Chapter 40: First Mission, Ready to Go.

Xing Yuanzhi was answering a phone call, while Cheng Jinyang received a message on his phone from Princess Sister:

"I've arrived, don't worry."

"Good, since sister Xinnan is secretly watching over me, I'm not afraid even if someone tries something during my first mission."

Now, Cheng Jinyang's bloodline concentration has reached 800 Ma, reaching the threshold for learning the 'Qiong Biluo' flight algorithm.

It's just that this algorithm is too difficult, with too many parameters. He hasn't had time to master it proficiently yet, so in case of any danger during mission, it's not likely that he'll just ascend and flee on the spot. At most, he'll use the Heaven and Earth Reversal to quickly leave the battlefield.

Of course, this is also because of his rapid promotion. Like Ah Zhi, who spent a few years stuck at the ninth grade, she learned even the algorithms of the eighth grade, so she didn't have this problem at all.

For most people, bloodline concentration... is ultimately the main factor limiting their strength, but it's just the opposite for him.

The first mission with Ah Zhi was quite straightforward: a group of refugees had taken over the metal hydrogen manufacturing plant in Qixia District, cracked the security protocols, and blocked the exit routes. They hoped the Tianluo Assassins could help eliminate this refugee group.

Hmm, a skilled group of refugees indeed, capable of bypassing security protocols and targeting hazardous material plants.

Metal hydrogen is highly explosive; even a hint of water vapor in the environment could blow up the entire factory. So, a direct assault is out of the question; infiltration for targeted assassination is the only way.

Of course, considering Cheng Jinyang and Xing Yuanzhi 'have no actual combat experience,' so this time Cheng Huaiyan and Xing Junmo are responsible for sneaking in to carry out the assassination, while the couple stay outside the park, ostensibly to keep watch, but actually to observe.

It's so straightforward that it feels like we don't even need Princess Sister's help.

Here, Xing Yuanzhi also doesn't avoid the public and answers the phone:

"Hmm... hmm, yes, it's my fiancé... I haven't told you before? Sorry, but yes... Well, that's it."

She hung up the phone.

"A girl?" Cheng Jinyang sensed a hint of resignation in her tone.

"An ill-tempered little sister." Xing Yuanzhi sighed, seeming unwilling to dwell on that topic. "Aren't we supposed to go pick up our equipment?"

"Yes, let's go," Xing Junmo replied ahead.

As mentioned earlier, the Tianluo Assassins were not solely comprised of the Xing and Cheng families; it also included many elite assassins from civilian backgrounds, hence the corresponding advanced technological equipment.

The warehouse is filled with various smart firearms, followed by a plethora of tactical gear, such as ray goggles that can lock onto enemies through walls, optically camouflaged invisibility suits, and deployable auto-turrets. It's enough to make any sci-fi and military enthusiast exclaim, "I'm all set!"

Xing Yuanzhi and Xing Junmo received equipment including the "Wanzhong Fist", invisibility suits, and "Peacock Feather". The Wanzhong Fist is a powered gauntlet capable of punching through concrete with a single blow; the invisibility suit provides optical invisibility for combat; as for the Peacock Feather, it's a large backpack, though its purpose is unknown.

Cheng Jinyang and Cheng Huaiyan are much simpler. Just a jet suit, a sniper rifle, and a silenced pistol.

"Gravity alone isn't enough with insufficient initial velocity," Cheng Huaiyan explained. "We compensate with jets."

Meaning, they're using the Qiong Biluo flight algorithm. Relying solely on gravity for acceleration is too slow; not even bullets can be evaded.

So, when encountering an unavoidable situation, first reconfigure the gravity to make oneself weightless, then jet propel for rapid displacement to a safe zone, and finally, employ the "Qiong Biluo" algorithm to escape.

Cheng Jinyang carefully observed the jet suit and noticed eight jet nozzles at the neck, waist, wrists, and ankles on each side, with additional jet equipment boxes on the back and legs, resembling the "Vertical Maneuvering Equipment" from Attack on Titan and the "Rocket Infantry" from Red Alert.

