"How nicely you say it, but weren't there still four personnel casualties?" Xu Xiaoyou deliberately elongated her tone.

Chen San's face turned sour, and after glancing at Xu Xiaoyou's slightly raised eyebrows, he snorted coldly and refrained from further argument.

"If you have better ideas during combat, feel free to bring them up. But if you only know how to wag your tongue and create confusion, then your company's S-level employees are just mediocre," Chen San said slowly. "In a battle, every command issued is linked to the lives of team members. A single command error could result in the entire team's demise."

"Crisis awareness, response and judgment ability in the moment, big-picture view, the decisiveness of decisions—please don't treat such serious matters as child's play."

Tang Xin gently tugged at Xu Xiaoyou's clothes. The latter pouted but said nothing more.

"What suddenly happened that the atmosphere became so tense? Aren't we going to be companions for the next few days? In critical moments, we need to rely fully on each other. Let's calm down, calm down," Lin Xing stepped forward and said.

He scratched his head with a sheepish smile. His refreshing smile made him look like a bashful big boy who eased the tension in the room.

"When faced with danger, we still need to look out for each other."

The flickering fluorescent lights on the ceiling cast a glow behind him, and Lin Sheng's eyes flickered with contemplation.

Once someone mediated, the tense aggression in the room gradually dissipated. Both parties hid their thoughts beneath their expressions, seemingly each with their own plan in mind.

"As mentioned before, Yorick is a Three-Tier Puppet Master, capable of manipulating humans into his puppets through suspended strings," Chen San continued after a few seconds of silence. "Before becoming a company executive, he was initially just a fugitive who came to Chichu Heaven by chance and became the 'Iron Hand' of the Chichu Family, devising strategies for the Patriarch, handling matters that are difficult to deal with openly."

"Sounds quite similar to the Shadow, doesn't it?" Xu Xiaoyou suddenly chimed in.

"The Iron Hand originally served as the Shadow Prime Minister assisting the Chichu Heaven's Patriarch, with no real power in name. However, as the Chichu Heavenly Family's leadership iterated and the dynasty developed, internal struggles intensified, and everyone wanted to draw this Shadow Prime Minister to their side. Gradually, Iron Hand gained more decision-making power in Chichu Heaven, even taking major actions first and reporting later."

"His ambitions were too great, desiring to support a puppet Patriarch to seize absolute power. After his schemes were exposed, while in exile, he caught the attention of Emerald 1, eventually joining the company's management."

"No matter how bright a future the company promised or the generous benefits offered to such a reprehensible person, defection was just a matter of time."

"Emerald 1 misjudged the man. After killing Emerald 1, Yorick stole the company's top-secret files and escaped to the Star of Art through teleportation devices amid heavy obstruction."

Xu Xiaoyou thought to herself, the Star of Art is nominally still a Nest City within the Cosmic Heavy Industries' domain. However, the company's control over here was much less than she imagined, seemingly a bit apprehensive... If such an important defecting executive escaped to the Corrupt Nest City, she was sure that the company's war machine would flatten it by the next day.

"How is a controlled puppet different from a normal person?" Tang Xin suddenly asked.

Everyone looked toward her, then at Chen San, who slowly lowered his head, half his face hidden in the shadows,

"No difference."

His words shocked everyone present.

Chen San exhaled, his tone still not much relaxed:

"At least on the surface, there's no difference. The information describes 'suspended strings' as transparent, with limitless length. Rather than puppet manipulation, I think it resembles more of a psychological suggestion."

"People under psychological suggestion might not even know they have become puppets. Everything in their daily lives remains unchanged, subconsciously following Yorick's instructions because of those suggestions."

"Before coming here, I learned about many of Yorick's cases. The victims in those events appeared no different from normal people before the suggestions were activated, and even their closest could not detect any anomaly."

"Without a doubt, he is meticulous and his abilities are bizarre and unpredictable, a very troublesome enemy."

