Chapter Five: Severance! The Flashing Sword! (Part Two)

"Come here for a moment." Reiko called out to Lin Yang, who was about to leave. Lin Yang turned to look at Reiko, then glanced at Ye Ling beside him, his eyes full of inquiry. Reiko said, "That virgin doesn't need to come along."

"I can endure..." Ye Ling held back her urge to curse, clenching her little fists, her teeth grinding in frustration. Watching Lin Yang follow Reiko away, she secretly cursed Reiko a hundred times, then, out of spite, turned and walked off.

"Is there something else?" Lin Yang's face was stern. Reiko pushed open the office door, sat in the high-backed chair, and spoke with an alluring air, "Can't I call you in without a reason?"

"I have things to do." Lin Yang's expression grew even darker and he turned to leave. Sensing the tension, Reiko quickly said, "There should be another enemy."

"Hm?" Lin Yang halted, turning back to Reiko. Reiko took a small test tube from her pocket, filled with a faint red liquid. "This is diluted Deadeye blood. Before this, I analyzed the toxins in his blood and found, besides the deadly poison, a strong radioactive signal."

"A signal? You mean..." Lin Yang's face changed. "Are you saying there's another accomplice who has already pinpointed Deadeye's location thanks to this signal?"

"Exactly. That's the logic. Deadeye is currently weakened, even a couple of ordinary people could finish him off, let alone someone from the Special Alliance." Reiko grinned mischievously. "Still, don't underestimate the alarm system in this inpatient wing. If anyone tries to break in, the alarm will sound, and it can automatically neutralize intruders. In short, stay indoors and you'll be safe."

"Stay indoors..." Lin Yang muttered, his head bowed. Suddenly, his face went pale. "Oh no!"

...

Ye Ling pressed her fist to her forehead as she exited the inpatient wing, muttering as she went, "What a joke, why does a tiny clinic have an inpatient wing that looks like a mansion?"

Fuming, she stepped out into the silent grove. Starlight spilled onto the path. She followed the winding trail, making her way down.

"I'm starving..." Ye Ling sighed helplessly. She hadn't eaten all day, and after dry-heaving in the clinic for so long, she had no appetite then. But now, she was so hungry her eyes sparkled gold.

"Woo... And today is my birthday, how unlucky can I get?" Tears welled up in Ye Ling's eyes as she kicked a stone by her feet. "Xie Liu, drop dead, Lin Yang, drop dead! Drop dead! Drop dead! All of you!"

"Ah, ah, ah..." Ye Ling clutched her head, groaning in irritation, messing up her long hair, then exhaling deeply twice. "Much better. Hmph!" After venting, she gradually calmed herself and smoothed her hair once more. "It's a bit late, but I should get something to eat. Hmm? Maybe I should get food for Xie Liu and Lin Yang... Ah, forget it, those jerks can starve for all I care!"

"Hmph!" Ye Ling sulked for a bit, then sighed, "Xie Liu, that guy, he wouldn't have died, right? He's always so annoying..." She hesitated, grumbling reluctantly, then stomped her foot. "Fine, I'll bring them some food too." Decision made, Ye Ling took out her small wallet and was about to step forward when suddenly she felt a chill on her neck.

Somehow, a gleaming knife was already pressed against her throat.

"Heh heh... Pretty girl, can you tell me where Deadeye is? Otherwise, your lovely head will part ways with your body." The metallic scent from behind made Ye Ling feel as if her body was no longer under her control, frozen in place, unable to move. But she managed to say, "Sir, what are you talking about? I've never heard of that. Could you explain?"

"Trying to fool me? Not so easy. Speak up, or I'll kill you and search slowly!" The sinister voice behind her was not one for negotiation. Ye Ling felt her heart nearly stop.

"Speak! Now!"

"No!" Ye Ling screamed inside. Her eyes widened, pupils contracting.

"Someone, save me..."

Out of the darkness, the wind was suddenly torn asunder, accompanied by the sound of air being ripped open.

"Vmmm—" Along with the swirling wind, a pink beam of light arced perfectly, leaving a faint glow lingering in the darkness.

In that moment, the pressure behind Ye Ling and the cold beneath her chin vanished. She looked up to see a slender figure standing before her. The breeze lifted his cloak, his tousled hair blending into the night. Only the pink lightsaber in his hand provided illumination.

