Chapter 544: Operation
Chapter 544: Operation
In Z-City, within the lair of the Monster Association, a robotic probe, a remote creation of Metal Knight, ventured through the intricate sewer pipelines, delving deeper into the heart of the association's headquarters. The robot meticulously gathered data and scanned the surroundings, transmitting the information back to Metal Knight's laboratory.
Suddenly, a white tentacle, moving at an unbelievably rapid speed, pierced through countless layers of earth. It emerged from the ground and impaled the robot's head in a single strike!
"Ugh..."
Metal Knight, seated before the monitoring screens in his lab, was startled. He barely had time to react before the screen in front of him went dark. He didn't even catch a glimpse of what had attacked his robot.
Tap, tap!
Metal Knight quickly tapped the keys, projecting the last images sent by the robot before its demise. He slowed down the footage to fifty times slower than normal speed.
Even at this reduced speed, it was still difficult to discern what had happened. All that could be seen was a flash of white light that appeared for a fleeting moment before the screen turned pitch-black.
"Slow it down further."
Metal Knight intently divided the screen into smaller segments, attempting to extract clearer frames. Even though the images were still blurry, they revealed the nature of the white flash—it was a white tentacle!
Metal Knight glanced at the top left corner of the screen, where the speed data from the photodetector in the final moments was displayed:
4,313,832 m/s
"A monster," Metal Knight muttered.
He tapped away at the keyboard, sending the intelligence and data to the Hero Association, confirming the presence of the Cyclops within the Monster Association.
...
On the other side, the white tentacle that had impaled the robot retracted back into the void and disappeared.
Deep within the lowest level of the association's headquarters, a hand emerged from a vortex of black space—the hand of God Tree Pain. The vortex vanished along with the hand's retreat.
Cycles stood before him and inquired, "Master, what is it?"
"Nothing, just a mouse that sneaked in," God Tree Pain replied nonchalantly.
Cycles inquired, "Should I assume it was sent by the Hero Association to spy on us? As expected... By the way, Master, what do you intend to do with that human, Hungry Wolf, who claims to be a monster?"
Cycles had dispatched two Ghost-level monsters to recruit Starving Wolf, but they were both slain by him. Considering Starving Wolf's proven capability in defeating S-class heroes, Cycles thought it prudent to consult with Feng Ye before making any decisions.
"Ignore him," God Tree Pain stated indifferently.
Cycles nodded and said, "His actions indeed convey his reluctance to cooperate with us, but he also doesn't seem to side with the heroes. Perhaps we can find a way to make some use of him."
God Tree Pain turned to Cycles and said, "Feel free to try whatever you have in mind. I leave the command decisions to you. If we succeed in eliminating the Hero Association this time, I will reward you with some of my cells."
"Thank you, Master," Cycles replied, a hint of delight in his voice.
The serpent had already transformed into Serpent Jam, and most of her cells had been devoured and absorbed by God Tree Pain. Only a small portion of her remained as a sample in her laboratory. She had already become a monster, so consuming that small amount of Serpent Jam would be pointless. Obtaining the complete body of the serpent would be the key to achieving a stronger transformation.
In comparison, the evolutionary level of God Tree Pain far surpassed that of the monster king, Serpent, that Cycles had meticulously cultivated. Even a minuscule amount of his cells, when absorbed, would likely have a potent effect and propel her to evolve once more! After all, they were the cells of a god-level monster, the cream of the crop.
"Proceed."
"Yes," Lilith nodded obediently.
In the following days, the Child Emperor released two more sets of probing machinery into the Monster Association's underground base, but they were all crushed by Feng Ye using the Yellow Spring of Hiraesaka.
Aside from deliberately exposing the information that Cyclopes was a member of the Monster Association, the Hero Association was kept in the dark about everything else.
However...
This piece of information was more than enough.
For the Child Emperor and the others, learning that Cyclopes was within the Monster Association actually eased their worries. Unknown factors were the most terrifying, but having confirmation of his presence brought a sense of relief.
After all, Cyclopes couldn't defeat Saitama, and Boros couldn't beat Feng Ye. Even if these two god-level monsters joined forces, the heroes still held the advantage in terms of combat power.
"In that case..."
"Let's get going, then!"
The Child Emperor closed his laptop and looked at the gathered S-Class heroes in the room.
Metal Bat stood up, tilting his neck and saying, "Finally, we can smash that damn Monster Association to pieces. I've been waiting here for three days!"
Sexy Prisoner, Zombie Man, and the others also rose to their feet.
Pop!
Saitama chewed on his gum, blowing a big bubble and popping it.
"So, everyone understands the plan, right?"
The Child Emperor looked at the S-Class heroes present. "First, we'll head underground together, storm into the Monster Association's base, rescue the hostages, and once their safety is confirmed, Tornado will pull the Monster Association from the underground up to the surface, and we'll finish them off in a final battle above ground."
"Leave it to me!"
Tornado, bathed in a soft green glow, floated behind Feng Ye, her small hands wrapped around his neck as she flashed a cute smile at the Child Emperor.
Seeing this, the Child Emperor gently exhaled, feeling that communicating with a lovestruck Tornado was much easier than usual; she seemed to have become a completely different person.
"When the time comes, aside from Lightning Max and Tornado, everyone else will enter the underground. Additionally, everyone will be equipped with communicators. If you encounter any trouble, you can call for help from nearby companions, and in case of danger, you can also contact Lightning Max. They will be responsible for support and the final battle after the hostages are rescued."
The Child Emperor continued, "Although you won't have any combat duties before the hostages are rescued, Mr. Lightning Max, providing support is the most troublesome task."
Before Feng Ye could respond to the Child Emperor's words, Tornado let out a soft hum and glared at him. "Hey, are you implying that you don't trust me?"
Sensing Tornado's aura, the Child Emperor's lips twitched as he decided to retract his earlier judgment that Tornado had become easier to communicate with. Helplessly, he said, "Because it's the most important task, I'm just reminding you again."
"Just leave it to me."
Feng Ye smiled gently and reached out to ruffle Tornado's hair, responding to the Child Emperor.
Tornado hummed softly at the Child Emperor and then wrapped her arms around Feng Ye's arm, hanging on his shoulder.
The group left the conference room and made their way to the roof of the association's headquarters.
An armed helicopter was already waiting for them, ready to transport Feng Ye and the others. It flew toward Z-City and landed in an empty space on the outskirts of the uninhabited area.
"It's been a while since I was last here," Saitama said, looking up. This used to be his home before he was invited to live at the association's headquarters after becoming an S-Class hero. He hadn't returned since then, and he felt a slight sense of nostalgia.
The Child Emperor looked ahead at the uninhabited area, his backpack slung over his shoulders. He was the last one to jump off the plane, and he said, "Then, let's begin!"
As the Child Emperor's words fell...
The S-Class heroes sprang into action, making their way into the heart of the uninhabited area!
(End of Chapter)
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