Chapter 037: Collision
While Hodge's strength did indeed decline over time, the rate of decline wasn't normally this rapid. His current drastic drop in power was primarily due to his volatile mental state.
With Mason's provocations, his emotions became increasingly unstable, causing his strength to decline even faster, eventually snowballing into a precipitous fall.
"The serum's in my hands—want it?" Mason shouted, clutching the journal.
"What do you want?" Hodge clearly recognized the journal as Professor Erskine's, a hint of desperation flashing across his face.
Mason smiled. "I don't want anything—I just want you to regret everything!" With that, he tossed the journal high into the air!
Although he knew it was a trap, the journal might contain the only solution to his problem, so Hodge abandoned pursuit of Mason and lunged toward where the journal had flown.
Bang! Bang!
Mason's shots missed several times, but Hodge was still on edge. He ducked behind a standing piece of machinery.
Crash!
A sharp shattering sound echoed through the empty factory.
Hearing this, Hodge's face went pale instantly. "What the hell did you just throw?" he roared.
"Nothing—just a few test tubes!" Mason replied casually. "They just had some blue liquid in them!"
"Serum!"
Hodge's mind went blank. Someone who'd never seen serum wouldn't know its exact color. He felt his heart seize. "Bastard! What have you done?!"
He held the car door as a shield, but instead of charging Mason, he frantically lunged toward where the journal had fallen.
In the pitch-black factory, Hodge could only see the journal lying on the ground in the distance, surrounded by glass shards.
He panicked, leaping from his cover, vaulting over machinery, and about to land when suddenly his legs gave way and he plummeted downward!
"Damn it!"
Hodge cried out in alarm. He looked down and realized the ground beneath his feet wasn't ground at all, but a tarp disguised to look like concrete. The tarp was a very similar color to the floor, and in the darkness, Hodge, in his panic, couldn't see it clearly.
While still in mid-air, Hodge used his core strength to abruptly halt his falling body, then swung the car door in his hand, unleashing a burst of violent force that slammed into cargo piled nearby. Using the recoil, his body miraculously changed direction in mid-air, falling toward solid ground beside the pit.
But just then, as his old strength waned and new strength failed to arrive, a dark gun muzzle appeared before him. Mason had somehow appeared beside the pit, seemingly waiting with perfect timing.
Bang! A sharp gunshot rang out, and the car door in Hodge's hand was knocked aside. In a flash, he only had time to slightly turn his head before feeling a searing pain across his cheek, and simultaneously being shot multiple times in the chest and abdomen, spinning away!
"Jesus...!"
Seeing Hodge hit, Mason finally let out a long breath, wiping cold sweat from his forehead. The brief exchange, though short, was the limit of what he could achieve using the surrounding environment.
He'd successfully provoked Hodge's emotions by exploiting his arrogance and hatred, utilizing the darkness, the empty test tube disguised as serum, and most importantly, Hodge's declining physical condition.
All these factors combined to succeed in one strike, with luck playing a significant role.
Although he'd hit Hodge, Mason didn't dare let his guard down. He quickly reloaded and fired again at where Hodge had fallen.
Thud! Thud!
Several shots hit the hard ground, but Hodge had vanished from where he'd been lying.
"Looking for me?"
A strong stench of blood and murderous intent surged from behind. Hearing this voice, Mason's hair stood on end. He dove forward, twisted sharply, and fired—all in one fluid motion!
In that instant, Mason had reached the absolute limit of his body's capabilities. Unfortunately, while he was fast, someone was faster!
Crack!
Mason only saw a dark blur, then heard a sickening cracking sound from his chest. He spat out a mouthful of blood, flying seven or eight meters away, crashing into a pile of wooden crates!
The collapsed crates buried Mason at the bottom. He felt pain everywhere, his ears ringing, his mouth open but unable to draw a single breath, and the gun in his hand had long since clattered away.
Crash!
The debris on top of him was kicked aside, and Mason felt a tightening around his throat. A hideous face appeared before him.
Although he'd dodged in time, Hodge had still been shot in the cheek by Mason, half his face a bloody mess. He'd also been shot several times, blood still seeping from his wounds, but Hodge seemed oblivious, letting out a shrill, inhuman laugh.
"You bastard, look what you've done?!"
Even with his stamina waning, Hodge's physical abilities far surpassed Mason's. Mason didn't even have the strength to resist and could only let Hodge slam him against the ground.
"Ugh!"
Mason coughed up another mouthful of blood, feeling his broken ribs causing internal bleeding, but the jolt allowed him to gasp for air.
"Cough cough!"
"Don't kill me—I'll tell you where the serum is!" Mason tried to stall for time. "What I just threw was just an empty test tube, but if you keep beating me, I'll die and no one will know where the serum is!"
So much time had passed—why hadn't Steve finished his enhancement yet? Mason was secretly anxious but dared not show it on his face, threatening Hodge with feigned confidence.
Hodge dragged Mason to where the journal had fallen. Several test tube fragments lay scattered on the ground, but there was no trace of liquid, verifying Mason's words. Hope rekindled on Hodge's face.
Just then, a tremor suddenly shook the area outside the factory, accompanied by a humming sound and a suppressed scream of agony.
Hodge was startled at first, then the familiar sensation made him instantly realize what was happening. He looked down, staring at Mason in disbelief.
"You actually gave the serum to that weakling Steve!" With that, he kicked Mason aside and ran frantically out of the factory!
"The serum is mine! No one can take it away!"
Mason's vision was bloodshot, and his consciousness was beginning to fade. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay awake. At this crucial moment of enhancement, Steve absolutely could not be interrupted by Hodge.
Trembling, he retrieved the repair compound that Professor Erskine had given him and injected it all into his body!
He injected a dosage far exceeding his body's safe tolerance limit. Although this injection method could dramatically accelerate the healing process, it would also cause irreversible damage to the body. However, at this moment, Mason could no longer care about the consequences.
The repair compound surging into his body felt like molten lava, causing him to scream in agony. Mason roared, leaped to his feet, grabbed his dropped gun, and charged out.
Meanwhile, the berserk Hodge had already reached the laboratory door.