Chapter 592 Unexpected
Even Lina was a little surprised when she saw that what was taken out of the crate was actually firearms.
The reason was simple: any organization that could produce such a large quantity of these things, no matter their origin, was unlikely to be “vegetarian.”
Wayne actually observed more closely; these lever-action rifles looked like they were produced by a “major manufacturer,” but they had no brand name on them.
Many firearms in the West were leaked from state armies or militia organizations—including those the mayor acquired for the Sheriff and some townspeople—but they usually bore manufacturer plates, and some even had additional military markings. Commercial firearms were the same; they wouldn't be so “bare.”
This batch of goods looked a bit strange, and it was unclear what kind of secret operation they were intended for.
After a brief search, both of them each took a lever-action rifle and some bullets from another type of box, then quickly slipped away through a hole.
Their curiosity satisfied, they also needed to confirm whether Connal and the others were indeed left here.
So, starting from the “Big House,” the two of them stealthily moved towards the “Iron Fence House,” acting even more cautiously than before—when police or government employees encountered bad guys, there was usually a “warning” or “arrest” process, but military personnel might not do the same.
With Peter the Spider present, many things became much easier.
The security at the Iron Fence House was even stricter than at the Big House, but ordinary people usually couldn't even prevent cockroaches from entering their homes, let alone Peter the Spider.
Unfortunately, not everyone in this arms base was an ordinary person. Less than ten minutes after Peter the Spider crawled in, a low but penetrating drum sound rang out:
“Boom boom boom boom boom boom—”
At first, it was “mono,” but soon horn sounds responded from the valley.
One became two, two became many, and the sound became “stereo.” Along with the background sound effects, lights quickly lit up everywhere, making the night valley look like a disturbed nest of fireflies.
“Should we go rescue Peter?” Wayne asked Lina while charging a stone in his hand.
Lina tilted her head slightly in silence for a moment, then pointed in a direction, “He shouldn't have been caught. We'll retreat in that direction, make a half-circle, and pick him up along the way.”
At this point, guards were already moving on the road, though not in large numbers. There were about five or six people per team, and it seemed there were only three or four teams scattered near and far.
Without further ado, the Detective Agency had already prepared contingencies for some situations. Wayne threw the stone in the opposite direction, and Lina had already angled a firework with an extended fuse into the ground, aiming at other locations they didn't plan to go to.
Compared to his time in the West, Wayne's total spiritual power was now much more abundant. He basically reserved enough for “two lives” for himself, and since the rest couldn't advance his rank anyway, there was no need to be so frugal anymore.
The sound of the stone landing was inaudible, but after the firework shot up with a “whoosh,” its explosion drew a volley of gunfire.
“Bang bang bang bang” from near and far. After Wayne had moved a bit further away, he also detonated a stone, creating a “boom—” and then the commotion grew even louder.
Night truly is the golden hour for mischief, from ancient times to the present. With Wayne's simplified vision and the guards carrying lanterns to announce their positions, the two deliberately dove into the darkest spots, and for a time, they weren't caught.
When Peter the Spider returned, Lina watched it make a series of “hand gestures,” then turned her head, “Peter didn't have time to check all the rooms, but he didn't see Connal either. Most of them were empty. Should we retreat first?”
“Yes,” Wayne nodded, and the newly charged stone in his hand was already ready, which he casually dropped by the roadside.
Judging by the other party's reaction, these people were clearly unfriendly towards intruders.
If something happened to Connal and the others here, the probability of “collecting their bodies” felt higher than “being imprisoned.” Since the situation had been confirmed, it felt better to know when to quit and bring more people if necessary.
Then there was another flurry of activity. Besides ordinary guards, there were clearly other Extraordinary People here.
Although Wayne and his companions used “under the lamp's shadow” tactics and various “feints,” the pursuit never slowed down too much, only lagging by a few beats.
Considering the potential identity of the other party, Wayne was not suitable to actively kill them, to avoid endless subsequent investigations. If he were to shoot, it would probably be to “aim for injury, avoid fatality.”
So the two of them ran a marathon through this small “block,” feeling like they were playing a “power-up race” in a racing game, with their route twisting and turning, constantly accompanied by various strange sound effects.
Inessa was also busy. When the two arrived, several traps had already been set up on the hillside.
If Wayne hadn't been able to see in the dark, he probably would have been “taught a lesson” by the tripwires first.
Then they met up, ran away, crawled through barbed wire, and got on their horses.
The three did not go directly towards the workshop but took a strange, continuous curved path, crossing rivers and railways several times. They also waited for a while behind a small hill, planning to give the pursuers an “unexpected surprise” and then tell them something like, “You can't mess with Cohen Pharmaceuticals.”
Unfortunately, they didn't give Wayne this opportunity. It seemed that once they were outside the barbed wire fence, the pursuit stopped.
Lina earned 20 dollars for this, and the three of them reviewed their actions while heading to the workshop.
“I didn't expect that place to be an arms depot. Many previous signs now make perfect sense. Perhaps it was due to transportation needs that they had to build the secret facility near the steam train line. It's a bit of a shame, though, that we couldn't confirm the situation with Connal and the others.”
“We can consider having owls or peregrine falcons scout tomorrow. However, there are Extraordinary People among the guards, and they don't lack firearms, so casualties are likely. The Beaton Family seems to have some connections with the military, so I might be able to ask Victor Beaton for help.”
“It's a pity Liam went to the First Office, and it might not be safe for Chameleon to scout alone… Peter, how were you discovered just now? Did you encounter a person or something else?… Hmm? Did you come into contact with the aura of the death domain?”
Wayne and Inessa looked over in unison at her words.
Inessa seemed slightly puzzled, “Are there actually Extraordinary People from the death domain in America's military? Given the Holy Spirit Church's infiltration into all sectors of America, I thought they couldn't hold positions in the military.”
Wayne had initially thought of using materials from the death domain to make an unsealing injection for Inessa. After hearing her speak, his attention drifted elsewhere:
“That doesn't seem right either… None of those firearms had nameplates, and when they sounded the alarm just now, they used drums instead of military horns. I just feel like they don't quite resemble regular army or militia personnel.”
The three chatted as they went. They had already alerted the enemy tonight. While a “counterattack” wasn't impossible, there were so many guards there, and their scout, Peter, was restrained. They couldn't just rush in without a grudge—if they ended up finding out Connal and the others weren't inside, that would be a bit of black humor.
While still discussing how to conduct the second “stealth reconnaissance,” the three had already returned to the workshop and found that the wooden house used as a kitchen was brightly lit. They went over to take a look.
It turned out Chef Parker was busy, and Doug and Daimon McQueedy were sitting at the dining table, watching Connal and a few others feast…
No, wait…
Wayne was still feeling surprised when Lina directly asked, “Connal, how did you get back by yourself?!”
Connal's expression was also a bit bewildered: “Huh?”
