Neo's Counterkill!

Philomena and Muri stood in Karen's office, watching their captain emerge fresh from a shower, having changed into a khaki trench coat. "Did either of you bring clothes other than your clerical robes?" Karen asked. "I didn't," Philomena replied. "Go borrow one from Ashley. Oh, wait—Muri, when you go get your own clothes, pick up a set of casual clothes for Philomena from Ashley while you're at it." "Yes, Captain." Philomena breathed a sigh of relief. Karen pointed toward the inner room. "Need a shower?" "What are we going out to do?" "Even if we're just going out to see an opera, one should still dress up properly, shouldn't they?" "Understood, Captain." Philomena began undressing. "The washroom is inside." "Mm." Philomena walked into the inner washroom, and the sound of running water soon drifted out. Karen sat down behind his desk and poured himself a glass of iced water. At that moment, Peige knocked and came in, setting a set of her own clothes onto Karen's desk. Hearing the sound of running water from inside, she looked at Karen and said with an aggrieved pout, "So, Captain, you still think I'm too old, don't you?" Karen knew she was just playing up the drama for herself, so he replied flatly, "When you and I showered in the same room, I didn't do anything to you either." "Oh, Captain, it's precisely because you didn't do anything that it was the greatest insult of all." "You and Fanny were the ones who told me that during a mission, there's no need to think about such things." Peige shook her head and grinned. "Still, flirting with female subordinates and taking liberties seems to be a perk of leadership." "Do you talk to Neo like that too?" "Don't be mad, just joking." Peige knew she had pushed it a bit too far. It seemed Karen didn't want any entanglement with Philomena, not even the slightest hint of ambiguity. That left her rather satisfied—at least back then Karen had been willing to take a few extra glances at her naked body, even if it was with the appraising eye of someone admiring a sculpture or an oil painting. "Ashley's clothes won't fit Philomena, so I brought mine. Don't you pay any attention to your subordinates' figures?" "Why would I pay attention to that?" "It hurts team harmony. When Ashley had to say her clothes wouldn't fit Philomena, she definitely felt hurt. What girl doesn't care about her figure?" "All right, noted. Where's Neo?" It was almost time for Director Enzo to depart. "The director told me to give you this note." Karen reached out and took the note from Peige. Unfolding it, he found a single, exceedingly brief sentence: "I went to be an inside man for the Light remnants. You take command!" Karen closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and muttered, "He's lost his mind." "I think the director was afraid you'd react like that, which is why he slipped away early and left you only a note." Karen opened his hand, and the note burned into ash, scattering on the air. Right... How could he have overlooked this? Neo was Neo, after all. Sitting in an office doing paperwork these past few days had probably driven him half out of his mind. How could he possibly pass up a chance for fun like this? Well then. Things were about to get interesting. With Neo going over to the other side, both sides of the conflict were led by their own people. Just then, the sound of water in the washroom stopped. Karen immediately said to Peige, "Go take her the clothes." He was genuinely afraid Philomena might casually stroll out completely naked. That would seem entirely consistent with her habits. Perhaps at home she liked to be in the nude, staying close to the lightness of her dreams. Peige took the clothes and went in, then walked back out with a look of profound sorrow. "My clothes were actually a bit tight on her." Karen didn't take the bait. Peige continued, "She dresses far too conservatively on normal days. Even I misjudged her figure." "All right, go back to your work, Lady Peige." "Heh-heh." Peige stopped teasing Karen and turned to walk out. With her back to him, she patted her chest and let out a long breath of relief. Back when Karen had first joined the squad, she was teasing a fresh, handsome rookie. Now, she had to screw up her courage just to find an opportunity to relive that old feeling—except now, she was teasing her superior. Mm. Back then it was fun; now it was thrilling. Both were plenty entertaining. Philomena walked out and simply stood there. Muri knocked at the door. "Come in." Muri stepped inside. Karen checked the time and asked Muri, "The VIP car is still parked in the lot, right?" "Yes, Captain." "Good. Let's head out." *** Director Enzo sat inside his car while his secretary drove. Ahead was a lead car, where Old Coya sat in the passenger seat and instructed the driver, "Drive slowly. Road conditions haven't been good lately, so stay alert." "Yes, Section Chief." The two cars drove out of the headquarters building, closely followed by a VIP car. Tuned by Karen, the VIP car's stealth array had been activated, making tailing them much easier. The only drawback was that it made traffic accidents more likely. Not that it was a big issue; even if this car collided with a fully loaded heavy truck hurtling toward it at top speed, the built-in defensive array would prevent so much as a dent in the door, while the truck would be completely totaled. After all, it was a prized treasure Neo had spent a fortune to build, and its performance was unquestionable. As Muri drove, he asked, "Captain, when the convoy ahead gets ambushed, what exactly should we do?" "Play it by ear. No rush to get out of the car right away." "Understood, Captain." "By the way, have you two eaten?" Karen asked. Philomena answered, "When