Chapter 148
Night deepened. The private jet cut through layers of clouds, speeding toward Sylvanor.
Inside the cabin, the lighting was soft. Elijah stood nearby, delivering the latest updates. "Boss, the Black Wolf Crew has significantly increased their guards over the past two days. Word is, they've brought in two more armed units from the west."
Lucinda leaned back in her seat, flipping through satellite maps on a tablet.
The map was densely marked with red dots—every known Black Wolf Crew location.
After hearing Elijah's report, her expression didn't shift. "Have we confirmed Niamh's location?"
"Not yet." Elijah's face darkened. "They've moved her to three different holding sites. We're still tracking her down."
Lucinda's gaze turned cold. Her fingers tapped lightly on the table.
Just then, the pilot's voice crackled through the intercom, sharp with alarm. "Boss! Black Wolf Crew anti-aircraft fire! Three kilometers out! Closing in fast!"
The air in the cabin froze.
Elijah's face went pale. "Missiles?"
The next second, a shrill alarm pierced the air.
Red lights flashed throughout the cabin.
The pilot's voice turned frantic. "It's artillery! The Black Wolf Crew is firing at us from the ground!"
Before he could finish, a deafening explosion rocked the plane. The entire fuselage shuddered violently, as if struck by something massive.
The water glass on the table flew off. Several people were thrown to the floor.
"We're hit! The tail fin's been damaged! We're losing control!"
Panicked shouts came from the cockpit.
The next moment, the plane began spinning wildly. A crushing sense of weightlessness swept through the cabin. Chaos erupted. Some were flung across the space.
Elijah gripped his seat to stay upright. When he looked back, he froze.
Lucinda sat perfectly still, as if none of this affected her at all.
She lifted her head. Her voice was terrifyingly calm. "Stop panicking."
With just those two words, the cabin miraculously fell silent.
Everyone turned to her, as if she were their anchor.
Lucinda stood and made her way toward the cockpit, gripping the walls for support.
The turbulence continued, but her steps were unnervingly steady.
Inside the cockpit, the pilot's forehead was drenched in sweat. When he saw Lucinda, he quickly reported, "Boss, the tail fin is thirty percent damaged! We can't hold out much longer!"
Lucinda glanced at the instrument panel. In less than a second, she assessed the situation. "Abandon the original route. Drop altitude immediately. Descend to ten thousand feet and find the nearest flat area for an emergency landing."
The pilot hesitated. That area was a barren desert—no facilities, nothing.
He stammered, "But that place—"
"Execute the order." Her tone was sharp, final, leaving no room for argument.
Meeting Lucinda's calm gaze, the pilot felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance. He gritted his teeth and nodded. "Yes, ma'am!"
Ten minutes later, the plane finally broke through the cloud layer, shaking violently.
With a thunderous crash and the screech of grinding metal, the fuselage slammed into the wilderness below.
The tires scraped against the ground, throwing up long trails of sparks, before the plane finally came to a shuddering stop.
The cabin fell deathly silent.
Then it erupted in cheers.
"We made it!"
"Holy hell! I thought we were dead!"
"Boss is a legend!"
Everyone looked at Lucinda, their eyes full of worship.
In a situation like that, anyone else would've panicked. But she hadn't even furrowed her brow.
Lucinda pushed open the cabin door. The night wind rushed in.
She looked into the distance. The coldness in her eyes deepened.
"The Black Wolf Crew did this."
Elijah followed her gaze. His expression turned savage. "Those Black Wolf bastards—they actually dared to shoot down your plane!"
"Enough talk." Lucinda turned and headed out of the cabin. Her voice was low. "Get the vehicles ready. Notify everyone. We move tonight."
Seeing the look on Lucinda's face, Elijah swallowed hard.
Whenever the boss wore that expression, someone was about to have a very bad day.
He snapped to attention and nodded quickly. "Yes, ma'am!"
Twenty minutes later, a convoy of modified combat vehicles roared into the night.
In the lead vehicle, Lucinda sat in the passenger seat, staring expressionlessly at the map in front of her.
The convoy stopped behind a sand dune on the outskirts of the Black Wolf Crew's base.
Lucinda pushed open the door, crouched behind the dune, and raised her binoculars.
In the distance, the mining complex was brightly lit. Armed sentries stood on towers. Behind the perimeter walls, the outlines of several armored vehicles were faintly visible.
Her gaze lingered on the firepower positions for a moment. Her lips curved slightly.
Then she lowered the binoculars, reached behind her waist, and pulled out two remote detonators. She handed one to Elijah.
"Team A hits the east ammunition depot. Team B hits the west fuel depot. Detonate simultaneously."
"After the explosions, everyone retreats south. Regroup at the third dune. No prolonged engagement. No chasing. Blow it and go."
Elijah took the detonator, nodded, and disappeared into the night.
An hour later, at the Black Wolf Crew's outer base.
The guards hadn't noticed anything yet. Then, in the distance, a low rumble.
The next second, a deafening explosion tore through the night sky.
Flames shot into the air. The entire warehouse was reduced to rubble in an instant.
Moments later, another explosion erupted nearby.
Wave after wave of blasts swept through the base. People fled in terror. The scene descended into chaos.
By the time the Black Wolf Crew regained their senses, half the outer base was destroyed.
The night sky glowed red with firelight. The Origin Oath Crew stood on a distant rise, watching the inferno, their eyes full of admiration.
"The boss is the boss!"
"They dared blow up our plane?"
"Now they know what 'dead' means!"
"Those Black Wolf bastards never saw this coming!"
Elijah stood nearby, gazing at the slender but unyielding figure at the front. His eyes were filled with awe.
This was the Origin Oath Crew's faith.
As long as she stood there, everyone felt safe.
In the early hours of the morning, the convoy returned to Origin Oath Crew headquarters.
The base gates slowly opened. Countless members had been waiting on both sides. When they saw Lucinda step out of the vehicle, they all lowered their heads in unison.
"Boss!"
The sound was deafening.
Lucinda nodded. Just as she was about to enter the meeting room, her phone buzzed in her pocket.
She glanced down. It was a video call from Reginald.
She frowned. Her finger hovered over the screen for a moment before she declined it.
The people around her exchanged glances, disbelief written all over their faces.
Who would dare video call the boss?
Less than three seconds later, the phone rang again. This time, it was a voice call.
She answered. The voice on the other end carried a trace of concern, but the tone remained gentle. "Busy?"
"Yes." Lucinda leaned back in her chair, her voice flat. "Just finished a meeting. I'm a little tired."
"Have you eaten?"
Lucinda's steps faltered. Elijah beside her nearly popped his eyes out of his skull.
Who?
Who dared speak to the boss like that?
And even more absurd—the boss was actually answering patiently?