Chapter 139: Cooperation

"What did you say?" Qili's complexion shifted drastically the moment Xie Liu uttered those words. "Go save him? What do you mean?" Wang Qi had been captured for hours, and Xie Liu’s sudden declaration caught Qili completely off guard.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" After her initial shock, Qili began to press Xie Liu, who merely waved his hand, offering an explanation.

"Don't be so anxious; there is a reason for this," Xie Liu signaled for her to calm down. "I didn't tell you my plan earlier because I was afraid you would act impulsively."

Xie Liu reached into his coat and pulled out a small device. A tiny green dot flickered continuously on its display.

"When I handed Wang Qi over to them, I injected a signal sensor under his skin. It transmits via a unique psychic frequency, so don't worry, they won't be able to intercept it. I can track Wang Qi's location now. You want to know why I kept this from you? Because I feared that once you knew where he was, you wouldn't be able to sit still and would rush to save him, which would have completely ruined my plan."

Seeing Qili’s confusion, Xie Liu wagged his finger. "You have to understand, Wang Qi was severely injured; they would have had to place him in a recovery pod. Based on my assessment of his wounds, he would need three to four hours to fully recover." Xie Liu pointed to the clock on the wall. "It has been over four hours now. Including the time spent in transit, I believe your husband has been treated. That is why I am going to save him now."

Qili fell silent. She had to admit that Xie Liu had considered factors she had overlooked.

"Then what should I do next?" Knowing there was still hope for her husband, an excited expression appeared on Qili’s face.

"Hmm..." Xie Liu rubbed his chin, pondering for a moment before speaking. "Regardless of whether we succeed in saving your husband, you cannot stay in this room anymore. Take Meng'er, pack your essentials, and leave this place tonight once we've rescued Wang Qi."

Qili’s eyes filled with a trace of sorrow. She looked around the room they had lived in for such a short time, sighing with reluctance. "This is where Meng'er was born. It is the first real home we've ever had."

"I know," Xie Liu said, pressing his lips together. "But you have to let it go. If we can save your husband, you can find a new place to settle down."

Qili shook her head, unsure if she agreed. "Thank you for the comfort, but let’s discuss how to save my husband."

Xie Liu pointed to the communicator in his hand, his expression turning grave. "The only thing I am certain of is your husband's location. As for how to execute the rescue, we can only plan that once we reach the site."

The communicator continued to blink, tracking Wang Qi. "Fortunately, your husband wasn't sent to another city; his injuries were likely too severe to risk moving him further." After a few minutes, Xie Liu looked up and said, "Found him. He is about five kilometers away."

Qili began to pack, though she had little to take: simple changes of clothes and a fuzzy toy cat—Meng'er's favorite. Xie Liu watched, shaking his head with a touch of melancholy. Qili could abandon everything, but she could never abandon Meng'er.

As Qili busied herself, Xie Liu watched quietly with a faint smile, which soon vanished. "Come out," he said coldly, not to Qili, but to the darkness behind him.

A man in black emerged from behind the door. He leaned against the frame, appearing casual, yet he blocked Xie Liu’s only exit.

"As expected of the Dead Eye from the Direct Action Unit; nothing gets past you," the man sneered, his gaze locked on Xie Liu. "Let me introduce myself. I am Special Agent 107, Class B, of the Special Alliance. You can call me 'Blood Wolf'."

Class B agents usually had code names, and this man’s was 'Blood Wolf,' though they typically referred to each other by their rankings.

"I recall a custom among you agents: you only reveal your code names or real names to those you recognize as friends. I don't think you consider me a friend," Xie Liu said, turning to lock eyes with the man.

Though Class B agents were formidable, Xie Liu felt no fear. Beyond his own physical capabilities, he possessed the "Eye of Nightmare." Even a momentary distraction during combat could decide the outcome.

"You're not wrong, but you're not entirely right, either," Blood Wolf replied, his lips curving into a smile. His tone was steady and lacked any hint of hostility. "When an agent reveals their name, besides signaling friendship, it can also mean they consider the other person a worthy opponent."

"Oh? Is that so?" Xie Liu feigned surprise. "I don't see what makes me worthy of your respect." He kept his hand near the hilt of his blade, prepared for a sudden strike. "Yet, since you haven't attacked and haven't left, and have wasted my time with small talk, I don't believe you have no ulterior motive."

"Fair enough. You’re a sharp one," Blood Wolf grinned. "True, we have no reason to talk, especially after you killed several of my subordinates. But I believe we have reason to cooperate. How about it? Willing to join forces?"

Xie Liu frowned. "I don't understand. Why should we work together? Give me a reason to believe you."

Blood Wolf snapped his fingers. "Simple. You want to save your husband, and I want revenge on the Joint Task Force. I help you save him, you help me teach those guys a lesson. Deal?"

"You make it sound easy," Xie Liu scoffed, raising a finger. "First, helping you fight the Joint Task Force would get me blacklisted by the Fantasy City and treated as a rebel. Second, why should I trust you to help me rescue anyone? We are strangers."

"Don't be so quick to refuse," Blood Wolf said, seeing Xie Liu's resistance. "Let me ask you: do you know the structure of the Catastrophe Legion branch? Do you know where your target is being held? Can a simple communicator find him? At best, you only have a general location."

"That is none of your concern," Xie Liu replied firmly.

"Secondly," Blood Wolf continued, "I’m not asking you to fight the Joint Task Force directly. I just need you to bypass their security mechanisms. You have higher clearance than their average soldiers. Once you disable the locks, leave the rest to me."

Xie Liu frowned, lost in thought. Blood Wolf’s logic held water. If he stormed in alone, he would likely be swarmed to death. Having someone to split the enemy's attention would significantly increase their success rate.

"Well? Can you accept my proposal?" As Xie Liu pondered, Qili entered the room with a bag and the infant in her arms. "When do we le—"

Before she could finish, she recoiled like a startled cat, a dagger appearing in her hand, baring her teeth at Blood Wolf.

Blood Wolf looked at Qili in surprise, his gaze settling on the baby. "This child... is she hers?"

Xie Liu signaled that she was safe and nodded. "She is the child of her and a psychic." Seeing Blood Wolf’s strange look, Xie Liu frowned. "What is that look for? It has nothing to do with me. The father is the man I am rescuing tonight."

"Strange. If it has nothing to do with you, why get involved in this mess?" Blood Wolf wondered.

Xie Liu tilted his head. "Don't you find a child born to a Cyborg and a Psychic to be an intriguing subject?"

Blood Wolf’s eyes lit up. "True. You have a point. Intriguing—very intriguing. Now I’m interested in saving this man too, just to see what kind of person he is! Haha! How about it, Dead Eye? Are we partners?"

Xie Liu rubbed his temples, annoyed. "This time only. Once this is over, we return to being enemies."

"Rest assured, once this is over, if you don't cut me down, I'll cut you down. You're far too interesting, so interesting that I might actually have to kill you! Hahaha!"

Xie Liu rolled his eyes at the man's bizarre logic. Qili, realizing he was no longer an immediate threat but still wary, whispered to Xie Liu, "What do we do now?"

Xie Liu thought for a moment, then let out a cold, sharp laugh. "Now? Now we're going to cause a scene!"