Chapter 25: Rescue mission 2
Leah burst through the office door without knocking, her breathing ragged and frantic. The door slammed against the wall with a resounding thud, leaving a faint crack in the wood.
Cole glanced up from the mountain of papers cluttering his desk, his golden eyes narrowing in annoyance.
"You can't keep doing that, Leah," he said dryly, gesturing to the door. "Those doors are expensive!"
Leah barely registered the scolding, her flushed face taut with worry as she stopped in front of his desk, trying to catch her breath.
"I'm sorry, Cole," she said, her voice trembling. "But I'm worried—no, terrified! I just healed a kid, and he's already run off into danger."
Cole leaned back in his chair with a long, exasperated sigh, shaking his head.
"They're young, Leah. They don't know any better," he said, his tone attempting reassurance but falling flat in the face of her panic.
Leah's eyes blazed with frustration. "They said they were going after The Kingpin! I don't even know if they're okay or not!"
Cole froze at the name, his brows knitting together in deep thought. "Kingpin?" he repeated, his voice low and contemplative. "Where have I heard that name before...?"
Leah fidgeted anxiously, wringing her hands as she watched him.
Cole finally leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk as the memory clicked. His expression darkened.
"That kid," he said grimly. "Yeah, I've heard of him. Back when I was at the academy, they called him The Kingpin. He was already notorious then—an A-ranker, even at that age. If I remember right, he caused me a little trouble a while back."
Leah's breath hitched. "An A-rank? But those kids are B and under!" Her voice rose, tinged with alarm. She couldn't fathom how anyone in their guild could think it wise to challenge someone so dangerous.
Cole rubbed his temples, frustration etched across his face. He reached for the mug of coffee on his desk, taking a sip despite its coldness. His golden eyes flickered with concern.
"Who went after him?" he asked tightly.
"Pacey and the new one Xin," Leah answered, her voice quivering.
Cole let out a long, tired sigh. He set the mug down with a soft clink and leaned back in his chair, his scarred face shadowed by worry.
"Those kids are going to get themselves killed," he muttered under his breath. He stared at Leah for a moment, then nodded as if coming to a decision.
"Get Cassidy on this," he ordered. "He's an A-ranker. He should be able to handle it."
…
The dimly lit room was heavy with the scent of dampness and lingering fear. A figure stood tall, casting a long shadow over the lifeless body of Belial. His cold, calculating eyes scanned the room, ensuring no immediate threats remained. Satisfied, he reached into the pocket of his tailored black suit and retrieved his sleek smartphone. Pressing a button, the screen illuminated his face, accentuating the sharp lines and well-groomed stubble.
"This is J-02," he spoke in a hushed yet authoritative tone.
"I have a slight problem over here, so it might take quite a while to clean up. Take care of the others."
On the other end of the line, a deep voice, reminiscent of a mountain's rumble, responded with a calm demeanor. The voice belonged to P-03, a formidable ally known for his immense strength and loyalty. Despite his intimidating appearance, his words carried a softness that concealed a well-guarded heart.
"This is P-03," he acknowledged, his voice vibrating with a subtle timbre.
"I understand."
As Jia gathered up her belongings, Pacey's question hung in the air, casting a shadow over the dimly lit room. The flickering fluorescent lights added an eerie glow to the surroundings, emphasizing the desolate atmosphere that permeated the manufacturing building. Pacey's eyes met Jia's, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Ever since I came here, there hasn't been any suspicious scents," Pacey began, his voice laced with a hint of uncertainty, "just oil and metal. What's the purpose of this building?"
Jia hesitated for a second, her mind grappling with the decision to reveal the dark truth that had been concealed within these walls. She had known it all along but was hesitant to expose the horrors that unfolded here. Finally, with a deep breath, she decided to share the grim reality with Pacey.
"This building," she began, her voice steady but heavy with sorrow, "is a manufacturing facility for cyborgs that the kingpin sells for profit and before xin left he used to experiment on us."
