Chapter 24:
Alarms and sirens blared out. Sounds of rapid footfall echoed throughout the corridor. As souls rushed quickly about their ways, each carrying out their duties that need to be fulfilled.
"What in the name of all that is holy going on here?" A frustrated feminine voice boomed among the cacophony. Before the soul had even excited the portal that isolated her from the outside world.
In response to her question, she grabbed one of the passing souls. Demanding an answer to her question. A man in an atypical lab coat, though the clothes hidden underneath the dress uniform. Was anything but one would refer to as fashionable or professional.
"Theres been a breach in the perimeter! There has been an order to evacuate. Take only what is essential, destroy those that cannot be carried by hand. Leave nothing behind."
The opposing soul responded. Before they could move away, they were pulled back to the woman screaming her next question.
"Why!? What is going on?! How!? Who is assaulting the facility right now?"
She continued her interrogation. Her hand was like a vice grip upon the other's shoulder.
"It's them."
It was the short response she had received. She knew immediately what those words meant. Shaking off her hand upon their shoulder. Looking past her behind her into the space she came from.
"Many it's about time those 'pets' of yours could be put to use. You still have some more I hope, the ones on the upper levels are dealing with the threat now but it's going as well as it."
"What's happening to my pretties?" at that the woman's voice went cold. However, before the opposite soul could reply another voice came from behind the duo.
"What's happening?" Another voice behind her spoke up softly, along with the hint of strain of pain.
"Nothing sweetheart just that we have some unexpected guest this gentleman here will escort you to the safety tunnel then." The female motioned towards the other man whom she still gripped at.
"Hey, why am I -" the man began to protest annoyed by the sudden before being cut off by the other voice.
"No need you have saved my life I've recovered enough to help buy some time for you, just give me a gun."
"Really there's no need to -" once again this time the female tries to interject but was cut off.
"Its fine I Jesse Curry am no in ways interested in owing debts to others. Just consider this me paying my debt off."
"Really you men and your so called 'codes of honor' the female shook her head in annoyance and disbelief before continuing with her complaint. "Really there is no need for your supposed heroism my babies will be enough for that role."
As if in response to her, the wall far down the corridor burst apart. Clouds of dust and debris came flying through the hallway. Ducking down barely avoiding sizeable debris crashing down, the wall opening the portal behind the first duo unveiling more of the contents held within. These didn't draw the ire of those present for there greater significances that attracted their attentions.
"Ah here are the rats." Came the cold monotone voice Jesse Curry recognized that tone from anyway. He could hear it in his dreams, in his nightmares. The one key factor to his continued existence now. That tone he also sought the target of his one true and only desire now. Hatred burned in his heart, oozing throughout the rest of his body like boiling magma. It was her! Though the being infront of him was clearly that of a man but that face the being before him still bore the same face.
Its body features outlined near perfectly by some skintight black suit. He could clearly make out the outlined masculine body type. Nothing seen could possibly be or resemble that of woman. Yet the face was the exact mirror image. Then came the voice again solidifying his confirmation of his certainty.
"Now which one is the ring master?"
In another location within the upper portion of the hidden facility before the present.
Snap! Crack! Thud!
Came the sickening crunch of a human neck being snapped. The sound of bone cracking was deafening. Contained within the enclosed space. Then came a thud from the now lifeless body that Yin Chen casually threw aside like trash. It has been close to thirty minutes now since he had first broken into this underground facility. Yet there hasn't been anything short that could be a challenge to content with him. This didn't come as a surprise to him, yet there was an uncomfortable sensation he had been feeling. It struck him as odd at the same time, his senses were worrying him of a particular danger that hidden away.
Yet this particular threat hasn't appeared. Nor were there any signs of such a threat. Yet his instincts tell him otherwise. Its faint however there did lay a hidden threat, his instincts were screaming this. Not out of fear nor worry but in anticipation. Few things nowadays could even give him a proper workout aside from his kinsmen.
