36 executed a sliding leap before Guang Tou (Baldy), delivering a full-force, unadorned straight punch directly onto his chest armor.
Despite the seemingly feeble blow, the robust Guang Tou involuntarily retreated two paces.
"Hmph," Guang Tou stabilized himself, taking a deep breath. "I confess ignorance regarding your physical composition. Including equipment, my mass totals 180 kilograms. It appears I must treat you with due gravity..."
"Earnestness yields an identical outcome!" 36, without pause, pivoted on his left foot, executing a pirouette, his right leg whipping towards Guang Tou's face like a lash.
"I am not as inept as you perceive!" Guang Tou raised his massive right arm guard, solidly deflecting 36's assault.
A fleeting expression of anguish flickered across 36's face.
"My turn!" Guang Tou swung his right fist. 36, sensing peril, performed a backward somersault; the ground where he just stood now bore a crater half a meter in diameter.
Beads of cold perspiration forming, 36 uttered in astonishment, "Bloody hell, is this even human?"
"Maintain focus!" Guang Tou's right fist hurtled directly towards 36, who, reacting belatedly, could only tilt his head aside.
"Boom!" A tree requiring two individuals to encircle was severed at its midpoint.
"Monstrosity..." 36 unsheathed the combat knife from his back, thrusting diagonally towards Guang Tou's sole exposed area – his head.
"Futile," Guang Tou seized the blade with his right hand, forcefully wresting it from 36's grasp.
"Such weaponry cannot inflict harm upon me," he declared, closing his fingers; the knife disintegrated into fragments.
"Now, allow me to demonstrate the definition of power!" Executing a spin, Guang Tou's solid right fist connected squarely with 36's chest.
"Ah!" Spewing blood, 36 flew backward, colliding with a large tree five meters distant, losing consciousness.
Observing the target's cessation of resistance, Guang Tou couldn't help but expel a mouthful of clotted blood.
Massaging the impact point on his chest, Guang Tou sighed, "Who precisely is the monstrosity here? Enduring his punch even while armored induces internal injury; were I unarmored..."
Guang Tou ceased contemplation, approached 36, hoisted him onto his shoulder, and moved towards Lao Da's (Boss's) position.
Only then did he comprehend Nie Yun's insistence on this examination; formidable new talents had emerged from the "school" in recent years...
"Why do you persistently fail to understand?" Ren Yao (Transvestite), bracing his right arm guard, once again parried 1's rotating dagger thrust. "Your primitive armaments are incapable of harming us. Furthermore..."
Ren Yao executed a rapid forward surge. 1, unable to react, sustained another thirty-centimeter-long gash across his chest.
The unique properties of the vibranium combat knife prevented wound coagulation; blood flowed ceaselessly.
"The third instance..." 1 disregarded the wound, continuously rubbing his eyes.
"Two more occurrences, and you shall perish," Ren Yao flicked the blood from his blade.
"I assure you, your next attempt will result in failure," 1 grinned, tightening his grip on the dagger.
"Cease the jesting. My peak 100-meter velocity is 6.30 seconds, essentially surpassing human physiological limits. What is your objective?" Ren Yao sheathed his knife, advancing slowly towards 1. "Attempting to track my movement trajectory? Absurd. Visibility is merely five meters; by the time you perceive my form, reaction time will be insufficient."
"Hence my assertion: one more attempt, and regret is guaranteed," 1 maintained his smile.
"Employing provocation tactics? Even without utilizing maximum velocity, you lack the capacity for resistance." Ren Yao delivered a simple side-kick. 1 blocked with both hands but was nonetheless forced back two meters.
The immense impact nearly fractured both his arms. 1's hands went numb; the knife clattered to the ground.
"Nothing is impossible in this world! Believe it or not, our 24 possesses superior speed to yours. Should you employ that maneuver again, regret is certain..." 1 struggled to stand upright.
Ren Yao muttered angrily, "So eager to witness that technique again? I refuse to believe you can track it! Let us ascertain your prowess!"
Retreating two steps, he vanished once more into the black fog. 1 closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.
No wind, no sound; everything appeared preternaturally serene, yet deception reigned.
Ren Yao again streaked past 1 like a crimson flash.
Another knife wound materialized on 1's chest; fresh blood saturated the earth beneath him. Due to excessive blood loss, 1 finally collapsed, smiling, into unconsciousness.
"You..." Ren Yao, initially standing composed, also crumpled to the ground, clutching his groin with both hands, his face contorted in pain, his voice strained, "You scoundrel, striking me there with your heel!!"
"Do not flee!" Nue Dai Kuang (Sadist) pursued 24's movements, leaping between trees. "I am struggling to keep pace..."
