Startled, Zhou Tianming rushed out of the factory building, only to see thick black smoke mixed with crimson flames billowing into the sky in the distance.
"That direction..."
He instantly recognized it as the location of the East Asian restaurant where Wei Jun had been holding his farewell dinner.
Why?
Zhou Tianming's mind was filled with confusion. An explosion of that magnitude meant Wei Jun and the crew of the Black Tortoise couldn't possibly have survived, but he couldn't fathom any reason for such an act.
If it was about refusing to pay the $2 billion, that might make some sense. But the money had already been transferred. With Wei Jun dead, those funds would become permanently frozen - no bank in the world would release them.
If someone had the means to retrieve money from banks, then $2 billion would be mere pocket change, hardly worth ruining one's reputation with such ruthless extermination.
Wei Jun's background checks couldn't have been that far off either - all previous transactions had gone smoothly until this sudden massacre.
It made no sense at all.
As he pondered, acrid smoke began filling his nostrils, the dark plumes rolling closer.
Remembering the people who had been tailing him earlier, Zhou Tianming realized he might also be a target.
There was no time to mourn Wei Jun. He quickly returned to the factory to grab his phone and prepare to relocate.
Whoosh—!
At that moment, a whistling sound pierced the air.
Zhou Tianming turned his head, pupils contracting sharply—a slender rocket was streaking directly toward him.
Pushing off the ground, he sprinted desperately in the opposite direction.
The rocket struck the factory gates an instant later.
BOOM!
The gates shattered instantly as flames and shockwaves surged inward like tidal waves.
Still running, Zhou Tianming felt a gust at his back before being lifted off his feet, then engulfed in searing flames.
In that split second, two Spirit Commands flashed in his mind: [Iron Wall 30] and [Unyielding 20].
Then—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Rocket after rocket streaked from the darkness, impacting various parts of the factory.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The relentless explosions reduced the entire structure to fragments within moments, flames and black smoke churning across the ground.
From the darkness, a voice ordered: "Leave one team behind to monitor, just in case."
"Understood."
The rustling of footsteps faded, leaving only the occasional crackle from the flames.
Amid the factory ruins, Zhou Tianming's body glowed faintly. His clothes hung in tatters, but his exposed skin showed no injuries.
Yet his head throbbed unbearably, his Mindpower scattered. The golden sphere in his consciousness flickered weakly, barely visible.
Mental Power—59
Struggling to his feet, molten metal slid off his skin. Zhou Tianming knew he had to escape this fiery, superheated ruin before the effects of [Iron Wall] and [Unyielding] wore off.
Waves of drowsiness crashed against his mind like relentless tides, yet even the nail-like stabbing pain in his head couldn't rouse his Mindpower.
Gritting his teeth, he staggered out of the rubble.
No sooner had he emerged from the flames than startled shouts reached his ears: "What the hell? It's still alive!"
Gunfire erupted the next second.
Bullets rained down on Zhou Tianming's body.
The white light surrounding him rippled as his head jerked violently from the impact, sending him crashing to the ground.
Biting his tongue until blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, Zhou Tianming forced himself to stay alert. The heat radiating through his body intensified, and his vision blurred further.
He rolled desperately across the ground but couldn't evade the torrent of bullets.
The gunfire grew louder, drawing nearer.
"Target confirmed alive. Unknown tech device detected on his person."
Bullets ricocheted off Zhou Tianming's body, clattering to the ground.
"Suspected miniaturized Energy Shield. Proceeding with capture."
A man clad in black combat gear halted a short distance from Zhou Tianming, rifle gripped tightly, finger locked on the trigger.
Bullets poured forth as shadowy figures emerged from the darkness, closing in from all sides.
Advancing in alternating formation, they maintained relentless fire. The ironclad Mindpower shield flickered like disturbed water, its energy rapidly depleting.
25/59
The vibrations and pain grew sharper. Bruises bloomed across his pale skin, oozing blood.
