Clang—
The ejected cartridge clattered to the ground, and the disguised Qiu Ran reached into his waist pocket, failing to produce a new bullet.
"Olosp Loz’s innl, oaz vnl iop. (It seems you’ve chosen the wrong target, Luo Zhi·Hidden Juror.)"
It turned its head, its peripheral vision scanning the seating around it. Figures of Mingji survivors slowly erged from the overturned seats, though their faces bore no sign of previous argunts or noise, but rather warm, sunny smiles.
One of the disguised girls from the Outer World giggled mockingly, speaking in a language only they understood:
"The Speaker chose the wrong person, allowing you to awaken. Can’t you even catch an ordinary carbon-based lifeform?"
Disguised as Qiu Ran, Luo Zhi·Hidden shouldered his rifle and turned to face the girl posing as Gina, with flas continuing to spread wildly behind him.
"Speak in the native tongue."
’Qiu Ran’ cracked a sweet smile:
"Zola Deceit, don’t forget that your Descend here is all thanks to ."
Luo Zhi spoke in Qiu Ran’s voice, chuckling:
"I will naturally take care of the ’target’. You all just stay here and maintain the Status Quo. Yaoka·Fake Senator has already replaced one target during the Mingji Humanity phase, and next, it will take control of the train. Once we reach the assembly area, we will disperse."
"We still don’t have enough personnel for one Stealth Ghost to be paired with one Supervisor."
Another Pseudo-Human reminded with a smile:
"I hope you haven’t forgotten the Speaker’s admonition, Luo Zhi·Hidden. Don’t let your target escape. As per Society’s rules, we won’t help you."
Luo Zhi·Hidden’s eyes narrowed to slits as he smiled, turning his head and preparing to step through the wall of fire when suddenly a flaming fireball smashed towards him.
Bang!
He tilted his head slightly and deflected the attack with the butt of his gun, lifting his gaze across the wall of flas.
"Ha... hah..."
Qiu Ran trembled all over, dangling her severed arm and plucking a pillow from the hard seat. She activated the Arcane Energy of "Spontaneous Combustion," instantly setting it ablaze and hurling it towards the other.
Pop!
Once the ignited pillow left her hand, it imdiately exploded into a dark red ball of flas, causing the Pseudo-Humans to dodge and avoid direct contact.
"No wonder you chose her."
Zola Deceit raised an eyebrow and lightly chuckled in Gina’s guise:
"This ability presents quite the hazard to us in this civilization."
"Yiiyah!"
Qiu Ran’s eyes turned red as she kept throwing more blankets, wood, plastic bottles—setting them ablaze and turning them into fireballs. She forgot everything else, simply throwing all she could grab in a desperate rage, until her abdominal gunshot wound tore open again, and she fell to her knees in agony, clutching her stomach.
"Uh... ahhhh..."
So much pain!
This shot was not so fortunate; the bullet had pierced her intestines and tumbled severely, scraping past a lung lobe and flying out between two ribs in her back, ripping away a substantial chunk of flesh.
Qiu Ran stared up, blood spurting uncontrollably from her mouth, her body convulsing violently. The severe blood loss and use of Arcane Energy left her dizzy and heart racing, yet her thoughts beca unexpectedly clear.
Through the smoke and flas, Qiu Ran could just make out the smiling Pseudo-Humans who had abruptly stood up from the gaps between the seats, their faces smiling but their words ice-cold and cruel.
The act of disguising oneself as another, only to attempt their killing—
She rembered it now.
"Mingji Humanity... In the underground third layer of the Biochemical Pod, they have such things!"
Yes, that’s right. Leo had suddenly beco suspicious of her, watching her closely, because of these monsters disguised as humans.
But hadn’t Li Aozi already killed that one?
After that, Li Aozi had been watching Jian and all the ti, so how could there have been an opportunity for them to infiltrate?
Watching Jian and .
... and Jian Neriya.
— Hold on.
Could it be?
Qiu Ran’s heavy breathing paused suddenly.
She rembered.
"When Mr. Du Zexin ca with his Third Rule agents, there was a period when Jian was out of mine and Li Aozi’s sight."
At that ti she thought Jian was just taking the opportunity to slack off, but now it seed that wasn’t the only possibility.
————————————
"Comrades of the tro Brotherhood, I don’t know if you would be willing to take on a commission afterwards. I don’t need those supplies; consider them as paynt."
...
Swindler.
...
"The Rose Army has troops stationed at Alglat and West Watch Fortress Station, which should be the closest—about 600 kiloters away."
...
Lies.
...
"I hope you can make a trip there. The Rose Army is willing to take in these freed test subjects. Their abilities, their own hatred for Mingji, need to be released."
...
Trap.
Jian was dead. In just the few minutes he was out of Li Aozi’s vision, he had been killed and replaced by a Pseudo-Human.
Not only that, it had also infiltrated more Pseudo-Humans while wearing Jian’s skin and identity, intending to spread these creatures that could freely switch identities further abroad, through the hands of the tro Brotherhood and the Rose Army.
First would be the Resistance Army organizations of the Outer World, then various settlents, then the entire Outer World, and finally all of the Four Nations and even the whole Azure Star.
Everything was calculated by the Pseudo-Humans.
The real Rose Army Warrior, Jian Neriya, was dead, just like Nomi; he had died at the hands of an unknown enemy long ago, with soone else living on under his identity—until this mont, Qiu Ran finally understood why Jian Neriya had never shown any warmth towards them.
Stripped of identity, robbed of a life, forced to watch as things unfolded against one’s wishes.
"Others know not of the troubles you see, persuade them not to take the path of good deeds lightly," was particularly difficult for Qiu Ran, who was inherently of a gentle nature. Hating soone was hard for her; it was unraveling misunderstandings that truly allowed her to breathe a sigh of relief.
