BOOM—!!

  A black silhouette plummeted from the sky, slamming heavily into the ground behind the Captain.

  It was Kane.

  Utilizing the explosive power of The Predator, he had launched himself from the side of the abandoned warehouse, clearing a fifty-meter gap to land with pinpoint precision right at the Captain's back.

  The Captain’s reflexes were lightning-fast.

  He spun around violently, the mechanical arm of his exoskeleton swinging down toward Kane with a thunderous roar.

  But Kane was faster.

  He triggered [ Aerial Step ], his body pulling a jagged, unnatural angle in mid-air to appear instantly at the Captain's flank.

  The Cyclone pistol was pressed against the Captain’s temple.

  He pulled the trigger.

  BANG—!

  The Captain's helmet shattered, spraying blood and brain matter.

  The massive frame crashed to the ground.

  The remaining three squad members raised their rifles, unleashing a frantic hail of bullets at Kane.

  But Kane's silhouette had already vanished into the shadows.

  The explosive thrust of The Predator made his speed terrifying.

  He leaped frantically among the ruins, shifting his position with every landing.

  Bullets bit into the wreckage behind him, sending sparks flying.

  Not a single round found its mark.

  The three members soon emptied their magazines.

  The moment they reached to swap clips—

  Kane erupted from the darkness.

  He didn't use his gun.

  Instead, he relied entirely on the explosive force of The Predator, driving a kick toward the nearest squad member.

  BOOM—!

  The man’s chest caved in instantly. He was sent flying backward, slamming into a steel frame with enough force to twist the metal out of shape.

  The soldier's body slumped down, silent and still.

  The remaining two members broke completely.

  They threw down their rifles, turned, and bolted.

  But Kane gave them no chance.

  He triggered [ Aerial Step ], his body becoming a bolt of black lightning in mid-air as he instantly overtook one of them.

  The Cyclone pressed against the back of the man's head.

  Pull.

  BANG—!

  The final member hadn't even fled ten meters before Kane caught him.

  He raised his hands in desperation.

  "Don't kill me! I surren—"

  The words were cut short.

  Kane's muzzle was already against his forehead.

  Pull.

  BANG—!

  Silence reclaimed the night.

  Kane stood in the center of the ruins, drenched in blood.

  He looked down at his legs.

  The blue electric arcs on the surface of The Predator had dimmed.

  The agonizing neural load hit him again, more violent this time than ever before.

  The index and middle fingers of his right hand began to twitch with uncontrollable spasms, and the cold sweat on his forehead nearly soaked through his hood.

  But he didn't fall.

  He simply stood there, gasping for air.

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  "Six men. Thirty seconds."

  Kane calculated silently in his mind.

  "The neural load is even higher than during the training session... It seems live combat is indeed the fastest way to adapt."

  He looked at the corpses littering the ground.

  "Humans again. Not a single Essence Orb dropped."

  "A waste of a kill."

  From the shadows in the distance, Crag slowly emerged.

  He looked at the bodies, then at Kane.

  A rare look of shock crossed that stony face.

  "Kid," Crag rumbled. "You... you've grown stronger."

  Kane didn't answer.

  He simply turned and walked toward the corpses.

  He began to loot.

  Six bodies.

  Three standard rifles—market price 800 Kunlun Credits each, could fetch 2,000 as a bundle.

  Six sets of tactical armor—500 apiece, 3,000 for the lot.

  One set of military-grade exoskeleton—damaged, but the individual components could still pull in 5,000.

  And...

  Kane pulled the metal badge from the Captain’s waist.

  The emblem of Kunlun Corp’s "Security Division."

  He stared at the badge, his gaze frozen.

  "Codename B-07?"

  "I’ll remember the name you gave me."

  He tucked the badge into his vest.

  Crag hoisted the spoils of war, his voice low. "Where to next?"

  Kane didn’t answer immediately.

  Standing amidst the ruins, he looked toward the hazy silhouette of the city in the distance.

  The lights of Blackrock Town flickered in the night like a crouching behemoth.

  "Back to the trash compaction station first."

  Kane turned, vanishing into the darkness.

  "I need to confirm something."

  Early morning.

  The sky remained a leaden gray.

  Kane crouched in the deepest reaches of the trash compaction station, retrieving the S-Rank Data Core—wrapped in layers of anti-radiation cloth—from the semi-buried iron control box.

  He weighed it in his hand before stuffing it into a hidden pocket at his waist.

  Crag stood guard nearby, his massive frame blocking out the morning light.

  "Kid, are we being watched?"

  Kane shook his head and pulled out the encrypted communicator.

  "Not yet, but soon."

  He dialed Kyrie’s channel.

  Kyrie’s violent roar erupted from the device.

  "You’re still fucking alive?!"

  Kane ignored his tone.

  "I’m leaving Blackrock Town."

  The other end went silent for a few seconds.

  Kyrie’s voice dropped low.

  "You’ve stirred up a hornet's nest."

