547: Chapter 547: Even if there are 100 pigs (Super Long Chapter, Asking for Monthly Votes) 547: Chapter 547: Even if there are 100 pigs (Super Long Chapter, Asking for Monthly Votes) Bright lights shone on the clean floor.
Shop signs, piled upon one another in their eagerness to present themselves to custors, filled the interior of the shopping mall,
Most of these signs used neon lights, their dazzling brilliance like flowers clustering together in spring, striving to exhibit themselves to any potential custors passing by, vying for attention in their splendor.
This was a bustling mall.
A man in a silver suit stood before these shops, his gaze fixed on their closed doors and the captivating signs, “That woman actually shut down such a prosperous mall for sothing like this.”
“Mr.
Thorne, Heish, that woman, is short-sighted, occupying a high position with no matching talents, and has now even offended the Consortium.
She is bound to die sooner or later.
Only an outstanding and capable interdiary like you, Mr.
Thorne, can sit in the Dense Forest Bar, and beco the cornerstone of the entire underground world of Vitland.”
Standing behind the man in the silver suit, a slouched man with a pair of long, chanical arms and his right eye replaced with an obvious chanical prosthetic eye, spoke softly with a laugh.
“There’s no need to flatter , Una,”
Thorne turned around with a smile, looking at the gaunt man, “How many in the Iron Claw Gang are left?”
“Only ,”
the gaunt man, Una, said with an awkward smile, “Heish killed our boss, then spread the word that she wanted to eradicate our gang.
Most of our mbers ran away, and most of the rest were dealt with by Heish’s people.
Now I am the only one who ran fast enough to survive.”
“There’s sothing I’ve always wanted to ask you,”
Thorne slowly turned around and continued down the mall’s corridor,
“Did your boss go insane from a chip contamination during a chanical modification?
Why did he think he could kill Heish on her turf?
“I rember when I hired him, I made it clear that he should try to lure Heish out first, to your turf, before making a move.
“But he ended up taking people straight to the Dense Forest Bar, attacking Heish right in her nest.”
“Our boss thought he could catch her off guard,” Una said with an embarrassed smile, “In fact, we almost succeeded, but Heish’s combat abilities surpassed our expectations.”
“So your gang t its doom,”
Thorne pulled out a small silver box from his pocket, and from it, he drew a cigar.
Una, quick as lightning, extended his chanical arm, used the sharp blades on it to trim the ends of Thorne’s cigar, and then imdiately produced an electronic lighter to light it for Thorne.
Thorne observed quietly as Una perford these actions, even as the chanical arm with its sharp blades waved in front of him, his expression remained unchanged, cool and composed.
Once Una carefully withdrew his hand, Thorne picked up the now smoldering cigar, took a puff, and smiled, “Since the Iron Claw Gang no longer exists and your mission failed, why have you co back to ?”
Rich smoke spread in his mouth.
“I’ve always thought you were much wiser than our boss.
If he had chosen to listen to you back then, he never would have ended in such a state,”
Una lowered his head, his body bowing deeply, almost touching the ground, “Now that the Iron Claw Gang is gone and I have no gang, I hope to scrape by under your wise and mighty leadership.”
“You’re probably afraid now that Heish’s people are searching everywhere for you.
You want to hide with and save your own life, don’t you?”
Thorne, with the cigar in his mouth, smiled as he looked at Una.
“Mr.
Thorne, you truly are the smartest person in the underground world of Vitland,” Una imdiately said, “That filthy B*tch Heish is nothing compared to you, Mr.
Thorne.
She will eventually die miserably in the streets, serving as a stepping stone for you.”
“Is that how you used to sweet-talk your boss?”
Thorne, still smiling, gazed at Una, his eyes narrowing slightly.
The boss of the Iron Claw Gang was so full of arrogance and self-confidence that he t his end in the Dense Forest Bar.
“How could I dare,”
Una’s posture sank even lower, like a vertical stapler,
“Although our forr boss was brave, he wouldn’t listen to others.
