Xiao Feng withdrew his gaze from the electronic screen and continued toward the northern district of Chengdu.
After walking for another twenty minutes, Xiao Feng finally saw the Civil Security headquarters in the distance.
Several tall buildings stood behind thick reinforced walls. Training fields, dormitories, medical facilities and research centres could all be seen inside.
But strangely, entire building was quiet and no guard was standing at the door. More importantly, the main gate was completely open.
Xiao Feng stopped several metres from the gate and spread out his soul perception throughout the compound.
"Hm, no soldiers and no other humans. Only Cursed children."
From the feedback of his spiritual sense, he could sense that this Civil Security Headquarters had no soldiers, no researchers, no thanks, artillery or other heavy weapons concealed underground.
However, at the centre of the compound, hundreds of Cursed Children had been gathered inside the largest training hall.
"They aren't even trying to hide that this is a trap." Xiao Feng sighed and stepped through the open gate.
Whoever had planned this operation understood him well.
They knew he would enter the headquarters as long as the Cursed Children remained inside.
...
At the same time, representatives of several powerful nations were gathered in a secure international video conference.
Officials from the IISO, United States, Russia, China, Germany, Australia, and several other surviving countries appeared across a wall of screens.
Senior military commanders, intelligence directors and IISO executives had also joined the meeting.
The largest screen displayed live satellite footage of Chengdu.
A red marker showed Xiao Feng's current position inside the Civil Security headquarters.
"He has entered the compound," A Chinese military official reported.
"Has he shown any sign that he discovered the operation?" The American representative asked.
"Not yet."
"Are the Initiators still inside?"
"Yes. Every Cursed Child assigned to Chengdu has been gathered inside the central training hall."
Several officials became visibly uncomfortable. However, no one ordered the children to be evacuated.
Everyone understood why the girls had been left behind.
That monster might have ignored an empty military facility. But he would never abandon hundreds of Cursed Children.
They were the bait needed to keep him within the target area.
A Russian general looked toward the Chinese representative, "You are sacrificing the last Initiators under your control."
"If the operation succeeds, their sacrifice will be worthwhile," the Chinese official replied calmly.
"They are children," A German representative said.
An IISO executive immediately responded, "They are Gastrea-infected weapons. Their purpose has always been to protect humanity."
The German official frowned, but the discussion continued.
During the previous year, Xiao Feng had destroyed IISO facilities across Asia, Europe, and Australia and taken away tens of thousands of Cursed Children.
Every attempt to stop him had ended in failure.
Snipers were discovered before they could fire, Poisons and biological weapons had no effect. Missiles were intercepted or avoided.
The strongest Promoters and Initiators sent against him had been defeated effortlessly.
Even powerful Gastrea could not threaten him.
Worse still, Xiao Feng had taught cultivation methods to the Cursed Children.
Those methods allowed them to suppress their Gastrea infection, become stronger and free themselves from their dependence upon government medicine and equipment.
If this continued, every country would eventually lose control over its Initiators.
Therefore, in order to deal with the threat represented by Xiao Feng, all the superpowers currently active got together and formed this plan.
They shared advanced technology with each together manufactured weapons to take down Xiao Feng.
When all the superpowers working together, all the past technology which was difficult to create after the Gastrea became possible. ICBMs, Nuclear Warheads, Atomic Bombs were all replicated.
The American representative looked toward the Chinese official.
"Begin the operation."
...
Far from Chengdu, several military launch sites which had not been active got a long time became active.
Multiple intercontinental ballistic missiles rose into the sky.
Their engines burned brightly as they climbed toward the upper atmosphere.
Some followed routes toward Chengdu, while others travelled along crossing trajectories.
As they approached the region, they released numerous decoys and false warheads.
At the same time, several high-altitude bombers and missile carriers approached Chengdu from different directions.
Their weapon bays opened and dozens of missiles were launched into the evening sky.
Hidden among them was a nuclear bomb with an explosive yield equivalent to one hundred kilotons of TNT descended toward the Civil Security headquarters.
A Russian general stared at the tactical display.
"You believe all these decoys will fool him?"
"We don't need to fool him for long," The Chinese official replied, "We only need to prevent him from identifying the real weapon until it reaches the headquarters."
"What about the citizens of Chengdu?" The Australian representative asked.
"They have not been warned."
"An evacuation would have alerted that monster. The operation must remain secret until detonation."
"You're prepared to sacrifice the entire northern district?" The German official asked.
"If necessary."
The Chinese representative's expression remained unchanged.
"Once that monster takes away the remaining Initiators, Chengdu will eventually fall to the Gastrea anyway. Eliminating him is more important than preserving one safe area."
The American representative leaned forward.
"Detonate the weapon once it reaches the designated altitude."
The Russian general narrowed his eyes, "Do you truly believe one hundred kilotons will kill that monster?"
"Of couse," The American representative answered
"If the explosion kills him, the threat ends. If it severely injures him, the remaining missiles and military forces will finish him."
"But what if he survives without injury?" Someone said.
The room fell silent.
After several seconds, the American representative sighed, "Then humanity no longer possesses a weapon capable of stopping him."
...