MMB Chapter 1517 Entrapment
Chapter 1517 Entrapment
The iron door to the basement was pushed open, its hinges creaking slightly, breaking the almost stagnant silence in the corridor. Chen Jun appeared in the doorway, calmly and deliberately closing the heavy iron door behind him.
His face was expressionless, showing neither exhaustion nor excitement after the interrogation. Only the cold light in his eyes seemed to have deepened, like ice at the bottom of a cold pool that was difficult to melt.
Lu Da and Zhang Tie, who had been waiting outside the door, immediately surrounded them, deliberately slowing their footsteps and their eyes filled with urgency and inquiry.
"Director Chen?" Lu Da's voice was low, filled with cautious anticipation.
Chen Jun glanced at them and nodded slightly.
"I got the question out."
His voice was low and calm, as if he were talking about something trivial, but it made Lu Da and Zhang Tie's hearts skip a beat. They looked at each other and saw a sudden light in each other's eyes.
How long has Director Chen been inside that "cyborg" that's as hard as a rock, the one they've been helpless against? And yet he actually managed to pry open its mouth.
"Go in and clean up," Chen Jun said in an unchanged tone, as if he were instructing someone to dispose of ordinary trash. "Clean it up, cremate it. Leave no loose ends at the scene."
He paused briefly, then turned his gaze toward the stairs leading to the ground.
"We'll decide on the next course of action after I meet with the leader of Southern Vietnam tomorrow. Tell everyone to remain vigilant and stand by."
"Yes!" Lu Da and Zhang Tie straightened up and replied in a deep voice. They knew what "cleaning up" and "dealing with it thoroughly" meant, and they also understood that the "tail" that Director Chen mentioned had to be completely eliminated.
Chen Jun said no more, turned and walked towards the communications room deep inside the base, shielded by special materials. The satellite phone inside was connected directly to the highest level of security in the country.
He dialed the number. After a brief wait, the familiar voice of Jiang Ling, the Director of the State Security Bureau, came through the receiver. The background noise was very quiet, suggesting he was in his office.
"Old Jiang, it's me, Chen Jun."
"Chen Jun?" Jiang Ling's voice immediately turned serious, filled with concern. "How are you doing in South Vietnam? Is your safety guaranteed?"
"It's safe for now." Chen Jun skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point. "I've already found out. 'Abyss' has a major base in South Vietnam. We've found out its location, approximate personnel, and defense situation."
A brief silence fell on the other end of the phone, broken only by the faint crackling of the wires. A few seconds later, Jiang Ling's voice rang out again, tinged with suppressed excitement and a hint of disbelief and seriousness:
"You got it? Good! Chen Jun, your efficiency is astonishing! This intelligence is crucial! The 'Abyss' is a malignant tumor, deeply hidden in a place like South Vietnam. We've always wanted to destroy their lair, but we've been struggling to find accurate coordinates!"
After the initial excitement, Jiang Ling's tone quickly turned serious, even carrying a warning connotation:
"But Chen Jun, listen to me. Getting the intelligence is the first step, don't act rashly! I know your abilities and your temperament. But the Abyss isn't an ordinary gang, and you know better than I do how dangerous those modified beings are. With just a few of you, charging in headfirst is suicide! You need support, you need a well-thought-out plan!"
Jiang Ling was genuinely worried. Chen Jun was capable and courageous, but precisely because of this, his actions were sometimes too ruthless and direct, posing extremely high risks. This man was Old Master Ye's darling, a "strategic asset" listed by both the military and the National Security Bureau. If anything were to happen to him overseas, Jiang Ling felt he would be held responsible beyond measure.
“I’m not in a hurry.” Chen Jun’s tone remained calm, even with a hint of reassurance. “I have to meet with the leader of the South Vietnamese government tomorrow. We’ll talk about the operation after you’ve coordinated things on your end.”
"Meet the leader?" Jiang Ling was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly realized, "Oh...right, the other side is willing to meet you? Excellent! Taking such a big risk to go deep into dangerous territory, it turns out it's killing two birds with one stone, no, killing multiple birds with one stone! It strikes at the Abyss and creates opportunities for the country's strategic layout...worth it! Absolutely worth it!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Jun's mouth twitched.
He was hunted down for his entrapment operation.
I'm so fed up with this, I'm not going to keep asking the South Vietnamese government for interest anymore.
How much is it worth?
Jiang Ling's tone was full of admiration and respect. He was well aware of the deeper strategic intentions behind Chen Jun's trip to South Vietnam, but he hadn't expected Chen Jun to act so quickly and efficiently.
"Okay! I understand! I'll report to Commander Ye immediately, coordinate with the military and relevant units, and study and formulate support and follow-up action plans. Wait for my news!" Jiang Ling solemnly instructed.
"Understood," Chen Jun replied, ending the call.
After hanging up the satellite phone, Chen Jun stood for a moment in the quiet communications room. Then, he picked up the phone again and dialed another number. This time, his voice was noticeably softer, and the coldness in his eyes was replaced by a subtle warmth.