Many of us in the gang advised him not to be reckless, to heed your advice, but he wouldn’t listen, insisting on doing things his own way, and that’s why he kicked out of the mission team, allowing to stand here today.”
These words were deliberately said for Thorne to hear, first showing he was not soone who simply flattered others, that the previous boss’s arrogance had nothing to do with him, and that he even advised his boss.
Moreover, it subtly elevated Thorne, praising him for being much wiser than his previous boss, indicating that if the boss had listened to Thorne, it wouldn’t have ended this way.
Hearing these words, Thorne’s slightly narrowed eyes slowly opened.
He took his gaze away, removed the cigar from his mouth, and smiled, “Heish’s people are looking for you everywhere.
Stick with for now, and soon you’ll have your freedom.”
Una was taken aback, clearly understanding the subtext of the words.
Heish’s n were after him, but Thorne said he’d soon be free, proving that his pursuers would soon vanish.
It wasn’t likely that Heish suddenly beca benevolent enough to spare him, so there was only one possibility, Heish would soon be powerless to chase him.
This could only an one thing: the once-influential Vitland’s number one Interdiary, unfortunately, had offended so people he shouldn’t have or got involved in matters he shouldn’t have, and would soon be abandoned in the wilderness.
Once Una had that figured out, he imdiately said, “Thank you, Mr.
Thorne, thank you, Mr.
Thorne, only a kind and trustworthy person like you should beco Vitland’s number one Interdiary.”
“All right, cut the act.”
Thorne wore a smile on his face, his tone calm, “I heard you’re good at accounting?
You manage the Iron Claw Gang’s assets and properties, right?
Are you doing well?”
At these words, Una’s expression montarily stiffened.
That was the reason Thorne was willing to save him, all of the Iron Claw Gang’s assets were in his hands at the mont.
His smile remained unchanged, and he quickly produced a chip card, “The Iron Claw Gang’s assets are all in here, Mr.
Thorne, my accounting isn’t good, I’ll trouble you to check them.”
Of course, these weren’t all the assets, but over ninety percent of the Iron Claw Gang’s wealth was there; Una himself didn’t dare to take more.
“This doesn’t seem right.”
Thorne glanced at the chip card.
“Our boss’s greatest wish before his death was to have soone more talented and knowledgeable manage these assets, so please don’t decline.”
Una said again.
“Then I’ll find soone trustworthy to help you count the assets, fulfilling your boss’s last wish.”
Thorne took the chip card nonchalantly and pocketed it.
“You really are putting us out, our boss will surely be happy in Heaven.”
Una said, smiling.
At that mont, a figure in a black suit quickly ran over from the other side of the marketplace and stopped in front of Thorne, “Boss, those rcenaries have left.”
“They all left?
None stayed behind?”
Thorne asked, puzzled.
“All gone, they chased after a black SUV and ran out.”
The subordinate in the black suit quickly replied.
Upon hearing this response, Thorne fell silent for a mont, then quickly turned around, “They must have found Jess, our commission is complete, we need to leave imdiately.”
“Boss, shouldn’t we wait here for them to co back?”
The subordinate in the black suit asked, sowhat puzzled.
“This isn’t a safe place,”
Thorne shook his head, “This is Heish’s marketplace, she could find out any mont that her underlings have betrayed her and could send soone over at any ti.
And for so reason, I’ve been feeling uneasy today, Jess has been too clever.”
“Then boss, should we contact the rcenaries?”
The black-suited subordinate asked again.
“Wait a minute, let’s tell them when we’re far enough away from here.
These rcenaries don’t care about our lives,”
He lifted his bracelet and dialed a number, “Bring my car around.”
——
Moonlight stread through the unobstructed windows, casting its glow on the empty room littered with trash and dust.
The light from a scout lamp quickly swept across the room.
A rcenary holding a Gauss Rifle stood at the door of the unfinished room, glanced around, then shouted loudly, “Nobody’s in here.”
“Did you check the ceiling?”
Another rcenary ca up behind him, asking with confusion.
“The ceiling?”
The rcenary slowly raised his head, the beam of the pathfinder light crept upward, illuminating the mottled walls, the empty ceiling, and finally settled on a face sared with fresh blood.
