293: Chapter 293 Tracking to the Technology Workshop

Chen Xiaodao closely followed the infiltrators, his vigilance not decreasing in the slightest.

Morning light shone into the workshop from above, and water droplets dripped down the pipes, landing on a metal plate with a sharp crack.

Chen Xiaodao remained motionless.

He lay prone inside the ventilation duct, his body curled into a ball, his breathing incredibly faint.

The sound of the water droplet just now had perfectly masked the noise of his knees moving.

He didn't dare be careless. Just three steps away, next to the seventh assembly line, a man in black crouched on the ground, holding a welding torch, its blue flame burning a nail on the guide rail.

The nail was already halfway in, the runes on its surface slowly seeping into the metal.

"The third one," he counted in his head.

He recalled the installation method of the previous two nails: one on the third section and one on the fifth. The steps were consistent: first removing the screws, then fixing the box with a magnetic plate, and finally driving in the nail.

These people moved skillfully and with perfect coordination; they weren't here for a spur-of-the-moment sabotage, but had planned this long ago.

Furthermore... they were waiting for a signal.

The sound of a wrench hitting the floor in the distance earlier was clearly a code.

Upon hearing it, the three men looked up simultaneously, then lowered their heads to continue their work in unison.

It was too orderly.

"Someone is directing them," he grit his teeth.

His right hand had already gripped the sword hilt, his thumb pressing against the catch; with just a push, the blade would slide out three inches.

He could jump down from the duct, draw his sword, and cut the control line—half a second would be enough.

But he couldn't move.

His left hand was still clutching a Message Talisman, which had just received an order: "Seal off the passages, do not let anyone approach the production line."

The order had been sent out, but the net hadn't been pulled in yet.

If he rushed out now, he could only catch one worker.

The other two would escape, and the mastermind might directly detonate other devices.

If the three main production lines were paralyzed, the years of hard work by his clansmen would be completely ruined.

No.

He had to wait.

He closed his eyes and forced himself to let go. His fingernails dug into his palm, the pain keeping him sharp.

The sound of the welding torch outside continued to ring.

That person acted as if nothing was wrong, focusing on his work and even humming a tune.

The sound was very faint, but Chen Xiaodao heard it.

"Third Quarter of the Chen Hour, the wind turns south."

His heart jolted.

This was a time code!

They really were waiting for a specific time!

He immediately switched to Ear Aperture Mode, tuning into the low-frequency band to listen for movements in other parts of the workshop.

There was the sound of metal being struck, screws being turned, the hum of electricity... three rhythms coming from three directions.

Section three: one tap, a two-beat pause, then two more taps—they were dismantling the old interface.

Section five: four consecutive short taps—testing the guide rail pressure.

Section seven: the welding torch burns for seven seconds, stops for three, then continues—standard procedure.

Three people, three rhythms, but all following the same timing.

They were synchronizing their time.

Just like soldiers checking their watches before a formation, these people were calibrating their action time.

"Not ordinary people," his heart sank.

They were trained assassins.

Their methods were too professional, unlike common assassins.

He remembered the incident with the Zhao Family of West Ridge three years ago. Three lives were lost, and the second-generation assembly line was blown up.

It was later discovered to be the Yin Erosion Array, but no one was caught.

At that time, Chen Wuwang had said, "This technique has a lineage."

Looking at it now, they truly did have a significant background.

And it was the same group of people.

He suddenly thought—why didn't these people just blow it up immediately? Why install the nails one by one?

Because they wanted to ensure success.

Once they failed and the mission wasn't completed, the organization would also be exposed.

So they would rather be slow to ensure stability.

Entering in batches, taking different routes, avoiding surveillance.

What did this indicate?

They weren't afraid of wasting time, but they were afraid of death.

People who fear death won't fight to the end.

Then there was still a chance.

He slowly exhaled, lowering his body temperature. The ventilation duct was metal and dissipated heat quickly; staying too long would leave a heat signature.

He must remain calm and not let himself be exposed.

Just then, the man below suddenly stopped the welding torch.

His head slowly lifted.

Chen Xiaodao immediately held his breath.

The man didn't look up; instead, his nose twitched, and he asked in a low voice, "Do you smell rust?"

No one answered.

Only the sound of water dripping: crack, crack, crack.

