Han Xingqian: “I’m already near the second-floor storage room. Xiao Yang took Xiao Xun upstairs, and I’m following behind. Maybe it’s because of his abilities, but I just can’t catch up.”
Bai Chunian: “Our mission has been compromised. We won’t wait for tomorrow’s Selection Ceremony—execute all plans immediately.”
Han Xingqian: “You’ve been discovered?”
Bai Chunian: “We took out Gagantel, the guard in charge of the factory. Now all the factory workers have turned into zombies. The Lingti Clan will discover this soon. We don’t have much time left.”
Han Xingqian: “Understood.”
After several position changes, Bai Chunian and his team made their way out of the factory along the cooling tower and gradually crept toward the main building. They were now concealed atop the bell tower, several hundred meters away from the main building.
Bai Chunian lay flat on his stomach atop the bell tower, observing the situation at the main building through a 16x magnification scope made of Lan Bo’s hydro-steel.
“Am I holding you guys back?” Lu Yan asked softly, his ears drooping.
“Not at all. You bought us at least half an hour. Otherwise, things would’ve been a disaster.”
Lu Yan’s rabbit ears perked up again.
In Bai Chunian’s scope, an Omega who bore a striking resemblance to Professor Lin Deng was walking up the stairs with his arm around Xiao Xun’s shoulder. His smoky blue hair fell over his shoulders, and a gentle smile played on his face.
“It’s him… Xiao Yang. One of the core researchers at Institute 109, the designer of the Gagant and the Imperial Crocodile.”
Bi Lanxing glanced at his watch: “Since Xiao Yang has come, he probably didn’t bring just one test subject. Five minutes—we have to evacuate the Lingti Manor within five minutes.”
“Is he using Xiao Xun as a hostage?” Bai Chunian said, observing the situation in the main building. He narrowed his eyes and whispered, “Lan Bo, take him out.”
Water vapor in the air around Lan Bo rapidly condensed. Lu Yan felt the air grow noticeably drier, and a thin layer of flaky skin began to form on his face.
Water droplets gathered in Lan Bo’s hand, coalescing into a transparent, high-precision sniper rifle made of hydro-steel. A transparent bullet fell into his palm, where he loaded it into the magazine and cocked the bolt.
Another 8x water-steel scope materialized, which Lan Bo attached to the rifle. He closed one eye and took aim.
Xiao Yang was climbing the stairs and was positioned near the window. With Lan Bo’s sniping skills, he was fully confident he could take out Xiao Yang without harming Xiao Xun.
But just as the crosshairs of the scope settled on Xiao Yang’s head, he turned his head without warning, his eyes crinkling in a smile as he looked out the window. Then he raised his hand and made a gesture with his index finger and thumb as if pinching something out of thin air.
Lan Bo: “He’s spotted us.”
Lu Yan: “How is that possible from this distance? This is an 8x scope.”
But having calculated the wind speed, direction, and bullet drop, Lan Bo hesitated for a moment before choosing the optimal moment to gently pull the trigger.
The high-precision sniper rifle, equipped with a water-cooled steel suppressor, didn’t make much noise. Since their position was quite a distance from the main building, they shouldn’t have been noticed.
After the shot rang out, the bullet pierced the glass. The trajectory, appearing as a straight line, hit the target without a doubt.
A few seconds later, Xiao Yang, behind the glass window, was unscathed. He tilted his head slightly to look outside, holding the transparent bullet between his fingertips. The bullet turned into a stream of water and vanished from Xiao Yang’s fingertips.
“Huh.” Lan Bo furrowed his brow.
Bai Chunian observed Xiao Yang’s entire sequence of movements through his scope. It seemed as though Xiao Yang could anticipate the situation around him; relying on sniping alone would never be enough to take him down.
“Precognition…?” Bai Chunian lowered his gaze in thought. If it was similar to Satan’s ability, that would be a real headache. Back in the submarine lab, he and Lan Bo—both A3-class agents—had been completely outmaneuvered by Satan, that M2-class test subject.
“Since it’s a Lingti gland, it’s probably related to speed,” Bi Lanxing interjected at just the right moment. “Either it boosts his own speed or slows others down. Bullets must seem incredibly slow in front of him, which is why they miss—that’s why Brother Han can’t catch up to him.”