It was a face with a slightly insane smile, the owner of the smile hung upside down from the ceiling, head bowed, calmly watching him.
“Ahhh!!!”
The rcenary retreated in fright, bumping into his partner behind him, then he raised his gun, aid at the figure hanging from the ceiling, and pulled the trigger.
The next second, a sharp blade pierced his exoskeleton armor, piercing his neck.
He watched the figure in front of him, watched the figure who appeared like a phantom in front of him, plunging the dagger into his neck.
The figure still wore a gentle yet crazy smile, he reached out, gently cradled the rcenary’s head, and a mild voice sounded in the silent darkness, “Don’t be afraid, dizziness is normal, it’ll be over soon.”
“Bastard!
Go to hell!!!”
The rcenary’s partner suddenly lifted his Gauss Gun and aid at the figure.
Following the splash of fresh blood from the withdrawal of the dagger, the cold light of the blade streaked through the night, and in an instant, it pierced the shouting partner’s neck again.
That figure grabbed the Gauss Gun, gently maneuvering its muzzle.
While still on the brink of death, the second rcenary pulled the trigger out of instinct.
Bang—
The sharp bullet sped through the darkness, hitting the deep silence.
The third rcenary, with a shocked expression, erged from the darkness, blankly watching his comrade who had fired the shot.
At such close range, the bullet from the Gauss Gun pierced through his heart, draining his life force.
He had used the ‘Assassin’s’ gene potion, gaining the abilities of an assassin, and had just touched behind He Ao in the darkness, when he was shot in the heart by his own partner’s Gauss Gun.
The assassin’s physical condition was not strong to begin with, and those who forcibly enhanced themselves with gene potions were much weaker than the original versions.
Being hit by a Gauss Gun at such close proximity, the bullet effortlessly pierced through the rcenary’s body, taking his life.
With his last expression of horror, the body of this rcenary decayed in the darkness.
He Ao pulled out the dagger, his figure continued to vanish into the night.
Bright red blood soaked the ground mixed with mud and sand.
…
“Which combat squad is this?”
The officer’s originally resonant voice had beco sowhat hoarse.
He stood on the sixth floor staircase, gazing at the bodies lying in the corridor.
“The fifth one,”
the short rcenary behind him spoke softly,
“Do we need to call more squads in?
These groups’ corpses are all staying at key positions, it seems like the target specifically wants us to see these bodies.
The soldiers are under a lot of pressure now, their morale is heavily impacted, plus you’ve seen the state of those who used the gene potion…
We need to find a solution.”
“Did they ntion the death state when they gave us these gene potions?”
the officer said gravely.
“No,”
the short rcenary shook his head.
“These bastards are treating us like lab rats,”
the officer said hoarsely, gazing at the corpses on the ground, “Don’t search on a large scale anymore.
Have the new rcenaries and gene potions arrived?
Let them all co in.
Form a new combat team with every three squads, ensuring each combat team stays within visual range of each other, and then unite directly together, we’ll push through floor by floor.”
“If we call people from outside and the target runs away…”
the short rcenary whispered.
“The target won’t run,” the officer shook his head, “I don’t know what the target wants, but he definitely has his own ideas.
The rcenary squad that was sent to round him up before was completely ‘devoured’ by him, and he might be planning the sa this ti, to directly take us all out.”
“Take us out?
Has he gone mad?”
At this point, the short rcenary paused, chuckling at the ‘outlandish’ thought.
He knew the strength of the individual, but still found the judgnt a bit too ‘fanciful’ to contain his laughter, “We have three rcenary squads here, nearly a hundred n, dozens of D-level gene potions, three C-level gene potions, and heavy weapons outside.”
“Forget a hundred elite rcenaries, even a hundred pigs charging at him, he might not be able to stand his ground and maintain his form.
Besides, doesn’t he have injuries?
Could he still strike back at us?
Does he still think he can eliminate us?”
“My aide-de-camp has been taken out,”
the officer said quietly, “Now we don’t have three people ard with C-level Gene Potion.
