[The Ghost Leader, the entire Xigu Valley has mobilized, just waiting for our further instructions.]
In the black space, the members at the scene reported to Qin Xuezhong.
[Waiting for what instructions?]
Little Qin was puzzled.
After a round of explanations, she finally understood. Because the situation had escalated significantly, no one dared to act rashly, fearing mistakes, so they were waiting for orders from the Ghost Organization's higher-ups.
Upon hearing this, Little Qin was furious.
She suddenly realized how exhausting it was to be a leader.
No matter what happened, no one dared to make decisions or take responsibility, so they just waited for orders from above.
Bureaucracy was deadly!
She hadn't slept well last night, and now the entire Xigu Valley was on alert, yet no one had taken the initiative to act first?
She had been planning to catch up on sleep in the office, hoping to wake up to find the problem solved and peace restored to the world.
Couldn't these people get their act together? Couldn't they let her have a proper nap?!
Sleep-deprived and angry, Little Qin replied: [Get them all moving immediately! Push in quickly!]
Seeing this message, the black space fell into silence—previously, the Ghost had always spoken succinctly and calmly, as if nothing in the world could faze her.
This time, however, she was angry. This indicated that the situation was truly serious!
This news quickly spread.
Yet, it still didn't prompt anyone else to act.
"What's the rush? Since the enemy is inside, we just need to surround them," said an officer from the Security Department's special operations team.
"We're here to support, not to take the lead," said a staff member from the aerospace fleet.
"The military isn't moving, so why should we?" said a mercenary.
"I heard Tang Kede is inside. If that big boss gets serious, he'll definitely take out a few who aren't afraid of death…" nearby scavengers chimed in.
Seeing this, Kaise felt anxious.
He was well aware of the Ghost's capabilities, and if they continued waiting like this, it would lead to big trouble; the entire Xigu Valley would be in danger!
Resolutely, he bit the bullet and gave orders to the front-line mercenaries.
"Get to the perimeter and give the aerospace fleet and SWAT a few shots! I don't believe they won't move!"
"Yes!"
Quickly, several members from mercenary clubs discreetly left the team, carefully infiltrating the mutated jungle, setting up automatic weapons, and then quietly returning.
Before long, multiple bursts of laser fire and long-range attacks erupted from the jungle, targeting several directions.
This sudden attack shattered the previously calm waiting teams, instantly igniting chaos among them.
The attacks directed at the airborne fleet and ground vehicles looked impressive, but in reality, all were intercepted by the real-time detection systems, failing to reach their targets.
Above the old industrial area, a magnificent display of fireworks exploded in the sky.
This did indeed break the fragile wait-and-see stance of the encirclement teams, prompting all of them to spring into action.
Back in the office, Qin Xuezhong received the news immediately.
The leader of the Ghost Organization, the big boss behind several major factions, Little Qin nodded in satisfaction.
She nonchalantly replied, [Good.]
Then, she burrowed into the office massage chamber, ready for a proper nap.
She wasn't worried about missing any important news because both Xue Zhishi and Xie Kedu in her office were connected to the black space. If anything happened, they would immediately know.
Beside her, Xue Zhishi watched as Little Qin entered the massage chamber, feeling a sense of comfort.
Recently, Xigu Valley had been tumultuous, and Little Qin, as a new employee, had experienced quite a bit of trouble, yet she still maintained her excellent tradition of slacking off. This greatly pleased him.
Xue Zhishi glanced at the three little subordinates in the office—one in the massage chamber, one playing games, and one watching a concert…
These three subordinates, especially Little Qin, looked like innocent kids.
He silently vowed to protect this tranquility and harmony.
Just then, the office lights suddenly went out.
Everyone was momentarily stunned.
Xigu Valley's energy supply was quite stable, especially in a core area like the Bayflow District, where even during power outages, the stored energy blocks were enough to keep critical departments running for an entire day.
According to Xue Zhishi's knowledge, the public security bureau hadn't experienced a blackout in the past century.
Even if the upper floors lost power, their area wouldn't.
The reason was simple: the analytical department was directly above the federal mainframe's substation!
If even this place encountered issues, then the situation outside was truly serious!
Xue Zhishi quickly logged into the black space and found a prominently highlighted post:
[Unknown virus sweeping Xigu Valley, causing mass electronic device failures, making cyborgs extremely aggressive, with some humans descending into chaos, and there's a risk of contagion spreading!]
[The outbreak occurred just before the attack, suspected to be related to the Southern Suburb Industrial Area.]
All members of the Ghost Organization were filled with regret and anxiety.
—The Ghost Leader had long urged everyone to attack the Southern Suburb Industrial Area. Yet, just before the assault, the virus erupted.
If all the teams had united and attacked the moment the Ghost Leader issued the command, could they have avoided the virus attack?
With others unreliable, only the Ghost remained steadfast.
Little Qin also emerged from the massage chamber.
She was furious.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, the entire massage chamber suddenly shut down.
Upon stepping out, she noticed that her three colleagues looked unwell.