"Lin..." Ye Ling tried to speak, but Lin Yang abruptly said, "Don't talk!" Ye Ling froze, and then the figure in the darkness opposite laughed, "Your surname is Lin, huh? Too bad, if I knew your name, things would be easier. A pink lightsaber, male yet with feminine features—you must be 'Flashblade.'"

Lin Yang gripped his sword, stepping back beside Ye Ling and whispered, "Leave here now. Don't look back. Get inside the building and no matter what you hear, don't come out."

Ye Ling nodded rapidly. Lin Yang nodded back, his gaze never leaving the man before them. After a brief pause, Ye Ling suddenly shouted, "Run!" With that, the pink lightsaber sliced through the night, charging into the darkness.

"Bang bang bang..." The sound of machine gun fire erupted from the darkness, flames spewing forth, countless bullets turning into streaks of light, rushing at Lin Yang!

"Hmph..." Lin Yang snorted coldly, his lightsaber spinning at dizzying speed, his body flipping and darting—he advanced straight against the hail of bullets!

"Clang clang clang..." The sound of metal striking rang out as every bullet bounced off around Lin Yang, sparks flying. The pink lightsaber whirled, deflecting them all! Bullets scattered through the grove, shattering trees, splinters flying everywhere. Some ricochets even struck the clinic where Ye Ling was.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..." As glass shattered, Ye Ling dropped to the floor, countless bullets smashing through the windows and scattering over her, slicing her delicate hands. Gritting her teeth, Ye Ling stood and dashed toward the second floor.

In the office, Reiko stood up, peering through the dark glass at the grove outside, where sparks erupted, flames occasionally lighting up the woods. Lin Yang's slender silhouette darted forward, charging toward a shadowy figure.

"Die!" Lin Yang shouted angrily, leaping forward. His lightsaber slashed through the air, deflecting several bullets, and cut toward the man in black.

"Heh heh." The man in black sneered, instantly smashing his heavy machine gun at Lin Yang. With a "crack," the alloy weapon was sliced in two by a streak of pink light. Lin Yang lunged, but in the next instant, the man conjured up two pistols, aiming them at Lin Yang's forehead.

"Bang—" Gunshots rang out. Two bullets fired at Lin Yang's head from less than half a meter away. At such close range, unless you're superhuman, there's no escaping!

But Lin Yang was clearly superhuman.

"Swish." With a faint sound, Lin Yang's figure inexplicably shifted ten centimeters to the left, dodging the bullets with uncanny agility!

"You miscalculated!" Lin Yang appeared before the man in black. The lightsaber flashed, quick as lightning, slashing through the night. The man's hands, with both pistols, fell to the ground, severed at the base! Then, the pink blade spun back, slashing toward the man's neck.

"Cling—" With a crisp ring, Lin Yang frowned as the man in black leapt ten meters away in an instant.

"Your ability is [Spatial Movement], isn't it?" The man stood in the darkness. Lin Yang narrowed his eyes. The man's hands had indeed been severed, but at the cut, not a drop of blood spilled. Instead, two long swords extended from the stump, and it was these swords that blocked Lin Yang's attack. "No? Perhaps [Time Acceleration]?"

Lin Yang didn't respond but said coldly, "So you're part machine. Tell me, how much of you has been modified?"

"Seventy-eight percent. To be honest, everything but my brain and nervous system has been replaced by machinery." The man in black showed no concern for his severed hands, raising his head so that his blood-red eyes glowed in the darkness.

"So you've completely abandoned your humanity? The Special Alliance... what a disgusting bunch." Lin Yang gripped his lightsaber with both hands, crouching slightly, ready to strike at the first sign of movement.

"And you superhumans think you're true humans?" The man sneered. "This world is one of evolution. When the [Human Evolution Project] launched, it heralded the end of pure humanity. This is a world for the new humans. As a superhuman yourself, surely you understand?"

"You are wrong. I became a superhuman not to advance, but to gain the power to protect others, to protect humanity, and to preserve my pride as a human. Humanity is weak, fragile, fearful, prone to retreat and mistakes, but no matter what, we strive forward—not to abandon, but to truly progress. That is our nature, and being one of them is my pride. So, I will never forsake my humanity," Lin Yang said solemnly.

The man in the darkness sneered, "So that's how it is. Ha, what a laughable notion. I'll show you—your pathetic ideals are what make you so weak!"

In an instant, the man in black moved. Lin Yang's eyes flickered; he swung his sword toward the left darkness, and with a "clang," his blade was blocked.