The target is very strong,”
Then he glanced around,
“These squads all died on the fifth and sixth floors; he’s most likely still on these floors.
This building has only one staircase, and there’s only this one normal entrance and exit.
The auto-aim system of the sniper cannons outside has already locked on to all the walls, and the mont he goes out, the intelligent system will lock on and attack him directly.
“Tell everyone to get as close as possible.
We close in the encirclent, block all the exits; he can’t escape.
This building is nothing like the chaotic alleys of the West District; it’s too small here, and the environnt isn’t complex.
There’s no space for him to hide.”
The officer raised his arm, and the display on his arm projected a rough sketch of the building’s architecture, “According to the news from the dical Consortium Building, he had already been besieged there before encountering us.
Over here, he has fought several squads.
After such prolonged combat, even if he is using a chanized Body, his energy is probably running low.”
“He is very important.
An abundance of caution is not an overstatent.
The higher-ups have agreed to increase the reward, and a real C-level is on the way here,”
the officer’s gaze turned to the rcenaries moving through the darkness, “Our mission is to hold him down and then surround and kill him.
If we can’t beat him, we’ll wear him down; if we can’t kill him that way, we drag it out.
He can’t leave this building alive.”
“Yes!”
The short rcenary’s smile faded as he nodded vigorously.
······
After taking down the last soldier in front of him, He Ao leaned against a corner.
He watched the rapidly decaying rcenary, with blood gleaming with a slight yellow hue seeping out little by little from his waist.
He fumbled in the rcenary’s Exoskeleton Armor for so hemostatic spray and applied it to the wound, barely stopping the blood from flowing out.
During his recent fight with the aide-de-camp who had injected the C-level ‘Paranoiac’ Gene Potion, he had been wounded in the waist,
And during his fight with this rcenary who had also used a Gene Potion, the wound in his waist had further torn and the injury had worsened.
Jess’s physical condition was too weak.
Even with He Ao’s rich combat experience and skills, every step had to be taken with extre care due to the absolute gap in raw power.
The Mysterious Person had clearly spent a fortune to kill him.
Even though Gene Potions could be mass-produced, and not involving the creation of higher-order Gene Potions, He Ao, as the actual creator of Gene Potions, was very clear about their manufacturing costs.
A D-level Gene Potion, under current manufacturing conditions with the necessary materials, labor, and manufacturing costs, would be at least a million federal coins.
A C-level Gene Potion could even be worth several tens of millions of federal coins.
While later introduction of factories and production lines could significantly reduce these costs, at that mont, the prices of these Gene Potions were so high.
He Ao even suspected that the Mysterious Person had taken out all the Gene Potions they had stealthily produced to besiege him.
Among the rcenary teams he had just killed, there had been at least seven rcenaries equipped with Gene Potions.
Additionally, considering the aide-de-camp with a C-level Gene Potion, even if the Mysterious Person’s secret lab had double the capacity of the forr Jess Laboratory, they couldn’t achieve such high production capacity in a short ti.
So these had to be stockpiled.
It seed that in this rcenary squad, there were many more of these ‘stockpiles.’
Spending so much money, that person really did value him highly.
He Ao leaned against the corner, feeling the wound stabilizing, and slowly stood up, entering the darkness once again.
Actually, the Mysterious Person’s attitude towards Jess was simple:
If they can’t have him, then they’ll destroy him.
Jess was the only person in the world who could, relying on his own abilities, create Gene Potions and even continue to improve them.
If such a person fell into the hands of opposing forces, then the Mysterious Person’s Gene Potion technology would no longer be unique and monopolized.
Compared to the value that Gene Potion technology could bring and the potential loss caused by Jess falling into other forces’ hands, the investnt the Mysterious Person was making now seed not too high.
······
After a while, a rcenary team discovered the corpses in this corner, staring at the rcenaries that had turned into carcasses.
This newly silenced rcenary team was so close to their previous location, so close that if the target had moved just a bit more, it could have been them lying here forever.
More and more rcenaries entered the building, but fear spread in everyone’s hearts along with the darkness.
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