Chapter 204

Chapter 204: Boundless Dark Realm 59

Without the night vision function provided by her electronic eye or the assistance of scanners to get a panoramic view, Kui Xin found navigating through this mechanical labyrinth exceptionally challenging.

She lowered her body, carefully moving each step, fearing that a misplaced kick might cause some metallic trash to make noise. Her eyes remained wide open, her senses heightened to their utmost as she moved through the darkness, with her hearing particularly acute.

At this moment, she and her opponent stood on an equal footing. Unlike Adam, Kui Xin had no external support, and the members of Mechanized Dawn, similarly losing command from Eden, were also unable to utilize their technological armor.

Kui Xin had heard Silverface calling out to Thorn Rose from afar. This indicated her strategy was successful; the awakened member team of Mechanized Dawn was indeed separated due to the blast.

Apart from the awakened team, numerous battle teams of miscellaneous status were scattered throughout the trash heap. Kui Xin couldn’t underestimate these miscellaneous battle teams’ combat capability; although they fell short in physical strength compared to the awakened ones, when compared to ordinary people, they were still considered elite soldiers, all having undergone dedicated training.

Her brain raced rapidly as she bent over to pick up an old metal pipe beside her feet and threw it far away.

“Ding…”

The sharp metal sound echoed through the area.

After the pipe made a sound, Kui Xin hid herself. Less than half a minute later, two to three shadowy figures slowly approached the location of the pipe’s sound. Holding firearms, they cautiously felt their way forward within the night, bodies tensed visibly and their spirits highly focused.

Kui Xin glanced at the shadows. Calmly, she pulled out a bomb from the back of her waist, pulled out the ring, and after a one or two second delay, she threw it. The bomb drew a perfect parabola before it exploded amongst the combatants before even touching the ground.

Screams were drowned in the fiery explosion; shrapnel spread as several old vehicles on the precarious garbage hill crashed down, crushing those few people below.

The firelight illuminated the small region.

While more enemies hadn’t yet reached the area, Kui Xin quickly shifted positions to avoid being pinpointed by the enemy.

As she stealthily moved, a sharp “whoosh” echoed suddenly from afar, reminiscent of the sounds of fireworks during festivals as a child.

Her alert eyes lifted upwards to see a bright white sun bloom in the pitch-black sky.

Flare!

The flare traced its arc across the night sky like a rising sun, illuminating one side of the garbage pile. Under the dazzling light, metallic surfaces glowed and shadows overlapped, altering direction and size as the flare ascended and fell.

Silently counting, the flare stayed in the sky for about twenty-five seconds…

She hadn’t expected Eve to give such equipment to her subordinates. Flares weren’t standard weapons, so there couldn’t be many carried on by combat teams… unless Night Cicada had supplied them.

Within the “Reset” zone, it was uncertain whether Night Cicada’s spatial vortex could function—were it to work, the situation would become much trickier. Electromagnetic storms included the Poleward District of Creativity Company within their scope, rendering the inside devices ineffective. In such a scenario, Night Cicada and his group needed to improvise.

Let’s hope they are slow to react.

After much thought, Kui Xin plucked a dagger from the thigh strap and briefly removed her bulletproof helmet, slicing across one cheek with the blade; the cut wasn’t deep, flowing blood minimal. Post-slice, she put the helmet back on.

Cellular regeneration had failed—the intense tingling that typically accompanied the healing process was absent, indicating that her ability hadn’t returned.

Although she could have sliced the wound elsewhere, doing so on her hand, arm, or leg would interfere with her fighting capacity. It would also necessitate removing her bulletproof vest, which was cumbersome. Her face, with its rich nerve distribution, was thus the most convenient and least disruptive option for feeling the healing sensation more clearly.

“Whoosh—”

Another flare shot skyward.

Kui Xin stooped low, sticking close to the darker side of the garbage heaps. Her breathing was shallow and quiet, with equally silent footsteps.

Suddenly, she stopped abruptly, her gaze moving forward as she saw a person shadow wavering at a corner ahead—a person who likewise paused as soon as she did—they had seen each other!

Kui Xin moved fastest! Before her opponent reacted, she surged from her hiding spot at full speed in just two seconds!

The adversary turned out to be Thorn Rose. Though Thorn Rose’s reaction time was decent, Kui Xin’s sudden appearance triggered her to instinctively lift her gun and spray a volley of bullets, which were halted by the helmet and bulletproof vest. Undeterred by the hail of fire, Kui Xin charged forward, ducking under a kick that knocked Thorn Rose to the ground.

