As the doors of the helicopter swung open, Danial and Lily watched in awe as several figures leapt out with precision, landing on the rooftop with remarkable steadiness. Lily's eyes widened in shock at the seemingly gravity-defying feat. "How could they jump from that height and still be okay? Are their legs made out of iron?" she wondered, her mind reeling with disbelief.
The newcomers, clad in tactical uniforms and armed to the teeth, wasted no time in assuming a defensive stance. Their guns trained on Danial, they barked orders with a commanding authority that left no room for negotiation.
"Put your hands up in the air and kneel, or else we will shoot," one of them commanded, his voice sharp and threatening.
Danial froze on the spot, his mind racing with confusion and disbelief. "Why are they pointing guns at me? Aren't they from the law enforcement headquarters and the Special Ops team?" he thought, his heart pounding in his chest. Glancing up at the hovering helicopter, he caught sight of the unmistakable sigil of the Special Ops team, sending a jolt of realization through him.
"They're from the Special Ops team. Why are they pointing guns at me?" Danial murmured to himself, his voice barely audible over the din of the helicopter's engines.
The commanding figure, undeterred by Danial's lack of compliance, repeated his order with increased aggressiveness. "Put your hands in the air, or we will shoot without hesitation," he warned, his tone brooking no argument.
Lily, still reeling from the sudden turn of events, stepped forward hesitantly, her eyes darting between the masked man and the armed operatives. "He's not with the criminals in the hotel. He saved me from those guys. I think you misunderstood him," she pleaded, her voice trembling with uncertainty.
The leader of the Special Ops team, unmoved by Lily's plea, reiterated his directive with unwavering resolve. "Ma'am, we are here under orders. Please step away from the individual and slowly walk towards us," he instructed his tone firm yet devoid of empathy.
Caught between her desire to defend the masked man who had rescued her and the intimidating presence of the heavily armed operatives, Lily hesitated. She glanced back at Danial, who met her gaze with a silent nod of reassurance, urging her to comply with the orders.
With a heavy heart, Lily took a reluctant step back, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and confusion. As she walked towards the Special Ops team, the masked man raised his hands in surrender, showing no signs of aggression.
After Lily reached the team, the masked man said with indifference " You guys don't remember me or is this a joke."
Danial's statement hung in the air, met with a perplexed silence from the operatives surrounding him. Their expressions shifted from suspicion to confusion as they exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of how to respond to the masked man's seemingly cryptic remark.
The commanding operative, his patience wearing thin, scoffed at Danial's words. "Remember you? You're a criminal, and I'm the one who's gonna kick your ass," he retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he maintained his defensive stance.
Danial sighed inwardly, realizing that his attempt to clarify the situation had only added to the tension. "Did Agent Thompson say anything about me, or did he forget to inform you about me at all?" he asked, his tone tinged with frustration.
The operatives, taken aback by Danial's question, exchanged puzzled looks, their hostility giving way to uncertainty. The commanding operative's expression hardened as he demanded answers, his voice laced with aggression.
"Who are you, and how do you know Agent Thompson?" he demanded, his tone brimming with hostility. "How dare you slander Agent Thompson's name? Do you know what will happen if my supervisor finds out about this?" he continued, his voice rising with each word.
Danial sighed in frustration, realizing that the situation was becoming increasingly precarious. "What if I remove my mask? Will you still see me as a criminal?" he questioned, his voice tinged with exasperation.
The operative, seemingly unfazed by Danial's proposal, chuckled derisively as he closed the distance between them. "No matter who or what you look like, I will still see you as a criminal," he replied, his tone dripping with disdain.
With a resigned shake of his head, Danial removed his mask slightly, revealing his face to the operatives. As recognition dawned upon them, the commanding operative raised his hand, signalling for his team to lower their weapons. The tension in the air dissipated as the operatives realized that Danial was one of their own, a fellow member of the Special Ops team. They muttered to each other and said " Damn Danial I almost shot you you know that"
Relief washed over Danial as the operatives recognized him, their hostility replaced by a sense of camaraderie. The commanding operative removed his tactical mask, revealing his face to Danial. It was Lieutenant Andrews.
