Chapter 422: Decoy Agent

The setting sun dyed the abandoned square blood-red; Vanessa's mechanical greatsword sliced through the air with a high-pitched hum. Facing two charging tail-splitter monsters, she dropped low, her boots scorching sparks against the asphalt, then leapt three meters into the air. The blade extended its second telescoping segment, becoming a two-meter oscillating light-blade, slashing downward with the force of cleaving a mountain. The lead monster sensed the danger and did not stand its ground; instead, it crossed its three spiked tails in defense. The biological field collided with the oscillation wave, erupting blue-purple arcs of electricity that flipped nearby abandoned vehicles.

Meanwhile, Gedi's mechanical ocular implant locked onto the large red anomaly. Her explosive rifle fired rapid bursts, forcing the target back. The creature seemed to stutter-motion—its joints twisted grotesquely, evading Gedi's rounds. Then several cars emitted metallic shrieks as the monster instantly scaled to eye level, red dust oozing from its elongated limbs as it swung horizontally toward Gedi.

In an instant, Gedi's mechanical joints reacted, throwing her backward. A spring-loaded grappling hook shot from her waist, latching onto a lamppost. The jet engine ignited, pulling her in a 180-degree swing. Mid-air, she reloaded—two more powerful explosive rounds fired, directly blasting the red anomaly backward. As she landed, she gestured with one hand: two plasma-jet grappling lines shot from a nearby motorcycle, piercing the ribcage of a tail-splitter attacking from her side. The bike frame instantly unfolded into an electric net, dragging the monster backward.

The third tail-splitter seized the chance to pounce on Vanessa. The girl anticipated it, arching backward, planting her mechanical greatsword into the ground as a pivot. She spun midair with a powerful alloy-booted kick, smashing the monster's chin. Using the recoil, she yanked the blade upward—the high-frequency oscillating edge tore through the field, carving a massive gash from the creature's hips to its collarbone. Crimson blood sprayed. As Vanessa landed, a flash of psychic light flickered in her eyes. The sprayed blood was instantly isolated by an invisible force, then propelled forward with oscillating force toward the other monster.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A cloud of dust erupted as a fan-shaped shockwave, dozens of meters wide, blasted both anomalies along with countless abandoned cars and debris away.

At this moment, as the two women fought the daylight-active anomalies, they failed to notice several onlookers had appeared atop a distant high-rise.

"It's daytime, yet this kind of anomaly has appeared? It doesn't look like a human anomaly or a zombie—have anomalies evolved this far already?" Ningjing peered through an electronic telescope at the battle below, her expression grim. "And these anomalies… they're quite formidable."

"These aren't ordinary anomalies. These two have at least 5, 00 Destruction-level power."

Xiaoqing gripped her gun-blade, standing at the building's edge, eyes fixed on the distant fight: "Their combat movements exhibit the unique biological resonance described by the Phoenix Guild—something only possible after genetic evolution."

"Unique resonance?" Lu Xingchen crossed his arms, his face serious. "A new ability?"

Xiaoqing glanced at him coolly, saying nothing.

Ningjing answered: "After reaching Destruction-level Dang Ling values, many genetic evolvers discovered their bodies could generate a special biological field resonance. Nightwalkers' research suggests it resembles the anomalies' biological fields. Mastering this power greatly enhances defense and exceeds human physical limits in destructive output—that's why it's called Destruction-level."

Lu Xingchen's face lit up with sudden understanding—he'd never paid attention to this before. He glanced at Baiye beside him.

"Don't psychics have this?"

Baiye looked at him, clearly innocent: "I… I don't know."

"You're already an Angel-level. Don't you know what changes you've undergone?" Xiaoqing replied coldly.

"Enough of this," Ningjing interrupted, eyes on the square. "The data's been synced to Lin's team and other squads. This island has more survivors—and anomalies that appear in daylight. We must be cautious."

"Uh…" Lu Xingchen cleared his throat, watching the distant fight. "Should we intervene?"

"They seem capable for now. Nightfall is imminent; we don't know if they're friend or foe. Don't stir up trouble." Ningjing's tone was calm. "Lin's team is coming. Wait until then."

Lu Xingchen nodded. "Fair enough."

He turned back to the fierce battle below, arms crossed solemnly: "Though I, the Master, bear the duty to purge evil and eradicate demons, and should burn these malevolent creatures to ash in broad daylight, Ning's caution is wise. Then let us wait a little longer."

Xiaoqing, standing ahead, couldn't help rolling her eyes.

At that moment, Baiye, who had been silent, suddenly lifted her head and gazed toward the other side of the square. "Someone's over there!"

The four instantly looked. Sure enough, atop a distant shopping mall, several shadowy figures stood. Ningjing raised her telescope: three people, all clad in black powered armor, each bearing the same insignia. One held a sniper rifle, another a telescope, the third a terminal, apparently operating something.

"Their teammates?" Lu Xingchen said immediately.

"No," Xiaoqing frowned, eyes sharp. "The rifle's already aimed… not at the anomalies."

Boom!

No sooner had she spoken than the sniper on the mall roof fired. The black woman below was struck by immense kinetic force. She seemed to sense it in advance, twisting midair—the armor-piercing round exploded against her shoulder, spraying sparks. Simultaneously, the red anomaly's attack struck—she was slammed backward, crashing into rubble.

"Gedi!"

Vanessa slashed a shockwave with her mechanical greatsword, severing the tail-splitter's biological field mid-body. The creature crashed into an abandoned car, blood spraying, rapidly corroding the vehicle into a smoldering half-hull.

Seeing her companion attacked, her first reaction was to raise her blade in defense.

Clang!

The armor-piercing round detonated against her blade's face. The girl leapt, and six small missiles on the motorcycle instantly screamed toward the sniper's position. Simultaneously, rubble erupted in dust—Gedi shot out, her grappling hook firing into the mall's facade, then she surged forward at high speed toward the three.

"Damn!"

Boom! Boom!

The sniper fired two quick shots—both missed. Vanessa's missiles exploded across the mall roof in a fireball, flipping the sniper. The other two black-armored warriors retaliated: one drew a high-frequency oscillating blade, the other's arm armor reshaped into a rapid-fire cannon, bullets pouring like rain.

Gedi's hook was embedded in the wall. She used the pull to launch herself, firing three explosive rounds in rapid succession—each precisely piercing the cannon-wielder's power core. The other advanced with the oscillating blade, swinging for her face. Gedi's mechanical units moved fluidly midair, executing a full 360-degree backflip. In that instant, she grabbed the man's helmet, and slammed him down.

"Ahh!"

He roared, trying to counter—but Gedi seized his wrist holding the oscillating blade. Her mechanical strength twisted the Youlang-class hydraulic joints clean off. Then she reversed the blade, driving it through his faceplate.

Movements fluid, precise, ruthless.

Gedi crouched, staring at the insignia on the man's armor, then called down to Vanessa, still battling the anomalies:

"Villand's people."

"They used a decoy agent," Vanessa replied.