Chapter 119: Sewer Raid And Sneaking

Sewer pipes.

None of the infected people noticed anything until a round metal object rolled in among them. 

The next moment, it exploded.

Tear gas filled the space instantly, mixing with the existing stench in the sewer. Before the infected could react, a barrage of gunfire erupted like a series of firecrackers.

Countless bullets hit their targets, and the team from Secret Service Nine quickly took control of the entire pipeline. They cleared all the guard posts in just a few minutes.

"Clear the area."

Soldiers in combat gear entered the pipeline, armed to the teeth, wearing steel helmets and black gas masks, with not a single inch of skin exposed.

More people joined, including Luo Yajun and Fana, who could control phantoms.

Meanwhile, Batman stayed hidden on the edge of everyone's view.

Even though Chu Cheng had doubts about his teammates from the asylum, especially about their security, he had to admit their efficiency in operations.

He had updated Detective Luo last night, and today Luo led the team to block the door. Their efficiency in clearing out the infected was impressive. They controlled the fire first and then focused their efforts effectively. Considering the enemy was just minions, their performance was commendable.

They guarded the entrance and sent in a capable agent.

Chu Cheng had never met this agent, but Secret Service Nine's files were open to him. Detective Mode's facial recognition team quickly identified her.

Agent Duan Lan had the ability of "sonic release," which made her a humanoid sonar. She could emit sound waves and detect situations by receiving the feedback.

The team was well organized. They had Agent Duan Lan use her ability to check for any abnormalities behind the door before proceeding.

Their method of breaking the door was simple and straightforward. The asylum didn't waste time with fancy techniques—they preferred a direct approach. In short, they blew it up.

A door can't withstand a bomb. If it does, just use more.

An explosion blew apart the hidden door, sending debris and dust everywhere. The whole place was filled with the smell of gunpowder smoke, and shrapnel scattered into the dirty water below.

The scene looked like country kids tossing firecrackers into manure on New Year's—exciting but messy, with the unpleasant smell mixing in the air.

The sonar detection showed the wall was empty, but just to be safe, the team waited before entering. Fana sent in her Phantom to check.

The Phantom in Red flew into the opening, explored the dark room, and quickly returned to Fana.

She shook her head, indicating it was empty.

"Let's go," said Luo Yajun, signaling the team to move. His hand transformed into a metal shape, ready for action.

With the Phantom in Red leading, the team entered the room.

As soon as they did, a bright light suddenly illuminated the space behind the door.

They saw an empty white room with two floors.

On the second floor, the railings were lined with infected people. Unlike the random guards outside, these were elite infected with high levels of infections. They were twisted and inhuman, some standing, some crawling, their cold, empty eyes frightening everyone.

This was a surprise.

"We were tricked," Duan Lan said, puzzled. "The sonar feedback showed this room was empty. There shouldn't be anyone here... or a second floor."

A man appeared on the railing of the second floor, in front of the infected. His face was gaunt and skeletal, making his grin look unsettling.

"Nice try," he said with a smirk. "I'm 'Anti-Sonic.' My power is'sonic'manipulation,' so what you saw on your sonar was exactly what I wanted you to see."

Duan Lan's expression changed.

Even though it's unusual for a villain to reveal their powers so openly, Luo Yajun wasn't interested in listening. He was ready to handle the situation.

The annoyed man was playing a game online when Agent Luo quickly sprayed his face with a mist. 

The man, who called himself Anti-Sonic, dodged sideways just in time. But the two infected people standing behind him weren't so lucky and ended up getting sprayed instead.

They thought they were just in a defensive position, but their teammate's quick move meant they got hit before the fight even started.

"What a quick response," Anti-Sonic said calmly as he adjusted his shirt.

"Then let the party begin," he added.

Boom!

A hidden bomb suddenly exploded, throwing many agents to the ground and causing chaos. Infected people jumped off the railings and rushed toward the action team from all directions.

…

In the midst of the chaos, Chu Cheng was focused on his computer monitor. Batman was crawling through the ventilation ducts, his back bent.

While it was exciting to break into a place, Batman knew that relying on the Secret Service to handle everything wasn't a good idea.

He had to be sneaky and find ways to outsmart the enemies.

If he just waited for the Secret Service to fix everything, it would be like asking Professor X to race against Quicksilver or telling Black Bolt to show off his skills with a wink—by the way, Black Bolt usually can't speak at all.

From superhero comics, Chu Cheng learned that it's better not to have Batman fight head-on if it's not absolutely necessary.

As he scanned the room with detective mode, Batman spotted multiple heat sources. He moved to the top of the room and peered through a ventilation grill to get a clear view of what was happening inside.

The first thing he focused on was Agent Chen Meiyue from Secret Service Nine.

At that moment, Agent Chen Meiyue was slumped in a corner of the room, looking grimy and worn out. If Chu Cheng hadn't used his detective mode to recognize her, he wouldn't have connected her to the cheerful sister he had met before.

She didn't look energetic, but her physical signs seemed normal, so she probably wasn't seriously hurt.

The other people in the room were also women. Though they looked a bit disheveled from being detained for so long, their photos showed they were usually well presented.

The facial recognition program also identified Xu Ruowei, the missing college student Sloan had mentioned. She was in the room too, huddled in a corner, hugging her knees.

It looked like this place was full of hostages.

Chu Cheng was relieved he had checked out the scene first. If he had confronted these people directly, they might have used the hostages as leverage.

In that case, the best move would have been to either restrain them or rescue the hostages quickly, but given the situation, Chu Cheng felt these lunatics might do anything.

So, it was better to rescue the hostages while dealing with the main threat.

Kicking open the vent, Batman dropped down into the room. The initial scream from his fall quickly turned into a surprised cry of relief from the hostages.

"Batman!"

Agent Chen Meiyue hurried over. Despite the snow on her chest, her movements were quick and commanding.

"You need to hurry... we have to get out. Someone needs to warn them she can become like us."

Chu Cheng was taken aback.

"Become like us" meant shapeshifters? Like Mystique?

He remembered the incident with Chen Meiyue attacking Miyazaki on the airship. Maybe she had the power to change her appearance.

"Sir," Friday, his AI assistant, said, "you might want to check what's happening outside the door."

There was a muffled thud outside, as if something heavy had hit the ground.

Chen Meiyue and most of the hostages looked alarmed.

"Uh-oh... they're back."