As for sniper rifles and silenced pistols, relatively speaking, they are much simpler.

Just pull back the safety bolt to fire. Sniper rifles have a greater recoil, so you need to use the spring-loaded buttstock to absorb the force against your shoulder. Silenced pistols are less trouble; just aim and shoot.

Cheng Jinyang enthusiastically tried shooting a few rounds in the nearby shooting range, and then practiced reloading.

Alright!

Since this time is not for combat, just for the experience, they'll continue playing when they come back.

After equipping themselves, everyone then took a dedicated car to leave Pukou District, heading to Qixia District via Baguazhou.

Qixia District, east of Jiankang City, concentrates a large number of industrial parks, mainly in the energy and manufacturing sectors. The factory in question is located at the foot of Taiping Mountain, surrounded mostly by the industries of the Yangdi Chu family.

The Yangdi Chu family, a fourth-grade noble family, possesses the bloodline ability of 'Metal Manipulation,' allowing them to freely control metal bonds between any atoms, thus enabling metals to flow like water. They have extensive industries in ore smelting and inorganic material engineering.

However, facing the super-explosive metal hydrogen, it wasn't wise to deploy the covert guards from their own clan. After all, there was too much metal hydrogen stored in the factory, and if leaked accidentally while manipulating it, it could lead to a chain of explosions. So they had to rely on the Tianluo, experts in infiltration and assassination, from the Cheng family.

When the group arrived near the factory, they saw the current head of the Chu family, Chu Jiye, who was also the Imperial City's Palace Attendant, waiting there personally, making Cheng Huaiyan and Xing Junmo solemn and respectful.

The social and political structure of human society in this world resembles ancient dynasties on Earth in some ways, but there are many differences in specific details.

In brief, imperial power is the highest authority, but currently it's mostly sidelined.

The Capital, nominally under imperial authority as the executive body, has effectively become autonomous, with only formal approval required from the emperor, which is usually granted for the majority of decisions.

In the government of Tai City, the upper echelons are divided into three levels: the Chancellor, the Palace Attendant, and the Grand Secretary. The Chancellor is further divided into the Chief Chancellor and the Deputy Chancellor, overseeing the decision-making affairs of the court. The Palace Attendant participates in Tai City's decisions and also oversees various departments, while the Grand Secretary directly leads each department.

So, Chu Jiye holding the position of Palace Attendant is definitely a significant figure within Tai City, indeed.

His personal visit here indicates that Tai City places high importance on this matter, no wonder Cheng Huaiyan and Xing Junmo also have to handle it with great care.

Cheng Jinyang seems quite relaxed, after all, he and Ah Zhi came here to study for the first time, so they won't personally experience any danger. Therefore, he just calmly listened to the conversation between Xing Junmo and Chu Jiye.

Hmm.

Hmm hmm hmm.

It feels a bit tricky.

The other party is not just a simple refugee group. At least one hacker engineer has been confirmed inside, who hacked into the security system of the unmanned park through direct mind-link and immediately cut off the external network.

Secondly, there should be a mechanical engineer in the team. Through reconnaissance drones' aerial footage, they discovered modified patrol androids inside the park - originally factory workers or security personnel - who were "jailbroken" and had many illegal military weapon components installed by the hacker engineer and the mechanical engineer.

Of course, the most troublesome thing is that since metal hydrogen itself is the manufacturing material of high-density energy batteries, the factory stores a large number of finished hydrogen battery samples.

This led to the discovery that even though the power grid supply to the factory was cut off as soon as it was occupied, it didn't really matter.

"Can we confirm the true motive of the other party?" Xing Junmo asked cautiously.

Metal hydrogen as an industrial material? What's the benefit in robbing that? It's more lucrative to hit a jewelry store. Given the large stockpile of metal hydrogen in the factory, it's possible this refugee group is here to inflict widespread suffering.

If they're really set on sacrificing themselves, Tianluo is definitely off-limits. Anyone going in would be walking into certain death.

Just evacuate all the surrounding personnel and equipment, and then let the Shenwu Army bomb directly.