Chapter 202: Mercenary Guild App Firewall
Ethan Blake's expression was complex as he observed the scene.
At this moment, he realized that his phone had returned to normal.
Likewise, the phone of the young man, who was the administrator code-named [No. 3] of the Crow Group, had also returned to normal.
The Mercenary Guild App opened automatically.
The young man quickly picked up his phone and noticed an unread message on the app:
[Task: Spy]
[Task Details: Implant the virus into the data repository of the Security Division's administrator team operating in the South Sea.]
[Task Reward: 100 points, 10 Moonlight Grass.]
[Task Failure: None.]
[Congratulations! Task completed. 100 points have been credited! The Moonlight Grass will be delivered to you shortly.]
The young man's eyes widened in shock as he carefully reviewed the task details.
The task had been issued five hours ago—precisely when he had entered the conference room, and the Mercenary Guild App had displayed a server error.
He was dumbfounded.
Could it be that he had unknowingly become a pawn of the Mercenary Guild? The Mercenary Guild had manipulated him and the entire Security Division's administration, playing them like puppets!
The long-haired middle-aged man also saw the message. His face darkened ominously.
This was a blatant provocation against the Security Division!
Not even the Universal Group would dare to provoke the Security Division in this manner!
The killing intent in the long-haired man's gaze was so intense it seemed to lower the room's temperature by several degrees.
The young man opened his mouth and quickly tried to explain, "Director Richards, this has nothing to do with me. I..."
The long-haired man suppressed his fury and said, "I know this isn't your doing. You wouldn't have the guts. They're toying with us like rats!"
After speaking, the long-haired man suddenly turned to the young man and demanded, "They said they'd deliver Moonlight Grass to you. How are they planning to do that?"
The young man suddenly understood and grabbed his phone while replying, "Yes, yes, there's a customer service function here."
"If they deliver something, we can catch the delivery person and trace them back to their source."
The young man opened the customer service function and typed:
"Hello, I've completed the task. When will the Moonlight Grass be delivered?"
Customer Service:
"Dear Mercenary [Crow], congratulations on completing the task successfully! The Moonlight Grass will be delivered within ten minutes."
The young man froze for a moment.
Ten minutes? Are they joking? It would take at least ten minutes just to walk from the Security Division's entrance to the basement.
He shook his head. There was no way they would deliver it directly to the Security Division office.
This office was a classified location.
Apart from a few high-level personnel, no one else in the Security Division would even know about this place—let alone deliver something here.
"Could it… be delivered to the Security Division's entrance?" the young man muttered.
The long-haired man turned to Ethan Blake and ordered, "Ethan, immediately seal off the Security Division. If you see anyone suspicious, take them down."
Ethan Blake nodded, adjusted his security cap, and walked out of the office.
The green-haired girl muttered, "The Mercenary Guild is so devious. Could this be another trick?"
"I suspect they never intended to deliver the Moonlight Grass in the first place. Maybe the Mercenary Guild members are just outside the Security Division laughing at us."
Indeed, if the Security Division initiated a complete lockdown now, and the Mercenary Guild never intended to deliver the Moonlight Grass, it would undoubtedly make them a laughingstock.
It would make the Security Division seem both incompetent and naïve at the same time.
"There's another message from customer service!" the young man exclaimed anxiously.
Several Security Division administrators immediately gathered around.
Customer Service:
"Dear Mercenary [Crow], your rewards have been issued. Please check your account.
A special reminder for you~
During the execution of the [Spy] task, you were allowed to use any means necessary to ensure perfect completion of the task, including revealing the existence of the Mercenary Guild.
However, please be careful moving forward. Do not mention the Mercenary Guild to anyone, or you will face consequences!
This is the law of the Mercenary Guild."
After these words, the connection was severed.
No one paid much attention to the last few lines.
What did it mean by "revealing the Mercenary Guild" or "facing consequences for mentioning it"?
This was the Security Division—the safest place in the world. Would their administrators be assassinated or threatened? Ridiculous!
The real focus was on the first statement from customer service:
"The task rewards have been issued. Please check your account."
That sentence sounded absurd.
The green-haired girl, sitting on her chair, muttered, "We've been tricked again. What task rewards? I don't see anything."
She sulked, clearly frustrated at having been played by the Mercenary Guild App.
However, her frustration wasn't out of self-blame. She was simply annoyed.
High-ranking administrators in the Security Division often had unique mindsets.
These administrators typically fell into two categories:
The first were powerful individuals who dominated their regions and, for various reasons—be it coercion or enticement—joined the Security Division.
The second were ordinary administrators who completed countless dangerous missions and demonstrated exceptional ability, eventually being promoted to high-ranking positions.
These individuals had danced on the edge of life and death, lived among corpses, and conversed with the specter of death itself. Over the years, they had become fearless outlaws with transformed mindsets.
Neither group was truly loyal to the Security Division out of heartfelt devotion. Most served for personal reasons.
Take the green-haired girl, for example. She was upset because the Mercenary Guild App had made a fool of her, tarnishing her reputation and potentially leaving her to face disciplinary consequences.
What did it matter if the Security Division's database had been breached? Even if the division collapsed, she could rely on her B-rank talent to live worry-free.
Suddenly, she screamed, "What is that?!"
Everyone turned to look, their faces contorting in shock as they stared at the table.
Lying quietly on the conference table were ten strange and beautiful little plants.
The long-haired middle-aged man's muscles instantly tensed, his body emanating a faint, decayed odor. The entire office began to fill with mold and mildew.
How could anyone place these plants in the Security Division's office under the watchful eyes of so many people?
If Ethan Blake were still present, one might suspect he was behind this, playing tricks.
But Ethan had already gone to oversee the lockdown of the Security Division.
Now, everyone in the office was a trusted administrator who would never betray their country.
Everyone grew increasingly cautious, and a chill ran down their spines as goosebumps rose on their arms.
"This… could it be ghosts?" the green-haired girl muttered, swallowing hard, her eyes filled with disbelief.
The young man breathed heavily, his lips dry. They were all staunch materialists—how could they believe in ghosts or spirits?
It took him a long moment before he finally spoke: "What kind of organization is this? How is the Mercenary Guild even—"
Before he could finish, his pupils dilated suddenly.
A burning sensation, sharp as a knife, tore through his mind!
"Ah!!!"
The young man screamed, clutching his head as he collapsed to his knees, writhing in agony.
"What's happening to you?!"
The bald captain rushed forward to check on him, but the long-haired man stopped him, his expression grave.
"Don't act rashly. There's a terrifying flame spirit invading his sea of consciousness.
Judging by its intensity… it's likely S-rank!"
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