A cold glint flashed in Lu Shiyan's eyes. "They came at just the right time."
His voice held an unsuppressed excitement. "It saved me a lot of trouble."
Li Kui was utterly confused listening outside the door, but he didn't dare to ask more, only waiting for his boss's next instruction.
"Boss, then we..."
Lu Shiyan raised a hand, signaling him to be silent. He turned, his gaze falling on Su Wan's slightly bulging belly. Deep within his eyes, something extremely subtle seemed to stir, but it was too quick to grasp, immediately covered by a deeper, colder resolve.
"A Mo will take you away."
Su Wan rushed to him in a few steps, grabbing Lu Shiyan's sleeve. Her voice was tight, with a slight tremor she hadn't even noticed herself: "Leave? Go where? What about you?"
Lu Shiyan reached out, gently prying her fingers open one by one without a trace of emotion. His voice was as steady as a deep pool: "To a safe place. I'll stay and close the net."
"But here..." Su Wan still wanted to argue. She didn't want to leave alone at a time like this.
"No buts." Lu Shiyan cut her off, his eyes suddenly sharp, like two knives honed with cold light, piercing directly into her eyes. "Su Wan, obey!"
He enunciated these three words very slowly and heavily, carrying an undeniable authority.
Su Wan's chest heaved, and she finally nodded, her voice a little hoarse: "I... I understand. Please be careful."
"Mm." Lu Shiyan responded, then looked at A Mo, who had remained silent as iron beside him. "You know what to do."
A Mo nodded slightly, his gaze firm: "Understood."
Before leaving, Su Wan was still worried and quickly asked, "Xiao Lei, he..."
A Mo was expressionless, but his voice was very firm: "Miss Su, don't worry, the captain has his own arrangements."
Lu Shiyan said no more, instructing Li Kui outside the door: "Notify Xiao Han, you all follow him to the entrance of the 'First Line of Sky' canyon on the edge of Zone B and await orders."
"First Line of Sky?" Li Kui was startled. "That place has dangerous terrain, it's the only way for Scorpion to enter Zone A. But if they defend it to the death..."
Lu Shiyan's lips curled into a cold, sharp arc: "He will." He paused slightly. "Tell Xiao Han, when he sees the signal, just make the biggest commotion possible, the bigger the better. Then, retreat immediately according to the plan, no need to prolong the fight."
"Yes!" Although Li Kui had a myriad of questions in his heart, he still straightened his back and loudly accepted the order before leaving. Lu Shiyan watched him leave, the curve of his lips deepening. Xiao Han, that kid, loves big scenes like this the most; the bigger the commotion, the more excited he gets.
The office door closed again.
Lu Shiyan's gaze once again turned to the window, the direction of Zone B, which in his eyes had already transformed into a complex chessboard.
Scorpion, Lei Laohu... they were merely pawns between his fingers.
His tone was calm, as if he were discussing a trivial everyday matter: "Su Wan, you and A Mo go to the secret passage in the core zone first. When the time is right, he will take you out of the base."
Su Wan opened her mouth, but a thousand words ultimately condensed into one: "Okay."
She understood that any hesitation or unnecessary questions at this moment would only cause him trouble. All she could do was trust him and then do her best to protect herself and the child in her womb.
A Mo escorted Su Wan, and their figures quickly disappeared outside the door.
The vast office returned to silence, leaving only Lu Shiyan alone.
"Scorpion, you think bringing in a few 'Vultures' can turn the world upside down?"
Lu Shiyan murmured to himself, a trace of undisguised mockery flashing in his eyes.
"Since you want to play big, then I'll give you an... unforgettable grand fireworks show."
From the inner pocket of his combat uniform, he took out a palm-sized, completely black remote control, with only one prominent red button on it.
This was the "surprise gift package" he had meticulously prepared for Scorpion and his "allies" over the past month, secretly utilizing the privileges and resources Lei Laohu had granted him. Those strongholds that he had "cleaned out," originally belonging to Scorpion or other minor factions, appeared to be completely abandoned on the surface, but in reality, he had subtly transformed them into a series of chain-detonating "gift boxes."
And "First Line of Sky" was the fuse to ignite this grand "fireworks show."
He wanted all of Scorpion's dying struggles and unrealistic delusions, along with those so-called foreign aids he had placed high hopes on, to be annihilated in the most extreme and dazzling explosion.
At the same time, on several main passages from Zone B to Zone A, Scorpion's large forces, surrounded by dozens of well-equipped, arrogant members of the "Vulture" mercenary group, were advancing at full speed, filled with murderous intent.
"Boss, 'First Line of Sky' is just ahead!" A trusted minion pointed to the narrow canyon entrance ahead, excitedly reporting to Scorpion.
Scorpion's face, covered in hideous scars, twisted with extreme excitement, his eyes flashing with bloodthirsty revenge: "Good! Let the 'Vultures' lead the charge! Everyone else follow! Charge in! Lu Shiyan, that little bastard, and Lei Laohu, that old turtle! Today, I'm going to make them pay for their blood debts, and use their bones to pave my way!"
He had no idea that he was leading his most elite forces, and the "Vultures" he had paid a hefty price for, step by step into the death trap Lu Shiyan had meticulously constructed for him.
At this moment, Lei Laohu was leisurely sitting in his command center in the core zone, listening to his subordinates report on Lu Shiyan's deployment of personnel to "First Line of Sky" for defense.
Lei Laohu stroked the coarse stubble on his chin, a hint of calculation flashing in his eyes. "Oh? Lu Shiyan personally led men to the canyon's choke point?" He rubbed his chin, a playful smile spreading across his lips. "It seems he wants to give Scorpion a head-on blow there, to decide the outcome in one battle."
"Good, let them fight like dogs, the fiercer the better, I'll just reap the benefits." Lei Laohu chuckled triumphantly, picked up his teacup and took a sip, completely unaware that he too was just a pawn on Lu Shiyan's chessboard, a pawn about to be discarded.
Suddenly!
"Boom—Rumble—!!!"
A series of dull but massive explosions, like an earthquake, erupted violently and continuously from the junction of Zone B and Zone A! The entire base shook incessantly under this terrifying tremor, as if it would fall apart at any second!
Inside Lei Laohu's command center, the teacup on the table jumped from the shock, scalding tea spilled everywhere, and the heavy crystal chandelier overhead swayed violently, emitting a grating creak, threatening to fall at any moment.
The triumphant smile on Lei Laohu's face instantly froze. The next moment, he sprang up from his wide leather chair, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief. "What's going on?! Where did it explode?!" He roared towards the door, his voice distorted.
A trusted subordinate responsible for communications stumbled and crawled in, his face ashen, his hat askew, his voice trembling uncontrollably: "Lei... Master Lei! Not... Not good!"
"Zone B... Zone B, in the direction near the 'First Line of Sky' canyon... several strongholds we previously marked as abandoned... almost simultaneously... all... all exploded!!!"
"Flames shot into the sky! Thick smoke billowed! It's said... it's said that Scorpion and the main force of the 'Vulture' mercenary group were just... just gathering in that area, preparing to forcefully attack 'First Line of Sky'..."