Thorn Rose wore not only a helmet but also a thin exoskeleton, which Kui Xin immediately felt pain in her calf upon collision, akin to kicking rigid iron plating. As the exoskeleton lacked power assistance at the current moment, its movements were sluggish, yet it still offered robust defense.

Frustrated by the assault, Thorn Rose grabbed Kui Xin’s legs and slammed her to the ground. Both rolled on the ground; Kui Xin seized Thorn Rose’s neck, though the armor had metal guards protecting the vital points.

Observing Kui Xin’s intent, Thorn Rose swung her right arm, striking Kui Xin’s helmet with her deactivated mechanical limb. The clash shook Kui Xin’s head. Grasping the opportunity, Thorn Rose pushed Kui Xin off and struck upward with her elbow, hitting her abdomen.

Kui Xin gritted her teeth as the impact echoed through her, struggling against Thorn Rose to straighten her arm and twist in a desperate attempt to break free.

Both engaged in primal combat, freely expressing their lethal intentions and venting their anger. Every move aimed to end the other.

Struggling to break free, Thorn Rose scrambled back, retrieved her fallen charger, and raised distance between them.

Seeing her moment, Kui Xin swept up a rounded car wheel frame from the ground, kneeled down, and with a strong throw, sent it spinning toward Thorn Rose’s gun, accurately knocking it out of her hand.

Bang!

Thorn Rose’s weapon tumbled away with the strike. Swiftly, Kui Xin lunged in, limbs restraining Thorn Rose’s movements, freeing a hand to unlock a critical connection on the mechanical exoskeleton helmet.

“Click…”

The helmet popped open immediately under her manipulation.

With a swift motion, Kui Xin tore off Thorn Rose’s helmet and slammed her metal-gloved fist into Thorn Rose’s stunned face.

One punch! Thorn Rose’s head jolted backward, blood splattered on her face, a ghastly cracking echoed from her jaw.

Swollen from the precise hit, vivid red liquid flowed down her nose and cheek; nearly unconscious, she clung to the edge of life.

Two punches! Three punches! Straight for the temple, no holding back under the protection of the metal guards. Only fierce blows mattered now.

Head lolling, Thorn Rose nearly couldn’t stand against the relentless strikes.

Observing her inability to resist any longer, Kui Xin lowered her fists swiftly to change her weapon, decisively shooting Thorn Rose directly between the eyes.

“Bang!”

Thorn Rose’s heavy figure collapsed, stirring a cloud of dust.

“You killed Thorn Rose.”

“You deprived Thorn Rose of Extraordinary Abilities.”

“You received Extraordinary Abilities [Blazing Blade·B Rank].”

“[Blazing Blade·B Rank]: You can attach unparalleled scorching heat onto metal objects you touch.”

Without pausing to catch her breath, frantic footsteps approached around her. It was the miscellaneous combat team drawn in by the skirmish.

Figures in black combat gear emerged, rifles raised in synchronized unison, aiming at Kui Xin’s position, their shots creating a dense, impenetrable web.

Even wearing protective gear, Kui Xin barely held off the overwhelming firepower! Reaching toward Thorn Rose’s corpse, she retrieved it, using it as a shield. Drawing another bomb from her waist, she yanked the pin and hurled it straight at a central point among the attackers.

The targeted area was not the opposing battle group but the mountain of trash nearby!

Though the explosion might not completely wipe out the team, it would surely upend the terrain, burying the enemies beneath metal debris.

The blast rocked the ground, debris and shards raining down, creating continuous clashes of metal.

Amidst the rain of metal, Kui Xin discarded the barrier and ran headlong, her retreat sparking a domino effect—any slowdown meant she’d be buried.

Escaping beyond the collapsing heap, the battleground was thoroughly decimated, new heaps forming in chaotic layers.

Eliminating Thorn Rose brought no joy for Kui Xin; the toughest battles still lay ahead.

Sharp stinging pains emanated from her facial wound, showing no sign of healing. She retrieved from her pocket an antique mechanical watch to check, a purely mechanical device needing wind-up operation unaffected by electromagnetic storms.

Eight minutes had passed… she needed to terminate ‘Reset’ in the remaining twenty-minute timeframe.

The familiar “whoosh” of a flare launch resounded, the third sun rising over the wasteland.

Silverface watched as the flare glowed brightly only to vanish, his mask hiding a pale face devoid of color; “Explosion happened northwest, must be nearby,” under his breath, “We’ve been caught up in her offensive rhythm.”

