Chapter Seventy: Conversation

“What the hell is that thing?” Wendy stared in shock at the monstrous metal creature towering fifty or sixty meters high before her, toppling mountains and forests as it thundered after Xie Liu and Angela with murderous intent. “What kind of trouble have you stirred up this time?”

“This really isn’t my fault, I swear I didn’t do anything—ah, no, stay away from me!” Xie Liu screamed, dragging Angela with him as they fled for their lives. They finally made it to the beach, only to find the sand pitted and scarred as if Wendy and Ace had plowed through it themselves, leaving it riddled with craters. Xie Liu’s eye twitched. “You two are like a pair of walking T-Rexes.”

“Would you die if you stopped with the wisecracks?” Wendy cursed, bending her knees and leaping away from Ace to land beside Xie Liu. She pulled both Xie Liu and Angela behind her, then stood alone, sword in hand, facing the looming wall of metal barreling toward them. Wendy took a deep breath. “Xie Liu, what is this thing? Where did you run into it?”

Panting heavily, Xie Liu shook his head. “I have no idea what it is—it’s a monster created by the Special Forces Alliance, born out of Iron Fist’s vengeful resentment after Snake Fang’s death. As for its abilities, I really don’t know. It must be a new technology they’ve developed recently. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“This is seriously making my skin crawl.” Wendy gripped her sword tightly, watching the creature’s massive body grow even taller. In a matter of moments, it swelled to seventy or eighty meters.

“It seems to be absorbing nearby metal. The more it absorbs, the larger it gets. I don’t know what its limit is, but at this rate, it’ll dismantle the entire Hokkaido Division in less than half a day.” Xie Liu’s eyes flashed red. “With my infrared vision, I can see Snake Fang’s position—he’s right at the very center, probably the core driver of this thing.”

Wendy nodded and pushed Xie Liu away. “Take Angela and fall back. I’ll test what this guy is capable of.”

Each step the metal giant took sent tremors through the earth. Compared to this seventy, eighty-meter colossus, Wendy’s figure was almost negligible. The giant finally reached the beach and seemed to notice Wendy; it raised its massive arms and slammed its iron fists down toward her.

“Whoa!” Wendy cried out as the enormous fist hurtled toward her. Without hesitation, she slashed upward with her sword.

Sparks exploded. Wendy grunted as fist and blade collided, and she was sent flying without suspense. She soared over a hundred meters, crashed onto the surface of the sea, and tumbled dozens more before finally sinking beneath the waves.

“Wendy!” Xie Liu hadn’t expected even someone as strong as Wendy would be unable to withstand a single blow. Her slender body looked like a kite with its string cut, vanishing beneath the water. A surge of anxiety seized him.

But the tension lasted only a few seconds—Wendy’s slim form burst from the waves, soared into the sky, and landed safely on the sand. “That thing’s seriously tough. For a moment, I thought I was done for!”

Only then did Xie Liu feel a small wave of relief. If Wendy had really been knocked out by just one punch, there would have been no point in fighting at all—they’d just have to run for their lives.

But even though Wendy was unharmed, Xie Liu’s expression remained grim. Ace was troublesome enough on his own, and now there was a metal monster to deal with too. Their side was at a clear disadvantage.

“Angela, can you get in touch with your sister, Franny?” Xie Liu could only think of Franny now. If she could get here in time, everything would be much easier. He didn’t believe that even Ace plus the metal monster could compare with the fourth-ranked esper in the City.

Angela shook her head honestly. “My sister won’t be able to receive any messages right now, and even if she did, there’s no way she could get here in time.”

Hearing this, Xie Liu rubbed his head in frustration, turning his messy hair into a bird’s nest. For the first time, he truly felt at a loss.

“This won’t do.” He slapped his cheeks hard. When their whole Misfortune Squad had first faced Ace, he’d managed to lead a team of weaklings to victory. Now, with an expert like Wendy on their side, was he really going to back down?

“Angela, tell me—what are Wendy’s abilities?” Xie Liu turned to her, explaining, “To make an effective plan, you have to know both yourself and your enemy.”

“Wendy’s ability is full-body enhancement, but since she’s female, raw strength isn’t her strong suit. Her main enhancements are in nerve response speed and bodily agility. Besides that, her perception is extraordinary—she can avoid the effects of wind and air pressure even at high speed. At full power, she can move at supersonic speed, but her body can only handle it for up to nine seconds.”

“Excellent.” Xie Liu closed his eyes in thought while Wendy, sword ablaze, once again faced the metal giant.

