Chapter 25: Don't Kill Humans, But They Aren't Humans!

The seasoned policeman also sensed that something was amiss.

He walked towards the van.

As he passed the young officer, he casually patted him on the shoulder.

But the young officer stood rooted to the spot, his gaze vacant and dazed, the credentials still held in his hand.

The older policeman casually took the credentials and brought them closer for a better look.

He stiffened momentarily, then did a sharp military salute towards the special forces soldier in the driver's seat.

"Please proceed!"

The soldier gave a nod, placed both hands back on the steering wheel, and drove off.

The vehicle's path remained somewhat erratic, weaving slightly as it departed.

His eyes followed the van until it disappeared into the distance. The old policeman then nudged the young officer beside him.

Thump!

The young officer collapsed to the ground soundly.

The old policeman stared, stunned, at his junior lying on the ground, eyes rolled back white.

It took him a good while to snap out of it. He hurriedly helped the young officer up, pressing his thumb hard against the philtrum below the young man's nose.

He held the pressure for a full five minutes before the young officer's eyes slowly regained their focus.

"Ugh!"

The moment he came to, the young officer doubled over, retching dryly onto the ground.

The old policeman patted his back.

"What's wrong with you, kid? Why did you suddenly pass out?"

After the young officer finished retching, he looked up at the old policeman, his eyes welling with tears.

He shook his head, his expression utterly bewildered.

"I... I don't know what happened. I just blacked out suddenly!"

Hearing his answer, the old policeman's face grew solemn.

"Could it be... you've been possessed by something evil?"

A flicker of fear crossed the young officer's face at these words.

…………

Outside the manor, in a concealed spot.

An ambulance emblazoned with the words "The No. 1 Psychiatric Hospital in Magic Metropolis" was parked.

Inside the vehicle, Little Rain held a tablet, her voice low and serious.

"Captain! Are the forces attacking... our own people?"

Dart shook his head.

"No. Other Warden squads have intervened."

Little Rain's fingers flew across the tablet's screen.

"According to satellite feedback, three squads are assaulting the villa!"

Dart said grimly, "Can you trace their identity codes?"

Every member of a Warden squad had a unique identity code.

The Wardens' satellites could detect these codes to determine which Asylum a squad originated from.

Little Rain's fingers danced across the tablet, her delicate eyebrows knitted tightly together.

"Captain! I can't! Their identity codes are being blocked by some special method!"

Listening to the gunfire outside, Dart's expression darkened.

"Bastards! They're using live rounds!"

There was a subtle difference in the sound of live ammunition compared to tranquilizer rounds.

Dart's trained ear caught this distinct difference perfectly.

Hearing this, Slick couldn't contain his indignation.

"Captain! Why are we stuck with tranquilizer rounds while they get to use live ammo?"

"Which Asylum are they from? I'm filing a complaint as soon as we get back!"

By now, Dart's frown had deepened considerably.

"They're probably not Wardens from China."

Within the Chinese Warden organization, there was an unwritten rule:

Live ammunition was not to be used against civilians.

Cross-referencing this with the intel provided by the Doctor, Dart was certain these three squads were definitely not any unit from the Chinese Wardens.

Glimmer's eyes were shadowed.

"Captain, are you saying foreign Wardens have infiltrated, trying to snatch the target?"

Dart nodded, his voice heavy.

"That's the only possibility."

Slick immediately became restless, anger rising in his voice.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go kick their asses!"

Dart shook his head.

"The Doctor's top-priority mission directive is to disrupt their operation, with containing the target being secondary!"

"Then what's the hold-up? Let's go disrupt it now!"

Slick stood up, clutching his rifle.

Dart shook his head again.

"They're still assaulting the villa's perimeter. It's not the optimal time to move yet."

Hearing Dart's words, Slick sat back down in frustration.

Glimmer patted Slick's shoulder, his voice steady.

"Follow orders."

His expression seemed calm, but the faint tremor in his hand on Slick's shoulder betrayed his true emotions completely.

Slick said nothing, silently picking up a cloth and beginning to clean the rifle in his arms.

The other squad members also stared silently at their own weapons.

 Nearby, Lu Xiao looked curiously at the tablet in Little Rain's hands.

"Hey, miss. What's that thing called?" he asked, pointing at the tablet.

Little Rain paused for a moment before answering.

"This is called 'Artificial Intelligence'."

Lu Xiao grinned.

"Can I play with it?"

Little Rain shook her head.

Lu Xiao wasn't annoyed. He didn't necessarily want to play with the Artificial Intelligence that badly; it just looked somewhat similar to the tablet computers from his memory, and he was curious to see it.

But since Little Rain refused, he let it drop. After all, as a upstanding five-star  citizen, strong-arming someone was clearly wrong.

Meanwhile, the battle inside the manor was reaching a fever pitch.

By now, dozens of bodyguard corpses littered the garden.

The three Warden squads were clearly working together, their coordination flawless.

They had suffered zero casualties so far.

Some bodyguards had already fallen back to defend the interior of the villa.

Many more had taken advantage of the chaos to flee the manor altogether.

They were, after all, just here for a job, not to lay down their lives.

"Captain! They've begun assaulting the villa itself! The villa is estimated to fall within five minutes!" 

Little Rain's voice reported.

Dart pondered for a moment before issuing the order.

"Check your equipment. After they exit the villa, we will intercept them."

Glimmer's voice was cold, his eyes sharp.

"Tranquilizer rounds or live ammo?"

As he spoke, he had already ejected the magazine filled with tranquilizer darts.

His attitude was clear.

In an instant, everyone's eyes except Lu Xiao's fixed on Dart.

Dart's gaze swept over each member of his squad. 

He then gritted his teeth.

"Live rounds."

Hearing Dart's words, it was as if everyone had found an outlet for their pent-up emotions.

Immediately, the vehicle was filled with the sound of magazines being clicked into place.

Slick even threw his discarded tranquilizer magazine to the floor, stomped on it twice, and spat on it for good measure.

Lu Xiao chose this moment to tug at Dart's sleeve.

"Hey, mate, need me to step in?" he asked, pointing at his own nose.

Dart thought for a second.

"Mr. Lu Xiao, I need you to follow my command."

Lu Xiao nodded, then offered a friendly smile.

"I have one more question."

Dart met Lu Xiao's lifeless, fish-like eyes.

"Go ahead."

Lu Xiao stuck out his tongue, licking the corner of his mouth.

Moonlight streamed through the window, falling on his face, making those dead fish eyes appear particularly terrifying.

"Can I kill people?"

Hearing Lu Xiao's question, all eyes once again snapped toward Dart.

Dart's gaze was dark and severe. He spoke each word coldly and clearly.

"Don't kill humans!"

" But they aren't humans!"

PS: Just a quick note here. It's not that Dart's squad lacks combat prowess. They could have achieved the same result assaulting the villa with live ammunition. But facing their own countrymen, their conscience wouldn't allow them to use lethal force. Furthermore, Dart's desire to avoid casualties was the primary reason they chose to withdraw after entering the villa initially. Please go easy on the criticism!

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