Bai Chunian looked as if a light bulb had gone off, and said in a low voice, “Brother Han, Xiao Yang’s ability is a time buff.”
Han Xingqian: “Mm.”
By this time, Han Xingqian had already made it to the second floor; from Bai Chunian’s position, only a glimpse of his shoulder was visible through the small window.
Through the 16x scope, Bai Chunian saw a white feather fluttering down from Han Xingqian’s body.
The Pegasus Gland A3 differentiation ability, “Wings of the Celestial Rider,” can remove debuffs from friendly targets and dispel buffs from enemy targets.
Under Bai Chunian’s observation, a soft, glowing feather suddenly appeared above Xiao Yang’s head.
Bai Chunian immediately called out, “50 degrees to the right, two marks, adjust to 500, wind direction 6 degrees to the right, quarter-right.”
Lan Bo narrowed his eyes: “Target confirmed.”
A gunshot rang out; a transparent shell casing flew off, hitting the ground and dissolving into a watery stain. Inside the main building, a spray of blood erupted from Xiao Yang’s shoulder as he clutched the wound and staggered.
Bai Chunian: “Finish him off!”
Lan Bo had already quickly reloaded, and another shot struck Xiao Yang near the back of his neck.
“Even a sniper round can be dodged—no wonder he’s Lingti.” Lan Bo looked thoroughly annoyed, his brows tightly furrowed. His black, pointed claws extended from their sheaths, scraping against the transparent water-hardened steel sniper rifle.
“Can’t hit him anymore. He’s too fast.” Bai Chunian lowered his 16x scope. “Let’s pull out.”
Xiao Yang had been hit by two rounds. The two hydro-steel sniper rounds dissolved into water the instant they entered his body. Pressed tightly against the wall, blood gushed from the two bullet wounds on his body. Had it not been for his ability to rapidly constrict, those two hydro-steel rounds would have pierced his temple and the back of his neck in quick succession.
Xiao Xun, whom he had been holding hostage, seized the opportunity to break free from his grip and ran down the corridor. Han Xingqian was standing at the end of the corridor; as Xiao Xun brushed past him, the cold breeze he stirred up caused the hem of Dr. Han’s white lab coat to flutter.
Xiao Xun: “I’m going to get the gun.”
Han Xingqian, his hands in the pockets of his white coat: “I’m going to have a chat with Uncle Liu.”
Xiao Xun sprinted all the way to the storage room where the sniper rifle case was kept. He kept his mission objective firmly in mind; even if there were complications and he had to act ahead of schedule, this mission had to be completed.
The corridor leading to the storage room was blocked by several maids cleaning the rooms. If he tried to get through, more than one person would see him, which could easily complicate matters.
Xiao Xun leaned lightly against a bedroom door. Hearing no sound from inside, he pulled a thin piece of wire from his inner pocket, slipped it into the keyhole, and gently jiggled it twice. The bedroom door swung open slightly, and Xiao Xun slipped inside.
At the Aphid Island Special Training Base, he had learned everything; this simple lock-picking trick was merely a beginner’s lesson.
This was the place where he had grown up. Xiao Xun was intimately familiar with the entire layout of the Lingti Clan’s estate. As long as he passed through this bedroom, he could reach the ceiling of the storage room directly from the ceiling compartment above.
Xiao Xun moved quietly along the edge of the bedroom wall, glancing at the room’s furnishings as he went. The bed was spotlessly clean, and a small wooden crib stood beside it; a faint scent of milk lingered in the air.
Xiao Xun climbed lightly onto the ceiling, feeling his way in the dark to the storage room. He opened the sniper rifle case Bai Chunian had placed there earlier, quickly assembled the rifle, slung it over his shoulder, then silently jumped back down from the ceiling into the bedroom and retraced his steps.
When he landed, he heard a sound behind him.
Xiao Xun’s body stiffened abruptly. He slowly turned his head and saw his sister-in-law, Song Feng, sitting on the edge of the bed in a loose white dress, cradling a swaddled infant. Her loving gaze shifted from the baby in her arms to Xiao Xun’s face. Upon seeing the sniper rifle on his back, her expression remained calm and gentle.
