2026-01-23 12:13:31"Dammit! They’re going to level this place!" Arga shouted. "Rio! Find me another way out! I can’t head through the main entrance carrying a casualty!"
[Ghost: Uncle, look up! There’s a large-diameter waste pipe on the ceiling to your right. I’ve hacked the pressure valve; it’s going to blow and open a path into the city’s drainage system. Move, now!]
Arga hoisted Dr. Amelia with one arm while his other hand snatched her medical bag from a nearby table. Just as he lunged toward the pipe, the first explosion thundered from the floor above.
BOOM!
A massive tremor rocked the entire underground structure. Dust and debris rained from the ceiling as the roar of approaching explosions grew louder. Arga didn't have a second to hesitate.
"Hold on tight, Doctor!" Arga cried out, even though he knew she was unconscious.
[System: Activating Pipe Pressure Compression in 3... 2... 1...]
BOOM!
The large pipe valve exploded from the steam pressure Rio had manipulated, creating a gaping hole that led directly into the dark city drainage tunnels. Arga leaped with system-enhanced strength, gripping the edge of the hot steel pipe and pulling himself and Dr. Amelia inside just as the laboratory below was swallowed by a thermobaric blast.
WHOOOOOSH!
Searing heat licked at Arga’s heels, but he managed to crawl deeper into the damp drainage pipe. Inside, ankle-deep water flowed, but the air felt significantly warmer than the cryogenic chamber.
Arga immediately laid Dr. Amelia down on a relatively dry patch. Her face was still blue. He recalled her words: "Micro... chip... inside... autopsy... wound..."
Using his Eagle Eye glasses, Arga scanned her body. A blue light swept from head to toe until it finally stopped and blinked red on her upper left arm, right beneath a fresh surgical scar.
[Foreign Object Detected: Silicon material detected in the subcutaneous tissue of the left arm.]
"So this is why they’re hunting you to the death," Arga muttered.
[Ghost: Uncle! You can't stop there! The cleanup team has deployed thermal tracking drones into the sewers. They know you survived! You need to reach the coordinates I sent immediately!
"I can't run with her in this state of hypothermia, Rio! Her heart could stop at any moment!" Arga opened the medical bag he had grabbed. Inside was an automatic adrenaline injector and an emergency thermal blanket.
"Uncle, are you sure about the injection? One mistake and she’s dead!" Rio warned through the earpiece.
"There’s no other choice. I’ll make sure it’s precise," Arga replied.
Without wasting a second, Arga administered the adrenaline into Dr. Amelia’s thigh and wrapped her fragile body in the thermal blanket.
"Ugh..." Dr. Amelia coughed, her body beginning to shiver violently—a positive sign that her nerves were reacting to the temperature.
"Doctor, can you hear me? We have to move!" Arga said, helping her up.
"Argh…?" She recognized the voice, though her eyes struggled to open. "They are using the serum on the orphans."
"They? Who are they?" Arga asked.
[Warning: Tracking drones approaching. Distance: 50 meters!]
The hum of drone propellers echoed through the narrow tunnel. Arga drew his pistol once more.
"Rio, have the Black-Cab ready at the drainage exit by the Sector 9 riverbank. I’m going to cause a little chaos here to throw them off the scent."
Arga placed Dr. Amelia in a hidden alcove, then stood tall in the middle of the dark corridor, waiting for the armed drones to appear. His eyes flashed red behind his tactical glasses.
"Come on. Let’s see how fast I can scrap these toys," Arga challenged.
The drone of four armed quadcopters approached rapidly, their red sensor lights sweeping the mossy walls. Arga didn't wait for them to lock on.
[Active Skill: Predictive Accuracy Enabled!]
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Four precision shots rang out in seconds. The bullets struck the drone motors just before they could open fire. The drones detonated in small bursts and splashed into the water in a shower of sparks.
"Who are they, Doctor? Who is behind this insane experiment?" Arga asked as he pulled Dr. Amelia, now fully conscious, back into his arms.
"The Medika... Sejahtera Foundation," she panted, her voice raspy. "The mastermind is Dr. Bramantyo, the Chairman. He’s using orphans as lab rats for a cell-regeneration serum..."
Arga was stunned. The Medika Sejahtera Foundation was one of the city’s largest donors, renowned for its charity work. It turned out that behind Bramantyo’s philanthropic facade lay a cruelty deeper than anything Arga had imagined.
[Ghost: Uncle! Those drones sent your last coordinates to their command center! I’m detecting three black vans approaching the river exit! They aren't police; they're the Foundation's elite mercenaries!
"Bramantyo doesn't want his secrets leaking out," Arga hissed. "Doctor, can you walk? We have to reach the car before they surround the exit."
