Chapter 1362 A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Current situation, Seoul.

On a hot summer night, the lights of the distant city can be seen from the sheds in the countryside.

In the quiet and sultry wind, the down-and-out drunk man staggered through the alley, opened his pants and peed, which caused a burst of dogs barking in the distance.

The drunk man yelled at the top of his lungs angrily, and then vigorously kicked the wall twice. Then he walked away satisfied as if he had returned victorious.

On the desolate street, he staggered forward, casually hammering the truck compartment next to him twice, and a dull sound rang out.

Then, he walked away without looking back.

signal, everything is fine.

In the office on the elevated floor, Ai Qing picked up the coffee cup, took a sip, stared at the camera in the surveillance video, and said, "The operation begins."

Bang!

After the opened door, a pair of scarlet eyes like ghosts looked up from the darkness.

The signal light of the night vision device flashed, and along with the soft and indistinguishable footsteps, burly figures jumped out of the car one after another. Not only here, but also in the hidden corners of the entire shanty area, soft footsteps could be heard.

The firearms that had been sprayed with matte material did not shine in the moonlight, leaving only a shocking dark shadow.

Underneath the seemingly slightly thick coat is a complete set of Valley Sequence Delta armor, which, after ensuring a minimum level of protection, maximizes mobility and responsiveness.

The executioners from the original Dark Legion passed silently between the sewage ditches and narrow alleys, like black water, surrounding a dilapidated area.

The crumbling factory had been in ruins for who knows how long. Except for the sound of flying insects, there was silence.

Through the on-site collection equipment, all the tiny sounds traveled across a long distance and reached Ai Qing's ears. The sound of soft footsteps, the chaotic echo of running wildly, and then the loud sound of explosion.

In the bursting firelight, the cameras that swayed with the pace broke into the factory, moving inward like a powerful force. Ruthlessly kill every living thing you see along the way.

When the door opened, sparks spurted out from behind it.

Shocked shouts came from the violent explosion, and then the shouts disappeared without a trace under the ruthless destruction. Sporadic gunfire came from inside, and they fought back, but under the suppression of firepower, they didn't dare to stick their heads out at all.

When layers of walls collapsed under the blast of explosives, even the last resistance was powerless. Even the Ascended Ones came to an end quickly with skillful tactics.

The slaughtering work like an assembly line has begun.

Fugitives and wanted criminals hidden in factories and secret rooms were pulled out one by one, identified under dazzling lights, and shot on the spot.

Until the end, amid hoarse shouts and struggles, the last leader struggled hard and shouted something, as if he wanted to defend himself, but was hit in the mouth by a rifle butt and could not make a sound.

The trigger was never pulled after the muzzle was raised.

The horse-head masked captain looked down at the target at his feet indifferently, took out a disposable mobile phone from his pocket, and threw it in front of him.

When the leader was stunned and confused, a high-temperature gun was raised, pointed at his head, and pushed twice, urging him unhappily.

"You know who to call."

Tony said, "Think about it."

The leader's lips murmured and his whole body trembled. After a long time, he spat out a series of numbers vaguely.

The phone call came to his mouth.

But before he could speak, the other end hung up after getting through.

In the silence, only the dull leader was left kneeling in the dirt, shivering.

However, Tony didn't pull the trigger, just remained silent.

As if waiting for something.

On the other side of the camera, in the office, Ai Qing heard the sound of her cell phone, the slightly dull and boring preset ringtone echoing repeatedly.

Until she reached out and pressed the call button, hands-free.

After a long and long search and chase, Ai Qing put down her coffee cup and asked curiously: "Should I say good evening, sir or madam over there?"

The other end didn't respond immediately. After a short silence, a dull electronic voice sounded: "I know you have a problem with me, but why should you, Ai Qing?"

"Hmm? Did I do something? Did you do something?"

Ai Qing seemed puzzled: "I'm just performing my job. I'm tracking down the illegal smuggling organizations and eradicating them - it's just that they happen to be your downlines, so there's no need to be so nervous."

She paused and comforted thoughtfully: "Just take it as a warning that you will bring it upon yourself."

Over the past few days, investigations have been carried out secretly through the huge database and intelligence channels of the fictitious organization, and even through their own personal connections.

She didn't know how many clues she had investigated. Following the information records that were even more complicated than the mess, she held the threads and traced them quietly, moving forward through the maze of complicated events.

Finally found.

The traces left by this pioneering 'colleague' whom I have never met before.

