Translator: AnubisTL
At that moment, the three of them stood by the window, silently observing the scene below with quiet satisfaction.
This battle was far more spectacular than their own.
Like a 3D movie, they experienced the raw, visceral thrill of the battlefield up close, a truly exhilarating spectacle.
Their own battles rarely offered such a spectacle. A single artillery strike would leave them with nothing but the wails of countless tormented souls ringing in their ears and a landscape of apocalyptic ruin stretching before them.
"Impressive," Scar Dog muttered, crushing his spent cigarette under his boot. He grinned at the city lights stretching before him. "I love the feeling of running wild in an alien city like this. It's like Grand Theft Auto."
"You guys know Grand Theft Auto?"
"It's an old game. The whole point is absolute freedom—you can do anything you want in the city."
"Freedom?" Chen Jiang, wearing a brown felt hat and leaning on his cane, chuckled softly as he gazed at the hospital about to fall below. "I like that word."
The living room remained unlit.
The group stood by the living room window, letting the darkness envelop them, inhaling the crisp night air, and admiring the scene before them.
"Boss, should we move in?"
"No."
On the rooftop of a skyscraper, the Capturer heard the voice in his earpiece. His eyes glowed with an eerie green light, as if he could see through the surrounding buildings, his gaze fixed on the hospital. His voice, rough with determination, rasped, "Our target is the Jiang Cheng Company."
"If the Jiang Cheng Company doesn't appear, we remain hidden, no matter what happens."
"The threat posed by the Jiang Cheng Company far outweighs the petty skirmishes below. Acting now would risk exposure and alert them. A true hunter never takes their eyes off their prey until it reveals itself."
"Tonight, chaos begins."
"Everyone, hold your positions. Wait patiently. Deliver the fatal blow. Return victorious."
"Understood!"
The Night Watchers had a single mission tonight: to wait for the Jiang Cheng Company to appear and eliminate them. Nothing else could shake their resolve to remain hidden.
"Did you hear that?"
Wang Jili sat in his chair, casually grabbed the pet kneeling before him, and tossed it aside. He picked up a frost-rimmed Luo Cup, drained it in one gulp, and lit a cigarette with a satisfied expression. After taking a drag, he exhaled a pale blue plume of smoke into the air.
Leaning back in his chair, he gazed up at the dissipating smoke drifting toward the ceiling and said with satisfaction, "That was a gunshot. Do you know what a gunshot usually signifies?"
"Hmm..."
"Why are you so tense all the time?"
He glanced at Hu Biao, who stood rigidly by the window, clutching his weapon and constantly scanning the surroundings. With a bored gesture, Wang Jili waved his fingers in the air. "I mean, why are you so utterly dull?"
"Your life is too tightly wound."
"You should try indulging yourself a little. Embrace decadence. Trust me, you'll experience the absolute pleasure that comes from letting go."
"It's a kind of absolute freedom."
"Take now, for example. You can't do anything, yet you remain tense. It's utterly pointless."
"The battlefield is at the hospital!" Hu Biao snapped, his eyes bloodshot as he turned to Wang Jili. His voice was hoarse with urgency. "My mother is at the hospital! How can I not be tense?!"
"Alright, alright, you're such a filial child," Wang Jili said, reclining in his chair with a hint of boredom. He casually tossed his spent cigarette butt into a nearby wine glass, closed his eyes, and remarked offhandedly, "Even so, all you can do now is wait, isn't it?"
Just then, a faint, fly-like buzz came through the earpiece in his ear.
"Ahem."
Wang Jili raised an eyebrow, stood up, grabbed his coat from the chair back, and draped it over his shoulders. After refilling his wine glass, he strolled toward the door.
"We've got news. 'Albatross' has successfully breached the hospital. They moved faster than I expected—eleven minutes flat."
"It's time for us to move out too."
"This is when you should be getting tense. You've been wound up too early. If you burn out before the real pressure hits, you won't be able to rise to the occasion."
"Let's go. Round up your brothers and watch how the veterans handle things."
"Pay close attention. Learn from the best."
Without another word, he strode out of the room.
Hu Biao followed without hesitation, his three brothers close behind. Wang Jili's men quickly filed out of the room as well.
The last man to leave, dressed in a black suit, pulled a pistol from his coat and, without a flicker of emotion, aimed it at the forehead of the girl sprawled on the floor, her eyes wide with terror and pleading.
A gunshot rang out, and a crimson bloom erupted.
A bomb set to detonate in three minutes was tossed beside the corpse like a piece of trash.
