Chapter 17 Seven Turns and Eight Bends

The two of them led a burden, winding through the twisting corridors. Their destination was downstairs. Taking the elevator meant waiting to be ambushed, so they took the emergency stairs.

Enemies blocked their path from all directions. Han Xiao went all out, using close combat, sniping, and burst fire. Aside from reserving Viper - Modified as his trump card, he used various means, fighting like an assassin (large mist), leaving a trail of corpses and severely wounded.

There were four types of enemies: Germination soldiers, super soldiers, executives, and players. Only the executives could slow him down and make him fight seriously. The other three were all cannon fodder, especially the players. Han Xiao didn't know what these level 20s were doing here...

They charged up howling, only to turn into white light the next second and get hung up. Han Xiao estimated that if the players came a few more times, he could kill off all their resurrection chances for the week, helping them cure their internet addiction and obediently go offline to do their homework.

Because the players were really no threat, Han Xiao didn't want to order them around, and he remembered that the Germination players couldn't betray their faction.

Soon, some players began to hold back, afraid of hitting the vase for fear of breaking it (to act with caution).

Players weren't afraid of death, but dying without any effect was pointless. They finally realized that the reward for this mission was just a pie in the sky. With their level, trying to stop this fierce man was pure fantasy.

The tempting reward was destined to be unattainable, like being able to see but not eat, a feeling as uncomfortable as constipation. Charging up to die also meant losing experience, a terrible loss.

The players immediately shrunk back. Fighting with all their might would only result in being instantly killed. Who cared about the faction's mandatory mission? They could slack off, who would stop them? So what if it was mandatory? Screw it!

Oh right, there was another loss. When attacking, the panel indicated that Zero's favorability was dropping like crazy, but no one cared. After all, no one knew this NPC, and there was no use in having his favorability.

Ilyich swallowed hard, still shaken. He recognized Han Xiao as the person who gave him the mission, but he didn't expect him to be an enemy, and a ridiculously strong one at that. He saw one "Extremely Deadly" executive after another charge up, only to be chopped down like vegetables by Han Xiao, who was also "Extremely Deadly," scaring his little heart into a frenzy.

Bullshit, it's not the same level of danger at all! It's all a lie!

More deadly than Extremely Deadly, might as well change it to Take Your Life Three Thousand, damn it! The player roared inwardly.

…

The executives of the headquarters were definitely not weak, but unfortunately they encountered Han Xiao. Unless they were above level 50, they would all kneel quickly.

Hela didn't make a move along the way, because Han Xiao didn't need help at all. So she focused on protecting Aurora, but discovered an unexpected situation: the headquarters' people didn't attack her, as if they still didn't know she was in cahoots with Han Xiao. Some executives she knew even urged her to help.

The cameras along the way had been blown up by Han Xiao. The leader didn't know that the two had joined forces yet. Hela realized that this was a huge advantage!

Hela looked at Han Xiao's fighting back, surprised and uncertain. "Could this have been in his calculations all along? Not letting me make a move, is it also for this reason?"

Thump—another executive fell at his feet. Han Xiao wiped the blood splattered on his face and breathed a sigh of relief.

He wasn't unscathed either. Some of the executives' abilities were strange, but his armor and health were thick, so he only suffered minor injuries. However, his Qi and stamina were consumed a lot. Skills consumed a lot as well. The current situation didn't require him to use the Viper - Modified trump card yet.

The advancement mission reached twenty-seven points. Han Xiao discovered that killing stronger characters would sometimes earn two or three trial points.

"There are only two floors left." Han Xiao said.

"Don't relax. These are just the vanguards. The main force hasn't arrived yet."

Hela's face was solemn. She knew how many people the leader had set up in the headquarters. Even if Han Xiao was much stronger than she expected, it was impossible for him to deal with the vast sea of people alone.

Hela was also one of the members waiting in ambush. Her headset still worked, and she could hear Germination's arrangements, but it was useless because there were too many enemies. They were enough to fill all the passages and were gradually closing in. Even if she knew what she would face, she couldn't escape.

To escape, you absolutely can't force your way through!

Hela thought of the tactic that was beneficial to her, but would put Han Xiao at risk. She pursed her lips, finally decided to open her mouth, and said, "I have a way to avoid the pursuit."

Han Xiao said casually, "Let's split up. I'll be the bait."

Hela's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know?"

"I guessed." Han Xiao's tone was perfunctory. From the moment Hela appeared, he had a vague idea, so he chose to attack the cameras, so that Hela hadn't been exposed as a traitor.

Based on this, Hela could use her identity to easily escape with Aurora, and he only needed to attract attention as bait.

But in this way, all the danger fell on Han Xiao's head, so it was difficult for Hela to speak. She thought that Han Xiao probably wouldn't agree, but she didn't expect Han Xiao to take the initiative to bring it up.

"Splitting up is a good idea. Tell me the location of the secret passage, and I'll find you after I attract attention."

Hela was very surprised.

There was actually no basis of trust between the two sides. Han Xiao's doing this was equivalent to putting the initiative in her hands. This trust came without reason, and Hela's mood was complicated.

