novelraw Chapter 102: Artificial Souls - (29)
Chapter 102: Artificial Souls - (29)
Kui Xin observed the footage returned by the stealth drone, her expression grave as she stared at the two figures on the screen.
It was only Red and Silver Mask; there were no signs of the others. Why?
Originally, Wei Haidong’s assigned escort teams were not structured this way. Red should have been grouped with Thorny Rose and Amber, but now the team composition has changed.
Could Wei Haidong have made last-minute alterations to the squad assignments?
How much of that evacuation plan was genuine? Or was the entire affair a deception from start to finish?
In the surveillance feed, Red suddenly spun around and raised his gun, shooting down the drone instantly, causing the video signal to turn into static.
“The enemy discovered and destroyed the drone. New drones are being dispatched for pursuit,” Adam reported in real-time.
“What a sharpshooter,” Wang Feichi commented.
Although Red’s superhuman ability wasn’t combat-oriented, it didn’t mean he lacked fighting skills. Knowing the limitations of his own abilities, he never neglected various forms of training. Red consistently honed himself, unlike Night Cicada, whose weak physique remained unchanged despite exercise.
On the other side, the frenetically running Red was desperately calling out to Night Cicada, “Damn it, reply quickly! If you’re any later, Silver Mask and I will be done for! Night Cicada!”After a few seconds, there finally came a response from Night Cicada’s end. In a weak voice, he said, “Hold on just a bit longer. My abilities have been overextended, and I’m currently recovering. Give me five minutes.”
Sensing something amiss, Red asked, “What mission did the boss assign you?”
“Don’t ask; I can’t reveal it,” Night Cicada replied. “We’ve had a longstanding friendship, Red. I’ll save you, but the boss’s orders take precedence. Don’t worry, you’ll be perfectly safe. There’s just a small, unexpected issue here that needs handling.”
“Shit!” Red cursed.
“When the pursuers arrive, verify their identities first,” Night Cicada instructed. “If they are ordinary security officers, you should definitely be able to remove them. But if their status is unusual, then report back.”
Red’s mind raced at top speed.
Unlike Night Cicada, who played an irreplaceable role within the organization, Red held a lower standing. Night Cicada directly reported to the “boss,” while Red managed a portion of the awakened beings within the group.
In terms of value, Red believed that, although he might not match Night Cicada, he certainly wouldn’t be deemed expendable. He had always been obedient and disciplined, never entertaining thoughts of betraying the organization. How could he be considered expendable?
If he were indeed seen as expendable, it could only mean that in the boss’s eyes, his worth was lower than what the boss sought.
“No… something’s not right…” Red felt his hair stand on end. “Could it be… it knows I’m aware of its existence? How is that possible? I’ve never shown any indication; I consistently feigned ignorance. It shouldn’t have discovered me, surely. There must be some other reason. But why?!”
Silver Mask asked, “When will they come to pick us up?”
“Ideally, in five minutes,” Red replied grimly.
“And if things aren’t ideal?”
“If things aren’t ideal, we’ll all take a trip straight to hell.”
Silver Mask’s pale blue eyes were filled with understanding. “Before they capture me, I’ll commit suicide. Everything for the dawn.”
With a look of distress, Red gazed at Silver Mask. “You fool… Tsk, forget it.”
The core members of Mechanical Dawn all knew that “Everything for the Dawn” was merely an empty slogan. They recited it during every meeting, and Wei Haidong often repeated it as well, but none of them took it seriously—except for Silver Mask.
Each member of this organization harbored their own hidden agendas.
The intentions of Amber and Obsidian were difficult to discern; Red was unclear about the origins of these twin siblings. Thorny Rose, originally an assassin-for-hire, had later been recruited but showed very low loyalty to the Mechanical Dawn. She worked for the organization solely because they paid her well enough. Bartender, on the other hand, was preoccupied with his small hobbies. Red had met him at a bar, and they developed a good personal rapport, eventually leading Red to bring him into the organization. As for Night Cicada, he was the most inscrutable among them, constantly addressing Wei Haidong as “boss” with an air of seeming devotion. However, in reality, he only obeyed commands from “it.”