we left, it wasn't time for boxed meals yet." "Check the mini-fridge next to you and see if there's anything to eat." "There is." "Go ahead and eat. Don't hold back—the director's treating." In Neo's eyes, ordinary food definitely wasn't worthy of boarding his luxury ride. *** "My point is simple: later, every single one of you takes orders from me," Neo told the ten people before him. "You should all know full well who the target of this mercenary contract is, and what kind of danger we'll face if anything goes sideways. The bounty is generous, but we need to stay alive to spend it. And as for me..." Neo spread his palm, and a thick plume of the Fire of Light surged upward, declaring his identity to the rest. "As for me, I have the most extensive experience here. Understood?" "Understood. None of us would doubt a Light believer's experience in this field," Anita agreed first. Seeing this, the others chimed in with their agreement as well. Believers who once represented the Light were now synonymous with terrorists. Therefore, no one doubted their operational experience. Even the two black-robed men responsible for organizing the hit and paying the bounty nodded in assent. "Come on, let me assign your tasks now. Everyone gather round." The group huddled around Neo. Neo twitched his nose. From the two black-robed figures, he caught a familiar scent—an aura that others would find strange, but not him. These two black-robed men were long dead; they were currently in an Awakened state. For a family of the Norton family's caliber, keeping dead thralls was completely ordinary. *So they deliberately left two deep flaws here, huh? Heh.* Once Neo finished laying out the battle plan, one of the black-robed men asked, "Isn't this pushing too deep? You were hired by us, the Whip of Order, just to help stage an act, not to carry out a real assassination." "Even if it's an act, it has to be convincing, or else it looks totally fake. Once anything looks too fake, it fails to achieve its true purpose. Understand?" Confronted by the oppressive presence of Neo's face leaning close, the black-robed man finally nodded. "Still, I honestly find this hilarious. I never imagined that one day, I'd actually take on a mission from the Whip of Order, haha." "Please show some restraint." "Are you telling me how to do my job?" "No." "That's more like it." Neo wrapped his arms around the shoulders of the two black-robed men. "A rare collaboration like this—I hope it succeeds. That way, we can consider a bit of rapport and friendship established between me and your Whip of Order. If I get into trouble in the future, I hope you'll look the other way and let me off." "We will." "No problem." "Even though I know you're lying, I'm still deeply touched. By the way, everyone, once we collect our payment this time, be extra careful of the Whip of Order. They'll definitely look for a way to silence us." The atmosphere instantly grew awkward. "Well, not that it matters. This is the line of work we're in anyway, haha." The others forced awkward smiles. On Anita's shoulder, the little snowball Remer also swayed excitedly. The black-robed man received a black raven. Opening it and checking the message inside, he announced, "The target has departed." "Good. Everyone in position, prepare to move!" As they dispersed to take their positions, Neo came up beside Anita. The snowball leaped up and landed on Neo's shoulder, establishing a psychic bridge between its sister and Neo. "Remember, later you overturn the first car. Don't crush it into a pancake like you usually do." "I know." "Mm, good. Thanks for this time." "I just think it's utterly ridiculous. You're probably the strongest Light remnant in the Yorktown region right now, yet you work at the Whip of Order headquarters—and they actually tracked you down." "No, you're wrong." "Wrong?" If nothing unexpected had happened, the two strongest Light remnants in the Yorktown region both worked at the Whip of Order headquarters, in offices right across the hall from each other. It was just that Neo didn't want to reveal too much about Karen to outsiders. It didn't matter if he messed around recklessly himself; he had long mentally prepared himself to end his own life if his identity were ever exposed, but he refused to drag Karen down with him. "About the investigation into the God-Burial Grounds that you promised me..." "Oh, that'll have to be postponed a bit. A certain thing among us Light remnants came back not long ago. Do you know about the Fire Island incident?" "No." "Then I'll explain it to you in detail next time we meet. He carries the consciousness and power of several individuals, and that place is very active right now. I'm afraid that even if you Grave-Keepers find it, what awaits you won't be slumbering gods, but a mess of bizarre entities itching to use you as vessels. "I'm not lying to you. I mean every word." "Thank you. I can sense it—no, Remer can sense it." "Heh, trust me. This little thing may have certain special abilities, but it can't tell whether I'm telling the truth or lying. My mental fortitude is resilient beyond your imagination." "Remer told me you've grown much stronger than before." "Mm, yeah. Back then, bringing you down required trading blows. Now it would probably just dirty my clothes a bit." The snowball began to grow angry. "How did you do it? Improving your strength this fast?" "Mine counts as slow." Neo let out a long sigh. "Have you ever seen someone pick and choose between advancement opportunities like choosing clothing styles? I have." "That..." "Besides, I kind of regret gaining strength so fast now. I feel so lonely, so empty, like a child left behind." "Are you... professing your feelings to me?" "You flatter