Chen San rubbed his brow and said, "Therefore, I can't guarantee we won't experience casualties in the upcoming operations. However, I will do my utmost to minimize losses. I'll mainly make the decisions, but please suggest better ideas; I will consider them. Is that okay?"

As he said this, Chen San looked mainly at Xu Xiaoyou, who shrugged and said nothing more.

"Equipment preparation before combat is essential, and the Dawn Office will not shortchange its partners in this regard," Chen San snapped his fingers.

A rumbling sound echoed in the room, as if a mechanism behind the walls was operating. Dust continuously fell from the ceiling as thick walls moved horizontally inward. Before long, a hidden compartment appeared in the wall, with rows of blue light beams issuing from it like a passage leading to the future.

Everyone entered the room. Xu Xiaoyou approached the high-tech-looking wall. Sensing her presence, the alloy wall rotated, interlocking, projecting various weapons from behind it. There were blades, but mostly firearms, with icy blue mist swirling as light beams flowed over them.

She took a revolver-style handgun off the wall, with a rough appearance akin to a beast. The barrel was as thick as half a fist, and the magazine rolled, loaded with high explosive rounds no smaller than deer slugs.

"Viper E320," Xu Xiaoyou pronounced the gun's name. She loaded a few bullets into the magazine, metal clashing against iron producing a clear symphony, the gun spun around, promptly aimed at a nearby moving target.

Boom—

Bullets rotated in the chamber, accelerating and smashing through the air, flames surging out!

The moving dummy's entire upper body exploded, toppling immediately. After a moment, a new moving target rose, continuing its lateral movements.

Her arm was numbed by the recoil of the gun. Xu Xiaoyou furrowed her brow and placed the Viper E320 down.

Clearly, this gun wasn't suitable for her, nor for combat. Such a gun was better suited as a hunting gun, capable of blasting through the chest of a beast as tall as a small building with one shot.

She turned around to find Tang Xin staring blankly at her, detecting a trace of complexity in the girl's eyes.

Tang Xin could hardly imagine what Xu Xiaoyou did before becoming an agent that made her actions so proficient.

"You..."

"It's just from playing with BB guns," Xu Xiaoyou waved her off.

As she continued testing firearms, Tang Xin suddenly came over, holding a Blue Sparrow Pistol. It was only then she spoke: "So, are we now going to catch some defecting executive? Didn't you say we're just going out for some fun?"

Xu Xiaoyou tilted her head: "Pretty much. Didn't you say before you wanted to see outside the city? I'm just taking you out; staying in the city all the time can be stifling."

Tang Xin hesitated, not particularly opposing. Adventure and curiosity are human nature, especially since the girl grew up in a relatively oppressive and restrictive environment. Rather, she felt a bit nervous and excited now. It was a strange feeling, experiencing it for the first time.

Noticing Tang Xin's slightly trembling hands holding the gun, Xu Xiaoyou said nothing, coming to the girl's side to gently cover her hand, looking straightforward.

"Don't be nervous. Breathe and aim steady."

With the girl's guidance, Tang Xin raised the gun, placing her fingertip on the trigger, aiming at the target.

Three consecutive shots fired, all hitting the target.

Another three shots. This time, without Xu Xiaoyou's guidance, the bullets still hit the dummy's chest, and even the fastest-moving target at the back.

Xu Xiaoyou was astonished at Tang Xin's talent in this regard.

Tang Xin's accelerated blood flow from nervousness and excitement caused her cheeks to slightly redden. She turned with a somewhat proud tone: "How was that?"

Xu Xiaoyou almost saw a little wagging tail, lightly clapping and praising, "For a first time, that's incredible skill."

"You, the Puppet Master..."

"Shh," Xu Xiaoyou suddenly made a silencing gesture.

Looking back, she saw Lin Xing standing behind them, his expression peculiarly odd. He awkwardly scratched his head, displaying that fresh and shy smile:

"My brother and the others are ready; they're all waiting for you."

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