However, the need to contest beings similar to his kin was unnecessary now. All theories and practical have been devised and tested. There was no need for further data on such matters. Practical but unnecessary at least that though was lingering in his mind. His other parts were still lingered on the revelation that just transpired just mere hours ago. The defeat of his brothers, at the hand of their own. That was still troubling to him.
Was there really no need for revisiting the possibly? There has never been an incident of one of their own betraying them. Not one for the past twelve years what has happened? What could have occurred in the last four years, returning to the homeworld. That could have provided a sufficient workout.
The Blades have faced greater horrors than those of humanities nightmare, unflinching their duties. Yet an impossibility of a brother turning upon themselves. Such a notion should have been an impossibility. Yet it has happened, with the greatest of them all, nonetheless. The revelation still hung deeply on his mind. Clouding much of his focus. Though not enough to hinder his efforts nor his attention. Dipping his head slightly to the side, avoiding zipping flash of light that passed by. Particles fazed out of Yi Chen's arm, like a cloud of particles emerging, flowing from him as a corporal river.
Condensing and melding together forming a shape. A long pole arm weapon with a curved blade along with a muzzle protruding ontop of the blade head. Position perfectly so the payload will not be interfered with the curved blade head. The weapon was decorated in rich () and intricate of Silver over the deep Black, so much that the darkness seemed to absorb all the light shining upon it. Etched slightly with a layer of gold as a finish, its thick frame hides the many secrets built into it. It was Yin Chen personal beloved Guan Dao; Dawnbringer forged by his own hands it has gone through multiple phases of upgrading and remodeling over the years till its shape now.
All Blades of the first handcrafted their Guan Dao as a symbol of their ascension being that at the time they needed a weapon worthy of their new statues. Though it wasn't the first weapon that they had wielded, though soon during their conquest in the stars and beyond. There need to be different armaments that they need. Soon the Guan Dao had been chosen and had stayed, becoming the stable image of their order.
Powerful and graceful, heavy yet unwieldy, beautiful yet simple. In mortal hands it was a treasure unworthy of such hands but when wielded in the hands of the Blades, it was light and graceful as a child twirling a feather pen, and few had stood unharmed from them. Such a prized display of power was unworthy of such lessor foe as those before Yin Chen. However, Yi Chen didn't take out his Guan Dao for these opponents. In the quick span of seconds that it took to form. Boom~! Then down the corridor a section of the wall crumbled and fell apart. From the dust cloud emerged a large hulking figure, Yin Chen estimated such a foe approaching, he felt it in the vibrations in the walls. In the air current from the thing's movements, even hear them if he focused his senses before it broke through the wall.
Even through the dust clouds that 'concealed' their form, it didn't hide the outlining shape. Though it wasn't as if he couldn't see them. Seeing the outline and forms of the creatures, the low life hooligans have set loose against him. The mutant before him was clearly once a normal man. Now twisted and deformed standing high above two close to nearly three meters in height. Rivaling close to Brother ()'s height and that was his normal height not due to the evolution that he underwent. The monstrosity seemed to be human, or at least human based. The scent of humanity radiated strongly from it. A hideous abomination of the pure natural human form.
'Pure natural form.' That phrase tickled at Yin Chen as he repeated it in his mind. The irony was not lost on him.
'We Blades definitely can't say that we are natural either.' Yet Yin Chen didn't move still observing, still waiting even when a second had appeared. Similar to the first with slight minor differences to difference the two. Both were in the nude, lacking any sort of genitals from the groin region. An unnatural skin color of white bordering blue, with thick scale like texture. Their hands extended into claws; knuckles reinforced with some bonelike structure plate.
"Well, you lot are big, fought bigger though." Yin Chen spoke, not caring if his words were understood or heard, though he didn't understand why he even bothered to state the fact. It was too late to regret nor change his deposition.
'Hm~, I have been too loose with my lips as of late. These four years have been influencing me it seems.' Yin Chen thought in his head. Troubled by the thoughts of such mortal sensational thinking filling even a fraction of his multiple minds.
