Chapter 32: The Distress Signal

Damin and Brother Long were already close to the exit. They hadn't encountered any further delays along the way, mainly because their earlier act had been so unconvincing that they feared the patrol might catch on and pursue them. If that happened, escape would be impossible.

At last, they reached the exit, but the industrial zone was cordoned off, strictly prohibiting entry and exit. Afraid of being caught, Damin and Brother Long quickly turned back and found a place to hide.

They lay low for a long time, waiting patiently for an opportunity. Just like in those TV dramas, they finally managed to knock out two patrolmen, change into their uniforms, and join the shift change to slip out unnoticed. Once they left the industrial zone, both men let out a long sigh of relief and hurried away without even bothering to change out of the stolen uniforms.

Xiaofeng, Nana, and Ping'an had been waiting anxiously for quite some time. Watching the two men’s location markers twist and turn, sometimes moving deeper, sometimes heading out, and often remaining still for long stretches, their worry grew. Only when the coordinates finally showed Damin and Brother Long had left the industrial zone could the trio finally relax and breathe easy.

The prolonged state of high alert had left them all utterly drained. As soon as they let their guard down, exhaustion overwhelmed them—some collapsed onto the bed, others slumped into chairs to rest. It wasn’t until two men in uniform knocked at the door that they roused themselves, startled by the intrusion. Looking closer and recognizing Damin and Brother Long, relief washed over them and they hurried to open the door.

“So it’s you! You scared me half to death!” Zhao Nana exclaimed as she ushered them inside.

Damin and Brother Long wasted no time slipping into the apartment, finally able to relax. After a brief exchange of greetings, the two men headed straight for the shower, asking Lin Xiaofeng to package up the uniforms they'd stolen and get rid of them as far away as possible.

The two or three days spent trapped in the industrial zone had truly worn them out—they hadn't dared close their eyes the entire time. A good wash and some much-needed rest were in order.

Meanwhile, the patrol had conducted a thorough, sweeping search and come up empty—except for two pairs of lovers caught sneaking around, some thrill-seekers loitering at the edge of the zone, and the discovery of two unidentified male corpses, stripped of clothing. The only valuable clue was the uniform they’d found, along with several mangled bodies near the explosion site, none of whom could be identified as patrol members.

The patrol compiled these findings and reported them up the chain. The underground city’s management committee set to work repairing the industrial zone’s power system and launched an investigation to track down the owner of the uniform.

The owner was quickly identified as Yan Ze, assistant to the Grand Elder. However, Yan Ze had a solid alibi for that day, verified by multiple witnesses. The investigation hit a dead end.

While the underground city’s search stalled, the Special Operations Division finally made a breakthrough. In over a year of investigation, this was perhaps their most promising day—they suddenly received explosive news.

Since forming the Special Investigation Unit, thousands of teams had been dispatched, each numbering three to ten members, totaling some seven or eight thousand operatives scattered across the country. Yet their efforts yielded little. The teams’ most common finding was abandoned laboratories left behind by the Dark Organization—evidence of illicit experiments, yes, but little else. These labs helped explain most of the mysterious disappearances, but not much more.

The underground city had also absorbed some of these findings. According to size, the Special Operations Division categorized the underground cities into four classes: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta. The majority were in the lowest two categories, and though some had been taken down, they yielded scant useful information—mostly mechanical exoskeletons, with no evidence of illegal experiments or details about the organization’s structure. Their value was minimal, akin to unskilled labor. Only one Alpha-class city had been found; a team managed to infiltrate once, but never again.

Thus, the key to breaking the deadlock now lay with the three Beta-class underground cities—one of which was at Mount Great Wilderness. Over a dozen teams had already been sent there, yet none had returned or been heard from.

Then, out of the blue, the Special Operations Division received a report from Falcon Squad. Excitement surged through the staff. Falcon Squad had been in the underground city for roughly a year; previous squads like Flying Tiger, Snow Leopard, and Mountain Song had all been confirmed dead, their grotesquely altered remains found among the city’s discarded refuse. Falcon Squad’s four members had also been presumed lost, a blow that left Commander Lin of the Jiangcheng Military District grieving for some time.

The Special Operations Division eagerly opened the Falcon Squad’s report. The first file, written crisply and dramatically by strategist Zhang Xingmin, recounted their journey into the underground city—a harrowing tale that left everyone who read it on edge. Learning that the squad members were still relatively safe brought a wave of relief.

The second file detailed the current state of the underground city—a comprehensive report, the first of its kind ever received, of immense value. It warranted immediate research and analysis, containing several revelations.

First, the Mount Great Wilderness underground city had developed a fully functional urban ecosystem, with designated industrial zones—clearly the result of meticulous planning. It was likely that Alpha-class cities and the Dark Organization’s headquarters were similarly structured.

Second, the discovery of reproductive experiments—also a first. Previous intelligence indicated a severe gender imbalance within the Dark Organization, with one low-level city showing a staggering 10:1 male-to-female ratio. Many of their human modification experiments also rendered subjects infertile, leading the Special Operations Division to believe the organization relied on external recruitment. If Falcon Squad’s report was accurate, the Dark Organization was moving towards self-sufficiency.

Third, a glimmer of hope: internal divisions existed within the underground city. This had long been theorized, as large populations tended to stratify socially, but no direct evidence had existed until now. With Falcon Squad’s oral confirmation, targeted action could be taken.

The third file outlined Falcon Squad’s upcoming plans and a request for assistance. The transmission was cut off midway, likely due to sudden emergency. The remaining data indicated they were orchestrating a “freedom revolution,” scheduled to begin on Singles’ Day. By now, the uprising had been underway for about a week, though its progress was unknown. The fact these files made it out suggested the city’s defensive systems had been inadvertently damaged during the conflict.

Wasting no time, the Special Operations Division pinpointed the upload location, hoping to locate a weak point in the city’s defenses and reopen a breach. They also coordinated with the military, deploying a massive force to Mount Great Wilderness for a joint assault from inside and out.

The military took the report with utmost seriousness, quickly reallocating personnel and mobilizing multiple branches to rush to Shazhou City. Now, all that remained was for a breach to appear so they could storm Mount Great Wilderness.

At this moment, stalemate persisted within the city. The rebel forces had recovered; aside from a few severely wounded who would not heal quickly, the rest were battle-ready. The rare taste of freedom in recent days left them longing for more, but for the sake of lasting liberty, they were willing to risk everything in a greater struggle to overthrow their oppressors.

The underground city’s management committee, aware of the lab rats’ planned uprising, was prepared and unconcerned. What worried them was the sudden influx of military forces in Shazhou City, as reported by their outer scouts—could the underground city’s secret have been compromised?

The committee ordered their scouts to continue gathering intelligence and requested reinforcements from higher up to fend off a possible military attack. Internally, they vowed to root out any suspected traitors, regardless of rank or cost, to ensure the underground city’s safety at all costs.