https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1172-The-Difficulty-of-Taking-the-Stage/13467211/
Chapter 1173: Obstructed and Seeking a Way Out
Chapter 1173: Obstructed and Seeking a Way Out
The moment the puppet flicked his claw, he had already kicked out with his foot.
He had been sitting, but the sequence of actions from standing up, lifting his leg, and delivering the kick was so fluid and swift that it was almost incomprehensible. His opponent's hand had not even reached him before the kick landed squarely on his face.
The kick was powerful enough to send the massive man flying, but in reality, it only caused him to lean back slightly. Beneath the damaged skin, a dense layer of artificial mutated tissue was revealed.
A grim smile spread across the man's face, but before it could fully form, the puppet's foot arched, and a short, sharp thrust landed on his nose and mouth, forcing his head to jerk upward and halting his intended action.
Without missing a beat, the puppet smoothly picked up the cane beside him and struck the man's head with a resounding thud. The heavy blow sent his head to the side, and a mixture of liquid and broken skin tissue splattered out, causing the man to become momentarily dazed.
The puppet tossed the cane, which spun in the air before he grabbed the end. With a swift motion, he hooked the man's neck with the cane and dragged the large body to one side, slamming his head into the wall.
This was a Fighter's residence, so the wall was reinforced and designed to withstand considerable force. Even so, a deep indentation was left in the wall.
The man's consciousness wavered, and he felt a mix of shock and rage. Despite his careful planning and instinctive struggles, the puppet always seemed to react faster, making him feel utterly helpless.
More than the disadvantage, what truly infuriated him was the humiliation of being treated like a child by an adult.
Trapped in a kneeling position with most of his body embedded in the wall, he wriggled and tried to grab the cane, attempting to pull it away.
However, the puppet lifted the cane before his hand could touch it, striking his wrist joint from an angle. Despite the layers of implants protecting it, the force penetrated and spread to his hand and shoulder, rendering his arm limp and powerless.
The puppet then raised the cane, paused for a moment, and brought it down in a smooth arc, striking the man's head with a thud. The man grunted, and his body, which had just risen, slumped back down.
The puppet did not stop. He continued to strike the man's head with the cane, each blow producing a loud crack. The man's skull began to cave in, and he finally stopped struggling, collapsing with a thud.
The puppet paused, gazing down at the man. Just as he was about to straighten up, a tearing sound was heard. A large gash appeared on the man's back, and something leapt out with incredible speed. It was caught by the puppet just a finger's width from his eyes.
The thing writhed and hissed, not much larger than a fist. If curled up, it resembled a heart, but it had a pair of pincers and a row of sharp teeth at the front, which opened and closed, hissing loudly. It struggled fiercely in his grip.
Most people would be horrified by such a sight, but the puppet remained unmoved, his face devoid of any expression.
He flung the creature to the ground. Before it could struggle and leap up again, he brought the cane down with a thud, smashing it into a bloody mess.
Seeing that the creature was no longer moving, he examined the man's torn back. Using the cane, he flipped the man over onto his back and turned the cane around, aiming the end at his throat.
Just then, the man's eyes snapped open, and he grabbed the puppet's ankle.
The puppet ignored him, thrusting the cane's end downward with force. There was a sickening crunch as it pierced the man's throat, causing his body to convulse violently before going limp.
However, the hand that clung to the puppet's ankle did not release. The puppet twisted his ankle, sending a burst of energy that shook the hand loose.
He took a few steps back, shaking the cane to remove the blood and viscous fluid.
He could feel the mutated tissue becoming more active, a result of the intense battle. The opponent had been strong, a skilled fighter even within the third limit, but the puppet's mutated tissue had always reacted faster, preventing the man from unleashing his full potential and leading to his brutal death.
Now, he felt that letting the mutated tissue subside would waste the energy consumed. Instead, he decided to invest more energy to capitalize on this state and stimulate further growth.
He tapped his earlobe, contacting a trading platform, and without checking the price, he used all his savings to purchase a batch of nutrient paste.
