This research facility was extremely clandestine. The sheer complexity of its entry and exit protocols clearly indicated that it was not a place frequently visited.

According to intelligence, the personnel working within lived and ate here, rarely going out for years at a time. Therefore, there was no need to worry about infiltration; perhaps a few might have slipped through the cracks, but the Ghost Agents would handle them.

. At this moment, the area near the elevator was chaotic.

About two or three dozen people who had narrowly escaped the research facility were crowding around the elevator, employing every means possible to get it moving. However, their efforts were in vain.

The entire facility had been sealed; as long as Yang Ying did not unlock it, the elevator could not be activated. Emergency escape routes were certainly not limited to this one, but all others had also been locked down to ensure that no one inside could get out.

At this time, Yang Ying's heart was encased in merciless, solid ice, and at the core of that ice burned the most surging rage—an anger deep within that had yet to subside. Seeing these people was like adding fuel to the fire; the fury instantly materialized, spreading outward in a devastating sweep.

"Hush!" "So hot!" "It's catching fire." Upon contact with this surge of furious intent, large flames suddenly erupted from these people, as if gasoline had been poured over them. The intense fire instantly enveloped their entire bodies, burning their flesh raw, driving them into delirium as they clawed and stumbled around, emitting piercing screams.

Just then, a faint sound echoed down the corridor. A hover-bike sped toward them, carrying two figures in white lab coats.

Although their faces were bruised and swollen, they wore expressions of relief. But when they saw more than ten flaming figures rushing toward them with claws outstretched, they reacted like cats whose tails had been stepped on, immediately yanking the handlebars to turn back.

While logic told them turning back meant death, in the face of a horde of fire people charging them, very few could manage to regain their composure. Yang Ying swung his hand in a phantom slash.

A streak of white light flashed, bisecting the fire people who hadn't managed to flee far enough. He then activated the elevator, returned to the hotel manager's office, and sealed the elevator once more.

Not long after, a massive energy reaction surged from beneath the ground. This was the research facility’s self-destruct system engaging, blanketing the entire base with high-intensity microwaves, operating like a colossal microwave oven.

Anyone still inside this giant microwave would have their blood boil and their bodies explode within three seconds. The microwaves would transmit for a full half-minute, intended to eliminate every living organism within the research facility.

Once the microwaves ceased, the entire facility would automatically collapse according to the parameters set at its inception, destroying the facility while preventing geological disruption. Leaving the hotel and moving to a secure location, Yang Ying’s face betrayed no sorrow or joy.

He contacted Kalia, who was stationed at the base, saying, "The Santos matter is concluded. How is your side progressing?" Kalia’s face was grim, and she replied with grave seriousness, "Sir, the mission is complete.

The Ghost Agent unit successfully assassinated two high-ranking executives of the Caesar Group. We have confirmed they were the leaders of Santos' secret research facility.

Their deaths are enough to put the Caesar family on high alert." Yang Ying nodded, but the weight in his heart remained. The Caesar family had not yet paid in full.

"Even heightened vigilance is useless; we have only executed half of the plan. There is still the other half of the targets to eliminate." Kalia saluted sharply.

"I wish you success, Sir." At this time, the Ceres goodwill performance had reached its halfway point. This performance had been undeniably spectacular, with various stars appearing and giving their all to present the audience with a labor of love.

Blade’s private box offered one of the best views in the venue, yet he showed little interest in the show. It wasn't just him.

Although applause continued throughout the hall, it was significantly less frequent than at the beginning. The reason for this situation was the Star Singer Ambassador.

Ever since Jiayouna revealed her ethereal voice earlier, the aesthetic sensibilities of the audience seemed to have elevated several levels. No matter how well other acts performed, they fell far short compared to the heavenly pleasure experienced when Jiayouna sang, resulting in widespread listlessness.

The stage director was likely crying and screaming backstage, regretting scheduling the Star Singer Ambassador so early—it was the biggest blunder of his career. However, Blade had also heard that the director wasn't entirely to blame; the Star Singer Ambassador’s itinerary hadn't originally included this performance.

Her sudden decision to take the stage caught everyone off guard. Clearly, given the stage director's position and nerve, he couldn't very well make the Star Singer Ambassador wait when she expressed a desire to perform.

Suddenly, the intercom beside the box door beeped. The voice of the Ghost Agent on guard outside sounded through the speaker: "Colonel, a Star Singer claims to be an attendant to Ambassador Jiayouna.

