100: Chapter 100 A Sharp Sword Pierces the Base, Leading to the Collapse of the Long Group

7:20 AM, Northwest Theater Command Headquarters.

In the emergency operations conference room, the projection screen displayed the coordinate data provided by Chen Fan. Lieutenant General Li Zhenjun, Commander of the Western Theater Command, stared at the blinking red dot, his face ashen.

"Right under our noses, someone built a base capable of launching strategic-level electromagnetic cannons?" His voice was thick with suppressed fury. "What the hell has the intelligence department been doing?!"

"Commander, surface monitoring of that area shows an abandoned mine. The underground structures have been identified as 'natural karst cave clusters' in remote sensing scans over the years," the intelligence chief explained, sweat beading on his forehead. "The other side used highly sophisticated camouflage technology, and... there may have been internal personnel providing cover."

Li Zhenjun snorted coldly and grabbed the red secure line telephone. "Connect me to the 'Sharp Sword' special operations team. I want Captain Lei Zhen on the line personally."

Three minutes later, the Western Theater Command's most elite special operations unit—the "Sharp Sword" team—was fully mobilized for combat readiness. Three Yun-2 transport planes took off from the military airfield, carrying twelve fully armed special forces operators and a full suite of tactical equipment, heading straight for the target coordinates.

Inside the aircraft cabin, Lei Zhen gave the final briefing: "Target is an underground illegal weapons testing base, highly dangerous. According to intelligence from Fanxing Technology, the enemy possesses at least one complete electromagnetic acceleration weapon system. Operational principles: secure the site, apprehend suspects, seize technical equipment. Lethal force is authorized if met with resistance."

The deputy team leader checked the thermal imager. "Captain, images from the ground reconnaissance aircraft show the surface structures in the target area do look like an abandoned mine. However, infrared scans reveal abnormal heat sources underground—at least three large energy reactors are operational."

"Then we need to be even more careful," Lei Zhen said, pulling down his night-vision goggles. "Prepare for fast-rope insertion. Remember, we may not be facing conventional enemies."

---

8:05 AM, above the target coordinates.

The transport plane's doors opened, and the special forces operators slid down fast-ropes to the ground. The twelve men quickly deployed in tactical formation, securing all entrances and exits of the "abandoned mine."

The surface structures were dilapidated, truly looking as if they had been abandoned for over a decade. But Lei Zhen noticed a detail: the lock on the main entrance's iron door was brand new and a state-of-the-art electronic keypad lock.

"Breach team, go," he signaled.

Two team members stepped forward to install a directional breaching charge. "Three, two, one—"

"Boom!"

The iron door shattered. Behind it was not the expected mine shaft, but a downward-sloping, brightly lit modern corridor. The walls were made of silver-gray alloy, the floor covered with anti-static tiles, and the ceiling lined with neat rows of LED lights.

From deep within the corridor, the low hum of machinery operation could faintly be heard.

"Teams A and B, advance with alternating cover. Team C, hold the entrance," Lei Zhen ordered, raising his weapon and stepping into the corridor first.

The deeper they went, the stronger the distinct ozone smell of a high-energy electric field became in the air. The corridor had occasional branches, some with signs reading "Energy Storage Unit Zone A," "Acceleration Track Maintenance Access," "Projectile Assembly Workshop," and so on.

"This damn place really is a complete underground weapons factory..." the deputy leader muttered in awe.

When the team reached the main control area, the heavy blast door was wide open. Lei Zhen signaled a halt and peered inside through the gap.

Then, his body froze.

"Everyone, put on gas masks," he gritted out through clenched teeth. "Something... has happened inside."

---

The scene inside the main control room sent chills down the spines of these battle-hardened special forces operators.

Dozens of corpses lay contorted in various positions. They weren't killed by gunfire or explosions, but seemed to have been violently torn apart from the inside—chests burst open, bones protruding, viscera and tissue splattered everywhere. The walls, floor, and control consoles were all covered in dark red splatters of blood.

Most bizarrely, a network of black veins spread beneath the skin of all the corpses, covering their entire bodies like tree roots, even forming a dense web of black blood vessels visible on the surface of their eyeballs.

"What the hell..." one team member couldn't help but retch.

Suppressing his own discomfort, Lei Zhen walked toward the main console. The chief engineer's corpse was still sitting in the chair, his right hand clutching an empty syringe. A few drops of dark red, viscous liquid remained inside the syringe barrel—and those drops... seemed to be writhing slightly.

"Tech team, samples! Take samples of everything!" Lei Zhen's voice was grave as never before. "Be careful not to make direct contact!"

His gaze fell on the control console screen. The screen was still on, displaying the final operation log:

[05:14:23: 'Xingtian' System Launch Sequence Initiated]

[05:14:25: Authority Override Warning—Violation of Graden Protocol Articles 4, 7, 9]

[05:14:31: Launch Confirmed—Target Locked: Fanxing Technology, Modu]

"Graden Protocol?" Lei Zhen frowned, quickly photographing the screen contents. "Immediately transmit the live feed and this data back to command!"

