nashuaworldcup Chapter 86 Silent Infiltration
Chapter 86 Silent Infiltration
Deep in the ocean, the Longyuan-7 submarine sailed smoothly at a silent speed of 25 knots.
The submarine that provided this assistance was more advanced than the one used last time—its hull lines were smoother, and its noise level was reduced by another five decibels. Even the veterans in the sonar room said that the ship felt like it was "gliding on cotton."
The submarine captain, surnamed Chen, was in his early forties and a naval colonel who had been working on submarines for twenty years. When Lin Zhe and his eight crew members boarded the submarine, he led all the crew members in lining up at the hatch to welcome them, each with an almost reverent respect in their eyes.
"Colonel Lin, comrades of the Submarine Dragon," Captain Chen saluted, "the entire crew of the Longyuan-7 is here to escort you to the target area. It is our honor."
Lin Zhe returned the greeting: "Thank you for your hard work, Captain Chen and all my comrades."
"It's not hard work!" Captain Chen grinned. "Being able to carry you on this mission is something I can brag about for a lifetime. Brothers," he turned to his crew, "these eight are the sharpest blades in our country. Our mission is to deliver these blades silently to where they belong. Understand?"
"Understood!" the sailors responded in unison.
"Alright, everyone to your positions. The entire submarine is entering silent operation mode. Sonar room, increase monitoring. Report any abnormalities immediately."
The submarine, like a giant black whale, swam towards the other side of the ocean.
Eight people settled into the rest cabin. This cabin was a bit larger than the last one, but still cramped. There were four bunk beds, a small table, and a nautical chart on the wall.
Longya tossed his backpack onto the bed and stretched his shoulders: "This time the bed is more spacious, no need to squeeze in."
"Based on the experience from last time, improvements were made to the submarine design." Long Ying pushed up his glasses. "According to my calculations, the space utilization rate of this rest cabin reaches 87%, which is 15% higher than that of a standard submarine rest cabin."
Dragon Claw laughed: "Can't you just speak normally? Why do you have to bring up data?"
"Accuracy is essential," Long Ying said earnestly. "Especially when carrying out such a difficult mission, any deviation in details could lead to failure."
Lin Zhe took out an encrypted tablet from his backpack and pulled up the mission data: "Alright, let's hurry. There are still thirteen days of flight time. We need to go over the plan ten more times. Every step, every unexpected event, and every contingency plan must be memorized."
In the days that followed, the rest pods became mobile war room conference rooms.
The eight people were divided into two groups and took turns conducting simulations. One group played the role of the infiltration team, and the other group played the role of the defense team, engaging in offensive and defensive battles in their minds.
"Okay, now let's say I enter through the main gate, but the guard suddenly asks for a second verification," Lin Zhe said.
Long Qing immediately replied, "The probability of this situation is 12%. According to the laboratory security manual, senior researchers need to undergo secondary verification when they enter for the first time each week. The verification method is a random question—usually keywords from recent research projects."
"What if they ask me a question I don't know the answer to?"
"Charles is currently involved in the 'Quantum Radar' project, the key phrase being 'superposition state interference.' If he asks you about other projects, just say they involve classified information and can only be discussed in a secure room." Long Qing pulled up a document. "This is Charles's personality analysis report—he's arrogant and doesn't like being questioned; you can use this attitude to get away with it."
Meanwhile, Longya was also rehearsing the entry maneuver: "The fourth section of the ventilation duct has an infrared sensor scanning interval of 0.3 seconds. Longzhao and I need to traverse three meters within that 0.3 seconds, at an average speed of ten meters per second. A normal sprint would suffice, but inside a duct with an 80-centimeter diameter..."
"Use this." Dragon Claw took out two special devices from the equipment box. "Magnetic gloves and shoes. The pipes are metal, so we can use magnets to attract them and crawl like geckos, reaching speeds of up to twelve meters per second."
"But the magnetic device will generate heat, which may trigger thermal sensing."
"Therefore, the usage time needs to be controlled—0.2 seconds for adsorption, 0.1 seconds for release, and intermittent use. This way, the average speed can reach ten meters per second, and the heat accumulation is within the safe threshold."
Such deductions are carried out every day. Every action, every judgment, and every possible contingency is repeatedly discussed, calculated, and optimized.
Sometimes the arguments get very heated.
"No, this plan is too risky!" Long Yan pointed to the sand table model. "Evacuating from the underground parking lot requires passing through three security gates. Even if we get the access card, the system will record it. If we investigate later, they can track our route."
"Then falsify the records," Long Ying said. "While we were evacuating, I hacked into the security system and inserted a fabricated surveillance video—showing that we evacuated from the rooftop helicopter platform."
"What about the actual helicopter platform monitoring?"
"Synchronous replacement. I have a three-second time difference to utilize."
"Three seconds? That's too short!"
"That's enough. The security system's video stream has a 0.5-second buffer, which I can use to complete the replacement. As long as the timing is precise, it won't leave any trace."
