan, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
If the other seven were awake, they would agree, letting Qin Han tear into Commander Xu.
On the other end of the comms device, Commander Xu tried to appease Qin Han, explaining the situation. This nuclear weapon wasn't theirs. They hadn't launched it. It was launched from an abandoned nuclear silo. Why there were nuclear weapons there, even they didn't know.
They were investigating.
"Damn it!"
Qin Han slammed the device against the helicopter's interior wall. Then, suppressing his rage, he said, "Old Sword God, you were right. I'm starting to suspect we have a problem within our ranks."
"Don't rush to conclusions," Old Sword God Bai Yun said calmly. "Hidden problems can't stay hidden forever. Even if we haven't found anything yet, we'll eventually find their cracks."
He had just stared death in the face. How could he be calm? But seeing Lin Fan's composure, he felt that as a senior, showing too much anger wouldn't be appropriate.
So he forced himself to stay steady.
Not panicking at all.
"I know that, but I'm just furious. Our headquarters' monitoring network is so extensive, yet they knew nothing. I think their influence is significant, and I suspect a mole is hidden within headquarters, someone with high rank and considerable power," Qin Han said.
The evil rooster, held in Lin Fan's arms, listened intently.
Yoho!
Finally, some useful information.
There was a traitor at Xia Du headquarters! If it knew who it was, it could cooperate with them, achieving remarkable results.
Its path to becoming an evil hero would be smooth sailing.
Soaring to the heavens.
The evil rooster was ultimately too foolish.
For it to approach them like that…
Hmm… at best, it would end up as an extra dish of braised chicken on their lunch table. Chicken soup wouldn't be bad either.
Xia Du, Headquarters.
The transport helicopter slowly descended.
Seeing Bai Yun, Commander Xu's face lit up with a smile. He quickly approached. "Old Yun, you're finally back!"
He reached out to clap Bai Yun on the shoulder.
They had been good brothers for so many years.
Seeing him return safely put his mind at ease.
Bai Yun brushed off Commander Xu's hand, disgruntled. "You should first figure out who launched a nuclear bomb at us. We almost died! If it weren't for Lin Fan, you know the consequences."
Sky King level experts were indeed powerful, but under the force of a nuclear explosion, they would instantly turn to ash.
Commander Xu was embarrassed. This was indeed their headquarters' negligence. If the nuclear bomb had detonated, the losses for Xia Du would have been devastating. But he was truly curious.
How did they manage it?
To even evade a nuclear explosion? He wasn't there. If he had been, he would have known how terrifying it was, enough to scare anyone to death.
Even Sky King level experts couldn't do it.
"It is indeed our responsibility. I won't deny that. But you know, the current situation isn't clear, and I've already ordered an investigation. No matter what, we will find the culprit."
Commander Xu spoke firmly.
Those unfamiliar with him would genuinely believe he was serious.
Bai Yun knew him well enough to recognize the敷衍 (fūyǎn - perfunctory, superficial) tone. If it were that easy to find the culprit, they would have already apprehended them.
"This expert you invited from Yan Hai City is truly remarkable." Bai Yun was full of admiration. So young, yet so powerful. Honestly, he was envious. If he had been this strong in his youth, how amazing would that have been? It was something he didn't dare to imagine.
"Of course he is. What do you think of my judgment?" Commander Xu said with a hint of pride.
As the two conversed…
Qin Han couldn't help but interrupt. "Hey, you two, can you pick a better time to chat? My seven brothers are still lying there injured, and Dacheng and I are also hurt. Don't you care?"
Commander Xu laughed awkwardly. "Right, right. I almost forgot about you. Quick, get the best healers in the department here to treat them."
With a wave of his hand, someone immediately went to carry out the order.
Soon, healing experts arrived.
Lin Fan chatted casually with Old Zhang while holding the hen. Their conversation was mundane, nothing special. If someone tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, they would mostly hear…
"I want a drink."
"I want some baijiu."
"I want to go home."
Lin Fan, back in the mental hospital, was a good young man. He didn't drink or fight. But ever since leaving青山 Mental Hospital and joining the Yan Hai City Special Department, after meeting those people…
He had been tainted by the big dye vat of society.
Not only did he like to drink, but he also enjoyed fighting.
Truly, it was a shame.
Xia Du, Saint Lotus Church.
A group of believers lined up to enter the church, preparing for sincere prayer. In this orderly yet evil-filled world, both the weak and the strong needed spiritual solace.
The priest's voice echoed from within the church.
"Oh, holy light… why are you so bright?"