Sweat broke out on Chen Xiaodao's forehead, trickling down his nose. He didn't dare wipe it.

If sweat dripped onto the metal plate, it would make a sound.

He couldn't wait any longer.

He quietly raised his left hand and lightly scratched the inner wall of the duct with his fingernail.

Squeak—

A short sound, like a rat gnawing on something.

The man's ear twitched, and he turned his head toward the pile of cables on the left.

"A rat?" He frowned, stood up, grabbed a crowbar, walked over, and gave it two kicks.

No movement.

He listened for a moment longer before crouching back down to continue welding.

Only then did Chen Xiaodao wipe away his sweat, sneering inwardly, "He actually believed it?"

That scratch just now—the sound, frequency, and intensity—were exactly like a rat's.

When he was a child looking for food in the ruins, he listened to rats crawling through pipes every day; he knew what they sounded like even with his eyes closed.

Using it to deceive someone now was perfect.

But he knew this method could only be used once.

The next time, the opponent wouldn't fall for it.

He had to decide quickly—should he make a move?

Three guide rails, three nails, all about to be welded shut.

If he waited any longer, as soon as the production line started, it would trigger a chain explosion.

But if he acted now, the other two might notice and detonate early.

A dilemma.

He stared at a long, thin scar on the back of the man's neck that looked like a machine cut, and noticed his right leg was slightly lame; he walked with his weight shifted to the left, yet his movements were steady—clearly, he was trained and not a common assassin.

He likely belonged to some organization.

He remembered what Chen Wuwang had said: "True danger isn't a madman who rushes at you with a blade, but the person who quietly cuts off all your paths of retreat."

These people were doing exactly that right now.

Cutting off retreats.

They weren't looking to kill; they only wanted to paralyze the Technology Workshop.

Once successful, the Chen Family's mecha supply would be interrupted, the frontline combat power would drop, the Eastern Wasteland Alliance would be shaken, and the entire situation would change.

This wasn't sabotage.

This was war.

He grit his teeth, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists.

The angrier he got, the calmer he had to be.

Acting impulsively now would be suicide.

He had to wait.

Wait until they finished the installation, wait until they relaxed, wait until the person behind the scenes appeared to give the order—

That would be the best time to strike.

He withdrew his gaze, no longer looking at that nail, but instead peering deep into the workshop.

There was a hidden maintenance passage there that led to the main control room. If the mastermind was directing remotely, they would surely be there.

He memorized the route.

He also noted the time.

Third Quarter of the Chen Hour, the wind turns south.

There were less than two quarters of an hour left.

He took a deep breath and retreated further into the duct.

He could see less from here, but it was safer.

He couldn't take even the slightest risk.

The man below finally finished welding the last screw.

He picked up a control board to check the wiring, and after confirming there were no issues, he clapped his hands three times.

Clap, clap, clap.

Crisp and short.

Chen Xiaodao's pupils constricted.

This was the confirmation signal!

The other two must have received it as well.

He immediately listened for any response from the surroundings.

Five seconds later—

From the left, a metallic sound, like a wrench being dropped.

From the right, faint footsteps—three steps, a pause, then silence.

Response complete.

Mission progress confirmed.

They were indeed waiting for the next command.

He stared at the man's back, thinking, "Come on... let me see who you are."

The man stood up, brushed his hands, and took a black Compass from his robe. The needle moved slightly, pointing toward the southeast corner.

The corners of his mouth curled up as if he were smiling.

Then he tucked away the Compass and turned to walk toward the maintenance passage.

He wasn't fleeing.

He was going to regroup.

Chen Xiaodao immediately decided—follow him.

He couldn't stay here. The real big fish was the person hiding in the back.

He slowly moved his body, bit by bit backing out of the ventilation duct.

His movements were very slow, for fear of causing vibrations.

Not until he was completely out did he lightly flip down to the ground and walk along the wall.

Ahead, the man's back grew more distant as he entered the shadows of the maintenance passage.

He followed.

Footsteps silent, breathing steady.

The workshop lights were dim, and the emergency lights flickered.

He walked past the seventh assembly line and glanced at the welded nail.

The runes had already melted into the guide rail, and cracks were appearing on the surface.

He knew that once started, the entire production line would collapse within three seconds.

But he couldn't worry about that now.

A bigger target was appearing.