blogombal Chapter 11 Cross-border Mission, Call from the Capital!
Chapter 11 Cross-border Mission, Call from the Capital!
Liu Jianguo's shrill roar instantly tightened the already tense atmosphere in the office.
"Scorpion!"
This name exploded in everyone's heart like a bombshell.
If the "long snake" is a venomous snake coiled along the border, then the "scorpion" is a venomous scorpion from abroad, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.
This person is ruthless, cunning, and suspicious. The amount of blood of anti-drug police officers on his hands is too many to count on his ten fingers.
What's even more terrifying is that he has the backing of foreign warlords, who are well-equipped and fearless.
Two undercover agents went missing and fell into the hands of "Scorpion," their fates predictable.
The leader of the provincial discipline inspection commission also looked extremely solemn.
He put the letter away and looked at Qi Tongwei solemnly.
"It's not appropriate for our Discipline Inspection Commission to interfere in local affairs."
"But I hope you remember what Secretary Tian said."
"A strong sense of righteousness allows you to stand tall and not be afraid of power."
"The pillars of the nation are those who, in critical moments, shoulder their responsibilities for the country and its people."
After saying that, he left without another word, quickly departing with his men.
Their mission was complete, but another battle for Qi Tongwei had just begun.
Liu Jianguo was sweating profusely and paced back and forth in a panic.
"What do we do? What do we do! The headquarters is in complete chaos!"
Qi Tongwei's expression, however, remained unusually calm.
He walked to the map, his gaze falling on the complex and treacherous foreign territory marked in red outside of Mopan Town.
"Chief, contact the headquarters immediately."
"I need all the information about 'Scorpion's' activities over the past three months, the more detailed the better."
"Also, send me the original copy of the last message sent back by the missing undercover agent immediately."
His tone was slow, yet carried an undeniable force.
Inspired by his composure, Liu Jianguo instinctively picked up the phone and began to relay orders.
Half an hour later.
Southwest Border Narcotics Enforcement Team, Operations Command Center.
A huge electronic screen displays a satellite map.
The atmosphere was so oppressive it was almost palpable.
Captain Qin Chuan, the man who gave Qi Tongwei the code name "Lone Wolf" on the phone, was now livid and slammed his fist on the table.
"Damn it!"
"Two of the top undercover agents have simply disappeared without a trace?"
"We've raised an army for a thousand days, only to use it for one; now we can't even find the enemy!"
The elite members of the brigade sitting below all had their heads down, silent and trembling.
They had been analyzing for several hours, but the intelligence was scattered and the clues were broken, making it impossible to pinpoint the exact location of "Scorpion".
Just then, the door to the command center was pushed open.
Liu Jianguo led Qi Tongwei in and strode in.
When Qin Chuan saw Qi Tongwei, the anger in his eyes subsided slightly, but his tone remained stern.
"You're Qi Tongwei?"
"Reporting to the headquarters, this is Qi Tongwei!" Qi Tongwei stood at attention and saluted, his posture ramrod straight.
Qin Chuan looked him up and down and nodded.
"It's starting to look good."
He didn't waste any words and pointed directly to the conference table.
"The 'Operation Sharp Sword' team is now being formed. There is only one objective: rescue the undercover agent and capture 'Scorpion'!"
"I'll be the team leader!"
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire room.
"Qi Tongwei is appointed as the deputy leader of the operation!"
These words shocked everyone present.
Who among you isn't a seasoned anti-drug officer with numerous distinguished achievements? Captains and battalion commanders abound.
Why would you appoint a green recruit who's only been here a few days ago as the deputy leader of an operations team?
This is simply unheard of!
A sergeant with a buzz cut and an arrogant look stood up.
"Captain Qin, I'm not questioning your decision."
"But this operation is no small matter; it involves two lives. Should we...?"
He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.
Let some greenhorn command them? Are you kidding me!
Qin Chuan snorted coldly.
"What? You don't accept it?"
"If you're so capable, find the 'Scorpion' right now!"
"Whoever can do it, will be the deputy team leader!"
The entire command center fell silent once again.
Everyone was speechless at Qin Chuan's words, and could only cast their dissatisfied and suspicious glances at the excessively young Qi Tongwei.
Qi Tongwei ignored the stares of those around him.
He walked to the huge electronic map and pasted a fax he had just received onto the whiteboard next to it.
That was the last message sent back by the missing undercover agent.
A very rough sketch with only a few distorted symbols on it.
"This is typical slang and code words from northern Myanmar."
An intelligence analyst explained, "These symbols represent 'mountain,' 'water,' and 'pagoda,' respectively."
"However, there are at least hundreds of places along the border that meet these three characteristics, making it impossible to conduct effective investigations."
Everyone nodded in agreement, which was why they had been at an impasse before.
Qi Tongwei shook his head.
His gaze fell on those symbols.
With his Conan-level perfect crime scene reconstruction ability, these symbols were broken down into countless strokes of detail in his eyes.
"You only see the meaning of the symbols, but you ignore the writer's habits."
Qi Tongwei's voice echoed clearly in the command center.
