Chapter 135: The Escape

Wu Yuan’s words sent a roar through Xie Liu’s mind. He had not expected Wu Yuan’s stance on the cyborgs to be so resolute, leaving no room for compromise—even going so far as to invoke the entire Havoc Legion to exert pressure.

This rendered all the arguments Xie Liu had prepared useless. He knew that Wu Yuan’s attitude at this moment represented that of the entire Havoc Legion. Following the Kanto Incident two years prior, where the Legion had suffered heavy losses, there was no way they would let the matter of the cyborgs rest.

One or two soldiers from the Allied Task Force were not a threat, but an entire legion of them was something Xie Liu could not handle.

"Officer, if you have nothing further to say, please do not stand in the way of Wu Yuan carrying out his mission." Though Wu Yuan was firm, he did not wish to offend Xie Liu. After all, Xie Liu represented the Hunting Squad’s direct unit; setting aside their combat prowess, the mere presence of several Level 10 super-powered elites meant no one dared underestimate that organization.

Xie Liu slowly lowered the blade he held before Wu Yuan. While it was true the Hunting Squad did not fear the Allied Task Force, that did not mean he could afford to anger a whole legion. Moreover, obstructing the Task Force from hunting down Special Alliance cyborgs was a problem of his own making; even if it reached the Council, Xie Liu would be the one in the wrong.

Nevertheless, Xie Liu looked up at Wu Yuan and said in a pleading tone, "There are things I cannot explain clearly, but please trust me. We cannot hunt this cyborg. I am doing this to help you, so that you will not live to regret this."

Wu Yuan did not understand what Xie Liu meant. "I do not understand what you are talking about. I believe our Havoc Legion will never regret hunting down all cyborgs." With that, he brushed aside Xie Liu’s blade and walked toward Qili’s shop.

Xie Liu lowered his sword. He could not tell this man about Qili and her child, because the fact that a cyborg and a human could conceive offspring was too significant—it would likely trigger a storm that would shake the entire city.

Yet, aside from this reason, Xie Liu could find no other way to persuade Wu Yuan. And, in all honesty, Qili was not exactly an innocent person; many had died by her hands in the past.

Xie Liu did not stop Wu Yuan, nor did he have the ability to. The signal had already been sent; even if he killed this man, his comrades would continue to arrive in an endless stream.

*Must I really tell them about this?* Xie Liu hesitated. Seeing Wu Yuan approaching the clothing store, Xie Liu took a deep breath and followed. If it came to it, he would rather turn against Wu Yuan than let the couple be killed.

Xie Liu did not consider himself a compassionate person; on the contrary, he was someone who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. But seeing the infant in Qili’s arms, his heart simply could not turn cold. Perhaps, as a hunter, Xie Liu was not quite qualified for the role.

He followed Wu Yuan toward the shop. The Allied Task Force soldier was clearly extremely cautious, remaining vigilant with every step to prevent an unexpected ambush.

Xie Liu followed behind him, an internal battle raging in his mind. According to the city’s laws, he should be assisting Wu Yuan in killing Qili, but he could not do it. Nor could he simply walk away, so he could only trail behind him, moving slowly.

"Sigh, one step at a time, I suppose," Xie Liu sighed. Seeing Wu Yuan reach the entrance of the shop, he opened his mouth to speak, but at that exact moment, the unexpected happened.

Qili rushed out of the clothing store, calling back to Wang Qi, and collided head-on with Wu Yuan!

"Who's there!" Qili looked up in anger, and then, she froze.

Wu Yuan was equally stunned. He had not expected his target to walk out of the house and crash into him like this.

The atmosphere turned eerily tense. It was impossible for Qili not to recognize Wu Yuan’s combat suit, and more importantly, the badge on his chest clearly indicated his allegiance.

The Havoc Legion. Two years ago, it was they who defeated the Special Alliance’s cyborg forces and chased them for over a dozen kilometers. No cyborg could forget that scene. The reputation of the Havoc Legion was too vast; to the cyborgs, they were synonymous with death and slaughter.

"Who are you!" Qili’s brows arched, and killing intent surged in her eyes. She could not forget—it was this very group that had hunted her down all those years ago, and nine out of ten of her comrades had died at their hands.

Wu Yuan recognized Qili instantly. His face turned cold, and he raised his hand high, a red lightsaber blade igniting from his gauntlet. "The one who will kill you!"

"You dare!" Qili shrieked. Seeing the blade descend, she did not flinch; her fingernails elongated sharply, and she swiped directly at the descending light-sword.

"You’re from the Havoc Legion?" Up close, Qili stared at the badge on Wu Yuan’s chest, confirming his identity. Wu Yuan sneered, "Good that you know."

