In Andai State, a motorcade was traveling from Antu City toward the border with Beixing Country.
Prince Lado sat in a car in the middle of the convoy, looking sowhat dispirited.
His two sons sat beside him. The eldest son in his twenties spoke up, "Dad, why aren't you happy? Didn't they say they negotiated with the Beixing authorities and they're willing to let us enter?"
Lado sighed, "So what? In Andai State, we could do whatever we wanted. Will that still be possible in Beixing? Besides, do you think they'll shelter us for free? It'll cost a considerable price."
"Still better than staying here," the eldest son said. "There aren't many living people left here. We can't survive on our own anyway."
"Yeah... sigh." Lado looked at his eldest and youngest sons. "Once we reach Beixing, I'll see if I can get you both enrolled in that Mind Power Developnt Academy."
Upon hearing this, both sons' faces lit up with anticipation. They had long heard of that academy. Joining it would definitely be more exciting than entering a shelter.
"It should be fine, right? Dad, you are, after all, a Prince of Andai State. Even though Andai State is finished, out of respect for your status..."
"That's hard to say," Lado shook his head. "Beixing—"
Screech!!!
The vehicle suddenly slamd on the brakes. Lado and his two sons lost their balance, nearly tumbling into the front seats.
"Bastard! How are you driving?!" Lado grabbed the armrest and cursed at the driver.
"Your Highness, it's... it's the car in front that stopped! It seems sothing is blocking the road!"
"Huh?"
Prince Lado frowned, a bad feeling creeping over him.
His eldest son, completely oblivious, said, "Just move whatever's blocking the road, that's all."
As soon as the words left his mouth, a series of explosions suddenly rang out.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!!"
Several cars ahead were seen exploding one after another, flas shooting into the sky!
Lado's two sons were terrified, while he himself roared, "Quick! Drive back!"
The driver wrenched the steering wheel to turn around, only for explosions to erupt from the rear of the convoy as well. Lado's attendants in those cars were all blown up or burned to death.
Without a doubt, this was a ticulously targeted ambush!
"Dad, what on earth is going on?!"
"Don't panic, don't..."
Lado spoke, but cold sweat was already beading on his forehead.
He knew there must be a mole among his people who leaked the information. Otherwise, how would the attackers know his convoy was heading to Beixing Country today?
"Your Highness, look!"
Hearing the driver's exclamation, Lado looked up out the car window.
He saw over a dozen people on motorcycles had already surrounded them, most holding guns. But one hooded man was different; he held a portable cara, seemingly filming.
Lado took a deep breath, instructed his two sons to stay in the car, and opened the door to get out. He knew escape was useless now; he could only negotiate with these attackers.
After getting out, he first surveyed the state of his convoy.
Out of eight vehicles total, six were blown up. Besides the one he and his sons were in, only one other had survived.
A middle-aged man in military uniform got out of that surviving vehicle and walked straight up to the attackers, saying sothing. One of them, a bald, burly man, nodded at him with a smile.
"Chikan!" Seeing this, Lado couldn't help but erupt in furious curses at the man in uniform. "You beast! You actually betrayed !!!"
Chikan was a trusted general under his command, soone he usually relied on heavily and had planned to bring to Beixing Country. He never expected the latter would betray him.
Now, Chikan and the attackers approached. Facing Lado, whose eyes were spitting fire, Chikan wore an expression of utter indifference.
"Chikan, how dare you do this! How dare you betray !"
"Lado, you don't still think you're a prince, do you?" Chikan revealed a smirk unique to opportunists. "Andai State is finished. Even if you are a prince, it's just an empty title now. Why would I need to continue being loyal to you?"
"You..." Lado took a deep breath. "I'll settle accounts with you later!" He turned his gaze to the bald, burly man. "It seems you are the leader of this group?"
The bald man paused slightly, then nodded. "I am."
As soon as he spoke, his accent made Lado freeze.
"You're from Beixing? No, that can't be right..."
The bald man asked mockingly, "What's wrong?"
"I've already negotiated with the Beixing authorities! We will enter Beixing as refugees, beco part of it! If you are from Beixing, why attack ?"
"You negotiated with the authorities, what does that have to do with us?" the bald man smiled. "We're not part of the official forces."
"Then who are you?!"
"Just people doing so side business in the wasteland, of course." The bald man finished speaking and waved his hand. Several of his underlings imdiately stepped forward, pressing gun barrels against Lado's head.