"Hello, Anran? It's me."
Immediately, his wife's gentle yet anxious voice came from the other end of the phone, filled with undisguised worry: "Jun? How are you? Are you alright? Are you hurt? Have you eaten?"
“I’m fine, nothing’s wrong, I just ate.” Chen Jun reassured his wife’s anxiety with the simplest words, then carefully inquired about the family situation, his parents’ health, his children’s studies… These trivial, everyday conversations, transmitted through encrypted radio waves, seemed especially precious in this perilous foreign land. He listened patiently, occasionally responding with a few words, his tone gentle and patient—a tone Lu Da and the others had never heard before.
The two chatted for about ten minutes before Chen Jun hung up the phone amidst An Ran's repeated reminders. As soon as he put down the receiver, the warmth on his face quickly vanished, replaced by his usual calm and profound expression. After a brief moment of relaxation and concern, an even more daunting task lay ahead. He needed rest to recharge for tomorrow's meeting.
The next morning, as dawn broke, Chen Jun was already up. Instead of his usual combat uniform or casual clothes, he had changed into a perfectly pressed, wrinkle-free dark gray suit that Lu Da had prepared in advance. His shirt was white, and his tie was a dark red striped pattern.
He stood in front of a not-so-clear mirror in the room, awkwardly tying his tie.
He rarely needed to dress so formally. His tie knot wasn't very neat, and more importantly, the tightness made him quite uncomfortable. He frowned, loosened the knot slightly, and adjusted his shirt collar, but the feeling of being constricted remained.
"It's too tight," he muttered to himself, tugging at his collar a couple more times in front of the mirror, his brows still slightly furrowed.
When he walked out of the room, Lu Da, who had been waiting outside, saw his attire and his eyes lit up. But then he noticed Chen Jun's slightly stiff posture and furrowed brows and couldn't help but smile.
"Director Chen, you look... very energetic! But it just seems... a little strange?" Lu Da tried his best to make his tone sound normal.
Chen Jun glared at him, then tugged at his collar in annoyance, feeling like he couldn't breathe properly: "What kind of clothes did you prepare? It looks like you're being tortured."
Lu Da suppressed a laugh and explained, "Director Chen, the person you're meeting today is, after all, the leader of an armed force in South Vietnam, so the occasion will definitely be formal. Suits and ties are internationally accepted, showing that we take this seriously and also conforming to basic etiquette."
"Etiquette?" Chen Jun snorted coldly, saying as he walked towards the garage, "My original plan was that if we couldn't reach an agreement, I'd just bring a weapon in, press it against that 'Viper's' head, and make him sign and seal the agreement to allow our Yan country's troops to enter. Tell me, should I wear a suit or my combat uniform?"
"Director Chen, are you kidding? This is a bit arrogant, isn't it?"
This isn't a negotiation; it's clearly an armed kidnapping, a coercive attempt to force the government to abdicate!
Chen Jun glanced at him, fastened his seatbelt, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Arrogant? If we weren't a bit arrogant, would they obediently agree to let us station troops here? Would they willingly give up their benefits and open their doors?"
He leaned back in his seat, his gaze fixed on the slightly chaotic yet vibrant street scene of southern Vietnam in the early morning outside the car window, his voice deep and clear:
“Xiao Lu, in recent years, we have been investing, trading, and working more and more in South Vietnam. But the political situation here is unstable, with many factions, and kidnappings, extortions, and injuries targeting Chinese people happen every now and then. Every time we deal with it, we are at the mercy of others, and diplomatic channels are inefficient and offer limited protection.”
“The country wants peaceful development and doesn’t want to easily resort to force, nor does it have sufficient reason for direct military intervention. But now,” Chen Jun’s eyes sharpened, like a drawn sword, “the Abyss, an international terrorist organization, is rampant in South Vietnam, threatening regional security and posing a direct and serious threat to our citizens. I’ve taken such a big risk, coming here personally to fish, just to find an excuse.”
"We cannot follow the example of the United States, which uses laundry detergent as an excuse. Instead, we should use ourselves as bait to fish."
As Lu Da listened, his initial astonishment was gradually replaced by a profound sense of shock and understanding. He gripped the steering wheel tighter, feeling a surge of warmth welling up from the depths of his heart.
"Holy crap..." Lu Da muttered to himself, digesting the massive amount of information and strategic intent in those words. "Director Chen, this is a grand strategy! No wonder you personally risked going deep into this place. It turns out it wasn't just to catch Abyss; you're setting up the stage, creating the conditions for 'law enforcement'? Paving the way for the country's next strategic advancement?!"
He finally understood the full meaning behind Chen Jun's trip. This was not merely a high-risk counter-terrorism operation, but a meticulously planned strategic pre-emptive action serving the long-term interests of the nation!
"This is just the beginning." Chen Jun withdrew his gaze, squinted at Lu Da who was driving, and said, "Use your brain more, and you'll get better and better."