And, in return for what has happened before, I gave the other party a little surprise.

"Because I touched your little toy?"

There was no emotion or anger in the electronic voice, but there was a mocking echo like canned laughter: "Haha, is this some new type of character? It's really strange. Do you really care about him? Or do you feel you are offended?

Well, your possessiveness is really terrifying..."

Bang!

In the middle of the calm conversation, the sound of gunshots suddenly sounded.

In front of Tony, the kneeling leader fell to the sky, with a bloody hole on his forehead.

But Tony just calmly took back his pistol, waved behind him, indicating to continue the clearing, and the troops filed in.

There was dead silence on the phone.

As if suppressing his anger.

"Do you want to start a war, Ai Qing?"

On the other end of the phone, the investigator hiding in the darkness asked: "Do you think I will tolerate your endless provocations? Or do you think the identity of an imaginary organization can protect you?"

"Relax, I told you, this is just a warning."

Ai Qing twirled the slender lighter on her fingertips and responded calmly: "If you want to play games, then we will play games. It's as simple as that. It's just a slight defeat. I believe it won't hit you. In comparison, I care more about other traces found during the game."

She said: "If you think this is not gentle enough, just think about it - Vancouver, Guangfu, Nigeria, Kathmandu... Finally, Seoul - maybe what else is beyond Seoul? Who knows?"

In this way, he solemnly and carefully reported a series of place names, causing the other party to fall into silence.

"It is true that you have the upper hand and you are aware of my identity, and I don't know where you are yet, but this does not prevent me from discovering something interesting, right?"

"What are you trying to hide? My 'colleague'?" Ai Qing asked curiously: "You want to start a war with me? But are you really ready to face me face to face?"

"..."

Silence, and after another period of silence, an electronic sound sounded.

No more anger, but full of surprise.

"Is this your warning? Or is it another disguise? I have to admire your excellence, Ai Qing, with just a pseudonym, you were able to find so many clues. No wonder Ms. X loves you so much. I underestimated you."

The person on the other end said: "I admit that going to war with you is not the best choice. Tell me your purpose and I will consider it."

"My purpose has been told to you from the beginning,"

Ai Qing told him word for word: "Don't touch it, it's my thing!"

This time, no words came.

As if suppressing something, the investigator in the darkness gasped, seemed to bend forward and backward, and in the end, he could no longer hold back his laughter.

"...Ah, ah, I understand, haha, that's it, hahahaha."

The electronic voice on the other end of the phone asked: "So, do you 'love' him, Ai Qing? It's really unbelievable. Is this self-deception or an exception?"

Hahahaha, I understand, the reason why ‘that thing’ values ​​your specialness.

But, can you understand what you are thinking? Is that really love? Or is that just an illusion that continued in the past and is now subconsciously relied on? "

"You want to tell me that you don't know what love is?"

Ai Qing was indifferent, "Or is the relationship between us friendly enough to allow us to talk about romantic feelings?"

"No, no, no, it seems you didn't understand what I meant."

The electronic voice sighed mockingly: "As a 'colleague', let me tell you an open secret, newcomer."

He said: "Those chosen by 'the thing in the stone tablet' are all selfless people."

"——To be precise, people who have lost the function of 'love'."

"Through the observation of the Silver Sea, 'it' will find the most suitable tool, and among all standards, talent is still secondary. In the final analysis, what is needed is the difference in 'essence'.

No matter what criteria you choose based on, the best choice in the end is exquisite consumables like you and me.

family? companion? Heir? For the poor chosen ones, those are just labels, and the tool won't even love itself - because only by not loving an individual can one shoulder the responsibility of caring for 'all'.

But in the final analysis, no one loves that thing, including you and me. "

"Mr. Electronic Sound" said: "Don't expect too much from 'it', new guy."

Ai Qing responded coldly, "I'm not interested in your nonsense either, 'Senior'."

"It doesn't matter, I've seen enough strange things, although I don't know whether you are deliberately imitating it or whether you are truly regaining it, it doesn't matter.

I will keep my promise, don't worry. "

Mr. Electronic Voice said: "And, in response to your hospitality, I also have a gift for you."

boom!

The scene on the screen suddenly shook, and it went dark.

Only from Tony's perspective, a blazing fire suddenly erupted from the deepest part of the earth and rose into the sky. The terrifying air waves spread, causing a turmoil and noise.

explode!

The destruction came suddenly. When the torrent of explosion swept through, Tony looked up from behind the ice shell. The ruins of the factory had disappeared without a trace, replaced by a piece of scorched earth.

