Chapter 8

In the darkness of night, Su moved like a ghost among the ruins, his pace varying between fast and slow. He did not like traveling at night, but now he wanted to reach his destination as soon as possible.

The n11 base was gradually left behind as Su moved on. From the moment he showered at the base, Su knew that the fate of n11 was already sealed. If it wasn't Roxeran Corporation, it would be another organization. Apart from himself, Su had no power to save anyone else, and it was impossible for him to fight a company for a client with whom he had only done one transaction. He was not a fool.

Su had not yet figured out the reason for sneaking back into n11 base. Fishing in troubled waters was not his style, especially when the troubled waters were formed by a company and a base. What he might catch from there could very well be a mutated crocodile. Any action without a reason, Su would attribute to intuition.

The woman who called herself Lijia was a significant reason for Su's desire to leave as soon as possible. The Lijia standing on the command vehicle was almost a completely different person from the drunken, passionate woman that night. Even with zero-distance contact, Su failed to detect any abilities in her at the time. However, a woman, especially one without abilities, could not lead a company's direct military force, especially one equipped with heavy weapons. This could only mean that Lijia either possessed abilities of the third stage or higher, or had special abilities beyond known ones. Either way, it was not good news for Su.

As long as the people in n11 base did not resist, Lijia would not order a massacre. This was the message Su read in her eyes. But what did this mean? Was it a promise to Su? Any promise came with a price, and what price did she want? Besides, Su never considered himself a savior.

Thinking of Lijia's mocking, wild, and confident gaze, like a cat watching a mouse, made Su feel extremely uncomfortable. He disliked situations he could not control, and even more so being seen as a prize.

Under the cover of night, various creatures were active in the darkness. Some of them had senses sharp enough to detect Su's presence. Creatures skilled in night activities preferred to approach their targets before taking action. The most threatening range for Su's pistol was ten meters, and if any closer, he could use the dagger he was skilled with.

After a day and night of intense travel, a vibrant town appeared in Su's line of sight. This town was entirely different from the dirty and chaotic settlements. It was surrounded by a wire fence, and the entrance was fortified with sandbags. Several armed soldiers guarded the entrance, and at each corner of the town, there was a concrete watchtower, about seven to eight meters high, with dark gun barrels silently watching the vast wasteland.

In the center of the town, there was a prominent ten-story building with deep blue glass walls that were spotlessly clean. On the roof, a huge GG sign with a leaping flame logo was extremely eye-catching.

This was Asmo, the headquarters of Payne Corporation.

Su no longer hid and walked towards Asmo. The guards, who clearly remembered Su, only did a routine check of his license before letting him in.

Asmo was not large. About half of the area, including the headquarters building, was a company-exclusive zone, accessible only to company members. The rest of the area was filled with hotels, bars, warehouses, and parking lots, used by clients coming to do business with the company. Company members also came here to relax during their free time.

Behind the headquarters building, there was a cluster of factories producing a series of products, from canned food, cement, and steel to weapons and equipment. On the other end was a small power plant. The production scale here could not compare to the old era, nor could it achieve economies of scale. But in the turbulent times, it was necessary. To rebuild in the ruins, most essential supplies had to be produced in-house. Although trade was ubiquitous, no company would trade strategic materials to its rivals.

Like all companies, Payne Corporation had its own armed force, a 150-person team equipped with the company's own PE02 rifles. In Asmo, besides three old-era howitzers, there was also an old tank. With such military power, no refugees dared to provoke Asmo, or even stay within fifty kilometers. If they did, they might encounter a company patrol team, and whether they were driven away or killed was left to fate. The company's leadership also understood that security was the guarantee of profit, so they were relentless in suppressing the surrounding bandits.

Payne Corporation's military force was much stronger than n11 base, but not enough to take it over at a low cost. This was why the company had not moved against the base. Another reason was the unpolluted water source under Asmo. Although no one knew when the groundwater might become radioactive, at least for now, there was no need to lose a large number of trained warriors for water.

In Asmo, you could resupply, buy weapons, work for Payne Corporation, and find beautiful women or men, of course, the last one required money.

In the past three months, Su had completed three missions for Payne Corporation and submitted four new mutant species samples, earning him licenses as a hunter and mercenary. Whether it was suppressing armed bandits or clearing specific areas, Su completed his part efficiently and meticulously. This made him receive his licenses earlier than others and become friends with the manager in charge of external mercenary affairs.

Despite the rarity of friendship in this era, the nearly bald Byrne always considered himself Su's friend and insisted that Su accompany him for a drink every time he returned to Asmo.

This time, Su returned to Asmo without exception. As soon as night fell, he was dragged into a bar by Byrne. The bar was dimly lit, filled with the smell of alcohol and hormones. Women in revealing clothing moved around, trying to find men willing to pay for their services. On a small stage, two almost naked dancers were wildly gyrating, able to dance for two hours in a state of near-madness under the influence of hallucinogens and alcohol. When they were exhausted, they would be carried off. Some men liked to vent their desires on their already fatigued bodies, of course, these dancers were attractive, and their value matched their looks and figures.

