Chapter 165: The Rescue
For the past few days, Zhou Ziyu had been in such a daze that he barely knew what he was doing. He had almost lost his sense of time altogether. It wasn't until someone called his name that he finally reacted.
“Zhou Ziyu... Zhou Ziyu?!”
Zhou Ziyu abruptly came back to his senses and saw someone standing at the doorway calling him.
He didn't recognize the man.
But he could easily guess that this was one of the people the organization had sent to rescue him.
Seeing Zhou Ziyu still sitting there without reacting, the man urged again,
“Hurry up and come with me. We don't have much time. If we waste too much time and you get captured again, whatever happens to you afterward won't be our responsibility!”
Only then did Zhou Ziyu remember.
He was supposed to leave with them.
According to the agreement he had made with Yu Lanfeng and Nan Yu, he had to return to the organization and continue working undercover.
Taking a deep breath, he stopped hesitating, stood up, and followed the man outside.
“You really came to rescue me? You're not someone else pretending to be, are you?”
The rescuer paused for a moment.
So Zhou Ziyu hadn't delayed on purpose.
He'd simply been testing whether this was some sort of trap.
It seemed Yu Lanfeng was truly a cunning man.
He had even used this kind of method to test Zhou Ziyu.
Fortunately...
There was still time.
“Don't worry. Everything has already been arranged. Just follow me.”
“Remember, stay close to me.”
“We don't have much time.”
“If we don't leave before the deadline, none of us will be able to get out.”
“This is our only chance.”
Zhou Ziyu thought expressionlessly,
No.
I have more than one chance.
You're the ones who only have one.
He remained emotionally unmoved.
However, as he walked along the escape route, he saw just how many people were covering for him.
Some of them were faces he'd seen countless times during his stay at the military base.
They had blended in perfectly.
He hadn't expected the organization to expose so many deeply embedded infiltrators just to rescue him.
Then again...
They really had no choice.
His Mental Power was simply too valuable.
If they didn't save him, the organization would lose one of its strongest Mental Power Users.
As for the Ability Users sacrificed within this military base...
To the organization...
They were probably nothing more than expendable assets.
Normally they lived freely, sometimes without contacting the organization for long periods.
But whenever something happened...
The organization would immediately activate them...
And use them up.
If they successfully escaped back to the organization...
They would naturally be reassigned to another country far from the Empire.
The organization wouldn't simply abandon them.
As Zhou Ziyu observed everyone risking exposure to rescue him...
A strange thought crossed his mind.
If these people knew...
That he wasn't actually being rescued.
That this entire rescue had been planned.
That after returning, he would report everything about the organization to Yu Lanfeng...
What expressions would they make?
Because of that...
Zhou Ziyu wasn't worried at all about whether he'd escape.
He was definitely going to leave.
The real question was...
Whether these people could escape with him.
...
Probably not.
After all...
Yu Lanfeng's plan seemed to be using this military base as the starting point...
Gradually uncovering every single spy throughout the entire legion.
He wondered whether they would intentionally leave behind a few insignificant survivors.
After all...
If they wiped out every infiltrator without leaving any trace...
The organization might react violently.
Even worse...
They might become suspicious of Zhou Ziyu himself.
After all, how could someone supposedly rescued from a legion capable of such thorough counterintelligence operations escape so easily?
If that happened...
Nan Yu's entire plan would fail.
...
Zhou Ziyu narrowed his eyes slightly.
He was already aboard the transport ship they had prepared.
It would soon depart.
Officially...
The ship's destination was a city behind the military base to purchase supplies.
Because of that...
Its departure wouldn't arouse suspicion.
He knew he'd be leaving very soon.
He also knew...
Lin Changyu was almost certainly watching him from somewhere in secret.
He had probably already planned to arrest everyone except Zhou Ziyu before the ship escaped.
Otherwise...
His mission couldn't succeed.
Zhou Ziyu glanced at the two or three people sitting beside him.
The others were still outside cleaning up the operation and hadn't returned yet.
The ship would depart in fifteen minutes.
If they failed to board within that time...
They would truly fail.
As expected...
Time passed minute by minute.
Apart from Zhou Ziyu and the three Ability Users already aboard...
Not a single other participant returned.
One of them lowered his voice.
“What's going on?”
“Why aren't they back yet?”
“Did something happen?”
Another answered,
“According to our original schedule, they should've all reached the ship three minutes before departure.”
“Something must've gone wrong.”
“So what now?”
“Do we keep waiting?”
“Wait?”
“Are you kidding?”
“If we delay another minute or two and get caught by the people here, everything will be over.”
“Our mission will fail completely.”
