Chapter Eighty-Nine: The Shocking Moment

By the time Xiao Yang and the special police reached the mayor’s office, they found two corpses at the door, and their mayor was nowhere to be seen.

Xiao Yang stamped his foot in frustration. “We’re too late. Hurry and contact the monitoring room—have them check the corridor cameras. Send more people to search the building for the mayor. The whole place is sealed; the enemy can’t get out.”

The squad leader hurriedly called for support and dispatched his men. Only after everyone had been sent away did he shut the door and say, “We’re in trouble. Both leaders are dead. C City is probably finished! Xiao Yang, what do we do now?”

Hearing the implication in his words, Xiao Yang asked, “What do you mean?”

The man suddenly broke into a savage grin. “I mean you can go join those old bastards.”

In an instant, he hurled himself forward and slammed viciously into Xiao Yang.

Fortunately, the armor Xiao Yang wore could withstand several thousand newtons of force. That blow merely sent him flying more than two meters and did little harm.

He spat on the floor. “Another traitor. I really misjudged you.”

At once, more than a dozen darts shot out from the armor on his arm, streaking through the air and pinning themselves into the man’s body.

The man sneered. “Old-fashioned little tricks like that can hurt anyone?”

But then the darts suddenly exploded, bursting into thick clouds of smoke, which he inhaled straight into his mouth.

In the blink of an eye, the muscles all over his body withered. Even his face and voice warped as he cried out, “What... what did you do to me?”

Seeing him drop to his knees, helpless and unable to resist, Xiao Yang stepped forward with a gun pressed to his head. “Nothing much. Just a vaccine made especially to kill viruses like you. Speak. What plans do you and your companions have?”

The man rolled his eyes and refused to say more, still struggling. Xiao Yang lost the patience to waste words. He shot the man through the head, then began stripping off the special police uniform from the corpse.

Soon after he had changed into it, he used his wireless earpiece to call An Yi and Xiao Han, asking whether they had arrived.

An Yi replied, “We’re nearby, but the building’s locked down. We can’t get in!”

Xiao Yang said, “Have Xiao Han come here. I need his help. Xiao Han?”

Xiao Han finally cut in. “I’m here, but I don’t want to take part in any of this.”

“Xiao Han, that won’t do. The whole city is in danger now. You have to shoulder this responsibility.” Xiao Yang spoke into the earpiece. “If you can’t get past this obstacle, how can you face Tuer, who died for you, and the companions who have fought alongside you all this time? Come on, everyone needs you.”

At last, Xiao Han agreed. “Where are you? I’m on my way.”

After Xiao Yang gave him the location, Xiao Han broke through the special police blockade a short while later and appeared before him.

He looked at the corpse on the ground and asked, “What do you want me to do?”

“Swap his face with mine.” Xiao Yang said solemnly. “I’m going to use this man’s identity to infiltrate the enemy.”

Xiao Han said nothing more and immediately used Mirror Light. In an instant, Xiao Yang’s appearance was wrapped in reflected radiance, and the face of the squad leader appeared in its place.

Xiao Yang glanced at himself in the bagua mirror on Xiao Han’s chest and confirmed that his appearance had changed. Only then did he open the door and step out calmly, appearing in the corridor under the squad leader’s identity.

By now, the municipal building was in complete chaos.

With several murders in the mayor’s office and the mayor himself having been abducted, everyone in the building was in a panic.

The mayor’s whereabouts had to be found as quickly as possible, or the entire city of C would descend into disorder. Soon someone came to report to Xiao Yang. “Captain Liu, we just checked the surveillance footage. It was Xiao Wang from Team Three who entered the office and took the mayor away. He seems to have gone to the third floor.”

“Who’s on the third floor?” Xiao Yang asked while sorting through the intelligence. “Have the second floor been checked as well? Any sign of outside intrusion?”

“It’s being checked now. There was a report of a fight there just now, and people are heading over to settle it.”

Hearing this, Xiao Yang quickly ordered, “Everyone below the second floor hold your positions. Don’t move around. The third-floor team, get ready to surround Xiao Wang. Everyone else, come with me.”

He quickly assembled a group of seven or eight men and headed for the third floor.

