With ease, she cracked the password lock and code reader. Chu Qiao gently turned the doorknob and slipped inside. Although it was already late at night, the corridor was brightly lit, with many people still moving about. Chu Qiao maintained a calm expression, walking confidently through the foreign affairs department corridor, nodding in greeting to every Fourth Prison office staff member she passed. Though the staff didn’t recognize her, her composed demeanor and military uniform led them to believe she was an internal member of the Fourth Prison, raising no suspicion whatsoever.
Five minutes later, she left the main office corridor, and the employee lounge of the military justice department came into view. Catching the scent of sake lingering in the air, Chu Qiao knew she was in the right place.
Just then, there was a sound from a nearby bedroom. Reacting swiftly, Chu Qiao nimbly pressed herself against the doorframe of the guest room, her slender hand quickly reaching for the HK pistol at her waist.
A short man in a black suit peeked out. He was alert, seemingly aware of the movement in the corridor, but his reaction was foolish—he leaned out to look in Chu Qiao’s direction. What greeted him was the dark muzzle of a gun. With the silencer in place, the bullet shot out swiftly, blasting a large, bloody hole in his chest. The man’s pupils dilated instantly. Chu Qiao, quick and precise, supported his body and covered his mouth until his pulse ceased, then guided him inside.
There’s strength in numbers—in this less-than-100-square-meter two-room suite, sixteen people were residing. Apart from the one who had just died, the rest were sound asleep. With the help of an insider informant, forged legal identities, advanced equipment, and so many companions, these individuals likely never dreamed anyone would dare intrude into their sleeping quarters. Yet, at that very moment, Death stood boldly before them, without any intention of stealth.
When it came to enemies, Chu Qiao had never been one for sympathy. Although she had spent recent years working behind the scenes in planning, that didn’t mean she lacked the courage to pull the trigger. Steadily raising the large-caliber HK pistol, she narrowed her eyes, revealing a trace of cold-blooded determination. Aiming at a middle-aged man on the bed, she fired—a muffled thud. The sleeping man jolted violently, a bloody hole bursting open on his forehead, splattering red and white.
The woman didn’t linger. She moved forward swiftly, the soft thuds of gunfire echoing incessantly. Within ten seconds, no one in the outer room was left alive.
Pushing open the inner door, she saw five men lying on the beds in the inner room, fast asleep. Without the slightest hesitation—killing, in many cases, was simpler than eating or bathing—five gunshots rang out in quick succession, each thud accompanied by the faint sound of blood trickling out. The air was instantly filled with a nauseating stench of blood.
Retrieving a small DV camera from the innermost man’s leather bag, Chu Qiao stood amidst the haphazardly strewn corpses, turned it on, and carefully reviewed the footage.
Once she confirmed it was correct, she slipped the DV into her spacious pocket. Then, taking the high-powered C4 explosive expert she had found in the deceased’s bag, she installed it in the room and activated the device. The red cursor on the black box began to flash rapidly.Chu Qiao took one last look at the deceased in the room, confirmed everything, then opened the door and walked out. However, at that very moment, a cold gleam suddenly brushed past her neck!
Her figure abruptly dropped as she swiftly flipped to the ground and rolled backward, barely dodging the bullet's attack. The cold light flashed relentlessly, the shots never ceasing. Chu Qiao kicked the door panel, and the inner room's door slammed shut tightly. Kneeling on the ground, she listened to the low breathing sounds from the opposite side—she knew she had been exposed.
Her muscles were taut, her breathing slow, and her eyes fixed intently on the door panel across from her. She wasn't Agent 003, not a super agent from Action Division 9. In military school, she had studied demolition, planning, and how to use favorable environments, superior intelligence, and limited personnel to achieve maximum-scale, maximum-benefit, and maximum-yield kills. At this moment, facing dangers less than three meters away, she clearly understood that a head-on confrontation was unwise.
Her gaze slowly shifted to the pitiful man who had died in his sleep.
With a loud bang, the door was kicked open. A woman stood at the doorway, her expression arrogant as she looked at the two men hiding in the outer guest room.
The two men clearly hadn't expected her to walk out on her own and were momentarily stunned.
With two clattering sounds, Chu Qiao disdainfully threw the dagger and HK pistol in her hands to the ground. She shifted her back foot slightly, pushed her hands forward, and assumed a Tai Chi opening stance. Then, she coldly snorted at the two men and lightly waved her hand, making her meaning very clear: Come at me together!
