Just as Ling Lie was about to tell Xiao Bing to steer the car around, he suddenly heard a scalp-numbing whistle from above. He was all too familiar with the sound of the Grim Reaper’s scythe shrieking through the wind—it was a rocket!

“Back up!”

Xiao Bing slammed the vehicle into reverse, crushing the corpses on the ground. The view before them tilted violently in the turbulence. Ling Lie stared intently at the restaurant diagonally ahead, the communicator in his hand nearly crushed by his grip! He wanted to contact Zhao Fan, but the signal cut out at this critical moment!

The projectile descended from the sky. With a deafening boom, it punched through the side wall of the restaurant. More than half of the building collapsed. Ling Lie thought he saw severed limbs flying out from the debris, and a mist of blood erupted in his vision.

The shockwave flipped the pickup truck into the air. Ling Lie felt as if he were watching in slow motion; the surroundings suddenly fell into a dead silence until the vehicle crashed down, landing on its side.

Ling Lie felt as though his internal organs had been shattered, a sweet, metallic taste surging in his mouth. Xiao Bing scrambled out of the car quickly, and Ling Lie snapped out of it just as fast. “One, two, three! Heave!” The two of them worked together to flip the car back upright. Fortunately, while the truck looked like junk, it was tough and still drivable.

“What do we do now?” Xiao Bing asked. “Is Zhao Fan already…”

Ling Lie wiped his face and shook his head. Zhao Fan was the sharpest person in the Special Action Team. He possessed every freakish quality a sniper needed; even Ling Lie’s ability to “listen to the wind” had been taught by Zhao Fan. If Ling Lie had heard the rocket tearing through the air, Zhao Fan had likely prepared for it long before.

“Let’s go!” Ling Lie said. “We’re already here. Go in and look. Even if it’s a corpse, we have to carry the corpse back!”

One side of the restaurant was burning, and a charred half-corpse hung from a broken wall. Ling Lie checked carefully; it wasn’t Zhao Fan, nor was it Xiao Hui who was with him.

The collapse actually made it easier to enter. Ling Lie had Xiao Bing keep watch at the door while he squeezed inside alone.

The restaurant had been open when the turmoil began; there were many bodies among the tables and chairs. Ling Lie adjusted the frequency of his communicator as he searched. Suddenly, a static sizzling sound came through, and his heart nearly leaped out of his chest. “Zhao Fan?”

Clang. A table behind him overturned. Ling Lie spun around immediately. Beneath the overturned table, a carpet was thrown back, and a dust-covered figure crawled out. “Fuck!”

It was Zhao Fan! Ling Lie rushed over and pulled him out of the underground tunnel. Following Zhao Fan was Xiao Hui. Neither was injured, but they were so dirty they were barely recognizable.

There was no time for small talk. The three immediately got into the car. The pickup wove through wave after wave of bullets, driving crookedly and wildly. Xiao Hui and Xiao Bing guarded the rear with their guns, Ling Lie drove, and Zhao Fan sat in the passenger seat.

The car headed toward the northwest of the city, where the other two members of the Special Action Team were trapped.

Zhao Fan explained that the restaurant had been swept by the L Country police several times. Everyone inside had been killed by them. These people had gone mad; they didn’t care if the person across from them was “Wang Ting” or an ordinary citizen of Weimannu. The rocket had also come from the L Country police. Fortunately, before it hit, he and Xiao Hui had found the basement and hidden inside.

Just as the car was about to reach the block where their two teammates were hiding, Ling Lie suddenly slammed on the brakes.

Zhao Fan nearly smashed his head into the dashboard. “What the hell?”

“Not good,” Ling Lie frowned. “‘Wang Ting’ has locked down that area.”

There was a checkpoint set up at the block ahead. Machine guns were lined up neatly in a row. Thick smoke billowed from within the block, and the air was filled with the smell of burnt meat.

Zhao Fan sucked in a breath. “‘Wang Ting’ is executing the police who fell into their hands!”

While the patrolling “Wang Ting” members hadn’t noticed them yet, Ling Lie slowly reversed the car behind the cover of a building.

The block was controlled by “Wang Ting”; they couldn’t drive in. “Wang Ting” must be going door-to-door inside, executing L Country police and “Jasmine Tea” members on sight. Anyone with an unidentified status would likely be killed as well. If they didn’t find their teammates and get them out soon, death was the likely outcome!

