Chapter 47: Confrontation (Part One)

By the afternoon, the battle had reached a fever pitch. Xie Liu and his companions had dispatched twenty-two opponents; the remaining enemies, sensing the threat, ceased their fire. Thirty-four men had encircled the six of them, not leaving a single survivor, only to lose more than twenty of their own—a staggering record, so dreadful that the hunting team’s combat power could no longer be countered by mere numbers.

Despite having killed the vast majority of the enemy, Xie Liu and his group were in no better shape. Exhausted, they lay behind countless shattered tree trunks. Xie Liu turned over, stretching out on a bed of fallen leaves. Glancing at the weapon in his hand, he realized the bullets were spent. With a sigh, he tossed it aside. “We need to get to the car,” he said. Escaping the enemy would take more than just their legs.

“The road ahead has been sealed off. If we want to get through, we’ll have to confront them,” Li Shizhu shook his head, sitting on the ground, his face pale. Maintaining a high-intensity mental link was taxing even for him. Xie Liu sighed and looked at Lin Yang, “Do you have any ideas?”

Lin Yang, drenched in sweat, leaned against a tree trunk, panting as he watched an armed helicopter fly overhead. “Even if we reach the car, we’ll still have to deal with that.” He gestured toward the machine above. If not for Xu Xiong’s electromagnetic shielding, they would have long been detected and scanned by the helicopter’s electronic devices. But once they left the forest, there would be no need for scanning—anyone, unless blind, could see them.

“But if we don’t get to the car, we’ll be facing wave after wave of killers. Right now, perhaps due to time constraints, the Special Alliance has only sent ordinary mercenaries. Give them time, and what awaits us will be the modified humans and machines,” Xie Liu said gravely. “If the gene-modified and cybernetic agents of the Special Alliance aren’t dangerous enough, there are also the city’s superhumans.”

At this, Gong Hou sat up. “You’re right. We can’t stay here. We need to get to the west coast and return home.” They knew all too well the power of superhumans. In a matter of seconds, the group seemed to reach a consensus: return to the SUV.

Angel nestled quietly in Ye Ling’s arms, watching the boys converse. She remained silent, her gaze bewildered. In that brief moment, Xie Liu and the others made their decision. Lin Yang signaled with hand gestures, and the five young men crawled through the battle-scarred woods, with Ye Ling following, carrying the dazed Angel.

When they glimpsed the SUV from afar, Lin Yang signaled everyone to hide. Xie Liu raised his head, scanning with infrared vision, spotting three or four hidden figures. Lin Yang looked to Xie Liu, who nodded. Lin Yang whispered, “Just as expected, they’re lying in wait for us here. How many in total?”

“Four. One under the car, one behind a rock at the rear, one in a nearby tree, and the last, most audacious, is inside our car,” Xie Liu sneered, his expression gleeful as if he’d laid a trap and was watching the enemy walk right into it.

“What did you put in the car?” Ye Ling asked curiously, sensing Xie Liu was up to no good. As Xie Liu produced the keys, he replied, “Unfortunately for them, there’s a recording of Vladimir singing inside.” Ye Ling hadn’t yet processed this when Gong Hou and the others visibly paled. “No way—you actually put a ‘genocide-level’ weapon in the car?”

Xie Liu pressed the button mischievously. “The car can be remotely controlled, you know.” He laughed heartily as the man hiding inside clutched his ears, burst out of the car, and screamed like a madman. The one under the car crawled out, tried to stop his teammate, failed, then stuck his head inside to check—and promptly lost his mind as well.

“Rest in peace,” Xie Liu and the others crossed themselves in mock prayer. “That guy once tried to trick us, embedding a psychic attack in his own song recording,” Lin Yang patiently explained to Ye Ling, then added, “Even without the psychic attack, the song itself is a mental assault.”

“Now’s our chance,” Lin Yang called out. He and Xie Liu sprang into action. One charged into the woods, a flash of blade slicing through the leaves. With a muffled grunt, a body fell from the dense foliage, a throwing knife lodged in its throat—dead in moments. Meanwhile, Lin Yang appeared atop the rock behind the car, his lightsaber flashing downward, severing the enemy’s head.

