Part 1: Crackers, Snipers, and Beef Stew
After the earlier standoff, everyone returned to their assigned positions to guard the convoy. But things weren't nearly as calm on the other end.
The ten-man scouting team sent to investigate the spike strips had been ambushed by a group of armed thugs. Meanwhile, Shadow 8 was... hiding behind a tree, snacking on crackers.
Munch. Crunch.
He casually observed the firefight, counting the number of hostiles, keeping track of hidden threats. As he chewed, he lifted his smartwatch and sent Han Yue a message:
"Omg there's a good show here!! Over 20 armed thugs ambushed us!! A full-on fight broke out. Also spotted 10 more hiding in a trench. 🍿🔥"
Han Yue's wrist buzzed.
She glanced at the message, sighed, and typed back:
"Hurry up and handle it. Don't think I don't know you're eating on the job. Finish this and I'll give you some ice cream."
Shadow 8's eyes sparkled. Ice cream?!
He leapt out from cover, fire flaring to life in his palms. "Fireworks mode… on!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions lit up the night sky like a festival, sparks bursting red and gold across the mountain pass. Fireballs streaked across the battlefield, blasting trenches and enemy positions indiscriminately.
Han Yue blinked at the distant fireworks show. "...Didn't the mission say 'no unnecessary attention'?"
She rubbed her temples and sighed.
Back at the client's vehicle, Captain Rong reported dutifully, "Sir, Miss Han refused your invitation. She also warned that if pressured again, she'd personally send you to the medical tent."
Wei Xinyan chuckled lightly. "It's fine. Don't force her. We're simply trying to recruit her, after all."
But the moment Rong stepped out to investigate the explosions, the smile vanished from Wei Xinyan's face. His gaze turned cold.
"Arrogant little girl… let's see how long you stay proud. Once we reach Base H, I'll make you regret your attitude."
Outside, the bright flashes made the convoy guards more alert. Some spread out to double-check the area. Meanwhile, Han Yue calmly extended her spiritual sense to survey the battlefield.
What she saw made her speechless.
Shadow 8 had blasted not just the thugs… but the scouts too. Some were retreating, half-burned, hair singed, shirts scorched. The enemies weren't faring better—most of them now half-naked, their clothes incinerated.
But then—movement.
Han Yue's senses picked up something above them. Her brows furrowed.
Snipers. Two of them, positioned on the ridge overlooking the mountain road. Watching their convoy.
She pressed the walkie-talkie. "There are two snipers overlooking the convoy."
Captain Rong, mid-order, froze. He approached Han Yue quickly.
"You're sure? Can you pinpoint the location? We'll send someone to subdue—"
Han Yue interrupted, voice cool. "Want me to drag them down? Do they need to be alive?"
Rong, slightly confused, replied without thinking, "No need."
Whoosh.
Ice shot up into the darkness. Seconds later—THUD! THUD!
Two bodies slammed down onto one of the parked convoy vehicles with a heavy crash. Sniper rifles clattered to the ground.
The area went silent.
Han Yue crossed her arms. "Someone clean that up. Unless you want fish smell lingering. It's in the mission briefing: no strange odors allowed."
Captain Rong blinked, then quickly barked orders. Four guards scrambled to move the bodies and collect the weapons. Others resumed perimeter duty.
A few minutes later, Shadow 8 strolled back, whistling with a sack slung over his shoulder. Behind him trailed the scouting team—burnt, bruised, and bewildered.
Some had charred uniforms. One had no eyebrows. Another was clutching a melted belt buckle.
The entire convoy stared at them.
Shadow 8 casually dropped the sack beside the convoy and reported, "Twenty armed thugs ambushed us. Ten more in a trench. All dealt with. Confiscated handguns, ammo, knives, crowbars, smartwatches, dry food, and spike strips."
Captain Rong gave a nod and assigned guards to assist the injured, change uniforms, and sort through the confiscated gear.
Han Yue raised a brow. "You work fast when there's ice cream involved."
Shadow 8 grinned. "I miss eating ice cream~ By the way, anything fun happen over here?"
Han Yue gestured lazily. "Two snipers on the ridge. I took care of it."
Shadow 8 gave her a thumbs-up. "Damn. Wish I saw that."
With cleanup done, the convoy resumed their journey. It was already 1 a.m.—far behind schedule.
After exiting the mountain pass, they pulled into an abandoned gas station for a late-night meal and rest stop. It would take another three hours to reach Base H, so this was their only chance to recover.
The client's side had a dedicated cook and staff. Their team prepped beef stew for the bodyguards, and a medium-rare steak with mashed potatoes for Wei Xinyan, who remained inside his air-conditioned car.
Meanwhile, Han Yue's team set up their own cooking station beside one of the off-road vehicles.
"Just boil it for twenty minutes," Han Yue instructed, placing down a pot of pre-cooked meat and a cooler of vegetables.
Lei got to work setting up the gas stove. Tian began chopping vegetables and tossing them into the pot.
Shadow 8 unfolded a small table, placed plastic chairs around it, and cheerfully plugged a rice cooker into a solar power bank. "Gotta pretend to be civilized in front of strangers," he said with a wink.
The smell of beef stew wafted through the air.
Han Yue brought out a punch bowl, poured in a fruit juice mix, and sliced lemons. She stirred slowly, then said, "I'll add Powerade and Sprite later."
Shadow 8 clapped. "You're the best, Yueyue! Cold juice on a hot night? Heaven!"