Dr. Amelia nodded weakly, though her body was still shaking. "Take me... somewhere safe. The chip in my arm... contains the data of the subjects who died. It’s the only evidence that can bring Bramantyo down."
Arga supported her as they navigated the slippery, foul-smelling drainage tunnels. Light from the end of the tunnel began to reveal the dark, foggy riverbank of Sector 9.
[Predator Intuition: 6 targets ahead. They’ve set up an electric net trap at the tunnel mouth!
"Rio, cut the power to the river dock area now!" Arga commanded.
[Ghost: Hacking Sector 9 substation... NOW!]
Snap!
The streetlights and security systems around the dock went pitch black. In the darkness, the Black Cab glided silently without its headlights, stopping right at the tunnel’s mouth.
Arga helped Dr. Amelia into the back seat. But as he went to hop into the driver's seat, a high-intensity spotlight suddenly flared from above the dock, blinding him.
"Who’s there!" a cold voice boomed through a loudspeaker. "Return what belongs to the Medika Foundation, and we will let you walk away."
"They're here," Arga muttered.
The spotlight locked onto Arga’s position, casting long, sharp shadows across the wet asphalt. From behind the blinding light, silhouettes of men in tactical gear descended from the black vans, aiming long-range rifles with red lasers dancing across Arga’s chest.
"Leave the woman and hand over the chip, and you can leave with your life!" the man shouted again.
"Uncle, stay in the car’s protection zone! I’ve detected a sniper on the warehouse roof across the way!" Rio’s warning buzzed in Arga’s ear.
Arga remained undaunted. He stood behind the open car door, using the Black Cab’s bulletproof steel as a shield. "You discuss lives while you murder orphans for experiments? That’s rich," Arga countered coldly.
"Finish him!" the voice from the speaker ordered without hesitation.
TATATATATA!
A hail of bullets peppered the car’s body. Arga ducked while Dr. Amelia huddled on the floor of the rear cabin, trembling.
"Rio, activate the short-range electromagnetic pulse! Now!" Arga ordered.
Ghost: Ready, Uncle! Blinding them in 3... 2... 1... BZZZZZT!]
An invisible shockwave radiated from the car’s hood. Instantly, the giant spotlight exploded, the mercenaries' night-vision goggles short-circuited, and their comms devices emitted a painful screech.
"Now!" Arga leaped into the driver's seat.
[Aggressive Driving Mode: ON] [Non-Lethal Weapon Systems: Active]
Arga floored the accelerator. The Black Cab roared, charging through the line of black vans. From the sides of the vehicle, automatic tear-gas launchers deployed, firing smoke grenades at the mercenaries.
"Cough! I can't see!" one of the attackers screamed amidst the thick fog.
Arga’s car rammed one of the vans, sending it spinning aside and clearing a path to the main highway. He spun the wheel with expertise, weaving in a zigzag pattern to dodge the blind gunfire from behind.
"Doctor, stay down!" Arga yelled, glancing at the mirror. Two high-powered dirt bikes had started pursuing him, attempting to shoot out his tires.
[Ghost: Uncle, they’re persistent! They just activated the GPS tracker on the microchip in Dr. Amelia’s arm! As long as that chip is on her, they’ll keep finding us!]
Arga cursed under his breath. He had to get that chip out, but he couldn't do it in the middle of a high-speed death chase.
"Rio, find me a route to a Signal Dead Zone! I need five minutes for an emergency extraction!"
[Ghost: There’s an underground tunnel in Sector 4 under renovation. It’s lined with thick lead; their GPS signal won't penetrate it. But Uncle, the path is extremely narrow!
"Do it!" Arga snapped.