Pacey's eyes widened in disbelief, his mind struggling to comprehend the sinister purpose behind the seemingly innocuous structure. "So, the kingpin kidnaps children.."
Jia nodded, her gaze fixed on the floor, unable to meet Pacey's intense stare. "Yes, it's true. Children, innocent lives, are snatched away from their families and condemned to a life of suffering within these walls. The kingpin has no regard for their well-being or their futures. All he cares about is results, the process does not matter."
Jia nodded solemnly, her gaze fixed on the cold concrete floor. "I was abducted and that's when I met xin. I was meant to become a cyborg or forced into labor. But somehow, Xin managed to escape, that made a change to the kingpin.." she explained, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and gratitude.
Suddenly, Xin interjected, his voice filled with a mix of determination and urgency. " what about the others? Where did they go?"
Jia's eyes darted to meet Xin's, her face etched with a combination of sorrow and fear.
"They were taken, he saw that I had talent in the mechanical based industry so he left me here " she replied, her voice trembling slightly.
"Many of them were taken upstairs for what they called 'discipline.' I don't know the full extent of what happened to them, but I fear the worst."
"Do you know where they are?" Xin asked, his voice laced with urgency as he looked at Jia, his eyes reflecting a mixture of concern and determination.
"No, I don't,"
Jia replied, her brows furrowing as she assessed the situation unfolding before them. She could feel the weight of the impending danger hanging in the air, an invisible tension that seemed to tighten with each passing second.
"We might as well go looking now," Pacey chimed in, his voice steady despite the rising tension.
He was approaching the door, his body poised for action, but then he abruptly halted. Something caught his attention, causing him to freeze in his tracks.
Pacey, with his keen senses akin to a wolf's, noticed Xin's sudden stillness. His ears perked up, twitching slightly as if to confirm his suspicions. The urgency in his voice grew as he bellowed.
"Get down!!"
Before Jia could fully comprehend the imminent danger, an explosion erupted, obliterating the door into a hail of debris. In a fraction of a second, Pacey's instincts took over, propelling him towards Jia with a fierce determination. He tackled her to the ground, shielding her from the onslaught of flying wreckage.
As the dust settled and the chaos subsided, a figure emerged from the smoke, towering over them like a giant. The man possessed a formidable presence, his physique resembling that of a bear, his muscles rippling beneath his taut skin. His features were rugged, accentuated by a scruffy beard and piercing eyes that seemed to hold the weight of the world.
Pacey slowly rose to his feet, his protective instincts still lingering as he shielded Jia from the looming threat. His voice quivered with a mixture of caution and defiance as he addressed the imposing figure.
"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice laced with an underlying anger.
The man's gaze shifted from Pacey to xin, a flicker of recognition passing through his eyes. His voice, deep and resonant, rumbled through the air as he spoke, his words laced with a tinge of remorse. "Xin... it's been too long," he murmured, his voice heavy with the weight of their shared history.
Xin's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing through the dimly lit room as he glared at P-03. The room was filled with an air of tension, crackling with unspoken animosity. P-03, a large man with a bear-like hairy body, stood confidently, a soft-spoken smirk playing at the corners of his lips. His voice dripped with a mixture of amusement and arrogance as he addressed Xin.
"You finally came back, Xin. I was starting to think that you left your family behind. I'm sure they missed you," P-03 said, his tone laced with a subtle taunt.
"Fam—family?" Xin's voice quivered with a mix of anger and pain. "You torched my home, our memories my family—gone!"
P-03's smirk widened, his eyes glinting with a twisted sense of satisfaction.
"It was just to teach you a lesson, Xin. To remind you of your place," he replied, his voice smooth and Boistrus.
He then turned his attention to Jia, who had fearfully hidden behind Pacey, seeking solace in his protective presence. P-03's tone shifted, deepening with a commanding authority.
"J-09, what are you doing here? Go back to your lab," he ordered, his words cutting through the room like a blade.
Jia trembled, her eyes darting nervously between P-03 and Xin. She clung to Pacey's arm, finding courage in his unwavering support. Xin's resolve hardened, his voice firm and resolute.
