Top Warzone Analyst Chapter 44

The instructor’s face was a picture of utter dismay. “Write down this person’s name for me. When we get back, I’m going to show him what the real world is really like.”

A group of people seeking to explore the real world had already passed through the front desk and headed toward the finished product showroom in the back.

At the intersection in front of the showroom stood two signs displaying the company’s floor plan.

Cheng Feng and Shen Dan scanned the map into their optical computers and marked everyone’s current location.

Positioning wasn’t very reliable here – the data might not be precise enough. But with a data analyst around, getting lost was out of the question.

Cheng Feng adjusted the position of her lamp and did a full turn.

The company occupied a sizable area. While the first-floor showroom had a relatively open view, the second floor and above were divided into numerous small office spaces, greatly increasing the difficulty of the search.

Cheng Feng pointed toward the nearest emergency exit. “We don’t have much time. I’ll take the left side; you take the right.”

Shen Dan agreed. “Okay.”

Cheng Feng led the four people from his vehicle and ran toward the left.

To avoid missing any information or making mistakes, Cheng Feng meticulously searched every single room marked on the map.

Whether it was sheer luck or because the guards in this building had really already evacuated, the only things the group encountered along the way were modified robots. Their movement patterns were predictable, and as long as they carefully managed blind spots, they could safely avoid them.

However, the tightly drawn curtains and dim lighting still instilled a sense of unease in the group.

At the stairwell turning leading to the second floor, Song Zheng grabbed Cheng Feng’s arm and whispered, “Sis, get a little behind us.”

Cheng Feng gave him a dangerous look. “Why?”

“You’re more important,” Song Zheng said. “Quick, get behind us. Let the soldiers take the lead.”

Several tall men, averaging 1.85 meters in height, actively shifted forward, positioning themselves by the handrail as they began their ascent to the upper floor.

“We’re lucky to have two deputy commanders with us. The paths around this exhibition hall are laid out like a maze – every dead end either leads to a restroom or another restroom. Take a wrong turn and you feel like you’re on a wild goose chase… for crap,” the senior student said in a hushed, incredulous tone. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but did we just pass four restroom signs?”

Song Zheng retorted defiantly, “So what if I like shopping malls and exhibition halls having plenty of restrooms?! Besides, there’s one exhibition hall on the first floor – what’s wrong with having four restrooms?!”

The senior turned back, giving him a strange look, the light mounted on his helmet sweeping across them.

Song Zheng, momentarily blinded by the light, squeezed his eyes shut and dodged, yelling, “Whoa! You’re blinding me!”

The victim fumed, “A real man doesn’t look back!”

The senior shot back, “What’s the matter? You guys wearing those investigation goggles just for show?”

They reached the second floor, facing a row of empty corridors.

Unable to contain his naturally boisterous nature, Song Zheng kicked open two doors, used his gun to clear a robot, and then struck up a conversation again. “Hey sis, can I ask you a question?”

Cheng Feng said, “Go ahead.”

“Why do you talk like that?” Song Zheng mimicked a low, gruff voice. “Like this. It’s got no soul.”

Cheng Feng fell silent.

A soul like that might as well be permanently on standby.

She made up a casual excuse. “Because talking is tiring.”

Song Zheng was shocked. “Then is eating tiring? Is sleeping tiring? Talking is such a joyful thing!”

Cheng Feng didn’t respond.

Sensing that the person behind him had stopped, Song Zheng halted as well, thinking she might be angry. He asked carefully, “What’s wrong?”

Cheng Feng looked down. “Something feels off.”

Song Zheng’s thought process took a novel turn. “Eating and sleeping feel off?”

“The map feels off.” Cheng Feng turned around and started heading back the way they came. “Fall back, fall back, fall back.”

The group quickly followed her lead. The driver said, “I thought the layout looked correct just now.”

Cheng Feng explained, “The distances are wrong. I counted my steps, and they don’t quite match the map.”

The group returned to the first floor.

The exhibition area was surrounded by independent workrooms, with the edges used for stacking miscellaneous items.

Cheng Feng walked along a narrow corridor for a while before stopping in front of a wall. She looked left and right, found no door, and simply opted for a brute-force approach. “Blow this up.”

The senior felt that Cheng Feng exuded a decisive, sharp aura. Although he didn’t quite understand why, he still pulled a breaching device from his bag and walked over.

Detonating in such a cramped space wasn’t as comfortable as doing it outside. After the blast, the surrounding air began to heat up.

The first explosion yielded no results – the wall was too thick. They had to blast it from the side a second time before a hole finally appeared.

Bending down, they could see a corridor inside. The five of them entered one after another and eventually stopped in front of an elevator at the end.