"Isn't he afraid that I'll tell him a fake location..." Hela's eyes changed, and sinister thoughts uncontrollably emerged, as if a indifferent voice was echoing in her heart:

'Tell him a fake location, he won't be able to escape, and he can delay for a longer time, so you'll be safer...'

This voice seemed to have magic, constantly bewitching her mind.

'For my sister, I am willing to use all means to reduce the risk...'

Hela lowered her eyes, touched Aurora's head through the bag, felt Aurora's small body trembling slightly, and her eyes gradually became firm.

"Room code h-418, the fourth floor tile from the left is the secret door, inside is the passage I told you about."

"I remember." Han Xiao smiled, seemingly without any suspicion, and patted the bag containing Aurora. "You guys go first."

Hela took a deep look at Han Xiao, as if she wanted to remember his figure firmly, then turned around and left, not wanting to delay for a second.

Han Xiao hooked the corner of his mouth, turned his head and walked in another direction, took out various adhesive explosives from his equipment bag, and stuck them on the walls and rooms along the way.

Since he was attracting attention, he naturally had to make a big noise.

Boom—

The explosion was deafening, setting off a wave of hot air.

The entire headquarters was shaking slightly. After all, it was a blast-proof fortification, so the damage wasn't great, but the movement was not small at all. You didn't need to look at the cameras to know where he was.

A large number of pursuers changed direction and approached.

"Waiting for me to kill you with my own hands."

The leader exuded a chilling aura of killing intent, and strode towards here.

…

Han Xiao hummed a little tune, leisurely like strolling in a garden, even though he knew that a large number of pursuers were surrounding and approaching, and he was about to have no way to escape, he was not nervous at all, but it was exactly what he wanted.

Turning around the corner, he saw a dense crowd of deformed figures standing in front of him. They were all exoskeleton-constructed super soldiers, at least twenty of them, blocking the way like a wall.

The leader at the front was even more massive. The skin outside his cheeks was metallic, a steel bald head. It was Number One.

"Zero, do you still remember me?" Number One was hideous and distorted, his tone full of hatred and resentment. "The one who was killed by you with your own hands—me!"

"I turned into this ghost-like appearance just to gain the power to crush you!"

"I'm going to break your limbs, just like you did to me!"

Number One roared, his legs exerted force, and the hydraulic power of the exoskeleton construction burst out. The ground rumbled, and the reaction force made him rush towards Han Xiao like a cannonball. The huge exoskeleton steel fist approached Han Xiao's head.

Number One's eyes flickered with excitement and hatred, and he couldn't wait to collide with Han Xiao. Only by fighting Han Xiao could he vent his hatred.

At this moment, Han Xiao dodged the fist, stretched out his hand and lightly put it on the exoskeleton, and started to stroke it at high speed, almost turning into a phantom. Magnetic Qi penetrated into the interior of the exoskeleton construction.

The perception of Number One's right arm disappeared instantly. The exoskeleton construction on the right half of his upper body was dismantled into parts all over the sky by Han Xiao, who brushed past him in the blink of an eye, like blooming mechanical flowers. The parts fell to the ground like rain, clanging and banging, which was extremely spectacular.

The exoskeleton structure of the super soldier is similar to the lightweight mechanical arm in many places. Not long ago, Han Xiao also learned the core technology of the super warrior exoskeleton colonization [Neural Link], and as a [Magnetic Ring Mechanic], Qi can replace hands to a certain extent to assemble and disassemble machinery more conveniently.

Therefore, the super soldiers posed the least threat to him. Han Xiao could dismantle them into only torsos in a few seconds.

Number One, who lost his balance, fell to the ground, staring blankly at his empty right arm in disbelief.

His expression quickly changed from confusion to rage and hatred. Number One stood up again, roaring and waving his left fist to rush up.

"The power that I gained through countless tortures, why, why can you win against me!"

Seeing that he was yelling like he was killing a pig, Han Xiao dismantled his left hand, and also dismantled his feet by the way.

The other super soldiers rushed up. Han Xiao flashed through the crowd, and one exoskeleton construction after another fell to the ground with a bang.

Soon the ground was full of super soldier torsos wriggling like silkworm chrysalises. Without the exoskeleton limbs, they all lost their ability to move. This scene was enough to put into any grotesque horror film.

Number One, with only his torso left, faced upwards, his face full of hatred, which made Han Xiao confused.

He wanted to ask since just now... who is this person?

Han Xiao couldn't recognize that this steel bald head was Number One at all. His appearance had changed too much, and in his impression, Number One had died long ago.

"Have we met before?" Han Xiao was at a loss.

"How can you not recognize me?!" Number One roared, "I am your nemesis!"

What the hell is a nemesis, self-proclaimed, who the hell are you, Iron Baldy.

Han Xiao only felt inexplicable, and his ears hurt from the noise, so he turned Number One over with a bad intention, facing down.

It was much quieter in an instant.

Number One's mouth kissed the ground, and his roar turned into a muffled sound that was difficult to hear. His head was about to explode with anger, and he could only look at Han Xiao with the afterglow of his eyes close to the ground.

A pale halo dyed a figure of a back gradually moving away.

Soon, the sound of the camera being shot exploded frequently.