FT DR Chapter 98: The Most High-Profile Infiltration in History

Chapter 98: The Most High-Profile Infiltration in History

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

 

“Are you from the Yan family?”

With just one question from the quartermaster, Jin Xuan’s expression turned increasingly grim. After a moment of hesitation, he replied coldly, “No.”

Yin Bo, who had been leaning casually beside the quartermaster, suddenly changed his expression, giving Jin Xuan a warning glance. The quartermaster’s eyebrow raised slightly, becoming more certain of his guess. A faintly meaningful smile crept onto his lips as he lightly tapped his glass against Jin Xuan’s.

Jin Xuan took a sip of his drink, his expression fluctuating. After a short while, he regained his composure and said, “Alright, no beating around the bush. I may not be from the Yan family, but my father is.”

Every the NTU agent had multiple layers of cover identities, and Jin Xuan was no exception. This time, he appeared as a shareholder of the arena, backed by a comprehensive set of convincingly fake credentials. Even if the General Lancer’s people investigated thoroughly, they wouldn’t find any loopholes.

The so-called “headmaster of the Yan Academy of Eastern Studies,” Yan Ling, was actually the NTU’s supreme commander. As the top boss of the Federal’s most elite agents, he also possessed the Federal’s most elite false identity as a cover—a civilian martial arts expert on the surface and Dunkirk Federation’s sharpest dagger in private.

Due to the deep ties between the Yan and Jin families for centuries, Yan Ling and Jin Zhe were also close friends. When Jin Zhe was out on special forces missions, it was Yan Ling and Hobart who took care of Jin Xuan. So, rumors in the martial world about “illegitimate child” weren’t baseless.

Because of their close relationship, the Jin family was the only family, apart from the Yan family, to inherit the inner cultivation techniques of “Yan Style Combat.” Jin Zhe and Jin Xuan were both direct descendants of this mysterious Eastern martial art. Jin Xuan deliberately revealed his false identity to the quartermaster by defeating Iron Head with “Yan Style Combat” today. With the “Yan Academy of Eastern Studies” as his backing, he could dispel any concerns the quartermaster or even General Yuri might have. From now on, their path to Tartaros would be smooth sailing.

Sure enough, as soon as he admitted his identity, the quartermaster’s expression changed dramatically. He exaggeratedly exclaimed, “Oh…” and said, “No wonder, brother, you’re so skilled. It turns out you have a family background. But… I wonder what your relationship is with Yan Ling, the headmaster of the Yan Academy of Eastern Studies?”

“He’s my father,” Jin Xuan’s expression was somewhat complicated, as if he didn’t want to admit it but had to, “Biologically, my father.”

The quartermaster gave him a knowing look and once again clinked glasses with him. “A hero’s origin is not important. Here, brother, a toast to you.”

Jin Xuan forced a smile and downed his wine, saying, “Brother, let me be frank. I’m not good at studying, not savvy in business, I just like boxing. I don’t know about other things, but I know about boxing. In the entire Federation, there are plenty of boxers and tough guys under the jurisdiction of the Voyager Army. I want to open the arena here and make a name for myself! With ‘Yan Academy of Eastern Studies’ as my support, I can completely dispel the quartermaster’s doubts, and even those of General Yuri. In the future, their path to Tartaros will be smooth sailing.”

The quartermaster’s doubts about his sincerity in cooperating vanished completely now—an illegitimate child with some money who wants to start a business and gain recognition from his biological father? That’s as normal as it gets. And young people, especially those impulsive and rash, are the easiest to control. Perhaps he could make a fortune…

Jin Xuan continued, “The plan for Tianque is already set, and I can’t meddle in it. So, I want to open up a new market in Tartaros. Brother, I won’t trouble you. As long as you introduce me to General Yuri and speak a few good words for me, I’ll give you a ten percent stake in my business, and you’ll receive ten percent of the profits as dividends each year. What do you think?”

The quartermaster’s gaze shifted uncertainly. “I’ll keep my word. You won the match just now, and I’ll keep my promise to you. However, Tartaros is different from Tianque Military Harbor. Military discipline is strict there, so I need to carefully consider how to proceed. You don’t need to rush.” After a pause, as if he had made up his mind, he said, “I’ll give you an answer within half a month.”