"The last stroke of this character '山' (mountain) has a downward hook."
"This custom is only found among the mountain people who grew up in the eastern mountainous region of Kachin State."
"Now look at this symbol for 'pagoda'."
"The top of its tower has an extra small circle compared to the usual depiction. This indicates that the top of the tower is inlaid with gemstones and is a local 'sacred site'."
Finally, there's the character for "water".
He held up his finger and drew a circle on the map.
"The undercover agent sent back the information three days ago. During those days, the entire border region was experiencing torrential rains and frequent flash floods."
"Uniquely in this area, due to its special geological structure, the river does not overflow; instead, it forms a temporary shallow beach due to the convergence of mountain springs."
"It simultaneously meets the three conditions of mountain dwellers' customs, sacred sites and pagodas, and temporary shallow waters."
His finger pressed heavily on a red dot on the map.
"Only here."
"One hundred and twenty kilometers away from us, there is the Savage Mountain and the Ghost Sorrow Valley."
The entire command center was completely silent.
Everyone was stunned by Qi Tongwei's meticulous and frighteningly accurate analysis.
They watched the young man speaking eloquently in front of the map, their eyes shifting from initial doubt to shock, and finally to deep admiration.
This is hardly a greenhorn.
This insight and logical ability are simply phenomenal!
Even Qin Chuan's eyes flashed with a terrifying light.
He's struck gold!
"good!"
Qin Chuan slammed his hand on the table and gave the order decisively.
"All personnel, destination: Wild Man Mountain, Ghost Sorrow Ravine! Five minutes later, fully armed, we're off!"
"yes!"
This time, no one objected.
However, just as the action team was about to set off...
A messenger rushed in, looking flustered.
"Report to the headquarters! Latest intelligence!"
"The 'Scorpion' kidnapped a backpacker who came to the border for photography near Ghost Sorrow Gorge!"
"The hostage is a young girl!"
The news sent a chill down everyone's spines.
The difficulty of the operation increased several times over in an instant!
Even more deadly, a cold and ruthless order came through Qin Chuan's encrypted communicator from a higher-ups.
"The primary objective of this operation is to capture 'Scorpion' and destroy its network."
"The safety of the hostages is a secondary concern."
"If necessary..."
The rest of the sentence was left unsaid, but everyone understood.
If necessary, hostages can be abandoned.
The atmosphere in the command center was extremely tense.
This was a cruel, yet undeniably realistic order.
Sacrificing the individual for the greater good is a mindset that those fighting on the front lines must be prepared for at any time.
Qi Tongwei's fist clenched quietly in a corner where no one was watching.
To make him watch helplessly as an innocent life vanishes before his very eyes?
He can't do it!
In his past life, he was shot three times while saving someone.
In this life, he would never go against his own conscience!
At that very moment, his Eagle Vision seemed to be drawn by some force, automatically activating to its limit.
Before his eyes, it was as if the barriers of space had been pierced.
A blurry image flashed by.
It was a dark and damp cave.
A young girl wearing a windbreaker was tied to a stone pillar with her hands behind her back.
Her face was covered in mud and tear stains, and her eyes were filled with extreme fear and despair.
And on her fair neck hung an antique-style jade pendant.
The pendant is shaped like a small bamboo leaf.
The image flashed by in an instant.
Immediately afterwards, a cold system notification sounded in his mind.
[Ding! Key figure detected, triggering special information!]
[Future Information Fragment (Ye Family in Beijing) Activated!]
[Information Unlocked: Hostage's name: Ye Cunxin. The bamboo leaf pendant around her neck was hand-carved by the patriarch of the Ye family in Beijing and given to his only granddaughter as a talisman!]
The Ye family!
The Ye family of the capital!
That red family, which wields immense influence in both the military and political spheres, and whose mere presence can make the entire nation tremble!
Qi Tongwei's heart began to pound heavily.
The order from his superior that "can be abandoned if necessary" now seemed incredibly ironic and ridiculous in his mind.
Abandon the Ye family's granddaughter?
He could almost foresee the terrifying, overwhelming upheaval that would ensue if something happened to this girl!
……
at the same time.
Thousands of miles away, in the compound of the Provincial Party Committee of Handong.
Provincial Party Secretary Zhao Lichun had just finished a long meeting and was picking up his teacup to take a sip of water.
The red encrypted phone on the desk suddenly emitted a sharp, urgent beep.
Zhao Lichun frowned and put down his teacup.
He knew the significance of this phone call.
Those who can get through to this phone number are all important figures in Beijing.
He picked up the microphone and said in a deep voice.
"Hello, I am Zhao Lichun."
On the other end of the phone came an old, yet extremely authoritative voice.
The voice contained a suppressed rage, as if a storm was brewing.
"Zhao Lichun!"
"I don't care what methods you use or what power you employ!"
"My granddaughter had an accident on the border in Handong!"
"If anything were to happen to her in the slightest..."
The old man on the other end of the phone spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice not loud, yet it sent a chill down the spine of Sha Ruijin, this high-ranking official.
"Your term as provincial party secretary is over!"