CHAPTER 204: CHAPTER 202: COMMENCEMENT OF MATERIAL TRANSPORT

In the early morning, although there is no longer a distinction between day and night nowadays, the old methods of keeping time still remain.

The municipal staff had prepared the supplies, and the truck for loading the goods was ready to depart.

"The supplies are loaded and ready to go at any time." Secretary Li reported to the leader beside him, who was responsible for the city’s small shelter geothermal pump renovation project this time, and was also Secretary Li’s direct superior.

As the secretary of the city office, Secretary Li had been put in charge of this logistics-related exchange of supplies due to both the inherent jurisdiction of the office and his own efforts to take on the responsibility.

The leader did not respond to Secretary Li’s report but merely glanced at his own watch before nodding at him. "Have you contacted the other side?"

"We have already informed them that we are transporting supplies over, and they are aware that we are coming." Secretary Li affirmed with a nod to the leader. In fact, he had not only contacted Chen Xin but also reached out to his nephew Azu through Luu, informing him of the city’s supply truck departure time.

The leader was unaware of Secretary Li’s machinations, simply nodding in satisfaction and saying, "It’s about time, let’s get moving when you’re ready; thank you for making this trip, Xiao Li."

"It’s my duty, my duty!" Secretary Li nodded eagerly at the leader, with a hint of flattery. "Any other instructions, sir? If not, then I’ll set off."

"Go ahead, and be safe on the road." The leader gave Secretary Li a kindly smile.

Upon receiving the leader’s permission, Secretary Li boarded the supply truck and signaled the driver to set off.

Watching the departing supply truck, the leader’s formerly friendly smile disappeared as he turned to the person next to him and said, "Notify the city bureau colleagues—the bait has set off."

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While the city’s supply truck was setting off, Azu also received a message from Luu. He turned to Lao San and Lao Liu, who were ready, saying, "Let’s go. The city’s truck has set off, and my second uncle is on the truck. He’ll help buy you some time; you have half an hour."

"Don’t worry, Brother Azu. Something like this shouldn’t take more than ten minutes; we’ll definitely get it done in half an hour." Lao San assured Azu, while Lao Liu gave him a secretive look from the side.

Remembering what he promised Lao Liu, Lao San was annoyed at his brother’s indiscretion yet bound by his promise, he said to Azu, "Brother Azu, you know about Lao Liu’s habit—the two policewomen at the shelter... can we give them to him afterward?"

"Lao Liu can’t control himself again?" Azu glanced at Lao Liu standing beside Lao San but didn’t get angry.

However, after considering it for a moment, he shook his head. "We need to recruit people from that shelter; these two policewomen might be connected to them. I can’t let you waste them."

"What? Brother Azu!" Lao Liu’s expression turned dissatisfied upon hearing this and he hastily looked at Lao San: "Big brother, you promised me! You can’t go back on your word!"

Put on the spot by Lao Liu’s outburst, Lao San looked troubled as he turned to Azu, "Brother Azu, it’s Lao Liu’s only hobby, and I did promise him. What do you think..."

Yet Azu kept shaking his head, though perhaps considering that if Lao Liu wasn’t placated, it might affect the plan, he conceded, "You can’t touch those two policewomen right now. Once we’ve taken control of the city, I’ll find you two other women."

Azu’s concession was already significant, and Lao Liu, knowing Azu never went back on his word, decided to let it be, despite some dissatisfaction. He joined Lao San in getting into their prepared truck and set off.

Besides Lao San and Lao Liu, there were about twenty men hidden in the carriage. If the plan went awry, they would ensure the shelter’s capture by force.

Watching the truck drive away, Azu felt a vague sense of dread, though he shook his head, dismissing it as unnecessary worry.

Seeing Azu’s movement, Lao Si, who was standing by, comforted him, "Azu, don’t worry. Even if Lao Liu’s unreliable, isn’t Lao San there? They’ll make it work."

Azu gave Lao Si a smile, nodding, "I trust Lao San, but Lao Si, make sure to advance the overall plan swiftly. If the city calls in resources from elsewhere, it could disrupt everything we’ve planned."

