Warehouse 3?
Lin Mo's mind quickly recalled the layout of the factory complex from his earlier observations on the rooftop. There were three warehouses in total, along with a parking lot for vehicles, areas for storing goods, and a small residential section.
The entire complex had long been abandoned by the companies that once operated here. Any valuable machinery had already been stripped away, leaving behind nothing but empty shells.
The Scavengers had seized the opportunity to occupy the area. Since they weren't engaged in any kind of production, they only used a few of the warehouses and the residential area. The rest of the space was filled with random debris, scattered with groups of people, and makeshift fire pits surrounded by metal barrels for warmth. From the radio, upbeat music played, and the gathering resembled a twisted celebration.
As for the "work" these Scavengers were celebrating, Lin Mo didn't need to think too hard to imagine the atrocities they were guilty of.
Currently, Lin Mo and Sasha were inside Warehouse 1, which was situated alongside the other two warehouses in the southern part of the complex.
"What were the messages in the chat logs?" Lin Mo asked, curious as he glanced at the computer screen.
"You really don't want to know," Sasha replied, her face turning stoic as her gaze dropped slightly.
Lin Mo caught the hint and didn't press further. Anything linked to Scavengers was bound to be tainted with evil. Even the most curious person would feel sickened after reading about their crimes.
Sasha probably withheld the details for Lin Mo's sake.
"Should we leave now?" Lin Mo asked, eyeing the headless corpses scattered in the control room. "What about them? Won't someone notice?"
"Most likely," Sasha admitted, glancing at the bodies with some regret, as if thinking their deaths were too quick. "Let's just hope none of the Scavengers have enhanced smell implants."
She paused for a moment, then added, "If you had knocked them out first and then snapped their necks, that would've been ideal. That way, there wouldn't be much smell to detect."
Sasha's casual mention of such brutal methods was at odds with her soft and feminine appearance.
Lin Mo scratched his head, feeling somewhat guilty. He hadn't expected that being so decisive could actually complicate things.
Maybe killing swiftly wasn't always the best course of action.
"But don't worry," Sasha reassured him with a smile, motioning for him to follow her. "Everyone has a first time. Just be more patient next time."
Lin Mo nodded and trailed after Sasha as they left the control room, their mission far from over.
The room, now devoid of life, was left in silence. Blood had long pooled beneath the lifeless bodies, staining the floor, while the severed heads remained frozen in expressions of confusion and fear, forever trapped in the moment of death.
…
Stepping out through the side door, Lin Mo and Sasha moved cautiously through the shadows, taking advantage of the night to remain hidden.
Fortunately, the Scavengers were still unaware of their presence. Most of them were too busy celebrating in the open yard, while those stationed inside the warehouses were engrossed in their own distractions. They weren't paying attention to the dark corners where the intruders crept.
Unlike video games, real-life infiltrations weren't as easy as pressing a crouch button to become invisible to enemies. The Scavengers weren't deaf or blind, but neither were they disciplined soldiers constantly patrolling their base.
In reality, most of the Scavengers were gathered around the fires, drinking and partying. The few who remained in the warehouses weren't expecting trouble, leaving Lin Mo and Sasha free to move undetected.
The pair soon reached the side entrance to Warehouse 3.
This time, Sasha seemed even more adept at hacking the electronic lock. She had the door open in less than a second—faster than Lin Mo could have said "open sesame."
Inside, Warehouse 3 was laid out similarly to Warehouse 1. A long corridor led in, with windows on one side offering a view of the production floor. The corridor ended at a staircase, just like in the previous building.
Sasha led the way again, with Lin Mo following closely behind. They stopped near the windows, where Sasha pointed toward something.
Lin Mo focused his gaze and saw a woman leaning against a pillar, seemingly waiting for something.
"Careful not to be spotted," Sasha whispered softly.
Lin Mo nodded, lowering his posture and moving cautiously.
They approached the stairs leading up to the control room, and from their vantage point, Lin Mo could see three Scavengers chatting inside. He quietly drew his Black Unicorn sword, but hesitated, remembering Sasha's earlier advice. He sheathed it again.
It seemed that each warehouse had four guards. In Warehouse 1, the Scavengers had been playing cards. Here, three of them were talking, while a middle-aged woman, separate from the others, was pacing in the corner, her face illuminated by the faint glow of her communications device.
"I can hack into their comms," Sasha whispered. "Want to listen in?"
Lin Mo thought for a moment before nodding.
If the woman was talking to someone at the celebration outside, knocking her out mid-conversation would raise alarms.
Soon, the woman's voice filtered into Lin Mo's earpiece.
"Sweetheart, it's not that I don't want to come home, but I really can't get away right now," she said in a gentle tone. "I finally got this job, and I need to stay a few more days. But I promise, when I get back, I'll get you any gift you want. We'll have a belated birthday party, okay?"
She paused, then continued, "Really, I'm not lying this time. Go to sleep, baby. I'll be home soon, I promise."
After a long sigh, the woman ended the call and started walking back toward the control room.
Just as she neared, Lin Mo sprang into action. A black shadow flashed in front of her, so fast it was like a ghost had materialized from nowhere. Before the woman could scream, Lin Mo clamped a hand over her mouth, muffling any sound.
For a brief moment, through her fingers, the woman glimpsed Lin Mo's cold eyes—eyes partially concealed by his mask. Then, with one swift motion, he slammed her head into the ground, knocking her unconscious.
The dull thud echoed in the quiet warehouse.
Sasha hurried over, scolding Lin Mo in a low voice. "I told you to go easy! Now look, you didn't use your sword, but you still knocked them all out."
Lin Mo remained calm, pulling down his mask and slipping it into his waist pouch before gently laying the woman on the ground.
For an infiltration mission, he hadn't brought many weapons, carrying only a small satchel and a single Kang Tao Smartpistol.
"This should be fine," Lin Mo said. "Can you hack into her processor?"
Sasha checked the woman's pulse, confirming she was only unconscious. She sighed in relief before pulling out her data cable and connecting it to the woman's cyberware.
After a few seconds, she unplugged herself and nodded. "I found the location."
"And did you pull her criminal record?" Lin Mo asked, his hand resting on the back of the woman's head.
Sasha's eyes flashed with data before she shook her head. "No, she just joined the Scavengers recently. Before this, she worked as a cleaner. She's mostly been doing menial tasks here."
Lin Mo withdrew his hand, standing up and dusting off his hands. "Then let's go."
Sasha shot him a thoughtful look before leading the way again.
Using the data from the woman's processor, they found the entrance to the basement hidden beneath a stack of crates.
The two exchanged a glance before heading down.
As they descended the stairs, Sasha glanced back at Lin Mo, her tone casual as she asked, "If her records had shown she committed any crimes, would you have killed her?"
"Yes," Lin Mo responded immediately, his voice hard and unyielding, like the scabbard at his waist.
"She should consider herself lucky she hadn't fallen too far into this world. She should also be grateful I overheard her phone call."
Sasha regarded him silently, saying nothing.
Lin Mo wasn't just ruthless; he was calculating, like a sword in its scabbard. While a scabbard wasn't as sharp or merciless as a blade, it still held within it the power of a deadly weapon.
Perhaps this was the only glimmer of kindness Lin Mo would ever show his enemies.