195 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

Liu Meng sneered, "Do these people really think they can match us? Their previous combat abilities were as weak as chickens, and now they dare to play a waiting game with me?" He chewed his gum twice more, disdainfully continuing, "You two stay here. I'm going to have some fun with them." "Don't be careless, Liu Meng," Zhu Zhi Xing cautioned. "If the people from Zone One are daring enough to act this way, they must have a trump card that you can't mess with." Liu Meng shrugged dismissively, "What’s to be afraid of? Don't I have both of you to back me up anyway? I'm going to catch a couple of them and then head back for lunch." With that, he turned and headed downstairs. In just a few breaths, he'd arrived near where Chen Wan and her group were stationed. With a swift motion, he darted behind an abandoned car. Having undergone body modification similar to Shi Tou's, Liu Meng's skeletal structure was replaced with refined steel, allowing him to move much faster than a normal person. His inherent ability to manipulate speed further amplified this advantage. When he moved swiftly, ordinary people couldn't even catch a glimpse of his afterimage, which emboldened Liu Meng to act with such audacity. However, Chen Wan had invested points in speed for two of her attributes. So, while others might not see him, her speed-enhanced senses allowed her to detect him clearly. She aimed her rifle at the opposite broken-down car and fired, while taunting, "I can see you. I thought you might be someone impressive, but you're just a coward hiding in the shadows. What, afraid to show yourself?" Since his transformation, no one had dared speak to Liu Meng that way, and it surprised him that Chen Wan could see him. Feeling provoked, Liu Meng stepped out from the side of the car, looking at Chen Wan with disdain, "You can actually see me? Interesting. I guess you're a speed-type ability user too?" "Did you and your people also abduct the soldiers who went missing from the military several times before?" Chen Wan interrogated, her gun still trained on him. Liu Meng chuckled indifferently, "So what if we did? Harm me if you can." Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. Qin Ke had fired without anyone noticing. Liu Meng smirked, easily dodging the bullet with his speed-enhancing ability. Such firearm attacks were usually effortless for him to evade. But just as he shifted his position, he realized something was amiss. The bullet hadn’t been evaded; instead, it curved mid-air in the direction he dodged, striking him in the left chest. The force pushed Liu Meng back a step, and the searing pain in his shoulder confirmed the reality of what had just transpired. Alarmed, he retreated hastily, shouting towards a nearby building, "Zhu Zhi Xing, help me! There's a firearms ability user among them." In the next moment, Qin Ke prepared to fire again but abruptly felt her connection to her weapon severed, as if her ability had vanished entirely. "What's happening? My ability seems gone," Qin Ke raised her voice in alert. Wei Si Yu attempted to activate her immunity ability and found her mental energy depleted, "No good, mine isn’t working either." Hearing Qin Ke’s remark, Chen Wan made a guess. Seeing Liu Meng trying to escape, she swiftly pursued, shooting as she went. She distinctly felt that Liu Meng's speed had decreased, not only due to his shoulder injury but also as if his speed ability was hindered. Chen Wan realized the suppression on powers seemed indiscriminate, affecting both sides alike. With a few breaths’ time, Chen Wan caught up with Liu Meng, reaching out to grab his shoulder. Liu Meng hadn't anticipated Chen Wan closing the gap so quickly. He had already created some distance, plus everyone’s powers were dampened by Zhu Zhi Xing’s ability; it baffled him how Chen Wan could still be so fast. Meanwhile, Xiao Hai leapt down from the second floor, his knees equipped with mechanical limbs that appeared to be of fine craftsmanship and excellent for jumping, propelling him towards Chen Wan and her group. Shen Ming Yan, wary of an assault on Chen Wan from both sides, rushed forward. Xiao Hai underestimated the female Beta before him, standing a whole meter shorter than he. Yet in the blink of an eye, Shen Ming Yan had grabbed his leg, swinging Xiao Hai like a rag doll and hurling him into a wall, causing it to crumble on impact. Upstairs, Zhu Zhi Xing could bear it no