“Night Cicada said the former herself was a master strategist,” remarked Ghost.

“Do we retreat?” Ghost asked cautiously.

Silverface hesitated, taken aback by this suggestion of “reset.”

Whether to retreat required the approval of the commanding officer, but the commanding officer was lost, and the deputy’s whereabouts unknown; Silverface, a capable fighter, lacked the experience to lead in this scenario.

“Let’s pull back, for now, to outside the trash dump,” he reluctantly decided.

Next to him, a combatant fired a flare into the sky—a crimson flash signaling their retreat.

Surrounding Ghost, the unit protected as they slowly moved him to safety.

Gazing into the darkness, Ghost felt a pang of regret for missed opportunities—under different circumstances, this encounter would likely be a kill. If not for equipment failures and disconnection with Mechanized Dawn, sheer numbers would ensure containment.

Now, the timing was against them.

Just as Mechanized Dawn prepared to withdraw, unusual noises emitted from above the heaps startled everyone, only to learn the garbage hadn’t toppled as anticipated, just a scattering of parts causing a racket.

Before they breathed a sigh of relief, eerie chains rattled within the dark.

A grappling hook shot forth, catching everyone off-guard and instantly entangling Ghost’s legs, pulling him down.

Fallen to the ground amidst the grappling rope’s momentum, Ghost clutched the leg of someone near him, stopping his own capture. Alert, the combatants reacted half by restraining Ghost, others by firing into the darkness.

But then, the unmoving heap behind them unexpectedly released a terrifying noise—not just metal remnants but the entire heap!

The grappling hook aimed neither to seize nor capture but immobilize and bury Ghost.

The rope tightened; he struggled but couldn’t loosen it—running backward useless since he had to go the opposite direction!

“Forward!” yelled Silverface, seeing five or six round objects fall between them, bombs!

Behind metal waste, ahead bombs—a dual-pronged peril. Silverface’s heart raced.

“Towards zero!” Silverface yelled, drawing Ghost’s attention.

In a flash, Ghost’s eyes twitched, driven by survival instincts; he reluctantly deactivated ‘zero’.

A water curtain deployed, the explosive flames barred;钢筋铁戈触及水面扬起剧烈涟漪，随后被卸力，未对屏息等待之人造成实质伤害。

战士们聚集在水幕下躲避袭击。

可就在此刻，深蓝色的空间漩涡倏地出现在众人脚下，水幕猛力向外展开，众人的身体随之不由自主地坠入其中。起初，银面色觉安心，以为这是夜蝉安排的衔接空间，但紧接着，他心跳加速，被绳索拉动的Guard猛推向半空，自己借助绳索挣脱了空间漩涡。

来不及救援众人，空间漩涡突然扩展再猛然收缩，坠入其中者的身体尚未来不及完全进入就因收缩而成两截。

一时间，血腥味弥漫开来，温热的液体染红了金属废墟。

空间漩涡并未停止攻击，另一面漩涡在Guard身后张开，欲将其吞噬！

“用你的能力！”银面喊道。

不用银面提示，Guard也立刻明白问题所在——他们的敌人拥有空间漩涡！

生死关头，Guard第二次启动了“重置”，无形领域延伸，深蓝色空间漩涡瞬间消失；同时银面的水幕也随之消散！

一个身影突然出现在Guard身后，一开始只是融入黑暗的模糊黑雾，随后随着重置生效，黑雾逐渐成形为一人。

Guard背后发冷，浑身鸡皮疙瘩，勉强侧头闪过一记拳头。

啪！

他的身体向后仰倒，被飞索束缚的双脚毫无躲避空间。

Kui Xin 准确扣住了头盔上的卡扣，无视 Guard 的惊恐目光，将头盔掀下！

她如经过无数次演习般精准地操作——一出手便命中靶心。

就在这时，在 Kui Xin 扣动扳机的前一刻，Silverface 用力一踹，从垃圾堆中跃起，用肩膀猛烈一撞，改变了 Kui Xin 子弹的轨迹。

就在这关键时刻！

她眼角余光瞥见一道银色光芒向她飞来——是一支银色箭矢，直指她头部！警报铃声大作，她本能地伸出左臂抵挡，但箭矢竟穿透手臂，带着倒刺的金属箭矢牢牢固定在她骨头缝隙之间！

