Chapter 253: Organization Showdown, Slaying the Werewolf

Chapter 253: Organization Showdown, Slaying the Werewolf

Under the night sky, Zero27's colorful eyes glanced at Lu Heng before turning away and walking off.

"Stop!"

Derek Wolfe howled and chased after him, rapidly transforming into a werewolf as he ran, his muscles bulging, and his stature growing larger.

Once fully transformed, he sprinted on all fours with incredible speed.

However, there was no way his four legs could outrun teleportation.

Even Lu Heng wasn't sure if he could catch up to Zero27, let alone this werewolf.

Stepping out of the car, Lu Heng stood on the sidewalk, glancing at Zero27's departing figure before turning back to look at Raven 13, who was still at the nursing home's entrance.

Raven 13 hadn't joined Derek Wolfe in chasing Zero27, and his chances of catching up to Zero27 were clearly much higher than the werewolf's.

As Zero27 disappeared at the end of the street, Raven 13 spread his wings and flew into the nursing home.

Lu Heng guessed his intentions; he was probably going to look for Liu Lanying. After a moment's thought, Lu Heng followed suit.

Raven 13 leaped into Room 203 of Building 3 in the nursing home.

Lu Heng quickly caught up and peered into the room.

The room was empty, and the blanket was turned back.

Raven 13 reached out and touched the bed, saying, "It's still warm. She hasn't gone far. Find her!"

With that, he transformed into a raven and flew out of the room.

Lu Heng pressed his communicator and asked, "Did you see anyone when you arrived?"

Su Muyu replied through the communication channel, "The Celestial Phoenix scouted the nursing home ten minutes ago, and no one was seen leaving."

The two had driven there, while the Celestial Phoenix used its 'Light Shuttle' skill to arrive swiftly and had already set up surveillance on the nursing home.

At this moment, the commotion on the second floor alerted the on-duty security personnel, who took the elevator up with a flashlight.

Lu Heng quickly entered the stairwell and began searching through the floors, saying, "Let's find the person first. If Zero27 doesn't have the ability to teleport with someone, then they probably haven't left the nursing home."

The ability to teleport through space was already rare, and teleporting with someone was even more difficult.

When teleporting through space, one had to endure the enormous burden of spatial changes, which ordinary people couldn't handle.

Therefore, Lu Heng concluded that Zero27 probably didn't have the ability to teleport with someone.

Of course, there was another possibility.

Perhaps someone else had taken Liu Lanying away, which would make things even more complicated, but this wasn't something to consider for now.

Even if someone else had taken Liu Lanying away, they were undoubtedly Zero27's accomplice.

Otherwise, Zero27 wouldn't have appeared.

Zero27's appearance was clearly intended to draw Derek Wolfe away.

Judging by his actions, he probably wanted to lure Raven 13 away as well.

However, Raven 13 didn't chase after him; instead, he turned and entered the nursing home.

Since Zero27 had appeared, it indicated a close connection between him and the Chen Xuesong couple, and their relationship seemed intimate.

He was obviously there to rescue Liu Lanying, likely fearing that the Creator Organization would harm her.

To risk exposure for Liu Lanying's sake was a level of dedication that ordinary students probably couldn't match.

Moreover, Lu Heng had already investigated Chen Xuesong's graduate students, and Zero27 wasn't among them.

This was easy to check; with Zero27's abilities, he was undoubtedly a metahuman, and a very high-level one at that.

So, a glance was enough to rule out his students.

Similarly, Zero27 wasn't a relative of Chen Xuesong, as all relatives were listed in the records, and Lu Heng had already checked them.

Whether it was Chen Xuesong's peers or his nephews, none of them were top-tier metahumans.

If Zero27 wasn't a relative or a student of Chen Xuesong, then who could he be?

...

Two minutes later, Su Muyu's voice sounded again, "I've checked the entire nursing home, but I couldn't find Liu Lanying."

When it came to finding people, Lu Heng knew he couldn't match Su Muyu's efficiency; he hadn't even finished searching one floor, and Su Muyu had already checked the entire nursing home.

After searching the nursing home thoroughly, they still couldn't find Liu Lanying.

Liu Lanying's bed was still warm, indicating she hadn't been gone for long.