The hatred between them was beyond reconciliation. Qili was like a cat with its fur standing on end, constantly searching for openings in Wu Yuan’s defense. After the initial exchange, she quickly put some distance between them.

"You people from the Havoc Legion are truly annoying. So many years have passed, and you’re still hounding us." Qili was clearly furious; it was evident that this was not her first encounter with them.

Facing her rage and questioning, Wu Yuan only sneered, retorting mercilessly.

"Everything you did back then—even killing you ten thousand times would not be enough to appease our anger! You vile cyborgs should all be exterminated!" Wu Yuan’s fury erupted completely upon seeing Qili.

Xie Liu, standing behind, frowned slightly. Hearing these words from a regular soldier was not a good sign. It represented the collective will of a legion whose eyes had been blinded by hatred. Soldiers were not supposed to have their own emotions; they were meant to execute orders. This was something Xie Liu knew, and something the city’s top brass was well aware of.

If the Allied Task Force began to develop its own agenda, the measures taken by the leadership would be severe. Clearly, the higher-ups had not yet noticed the Havoc Legion’s hatred, but if they were to voice opinions on the treatment of cyborgs, the leadership would certainly take note.

Regarding the stance on cyborgs, the Fantastic City military had always adopted a policy of non-interference, for they understood the principle that once the birds are gone, the bow is put away.

Wu Yuan cared nothing for this. After forcing Qili back, he swung his blade and charged at her.

Wu Yuan’s superpower was [Danger Perception], which allowed him to sense incoming threats in advance, giving him a massive advantage in close-quarters combat.

As he lunged at Qili, she did not show weakness, drawing a dagger that shimmered with a chilling light.

The two began to fight without another word. As a cyborg, Qili’s raw strength was superior to Wu Yuan’s, but with his superpower and top-tier equipment, he was not about to lose to a cyborg armed only with a dagger.

They exchanged dozens of blows. Although it was dangerous, in Xie Liu’s eyes, both were full of openings. Yet, he had no reason to intervene, choosing instead to stand with his arms crossed, watching coldly.

Wu Yuan had come with the resolve to kill, and Qili had no reason to retreat, fighting for the sake of her husband and daughter. Two people who were not ordinary were fighting for their lives on an unremarkable street. Blades flashed; a single moment of carelessness would mean total defeat.

The battle lasted two or three minutes before Xie Liu suddenly frowned. He looked into the distance, sensing others approaching. It must be Wu Yuan’s teammates arriving.

"Your people are here," Xie Liu warned. Both combatants froze for a split second. Qili’s expression shifted, while Wu Yuan laughed aloud, "My teammates are here. Prepare to die!"

Qili’s face turned pale. Suddenly remembering something, she let out an urgent shout.

"Go back!"

She was calling to her husband inside the shop. They had just returned to the house to gather their belongings and leave, and Wang Qi had gone to the third floor to retrieve their daughter, which was why he had been slow to come down.

Qili had not expected the enemy to be blocking the entrance. Now that reinforcements had arrived, there was no chance of survival, but she had to ensure they did not discover the existence of Wang Qi and their daughter!

But her warning came too late.

Wang Qi happened to be walking out of the door with their daughter in his arms just as he collided with Wu Yuan!

At that moment, Qili, Wang Qi, and Wu Yuan all stood frozen. Wang Qi looked at the uninvited guest with confusion written on his face.

Wu Yuan’s gaze, however, locked onto the small bundle in Wang Qi’s arms.

"A child?" Wu Yuan could not believe his eyes, staring fixedly at the infant. Sensing Wu Yuan’s gaze, the sleeping child suddenly woke up.

"Waaa—" A loud, piercing cry shattered the silence, snapping everyone back to reality.

Xie Liu was the first to react. He gave a bitter smile; what was meant to happen would happen. He stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Now do you know why I tried to stop you?"

"Because the person you are about to kill is a child’s mother."

Wu Yuan’s expression became incredibly complex at that moment; surprise, doubt, shock, and his original rage all froze on his face.

"What did you say?" Wu Yuan glared at the scene before him, unable to believe it. "A child? You said a child?" His gaze shifted from the infant in Wang Qi’s arms to Qili, and suddenly, he realized the truth. He was struck by a fit of violent rage.

"You actually gave birth to a cyborg’s bastard!" Wu Yuan roared, raising his sword. "I will kill you all!"

With that, he swung his blade directly toward Wang Qi and the child in his arms!

But at that moment, Xie Liu moved. His own blade flashed out, deflecting Wu Yuan’s strike. He then shoved Wang Qi back and shouted, "Stop spacing out! Run!"