With this statement, he had already agreed to help. Jin Xuan and Yin Bo exchanged a glance, understanding each other’s thoughts.

“Good, I’ll wait for your answer, brother,” Jin Xuan said cheerfully, pouring him another glass of wine and clinking glasses with him. “Whether this works out or not, I’ve acknowledged you as my brother.”

The quartermaster finished his drink and said, “And I’ve acknowledged you as my brother!”

Over the next half month, Jin Xuan waited anxiously for news from the quartermaster. While waiting, he, Yin Bo, Chang Gong, and Qian Hua refined their plans for Tianque, preparing to bring Yanshi to the outskirts of Tartaros as the final line of defense for their operation.

During this period, the quartermaster arranged a few meetings with Yin Bo, and after some socializing, he finally returned with the passes prepared for them. “Done deal,” he said, handing them the passes. “He said General Yuri agreed to let him take us over. We’ll depart tomorrow.”

After half a month of waiting, they finally received the passes for Tartaros. Their earlier efforts hadn’t been in vain. Jin Xuan held the button-shaped pass in his right hand, activated it with a terminal, and found it to be a temporary pass valid for seven days. Raising an eyebrow, he said, “Good, even if the negotiations fail, we’ll have seven days to maneuver. There’s only one human settlement on the planet Tartaros, so that should be enough time.”

“Yeah, and we might even get an extension after we arrive. It all depends on the outcome of the meeting with General Yuri,” Yin Bo said, taking the pass. Seeing Wu Chenghe sitting nearby drinking tea, he reached out and placed his arm on his shoulder. “Hey, Gu Wen, are you ready? Tomorrow we’re going deep into the lion’s den.”

“Get your dirty hands off him!” Jin Xuan exploded instantly. The Barbary lion didn’t hesitate to pounce on the Black Panther. After being pounced on so many times in the past half month, the Black Panther’s depression had worsened, and he didn’t even bother to run away. He lazily extended his paw to symbolically block the attack and then lay down, allowing himself to be pounced on.

Yin Bo, feeling frustrated, used his telekinetic powers to make the Black Panther counterattack. After a while, the Black Panther reluctantly swiped at the lion’s head to show that he had resisted. Yin Bo gave up trying to control him and withdrew his arm from Wu Chenghe’s shoulder, angrily saying to Jin Xuan, “Why so aggressive? Can’t we just be buddies? I can’t do anything to him anyway. I’m an inter-man! I don’t know what you’re jealous about, you’re such a snake!”

“Being an inter-man doesn’t cut it!” Jin Xuan pushed him away expressionlessly. “Living doesn’t cut it!”

“Then why don’t you just die yourself!” Yin Bo rolled his eyes at him and staggered back to his dorm to pack his bags. 

It took Wu Chenghe a while to recover from the shock. “He’s an inter-man?”

“Yeah,” Jin Xuan nodded. “Didn’t I tell you?”

“No… well, it’s the same now that I know.” Wu Chenghe waved his hand. He was just a little surprised. Sentinel, especially a strong Sentinel like the Black Panther, had a lower chance of being an inter-man than a gay man turning straight! Yin Bo’s physique, a mixture of temptation and aggression, was indeed quite extraordinary.

Neither giving nor receiving completely clashed…

After resting for a night, the three of them boarded a military starship bound for the planet Tartaros early the next morning.

Tartaros was located in the third arm of the galaxy, quite remote, with extremely low surface temperatures. Most of the surface was covered in glaciers.

The base of the Second Army was located in a relatively warmer oasis. It was called an oasis, but it was just some low-temperature moss growing on the surface, with no decent plants at all.

The starship landed at the airport, and as soon as they disembarked, Wu Chenghe shivered. It was too cold here, even with thermal suits on, it was a bit unbearable. Looking up, he couldn’t see natural light, only an artificial skylight emitting a cold glow. The toxic atmosphere was isolated by a protective cover, but there was still a faint smell.

“Your accommodations have been arranged,” the quartermaster led them off the ship, enthusiastically introducing them. “Brigadier Yuri has scheduled to see you in three days. During these days, you can wander around the base freely. If you find a suitable location, just let me know, and I’ll keep an eye on it for you.”

