When the people trapped inside saw the Lungmen Guard Department (LGD) arrive so quickly, they dropped their weapons to the ground, faces etched with an expression of "it's all over." They couldn't imagine what kind of situation they would face once taken away by the LGD. Furthermore, how would their superiors view them if they were captured?
A few bold individuals even attempted to put their thoughts into action, detonating the gel bombs they carried on their persons. They wanted to blast open the cage and make a run for it, taking a gamble before the LGD could secure them. They bet that once they escaped the immediate encirclement, the authorities wouldn't dispatch many people to hunt them down.
Unfortunately, after several explosions, the others observing in secret had to abandon the option of blasting their way out. Even after enduring the explosions, the iron cage showed no signs of deformation. It stood there like a black sentinel, remaining unshaken despite various attempts at destruction.
However, miraculously, the moment the LGD officers touched the black thorns, the spikes dissolved into flickers of starlight and dissipated into the air, as if they had never existed.
"This..."
The LGD officers were momentarily at a loss by this scene. However, based on their professional intuition as police, this was clearly not a case that could be closed easily. They proceeded with their duties step-by-step, arresting the suspects. After fully securing one area, they would touch the next set of thorns, arresting every survivor.
Ch'en carefully observed everything around her. Aside from the site of the violent explosion, one other object caught her attention: a shuriken embedded in a streetlight—a very uncommon weapon in Lungmen. Aside from Higashian ninjas, almost no one used such a weapon. Moreover, the throwing technique was clearly superior; the user was undoubtedly a ninja who had undergone years of training.
"Old Ch'en, the people are under control, but their mouths are tight. We haven't gotten anything out of them yet."
Hoshiguma, who had finished loading the suspects into the transport vehicles, walked over to Ch'en and recounted what the other operators had discovered. This included bullet holes clearly left by Laterano firearms, and car tires slashed by some kind of sharp instrument...
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat...
Not far away, Jeanne's group discovered that these attackers were actually carrying bombs and incendiary devices. What was most shocking was that those motorcycles would actually explode! Whether it was due to a timer or some other reason, the wrecked motorcycles had started detonating one after another, and some even exploded while being ridden!
Knowing the danger, the three of them were even less likely to let these people get near the car. Lemuen remained on the roof, firing the revolver cannon incessantly. Under the blue-lit muzzle, every shot accurately incapacitated a rider.
"This can't go on! If these guys get close enough to blow us up, no amount of defense will matter!" Lemuen shouted to the others after being pulled back into the car by Jeanne.
At the same time, the sound of a crossbow bolt whistling through the air above the roof was distinct. It seemed the enemy had a very skilled sniper among them. As Lemuen said, the motorcycle "cannon fodder" squad was merely a consumable in the enemy's eyes, being utilized entirely as mobile bombs.
Shirayuki looked at the fodder chasing them through the rear window. At this moment, her small weapons truly couldn't do much.
"It seems they are indeed very troublesome... and staying on the defensive like this will only make us more passive. Shirayuki, do you know how to drive?"
Jeanne looked at the situation and felt that simply running away was meaningless and only drained their energy. Consequently, Jeanne formed a very bold plan: they would turn around and resolve these pursuers in one breath.
"Drive? I have no problem with that."
Upon receiving Shirayuki's affirmation, Jeanne immediately had her take the driver's seat. Fortunately, Shirayuki was agile enough to move freely in such a cramped environment; otherwise, switching from the back seat to the driver's seat would have been quite a challenge.
The now-free Jeanne stuck her head out the window only to immediately duck back in as a crossbow bolt streaked past the sunroof. If she had been a second slower, that bolt might have ended up embedded in her head.
"I can't even show my head now, and we have to worry about their sniper... How annoying. My sniper rifle can't hit from that far away, or else I'd definitely show him not to challenge a Sankta's marksmanship..." Lemuen grumbled as the arrow flew by. It was clear the enemy was using Originium Arts to snipe; otherwise, a bolt wouldn't maintain such power over such a distance.
"Shirayuki, turn the car around and drive back. Don't worry about anything else!"
Jeanne's command startled Shirayuki. Turning around now was suicidal! Not even counting the suicide attack squad behind them, the sniper would likely target the driver directly! However, despite her doubts, Shirayuki did not argue. She followed the order, pulled a U-turn, and charged toward the enemies at full throttle.
Jeanne suddenly stood up and swiftly climbed through the sunroof, standing atop the car. The wind from the high-speed driving whipped her hair and clothes; under such pressure, an ordinary person wouldn't even be able to keep their eyes open. Yet Jeanne looked straight ahead, casually catching a bolt aimed at her and tossing it aside with ease.
This gave the hidden sniper a fright. This was the first time he had met such a ruthless individual who could catch his bolts barehanded and look perfectly fine.
"Jeanne, what on earth are you doing?!"
Lemuen was terrified that something would happen to the exposed Jeanne. She had tried to pull the adventurous Jeanne back, but the continuous firing had left her arms weak, and she failed to grab her. If something happened to Jeanne, how could she face Laterano again? Not only would the "old men" never forgive her, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself! But now, she only dared to mutter in a low voice, afraid that shouting would distract Jeanne and cause her to miss the next sniper attack.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Jeanne showed no concern for her predicament, even finding the heart to comfort the worried Lemuen. Suddenly, a black Dragon Banner appeared in Jeanne's left hand, dancing in the wind like a roaring dragon.
Jeanne watched the approaching motorcycle squad and swung the flag to deflect another incoming bolt. She gripped the black flag with both hands, closed her eyes, and began to whisper. The two inside the car had no heart to listen to the words; their focus was entirely on her safety.
Suddenly, Lemuen noticed a change in Jeanne's appearance. The black-clad, black-flagged Jeanne transformed into a version with white clothes and a white flag, and her platinum hair turned golden. Not only that, her previously pale skin regained the healthy color of a young girl, and her entire aura underwent a heaven-and-earth transformation, as if she had become a different person.
Lemuen knew Jeanne possessed two forms and could switch between them, but she had never witnessed the transformation firsthand. She hadn't expected it to be such a rapid ability.
Shirayuki in the driver's seat couldn't see this magical scene, but despite her calm expression, her heart was racing. Outside, the person she was supposed to protect was in an unknown state, and the car she was driving was about to collide with those lunatics... If it weren't for Jeanne's order, she would have retreated long ago and contacted Ruler Wei for reinforcements.
Just then, she saw a light radiating from the roof, a glow that soothed the unease in her heart. Then, she heard a single sentence:
"My banner, please protect my comrades!"
"Luminosité Eternelle!"