Free Web NovelChapter 1130: Chapter 1100: Moonless Night (2)
Midnight at twelve is not the best time for an attack, nor is it when the human body reaches its deepest or most tired state, but it is the moment when the awareness of defense is at its weakest, caught between being tired and alert. The mind becomes sluggish, and once this point passes, it gets excited again due to the liver and gallbladder’s continuous movement, causing nerves to rapidly tense.
As the third-largest force in Sicilian Palermo, ’Wagangnai’ has a name strikingly opposite to the other two powers. Though it’s not very pleasant, it’s a place that makes one frown upon mention, yet it doesn’t belong to the underworld. Sometimes, it even targets the Sicilian Mafia for fun. If you were to describe it accurately, it’s like a guerrilla group from the revolutionary era, organizing activities in small groups scattered across Palermo streets, albeit their intentions seem heartless. Despite targeting the underworld, the police see them as criminals indistinguishable from their targets.
’Wagangnai’ does not blatantly showcase its criminal records like Sin City, occupying a piece of land in the old city that appears ancient and slow, yet is not as historically significant. It’s also a gathering place for the poor, bustling and slow-paced. However, at the center of this old city, a modern defensive building has been constructed, with floors not high, equipment not fully equipped, yet not overly rigid either.
Fingers tapped on the keyboard, Meisai waited behind Tang, watching the commands being input into the computer, while a simulation of the building’s defense system and 3D model appeared on screen, dotted with several red, blue, and orange points that were both fixed and moving.
Suddenly, an alarm sounded on the computer, Meisai bent down nervously, one hand on the table, the other on Tang’s chair back. "What’s going on? Have we been discovered?"
Tang shook his head playfully, letting his fingers leave the keyboard. "This alarm is from our host, we’ve connected to their host, the screen you’re seeing is a mirror image showing their current situation, a so-called remote view. However, I made some modifications, if needed I can alter and send commands from here to disrupt the host."
"Oh, I see!" Meisai nodded, half understanding. "Does the alarm mean someone has infiltrated and triggered the defense system?"
"That’s hard to say, it could also be mice or night cats." Tang pointed at the blue points. "This is the outer circle, anything is possible."
The building is situated slightly toward the back of ’Wagangnai’s’ center, surrounded by vast low bushes, understatedly extravagant, lacking ornate decoration and deliberate arrangement, instead highlighting its stability and antiquity, harmonious with ’Wagangnai’s’ history.
Dark figures crouched like panthers, motionless, blending seamlessly with the night. The alarm echoed through the sky but suddenly ceased as several people exited the building and ran in one direction while another two headed towards the bushes, causing a motionless figure to leap upward, lightly landing on a branch and merging with the darkness.
"Found anything?" someone asked beneath the tree.
"Probably animals, stray dogs often pass through here," another replied, as the intercom on his waist buzzed with static interference sounds. "Damn it, what’s wrong with this thing now?" he cursed, the hissing in the darkness reminiscent of horror movie scenes.
"Search again, if there’s nothing, head back."
The footsteps grew distant until they were no longer audible, the figure jumped down from the tree onto the fallen leaves. After a brief exchange of glances, the silhouettes dispersed, heading in various directions toward their shared goal, the building several meters away.
"Someone beat us to it!" two people in the bushes leisurely leaned against the tree trunk, one playing with a twig stirring up fallen leaves. The other remained calm, staring intently at the bodyguards returning to the building.
"Did you hear the interference noise? Wonder who’s the first to sneak in, pretty professional move." His words earned a glare from his companion.
"Boss Lin, we’re discussing not the static interference, but the identity of the other party."
"I know, but what does it have to do with us?" he responded while pointing at another side of the bushes not far from them. "Besides us, there’s a third party."
"Oh, tonight is really lively, Eastern Three Provinces has more allure than you," the speaker is none other than Yelü Shou, who insisted on tagging along with Xiao Lin.
"They might have different goals, I want to know if the five people on the cargo ship are connected to the Dan Clan. In Palermo, the Eastern Three Provinces isn’t the only group associated with arms dealings, though it’s the largest. If someone wants to replace them, they can only do so by killing or mutual leverage, which resulted in the scene of Eastern Three Provinces’ previous arrest, yet the identity of the person who took Eastern Three Provinces from the police remains a mystery, now I’m certain this person isn’t Shao Weihua."
Two shadows emerged from the bushes on the other end, swiftly landing in front of the building, light and swift, disappearing from Xiao Lin’s sight in a blink. "Troy sent the signal, should we start now?" a bright point flashed in front of Yelü Shou, specialized equipment showing its advantage in the dark, projecting a point-to-point light on the designated spot instead of forming a strip of light in the air.
"Inform them to stand guard, we’re not here to fight, just need to identify Eastern Three Provinces’ true identity, if the five are found, report immediately and retreat."
"Lin!" Yelü Shou looked at Xiao Lin with concern. "This isn’t the cargo ship, it’s their base, you’re alone."
"I never said I was going to fight." Xiao Lin smirked, if not for this guy tattling to Xia Xue, would he be forced into this abstinent mode.
At quarter to one, the earpiece whispered a few words. In the darkness, those black eyes glowed briefly, Xiao Lin gave Yelü Shou a ’not fighting’ look before darting towards the building.
"Nobody believes you won’t fight, huh!" Yelü Shou firmly spoke the truth, following closely behind. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit qidian.com to vote for recommendations or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