Three minutes later, the bomb's blast would engulf the room in flames, obliterating all traces of their presence.
Some things are simply convenient to take care of.
Outside the hospital, the gunfire began to dwindle, like the final pops of a firecracker about to burn out.
"Young men," the old woman lying in the hospital bed said, shifting her gaze from the wall clock to the young Federal Soldiers standing beside her, their bodies trembling slightly as they gripped their weapons tightly. After a pause, she spoke with a complex expression.
"Run. There's no point in dying here. Everyone else is dead. Even if you flee, you won't be considered deserters."
"Staying means certain death."
"Our mission is to protect your safety," a young man who looked barely old enough to shave said, taking a deep breath. His body trembled slightly as he tightened his grip on his pistol, aiming it at the Patient Room door. His voice shook as he spoke each word with deliberate clarity.
"There are only soldiers who die in battle, never soldiers who flee!"
"Death is a soldier's most glorious end!"
Though the surrounding Federal Soldiers remained silent, their slightly trembling bodies and unwavering gun barrels aimed at the doorway spoke volumes. They shared the same sentiment.
At that moment—
The once-silent corridor outside suddenly erupted with the sound of rapid footsteps.
As the footsteps grew louder, the soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons. Veins bulged on their hands, straining against the skin from the force.
The footsteps drew closer, closer, until they reached the Patient Room door.
"Ahhh!!!"
A piercing roar tore through the air. The young Federal Soldier who had spoken earlier, his remaining rationality completely overwhelmed by terror, let out a frantic yell, his expression bordering on collapse. Simultaneously, he squeezed the trigger with all his might.
Bullets erupted from the gun barrel, tearing through the wooden door of the Patient Room, leaving a trail of holes.
Despite the immense pressure bearing down on him, the soldier's firing stance remained remarkably precise, as rigid and methodical as if he were on the training range, perfectly disciplined and standardized.
Even the strictest drill sergeant would have to admit that the soldier's shooting posture was flawless, leaving no room for criticism. He was a promising recruit.
Only the ear-splitting roar betrayed that the soldier's mind was on the verge of collapse.
Stimulated by this, the psychological tension of the surrounding Federal Soldiers snapped instantly. A hail of bullets tore the wooden door to shreds in an instant.
The door collapsed, revealing an empty room behind it.
Just then, the magazines ran dry. The crisp clicks of empty chambers echoed through the room as the firing pins struck air. The bullets were gone; it was time to reload. But there was no time for that now.
The next moment—
A portly man with a gold chain around his neck, wearing a floral shirt and a cigar clamped between his teeth, waddled into the patient room with a Buddha-like smile. "What's this? You've stopped shooting? Out of bullets, are you?"
But then—
The Federal Soldier who had spoken first suddenly grinned triumphantly, his face twisting into a ferocious sneer. "Federal New Recruit Training, Lesson 9, Section 3: In special environments, the sound of an empty chamber can effectively deceive the enemy!"
"Die, you bastard!!!"
A fresh volley of bullets erupted, each round spitting fire as they roared toward the portly man!
However...
Just as the bullets were about to strike the man, an energy shield materialized before him, blocking every round. Not only was he unharmed, but even the ash on his cigar remained undisturbed.
"..."
The obese man stared expressionlessly at the young Federal Soldier before him, paused briefly, then accepted the rifle offered by his subordinate. Without a word, he aimed at the group of young soldiers and unleashed a full magazine.
In an instant, the glimmer of hope that had just flickered in the soldiers' eyes vanished. Their bodies stiffened slightly as they collapsed to the ground, lying motionless in pools of blood, their lives extinguished without a sound.
"Acting tough, huh?"
The man, his belly protruding, swaggered over to the corpse of the young soldier who had spoken earlier. After spitting a thick wad of phlegm beside the body, he sneered, "Even when I was just starting out, I wouldn't pull this kind of crap. What kind of amateur do you think I am? Trying to play games with me?"
"Fucking childish."
"Do you even know what a B-grade single-person energy shield is? This thing could buy a thousand of your lives and still have change!"
"Didn't your Federal training teach you to stay away from rich bastards?"
"You think I'm some petty thug who just picked up a kitchen knife and started causing trouble?"
(End of the Chapter)
Translator's Corner
The chapters I upload here on WebNovel are totally FREE, no strings attached. If you are reading here, please support me by leaving reviews, comments and giving the book powerstones. 🙏
🔓 𝐰𝐰𝐰.𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦 — 13 Series (7 Ongoing) | 14+ New Chapters Daily | 7,200+ FREE