Eliminating Tind in an Instant

In the cold grasp of Tind, the crosshairs within the black angel sniper scope trembled subtly over Kailey's head.

Suddenly, Tind caught a fleeting streak of red light. Instinctively, he raised his scope and aimed directly at the rooftop of the Brannum Corporation building. What struck him with shock was an infrared lock fixed squarely on his chest. But that was not all—the adversary wielded an enormous sniper rifle.

Another Black Angel.

In that fleeting moment of hesitation, Xiao Feng on the opposite floor fired without a second thought—a single, decisive shot aimed straight at Tind.

As a seasoned sniper, Tind's reflexes were razor-sharp. The instant he glimpsed the muzzle flash across the way, he twisted his body sharply, narrowly evading a fatal blow. Yet, the bullet still tore into his shoulder with devastating force, spinning violently as it ripped through flesh and bone, leaving a gaping wound that exposed raw bone.

Clutching his wounded shoulder, Tind collapsed onto the ground, cursing bitterly, "Damn it, there's a formidable opponent across the way."

Henry quickly lowered his body, dragging Tind to cover as a bullet tore through the rooftop's edge, striking the very spot where Tind had lain moments before. Had Henry not pulled him away, Xiao Feng's shot would have surely hit its mark again.

From his vantage point, Xiao Feng focused on the spot where Tind had fallen, magnifying the Black Angel's scope several times. Peering through the bullet-riddled hole, he found no sign of Tind's presence. His brow furrowed; he realized he had missed the perfect moment. Tracking Tind now would be a challenge. Into the earpiece, he barked at Rush, "Why aren't you on the rooftop yet? If you don't get up there soon, they'll slip away."

"Almost there. Those bastards must have shut off the elevator. We're scrambling up the stairs now," came the reply.

"Clever old foxes," Xiao Feng muttered.

On the rooftop, Henry pressed his left hand against Tind's wound, channeling his regenerative power to mend the injury. Frowning, he asked, "Did you identify the enemy?"

Tind shook his head. "No. All I saw was a Black Angel sniper rifle identical to mine."

"Black Angel?" Henry froze. "There are only supposed to be three—one with Athena, one locked away in Brannum's weapons display, and… how could there be a fourth?"

"No," Tind replied. "Only three were ever produced. Its power is overwhelming, so it was never issued to any army. If the enemy isn't Athena, then they must be from Brannum Corporation. And I can guarantee this isn't an ordinary marksman. To fire two shots in quick succession with this rifle—most couldn't handle the recoil."

Henry turned to Charles. "You've got one chance. Find out who that guy is."

Charles looked puzzled. "How am I supposed to do that?"

Tind handed Charles the Black Angel rifle. "Use the night vision scope. Move quickly. Don't let the sniper lock on to you for a sustained shot. Even with your rock abilities, you'll be in trouble."

Charles nodded solemnly, hoisting the rifle as he prepared to rise.

"Are you crazy? Don't stand there," Henry shouted. "Move somewhere safer. You're not trying to sacrifice both of us, are you?"

Charles darted a few steps aside, then suddenly rose up, peering through the scope at the opposite floor. In a flash, he caught the glimmer of a muzzle fire.

"Boom." The Black Angel's report echoed sharply in the still night.

A jagged scar appeared across Charles's forehead. Thankfully, he reacted quickly; otherwise, that shot would have been fatal.

Diving down, Charles rolled to one side just as a bullet whistled past, grazing his back. He couldn't afford to linger; he scrambled back to Henry, face grave. "I saw him. Do you know who it is?"

Henry's unease deepened. "Who?"

"Xiao Feng…"

Henry finished treating Tind's wound and growled, "That damn kid? Is he alone?"

Charles frowned. "Just him, but that's enough. He's a nightmare to handle alone, especially with a Black Angel in hand."

Henry's expression darkened. "Then we need to retreat."

"Agreed. I'll cover you." Tind, now somewhat recovered, reclaimed the Black Angel from Charles. "Go—run! I'll hold them off." Without hesitation, Tind leapt to his feet, firing wildly at Xiao Feng's last known position without aiming.

Then he ducked low and dashed sideways, firing another shot—both rounds missing as Xiao Feng had already vanished.

Xiao Feng was sprinting from a farther vantage. To an onlooker, his rooftop dash might seem inexplicable, but moments later he did something that stunned Tind.

Xiao Feng vaulted high—over five meters into the air.

For these towering skyscrapers, five meters was negligible, but for Xiao Feng, it was all he needed.

With this height, aided by his extraordinary vision, he spotted a faint trace of Tind's movement. Without hesitation, he fired. The bullet penetrated the rooftop wall, ripping through Tind's abdomen from right to left and embedding itself within the rooftop.

The shot was mortal—spinning at high velocity, it shredded Tind's internal organs, spraying blood across the floor.

Tind collapsed, wracked by unbearable pain, nearly losing consciousness.

Nearby, Henry cried out, "Tind!"

"Don't come closer…" Tind gasped.

At that moment, Xiao Feng soared again, locking onto Tind with the Black Angel. One final shot—a devastating headshot—ended Tind's life without mercy.

Charles and Henry froze in shock. Mere moments ago, Tind had vowed to cover their retreat; now he lay dead before them. Their shared bond made this loss all the more unbearable.

Enraged, Charles drew a pistol. "I'm going to take him down." He rose, aiming at Xiao Feng and unleashing a volley of shots. Charles's pistol was heavily modified—large and immensely powerful.

Bullets streaked toward Xiao Feng, who effortlessly dodged with swift strides.

"Charles, you want to die?" Henry shouted. "Get down!"

Charles emptied the magazine, only to be struck by a shot that shattered his shoulder, snapping his arm. His pistol fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

As Henry moved to assist, two figures appeared on the rooftop, rushing toward them—Rush and Tugu.

Henry frowned, drawing his pistol and firing, but Tugu absorbed the bullets with ease. The rounds left only a few holes in his black combat suit, causing no real damage.

Suddenly, Tugu's right hand revealed a thick barrel, aimed squarely at Henry, who barely had time to react before a massive net shot forth, engulfing him. Pulses of electricity surged through the net, paralyzing Henry instantly.

Charles, now one-armed, rose and charged at them. "I'll kill you!"

Rush summoned several psychic spikes around him, stabbing mercilessly at Charles, causing stones to shatter and fall from his body.

"Rock abilities?" Rush frowned.

Tugu smiled. "No worries. Leave this to me."

He tore off his combat suit, exposing armor plates on his shoulder and chest that suddenly opened. A dozen small missiles, thicker and longer than pens, fired out in a deadly volley at Charles.

The missiles trailed flames against the night sky, exploding upon impact with Charles's body.