"So fast!" Lin Yang thought, flipping upward as the man's twin swords flashed, "shush shush shush," stabbing at him. Lin Yang parried three thrusts, using the recoil to launch himself into the air. The man laughed, his left-arm sword retracting swiftly, replaced by a short gun.

"Bang bang bang." Three shots fired, three beams streaked toward Lin Yang in midair. He spun, lightsaber whirling, deflecting all three bullets, then used their momentum to kick off in midair, escaping the combat zone.

"The enemy has ranged weapons. Fighting in the open puts me at a disadvantage. I need to find cover," Lin Yang thought, rolling as he landed, slipping into the grove.

"Oh? Hide and seek, is it?" The man in black laughed with interest. His left-hand gun retracted, and with a mechanical whir, countless wires extended from his arm, intertwining to form a small shield. "Let's see what tricks you've got left."

...

"Spirit Ghost, Spirit Ghost, are you there?" Lin Yang crouched in the darkness, pressing his ear, sending his thoughts outward.

"What do you want?" came Spirit Ghost's lazy reply. Lin Yang relaxed, quickly saying, "Can you link my mind to Electric Fox? I need his help."

"That I haven't asked..." Spirit Ghost's voice was cut off abruptly. Lin Yang instantly felt a sense of danger and vanished from his spot. As he disappeared, the tree behind him exploded into splinters.

"So it is spatial movement, a rare ability. Not bad, interesting. How shall I play with you?" The man in black's right-arm sword transformed into countless filaments, shredding the tree before him. Lin Yang dodged the attack, appearing ten meters away.

"This guy has a psychic detection device. As long as we maintain [psychic connection], he'll find us," Spirit Ghost's voice sounded. Lin Yang's eyelid twitched. "How can he be so strong?"

"Until Electric Fox cracks his detection device, we can't maintain a psychic connection. You're on your own." With that, Spirit Ghost cut the link.

"Hey..." Lin Yang paused, then glanced at the man in black. Cursing under his breath, he turned and ran.

"Not fighting? That's no fun," the man in black sneered, moving forward. Red light flashed from his eyes, and in the next moment, his vision turned red-black. "Found you, found you. Don't bother running. You can't escape my infrared eyes. Come out for a proper fight."

"Boom..." Another tree exploded before Lin Yang. He leapt into the air, lightsaber tearing through darkness, stabbing at the man in black, who stepped back, meeting Lin Yang's barrage.

"Vmmm vmmm vmmm..." The sound of lightsaber slicing through the void echoed in the grove. The once dark woods were now awash in light as two figures spun and clashed at dizzying speed. The center of the grove became their battlefield. As their duel intensified, every tree within reach was cut down and shredded. Lin Yang's figure darted like a swallow, lightsaber spinning and thrusting at his foe from every angle. The man in black, apparently a swordmaster, ignored Lin Yang's relentless assault, holding his ground, though forced to retreat, never losing his footing.

"A strike to the head, blocked. Spin midair, slash to the waist, blocked again! Then a kick!" Lin Yang mentally mapped out his moves, spinning in midair to sweep his leg at the man's left waist, only to hit the shield on his left arm.

"Ah, ouch, ouch..." Lin Yang tumbled backward, retreating dozens of meters. "Damn, this guy is too tough, how can I beat him?"

"What's wrong, Flashblade? Is that all? Among superhumans, your power is supposed to be formidable. Is this it?" The man pointed his sword at Lin Yang. "Since that's the case, your life is mine!"

"Hmph." Lin Yang's eyes gleamed with killing intent, but suddenly he broke into a smile, stunning his opponent.

"Sorry, but you fell for it!" Lin Yang laughed, stepping back. In a flash, he darted through the fallen trees, touching each trunk as he passed.

"What? Damn!" The man in black realized too late. Every tree Lin Yang touched vanished, reappearing beside him, driven into the ground, forming a cage that pinned his limbs, trapping him in place.

"Damn, miscalculated!" The man hadn't expected such a move. Lin Yang appeared before him, smiling. "You should know by now, my ability is spatial movement. Not only can I move myself, but I can move other objects."

"So you felled all those trees for this?" The man struggled, speaking coldly. Lin Yang nodded, smiling, and raised his lightsaber. "It's over, robot!" With that, the blade arced toward the man's neck.

But...

"Cling—" The lightsaber bounced off, unable to cut through! Despite the force behind it, it didn't even break the skin!

"This... impossible!" Lin Yang stared in disbelief. The man in black looked up and sneered, "Heh heh heh, your lightsaber can't break my defenses!"