Shen Han’s eyes, which had remained lowered, slowly looked up.
Her grey-black pupils, cold and devoid of emotion, stared straight at Su Wan.
She no longer concealed her Level 4 Mid Stage energy fluctuations.
“Commander Pei, what is the meaning of this?” Su Wan’s voice was not loud, but every word was clear. “You don’t intend to let me leave?”
Pei Su smiled, the coldness in his eyes no longer hidden.
“Miss Su, you misunderstand.”
He stood up, walked around the table, and stopped in front of Su Wan.
“I am merely fulfilling my duties as a commander.”
“You are now a Vice Commander of the City Defense Force. It is my responsibility to ensure you familiarize yourself with Inner City affairs as quickly as possible.”
“The Cold Wave is the best opportunity, as well as the greatest test.”
“If you can manage the Outer City during the Cold Wave, nothing will be able to stump you in the future.”
He reached out and patted Su Wan on the shoulder. His grip was neither heavy nor light, carrying the expectations of an elder toward a junior.
“Stay in the Inner City. I will not mistreat you.”
Su Wan looked at him, a smile slowly curling at the corners of her mouth.
“Commander Pei, I appreciate your kindness.”
She took a step back, avoiding Pei Su’s hand.
“But as for Terminal Station, I still need to go back.”
“While Shen Han is powerful, she is unfamiliar with the situation at Terminal Station. She has no experience managing tenants and knows absolutely nothing about how the robots operate.”
“It is impossible for her to take over everything immediately upon arrival.”
“I need at least three days to hand over the affairs of Terminal Station to her.”
“After three days, I will naturally return to the Inner City to fulfill my duties as Vice Commander.”
Pei Su shook his head, his tone tinged with a hint of helplessness.
“Miss Su, you are still making excuses.”
“Too much can happen in three days.”
“Shen Han may be unfamiliar with Terminal Station, but she has ability, experience, and the strength of a Level 4 Mid Stage expert. That is more than enough to intimidate those pariahs.”
“As for the operation and management of the robots, Zhao Lei will assist her.”
He paused, his voice turning somber. “Su Wan, since you have become a Vice Commander, you should obey my orders...”
Su Wan said nothing.
Pei Su looked at Su Wan, his smile vanishing as he spoke coldly, “I am not negotiating with you.”
“Disobeying military orders is punishable by military law, so...”
“You must stay!”
As soon as those words were spoken, the air in the meeting room suddenly froze.
Pei Su stood before Su Wan, his Level 4 Early Stage energy fluctuations released without reservation.
That steady and heavy aura, like a massive rock, bore down on Su Wan like an invisible giant hand.
Su Wan looked at Pei Su and gave a mocking smile.
“Commander Pei, so you intend to detain me by force?”
Pei Su did not answer, merely blocking the door, using his actions as his response.
Su Wan did not retreat; she raised her right hand.
The silver-grey Dual-Mode Pulse Bracelet lit up slightly, and an Energy Pulse shot toward Pei Su soundlessly.
Pei Su’s reaction was incredibly fast.
In that instant, his skin took on a dark grey luster, and rock-like textures spread across his entire right arm.
“Bang—!”
The Energy Pulse hit his right arm, sending sparks flying.
Pei Su’s body swayed as he took a step back, but his right arm remained intact.
A Level 4 Early Stage defense-type Ability User had tanked her strike head-on.
Su Wan gave him no time to breathe. With a flick of her left hand, the Micro-Pore Particle Emitter appeared in her palm.
The silver-white barrel and translucent energy indicator flashed with a full blue light.
She pulled the trigger.
A blinding blue particle beam erupted from the muzzle, aiming straight for Pei Su’s chest!
Pei Su’s pupils constricted as he threw himself to the side, but the particle beam was too fast.
“Ssh—!”
The particle beam grazed his left shoulder, instantly burning through his combat suit and exposing the charred skin beneath.
Blood seeped from the wound but was quickly cauterized by the high temperature.
Pei Su let out a muffled groan, his face turning pale, yet his reactions remained swift.
With a flick of his right hand, an energy blade of dark grey energy condensed in his palm and slashed toward Su Wan.
Su Wan ducked to the side, the energy blade whistling past her ear and slamming into the wall behind her, leaving a deep crack.
The two clashed in the narrow meeting room. The shockwaves from their energy collisions overturned tables and chairs, scattering documents everywhere.
Pei Su’s defense was exceptionally strong. Although Su Wan’s particle beam could hurt him, it only caused minor superficial injuries each time.
And while Pei Su’s attacks were sharp, Su Wan’s movements were agile. Coupled with the pulse bracelet’s energy shield, he was unable to land a substantial blow on her for the time being.
“Shen Han!” Pei Su barked.
Shen Han, who had been standing by the door, finally moved.
She did not erupt with a violent aura like the previous gene-modified organisms. Instead, she calmly raised her hand and gave a gentle push in Su Wan’s direction.
An invisible force bore down like a mountain!
Su Wan’s expression shifted. The pulse bracelet’s energy shield activated instantly, but the force was too overwhelming.
The shield fluctuated violently, fine cracks appearing on its surface before—
“Crack—”
The shield shattered.
Su Wan’s body was thrown backward by the force, slamming into the wall. She groaned as a trace of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.
The gap between Level 4 Mid Stage and Level 4 Early Stage was even larger than she had imagined!
Su Wan gritted her teeth and stood firm, aiming the particle emitter at Shen Han and pulling the trigger repeatedly.
Three particle beams shot toward Shen Han in a triangular formation!
Shen Han did not dodge. She simply raised her hands and made a light sweeping motion in front of her.
An invisible barrier unfolded before her. When the particle beams hit the barrier, it was like a clay ox entering the sea—they vanished without a ripple.
Su Wan’s heart sank.
The particle emitter was useless against Shen Han.
The Energy Pulse likely wouldn’t cause effective damage either.
She couldn't afford to get bogged down with them!
Su Wan’s only advantage was her speed.
Abandoning the fight, she blurred, rushing toward the meeting room window.
“Trying to run?” Pei Su sneered, slashing out with his energy blade once more.
Su Wan ducked to avoid it, firing a shot from the particle emitter in her left hand to force Pei Su to dodge. Simultaneously, she fired a Gene Disruption Wave from the pulse bracelet in her right hand toward Shen Han.
Shen Han’s figure stiffened slightly.
The Gene Disruption Wave was effective, but its impact was limited—it only paralyzed her for less than half a second.
But for Su Wan, that moment was enough.
She leaped out through the shattered window, twisted her body in mid-air, and landed steadily on the plaza in front of the City Defense Force Headquarters.
Su Wan did not look back, sprinting toward the city gate.
Behind her, Pei Su stood at the broken window, his face as dark as a storm as he watched her receding figure.
“Pursue!” he ordered coldly.
Shen Han leaped from the window, her form like a streak of grey lightning as she gave chase.
She was incredibly fast, covering several meters with every stride, the stone slabs beneath her feet shattering and flying as she ran.
Rate on N.U.