Even as the beasts rushed at him his minds racing with his thoughts still raced. Theories and logic swam within his head. Though if he was feeling troubled by these thoughts, his facial features gave no hint to his inner thoughts. The rest of his brain power was focused upon the task at hand. Though in his head the fight was already over within 90 possible moves. Each one ended the fight within seconds, or within three of his moves yet Yin Chen didn't take any of the projected paths that he foresaw. Even as the future changed with each movement, he had already foreseen the outcome and all possible motions the fight would flow.
Like always since his inception into the brotherhood. There was no joy nor anticipation for the brief conflict that was to come.
All he saw was a target, these tools couldn't even be classified more than that of prey.
Muscle twitching on left thigh.
Theoretical; leaning shoulder lunge; probability factor: 39%
Second Theoretical; forward step; probability factor: 72%
Third Theoretical; bracing factor; probability factor:
Response.
One; hold ground brace for impact lunge push against target
Two; dodge the side hack off limb.
Right Arms lifted at 90-degree angle
Theoretical; forward thrust; probability factor: 99%
Secondary Theoretical; angled punch; probability factor: 89%
Response
One; duck, grab the limb and toss it.
Two; dislocate limb at elbow joint.
Left Arm Bent 40-degree angle.
Theoretical; follow up strike; probability factor: 99%.
Second Theoretical; angel roundhouse; probability factor: 89%.
Third Theoretical; counter probability factor: 80%.
Response.
Endurance levels.
Breathing; calculated; enhanced lungs five times the normal of based humanity
Calculation; 2-3 hours till exhaustion.
Musculature: enhanced muscles, bones reinforced armor implantation.
Regeneration probability; possibility factor 90%.
Practical: Neutralize the target. One hundred percent probability rate.
It was the simplest conclusion that came to him. Such was all the calculation scrolling through his minds all of them. Along with the rest, so much more. The feat of even predicting and mental calculating such precision, to the lessor minds would have been an impossibility. If a mortal mind even attempted such a feat, the attempted alone would have been catastrophic.
It has been a full minute since the fight had started. Now it was going to end. Yin Chen with a swift swipe vertically down the chest of the first beast. As quickly as the regeneration factor began to heal. It wasn't going to stop what was coming next. As Yin Chen timed and angled the end of his Guan Dao shaft slamming against it against the head of the abomination. Power coursed through the shift and into the counterweight balance mace head. Once it encountered the skull of the opposing foe. Sending forth a concentrated condense energy. Like a bloated ballon once popped spilled forward shattering all matter.
Brain matter and gore burst out like watermelon. Before the now headless body could even begin to topple over. Yin Chen was already on the move. Intercepting the blow with a motion of his Guan Dao. Redirecting it away from himself, before decking it on the chin with a left hook. The beast took the blow well, as expected for its function to do so. Yet still the raw power behind the punch of a Blade's punch is not one to be underestimated. It staggered it enough for Yin Chen to swing Dawnbringer back around. Its blade head keenly honed edge cleaving through the thick hide of the creature's neck. As easily as one may cut through a stick of butter.
Once again in the perfect position, pulling his weapon back slightly once again slamming down upon first toppled headless corpse. This time pulverizing the chest sending forth more gore decorating the halls now. Riding upon the concussion force of the impact Yin Chen guided Dawnbringer's blade and drove it into the chest of the now second headless corpse. Riding the concussive force wave projected from Dawnbringer pushing forward against the body flying towards a wall.
At the same motion, squeezing the trigger upon Dawnbringer's shaft, even though his mental link was enough to command the weapon to discharge. There was a satisfying sensation when he manually commanded his instruments to perform its purpose. He didn't even fully understand the reasoning, but it just felt right. Emptying two bolts and opening two new holes in the chest of the headless beast for reinsurance. Even as they flew and crashed into and through the wall.
With another resounding crash, and the crumbling of the cement along with other building material. Once the dust had cleared Yin Chen, now finding himself in a new environment, it was clear that this place was part of the main infrastructure of this hidden facility. Looking up he could see three individuals standing in the hall in front of him. seemingly dumfound by his sudden appearance.
"Now which one is the ring master?"
Back to present.