While they prepared outside, inside the gas station, the client's team bustled quietly. Beef stew simmered. The steak for Wei Xinyan was searing to perfect pink.
Back in his vehicle, Wei Xinyan watched Han Yue's group in silence—expression unreadable.
But behind those calm eyes… his plans for Han Yue were already beginning to take shape.
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Part 2: A Plot for Ice and Betrayal
Finally, it was time to eat.
Guards Lei and Tian brought the steaming pot of beef stew and the rice cooker over to the folding table. Shadow 8 immediately requested a mountain-sized serving, naturally. Meanwhile, Han Yue added Powerade and Sprite into the juice bowl, dropped in some ice cubes, and chilled it further with her powers.
While they ate, Han Yue quietly spread her spiritual sense across the area.
Inside one of the convoy vehicles, the client Wei Xinyan was speaking on his smartwatch. His words, intercepted by Han Yue's spiritual eavesdropping, chilled her to the bone.
"There's a female awakener traveling with me toward City H. How about we capture her and hand her over to the research lab once we reach the outskirts? Her ability is ice-type. Yes, she offended me. I tried to recruit her, but she rejected and threatened me. We're behind schedule due to an ambush, so we'll arrive at the abandoned district first. Prepare the tranquilizers. Yes… happy cooperation."
Han Yue's eyes narrowed, though her expression remained serene.
"Sending me to a research lab, are you?" she thought coldly, lips curling into a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
She tapped her smartwatch and messaged Assistant Chen:
"The client we're escorting plans to ambush me and hand me over to a private research lab. He's aware I'm an awakener. A group will intercept us near the outskirts of City H, likely within four hours, while I'm 'resting.'"
A few moments later, Assistant Chen replied:
"Understood. I've reported it to Secretary Su at the City H Military Base. He requests that you do not kill any of the attackers. They plan to use this as evidence and trace the research lab's location. For now, treat it like an assassination attempt on the client—don't scare the fish away."
Han Yue's smile deepened.
"Understood. I'll be the bait," she replied.
She sent a quick update to Shadow 8, Lei, and Tian.
Shadow 8 was the most excited. He downed his juice in a single gulp. "Yesss! Time for a good show!"
Lei and Tian calmly nodded. "We'll play our part, Leader."
The team clinked glasses in a mock toast, and after cleaning up, the convoy resumed their journey.
A few hours later, just before dawn, the heat became too intense to safely continue driving. The convoy stopped at the outskirts of City H, settling in an abandoned building to rest until nightfall.
Captain Rong, following silent orders, arranged for Han Yue's team to be stationed far from Wei Xinyan's. He also excused them from any patrol shifts.
Though he said nothing, Rong had worked for the Wei family long enough to sense that something was amiss. He simply followed orders and walked away.
Inside their assigned room, Han Yue and her team prepared to "rest."
She sent Assistant Chen the coordinates. A moment later, his reply came:
"Received. The City H military will deploy and set up an ambush around the perimeter."
The trap was set.
An hour passed. Han Yue, eyes closed, sensed footsteps approach—someone checking to see if they were asleep. After a moment of silence from the room, the intruder walked away.
Thirty minutes later, she felt them.
Ten masked men sneaking into the building. They'd already taken out one of Captain Rong's night watch guards. Professional.
She expanded her senses further and noted with satisfaction: the military had already encircled the site and were moving in from behind the attackers.
The masked men didn't suspect a thing.
By the time they reached the fifth floor—Han Yue's floor—the first one stepped forward to check the doorknob.
BANG!
The door flung open. The man was slammed backward, crashing into the wall.
Shadow 8 stood in the doorway, arms crossed. "OMG! Assassins!"
He immediately launched a fireball at their faces, setting off utter chaos.
Lei and Tian followed up, swiftly disarming several of the attackers. Fire, fists, and confusion spread across the corridor. One man tried to scream—but his mask caught fire.
Han Yue leaned against the wall, watching the scene with faint amusement.
"Really weak."
Moments later, the City H military team stormed in. They tackled the stunned attackers, disarmed and restrained them one by one. One man tried to escape by jumping from the window—but froze mid-leap, a glittering ice layer wrapping around him.
He landed with a thud on the floor—fully immobilized.
Shadow 8 walked over, roasted the ice until it melted just enough, then helped tie him up with practiced ease.
The ambush team saluted Han Yue's group. Their leader stepped forward and introduced himself.
Captain Rong rushed upstairs, followed by some of Wei Xinyan's personal guards who had been woken by the commotion. Before he could ask anything, Han Yue greeted him with a polite smile.
"Oh, we found ten assassins sneaking in. It looked like they were after the client. I called the nearby military to arrest them for questioning—maybe we'll finally find out who wants to harm your master."
Captain Rong stared at her, stunned speechless.
The military team nodded with professionalism. "We'll be taking the suspects back for interrogation. Time is critical due to the heat levels."
They quickly departed, hauling the attackers away.
Han Yue and her team returned to their room, ready to rest at last. She dismissed the client from her mind entirely.
"Just a petty man who can't handle rejection," she thought with a smirk.
Elsewhere, inside the luxury car, Wei Xinyan was snarling over the phone.
"You said it was an easy job! Now ten of your people have been arrested!"
The voice on the other end cursed back.
"because of your garbage intel! Don't call again!"
The call ended. Wei Xinyan sat alone in his car, the air conditioning blowing cool air across his face—yet he was sweating.
He had no idea that the game had already begun… and he was three moves behind.