Dragon Fist ignored Switch, who was feeling down. It was no use worrying, Honiahaka was already dead. What mattered now was survival.
"Let’s go. We need to leave before more of them show up," Dragon Fist urged.
The three hurried toward the Fang Trader hideout. The journey wasn’t as smooth as before, when they still had the APC. Now, they had to avoid wandering mutated beasts and mutant patrols.
As dusk settled in, they finally arrived at the hideout. But the mont they stepped inside, they were greeted by a horrifying sight.
Blood from the dwellers was splattered everywhere. Signs of a brutal fight marked the place—gunshots, explosions, even spears piercing the walls.
"What!? How?" Switch muttered in disbelief. This place was supposed to be concealed and hidden from any mutants. Moreover, she knew the Fang Traders relocated their hideout every two weeks. It should have been extrely rare for mutants to discover its location without assistance.
Assistance!?
The thought struck her like lightning. Switch rushed to the control room, pushing aside the corpse of a Wildwalker operator. She began frantically reviewing the recorded security feeds.
The footage showed a massive horde of mutants rushing toward the hideout the mont a loud siren blared. That siren.... Switch imdiately recognized its rhythm; it was the exact sound pattern mutants used when attacking. She continued digging and found that the origin of the siren ca from one of the security devices installed just yesterday.
And the one who installed it was none other than Radio.
"That bitch!" Switch cursed aloud.
Now it was clear: Radio had accepted another job. And this ti, it was a job from the mutants.
It was rare, but not unheard of, for human rcs to be commissioned by mutant tribes. A few tis a year, incidents occurred—outposts, trading hubs, or hideouts deep in mutant territory would fall, wiped out after a betrayal from within by so greedy rc taking on a side job.
Switch quickly went to the rooftop to check the security device. After a few minutes, she found it—a damaged disc ant to detect mutant patrol movent. It had been smashed, its casing bent and broken.
Opening the broken housing, she found a small device inside. It was completely wrecked, but she could tell from the design—it was ant to emit sound. Most likely, the sa siren she’d heard in the footage.
While Switch was occupied with the security system, Maximilian examined his 3D map. What he found sent a chill down his spine: a giant mammoth-like creature, with a fortress mounted on its back. The structure was made of wood, reinforced with steel and scrap tal. Ballistas and gun batteries lined the sides.
The creature stood over 100 ters tall, and with the fortress, its total height approached 120 ters. More than ten mutants manned the moving fortress, and they were heading straight for the hideout. Whether it was just a patrol or a full-on raid was unclear.
Maximilian raced upstairs to alert Switch, but it was too late. She was already staring into the distance in disbelief. The mont she spotted the creature, the mutants aboard the fort spotted her as well.
"Shit! We need to run!" Switch shouted, yanking Maximilian, who had just arrived on the rooftop, by the arm.
"Dragon Fist! We need to run! Now!" she scread.
"What!? But we just got here!" Dragon Fist protested.
"If you want to stay and die, fine! But I’m not!" Switch snapped, pulling Maximilian like a mother dragging a child out of a toy store.
Seeing this, Dragon Fist couldn’t help but think, Why the difference? You treat that client of yours like a baby and treat like garbage. What the hell is wrong with you!?
Switch was just about to leave the hideout when—
BOOOOM!
A cannon blast exploded near the hideout, shaking the ground. Switch panicked. It was clear that the mutants were closing in, and they were coming specifically for them.
The explosions rocked the area, destroying nearby buildings. Dust and debris fell across the main entrance, blocking their escape.
Switch darted to the back exit. The three of them bolted through the alleys. At the sa ti, the massive creature’s fortress continued to bombard the hideout, reducing it to rubble.
Mutants descended from the creature’s fortress, searching the ruins.
Others gave chase, pursuing the trio. While Dragon Fist could take them down with his fists, the mutants were relentless, erging from alleys and rooftops, surrounding them from all sides.
With no route to retreat, the three had no choice but to move forward, straight toward the colossal beast.
