Chapter 149: Enemies of the World

Xie Liu sat on the rooftop, watching the sun gradually rise. He cast a wary glance at A2 beside him and asked in a guarded tone, "Let's be clear from the start: don't expect to get anything out of me."

"Fine, fine, look how scared you are. I’m not going to lay a hand on you," A2 said, hugging her fair legs and swinging her crystalline feet back and forth as she faced the sunlight.

A2 turned to look at Xie Liu, who was also sitting in the morning light, and then smiled like a little devil. "But what I said before still stands, you know. Could it be that you don't even have a taste for a beauty like me?"

Xie Liu turned his head away without a second thought. "Sorry, I can't afford to keep you."

A2 chuckled and shook her head in resignation. Although she was only teasing him, she actually felt that it wouldn't have been a bad outcome if Xie Liu had truly agreed.

"By the way, Dead-Eye, can you tell me your real name?" A2’s eyes reflected the rising morning sun, her emerald irises tinged with a touch of gold. Upon hearing this, Xie Liu shook his head slightly. "Sorry, I can't say. In our line of work, once your real identity is known, it’s basically no different from being dead."

"I wouldn't tell anyone." A2 was dissatisfied with his attitude, but Xie Liu continued to refuse.

"It’s not a question of whether or not you’d tell anyone; it’s a question of whether or not I should trust you. I cannot expose myself, not under any circumstances." After saying this, Xie Liu turned his gaze to meet A2’s eyes.

"After all, once this is over, we are still enemies."

A2’s expression changed instantly. After a brief moment of shock, Xie Liu felt her demeanor turn cold, and even her tone became heavy. "You’re right. Once it’s over, we’ll be enemies again. And when that time comes, I won’t hold back against you anymore."

"Same here..." Xie Liu looked away.

The sun was now hanging high in the sky, and pedestrians were beginning to fill the streets. To those people, it was just the most ordinary of days.

"Dead-Eye, have you ever considered that everything you’re doing now puts you at odds with the entire world?" After a period of silence, A2 probed him. "When the time comes, it won’t just be our Alliance; your city’s upper echelons will send people to hunt you down, and even secular nations will use this opportunity to intervene. You could say there is no place left in this world for you."

"Even so, are you still sticking to your course?"

"Isn't that why I have you?" Xie Liu didn't answer her challenge, choosing instead to deflect with a grin. "Look, at least you haven’t become my enemy. I’m not quite at the point of fighting alone."

"Me?" A2 pointed at her own nose in surprise, then burst into laughter.

"You’ve got it wrong. I just find this fun. For us special operatives, as long as we find something interesting, we don't care about anyone else's thoughts. Ace, that blockhead, likes to become stronger. A1, that idiot, likes flowers and plants. A3, that fool, acts like a civilian and grinds away at online games."

"As for me, I like other people’s secrets." A2 leaned in close to Xie Liu, a cunning glint appearing in her emerald eyes.

"I can smell secrets on you—lots and lots of secrets." A2’s crafty smile was like that of a girl of seventeen or eighteen. If he didn't know she was one of the strongest special operatives in the Special Alliance, Xie Liu might have truly mistaken her for an innocent girl.

However, her inappropriate attire was a reminder that if one were to truly treat this girl as an ordinary teenager, they would likely meet a miserable end.

Xie Liu did indeed have many secrets, but they were not things he could tell A2. In fact, he had never told anyone. He gazed at the increasingly busy streets and sighed, "This place is really nice. It’s so peaceful."

"But this peace is about to come to an end."

...

Catastrophe Legion Branch.

A tall, burly man walked coldly through a dim corridor. The metal doors ahead opened in layers, and he finally entered a conference room to find seven or eight people already seated. His gaze shifted to the figure at the head of the table, whose back was turned to the group.

"Cajun, you've arrived," one of the people seated at the lower end said. "Alright, aside from the fallen Rand and the catatonic Siposhenko, the other phalanx commanders are all here."

Cajun took his seat, and a phalanx commander tapped the table. "Then I will start by addressing last night's incident."

"In last night's battle at the sub-base, our Second and Seventh Phalanxes suffered heavy losses. The Second Phalanx lost forty-five men with twelve critically wounded; the Seventh Phalanx lost fifty-two men with sixteen critically wounded. Phalanx Commander Rand was killed in action. It is fair to say that these two phalanxes are now in name only."

A buzz of discussion broke out around the table until the person at the front turned his chair to face them.

Han Xun. It was an ordinary name, but in the military of the Fantasy City, it was legendary. He was the commander of the Catastrophe Legion, and two years ago, it was he who led the legion to crush the invasion by the Special Alliance.

