Thud! After unleashing that move, Deng Mengcheng staggered; he looked down to see his chest plugged by black matter where flesh and organs should have been.
"Mengcheng!" From afar Jiang Ao roared, spinning to race over, leaving Qin Musheng alone to face Bach.
Pressure spiked on Qin Musheng, but he could still hold out.
Deng Mengcheng lifted his head to stop Jiang Ao: "He hasn't left—finish him first. I won't die yet!"
Under extreme mental control his flesh began sealing the wound, resisting the black foreign fluid.
Hearing that, Jiang Ao scanned the surroundings warily.
"Jiang Ao, Deng Mengcheng—what's with the sloppy work?" A mocking voice drifted from the distance.
Jiang Ao's face darkened; he turned to see four figures speeding over from the city—Fang Wenyu's reinforcement group.
Qin Wan wore a sneer as she watched them.
Wan Tianhong's expression was grave: "Can't underestimate these Flesh-and-Blood Beings—under absolute numbers they still wounded us."
Ten Squad Leaders from the Xuanjian Division had entered the fight; one dead, three gravely hurt, while two enemies and the Monster Association remained.
"Since you're here, help me finish the distant Flesh-and-Blood Being. Fang Wenyu, with your strength, guard these two," Jiang Ao ordered briskly.
Even Qin Wan, who loved to spar with him, voiced no objection; the arrangement was optimal—Fang Wenyu could stall even far stronger foes.
"Go!" Wan Tianhong roared, jets of flame hurling him toward the fleeing Bach.
"Right!" The rest charged after, leaving Fang Wenyu standing alone.
Unbeknownst to them, Fang Wenyu's world turned grey, everything seeming to pause.
'At this rate the Deputy Director seat will definitely go to Jiang Ao.' Resentment flashed across Fang Wenyu's face.
Bzzzz! A piercing tinnitus struck; his mind turned hazy like someone who had overslept.
To his left appeared a robed, stern old man: "Wenyu, what are you waiting for!"
"Master?!" Tears welled in Fang Wenyu's eyes; every sense told him this was truly his Master.
The aura, the face, the doting look—identical to memory.
Yet the old man showed disappointment: "Wenyu, your rival is far ahead in merit; the Deputy Director post is slipping away!"
"But what can I do? The outcome is set." Fang Wenyu clenched his fists; luck had been poor—not one Flesh-and-Blood Being slain.
The old man's lips curved strangely: "No, it's not over. To be Deputy Director you need supporters."
He pointed at the fallen Deng Mengcheng and the unconscious Li Junya: "Remove Jiang Ao's right arms; even if he wins the seat he'll have to yield to you, letting you realize your ideals."
"Realize my ideals… realize my ideals…" Fang Wenyu repeated, eyes turning an eerie red.
All nearby surveillance had been destroyed in battle; only distant drones and a Stealth-Type Awakened One still recorded.
Bypassing them to kill two gravely wounded Level Fives would be easy for Fang Wenyu.
At that moment Deng Mengcheng, lying before him, sensed something amiss and turned: 'His mind is fluctuating—what's happening?'
Before he could think, Fang Wenyu suddenly looked down; their eyes met.
Those red-gleaming pupils and sudden murderous intent made Deng Mengcheng's hair stand on end. "You've been controlled!"
Fang Wenyu merely mouthed silently toward the air.
Deng Mengcheng read his lips: "Kill them, I won't interfere—what the—"
Thwip! Thwip! Before the curse finished, Shadows on the ground erupted, skewering the heads of Deng Mengcheng and the unconscious Li Junya.
A long Shadow burst through Deng Mengcheng's skull; his eyes stayed wide, fixed on Fang Wenyu.
He died never understanding why Fang Wenyu had turned on him.
Beneath Deng Mengcheng, Liu Zhiyuan slowly emerged, staring in bewilderment at Fang Wenyu.
Bang! Fang Wenyu struck; Liu Zhiyuan blocked effortlessly.
"Why make me kill them? They were your comrades."
Bang-bang-bang! "For the Justice in my heart!" Fang Wenyu pressed harder; cracks webbed the ground.
Bach had already been pulled into Qin Wan's space and was being ganged upon; only these two remained here.
Liu Zhiyuan was surprised to hear such words from a supposedly evil Xuanjian Division Squad Leader.
Yet his own fists never slowed—he too had a Justice he upheld.
Bang-bang-bang! Every punch he landed on Fang Wenyu rebounded into the earth, opening craters.
Inside Command Center, silence was absolute.
Ruan Meng could scarcely believe his eyes.
"Two squad leaders—dead, just like that?" The absurdity staggered him.
Someone of Fang Wenyu's caliber should have prevented this.
Outside, Bai Wenliang froze mid-sip, eyes narrowing. "Fang Wenyu should have kept them alive—what went wrong?"
He set the cup down and stood; the Monster Association had yet to appear, yet casualties kept mounting beyond his control—he would act to set the situation right.