The members of the Special Action Team executing overseas missions were all lunatics with superior psychological resilience. The more critical the moment, the terrifyingly calmer they became. Ling Lie said, “The fewer people going in, the better. Hui, Bing, you two provide support from the outside. This car won’t do anymore. Ideally, try to secure a ‘Wang Ting’ vehicle before I get the others out.”

Xiao Hui and Xiao Bing: “Yes, sir!”

As Ling Lie organized his equipment, he smiled at Zhao Fan. “Master, cover me?”

Zhao Fan knocked him on the head, opening the door with his sniper rifle in hand. “Don’t ask stupid questions!”

The teammates were trapped in a residential area on the east side of the block, where the buildings were no higher than six stories. Ling Lie and Zhao Fan split up before entering the block. Zhao Fan climbed upward, his zipline making a faint sound amidst the gunfire as it carried him from one building to another like a swallow.

Ling Lie moved quickly along the base of the walls, vaulted through a window into an empty room, hid for a moment until a “Wang Ting” patrol passed, then slipped out the door and successfully infiltrated the block.

This block was in even worse shape than other parts of Weimannu City. Fires were burning everywhere, and corpses lay strewn about, many bearing the insignia of the L Country police.

A detailed map of the block surfaced in Ling Lie’s mind. His eyes scanned rapidly, confirming that he was two alleys away from the hardware store.

“Wang Ting” members appeared ahead—three of them. Ling Lie flashed into the shadows of a building, moving slowly in sync with their movements.

At that moment, Zhao Fan’s voice came through the earpiece: “In sniper position.”

Ling Lie felt reassured. After evading the three “Wang Ting” members, he immediately ducked into the alley ahead.

Gunshots and hurried footsteps suddenly came from the other side of the wall. Ling Lie paused, whispering, “What’s the situation?”

Zhao Fan said, “Two L Country police were caught and killed. Bad news.”

“What?”

“They came from the direction of the hardware store!”

This bad news caught them off guard. After killing the police, “Wang Ting” would definitely search the area around the hardware store.

Using the wall as cover, Ling Lie moved quickly through the alley. “It’s fine, as long as we’re fast enough. Is there anyone around the hardware store now?”

Zhao Fan: “No. It’s an opportunity!”

Hearing this, Ling Lie picked up his pace. After turning the corner of the alley, the back door of the hardware store was right in front of him.

But just then, a “Wang Ting” mercenary suddenly appeared, aiming his gun at Ling Lie, about to shout for his cohorts. But his voice got stuck in his throat as blood sprayed from his carotid artery like a fountain.

Zhao Fan: “Quick, drag the body into the alley. The nearest ‘Wang Ting’ is fifty meters away. You have time.”

Ling Lie acted immediately. When he supported the “Wang Ting” member, the body was still warm. Although dead, it was still twitching slightly.

Ling Lie hid the body, swept his gaze over the alley entrance, and dashed into the hardware store.

The store had seen a fierce gunfight. All the glass was shattered, and there was blood on the floor and walls, but strangely, no bodies could be found.

“Wang Ting” wouldn’t care about the bodies of ordinary people; like in the restaurant where Zhao Fan hid, the dead just lay where they fell.

So, the people fighting in here were all either L Country police or “Jasmine Tea,” and their bodies were currently being burned on pyres outside.

Zhao Fan said, “‘Wang Ting’ is coming over. Four people. Arriving in ten seconds.”

Ling Lie asked, “Can you handle them?”

Zhao Fan said, “I can, but I’ll be exposed.”

Exposure meant attracting more “Wang Ting” forces. Ling Lie said calmly, “Fine. Wait for them to come in. I’ll handle it.”

As soon as he spoke, footsteps came from the front door. Power was out across Weimannu City, so the light inside the store was dim. Ling Lie hid in the shadows of the second-floor staircase, the cold glint of a dagger flashing in his eyes.

The “Wang Ting” members split up to search, two of them heading toward the second floor. The staircase was covered in a large shadow, and Ling Lie seemed to melt into the wall.

The man in front almost reached Ling Lie before realizing that it wasn’t a shadow at all. But he had no time to react; the dagger was pulled from his neck and, in the instant the other man prepared to fire, plunged into his throat.

This slight commotion didn’t attract the attention of the two downstairs. Ling Lie had checked the first floor; it didn’t look like there was a basement. If the teammates were alive and still in this building, they should be on the third floor or the attic above.

He gently put down the body and moved to the third floor like a cat.

A black shadow swept across the wall. Ling Lie instinctively ducked around a corner. The other party didn’t move. Ling Lie stepped out and walked toward where the shadow had disappeared.