Han Xun looked like a white-collar worker in his thirties, yet those who knew him understood that he was a Level 9 powerhouse with a psychic ability rating exceeding eight hundred.

Seeing the commander turn around, everyone stopped talking.

"Cajun, what do you think of this?" Han Xun rarely offered his own opinion, throwing the question directly to the man who had entered last.

Cajun thought for a moment before replying, "Commander, if I may speak frankly, I recall that before the battle began, we received a warning via a private line from Director Vladimir. I wonder if Director Vladimir knew something, and whether we should have the higher-ups inquire about it."

"That is unnecessary. Director Hagen has already asked. Director Vladimir’s response was that the hunter he sent to carry out a mission had discovered the enemy's movements and therefore notified us via a private channel."

Another murmur of discussion arose.

"Commander, that is highly suspicious. If it was a hunter who discovered the enemy's movements, why didn't they inform us through official channels instead of using a private line?"

Han Xun’s face darkened slightly. "Cajun, that is not for you to ask."

"Commander, I am simply indignant. This time, our Catastrophe Legion lost nearly a hundred men, and two phalanxes were crippled, yet we received no information beforehand. It is too strange. The brothers below are restless; they asked me to come and ask you: Why is it always us? Two years ago, we lost half our strength and still haven't replenished it, and now we’ve lost nearly a hundred more, including Rand. The men want an explanation. Why did the enemy target us?"

Han Xun frowned. Before he could speak, the doors to the conference hall opened.

"I can provide that explanation," said a soldier who entered. He bowed and said, "Officers, I am a combat team leader from the Second Phalanx. I know why the enemy chose to attack our sub-base."

He then gestured behind him. "Come in, Wu Yuan."

A pale-faced Wu Yuan walked into the room. He looked at everyone present, then nodded. "Officers, I know the reason why the Special Alliance attacked us."

"Oh?" Everyone, including Han Xun, looked on with curiosity. "Tell us."

"Because there is a traitor in our midst!"

"Buzz—" A wave of commotion erupted in the room. Han Xun frowned and barked, "Quiet!"

Once everyone had settled down, Wu Yuan continued, "That traitor is a hunter from the Hunting Team—Dead-Eye!"

...

"What did you say? Lord A2 followed a hunter from the Hunting Team?" A B-class special operative in the Special Ops branch knocked over his cup in shock. "How is that possible? Lord A2 would defect? That’s impossible."

"Calm down!" another operative shouted. "We shouldn't jump to conclusions without knowing the facts. Lord A2 has always done as she pleases; perhaps she’s just following that hunter for fun. Don't worry!"

"Yes, you're right!" The man clung to the idea like a lifeline. "Lord A2 must just be playing around, just playing around. What should we do next?"

"We’ll organize a team to bring Lord A2 back. If that doesn't work, we'll have to contact Lord A1."

A message was transmitted from a hidden building, and countless special operatives in the vicinity of W City began to converge on the location.

"Also, regardless of Lord A2’s intentions, kill that hunter at all costs!"

...

A woman in a combat suit moved quickly through a metal corridor and pushed open an iron door. Behind the door lay a massive training ground.

"Princess!"

Dozens of people training on the ground looked up at the iron door that had suddenly opened to reveal a slender figure, and they all gasped.

"A mission," the woman by the door said in a crisp voice. "The word from above is that a hunter has defected, and we need to eliminate him."

"John, Zhao Feng, Wang Jianming, Miyamoto Sakurako, and George—you five are responsible for this mission, with John in the lead. These are your targets." The woman dropped two photos: one of Xie Liu and one of Qili.

"Take them out, and then come back alive."

...

In the Catastrophe Legion conference hall, everyone’s expression was grim. They had listened to Wu Yuan in silence, and after he finished, their faces had all changed.

Han Xun crossed his hands in front of him, appearing lost in thought. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "If what he says is true, then two things are certain. First, this hunter called Dead-Eye has indeed defected. Second, that cat-girl child, regardless of whether she is the descendant of a psychic or not, must not be allowed to live."

"Hear my command: every phalanx will select three of their strongest soldiers to depart immediately today. I need you to kill this cat-girl and her daughter at all costs. And if possible, if you see this hunter, execute him on the spot!"

"Understood!" All the phalanx commanders rose and saluted. In this moment, their decision sealed the fate of Xie Liu’s future.

...

Ye Ling and Wendy stepped out of the train station and looked at the unfamiliar city. Both sighed in resignation. "Where on earth is that guy, Xie Liu?"