Chapter 66: Chapter 58: Opposites Clash
Eno and Sasha's squad didn't move. The tension was skyrocketing and Patriot's beady red eyes that stared at them like he was looking at their soul did not help at all.
"T-Talulah's outside in no man's land... She's hiding there, waiting with another cadre named Crownslayer." Faust quickly spilled the beans to the two.
"Direction?" Patriot squinted his eyes. "O-over there sir." Eno pointed his finger to the opposite side of where Paradiso is hanging out, which made sense.
"Yelena, you know what to do my daughter." Patriot looked at the Cautus and she nodded. "I heard Talulah's been working hard... I guess we should give her a nice welcome." Yelena squinted her eyes and she led her Yeti squadron with her.
"As for you... Alina has taught you well on how to act. Yet you were led astray still." Patriot shook his head in disappointment.
"T-these non-infected hated us! They don't deserve to live!" One of Eno's men shouted at Patriot, thinking of hooking him back to their side.
"Is that so?" Patriot raised a brow. They then heard his arts. Unholy screaming mixed with nails being dragged through a blackboard assaulted their ears and they felt a gust of wind go past them.
Everybody looked behind them and the man who foolishly tried to change his mind was pinned on a wall with his bladed mace.
"Anyone who killed an innocent person, raise your hands. I can feel you lying, don't test me." Patriot's arts went outside of his body and red mist crept onto the members of Neo-Reunion.
They then gulped as Patriot raised his hand and his weapon flew back towards him. Ash taught him how to manipulate his energy for telekinesis. It would be vital for his long range throws.
__Wei's Office__
The Lung in charge of the city was being shown videos of Deliverance hunting down the shadow guards of Yan.
And he was correct. But even if he was, it didn't feel good. Because their shadow guards were being killed off.
"Those pale women with red eyes... They're very dangerous." He hit his pipe harder than usual. The abyssal hunters were neutralizing the elite soldiers and Specter didn't give a single fuck even if she got skewered multiple times. The nun was an absolute unit.
"Sarkaz banshees too?" Wei's face fell after seeing Sonus support them. They are the best support units in Terra.
The banshees took care of their weaknesses by using two kinds of arts. Their oral ones and writing ones. And as long as they are skilled, they can do anything with just a shout or by writing the desired effects using their arts units.
And it was proven when Sonus captured the shadow guards in a heartbeat. The Yanese special forces are more of assassins. Unlike the silverlance pegasi or emperor's blades that can use arts.
They were helpless against the banshees. And the Deliverance hunter squads turned on them instantly as expected. Leaving Neo-Reunion for later. And they were getting picked like candy.
"This is going from bad to worse for Lungmen and Yan." Wei was getting nervous. They were sure to capture some of them and people aren't robots. There will be one that would talk.
And when they do, which already happened. Then Paradiso's reaction to Yan won't be pretty at all. The doors to his office then got busted open by one Ch'en Hui-chieh stormed in.
"What's happening out there chief Wei!?" Ch'en needed answers and Wei cursed silently. Why did Deliverance needed to take the fighting downtown.
"Ch'en, you have to believe me. I have no control over this." Wei sighed, but Ch'en didn't believe him at all.
"Then explain what's happening, you're avoiding the question." Ch'en squinted her eyes.
"Your clearance isn't high enough for that kind of info Ch'en." Wei's eyes hardened. He already broke his promise to Edward when Talulah got taken. Ch'en being involved with those guys is a disaster waiting to happen.
He won't be able to look his sister in the eye once he dies. The woman already resented him until she died. When she was forced to marry a Lung which resulted in Ch'en being born.
"Is that so? Then I will do this my own way." Ch'en stormed off and Wei massaged his temples. "Be safe Ch'en, they're out for blood. I hope you're smart enough to not antagonize them."
"Stupid uncle, I'm the chief of LGD's special inspection unit. There's nobody higher than me except for him." She snorted, Wei just didn't want to tell her. And for good reason.
"You okay chief?" Hoshiguma looked at her with worry. Ch'en has a nasty temper, and when she explodes. She does something quite risky. That's why she got infected in the first place.