yourself." Neo shook his head. "You really are terrible at conversation. Sigh, I regret this. If I'd known, I wouldn't have come over here. Otherwise, I'd still have someone to chat with, and chatting with him wouldn't be this boring." "Is it a woman?" "You can shut up now, or when this is over, I'll bury you next to my wife." "I'm not afraid of being buried." "Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I'm honestly quite surprised. We only have a relationship of mutual exploitation—how did you go this far?" "I didn't send Remer to notify anyone; Remer went on its own. I was hijacked by my sister, understand? Otherwise, how could I possibly be here, cooperating with someone from the Church of Order like you... "Sigh, calling you someone from the Church of Order to your face feels so unnatural." "You'll get used to it." For the Grave-Keepers, what they hated most was the God of Order. Because back then, it was the God of Order who, single-handedly, flattened the God-Burial Grounds and banished them, completely severing the Grave-Keepers' heritage. "Is this little thing in heat?" Neo asked. "Mm. Toward that orator." "Oh, Alfred." "It likes Mr. Alfred. Very much." "Haha, interesting. But you should consider yourself fortunate. If not for this little thing tipping us off, I might have turned you into a corpse, used you as evidence, and dumped you wherever you belonged." "Aren't we supposed to have a relationship of mutual exploitation?" "Depends. We were back then; now, I don't have as much need for you." "You're truly cold-blooded." "That's Order for you, isn't it?" *** Sitting in the car, Old Coya kept drinking water, feeling somewhat nervous. He could have taken the initiative to step out of this whirlpool and stay far away from it, but there was no helping it. When a person reached his age, they no longer lived for themselves; what occupied their thoughts most was doing a little more for their descendants. "Drive slower. Slower still." "Section Chief, if we drive any slower, I'm worried the car behind us will start honking." Just as the words left his mouth, a tombstone burst from the ground ahead with a loud crash. The driver slammed on the brakes. Just as they were about to open the doors and get out, figures suddenly appeared on both sides, and two terrifying blasts of freezing power turned the car straight into an ice sculpture. Anita raised a hand, and the frozen car was flipped into the air. With a resounding clatter, it slammed down onto the ground. The security personnel inside the car had activated their defensive tools in advance to minimize their injuries as much as possible. Just as they prepared to burst through the doors, Old Coya whispered, "Nobody move. Let's see how things play out first." "Section Chief..." "But Section Chief..." "This is an order given to me by Director Enzo. Do not ruin his plan!" Old Coya had originally thought these youngsters would listen to him, lying low quietly until the danger passed before coming out. Besides, with him as team leader speaking up, shouldn't they find it even easier to obey? Yet these youngsters weren't even scared; they wanted to charge out and fight. Old Coya felt both gratified and helpless, having no choice but to invoke the director's orders to protect them. They were all fine young people. It would be a true pity for them to lose their lives here in such a senseless muddle. Once the Whip of Order grew better and better in the future, these youths wouldn't have to waste half their lives away in that cold, desolate office building like he once had. The curtain on the ambush had risen. Director Enzo sat inside his car without moving. All the security personnel in his car got out, engaging in battle with the attackers. A trace of guilt surfaced in Enzo's eyes. Then, just as his secretary prepared to take out a communication artifact to use, Enzo spoke: "Don't send any transmissions. All of this was arranged by me." "Director Enzo?" Enzo reached out and grabbed his secretary by the throat. "Don't hate me." *Snap.* The secretary's neck was broken. Looking at the corpse slumped in the seat, Enzo did not perform purification on him. A flaw had to be left so that he could be Awakened to speak the truth. Of course, he also knew that in the arrangements on the other side, there would certainly be more than one flaw. Just at that moment, Neo's figure broke through the battle lines ahead and appeared beside Enzo's car window. Since he was wearing a mask, however, he had no need to worry about being recognized. "Director Enzo, I'll help give you some injuries, and then you can make a quick escape." "Go ahead." Enzo closed his eyes and nodded. Neo reached out and thrust his hand toward Enzo's chest. Just as they were about to make contact, Enzo's eyes snapped open—he sensed killing intent! Yet it was too late for everything. No matter how powerful Enzo was, when facing an opponent of Neo's caliber, leaving his defenses completely open beforehand was an absolute, irrecoverable blunder. *Pfft!* A Sword of Light condensed from the palm of Neo's hand, piercing clean through Enzo's chest with virtually no resistance. The tip of the Sword of Light even thrust through the rear trunk of the car, leaving a long, molten furrow across the ground. With this strike, Neo had put forth his absolute full strength. Enzo raised his head with great difficulty, staring fixedly at Neo. "Director, Bishop Dolph said that only if you die will the plan appear sufficiently sincere." After confirming that Enzo was dead, Neo likewise did not perform purification on him. Instead, he withdrew his hand. Standing outside the car door, an arrogant yet suppressed chuckle escaped from beneath his mask: "Heh. Thinking you could play dirty with me."