Asura in Arknights

Although he was furious about what had happened to Adele, Leon still retained some rationality. If he killed these people, how could he guarantee his safe departure from the town?

Moreover, it was Adele, not him, who was qualified to deal with these people.

Ignoring their angry glares, Li Ang stepped over them and walked straight up to Adele.

"Adele, are you alright?"

Those people didn't seem to have had a chance to make a move, but just to be on the safe side, Li Ang still inquired about Adele's condition.

"I...I'm fine."

Adele sounded somewhat haggard, but this was mostly due to psychological trauma. Before those people could even make a move, Li Ang managed to subdue them in time.

"I'm glad you're alright. I'm so glad I got here in time. So, what should we do with these guys? Should we kill them?"

When they heard that Li Ang was going to kill them, the anger in their eyes turned into fear. However, their strength was not enough to break free from the binding of the Originium particles. The power was evenly distributed in every corner of their bodies, and these slightly trained militiamen could not possibly break free.

Adele grabbed Leon's sleeve and slowly shook her head. "Don't hurt them. They...didn't do anything wrong."

"Mayor, please give me some time. I will leave here once I have packed my bags."

Although Adele had said she would let these people go, Leon did not intend to let them leave so easily.

After looking around, Li Ang finally focused on the window in the corridor next to him.

With a thought, the Originium microparticles covering the abdomen of the guards were detonated. With a series of muffled sounds, the guards smashed through the glass and flew out of the windows one by one.

The man who appeared to be the town mayor's eyes flickered, as if he wanted to say something, but Li Ang didn't give him a chance to speak at all, and simply detonated the Originium Particles, causing him to follow in the footsteps of the previous people.

The impact to the abdomen, while not fatal, was enough to cause them discomfort for some time.

The way the guards and the mayor made their entrance shocked the onlookers, and even the malice that was constantly gathering in the air seemed to have faded considerably at that moment.

The atmosphere here is no longer as oppressive as before. Having lost its source of power, the silt built by evil thoughts is also dissipating. If things continue to develop in the same direction, something terrible might emerge in the end.

The commotion outside continued for a while, but in the end, the mayor still couldn't muster the courage to lead his men up. The fear of being unable to control their own destiny had been deeply imprinted in their hearts.

The mayor simply uttered a few harsh words, telling Adele and Leon to get out of the town by the end of the day, before leaving in a sorry state with his men.

Looking back at Adele, Leon couldn't help but give a somewhat helpless smile. "It seems we need to leave here as soon as possible."

"……Um."

……

Without the town mayor leading the way, the townspeople who had been watching lost some of their confidence and soon began to leave, and the streets returned to tranquility once again.

Adele was packing her luggage in her room, while Leon stood guard at the door to prevent any fools from causing trouble. Just then, Dr. Kent came up to them.

"Dr. Kent? What are you doing here?"

"You're still my patient. After something so serious happened, it's only natural that I had to check on you. It seems you've already decided to leave with Adele?"

Li Ang nodded.

That's complete nonsense. Although things happened somewhat suddenly, if he doesn't leave with Adele, does he intend to stay in this small town?

You have to understand that Li Ang is also infected, and he doesn't have Adele's good temper. He can't tolerate those people's insults and slander without taking action. In that case, it won't be as simple as a few people being thrown out of the window.

“It’s good that you’re leaving. This wretched place isn’t suitable for you to stay here.” Dr. Kent shook his head. “Your body is mostly fine now. Just remember the points I mentioned before, and that will be enough.”

"Oh, and this is for you too."

As he spoke, Dr. Kent shoved a long object into Leon's arms.

"What is this?" Li Ang frowned and asked.

"This is a gift for you," Dr. Kent said with a smile. "It's quite sturdy; you can use it as a weapon without any problem."

Is this... a walking stick?

What Dr. Kent handed to Li Ang was a long-handled cane made of some unknown metal. It was heavier than he had imagined, but he wasn't blind, so why would he need this junk?

After hesitating for a moment, Li Ang accepted Dr. Kent's 'gift'.

Recalling Dr. Kent's warning to him during their first meeting, this gift shouldn't be so simple. As for what secrets this cane holds, he can only study it slowly when he has time in the future.

"Pack your things and get out of here quickly," Dr. Kent sighed. "If we linger any longer, someone might do something really stupid."

"I see."

"Poor mountains and bad waters breed unruly people," and the residents of this small town have clearly been categorized as such by Li Ang. He wouldn't be surprised if they did something stupid now, and if he didn't want the conflict to escalate further, it would be better for them to leave as soon as possible.