"What happened?" Little Qin asked, bewildered.
"Something's wrong. We need to prepare," Xue Zhishi said while donning combat armor. "Gather your things. We're heading down to hide near the machine room."
"The machine room?" Jin An'an asked, confused.
"Yes, the substation of the mainframe," Xue Zhishi checked his weapon. "It's more secure there; there are two special operations teams stationed, and being with them is safer."
"Okay."
Qin Xuezhong donned the combat armor provided by the anti-intrusion team, packed her bag, and grabbed some snacks and drinks.
As she packed, she realized even the Security Department's internal systems were down, and several internal phones were out of service—there was likely a serious issue.
Quickly, the four of them exited the office.
As they reached the stairwell, they heard cautious footsteps approaching from above, getting closer.
Xue Zhishi signaled for them to stop, raised his gun, and shined a shoulder flashlight upward, shouting, "Who's up there?"
The footsteps paused momentarily before replying, "We're from the technical department! We came down to seek refuge!"
Qin Xuezhong instantly recognized Zhang Yuan's voice.
Xue Zhishi continued to inquire, "What's the situation up there? Why didn't you go to the operations room and SWAT?"
"Everything's in chaos; people are losing control everywhere. Gunfire is being reported from the operations room—areas with weapons are the most dangerous!" Zhang Yuan responded.
Xue Zhishi felt a sense of dread—he had planned to go to the machine room below. What if the special operations team there was also compromised?
Then, he asked his biggest doubt, "You're on the 20th floor; why are you running down here? Isn't the route more dangerous?"
Zhang Yuan replied confidently, "The virus can infect chips, and anywhere with living people is dangerous. We're going to the morgue! There are no living people there!"
This was the reasoning he used to convince his two colleagues, and it also convinced Xue Zhishi.
The morgue had two exits leading to different pathways; its spacious interior was easy to defend but hard to attack, and this level typically had few people, making it a very good rationale.
But in reality, he was just there to find Qin Xuezhong.
He knew that amidst the chaos in Xigu Valley, nowhere was safe, and the big boss's side was the safest place to be.
So, even at the risk of his life, he had to get to the analysis department!
The two groups finally reunited.
Zhang Yuan made no overt gestures but merely glanced at Qin Xuezhong and nodded, acknowledging their previous encounter.
Then he stepped beside Xue Zhishi to share the situation.
Though he appeared calm and composed, trying to survive in this chaos, inside he was on the verge of tears.
He and his two colleagues were tech police who spent their days in the office, lacking combat experience.
Just walking down over twenty flights of stairs was an unprecedented exertion.
Let alone encountering early-stage infected individuals along the way, many of whom were extremely aggressive.
Three seasoned homebodies, navigating through such fear and chaos, finally reached the underground third floor where the analysis department was located.
When Zhang Yuan saw Qin Xuezhong, he felt an immense sense of relief.
—With the boss around, it was stable!
Qin Xuezhong sighed internally, realizing that her office had become a refuge for slackers, and now three more tech geeks had joined the ranks.
Seeing the others struggling to hold their weapons, she and Xue Zhishi decided that he would lead while she would cover the rear.
As soon as they had taken a few steps, the stairwell echoed with sounds again, approaching them unmistakably.
It was a series of unabashed joyful shouts.
"Hahaha, damn, I'm so lucky today!"
"The cell doors opened automatically, and the cops are all going crazy—hilarious!"
"These garbage cops are totally losing it! We should go check it out; maybe there's an opportunity!"
From their conversation, it was clear that the suspects, originally temporarily detained at the precinct, had escaped due to the chaos caused by the virus.
Now, Qin Xuezhong and her group couldn't move because the stairwell was eerily quiet. If they pushed the door, it would definitely make noise and alert the rioters above.
Qin Xuezhong turned and saw Xue Zhishi trying to squeeze past the group of people in the middle, while panic flashed across the faces of the others.
She quickly drew her gun, instinctively making a few gestures she had practiced during training—"Freeze," "Lower your body," and "I'll handle this."
Seeing the final gesture, Xue Zhishi paused for a moment.
Noticing how skilled Little Qin was with her hand signals, even exuding a veteran's aura, he was taken aback. He hadn't expected this newcomer, who seemed to spend all her time at work sleeping, to be so capable.
Qin Xuezhong swiftly switched her gun to the impact round mode, holding it steady in front of her while loading the magazine.
Her movements were extremely professional.
As soon as the people above showed themselves, Little Qin didn't blink and fired her gun.
The first shot hit the forehead of the last person, knocking him unconscious. The next two shots hit the hands and chest of the remaining two, causing them to lose their balance and preventing any effective counterattack.
Throughout the process, she adjusted her position rhythmically, ensuring she wouldn't expose herself to the enemy's fire.
Then, she took two steps forward with precise movements and fired two more shots, incapacitating all three assailants.
When she turned back again, everyone behind her was left speechless.
In his heart, Zhang Yuan was shouting, "The boss is the best! I'm saved!"