39: Intertwined in the shadows

The square was a mess, and Bachm's greedy and eager back disappeared into the darkness of the Section B entrance, like a hyena that had caught the scent of blood.

Reno did not move.

He watched Number 734, who had regained his composure amidst the crowd; there was no expression on that lean face, as if the riot that had just been enough to subvert the order of the mining area was merely a breeze brushing over the water's surface.

A cold chill climbed up Reno's spine.

He realized that, like Bachm, he was being played like a puppet by this man. Conventional surveillance had completely lost its meaning.

A gamble had to be made.

He had to personally talk to this devil.

***

The door to the Guard Team dormitory was locked with a "click."

Reno sat on the narrow bed, the coldness of the metal seeping into his skin through his uniform. He didn't turn on the light, letting the darkness swallow him.

He pulled up his personal terminal, the light screen illuminating his tense face. He didn't look at any classified documents, but instead flipped through the mining area's public internal regulations, his fingertips sliding rapidly across the screen as if searching for a lifeline.

Finally, his finger stopped on a clause almost forgotten by everyone—the "Emergency Material Damage Declaration Process."

"Due to force majeure, critical pipe valves have aged, posing a leakage risk and requiring emergency replacement..." he muttered, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.

He took a deep breath and, using his authority as the Guard Team leader, submitted a new maintenance request to the system.

"Target Location: Material Relay Station No. 3."

"Problem Description: Pipe valve aging, emergency replacement required."

"Supervisor: Reno."

The signal was sent. In this oppressive mining area, this was a tacit secret code within the Guard Team that had never been used before.

Now, he handed this signal to that most dangerous enemy, or rather... his only hope.

***

In Chen Feng's new dormitory, his personal terminal emitted a soft notification sound.

A maintenance notice issued to the entire mining area lay quietly in the message list.

The location was so remote that only cleaning robots would occasionally pass by. The time was exactly during the interval of the next area-wide patrol. The supervisor's name was none other than Reno.

The corner of Chen Feng's mouth curled into an expected arc.

"Finally here," he whispered to himself.

He didn't reply, nor did he even take a second look at the notice. He switched interfaces and pulled up the mining area database access permissions he had just acquired.

The structural blueprints of Relay Station No. 3, the layout of surrounding surveillance cameras, patrol routes... all the information converged before his eyes into a transparent web.

He found it. A surveillance blind spot located at the side-rear of the relay station, perfectly obscured by the shadows of abandoned pipes.

"Ma Liu," Chen Feng issued a brief command.

"Brother Feng! At your command!" Ma Liu's voice replied almost instantly.

"Go modify your night patrol task. In twenty minutes, go to Relay Station No. 3 under the pretext of 'checking the lines'."

"Yes!"

"In the corner of that surveillance blind spot, there's a loose brick. Leave an iron nail behind it."

"An iron nail?" Ma Liu's tone was full of confusion.

"Yes, an ordinary iron nail," Chen Feng's voice was devoid of emotion. "Leave it and go, don't look back."

***

During the next patrol, Reno's heartbeat had never been so erratic.

He led the team along the established route as usual. When passing Relay Station No. 3, his footsteps didn't pause for a second, but his peripheral vision was locked onto that corner from his memory.

In the gap between the bricks, a rusty iron nail lay quietly.

It was like a bolt of black lightning, instantly striking Reno's pupils.

His heart skipped a beat.

The other party had not only understood the signal but had also completed counter-reconnaissance in such a short time and... possessed the power to mobilize personnel at will.

This man was even more unfathomable than he had imagined.

The risk was also escalating infinitely.

***

Before heading to the meeting, Chen Feng first detoured into that secret modification workshop.

Lao Mo and his small team were gathered around the workbench, their eyes feverish. The air was filled with the smell of machine oil and the searing scent of cut metal.

"Brother Feng!" Seeing Chen Feng, Lao Mo excitedly picked up a piece of work from the bench. "Look! The first one! We succeeded!"

It was a crude-looking "Core Sampler," but the extra electromagnetic coils under the muzzle and the modified power interface all exuded a lethal aura.

"Very good," Chen Feng said as he took it, feeling its heavy weight.

"Brother Feng, we also found that a type of energy core in the exploration equipment can be connected in series." Lao Mo's face was flushed with excitement. "The stability is poor, but the power... it could definitely blow that bastard Bachm's office to high heaven!"

"Record the blueprints and data," Chen Feng patted his shoulder appreciatively. "Your value is far beyond this."

***

The night was deep.

Outside Material Relay Station No. 3, Reno arrived early and hid behind a pile of discarded shipping containers.

He waited for a secret meeting as if facing a formidable foe, rehearsing countless tense scenarios in his mind.

However, what he saw was a scene that left him between laughter and tears.

"Buzz— Buzz—"

A round cleaning robot wobbled over from a distance. And Number 734, the man who made him so uneasy and fearful, was sitting casually on top of the robot, his legs dangling, looking just like an ordinary miner who had just slacked off from work.

This huge contrast between unfathomable depth and farcical reality instantly drained half of the murderous intent and vigilance Reno had prepared.

Chen Feng jumped off the robot and walked straight toward the iron gate of the relay station.

Reno took a deep breath, stepped out from the shadows, and followed closely.

The iron gate closed behind them with a heavy thud, sealing off everything from the outside world.

The cramped space was filled with dusty clutter, and the air seemed frozen.

The two stood facing each other, their silence clashing in the darkness.

Finally, it was Reno who broke the silence, his voice incredibly hoarse from tension.

"Who exactly are you?"

"What do you want?"

Chen Feng didn't answer. In the darkness, he seemed to smile, and then he asked a question back, every word like an awl piercing deep into Reno's soul.

"Captain, don't you want to know... how you and your team will eventually be 'disposed' of?"