ibal

  "This time attag the Abyss Humanitarian Relief anizatio five chicks, two trucks of syic food, and four medical devices. This is just part of it. Boss, if we go a few more times, we'll definitely strike it rich!"

  The White Fang gang leader listeo his subordinate's report and sneered:

  "Two trucks of food and a few chicks, and you're all over the moon? What a disgrace. This time attag the Abyss Humanitarian Relief anization, we lost quite a few men. That female warrior was formidable. Ask yourself, you shoot her down?"

  Although he said this, the smile on his face betrayed his good mood.

  The loot was substantial this time, enough supplies to st them a while.

  Ier nds with no seasonal ges, surviving day by day was the norm.

  Uhe simple refugees in the Silk Silver settlement, the White Fang gang were anized and purposeful marauders.

  Robbery is an art. Knowing whom to rob and whom to leave alone for sustainable plundering is the key to long-term stability.

  These ral settlements produce very ineffitly, not worth robbing, and attag them disrupts their rest and recovery.

  Also, attag ral wanderers might spread news far and wide, leading to their expulsion and attacks from all dires.

  However, targeting the Abyss Humanitarian Relief anization, the four nations' outposts, or outer nd warlord towns was entirely different.

  Even ued outer nd people would admire the White Fang gang for attag the four nations and warlords.

  Of course, this was idealistic; they weren't rebels. In dire straits, they couldn't care less.

  "But we did gain a lot this time. I should improve our strength before returning to the Abyss Humanitarian Relief anization."

  The leader felt eager.

  This time, they only reached the first yer, looting a small part of ters, wards, and facilities, yet the gains were signifit. If they could capture the entire refuge... maybe the White Fang gang could transform into a warlord fa.

  Development is crucial; no one wants to live in stant danger. Outer nd people don't have lofty ideals; they live day by day.

  pared to warlord towns with nuclear facilities and industries extrag resources from civilians, these bandit caravans were insignifit.

  To stabilize these outer nd bosses for easier exploitation by the four nations, the four nations provided far more military aid than they could imagine.

  While the leader fantasized about anding an army and chatting with experts from the four nations, a subordinate rushed in, quickly rep:

  "Boss! The ibal is here!"

  "The ibal!?" The leader's face ged in surprise: "Why is he in the Silk Silver settlement?"

  Before he finished, a chilling presenveloped the tent, the fire flickered, casting shadows. Despite being indoors, the leader and his subordinates shivered.

  It wasn't the cold but a fear etched in their genes.

  Before the iion of bows and arrows, a humans had no defense against predatory birds desding from the sky, only fleeing or watg helplessly as children were snatched away. This fear embedded in their blood made them instinctively react simirly.

  Before they could look up from their fear, a gender-ral voice sounded:

  "Living well, aren't you, Zhu Baiya."

  The White Fang leader stood up abruptly, eyes deep as he stared ahead.

  The tent fp lifted, and a tall figure shrouded in a bck robe ducked inside, his pointed helmet puncturing the tent.

  "ibal..."

  Zhu Baiya forced a fttering smile, immediately stepping forward:

  "Your esteemed presence, why didn't you notify us in advance?"

  "Oh? In the White Fang gang, a Beta-css superhumao report to Boss Zhu before doing anything?"

  The ibal ughed sharply, the cameras on his four-eyed mask gleaming mogly. He raised his sharp cws, resting them on his waist, lifting his robe to reveal the armor and steel ptes underh.

  The White Fang gang members wideheir eyes: this tall Beta-css powerhouse wore a full set of Frost-Pted Republic's level six bat engineer armor!

  This 400-kilogram protective suit was made of advanced posite materials: yered Kevr, high-strength ceramics, alloy ptes, and foamed metal.

  The chest armor alone was an astounding 40 timeters thick, looking like a beast's head.

  This meant even a direct hit from a 105mm ight not pee it.

  Typically, such armor required a powered exoskeleton and a cooling system, but the ibal's flesh supported it all.

  pared to his thick, rhino-like body, the armor seemed as snug as autumn clothing.

  Standing there, the ibal's sheer presence made the White Fang gang, armed with firearms, feel like they had reverted to primitive apes fag sabertooth tigers and terror crocodiles—desperate and powerless.

  "Hahaha... What are you saying! How could I and you? The White Fang gang serves you, and we have to be alert to provide you with the best service."

  Zhu Baiya ughed, showing a mouthful of bck teeth, and moved on from the topic.

  "Smooth talker, but it's your strength."

  The ibal didn't sit. He raised his sharp cws, gently rubbing them together, the cold gleam making the gang members' hearts skip a beat, but he only said calmly:

  "I don't care about yains or discoveries at the Abyss Humanitarian Relief anization—how's the task I assigned you?"