“Thank you so much, brother.” Jin Xuan smiled.

“Don’t be so formal.” The quartermaster was already very familiar with him and gave him a pat on the shoulder, laughing. “We’re practically brothers.”

The four of them took a shuttle to the base hotel. The quartermaster was quite considerate, arranging a deluxe suite for them, warm and comfortable, and very spacious. Because he had to report back to headquarters and take a leave, he left as soon as he brought them there.

Once he left, Jin Xuan and Yin Bo opened their luggage. First, they used a signal blocker to shield any potential surveillance in the room, turning it into an information blackroom. Then they opened the holographic sandbox of Tartaros Base and marked their location on it.

“Tartaros Base covers an area of nearly thirty thousand square kilometers, equivalent to the size of two medium-sized cities. It’s impossible for the three of us to do a carpet search,” Jin Xuan frowned. “I want to use intelligent robots to scan the entire base first, determine the level of secrecy in each area, and then conduct manual searches.”

“Okay.” Yin Bo opened a small box and poured out the small metal pieces inside, roughly counting them. “Thirty thousand square kilometers. It’ll take about a day to scatter all of these.”

Jin Xuan nodded, and he and Yin Bo quickly assembled and glued the small metal pieces. In less than half an hour, they had assembled over a hundred intelligent insects, each with varying shapes and sizes but all closely resembling local insects, enough to pass as authentic.

Jin Xuan tested the chips, then opened the windows and released them in batches. He then activated the control console, projecting a huge fan-shaped holographic screen. The screen was divided into over a hundred small squares, each displaying the field of view of one of the intelligent insect robots.

Over the next day, the three took turns monitoring the holographic screen closely. In the evening, the quartermaster came by, joining them for dinner. He mentioned being busy lately and wouldn’t have time to visit them again before their meeting with General Yuri, but he asked them to keep in touch by phone.

Jin Xuan reluctantly bid him farewell with a disappointed expression, then immediately integrated the monitoring results from the day with Yin Bo. They modeled and calculated, dividing the entire Tartaros Base into zones based on defense levels and projected them onto the holographic sandbox.

“The higher the defense level, the more secrets inside,” Jin Xuan pointed to the dark areas on the sandbox. “This area is an electromagnetic shielded zone. None of the machine insects have transmitted monitoring results from here. It’s basically an information black box. I guess the research institution we’re looking for is most likely here.”

Yin Bo nodded. “I agree with your assessment. Time is limited, so we need to start our investigation from the most suspicious places.”

“Tonight, while you prepare the equipment for tomorrow, the advisor and I will go to this area to gather information,” Jin Xuan checked the time; it was already nine o’clock in the evening by Dunkirk Standard Time. “We’ll be back before midnight, and we’ll keep in touch at all times.”

“Alright.”

Jin Xuan and Wu Chenghe changed into casual clothes, linked arms, and left the hotel. They took a shuttle to the nearest street to their destination, pretending to be tourists, walking around the area before stopping at a military bar for a drink, then staggering back to the hotel.

“There’s a sentry post at the entrance of this area, requiring a special pass. Our credentials won’t get us in,” Jin Xuan communicated with Wu Chenghe through mental senses. “Did you notice anything?”

“The structure inside is very complex, probably the command center of the Tartaros garrison,” Wu Chenghe replied. His telekinetic abilities were quite powerful; he had just circled the area and scanned its structure. However, the central part of this area was too far away, and he couldn’t sense it clearly.

He relayed the information he had scanned to Jin Xuan through mental senses, saying, “Maybe the research institution we’re looking for is in the blind spot at the center. I need to get closer to see it clearly.”

Jin Xuan pondered for a moment, then said, “Let’s head back to the hotel first.”

Back at the hotel, Yin Bo had already prepared the equipment for the next day. Jin Xuan informed him of the results of their reconnaissance in the evening. After some consideration, Yin Bo said, “Getting a pass won’t be difficult. We can hack the chip and create a fake authorization to get in. But with such high defense levels here, and all of us being unfamiliar faces, it’s too risky for us all to go in together. How about this: we stick to the old plan and split into two groups. I’ll go in, and you guys stay outside to provide backup. If something happens to me, you can notify the quartermaster immediately.”

