In the thick darkness of the outskirts, space tore open with a flickering gray rift of energy. The Zero Horizon group stepped out from the underground portal, carrying a heavy atmosphere following the bloody night at their former base. The departure of the Mikami traitors and the loss of the YX chip to Arthur Pendleton weighed on everyone's chest like a dark cloud.
Outside the main hall of the magnificent Ryuzaki estate, Ryuzaki Renji—dressed in an elegant black suit—had been waiting for some time. Seeing the group emerge looking exhausted, he immediately strode forward to greet them.
Shin stepped forward, his face grave, unable to hide the concern in his eyes:
— "Our underground base is completely exposed now. It's highly likely that your and Russo's cooperation with Zero Horizon has already been uncovered by Federation Intelligence!"
In response to Shin's tension, Renji unexpectedly burst into hearty laughter. Waving his hand dismissively, the arrogant grin characteristic of a new Yakuza family head spread across his face:
— "Hahaha! It's no big deal, Brother Shin!
Getting discovered is totally normal. Setting foot in the Central Sector—the Federation's capital—without leaving a scar would be the real anomaly!"
Renji patted Shin's shoulder, lowering his voice with supreme confidence:
— "There's no need to worry. My Ryuzaki clan currently owns a planetary-tier property. Maybe you guys should head up there to rest and rebuild your forces!"
As soon as those words left his mouth, the surrounding air seemed to freeze for a second.
Except for Ling Mo, whose expression remained cold as stone, and Stolas, who casually observed with crossed arms, every other member of Zero Horizon widened their eyes, staring at Renji as if he were an alien creature. A planet? Just giving it away like that?!
Shin gave a strained laugh, scratching his head awkwardly:
— "Isn't this... a bit much, Renji? Just giving us a temporary hiding spot somewhere would be enough!"
Renji shrugged, brushing it off completely:
— "Why settle for temporary? That whole planet is my personal gift to you and Zero Horizon! Make yourselves at home in your new place, don't be shy!"
Without giving Shin a chance to refuse further, Renji walked over to a nearby spatial control pillar and entered a security encryption key. A colossal interstellar portal erupted with brilliant turquoise light, swallowing the entire group.
— "Nowadays, almost everyone uses interstellar portals for instantaneous travel. Hardly anyone wastes time with specialized tech-aircraft anymore!" Renji's voice echoed amidst the swirling spatial waves.
WOOSH!
The sensation of weightlessness lasted only a split second. As the blinding light vanished, fresh air carrying the scent of damp earth and forest leaves flooded into their lungs.
Before Zero Horizon stood a massive hyper-alloy architectural complex, stretching as far as the eye could see. The facility featured laser watchtowers, energy-reflective plating, and multi-layered defensive perimeters—resembling an independent military mega-base geared for full-scale warfare.
Renji spread his arms wide, turning back with pride:
— "What do you all think?"
Roxy raised a hand to shield her eyes, gazing up at the towering spires, unable to contain her amazement:
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— "Whoa... Did you really need to build a base this huge?!"
— "The climate here is relatively similar to Earth, but the ecosystem and wildlife are far more diverse. Over in the distance is an undiscovered primeval forest!" Renji explained as he walked.
Seijuro narrowed his eyes, surveying the open space before nodding in satisfaction:
— "Quite spacious. Perfect for sword practice.”
Loona bounced up and down, her dark-ringed eyes from her near-strangulation ordeal reigniting with brightness:
— "Whoa, this is amazing!”
In the rear, Xie Xingchen looked around the new base, then remembered his newly destroyed underground laboratory back in the Central Sector, grumbling mournfully:
— "Ah... my blood-and-sweat lab... Do I really have to abandon it now?"
Stolas approached, lightly patting Xingchen's shoulder with the calm smile of a millennium-old entity:
— "Come now, my friend. Out with the old, in with the new!"
Shin slowed his pace beside Renji, letting out a breath, though his eyes shone with deep gratitude:
— "Renji, truly thank you for this gift. I really appreciate it... But how could I ever repay you adequately?"
Renji burst out laughing, waving it off:
— "Haha, no need to repay anything! I said it's a gift. Besides, the Ryuzaki clan owns piles of properties like this—losing one isn't a loss at all! Our common enemy is the Federation; helping you guys is helping ourselves!"
Following Renji, the group ventured deeper inside to tour the functional sectors. Everyone quickly picked out their own individual rooms.
Stepping into the high-tech research sector, Loona's eyes lit up like car headlights. Before her were quantum server systems, microchip-analyzing supercomputers, and state-of-the-art precision robotic arms.