They burst out of the alley onto the main road, only to find the massive creature waiting for them. Its towering presence filled them with despair. Mutants surrounded them, cutting off every path.
But the mutants didn’t strike.
Instead, they encircled the trio without attacking, as if they intended to capture them.
"Are they going to capture us? I heard mutants can’t live without eating human flesh," Dragon Fist said, flas flaring from his fists, ready for a final stand.
"Maybe," Switch replied, her voice hard, "but I’m not planning to let them have an easy al either."
Maximilian looked at the surrounding mutants. He could crush them if he wanted to—especially if he used the "Umbra Sovereign" power. With that, he could spear them all and reenact a scene straight out of Vlad the Impaler.
But... for now, it was better to observe the situation. If they left him no choice, he wouldn’t hesitate to wipe them out. After all, there was no longer a need to maintain his cover.
[Ding! New Side Quest Available! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ ]
— SIDE QUEST: MYSTERIES HIDDEN MASTER!! —
Description:
Every great villain must demonstrate their mysteries! Especially when aiming to beco the mysterious hidden master who is later revealed as the true villain! Display your mystery today—beco the greatest villain tomorrow!
Ti Limit: 24 hours
Primary Objective: Display your mysteries and awe the noobs who witness you.
Bonus Objective: Get a disciple!
Seeing this, Maximilian remained completely unmoved.
That silly girlfriend of his was at it again with her antics. Now of all tis? He wasn’t in the mood for gas. He didn’t want to play along and be the butt of her jokes all day.
Yes, he loved her. But sotis, her antics really went overboard. He had to let her know. He wasn’t just a plaything for her to tease whenever she wanted. Yes! This ti! Definitely! He had to tell her!
{Aetherna... Listen...} Maximilian began, determined to give her a piece of his mind.
[Huh? What is it? (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ ]
Just then, the quest section finished loading the reward.
—
Reward: Sword Master (Katana) Package
Bonus Reward: Supre Sword Master (Katana) Package
—
{I’ll definitely get the bonus reward! Thank you for the quest!}
[Awwww~ You shouldn’t have! I’m your girlfriend after all! (*´∀`*) ]
Damn it! This silly little donut! Don’t you dare manifest! I’ll spank your butt red! I swear I will! How dare you lure in with such an incredible... I an... EVIL!! reward!
Maximilian gritted his teeth as he stared at the reward screen. He wanted to scream and dance right there, this was the thing he’d wanted most in his entire life.
His eyes were sharp, staring dead-on at the surrounding mutants like a predator eyeing its favorite prey.
So of the mutants noticed Maximilian’s gaze and looked confused, while others grew offended.
How dare this puny human stare at us like we’re prey? Has he lost his mind? No matter. They would teach this human a lesson soon enough.
At that mont, a ladder was tossed down from the fort above. A small figure began climbing down. Both Switch and Dragon Fist recognized the figure imdiately... it was Radio, the traitor who had brought the mutants down on them.
"You bitch! You betrayed us!" Switch hurled the insult at the masked rcenary who had just descended from the fort.
"Betrayal?" Radio scoffed. "I never had any loyalty to your pathetic little group in the first place. How could it be betrayal?"
"You—!" Switch raised her gun at Radio, her finger twitching on the trigger. She wanted to shoot the bitch dead right then and there. But she glanced at Maximilian, her mind racing. She needed to think of a way to survive this... or at least ensure he survived, he was the client, after all.
"Oh? What’s this?" Radio mocked. "Still worried about your client? Or... is there sothing more between you and him?"
She tilted her head teasingly, then continued.
"I really don’t know why the Khan wants you alive. Personally, I don’t think you’re worth the trouble, especially not enough to completely offend the Fang Trader Enclave. But..."
She paused, placing her hand on her mask and unlocking it.
"Who am I to judge?" Radio said with a smile.
As the mask ca off, her true face was revealed... pale, cracked skin. Even though her complexion was smoother than that of most male mutants, her blood-red eyes made it clear what she truly was.
"You... you’re a mutant!" Switch uttered in disbelief.
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