The metallic scent of blood was pungent. Zhou Tianming covered his nose as he crawled out from under the bed.
His handsome features were twisted in discomfort, lips pressed tightly together.
The gunshot wounds on his body throbbed painfully with every movement, fresh blood beginning to seep through again.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Zhou Tianming scanned the room for anything to dress his wounds.
Near the foot of the metal-framed bed, close to the door, stood a gray metal wardrobe about his height—fortunately spared from the earlier firefight due to its position.
He approached and pulled it open.
The unlocked wardrobe revealed a blue uniform and a black women's suit hanging inside. Below them was a bulging white plastic bag.
Pulling it out, he found it filled with brightly colored children's clothes. Zhou Tianming even dug out a little girl's dress from the pile.
Expression grim, he tore the fabric into strips to bandage the gunshot wounds on his left arm, chest, and abdomen.
Thanks to Sure Evade, the bullets had only grazed him. Though the bloody gashes looked gruesome, they were merely flesh wounds—painful but not mobility-impairing.
Next, he crept out into the hallway, peering around the corner cautiously.
Silence enveloped the surroundings—no voices, no gunfire.
After scanning the walls and floor, noting their colors, he retreated back into the room.
Rummaging through the white bag again, he searched for beige clothing that would blend with the hallway's palette.
It might not be foolproof, but even a momentary distraction could give Zhou Tianming the split-second advantage to shoot first.
The memory of that precisely calculated headshot before he blacked out remained vivid in his mind.
It had taught him how to wield this Ultimate Coordinator's body in combat.
After some digging, he found two beige outfits: one was a short-sleeved overall set, the other a full-body bunny costume.
Zhou Tianming naturally opted for the overalls—only to realize they were sized for a 1-2-year-old. Far too small.
His handsome face impassive, his gaze shifted to the bunny suit.
A grown man like me...
...
With the sound of a zipper, Zhou Tianming pulled on the fluffy bunny costume, the large ears flopping down as he donned the hood.
He wrapped the overalls tightly around his rifle, thoroughly disguising the black weapon. After inspecting his handiwork, he gave a satisfied nod.
Setting the rifle aside, he began collecting ammo from the other two guns, stuffing the magazines into the bunny suit's belly pouch.
Everything was ready—except for one lingering problem that gave him a headache.
The problem was how to find Zhou Hanxiang. Zhou Tianming had only heard her voice and knew nothing about her height or build.
Phone number? None.
Shouting loudly wasn't appropriate given the current situation.
Waiting idly made Zhou Tianming worry Hanxiang might be in danger.
...
After much deliberation without finding a good solution, Zhou Tianming could only pin his hopes on his golden finger.
Closing his eyes, his consciousness sank inward. The original mental space had disappeared, replaced by a bird's-eye view from above.
In his mind floated a golden sphere, semi-transparent with a black seed inside.
Around the sphere orbited 18 different emblems like satellites.
Upon observing the golden sphere, information naturally surfaced in his mind:
Mental Power — 130/130
Those emblems were the Mental Commands from "Super Robot Wars."
Focusing his thoughts on the Mental Commands, detailed information emerged.
Zhou Tianming examined them one by one, searching for a useful Mental Command. Their effects differed from those in the game.
But as he looked, his brow furrowed as he calculated silently.
[Concentration: 15]
[Sure Evade: 40]
[Overdrive: 10]
[Unyielding: 20]
The previous Mental Commands had consumed a total of 85 Mental Power, yet the golden sphere showed a full value.
Had it fully recovered during his earlier unconsciousness?
Just then, the Mental Power value changed — 129/130.
Consumed?
Zhou Tianming was puzzled but quickly realized the truth.
Of course, this made sense. Mental Power naturally depletes while awake.
He scrutinized the golden sphere representing his Mental Power.
Had it shrunk by more than half?
The thought prompted him to compare it with his memory of the sphere in the dark space.
Sure enough, it was nearly half its original size.
His eyes widened in shock as a possibility struck him.
Mental Commands didn't consume Mental Power—they consumed his Mental Power Limit.
This was trouble.
If it was his Mental Power Limit being drained, he couldn't use them as recklessly as before.
To confirm his suspicion, Zhou Tianming searched for the lowest-cost Mental Command to test his theory.
[Analyze: 1 point.]
Activate.
His mind began operating at high speed.
With the goal of finding Hanxiang, his brain, driven by the [Analyze] Mental Command, automatically compiled all previously received information.
Hanxiang had mentioned her part-time jobs, but those details were buried in five years of fragmented conversations.
Yet within seconds, every part-time job she'd ever mentioned was listed.
The workplaces she'd referenced were neatly organized by job.
Her appearance also took shape in his mind, pieced together from offhand remarks about her features and hairstyle.
With that, the effect of [Analyze] ended.
Zhou Tianming immediately checked his Mental Power: 129/129.
The excitement from [Analyze] faded.
His worst fear was confirmed.
Sighing, he realized future actions couldn't be as unrestrained as when he'd fought his enemies earlier.
Recalling the list of part-time jobs from [Analyze], Zhou Tianming stared at the six packed entries.
It was hard to imagine Hanxiang had been working nonstop like this for five years.
Touched, his eyes reddened slightly.
Sniffling, Zhou Tianming grabbed his gun and hurried out of the room.
Mom, I'm coming!
At the corner, Zhou Tianming cautiously surveyed his surroundings before quickly crossing the hallway once he confirmed it was safe.
Unexpectedly, the rabbit costume proved remarkably effective—the soft, furry paws made no sound against the floor.
A faint smirk curled his lips as he quickened his pace, heading for the staircase.
His goal was the floor directory usually placed near the stairs. With it, he could locate Zhou Hanxiang's part-time workplace.
Abruptly, footsteps echoed in the distance, accompanied by voices.
Zhou Tianming glanced around and spotted a slightly ajar door nearby. He swiftly slipped inside.
The moment he entered, his vision was flooded with blood—a corpse, mangled beyond recognition by gunfire, lay in the center of the crimson pool.
A single breath filled his nostrils with a stench of blood far thicker than in his own room.
The voices outside drew closer. Suppressing his breathing, Zhou Tianming skirted the corpse and crouched in a corner, gun trained on the doorway.
"So? This rat sure knows how to run," a mocking male voice drifted in.
"Run all you want—these freaks deserve to die!" A middle-aged woman's voice crackled with madness.
"Hurry up. Don't let others get ahead of us. My family would be so proud if they knew how many monsters I've killed," piped a boy whose voice was still cracking with adolescence.
The footsteps and voices faded into the distance.
Zhou Tianming stepped out of the room, his deep brown eyes glinting coldly, his handsome face frozen in severity.
Could the one being hunted be Mom?
If not, would this be a waste of time?
I should prioritize finding Mom. Others' lives aren't my concern.
...
Thoughts churned in his mind. Closing his eyes, Zhou Tianming exhaled slowly.
When they opened again, he quickened his steps, following the group.