A helicopter flew over the highway, which was filled with a dense stream of vehicles. The road had been blocked off, and no other vehicles were allowed to pass. Even so, the CCG convoy was moving slowly due to the heavy traffic.

Up ahead, the police were clearing the way, and helicopters whirred overhead, creating a grand scene. At this moment, all the TV stations in Tokyo were broadcasting the event.

"This time, the CCG is working together with the police to launch a surprise attack on District 11. The operation is being led by Special Investigator Marute Zai, and several other special investigators are also involved."

Almost all the citizens of Tokyo were glued to their TVs, eagerly waiting for Marute Zai's speech.

In the command vehicle at the front of the convoy, Marute Zai was calmly giving orders, and Su Xiao was also in the command vehicle. The space inside the vehicle was quite large, with dozens of monitors installed on three sides, allowing Marute Zai to get a better view of the battlefield.

"Hey, Bai Ye, help me handle the TV interview. I don't have time for that right now," Marute Zai said, holding a camera and signaling for Su Xiao to take over the interview.

Su Xiao's face darkened; he didn't want to do an interview. It looked too troublesome. "Uh, I don't have any experience with interviews."

Marute Zai thought for a moment and then took off his Bluetooth headset. "Do you see that white cloth? Hold it up behind me."

The white cloth had the CCG emblem printed on it. Su Xiao pulled it up and held it behind Marute Zai. Marute Zai fixed his hair, cleared his throat, and turned on the camera.

"I'm Marute Zai. The initial phase of the operation has gone smoothly, but..."

Marute Zai paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. "We are putting our lives on the line to ensure the safety of 99% of the residents. The remaining 1% requires cooperation from all residents. I hope everyone can work together with us to reclaim peace in District 11."

After finishing, Marute Zai turned off the camera and let out a sigh of relief. This was a live broadcast, directly reaching the citizens of Tokyo.

"Hey, was that recorded? That pose looked ridiculous," he said.

"Yeah, where were we?" Su Xiao replied as he dropped the white cloth and tossed it aside.

"Right, you were supposed to guard the back..."

Before he could finish, a loud voice came through Marute Zai's earpiece, startling both of them. "Marute, the camera is still on! What are you and Bai Ye doing?"

Marute Zai was taken aback and quickly grabbed the camera. His face appeared on thousands of TV screens. This was a live broadcast, with less than a minute delay. The TV station had kept their conversation on air to boost ratings.

At that moment, the citizens of Tokyo were confused, realizing that the CCG emblem they saw was being held up by a young man in a white trench coat. This amusing scene had many viewers talking.

"This stupid machine is getting more complicated," Marute Zai grumbled, searching for the power switch and instead finding what looked like a battery.

With a snap, the expensive camera broke down. Su Xiao could clearly see Marute Zai shudder; it was obvious that the camera was costly.

...

Half an hour later, the CCG convoy arrived at the Bronze Tree stronghold in District 11. The convoy stopped, and a large group of investigators in combat gear rushed out, starting to set up defensive positions in front of the Bronze Tree stronghold.

The Bronze Tree stronghold was actually an abandoned building. Marute Zai was busy giving orders inside the command vehicle, while Su Xiao jumped onto the roof of the vehicle, comfortably sitting on the radar antenna. From here, he could clearly observe the battlefield.

The sounds of running and urging filled the air. "Hurry! The defense line must be set up in one minute!"

The CCG's defense line was simple; they formed a wall with bulletproof shields in front of the vehicles. This formation had two advantages: it allowed easy access to ammunition from inside the vehicles, and even if someone got injured, they could take cover inside, as all the vehicles were bulletproof and of a high standard.

The defense line was quickly set up, and the CCG personnel maintained silence after completing their preparations. It was around eight in the evening, and the sky was pitch black. The Bronze Tree stronghold was also shrouded in darkness.

The old building of the Bronze Tree stronghold had large sections of its outer wall peeling off, and all the windows had been violently removed by ghouls. Although it was dark, Su Xiao could sense that there were many ghouls inside, at least a few hundred.

Marute Zai did not immediately give the order to attack, as if he was waiting for something. On a nearby rooftop, a few ghouls were either standing or sitting.

"They're faster than I expected," said Takatsuki Izumi, wrapped in bandages, as she watched the CCG personnel from the edge of the building.

"Yeah," responded Mado Tohru, turning to look at the others behind him. These were all high-ranking members of the Bronze Tree, and he began issuing combat orders.

After explaining the specific tasks, Takatsuki Izumi and Mado Tohru left.

"Is this really going to work? I saw that guy," Takatsuki Izumi said, her voice dropping.

Only Mado Tohru was beside her, and she didn't use a fake voice. He remained silent, also feeling a bit worried. Within the Bronze Tree, Mado Tohru and Marute Zai were somewhat similar, both being battlefield commanders.

"No matter how strong he is, he has his limits. We'll only lose a few subordinates at most. As long as we can weaken the CCG's power, it's worth it. The intentions of the CCG's higher-ups are clear; we have disrupted the 'balance,' so they want to eliminate us," Mado Tohru said, his teeth clenched by the end.

Takatsuki Izumi looked up at the sky, feeling a mix of helplessness and resentment. She resented the unfairness of the world and felt helpless living in it.

"One day, I will make it so that ghouls won't have to hide in the dark underground. I swear it," she thought back to her childhood, spending her early years in that polluted underground world until she came to the surface at fourteen, wrote a novel, and formed the Bronze Tree that same year.

...

After a long wait, Marute Zai received orders from headquarters. "Prepare to launch the flares. After the flares are fired, suppress the enemy's fire."

With Marute Zai's command, a flare shot up into the sky, illuminating the surroundings like a sun, brightening the Bronze Tree stronghold.

In the upper windows of the Bronze Tree stronghold, some ghouls in red robes were seen holding rifles.

"Fire!"

The CCG and the ghouls almost simultaneously gave the order, and the sound of gunfire erupted like popcorn popping.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

Sparks flew as bullets ricocheted across the battlefield. Su Xiao jumped down from the roof; he didn't want to become a target.

The situation was different from what he had imagined. Although the CCG had better equipment, the ghouls had better protection; their Kakuja acted as a natural bulletproof shield.

The battle reached a peak right from the start, with both sides unleashing their strongest firepower, aiming to wipe each other out.

Su Xiao hid behind a tall bulletproof shield, a cigarette in his mouth, not even holding a gun.

It wasn't time for him to act yet; there were more important things waiting for him. If everything went smoothly, after this operation, he would be able to exchange for that bottle of [Human Gene Enhancement Liquid].

(End of Chapter)