The trio was stunned. How in the stars did the intruder get here so quickly? What happened to the Security Team?! Or better yet what happened to the security measures that were put in place? Though one clearly of the said measure lay prone and unmoving beneath the foot of the intruder. The figure in question was a thing of unnatural beauty, its facial features originally concealed under its long untamed hair, then it turned its head. Showcasing the facial features to the world, its eyes briefly scanning its surroundings. Before fixing its eyes upon the stunned trio or rather the figure in the center of the group.
"Hoh~." What are you doing here Linda?" The only female soul among the trio shuddered, suddenly finding herself the direct center attention of the intruder. Swallowing back the pricking sensation of fear building within her. She steps forward and addresses the intruder.
"Hey sis or rather brother since you're a man right now. You know, you should stay as a girl more often, especially someone with your looks it's a-"
"What are you doing here?" Yin Chen demanded, ignoring the comments and feeble attempts of chatter though the tone was soft the killing intent behind the question was evident behind his words.
"Oh, why am I here indeed hm~," Linda spoke in her cheerful tone not hiding the disdain and mockery in her tone or her gaze locking eyes with the killing machine in front of her.
"So, this is how you repay the old man is it? Does he even know that you've walked down this path. Shame." Yin Chen spoke his expression unreadable. His tone and features almost neutral yet one such as Linda knew no sensed the killing intent building in the words.
Though it seemed she wasn't the only one who picked up on that fact. Seeing as the other two visibly twitched, hearing the next few words.
"What are you going to lecture me about how I should be grateful to that old bastard for a home? "He-who raised me to be some servant doll. Hell bent on making me which he had envisioned, not who I was meant to be. Ha! Why would I give any gratitude to a man like that?! I will live out my life like some tool to be used by others!"
"Are you me? Oh, I didn't realize?" Yin Chen responded back. This stunned Linda, did the murder machine just speak sarcastically? Was he and the rest of his kind even capable of such a feat?
"No matter you will be coming with me, there are ways to get you talking." The monster in human form said, stepping down from the battered corpse it stood upon. Its feet gently landed upon the smooth tiled floors. This caused another stir in the group. For when the beast landed there was no sound in its movement.
"You think I would really talk?" Linda snarled, signaling her defiance. Despite the brave front she projected. She was shivering inside, in her mind, in her core. It took all her willpower to not show her fear in front of the adversary.
"Did I say I need your lips?" Then within a blur before anyone could even blink, he was before her, his left-hand grasping at Linda's throat. The impossibly of such a scene shocked all who were present. Even Jesse Curry, an experienced hardened veteran of war. He was no stranger to near impossible events. He thought he had an idea of what the thing in front of him was capable of. He was clearly wrong. Seeing the scene play out in front of him. It was now that he had a much clearer understanding of what he was contending with. It had been playing with him before. Even while performing already unnatural superhuman feats back on his ship. That was just the tip of the iceberg of the monastery dressed in human skin.
Though he had no time to linger upon such revelations. His savior was in danger, he needed to act! Yet he found himself stationary. His limbs were like stone, unresponsive, unmoving. His body refused to listen to him. Why?! This was not the first time he had encountered this abomination. Even survived the encounter which took his father, the rest of his crew and his life away from him.
'Move-move, god damn it move!' Jesse Curry screamed within the depths of his mind. Willing no, begging for his mortal shell to obey. Then as if by the will and the blessings of the heavens themselves his body responded. His right limb shot forward catching the monster arm, then with tug he ripped the monasteries' hold of lady Linda's neck. Or at least that was what should have happened.
The effort was akin to that of an ant attempting to move a mountain. Jesse Curry was no weak man by any means. He lived his whole life in a physically demanding job. Yet nothing, nothing else he could do more than then feebly pull at the extended limb. Though well tone wasn't built as heavily as one would think something of such physicality should appear. The strength portrayed and project thus far exceeds all Jesse Curry's basic knowledge of the human body. Then the Angelic Devil turned its gaze toward him. Its eyes fixated upon his own, the cold eyes pierced through his very being. It didn't seem as though the thing was looking at him but through him seeing him in his raw essence.