"Hoshi, give me a burner phone." Ch'en requested and Hoshiguma took one from her cleavage. Ch'en raised a brow at her and wiped it on her skirt.
"Hello, this is Ch'en. I need some information in the slum district." She narrowed her eyes and wasn't sure her old friend would accept.
"Well, well, well, isn't it the star student Ch'en. I thought you're too good to talk to people like us who are in this district?" A female voice sneered.
"Damn it, I'm sorry okay? I needed to be at the top of everything to get her back. And she's going to attack Lungmen." Ch'en's voice cracked.
The other person on the line went silent for a second. "They have killed some infected. But they're hostile and most likely a part of Neo-Reunion. The black coats are being hunted down like dogs. That's all you'll get from me Ch'en." The call ended.
"That doesn't tell me much at all." She clicked her tongue and Hoshiguma sighed.
"Boss, something big is happening in Lungmen. We need to go there ourselves or we won't learn what in the world is happening." Hoshiguma sighed and rubbed her head.
"You're right, come one let's go back to LGD HQ." Ch'en entered their car and they drove back to their building.
But what they saw was the building had frost on it and the road was frozen solid.
"What in the world happened here!? Report, now!" Ch'en saw one of her subordinates and they were helping the injured.
"Chief Ch'en! We were attacked by Neo-Reunion... And then this huge guy dropped from the sky. A Cautus also arrived with a squad of her own. They froze the enemies and then left. The huge guy then started killing off people one by one."
He shivered when he remembered the sinister arts of Patriot. Ch'en and Hoshiguma looked at each other and they checked the cctv's.
"Damn it, the cameras are dead because of the ice arts." Ch'en slammed her fist on the table in frustration.
"Boss, I talked to one of the guys. They said that one of the leaders pointed in that direction. I'd say this would be worth a shot to investigate." Hoshiguma took out a map of the city and she traced the location where Eno pointed.
"The west gate? That place is basically closed off all the time. Ahhh... The east gate which is our main entrance is where Paradiso is." Ch'en realized.
There were already reports of people getting shot by their turrets. Display your Neo-Reunion symbol and you'd get your head popped faster than you could say oripathy.
Hoshiguma immediately stepped on the gas so they could go to the west gate of Lungmen.
At a vantage point, right at the middle of the city. The top of Wei's building, an assassin was barely breathing so they could be like air.
"I have a visual, high ranking official of LGD. Shot is clear, how copy?" Platinum followed their car with her scope and put her finger on the trigger lightly. All her bullets being tungsten full metal jackets immediately.
She wasn't having another mistake such as using normal bullets anymore.
"Leave her be, Yelena or Patriot will take care of them if they ever try to prevent them from catching the target." Margaret ordered.
"Roger that." Platinum took a telescope. She was her own spotter and her effective range was the whole city of Lungmen.
"Got you." She gritted her teeth a bit upon seeing the Draco they were hunting. She immediately sent her coordinates to everyone.
"Hmmm, she received some spare parts huh? Like it would help." Platinum sneered and she locked on to Talulah. "I've got you in my sights."
Ch'en and Hoshiguma arrived at the western district of the city and they immediately noticed that it was like a ghost town.
"Something's definitely fishy here boss. The place is so deserted... And it's fucking cold here." Hoshiguma shivered as she exhaled, her breath created fog and Ch'en was vigilant.
"We advance Hoshiguma, prepare for an ambush." Ch'en nodded at her partner and the tall Oni hefted her triangular shield with sharp edges.
The two LGD officers went into the shadows and were really careful in their advance. Being spotted and mobbed by enemies weren't going to be a good time.
They saw some members of the Yeti squadron cooking and putting things in a pot.
"A-are they cooking curry?" Ch'en was baffled and even the easy going Hoshiguma thought they were too lax.
The two were about to move on, but they suddenly shivered as the air around them got colder. Much, much colder.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Yelena whispered. Ch'en and Hoshiguma were about to prepare for action. Flee the place even, but they found their limbs encased in ice.
"Boss, this ain't good." Hoshiguma chuckled nervously and Ch'en glared at her. "Not now Hoshiguma!"