The two men, armed with high-powered submachine guns capable of firing 160 rounds continuously, were instantly enraged. They tossed their guns aside with a swift motion, assumed a Japanese martial arts stance, and with fierce glares, leaped forward at lightning speed.
The narrow room seemed to suddenly be swept by a foul, cold wind. The curtains swayed, the lights dimmed, and a massive killing intent rose from the ground, advancing rapidly toward Chu Qiao with the men's movements. Just by looking at their bulging muscles and ruthless strikes, one could foresee the outcome for this overconfident woman.
However, at that moment, the woman, who had been expressionless, suddenly gave a faint smile. The corners of her lips curled into a cold, triumphant yet chilling grin. As if by magic, a Japanese-made M609 small-caliber flash-suppressed pistol appeared in her hand. The M609—the king of close-range killing weapons, not piercing through, but always a direct headshot!
Two dull thuds sounded instantly. A 0.05-second instant kill left the two men without even a chance to scream. The close-range shots directly blew their heads apart, splattering brain matter all over Chu Qiao.
Disgusted, she kicked aside the man blocking her path and quickly opened the bathroom door. Although there were two extra people beyond expectations, the operation had proceeded smoothly, saving twenty minutes compared to the original estimate—plenty of time for a quick cleanup.
Fifteen minutes later, a woman in a black military justice department suit walked out of the rest quarters. She moved through the corridor of the second-floor VIP section, smiling amiably at passing Fourth Prison staff. Three minutes later, she calmly opened the second-floor door and walked out.The cool night breeze brushed softly against her face as Chu Qiao walked through the ground floor hall of the Fourth Prison. All around her, the nation's elite soldiers bustled about busily. She raised her wrist—ten seconds remained until the explosion.
Chu Qiao continued walking without changing her expression, casually picking up a yesterday's newspaper from a nearby newsstand.
10, 9, 8...
"May 11th: Another case of M1N1 influenza virus infection has been confirmed in Shanghai, marking the 47th confirmed case in mainland China. Ports and certain flights have announced suspensions, severely impacting the tourism industry. Stocks have plummeted drastically, with both Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets shrouded in gloom..."
7, 6, 5...
"Xinhua News Agency reports: Current statistics show 689 confirmed M1N1 influenza cases in Mexico, 1,272 suspected cases, and 68 deaths, with the death toll continuing to rise uncontrollably. Spain has 352 confirmed cases, 561 suspected cases, and 97 deaths. Egypt..."
4, 3...
"AP News reports: American experts suspect the M1N1 influenza virus originated from China, as the massive earthquake disrupted atmospheric balance, triggering viral proliferation. The Chinese government's inability to handle the disaster swiftly and effectively led to rapid disease spread. The U.S. government considers suspending trade with China, expelling Chinese nationals, and banning Chinese entry. The Senate is urgently discussing these measures, expecting a resolution soon."
2, 1, 0!
Suddenly, the entire ground shook violently. Deafening explosions assaulted their eardrums as red alarms blared sharply. Thick smoke billowed and flames erupted—the entire Fourth Prison trembled fiercely from the blast.
Through the blinding smoke, all Fourth Prison staff efficiently armed themselves and rushed orderly toward the explosion site. Covered in dust, Chu Qiao grabbed a uniformed man's arm in feigned panic, shouting: "Comrade! What happened?"
The man glanced at her disheveled Military Judiciary suit, recognizing her as an outsider. Supporting her, he said: "You're from Military Judiciary? Come with me, I'll get you out."
The national soldier, busy evacuating colleagues from other departments, had no idea the woman he was helping was the mastermind behind this explosion—and that she'd already killed over a dozen "Military Judiciary" comrades.
As they followed the chaotic crowd out of the ground floor hall and prepared to keep running, they collided head-on with a man rushing inside!
"Ah! Sorry—oh, it's Colonel Li!" The man steadied the other and apologized quickly.
"What happened inside?" Li Yang frowned deeply, his gaze shifting sideways to meet Chu Qiao's wide-eyed stare. Pointing at her, his jaw dropped: "Chu..."
"You're here for me, right? There was a big explosion inside. Let's talk outside."Chu Qiao quickly interrupted Li Yang, and the soldier said, "Then I won't see you two off. I don't know what's happened inside, I need to hurry back and check."
Li Yang nodded. Seeing the soldier walk away, he grabbed Chu Qiao and asked in a low voice, "What's going on? Why was the military court trying you? How did you escape?"
