Night deepened, and movement stirred near the bushes.
They exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting alertness and suspicion.
Did they have backup?
Holding their breath and concealing their forms, they waited silently for a moment. The person in the bushes was approaching the factory. Si Nian gave Qin Ningyi a look, his hand gripping the silenced pistol.
Better to be safe than sorry, and strike first.
Qin Ningyi watched carefully for another moment, then suddenly reached out and pressed down on the gun in Si Nian's hand.
Si Nian raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with confusion.
Qin Ningyi gently wrote a character on the back of his hand.
Friend?
He wasn't entirely sure. He wasn't familiar with Zhao Wen's people, so he needed Si Nian to identify them.
Si Nian relaxed his grip on the gun and watched quietly for a while longer.
As the group on the ground neared the factory, a person emerged from within, signaling to them. Si Nian took out a small telescope from his bag, studied their hand gestures closely, and then a look of understanding dawned on his face.
He nodded at Qin Ningyi, confirming his deduction.
But if Zhao Wen sent people, they should have been providing cover for them. Why did this group go directly into the factory, and without any resistance?
Qin Ningyi recalled the footage from the micro-detector he had just seen. This wall should have been guarded by six or seven people, with relatively strong defenses, so no sentries were posted on the second floor.
He suddenly thought of something and opened the screen in his hand, remotely controlling the micro-detector to move rapidly towards a certain spot.
If they could get in, they must have dealt with the defenses here.
To silently neutralize so many people in such a short time required a certain boldness and skill. Somehow, he thought of Huo Rou.
If it were him, he would also choose this direction as the breakthrough point. Although there were many people, it was simpler.
So, after dealing with these people, what would be his next step...
Following his own conjecture, Qin Ningyi maneuvered the micro-detector to a hidden corner.
Suddenly, the lens went black.
The micro-detector seemed to be covered by something.
Qin Ningyi wasn't worried; instead, a suspicion in his heart was confirmed.
He had clearly told her not to come.
As expected, the lens returned to normal, and Huo Rou's smiling face appeared on the screen.
The micro-detector circled around her, and Huo Rou stubbornly shook her head.
She pointed to a nearby covered door, her eyes full of cunning.
Si Nian also leaned closer, and looking at Huo Rou's face on the screen, he wasn't surprised. "I knew she would come."
He spoke softly, almost a whisper, but it couldn't hide the self-satisfaction in his words.
This was the difference between him and Qin Ningyi. He understood Huo Rou, and he wouldn't stop her from going into battle.
She was a warrior, a god of war on the battlefield, and her abilities wouldn't allow her to stay behind.
Although Qin Ningyi was bothered by the familiarity in his words, the fact that he wasn't fighting alongside Huo Rou was a done deal, and he couldn't change it.
He looked at Huo Rou's eyes in the lens, a sense of helplessness washing over him. He operated the micro-detector to wobble up and down, rapidly entering the room she indicated to check it out, and then returned to her.
Huo Rou gestured a number with her hand: five.
Si Nian watched Huo Rou, who appeared lighthearted and lively on the screen, a side he had never seen before.
"What does that mean?" Si Nian nudged Qin Ningyi, mouthing the words.
Qin Ningyi didn't answer him, merely moving the micro-detector left and right.
Huo Rou then gestured another number to the camera: three.
This time, the micro-detector wobbled up and down.
Huo Rou nodded and waved at the detector.
She mouthed dramatically: Be careful.
Qin Ningyi operated the micro-detector back to the lookout position, and he himself first sprinted towards the ventilation shaft.
Now that Huo Rou was in, his actions needed to be faster, and his movements needed to be precise.
Methods he hadn't intended to use now had to be considered.
He couldn't let Huo Rou get into any danger because of him.
Si Nian watched Qin Ningyi's silent communication with Huo Rou, feeling a bit awkward.
He was supposed to be Huo Rou's closest companion; they had faced life and death together. Why couldn't he understand what Huo Rou was trying to convey just now?
He looked at Qin Ningyi's receding back, a hint of jealousy in his eyes.
Qin Ningyi was indeed a rival, but how could he be weaker than Qin Ningyi?
He also quickened his pace to follow.
The moon slowly hid behind the clouds, and the night grew deeper.
Everything around seemed to be falling asleep, when suddenly a strong wind arose.
The trees desired stillness, but the wind would not cease; this night was destined to be extraordinary.