With the portable hard drive secured, Li Chuan moved swiftly down the corridor. Behind him, the enemy's footsteps followed relentlessly. Gunfire echoed through the hall, bullets shattering the walls and kicking up dust and debris.
Su Man fired precise shots while retreating, forcing two pursuers to take cover. Meanwhile, Cheng Mo, acting as the rear guard, moved like a shadow—his combat knife flashed cold in the dim light, claiming another life in silence.
The three of them rushed into the emergency stairwell, descending rapidly. But before they could reach the lower floors, Shen Qiu's voice crackled through their earpieces.
"Something's wrong! They're sealing the exits. You must change routes."
"Damn it!" Li Chuan cursed under his breath, rapidly assessing the situation. "Shen Qiu, find us another way."
"Got it." Shen Qiu's fingers flew across the keyboard. Within moments, he pulled up the building's blueprint. "Thirty meters to your left—there's a maintenance passage leading to the underground parking lot."
Li Chuan immediately signaled for a direction change. Sure enough, they spotted a barely noticeable metal door. Without hesitation, he pulled out a tool, picking the lock with practiced ease. As the door swung open, a damp, musty smell rushed out.
"In. Now." His voice was low and urgent.
The three of them slipped inside, shutting the door behind them.
But before they could catch their breath, Shen Qiu's voice returned, this time with a grave tone.
"Li Chuan, that ghost signal… it's still there."
Li Chuan's expression darkened. "What do you mean?"
"You've been under surveillance since you entered the building. But here's the problem—the signal hasn't cut off, not even for a second," Shen Qiu explained. "This means… the enemy isn't using the building's security system."
Su Man's grip on her gun tightened. "Then how are they tracking us?"
Shen Qiu hesitated before continuing, his voice low.
"They must have a direct feed… from one of you."
A heavy silence fell.
Li Chuan's pupils contracted slightly. There was only one logical explanation—
One of them had been implanted with a tracking device.
Su Man and Cheng Mo exchanged looks, their expressions unreadable.
Shen Qiu's voice came back, rapid and tense. "The signal's strength is too stable—it's moving perfectly in sync with your movements. That means it's inside one of you. Likely an advanced implanted tracker."
Li Chuan took a sharp breath and quickly adjusted his smartwatch, activating a jamming signal.
A few seconds later, Shen Qiu confirmed, "…It's blocked. But only temporarily. They'll be able to reacquire your position soon."
Su Man's voice was steady, but her fingers were already near the trigger. "What now?"
Li Chuan's gaze turned cold.
"We find the tracker. And we remove it."
The three of them swiftly checked their gear, but there were no external devices.
Shen Qiu's voice carried a grim certainty. "If there's nothing on your equipment… then it's inside one of your bodies."
Before anyone could react, Cheng Mo's expression shifted ever so slightly.
Slowly, he reached for his left arm, pressing his fingers over an old scar.
"…Cheng Mo?" Su Man's voice dropped an octave.
His face remained unreadable, but his tone carried a hint of something unreadable. "I remember now. Two years ago, during an operation, I was captured for approximately five hours."
Li Chuan's eyes turned razor-sharp.
"You never mentioned this before."
"Because I checked myself afterward—there was nothing out of the ordinary." Cheng Mo's voice was unnervingly calm. "But if they implanted a nano-tracker during that time… it would explain everything."
Su Man's fingers tensed against the trigger—then hesitated.
"…How do we get it out?" She finally asked.
Shen Qiu's voice was clear in their earpieces. "I can scan for it remotely, but you need a controlled environment."
Li Chuan made the call without hesitation. "The parking lot is compromised. We need a safer location."
Cheng Mo didn't argue. Instead, he silently rolled up his sleeve, exposing his arm. A faint, almost invisible scar ran along the skin.
"If it's in here," his voice was steady, almost indifferent, "then cut it out."
Su Man exhaled slowly. "Let's hope this isn't a trap."
Li Chuan didn't respond.
Because at this point, there was no turning back.