The war room inside Aegis Sentinel Corps headquarters was filled with tension, the weight of an imminent disaster pressing down on everyone present. A bombing was planned. The Architects were moving. And Seladang City was their target.
Jiang Han sat at the head of the table, his fingers interlocked, his expression unreadable. His body was still healing, but his mind was as sharp as ever.
They had less than twenty-four hours to stop an attack that could throw the city into chaos.
---
Sophia Liew pulled up the encrypted audio from the warehouse infiltration, replaying the part that had sent shockwaves through the team.
"Once the explosives are in position, we'll wait for the final order."
Adrian Yong exhaled sharply, leaning back in his chair. "That means they haven't finished setting everything up yet."
Jiang nodded. "Which gives us a window. We just need to find them before they move."
Colonel Yusof stood with his arms crossed. "The problem is the location. We still don't know where they're planting the bombs."
Sophia adjusted her glasses. "I've been running an analysis of high-profile locations across the city. If this attack is meant to send a message, they'll target a place with maximum impact."
She tapped on her keyboard, and a list of potential sites appeared on the holographic display.
Seladang Central Station (the city's busiest transport hub)
The Grand Pavilion (a corporate and political gathering point)
New Horizon Mall (one of the largest shopping districts in Southeast Asia)
Government Administrative Complex (where key officials operated)
Mikhail Darmawan studied the options. "If they hit the station, it'll cause mass panic. The mall would do the same. The Grand Pavilion could target business elites. But the Government Complex? That would destabilise everything."
Jiang's eyes narrowed. "We need more data. We can't spread ourselves too thin."
Adrian nodded. "We need to find out who's delivering the explosives."
Sophia's fingers flew over the keyboard. "I might have something. One of the shell companies linked to the second payment owns a fleet of delivery trucks. Several have been rerouted from their usual routes over the past forty-eight hours."
Colonel Yusof stepped forward. "Where are they now?"
Sophia zoomed in on a map, highlighting three moving vehicles.
One was heading toward the Seladang Central Station.
Another was approaching the Grand Pavilion.
The third was moving near the Government Administrative Complex.
Jiang's jaw tightened. "We don't have time for negotiations. We stop those trucks now."
Colonel Yusof nodded. "Agreed. We'll send teams to each location. We move in fifteen."
Mikhail cracked his knuckles. "Let's end this."
---
Team Alpha—led by Adrian and Marcus Tan—was deployed to the Seladang Central Station, where the first truck was expected to arrive within ten minutes.
The station was bustling with thousands of commuters, unaware of the potential catastrophe heading their way.
Adrian's voice was sharp through the comms. "The truck is en route. We're moving into position."
Marcus, who was stationed on a nearby rooftop, reported in. "Visual confirmed. White box truck, no markings. Moving towards the main entrance."
Adrian signalled to his team. "We need to neutralise this before it gets inside."
As the truck approached, Adrian and two operatives stepped into the street, flashing their badges. "Seladang Security Forces! Stop the vehicle now!"
Instead of slowing, the driver accelerated.
"Shit!" Marcus shouted.
Adrian barely had time to react before the truck swerved, trying to break through. Shots rang out as Marcus took out the front tyres, causing the vehicle to skid violently before crashing into a street barricade.
Within seconds, Adrian and his team rushed the vehicle, yanking the driver out.
The man struggled, but Adrian pinned him to the ground, pressing his knee into his back. "Where are the explosives?!"
The driver sneered. "You're already too late."
Adrian's stomach twisted. He turned to Marcus. "Check the cargo!"
Marcus pried open the back of the truck—and froze.
Inside were several containers, each rigged with highly sophisticated explosives. A digital countdown flashed on the control panel.
00:08:57
Eight minutes until detonation.
---
Team Beta—led by Elisa Tan and a tactical squad—was already closing in on the second truck near The Grand Pavilion.
Unlike the first truck, this one had stopped outside a service entrance, unloading cargo. The driver and two workers were moving crates into the building.
Elisa's eyes narrowed. "They're planting it inside."
She signalled to her team. "We go in silent."
Moving like shadows, her operatives took down the workers first, knocking them unconscious before they could raise the alarm.
Elisa grabbed the driver, slamming him against the truck. "Where are the bombs?"
The man gritted his teeth. "You have no idea what's coming."
Elisa's grip tightened. "Tell me, or I swear I'll make sure you regret it."
He spat at her. "The Architects own this city."
Elisa didn't hesitate. She struck his head against the metal door, knocking him out.
"Find the explosives," she ordered.
Inside the building, her team found six devices already wired into structural supports.
One of her operatives cursed. "This wasn't just a bombing. This was meant to bring the whole building down."
Elisa relayed the information back to HQ. "We've secured the second site. Bomb disposal is working on defusing."
---
The final truck was heading towards the Government Administrative Complex, escorted by two SUVs.
Colonel Yusof personally led the intercept team. "No risks. Take them out."
The ambush was swift. As the convoy neared a checkpoint, spike strips shredded their tyres. Armed operatives stormed in, forcing the vehicles to a halt.
The guards in the SUVs opened fire.
Colonel Yusof didn't hesitate. He moved with military precision, taking out two shooters before they could react. His team quickly overpowered the rest.
The truck driver, realising escape was impossible, detonated his own vest, taking himself out before he could be captured.
Yusof cursed. "Check the cargo!"
His second-in-command, Captain Nizam Salleh, ran forward, scanning the crates. His face turned grim.
"There's nothing here."
Silence.
Then, Jiang's voice crackled through the comms.
"Then it was a decoy."
---
Back at HQ, Jiang was already piecing it together.
The Grand Pavilion was a major target. So was the station. But if the third truck was empty...
His stomach dropped.
"The real bomb isn't in any of those places," he said, standing despite the pain in his ribs.
Sophia was already scanning city records. "If they wanted maximum destruction... where would they place a hidden payload?"
Then her fingers stopped typing. Her face went pale.
"Jiang."
He turned sharply. "Where?"
Sophia slowly looked up.
"They're targeting Aegis Sentinel Corps Headquarters."