"I’m sorry, Jian... we didn’t understand your pain; we shouldn’t have asked so much from you."
Qiu Ran, slumped on the ground, said apologetically:
"Nomi was our friend; I hope you two can get along better... well, it looks like I’ll have the chance to apologize in person very soon."
Hiss—!
The Pseudo-Human, masquerading as herself, suddenly picked up a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher, and a cold spray of dry ice extinguished a large swath of the blaze in an instant. As she looked at the face identical to hers but topped with a smile, Qiu Ran suddenly realized sothing.
Fire.
"They, they seem to be afraid of fire."
She had previously subconsciously felt that fire might have so deterrence against them, but now it seed these Pseudo-Humans dared not wade through the fire to kill her.
Pseudo-Humans fear fire!
"...That’s why it was so hell-bent on killing , to assimilate my body."
For my own Arcane Energy.
Qiu Ran lifted her left hand, looking at the burn scars on her palm.
Turns out, this thing is really amazing.
"If I had you earlier, my family would definitely have been living a good life by now."
Qiu Ran couldn’t help but cry, her hands covering her face.
She had never imagined that the most needed ti in her life would be in the eyes of a murderous monster.
If these monsters got their hands on my Arcane Energy, what then?
Would they overco their fear of flas, or would it beco an aid for their invasion of humanity?
Nomi is dead, Jian is dead, the agony of having your body and identity taken is unbearable— for those trusting partners, family, siblings, to realize the deeply loved one has long been replaced, and, in your monts of deepest affection, to be killed by a Pseudo-Human tearing off its disguise—
What if such suffering spread to the entire Frost Plated, the Outer World, the whole Azure Star?
"Enough, truly enough."
Qiu Ran laughed through her tears, watching the fire in front of her gradually extinguished, feeling lighter and lighter.
She knew all too well, when the flas are completely snuffed out, that would be the mont her life cos to an end.
Clang!
Just then, a violent crashing sound suddenly ca from behind her.
"Qiu Ran!"
The muffled male voice, heavy with panting, continued to bang on the door and roar:
"Are you in there? Qiu Ran—damn it, this blasted door, I can’t open it, fucking double locks!"
—Li Aozi?
"Is that you... Aozi!"
Leaning against the door panel, Qiu Ran was overjoyed and then imdiately spoke to the door panel with anxiety:
"Go back! Li Aozi, your body can’t fight!"
On the other side of the door, Li Aozi was almost kneeling on the ground, his face pale.
Just as Qiu Ran had said, feeling the threat and forcibly revived from hibernation, his condition was far from good.
The Status of Gene Overload had not fully recovered, it had only restored his mobility and panel Attributes.
But what use were these to a Mutant?
Charm, unlike other Attributes, is like a cannon without ammunition if there’s no Arcane Energy, nothing but a showpiece.
And the Arcane Energy he had stored, save for the evolved Blood of Eternity, none could be used.
Just one more Arcane Energy, just one more, and he could unleash a strength beyond Beta Rank.
"Qiu Ran! Burn the door! Quickly burn the door, lt it, then there’s a chance to get out!"
Li Aozi shouted urgently, he didn’t know the situation on the other side of the door, only that if Qiu Ran didn’t co out soon, by the ti the Pseudo-Human that replaced Jian got free, they’d all die here.
"The only thing we can do now is get back to the first-class seat, rely on its solid defenses, and when the ti cos, detach from the carriages behind—"
"Aozi."
Qiu Ran said lightly:
"I have a dozen monsters here."
Li Aozi was shocked.
"How co there are so many... "
"Yeah, if it were only one or two, it wouldn’t matter, right?"
Qiu Ran said and slowly stood up.
"Qiu Ran, don’t die! You still have family at ho, don’t you?"
She looked forward, spotting the oil drum that had just fallen at her feet.
The fire was fading.
Qiu Ran whispered:
"I’m so cold, Oz."
"Hold on, Qiu Ran!"
Li Aozi drew his long sword, chopping at the door relentlessly.
Bang! Bang!
Without the Inscription Saint Swordmaster, his strength couldn’t cut through the plast-steel door, a Simple Slash did not respond to his need, the ordinary long sword only left superficial slash marks on the door.
His slashing was futile, Li Aozi looked around and spotted a chanical Exoskeleton Armored Suit that was set aside, a section of the arm that had been disassembled from Du Zexin’s suit.
Li Aozi imdiately cald down, with the Effect of Perpetual· Willful, if it ca to a Charm judgnt, that would let him wear it easily.
"Just hold on a bit longer, Qiu Ran, I’ll rescue you right away!"
"Li Aozi, I think... it’s better if I don’t go out."
Qiu Ran picked up the gasoline drum, unscrewed the lid, and the pungent sll imdiately wafted out.
"Cough cough—so choking! Li Aozi, I think I just found a way not to be cold."
"Stop talking nonsense!"
Li Aozi struggled to put on the chanical exoskeleton, attaching it to his left arm.
"Just wait, just a bit longer! Your family is still waiting for you to co back!"
"—No need to wait for anymore."
Qiu Ran lifted her head, pouring the gasoline over herself.
Bang!
Li Aozi punched the door fiercely, and the door panel instantly deford.
Drip, drip...
The gasoline dripped down Qiu Ran’s chin, splattering on the floor.
"Don’t go, Qiu Ran!"
Li Aozi clenched his teeth, pulling hard at the door, stretching out his right hand to reach for Qiu Ran:
"Don’t go there, Qiu Ran, co back..."
Qiu Ran turned around, her pale eyes lit up with intense emotion.
"If you have ti, go to college."
She said.
The next mont, the fire ignited.
Reviews
All reviews (0)