Chapter 143

Chapter 143: Artificial Soul 70

Fortunately, the extendable knife was light enough for Kui Xin to control with the “magnetic sword.”

Kui Xin gently moved her fingers, and the extendable knife flew into her right hand. With a single-handed effort from her left hand, the grappling hook’s rope dragged Nightingale towards Kui Xin.

Nightingale seemed to have ample combat experience and quick reflexes. She used the extendable knife to interfere with Kui Xin and created a small space vortex from the center of the rope, breaking it almost immediately and freeing herself from restraint.

The instant the rope was cut, Kui Xin threw the extendable knife back, just as Nightingale had done to her.

The silver blade shot out with great speed due to Kui Xin’s greater strength, leaving only a fleeting trace of silver light beneath her retina.

Nightingale dodged to the side, pulling out a spare dagger to block the incoming attack and regain her weapon. However, her plan failed as Kui Xin initiated a shadow transition, disappearing in place; the body of dark mist swiftly caught up with the flying blade and grabbed the handle just in time.

She poised, spun, and slashed!

With a swoosh, a silver arc cut through Nightingale’s combat suit, splashing red, like paint, onto the wall, covering the chaotic street art. Due to Nightingale’s timely evasion, this slash did not prove fatal.

When they passed by each other, Kui Xin saw Nightingale’s eyes again: there was no surprise or fear, only a seemingly bottomless blackness that Kui Xin had seen before—cold, empty of emotions, unhuman-like. Even after such a heavy blow, Nightingale did not scream, her face pale as death, yet she still struggled to stand.

Her blood splashed onto Kui Xin’s helmet, turning Kui Xin’s vision red.

Because Nightingale’s movements were delayed due to the wounds, Kui Xin seized the moment.

She released the extendable knife midair, her fingers nimble and skillful, switching the grip effortlessly. Then, lifting the knife high, she plunged it downward, “Pierce” echoed as the blade penetrated flesh.

Nightingale staggered and fell powerlessly, her blood slowly spreading and turning the ground crimson.

“You killed Nightingale.”

“You deprived Nightingale of her extraordinary abilities.”

“You acquired the extraordinary ability [Spatial Vortex • B class].”

“[Spatial Vortex • B class]: You can create a spatial vortex and use it for translocation.”

Kui Xin stepped to the side of Nightingale, flipping her over and looking at her face.

Looking at this face almost identical to hers, strange sensations stirred within Kui Xin’s heart.

“I changed myself,” she muttered.

“I… killed myself.”

Kui Xin raised her head, gazing at the thick, starless sky where rain began to fall heavily. It washed away the bloodstains on her helmet.

She deactivated the watch jamming device and reconnected with Augus, “It’s done.”

“Yeah, I knew you would win,” said Augus.

Kui Xin squatted down silently to inspect Nightingale’s gear. The communicator linked with the Mechanized Dawn branch reestablished contact. Kui Xin picked up the communicator and heard Red’s voice from the other end.

“Communication signal restored.” Red said, “Nightingale, please respond if you hear.”

Kui Xin removed the blood-stained voice changer from Nightingale, which had slightly loosened during the battle but remained undamaged. Kui Xin activated it, speaking to Red, “I was attacked, I killed the enemy; the location is Alley 369 along Marine Street. Send reinforcement immediately.”

“… Killed?” Red confirmed again.

“Killed.” Kui Xin repeated, coldly. This was Nightingale’s usual tone, which Kui Xin mimicked.

“Why didn’t you teleport back with the spatial vortex?” Red continued, “Are you injured?”

“Injured, I lost an arm and a leg. I’m too weak to use my extraordinary abilities, someone needs to come and rescue me.” Kui Xin said. “Send help quickly.”

Red believed Kui Xin, “I’ve sent Silverface already. Be on alert and wait for the backup. The enemy might have allies, be careful.”

“How long will Silverface be?” asked Kui Xin.

“In another five minutes.” replied Red.

Then he waited a second before cautiously asking, “Lady Fortune? Who attacked you?”

Nightingale’s mission was to pick up Lady Fortune at the designated location, but when she arrived, she faced an ambush and found no trace of Lady Fortune. Something was off.

Kui Xin did not heed Red’s next words as she hung up and stood up.

Talking to Red was meant to divert the main battle force of the Mechanized Dawn branch elsewhere. That goal was achieved now: the strongest force, Silverface, left the division to rescue the dead Nightingale, leaving the department currently without its primary combat capabilities.

