Chapter 153: The Impossible Mission

Siegel's eyes widened in confusion as he looked at his teammate lying on the ground behind him.

"What happened to my men?" he thought.

He had only been talking for a few moments, and now his men were already down.

The rest of the team from the pharmaceutical group started to notice too. Their expressions were like students being woken up suddenly by a teacher during class, unable to grasp what was happening.

None of them had seen what occurred behind them because those who did were already on the ground.

Half of their group had been taken down before they even realized it. The strange situation left them both shocked and worried about their own alertness.

Siegel turned slowly to face the black muzzle of the gun Luo Yajun was pointing at him.

"You... you planted a spy among us?" Siegel asked, his voice filled with shock.

This realization changed Siegel's opinion of Luo Yajun. He had initially thought of him as reckless. However, after what had just happened, he now saw Luo Yajun as a strategic mastermind, cleverly deceiving his opponents.

"Me? Hahaha..." Luo Yajun laughed. "Man, honestly, I have no idea who you are. But if I had to take a wild guess..."

He smirked.

"I'd guess you've been dealing with Batman."

The cave's lighting was dim, so Luo Yajun hadn't seen everything clearly. He only noticed that people on the other side were mysteriously disappearing, as if a ghost was picking them off one by one.

Even without any proof, deep underground in an unknown area, Luo Yajun had a gut feeling that Batman was around.

He's always there. You can't see him or hear him, but he's there. Even in a dark, remote corner where no help can reach.

"Bat...?" Siegel's face turned pale. "You mean *that* Batman?!"

Batman was already a legend in the City. Everyone, from criminals to law-abiding citizens, knew and feared this high-tech vigilante.

At this point, Siegel was almost ready to give up, but he still looked confused.

"But even if it's him, how did he pull it off?"

How could he quietly take out half a squad from the back of a group of heavily armed soldiers?

"That's the mystery. Maybe it's just because... he's Batman," Luo Yajun shrugged.

Luo Yajun raised his arm and aimed his gun at Siegel's head to make his point.

"Now, who are you?"

The soldiers next to him glanced at Siegel, nervously waiting for orders.

Siegel hesitated, then raised his hand, signaling to give up. The soldiers exchanged uncertain looks, but eventually, they all lowered their weapons.

"Smart move, I like that," Luo Yajun said with a smile. "You've got to know when to fold."

"We may be at a disadvantage, but we're not terrified," Siegel replied calmly. "We just want to show our sincerity. As I said before—we're not your enemies."

"That's for me to decide," Luo Yajun said, pausing. "Now, who are you?"

"Officially, we're from the Grove Group. You've heard of it, right?"

"Yeah, I know it. The Grove Consortium has ties to us. I was wondering why they'd send their heir on such a risky mission," Luo Yajun replied, still wary. His eyes scanned the group.

"But that doesn't explain why a bunch of pharmaceutical people are suited up like this," he added.

"Because the Grove Group is just a cover," Siegel explained. "We actually belong to a top-secret government agency that handles infection outbreaks and supernatural incidents..."

Luo Yajun cut him off. "Sorry, but we already have people doing that job. You need a better story."

"This is the truth," Siegel said seriously. "You seem like a smart guy, Agent Luo. If I weren't sure about this, I wouldn't be telling you. But haven't you ever doubted Secret Service Nine? Every mistake, every time they've been hacked or infiltrated... have you ever thought that maybe it's not just about their skills?"

Luo Yajun stayed silent, listening.

Siegel continued, "Even this time, we surveyed this underground relic long before you. We spent hundreds of millions using high-tech equipment to understand it.

We found another entrance. If Secret Service Nine had been more thorough a month ago, they would've found it too. That's why we're here.

Our experts developed a dynamic map, so we didn't get lost like you. We weren't wandering in the dark. 

If you hadn't rushed in today, we could've been better prepared. Your actions forced us to enter sooner than planned."

Luo Yajun remained quiet, prompting Siegel to go on.

"The thing is, Secret Service Nine could've done more research, made better plans, and entered more safely. Instead, they just threw their best agents in without a plan. They told you to retrieve key evidence quickly to prevent problems, but what if..."

"Are you saying someone at Secret Service Nine wants us dead, maybe someone high up?" Luo Yajun asked.

"I'm just pointing out the doubts," Siegel said, glancing at the other agents. His words clearly had an impact on them.

"As I mentioned, I'm sharing this out of trust. I hope we can... What the hell!?"

Everyone noticed something strange. Eyes glowed in the dark, like will-o'-the-wisps. Sharp, cold eyes, like those of a falcon, were watching them.

A figure stepped out from the darkness into the light cast by a glow stick. 

Everyone who recognized that figure held their breath. It was Leng Ji.

None of the people there understood the terror of this opponent like Luo Yajun did. He had fought this person before, so he knew how serious the situation was.

But shouldn't this guy be dead?

He had died on the aircraft carrier, and there were plenty of witnesses to prove it.

But it wasn't over. In the darkness, lights flickered on from two other directions, revealing two more shadows.

It was cold everywhere.

Three cold spots, from three directions, were closing in on them.

"Uh... Batman? If you're here and planning to make a dramatic entrance to save the day..." Luo Yajun said as he readied his weapons.

"...now would be the perfect time."