***
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Chapter 53: The Bio-Terrorist’s Puppet Show
Amelia dashed down the emergency stairs. Meanwhile, at the exit gate, the situation had reached a breaking point.Adrian stood firmly in the middle of the exit lane, blocking a white van that was attempting to speed away. The driver slammed on the brakes, causing the tires to screech and leaving behind the pungent stench of burnt rubber."Get out of the way, idiot! Do you want to die?!" the driver screamed, pulling a pistol from inside his jacket.Adrian didn't flinch. He spun his tactical baton with surgical precision. "You aren't taking these babies one inch from here."The van's rear doors swung open. Four burly men jumped out, armed with blades and baseball bats."Ready to engage!" Adrian reported to Rio via his earpiece.Crash!Adrian initiated the attack. He ducked as a baseball bat swung over his head, then countered by slamming the tip of his baton into the opponent's shin. A sickening crack echoed, followed by a scream of agony. At that moment, three of Wijaya’s men who had a
Chapter 52: Triggering the Trap
Arga continued to flip through his audit files with practiced precision. His eyes moved nimbly as if verifying crucial figures, but his primary focus remained on the blue indicator in his breast pocket—wirelessly linked to his contact lens HUD.[SYSTEM: DATA ENCRYPTION & CLONING]Logistics Database: 65%... 80%...Medical Division Fund Flow: Complete.Secret NICU Patient List: Complete."Just a little more, Uncle," Rio whispered over the private comms channel. "The data coming in is insane. There's a shipping manifest labeled 'Biological Products' destined for a black-market pier north of the city. And according to the schedule, it’s supposed to go out in an hour!"Arga’s jaw tightened. He glanced at his watch. If this data was accurate, those infants were being prepared for transport right now."Done," Arga announced suddenly, his voice loud enough to startle the guards in the corner of the room.He slammed the heavy folder shut with a deliberate thud to break the silence. "Your syste
Chapter 51: The Audit of Deception
Amelia followed Dr. Cecep toward the medical service elevator. Along the way, her sharp forensic senses picked up an unusual chemical scent far too pungent to be a standard hospital disinfectant."Rio," Amelia whispered almost inaudibly, her hand reaching up as if to adjust the collar of her white coat. "I’m heading toward the NICU. Dr. Cecep seems extremely agitated. The Truth Seeker on my system flashes red every time he mentions protocols.""Stay careful, Doctor. Stay alert," Rio’s voice replied from the other end. "Adrian is also at the hospital disguised as an office boy; he will ensure your safety. If anything happens, signal him immediately."Amelia gave a small hum in acknowledgment. "I haven’t been able to hack the hospital’s CCTV yet. Adrian will have to slip into the security room."Amelia continued walking with a steady, calm gait, even as the tension around her grew thicker. Dr. Cecep checked his watch several times; seeing the gesture, Amelia realized the doctor was expe
Chapter 50 : The Cat and Mouse Game
Arga walked firmly across the polished marble floor of the Hartex Property lobby. Each step of his shoes produced an authoritative click, creating the intimidating aura necessary for his role as a senior auditor.At the reception desk, a neatly uniformed woman greeted him with a professional smile, though her eyes betrayed a hint of nervousness at Arga’s rigid demeanour."Good morning. I am Arga Dirgantara, the external auditor appointed by the board of commissioners," Arga said in a deep, expressionless voice. "I believe my visit schedule was entered into your system five minutes ago."The receptionist quickly checked her computer screen. "Ah, yes, Mr Arga. My apologies for the delay in confirmation. Please, let me escort you to the executive elevator. The Operations Director is currently out, but you have been granted full access to the twelfth floor as per instructions."Arga gave a curt nod. As he walked toward the elevator, his HUD contact lenses continued to work, mapping the po
Chapter 49 : Mission: Traces of the Missing Infants Begins
"Rio, have our digital identities ready within the hour. I need a profile as an external financial auditor to infiltrate Hartex. Amelia, make sure your credentials as a forensic doctor from the central medical board are flawless. They need to feel intimidated by your presence, not suspicious," Arga instructed in a cold, measured tone."Leave it to me, Uncle," Rio replied, his fingers dancing nimbly across a holographic keyboard. "I'll slip your names into the official visit schedule. By the time you reach the front gate, their system will recognise you as legitimate VIP guests."[SYSTEM: OPERATION HARVEST PREPARATION]Target A: Hartex Property Headquarters (Arga).Target B: Medika Sejahtera Hospital - Neonatology Unit (Amelia).Primary Objective: Establish physical root access to allow Rio to hijack the internal servers.Equipment Status: HUD Contact Lenses (Active), Micro-Signal Transmitter (Standby).Arga stood up and put his jacket back on."One more thing. Remember the scorpion ta
Chapter 48: The Missing Trail
“Thank you for helping us,” said the man currently sitting in the back of the car.“If it weren't for you, we might not have made it out alive,” he continued, wiping away tears while embracing his sobbing wife.“You’re safe now,” Arga said, glancing back. “We saw you standing in front of the hospital demanding your child back. What exactly happened?” Arga asked, probing for information.The man looked hesitant, glancing at his wife, who was now drying her eyes.“That hospital... they kidnapped my baby,” the wife suddenly sobbed.“Kidnapped? But how is that possible?” Arga asked. He had already activated a voice recorder to capture their story.“Only two weeks ago, I gave birth via C-section at that hospital. But they told us our baby had jaundice and a weak heart, so he had to stay for intensive care. At first, we could still visit him in the nursery, though only from a distance. I was hospitalised for three days before being discharged. Every evening, my husband would go to the hospi
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