Chapter 108: The Fishing Operation (Part One)

The following day, Zhang Mingyang spent his time almost entirely studying firearms and mapping out the departure route.

On Wednesday, the day of departure, Zhang Mingyang rose early. After washing up, he donned his prepared bulletproof vest and exited the dormitory. Upon reaching the underground garage, the team of over eighty people had already gathered, with everyone busy checking their weapons and vehicles.

Peng Dongli approached carrying a case, from which he extracted micro-earpieces to distribute to everyone. "Junior brother, keep your communication clear once we head out. It’s over 600 kilometers from here to the Monan Base, and it will take us two days to arrive. We must make this look convincing."

Zhang Mingyang took the earpiece, inserted it, and switched it on to calibrate the connection. "Senior Brother Peng, is there any chance Wang Zhuren’s men might get separated?"

Tian Wenyuan looked at him and laughed. "What? Are you scared?"

Wang Bowen swallowed hard and replied, "This is my first time participating in an operation like this; I’m a bit nervous."

"Nervous about what?" Tian Wenyuan pulled over Zhang Mingyang’s driver. "You have 'Crab' with you; there’s nothing to fear."

'Crab' was a man nearly one meter ninety tall, with arms thicker than Zhang Mingyang's waist. 'Crab' was his codename, and it was said he was a veteran of a special forces unit. The base had gone to great lengths for this operation, with the majority of the security detail comprised of elite soldiers handpicked from various branches.

Zhang Mingyang looked at Crab as he walked over; standing next to him, Zhang Mingyang looked like a child, a full head shorter and much slimmer.

"Brother Crab, if anything happens, you have to look after me."

Crab smiled and replied, "Don't worry! Just remember, if anything goes down, stick right behind my tail and hold the shield to cover my rear."

Zhang Mingyang nodded. "Understood! Wherever you go, I follow."

As the overall head of the operation, Tian Wenyuan glanced at the time. It was eight o'clock—time to depart. He shouted to everyone, "Time is up! Everyone, get into your vehicles and prepare to move out."

Everyone quickly climbed into their vehicles, started the engines, and finished loading their gear. Zhang Mingyang sat in vehicle number fourteen. There were four occupants in total: besides 'Crab,' there were two others—or rather, one person and one machine.

Zhang Mingyang sat in the rear right seat, with 'Crab' in the driver's seat. In front of the passenger side sat another special forces member, 'Black Panther,' and to his left sat a robot. According to its operator, Black Panther, this was an auxiliary unit for special operations, constructed from reinforced metal capable of withstanding heavy machine-gun fire and small artillery blasts.

Looking at the humanoid robot to his left, Zhang Mingyang asked Black Panther, "Brother Panther, how do you use this thing? How do you operate it?"

Black Panther was different from Crab; his build was similar to Zhang Mingyang's, though his skin was tanned dark. Crab had once remarked that while Black Panther couldn't match him in hand-to-hand combat or marksmanship, his physical stamina was far superior.

Hearing the question, Black Panther turned his dark face and replied, "This robot is different from the ones outside your base. Those are defensive models, but this one is a combat model. Its control is handled by the interface on my left arm."

He raised his left hand to show Zhang Mingyang the controller. "A combat robot is, as the name implies, born for battle. Its internal programming contains a variety of tactical maneuvers and scenarios. Usually, if I don't activate it, it stays as still as a block of wood. But the moment I press the combat button, its internal chip reacts instantly to link with the system on my body."

Black Panther pointed to the robot’s eyes. "Once activated, its eyes function like ours, automatically scanning the surroundings to identify friend from foe. Its body is covered in sensors, allowing it to execute tactical maneuvers based on the terrain."

Zhang Mingyang asked again, "Brother Panther, does it fight on its own?"

Black Panther opened the control system to show him. "The combat robot has three modes. First is 'Follow Mode,' where it sticks by your side to provide cover. Second is 'Tactical Mode,' where I pre-program the movement route and approach. Third is 'Automatic Mode.' It isn't fully autonomous, though; it maintains a distance, using its sensors to scout for enemies. The results are fed back to my controller or the rear command system, and then I or other commanders decide whether to neutralize the threats."

Listening to Black Panther’s explanation, Zhang Mingyang felt that warfare was becoming indistinguishable from a video game—men no longer even had to go to the front lines; they could just operate robots to do the fighting.

"Brother Panther, what kind of weapons does this thing use?"

Black Panther replied, "Aside from some heavy weaponry it can't handle, it can operate anything else—pistols, rifles, artillery, tanks, and some unmanned equipment. We’ve pre-loaded the data for various weapon classes into its processing system. As for what it carries on its person, it has a rifle and a pistol."

As he spoke, Black Panther manipulated the robot, causing it to draw its pistol from its chest. Zhang Mingyang watched the process; the robot’s movements were faster and more fluid than a human's. Its design and joint articulation were truly remarkable.

"Junior brother, junior brother, do you copy?" The voice of Peng Dongli crackled through the earpiece.

"Copy, copy, Senior Brother Peng, I hear you."

"Attention everyone, attention everyone! Move out! Move out!"

Upon receiving the order, the lead vehicle started, and the rest of the convoy followed suit, rolling out of the underground garage.

In the valley, the twenty-vehicle convoy wound through the base. Uninformed passersby pointed and whispered, wondering what was happening. As the convoy reached the tunnel entrance, it was blocked by staff members heading to work.

"Clear the way! Move aside!" Peng Dongli shouted through the vehicle's loudspeaker, prompting the crowd to finally clear a path.

"What's going on?"
"Why have the logistics department’s heavy trucks been deployed?"
"I heard a spy was discovered in the Energy Department. The base is moving the 'Magnetic Box' to the Monan Base for safekeeping."

The crowd around the convoy discussed the situation. It seemed the information had been successfully leaked. Now, it was just a matter of seeing if the Black Hole organization would take the bait.

After the convoy exited the tunnel, it headed west—the direction of the Monan Base.

"Attention everyone, we have cleared the Fourth Ring Mountain Base. Drive carefully."

Peng Dongli’s reminder signaled that the fishing operation had officially begun.