The brief stiffening lasted less than a second, but it was enough.
Zhou Hu’s iron grip clamped onto his wrist, while his other hand seized the back of his neck, pinning him to the ground!
“Bang!”
Shadow Blade’s face slammed hard into the rubble of the ruins, sending dust flying.
His short blades slipped from his waist, hitting the ground with a crisp metallic clatter.
Shadow Blade struggled desperately. The explosive power granted by his speed enhancement made his body as slippery as an eel as he tried to break free from Zhou Hu’s restraint.
But Zhou Hu’s strength was too great.
As a Level 3 Late Stage gene-modified organism, his physical power far exceeded others of the same rank, and Shadow Blade had never specialized in direct confrontation.
Zhou Hu’s arm was like cast iron, pressing down ruthlessly on Shadow Blade’s spine. No matter how much he thrashed, Zhou Hu remained as immovable as a mountain.
“Hu-ge! Are you crazy?! What are you doing?!” Shadow Blade squeezed the words through his teeth, his voice a mix of shock and fury.
Zhou Hu didn't speak; he simply increased the pressure of his grip.
Shadow Blade’s struggles grew weaker and weaker.
Su Wan stepped out from behind the wall and quickly approached the two men.
She looked down at Shadow Blade, who was pinned to the ground. His lean face was filled with horror and confusion, and his eyes still held a lingering daze from the mental attack.
“You… who are you…” Shadow Blade struggled to lift his head. The moment he saw Su Wan, his pupils constricted slightly.
Su Wan didn't answer. With a thought, she retrieved a metal ring from her Portable Storage Space.
The ring was pitch-black, its surface shimmering with a dark, eerie luster. It was a Slavery Collar.
The moment Shadow Blade saw the ring, his body stiffened. He instinctively sensed an extreme danger.
“You… what are you trying to do?! Zhou Hu! You bastard, you actually betrayed the company—”
Zhou Hu’s palm clamped over his mouth, muffling the rest of his words and crushing his final attempt at resistance.
Su Wan knelt down and snapped the collar around Shadow Blade’s neck.
“Click—”
A soft sound echoed.
Countless hair-thin needles surged from the inner surface of the ring, piercing into Shadow Blade’s spine and establishing a link with his nervous system.
Shadow Blade’s body convulsed violently, and a flash of intense agony crossed his eyes.
But the pain lasted only a few seconds before vanishing.
In its place came a strange, eerie calm.
His gaze went hollow, then gradually regained focus.
When he looked at Su Wan again, the horror, anger, and confusion in his eyes had completely vanished.
Only pure, absolute loyalty remained.
Zhou Hu released his grip and stood up.
Shadow Blade climbed up from the ground and knelt on one knee, bowing his head. His voice was low and respectful. “Master.”
Su Wan looked at the kneeling Shadow Blade and nodded inwardly.
Speed enhancement, short-range teleportation, close-quarters assassination. These abilities would be incredibly effective on the battlefield.
“Rise.”
Shadow Blade stood up and waited with his head bowed, standing side-by-side with Zhou Hu before Su Wan.
Su Wan checked the time. From the moment they struck until now, less than two minutes had passed.
“Zhou Hu, Shadow Blade. Go and rendezvous with the City Defense Force’s 3rd Mobile Brigade now. Act as usual and do not let any flaws show.”
“Yes, Master,” the two replied in unison.
Zhou Hu reached down to pick up the short blades Shadow Blade had dropped and handed them back.
Shadow Blade took them and sheathed them at his waist. The two shared a look but said nothing.
Su Wan waved her hand. “Go.”
The two figures turned and continued along the path at the edge of the ruins. Their pace was exactly as it had been before, as if nothing had happened.
Su Wan watched their backs disappear into the depths of the ruins, then shifted her form, following them silently and invisibly.
Up ahead, the silhouette of the City Defense Force’s 3rd Mobile Brigade was already faintly visible.
Four Predator-II armored vehicles were lined up, crushing the scorched ruins beneath them, their massive tires kicking up clouds of dust.
The dual-mounted light artillery on their roofs gleamed with a cold metallic luster under the grey sky.
Following the convoy were two larger vehicles—a Messenger command vehicle and a Destroyer fire-support vehicle.
One hundred and twenty elite infantrymen were divided into several squads, marching on either side of the convoy. Their black alloy armor reflected a dull light in the sun.
Zhou Hu and Shadow Blade quickened their pace, approaching the convoy from the side.
Near the lead armored vehicle, a man who looked like an officer saw them and signaled the team to slow down.
“Zhou Hu? Shadow Blade?” The officer jumped off the vehicle and hurried toward them. “Sent by the Panshi Company?”
Zhou Hu nodded, his face expressionless.
The officer sized them up, his attitude noticeably more polite. “I’ve heard much about you. Will you be traveling with the convoy, or…”
“With the convoy,” Zhou Hu replied briefly.
The officer didn't ask further and waved for his men to make room.
At the same time, the hatch of a nearby armored vehicle opened, and two men jumped out.
The man in the lead was burly, half a head taller than Zhou Hu. His muscles were corded and bulging, and his skin had a faint metallic sheen under the dim sky.
This was Iron Bone, a Level 3 Mid Stage Ability User whose ability was metalization.
The man following him was slender with a cold, stern face. His eyes were like a frozen lake—still and icy.
This was Cold Wind, Level 3 Mid Stage, with the ability of ice manipulation.
The two walked up to Zhou Hu. Iron Bone spoke first, his voice gruff. “Zhou Hu, I’ve heard a lot about you! I’ve long heard that the Panshi Company’s Outer City branch had a powerhouse at the Level 3 Late Stage. Finally get to meet you today!”
He extended a hand and grinned. “I’m Iron Bone. Pleasure!”
Zhou Hu shook his hand with moderate strength. “Zhou Hu.”
Cold Wind only gave a slight nod without speaking, but his gaze lingered on Zhou Hu for a moment, filled with scrutiny.
Zhou Hu remained unfazed, allowing the man to observe him.
Iron Bone, on the other hand, was quite warm, patting Zhou Hu on the shoulder. “With you here, this mission is in the bag! It’s just a vagrant nest. For the four of us Level 3s to clear it out is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut! Hahaha…”
Zhou Hu didn't respond. His gaze drifted past the convoy, looking toward the grey ruins ahead.
The team continued forward. After a few minutes, Zhou Hu suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Walking beside him, Iron Bone noticed Zhou Hu’s anomaly and paused. “What is it?”
Zhou Hu frowned, his eyes fixed on a cluster of collapsed buildings to the right, appearing to be sensing something carefully.
A few seconds later, he spoke in a low voice. “Over there… there’s something!”
Iron Bone and Cold Wind instantly became alert.
“What is it?” Cold Wind asked, his voice cold.
Zhou Hu didn't answer immediately. He closed his eyes as if using an ability to perceive.
A moment later, he opened his eyes, his frown deepening. “I’m not sure… but the energy fluctuations are very unusual. It’s not a Rot-Walker, and it’s not an ordinary Aberrant.”
He looked at Iron Bone and Cold Wind. “I need to go check it out. If it’s something dangerous and we leave it alone, it might affect the entire operation.”
Rate on N.U.