This was “Wang Ting’s” territory; “Wang Ting” had no need to hide. That shadow might be an L Country policeman, or it could be a teammate!

Ling Lie stopped, suddenly crouched down, and deftly disassembled the gun in his hands, then reassembled it at lightning speed.

He had no time to save L Country police right now. If it was a teammate, they would definitely recognize the sound of disassembly and assembly as one of their own.

Sure enough, the shadow reappeared. “Ling…”

Ling Lie pressed his index finger to his lips and stepped forward quickly.

The two hiding in the ventilation duct on the third floor were exactly the teammates Ling Lie was looking for: A’Chang and A’Xiao. When the turmoil broke out, they were with the L Country police. The police received orders to kill all “Wang Ting” members and immediately went crazy.

Naturally, they couldn’t act with the L Country police, but the situation developed too quickly. Unable to leave the block, they had to temporarily blend in with the police. Last night, the situation became one-sided; the L Country police were no match for “Wang Ting.” Their command was nonexistent, purely fighting blindly. Having run out of ammo and unable to escape, they could only hide here.

Ling Lie distributed the equipment from his backpack to them. Once Special Action Team members had equipment, it was a full resurrection.

Ling Lie considered fighting their way out from the first floor. There were three of them, plus Zhao Fan’s suppressing fire from the high ground; getting out wouldn’t be a problem. But Zhao Fan said, “Bad news. An armored convoy from ‘Wang Ting’ is here.”

Ling Lie’s pupils constricted. “A convoy?”

“The search party on the first floor probably found something wrong and called for backup.” Zhao Fan observed the surrounding environment through his optical sight. “Listen to me. Don’t go downstairs. Do not engage frontally. The convoy is coming from the street to the south. The window to your west faces a residential building directly. There are ‘Wang Ting’ inside, but I can clear them immediately. Slide over on my command!”

The “Chang-Xiao” duo was more familiar with the building’s structure than Ling Lie and immediately led the way to the window Zhao Fan mentioned. Three ziplines anchored firmly into the opposite wall amidst the sound of Zhao Fan pulling the trigger. The “Wang Ting” members in the building dropped dead, and Zhao Fan had also cleared the street below.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh—three sounds, and the three of them transferred positions cleanly. By the time the convoy reached the hardware store, they were already on the first floor of the residential building opposite.

That area was a blind spot for Zhao Fan, but it didn’t matter. Ling Lie and “Chang-Xiao” formed a triangular formation. The “Wang Ting” members who discovered them barely had time to signal before being taken out.

Zhao Fan moved westward along with the three of them. Xiao Hui’s voice came over the team channel: “We got two cars!”

More than a dozen “Wang Ting” members searched the hardware store. The leader saw the zipline marks on the third-floor window, cursed loudly, and the group swarmed out, chasing toward the west.

Zhao Fan aimed but didn’t fire immediately. “Here they come. Ling Lie, just focus on leaving the block from the three o’clock direction. I’ll handle the rest.”

Gunfire erupted. Ling Lie suddenly stopped and shoved A’Chang’s back. “You go first. I’m going to support Zhao Fan.”

The two didn’t argue and quickly disappeared at the end of the alley.

Zhao Fan saw Ling Lie enter a roadside building through his scope and cursed, “I told you to get the hell out!”

Ling Lie loaded bullets. “Dozens of ‘Wang Ting’ are rushing over. Did you think you wouldn’t be exposed?”

“I…”

“It’s fine. If you’re exposed, I’ll take you with me.”

Outside the block, the “Chang-Xiao” duo had rendezvoused with Xiao Hui and Xiao Bing. The four of them, driving two cars, waited by the wall to pick up the two inside.

Ling Lie’s judgment was correct. “Wang Ting” had discovered a sniper near the hardware store. The sniper occupied the high ground, and the tallest building in this area was the six-story residential building where Zhao Fan was.

Zhao Fan immediately retreated along his original route. A “Wang Ting” sniper locked onto Zhao Fan, but before he could fire, a bullet flew in at an angle, piercing through his temple.

Ling Lie was also wielding a sniper rifle now, his bloodshot eyes scanning the area around Zhao Fan.

Zhao Fan leaped into a safe residential building and put away his sniper rifle. “Nice shot.”

Ling Lie said, “Proud? You taught me.”

Zhao Fan chuckled, putting aside the jokes. “Don’t relax. Move!”