“We'll lose ourselves as well.”
“Two minutes.”
“If they still haven't returned after two minutes...”
“We leave immediately.”
This wasn't the time to talk about loyalty.
The only thing that mattered...
Was saving themselves.
Especially since they'd already rescued their target.
Completing this mission would earn them substantial rewards.
Afterward...
They could request easier assignments.
They'd no longer have to live in constant fear like this.
“The time's up!”
“Hurry!”
“Take off!”
Just as they were about to depart...
Their ship received an order from the military base.
Departure prohibited.
Everyone froze.
They instantly realized...
They had been exposed.
Ignoring the transmission entirely, they immediately severed all communications between the ship and the military base.
“Take off!”
“Go!”
The pilot accelerated to maximum speed.
The ship shot into the air.
Passing through the exit corridor before it could be sealed...
They escaped the military base.
But...
The hardest part had only just begun.
Outside the base...
An endless wilderness stretched in every direction.
This was the season when Ability Beasts became unusually violent.
Areas that normally contained very little wildlife...
Could suddenly be filled with dangerous beasts.
The closer one remained to the military base...
The safer it was.
The farther away they traveled...
The greater the danger became.
Fortunately...
This vessel had always been used for supply runs between the military base and nearby cities.
Its performance in such environments was excellent.
Especially its speed.
“I'm accelerating.”
“Everyone, hold on.”
“Once we reach the city, we'll switch ships.”
“Then we'll blend in with the countless civilian vessels heading toward the spaceport.”
“As long as we reach the spaceport...”
“Our contact will meet us there.”
“Once we leave this place...”
“We'll finally be safe.”
To disguise the fact that he wasn't nervous at all...
Zhou Ziyu kept staring at the rear surveillance display...
As though he were anxiously waiting to see whether anyone was chasing them.
“Mr. Zhou, don't worry.”
“They'll never catch us.”
This ship had been secretly modified countless times.
Its speed was exceptional.
Unless the military base deployed dedicated combat spacecraft...
No one would ever catch them.
Sure enough...
By the time they reached the city's gates...
The pursuers arrived three or four minutes later.
But...
The transport ship was already empty.
Only three or four minutes had passed.
Yet Zhou Ziyu and his three escorts had already boarded another vessel.
This one was heading directly to the spaceport.
Although slower...
It was much safer.
Every day, an endless stream of ships traveled toward the spaceport.
Sitting aboard the new vessel...
Watching the city shrink farther and farther below...
Zhou Ziyu suddenly experienced an indescribable feeling.
He was obviously returning as a spy.
Yet...
The organization's people were still protecting him with everything they had.
For some reason...
It actually made him feel...
A little excited.
Unexpectedly...
He even began seriously considering the possibility Nan Yu had mentioned before.
Freedom.
If the organization truly ceased to exist one day...
Then he would no longer have anything to fear.
No one would hunt him anymore.
Strictly speaking...
He'd been taken by the organization as an experimental subject.
He was also a victim.
If the organization collapsed...
Wouldn't regaining his freedom be perfectly natural?
Although he'd committed terrible acts at that military base...
Fortunately...
Everything he'd done could still be remedied.
Which meant...
There was still hope for him.
After thinking it over carefully...
Zhou Ziyu finally realized...
Perhaps...
He really could try.
Of course...
Making that decision meant he would have to work far harder than before.
Far harder than the carefree life he'd previously led.
Could he really endure it?
...
He didn't know.
He would simply try first.
The journey to the spaceport proceeded suspiciously smoothly.
By the time they arrived...
They discovered personnel had already begun organizing inspections throughout the port.
Fortunately...
The inspections had only just begun.
They hadn't yet reached this area.
Carefully disembarking...
They immediately escorted Zhou Ziyu toward the predetermined meeting point.
As expected...
Their contact was already waiting there.
“You're finally here!”
“Hurry!”
“In just a few more minutes, everyone leaving the spaceport will have to undergo inspection.”
“We need to leave before they reach us!”
One of the Ability Users even thought Zhou Ziyu was moving too slowly.
Without hesitation...
He simply picked him up.
Moving at top speed...
They reached a medium-sized cargo ship docked near the edge of the spaceport.
The moment they boarded...
The ship immediately launched.
Because it was positioned along the outer edge of the docks...
Although departure restrictions had already been issued...
They hadn't yet been fully enforced there.
That gave them a perfect loophole.
Moreover...
The captain had already informed the authorities in advance that his cargo vessel would depart at exactly this time.
So the ship was cleared without incident.
Standing inside...
Watching the planet slowly recede on the display...
Zhou Ziyu finally let out a long breath.