Even the metal remains of all the soldiers...

Metal.

It seemed that even Mr. Electronic Sound was stunned, not expecting that except Tony, all the team members were machines.

Finally, just laugh at yourself.

"We will meet, Ai Qing."

The phone hung up and there was a busy tone.

In the long silence, Ai Qing didn't speak, she just put down her phone and continued her work.

Deal with the losses, deal with the huge price tag of Tony, and continue to complete the complicated work of those overhead institutions.

Everything is business as usual.

Then, after six o'clock, I turned off the computer on time, pulled down the window, got up and left.

get off work.

After she went to the cafeteria to eat a standard working meal, she took a short break and arrived at the gym on the middle floor at 7:30. After doing aerobic exercise for an hour as usual, she made an appointment with the front desk for the comprehensive training for next Tuesday. Physical fitness testing and recommendation analysis.

Finally, drive home on time.

However, this time, before returning to the apartment assigned to her, she went to another place.

After passing through the layers of verification, pass the elevator and go straight down.

Finally, when the door opened, at the other end of the hall, a middle-aged man walked out from behind the other door on time and stood behind the counter.

"I want to meet with the pilot meeting." She said directly.

The middle-aged man shook his head: "You do not have such authority, and the pilot meeting has not received your application."

Ai Qing nodded and told him: "Now, they have received it."

The silence lasted for a few seconds. The middle-aged man nodded slightly as if he heard something. Behind him, the door slowly opened.

As always, it was an empty and silent square, dim and flashing lights, and the huge monument to the Silent One.

Even the blurry face that appeared above.

Sleeping peacefully.

But when the visitor arrived, the silent light was illuminated again, and there was a clicking sound from the complicated instruments, causing the sleeping face to change slightly, as if a distant question came from the long dream.

Writing appeared on the screen: [Ai Qing, why are you here? 】

"You should understand."

Ai Qing interrupted the meaningless process: "I want to know who gave the order to investigate Huai Shi? Was it the instruction of the Pioneer Committee?"

The blurry faces at the pilot meeting showed no signs of wavering and answered straightforwardly: "This is not an issue you should be concerned about." 】

As if she had expected it, Ai Qing laughed silently.

"Then, let's change to another one——"

She recalled the tiny traces she found during the investigation, as well as the many speculations that emerged in her mind.

Even though he knew it was meaningless, he still stared at that face and asked solemnly:

"Are there any traitors among 'us'?"

The screen didn't respond.

It was just a brief pause, as if the whole picture had been seen between countless souls and memories.

New handwriting appeared: [This is not within the scope of your authority. 】

"But I got exposed, and that's the problem."

Ai Qing emphasized: "'You' made a mistake in your work, didn't you?"

There is no respect, no need for respect, the Pioneer Association never cares.

Here, straightforward communication is far more effective than euphemisms.

Before countless consciousnesses sleeping in chaos truly awaken in a personified way, it is a self-disciplined machine composed of countless complicated logics, analyzing the infinite rhythms from the Silver Sea, extracting the real key from them, and giving them deal with.

Perhaps, in a sense, it is the real tool used to maintain the Pioneer Association, and the so-called investigators are just products of consumption.

[The work of the pilot meeting has never failed. 】

[I know you have doubts in your heart, but your worries are meaningless. This is just a part of the process——]

"You know why I'm here."

Ai Qing interrupted those words.

[Then, as you wish. 】

On the stone tablet, the blurry face seemed to become clear for a moment, and the order from the Silver Sea flowed from the screen: [The leader will directly report to the commissioner Ai Qing, you will be transferred to the T1 sequence, and the mission will be changed.

The information you need will be delivered to you, and you will be given temporary permission, but you must understand that you are responsible for all your actions. 】

"Thank you very much."

Ai Qing sneered, not hiding her indifference and displeasure.

Turn around and leave.

Outside the door, the middle-aged man seemed to be still standing where he was, but he had a file bag in his hand and handed it to her.

"Everything you need is in here."

"Treat it with caution," he said.

"I will."

Ai Qing took it and was about to leave when she heard a voice behind her: "The leader will ask me to tell you that when your mission is over, please come back here -"

He, or it said: "There's a question waiting for you."

Ai Qing frowned.

He didn't say anything else, he just nodded slightly and turned to leave.

After the elevator door closed, the middle-aged man turned around and walked into another door and disappeared.

Silence returned to the hall.

as always.