Just then, Team B's voice came through the comms: "Captain! We've found a private laboratory! Inside... you need to see this for yourself!"

The scene in the laboratory was even more bizarre.

The door of a silver refrigeration cabinet had been torn open from the inside, its walls smeared with dark red, viscous substance. Dozens of shattered test tubes lay scattered on the floor, each bearing the same symbol on its label: Ω.

In the corner of the laboratory, Lei Zhen found a protective suit torn to shreds. The inside of the suit was stained with blood and fragments of some dark red, semi-transparent biological tissue—those fragments were even twitching slightly, as if possessing independent life.

Lei Zhen crouched down and carefully picked up a tissue fragment with tweezers. Under the tactical flashlight's beam, the fragment displayed an eerie semi-transparent texture, with faint, pulsing micro-light visible flowing inside.

"Seal everything here," he stood up, surveying the death-filled, bizarre laboratory. "We need a top-level biochemical disposal team. Also—"

He looked at a crack in the wall beside the refrigeration cabinet. The edges of the crack bore clear claw marks, as if torn open by some enormous claws. The crack led deep into the dark ventilation duct.

"Notify command," Lei Zhen said word by word, "suspect Long Zaifei may have mutated and escaped from here. Recommend immediately sealing off all areas within a one-hundred-kilometer radius and activating the biological contamination emergency response plan."

10:00 AM, Capital, Emergency Meeting of the National Security Committee.

The massive projection screen displayed divided feeds: live footage from the Northwest base, Ω sample analysis reports, and communication records recovered from the base's servers between Long Corporation and the Graden organization.

The Director of the National Security Bureau personally presided: "Based on evidence seized at the scene and critical intelligence provided by Chen Fan of Fanxing Technology, it has now been confirmed: Long Group, through the overseas illegal organization 'Graden,' secretly researched strategic-level electromagnetic weapon technology, establishing an illegal testing base deep in the Northwest desert. In the early hours of this morning, Long Zaifei violated the regulations of the Graden organization and our national laws, unlawfully using the 'Xingtian' electromagnetic cannon to attack a domestic civilian target."

He pulled up another set of documents. "Furthermore, during the technology acquisition process, Long Corporation provided the Graden organization with seventeen sensitive technical datasets from our aerospace materials, high-energy physics, and bioengineering fields, suspected of seriously endangering national security."

A stern, murderous silence filled the conference room.

"Now for the vote," the Director scanned the room. "First, immediately seal up Long Group and all associated enterprises. Second, arrest Long Zhenwei. Third, issue a nationwide wanted notice for Long Zaifei and Long Zaiyu. Fourth, coordinate with Interpol for the transnational pursuit of Long Zaiyu. Fifth, establish a joint task force to thoroughly investigate this case. Raise your hand if in favor."

Unanimously passed.

2:30 PM, Long Group Headquarters.

The building was completely sealed off. When Long Zhenwei was handcuffed in the chairman's office, he offered no resistance, only muttering to himself while looking out the window: "Lost... completely lost..."

He remembered Long Zaifei's confident assurance three months ago: "Dad, once 'Xingtian' is complete, Chen Fan is nothing to fear. Graden's technology is far beyond this era. We can take back everything."

And now? Long Zaifei's whereabouts were unknown, his fate uncertain; Long Zaiyu was abroad and about to be wanted; Long Group, utterly destroyed.

"Chen Fan..." Before being escorted out of the office, Long Zhenwei took one last look at the family portrait on the wall, a flicker of complex regret in his eyes.

4:00 PM, Interpol National Central Bureau, China.

The Red Notice was officially issued. Long Zaiyu's photo and information were sent to 19 member countries worldwide. One hour later, London police confirmed Long Zaiyu had left his residence three days prior, current whereabouts unknown, but all his overseas accounts under his name had been frozen.

6:00 PM, Fanxing Technology Park.

Chen Fan stood before the large screen in the main control center, watching the news scroll with reports of Long Group's downfall. Xiao Zhi reported the latest developments beside him:

"Boss, the military has formally sent a letter of thanks. The coordinates and technical analysis you provided played a decisive role in cracking this case. Also, they've invited you to a closed-door technical seminar tomorrow to discuss the potential applications of plasma shielding."

"What about Long Zaifei?" Chen Fan asked.

"Biological tissue fragments were found at the scene, confirmed to belong to Long Zaifei. But..." Xiao Zhi paused, "the genetic sequence has undergone 38% non-human mutation. The military assesses he has undergone irreversible biological alteration via the Ω sample. Current whereabouts unknown. Threat level classified as 'extremely high.'"

Outside the window, night fell.

And deep within the primeval forests of the southwestern border, a pair of dark red eyes slowly opened in the darkness. The owner of the eyes climbed out from a pile of rotting leaves, its body contorted unnaturally, the black veins beneath its skin faintly glowing in the moonlight.

It lifted its head, looking eastward, a hoarse, metallic grating sound issuing from its throat:

"Chen... Fan..."

"Wait... ing..."

The twisted figure leaped into the depths of the jungle. Wherever it passed, vegetation withered, and insects dropped dead.