Turning toward the others...
He smiled faintly.
“Thank you, everyone.”
Although they were still worried someone might pursue them...
They finally felt able to relax.
“It's nothing.”
“Mr. Zhou, you should get some rest.”
“In a few days we'll deliver you to the rendezvous point.”
“Someone else will escort you back after that.”
People like them...
Outer members of the organization...
Didn't possess the qualifications to enter the residence where someone of Zhou Ziyu's rank lived.
They could only hand him over to others.
Still...
They had completed this mission perfectly.
It had been dangerous...
But ultimately successful.
Later...
They would definitely have something to boast about.
The only regret...
Was the fate of all those infiltrators who had spent so many years hidden within the military base.
Not one of them escaped.
The only survivors were the three members from the procurement department.
Neither side would particularly care about losing people like them.
But those left behind...
Every single one had been outstanding.
Unfortunately...
The organization never lacked people like them.
The only ones who truly felt regret...
Were these three.
What they didn't know...
Was that as their cargo ship departed the spaceport...
Lin Changyu stood inside the highest office overlooking the docks...
Watching their vessel disappear into space.
Only after confirming they had truly left...
Did he issue new orders.
Everyone returned to their normal duties.
Since they were putting on a show...
They had to act convincingly.
If everything immediately returned to normal the moment the ship departed...
That would only invite suspicion.
Such carelessness would ruin the Marshal's plan.
Lin Changyu had to admit...
Sending Zhou Ziyu back really was an excellent strategy.
And they had also found a way to keep him under control.
Using his own methods against him...
It truly was brilliant.
After issuing his orders...
Lin Changyu returned to the military base.
There...
He found Han Lu still sitting beside his friend.
His face was filled with worry.
The man had already awakened.
However...
After waking...
His consciousness wasn't exactly...
Clear.
It wasn't that he was unconscious.
His mind remained awake.
But his thoughts were completely scattered.
It was impossible to tell whether his recovery was progressing well.
“Huh?”
“Han Lu?”
“What are you doing here?”
Han Lu had just opened his mouth...
When the other man continued speaking.
“What are we having for lunch today?”
“Are we training again afterward?”
Han Lu silently took a deep breath.
The other man clearly wasn't interested in hearing an answer.
He continued talking to himself.
“This is your fault.”
“I didn't do anything.”
“Where's my lover?”
“Where are they?”
“No... that's not right.”
“I don't have a lover.”
“Wait...”
“I think I do?”
“Huh?”
“I can't remember.”
“Han Lu, do you know?”
Han Lu answered calmly,
“No.”
“You've always been single.”
“You even said you'd stay single forever because Mental Power Users are too difficult to pursue.”
“Really?”
“But I clearly remember...”
“Did I?”
“Didn't I?”
“I can't remember.”
“Forget it.”
“It doesn't matter.”
“Oh, right.”
“Han Lu.”
“Has anything happened between you and General Lin?”
“I heard you confessed to him before.”
Han Lu's mouth twitched.
That confession had happened years ago.
Besides...
It hadn't been him confessing at all.
His gaze shifted toward Lin Changyu, who had just entered.
“Has he been like this the whole time?”
Han Lu sighed deeply.
“Yes.”
“Nan Yu said earlier that he needs complete rest.”
“His Mental Sea suffered serious damage.”
“He'll need one or two years of recovery.”
“Then stay here with him.”
“I still have some things to deal with.”
“I'll come back later.”
Han Lu reached out and gently touched Lin Changyu's face.
“Go.”
“I'll wait for you.”
Nearly all the spies inside the military base had already been captured.
Everyone involved in the rescue operation had been arrested.
Except...
The three people who had escaped alongside Zhou Ziyu.
Among the names on Zhou Ziyu's list...
Only two remained uncaptured.
Those two had only recently joined the legion as new recruits.
They had no access to important information or valuable resources.
Lin Changyu narrowed his eyes.
Eventually...
He would arrange for those two to die on the front lines.
They would sacrifice themselves as heroes of the Empire.
That...
Was the best ending.
After leaving Border Region Five...
Nan Yu and Yu Lanfeng returned directly to the military base in Border Region One.
Shortly after arriving...
They received Lin Changyu's report.
The organization had successfully rescued Zhou Ziyu.
Apart from the three who escaped...
And the two newly recruited infiltrators who hadn't participated...
Everyone else had been arrested.
Yu Lanfeng replied casually,
“See whether they can tell us anything.”
“If not...”
“Kill them all.”
Lin Changyu immediately thought of the interrogation records Yu Lanfeng had instructed him to prepare beforehand.
Everything had already been arranged.