“The characteristics of the Special Forces Alliance’s soldiers?” Xie Liu asked next. Angela responded without hesitation. “Their soldiers come in three levels. The first is reactor enhancement, similar to extreme development—these are usually rank D or below. The second is gene-enhanced soldiers, made by splicing in other species’ genes for power. The results vary, from E to A rank, and most have some non-human traits.”

Xie Liu shook his head. “Ace clearly isn’t either of those.”

“The third level is partial modification. The Alliance uses extreme development to boost a soldier’s basic abilities, then implants needed genes or mechanical parts in specific body regions. The idea is to perfect every part of the body, but it’s incredibly difficult—so far, they’ve enhanced seventeen different body functions. These soldiers are usually A-rank, but they’re too expensive to produce in large numbers.”

“I see what you mean.” Xie Liu nodded as Wendy was sent flying again by a single slap, but he remained calm. “What about their weaknesses?”

“The Alliance’s real technical bottleneck isn’t physical enhancement—they’re way ahead of the City on that front. Their biggest problem is nerve signal transmission speed. In other words, their reaction time can’t keep up with their physical capabilities.”

“I think I’ve got part of the answer. Good, let’s keep going—” Xie Liu stopped mid-sentence, for he suddenly saw Ace standing on a nearby reef, smirking at him and Angela.

“That bastard just can’t leave me alone?” Xie Liu cursed, grabbing Angela’s hand to escape, but it was too late. Ace’s figure flickered and instantly blocked their path. “Deadeye, we meet again.”

“Uh… is there something I can do for you, sir?” Xie Liu forced a strained smile, but his darting eyes gave him away.

“Why is that battle maniac Wendy going toe-to-toe with the metal monster instead of coming to my rescue?” Xie Liu cursed inwardly. But seeing Wendy sent flying yet again, he realized she was fully preoccupied.

“No more tricks, Deadeye.” Ace’s smile was cold as he toyed with his blade. “Thanks to your shot that day, I spent a whole month in a cultivation tank.”

“You’re too kind, really. Seeing you so full of life is a great relief. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be off now,” Xie Liu said, grinning. Ace didn’t seem in a hurry to strike, but he also wouldn’t let Xie Liu get far. Xie Liu nudged Angela, signaling her to leave, but the stubborn girl just shook her head.

“Don’t you want to greet an old friend?” Ace’s gaze shifted to Wendy, who was still locked in fierce battle with the metal giant.

“I don’t think we’re that close.” Seeing Angela’s refusal to leave, Xie Liu felt a headache coming on. She was great in every way, but when she dug in her heels, not even a team of oxen could budge her.

“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt her.” Ace glanced at Angela. “She’s a Delian. That race is rare enough—I know how to protect endangered species.”

Whether Ace was serious or just making a grim joke, Xie Liu wasn’t about to trust him. He tensed, puzzled as to why Ace, who could easily kill him in an instant, held back.

“I’d love to cut you down right now, Deadeye, but you’re lucky—2B told me she’d take your life herself. So I’ll let you keep it for the time being. I’m just here to see what’s so special about the man who put me in a tank,” Ace said, studying him closely. “You’re stronger than last time. Interesting.”

Xie Liu laughed, spreading his arms. “You really want to see? Here I am—look all you want, free of charge.” He stepped closer and whispered in Ace’s ear, “If you let me go today, you’ll regret it someday.” Then he stepped back, mockery in his smile.

“Oh?” Ace replied carelessly. “Maybe I should just finish you off tonight.” He set his blade at Xie Liu’s throat, but Xie Liu only smiled, a picture of nonchalance.

Ace seemed to search his face for some other reaction, but soon gave up. The harmless-looking boy before him merely smiled, undisturbed. Ace sheathed his blade. “You’re an interesting one. I’ll be waiting for your fight with 2B.”

Just then, Wendy let out a roar like a raging lion, and a violet arc of sword-light slashed through the sky. The metal giant staggered back under its force. Ace muttered, “That woman’s impossible!” and sprang toward the reeling monster.

“Who’s impossible now!” Xie Liu muttered, relieved as Ace left. Only then did he realize his legs had gone weak, and he collapsed onto the sand. “Huh!” he exclaimed, staring at his trembling hands, which refused to obey him. Soon, his arms were shaking, and then his whole body.

“I thought I wasn’t afraid of anything,” he said, letting out a shaky breath.

“Brother Xie Liu.” Angela knelt beside him, reaching out to help him up, but he shook his head, signaling her not to waste the effort. He couldn’t very well admit his legs were too weak to stand.

“I think I’ve figured out how to deal with that thing,” he said at last, after exhaling the weight on his chest, nodding solemnly.