  "Kunlun Corp put out a city-wide warrant for you."

  "Bounty: 200,000 Kunlun Credits."

  "Dead or alive."

  Kane narrowed his eyes.

  "Two hundred thousand?"

  A cold smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

  "I guess I’m worth something in their eyes after all."

  Kyrie didn’t play along.

  "Every exit out of Blackrock Town is being watched by Kunlun’s dogs."

  "If you want out, your only shot is the 'Rat Run'—the underground tunnel network used by scavengers and smugglers. The entrance is in the black market under Ribcage Bridge."

  "But it’s a den of vipers."

  "Once word of your bounty spreads, everyone down there will want your head on a platter."

  Kane cut the transmission.

  He didn’t move immediately. He stood in place and closed his eyes.

  Three seconds later, he opened them.

  "Crag, stay close."

  Ribcage Bridge.

  This makeshift bridge, constructed from the wreckage of Old World aircraft, spanned a dry riverbed.

  A swarm of scavengers and black-market dealers congregated beneath it. The air was thick with the stench of machine oil, sweat, and cheap tobacco.

  Kane pulled his hood low and melted into the crowd.

  Crag followed behind; his massive presence drew plenty of stares, but no one dared to strike up a conversation.

  Kane’s eyes swept across every corner of the black market.

  Three arms stalls.

  两个 underground clinics for cybernetic modification.

  And...

  His gaze settled on an abandoned shipping container at the very back of the market.

  The container door was ajar, revealing a pitch-black interior.

  But Kane could see a flight of stairs leading downward inside.

  That was the entrance to the Rat Run.

  Kane was about to move toward it when he suddenly came to a halt.

  He turned his head to look behind him.

  A lean, middle-aged man stood not far away, his gaze drifting—seemingly at random—across Kane and Crag.

  The man wore patched-up protective gear and carried a massive rucksack.

  Kane narrowed his eyes.

  Hanging from the side of the man’s pack was a Kunlun Corp metal badge. Though it had been intentionally scuffed and worn down, Kane still recognized the insignia.

  A Kunlun Corp spotter.

  Kane didn't show any outward reaction and continued toward the shipping container. But just as he was about to step inside, the lean man quickened his pace and approached him.

  "Hold on."

  Kane stopped and turned to face him.

  The lean man lowered his voice.

  "You're 'Ghost,' right?"

  Kane didn't answer.

  The man smirked. "Relax, I'm not with Kunlun."

  "I’m one of Felix’s men. He sent me to take you through the 'Grey Channel.'"

  Kane stared him down. "Felix? I never contacted him."

  The man blinked, then his grin grew even wider. "Felix knew you’d come to Ribcage Bridge, so he had me wait here in advance. He said if you’re willing to pay 100,000 credits, he can get you out safely."

  Kane fell silent for a few seconds. "One hundred thousand?"

  The man nodded. "That’s right. One hundred thousand. Plus, you owe him a free mission later."

  Kane let out a cold laugh. "Felix certainly has an ambitious business model."

  The man shrugged. "No choice. Kunlun’s people are everywhere. If you want to leave Blackrock Town in one piece, you need Felix’s network."

  Kane said nothing more. He turned and stepped into the shipping container, vanishing into the darkness.

  The lean man hesitated for a moment before following him in.

  But the instant he stepped inside—

  A hand shot out from the dark, clamping onto his throat with a death grip.

  The man’s pupils contracted. He tried to struggle, but the strength in that hand was staggering. Kane’s face emerged from the shadows, his eyes as cold as blades.

  "One of Felix's men?"

  "Then why the hell do you have a Kunlun Corp badge hanging off your pack?"

  The man’s face went bone-white. "I... I can explain..."

  Kane didn't give him the chance.

  He applied a sudden, violent burst of pressure.

  Crack—

  The man’s neck snapped, and his body slumped to the floor.

  Kane released his grip and rummaged through the rucksack until he found an encrypted communicator. An unsent message flickered on the screen:

  [ Target confirmed. Entering the Rat Run. Requesting backup. ]

  Kane stared at the message, his gaze turning even more frigid.

  "Definitely a Kunlun spotter."

  "Felix..."

  He crushed the communicator and tossed it to the ground.

  Crag stepped out from the gloom, looking at the corpse. "Kid, did Felix betray you?"

  Kane shook his head. "It wasn't a betrayal."

  "It was a test."

  "Felix wanted to see if I was worth the risk of helping. If I couldn't even see through a clumsy test like this, I wouldn't be worth his effort."

  Crag was silent for a moment. "So, what now?"

  Kane turned and headed deeper into the shipping container.

  "We stick to the plan."

  "If Felix is testing me, it means he hasn't decided to sell me out to Kunlun yet. At least... not yet."

  His silhouette vanished into the depths of the tunnel, leaving behind a final, icy remark.

  "But if he decides to get cute..."

  "I'll make sure he realizes that a 200,000-credit head isn't that easy to claim."

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