Silverface would arrive in five minutes—without a spatial vortex, relying solely on travel, by the time he got here it’d be too late.

Eyeing the air before her, Kui Xin attempted her first spatial vortex.

Previously, Kui Xin had checked out the areas around the gambling den inside the Mechanized Dawn branch, knowing where it was safe to jump. So she aimed the spatial vortex at a spot close to that location.

As the spatial vortex formed, Kui Xin recalled the coordinates in her memory, then she opened the swirling blue energy.

Once fully expanded, she bent over to pick up a soda can, throwing it into the vortex to confirm it was stable before stepping in. On her way out, she retrieved weapons and the pistol from Nightingale’s body.

If she accidentally opened a vortex inside a wall, entering it wouldn’t do anything but crash into the wall.

Stepping out from the vortex, Kui Xin peeked around, relieved.

Luckily, due to her lack of practice, the vortex opened slightly askew—just a few meters off its intended destination, something she could improve with more practice.

Emerging from the jump point, Kui Xin saw nearby a glistening building—the casino.

Lavish cars continually entered and exited. Well-dressed people were frequent patrons. Servants stood on red carpets outside the casino doors, holding umbrellas for guests.

Kui Xin observed the building closely, focusing on the outer security measures to ensure everything went smoothly. Then, she returned to the jump point and opened another spatial vortex directly into the casino interior.

Earlier, Red had sent her floor plans of the casino and even discussed how best to modify it. Kui Xin knew every detail: restrooms, hidden passages, arsenal, generator room.

Now, she needed to get to the generator room and cut off all power to avoid being captured on surveillance cameras.

The generator consisted of two circuit systems; while the main system failed, the backup automatically engaged. Despite it being a complex design, Kui Xin was thoroughly familiar with these layouts.

Jumping to the generator room, she pulled out her gun, firing two shots. Immediately, flames engulfed the room, sirens blaring as fire suppression systems triggered, and darkness enveloped the casino.

“Need more weapons,” Kui Xin mused.

The casino had readily available weapons, plenty of firearms in the arsenal, including multiple varieties of bombs. Red had prepared everything meticulously, which suited Kui Xin perfectly.

Equipped and ready to kill, the prey Kui Xin had targeted never escaped.

Though the surveillance feed was cut off by the power failure, the sheer size of the casino prevented Kui Xin from completely blocking communication signals. Out of caution, she would not use a spatial vortex in front of Red and the bartender to avoid leaking information.

In one of the casino rooms, Red saw the sudden blackout and piercing alarm sound, overwhelming anxiety swirled within him.

“Hey, bartender,” Red started half-way, then heard a static message, “Communication signal disrupted…”

Before the warning was complete, he heard a deafening explosion! The room door blew apart!

A dark shadow burst through the barely extinguished fire and debris from the entrance. The figure was extremely fast, armed with a familiar silver extendable knife.

The bartender widened his eyes, pulling out a gun, but before he could fire, the shadow passed him, leaving behind a faint trace of the silver arc. The blade gleamed sharply amidst the darkness.

The bartender staggered, spitting blood as he collapsed to the ground. The shadow wiped the blood from the knife and turned to face Red.

Red felt shockwaves of confusion—he could not understand why the attacker suddenly abandoned their weapon.

Next second, the shadow vanished, Red’s back chilled, sensing someone behind, a foe!

An enemy had translocated directly behind him, a spatially adept foe!

The wind roared, the shadow kicked Red, breaking his arm bone, causing excruciating pain to his ribs. His torso shattered multiple bones.

Red fell, astonished, wondering if humans could really possess such power.

Not stopping there, the shadow reappeared before him, pressing the boot onto his head, nearly knocking him unconscious. The shadow wasn’t releasing him after the first step, grabbing Red by the neck as he lifted him from the ground.

Her strength was incredible, making Red’s eyes bulge, his face turn purplish, veins on his forehead popping.

Red strained to look at his attacker.

Suddenly, it seemed his intuition was guiding a realization. Or perhaps he recognized something familiar about the attacker.

Exhausted to the brink, he managed, “Y-you… are…”

He pleaded, “Don’t… let… me… live… I’ll listen…”

But Kui Xin paid him no heed, devoid of sympathy or pity, not even the slightest hesitation.

Snapped, Red’s head drooped lifelessly.