The place where Xiao Yan and Jane fell is being watched by a group of people.
If they wait law enforcement personnel from the Ministry of Communication will arrive, but Xiao Yan is concerned there will be Surge killers among them.
Jane grabbed Xiao's wrist and guided him out of the crowd.
"Lower your head and don't look around."
Jane and Xiao Yan walk through the bustling downtown area and pass through a mall to an alley.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Xiao, do you believe in me?"
Jane's fingers were wrapped around Xiao's wrist so tightly the bones creaked.
"I believe......"
Suddenly Xiao Yan saw a figure blocking their path.
With wide eyes he saw a cold light slice through the air, Xiao Yan was certain that his head would tumble down, but Jane hand stopped the other person's blade.
"I was wondering who it was. So it's you Cole?"
Everything is not clear to Xiao Yan.
Jane side kicks Cole, just as Cole went to block it, Jane rapidly changed directions. Cole was left blocking nothing but shadows, and Jane had already knocked him in the knees. Cole went down briefly but took the moment to pull his blade out again. The blood from Jane's hand still stained the surface.
Xiao Yan could barely follow everything. Jane's movements were swift and clean, every blow packed a killing force. Cole's life seemed to flicker, undulating in a cruel limbo.
Jane's elbows knocked against the side of Cole's head and slammed him against the wall. Cole's blade sliced down Jane's side and Xiao felt his spine freeze. Leaning and twisting , Jane escaped the hold and kicked savagely outward, breaking Cole's knees. With a backhanded swipe, he pierced his wrist.
He was now nailed to the wall.
"Cole, you picked the wrong opponent."
Jane smiled lightly and his head tipped back, as he looked upwards the wind brushed slightly against him. His profile was elegant against the dark night.
"Easy---"
Coles free hand suddenly rose up, squeezed between his fingers was an injection needle.
Xiao shouted out a warning to Jane, who quickly slammed onto Coles wrist, brutally ripping his whole hand off.
Jane's white face was splattered with blood, the contrast was a shocking visual.
Cole's expression was twisted and strained, even with his ability to heal, it was impossible to regenerate another body part..
"Why are you targeting Xiao Yan?"
Jane angled up Cole's chin, his smile was riddled with shadows and horror.
":....Colonel, isn't the reason quite obvious?" Cole smiles slowly, and gritted his teeth, "We've never been friends."
"Oh well, no one is with me. My question was why was Xiao your target? Even if you don't care to reveal your identity to me!"
Jane smacked Coles cheeks in twisted familiarity.
"Xiao Yan...successfully synthesized the x-virus...how do you not know that? It seems that the military can't trust you!"
When Jane got his answer he slowly turned back, taking Coles weapon, the blood dripped down the blade. His eyes were fixed on Xiao Yan."
"You synthesized the x-virus?"
Xiao Yan stepped back one step at a time. In his eyes, Jane appeared like a demon from Hell aiming to destroy him.
"......I......"
A powerful feeling of murder rushed at him . Xiao Yan's knees buckled and he fell to the ground.
At that moment, Jane suddenly turned and rapidly swung his blade, no mercy slowed his movement.
Cole stood behind Jane, and when Cole struck the ground, it heralded the end of everything, Cole's head was sliced from his neck.
Jane's hand reached over and covered Xiao Yan's eyes, his deep timbre bounded through his ears.
"Don't look."
Xiao Yan was slow to close his eyes, between the spaces of Jane's fingers Xiao's sight was soaked in nothing but red.
"He... is also a Special Task Force..."
"Yes that means there are Surge spies in the Special Task Force."
The cold lacing Jane's words bit down to the bone. For more than 200 years, citizens of the Shire have lived a comfortable and good life. Now it seemed all that peace and comfort was built on quicksand.
"That Cole was he your comrade?"
"He is my subordinate."
Jane's voice shows no regret.
Xiao Yan swallowed shakily, Jane's decisive attack did not seem as though he were facing a comrade.
"AH...You think I was cruel to my fellow soldier? That I am a monster?"
