bookcurios Chapter 413: Particularly Dazzling
Chapter 413: Particularly Dazzling
The man stood there, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he was confused. "Why are you still here?" There was a hint of impatience in his tone, obviously not understanding why Su Ming was still staying here, still standing there so stubbornly.
Su Ming didn't answer. He simply stared at the other person, his heart unmoved. He had long since grown accustomed to this feeling—passive, powerless, even ignored. He didn't need to explain the question, nor did he want to make excuses.
"You shouldn't be here." The man took a few steps and stopped in front of him, his tone becoming even colder. "If you stay any longer, the situation will only get more complicated."
Su Ming took a deep breath, feeling a surge of oppression rising within him. He finally lowered his head, his gaze fixed on the ground. "I know," he whispered, but his heart remained steadfast. As long as he didn't give up, he could retain some dignity. Even if all this was doomed to fail, he couldn't stop.
The man looked at him coldly, a barely perceptible smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "You did persist for a long time, but sometimes, persistence doesn't mean victory." He said this last word and turned to leave.
Su Ming stood there for a long time, motionless. As the night deepened, the light in the room grew dimmer, as if entering some kind of dead silence. His eyes were unfocused, their gaze empty, as if he were searching for an answer, but never found it.
Time slipped by quietly, and Su Ming still didn't leave. He didn't know what he was waiting for, nor did he know if he could continue to persevere. Every time he thought about it, he fell deeper into confusion, but he still refused to give up, refused to surrender.
"Time is running out," he whispered to himself, his voice echoing in the silent room. On the screen before him, the voice from the command center still came through clearly, those calm and firm instructions leaving him no room for hesitation.
"Su Ming, remember, your mission is to break through the enemy's defense line and obtain the document. If everything goes well, after the mission is completed, you will gain ultimate freedom. But if you fail..." The words were not finished, but they were clear enough.
"I understand," Su Ming replied in a deep voice, a sharp glint in his eyes. What exactly is freedom? To him, is it just a distant dream, an unattainable illusion? However, right now, he didn't have time to ponder such questions. The mission was the most important thing.
The team's footsteps gradually approached, and the door was gently pushed open, and several people walked in. The man leading the team had a hawk-like gaze, exuding an indescribable pressure. He nodded, indicating the official start of the mission.
"Are you ready?" The team leader looked at Su Ming, without any extra emotion in his eyes.
"I'm ready." Su Ming gripped the weapon tightly in his hand, his eyes calm, like a sharp blade that could cut through the air at any time.
They didn't exchange many words, their gaze fixed on Su Ming. After all, he was their last hope. At that moment, all other sounds seemed to fade away, leaving only the tension in the air and the rhythm of their heartbeats.
The action begins.
Su Ming led the way out of the room, his steps light yet decisive. They crossed the hallway and arrived at a heavy iron door. The air seemed to freeze for a moment, even the wind outside the window faded. Su Ming stared at the door lock, his entire plan already in mind.
Without further hesitation, he flung the door open. Behind it lay a seemingly peaceful space, yet every inch of the air was thick with the air of danger. Several figures silently appeared, quickly surrounding them. Su Ming, quick-witted and swift-handed, reacted instantly, throwing a flashbang and dashing towards the enemy without hesitation.
Gunfire rang out, and a flash of fire followed. Su Ming's body, like a cheetah, nimbly moved between the enemies, each strike followed by a swift counterattack. The air was filled with the smell of gunfire and gunpowder, but he did not stop. He had only one goal: to break through this obstacle, penetrate the enemy's iron defenses, and charge forward.
"Stay in formation!" The team members' shouts echoed, but at this moment, Su Ming was no longer listening. His mind had long since strayed from instructions and order. His only goal was the front, that crucial document, and the road that led to the unknown. With every run, every turn, he knew there was no turning back.
He could sense the tension of his teammates behind him, yet within him was a surge of strength. That strength came not from fear, but from a fearlessness of his mission. He could no longer imagine how he would face his conscience, or those waiting for his return message, if he gave up this opportunity.
Finally, having broken through the enemy's encirclement, Su Ming and his team arrived at a seemingly peaceful neighborhood. The sound of their footsteps gradually faded, and it seemed as if no more enemies were pursuing them. But he knew that this moment of peace was only temporary; the true test had just begun.
