Part 4
Zong Hao was in a daze. He truly didn’t know what he had touched, but he felt strangely guilty. He quickly sat on the back. The touch was soft—it must be his waist, right? Before he could settle, Ning Yunyi reapplied the talisman and the scooter shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
This time, Zong Hao was prepared. He used his mental power to anchor himself to the vehicle, and they flew through the wind without him being thrown off.
They reached the lake. To avoid detection, they remained invisible as they circled to the location on the blueprints and slipped quietly into the water.
They dived deep to the lakebed. Because it was near the edge of the lake, there was a blind spot they could use. Ning Yunyi was about to feel along the stone wall when a hand stopped him, and Zong Hao reached out instead.
It had been many years, and the mechanism was buried under silt and rock. The surface was uneven and could easily cut a hand.
Zong Hao didn’t care. To speed things up, he worked quickly, and his hands soon found something unusual. He drew a dagger and used mental power to carefully clear away the stones without making too much noise.
Once the outer layer was removed, he pressed the switch.
Almost instantly, a passage just wide enough for one person appeared at the bottom of the base. Ning Yunyi waited until Zong Hao was inside before following.
The passage had several layers, likely to seal out the water. As each button was pressed, the water was further isolated until the final section was completely dry.
As a precaution, Ning Yunyi and Zong Hao briefly removed their Invisibility Talismans to change out of their wet diving suits. They couldn’t leave water tracks inside the base or they would be exposed immediately.
Zong Hao kept a wary eye on the door while Ning Yunyi changed. Ning Yunyi didn’t argue, seeing the man’s intense focus. “Don’t worry. I checked with my mental power as soon as we entered. There’s no one outside and no surveillance. It looks like an abandoned storage room.”
Zong Hao gave a soft response. He hesitated for a moment before whispering, “I couldn’t see earlier. I didn’t mean it. Did I touch something I shouldn’t have?”
Ning Yunyi: “…………” Big brother, I was just about to forget that. Did you really have to bring it up?
His response was to slap the Invisibility Talisman back on, vanishing instantly.
Zong Hao: “???” Did I say something wrong again?
Ning Yunyi watched Zong Hao finish changing, then walked to the door. He pressed his hand against it and spread his spiritual energy, checking both the room and the corridor outside. He then used a code to open the hidden door from the outside.
The door was low, only a third of the height of a normal door, requiring them to crawl through. He went first and waited for Zong Hao to close the door behind them. He then stood up and surveyed the storage room.
It was a small room, likely abandoned because its size made it impractical for storing large items. Since it was far from the base’s central area, the corridor was quiet. They stepped out into the hallway.
Because it was mostly abandoned, it was dim, and no lights were on.
Ning Yunyi lowered his voice and handed a box to Zong Hao. “We’ll meet back here in half an hour. Return regardless of whether you’ve finished placing everything.”
Zong Hao nodded. “Safety first. Don’t engage them directly.”
Ning Yunyi hummed in agreement and slipped away before Zong Hao could say more. Their mission had three parts: check if the entrance had been discovered; place small, invisible surveillance cameras throughout the base to gain control without being seen; and attach spiritual energy explosives to the doors of the shifter cells.
If the base personnel resisted and tried to harm the shifters, he would trigger the devices to blow the cell doors open, freeing the shifters and terrifying the guards.
However, that was a last resort. Given the cameras and the psychological impact, these people—who held regular banquets and lived for pleasure—likely wouldn’t risk their lives in a fight. They were the type who feared death.
Half an hour later, Ning Yunyi and Zong Hao reunited and left the base as silently as they had entered.
Back on the surface, Zong Hao went to arrange the legion’s infiltration while Ning Yunyi found Harlo’s family. Godefroi was assigned to protect them and take them to a starship to wait.
With that done, Ning Yunyi changed into armor and a mask identical to Zong Hao’s and rushed to rejoin him.
Two hours later, numerous starships quietly approached the base. The troops disembarked and, under the cover of darkness, crawled toward the lake.
When the time came, they dived to the lakebed. With the outer door already open, they saved a massive amount of time and quickly gathered in the storage room.
One by one, they moved into the dim corridors to await orders.
Half an hour later, the corridor was packed with silent soldiers. With a wave of Zong Hao’s hand, Ichi and Ning Yunfeng led two teams to surround the base from two other directions.
Zong Hao and Ning Yunyi led the smallest team toward the shifter confinement area.
With so many people, they were soon discovered. Alarms blared through the base, and within moments, base soldiers were rushing to the scene.
The commander’s face shifted when he saw Zong Hao at the front. “Who are you? Where did you come from?” They hadn’t received a single warning.
Zong Hao raised his hand, displaying the Emperor’s token. “The Crown Prince is guilty of treason. His Majesty has stripped him of his title and military power. I am taking command of this base.” He then revealed his true identity, sending the commander into a panic.
Marshal Zong? How did he know about this place? And wasn’t he supposed to be missing?
“Y-you…” The commander quickly regained his composure, thinking of the orders from above. He gritted his teeth. “Listen to me! Don’t believe a word he says! How could the Crown Prince be arrested? This man is an impostor. Has any of you seen the Marshal’s true face? He’s just a man in a mask claiming to be someone he’s not! Come, help me drive these people out! With our mental power, we have nothing to fear!”
The commander reasoned that even if Zong Hao’s mental power was strong, he had only brought a few men. His own people had been enhancing their mental power for years; they could win this fight.
Ichi appeared behind them. “Is that so? Think carefully. Defying a military order is punishable by death. Who said the Marshal only brought these few men?”
Ning Yunyi saw the group waver and pressed a button. Instantly, sirens wailed throughout the base, and a voice broadcasted over and over: “Attention! You are surrounded by the Imperial Military. His Majesty understands you were acting under the Crown Prince’s orders and will not hold you accountable for your past actions. Surrender immediately and you will be spared. Anyone who resists will be executed on the spot as a traitor.”
The voice echoed everywhere, punctuated by the deafening, rhythmic thud of marching boots. The sheer scale of the sound left the base soldiers stunned. How many people were out there? Had the entire First Legion from the Capital Star been deployed? Help! There were so few of them. Even with strong mental power, they couldn’t fight an army. Was it worth dying for?
The first to yield were the guards who had sold themselves into service. They had no loyalty to the base. They immediately knelt. “We surrender! Don’t kill us!”
A wave of surrenders followed as those with weak wills succumbed to the fear.
One person knelt, and the rest followed.
Soon, the base corridors were filled with kneeling soldiers. The commander’s brow furrowed; he hadn’t expected his men to be such cowards, fooled by a few tricks. He was about to speak when he suddenly realized he couldn’t make a sound. He felt as if an invisible hand was lifting him by the throat.
He tried to use his mental power but found it completely suppressed. He was paralyzed with shock. How was this possible? He was a modified powerhouse whose mental power far exceeded the 3S rank. Who was this person who could render him helpless with a single move?
The others knew how powerful their commander was. Seeing him neutralized so easily, they were horrified.
What started as simple surrenders turned into absolute terror. They huddled on the ground, foreheads pressed against the floor, utterly defeated.
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