The Celestial Phoenix had arrived ten minutes earlier, and no one had left the nursing home during those ten minutes.

That left only one possibility: Zero27 had the ability to teleport with someone.

But was it really possible for such an ability to appear at this time?

Lu Heng felt this possibility was too slim. Could there be another explanation?

At this thought, a sudden flash of inspiration struck Lu Heng, and he asked, "Have you checked Liu Lanying's room?"

"No," Su Muyu replied, sounding a bit surprised.

Lu Heng immediately turned to look in the direction of Room 203 and activated his Tier 3 Source Ability - Ethereal Flash, instantly crossing a 30-meter distance and appearing in Room 203.

In that instant, he saw someone carrying Liu Lanying on their back, preparing to leave.

This person wore a cloak and a hood, their appearance identical to Zero27's.

As they bent down to carry Liu Lanying, their body was hunched, so their face was hidden.

The moment Lu Heng appeared, the cloaked figure froze, but they didn't immediately attack.

"I'll find out who you are," Lu Heng said, reaching out to pull back their hood.

His hand was suspended in mid-air when the cloaked figure suddenly grabbed Lu Heng's arm and said in a low voice, "Spare those who spare you."

Lu Heng's hand froze; after all, this person was rescuing someone, and they were rescuing a pitiful elderly woman with Alzheimer's.

Deep down, Lu Heng hesitated to strike.

"Even if I spare you, I need to know who I'm sparing," Lu Heng said, exerting force on his arm to test their strength.

Neither dared to use their skills, as there was a frail elderly woman nearby, and any stray combat aftermath could endanger her life.

At this moment, Liu Lanying suddenly spoke up, "Child, just go. Don't worry about me."

"I've long wanted to reunite with your teacher."

Zero27 raised his head, his pitch-black eyes glaring, and angrily said, "Are you willing to be a lackey for the Creator Syndicate?"

This time, he didn't use a kaleidoscope of colors to mask his eyes. Lu Heng could see the anger in them.

He was wearing a black mask, so only his eyes were visible. From those eyes, it was clear that he wasn't very old, probably in his early twenties.

"It was you who invited me to join the Creator Syndicate. Do you have the right to criticize me?" Lu Heng countered.

"Let me take Aunt Liu away. We can talk about our issues at another time." Zero27's voice carried a hint of urgency.

Because Number 13 was nearby, if he couldn't get Liu Lanying out quickly, they wouldn't be able to escape once Number 13 returned.

Lu Heng frowned, thinking for a moment, and felt that taking advantage of the situation wasn't right.

Moreover, Lu Heng and Zero27 didn't have any enmity. On the contrary, there was a bit of a favor between them.

He didn't want to see them die at the hands of the Creator Syndicate.

Therefore, Lu Heng slowly relaxed his grip, preparing to let them go.

Just at that moment.

A crow's caw came from outside the window, and Number 13, in the form of a black crow, flew in.

Zero27 reacted quickly, letting go of Lu Heng's hand, raising his palm, and spreading his fingers to release a shockwave that pushed the black crow out of the room.

Number 13 resumed human form, floating in mid-air, and clashed with Zero27 using a psychic field.

Both were top-tier metahumans of the mental type. On the surface, there were no visible attack movements, but they were using their psychic fields to press against each other.

The two psychic fields collided, forming a whirlwind that made the trees in the courtyard rustle.

Leaves were torn from the trees by the psychic force, dancing with the whirlwind, forming a spiraling column of leaves rising upward.

Lu Heng chased into the courtyard, seeing the two clashing with their psychic fields in mid-air, but did not immediately join the battle.

At this moment.

The commotion caused by the psychic clash had alarmed many people in the nursing home.

Lights began to turn on in the rooms of the three buildings.

Security personnel, holding flashlights, saw someone flying in mid-air, and the wind they generated had broken the trees in the courtyard.

It was clear that a battle of metahumans was taking place.

This was something ordinary security personnel couldn't handle, so they didn't attempt to stop it. Instead, they immediately ran back to the guardhouse to call for help.

...

In the courtyard, the psychic clash between Zero27 and Number 13 grew more intense.

Number 13 said, "Zero27, hand over the organization's sacred artifact, and we can discuss the rest."

Zero27 snorted coldly, "A sacred artifact? It's just a vile object that prolongs the life of demons."