longer. Although his ability to nullify others’ powers was his strength, enhanced through Dr. Wu’s modifications, he could activate a bodily switch to invoke a blanket signal blocker around him, rendering all ability users powerless. However, without intervention, they might all perish here today. On the other side, Chen Wan had caught up to Liu Meng. With one decisive motion, she snapped Liu Meng’s arm. He screamed, then winced through the pain as his right arm morphed swiftly, transforming into a circular gun barrel loaded with over two dozen firing chambers. Liu Meng roared at Chen Wan, "Die, you!" Chen Wan swiftly sidestepped, raising Liu Meng’s prosthetic upward; bullets riddled the air harmlessly. She then regarded him coldly, her right hand gripping his throat while the left forcibly extracted the prosthetic limb from his frame. For the first time, Liu Meng was truly afraid, his screams turning frantic, "What are you doing? Don't kill me; we’re organized, sent by a group." Chen Wan chuckled softly, "I dislike having guns pointed at me, and as for your organization, I’ll find your base without you telling me." With a firm tug, she tore the prosthetic from him, ignoring his anguished cries, and discarded it before ending him. Observing Shen Ming Yan handling the situation with the mechanized-legged man, Chen Wan turned her focus to the charging Zhu Zhi Xing. Despite his primary skill of nullification and a modified skeletal frame superior to ordinary humans, his abilities seemed childish to Chen Wan. With a single punch, she forced Zhu Zhi Xing to cough up blood—bits of teeth visible. Uninterested in drawing things out, she raised her rifle. Zhu Zhi Xing, desperate, began to speak hurriedly, "Don’t kill me. I’ll tell you everything. Just please, don’t." Chen Wan glanced toward Shen Ming Yan, seeing that she was approaching after handling Xiao Hai, then aimed back at Zhu Zhi Xing, "None of us can use our abilities. What’s happening? Who are you people, capturing so many military personnel for what purpose? Where's your base?" Zhu Zhi Xing spat blood and gasped, "The nullification is my ability, that’s why no one can use their powers." Chen Wan coldly smirked, "Cut the lies. I have little patience." Zhu Zhi Xing, sweat beading on his forehead, hastily added, "I’m telling the truth. But there’s also an ability suppressant installed in me. Once activated, it can affect all nearby ability users. We're part of 'New World,’ but I’m a victim too. I was just passing through with my team when Dr. Wu’s people captured us for experiments. They’re the real culprits, committing heinous acts, experimenting on live subjects. Failures are drained of blood and used as storage, while others are pickled in formaldehyde tanks for specimens. Hunt them down. Avenge yourselves on them." Chen Wan, surveying their situation, asked icily, "Where is your base? How many more of you are there? Explain everything." "In the county hospital, not far from here. Besides us, Huang Xiao and Kate are cyborgs, plus the recently added Shi Tou. The rest include Dr. Wu, his assistants, and the Underworld King," Zhu Zhi Xing continued. "Shi Tou?" Chen Wan asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "Yes, I've heard he came from Zone One. He's been turned into a cyborg like us. I've told you everything I know. It’s Dr. Wu and the Underworld King who ordered us to capture people for experiments. They’re eyeing Zone One, planning to break you down piece by piece, then take over your zone," Zhu Zhi Xing continued. All his companions were dead, a clear indication that these people were ruthless. If he didn’t speak the truth, he might also die here. Chen Wan nodded at his words and signaled Qin Ke with a glance. Qin Ke understood immediately and raised her gun. "What are you doing? You said you wouldn’t kill me!" Zhu Zhi Xing's voice turned shrill. Chen Wan looked at him coldly. "You've probably killed many ordinary people with your hands. With that suppressor in your body, you’re a huge threat to us. I might spare you, but others won’t." Almost as soon as Chen Wan finished speaking, Qin Ke fired. Wei Si Yu, having heard the mention of Shi Tou's name, felt a mix of disorientation and concern. Worrying for Shi Tou, she turned to Chen Wan and asked, "What do you think has happened to Shi Tou? Could he be captured and tortured by them?" Chen Wan shook her head, paused in thought, then spoke, "Didn't he just say it? Shi Tou likely joined 'New World' now."