Several Alliance soldiers crowded around a burly sergeant aboard the patrol vehicle.
"Sir, tomorrow you'll be promoted to regiment commander. Don't forget us when you do!"
"Yeah, sir, make sure to remember to promote us too!"
The sergeant raised his bottle, laughing heartily. "How could I forget you lot? Keep drinking—stick with me, and you'll all come up in the world!"
"Cheers!"
"To your health!"
Even the chubby driver at the wheel lifted his beer bottle in a toast.
Suddenly, the patrol vehicle's door was flung open, and a shadow darted inside, weaving swiftly through the soldiers holding their cups.
The soldiers froze, staring at the dark figure.
The silhouette reached the driver's seat and struck the hefty man with a sudden punch; a loud thud echoed as his head smashed against the window. He slumped unconscious.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Who the hell are you?"
The Alliance soldiers shouted, gripping their assault rifles.
At that moment, another figure vaulted onto the patrol vehicle wielding an ice-cold dagger. The interior lights flickered, revealing Lin's face—an impeccably handsome eastern man whose eyes blazed with lethal intent.
Without hesitation, Lin moved with swift precision, slashing a soldier's throat. A hiss of blood spurted forth.
From the driver's seat, Xiao Feng shouted sharply, "Lin, don't be so merciless!"
Hearing Xiao Feng's voice, the ferocity in Lin's gaze softened considerably. He then launched into a rapid barrage of punches and kicks. Though not as eerily fast as Xiao Feng's movements, Lin's assault overwhelmed the soldiers.
Thuds of fists landing echoed within the armored vehicle. Within thirty seconds, none of the soldiers had fired a single shot before all were incapacitated.
Lin swiftly removed their handcuffs, binding their hands again before sealing their mouths with black tape.
Under the cloak of night, the massive armored vehicle creaked into a narrow alley and came to a halt. The rear door swung open, and one by one the soldiers were tossed out, four stripped naked.
By then, Rush and K had boarded the vehicle, while Xiao Feng and Lin had already donned Alliance uniforms, blending seamlessly without arousing suspicion.
Lin took the driver's seat, his mastery behind the wheel unquestioned.
Xiao Feng urged Rush and K, "Hurry, change into the uniforms."
"Do we really need to wear such disgusting clothes?"
"Wear them. It's safer this way."
Lin steered the vehicle into Aidenway City's military base, passing through without hindrance.
They slipped quietly into a shadowed corner, disappearing into the dense night.
The ease of their infiltration surprised K beyond expectation. He had never imagined penetrating so deeply into the military base, drawing ever closer to their objective.
The four men were of similar stature—Xiao Feng slightly shorter—and all bore lean, athletic builds. Clad in military garb, they were indistinguishable from true soldiers. Even brushing past Alliance patrols, their identities would go unnoticed.
Lin and K led the way, pausing before the entrance to a barracks.
Lin's finger crystallized into an ice spike, which he deftly inserted into the lock.
Xiao Feng watched as Lin moved with meticulous care and practiced skill. With a soft click, the door swung open.
Muffled, surreal sounds emanated from within.
They slipped silently into the dimly lit room, stunned by the scene before them.
A slightly corpulent Caucasian man sat handcuffed to the bedpost. Beside him, a provocatively dressed woman cracked a leather whip against his flesh.
Despite the torment, the man bit down on a small metal gag, emitting ghastly, repulsive sounds.
Xiao Feng's expression hinted at dark amusement—he had never witnessed such debauchery.
Their entrance caught the woman's attention. K raised a finger to his lips in a "hush" gesture.
Unaware of their true intent, the woman assumed they were Alliance soldiers come to jest or to command.
Ceasing her whipping, she watched as the man, face pressed to the bed, whimpered, "Don't stop, keep going…"
Xiao Feng smiled faintly and took the whip from her.
The woman's eyes sparkled with amusement, captivated by his striking handsomeness.
With measured force, Xiao Feng flicked the whip against the man's back.
The man cried out again, a pained, odd sound.
Lin and the others exchanged surprised, amused glances at Xiao Feng's unusual treatment.
But Xiao Feng's strikes grew more severe; the man soon grimaced in agony. One lash tore a deep gash down his back, blood spurting forth violently.
The pain nearly knocked him unconscious. He whipped his head around and snarled, "Damn you! Are you trying to kill me?"
His gaze landed on Xiao Feng's face, eyes wide with shock. "Who the hell are you?"
Xiao Feng spotted the woman attempting to flee, clutching her clothes, and snapped, "Stay right there! No one leaves!"
The woman froze, terror-stricken. "I have nothing to do with him—I don't even know his name!"
"Even if you don't, sit down," Lin said, pressing her firmly onto a nearby sofa.
K slowly approached the man, crouching down with a cold, steely glare. "Where are my wife and child?"
The man stared blankly at K, stunned for several moments before exclaiming in disbelief, "It's you? You've got some nerve…"