Chapter 253: Irrevocable Severance

Chapter 253: From This Point, We Sever All Ties

Inside City Z, in the Shantytown.

Few residents remain; dangerous, dilapidated buildings line every street.

Xiao Yu’s gaze fixed on a four-story building.

Every window in the building was sealed shut with wooden boards and metal bars.

What’s this place?

In the past, this was a pyramid scheme den.

The terrorist cell member Shu Yuzhen once met the online friend “Jiang Nan Shenqing” Tong Qing through social software and was deceived into coming to City Z.

Later, Tong Qing led her to a small motel where she was drugged.

Afterwards…

She was taken by the streetwise Zhao Shuan to meet Bian Yueze at the pyramid scheme den…

All the criminal clues connected!

But that wasn’t the point anymore.

Xiao Yu had come to this pyramid scheme den to trace the terrorist cells’ hideout!

Strolling outside the four-story building,

Xiao Yu inspected the road outside.

Based on Bian Yueze’s testimony,

He had made contacts right here back then.

At that time, an unlicensed bus was parked on the street.

Bian Yueze recalled watching the bus leave, travel on, and turn right.

Then he walked back to the bus still parked on the road.

To retrace the route of the case, Wang Dong had fetched a bus.

Xiao Yu boarded as the bus started and moved slowly.

“Do you remember how long the bus went before it ran smoothly, without shaking, free of inertia?”

With a hood over her head and under the effects of hypnosis, Shu Yuzhen replied slowly, “Not too long, maybe about twenty minutes or half an hour?”

Twenty minutes? Half an hour?

Xiao Yu squinted his eyes, thinking the journey shouldn’t be far.

Suddenly,

A three-way intersection appeared ahead.

One road led to the city center, one out of town, and one back the way they came.

City center, huh?

Xiao Yu pondered for a long moment.

It couldn’t be the city center – the place where Shu Yuzhen was once held had been an enormous factory, not something you’d find in the city.

“Out of town!”

Xiao Yu declared to Wang Dong.

The bus turned onto the road out of town.

After a dozen minutes, the bus left the city, entering the suburban roads…

“On a road like this with few people, only the drivers on the street would notice what’s happening on the bus.”

Xiao Yu murmured, “Due to the bus’s height, drivers typically wouldn’t pay close attention to the passengers…”

He turned his eyes to the window outside.

Twenty minutes, twenty-five minutes…

“Stop!”

The bus halted. Xiao Yu coldly eyed a sprawling complex of factories in the distance.

A power plant?!

In the distance, the power plant’s numerous massive buildings and towering smokestacks were unmistakable.

Under the scrutiny of his Falcon’s Eye, Xiao Yu noted that each factory building spanned over 200 meters in length and at least 50 meters in width.

“Is this the place?”

Wang Dong’s face darkened as he glared at the factories, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent.

He was itching to kill!

And that was completely natural.

What is Wang Dong’s job?

Protecting national security!

What do the terrorists do?

They undermine national security!

Born enemies; adversaries destined to clash until one is defeated.

Whenever National Security agents encounter terrorists,

They don’t hesitate to draw their weapons!

Wang Dong pulled out a wireless earpiece, shouting, “All units, get ready!”

Military vehicles raced in from afar.

Two armed helicopters appeared in the sky.

On the ground were Armed Police units.

In the sky flew the Special Forces.

As for ordinary police… besides Xiao Yu, there wasn’t a single one.

“Everyone, stand by!”

Wang Dong issued orders and then smiled at his junior, “Come on, want to take a little stroll with the boss?”

Xiao Yu: …

Inside, he was reluctant.

But the boss always spoiled him too much.

He practically handed out Special Edition Cigarettes by the box.

Was that really acceptable?

“Damn it.”

Cursing, Xiao Yu stepped off the bus.

Wang Dong and six members of Team 2 quickly followed him off.

Four more team members on the bus eyed Shu Yuzhen.

“Crack, crack, crack!”

Once off the bus, everyone drew their guns, checking and arming themselves…

After confirming all was in order, Xiao Yu slid his sidearm into his holster and grinned at Wang Dong, “When this case wraps up, if there isn’t one box of Special Edition Cigarettes, our brotherhood is over!”

Wang Dong: …

He could barely keep his expression in check.

Seriously, is their bond really only worth a box of Special Edition Cigarettes?

The six team members chuckled among themselves.

They all envied their ‘boss’, Xiao Yu.

Few dared to speak to their leader so casually.

Xiao Yu’s skills had long been recognized by all of Team 2.

So formidable and fearsome that it sent shivers down anyone’s spine.

They couldn’t understand why someone as talented as him would settle for a petty police assignment in Bincheng.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yu stopped teasing his boss and instead focused on the distant power plant, eyeing the expansive buildings.

His heartbeat quickened and his blood boiled.

It had been ages since he felt so exhilarated.

That sensation made him feel like a soldier about to storm a battlefield.

Terrorists… he couldn’t help but feel a bit excited… his system skills were all fired up!

“Let’s go!” Xiao Yu strode forward.

Wang Dong and the six members of Team 2 fell in step behind him.

The group headed toward the power plant…

……

Power plants like these were well-known to many,

Especially in the north, where many cities had one just outside.

Their main function was to use waste heat from thermal power generation to reheat water for district heating.

When the group reached the gate of the power plant, a guard stopped them.

One of the Team 2 members produced his identification.

“Watch them closely.”

Xiao Yu pointed at the guards whose expressions had subtly shifted.

Why do that?

If terrorists were hidden in the power plant, there would only be four main entrances.

So these guards were suspect (maybe due to money).

By watching them, they could prevent any leaks.

One of the Team 2 members motioned to two guards: “Stay in the booth, keep a cold face, and draw your weapon at once.

If anything unusual happens, don’t hesitate to fire!”

“Let’s go in and take a look first.”

Entering the power plant, Xiao Yu headed for the most suspicious factory buildings.

But just as they neared the industrial area,

Suddenly,

Xiao Yu halted in his tracks.

He stared blankly at a nearby green belt.

There, a couple was walking with a child.

The couple looked to be in their thirties,

And the child appeared to be about six or seven.

At that moment, the child started running towards them.

His pupils contracted sharply.

Xiao Yu fixed his gaze on the child…

…