"Ah~, Jesse Curry you're still alive it seems. The cold monotone of the beast softly spoke. That tone being deprived of any semblance of being human. Even more so than before.
Jesse Curry's grip tightened upon the arms of thing that seemed human in front of him. though his guts screamed at him to let go. To let go and run, but he wouldn't run. He refused to turn his back at this thing.
"Yeah, I've lived you monster it an'it that easy to kill me and not until I kill you for what you did."
"Let's rectify that problem now then." Yin Chen's cold monotone voice spoke through the air between them. Chills down Jesse Curry's spine just as the bottom head of the Guan Dao shot forth plunging itself through his gut. Before the pain could even register on his senses Jesse Curry was then sent through the air toss aside like a discarded rag.
Not just himself, something heavy crashed against him. The scent of perfume assaults his nose. Then came the booming sound of a firearm, the vibration from the sound caused the corridor to tremble and the cry of another died out soon as it came. It was the other man, Jesse Curry deduced having heard the voice just briefly. On reflex he pushed aside the woman ontop of him and out of harms way as another boom came. And instantly his left arm was cleaved off his shoulder. The pain was agonizing, but instant. It came much faster than the stab through the gut just moments earlier. Jesse Curry howled, his cries echoing off the walls around him. though his thoughts were not to the pain.
"Run~!" Jesse Curry roared towards Linda who stood near to the side of the hall. Supporting herself upon the wall.
"Get out of here~! Run~!" So, she did. She flew without saying another word. To where he didn't know but at least she was out of harm's way. Let the monster focus its attention on him instead. He groaned in pain and frustration at himself. Showing such hopelessness and weakness before his archnemesis. Never mind feeling a sort of burning yet soothing sensation soon flooding through him.
"So, you've had an upgrade of some sort. That does explain how you survived." The angelic devil Yin Chen spoke softly, inching closer to him.
Only then did Jesse Curry notice the wounds upon his body. Looking down he could see the sinew being knit back into place, sealing the wound. His now stump of a left arm was beginning to reform and grow into new limb. This shocked him. What was happening was this another power that he had acquired from his resurrection?
"Foolish man, did you think that mixing yourself with one of those abominations would give you a ray of hope to stand against me?" A slight hint of genuine disgust, an emotion could be heard from those words.
Hearing those words could help but make Jesse Curry smirk. "That's rich coming from a being like you." Jesse Curry snaped back. Rising to his feet taking a stance.
"You really consider yourself human? You're no different from the B.OWs themselves, as a matter of fact I would say that you're worse. I dread for the future where things like you run loose in this world."
"Be at ease, for you wouldn't be alive to see such a world." Was the cold monotone response Yin Chen said. Readying his Guan Dao just slightly, Dawnbringer's cold edge gleamed with killing intent. Then the blade sang through the air but not at Jesse Curry. A massive block of cement and steel rebar had been flung towards Yin Chen. The Guan Dao's honed monomolecular edge made short work of the makeshift projectile. Slicing and dicing the block into pieces before breaking into smaller pieces cracking along the floor, all of which never hit the intended target.
Yin Chen's head spun around. Appraising the offending soul that dared to attempt to hinder his hunt. The direction came from the cracked hole to where Linda had run into. From the portal came an enormous figure. Bigger than even the brutes that came before it. This one was a giant among giants. Much of its body features were hidden underneath thick skintight bonds. Warping itself like bondage around most parts of the body. Yin Chen knew what those were, it wasn't the first time he had encountered such a device. Power Limiters they were called. A device developed for the highly uncontained mutative nature of the B.O.Ws. being a more recent weapon that was developed there were many uncertainties of these weapons. To make it more manageable by preventing any further unintended mutations.
Through the spots not covered and the exposed head of the creature. Yin Chen could make out a granite and dark-skinned texture leather like skin. Patches of which seem to be composed of living yellow crystalline growths or bone like protrusions. Its exposed head like the other resembling a bald man with a mouth/steel plate that's connected to his jaw on his face, and he lacks lips, exposing his razor dagger like teeth that fit together neatly when closed., especially around the shoulder blades heavy cylinder mechanism of some sort. However, Yin Chen could guess their purpose. He could hear it, even smelled their purpose. It was a weapon, there was no mistaking it as to what it was. From the hum of the energy circulating within. Yin Chen had several theories about their capabilities and functions.