The bald man said, "As the Prince of Andai State, you must have plenty of good things on you. We only want wealth. Hand everything over, and we'll let you go."
Lado trembled all over with nervousness. He did indeed possess many items and a large amount of Ascension Coins. In theory, even facing over a dozen people, even with guns to his head, if he reacted fast enough, he might still win!
But in reality, he didn't dare move a muscle.
"I know what you're thinking," the bald man said. "You think you've collected enough items to put up a fight, right? But as a prince, have you ever truly engaged in combat? How many tis have you actually used those items?"
"..."
"Admit it, you don't have the guts to fight. What's more..." He gestured with his chin toward the car behind him. "If you make a move, your two sons in that car will beco barbecue. That wouldn't be a good thing."
"Don't, don't touch my sons!" Hearing the bald man threaten his sons, Lado imdiately softened. "I can hand over my things, but I have a condition!"
"A condition?"
"My sons—both of them—must cross into Beixing first! Then I'll trade the items to you." Lado gritted his teeth. "Otherwise, I'd rather die than give you a single Ascension Coin!"
The bald man glanced at the hooded man beside him who had been filming all along. Seeing the latter show no particular reaction, he nodded. "Fine."
Seeing this, Lado imdiately turned and leaned against the car window, speaking to the driver and his two sons. "You keep driving forward. Once you cross the border, you'll be safe, understand?!"
"Dad, what about you?!"
"If you're safe, then I'll be safe. Don't worry!"
With that, the driver, after receiving permission from the bald man, drove forward.
Lado wasn't reassured and demanded to see the vehicle cross the border with his own eyes. So the group of attackers took him along, following behind the car all the way to the border between Andai State and Beixing.
Once the car crossed the border line and entered Beixing territory, Lado took a deep breath.
The bald man said, "Make the trade."
Lado suddenly sneered coldly. "Pah! Want to rob Lado? Dream on!"
He imdiately recited in his mind to open his Personal Terminal, opened his friends list, and prepared to trade his Ascension Coins and items to his sons.
The bald man's expression changed. He turned to look at the hooded man. "Boss, this guy's trying to trick us! What do we do?"
Hearing this, Lado was sowhat surprised. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at the hooded youth holding the cara. This guy who had been filming all along was the real leader of this group?
"Simple." The hooded man finished speaking, removed his right hand from the cara, and snapped his fingers.
Boom!!!
An explosion sounded. Lado froze, looking ahead with disbelief.
The vehicle carrying his two sons and the driver, which was already within Beixing territory, was now engulfed in a raging sea of fire due to the explosion!
"No!!!"
The hooded man aid his cara at Lado, filming him. "This expression is good. Natural, vivid, and the lighting is decent too."
The group of underlings beside him remained silent. Even the one called Chikan looked strange, simultaneously feeling a chill run down his spine.
He originally thought the explosions were caused by items, but now it seed it was this hooded youth's ability? Did he have the power to cause explosions remotely?
"I'll fight you to the death!"
Lado charged at the hooded man but was imdiately beaten to the ground by several of his underlings. One of them took out a syringe and injected him, causing him to pass out within seconds.
"A nice ending." The hooded man put away his cara with satisfaction.
Chikan, standing nearby, couldn't help but ask, "Leader, may I ask why you fild this...?"
"Of course, for art and money." The hooded man laughed. "People in this era are already tired of old movies. Compared to the Doomsday Rules, even the old horror films aren't stimulating anymore, right? Art needs to evolve with the tis. I'll show you the short film I shot during the Blood Plague Rules period later, and you'll understand."
"..."
"Boss, how do we handle this guy?" the bald man asked.
The hooded man glanced at the unconscious Lado. "Take him back and force him to hand over his items and Ascension Coins. He probably didn't have ti to trade them to his sons."
"Understood." The bald man waved his hand, and several people ca over to load Lado onto a motorcycle.
"Um, Leader," Chikan glanced at the burning vehicle within Beixing's border. "Is doing this... alright? They had already crossed the border... The Beixing authorities will discover and investigate this soon, won't they?"
The hooded man shrugged. "So? What does that have to do with ?"
Chikan was stunned. "What?"
"This was done by Shadow. He and Lado had a grudge anyway, so this kind of revenge is perfectly reasonable." The hooded man patted Chikan on the shoulder. "You'll be the witness. The Beixing authorities will believe it."
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