"We're not his lapdogs," Xin declared, his voice filled with a mix of determination and defiance. "And we're walking out of here with Jia."
With those words, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The room became charged with an energy that crackled and surged like electricity. Xin took a step forward, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. P-03's grin faded, replaced by a cold and calculating stare. The tension reached its breaking point as the two adversaries faced each other, locked in a battle of wills.
In a split second, Xin lunged forward, his movements fueled by a potent mix of rage and love for his family. His fist collided with P-03's jaw, the impact echoing through the room. P-03 staggered back, momentarily caught off guard by Xin's ferocity. But his recovery was swift, and he retaliated with a fierce backhand, the force of it sending Xin sprawling to the floor.
Xin gritted his teeth, refusing to stay down. He rose to his feet, his body aching but his spirit unyielding. With a primal roar, he launched himself at P-03 once more. Blow after blow rained down, a flurry of punches and kicks driven by years of pent-up frustration and determination.
P-03's immense strength and size gave him an advantage, but Xin's agility and relentless tenacity refused to be overcome. The battle between them intensified, their movements a blur as they traded strikes, each blow carrying the weight of their shared history and animosity.
Jia watched in a mix of fear and awe, her heart pounding in her chest. Pacey stood by her side, his eyes never leaving the fierce exchange. Sensing the danger escalating, he took a step forward, ready to intervene if necessary.
Xin stood before P-03, his fists clenched tightly as he prepared to engage in combat. P-03, a towering figure with a bear-like hairy body, sneered at Xin, his eyes filled with disdain. The air crackled with tension as the two adversaries locked eyes.
With a sudden burst of energy, Xin lunged forward, his fist propelled towards P-03's jaw. The impact was thunderous, and P-03's head snapped back, blood spurting from his mouth. A satisfied smile tugged at the corners of Xin's lips, his confidence growing with each passing moment.
But P-03 was not so easily defeated. His face contorted in anger, his muscles bulging with raw power. As Xin stepped back, a glint of determination flickered in P-03's eyes. He uttered a few cryptic words, and to Xin's astonishment, his entire body began to transform.
Metallic plates emerged from P-03's flesh, encasing him in a suit of armor that gleamed under the dim light. The once-flesh-and-blood adversary now stood as a formidable metallic entity, ready to unleash his newfound strength upon Xin.
Xin's heart pounded in his chest as he assessed the situation. He knew he had to rely on his hax if he wanted to stand a chance against this metallic behemoth. Taking a deep breath, he focused his energy and tapped into his hax.
Sound waves rippled through the air, vibrating with a resonant hum. Xin directed his power towards P-03, attempting to disrupt the balance and stability of the metallic armor encasing his opponent. The air filled with a cacophony of reverberating frequencies, assaulting P-03's senses.
"Is that all you've got?" P-03 taunted, his voice echoing from within the metallic shell. He charged at Xin with tremendous speed, his enhanced strength allowing him to close the distance in the blink of an eye.
Reacting swiftly, Xin evaded P-03's onslaught, using his agility and acrobatic skills to dodge the heavy blows. He danced around the metallic giant, his movements resembling a skilled martial artist, as he weaved through the storm of impending destruction.
"Your metal won't protect you forever!"
Xin shouted, his voice ringing out with determination. He launched a series of sonic attacks, aiming to exploit the weaknesses in P-03's armor. Each strike resonated with a deafening intensity, causing the metal to buckle and groan under the pressure.
But P-03 was relentless. He roared in defiance, shrugging off Xin's sonic assaults like they were mere annoyances. With a powerful swing of his metal-clad arm, he sent Xin sprawling across the building , his body crashing into a nearby wall.
Gasping for breath, Xin struggled to regain his footing. Pain coursed through his body, but he refused to let it deter him. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself up, his eyes fixed on P-03, who stood triumphantly over him.
"I may have underestimated you, Xin," P-03 admitted, a grudging respect shining in his eyes.
"But don't think for a second that you've won."