Danial smiled in recognition as Lieutenant Andrews approached him, slapping his shoulder in praise. "Not bad, you almost made me kill you," Andrews remarked with a grin, his tone laced with humour.
Danial chuckled, relieved that the misunderstanding had been resolved without bloodshed. "Glad I didn't," he replied, his voice tinged with gratitude.
Suddenly, the door to the rooftop burst open, and several of the rogue cultivators stormed in, their guns raised menacingly. Danial's instincts kicked in as he swiftly lowered his mask, assuming a defensive posture. The Special Ops team followed suit, their guns trained on the intruders as they prepared for a confrontation.
As Victor emerged from behind the rogue cultivators with an air of nonchalance.. His smirk hinted at a confidence that bordered on arrogance, unnerving those who stood before him.
"What do we have here?" Victor quipped, his voice dripping with disdain as he surveyed the scene before him. "There was a party going on, and I was invited. How rude."
Lieutenant Andrews wasted no time in responding, his grip tightening on his weapon as he levelled it at Victor. "This party was meant for you. Now that you're here, why don't you surrender yourself?" he demanded, his tone laced with authority.
Victor's laughter echoed across the rooftop, a brazen display of defiance in the face of imminent danger. "Surrender? I outnumber you, and besides, surrendering isn't my style," he replied, his voice oozing with smugness.
Andrews scoffed at Victor's bravado, undeterred by the numerical advantage the rogue cultivators held. "Sure, you outnumber us 10 to 5, but we still have the capability to neutralize you and arrest you," he countered, his tone firm and resolute.
Victor's smile widened as he revealed his trump card, brandishing a small remote in his hand. "Don't you think I know that already? So, I have prepared a backup plan for that," he declared, his gaze sweeping over the Special Ops team with a mix of satisfaction and malice.
With a flourish, Victor displayed the remote to the onlookers, his expression twisted into a sinister grin. "This is a detonator. I have planted bombs on the 6th level of the hotel, and the bombs are powerful enough that they can bring the hotel down instantly," he announced, his voice laced with menace.
A chill ran down Danial's spine as he processed Victor's chilling revelation
. Horror and disbelief etched across his face as he comprehended the dire consequences of Victor's actions. The realization struck him like a cold gust of wind, freezing his movements and thoughts.
"Hahaha, look at your faces, so awesome," Victor taunted, revealing the fear he had instilled. "Now that I have the upper hand, I order you to place your guns on the ground and kneel, and I might let you die in one piece or better spare you."
Unwillingly, the members of the Special Ops team complied with Victor's command, their desperate looks betraying a sense of resignation. Danial exchanged a pained glance with Andrews, their silent communication conveying the gravity of their predicament.
Victor's gaze shifted towards the masked man, his tone laced with menace as he issued his ultimatum. "Remove your mask, or else..." His threat hung in the air like a dark cloud, casting a pall of dread over the rooftop.
Lily, caught in the crossfire, trembled as Victor's gun wavered threateningly in her direction. The sudden crack of gunfire shattered the tense silence as Victor fired a warning shot, the bullet finding its mark in one of the Special Ops officers, who crumpled to the ground in agony.
"The next bullet will go through her head," Victor declared, his voice dripping with malice as he trained his weapon on Lily.
Lily's breath caught in her throat, the horror of the situation sinking in as she witnessed Victor's menacing demeanor. A silent scream threatened to escape her lips, but the bone-chilling look and perverse grin on Victor's face paralyzed her in fear.
Just as Danial began to raise his hands, a flicker of determination flashed in his eyes. Instead of removing his mask, he skillfully moved his hands behind his back, feigning compliance. Victor, growing impatient, urged him to hurry up, revealing his frustration.
