Chapter 1383
If Yates weren’t the founder of Area Opaca, Eleanor might have found his actions somewhat touching.
But at that moment, she felt nothing, simply quickening her pace to keep up with his stride.
Peterson was the one behind the wheel, and there were no other passengers.
Eleanor thus confirmed her earlier suspicion: aside from Peterson, the rest of the Sharp clan were
oblivious to Area Opaca’s existence.
She scoffed at Yates’ ability to deceive, while he tried to impress upon her just how ruthless the Siren
Organization was, and the extent of suffering its victims within Area Opaca had endured.
Yates’ attempts at indoctrination bored Eleanor. She threw him a few sarcastic remarks, turned her
head away, and started to memorize the route as the landscape whizzed by outside the window…
The journey was long, entailing a drive, followed by a helicopter ride, a ferry crossing, and several more
rotations of helicopter transport, spanning an entire day and night, before reaching an unnamed
mountaintop.
Eleanor suspected Yates was deliberately taking a roundabout route to prevent her from memorizing
the path. Yet, as they transferred from one mode of transportation to another with such familiarity, it
didn’t quite seem so.
Frustration clouded Aidyn’s features as he pounded the steering wheel, his voice laced with irritation.
“That cunning old man,” he muttered under his breath, “Despite our chopper on standby, we’ve lost his
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Scott tried to calm him down, “Hey, the guy founded Area Opaca. If he lacked this kind of counter-
surveillance skill, we would’ve toppled him by now. Don’t rush it, we’ll wait for the lady to send her
location.”
While the two men waited, Eleanor was already following Yates and Peterson towards a secluded
cottage.
Yates wasn’t worried about her knowing too much. He pointed out the scattered villas within the
mountain’s embrace.
“See that south-facing villa? That’s District A. The one to the north is District B, to the west is District C,
and to the east, that’s the Bio Zone…”
After briefing her on Area Opaca’s layout, Yates told Eleanor that since she was to be a player, she
should familiarize herself with the terrain and rules of the game.
Only then did Eleanor realize that Area Opaca was established underground and those villas were its
gateways.
No one would suspect such a hidden location, nor would they imagine that villas housing ordinary
residents could be the facade for a den of malice. Having explained the essentials of Area Opaca,
Yates led her into the villa in District A, home to an elderly couple who greeted him with utmost
reverence.
Through their conversation, Eleanor learned that the couple were former housekeepers for the Sharp
family, well-cared for by Yates, who had provided for them and nurtured their children – it was no
wonder they held him in such high esteem.
Eleanor recognized Yates’ talent for leadership and strategic thinking, but she was repulsed that he
used these skills for nefarious purposes. Yates led her to a basement that felt like a labyrinth, twisting
and turning until they reached a heavy metal door.
He went through an extensive security process – facial recognition, iris scanning, palm print, voice
verification- and only then did the door swing open. Entering Area Opaca wasn’t as simple as stepping
through the door; it required an elevator ride, followed by several corridors, before finally arriving at
District A.
Yates took her to the upper level, directly to the control room – the nerve center from which he
commanded all operations.
A man in black brought over a mask, painted with the image of a Blue Jay, a favorite motif of her
grandmother.
Yates said he had made the mask as a reminder to avenge her, always instilling thoughts of
vengeance, something that made Eleanor uneasy. Yet, she had her reasons for being there and
suppressed her discomfort.
After fitting her with the mask, Yates had Peterson call the other operators to a meeting in the control
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Eleanor’s intention was simply to meet Bernard and relay what she knew to him.
Yates, however, said that after the announcement, he would allow her a private meeting with Bernard,
so she said no more on the matter. Peterson activated the control panel, and a mechanical voice
immediately echoed through Districts A, B, and C.
The operators, busy with their tasks, swiftly halted their work and headed to the control room.
Eleanor, observing the people on the monitors, asked Yates about the number of operators.
He explained that each district had two groups, each with nine members, all his partners. In addition to
the operators, there were many men in black. Having roughly gauged the layout and personnel,
Eleanor seized the moment before the meeting to sneakily check her phone for a signal. Finding it
unblocked, she quickly excused herself to the restroom, hid in a stall, and rushed to send Aidyn a
message along with her location.
Yates, keenly aware of her intentions as soon as she asked to use the restroom, nonchalantly nodded
to the man at the control panel, who began typing codes to intercept the message.
Eleanor, oblivious to any issues on her phone, was relieved that the message had been sent. She
quickly pocketed her device and left the restroom. When she returned to the control room, it was filled
with individuals wearing masks and black protective suits.
The operators lifted their heads as she entered, their gazes heavy even behind their masks, each a
titan of industry.
Eleanor steadied her nerves, ignoring the intense scrutiny, and took her place beside Yates as he
motioned for her to sit down.