"Are you foolish?" 24 halted on a branch, instantly pivoting. A graceful high kick struck his head squarely. Nue Dai Kuang, intending further pursuit, plummeted to the ground.
"You wish to kill me, yet I am forbidden from evading?" 24 gazed contemptuously at the ground. "Possess the fortitude to shed your armor and combat suit, and I shall cease fleeing and engage you!"
"I concede your velocity is exceptional..." Nue Dai Kuang rubbed his already bruised forehead. "Even that Ren Yao fellow might not outpace you. However, we are warriors!"
Raising his right hand, 24 was unexpectedly ensnared by the left foot with a titanfilament wire from the armor's suspension system, forcefully dragged to the ground.
"Warriors disregard fairness! Our sole objective is victory!"
"I concur!" 24, from an awkward position below, kicked upwards, viciously striking Nue Dai Kuang's jaw. The sheer force launched his body off the ground. 24, seizing the opportunity, executed another elegant side-kick, accurately impacting his abdomen. Nue Dai Kuang's trajectory altered once more, landing two meters away.
Exhibiting no signs of activity, 24 bent down to disentangle the filament from her left foot.
The titanfilament proved remarkably resilient; slight struggle caused blood to drip onto the ground along the wire.
24 was compelled to proceed with extreme caution. A figure materialized behind her...
"Miss!" Nue Dai Kuang suddenly clamped an arm around her neck. "Did your instructors neglect to teach you not to lose focus before confirming an enemy's demise?"
"You..." 24 ceased speaking as Nue Dai Kuang rendered her unconscious with a palm strike.
"Truly a formidable woman," he spat out the two teeth dislodged by her kick. "Damn it, why must women be so formidable?"
Nue Dai Kuang hoisted the unconscious 24 onto his shoulder and started walking complainingly towards Lao Da's position.
Advancing slowly, Nue Dai Kuang halted; Guang Tou and Ren Yao stood directly ahead. He walked behind Ren Yao, dropping 24 from his shoulder.
"What transpires? Why are you not converging with Lao Da?"
"Observe ahead, and comprehension will follow..." Ren Yao indicated calmly with his gaze.
Nue Dai Kuang glanced sideways. Amidst the dense fog, Lao Da stood faintly visible, but upon closer inspection, another figure lurked behind him!
"What is your intention?" Guang Tou inquired.
"Remove your combat suits," 13 revealed one eye from behind Lao Da.
"You might as well terminate us directly," Ren Yao chuckled lightly. "You are indeed powerful. Capable of detonating Guang Tou's thrown grenade, capable of wounding Lao Da based solely on trajectory calculations from two shots. Demanding we divest ourselves of combat suits to face a sniper of your caliber? You might as well kill him."
"Irrelevant. Should I perish, you shall not survive either," Lao Da threatened, attempting to struggle.
"Remain still!" 13 pressed the muzzle of his AWP against Lao Da's neck. "The ZX6 combat suit cannot withstand a round from this weapon."
"Allowing you to approach undetected from behind, I concede defeat," Lao Da ceased struggling. "However, engaging three fully Sacred Beast-equipped Special Operations warriors at close range, do you believe survival is possible?"
"Proposal: we release two individuals first, then you release Lao Da, and finally, we release the remaining one..." Guang Tou outlined his plan.
"Do you take me for an imbecile? Hostage exchange? Following which, I face four enraged warriors clad in Sacred Beast suits, while escorting three wounded comrades as a sniper?" 13 chuckled awkwardly. "Now, heed my proposal."
Guang Tou exchanged a glance with Ren Yao.
"First, place the three individuals before me. Only one operative permitted for transport. Position them two meters in front of me."
Nue Dai Kuang complied obediently.
13 meticulously observed the trio, confirming their genuine unconsciousness, then sighed with relief.
"Furthermore..." 13 abruptly shoved Lao Da away. The seemingly gentle push nearly sent Lao Da sprawling due to the unexpectedness of the action.
"What are you doing?"
Universal astonishment ensued.
"Do you not fear death?" Lao Da rapidly rejoined his teammates.
"Quite apprehensive, yet I fear revealing my true capabilities even more," 13 stood his ground, stretching his body, joints cracking audibly.
"You intend to confront the four of us single-handedly?" For the first time in his life, Lao Da experienced fury bordering on apoplexy.
"Affirmative. Even should your numbers increase, it remains inconsequential," 13 stated calmly.
"Do you comprehend our nature?" Ren Yao, equally enraged, clenched his fists. "Upon comprehension, such words would cease."
"Disappeared students from the school, correct?" 13 addressed Ren Yao with a smile. "Annually, new students enroll, and subsequently, a batch of exceptional students vanishes without explanation."
Profound shock reverberated through them all once more. An ominous premonition assailed their hearts.