"Dude, hurry up. I don't have all day," Victor impatiently demanded. "I know you are the person who took out two of my teams and made them unusable. Let me see your face so we can settle this at once."
Danial, maintaining his calm facade, retorted, "Victor, right? You have bombs under the building and still use guns to threaten us. How naive. I mean, you tried to threaten us with a gun when you've got a floor full of bombs beneath us. I thought the Great Victor was more than this, alas, I was so wrong."
The revelation hung in the air, leaving everyone stunned. The Special Ops team, Victor's lackeys, Lily, and even the person in the helicopter above, ordered to watch without intervening, were taken aback by the unexpected turn of events.
Victor, too, was left speechless, his confident facade shattered by Danial's unexpected insight. He growled in frustration, unable to comprehend why the masked man would expose such information.
Danial continued, seizing the moment, "Well, am I right? Victor here is a martial artist who has the capability of taking down the entire Special Ops team by himself but still chooses to use guns to threaten. That is the sign of a coward."
The rooftop fell into an uneasy silence as Danial's words hung in the air, challenging Victor's bravado.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Victor snarled, attempting to regain control of the situation. "Believe me, I can put so many holes in your body even your friends would have a hard time counting."
Undeterred, Danial maintained his defiant stance, his unwavering gaze fixed on Victor. "Empty threats won't change the fact that you're the one with explosives beneath us. If you're going to do something, do it. But know that your cowardice is on full display for everyone to see."
Victor's frustration boiled over, his temper flaring as he succumbed to Danial's relentless provocation. With a furious snarl, he aimed his weapon and fired a shot, the bullet whizzing dangerously close to Danial's leg. Despite the proximity of the gunshot, Danial remained unfazed, his calm demeanor unnerving Victor even more.
"So what the hell? I can do whatever I want. This is my turf now," Victor spat out, his voice laced with venomous defiance. But Danial's smile only widened, his eyes gleaming with a glint of calculated cunning.
"Maybe this is your turf, but after this, do you think your lackeys would ever follow you, you spineless coward?" Danial's words cut through the tension like a knife, striking a nerve deep within Victor's core. He glanced behind him, meeting the eyes of his loyal followers, only to see disappointment and disgust reflected in their gaze.
The realization hit Victor like a sledgehammer, his facade of invincibility crumbling under the weight of Danial's words. He gritted his teeth, his jaw clenched in frustration as he turned back to face Danial, his expression a mixture of anger and desperation.
"Okay, so what do you think I should do to convince everyone that I am not a coward but a brave genius?" Victor's voice dripped with begrudging acknowledgment of Danial's cunning manipulation. He knew he had fallen into Danial's trap, but pride and arrogance prevented him from conceding defeat just yet.
Danial's smile remained unchanged, his composure unwavering as he laid out the terms of their impending showdown. "Fight me. If you win, you get to do whatever you want. But if I win, you will have to surrender yourself, willingly or unwillingly."
Victor gritted his teeth, torn between the realization that refusing Danial's challenge would be a blow to his pride and the daunting prospect of facing off against a formidable opponent. He knew that backing down now would only solidify Danial's accusations of cowardice, leaving him exposed and vulnerable in the eyes of his lackeys. With a reluctant nod, he begrudgingly accepted the challenge, his resolve tinged with a simmering rage.
"Okay, but before this, let me tell you that you're gonna lose horribly. I hope your bones are intact after this. Haha, haha," Victor sneered, his laughter tinged with a sinister edge. He handed the remote to his trusted lackey.
Danial met Victor's gaze with unwavering determination, his expression unreadable behind the mask that obscured his features. He stood tall and composed, a silent sentinel prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
"Only time will tell," the masked man replied cryptically, his voice tinged with an air of enigmatic confidence. His hands remained clasped behind his back, a subtle display of readiness and anticipation as he awaited the commencement of their duel.