190: Chapter 190 Choice

Before Lin Ning knew it, a significant amount of time had passed without him deciding what to do. Suddenly, the sound of multiple vehicles braking and hurried footsteps echoed from outside the building.

Lin Ning looked up to see seven or eight people walking in quickly, speaking in low voices. They didn't even spare him a glance, each of them wearing a cold, serious expression.

More people continued to arrive in small groups, walking briskly and dispersing throughout the small building.

A distinct atmosphere began to permeate the air.

Lin Ning walked to the main entrance and saw headlights constantly flashing in the parking lot. People were getting out of cars and rushing into the building.

The windows of the adjacent two-story auxiliary building also began to light up one by one.

The entire courtyard was brightly lit.

In this pitch-black night without moon or stars, it was like a bonfire had been lit, and these people were the fuel, constantly being added to the flames.

Lin Ning involuntarily followed them up to the second, third, and fourth floors.

He saw Chen Zhi standing at an office door, reporting into a phone, "...I've already had the combat analysts cross-reference existing information to screen religious sites in the country that match the characteristics, with a focus on those near densely populated areas and transportation hubs..."

In the Technical Department, fingers flew across keyboards in front of a wall of screens as Sky Eye footage scrolled by. The image of that bald man at the airport was frozen in the center. His mobile signal trajectory was marked out one by one; every contact he had made and every location he had stayed at was circled in red...

All off-duty members of the tactical teams had returned to the unit, fully geared up and waiting for orders. He also saw Li Chao and Liu Zhao...

In the Reconnaissance and Intelligence Groups, some were buried in piles of documents, while others hurried between different departments to gather information...

Hundreds of people were like a machine that had been started, with every part running at high speed.

People came and went in the corridors. Even though there were low voices and increasingly hurried footsteps everywhere, the atmosphere was so cold and solemn that it made one's heart race with anxiety.

Lin Ning stood in the middle of the hall. As people moved past him, their figures seemed to blur, as if he were separated from them into two different worlds, yet also as if they were merging into one.

The tension and agitation in Lin Ning's body slowly relaxed and smoothed out, finally turning into a state of calm.

He took one last look at the crowd, then turned and walked toward the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was also brightly lit, but aside from the chef, there was no one there. Lin Ning walked to the window, holding two trays and pointing at the braised pork and braised ribs.

"One plate of each, and eight ounces of rice. Put two stalks of green vegetables on top for me. What soup do you have today?"

The head chef, who had tucked away his signature Maitreya-like smile today and looked somewhat dignified instead, couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth. "Tomato egg soup and shredded beef with kelp soup."

"One bowl of each, I'll come over to pick them up in a moment." As he spoke, Lin Ning gave the chef a brilliant smile, revealing a row of small white teeth.

Two large plates of meat dishes—and these were cafeteria trays, the ones with sections, large and rectangular—each plate was piled high with meat. A small basin of rice and two large bowls of soup were set on the dining table.

Lin Ning first shook his arms, straightened his back, and twisted his body as if he were preparing for a race. Then he sat down and began to eat.

He hadn't eaten dinner today and had used the Eye of Insight many times. His physical strength was still okay, but his Psychic Power was nearly depleted; he had to replenish it properly.

The head chef and the others stared at Lin Ning as he devoured the food like a whirlwind. After gulping down the last sip of egg drop soup, he let out a loud burp. They were all silent.

Then Lin Ning neatly placed the trays back in the recycling area according to the rules and got up to leave.

After taking care of some personal business, Lin Ning lay down directly on the lounge chairs in the lobby.

Although there were gaps between the chairs that were a bit uncomfortable, Lin Ning thought it wasn't too bad.

He set an alarm on his phone. Closing his eyes, he cleared all thoughts from his mind, counted the rhythm of his breathing, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

After an unknown amount of time, the hair on Lin Ning's body suddenly stood on end. A sensation of being watched, like an ice pick piercing through his spine into his body, exploded inside him and turned into countless needles pricking his nerves.

Lin Ning's eyes snapped open, a cold glint flashing in them. His body moved before his consciousness did; he used his core strength to spring upright.

Then he froze.

Seven or eight people were standing in front of him. At their head was an old man with white hair and a back as straight as a rod. He was looking at him with a calm gaze that seemed capable of seeing through a person's heart.

Behind the old man were three slightly younger men with extraordinary auras, and... Director Li?

Looking further behind them, Lin Ning saw Chen Zhi.

Lin Ning blinked, his mind not yet fully awake. After recognizing Chen Zhi and Director Li, his tensed muscles relaxed, and his brain began to function again.

Based on the information above their heads and the positioning of Director Li and Chen Zhi, Lin Ning roughly determined who these old men were. But he didn't know what he should do.

Salute? Or what?

The old man at the front looked at the somewhat dazed Lin Ning, smiled, and said nothing before turning toward the stairs.

The people behind him followed. When they passed Lin Ning, some of the old men gave him a friendly nod.

Director Li's gaze toward Lin Ning was somewhat unreadable.

After the others left, Chen Zhi stopped beside Lin Ning, frowning as he lowered his voice. "Why haven't you left yet? You're still here sleeping?"

Lin Ning had completely come to his senses by now and felt like he was between laughter and tears.

He gave an irrelevant answer: "I was being watched while sleeping by the big shots of the Ministry."

His heart felt like ten thousand stampeding horses. The Ministry of State Security—a place that had been under vertical management since the founding of the country, forming its own system and reporting directly to the top leader—and he was being watched while sleeping by big shots of that level?!!

Chen Zhi was also speechless for a moment before urging him, "Hurry up and go home."

Lin Ning didn't pick up that thread. He instantly discarded his chaotic thoughts and asked, "How is your progress? Have you found the specific location? Or the people on that line?"

Chen Zhi remained silent.

Lin Ning stared at him and continued to ask, "What about the approximate location? Or which religion is it likely to be?"

Seeing Lin Ning's stubborn gaze, Chen Zhi's lips moved, and he said softly, "Based on the case analysis of attacks on religious sites worldwide, it's Religion XXX. Given its unique religious nature, the possibility of bombs being planted there is the highest. But..."

Chen Zhi didn't finish his sentence, but Lin Ning understood.

There were many religious sites for Religion XXX, especially in certain ethnic enclaves. For these regions, if they were to block and search everything all at once, the consequences would be no different from an actual 'explosion.' If they did it in batches... would there be enough time? The other party was already prepared; it could go off at any moment.

Lin Ning looked at Chen Zhi.

Under the lights, the blister on the corner of Chen Zhi's mouth had burst and was seeping blood. His hair was even messier than before, and his shirt, besides the previous blood spots, had other stains and was full of wrinkles and the smell of smoke.

Instead of feeling anxious, Lin Ning's heart became completely calm.

Chen Zhi said, "I have to go up. Be a good boy and go back quickly. You can't help right now."

As he turned to leave, Lin Ning grabbed him.

Chen Zhi looked back.

Lin Ning looked at him and said word by word, "Brother Chen, I'll wait until 3:00 AM."

Chen Zhi's frown deepened. "What are you trying to do?"