Yet there was something familiar about this thing that confounded his senses. A sense of distress, no discomfort. He hadn't felt this sensation since the crusade. "Oh. And what are you supposed to be? Someone that I know?" This intrigued Yin Chen, what was different about this creature than the others. These things were full of surprises. Yin Chen almost found himself impressed, almost.
In response the beast roared. His bellows shook the corridor dust and small debris of cement flew in the air by the shockwave produced. It lunged at Yin Chen at inhuman speed, slamming shoulder first into Yin Chen. Though hindered by the Guan Dao that was held in between the two the force of the connecting impact sent shockwaves through the halls again.
"Hubris." Yin Chen spat, removing his right hand from the shaft of his Guan Dao and decked the beast square in the neck. Twirling the glaive around in quick flurry, landing several more blows throughout the body, before sending the creature back twirling in just above the air before crashing into the opposite wall.
Tearing apart the leather device in the process. The scraps fluttered gently in the air before laying scattered across the ground. The blow being non-lethal, the beast rose to its feet unscathed. Its body almost immediately swelled in size its ripped muscular frame broke through its bonds. Revealing much of its hidden features, much of the original exposed skin revealed hard leather skin. Now fully revealed it seemed to resemble more akin to living stone. The most distinguished feature being that of grafted armored plate along is legs and chest along. The giant's form seemed to be composed of living rock.
"Ah now that's more like it, now it's fair…. for you as least." Yin Chen then said no more, taking a stance leveling his guan dao at his adversaries. To this the creatures responded in kind, the device on its back flared. Its output increased exponentially power began coursing through the creature. It lunged again towards Yin Chen fist balled and tightened. Its speed also increased and undoubtedly its strength as well. Yet Yin Chen took no stance and made efforts to avoid the oncoming threat.
Extending out a single digit catching the incoming fist. Halting it the moment the two limbs connected, shockwaves blew out from the impact. The giant was clearly shocked by this turn of events. As it bellowed and threw another punch forward trying to uppercut the offending tiny thing that dared to resist its might. Once gain its fist was halted. A few more blows were exchanged, even among the numerous shock waves one could make out the smaller figure rivaling the larger figure in strength easily.
'Pitiful.' That thought rang in Yin Chen's mind through the bout. During one of set motions of their dance. Dawnbringer's head was positioned downward toward the hall when he blocked a fist. He squeezed the trigger igniting the weapon. Paying no heed to the shout cry that came afterward. Riding on the recoil back blast as he guides the weapon to slide the blade's edge across the beast throat. Surprisingly the massive giant dipped its head back just enough to avoid the incoming death.
Still, this didn't deter Yin Chen, nor did he cease in his movement. Tapping the butt of his Guan Dao upon ground, cracking and breaking the tile from the impact. He bounced Dawnbringer back to impale the massive B.O.W. Again, it avoids death but jumping back on its heels, before lunging back forward. Yin Chen twirled around the incoming blow like a ballerina. Awhile a device materialized in his hand, to which he quickly cast out down the hall. Down the direction he had originally fired his lancer. Then once again engaging the dance of death with his foe.
After another quick bout, he had all the information he needed form the 'fight' that he entertained. Conclusion: 'Yeah I am getting bored.' Yin Chen commented in the back of his mind. Before finally in a quick one-two swift swipe of his Guan Dao, the creature's head fell from its shoulders and its limbs severed from its body as well. At least that's what should have happened.
"Well~, you really are full of surprises." Yin Chen spoke seeing what had transpired before him. Dawnbringer had hit home but had passed through without making any contact with its intended target. The source came from the creature's steel plate. It seems to have glowed and distorted briefly seeming to expand through some astral projection covering the space around its neck with hollow void filled razor dagger like teeth. Seemingly devouring the air around, it. Splitting the space around the path Yin Chen had intended to cut.