Feeling that the amount was still insufficient, he used some of the more valuable spoils as collateral and borrowed another sum, using it all to purchase these items.
Just ten minutes later, a delivery truck arrived and handed them over to him.
Upon his return, he immediately opened the packaging and quickly devoured all the high-energy nutrients, completely ignoring the dead man’s body lying there.
The nutrient intake spurred the growth of the Mutated Tissue, which continued to replace his original body tissue.
But this also meant that he would need higher-quality nutrients in the future.
The company’s attitude toward him and the Confidential Action Bureau’s attempts to recruit him made it clear that he couldn’t stay in Central City any longer.
He needed to move on.
He had already considered his next step: he would head to Fusion Land.
Through his long-term missions, he had gathered a lot of information and knew that this wasn’t too difficult in the Federation.
The Federation encouraged Fighters to go to Fusion Land; all it took was a permit, which he had already obtained through his team. However, the Confidential Action Bureau was a government agency, and he had killed one of their men, so they definitely wouldn’t let him enter through official channels.
But he had other options, such as joining a cult to gain entry.
Having made his decision, he resolved to leave immediately.
As for the mercenary team, he felt no attachment. Everything was for his own growth, so he sent an encrypted message to the team, telling them to find a way to leave. He then packed the essentials and quickly and decisively departed.
Twenty minutes later, several cars arrived, and a few key members of the mercenary team, along with those who lived nearby, gathered at the location.
Upon entering the room, they first noticed the dead man’s body and then the damaged items nearby.
“What the hell is this?”
The bald woman approached and examined it, saying, “This is a product from a government lab, a mutated implant similar to those found in Fusion Land.”
She put on gloves, picked up the mass of flesh, and examined it, pointing to a small detail, “See, there’s a lab code here.”
The others looked at her with suspicion, slowly spreading out. One of them asked, “How do you know this? Are you from the government? Or the company?”
The bald woman said, “Don’t be nervous.” She dropped the item, dusted off her hands, and stood up, “I was indeed sent by the company, but I have no ill intentions toward the boss. I’m his compatriot.”
“Compatriot?” They looked at her, and the same person asked, “Are you from Da Shun?”
The bald woman neither confirmed nor denied it, only saying, “We can’t stay here. The dead man was from the Confidential Action Bureau. I didn’t expect them to recruit the boss so quickly. He was probably an outsider and acting alone this time.
But with his death, the biological signal was cut off, and the Confidential Action Bureau will find out soon. If they haven’t come here, they might be tracking the boss.”
Her eyes were complex, “The boss must have realized this. He didn’t want to involve us, so he left on his own.”
The others agreed; the boss always took the lead in every mission, tackling the toughest challenges. Apart from being somewhat reserved, he had no other faults.
“But… why did the boss refuse?” a young team member asked, puzzled, “Isn’t it good to join the Bureau?”
“Why?” The bald woman looked at him, as if amazed by his naivety.
She said, “The boss’s strength is almost at the Fighter level. Both the company and the government will try to control anyone who can become a Fighter.”
The young member retorted, “So what? Isn’t it the same to serve anyone?”
The bald woman snorted, “Do you think those benefits come for free? Have you read the contract offered to the boss? It requires regular extraction of Mutated Tissue and blood samples, and unconditional participation in the company’s biological experiments.
The company also uses these samples to develop control drugs. Once he agrees, the boss will be under the control of the company and the Federation government.”
Someone asked, “What do we do now? The boss is gone. Should we disband?”
The bald woman said, “It’s up to you. One more thing: leave as soon as possible.” With that, she turned and walked out.
The others hesitated but didn’t stop her, clearing the way. One member asked, “Where are you going?”
The bald woman paused, “I’m going to find the boss. If anyone wants to come, they’re welcome, but I warn you, the journey will be full of pursuit. Think carefully.” She then left.
As she walked away, someone said, “I’m sticking with the boss. Wherever he goes, I go.” He turned and left.
The remaining members of the mercenary team exchanged glances. They didn’t say anything but smiled, then followed him.
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(End of Chapter)
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