This squad had over thirty members. They wore black balaclava hats on their heads, complete black combat uniforms, and their faces were smeared with camouflage paint.

    Upon closer inspection, one would find a small red "X" marked on their right chest. This proved their identity—they were the elite of the United Front. Sёarch* The N??elFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    And so, under the cover of night, this elite squad moved lightly, skillfully shuttling through the wilderness, towards Moonlight Forest.

    They seemed to become one with the wild grass and trees all around, further aided by the chaos following the premature emergence of Moonlight Lake and the disarray among the four major organizations, so much so that they reached a small hill near Moonlight Forest without being detected by anyone.

    Once they reached the high point of the hill, the leader signaled for concealment to the members behind him.

    He himself then lay on the ground and pulled out night vision binoculars to observe Moonlight Forest.

    At this moment, Moonlight Forest was bustling with activity.

    The Investigation Bureau of Eastern City and Xinjie City Military Department, thanks to their early advantage, firmly occupied the largest area of Moonlight Lake, setting up several water pumps to extract "Tears of Moonlight" from the lake.

    It seemed that the Eastern City Military Department had come to an agreement with Liu Xiongyuan, hence also occupying a small area and beginning to set up their equipment.

    Among the four powers, only the Xinjie City Investigation Bureau had not yet made a move.

    Director Lin Ting of the Special Service Department, who had already rushed over, was negotiating loudly with the other three parties.

    The detectives of the Special Service Department were already lined up, guns at the ready, making threatening gestures.

    But possibly one of the agreements reached between Liu Xiongyuan and the Eastern City Military Department was to withstand the pressure from the Xinjie City Investigation Bureau.

    So without the need for the Eastern City Investigation Bureau and Xinjie City Military Department to act, the Eastern City Military Department had already deployed several middle squads to block the Special Service Detectives from Xinjie City.

    Both sides faced each other with guns, neither daring to fire easily, merely showing their stance to the other.

    And it was precisely because of this standoff between the four parties that the reinforcements guarding and isolating on the outside of Moonlight Forest were being continuously pulled in, which in turn made the defenses outside of Moonlight Forest increasingly lax.

    This provided an opportune moment for the elite squad of the United Front. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire

    After assessing the situation on the field, the United Front leader murmured, "The defenses on the south and north are both loose. We can sneak in quietly."

    With that, he raised his hand, licked his finger, and held it up to the air to feel the wind.

    "The wind is from the south tonight."

    "We enter from the south."

    After speaking, he turned to look at the United Front members behind him and said, "Are the materials and equipment ready?"

    "We only have one chance."

    Hearing their leader''s words, all the elites on the scene nodded their heads in unison and silently.

    They had a determined gaze, as though they were preparing for an important mission.

    "Move out!" After whispering the command, the leader rose from the ground, crouching low, and led the team of elites towards the south.

    The southern guard was manned by the Xinjie City Investigation Bureau, whose forces had been greatly drawn away because of the standoff at Moonlight Lake, leaving it particularly vulnerable at this time.

    Moreover, the situation had arisen so suddenly that no preemptive plans had been made, so the United Front squad effortlessly entered Moonlight Forest after quietly neutralizing a few sentries.

    Stepping on the thick layer of fallen leaves in Moonlight Forest, the leader quietly arranged for his men, "We''ll spread out and set up, trying not to attract official attention."

    "Afterward, follow my command to act together."

    "Yes! Yes! Major!" the other elites responded in unison after hearing their leader''s arrangement.

    Their mission tonight did not seem to be a frontal struggle for Moonlight Lake, nor to steal the "Tears of Moonlight" bottled by the four powers.

    Instead, they had other plans.

    They scattered throughout Moonlight Forest, then poured out thick black liquid from containers in their backpacks onto the fallen leaves.

    After emptying one container, they moved to another spot to continue.

    Soon, the southern area was covered with the thick black liquid.

    The black liquid carried a strong odor that, when blown by the wind from the south, went unnoticed by those on guard outside by the Xinjie City Investigation Bureau, but the four powers standing off at Moonlight Lake seemed to vaguely catch the scent.

    Director Lin Ting, who was in the midst of angrily rebuking the other three parties for not keeping their promises, was the first to sense something was wrong.

    "What is this smell?"

    Smelling the pungent scent, Lin Ting''s brows furrowed deeply, and he turned his head to look in the direction they had come from.

    At this time, the other powers also seemed to have caught onto the scent.

    "What''s this stench so unpleasant?"

    "What is this smell? Why does it stink?"

    As more and more people began to notice the odor,

    the driver who had been following Lin Ting seemed to suddenly realize something. He looked up abruptly, his face stricken with terror, and said in a low voice, "Chief! It''s gasoline! Gasoline!"

    Hearing the driver''s warning, Lin Ting''s realization struck hard!

    Gasoline! Why would there be gasoline in Moonlight Forest?!

    Thinking this, he abruptly looked up as if struck by a thought, then cast his eyes on the dry trees and down at the thick layer of fallen leaves beneath his feet.

    It was late fall now.

    The leaves had fallen completely and were baked dry by the hot autumn sun, devoid of any moisture!

    What would happen in a forest full of fallen leaves and deadwood if they caught fire from gasoline?

    In that moment, Lin Ting''s face turned ashen!

    A premonition of doom crept into his heart!

    And just then, suddenly, a red signal flare exploded above the dark southern edge of Moonlight Forest!