Yelena then saw Ch'en's face. She was quite sure that the girl is Talulah's half sister.
"Ch'en Hui-chieh... You here for Talulah girl?" Yelena snorted and the Lung blinked at her.
"You know her, personally?" Ch'en raised a brow and her eyes hardened.
"I do, she's a traitor. I'm a cadre of Reunion, the leader of the Yeti squad." Yelena affirmed.
Ch'en hissed and she glared at her. "Damned Reunion! This is your fault, Lungmen is in chaos due to you!" Ch'en shouted and Yelena sighed.
In a way, they were related to Neo-Reunion. But it was very much Talulah's fault.
"Shut up, you know nothing, chief of LGD." Yelena scowled and threw an icicle at her face, grazing her cheek.
"What's your purpose then?" Hoshiguma asked more calmly because her boss was getting heated.
"To capture Talulah, she's an international criminal that Paradiso wants captured. And I'll be the one capturing her." Yelena squinted her eyes.
Ch'en went quiet and Hoshiguma stared at her boss to make a decision.
"I'll help..." Ch'en wasn't pleased to work with Reunion, but it was her chance.
To know what was Talulah's motivation. What happened to her. And to enact justice herself. She was burdened by her sister's sins.
And Ch'en thought it was her duty to capture Talulah herself. Or at least in this case, help in doing so.
She wasn't stupid, Ch'en knew that Talulah would absolutely destroy her in battle. Just with the rumors of what happened in Chernobog. She can already guess how powerful Talulah was.
"Is that so? Then let's go, they're about to enter the city." Yelena could already feel it. The warm air was getting nearer.
She released her arts and turned her back on them. Ch'en thought of attacking Yelena, but she felt that action would be a really bad idea.
They followed her and saw a huge, armored Sarkaz. "Who's your little friends Yelena?" Patriot's baritone voice spooked them.
"P-Patriot... The hero of Ursus..." Ch'en and Hoshiguma gulped at the sight of the towering man. Hoshiguma who was considered to be tall, looked like a little kid in front of him.
"Just some last minute hitchhikers. They won't be of help really." Yelena sat down and just closed her eyes. Preparing to fight Talulah.
Ch'en and Hoshiguma were offended by her words, but they knew better than to argue while they were in Patriot's reach.
The man's arms were like thick logs. Hoshiguma was sure he could snap them. They were twigs in comparison.
And with Ash helping him with his oripathy, Patriot was still at his physical prime.
They quietly waited for Yelena to spot the prize. And she slowly opened her eyes. "She's here."
Yelena looked upwards and she raised her arm. Ch'en and Hoshiguma found themselves being shielded by Patriot.
The two immediately found out why. Yelena used her arts and the area they were in immediately froze over. Metals around them creaked due to the massive temperature differences.
And even when Patriot shielded them, the two still felt the insane cold that they thought was going to give them frostbite.
"We aren't even the target, her arts is simply ridiculous..." Ch'en was in disbelief.
Yelena and Patriot moved right after, going outside to meet their adversary.
"Hello, Talulah. Did you not like my gift to you?" Yelena snorted, seeing the Draco who was glaring at her. Defrosting herself with her arts.
"So it is you Yelena. Fool, the world can only bend over against overwhelming might." Talulah scoffed at her.
"Is that so? Then show me, where's your strength?" Yelena willed her arts to form and silvery ice orbited her.
"Talulah!" Ch'en gritted her teeth upon seeing her sister and the Draco gave a ridiculing smile.
"Ahhh, Ch'en. My sister, are you still weak?" Talulah insulted her and Hoshiguma put a hand on her shoulder.
"Let us begin this." Talulah raised her hand in the sky and released hundreds upon hundreds of fireballs.
The sky got lit by the flames and Yelena clapped in concentration, her hands in front of her. The western district got cut off from the other sides of Lungmen. A titanic wall of ice formed that made the city tilt with the sudden weight.
Fire then rained everywhere at the district and it turned into a warzone. Explosions and shockwaves toppling buildings all around them. As fire and ice clashed against each other.
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Thanks for reading everyone, ciao.
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