"You can only assume he was a spy, if that is the case he is no longer your subordinate but your enemy. Treating the enemy with benevolence is not always a wise move.
Xiao Yan's voice is smooth and calm. He wasn't a researcher that had spent his whole life buried in a lab. He knew fist hand how dangerous and desperate the enemy was. He had watched Captain White and Maya fall in front of him. Sympathizing with your enemies was not only extremely naive, it was irresponsible and deadly.
Jane snorted derisively, "We always find a way to justify our cruel nature, but in the end all we can do is try to survive that cruelty."
They had not yet stepped out of the long alleyway when several maglev cars appeared overhead. The door opened and someone dropped down.
Lightning flashed and Xiao tilted his head to look, Jane pushed him away. Xiao's back hit the wall and four Surge assassins fell down. One of them landed on a street lamp and then jumped from there. In front of his eyes were four gazes gleaming with murder.
Jane leveraged himself against the wall beside Xiao Yan, he grabbed the enemy's blade, twisting in the air he seized it. But the narrow alley limits Jane's abilities. He stays in front of Xiao Yan but as he maneuvers his weapon, Xiao is pushed back against the wall. If this continues, his bones will break.
He doesn't see how it happened , but suddenly Jane's nimble hands now held the enemy's blade.
Jane stepped up on the wall again, leaving Xiao Yan with some room. Lifting his weapon, his blade hit the metal of the killer's and the hilt slammed into the assassins face.
"Go!" Jane grabbed Xiao's collar and threw him outside the battle area. Three killers attempted to cross, but Jane intercepted them.
Xiao Yan did not look back. He knew that if Jane's name could be spoken in the same breath as Heine Burton's none of these assassins were his opponent. Their united force only sparked Jane's interest and leveled up his ability. It was a suicide mission.
The blood gathered in Jane's pupils, staining his gaze and sharply slicing through, "You have three seconds."
Before anyone could process the meaning of his words, Jane was in the air and the first killer's head was sliced neatly off. He launched himself from the shoulders of his first victim, his blade trained at the second killer. The second enemy attempted to dodge, but it was futile. Jane's sword spilt his head open and the third killer tried to attack, but time was up. The sword swept through and took off the last killer's heads as it finished its arc.
Jane landed and his eyes swept coldly over the corpses covering the ground. Blood flowed near his feet. He turned away without mercy and looked at Xiao Yan retreating back.
In that instant his eyes widened and his expression was one of stunned paralysis.
"Xiao Yan -"
Jane's warning came too late and in front of Xiao is another killer. The blood in his body froze.
Jane rushed towards him, but the killers blade had already sliced through Xiao Yan's throat. At the same moment, the killer's head was cut cleanly off.
Xiao Yan grabbed at his neck. As he struggled to breathe, his blood spurted out and poured down his hand.
The killers body fell, the swing of the blade invisible under the backlight.
Xiao Yan fell into Jane's arms.
He was dragged back and a palm pressed against the wound on his neck. He opened his mouth but couldn't drag in any oxygen. Xiao Yan struggled until he was pulled in and the person's tongue rushed into his mouth. His whole mouth was frantically swept through, and an eager hunger ignited within Xiao. He sucks hard as his body continued to seek the other person, wanting to be held tighter, to get closer to them, to sink into their blood...
Xiao's hand fell from holding his neck to pressing against the back of the other's head, pressing their body tightly to him.
He lost control of everything. His judgment, his thoughts, all was swept away with each lick and lap of his tongue. He sank as deep into the kiss as he could, pushing his whole tongue in, struggling to get closer against the grip on him. His embrace was firm and unwavering, then his tongue was suddenly pushed out of the other person's mouth.
Xiao's hear filled with terror and he pushed back frantically, forcing their head to his and trying his best to seize everything in their mouth.
Such perseverance resulted in a low sigh and softened heart. Xiao Yan pressed his face closer and entangled their tongues. Despite his frenzy, the kiss grew in gentleness until the movements were almost seductive caresses.