She says the Ambassador wishes to see you." "Hmm?" Yang Ying returned to his secret sanctuary in Santos City, a villa surrounded by what appeared to be only the home of a physical education teacher from a private school—though in reality, every resident was a Ghost Agent. Yang Ying descended to the basement, removed all his gear, and reclined once more into the medical pod, closing his eyes.

In an instant, his consciousness transferred to the cockpit of a Ghost fighter jet far out in the void of space. This Ghost fighter had been modified; the cockpit was adjusted to accommodate two seats.

A pilot occupied the forward seat, while the rear seat was occupied by a cloned body. At this moment, the clone's eyes opened.

"How much longer until we reach the target?" Upon waking, Yang Ying’s first action was to address the pilot in front of him with this question. "Report, Sir, we have arrived.

This sector is between Earth orbit and Venus orbit, and the target is directly ahead." The pilot, clad in a sealed spacesuit, answered Yang Ying’s question in a strong voice and pointed out the viewport. Yang Ying turned to look.

A physical display activated, showing a large structure in the distance. The space station was shaped like an elongated egg, rotating slowly around its central axis—tapering at the bottom and rounded at the top, studded with alternating dim and bright indicator lights.

According to the measurements taken, the station was about one thousand meters long vertically and had a maximum diameter of about five hundred meters. Intelligence indicated that this station was another research institute under the Caesar Group, its technological level no less advanced than the secret facility at Santos.

Unlike the Santos branch, this one focused primarily on military weaponry; core technologies for the 'Laurel' vessel, such as the Net Grid, were developed here. This station was part of the retaliation plan formulated by the General Staff.

If the Santos research facility represented the zenith of Caesar Group's biotechnology, this station represented the zenith of their physical research. After confirming the target, Yang Ying retrieved a set of Ghost Agent gear from the floating continent and changed into it, then instructed the pilot, "Open the canopy." "Yes, Sir." The pilot pressed a button, and the canopy hissed open.

As the canopy opened, there was a sharp hiss, and the air inside the cockpit was instantly evacuated into the vacuum, but this was no issue for the fully sealed pilot and Yang Ying. Through his visual sensors, Yang Ying observed the distant space station, a complex mixture of emotions swirling within him.

This place was different from Santos; the people here were not conducting human experimentation. In fact, they had made significant contributions to the advancement of human technology, ranking among the top laboratories in the world.

But, who did they belong to? The Caesar Group.

The Ghost Agent unit had assessed the overall ideology of the Caesar family. Their thought processes differed from ordinary people; they possessed an intensely strong sense of territoriality and were inherently aggressive.

Judging by the incident where Lloyd ordered poison to be administered to Blade, seeking reconciliation with the Caesar Group would be like trying to share a den with a man-eating tiger. The education these Caesar-surnamed individuals received from childhood never taught them appeasement.

Only by devouring all enemies, like tigers, was the truth they believed in. Any show of willingness to reconcile was merely a tactic to buy time to recover their strength and lower the enemy's guard, awaiting the next opportunity to strike proactively.

Although Yang Ying had anticipated this behavior and understood their thinking, it was precisely because of this that Yang Ying would show them no further courtesy. These people had acted as tigers for so long, ruling the wilderness, and now they encountered a new tiger.

Naturally, they would worry that the newcomer might try to take their territory. Even if the new tiger initially showed no malice, simply developing quietly in an area far from their domain, they would not dismiss this potential threat.

Moreover, enmity had already been established between them. With successive probing actions, they realized the new tiger was growing stronger.

Yang Ying was certain that even if his forces demonstrated the power to instantly paralyze the main fleets of two and a half ancient legions, it would only make the Caesar family more hostile and firm in opposing him. Unless one side was annihilated, the vortex of conflict would not cease, and Yang Ying had no intention of being the one annihilated.

Yang Ying sighed silently, raising the old rifle in his hands and aiming it at the distant space station. A red dot appeared in the visual targeting scope.

Such aiming required an exceptionally calm mind and extremely steady hands. No living creature could maintain absolute stillness; no matter how stable the movement, the body would naturally tremble.

Even for Yang Ying, who possessed the power of a High-Level Conceptualist, minute tremors were unavoidable. Fortunately, the Ghost Agent combat suit had a specialized design for this situation: a complex array of sensors could minimize the impact of these unavoidable tremors.

The red dot flickered on the surface of the space station. Suddenly, a golden flash erupted near Yang Ying, and a missile shot out from the floating continent toward the location of the red dot.

Yang Ying thought he heard a sound ringing by his ear: Ba-yi-bi...