Li Chuan and his team retreated to an abandoned warehouse to regroup. Shen Qiu was busy trying to repair the damaged communication equipment, while Su Man and Cheng Mo checked their weapons and ammunition. A tense atmosphere filled the space, making the air feel almost frozen. The only sound was Shen Qiu's fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard.
"Something's not right." Su Man leaned against the wall, eyes sharp as she glanced outside the window.
Cheng Mo wiped his dagger and spoke in a low voice, "They're not the kind to give up so easily. We may have disrupted their communication system, but that doesn't mean they can't track us down."
Standing in the shadows, Li Chuan's gaze was deep and unreadable. He had already realized that the Executors' tactics weren't just simple encirclement and assault—the real hunt was just beginning.
Suddenly, Shen Qiu frowned. The data stream on his screen flickered erratically as his fingers danced over the keys. "Interesting..."
"What is it?" Li Chuan asked.
Shen Qiu turned the screen towards them, displaying an encrypted data transmission. "Just a few minutes ago, I intercepted a strange signal. It looks like an internal leak, and the target is... Tianmu Tower."
Su Man frowned. "Tianmu Tower? Isn't that Li Feng's territory?"
"Exactly." Shen Qiu nodded, his eyes flashing with intrigue. "If this intel is real, it means someone inside the tower deliberately left us a clue."
Cheng Mo let out a cold laugh. "It's too obvious—feels like a trap."
Li Chuan didn't respond immediately. He lowered his gaze, analyzing the situation at lightning speed. If it was a trap, why would Li Feng leave such an obvious lead? He must have known they would be suspicious. And yet, he still allowed this information to leak out. That meant... there was something in Tianmu Tower truly worth investigating.
"Precisely because it's a trap, we need to check it out," Li Chuan said firmly.
Meanwhile, on the top floor of Tianmu Tower, in a dimly lit office, Li Feng sat quietly in a leather chair, swirling a glass of red wine in his hand. His gaze was fixed on a surveillance screen, where Li Chuan and his team's movements were being displayed in real time.
"They'll come," said the man standing beside him—a tactical commander from the Executors, his eyes hidden behind a pair of sleek combat glasses.
A faint smirk appeared on Li Feng's lips. "Of course they will."
The commander spoke in a low voice. "We've already set up ambushes in the core areas of the tower and initiated the 'Closing Net Plan.' They think they've obtained critical intel, but in reality, we are the ones in control."
Li Feng tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his voice calm. "The answers they seek... are right here."
He slowly stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the vast city below. His gaze was cold and calculating.
"Li Chuan, how will you play your next move?"
"Action starts in thirty minutes," Li Chuan commanded. "Shen Qiu, you stay on the perimeter for remote support. Su Man and Cheng Mo, you're coming in with me."
Su Man shrugged, casually checking her magazine. "Looks like tonight won't be boring."
Cheng Mo ran his thumb over the blade of his dagger, lips curling. "Finally, a real fight."
Shen Qiu swiftly keyed in new commands, linking their earpieces to a secure communication channel. "I'll monitor the tower's surveillance network and try to hijack their security systems. But be warned—Li Feng's defense systems won't be easy to crack."
Under the cover of darkness, the three moved toward Tianmu Tower. Security patrols were in place, but avoiding them was second nature to them.
Su Man released a small drone, which silently ascended into the night sky, scanning for infrared defense systems. "There are two main security lines—one on the east side, one on the west. We can either bypass them or disrupt them directly."
Li Chuan considered briefly. "Not the west side. The space is too tight—if we get cornered, we'll have no way out."
Shen Qiu's voice crackled through their earpieces. "That leaves the east, but their surveillance system there has auto-recognition. I can only disable it for five minutes—after that, it'll reboot."
"That's enough," Li Chuan decided.
They swiftly crossed the street, moving within the shadows of nearby buildings. Upon reaching the eastern security line, Shen Qiu initiated the interference program. The surveillance cameras froze for a brief moment, and the three seized the opportunity, quickly scaling over into the tower's restricted access corridor.
Once inside, they moved swiftly, their objective set—Floor 47.
Using the elevator was out of the question. They took the emergency stairs, steadily ascending. However, upon reaching the 30th floor, Li Chuan suddenly stopped. His head tilted slightly, his sharp gaze alert. "Wait..."
Cheng Mo immediately pressed against the wall, hand tightening around his dagger, while Su Man raised her weapon, scanning the surroundings.
A faint electronic disturbance buzzed through the air—an interference signal.
Li Chuan's expression darkened. "They're expecting us."
Su Man smirked. "Did they really think we wouldn't see this coming?"
Cheng Mo flexed his fingers over his blade. "Then let's not disappoint them."
Li Chuan took a deep breath and signaled them to move with caution. He pushed open the door leading to the 31st floor.
The hallway ahead was dimly lit, shadows stretching eerily across the walls. Something in the air felt off—an almost tangible presence of danger.
As they cautiously stepped forward, a sudden flash of steel sliced through the darkness, aiming straight for Li Chuan's throat!
But he had anticipated the attack. His body twisted sideways just in time, the blade narrowly missing him. At the same moment, he drew his gun and fired at the attacker!
Bang! The shot rang out, but the opponent moved with inhuman speed, twisting away from the bullet's path.
"Executor?" Su Man steadied her aim at the figure in the darkness.
A tall man stepped forward from the shadows, his face partially obscured by a tactical mask. His cold, merciless eyes gleamed as he spun a short blade in his hand, its razor-sharp edge reflecting the dim light.
"Welcome," he said in a low, chilling voice. "Li Feng has been expecting you."
Li Chuan narrowed his eyes. He knew, without a doubt—
The hunt had officially begun.