Jane looked at the scene in front of him and crossed his arm.
"Colonel Burton, if you don't push him away, he will be addicted to the x virus."
Torturously Xiao Yan was pushed away, the other person still had their hand on his shoulder. Looking up, Xiao Yan saw madness fragment the ice in Heine's eyes. He could hear that Heine's breathing was heavy and erratic.
It was then that Xiao Yan was shocked to find that the wound on his neck had disappeared.
"Why are you here?" Jane looked over at Heine, when he turned to Xiao his eyes were razor sharp.
Heine stood motionless.
"If I were not here, he would be dead."
The iciness of his voice seemed interweaved with an illusory gentleness.
"I need an explanation. Your presence is not a coincidence."
"This is my mission."
"All right, then I will look for someone who will explain this." Jane leaned over Xiao Yan, knocking off Heine's hand with such force Xiao thought his shoulder would come off with it. Xiao Yan followed behind Jane, he also wanted to know what was going on.
Heine lowered his eyes.
His hands trembled. He was soaked in Xiao Yan's blood, the fluid had not yet cooled. He squeezed his hands into fists and exhaled shakily.
Xiao Yan was pulled behind Jane. He could feel the electricity crackle along his whole body, ionizing the air around him. The headquarters of the Special Task Force was in sight.
As they exited the alley there were more than seven bodies in Surge uniforms littering the ground.
The street ran red with their blood.
It is at this time that Xiao Yan understand that Heine has been protecting him. If he had continued running he would have ended up facing these killers.
Xiao could tell from the way they were killed....Heine's hatred of these people is certain.
Jane whispered, "Don't look, just go!"
This building is totally different from the Academy. The construct is cold and ruthless, there is no trace of decoration, it is pure utility.
Jane took Xiao Yan inside. In front of them is a special forces soldier with a calm face. He is dressed in combat gear, his eyes cross over Xiao's body and his gaze takes on a keen edge.
That right, he is still wearing his Academy uniform. The techs and special forces hate each other.
Jane brought Xiao into the elevator. The moment the doors opened, two special forces soldiers stopped them.
"Colonel Wallis—"
"Step aside!"
Jane pushed away their hands and pulled Xiao Yan into the passageway.
"Colonel Wallis! Major General has not approved you to come here!"
The two special forces were about to draw their blades.
Jane leaned back and offered his arrogant smile.
The cold words came from between his teeth. "I'll cut your head off."
A rigid bloodthirsty atmosphere spread through the steel passage, the beams bending under Jane's explosive presence.
The tense atmosphere speaks of imminent death.
At this time, a secretary officer appeared, and their clear voice echoed along the channel.
"Colonel Wallis, Major General wants to see you."
Jane snorted and looked at Xiao Yan. "Let's go."
Xiao Yan stumbled, "General?"
He is just a student. The so-called reservists are still at B level. Today, he is going to meet the major general of the military?
"I just want to hear him explain this situation."
Jane pulled an uncomfortably twisted expression dragging Xiao into an extremely large office, furnished with only a single desk.
The man dressed in a military uniform sat directly on the desk, playing with a bright dagger.
Just as Xiao Yan stepped in, the man threw the dagger over. The seemingly casual action was full of precision and effort.
Jane stopped the path of the dagger less than a centimeter from Xiao Yan's nose.
Then he rapidly approached the man, leaning in close to his face and stabbed the knife into the top of the desk. The man didn't flinch as the knife tip penetrated the wood between the his splayed fingers.
"You're still as boring as ever, sir." Jane raised his jaw and his eyes appeared cold.
"I heard what you said quite clearly, when you were outside the door." The man nodded.
This was the senior commander Gordon. His is responsible for commanding the entire Special Task Force. He looked around 35 years old. He can be called a sage, not from his combat abilities but his keen mind. His features are quite plain, unlike Heine and Jane. He is just someone who wants to live a long and memorable life. Not a ripple of danger twitched his body, just a calm indifference. It is difficult to believe that this seemingly ordinary and harmless person directs the entire special forces.