Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 188 - 184: Encounter with Mother and Daughter

Chapter 188: Chapter 184: Encounter with Mother and Daughter

When the sky began to lighten, revealing the fish-belly white of dawn, the two nightshift members finally returned to the inn. Luo’er had risen early and was already waiting. As soon as they arrived, the three of them began analyzing the intel they had gathered.

"Our headquarters’ intelligence was correct; the High-peak people are indeed building a new generation airship!" Cheng Ziang spread his rough sketches out on the table and announced seriously.

"This is..." Luo’er stopped short when he saw Cheng Ziang’s sketches.

"Do you recognize this?" Cheng Ziang pointed at an odd metallic component in the sketch, suspended from a gantry crane.

Even though the sketches were quite rough, Luo’er could still recognize that component. He nodded and solemnly said, "Anti-gravity engine!"

"So, that means the new airship has reached the engine installation stage," Cheng Ziang asked.

"Yes, that’s right," Luo’er confirmed, "The High-peak people didn’t report to the headquarters that they were working on a new airship. Considering the progress of the ship’s construction, they seem to be deliberately hiding this."

"So it seems, the High-peak people indeed harbor dubious intentions," said Cheng Ziang, musing.

Following a brief cogitation, Luo’er said, "Once day breaks, Sister Moumou and I will investigate into the so-called Southerners, to see if the High-peak people are planning to switch alliances."

"When we infiltrated, we alarmed the factory’s workers. So, it’d be better if you hurry. I’m afraid they might do a city-wide manhunt. At this point, we still don’t know whether the High-peak people are friend or foe. If they catch us and send us directly to the CIA, it’ll mean disaster," Cheng Ziang injected.

"I understand!" Luo’er nodded, blaming the situation on no one. It was impossible to conduct covert operations without leaving a trace. Instead of criticizing the efforts, it was more beneficial to complete the task and leave quickly.

"Yue’er, did you find anything?" Luo’er directed the question at Baiyue.

"There are seven airships in total at the air force base, matching the data they reported to the headquarters!" Baiyue noted.

"Hmm," Luo’er nodded.

"In addition, I’ve also drawn a layout of the entire air force base," Baiyue said as she spread her map out on the table.

"Exceptional work, Yue’er. You’ve done a great job!" Luo’er praised, smiling.

"No, not... This is what I should do..." Baiyue stammered, feeling a bit at a loss when being praised.

"Anyway, you two did great. Rest up. Ziang, I’ve told Little Ke not to bother you anymore so you can rest assuredly," Luo’er added.

"You’d better stick to your words. If that guy causes me any trouble again, I’ll throw him out of the second-floor window!" Cheng Ziang warned.

"Er, okay..." Luo’er chuckled awkwardly.

When daylight broke, the remaining two daytime members finally woke. Helros wasn’t accustomed to having breakfast, so they just nibbled on some food bars they had brought with them for breakfast.

After breakfast, Luo’er and Tangmo returned to exploring the streets. To be frank, their efficiency in gathering intel was much lower than that of the night group, but it couldn’t be helped. After all, daylight brought plenty of people making it challenging to sneak around like they could at night.

As they strolled down the streets, a childish voice called out from behind, "Sister Moumou!"

Recognizing the familiar voice, Tangmo instinctively turned around, while Luo’er flinched a bit and quickly lowered his head and continued walking.

"Ah, it’s little Sara, Luo’er... eh, Luo’er?" Tangmo turned around joyfully, only to find that Luo’er was already quite a distance away.

Although unaware of what Luo’er was doing, she instinctively didn’t call after him and instead turned back to greet Sara, "Little Sara, are you alright? Where’s your mom?"

"Mom’s shopping," Sara blinked at her before asking, "Sister Moumou, why aren’t you dead?"

Caught off guard by her innocent words, Tangmo chuckled and replied, "Now, why would sister need to die?"

"The airship crashed that day, and there was a big explosion," Sara mimicked the action with her hands, "So many people fell off. Luckily, an elf brother saved my mom and me."

"Well, the elf brother saved me too!" rejoiced Tangmo with a smile.

"Oh, he’s really amazing; I think I just saw him!" Sara excitedly chimed in.

"Saw him..." Tangmo stammered, then quickly covered up with a laugh, "You must be mistaken, there is no way he could be here."

"Eh, but I just saw you walking with him," Sara uttered confusedly.

Tangmo felt her heart flip in her chest, realizing that they had been noticed. She tried to restore order by laughing it off, "No, no, it was just me all along!"

"Oh," Sara bit her finger, nodding her head in bewilderment, suddenly she saw Yila approaching and excitedly exclaimed, "Mom, mom, it’s Sister Moumou!"

