Chapter 834 - 698: Mysterious

Chapter 834: Chapter 698: Mysterious

The taxi stopped in front of the hotel, which was not far from her destination—the abandoned train station. This allowed her to monitor the pickup discreetly.

She paid the fare and stepped out, pulling her suitcase as she entered the hotel lobby.

The receptionist, a young woman with a professional smile, greeted her:

"Welcome, do you have a reservation?"

Zhao Jingyi provided the name she was using for her disguise:

"Yes, under the name Dong, Dong Shuanghan."

The receptionist quickly checked the computer and confirmed:

"Welcome, Ms. Dong Shuanghan. You have reserved a standard single room on the 23rd floor. Here is your room card for room 2307. Enjoy your stay."

The receptionist handled the check-in process smoothly, handing a room key card to Zhao Jingyi.

The attendant waiting nearby stepped forward, ready to take Zhao Jingyi’s suitcase: "This way, please, ma’am."

Zhao Jingyi smiled, shook her head, and gripped her suitcase handle firmly:

"No need, thank you. The suitcase isn’t heavy. I can manage myself."

She took the elevator directly to the 23rd floor, found room 2307, and swiped the key card to unlock the door, which emitted a soft beep.

Zhao Jingyi closed the door behind her, secured the inner safety chain, and gently turned the additional lock knob below the doorknob.

Instead of unpacking, she quickly scanned the hotel room—bed, table and chairs, wardrobe, bathroom—finding nothing out of the ordinary.

She then set her suitcase on the bed, unzipping it to retrieve a palm-sized portable detector from a hidden compartment inside.

When she switched on the detector, its screen emitted a faint blue glow.

Zhao Jingyi meticulously scanned certain corners of the room, ensuring there were no hidden cameras or similar devices.

It’s essential for girls traveling alone to know how to protect themselves.

It took her about ten minutes before she returned her attention to the suitcase.

She opened the suitcase and casually draped a thin blanket from the bed halfway over it.

Then, she headed to the bathroom and, standing at the sink, started gently peeling off the expertly crafted disguise mask along her hairline and jawline.

The mask made a subtle "sss" sound as it separated from her real skin.

Having not let her skin breathe freely for some time, she felt her facial pores were somewhat stiff and numb.

She washed her face simply and went back to the bedroom, stood by the window, and slowly opened a slit in the curtains, gazing into the distance.

From the 23rd floor of the hotel, she had an expansive view.

From her vantage point, the coordinates—the long-abandoned train station area—appeared extremely peaceful, even deathly silent.

She saw no unusual activities, no blue and white car lights, and no signs of security lockdown.

At least, superficially, everything seemed normal.

"Could it be... I’m just overthinking?"

Zhao Jingyi murmured to herself,

"Perhaps the isolation of Zone 9 has other reasons and isn’t aimed at the mentor. If that’s the case, the train station should be relatively safe, at least for now."

However, Zuo Bai’s teachings replayed in her mind—"Never rely on ’should’, trust verification instead."

"I still need to find a way to figure out what’s really happening in Zone 9," she pondered.

Directly investigating the train station is too risky; a safer information source is necessary.

Coincidentally, in Zone 9, Zhao Jingyi knew someone who might have access to higher-level information.

The contact might not be aware of all the secrets but surely would know more than a random taxi driver.

With this in mind, Zhao Jingyi retrieved a tablet from her backpack.

Before initiating communication, she connected it to a USB-like encryption intermediary, disguising her real IP address to ensure communication security.

Then, she opened the encrypted communication software, locating her contact in the list.

After sending the request, the tablet emitted a steady and prolonged "doo-doo-doo..." waiting tone.

Meanwhile, the suitcase at her feet, covered partly by the blanket, seemed to tremble ever so slightly, perhaps disturbed by her earlier movements...

.....

Next to Zhao Jingyi’s residence at the Fenglin Hotel, just across the street, stood an old, somewhat shabby building.

The ground floor held a sign for "Yongye Parking Lot," a few of whose neon lights flickered incomplete and broken.

An inconspicuous black sedan slid in quietly, its tires making minor bumps over the worn-down ramp.

The car parked in a secluded corner inside the parking lot, turning off the engine.

The driver’s door opened, and out stepped a man of medium build in a gray jacket, with the fatigued demeanor often seen in Executive Government personnel.

He was the anonymous man from the Mechanical Department.

Taking out his phone, he swiftly swiped through the screen, locating the number he had recently contacted, and dialed it again.

"I’m here."

The voice on the other end paused for two seconds before an emotionless voice asked in return:

"Are you alone?"

The Mechanical Department man felt a bit annoyed but replied:

"Yes, I’m alone."

The voice on the phone didn’t immediately respond but waited a few seconds before saying plainly:

"Wait there, don’t move. I’ll send someone down to get you."

The Mechanical Department man was about to say, "No need for the trouble. Just give me the exact address or floor, and I can find my way."