bioinnovel Chapter 228 Onward!
Chapter 228 Onward!
When all the formations received the order to return to base, Zhang Yan was sitting cross-legged in the cockpit, eating a protein bar he had brought with him.
On the holographic screen, the dots of light began to drift one by one toward the southeast.
They've withdrawn.
He took a bite of the protein bar and casually stuffed the wrapper into his pocket.
[Ding! Target pursuit formation has been detected to have completely left the search area.]
[Completion rating for this underwater tactical evasion maneuver: S-level.]
[Bonus Reward: 300 Tactical Skill Experience Points.]
Zhang Yan glanced at the notification and continued chewing his protein bar.
The mechanical shark slowly emerged from the shadows of the ridge, repositioned itself, and adjusted its thruster power back to cruise mode.
The sea-devouring shark is accelerating again.
Northwest direction.
The Golden Triangle.
……
Time passes quietly underwater.
There were no pursuers, no alarms; the holographic screen displayed only a calm underwater topographic map and regularly pulsating sonar pulses.
Sometimes Zhang Yan would look at blueprints, sometimes he would ask the system to play some instrumental music to reduce background noise, and sometimes he would just stare blankly at that deep blue expanse.
His cell phone had no signal underwater, but the satellite communication system was still working.
Nie Qingcheng sent a message about two hours later.
Where are you now?
"In the water."
"..."
"Nonsense. Where was I?"
"Almost there, in about three more hours."
"Have you got a meal yet?"
"have eaten."
"What did you eat?"
Protein bars.
A second passed on the other end.
"That doesn't count as a meal."
Zhang Yan glanced down at the remnants of packaging paper in his hand and said nothing.
"Eat something when you get there."
Nie Qingcheng kept sending messages: "Qin Xiao said there aren't any decent restaurants in the Golden Triangle, so I had Qingcheng's supplier network find a local private chef to prepare the meals at your rendezvous point in advance."
"You should have the supplier find a cook."
"Yeah, what's wrong?"
"...Go to the Golden Triangle to find a cook."
"With enough money, you can find a cook anywhere," Nie Qingcheng replied confidently. "When you come back, let's go eat at that oden place, the one we didn't finish last time."
Zhang Yan looked at the line of text on the screen.
"OK."
He put away his phone and turned his attention back to the holographic screen.
The sonar detector circle swept silently.
There are no unusual targets ahead.
Only deep-sea creatures occasionally glide by.
Normal, the kind that isn't contaminated.
He mentally reviewed the events in Japan.
Three warships.
A Soryu-class destroyer had its sonar cable severed.
The entire anti-submarine task force returned empty-handed.
He could probably deduce several possible outcomes from this incident.
The Sakura Congress reported the matter and said they would investigate, try to find more eyewitness accounts, and conduct intelligence analysis using the 573 ship's logbook.
They will come to the conclusion that the thing is not a submarine of any known country.
Then they will start to panic.
Zhang Yan had no objection to this.
They deserve to panic.
……
When we were less than 50 kilometers from the designated location, a new notification appeared on the holographic screen.
[A faint trace of "Ruin" energy has been detected in the seabed area ahead.]
[Intensity: Level 0.3 (Extremely weak, suspected to be environmental residue produced by contaminating organisms).]
Current status: No direct threat.
[Recommendation: Record the coordinates and include them in subsequent investigation plans.]
Zhang Yan glanced at the coordinates and asked the system to save the data.
The tentacles of the ruins have already spread into the waters of Southeast Asia.
Not surprising.
This sea area, densely populated and emotionally complex, a mix of drugs, war, poverty, and despair, is fertile ground for Ruins.
He noted this information down and added it to the "secondary priority" list.
The task at hand, first.
……
On the holographic screen, a green marker lit up on the coastline not far ahead.
[Mission Navigation: Entered the outer waters of the target area.]
[Distance from planned landing point: 12 kilometers.]
[Current time: 03:21 local time.]
The Dragon Scale Squad's location marker was currently stationary in a dense mountain forest about forty kilometers inland from Zhang Yan.
It is either in preparation or waiting for a window of opportunity to act.