The believers clasped their hands, bowing their heads in devout prayer.
This seemingly holy place harbored a secret.
Underground meeting room.
A round table conference.
Candles on the walls burned with fierce flames, yet even so, they only provided a faint glimmer of light in the dim meeting room.
Several black-robed figures wearing masks sat around the table, silent and unspeaking.
Until one slowly spoke:
"The mission failed. Even the nuclear bomb was useless. I just want to know how strong he really is."
The inquiring tone carried a hint of fear.
No one could have imagined this outcome.
That was a nuclear bomb.
Not an armor-piercing round.
Try detonating a nuclear bomb in Xia Du and see if this prosperous city wouldn't turn into ruins.
The gloomy meeting room was eerily quiet. In this situation, silence was golden.
"He must be very strong."
"Just how strong? City Guardian level? Sky King level?"
"Stronger than Sky King level, I'd say."
"Haha, don't you think you're stating the obvious? If he wasn't stronger than Sky King level, how did he avoid the nuclear explosion?"
"Who controlled the detonation? Why didn't they detonate it at an altitude of several thousand meters, instead waiting until the missile was out of range? I demand an explanation."
Another bout of silence.
No one spoke.
"Speak! Can no one answer my question? Who was it?"
"It was your elder brother."
This time, it wasn't the group that fell silent, but the questioner.
"Fine. This failure indicates a misstep on our part, but we still have many opportunities. The members sent to Yan Hai City have been captured, and the existence of our Shadow Society has been exposed. However, none of that matters. They know nothing about the Shadow Society's operations.
The most important thing now is to prevent that kid from growing any stronger. His emergence poses a significant threat to our plans. Do you understand?"
The meeting lacked its usual fervor.
Too few people spoke.
It wasn't that they didn't want to speak, but many didn't fully understand Lin Fan. They felt his importance was being exaggerated. Honestly, they didn't feel he posed much of a threat.
Gradually…
The meeting reached its conclusion.
"Adjourned!"
Everyone removed their black robes, revealing their regular attire. The most conspicuous was a guy in a red suit, utterly flamboyant.
They also removed their masks.
Their masks weren't meant to conceal their identities from each other but rather to prevent recognition if the Special Department suddenly raided this secret meeting room. If they saw their faces, escape would be impossible.
The masks made things much easier.
We're wearing masks. How can you recognize us?
Of course, even with a mask, everyone knew who the flamboyant guy in the red suit was.
Meanwhile…
One-Eyed Man in Yan Hai City felt like he had been on a rollercoaster. When he learned about the nuclear bombing in the suburbs over a thousand kilometers away in Xia Du, he was so scared he almost rushed to Xia Du to check the situation.
He cursed Old Man Xu in his mind.
Damn it!
Wasn't this trying to get him killed?
Fortunately, everything turned out alright in the end. Everyone was relieved.
He also learned from Xia Kunyun that the greatest credit for rescuing Old Sword God Bai Yun went to Lin Fan. If it weren't for him, the people they sent would probably have died.
Upon learning this…
A bright smile spread across One-Eyed Man's face.
Face-saving.
But he had another headache.
Given the circumstances, with Hao Ren's resources, he would definitely find out about this soon, and then things would get troublesome. After calculating everything, it was Hao Ren who was at a loss.
Such an incredible person came from your mental hospital, and you never knew.
Now that I've pulled him into the Special Department, I wonder if you regret it.
Anyway, if he were Hao Ren…
He would definitely be filled with regret.
Xia Du.
Old Sword God Bai Yun and Commander Xu were drinking tea. After recovering, his strength had returned significantly, almost fully restored.
"I discovered something there."
What Old Sword God Bai Yun had seen and heard in that crater was beyond anything he had ever imagined.
"There was a stone tablet there, inscribed with complex patterns and text. I've seen similar patterns in ancient texts, related to immortals and gods. If I was 70% sure about the existence of immortals and gods before, I'm 100% sure now."
Commander Xu sipped his tea and asked, "Is there any chance of retrieving it?"
"Don't even think about it. Impossible," Bai Yun said.
"Why? If we ask Lin Fan to go, there might be a chance." Commander Xu was most curious about Lin Fan's strength and wanted to know just how powerful he was.
Old Sword God Bai Yun said helplessly, "It's destroyed. It was destroyed after we discovered it. If we had found it earlier, it wouldn't have been destroyed. Sigh, I'm just telling you about it, nothing else."
"Besides, we can't go there now. What if another nuclear bomb drops?"
Commander Xu said confidently, "Impossible."
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