Jin Xuan thought for a moment and nodded. “Alright, that sounds good. You bring the intelligent eye with you and capture everything you see inside, then send it to me. If you feel anything is amiss, message me immediately. In the worst-case scenario, I’ll inform Yan Shi, and even if it comes to a forced rescue, we can still get you out.”

Yin Bo glanced at him and said, “No need to worry about me like I’m a newbie. Rest assured, I’ll be careful and try not to disrupt the original plan.”

Jin Xuan knew his capabilities well. Despite Yin Bo having a much lower rank than him, his qualifications as a special agent were even more seasoned. So Jin Xuan smiled and said, “Alright, then we’ll wait for your good news.”

The next morning, Jin Xuan and Wu Chenghe left the hotel together. Yin Bo modified the pass and affixed a small “intelligent eye” to his pupil. Later, he also left the hotel and boarded the shuttle headed for the Information Restricted Zone.

The shuttle traversed much of the Tartaros Base, and Yin Bo, sitting inside, blinked occasionally. He controlled the intelligent eye to capture the surrounding scenery, storing it into the terminal and synchronizing it with Jin Xuan in real-time. Soon, he received a harsh scolding from Jin Xuan: “Don’t waste resources, idiot! The memory of the intelligent eye is limited. Use it wisely!”

Feeling a twitch at the corner of his mouth, Yin Bo refrained from blinking unnecessarily.

Over an hour later, the shuttle stopped at a heavily guarded gate, and Yin Bo’s expression turned serious— they had reached their destination.

The security here was tight. Yin Bo quietly observed his surroundings, roughly noting the positions of the sentry posts and the number of patrol soldiers. At that moment, as the soldiers on the shuttle disembarked and queued up at the gate to have their credentials scanned, Yin Bo also followed suit, queuing up behind someone ahead of him, keeping his head down.

After verifying several people, the gate suddenly opened, and a hovercar bearing the “Top Secret” emblem emerged from inside.

Yin Bo’s special agent instincts immediately made him alert: Who could have such a high level of security clearance?

The hovercar paused at the gate for identity verification before restarting and flying off into the distance. Yin Bo watched it leave out of the corner of his eye, feeling that something was off, but upon closer examination, he couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

After this brief interruption, the queue resumed moving, and Yin Bo, holding the pass in his left hand, was still contemplating the Top Secret car when he suddenly felt a warm sensation on his upper lip. He lowered his head, and two drops of blood fell onto his chest.

What’s going on? Where did the blood come from? Yin Bo was bewildered, touching his nose in confusion. Startled, he almost jumped— he was having a nosebleed!

Damn it! What’s happening? Why am I having a nosebleed at a time like this? Yin Bo held his nose and dared not lift his head, wondering if he was sick or infected with an alien virus. He reached into his pocket for a tissue, but suddenly felt a tightening sensation in his lower abdomen. Instantly, his entire body tensed up. He realized he was going into estrus!

Guide! There’s a guide here!

Yin Bo’s hands trembled with shock. He had never encountered a guide before, and he’d only learned about sentinel estrus reactions in health class. He knew that encountering a highly compatible guide would cause nosebleeds, erections, and manic behavior, but he never imagined that his first time would happen in a place as remote as Tartaros, and especially not at such a critical moment!

Heaven! Yin Bo felt a faint red mist clouding his vision, and his sight began to blur. He struggled to calm himself down, sent a message to Jin Xuan, and then pulled out a portable injection gun from his pants pocket, preparing to administer a stabilizer to himself.

Hopefully, this thing works!

“Hey, buddy, what’s wrong with you?” The soldier behind him noticed his strange behavior, patting him on the shoulder and asking with concern, “Why are your ears so red?”

“…” Yin Bo was speechless. He had never “infiltrated” so conspicuously in his life. The NTU had provided him with various training, but they had never told him what to do if he went into estrus while holding a fake ID to pass through security.

Life, huh? So glamorous!