Meanwhile, messages kept coming in from all sides. Xiao Yang successively received many unfavorable reports. Half the floors above the fourth had already fallen under enemy control, and infected comrades kept appearing. The situation was worsening by the minute.

Still, he led his team toward the third floor, while shouting for the other side to release the mayor at once, or else he would launch a full assault.

Xiao Wang, holed up in the third-floor conference room, immediately shouted back, “Stop pretending to be powerful. Your mayor is already in my hands. If you don’t want to die, surrender. We’re about to take this whole building. Humans like you don’t have a chance anymore.”

Xiao Yang gave a cold laugh. “Save your empty boasting. It isn’t over yet. The outcome is still undecided.”

“Is that so? Then do you know there are bombs planted all over this building? Don’t you want to watch all your hard work turn to ashes before the public’s eyes?” Xiao Wang threatened brazenly.

Xiao Yang thought for a moment. “What do you want?”

“Send in someone with authority, alone. Let’s have a proper talk.” Xiao Wang opened the door with one hand, then fired a shot out into the corridor. “Don’t try anything clever. I’ll shoot at any moment.”

Helpless, Xiao Yang turned back and signaled his men. Indicating that he would go in alone, he tossed away his weapon and walked over by himself.

He knew the other side was only putting on a show. They likely wanted one of their own people to meet him so that the next part of the plan could proceed. Xiao Yang intended to use this opportunity to probe their scheme.

So he approached the doorway with composure and said cautiously, “I’m here. Don’t shoot. I’m unarmed.”

After waiting for the other side to say, “Come in,” he slipped through the doorway. As soon as he entered, he was told to turn around to prove he had no weapons on him.

Xiao Yang did as told, turning in place once. After he was inspected, he was ordered to close the door.

He turned back to face Xiao Wang, whose appearance was utterly ordinary, and said with a sneer, “Fine. Let’s have a good talk.”

Xiao Wang glanced at the mayor beside him. Though restrained, the man remained surprisingly calm. He said to Xiao Yang, “Captain Liu, don’t worry about my safety. Whatever happens, do not let these invaders run amok or let their plot succeed.”

“Take a break first!” Xiao Wang struck the mayor with an elbow, knocking him unconscious. His crisp grappling technique clearly showed real skill.

Watching the mayor collapse to the floor, Xiao Yang knew there were only two of them left in the room. It was time to reveal their true forms face-to-face.

Sure enough, the other man dragged the mayor onto the sofa and said, “My mission is complete. Now it’s your turn. How do you plan to take this city?”

At that, Xiao Yang smiled slyly. “Of course we proceed according to the original plan. Nothing has gone wrong so far, has it?”

“I don’t know. Number Three has been tied down. The plan may need to change.” Xiao Wang looked at Xiao Yang gravely. “Someone has to go out and deliver something to the designated place.”

Xiao Yang was briefly stunned. By his judgment, the Number Three who had been tied down was likely the one fighting Wujue. It seemed he was carrying something important that needed to be transported.

He had long since realized that the Heaven-Punishing clan would not have infiltrated so simply. He said, “Let me deliver it. I’ve taken over as the special police captain and am now officially under special police command. I’m the most suitable person to take something out. The question is, is the item still safe?”

Xiao Wang smiled. “That’ll only be clear when everyone has gathered.”

Then he took out a phone and actually sent a text message. A reply came back very quickly. He said to Xiao Yang, “Everyone’s here now. Let the men come over. I should finish the act as well.”

With that, he turned the gun toward his own chest and fired. He collapsed to the floor, blood spreading across the ground.

Xiao Yang was startled by the abrupt change and did not immediately understand his purpose. Very soon, Xiao Wang, lying on the floor, laboriously raised his pistol and said, “Take the gun. Keep the act going. Our people are already in place.”

Xiao Yang instantly understood: this was a pretext to be captured, so he could go out and make contact with the others. Hesitating, Xiao Yang took the gun. At that moment, faint footsteps sounded outside; special police were apparently about to arrive.

What should he do? The people outside might be Xiao Wang’s companions. If this was a trap, then what?

The instant the door was battered open, Xiao Yang suddenly aimed the gun at Xiao Wang’s forehead and fired once more, sending him on his way.