“Sister-in-law…” Xiao Xun felt a bit at a loss, but he still lowered his gaze and said coldly, “I’m sorry, we didn’t come here with the genuine intention of treating you. Please forgive us.”
He took the rifle off his back and coldly chambered a round. Though the muzzle was pointed at the ground, he could raise it at any moment to kill the woman standing before him.
“I’m not sick.” Big Sister lowered her eyes to soothe the child who had just woken up. “Actually, even if I were sick, it’s not something a single doctor could cure.”
“Xiao Xun, this is the first time I’ve met you, but I’ve often heard my family speak of you.”
Xiao Xun’s eyes betrayed a hint of impatience. “Of course, the Xiao family wouldn’t have anything good to say.”
The older sister forced a faint smile: “They say you’re a rebel—that you defy family arrangements, don’t consider anyone else’s feelings, break your marriage vows, and only care about living it up out there.”
“But… the person they describe as so despicable is the one I envy most.” ” His sister-in-law lifted her eyelids and gazed intently at Xiao Xun. “My company, my subordinates, my partners, my competitors… ever since I was brought here, I’ve lost everything.” Song Feng glanced at the infant in her arms and gave a wry smile. “All I have left is this child.”
Xiao Xun finally let down his guard, yet continued to watch her impassively.
The infant began wailing again. Song Feng gently soothed the child as she picked it up; her pregnant body made her movements somewhat sluggish. Holding the baby, she slowly made her way toward the window. As she passed by Xiao Xun, a set of keys fell from her hand.
Keys to every room and attic in the Lingti Manor.
Xiao Xun picked up the keys, turned to leave with his rifle on his back, and glanced back at his elder sister-in-law.
Song Feng stood by the window holding the child, her gaze fixed on the brightly lit main hall. The moving figures within the hall were reflected in her cold eyes.
Han Xingqian stopped the bleeding on Xiao Yang, who had been hit by two sniper rounds, and administered a shot of adrenaline.
Xiao Yang’s smile was like a mask pasted onto his face; even with his severe injuries, it remained unchanged. However, Han Xingqian had completely neutralized his ability to manipulate time; whether he sped it up or slowed it down, it had no effect on Han Xingqian.
“Stop struggling,” Han Xingqian said. “Your ability will detonate if I neutralize it three times.”
Xiao Yang stopped struggling as well, simply sitting down on the ground and holding his wound as he asked, “Are you IOA’s doctor? Tell me about that Professor Lin Deng.”
Han Xingqian: “According to my teacher, Professor Lin Deng and Ms. Aileen were college classmates who had a long-term romantic relationship. They eventually broke up due to differences in ideology. After Professor Lin Deng left the research institute, Aileen didn’t try to destroy him completely; instead, she helped him conceal his identity and arranged for him to work at Enxi Hospital. Later, when Professor Lin Deng returned to the institute to steal classified information, he was killed by security personnel. I heard that Aileen dealt with those security guards who fired the shots, but hearsay is unreliable, so I don’t know if it’s true or not.”
“Old flames never die,” Xiao Yang said with a twinkle in his eye. “I never would have guessed my boss was so devoted.”
His phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated. Xiao Yang smiled at Han Xingqian and answered the call.
An urgent voice on the other end said, “Professor Xiao, the shipment Lu Shangjin requested has been returned. Dan Xinning can’t meet the demand right now. The boss wants you to make sure the Lingti Family factory stays operational—there can be absolutely no mistakes! The boss has sent a few more test subjects your way; you must not let anything go wrong!”
After hanging up, Xiao Yang sighed softly, “They’re bossing me around again.”
Han Xingqian couldn’t hear the contents of the call, nor could he detect any change in Xiao Yang’s cheerful expression, but he knew Xiao Yang was stalling for time—the research institute must have another plan up its sleeve.
Xiao Yang slipped his phone back into his pocket and smiled with narrowed eyes. “Let’s talk about something else. Are you dating Xunxun? If so, she’d technically be my niece-in-law.”
Han Xingqian: “He usually calls me ‘Dad’ in bed, so I don’t think we need to be too strict about the generational hierarchy.”