Feeling weary, Red realized that people within the organization shouted “All for the Dawn” just to appear cohesive. This phrase hadn’t successfully brainwashed anyone… except Silver Mask.
Silver Mask genuinely believed those words. With unwavering dedication, he strived towards their goal, his mind consumed by the grand plans of the organization. If ordered to kill, he would do so without hesitation; if told to risk his life, he would comply unconditionally, resembling an obedient yet foolish dog. No matter how false or unrealistic its master’s words might be, the dog steadfastly carries out its master’s commands.
Sometimes Red felt a bit sorry for Silver Mask; this guy, blissfully unaware of everything due to his naivety, seemed almost pitiable. However, upon reflection, ignorance could indeed be blissful—being clueless appeared to be quite fortunate.
The waters within Mechanical Dawn ran deep. Everyone was merely a chess piece on the board, constantly at risk of being discarded. How nice it must be to be a fool, free from fear and sleepless nights tossing and turning.
Thunder rumbled in the sky, signaling an impending storm as dark clouds covered the heavens.
Ahead, the checkpoint on the highway had been locked down, preventing any vehicles from passing through. Broadcasts issued safety advisories and cleared the roadway. At this time, there weren’t many vehicles on the highway to begin with, and now it was entirely empty. On both sides of the highway, there were vast stretches of barren land devoid of buildings.
“We can’t outrun them. No matter how fast our legs carry us, they won’t match a helicopter. There’s no cover nearby except around this vehicle inspection checkpoint; we’ve been pinpointed.” Red resigned himself to their situation. “Prepare to engage.”
Silver Mask nodded. “Alright.”
Together, he and Red sprinted towards the checkpoint building in search of shelter.
The helicopter halted at a distance, likely fearing that the targets might possess powerful weapons capable of shooting it down.
Wang Feichi was the first to descend from the car, followed by Kui Xin and Wei Zhi.
“Can you directly immobilize targets so they can’t move?” Wang Feichi asked Wei Zhi.
Wei Zhi hesitated for a moment. “Yes, but my ability has distance limitations. Moreover, once I immobilize that area of space, neither enemy attacks nor our own can penetrate through the immobilized space. Our team members cannot be immune to the immobilization, including myself.”
“In that case, let’s forget it. Using it improperly might just hinder us more,” Wang Feichi said. “I’ll exert extra effort then; you two stay back and don’t get in the way.”
So this is the limitation of Wei Zhi’s ability… Kui Xin silently wrote it down.
Every superhuman ability follows its own set of usage rules. Even if abilities belong to the same category, their application methods vary depending on the user. The Eyes of Perception do not reveal all the details; these rules must be gradually explored.
Kui Xin raised her gun, quietly scanning the surroundings, suspecting Night Cicada might suddenly open a spatial vortex for a surprise attack.
However, the adversary hadn’t yet extracted Red and Silver Mask, which already spoke volumes. Night Cicada may have been preoccupied with something, unable to assist their companions.
Red took cover behind a barricade and suddenly peeked out, firing in Wang Feichi’s direction. The suppressed gun emitted only a faint sound as the bullet silently flew through the air.
Wang Feichi’s eyebrows twitched slightly, and a layer of black flames appeared on his body. Upon contact with the black flames, the bullet instantly melted into a pool of liquid that dripped to the ground; the process was remarkably swift.
The pavement beneath his feet also began to melt, causing the surrounding air to distort due to the intense heat. Wei Zhi and Kui Xin retreated several steps together, feeling the scorching temperature even through their high-performance combat suits designed for insulation against cold and heat.
With a sudden clap of thunder, the rain started pouring from the densely overcast sky, gradually increasing in intensity and wetting the ground.
Black flames pulsed in Wang Feichi’s palm as he steadily approached the checkpoint inspection area, nonchalantly chewing gum all the while.
As if performing a circus trick, he molded the flame in his palm into a small sphere. With a flick of his fingers, the black fireball curved like a guided missile, drifting into the building. With a roar, the entire structure was engulfed by black flames.
“I deliberately reduced the temperature; at most, it’ll result in severe burns but won’t be fatal,” Wang Feichi said with a grin. “We can still bring back suspects for interrogation.”
