Chapter 96: Invasion At the Base

Batman didn't leave right away after taking down the weird tentacle tree. When the Secret Service Nine team arrived, he was crouched in a nearby bush, listening in on them.

Chu Cheng had asked Batman to hang around and eavesdrop while he took a break. He went to the fridge, grabbed a soda, and drank most of it in one go. 

One nice thing about this game was that it burned off energy quickly, so he didn't have to worry about getting fat from drinking a soda or eating too much. After playing, he always felt like he went through an intense training session.

Sitting back at his computer, he put on his headphones to keep listening. While sipping his soda, he also texted his buddy Wei Futong, asking him to cover for him in class the next morning.

Chu Cheng needed to take his mom to the train station, so he'd miss class again. He hoped his friend would cover for him.

His buddy didn't respond right away, probably because he was busy.

Then he heard Raya's last words through his headphones.

"He's wearing the exact same clothes as you," she said with a smile.

This seemed to shock the agents at the scene, and Chu Cheng was a bit surprised too.

It sounded like the person who gave Raya the infection source was wearing a Secret Service Nine uniform, which was unusual. It didn't mean it was definitely one of their agents, though. The girl could be lying or the uniform could be a fake.

If it wasn't a fake, then it suggested there might be an insider within the Secret Service Nine. Chu Cheng wasn't really shocked by this. Instead of thinking, "Wow, there's a mole," he thought, "Wow, the mole hasn't been caught yet."

His reaction was partly because of what he'd seen with S.H.I.E.L.D. in the Marvel universe.

S.H.I.E.L.D. was infiltrated by Hydra since its start and was full of moles, but it still managed to keep going. Even though the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. had to deal with many Hydra moles, they still managed to beat them.

In fact, it was probably Captain America and the Avengers, along with the head agents, who did the most damage to Hydra over the years.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s troubles, on the other hand, were mainly caused by Hydra's deep influtration.

Just as Raya finished speaking, everyone's phones buzzed with a new message.

Chu Cheng also got the alert from the Secret Service Nine app.

It was a red raid alert—something that only happens in extreme situations.

The Secret Service Nine Aircraft Carrier had been invaded.

---

**On the Secret Service Nine Aircraft Carrier, a few minutes earlier:**

Professor Miyazaki was hurriedly typing on a floating keyboard, making final adjustments to a head-mounted device surrounded by cables. Several monitors in front of him displayed data and readings.

Since the last time the Secret Service Nine's mobile team was caught off guard by a mysterious enemy who could create illusions, the headquarters had started working on a new countermeasure. Professor Miyazaki, known for his expertise with the infected, was leading this new project.

The helmet device was a joint effort between Miyazaki's team and the equipment department.

Miyazaki had previously worked on similar dream-related technology but lacked the necessary data.

With recent data from real-world encounters, they were able to complete the prototype quickly. This device was designed to shield the wearer's brain from external dream influences.

While the device was somewhat functional, it still had stability issues and potential side effects, so more adjustments were needed.

Chen Meiyue entered the lab.

"Is it ready, Professor?" she asked.

"Almost," Miyazaki replied, still focused on his work.

"The dream shielding is nearly complete, but we still need to reduce side effects. It's risky, but special agents can handle it better than regular people due to their enhanced abilities," Miyazaki said.

Chen Meiyue walked further into the lab. "I've been trapped in one of those dreams before. They're so real—every detail, from touch to pain, feels genuine. It's like your brain is tricking you."

She rubbed her temples, recalling the discomfort.

"You can imagine how powerless it feels. Everything seems beyond your control, like you're stuck in a never-ending vortex," she added.

"I understand," Miyazaki said absently, still adjusting the device.

"But once we finish this, we'll be able to mass-produce the helmet and handle those dreams without worry," Miyazaki continued.

"Really?" Chen Meiyue asked, stepping closer.

Miyazaki noticed a strange smile on her face in the reflection of a glass surface.

"How do you know this work, what you're experiencing, and the equipment we're about to finish aren't just dreams?" Chen Meiyue asked, her tone shifting.

Miyazaki stopped working and turned around, narrowing his eyes. "What are you implying, Agent Chen Meiyue?"

"Nothing," she replied.

Before Miyazaki could react further, Chen Meiyue pulled out a sleek, silver pistol. The metal gleamed, and the black muzzle looked menacing.

"Good night, Professor," she said as she pulled the trigger.

A gunshot rang out, and a brief flare of fire erupted from the pistol. Miyazaki felt a sharp pain for a moment before everything went dark. He fell to the floor, and as his world faded, the last thing he heard was the words:

"Good night."