He didn’t answer the soldier’s question. The more curious the soldier became, the more he leaned over Yin Bo’s shoulder to look at his face. “Are you alright?” he asked. But before he could finish, he saw the red mist in Yin Bo’s eyes and immediately stepped back, loudly warning, “Careful, everyone! Someone’s going into mania!”

A sentinel in mania was very dangerous. If Yin Bo didn’t administer the stabilizer in time, he could harm those around him. The soldiers in the queue dispersed, creating a five-meter radius around Yin Bo, watching him vigilantly.

Feeling hot and uncomfortable, Yin Bo tried to indicate to everyone not to panic. He hadn’t lost his mind yet. Trembling, he aimed the injection gun at his neck vein and administered the dose.

But one dose wasn’t enough. He had already triggered bonding heat, and the standard dose wasn’t effective at all. So, he reluctantly injected himself with the remaining two doses and waited for a moment, feeling some relief as the erection subsided, and his vision began to clear.

“It’s okay now, it’s okay,” he said, putting away the injection gun and wiping the blood from his lips. He gestured for everyone to continue queuing. “I’ve got it under control. No need to panic.”

The soldiers cautiously approached him, still unsure. At that moment, the soldier behind him suddenly asked, “Which unit are you from? I don’t remember seeing you before.”

Today was turning out to be quite unlucky. Perhaps he should learn from Gunner how to search for ancient Chinese calendars… Yin Bo tried to maintain a calm tone and said, “I’m new here.”

“New? Which unit are you new to?” The soldier asked suspiciously.

Fake IDs were easy to obtain, but human memory was not so easily fooled. Yin Bo tried to cover up his situation by pretending to wipe his nosebleed with a tissue. He pondered whether he should give up the mission for today and switch roles with Gunner. His sudden prominence might arouse suspicion, and it wasn’t worth the risk.

“Speak up,” the soldier demanded, growing increasingly suspicious as he grabbed Yin Bo’s shoulder.

Just then, they heard a buzzing sound. The hovercar that had flown away earlier had returned, screeching to a stop at the gate. A short man in a white coat jumped out and scanned the people in the queue, loudly asking, “Soldiers, did anyone have a reaction just now?”

The soldiers looked at each other, not understanding what he meant by “reaction.” Yin Bo, however, realized that he needed to leave immediately to avoid further suspicion. While the soldier was momentarily distracted by the questioning, Yin Bo discreetly slipped away from his grip and quietly retreated, intending to leave the area.

Seeing no one responding, the man scanned the crowd again and repeated, “I mean, did anyone experience estrus or mania just now?”

Now, everyone understood. They all looked at Yin Bo, pointing at him in unison, saying, “Him!”

“…” Yin Bo: Screw it!

Now he couldn’t run away. Yin Bo stopped in his tracks, looking innocently at the man in the white coat. “Ah, it’s me. I had a mania episode just now, but it’s under control now.”

“Oh, it’s you.” The man’s eyes lit up as he looked Yin Bo up and down. He asked, “Which unit are you from?”

Feeling overwhelmed and losing all the dignity he had accumulated since becoming a special agent, Yin Bo couldn’t be bothered to answer his question. Instead, he quickly opened his personal terminal with his left hand and swiftly deleted the hacker modification software attached to the pass, reverting back to his temporary identity for seven days.

In just a short moment, Yin Bo felt his body undergoing another change. The mania that had just subsided seemed to be resurging, and his nosebleed started gushing out again as if it were free!

“Ah, it’s really you! You’re going into bonding heat. That’s great!” The man looked ecstatic, no longer interested in questioning Yin Bo’s identity. He turned to the people in the car and said, “Alright, take him away!”

Two strong guards jumped down from the car and grabbed Yin Bo on both sides, dragging him towards the vehicle without a word. Yin Bo was completely speechless, so he could only cover his nosebleed and follow them into the car. The man in the white coat also got into the car and instructed the driver, “Back to the research institute. We’ve found the person we’re looking for!”

Research institute! A lightning bolt flashed through Yin Bo’s mind. He never expected that their elaborate plans from last night would all be in vain. Instead, he was being sent into the legendary target location all because of a nosebleed!

Fuck, life is too surreal!

 

 

 

 

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