139: Chapter 139 On the Edge of the Tiger's Den, Peeking at the Truth

At noon, sunlight filtered through the holes in the Warehouse roof, casting pale beams of light that failed to dispel the chill within. Ling Ye finished hours of deep meditation, his mental and physical state mostly restored. He changed into the most nondescript grey hooded sweatshirt he had pulled from his backpack, pulled the brim low, and smeared a bit of dust and grease from the Warehouse on his face and hands, disguising himself as a homeless teenager or a down-and-out worker. Leaving the backpack behind, he only carried his multi-tool, a small amount of credits, his personal terminal (set to lowest power consumption and privacy mode), and the black stone sealed in its metal box.

He carefully checked his early warning traps, confirmed no one had broken in, and then quietly left the abandoned Warehouse district through the gap in the wall he had entered from.

The atmosphere in Dawn City during the day was noticeably different from usual. Pedestrians on the street looked hurried, their voices hushed, and an invisible tension and anxiety permeated the air. The flow of hovercars seemed less than usual, and they were moving very fast. Ling Ye noticed that public screens and broadcasts on the streets were looping "Emergency Incident Bulletins" and "Evacuation Guidelines" from the Municipal Government, urging citizens to remain calm and cooperate.

He did not head directly toward the Oak Street Community, but instead first detoured to a nearby large public transportation hub. The crowd was relatively dense here, and information was more chaotic. He blended into the crowd, head bowed, ears pricked, catching snatches of conversation around him.

"Did you hear? Oak Street exploded! They say it was an old underground gas pipeline that had been storing gas for decades, and it all went off at once!"

"Gas pipeline, my foot! My Neighbor lives near there; she said she saw a bolt of blue-white lightning strike from the sky in the early morning, and then the ground shook! And there were strange screams!"

"Did you see the video online? It was deleted in seconds, but I saved it! There were black shadows moving! Definitely not human!"

"The military has already gone in, fully armed, with long cordon lines set up and drones flying everywhere!"

"More than just the military, I saw people in black suits and sunglasses, riding in cars with no markings—they looked fierce!"

"My Neighbor was evacuated; they said it smells like death in there, makes you dizzy and want to vomit. Lots of people are like that, calling it a 'hazardous gas leak'."

"The authorities are telling us to go to the shelters, but who would dare go there! Everyone is looking for friends or relatives to stay with..."

These fragments of information converged, piecing together a picture that matched what Ling Ye knew: large-scale blockade, military intervention, unidentified personnel (the "Cleaning" party?), hazardous gas (abnormal energy erosion), public panic, and official cover-up.

He remained calm, bought the cheapest synthetic flour cake, and sat in a corner eating it slowly, while his gaze swept over the screens in the hub and the occasional vehicles passing by with Municipal Government or Security Department markings.

In the afternoon, he began to move slowly toward the Oak Street Community, following a main road parallel to it but separated by several blocks. The closer he got, the heavier the atmosphere became. There were significantly more police and Municipal Government security personnel patrolling the streets, and checkpoints were set up at major intersections to check the identification of passing vehicles and pedestrians. However, they did not completely prohibit passage, only questioning those heading toward Oak Street strictly and turning them back.

Ling Ye did not attempt to force his way through; instead, he turned into an alley, looking for a high-rise building. He set his sights on an old apartment building located at a relatively safe distance (about two kilometers from the Oak Street Community) with an open view from the rooftop. The building entrance had an electronic lock, but it was in disrepair. After observing for a moment, he waited until no one was paying attention, used a small tool from his multi-tool to skillfully pry the latch, slipped inside, and quickly ascended the fire escape to the rooftop.

The rooftop was open and windy. He flattened his body, hiding behind a water tank, and took out his personal terminal, adjusting the camera to maximum zoom, aiming it toward the Oak Street Community.

Through the pervasive faint smoke and dust (possibly remnants of the explosion or fire), the scene before him made his breath hitch.

The entire Oak Street Community, especially the Old Factory District on the east side, had been completely enveloped by a distinct, pale blue, semi-transparent barrier shimmering with energy! The barrier was hemispherical, estimated to be over a hundred meters high, covering the Old Factory District and a large surrounding area like a giant inverted bowl! The surface of the barrier was iridescent, with fine arcs of electricity jumping occasionally, distorting the scene inside into a blur, where only the outlines of some buildings and flashing lights could be vaguely seen.