The interrogations themselves...
Were merely formalities.
He could handle every step personally.
Even now...
He still couldn't forget Han Lu's condition when he'd first been rescued.
If the Marshal hadn't arrived with Nan Yu at exactly the right time...
Han Lu might not have survived.
Even if he had...
He certainly wouldn't have recovered this well.
Lin Changyu silently resolved...
To devote the rest of his life to this legion.
After ending the communication...
Yu Lanfeng called Qin Wenxing over.
It was time to discuss the infiltrators hidden within Border Region One.
According to Zhou Ziyu's list...
Every military base contained spies.
But Border Region One had by far the largest number.
Nearly three times as many as any other base.
If the average base contained a little over thirty infiltrators...
Then Border Region One had nearly one hundred.
What did that mean?
The legion had practically been riddled with holes.
Nan Yu couldn't help twitching the corner of his mouth.
“Around eighty.”
“That is a lot.”
“But compared with a military base containing several million soldiers...”
“It actually isn't that many.”
“What's important now is figuring out how to catch all of them in one sweep.”
After learning the truth...
Qin Wenxing was utterly shocked.
He had always believed this legion was like an iron fortress.
He'd never imagined so many spies could infiltrate it.
Reality shattered that illusion completely.
Faced with undeniable facts...
He could only say,
“Marshal.”
“The situation in Border Region Five was unique.”
“That was why we could eliminate everyone at once.”
“But the remaining military bases—including Border Region One—can't be handled the same way.”
“It would attract too much suspicion.”
Yu Lanfeng imagined the entire sequence.
They encountered Zhou Ziyu in Border Region Five.
Then they left.
Soon afterward...
Zhou Ziyu was rescued.
The spies in Region Five disappeared.
Then they returned to Region One.
Its spies also began disappearing.
Afterward...
Every military base they visited experienced the same thing.
People would vanish.
Or die.
Even a fool would realize...
Zhou Ziyu had somehow become connected to them.
Suspicion would inevitably fall upon him.
If that happened...
Everything they had gained would be lost.
Although Yu Lanfeng and Nan Yu hadn't appeared to value Zhou Ziyu's identity very highly before...
They actually had great expectations for him.
Nan Yu had even openly spoken of using him to help destroy the organization.
That alone showed how important he considered Zhou Ziyu.
Nan Yu thought aloud,
“Then how do we handle this without creating suspicion?”
“We can't possibly gather evidence against every one of them quietly before arresting everyone...”
He suddenly stopped.
“Wait.”
“Isn't this actually the perfect opportunity?”
Yu Lanfeng nodded.
“Exactly.”
“Border Region Five has already suffered such an incident.”
“The organization rescued Zhou Ziyu.”
“As Marshal, I'd naturally be furious.”
“I could immediately order every military base to conduct the strictest investigations possible.”
“Search everything.”
“Down to a single strand of hair.”
“In that case...”
“Wouldn't every base naturally uncover a few spies?”
Qin Wenxing nodded.
“Yes, Marshal.”
“That was exactly what I was thinking.”
“We can use that as our justification.”
“Even if the investigation finds nothing...”
“With Zhou Ziyu's list in hand...”
“We simply create the conditions necessary to discover them.”
“As for the arrests...”
“At least ninety percent of them should be taken.”
The few insignificant soldiers left behind...
Had no access to the legion's core.
Leaving them alone for now wasn't a problem.
The plan was excellent.
But...
It required flawless coordination from every commander across every military base.
Even the slightest mistake...
Could destroy the entire operation.
Nan Yu smiled.
“Brother.”
“The generals you personally selected to command these military bases must all be outstanding.”
“I think we can safely leave this to them.”
Among those generals...
Was Nan Yu's father—
Nan Ming.
He hadn't seen his father for quite some time.
He wondered whether he was currently carrying out a mission...
Or resting at his own military base.
Yu Lanfeng nodded.
“Contact every base commander first.”
“We'll hold a joint conference immediately.”
“I need to issue orders as quickly as possible.”
Because only moments earlier...
He had already received confirmation that Zhou Ziyu had escaped.
If they didn't react quickly enough...
Mistakes could still occur.
Qin Wenxing immediately contacted every military base commander.
Twenty-six people joined the conference.
Among them...
Were Lin Changyu...
And Nan Yu's father...
Nan Ming.
Nan Yu and Nan Ming exchanged a glance.
Neither of them spoke.
This wasn't the right occasion for family conversation.
Everyone present looked surprised.
Since the legion had been established...
Yu Lanfeng had almost never convened all of them at once.
For something like this to happen...
It could only mean one thing.
Something enormous...
Had happened.