Niko's keyboard clicking sped up.
One after another, shipping records, port logs, and surveillance screenshots flashed across the screen.
He manipulated the touchpad, dragging useful information into a newly created folder.
"Give me a moment."
He didn't even look up.
"Before dark, I'll find their most valuable route."
Goreinu stood up, walked to the window, and pulled the curtains open just a crack.
Outside, the sky was gradually darkening. The streets were deserted, save for a distant streetlight casting a small patch of pale light onto the damp ground.
He closed the curtains and turned to look at Kastro and Niko.
Kastro sat there, as still as a stone. The blue light from Niko's screen reflected off his face; he was focused, his fingers never stopping for a second.
The sound of a passing car came from outside—the engine noise grew louder before fading into the distance.
Only the soft tapping of the keyboard and the steady breathing of the three men remained in the room.
Goreinu walked back to the table, sat down, and flipped through the materials Dean had left behind once more.
This time he read even slower, processing every number, every route, and every name in his mind.
The situation in Qilulu City was more complex than he had anticipated, but not so complex that it was unmanageable.
The key was speed—to finish what needed to be done before the opposition could react.
Niko suddenly hit the Enter key, the sound echoing loudly in the quiet room.
"Found it."
He turned the screen toward Goreinu.
On the screen was a satellite photo marking a route from Qilulu Port to the inland mountainous region.
Beside the route were dense annotations of checkpoint locations, vehicle swap points, and even the names of the people in charge at each node.
"This is Carlson's most valuable line. It moves arms and rare metals, with at least ten billion passing through every month."
Niko pointed at the screen, a hint of excitement in his voice.
"If this line is cut, Victor Carlson will be more frantic than if his own mother had died."
Goreinu looked at the winding red line on the screen, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.
"Then this is the one."
He said.
"We move tomorrow."
Meanwhile, Leo was working hard to wipe out various wanted criminals, striving to increase his Rank.
The following night, on the outskirts of Qilulu City.
The night was as thick as undissolvable ink.
There was no moon, and the clouds hung low, completely veiling the starlight.
The distant city lights blurred into a hazy orange glow through the smog, like a crouching giant beast.
The wind on the cliff was strong, making the hem of Goreinu's clothes flutter loudly.
He crouched behind a rock and raised his binoculars, aiming the lens at the winding road below.
The road was narrow; two cars could barely pass side-by-side.
On one side was a steep mountain wall, and on the other was a dark river valley. The sound of the river rose from dozens of meters below, torn to shreds by the wind.
The road had been carved out of the mountain face, with one curve after another—a natural ambush point.
In the night-vision goggles, spots of light appeared in the distance.
One, two, three... they formed a line, moving slowly along the dark mountain road.
"They're here."
Goreinu whispered.
He handed the night-vision goggles to Kastro beside him and pulled out his phone to check the real-time location sent by Niko.
"They're following the planned route. Thirteen vehicles in total."
Kastro took the goggles and aimed them at the string of lights.
Through the lens, the convoy wasn't moving fast. Each vehicle maintained a fixed distance, their taillights and headlights flickering alternately as they navigated the curves.
"Excluding the six cargo trucks, the escort should consist of about thirty people, all fully armed with firearms."
Goreinu's voice was soft, scattered by the wind, but Kastro heard him clearly.
To the right, Niko sat on a flatter rock with a laptop on his knees. He had dimmed the blue light of the screen to its lowest setting, just enough to see the keyboard.
His fingers slid across the touchpad, his eyes fixed on the satellite map and the convoy's position on the screen.
"It's easy if they follow the planned route."
He looked up, a smile on his face.
"Low-yield bombs have already been planted along the road. I'll activate my ability in advance to jam all their communications, then we'll attack from both sides. We can catch them completely off guard."
Kastro nodded and tucked the night-vision goggles into his pocket.
He patted Niko on the shoulder.
"Then let's begin."
Niko took a deep breath, and Nen slowly surged from his body.
"My ability—Cyber Canopy."
His finger pressed the Enter key on the keyboard.
The screen lit up, casting a cold, blue-white light onto his face.
"The first application: using my conjured computer as a focal point, I expand a Domain with a one-kilometer radius. Within this Domain, I can jam all signals—phones, radio, internet; nothing gets out. Any message sent outward must have my permission."
He paused and added.
"At the same time, I can grant permissions to specific people, allowing them to communicate with each other within the Domain without any equipment. It's like..."
He thought for a moment.
"Like having walkie-talkies installed in your brains."
Goreinu and Kastro exchanged a look.
This ability was far more complex than they had imagined.
"And the limitations?"
Kastro asked.
Niko nodded, as if answering a question he had long anticipated.
"While using this ability, most of my Qi is used to maintain the Domain. I can't launch attacks, nor can I use 'Ken' to protect myself, and—"
He patted the computer on his knees.
"If anyone destroys this computer, the ability is deactivated. With my current Qi reserves, I can probably hold it for about two hours."
Goreinu marveled.
"That's enough. Two hours is plenty for us to do a lot."
The corners of Niko's mouth curled up slightly.
"The second application: using myself as the focal point, I can't move, but I can conduct long-distance communication. Regardless of whether there's a network or where you are, as long as you wear this—"
He conjured a pair of earphones.
"Wear this, and we can talk anytime."
He stopped, his expression turning serious.
"However, if I take any damage in this state, the ability will be interrupted and deactivated. Furthermore, I'll be forced into 'Zetsu' for the entire following day, unable to use Nen at all. I'd have to wait three days to use it again."
Then, Niko dispersed the Qi in his hands, and the earphones vanished.
"An excellent ability."
Goreinu patted Niko on the shoulder.
"It's complex. I'm impressed."
Kastro didn't say much, only nodding, but he did so with great emphasis.
Niko smiled; there was satisfaction in that smile, but also shyness.
"Alright, let's move. Don't miss the opportunity."
He refocused on the screen, his fingers tapping the keys a few times.
"In five minutes, I will jam all communication signals. They won't be able to make calls, send messages, or transmit any signal."
"I'll observe and direct from here. I'll notify you of any developments."
Goreinu and Kastro nodded and turned to head down the cliff.
The night quickly swallowed their figures.
Only Niko remained on the cliff.
He placed the computer on his knees, the blue light of the screen illuminating his face.
Goreinu's voice came through his ears, very clearly.
The screen showed several dots of light—two blue ones moving toward the road, and over a dozen red ones advancing slowly along it.
His finger tapped the touchpad, bringing up a detailed map of the road section.
"The target will enter the ambush zone in three minutes."
His voice, transformed into Nen waves by his ability, was transmitted precisely into Goreinu's and Kastro's ears.
"There's a large rock on the east side for cover. The drainage ditch on the west side can hide a person."
"Copy that."
Goreinu's voice echoed back in his mind.
Niko stared at the screen, watching the two blue dots move into position and the red dots draw closer.
His finger hovered over the keyboard, waiting for the perfect moment.