This was no ordinary physical blockade! This was an energy barrier! This was extremely high-end military or specialized technology! Did the "industrial accident" mentioned by the authorities really require this level of containment?!

Surrounding the barrier were several layers of strict cordon lines. Soldiers wearing black combat uniforms, full-coverage helmets, and holding strange-looking firearms (definitely not standard police or military equipment) stood guard every three steps, encircling the barrier completely. In the air, dozens of sharp-looking, matte-grey armed drones hovered and patrolled at low altitude, their detectors and weapon hardpoints clearly visible under their bellies. Further away, multiple large command vehicles, engineering vehicles, and medical vehicles were parked, with personnel busily moving about.

Occasionally, a blinding blue-white light would erupt from inside the barrier, or a muffled explosion would be heard, causing the surrounding soldiers to immediately tense up and the drone swarm to perform tactical maneuvers. But the barrier remained stable.

This was not an accident scene; this was a battlefield! A direct battlefield against the "Anomaly"! And that energy barrier was not just a blockade, but also... protection? To keep what was inside from getting out, and also to prevent outsiders from peeking in?

Ling Ye's heart pounded wildly. He had seen the tip of the iceberg of the "Cleaning" force—those soldiers in black combat uniforms were likely the executors of the power behind the warning call! They seemed to coordinate with the authorities (military, Security Department), but their equipment and operational patterns were completely different, more professional and cold, targeting the "Anomaly".

Whatever was underground in the Old Factory District had clearly not been "Cleaned" immediately, and instead, a fierce confrontation had broken out! The authorities had been forced to use their trump card to blockade and suppress it!

So, what about the "Anomaly" itself? In what form did it "Breakthrough"? What were those blurry "black shadows" in the videos? Were the "dizziness and vomiting" and "strange smells" described by the evacuated residents the manifestations of the spread of "erosion"?

He adjusted the focus, trying to see more details inside the barrier, but the light distortion was too severe. He could only vaguely see that at the center of the Old Factory District, there seemed to be a churning, dark "vortex," with most of the blue-white light and explosions erupting from there. Some surrounding buildings had signs of collapse and fire.

After observing for about half an hour, there were no major changes inside or outside the barrier, apart from a few internal energy bursts. But the tension and oppression of that confrontation could be clearly felt even from this distance.

Ling Ye put away his terminal, preparing to leave the rooftop. The information he had obtained was shocking enough and had verified many of his speculations. It was not advisable to stay here long, and frequently using electronic devices to observe sensitive areas carried risks.

Just as he turned to leave, his peripheral vision suddenly caught two figures flashing past a small alleyway not far from the apartment building below, quickly ducking into the alley.

Both of them were wearing ordinary dark jackets and baseball caps, making it impossible to see their faces. But the way one of them walked, as well as the fleeting outline of his side profile, made Ling Ye feel incredibly familiar—

Zhou Ming?!

Why would he be here? And why was his behavior so furtive? Who was the person with him?

Alarm bells rang in Ling Ye's heart. He immediately flattened his body, using the low wall at the edge of the rooftop as cover, and cautiously cast his gaze toward the alley.

He saw Zhou Ming and the other person walk quickly through the alley to the back door of what looked like an abandoned small factory at the other end. Zhou Ming seemed to operate something on the door quickly (picking the lock?), and the two of them quickly slipped inside, the door closing immediately after.

The location of that small factory happened to be on the periphery of the blockade zone, but not on the main road, making it relatively hidden. What were they doing there? Another observation point for the "Paranormal Research Society"? Or... Zhou Ming's personal operation?

Recalling the post on the forum early this morning about the "evacuation of observation points," as well as the ambiguous position of Su Qing and the "Paranormal Research Society" in the incident, Zhou Ming's appearance here seemed particularly suspicious.

Ling Ye hesitated. Should he leave immediately to avoid any interaction with Zhou Ming? Or... take the risk to get closer and see what they were actually doing?

Zhou Ming likely possessed key information about the incident, about the "Cleaning" party, and even about the internal movements of Su Qing and the "Paranormal Research Society". Moreover, he seemed to be plotting something against him. Him acting alone (with one other person) at this moment might be an opportunity?

But the risks were equally immense. Zhou Ming was definitely not someone to be trifled with, and the situation inside that small factory was unknown.

Should he stay far away, or... seek wealth in danger?