Byrne loved the decadent, lustful, and sensual atmosphere here, always ordering a large bottle of strong whiskey. It was not a high-end product from the old era but a local Asmo production. This whiskey lacked the complex and rich fruit and wood aromas of old-era whiskeys but was at least strong enough.

Su did not like this place. The thick, almost suffocating smell was like a hallucinogen and aphrodisiac to most people, but to Su's overly sensitive senses, it was a torture. Moreover, every time he saw Byrne order a 90-credit bottle of whiskey, he involuntarily equated it to 20 custom bullets or two high-explosive grenades. In the wasteland, these bullets often saved Su's life, while whiskey did not.

As soon as Byrne finished his first cup, he would start talking non-stop, half about his heroic deeds in his youth and the other half about various trivial matters in Asmo. None of this interested Su, so he mostly remained silent, just listening. He knew Byrne just needed an audience.

In Asmo, Byrne was not a small figure. This balding old man, who managed Payne Corporation's external mercenary business, could decide the fate of many mercenaries and hunters. Su first accompanied him for a drink because he felt indebted. When calculating the payment for his first mission, Byrne gave Su the full amount without any deductions. In Su's experience, not deducting was a favor.

After one drink, Byrne claimed they were friends. Drinking together became a matter of course, and Su's debts to Byrne grew. These debts included not deducting from Su's mission payments, assigning him more suitable missions, and generously applying company rules to give Su more points after each mission. Points meant higher license levels and discounts when buying supplies from Payne Corporation.

Byrne had ample reason to do this, and Su accepted it. He needed money, and a lot of it. Despite earning several times more than other hunters, Su still had no savings and could not afford better weapons. But he still aroused the jealousy of other hunters and mercenaries, encountering three ambushes or pursuits in a month.

Su always returned to Asmo on time, and those who pursued him never appeared again.

Byrne poured himself a full cup of alcohol, sighed contentedly, and said to Su, "Hey, kid, you said you got into trouble with Roxeran Corporation? I've heard of it. It's a real big player, mainly in steel and minerals, with at least a few hundred soldiers. The only good news is that it's far away. So far that they can't bring their tanks here, and we have tanks and artillery!"

Su smiled and gently swirled his glass. Byrne had already finished more than half a bottle, while Su's first cup was still more than half full. Tanks and artillery, or even armed helicopters, were irrelevant to Su. Payne Corporation would not conflict with another company for a minor peripheral mercenary like him.

"Hey, kid! What was the name of that Roxeran Corporation woman again?" Byrne asked, burping. Before Su could answer, he laughed and said, "Your luck can't be that bad, did you offend Roxeran's Butcher General?"

"She said... her name is Lijia," Su said calmly.

"Lijia!" Byrne's mouth suddenly opened wide, almost swallowing the glass in front of him!

Sweat streamed down Byrne's bald head, and the alcohol that had made him seven-tenths drunk suddenly sobered him up. Byrne looked at Su, shrugged, and said with a bitter smile, "Your luck is really something, to have offended Roxeran's most untouchable Butcher General. Yes, her name is Li, not Lijia. But from what you said, I know it must be her!"

Su waited quietly for Byrne to continue, hoping to hear about the Butcher General's past deeds and abilities, which were crucial information. However, Byrne looked around and sighed, closing his mouth.

Su continued to swirl his glass. Although Byrne did not say much, Su knew Byrne likely did not know much either. To become a military commander in a large company like Roxeran, one must have exceptional qualities to command the unruly high-level elite warriors. Moreover, she had intimate contact with Su, yet he could not detect her abilities.

Such a person, especially a young one, must have a much higher status in the company than Byrne. If trouble really came, Payne Corporation, let alone Byrne, would be of no help.

Recalling the two times he had interacted with Li, what Su remembered most was the wild and determined look in her eyes. Su did not doubt her resolve to follow through with every word she said. And regarding himself, Li had only said one thing with determination...

Su suddenly felt a trickle of sweat on his palm, feeling very uncomfortable.

At that moment, Byrne suddenly stared at Su, a suggestive smile gradually appearing on his face. He lowered his voice and whispered, "Maybe this isn't all bad. If you really fall into the hands of the Butcher General, she probably won't want to kill you. Hey! I'm an old hand, listen to me. If that happens, you must struggle a bit. Appropriate resistance can add a lot of fun! And I've heard that from a man's perspective, Li is a real beauty."

Su, of course, had not told Byrne about what happened that night at n11 base, so he felt somewhat amused and frustrated by Byrne's words.

In the bar, he could not wear his heavy felt cloak and instead wore a popular camouflage combat suit among hunters and mercenaries, with black leather gloves on his hands. Despite still covering half his face with bandages, his light golden hair, green eyes, and slightly thin lips were quite attractive. The black eye patch over his right eye added a rugged and mysterious touch.

As if to illustrate Byrne's words, a bottle of genuine old-era brandy was placed in front of Su, and a half-drunk young woman sat next to him, almost whispering in his ear, "Hey! Pretty boy, want to have a drink? Look, this wine is good, and so am I!"

