Chapter 254 - 1143: Dandelion Plan

Chapter 254: Chapter 1143: Dandelion Plan

Finally, as they neared the fork in the road where they would part ways, Zhang Yun stopped and turned around. She looked straight at Xu Mo, her voice a bit dry as she asked, "You... you really want to go, don’t you?"

Xu Mo stopped as well, meeting her gaze and nodding. "Yes." He didn’t offer any complicated excuses, simply saying, "I want to go out and see. I’m a little curious... about what the world outside of Jiang City has really become." This reason was half-truth, half-lie. The curiosity was real, but so was his desire to temporarily escape the potential chaos to come.

Zhang Yun watched him quietly for a long moment. Her eyes held worry, confusion, and a hint of melancholy that even she couldn’t quite decipher.

Finally, Zhang Yun managed to force a smile. It looked a bit strained, but in the growing dusk, it still held some warmth. "I guess I can’t get out of that meal after all. Since you’re leaving, let me treat you tonight. Think of it as a send-off..."

Watching her put on a brave face, Xu Mo felt a pang of guilt and tenderness. He nodded. "Okay."

The send-off dinner took place at a small eatery that was also short on meat, but where the proprietress was an excellent cook. The atmosphere was a bit somber. Neither of them ate much, nor did they say much. Zhang Yun asked if he needed to prepare anything, and Xu Mo said he had all his gear. She then reminded him to be careful in the wilderness, and he agreed to everything she said.

By the time they parted ways, night had completely fallen.

Standing under a dim streetlight at the mouth of an alley, Xu Mo looked at Zhang Yun and suddenly said with great solemnity, "Zhang Yun, after I’m gone, Jiang City might not remain as peaceful as it is now. You need to look out for yourself and stay vigilant."

Zhang Yun froze for a moment, not understanding why Xu Mo would suddenly say such a thing. But in his eyes, she saw a rare gravity and concern.

Though she wasn’t sure what he was referring to, she nodded firmly. "I will. You have to come back safely, too." She spoke the last few words very softly, but each one was clear.

"Yeah," Xu Mo replied, turning and walking off into the night.

...

At 9:50 the next morning, Xu Mo arrived promptly at the Information Command Department building, located in the heart of the Inner City.

It was an unremarkable five-story gray building, but entry and exit required strict credential checks and registration. After giving Major Li’s name, an expressionless guard led him to an annex on the side of the main building and into a room that looked like a spare classroom.

The room was already filled with people. A quick scan told Xu Mo there were about seventy or eighty of them. Over two-thirds were soldiers in crisp field camouflage, sitting ramrod straight with sharp, focused eyes. Judging by their bearing, they were clearly not ordinary combatants, but likely scouts, special-ops soldiers, or elite infantry.

The remaining dozen or so people, like Xu Mo himself, were dressed in a mix of civilian clothes and tactical gear. They all had different bearings and were presumably the recruited "reliable external personnel."

Xu Mo found a seat near the back and began to observe his surroundings discreetly. The atmosphere in the room was solemn and oppressive. The soldiers were almost completely silent, while most of the survivors looked around with a mixture of nervousness and curiosity. Xu Mo recognized a few faces, people he had likely seen at the Hunter’s Guild or on missions, but he wasn’t acquainted with any of them.

After another ten minutes, the classroom door was pushed open and a group of people filed in. At their head was a stocky, resolute-faced man of about fifty. He wore field fatigues with no rank insignia. His gait was steady, and as his eyes swept over the room, they carried the oppressive aura of a man long accustomed to command and making life-or-death decisions.

Following him were several people in well-tailored suits who looked like technicians or officials. Major Li was among them, positioned toward the back.

The instant the middle-aged officer entered the room, all the soldiers who had been seated shot to their feet in unison. They snapped to attention and saluted, their movements crisp and clean, without a single extraneous sound.

The sudden movement startled the dozen or so survivors, including Xu Mo, who subconsciously scrambled to their feet as well.

The middle-aged officer stopped, returned a calm, measured salute, and said in a resonant voice, "Be seated."

"Sir!" the soldiers responded in unison, then sat down, their backs still ramrod straight.

In that instant, everyone understood. This man was undoubtedly one of Jiang City’s top brass—the kind who wielded real power and commanded the deep respect and awe of his subordinates.

The middle-aged officer walked to the lectern and placed his hands on its edge. His gaze swept slowly over every person in the audience before he began to speak. "Allow me to introduce myself. My surname is Zhang, and I am in charge of this operation. You may call me Conductor Zhang."

His voice was not loud, but every word seemed to carry weight, reaching each corner of the room with perfect clarity.

"I have gathered you all here to execute a mission codenamed ’Dandelion.’" He paused, but instead of elaborating, his tone shifted, becoming even more severe. "Before I formally brief you on the mission, I must emphasize several points."

"First, this mission’s classification is top secret. This means that from this moment forward, everything you hear, see, or come into contact with related to it is absolutely confidential. Unless you receive authorization, you are not to reveal anything to anyone—not your family, not your comrades, not your most trusted friends. This is an ironclad rule!"

"Second, this mission is extremely high-risk. We are going to a place outside the Jiang City controlled zone. The situation is unknown, the environment is complex, and we may encounter any number of known or unknown threats. Casualties are not just a possibility, but a significant probability."