At this moment, a familiar voice suddenly came to Su Ming's ears. It was a call from the command center.
"Su Ming, your target has been marked, and your movements have been locked onto by the enemy." The voice was calm, as if everything was under control. "Be careful, the enemy has discovered your whereabouts."
"Got it." Su Ming's voice was brief and powerful, and then he made a decision.
"Don't take the regular route, let's turn." He gave the team members an order. Everyone quickly adjusted their formation, passed through several alleys, and headed in an inconspicuous direction.
Although everything seemed to be going smoothly, Su Ming still felt an unprecedented sense of urgency. His mind kept echoing with the warning from the command center—the enemy had locked onto their trajectory. He knew that this was not just a simple breakout, but an unprecedented challenge.
In this winding alley, Su Ming remained alert. Behind every window and around every street corner, unknown enemies were hiding. Every time he turned, he could feel a pair of eyes secretly observing him. But he did not retreat and continued to move forward.
The team members followed closely behind, each one on edge, ready to respond to any sudden danger. Su Ming knew his mission wasn't over, but had just begun. In this life-or-death game, the only victor would be the one who ultimately broke through the encirclement and obtained the intelligence.
Su Ming's footsteps grew heavier, each one seeming to stir a wave within him. Despite the biting cold outside, sweat covered his forehead and his heartbeat quickened. In this alley, surrounded by cold walls and dim streetlights, the faint light reflected on the damp stone slabs, seemingly illuminating a path to an unknown destination. Each step felt like treading on a taut string, ready to break at any moment.
"Su Ming, stay calm." The voice echoed in his mind. It was the captain's. But even the command from his superiors couldn't suppress his inner unease. He knew that any carelessness could lead to the failure of the entire mission. Worse still, their whereabouts had been exposed, and the enemy must have been quietly preparing.
The team members followed closely behind, their pace almost synchronized with Su Ming's. Everyone tried their best to remain calm, but the tension in the atmosphere grew stronger. Su Ming turned his head and glanced at the faces behind him, noting that each one of them revealed an unspoken anxiety. This anxiety didn't stem from fear, but from a deep sense of responsibility. They knew that failure was not an option.
"How long do we have left?" a team member suddenly asked, his voice trembling slightly. It was a newcomer named Lin Tao, who had just joined the team. Su Ming could see the tension in his eyes. After all, Lin Tao had never experienced a life-or-death mission like this one.
"Don't ask, don't think." Su Ming whispered back. His tone wasn't harsh, but rather contained a hint of concern. "Concentrate and stay calm."
Even so, his inner anxiety was already surging like a tide. The red mark on the map he had just seen, the area controlled by the enemy, kept reappearing before his eyes. Every planned breakthrough was fraught with uncertainty, every advance against the enemy lines was fraught with danger. Now, they had no way out, all their options were limited, and the only way forward was to advance.
A deep rumble echoed from the front, and the sound of several footsteps suddenly echoed in the distant shadows. Su Ming stopped abruptly, a wave of nervous alarm in his heart. Those were the unmistakable footsteps of the enemy's pursuers.
He quickly turned around, signaling his team members to stop with his eyes. Each movement was incredibly precise, as if they had been honed countless times in perfect harmony. The entire alleyway instantly became dead silent; even the sound of the wind seemed to fade. Su Ming held his breath, his eyes nervously scanning his surroundings. The occasional faint reflection of light on the wall, cast in the wet cracks between the bricks, was particularly glaring.
He could feel the threat looming from behind, the impending pressure, as if it could surge from all sides at any moment, trapping them in a corner. Su Ming took a deep breath, his heart pounding as he quickly considered his next move. Failure wasn't an option for him—they had come this far, there was no turning back. Every heartbeat felt like a heavy blow to his throat. He dared not relax, not hesitate for a moment.
"Lin Tao," he called in a low voice, his voice so soft that it was almost invisible, "You cover first. Everyone else, follow me."
A hint of hesitation flashed through Lin Tao's eyes, but he quickly nodded in understanding. The previous conversation hadn't given him time to ponder. He knew now was not the time to doubt. Only by acting quickly could he buy time and opportunity.