books44 Chapter 339 [Empire] Malice and Ugliness
Chapter 339 [Empire] Malice and Ugliness
"This is a pirate organization's base on the capital planet, in the downtown area." Nightingale's voice was low, with a hint of calm analysis. "On the one hand, we have to complete the mission, and on the other hand, we must control the impact. The city mecha patrol in the sky is not just for show."
As soon as he finished speaking, I realized this mission was far more difficult than I'd imagined. The pirate group's base was located in a downtown area, which in itself was a huge risk. Downtown areas are densely populated with people and complex traffic, and any sudden battle or conflict would quickly attract widespread attention.
Once the city's mech patrols have caught their attention, the mission's difficulty will at least double. The mech patrols aren't just there to maintain order; they're incredibly fast and well-equipped, and can easily destroy an unprepared mercenary squad.
I frowned slightly, looking away from the rapidly passing cityscape outside the window, and fixed my gaze on Nightingale. "You're right, controlling the impact is indeed important. But if we don't attract any attention, how can we complete the mission? These pirates are not ordinary targets."
Nightingale glanced at me in the rearview mirror with a playful smile on his lips: "You are right, the mission target must be valuable enough for us to take the risk. However, the art of carrying out such a mission lies in precise control. And you don't seem to quite understand what 'precision' means." The provocation in his words became stronger and stronger, obviously reminding me that my current level may not be able to handle this situation easily.
"'Precise'?" I sneered. "I'm not afraid of alerting the enemy. The problem is, I want it to be quick and effective without wasting time."
Nightingale stopped talking. After a moment's silence, he adjusted the driving system with a hint of contemplation, and the hovercraft increased its speed slightly. "Since you're in such a hurry, then speed up. But remember, we're not just attacking the target. We have to make sure we leave no trace and do it cleanly and efficiently."
I nodded and gripped the handle of the saddle, my uneasiness gradually giving way to excitement. This challenging mission really made my heart beat faster—but I knew it wasn't just a chance to test my fighting prowess, but also a chance to test my ability to remain calm and control situations under high pressure.
"We're almost there." Nightingale suddenly spoke, interrupting my thoughts. His voice was no longer teasing, but rather serious. "Remember, try to avoid being exposed until you complete the mission."
I took a deep breath and looked out the window. We had entered the downtown area. Tall buildings lined the streets, cars crisscrossed, crowds thickened, and the clamor of people rose and fell. It seemed like an ordinary, everyday scene, but in reality, every inch of the street, every corner, could harbor a deadly trap.
Nightingale drove into an alley. I noticed the surrounding buildings gradually became older and the streets narrower. This was the outer area of the target organization. As a pirate base, although it was well hidden, the movement here would still be noticeable to those familiar with it.
"We won't just barge in." Nightingale lowered her voice. "The basement of this building is their main activity area. We have to wait until tonight, when night falls in the city and the patrols relax their checks, and then we can take action."
"Night operation." I silently repeated his plan. "So what should we do before this?"
Nightingale chuckled. "Don't worry, we'll be able to enter the target area at night. During this time, you can familiarize yourself with the terrain and make some preparations."
I nodded, actually I had already made all the preparations in my heart.
As night fell, we silently infiltrated the target area. The atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive, the streets no longer filled with the daytime bustle, only the occasional distant roar of a mech patrol. We quietly hid in the shadows of an abandoned building, biding our time.
Nightingale's eyes grew sharper, his every movement precise and calm. I knew he was already accustomed to these dark missions, and I, too, was gradually accustomed to this dangerous interstellar world.
The target location is just ahead.
"Are you ready?" Nightingale turned to ask me, her tone calm and powerful.
I took a deep breath and nodded: "Let's go."
In the darkness of night, Nightingale and I embarked on this dangerous road.
After sneaking in, I discovered that this was actually a "place of business." At first, I thought it was just a simple pirate hideout, but as soon as I pushed open the hidden underground entrance, I realized that I had mistakenly entered a creepy trading market.
The atmosphere of the place nearly made me nauseous. Under the dim light, the air was thick with a strange mixture of odors—cold, greasy, and something indescribable. The floor was covered with worn metal, and the walls were adorned with several never-cleaned chains and slings, clearly tools used to restrain traded items. This place didn't feel like a typical black market, but more like a hunter's market, where the buying and selling of these chilling creatures was truly heartbreaking.
I took a closer look, and the scene before me was almost unbelievable: small exotic animal cubs, shackled and restrained with heavy instruments of torture, wandered nervously in the center of the venue, dragging their chains. Their fur was disheveled, and their eyes were filled with fear and despair. They weren't free, but rather "pleasing" the guests who came to "order" them.
I couldn't help but frown. These young beasts were clearly being forced into some kind of trade; every movement of theirs bore the traces of taming.
Even more chilling was the group of monsters standing on the other side of the trading floor. They were not ordinary prey or slaves, but rather deformed creatures, half human, half beast. Aside from their bizarre appearance, there was hardly anything human about them.
The skin of those creatures was a strange color, and the peculiar proportions of their limbs made it almost impossible to tell what they were, as if they were some kind of indescribable vicious experimental subjects.
Their eyes radiated a dead grey light, hollow and lifeless, forming a stark contrast to the brutal aura they exuded. The beastly features of those monsters were chilling, and their "masters" clearly had no intention of treating them with any dignity.
It's like a commodity being traded, a true beast-humanized experiment that can be used as labor or sold as a tool of violence to "customers" in need.
"It seems this isn't just a pirate base," Nightingale whispered. Although his face didn't show much expression, it revealed a cold shrewdness. "These monsters are probably the byproducts of some illegal experiment. The pirates use them as tools, both to provide them to customers in the market and to make a quick buck."
I silently watched these strange beasts, my heart churning. This kind of place, this kind of transaction, defied conventional morality.
Each "guest" examined these pitiful creatures with a certain cold interest, as if they were selecting merchandise. In their eyes, these monsters were nothing more than tools, substitutes for violence, even sacrifices and consumables.
The uneasiness and anger in my heart began to spread. I knew that today's mission would not be that simple. Everything in front of me was the real darkness hidden behind the pirates.
"The mission has begun," Nightingale suddenly whispered. I turned and saw that he had calmly locked onto his target, his gaze fixed firmly on the monsters about to be traded. "We need to break their trading chain and destroy this market as much as possible."
I nodded, my heart racing. We weren't here just for the merit points; this time, our mission wasn't just about victory. I subconsciously tightened my grip on my weapon, my gaze determined.
"Let's go." Nightingale's voice rang out again, his face still calm and resolute. At that moment, I suddenly understood his composure, and why he was always so calm—he knew that no matter what challenge he faced, only clear goals and actions could overcome it.
We walked forward, through those dark corners, and dived into this malicious and ugly market.