“Also, before you leave, there’s something I need to remind you of,” Dr. Kent said in a low voice. “Don’t you think something’s not quite right?”

Then, Dr. Kent told Li Ang about his previous speculations about the whistleblower.

"This might just be my imagination, but you'd better be careful."

Li Ang's gaze sharpened immediately, and he replied in a deep voice, "Thank you, I will be careful."

Chapter Sixteen: The Mist (3K)

After beating up a few brainless idiots, no one came looking for trouble anymore. Sometimes, this kind of violent approach is more straightforward and can more directly show those people the consequences of causing trouble.

Adele packed her bags safely and left Duva with Leon in their car.

But before they had driven far out of the town, someone blocked their only way.

Li Ang gestured to Adele, indicating that she should stay in the car while he went down to check the situation.

Adele is like a mage in a game; physically fragile, but wielding devastating Originium Arts. For this type of person, close-range attacks are their Achilles' heel.

Li Ang is like a magic swordsman. Although his Originium Arts are not as good as Adele's, his body is by no means weak. After all, not everyone can be hit by a half-ton house and be completely unharmed.

Even from a great distance, Li Ang recognized the person blocking his way, but he didn't know why they were there.

It was Noyce who blocked their way.

"Noyce... thank you for your earlier reminder, but is there something else you want to do by stopping us now?"

Li Ang had to admit that Noyce's reminder had helped him a lot. If he had arrived any later, who knows what might have happened? Whether the security team attacked Adele or Adele retaliated, things would have turned out badly.

The outcome of having Li Ang take action was just right; it neither escalated the situation nor prevented them from leaving Duwa Town safely.

“I’ve brought you some things,” Noyce said, pointing to several small boxes at his feet. “You probably haven’t had time to prepare food, so these are what I’ve prepared for you.”

Because Adele's infected status was revealed so suddenly, they had no time to prepare what they needed for their trip.

Traveling in Terra is not as convenient as in Leon's hometown. Away from towns and villages, the outside world is a true wilderness. In addition, with the widespread Originium pollution, even suitable food and water are hard to find.

Of course, if you don't mind contracting some unknown disease, it's best not to eat wild things indiscriminately.

Therefore, the most important supplies when going out are food and water. According to Adele's plan, the food on the vehicle will last them for a while. They just need to reach the nearest settlement before the food runs out, but they need to use it sparingly.

The food sent by Neuss, while insufficient to sustain them until they reached Brandenburg, greatly alleviated the food shortage.

However... after hearing what Dr. Kent said, Leon was extremely wary of everything in Dua Town. Even if the mayor agreed to let them buy food in town, Leon would try to persuade Adele to give up the idea.

Noyce was born and raised in Duva, where his wife and children also live. He has an inseparable connection with the town. What would happen to Noyce if the townspeople found out that he was secretly helping the infected?

Li Ang felt that Noyce wouldn't risk being looked down upon all the time just to deliver such a small amount of stuff.

How did Noyce feel after sending out these supplies?

Fear, and guilt, but the magnitude of fear far exceeds that of guilt.

Sure enough, there was something wrong... Sensing emotions is indeed a powerful cheating tool. Li Ang noticed Noyce's odd behavior in an instant. Even his previous warnings were probably just a prelude to make Li Ang trust his words more.

"Thank you for your help."

Li Ang calmly picked up the food and said, "You should go back too. If someone finds you here, it will be difficult for you to go back."

Noyce's Adam's apple bobbed, but he ultimately didn't voice his true thoughts.

Please be careful on the road.

……

Looking at the dust kicked up by the wheels, Noyce knew that the matter was settled, and he could only hope that his final warning would have some effect.

Just as he turned around, preparing to return to Duva Town, Noyce suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He froze on the spot, a chill running down his spine and straight to the top of his head.

Who is it? Noyce didn't find anyone in this well.

The person behind him said, "Well done, I won't hold your little tricks against you."

Cold sweat poured down his body, soaking Noyce's back in no time. He was somewhat glad that he hadn't revealed the truth earlier.

Noyce remembered the voice; it was this same person who had approached him not long ago, asking him to deliver something to someone. Noyce had initially wanted to refuse such an absurd request, but the person had only used a small spell, and Noyce had immediately given in.

In that instant, Noyce felt his blood freeze completely, as if countless tiny insects were crawling along his veins, gnawing at his flesh. The unbearable itching and pain overwhelmed his mind. In front of this person, Noyce couldn't muster the slightest thought of resistance.