“Hurry up,” Lin Yang urged the others. Li Shizhu glanced back into the jungle. “Another twenty-six are coming our way, and it looks like there’s—”

“What is it?” Lin Yang opened the car door, preparing to enter. Li Shizhu shook his head, “I must have sensed wrong. It’s nothing. Let’s go.” He climbed in. Xie Liu got in last, taking the driver’s seat once everyone was inside. “Let’s get moving,” Ye Ling said to Xie Liu, glancing at the two men collapsed by the roadside, victims of Vladimir’s music. Xie Liu gave a cold smile. “All right, let’s go.” He started the car, unnoticed by everyone, at that moment tossing a small explosive between the two unconscious men.

No one saw him do it. Xie Liu drove off into the distance. After a while, a distant explosion echoed, by then the group was drifting off to sleep. Xie Liu drove leisurely, watching the helicopter head for the blast site, and clicked his tongue. “These people are so foolish.”

...

The atmosphere in the car was chilly. Apart from Xie Liu at the wheel, everyone else was lost in slumber. Xie Liu blinked, fighting off fatigue, and glanced at Ye Ling beside him and Angel in her arms. He smiled gently. “Angel, you’ve watched long enough. Am I really that frightening?”

Angel opened her big eyes, staring at Xie Liu, then asked, “How did you know?”

Xie Liu shook his head. “I knew the very first day. The others couldn’t see it, but I’m different; you can’t fool my eyes.”

Angel pressed her lips together, wanting to speak, but Xie Liu sighed, “You don’t really look mature right now, and it’s not as if I don’t understand you.” Angel paused, silent, and Xie Liu continued, “I get it—you have your reasons. But you’re still just a child, nothing more.” He smiled at Angel. “Just smile happily like a child should.”

Angel opened her mouth to speak, but no words came—only tears streaming down her cheeks. Xie Liu sighed with a chuckle. “You’re clearly still a kid, so why pretend? Are all little girls dark inside when you cut them open?” Angel wiped her tears, managing a small smile. Xie Liu took a deep breath. “I used to want to leave you behind. I’m sorry. That’s why you’ve been afraid of me, keeping your distance. Well… anyway, I’m sorry.”

Angel shook her head tearfully. Xie Liu reached out and mussed her hair. “Find a chance to tell everyone, properly.” Angel nodded, resting her head on Ye Ling’s shoulder, staring at Xie Liu. After a long silence, she spoke, “Can I call you ‘weird uncle’?”

“Of course,” Xie Liu grinned strangely. “Angel, don’t blame uncle for fooling you. I can’t take you to the seaside just yet.”

“It’s all right,” Angel smiled with her eyes half-closed. “Actually…” She hesitated. “I’ve always lived by the sea, but I’ve never seen the ocean. What I really want is to watch the sunrise over the water.”

“Then uncle will take you,” Xie Liu promised solemnly. Angel nodded, then added, “But Angel still doesn’t like weird uncle.”

Xie Liu pouted, “Then who do you like?”

Angel pursed her lips, “I like big sister best, then fat uncle, and then pretty uncle!”

Fat uncle, pretty uncle… Xie Liu nearly laughed aloud. Indeed, Angel was still just a child. With that thought, he felt relieved and focused on driving. Angel lay in Ye Ling’s arms, watching Xie Liu, and soon drifted into sleep.

...

Franny frowned lightly, gazing toward the mountains with a questioning look. Wendy, noticing her expression, asked, “What’s wrong, big sister?”

Franny shook her head, frowning. “Their psychic seems to have detected me.”

Wendy’s eyes widened. “How is that possible?”

“Perhaps not fully detected—just sensed my mental scan. Even so, this psychic isn’t simple,” Franny brushed her hair from her ear. “Wendy, let’s go. Unless necessary, don’t kill.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Wendy huffed, annoyed, rising from the rocks. Her short purple hair swayed with her proud figure as she turned to smooth her ponytail. “Let’s go!”