The man who appeared like a sword immortal looked to be around thirty years old. His tall and well-built physique was clad in a high-collared, long white trench coat, reminiscent of The Matrix. Though his full-face white mask completely concealed his features, the refined and gentle aura he exuded naturally made him likable.
However, since he was a stranger of unknown origin and also an Apocalyptic Shard wielder, Xu Mo remained cautious. Instinctively taking half a step back, he asked warily, "Helping me? Aren't you afraid I might be some kind of fugitive killer?"
The man in white chuckled casually and turned his gaze toward the armed helicopter hovering above. He replied indifferently, "Killing isn't that big of a deal… How many Apocalyptic Shard wielders who have survived until now haven't killed anyone? Killing itself isn't about right or wrong; what matters is the reason behind it, don't you think?"
Xu Mo didn't respond, but he had to admit that every word the man in white spoke was sharp and straight to the heart.
Seeing Xu Mo's silence, the man in white continued nonchalantly, "If those chasing you were the police, I might not have intervened. But since it's the military, it means you're not necessarily guilty of some heinous crime—you've simply harmed the interests or embarrassed these government hounds, am I right?"
If it weren't for his keen sixth sense detecting no signs of deception, Xu Mo might have suspected that this man possessed a mind-reading ability.
"You're right… I merely killed a scumbag who once tried to murder me and was now under military protection," Xu Mo said calmly. He never felt guilty about killing Minister Wang. Looking straight into the man's eyes, he questioned, "You and I are neither acquaintances nor allies. What's in it for you to help me? You should know how terrifying the Huaxia military can be…"
"Must lending a helping hand always come with personal gain? Don't you think that's the tragedy of this society?" The man in white shook his head in disappointment and sighed. "Call me foolish, then… The reason this decaying world has fallen to such a state is that there are too many people who think they're smart."
"Perhaps…"
Although Xu Mo agreed with his words, he still found the man's intentions suspicious. Maybe, as the man suggested, he too was one of those self-proclaimed smart people.
"Meow'er!"
At the man's call, a shadow burst from the trees, moving with the agility of a feline. She deftly climbed a tall toll station pillar, using it as a springboard to leap onto the neon-lit rooftop nearly ten meters above. From there, she soared through the air, heading straight for the armed helicopter.
Even though she leaped at least six meters high, she was still far from reaching the helicopter before her momentum faltered. Just then, a bronzed sword flashed like lightning across the night sky, shooting toward her.
As she plummeted, she flipped midair and stepped onto the flying sword, using it as a foothold to propel herself higher. From a distance, she looked like a black nightingale darting through the inky darkness. With three consecutive leaps, she neared the helicopter.
On her final jump, the seemingly exhausted flying sword trembled violently before spiraling downward in retreat. In an instant, it transformed into a streak of light and returned to the hand of the man in white.
The helicopter pilot noticed the disturbance below and, unwilling to act recklessly, quickly ascended. The black-clad figure barely missed grasping the weapon rack beneath the aircraft. Her suspended form lingered for half a second before gravity took over, and she began to fall.
"This is Unit One. I am under attack by the target and two unidentified individuals. Requesting permission to retaliate per mission protocol…"
Receiving confirmation from command, the helicopter's weapon systems locked onto their targets. The front-mounted machine gun roared to life, spewing a stream of fire as bullets rained down on Xu Mo and the man in white.
Within seconds, the toll station and its surrounding structures were riddled with bullet holes, reduced to ruins. The unfortunate toll booth attendant, still oblivious to the situation, was caught in the indiscriminate hail of bullets and died on the spot.
Even though Xu Mo had quickly taken cover under the massive canopy of the toll station, he was still struck by a stray bullet, causing him to stagger and fall. Fortunately, his Kevlar vest absorbed the impact of the high-caliber rounds, sparing him from injury.
Amidst the storm of bullets, the man in white walked toward Xu Mo with an air of leisure, protected by a spinning circle of bronze sword light that deflected the gunfire. He extended a hand and asked with concern, "Are you alright? Any injuries?"
Xu Mo spat out a mouthful of dust and shrugged. "Your help seems to have backfired…"
The man in white simply smiled and gestured toward the helicopter. Xu Mo followed his gaze and saw that the black-clad figure had secured herself to the underside of the aircraft using a thin rope. Swaying with the wind, she swiftly climbed toward the cockpit.
Moments later, she flipped upside down and forced her way inside. Two crisp gunshots echoed through the night. The helicopter, which had been circling above the toll station, began to descend.
With a gun pressed to his head, the helicopter pilot was forced out of the cockpit. Xu Mo finally saw the black-clad figure clearly—it was a young woman wearing a white cat-shaped mask. Her wavy chestnut hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her curvaceous figure, accentuated by a tight black low-cut bodysuit, radiated an irresistible allure.
"Mr. Bai, should I kill him?"
Despite her slightly husky and sultry voice making her an undeniable femme fatale, the cold venom in her tone sent chills down the spine.
The man in white patted her shoulder affectionately and sighed. "Meow'er, your thirst for blood is still so strong…"
"The old Meow'er is dead. The current Meow'er is merely a weapon in your hands… And what else do weapons do but kill?" A fleeting trace of sorrow flashed in her eyes before she quickly masked it with her usual icy demeanor.
"I saved you hoping you could forget the past and start anew… Seems I was wrong," the man in white said regretfully before turning away. "Just restrain him. Military reinforcements are en route—we must leave now."
Without hesitation, Meow'er knocked the pilot unconscious with a swift knifehand strike and dumped him off the highway embankment. She then placed a fist-sized, translucent white gelatinous object beneath the helicopter, carefully covering it with a piece of broken wood. A thin wire connected the wood to the helicopter's landing gear.
"What's that? A bomb?" Xu Mo asked, puzzled by her actions.
Meow'er smirked. "Heh, no… Just something more interesting than a bomb."
The man in white smiled cryptically, making a casual hand gesture. Receiving the signal, Meow'er activated the helicopter's autopilot before leaping out and regrouping with him.
In the distance, the flashing lights of approaching reinforcements could be seen. This place was no longer safe. Led by the man in white and Meow'er, Xu Mo quickly headed toward the dense mountain forests.
As all three were Apocalyptic Shard wielders, they traveled at an incredible speed. In less than thirty seconds, they reached a small hilltop hundreds of meters away.
Stopping under a tall tree with a clear view ahead, the man in white turned to Xu Mo with a smile. "Let's take a break and enjoy some fireworks before we leave."