Chapter 261: Secret Discovered
While Zhang Yi was strategically preparing for a prolonged battle, Shen Hong and Yu Lang were retreating in disgrace with the remaining soldiers. They had started with thirty men, but now nearly half were dead, leaving only eighteen! The worst part was that they hadn't even managed to touch a hair on the enemy's head. Despite concentrating all their firepower, they couldn't even scratch the shelter's walls.
The team was dejected, and Shen Hong, their leader, was deeply frustrated, unsure of how to report this to West Hill Base. Yu Lang walked over, patting his shoulder. "We need to report this to the base immediately. This is an enemy beyond our capabilities."
Shen Hong felt bitter, unable to find words; his heart was filled with sorrow and guilt. Yu Lang, seeing his struggle, offered, "If you don't know what to say, I can report it for you. The mission is the priority."
Shen Hong nodded. Yu Lang immediately pulled out the communication device to report the mission's outcome to West Hill Base. Since the base was underground, direct communication between individuals was impossible; only the base's Information Department could receive the messages.
The moment the report came in, the Information Minister, Geng Yilin, quickly forwarded it to the leader, Chen Xinian. The report first passed through the hands of Chen's secretary, Ge Rou, who took a quick look and immediately turned pale.
"Twelve soldiers dead!" she exclaimed. West Hill Base had only about five hundred soldiers, mostly elite troops and special police officers from before the apocalypse. Each death was an irreplaceable loss. Losing twelve soldiers in one mission was sure to enrage Chen Xinian.
But what was even more alarming was Yu Lang's report, which mentioned a terrifying enemy: an impenetrable fortress immune to gunfire and a powerful Superhuman. This had become a thorn within West Hill Base's territory, severely undermining their control over the surrounding area.
Ge Rou dared not delay and immediately reported the news to Chen Xinian. After reading the report, Chen's face remained expressionless. However, he read the document three times before slowly putting it down in front of him.
Ge Rou stepped forward and said, "Leaders Shen Hong and Yu Lang failed in their mission, disappointing both you and the organization. I suggest punishing them severely as a warning to others!"
Shen Hong and Yu Lang's performance was abysmal. They were sent to rescue Liu Ziyang and Xie Huanhuan. Even if they failed, they were expected to bring back useful intelligence. But now, all they had managed was to find the place where the attack on Liu Ziyang and Xie Huanhuan had occurred. Worse, they had lost a significant number of soldiers with little to show for it.
Had West Hill Base not been short on manpower, Chen Xinian would have considered executing both of them.
Chen Xinian glanced at Ge Rou, and that single look made her feel as if she had fallen into an ice pit. He retracted his gaze and said calmly, "Encountering a formidable enemy can't be entirely blamed on them. We need every capable person we have right now. We'll address this later."
"However, I am quite intrigued by that mysterious shelter and its owner. Do we have any intelligence on that?"
Intelligence was key. Knowing the enemy was crucial to making any strategic decision. Chen Xinian rarely left West Hill Base, and without sufficient information, he couldn't make a move.
Ge Rou, competent beyond her appearance, had come prepared. As soon as Chen Xinian asked, she pulled out a tablet and handed it over. On the screen was a map of Tianhai City, zoomed in on the area around West Hill Base.
"According to Shen Hong and Yu Lang's report, the shelter is located in Cloud Manor by the Lu River. Based on previous intelligence, I suspect the person behind it is likely a man named Zhang Yi."
"As for the shelter itself, I've traced its origins—it was built ten years ago by Wang Siming. At the time, it was largely ignored, but our engineers now estimate that its defensive capabilities could rival our own West Hill Base."
Chen Xinian furrowed his brow. "Zhang Yi? Who is that?"
Given his many responsibilities, Chen Xinian couldn't recall such an ordinary name.
Ge Rou reminded him, "He's the man suspected of having access to the missing goods from the Walmart warehouse."
Worried Chen Xinian might not remember, she added, "The lowly warehouse supervisor."
At this, Chen Xinian's memory stirred.
"Him? Well, that does make sense." He frowned, slightly surprised. "An inconspicuous nobody with no education or background, now a big problem just because of some mutant abilities. Hah, what luck this guy has."
Chen Xinian now remembered Zhang Yi but still didn't see him as a significant threat. In his eyes, Zhang Yi was just a small-time figure who had gotten lucky.
To Chen Xinian, a small person gaining power wouldn't know how to wield it properly and would ultimately be undone by it. This was in stark contrast to someone like him, born of a prominent family and rooted deeply in power.
Chen Xinian stood up and picked up the report again, studying it closely. Several clues were connecting in his mind, a revelation on the verge of coming together.
"Walmart warehouse supervisor—"
"An ability that ignores bullets—"
"Powers… Superhuman…"
Chen Xinian pondered for a good ten minutes before suddenly realizing where the problem lay.
"If he were just a regular awakened individual, upon encountering Xie Huanhuan and Liu Ziyang, he should have chosen to flatter them, avoid confrontation, or even plead to join West Hill Base."
"After all, in an environment where resources are scarce, it's nearly impossible for a person to survive alone."
"But instead, he not only refused to submit but took the risk of offending West Hill Base to kill Xie Huanhuan and Liu Ziyang."
"This can only mean one thing: he has a secret that absolutely cannot be discovered—something that Xie Huanhuan and Liu Ziyang might have stumbled upon."
A gleam flashed in Chen Xinian's eyes. He slammed the table, exclaiming, "In the apocalypse, what's the biggest secret anyone could have? It's resources!"
"In other words, the massive amount of missing goods from Walmart—they must be in his possession, hidden by his special ability!"