"I’ll handle it, don’t worry!" Lao Si assured Azu.

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After receiving the communication from the city, Chen Xin was also preparing for the arrival of supplies and the overall upgrade of the shelter.

He cleared out quite a bit of space in the storage room to store the supplies and also conducted a thorough inspection of all parts of the shelter to make sure there were no issues or unforeseen troubles when the upgrade commenced.

The overall upgrade of the shelter was something Chen Xin had never attempted before, so he needed to ensure every aspect of the shelter was precisely arranged in his mind. Lest, in a moment of enthusiasm, he went for some flashy function that would end up being a huge hassle.

While Chen Xin was busy, Ding Ning and Qin Lan weren’t idle either.

They knew the city wanted to use the situation as a lure, so they geared up as soon as they got the city’s notice.

Qin Lan, in particular, took her sniper rifle to the newly upgraded observation room and placed it at a narrow observation slit.

The view from here was excellent. With her night vision and infrared scope, she could monitor everything approaching the shelter’s front, even without a spotter.

The open slope ahead gave her an unobstructed view; there wasn’t a single mound of dirt in sight. It was the least challenging terrain for a sniper, as no one could evade a sniper’s aim on such ground.

Qin Lan had spent the previous night in Chen Xin’s room, and he had naturally not hidden the fact that there were two dual Maxim guns at the front entrance from her.

Even though she was surprised that Chen Xin could make Maxims, Qin Lan hadn’t planned to tell anyone, nor to expose them to others.

This was why she braved the nearly -40℃ cold in the observation room, ready for a potential sniper opportunity.

Qin Lan hoped to use her sniper rifle to deal with the enemies this time rather than relying on the widowmakers Chen Xin had set up at the entrance.

In the peaceful times before the disaster, Qin Lan wouldn’t have helped Chen Xin hide it. But now, understanding him, she knew he only had these things for safety, not for doing unfit things armed with such weapons.

Therefore, Qin Lan didn’t mind helping Chen Xin keep a secret, leaving him with a trump card against threats.

Since neither the city people nor terrorists had appeared yet, Qin Lan had the leisure to ponder these matters.

As she thought, she took the pair of brass knuckles off her waist and toyed with them.

These were weapons she had Chen Xin make her last night, a pair of brass knuckles that looked as beautiful as butterflies.

Brass knuckles are rather awkward as controlled weapons. If a policeman determines possession, it’s considered armed, yet its lethality is minimal. It might be less effective than a randomly picked-up stone from the roadside.

In the hands of someone unskilled, they could even fracture their own bones with brass knuckles.

But in the skilled hands of someone proficient in combat or martial arts, they could be highly effective.

Though not as deadly as a knife, they can significantly enhance punching power, and with the use of edges to increase harm, they can cause quite grotesque injuries albeit non-lethal.

However, the pair in Qin Lan’s hands were delicately beautiful and lacked aggressive edges or spikes, resembling more of a stylish metal artwork than a weapon.

But knowing what the brass knuckles were and their functions, Qin Lan would never mistake them for mere ornamental pieces.

Because they were a pair of electric brass knuckles, complete with high-voltage shock capability similar to a police baton, capable of paralyzing someone instantaneously.

Electric brass knuckles do exist, but Qin Lan had seen one before, just a plastic trinket with two electrodes on it. Its practicality was low; a stun flashlight would be more straightforward and practical.

Yet the pair made by Chen Xin wasn’t just flashy gadgets.

Full metal construction ensured that even without the stun function, they performed their basic function well, boosting punch impact and protecting fingers.

Additionally, while Qin Lan hadn’t tested the electric capability, she knew that if she used them, a single punch could instantly incapacitate a target.

Truly a practical non-lethal weapon.

While contemplating when to test her brass knuckles, a flash of light caught her attention outside.

Qin Lan pressed her eye against her sniper rifle’s infrared scope and saw a truck heading in her direction. She became alert, communicating through her mic, "Someone’s coming!"