Zhang Yan slowed down the mechanical shark, switched to silent underwater mode, and quietly approached the shore, skimming along the seabed.
He stopped the mechanical shark three kilometers from the landing point.
Let it wait underwater.
He opened the cockpit and took out a waterproof lightweight suit from the storage space—a thin-film composite material that, when unfolded, fit snugly against his body, providing heat insulation, sound insulation, and shielding against infrared signatures, making its visibility near zero under night vision equipment.
I slung a canvas backpack over my shoulder and took the military satellite phone with me.
He jumped into the water from the back of the mechanical shark.
The water was unexpectedly cold.
Zhang Yan swam steadily in the water at a slow speed, with his movements producing almost no ripples on the surface.
The coastline was just a dark silhouette in the night.
The landing point was on a shallow beach with many rocks, far from the fishing village, and there were no lights nearby.
He stepped onto the rocks, stood up, and shook the water droplets off his hands.
A slight static noise came through the headphones, followed by a deep male voice.
"The target has successfully reached the landing point."
It was Qin Changfeng's contact person, codenamed "Qingshan," who was currently lurking in the woods less than two kilometers away.
Zhang Yan responded in a low voice.
"Confirmed. What's the time now?"
"0327".
"Dragon scales?"
"Standing at attention. Action window set at 05:30. During the shift change."
There are exactly two hours left before the operation begins.
enough.
Zhang Yan walked into the bushes behind the reef and found a flat rock to sit down.
The treetops are covered with a dense canopy, and occasionally the chirping of insects can be heard.
The nights in the rainforest are filled with strong smells, a mixture of decaying leaves and damp earth.
He opened the system, retrieved the location of the Dragon Scale Squad and the terrain data of the target buildings in the Golden Triangle, and began to deduce the route.
Main Quest: Triumph Abroad
[Task Status: In Progress]
[Current Phase: Arrived in the combat zone, awaiting the opening of the action window.]
[Reward status: Locked, will unlock upon completion of the mission.]
[Additional Note: Weak "Ruin" energy fluctuations are detected in the basement of the target building, suggesting a possible "Ruin" resource infiltration point. It is recommended to clear the energy after the operation.]
Zhang Yan stared at the last line and scanned it twice.
He never expected that this place was also related to the ruins.
He put down his notes and turned his attention back to the topographic map.
The Golden Triangle, the target building, the dragon scales' movement route, and the surrounding firepower configuration.
These two hours are enough for him to calculate every single detail.
He was not prepared for any accidents to happen to any of the Dragonscale team members.
He remembered what Qin Changfeng had said.
"If the country needs you, you cannot refuse within the scope of your ability."
This is a promise.
He always takes promises seriously.
A bird of unknown species fluttered its wings and flew past the treetops, making a soft sound before falling silent again.
Zhang Yan leaned against a rock, his eyes open, waiting quietly in the darkness.
Aoyama's hushed voice came through the headphones.
"Mr. Zhang, it's 0330."
"understood."
"Would you like some water? I have some here..."
"Need not."
A moment of silence.
Qingshan didn't say anything more.
Zhang Yan's gaze pierced through the gaps in the tree canopy above, landing on a few blurry stars.
He thought of the message Nie Qingcheng had sent him.
"When we get back, let's go eat at that oden place, the one we didn't finish last time. I'm holding a grudge."
The corners of her mouth involuntarily curved upwards.
Row.
Let's clean this place up first.
Then we went back and ate oden.
……
0529 points.
Suddenly, a sound came from Dragon Scale's encrypted channel in the earphones.
Li Zhan's voice was brief and precise.
"Everyone, get ready."
Six characters.
Then came the neat and orderly response.
Heavy Hammer, Ghost, Scarface, Chen Mo, Crimson Torch.
One by one.
All online.
Zhang Yan stood up and patted the dust off his trousers.
He did not enter the Dragon Scale channel.
He walked in another direction...
The densest barrage of guard fire awaited him outside the target building.
[Ding! Battle window opened.]
[Overseas Triumphs: Entering the Final Stage]
My feet sank into the deep grass, silently.
The night enveloped him completely, and he vanished without a trace.