更糟的是，金属箭矢连着一条银色飞索，Kui Xin 顺着箭矢发射方向望去，瞳孔骤然放大——Kui Xin ！她居然没死，甚至恢复了部分行动能力。

Kui Xin 全身闪烁着电火花，机械体超负荷运行，一只义眼已被烧毁，仅存一只还能运作。那条银色飞索连接着 Kui Xin 的左臂，她的左臂已变成弩机模样，这银色飞索箭便是由纯机械动力驱动。

Kui Xin 拼命拉扯银色飞索，Kui Xin 的身体被她拽下垃圾堆，她在地上翻滚两圈，双脚死死抵住地面，左臂被飞索拉扯痛楚灼烧着她的神经。她用力挣扎，企图直接扯出嵌进骨缝间的箭矢，未能成功。用尽全力一扯，还是没能成功，那个倒钩已深深嵌入她的骨头。

Kui Xin 加力稳定推进，表情凶狠，她的机械假肢使用的是机械黎明的先进技术，能在极端情况下保持一定作战能力，单凭重量就有三百多磅，Kui Xin 根本拉不动，失去铁骨后的她无法与之角力。

远处又传来脚步声，一定是杂牌战斗小队的队员，Silverface 正上方的垃圾堆。

“你做了什么？攻击，Silverface！” Kui Xin 吼道。

那一刻，Kui Xin 决定了。

她从后腰拔出了自己花重金购置的最锋利的刀具，狠狠地朝自己的左臂砍去！

鲜血如喷泉一般涌出，Kui Xin 的身体停了下来，而左臂被Kui Xin 拖着飞向那边。砍完之后，她没有停下动作，眼中燃烧着愤怒和仇恨，她握刀投掷。

“铿！”

刀具旋转着飞出，稳稳地插进了Kui Xin 装上了义眼的眼眶！

来不及看自己的刀造成了多大伤害，Kui Xin 迅速拿出腰带里的备用武器，转身冲上了“重新开始”所在山堆，瞄准还未解开飞索的“零”。

Guard 也举起了枪保卫自己，他大喊：“Silverface！”

重新开始解除后，Silverface 清醒过来，瞬即将水泡包裹住Guard，阻挡了Kui Xin 射出的子弹。

但与此同时，Kui Xin 的超凡能力复原了，她化作一团雾气冲进Silverface 的水幕里，身体显现，整个人漂浮在水泡中，飞洒的血液像水纱般在水中扩散。

她的脸在水中模糊不清，仅剩下一双特别明亮的眼睛与Guard对视。

在这眨眼间的时间里，Kui Xin 想了许多，思绪飞快闪过，她惊讶于这个人造人“零”眼中竟会展现出如此复杂的情绪，包括震惊、恐惧、疑惑与愤怒，这并不像一个“零”应有的情绪。

他不明白为何其意志如此坚定，即便切断一臂，也要取他性命。他对 Kui Xin 究竟具备哪些超凡能力一无所知。混战的战场过于混乱，因此他作出了错误应对。

若不解封超凡能力，Silverface 无法保护他，会陷入危险；但若解封，则可能会加速他的死亡。

这一瞬间，Kui Xin 用枪顶住他的下巴，扣动了扳机。

砰！

整个水泡被血液染红了，她的血与零混杂在一起。

“你杀死了零。”

“你剥夺了零的超凡能力。”

“你获得了超凡能力【重置·超凡级】。”

Kui Xin 没有听完系统播报便开启了阴影穿梭，从进入水泡到退出，仅用了不到两秒钟。

她全身湿透，血水交融，滴滴答答地低垂。

消灭了最大的敌人，她的神情出乎意料地平静，然而平静之下，火山即将爆发，即使在白鲸市极寒的夜风中也无法平息。

Silverface 望着她的脸庞，又看看零的尸体，脑海中一片空白，心中莫名产生一丝恐惧。这是他自诞生以来首次体验到这种恐惧的情绪。

恐惧驱使他后退一步，呆滞地看着Kui Xin 粉色的眼睛。

杂牌战斗小队到来，将她包围。

他们想攻击，但无人敢开枪。气氛凝固，双方僵持不下的时候……他们不敢开枪，仿佛眼前的敌人是一头可怕的怪兽。

Kui Xin 右手拨开遮挡眼前的刘海，左臂的伤口在再生能力的作用下迅速愈合，很快就不再流血。

“哈。”她喉咙中发出含糊的笑声，“若有人能够活着离开，告诉夏娃。”

她缓慢说道：“这次，是我赢了！”

她一抬手，插在月眼眶中的刀具飞回到她手中，她化为黑雾，直接切入敌阵。