Though weariness weighed heavily upon him, Xiaofeng dared not succumb to sleep. At least until the guards arrived, he must vigilantly survey his surroundings, deeply apprehensive that the Alliance soldiers might launch another counterattack.
Perched in the attic of Kerry's villa, Xiaofeng had set up two sniper rifles—one his own Bloodthirster, the other a standard-issue Alliance sniper rifle—each meticulously aimed in separate directions. Both weapons were fitted with infrared scopes, and coupled with Xiaofeng's extraordinary prowess, the entire area lay under his keen surveillance.
Clutching a piece of bread, Xiaofeng scanned the perimeter with his sniper's gaze, stealing hurried bites whenever he found a moment. The bread's flavor was exquisite—something scarcely savored even within the X Mercenary Corps.
Kerry had long since surrendered to merciless slumber. Initially, Kelly lingered in the attic beside Xiaofeng, exchanging words, yet fatigue soon claimed her as well. After all, she too was thoroughly exhausted.
This dawn seemed to lag behind all others—so delayed it stirred Xiaofeng's unease, wondering if it might ever arrive.
When a heavily armed helicopter hovered before Kerry's villa, Xiaofeng knew his mission was fulfilled.
One by one, figures leapt from the aircraft's belly, landing with solid thuds from a dozen meters' height, requiring no assistance.
Xiaofeng stared, momentarily stunned by their appearance—never before had he seen such gear. These eight individuals wore mechanized armor: mech suits.
After descending, the guards unloaded several large crates filled with equipment onto the grounds.
Rousing Kelly, Xiaofeng whispered, "Kelly, your reinforcements have arrived..."
Rubbing her eyes, Kelly rose and peered through the window. The eight armored guards were advancing, hauling the heavy crates toward the entrance.
With a smile, Kelly remarked, "Yes, they're our company's guards. Now you can finally rest, Xiaofeng."
She stepped close, encircling Xiaofeng's neck with her arms and whispered earnestly, "Thank you, Xiaofeng..." before pressing a tender kiss to his lips.
Xiaofeng hastily pushed her away, a wry smile playing on his lips. "No, no—after barely surviving last night, if you keep teasing me like this, I'm afraid I'll really collapse from exhaustion."
Kelly chuckled softly at his weary expression. "Alright, now you can rest assured. These eight wear the latest individual combat mech suits, a joint creation of our company and Victoria Corp. We call them the Hope Mechs. Our hope is that with these suits, humanity can eradicate all the monsters and restore the world to its former glory."
"An admirable ambition," Xiaofeng mused, "But are you aware that these beasts have evolved themselves? Have you considered the C-rank and above monsters lurking outside?" His mind flickered to a particular B-rank beast that had devoured a Quadhorn Rhino Crystal—a creature even he had never glimpsed.
Kelly blinked, puzzled by his words. "What do you mean? The beasts are evolving now?"
"Yes. Our gravest threat lies with the C-rank and higher monsters beyond. And while your Alliance squabbles amongst itself, it's almost laughable. Now that you're safe, I must attend to another matter. You should remain quietly at home."
Kelly could only nod, uncertain of why Xiaofeng was in such a hurry. She trusted he had his reasons and would return once his task was done.
Descending the stairs, Xiaofeng found Kerry bleary-eyed, unlocking the villa's doors for the mech guards. They immediately began setting up a positional defense system. Xiaofeng examined their suits with curiosity—far from cumbersome, these mech armors were surprisingly lightweight, an advanced form of protective gear. After careful scrutiny, he wondered if his potent electric currents might cause these suits to malfunction.
Kerry approached, holding a cup of coffee. "Hey, hey, stop staring. These are top-secret company weapons. You outsiders can't just gawk at them."
Xiaofeng scoffed, "I stayed up all night guarding you, and now you treat me like this? Damn, I should've let those Alliance scoundrels deal with you."
"A joke. If I were so easy to dispose of, how could I still be the head of the Second Division?"
"Keep pretending. I'm leaving. Get me a car."
"No cars available."
"Bullshit. There are several in your garage. Get me an SUV—I've got urgent business. I'll be back tonight."
"What reason do I have to trust you? If you don't return the car, who do I complain to?"
Xiaofeng was about to retort when Kelly laughed, tossing him a set of keys. "Here you go, Xiaofeng."
Ignoring Kerry's protests, Xiaofeng strode toward the garage.
Kerry looked at Kelly in resignation. "Dear sister, which car did you give him?"
Kelly smiled mischievously. "Guess."
Since falling for Xiaofeng, this once-proud woman had softened considerably.
Moments later, the roar of a mighty engine filled the air as a colossal SUV burst from the garage.
This vehicle was nearly twice the size of a typical SUV, exuding an aura of dominance. Kerry clutched his hair in despair, "Oh no... sister, that's my beloved Dodge!"
Kelly shrugged innocently, eyes sparkling. "I didn't know..."
Xiaofeng was enamored with the Dodge—powerful and imposing, especially equipped with Kerry's clearance pass, it roamed Black Whale City unhindered.
Soon, Xiaofeng departed northward from Black Whale City, steering northwest guided by the coordinates embedded in his wristwatch from Lin. Over the vast wasteland, the rugged terrain seemed as flat as a plain beneath the vehicle's advanced navigation system. It was an unstoppable force, like driving a tank across the desolation.
Two hours later, Xiaofeng arrived at a dilapidated town. Frowning, he surveyed the lifeless settlement. Even in daylight, mutated rats scurried through the streets, dragging their long tails and shedding matted, repulsive fur.