Lin Zhe often plays the role of arbitrator at these times. He listens to the arguments from both sides, weighs the pros and cons, and finally makes a decision.
"Longying's plan is feasible, but it requires millisecond-level coordination. So, during the evacuation, we'll split into two groups—Group A will go through the parking lot, and Group B will go through the roof. Group B doesn't need to actually reach the roof; they just need to leave an image on the surveillance cameras in the corresponding area. Longying, you'll replace both surveillance cameras simultaneously to create the illusion that we've all evacuated from the roof."
"What about the actual evacuation route?"
"Go through the underground pipeline network." Lin Zhe pointed to a narrow passage below the sand table. "This is a maintenance passage reserved during the construction of the laboratory, leading directly to the subway tunnel two kilometers away. The passage is 1.2 meters in diameter, and you can crawl through it. Most importantly—this passage was not marked on the official drawings; it was a 'back door' secretly reserved during construction."
"How did you know?" Longya asked curiously.
Lin Zhe smiled and said, "Because one of the Chinese engineers who participated in the design returned to his homeland after retiring. He mentioned this when he was a consultant at the General Assembly Department."
"Awesome!" Longya gave a thumbs up.
There are many more such details. Lin Zhe's brain is like a vast database, storing countless seemingly unrelated pieces of information, but at crucial moments, they can all be connected to become the key to victory.
The thirteenth day, at three in the morning.
The submarine arrived at the designated sea area and hovered fifty nautical miles from the coast.
"Colonel Lin, we've reached our position," Captain Chen reported via internal communication. "Sea conditions are good, wave height is 0.8 meters, wind speed is level 3, visibility is low, suitable for infiltration."
"Received. Ready to depart."
The eight people conducted a final check of their equipment. Stealth combat suits, magnetic gloves, nerve paralysis devices, data acquisition equipment, bionic masks... they checked each item three times.
"Are all the life monitoring devices on?" Lin Zhe asked.
Seven people simultaneously pulled down their collars, revealing silver badges on their collarbones. Faint green dots flickered on the surface of the badges—indicating normal vital signs.
"Okay." Lin Zhe also put on his own. "This device monitors vital signs and also has a location tracking function. If we get separated, we can use it to find each other. But remember—if you are captured or seriously injured and unable to evacuate, immediately activate the self-destruct sequence. Don't leave any clues for the enemy."
"clear!"
"Time is set. 3:15 AM. Estimated landing time is 4:00 AM, arrival time at the safe house is 5:30 AM, operation begins at 8:50 AM. Any questions?"
"No!"
"Set off."
Eight people entered the launch bay, which was then sealed, flooded, and the hatch opened. The underwater thrusters activated, and eight figures shot into the dark seawater like swordfish.
Fifty minutes later, on a remote coast of California.
The waves crashed against the rocks with a dull thud. Eight figures emerged from the water and quickly concealed themselves behind the rocks.
"Safe." Longyan scanned the surroundings with his night vision goggles. "No surveillance cameras, no patrols."
"Walk."
The eight men left the coast like shadows and entered a dense mangrove forest. Twenty minutes later, they arrived at their designated location—an abandoned warehouse.
This is a "safe house" purchased by the intelligence department of the Dragon Kingdom many years ago. On the surface, it is an abandoned warehouse, but underground there is a complete hidden space.
Longyan entered the password at the warehouse door, and the heavy iron door slowly opened. After the eight people entered, the iron door closed automatically, and the exterior returned to its rusty appearance.
The basement was brightly lit. It covered approximately 100 square meters and was divided into living quarters, equipment area, and command area. The walls were covered with monitors, providing real-time surveillance of activity within a five-kilometer radius.
"Finally here." Longya took off his backpack. "This journey has been quite arduous."
"Take a break while you can," Lin Zhe said. "We'll start final preparations at six o'clock sharp. Long Qing, check the communication equipment; Long Ying, set the time; Long Yan, confirm the surrounding surveillance situation; the rest of you, organize your equipment, and we'll change shifts in two hours."
Despite being exhausted, no one complained. That's the spirit of Qianlong—no matter how tired they are, they can immediately get into the zone whenever the mission requires it.
At six o'clock in the morning, everyone woke up.
The final preparation phase has begun.
Lin Zhe opened the specially made briefcase and took out the iris and fingerprint scanning device. The device emitted a slight buzzing sound after being turned on.
"Charles' iris data." Long Qing pulled up a high-resolution photo. "His left iris has a unique star-shaped pattern, which is a genetic trait that cannot be faked, but can be simulated."
Lin Zhe placed a transparent bionic membrane into the device and input the data. Three minutes later, a perfect iris bionic membrane was completed. He carefully attached it to his contact lens and put it on.
"Test." Long Qing brought up an iris scanner.
Lin Zhe leaned closer, and the scanner's green light illuminated: "Verification successful. Identity: Charles, Access Level: A."