Number 13 continued to persuade, "I can guarantee that as long as you return the sacred artifact, the organization will not pursue your defection."

Zero27 snorted again, "I never joined your organization, so how can I be a defector?"

This situation was indeed special.

The Creator Syndicate member numbered Zero27 was actually Professor Chen Xuesong from Kyoto University's Biological Energy Research Institute.

The Zero27 in front of him had taken on Chen Xuesong's identity and was an infiltrator within the Creator Syndicate.

Strictly speaking, this Zero27 had never officially joined the organization.

Seeing that negotiations were not working, Number 13, in his black crow form, turned to Lu Heng and commanded, "Zero28, why haven't you taken action yet? Cut off his limbs first."

Zero27 immediately became tense.

He knew very well about Lu Heng's combat capabilities. Even without Number 13, he couldn't face Lu Heng head-on, let alone now when he was clashing with Number 13's psychic field.

He immediately said, "Lu Heng, I know everything you've done in the Creator Syndicate. If I'm captured, you'll be next."

This was indeed a problem.

If Zero27 was captured and interrogated, the things he had done before could be exposed.

Number 13 sensed that Zero27's psychic field was on par with his own.

Without a third person's help, this clash would not be resolved anytime soon.

Moreover, he couldn't afford to linger here for too long.

The nursing home's security had definitely already called the police. It wouldn't be long before the Ironblood Investigation Bureau arrived, and then they would face pursuit.

Number 13 said solemnly, "Zero28, no matter what you've done before, I guarantee from now on that it will be forgiven. As long as you take down Zero27, I promise you will be credited, not blamed."

This was a very tempting offer.

Unfortunately, Number 13 had no idea what Lu Heng had actually done.

Killing an organization member was nothing significant.

The real issue was the Sexes biotechnology data. That data was a trap that would severely damage the Creator Syndicate.

Number 13's rank might not be high enough to handle such a major issue.

Lu Heng looked at Number 13 and asked, "Are you sure you can handle everything?"

Number 13 was taken aback, sensing the danger in Lu Heng's words, but still agreed, "I'm certain. No matter what you've done, the organization will not hold you accountable. If you're still unsure, you can kill Zero27 to silence him. Just make sure to get the sacred artifact back before you do."

His words were very sinister.

Lu Heng was indeed worried that Zero27 might reveal information that could harm him if captured by the Creator Syndicate.

Killing him outright would indeed eliminate the threat.

However, Lu Heng hesitated, instead turning to observe his surroundings.

Just then.

A roar came from the direction of the gate. Derek Wolfe, in his werewolf form, burst through the gate and charged in, roaring furiously at Zero27 in the air.

He had been tricked by Zero27 again, chasing him around outside before realizing something was wrong and rushing back.

Seeing that a member of the organization had returned, Number 13 immediately ordered, "Zero31, kill Zero27, and the organization will provide you with all the resources you desire."

Derek Wolfe's wolfish face twisted into a sinister grin, and he let out a roar, charging forward. With a powerful leap, he pounced towards 027 in mid-air, swiping a claw at him.

027 was fully engaged in his mental battle with 013 and had no spare attention for Derek Wolfe.

Just as a look of panic flashed across his eyes, a sword beam flashed, swift as a silver dragon emerging from the depths, too fast to follow.

In the aftermath of the sword beam, Derek Wolfe's body split in two and fell from the sky, his blood splattering on the ground.

The entire incident unfolded at lightning speed, even catching 013 off guard.

The last time the three of them met, it was clear that Derek Wolfe was no match for Lu Heng.

But he hadn't expected the gap to be this wide.

Lu Heng drew his sword in a lightning-fast motion and severed Derek Wolfe in two.

The entire process was so swift that no one could react; the sword beam had already struck before anyone could respond.

Moreover, the Aurora Blade, an S-class weapon, dealt immense damage. Even with the Dark Wolfman's high defense, he was effortlessly sliced in two, as if he were made of tofu.

However, Derek Wolfe didn't die immediately upon hitting the ground.

Just as 013 had said, Derek Wolfe possessed the most formidable regenerative ability at this stage. If his body could be put back together, his wounds might even heal on their own.