The two covered each other from different buildings. Behind them, bullets poured down like a rainstorm. Their figures moved like swift shadows, seemingly traveling within the walls.

Xiao Hui shouted anxiously, “The armored car spotted us!”

Ling Lie said, “We’ll be there in a second. A’Chang’s car leads the way. Go first!”

“Yes!”

The pickup truck burst out of the flames, a burst of bullets firing from the window. The “Wang Ting” outside the block were like beasts discovering prey, pouncing greedily.

Amidst increasingly fierce gunfire, Zhao Fan and Ling Lie rappelled down the wall one after another and jumped into the second pickup.

Xiao Hui slammed on the gas, chasing after the first car.

Ling Lie and Zhao Fan were in the back seat, each holding a gun and engaging in a shootout with the pursuers. Bullets clattered against the car doors. Xiao Hui deliberately drove the car as if it were about to flip over any second. Amidst the violent shaking, Ling Lie spotted a fleeting opportunity and fired a bullet at the pursuer’s fuel tank.

BOOM—!!!

There were two loud bangs, the shockwave pushing the pickup forward.

Ling Lie looked back. Zhao Fan said, “You think you’re the only one who can hit a fuel tank?”

A raging wall of fire rose behind them, temporarily blocking “Wang Ting’s” pursuit route. At this moment, communication with the command center was re-established. Shen Xun’s voice came through the extremely poor signal. He said a new wave of L Country police forces had arrived in the Weimannu region, and the Special Action Team’s logistical supplies had arrived with them, just south of Weimannu City. But now Weimannu City was still controlled by “Wang Ting,” and because…

The communication cut out again, but Ling Lie guessed what Shen Xun was going to say—because the L Country police were hell-bent on fighting in Weimannu City, the “Wang Ting” inside the city had gone mad, significantly increasing their firepower and launching indiscriminate attacks everywhere.

“We have to brute force it,” Zhao Fan said. “Fight our way out. We can’t die here.”

Ling Lie immediately changed his magazine. Pursuers rushed from behind; four cars were surrounding and intercepting them. The checkpoint at the south of the city had been breached by L Country police; they had to exit from there. But the road was crawling with “Wang Ting” people. With a harsh screech, a “Wang Ting” pickup charged out diagonally in front of them.

A’Chang cursed loudly and turned the car around. Xiao Bing fired while shouting into the communicator, “Go! We’ll hold them off! You guys go first!”

Amidst a hail of bullets and rolling flames, a bullet grazed Ling Lie’s arm, breaking the skin, but he didn’t retreat an inch. The smell of blood filled the cabin. The two cars covered each other alternately and finally drove into the range of the L Country police’s fire cover.

At first, Ling Lie thought he was smelling his own blood. It was only after leaving the city that he heard Xiao Hui groan in pain. Xiao Hui had been shot in the shoulder but had toughly held on without making a sound, driving the car out.

Safe for the moment, the six of them reorganized their supplies. A’Xiao in the other car was also injured. The two of them couldn’t continue to the next phase of the mission, but fortunately, neither wound was fatal.

The L Country police medical vehicle arrived and immediately transferred the two wounded. During the brief respite, Ling Lie tried to contact Ji Chenjiao, but the signal wouldn’t connect.

Ling Lie felt a bit anxious and suddenly felt a severe ringing in his ears. He covered his ears and shook his head, but there was no relief.

My hearing isn’t going to fail at this critical moment, is it? Ling Lie’s heartbeat quickened instantly. Nervous deafness had troubled him for a long time in the past. It couldn’t be cured. When it flared up, it wasn’t always total silence, but what was more deadly than silence was that sometimes he would hear sharp tinnitus.

Was it because the action just now was too thrilling? Or was it an auditory hallucination caused by the constant gunfire?

Zhao Fan noticed something was wrong with him. “What’s wrong? Not feeling well?”

At this moment, Ling Lie felt he could hear clearly again. He shook his head. “I’m fine. I can’t reach Salingauke.”

Zhao Fan also tried tuning the signal a few times. No use.

Before long, communication with the command center connected. Shen Xun brought very unexpected news—just an hour ago, an explosion of unknown origin occurred in the Tianma forest. The first wave of people sent by the L Country police had lost all contact and were likely sacrificed.

Ling Lie frowned. “Asak wanted to capture the high-level members of ‘Wang Ting’ alive, but was the Tianma forest actually a trap dug by ‘Wang Ting’ for the L Country police?”

