A few minutes later, Lu Yan boarded the helicopter. For easy identification, the pilot wore a badge with a work ID on the chest. Generally, the tasks assigned were based on allocation, but usually, the preferences of the Harbingers were also considered.
For instance, with Lu Yan's spiritual power threshold at around four thousand, he was well-suited for clearing the undead in the cemetery. However, he expressed a desire to go to the reservoir. Therefore, the pilot received orders to take him to the corresponding location.
Having been a part of the Special Operations Department for quite some time, Lu Yan had always explored freely. This was the first time he received a task from the department.
The system said, "[I would call it a main mission.]"
After disembarking, Lu Yan checked the "Special Operations Department Employee App" on his phone, which had been idle for a while. It vibrated and displayed a series of task messages.
【Mission Code a-381】
【Executor: Lu Yan (Support Type)】
【Formation: b2】
【Team Members: Zhou Qiming (b, Special Type, Team Leader); Chen Shier (Combat Type); Detective (Support Type)】
As the first two were not Special Operations Department employees, their names were followed by numbers. Clicking on them revealed basic information about the members, including a summary of their talents and past operational experiences.
To enhance trust among team members, the headquarters preferred to select employees with complementary abilities or those who had cooperated before, forming temporary task groups.
Therefore, seeing familiar names did not surprise Lu Yan much.
【Mission Overview: The First Research Institute is located below the Qinglong Reservoir. On September 9th at 22:47, it was attacked by pollutants. As the first institute to research pollutants, each level inside detains many pollutants as test subjects. If these subjects escape, it will cause irreversible damage to City A.】
【Mission Objective: Clear the underground 1st floor b2 area (see map)】
In Lu Yan's memory, the underground 1st floor of the institute served as a shelter and living area, with levels 2 and 3 dedicated to experiments with numerous animals and plants. However, that was decades ago.
The helicopter reached above the reservoir. On the shore, a temporary supply station had been set up. Many workers moved in and out, all wearing uniformed outfits. From a distance, they looked like diligent worker ants.
A red-background yellow-letter banner hung on the supply station, and Lu Yan squinted to read it: "Unity for a Pollution-Free Disaster Relief."
The system commented, "[Not bad, very atmospheric. It's getting tense.]"
The pilot asked, "Mr. Lu, do you know how to parachute?"
During headquarters training, parachuting was a mandatory skill for employees. Lu Yan had even tried free-falling from six thousand meters and emergency bouncing from just a hundred meters above the ground.
He fastened the parachute around his waist and chest, and as the cabin door opened, Lu Yan leaped out.
The area around the reservoir was flat, so as long as he didn't land in the water, everything should be fine.
In the supply station, Lu Yan spotted his teammates for this mission. After half a year, Zhou Qiming's face seemed more heroic, with narrow features resembling a mixed-race male model, eyebrows almost reaching his temples.
Upon seeing Lu Yan, Zhou Qiming appeared particularly delighted and rushed over for a bear hug.
Lu Yan sidestepped, avoiding the hug. Zhou Qiming's expression turned wounded.
"Why are you here?" Lu Yan asked.
Zhou Qiming usually resided in the Sichuan-Chongqing province, in D City, which was a hundred thousand miles away from City A.
"It's a long story. I wasn't originally a member of the Special Operations Department," Zhou Qiming sighed deeply. "But my game is about to be released, and I came to City A for a launch event. Who knew this would happen? It just happened to coincide."
The detective on the side sarcastically remarked, "Why do you always hit pity timers in gacha games? Can't you keep track?"
"Dr. Lu, I didn't know you were in City A before. I wished you good morning, good afternoon, and good night on WeChat every day, but you never replied..." Zhou Qiming said somewhat dejectedly, then subconsciously looked up and glanced at Lu Yan's head.
After half a year, Lu Yan had gained two new titles on his head— one was the golden "Cult Ender (Intermediate)," and the other was a pink title that Zhou Qiming had never seen before. Zhou Qiming used his mental mouse to click on it, and the tooltip showed that the pink title was a hidden title from a special dungeon.
"Dagger-Wielding Beauty."
Zhou Qiming sneakily searched on his phone; it referred to a stunning beauty with high charisma and allure. He felt a pang of realization and took out a mirror to check.
Sure enough, a clear pink title hung above his head— "Victim D."
Below it was his original title: "Game Developer."
So, who were A, B, and C?
The main gate of the institute had been completely blown open, and water had flooded the underground 1st floor.
The underground 1st floor, initially a temporary shelter and living area, had been partially transformed into an experimental zone as space became insufficient.
Unfortunately, many of the pollutants studied in the underground 1st floor were aquatic, especially algae and fish.
The dam of the reservoir had urgently stopped the water flow. To prevent these pollutants from reaching the river, real-time pollution value detectors were installed around the surrounding waters.
"The cleanup of the underground 1st floor can be done by diving into the reservoir directly. Other floors can use the internal employee elevators in the reservoir," Zhou Qiming explained as he put on his diving helmet.
Lu Yan looked towards the direction of the employee elevator. Since it was a single-person elevator, many people were still waiting in line.
Among the team, a man with a long spear stood out. He had one eye blind, inexplicably not wearing an artificial eye but a eye patch. Despite that, he exuded an elegant aura, like a noble from the medieval era.
On his shoulder, a three-headed crow perched. Two of the crow's heads were skeletal.
His gaze seemed particularly sensitive to others, and when he turned his head, he coincidentally locked eyes with Lu Yan, offering a faint smile.
The system commented, "[Odin, second on the Tianqi Forum's rankings, code-named Odin, mixed-blood. Massive transformation towards ossification. Spiritual power threshold 9400. Seriously, don't you think your fishpond should be expanded?]"
Lu Yan didn't quite understand what the system was saying.
He asked, "Where's Tang Xunan?"
"[Currently on the 7th floor underground, facing off against pollutants released by the prophet.]"
Zhou Qiming added the setting of "being able to breathe underwater" to all team members, even though Lu Yan could breathe underwater. The oxygen tank on his back was for his teammates.
Everyone jumped into the reservoir one by one, resembling frogs being thrown into a pot.
Since the entire research institute was like an inverted pyramid, the first floor had the largest spatial range. Headquarters had dispatched a total of 25
Harbingers, divided into five areas for action.
In addition, hundreds of auxiliary team members were conducting pollution cleanup outside the reservoir.
The drainage system of the underground 1st floor of the research institute was mostly paralyzed. Most areas were completely submerged.
After diving about ten meters, Lu Yan finally saw the institute's gate. The metal gate had melted almost entirely, creating a large hole through which the lake water had poured in, even revealing several grass carp swimming around.
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