Derek Wolfe's upper body crawled on the ground, trying to reach for his lower half.

As he crawled, he cursed, "Ah! What are you doing?"

Lu Heng strode forward, slowly raising the sword in his hand.

Derek Wolfe looked up and shouted, "What are you doing?"

"You, a piece of trash, dare to call yourself my partner?" Lu Heng's eyes turned cold as he looked down at him. With a swing of his sword, he struck.

Derek Wolfe's wolf head split in two, and the red and white insides spilled out, leaving him more than dead.

Since they had already started fighting, there was no chance of stopping.

Before, when they were still negotiating, 013 could have chosen to follow his orders, but now that Derek Wolfe was dead, 013 had to die as well.

013 reacted swiftly, pushing 027 back with his mental force and then transforming into a black crow, he flew towards the sky.

He had only flown five meters when a sword beam slashed upwards, like a soaring silver dragon, instantly engulfing the black crow.

Ah!

The black crow let out a piercing shriek as its body burst open, splitting into two dozen black crows that scattered and flew away.

027 immediately increased his mental force output, trapping half of them, but a dozen or so still managed to fly into the sky, splitting into two groups and escaping.

Just as they were about to fly out of reach, a Celestial Phoenix stirred up a solar wind, engulfing all the black crows heading north.

Only seven or eight black crows remained, flying south, with a few attempting to change direction and scatter again.

The Celestial Phoenix tried to intercept them by flying upwards, but it couldn't stop so many.

At that moment, Lu Heng sprinted, his feet pressing against the wall as he rushed upwards. Simultaneously, Wind Walker unleashed its stored power, propelling him forward and upward, covering nearly a hundred meters. But the group of black crows had already flown over a hundred meters away.

As they were about to get away, Lu Heng's body suddenly vanished from his original position. Using his Tier 3 Source Ability - Ethereal Flash, he teleported 32 meters, closing the distance to within 10 meters of the black crows.

At that moment, Wind Walker's sprinting power was also exhausted, and it couldn't continue the pursuit.

In that instant, Lu Heng gripped the Aurora Blade in his hand and let out a shout. With a horizontal slash, Dragon Breath Slash erupted.

Roar!

An Infernal Draconic Horn appeared behind Lu Heng, and its dragon flame breath, accompanied by the sword beam, engulfed a fan-shaped area with a 20-meter radius in front of them, enveloping all the black crows.

Dragon Breath Slash devoured the remaining black crows, each one burning to ashes in the dragon flame and disappearing from sight.

The last black crow let out a piercing, miserable cry as its body was engulfed in raging flames, its feathers burning.

Once the feathers were burned away, 013 regained his human form and fell from the sky, crashing onto the road outside the nursing home.

Lu Heng tumbled in the air and landed, then rushed forward to ensure the black crow couldn't escape. After reaching the nursing home, he flipped over 013's body.

Upon turning the body over, he noticed something peculiar.

This was indeed a corpse, charred black by the dragon flame.

Although it was burnt, he could still tell that there was a hole in the area where the heart should be.

Lu Heng hadn't struck at the heart when he drew his sword, so how did this hole form? There was no time to ponder.

The sound of vehicles approaching could be heard, likely the Ironblood Bureau.

Tonight's events were complex, and if the Ironblood Bureau traced them back to him, there would be many things he couldn't explain.

So, Lu Heng waved to Su Muyu, and together, they activated the Invisible Field and left.

Before leaving, they burned Derek Wolfe's corpse as well.

On the other side, 027 and Liu Lanying had also disappeared, clearly having escaped with her after breaking free.

This also indicated that 027 wasn't an official member of Daxia.

If he were official, he wouldn't need to leave just because the Ironblood Bureau had arrived.

After exiting the nursing home, the two of them, under the cover of the Invisible Field, got into a car and drove away.

Su Muyu followed behind with the Celestial Phoenix, and after driving out of the neighborhood, she finally exhaled, relieved, "No one followed us, so we're safe for now."

Only then did Lu Heng slow down, driving along the riverbank as he recalled the events and asked, "Did you figure out 027's identity?"

Su Muyu shook her head, "He was wearing a mask, so I couldn't see his face clearly, but he's definitely very close to Liu Lanying, not just an ordinary relationship. It's not as simple as being classmates."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end