  "To be ho, we didn't capture any infants at the Abyss Humanitarian Relief anization, but I sent Zonia and others to the Silk Silver settlement. They should have results soon."

  Zhu Baiya spoke cautiously. A Beta-css superhuman was elite even in the four nations. How many outer nd people could reach this level?

  The ibal cimed to be an outer nder, but his equipment and power bore strong four nations' marks.

  Zhu Baiya dared not provoke such a figure. Even if the ibal spared him, his four nations' backers wouldn't.

  "Smart answer. No rush, I have plenty of time now." The ibal was uned.

  Zhu Baiya's eyes flickered.

  This meeti different; the ibal wasn't in a hurry, seemingly just passing by.

  "There will always be babies and bread."

  The ibal chuckled, his dual-filter respirator mask c his face, making his expression unreadable.

  He paced slowly ient, casually asking:

  "How are the two odities?"

  Zhu Baiya, relieved by the topic ge, quickly answered:

  "The sister's bat strength is det but not brave enough. In this attack, Zonia severely injured an Alpha-css female warrior, which is endable."

  "Haven't tried the brother?"

  The ibal chuckled:

  "He should be more useful than the sister."

  "He's my trump card." Zhu Baiya said fidently: "With him, I rise again even if I lose everything. How I use him so easily here?"

  "Oh? Really? I think you're wary of Zonia."

  The ibal's eyes gleamed:

  "A suggestion: bring the brother ime you attack the Abyss Humanitarian Relief anization."

  "Those women are already broken—"

  "No, you only defeated Nurse Nordly, a warrior. Assistant Physi Anna is far more terrifying."

  Zhu Baiya dared not ighe ibal's advid nodded:

  "In that case, I'll bring Yohui ime. We'll capture the refuge. You take all the teical data."

  "Haha... But I see greed in your eyes."

  The ibal spread his arms, produg a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy like a magic trick.

  Zhu Baiya's eyes were glued to the boy as if magized.

  The boy was bald, without eyebrows or shes, hairless, and stared bnkly ahead.

  "He's different."

  Zhu Baiya said solemnly:

  "Previous odities retained some humanity and intelligence, but he feels like a cold, precise, deadly revolver."

  "You're right."

  The ibal smiled:

  "This is the third-geion Camity Armament, matg the Frost-Pted Republic's military-grade impnts and warriors. The sister and brother's issues do in him; you use him freely."

  "After all, he's a pure on."

  Like a devil, he enticed:

  "Isn't wielding your own power better than having others fight for you?"

  Zhu Baiya realized the boy's true use.

  "Not cheap, I suppose?"

  "Fourteen more infants on top of the inal price; you pay in installments."

  Zhu Baiya instinctively objected:

  "That's too expensive. We've already captured some infants; we 't stay in the Silk Silver settlement. This will cost us more resting pces..."

  "But you'll gain your own true power."

  "Lord ibal, with all due respect, capturing infants is bad enough. Ier nds, newborns are highly valued—"

  "Mr. Zhu Baiya."

  The ibal's mask eyes squinted into crests, appearing cute ale:

  "For home invasion victims, private guns are more effective than calling the police."

  "Do you think, after capturing the Abyss Humanitarian Relief anization and monopolizing medical supplies, angs will let you dominate?"

  "I..."

  "The White Fang gang isn't the only group eyeing the Abyss Humanitarian Relief anization. Others are more professional, better equipped. They value their reputation and won't attack a humanitarian anization."

  He raised his fan-like cw, patting Zhu Baiya's shoulder, mentioning another name:

  "The Rose Army."

  Zhu Baiya's eyes narrowed, then he said solemnly:

  "I'll take it!"

  "Wise choice."

  The ibal pushed the boy towards Zhu Baiya:

  "As usual, I'll need some deposit."

  Zhu Baiya's face darkened. He raised his meical left hand, pressing his neck, and whispered into the unicator:

  "Bring the twnant women captured at Housong Town."

  "Boss!" A subordinate protested: "That's killing the golden goose; the pregnant women are valuable..."

  "You 't catch wolves without risking kids."

  Zhu Baiya decided:

  "We must capture the Abyss Humanitarian Relief anization. Besides, the Rose Army won't attack a humanitarian anization. If we take it, they 't kill us all. Even if they try, the four nations won't—"

  Bang!

  A loud crash outside interrupted, and the ibal slightly turned.

  Vroom—screech!

  A moment ter, an off-road vehicle burst into the tent, tearing the fabric. The bright headlights blinded everyone.

  As blood and snow-mud-covered tires approached, they heard Nomi's triumphant ugh from the driver's seat:

  "Scum, bastards, filth, your Rose Army grandpa is here!!!"

  FAL