Even by Asmo's standards, this woman was indeed attractive. If it were a normal day, Su might have been interested in releasing his pent-up desires after completing a mission. But tonight, her timing was terrible, sitting down right after Byrne's words. Su not only felt no desire but also had no mood to even entertain her.

Trouble seemed to always come with women. Before Su could figure out how to refuse, a large, hairy hand pressed down on his glass, crushing it on the bar. The hairy hand then waved in the air, glass shards falling to the ground, but the palm was unscathed.

Standing behind Su was a man nearly two meters tall, his muscular upper body clad in a leather vest. He glared at Su like a bear and growled, "Kid! Are you trying to seduce the woman I like?"

The entire bar fell silent, and almost everyone was watching. There were hunters, warriors, women needing to earn their bread, and many Payne Corporation employees. The security guards stood with their arms crossed, waiting for the show.

"You dirtied my glass," Su said calmly. His voice was soft and magnetic, making the half-drunk woman's eyes light up.

"Son of a bitch! What did you say!" The man felt insulted, the veins on his neck pulsing, and his muscles twitching like they were full of worms. The bar erupted in chatter, and the man's muscles, developed to a monstrous degree, indicated he had reached the third stage of strength enhancement. In Asmo, a third-stage in any ability domain, while not invincible, was not someone to be provoked lightly.

The man coughed, a thick wad of phlegm in his throat. He planned to spit it in the face of the skinny, pale man and then break his neck with a punch.

However, the phlegm never made it out.

The man's mouth opened wide, his eyes bulging, staring at the modified pistol deeply inserted into his mouth, not knowing how it got there. The nearly fifty-centimeter-long barrel reminded him that this pistol could easily blow his head apart, no more difficult than breaking a glass.

There was a soft click as Su released the hammer. The man's face turned pale. Without giving him time to think, Su pulled the trigger!

Click!

The sound of the hammer falling was drowned out by the man's earth-shattering scream, but the expected loud gunshot did not occur.

The man fainted and fell to the ground, knocking over two tables and several bottles and cups.

Women in the bar screamed, either out of fear or cheering for Su.

Su picked up the expensive brandy, poured some on the gun's muzzle, and lit it. After the pale blue flame burned out, he opened the cylinder and reloaded the six bullets in his right palm.

Anyone who had been in Asmo for a while knew not to provoke Su easily. This uniquely dressed man appeared calm and gentle, even somewhat timid, but was actually ruthless. The man had only been in Asmo for a few days and did not know this, so everyone in the bar was waiting to see his fate.

After the commotion, drinking was no longer possible. Su left the bar alone, heading to his hotel to organize his equipment, plan the supplies he needed, and then leave Asmo the next day after selling the gene modification agent, replenishing supplies and ammunition.

He had no intention of returning. Although this meant the hard-earned Payne Corporation license would become useless, Su did not regret it. He disliked trouble, and Li, a high-ranking official in Roxeran Corporation, possessed all the characteristics of trouble.

The night passed quickly.

At 9:30 the next morning, most shops in Asmo had just opened, and Su had completed all his tasks. After selling the gene modification agent, he exchanged 4000 credits for two ceramic bulletproof plates, a set of precision tools, and several special bullets. After buying these, Su was once again penniless. In this era, there were no banks, and only coins circulated. A large amount of money meant an unbearable weight, so spending it quickly was practical. Besides, Su had many expenses, and he would not have the problem of having money with no place to spend it in the foreseeable future.

At 9:40, Su was fully equipped, wrapped in his heavy cloak, and walked towards the Asmo exit.

Less than a hundred meters from the exit, Su suddenly stopped. The ground trembled slightly, and a cloud of dust rose in the distance. The sound of engines roared, breaking the morning tranquility of Asmo.

The guards at the exit became tense, running behind the sandbags and aiming their weapons at the approaching dust. In the almost insane roar of the engines, two off-road jeeps emerged from the dust, roaring towards Asmo. Behind their shaking bodies, two trails of smoke were left. These two off-road vehicles were equipped with bulletproof armor, making them almost invulnerable to the light weapons of Asmo's guards. However, the 12.7mm heavy machine guns mounted on their roofs were not something the sandbag barriers could withstand.

The faces of Asmo's guards turned pale, sweat pouring down from their helmets. The black barrels of the heavy machine guns posed a real threat to their lives, and the prominent running tank emblem on the off-road vehicles made them hesitant to fire. This was the emblem of Roxeran Corporation.

Suddenly, a roar like a raging dragon echoed from the dust, drowning out the roar of the two off-road vehicles. Then, a deep black motorcycle emerged from the dust, racing past the two off-road vehicles at an incredible speed, straight towards Asmo! The motorcycle was wildly modified, and its engine roar matched its incredible speed.

The motorcycle seemed to ignore the guards behind the sandbags, charging straight in and only stopping by leaning and braking hard after entering the Asmo gate!

The screeching sound of metal friction enveloped the entire Asmo, shattering the windows of nearby buildings