Chapter 142: Rice’s Predicament, Part II

The alliance soldier was swiftly sent flying by Xiao Feng's powerful kick, crashing back into the very room he had emerged from with a loud thud.

Without hesitation, Xiao Feng followed, bursting into the chaotic scene where soldiers were engrossed in a noisy card game. Their merriment abruptly ceased as they stared in stunned silence at the shadow that had just slipped through the doorway. "Who are you?" one demanded, trembling.

"What's your purpose here?"

Gripping his alloy blade firmly, Xiao Feng commanded, "Remain still, all of you. One false move, and you're dead."

At that moment, a soldier cursed, "Damn you, who do you think you are?" and raised his automatic rifle.

Before he could pull the trigger, a sudden surge of psychic energy erupted behind Xiao Feng. A bullet, propelled at unnatural speed, pierced the soldier's forehead with surgical precision. The man gasped once and crumpled lifelessly.

Witnessing the instantaneous decapitation by such a mysterious power, the remaining soldiers froze in terrified silence, no longer daring to utter a word.

Xiao Feng brandished his alloy blade, ordering, "Take me to the mercenaries captured earlier today."

Eyes shifted toward a timid soldier clutching a deck of playing cards. He glanced around nervously and protested, "Why me?"

The others fixed him with accusatory stares. Resigned, he set the cards down and led them out. From his submissive expression, Xiao Feng discerned that this poor soul was frequently the target of bullying.

As Xiao Feng turned to leave, he instructed Rush, "Make sure they behave."

Instantly, an overwhelming wave of psychic energy radiated from Rush, rendering every soldier present unconscious in an instant.

The guide, now visibly trembling, dared not utter a word as he led them through the compound to the holding cells where Rice and the others were imprisoned.

"Boss, please don't kill me..." the soldier stammered. "We were only following orders from higher-ups to capture them. I warned them not to seize those psychics, but they wouldn't listen. Now we've got ourselves into serious trouble. Please... who are you exactly? Tell me."

Xiao Feng listened to the rambling soldier, realizing why he was so often bullied. If he had to endure living with such a nagging fool daily, he would surely lose his mind.

The trembling soldier led them to the cell. As the guards inside saw the two armored strangers, they instinctively raised their rifles. But before their fingers could squeeze the triggers, Rush's psychic assault exploded, dispatching them with fatal precision.

Xiao Feng approached the cell door, cleaving the iron lock with a single stroke of his blade. With a forceful kick, he flung open the door.

Inside, Rice and the other captives looked up. Upon seeing Xiao Feng clad in black armor, they instantly understood—they had come to rescue them.

Xiao Feng strode to the bound Rice and chuckled, "Rice, your new look is quite something. Are chains the latest fashion trend?"

"Cut it out, you little punk! Stop mocking me and get me out of here—I want revenge!"

With a swift slash, Xiao Feng severed Rice's bonds, then freed the others. Many faces were unfamiliar, and Rice explained, "These are the mercenaries I recently recruited. After the alliance soldiers found us, they wouldn't let us leave and threw us all in here."

"But I'm puzzled," Xiao Feng said. "You're a Level 3 psychic. There shouldn't be anyone in this compound who can defeat you, right?"

Rice snarled, "There is—a Level 5 psychic stationed in this barracks, with both strength and speed attributes. I was knocked out before I could even react!"

Xiao Feng smiled knowingly. "I see. Let's go deal with him."

Turning to the mercenaries, he ordered, "Wait here. We'll take care of that monster and come back for you."

The mercenaries nodded in agreement. After all, the foe they had encountered was no mere soldier, but a beast.

Rice grabbed a fallen alliance soldier's rifle and dashed off in a direction.

Meanwhile, in one of the barracks' rooms, a man in a Level 2 sergeant's uniform was sharing drinks with a burly figure clad in a military green vest. Each was accompanied by a scantily clad woman.

Particularly striking was the woman beside the man in the vest—dressed only in lingerie, her ample curves, fair skin, and flowing golden hair made her appear irresistibly alluring despite her otherwise ordinary features.

"Harry, what do you think? Is this beauty to your liking?" the sergeant sneered.

Harry, the muscular man in the vest, laughed heartily, slipping his hand inside the woman's bra, greedily fondling her plush curves, distorting them with his grasp. "She's perfect for me. The only question is whether she can withstand my advances!"

"Well, Harry, be gentle—don't wear out my precious jewel!"

Though the golden-haired woman winced in pain and tears threatened to spill, she forced a smile as she clung to Harry.

Watching her helpless expression, a fiery desire surged within Harry. He grasped her chin and leaned in for a kiss.

Suddenly, the door burst open. Rice stormed in, rifle raised, aiming squarely at Harry. He squeezed the trigger.

Hearing the noise, Harry glanced at Rice and dragged the woman under the table just in time.

Bullets tore into the spot where Harry had been sitting, shattering wood into splinters.

From beneath the table, Harry cursed fiercely, then rolled across the floor and launched a powerful punch at Rice's jaw.

Though the movements seemed straightforward, to Rice's eyes, Harry had multiplied into several afterimages. Before Rice could react, the blow struck hard, sending him flying backward...