125: The Wrath of the Dragon King (7)

"Boss, this simulator is way too realistic..." Tiger rubbed his temples, "Every time I die, my head feels like it's been kicked by a donkey."

Chen Long also emerged from the pod, looking as composed as ever: "You two were just asking for it. I flew attack helicopters and didn't crash as much as you."

"Old Dragon, you're steady as an old dog!" Tiger retorted, unconvinced. "Flying should be thrilling! Dive! Strafe! Boom!"

"And then you go boom." Rat passed by, adding a cutting remark.

A wave of laughter filled the training room.

For over half a month, almost all members of the Twelve Zodiac Signs had been immersed in simulation training.

The 'Virtual Battlefield' function of the legion system was simply incredible. With its completely realistic physics engine and pain simulation set to 70%, the death experience, while not causing real injury, delivered a mental shock potent enough to leave someone listless for an entire day.

The results were also remarkable.

Tiger, who initially couldn't even fly a plane without hitting a wall, could now at least last three minutes in a simulated dogfight.

Zodiac: Ox was even more outrageous. That blockhead actually developed the flashy move of performing 'aerial drifts' with an AC130 in the simulation!

Though nine times out of ten it ended with the plane destroyed and everyone dead.

Wang Chen turned and walked to the large screen, pulling up the day's death replays for Tiger and Zodiac: Ox.

In one of the 'death' scenes, Tiger was flying an A-10 at ultra-low altitude through a canyon, shouting "Watch my ground-skimming flight," and then... there was no 'then'.

"Tiger," Wang Chen looked at him, "Do you know the nickname of the A-10?"

"W... Warthog?" Tiger rubbed his temples.

"Right, Warthog. Not a fly. It doesn't need to skim the ground." Wang Chen patted his shoulder. "Your training quota is doubled today. You can eat when you can successfully complete a close air support mission in the simulator."

"What?!" Tiger wailed. "Boss! That's too cruel!"

"Make it triple if you keep complaining."

Tiger immediately shut up and slunk back to his equipment.

Chen Long walked over and said quietly, "Boss, although the method is a bit harsh, everyone's progress over the past half month is truly visible to the naked eye. Especially the teamwork and tactical execution; it's more than a level above before."

"Mm," Wang Chen nodded. "Real combat is the best teacher. Simulated combat is the second best."

"Alright, training ends here for today." Wang Chen clapped his hands. "All teams, go back and do your summaries. We'll focus on targeted improvements tomorrow."

Apart from Tiger and Zodiac: Ox, who continued their overtime training, the other team leaders dispersed after acknowledging the order.

As soon as Wang Chen returned to the command room, Chen Long followed him in, his expression serious. "Boss, Rat has a situation."

"Speak."

"In the Middle East region, the number of missing persons has skyrocketed over the past half month. Mainly males aged 18 to 40. The total... exceeds three hundred."

Wang Chen frowned. "Hades Hall's doing?"

"Most likely." Chen Long pulled up the data. "The disappearances are concentrated in the slums on the outskirts of several cities. Local police investigations found these people were all lured away by promises of high-paying jobs."

"What about Xiao Yu?"

"No trace since he showed his face once in the Middle East last time." Chen Long paused. "However, Death God is active. Hades Hall headquarters didn't hold him responsible for the mission failure. Instead, they had him rebuild the Death God Squad. He's currently recruiting in Southeast Asia."

Wang Chen sneered. "They're rushing to cover their losses."

Just as they were speaking, the communicator in the training area rang.

"Boss, CEO Chen has an urgent email requiring your personal review." It was the voice of the base duty officer.

"Patch it through."

The large screen switched, displaying an encrypted email interface.

The sender was shown as anonymous!

The content was about clues regarding the recent series of missing persons cases!

Wang Chen frowned and opened the email.

The email content was simple, containing only three paragraphs of text and six attached images.

"Recently, multiple cases of adult male disappearances have occurred in the border area of Yun Province. The victims, aged 18-40, were all lured to the border with promises of high-paying jobs before vanishing."

"Investigations have traced financial flows back to the Xiao Family. Attached are images taken on February 15th, showing six victims being forced into a van."

"Xiao Yu was recently spotted once in Yun Province."

Wang Chen opened the images.

High-definition aerial footage showed six hooded men being shoved into a silver van.

The shooting angle was very high, as if from a drone or satellite.

The final image was a close-up of the van's license plate. Although blurred, an annotation stated: 'Plate registered to a rental company in Yun Province. Renter used fake ID, but financial trail leads to Xiao Family offshore account.'

Wang Chen stared at the screen, his gaze growing colder.

The temperature in the command room seemed to drop several degrees.

Chen Long stood beside him, not daring to breathe heavily. Having followed Wang Chen for so long, he rarely saw the boss wear such an expression—it was genuine killing intent.

"Send it to Bai Li." Wang Chen's voice was calm, but beneath the calmness was a volcano about to erupt.

"Yes."

Less than half an hour after the email was sent, Bai Li's call came through.

"Mr. Wang, I've seen the email." Bai Li's tone was serious. "This matter... we've actually been aware of it for a while."

"You knew?" Wang Chen raised an eyebrow.

"The police started receiving scattered reports half a month ago, but never found a breakthrough." Bai Li sighed. "The Xiao Family has been very thorough. All clues lead to middlemen and then go cold. We suspected, but had no evidence."

Wang Chen was silent for two seconds. "Miss Bai, I want the truth. How far have your investigations gotten?"

There was a moment of quiet on the other end of the line.

"Dain Energy." Bai Li uttered four words. "An international energy company registered in the Cayman Islands. On the surface, it trades energy. In reality, it deals in minerals, arms smuggling, human trafficking, organ trade... Their influence in the Middle East and Africa is immense. Even local governments turn a blind eye. They're involved in both black and white markets, with a very complex background."

Bai Li continued with a bitter laugh, "Moreover, the Xiao Family has been operating in Yun Province for many years, deeply entrenched. With such a long border, they have plenty of ways to move people out. In the past half month alone, the Xiao Family has transferred over two billion in funds overseas through Dain Energy."

"Human trafficking is also their business?"

"Not just that." Bai Li lowered her voice. "We also suspect they're involved in... human experimentation."

Wang Chen's eyes sharpened.

"I'll send you the specific intel encrypted later." Bai Li said. "Mr. Wang, this matter is very complex, with far-reaching implications. I suggest..."

"Suggest I stay out of it?" Wang Chen let out a cold laugh, his voice devoid of any warmth. "Miss Bai, if it were your brother, your family members who went missing today, would you still give that suggestion?"

Bai Li was left speechless.