Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 652 - 645: Face-to-Face Meeting

Chapter 652: Chapter 645: Face-to-Face Meeting

Twenty minutes after waking up from the plane crash, the Advance Team had readied their counter-attack and planned to use their air and ground reconnaissance advantage, hoping to launch a strike on the enemy’s anti-aircraft positions.

Luo’er had a reason to believe, these were the people who attacked the reconnaissance aircraft, causing it to disappear. Not only that, but they also set a trap here, baiting the coming reinforcements into a concentrated attack.

Though their identities were still unclear, Luo’er thought that, judging by their weapons and equipment, Earth was somehow involved in this matter.

Since the Advance Team entered the Otherworld, the Central Intelligence Agency has been relentless, from early ambushes with mercenaries to the later encounters in Helros, their presence could be felt in all conflicts.

But intercepting and destroying a reconnaissance aircraft was not a laughing matter as the aircraft was transporting virus samples from epidemic regions. Once leaked, it would create a new epidemic zone, nullifying the containment efforts of the Church Court and the Northern countries. The Headquarters would then become the primary entity responsible for the leakage.

By then, not to mention acquiring the Otherworld Gate, the whole Otherworld might become an enemy to the Headquarters. What’s more, if this kind of virus infects Earth, the consequences will be even more severe, a responsibility no one can take.

Because of this, when Luo’er reported the information to Li Si, Li Si did not hesitate and immediately forwarded the information to Wang Xu at the frontline command post in Yazhi City.

Upon receiving the information from the front lines, Wang Xu felt his head was about to explode. After a brief moment of confusion, he instructed someone to report the information to Headquarters while arranging a meeting with the representative of the Central Intelligence Agency in Yazhi City.

In his view, although the Headquarters and the Central Intelligence Agency were in opposition, they were both from Earth and compared to the beings of Otherworld, they were the same kind. Therefore, he felt that no matter what, there should be a bottom line for each party.

If the transported virus is leaked, it will endanger the safety of hundreds of millions of people, initiating a man-made catastrophe. And if the virus spreads to Earth, the consequences will be equally dire.

There are many ways to conduct political battles, and none of the battling parties can claim righteousness, but causing casualties among innocent civilians is not a good method. Though there is no absolute justice in the struggle between the two parties, only relative justice. But causing casualties among innocent civilians is indisputably the wrong choice; not wrong in a political sense, but wrong in every sense.

Soon, under each party’s arrangements, the respective representatives met in a small tavern outside Yazhi City three hours later. The agents and mercenaries they brought surrounded the entire tavern and drove away the lingering civilians around.

Wang Xu remembered that a year ago, they, the CIA, and the Church Court had a meeting regarding the Anti-Magic Blade, the aim was to assure that none of the parties would instigate the other into confrontation.

Last time the CIA sent a young representative, but now he was meeting a middle-aged white man. According to Headquarters’ intelligence, the man was named Delray, a former veteran agent of the CIA, and currently a high-ranking official stationed in the Otherworld. Of course, his name was obviously fake and just a code name.

"Hello, Mr. Delray!" Wang Xu nodded and sat opposite Delray.

"Hello, Mr. Wang!" Delray nodded back with a smile.

"Mr. Delray, I wonder if you are aware of the recent epidemic in the northeastern part of Odelanqi?" Wang Xu asked directly.

"I know something," Delray nodded, his tone reflecting his caution.

"Together with the Church Court and Odelanqi, we have put a lot of effort into resolving the epidemic as quickly as possible, and we have achieved satisfactory results. Once we find a way to combat the virus, the epidemic, which affects millions of people, will be completely eradicated," Wang Xu said.

"That’s great news for your department." Delray nodded with a smile.

Upon hearing his response, Wang Xu looked at him, pursed his lips, and continued, "Yesterday, one of our reconnaissance aircraft borrowed from the Ronisca Air Force lost contact on its way from the infected area to Yazhi City. We sent a squadron to investigate, but it was attacked from the ground. Are you aware of this, Mr Delray?"

"It’s your department’s matter, we wouldn’t know," Delray said nonchalantly, his hands crossed on the table. After a pause, he deliberately looked at Wang Xu and asked, "Mr. Wang, you don’t think we did it, do you?"

Wang Xu stared at him, his face expressionless, which contrasted starkly with Delray’s indifferent one. After hearing Delray’s words, Wang Xu’s jaw twitched slightly before he continued, "The aircraft was carrying virus samples from the infected area. If they leak, a new infection will emerge, and hundreds or even thousands of innocent civilians could die. It would be a disaster for the Otherworld and, if the virus spreads to Yazhi City, it could pass through the Otherworld Gate to Earth. Then it would no longer just be a disaster for Earth."

Wang Xu became more impassioned as he spoke until he finally paused to take a deep breath. After a brief respite, he said to Delray, "Mr. Delray, we might be in opposition now and for a foreseeable time. So often, we can’t sit down and talk face-to-face calmly. But let me remind you. Competition should have a bottom line, and humanity matters. Deliberately causing a disaster should never be the first choice in a struggle."

Wang Xu’s words meant to warn Delray that the CIA and the Headquarters might be at odds, but their actions should have a bottom line, and they should not deliberately cause a disaster as a means to contain the other party.

It was a subtle warning to Delray that the Headquarters probably knew about the CIA’s involvement in this matter, so they were warning him not to try to spread the virus as a form of resistance.

"Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Wang. We will adhere to basic human decency. We surely won’t deliberately cause a disaster," Delray said flatly.

"This is not a diplomatic occasion, and there are no reporters, so there’s no need for officialese," Wang Xu paused, then carried on, "Mr. Delray, for the safety of the Otherworld and Earth, we will mobilize all resources, at all costs, to find the virus. If the virus does leak, we will blockade the infected area to prevent further spread. So, I would advise you to prepare yourself!"

Wang Xu’s words were a blunt threat; his tone never softened. He warned Delray that the CIA better not consider using viral spread as a weapon against Headquarters. He also informed Delray that Headquarters would go to all lengths to retrieve the virus. If the CIA interfered, they would fight to get the virus samples back.

This meeting was essentially a challenge from Headquarters to the CIA. So far, though the two had clashed covertly in the Otherworld, their interactions had remained cordial. Employees even greeted each other when they met on the street.

However, if the CIA were to leak the virus, Headquarters would have no qualms about confronting them openly, disregarding any semblance of civility. Wang Xu made it very clear that aside from crossing that line, Headquarters would use any means necessary to expel the CIA’s influence from the Otherworld altogether.

Upon hearing Wang Xu’s words, the indifference on Delray’s face gradually solidified, replaced by a frown. Wang Xu’s attitude signified they had touched on Headquarters’ sensitive issue here. If they ended up in an open conflict, it would benefit no one.