Li Lin woke up from a pitch-black void, his head pounding. "Damn it, where am I?"
He looked around and found himself in a dimly lit basement. Xiao Xing was curled up beside him, softly whimpering. Liya and the other team members were nearby, gradually regaining consciousness.
Suddenly, memories flooded back: the abandoned nuclear power plant, the raid, Night Owl's betrayal—everything became clear.
"Is everyone alright?" Li Lin forced himself to stand, his voice hoarse.
Liya rubbed her temples. "Barely alive. What happened? Didn't we escape?"
"It seems someone followed us," Li Lin gritted his teeth. "Damn Night Owl, this is all her scheme."
Just then, the basement door was flung open, blinding light pouring in as a tall figure appeared in the doorway.
"Welcome to our little domain, Wasteland Watchers," a deep voice dripped with sarcasm.
Li Lin squinted and recognized the newcomer—it was the second-in-command of the Raiders Group, a guy known as "Hammer."
"What do you want?" Liya asked warily.
Hammer sneered. "What do we want? You trespassed on our territory and still ask that?"
Li Lin stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of his teammates. "We just want survival supplies—nothing more."
"Oh?" Hammer raised an eyebrow. "Then what about the intel provided by Night Owl?"
Li Lin's heart sank; it was true—Night Owl had betrayed them.
"Listen, we can negotiate," Li Lin tried to maneuver. "What do you want?"
Hammer laughed loudly. "Negotiate? You have no leverage."
He waved his hand, and several armed henchmen entered the room. "Take them to the interrogation room. I want to question them personally."
Li Lin and his team were roughly escorted out of the basement. Along the way, they caught a glimpse of the Raiders Group's internal operations; it resembled a small town, complete with production and living facilities.
Eventually, they were brought into a brightly lit room where Hammer sat behind a desk, his gaze icy.
"Now, tell me your true purpose," Hammer fixed his eyes on Li Lin. "Otherwise, I'll make you experience what it means to wish for death."
Li Lin took a deep breath, contemplating his response. He glanced at his teammates and then at Xiao Xing, who was curled up in the corner.
"We did come for supplies," Li Lin said slowly, "but during our mission, we discovered your secret plan."
Hammer's expression shifted slightly. "What secret plan?"
"Using Starwing Beast genes to create super soldiers," Li Lin met Hammer's gaze directly. "We saw those incubation pods."
The room fell silent as Hammer's face flickered between emotions, clearly weighing the pros and cons.
"You know too much," Hammer finally said, his tone laced with threat.
At that moment, Xiao Xing suddenly let out a sharp cry, causing everyone to instinctively cover their ears.
Seizing the opportunity, Li Lin lunged at Hammer, and the two began to grapple. The other team members quickly joined the fray.
In the chaos, Liya managed to snatch a weapon from one of the guards. "Everyone, step back!" she shouted.
The tide of the situation turned instantly as Li Lin subdued Hammer, pressing a gun against his temple.
"Now, let's talk," Li Lin's voice was cold. "Tell us the details of that secret plan."
Hammer clenched his teeth in silence, a flicker of struggle crossing his eyes.
"Speak!" Li Lin pressed harder. "Or I swear I'll pull the trigger right now."
"You wouldn't dare," Hammer scoffed. "Aren't you so-called champions of justice the ones who despise the slaughter of innocents?"
Li Lin's finger rested on the trigger, his mind torn as he recalled the past, those comrades lost due to his mercy.
"Li Lin, don't be impulsive!" Liya urged anxiously. "We can't become like them."
Xiao Xing gently nudged Li Lin's leg, worry evident in her eyes. Li Lin took a deep breath and slowly lowered the gun.
"You’re right; we are not like them," Li Lin said, staring at Hammer. "But that doesn’t mean we can be bullied."
He turned to his teammates. "Tie him up; we’re taking him with us."
Hammer's eyes widened in disbelief. "You’re crazy! You won’t escape!"
Li Lin smirked. "We'll see about that."
Just then, a series of explosions echoed in the distance, followed by alarms blaring throughout the base.
"What’s happening?" Liya asked warily.
Li Lin frowned. "It seems someone has acted before us."
Comment 0 Comment Count