"Fingerprint." Lin Zhe continued.
Charles's fingerprints had already been obtained by intelligence agencies, and samples of items he used at an international conference were collected by agents disguised as waiters.
Ten minutes later, ten fingerprint films were completed. Lin Zhe placed them on his fingertips and pressed them to test them—they matched Dr. Miller's fingerprints perfectly.
Finally, there's the bionic mask.
This is a more complex technology. It requires printing an extremely thin mask using special materials based on Dr. Miller's 3D facial model. Once placed on the face, it can completely change one's appearance, even simulating the subtle movements of facial muscles.
The printing process lasted thirty minutes. When Lin Zhe put on the mask and stood in front of the mirror, even Long Ya was stunned.
"Holy crap..." Longya circled Lin Zhe once, "This is so similar! Even the location of the mole is the same!"
The mirror reflected a white man in his fifties with thinning blond hair, deep wrinkles on his forehead, blue eyes (the effect of a bionic iris membrane), a high nose bridge, and habitually downturned corners of his mouth—a typical image of a serious scholar.
Lin Zhe tried making a few expressions—frowning, smiling, and pouting. The mask fit perfectly, and the expressions looked natural.
"Where's the sound?" Long Ying asked.
Lin Zhe cleared his throat, and when he spoke again, his voice was slightly hoarse and had an academic tone: "I think this plan needs more experimental data to support it."
Perfect. Even the tone and word choice are imitated perfectly.
"How did you train like this?" Dragon Claw asked curiously.
"Special training," Lin Zhe resumed his voice. "Six hours a day, learning from language experts and acting coaches. To imitate someone, you have to imitate not only their appearance and voice, but also their demeanor, tone of voice, small gestures, and thought patterns."
He took a few steps, his steps somewhat unsteady—Charles had mild arthritis.
"It's 7:30 a.m. now." Lin Zhe looked at the clock on the wall. "Charles should have already left the hotel and headed to the lab. As is his habit, he'll buy a cup of black coffee on the way, without sugar."
"We intercepted his cell phone signal and confirmed that he has already set off," Long Qing reported. "He is expected to arrive at the lab at 8:40. Lin Zhe, you need to arrive at 8:50—ten minutes later than him, but the system shows that his appointment is at 8:50. That way, when the real Dr. Miller arrives, he will find that the appointment time is incorrect, but by then we will already be inside."
Will the guards let him in?
"No. If the appointment time doesn't match, the guards will ask him to reschedule, and the earliest he can do that is in the afternoon." Long Qing pulled up the lab's appointment rules. "By the time Charles finishes his business, we'll have already completed our mission and left."
"Okay." Lin Zhe took a deep breath. "Now, let's double-check the tasks for each group."
Eight people gathered around the command platform.
"Dragon Fangs, Dragon Claws, Ventilation Duct Intrusion, Target: Server Interface on the Second Basement Level."
"Dragon Shadow, Dragon Thorn, enter the underground parking lot, target: the data backup database on the fourth underground floor."
"Long Yan, you provide support from the outside and prepare three escape routes."
"Longan, creating chaos in the city center at 9:10, 9:25, and 9:40, each time 15 minutes apart, to attract the attention of the police."
"Long Qing, network support, block the lab's external communications, interfere with the monitoring system, and intercept data transmission."
"I, disguised as Charles, entered through the main entrance, with my target being the main server on the seventh basement level."
Lin Zhe surveyed the seven people: "Our goal is not just to steal data, but also to teach them a lesson—that a hidden dragon from China can infiltrate their most core secret locations and then escape unscathed. We must let the United States know that from now on, every provocation against our country will be met with equal, or even double, retaliation."
"Understood!" the seven responded in unison.
"Now, one last check of the equipment."
The eight men silently organized their weapons, tools, and communication equipment. Each knew that this operation was far more dangerous than any they had ever undertaken. Failure meant capture or death. Even if successful, the evacuation would be a perilous journey.
But no one hesitated.
It was exactly 8:00 AM.
Lin Zhe changed into the gray suit Charles often wore, put on a blue tie and gold-rimmed glasses, and picked up a briefcase—containing data collection equipment and a nerve paralysis device.
He looked at "Charles Miller" in the mirror and slowly adjusted his breathing.
"All groups, prepare to depart."
The six members of Dragon Fang left the safe house first and went to their designated locations.
Lin Zhe stayed in the safe house for an extra ten minutes. He needed to control the timing precisely—arriving too early would arouse suspicion, and arriving too late might cause him to miss his chance.
At 8:40, he walked out of the safe house and hailed a taxi.
"To Arlington, the DARPA building," he said in Charles's voice.
The taxi entered the morning traffic. Lin Zhe watched the street scenes rushing past the window, a sense of peace washing over him.
The battle is about to begin.
This time, he wants the whole world to remember him—a dragon emerging from the abyss, invincible.