Shen Xun said, “The situation is unclear. The L Country police currently have over five hundred people searching and rescuing in the mountains. They said they also found quite a few ‘Wang Ting’ bodies.”

Ling Lie looked thoughtful. “‘Wang Ting’ and L Country police both died in the mountains? Then the mastermind can only be… ‘Floating Light’?”

The situation facing the Special Action Team was becoming increasingly chaotic. Originally, it was a joint operation between two official bodies, nominally to control “Floating Light.” The Special Action Team knew the L Country police wanted to use the opportunity to check the “Wang Ting” gang, and they knew “Jasmine Tea” wanted to profit from the battle between the police and “Wang Ting.” But the Special Action Team’s goal had always been very clear: capture “Black Peacock” Yan Xi alive. In this process, they could coordinate with some of the L Country police’s actions.

But Asak’s order to attack the Weimannu region and surround the Tianma forest had thrown all plans into disarray. Now, the explosion in the Tianma forest pushed the situation further out of control.

If “Floating Light” planned the explosion, did “Floating Light” know about the cooperation between the L Country police and the Special Action Team all along? Did they never even consider “Wang Ting” an ally? Was the so-called “Snow Children” production base just a feint? Did “Black Peacock” have even deeper-hidden allies in L Country?

But regardless, the Special Action Team had to go to the Tianma forest. Intelligence indicated “Black Peacock” was there. After causing the explosion, he would definitely flee. They couldn’t let him leave L Country!

After resupplying and switching cars, Ling Lie’s group drove toward the Tianma forest.

---

Salingauke Region, the Mine.

Ji Chenjiao and his teammates, Xiao Ling and A’Xun, held their positions. Unable to contact Ling Lie, Ji Chenjiao couldn’t help but feel anxious. Communications across L Country were intermittent, and news was lagging. He couldn’t get real-time updates on the situation in Weimannu.

Panic spread through the mine; some workers had already run away. Although the Salingauke region looked relatively calm, they were used to the chaos of L Country. at the slightest sign of trouble, fleeing for their lives was the top priority.

Mining operations ceased. Ji Chenjiao and his teammates decided to head to the logistics supply point and grab their gear.

Before long, gunshots suddenly rang out from the direction of the mine. Several pickup trucks rushed toward the mine. More than ten seconds later, an earth-shattering explosion erupted there.

Ji Chenjiao looked at everything before him in astonishment. What happened? Was the mine bombed? By whom?

The small town next to the mine instantly fell into chaos. Screams and cries were incessant. Pickup trucks rushed over, spraying bullets into the crowd.

Ji Chenjiao, Xiao Ling, and A’Xun drove frantically. Ahead, another pickup truck smashed its way through.

Not police. It looked like a gang. “Wang Ting”? But wasn’t this “Jasmine Tea’s” territory?

Ji Chenjiao couldn’t contact headquarters. He could only fight while retreating, planning to leave the town first.

The town and the mine were in utter chaos. Just as their car drove out of a fork in the road, Ji Chenjiao saw two cars driving recklessly toward them.

The window rolled down, revealing Su Yi’s face. He looked extremely disheveled. If he was pretending to be dirty in the old building that day, this time he was genuinely covered in grime.

“Officer Ji!” Su Yi said. “Something’s happened. ‘Wang Ting’ is retaliating madly because of the police! I’m here to pick you up!”

Ji Chenjiao hesitated for a moment. He didn’t believe Su Yi’s words, nor did he think the other party was kind enough to rescue him. But he remembered his mission—keep an eye on “Jasmine Tea.” If Su Yi was fleeing, where was he fleeing to? He had to follow!

“Where do you plan to go?” Ji Chenjiao asked.

Su Yi pointed south. “The city isn’t safe right now. I don’t have time to say much. There is an emergency shelter built by Mr. Wonder. Officer Ji, if you trust me, follow me! Asak said we can’t let anything happen to you inside L Country!”

Ji Chenjiao had no other choice. He said to Xiao Ling and A’Xun, “Follow him!”

The sounds of gunfire and explosions behind them grew more distant. On the straight highway ahead, a mirage-like scene appeared—palaces, forests, and white buildings faintly visible within the woods.

As they approached it, Ji Chenjiao felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest.

Many vehicles were parked on both sides of the road. Dozens of armed men leaned out of car sunroofs; they were all “Jasmine Tea” forces. Su Yi’s car passed through effortlessly. Ji Chenjiao followed close behind and saw the glittering gold words written on the magnificent gate:

Alice Crown Carnival.