The enemies' caution crushed Zhou Tianming's hopes of a counterattack, but surrender wasn't an option.
With [Unyielding]'s effect expired and [Iron Wall] fading fast, he lunged at the nearest foe, aiming to seize a rifle or use the man as a human shield.
Then the world spun violently—he crashed down hard.
15/59
Consciousness finally succumbed to exhaustion.
The white glow around Zhou Tianming vanished abruptly. Several bullets tore through his flesh, blood sizzling as it met the scorched ground.
"Cease fire!"
The gunfire ceased instantly. The nearest man strode forward, grabbing Zhou Tianming by his black hair and yanking him upright.
"Incredible," he muttered, scrutinizing Zhou Tianming's body. "Where's that Energy Shield embedded? Inside his flesh?"
Turning to his team, he ordered, "Take him back. Get a surgeon to carve him open—find that shield generator at all costs."
"Sir!"
Then—gunfire erupted from the darkness behind them.
Bullets struck the group's backs, dropping several men. Their bulletproof vests prevented fatalities, and they scrambled up swiftly.
A towering figure charged from the shadows—Wei Jun, naked, his body a mass of charred crimson flesh like some skinless monstrosity.
He tore through the crowd like a whirlwind, twin rifles blazing.
Before the stunned men could react, bullets punched through skulls, spraying blood as bodies collapsed.
Three survivors raised their weapons—but Wei Jun was faster. His rifles barked without aiming.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Enemy rifles shattered mid-grip, hands reduced to pulped meat amid agonized screams.
Wei Jun closed the distance instantly. His rifles became steel hammers, crushing skulls with brutal efficiency.
A boot stamped down—a neck snapped with an audible crack.
The rifle barrel dropped straight down, plunging into a man's eye. A trigger pull later, his face twisted in agony as his body convulsed twice before going still.
The remaining man scrambled to his feet in panic, only to stumble and fall. "No! Stay away from me!"
Wei Jun stepped forward, seizing the man by the throat and lifting him off the ground. His fingers tightened relentlessly, blood gushing from the man's mouth.
Crack!
His neck was crushed to pulp, leaving only the spine intact. His face frozen in terror and pain, he was discarded like trash, his body slumping to the ground.
The fight lasted barely a minute before silence reclaimed the world.
Wei Jun panted heavily, his throat releasing a guttural, agonized howl.
Trembling, he rushed to Zhou Tianming's side, gathering him into a desperate embrace. "Don't die, don't die, don't die!"
Then he vanished into the night at a sprint.
...
Inside a towering building of the Junk Guild, within an opulent office.
A gaunt, shadow-faced man seethed with rage, gripping the phone in his hand as he roared into it, "Are you telling me that after deploying so many bombs and rockets, one target is confirmed alive and another might be?!"
"Y-yes," the voice on the line quivered. "But before one squad lost contact, they reported what appeared to be an Energy Shield—that's why—"
"???"
The man's voice turned icy. "That's your excuse? An Energy Shield? Fine. Find them, kill them, and bring me this so-called Energy Shield. Or you can die instead."
Slam!
He hurled the phone onto the desk. "Energy Shield? We haven't even perfected Energy Weapons yet, and now there's a shield?"
Gregg, the shadow-faced man, slumped into his chair, eyes narrowing in thought before he pressed the intercom button.
The phone rang instantly.
He snatched it up. "Dismantle the Black Tortoise immediately. Tell them to be careful—no scratches, no damage. If anything goes wrong, they can explain it to LOGOS themselves."
"Understood."
The call ended, and Gregg exhaled sharply. "Worthless, every last one of them."
Then the phone rang again.
Gregg's face twisted with irritation, but the incessant ringing forced his hand. He grabbed the receiver. "Unless you have good news—"
As the voice on the line spoke, Gregg's expression shifted from shock to furious amusement. "Wonderful. Just perfect. You're telling me they dug a live one out of the wreckage? Take your bombs and go die with them!"
Slam!
He smashed the phone down.
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