This might require a new overall evaluation of this target. Yin Chen lips slightly grew into a smirk as he awakens his beloved article of death. As its power kindled into life, power coursed through its shaft and onto the glaive's blade head. Its power field coated its surface edge with ethereal energy as sparks of lighting danced upon its surface. He then readied himself, for the first time through the whole confrontation. He took a combat stance angling Dawnbringer towards the B.OW.
"Shall we continue this dance?"
The distribution of power oozed off from the two combatants. The power projected from them distorted the air around them. All manner of sensations could be felt in that small confined space as the two readied themselves. Before long the two rushed at one another once more beginning another dance of belayed death. From which both knew only one was walking away from.
Back at Quan Zhou.
Alerts and warning chimes echoed throughout the corridors. Yet the response to it all was not the frantic cries or the quickened footsteps of that of lessor men. But the near silent and inhumanly precise. As each brother had their orders, they move to their positions to fulfill their assigned duties. Each one moving together with unnatural synchronization like that of a rehearsed play.
Zilong walked through the halls of Quan Zhou like many of his kin. Unhurried yet not slow, () yet without purpose. Scores of his kinsmen were mobilizing, this was a sight he noted, not one he had seen for over four years. Four long years it has been since a great muster of this caliber has occurred. When he passed by, many of the brotherhood saluted him. Most of whom were of the newer breed, the latest initiates to the order.
Those of the first breed like himself passed by only giving the simplest gesture of a salute before continuing their way. He too returned the greeting in kind, not ceasing in his movements. He continued his path towards his intended destination.
Passing through the final portal to his goal, he was greeted with a figure that he didn't expect to be within the CDC (Command Direction Center). No longer held within the confines of the Strategium. The towering form of Brother Praetorian Liang Lì stood before the main command consol table. Multiple projections screens and data poured through overlaying with new information by the second.
If the Brother Praetorian Liang Lì heard or was aware of Zilong's presence he showed no signs of it. Still fixated upon the multiple holo screens before him. Drinking in each new data stream like an endless bottomless pit. Zilong knew that Liang Lì was aware of his presence. For one doesn't sneak up upon a Blade easily.
"Statues Brother?" Zilong walked up to Liang Lì's side. Not through many vibrations means of sound nor even bone conduction, but through the slight twitch of Zilong index digit. Even among the brotherhood few could ever truly understand brother Zilong's nature, let alone interoperate what his intent means. Brother Praetorian Liang Lì was one of the few who knew what Zilong meant with his gestures and signs. This was what was translated through Liang Lì's peripheral vision at the gesture. Not moving or giving any sign of an acknowledgement he simply said.
"Multiple signatures detected along the parallel line closing fast the first among them will soon reach the miracle mile." Brother Praetorian Liang Lì said softly yet his words weighed heavily in the air. At this Zilong, who was observing the information the moment he entered the room, then with one of his spear pointed towards one of the holo screens.
Liang Lì turned his head towards where he was pointing towards. Liang Lì instantly understood what Zilong meant. "Yes, multiple signals indicate the seventh through the twelfth fleet of the mainland have been deployed, along with various others all flying the flags of other nations. The assembled armada numbers in the hundreds and counting."
At this revelation Zilong turned fully to face Liang Lì tapping the but of his spear upon the ground. 'Location leaked?'
"Possible." Liang Lì replied. The air around stilled, the tension so thick it could scatter at any moment with a pin to a ballon.
The duo stood together, no other gestures came about from Zilong, Liang Lì spoke no further. There was nothing else to be conveyed. This standoff continued for another second, before Zilong stepped away making his way toward the door.
"Brother." Zilong halted his steps turning to face Liang Lì who had adjusted his body in turn to face Zilong.
"Do what you have to do Penitent Master Zilong. Discreetly." At this Zilong gave a sharp salute, in response Liang Lì returned it. Resolute in what most be done nothing else needed be said Zilong then processed through the portal he had his duties. Even as distasteful as it was, it needed to be done. Such produce was put in place for any and all scenarios, but everyone in the order didn't comprehend just event transpiring within the brotherhood. Not that the rest of the order knew and that is how he intended to keep it.