"Stretch out your hand."

As the man instructed, Noyce obediently extended his hand.

A thin layer of white mist gradually rose around Noyce, obstructing his vision and causing a slight numbness in his body.

He dared not look back to check what was behind him, fearing that the person behind him would dismember him the moment he did so. He could only listen anxiously to the strange noises coming from behind him.

There was the crisp sound of chains clashing together, and the teeth-grinding sound of something hard rubbing together. Noyce, who had heard so many horror stories as a child, couldn't even imagine what the scene would be like.

Beneath the black robe, a withered, bony hand emerged from behind Noyce, and a slightly sweet, fishy smell entered his nostrils, making Noyce's mind go blank.

"This is your reward, remember to keep it safe," the voice said slowly and deliberately.

The few gold coins that Ku was holding fell into Noyce's outstretched hand as he spoke, but he felt no joy. He would rather not have money earned in this way. Who knew what was wrong with the things he had just given away?

But what could Noyce do? When he was young, he had also recklessly gone out to become a mercenary, but after just one battle, he fled back to his hometown in a panic.

Noyce was just an ordinary person with some strength.

"Sir, please...don't hurt them."

The moment the words left his mouth, Noyce regretted them. Why hadn't he just waited for this terrifying fellow to leave?

However, the man seemed to be in a very good mood and didn't mind Noyce's thoughtless remarks. Instead, he casually replied, "Someone wants to see that little girl, so I won't hurt her. But it would be very troublesome if she resisted, so I asked you for a small favor."

"As for the other blind man, if he were smarter, I wouldn't mind letting him live."

-------------------------------------

Driving across the desolate land, the atmosphere inside the car was somewhat somber, given what had happened not long ago.

Li Ang didn't ask Adele about being infected. Since Adele chose to hide it, she must have her own reasons. If Adele was willing to tell him, she would bring it up with him sooner or later.

Leon simply told Adele that he had found something suspicious about Noyce, that someone had threatened Noyce, and then delivered the food to them through Noyce.

It's obvious that someone has their eye on them.

At first, Li Ang thought he was the one being targeted, since he seemed to be hiding a lot of secrets. But after thinking about it carefully, it didn't seem to be aimed at him.

The person being targeted could also be Adele. Whether it was revealing Adele's identity as an infected person or later sending food through Noyce, it didn't have much to do with Leon.

However, Adele was just an ordinary scholar who hadn't even graduated yet. Although her parents worked at a prestigious university in Letania, they were only slightly well-known and not considered important figures.

Under these circumstances, Adele couldn't explain why anyone would be targeting her.

After their discussion failed, the two could only be more vigilant in case of a possible attack soon. They also kept the two boxes of obviously problematic food for the time being. If they threw them away now, wouldn't that be openly telling those who were watching them, "I have discovered you"?

The other party clearly did not want to make a move in a crowded place; otherwise, they would not have gone to such lengths to drive the two out of Duwa Town.

Once this was clear, the plan became simple: Adele would drive during the day, while Leon would keep watch at night, getting to a nearby town as quickly as possible, ideally returning directly to Brandenburg, so that the enemy wouldn't have many opportunities to make a move.

The other party delivered problematic food. If they wanted to capture one of them alive, they would most likely choose to make their move the night after the meal.

Compared to Li Ang's perception of the world, Adele's vigilance is undoubtedly much weaker. She might not even notice someone sneaking up on her in the dark, while Li Ang can control the slightest movement over a large area. The difference in their abilities is obvious.

I don't know the exact time, but it was probably close to dawn when a thick fog began to rise in the air, and the weeds on the ground were covered with water stains. As a result, Li Ang's perceived world was covered with a light white layer.

However, this did not affect Li Ang's perception, and he did not take it to heart. But gradually, Li Ang felt something was wrong.

The morning fog was so thick that even the wind in the wilderness couldn't disperse it. After taking a deep breath, Li Ang felt a slight numbness on the tip of his tongue, but with his strong physique, this effect quickly disappeared.

No... this is definitely not ordinary fog. The person who's been watching them has arrived.

At this point, Li Ang didn't care about anything else and rushed into Adele's tent, trying to wake her up to deal with the upcoming attack.

"Adele, wake up! Something's happened! Wake up!"

But no matter how much Leon pushed her, Adele showed no sign of waking up, breathing evenly from inside her sleeping bag.

A long howl shattered the morning's tranquility, forcing Li Ang to halt his actions.

He knew that person had arrived.

Chapter Seventeen: Alien Species