"Long time no see, Miss Moumou!" Yila, with a serene smile on her face, came over and picked up Sara.

"Hello, Mrs. Yila!" Tangmo greeted, bowing slightly.

"Mom, mom! I just saw Brother Luo’er walking with Sister Moumou!" Sara blurted out.

"Really?" Yila raised an eyebrow and turned her gaze to Tangmo.

"That’s not the case," said Tangmo, forcing a laugh. "I was alone, I didn’t walk with anyone, and I don’t know anyone named Luo’er."

She watched Tangmo’s awkward smile and suddenly thought of a question. That was how Luo’er knew her and Sara’s names. Back on the airboat, she had met Tangmo, a stranger. If she had mentioned it, then she should have known Luo’er, but why was she denying it now?

"Erm, ma’am, if there’s nothing else, I think I’ll go ahead and leave!" Tangmo isn’t good at lying, so all she could think of right now was to escape from here.

"You..." Before Yila could finish speaking, Tangmo, without looking back, fled from the place, leaving behind Yila and Sara standing there blankly staring at her retreating figure.

At the end of the street, she was abruptly yanked by Luo’er which startled her, "Luo’er?"

"Did they leave?" Luo’er asked, looking at the street.

"Hmm." Tangmo turned back to look, then nodded.

"Luo’er, why are you so afraid of them recognizing you?" Tangmo asked.

"Hair!" Luo’er pointed to his own blond hair, "If I let them see my hair, how am I supposed to explain it?"

Yila often travels between Yazhi City and Helros, and so she couldn’t have missed seeing people of the yellow race with black hair and brown eyes. The reason she thought Luo’er was a Southerner was because he was a half-elf. But, what would she think if she saw that he dyed his black hair blonde? Considering the tense relationship between the current high-peak people and the headquarters, a black-haired person appearing in Helros would likely attract the attention of the high-peak people’s top brass.

"They’ve always wanted to thank you." Tangmo looked down the street as she spoke.

"Forget it, I kind of regret saving them now." Luo’er waved his hand dismissively.

"I’m sorry." Tangmo couldn’t help apologizing when the matter was mentioned.

"Never mind, it’s not your fault." Luo’er said helplessly.

"I..."

Just as Tangmo was about to say something, a shadow suddenly passed in front of them. Luo’er was stunned for a moment and immediately turned to her and asked, "Did you see that, Moumou?"

"What?" Tangmo asked blankly.

"That guy!" Luo’er pointed to a distant figure.

They saw a burly man wearing a rickety cloak, moving off in the distance. Luo’er noticed that when he moved, his right and left hands didn’t swing in sync – a clear sign he was ready to draw a gun.

This gesture, characteristic of secret agents, might not be so obvious on Earth, but it was very conspicuous in the Otherworld. Because secret agents need to be ready to draw their guns with their right hand, they always swing their right hand less wide than their left. In the Otherworld, adventurers who use swords will hold their scabbards with their left hands and draw their swords with their right, so their left hand swings less wide than their right, a difference caused by the different weapons used in the two worlds.

"Follow him!" Without further explanation, Luo’er grabbed her hand and tried to chase the burly man’s receding figure.

The stranger, familiar with the streets of Helros, quickened his pace as soon as he noticed he was being followed. However fast he moved, though, his right hand always swung less wide than his left, which only solidified Luo’er’s suspicions.

Unexpectedly, they were unable to catch up to the man. After taking several turns, they surprisingly lost sight of him.

"Luo’er, what do we do now?" Tangmo anxiously asked him.

"No point chasing him now, even if we caught up it would be useless." Luo’er reassured while waving his hands dismissively, "The guy was certainly armed."

Luo’er was now sure that there were indeed other Earthlings in Helros. Moreover, they weren’t people from the headquarters, nor were they Russians. If one were to guess based on the worst case scenario, they could possibly be agents from the CIA.

What he didn’t understand was how the CIA managed to get its people into Helros. With the strong magical concentration here, Earthlings couldn’t possibly endure it for long. Based on the fact that each leg of the airboat’s journey takes half a month, these agents could not possibly stay here for more than a week before they have to return.

If they had infiltrated in secret, how could they ensure seats on the airboat for both the outward and return journeys? Please bear in mind that even the headquarters, which has a collaborative relationship with the high-peak people, cannot ensure that the Advance Team gets to ride the airboat both ways. If it isn’t secret infiltration, then the worst-case scenario might be true - that the high-peak people are trying to make contact with the CIA.

If that’s the case, then this intelligence must be reported to avoid the headquarters losing its most important partner in the Otherworld. Otherwise, their efforts over the past three decades would have been in vain.