Two senior students worked together to pry the elevator doors open. Shining their lights down the shaft, they realized that even with their current illumination, they couldn’t see the bottom – all the light was swallowed by the pitch-black vertical pit. It was at least two or three stories deep.

“Damn.” Song Zheng craned his neck to look. “We almost missed this one.”

He asked, “Jump?”

The driver put down his backpack and started rummaging inside for tools. “Why ask a question that doesn’t have a second option?”

Cheng Feng pressed her earpiece. “We’re heading down to the basement level for the search. The upper floors are all yours.”

“How is the search area still this big?” Shen Dan’s voice was urgent. “We’re running out of time!”

“There’s still a chance. We’re not slow.” Seeing that the others had already secured their equipment and fastened ropes around their waists, Cheng Feng added, “We’re heading down now.”

The two senior students had already jumped in. Cheng Feng tested the carabiner at her waist and was the last to follow.

Amidst the mix of shallow and heavy breathing, the group descended cautiously, searching for the next elevator exit.

They hadn’t gone far when, from the depths of the darkness, a faint prompt sound suddenly rang out.

In such a dead-silent environment, even the slightest noise became strikingly distinct, making everyone’s hearts leap into their throats.

The driver, positioned at the very front with both feet braced against the wall, felt a faint tremor through the soles of his boots. His eyes flew wide open as he stared down into the depths.

“Shit!” He let out a rough curse. “The elevator… it’s starting up! This elevator still has power!”

Darkness masked everyone’s expressions, and for a moment, even the sound of breathing became nearly inaudible.

The driver quickly rappelled down a bit further, locating the entrance to the next level. He tensed his muscles, straining to pry the doors open.

But the metal doors didn’t budge an inch. Hanging in mid-air, he couldn’t find any effective leverage.

The grinding noise of the elevator gradually coming to life sounded like the arrival of a third run. His voice hoarse with urgency and frustration, he yelled, “This door is locked, I can’t get it open!”

At this point, fumbling for tools was out of the question. Their options were limited: climb back up, or blast the door open right now.

The timing of the elevator activating was too coincidental. The opposing side had probably already detected them. Whether they’d get another chance to come back down if they went up now was highly uncertain.

Song Zheng couldn’t hold back any longer, his words tumbling out in a frantic rush. “What about the shaped charge? Pull out the hot new MVP weapon just updated by San Yao!”

The senior replied, “It’s at the bottom of the bag!”

Song Zheng shouted, “Agh!”

Cheng Feng thought to herself, how could something that crucial for survival be at the bottom of the bag? Don’t you people in the Alliance usually keep bombs in your pants pockets? She retrieved the shaped charge from a small side pocket of her backpack, oriented herself, and shouted down, “Move!”

The driver quickly scrambled upward. At the same time, beneath them, as everyone held their breath, the elevator officially activated, beginning its ascent with an ominous, relentless hum.

Cheng Feng couldn’t wait any longer. She hurled the charge downward.

A sudden blast wave reverberated within the confined shaft. The group raised their arms to shield themselves from the searing heat rushing towards them, momentarily glimpsing a flash of white as if witnessing a reloading save point.

The elevator car shook violently from the impact. Amidst a screeching, grinding noise, it scraped against the shaft wall as it continued its ascent for a short distance. But ultimately, its hoisting cables snapped, causing the car to tilt. One corner wedged itself into the crater left by the explosion, and it ground to a halt.

Fortunately, the shaped charge had a relatively contained blast radius, and their protective suits offered some shielding. The group shook off the daze, all of them safe.

The explosion had also deformed the elevator doors, creating a narrow gap.

“Go!”

The driver pushed off with his legs, using the momentum to leap into the floor. The moment he landed, he raised his weapon, scanning the surroundings. Confirming no immediate danger, he called out loudly, “It’s clear! Come down!”

Cheng Feng was the last one to come down.

She had the smallest frame, but her heavy backpack nearly got stuck. Song Zheng, trying to be helpful, grabbed her foot and gave it a hard yank. What should have been a controlled landing for her instead sent her hurtling straight into the opposite wall from the momentum.

Song Zheng flinched, startled. “Whoa, sorry about that!”

Even with Cheng Feng’s normally good temper, her fists were itching to connect with something. Grimacing, she picked herself up and dusted off her backside.

The driver, still shaken, said, “That’s attempted murder.”

The senior chimed in, “Don’t talk nonsense! She wouldn’t stoop to that. What they’re clearly thinking about is massacre.”

Cheng Feng took off her helmet and ran a hand through her hair, relieved to find it hadn’t been singed in the blast. Tucking away the stray strands, she stated coldly, “There are definitely people down here.”