"The M1N1 virus isn't a natural disaster—it's man-made. High-level officials from over a dozen Western countries including M, R, Eagle, and F are involved. Even within our own country, some greedy individuals have meddled in it. During the last operation to capture the X Unit, those so-called hostages taken by the X Unit weren't hostages at all—they were virologists hidden in military research institutes across various countries. They planned to spread the virus worldwide to cripple rival economies. At the critical moment, a listed company would release antibiotics to treat the M1N1 virus, reaping massive profits. My team obtained evidence of their crimes—it's here."
As she spoke, Chu Qiao handed the DV to Li Yang and continued, "Last time, when Xiao Shi went to Tokyo to assassinate a senior leader of the X Unit, what she was supposed to bring back was evidence our insider obtained at the cost of his life. Unfortunately, Xiao Shi died on the streets of Tokyo, and the matter was dropped. One of the masterminds behind the M1N1 virus is the X Unit, which superficially traffics human organs but secretly develops deadly epidemic viruses. They sent agents into our country and, with the cover of traitorous high-level leaders, disguised themselves as military court colleagues to break into the Fourth Prison and steal my evidence. I've already eliminated them all."
Li Yang was stunned, unable to believe it. "You're saying the people who killed Xiao Shi are...?"
"Yes!" Chu Qiao nodded firmly. "The one who ordered 003 abandoned is an enemy spy hidden among our nation's top leadership. He also ordered me imprisoned in the Fourth Prison to seize the evidence of crimes from various countries and cover up their heinous acts."
Li Yang remained in shock, his brows furrowed and eyes dark with anger. He said grimly, "M Country's artillery experts are scheduled to visit the capital for a study tour today. Staff Officer Qian from the Jinghua troops and I prepared extensively for the reception. To think they..."
"What did you say?" Chu Qiao suddenly raised her voice.
Li Yang was taken aback. "What?"
"You said M Country's artillery experts are coming to the capital?"
Li Yang nodded. "Yes, they arrived last night."
Chu Qiao's face paled, and she frantically patted him down. "Do you have a weapons activation tracker?"
"Why do you need that?"
Chu Qiao grew furious and snapped, "Do you have it or not?"
"Why would I carry something like that?" Seeing her urgency, Li Yang quickly said, "Come with me, I know where to find one."
They boarded an electric cart and swiftly navigated through the crowded compound. Two minutes later, when Chu Qiao saw the blinking red dot on the tracker, her mind went completely blank.
"What's going on? Wasn't it installed on the second floor in the guest wing? Why is it in the fourth-floor courtroom?"Chu Qiao stood up and quickly searched the warehouse for suitable weapons and equipment. As she hurried out, she said in a low voice, "M Country never trusted R Country's X Unit. They feared R Country might fail and expose the operation, so they installed a navigation locator in the courtroom. Once the time is up, missiles will launch, flattening the entire Fourth Prison—including the evidence and me."
"What do we do now? I'll immediately notify the bomb disposal experts and request special forces reinforcements to detain M Country's envoy."
"It's too late," Chu Qiao said grimly, her expression dark. "Get me a helicopter immediately and evacuate the area. Your most critical task now is to deliver this evidence to Commander Hua. Xiao Shi's life, the lives of 14 special agents from Division 11, and all those worldwide who have died or will die from the M1N1 virus—it all rests in your hands. There must be no mistakes."
Li Yang was stunned. In the distance, dust swirled and the crowd grew restless. Gazing at the woman's resolute eyes and gaunt face, he suddenly felt a pang of sorrow and awe. After a long moment, he replied firmly, "I will do it. Chu Qiao, take care."
"You too."
With that, the woman rushed out of the warehouse without looking back, sprinting toward the fourth-floor prison block she had fought so hard to escape earlier.
Ten minutes later, a helicopter took off from the Fourth Prison's square, swiftly departing the airspace and heading toward the desolate outskirts of the city.
Seated in a car en route to the command headquarters, Li Yang held the weapon activation tracker, watching the small red dot move gradually from the fourth-floor courtroom to the square, then rapidly ascend into the skies above the outskirts of Shangjing. Suddenly, a massive, violent explosion erupted from above—the red dot on the tracker vanished instantly, replaced by a black skull symbol.
Li Yang didn't look back from his seat in the car. Only a single tear, one he never showed anyone, slowly traced down his cheek in the darkness.
The night in Shangjing was utterly tranquil.
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