Midway through his sentence, two figures suddenly emerged from the building engulfed in black flames. Silver Mask and Red were enveloped by a translucent layer of water, emerging unscathed.
Kui Xin reacted swiftly, stepping forward and immediately aiming her pistol to fire at them. All the bullets were deflected by Silver Mask’s wall of water.
Silver Mask whipped out several water whips to attack Wang Feichi, but before they could reach him, the water was evaporated into steam by the flames.
With a swift motion, Silver Mask closed his hands, causing the hazy steam to coalesce into a blinding wall. Simultaneously, Red tossed one of his bombs, which exploded amidst the white fog.
The fiery glow tinted the dense steam orange-yellow, while the orange-yellow mist solidified. Wei Zhi had once again activated her space restriction, containing the explosion’s shockwave and allowing them to retreat to a safe distance.
“Wow, this ability has such broad utility! With proper development, its potential is limitless. Even controlling water vapor… It seems so familiar,” Wang Feichi frowned.
Silver Mask’s water manipulation reminded Wang Feichi of an early deceased comrade who possessed a similarly versatile superhuman ability involving control over water.
Red drew in a sharp breath. “Night Cicada, the person on the other side uses fire—it’s that S-rank individual. If you don’t give us any indication soon, we’ll truly die. Once he goes all out, killing us would be as effortless as squashing ants!”
He recognized one of the individuals opposite them as “Rich Lady,” but he didn’t mention it aloud, merely exchanging a glance with Silver Mask. At this distance, their conversation could potentially be overheard by the opponents, risking Rich Lady’s identity exposure.
Red had considered the possibility of Rich Lady leaking information but ultimately dismissed it. Firstly, Rich Lady was not privy to the organization’s specific withdrawal plan details. Secondly, Wei Haidong mentioned that Kui Xin had been promoted to the group leader’s secretary, making her presence here entirely plausible.
“S-rank?” Night Cicada paused momentarily. “It seems like your team has encountered him.”
“Our team?” Red’s tone darkened. “The traitor is among us?”
With murderous intent brewing, he swiftly turned his head towards Silver Mask, whose expression remained bewildered. He never expected that the one who appeared most trustworthy could be the traitor.
“Don’t jump to conclusions; how could the traitor possibly be that little dimwit?” Night Cicada said. “I meant that, since you’ve coincidentally met the S-rank, the boss’s plan can now proceed. Stay calm! The teleportation portal is now open.”
Black flames swept across the highway, forming a circular vortex that enveloped Red and Silver Mask, creating a ring-shaped cage.
The fire dispersed the white mist, evaporating raindrops before they could even fall from the sky. The damp ground dried rapidly and then began to melt, turning the asphalt gooey and bubbling.
Wang Feichi emerged from the flames with a friendly smile. “That young man using water, can you remove your mask so I can see what you look like?”
Silver Mask prepared to defend himself, but his water orb couldn’t coalesce at all. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, quickly evaporated by the intense heat.
Silver Mask’s hood crackled and burned into ashes as he took a step back, his white hair singed and curled by the flames.
Wang Feichi was taken aback. “… How come you have albinism too? My deceased comrade couldn’t possibly have fathered such a grown son!”
The metal mask absorbed the heat, forcing Silver Mask to remove it to prevent burning off layers of skin.
Upon seeing Silver Mask’s face, Wang Feichi’s eyes widened in shock with mouth agape. “Why are you identical? Even biological sons wouldn’t resemble each other this much!”
Bewildered, Wang Feichi stepped forward, intending to grab Silver Mask.
Just then, a deep blue whirlpool abruptly expanded, and several figures emerged from it. They all wore identical silver masks and had uniformly white hair, and even their heights, strides, and postures were strikingly similar.
A succession of more than a dozen “Silver Masks” emerged from the vortex!
Even Red was dumbfounded, nudging Silver Mask. “Are you also part of a multiple birth like Amber and Obsidian?!”
Scratching his head, Silver Mask replied, “Yeah, I’m from a multiple birth just like them… The boss didn’t want me to mention it, so I didn’t say anything.”
Deep within Red’s eyes, a profound sense of unease surfaced. This “multiple births” held more than meets the eye…
There were issues surrounding the origins of both Silver Mask, Amber, and Obsidian!