— "Yeahhh! A whole private room filled with top-tier gear! I want to live right here!" Loona cheered, diving straight onto the control console.
Meanwhile, Kwon Tae-Joon glanced around the main hall:
— "Is there a kitchen here? I should go find something to cook for everyone."
— "Of course there is! Head down the left corridor!" Renji replied.
Tae-Joon hurried off and was instantly awestruck by a vast kitchen equipped with molecular freezing food preservation units and ultra-modern cooking systems.
Stolas lightly adjusted the hem of his magician's suit, asking leisurely:
— "Is there a study or library here by any chance?"
— "It has everything! Feel free to explore; this base has full facilities tailored to everyone's individual tastes!"
After settling into their living quarters, all the members of Zero Horizon gathered in the spacious main hall. Right then, heavy footsteps echoed—CLACK! CLACK! Italian Mafia boss Vincenzo Russo stepped inside, a half-burned cigar held between his fingers, puffing out a cloud of silver-gray smoke.
Russo scanned the room, his voice deep:
— "Is everyone here? Renji filled me in on Zero Horizon's situation... Did you guys really lose the data chip?"
Russo's gaze sharpened, though devoid of blame:
— "Well then... no one wants undercover moles among them. Shall we get straight to the main point?"
Shin clenched his fists, his face darkening:
— "I can't reach Kiriko at all right now. Could she... have been exposed?”
Kento stood leaning against a steel pillar, clicking his tongue in bitterness:
— "The chances are extremely high. The Mikami brothers were planted by the Four Extremes of Order from early on. Now that their mole identities have been exposed, Kiriko has definitely been captured by the Federation... I just hope she's still alive."
Renji looked at Shin, his eyes turning solemn:
— "So, do you guys have a plan yet?"
Stolas smiled, his eyes flashing with an eerie red gleam:
— "What are we waiting for then? Let's charge in together and rescue Kiriko!"
Shin stepped into the center of the hall, slamming his hand onto the metal table, drawing everyone's attention:
— "Listen up, everyone! I have a concrete plan!"
Shin's eyes scanned each of them as he assigned roles decisively:
— "Group A will consist of me, Kento, Seijuro, and Roxy. We will launch a direct assault on the Federation headquarters! This group must unleash full firepower and go all out to draw the entire focus of the Four Extremes of Order and the Federation military!"
Shin turned to Tae-Joon, Ling Mo, and Stolas:
— "Group B consists of Tae-Joon, Ling Mo, and Stolas. While Group A causes chaos at the front and diverts their attention, you will infiltrate the detention area to locate and rescue Kiriko!"
Finally, Shin turned to the two underworld bosses and the tech-genius girl:
— "Renji and Russo, you two will be responsible for escorting and protecting Loona and Xie Xingchen. We need her to breach and hack the entire Federation broadcasting system!"
Loona startled slightly, pointing at her chest, her voice faltering with anxiety:
— "I... I really want to help everyone too, but so far I've only mastered the theory. I've never directly hacked a Federation-level defense system before! But I promise... I'll do my best!"
Shin smiled warmly, stepping closer to pat Loona's head gently:
— "You decrypted 98% of the YX chip in such a short time; a few security firewalls won't pose any problem for you!"
Renji asked curiously:
— "But Brother Shin, why have Loona hack directly into the Federation's broadcast network?"
Shin's eyes suddenly hardened, burning with terrifying resolve. He enunciated every word:
— "I want Loona to hack every television station and public screen, broadcasting everything we gathered so the entire Federation sees Lu Quanlin and this regime for what they truly are! We must show humanity and the alien species the truth..."
Shin paused briefly, the surrounding space seemingly freezing with his every word:
— "The most terrifying disguise of a demon is not darkness, but the face of an ordinary human!"
Shin's declaration shot like an electric surge down the spines of everyone present.
Roxy drew her two handguns, racking the slides with a loud CLACK!, while Seijuro curled his lips into a faint smirk, resting his hand on his katana's hilt.
— "More than ready!" Roxy and Seijuro chorused.
Renji cracked his knuckles with a sharp SNAP SNAP, sneering:
— "I've been waiting for the day I get to punch that pampered brat Lu Xie straight in the face!"
Stolas smoothed down his suit jacket, eyes sparkling with demonic malice:
— "Though I am a Demon... even Demons have their own rules and pride!"
Loona held her head high, fear vanishing from her eyes:
— "I will definitely help everyone expose the atrocities on the YX chip!"
Shin surveyed his companions, all burning with determination. He smiled, unsheathing his weapon:
— "Awesome, everyone! Let me move out immediately... It's no fun keeping them waiting!"
(To be continued)