The exoskeleton was one of the war machines developed in World War III. It can also be called the Nano-Armor. It was originally invented by a scientist who betrayed the USA and fled to the New Federation of China, Hakein Mushtan.
The arrival of the exoskeleton armor revolution changed the tides of war. The high level of exoskeleton armor allowed the soldier to fully gain strength whose power matched an ordinary Esper. The armor carries functions such as enhancing strength, agility, or stealth function.
However, due to the scarcity of raw materials, only a few troops around the world could afford exoskeletal armor. The New Federation of China held the largest amount, followed by the USA.
The special force unit, Black Watch, probably possessed the largest number of exoskeleton armor in the entire world. Physical enhanced abilities when paired with exoskeleton armor made the Black Watch elite soldiers match a C-rank Esper.
And now, Lucius was facing three at once!
"Landing succeed. Executing order."
On the top floor of the manor, black figures fell into the roof with a crimson glow. It looked like a steel forge monster with its crimson eyes.
The radio's transmission instruction reached Yvorak, who was ready to ambush.
"Get him at all cost! Kill him if he resists! Don't forget to stab the rat's heart with the crucifix!" Ye Fusheng gave his final order.
"Roger that!" Three Black Watch elite soldiers held guns in their hands and charged into the manor's second floor.
The entire manor was pitch black. From their sight, the world changed to a strange color. They rely on the thermal camera from the exoskeleton to hunt down their prey. The vampire did have body temperature, it's just that their temperature was very low, almost like snakes. But it didn't matter, they already found their prey.
"Target is on the second floor."
One of them looked down and noticed an ice-blue figure moving on the second floor. They exchanged glances. Almost simultaneously shot on the floor. It wasn't an ordinary bullet, it was an explosion-type bullet that detonated right under their feet. Shattering the entire floor.
Dust filled the air as the three Black Watch soldiers descended on the second floor. But the smoke and dust were no hindrance to them. In their eyes, Lucius was nothing more than an ice blue silhouette.
Lucius was right in front of them. They raised their guns, muzzles pointed at him.
"Yo...Gentlemen."
Lucius stood still, not moving at all. He stretched out his hand and snapped a small finger.
"You'll be in trouble if you don't pay attention to your surrounding."
"?"
A sense of crisis flooded in the hearts of the three soldiers. Lucius covered the entire corridor walls with all sorts of explosives. The moment Lucius finished snapping his fingers, another splendid explosion detonated the entire manor. The Black Watch soldier was completely engulfed by the explosion. But it wasn't over yet.
Lucius tried to retreat backward almost at the same time, but a pitch-black figure, accompanied by a crimson light, rushed towards Lucius!
Damn! He's fast!
Even Lucius's physique that exceeded that of an ordinary person by five times was simply not comparable to the three guys behind him!
It was simply like a pitch-black shadow.
The shadow broke through the flames that were about to consume everything. Under Lucius' field of vision, an arm tried to grasp the Lucius's neck.
If they can't take him alive, they will kill him. But these guys, they want to take him alive!
"Cough..." Lucius's neck was instantly grabbed by this arm, and his body was raised into the air. A tall figure, shrouded in steel, looked at Lucius with his pupils behind crimson goggles on top of his armor.
"It's easier than I thought." The deep voice transmitted through the armor. His two companions behind him emerged from the fire unscathed.
"Shoot the limbs off and knock him out. He's dangerous."
A black Watch Elite soldier who looked like a female was holding a gun to the side and pointed it at Lucius' head. If she saw any movement from, she'd immediately pull the trigger.
"The target has been captured. The professor commanded us to shoot him, not capture him alive."
On the other side, the black watch soldier reminded the two, but only a soft chuckle came through Lucius' lips.
"Then kill him!" The black watch soldier who grabbed Lucius raised his gun and pointed it to his forehead. Lucius' laughter really disturbed them!
"Caught? Are you kidding me, you...can you really catch me?"
"What?"
Suddenly, Lucius, whose body had been strangled by the soldiers, fell to the ground. His entire body turned into a pool of scarlet blood. Blood splattered all over the three soldiers' bodies, and this unprecedented scene made them all a little surprised.
The Scarlet Pool.
Turning the body into blood lurking down in an instant for two seconds, not reusable for three minutes.
Consuming 150,000 points of despair!
"Target disappeared! Quick! Find him again!"
The three black watch soldiers tensed up and started looking around for Lucius.
"Disappeared? No, no, no, I never disappear..." Lucius suddenly spoke behind all of them. The female soldier on the further back was startled.
Blood pool took the form of Lucius' body. But now, Lucius held a giant gun with destructive power in his hand. He aimed the gun against the female soldier's back.
"Say, miss." Lucius' hand touched the trigger. He could feel the female Black Watch soldier's back stiffened.
"Ever tried being shot through the body with a 12.7x99mm caliber bullet? It's going to be a beautiful view."
Bang!
The gun in Lucius' hand let out an ear-piercing sound. The heavy recoil impacted on his shoulder.
At the same time, Lucius' forehead blossomed with a brilliant scarlet flower. His body fell backward, dropping the gun to the ground.
Tch… I've been...shot? Lucius' back hit the wall. His consciousness drifted away. Next, bullets stormed wildly over Lucius' body. Fresh blood spilled out from Lucius' body. Bullets were kept fired at him, dying the wall a grotesque color of red.
The bullets shot through him. It hurts. He couldn't regenerate. 'What is this? Holy water? Ah… the Church…' These bullets were ammunition baptized by the Church?
The reason why he couldn't expose himself was this. There's the Church that hunted down all creatures of darkness. Therefore, he had to hide from the Church and its Exorcist.
"No. 7! There's a hole in her lungs!"
In Lucius' fading vision, the tall, black Watch soldier holding the female soldier who had been hit by Barrett's bullet. He was checking her wounds.
Another...missed shot? Lucius smiled bitterly, he felt he clearly aimed at her heart. He still missed the shot in such a close distance. It's even worse than a failure.
Bang!
Suddenly, the other soldier picked up his own gun and pointed it at Lucius' forehead and fired another shot!
"This monster is still laughing! He's not dead yet!"
Blood overflowed from Lucius' forehead, as Lucius' pupils lost its original luster. He couldn't move after being shot with countless bullets imbued with holy water. Even though Lucius was heavily wounded, his lips still could manage to form a mocking smile.
Human-made bullets couldn't kill vampires. Even bullets that had been baptized by the Church could only delay a vampire's wounds.
There's only one way to kill a vampire.
"Die!" The Black watch soldier walked towards Lucius and pulled a wooden crucifix from his arm guard. He aimed it at the pulse underneath Lucius's chest. Stabbed his heart deep. Lucius's heartbeat abruptly stopped.
"Cough…" Lucius spat out blood.
They delivered the killing blow. The only way to truly kill a vampire, and they did it perfectly. This time, he was really... dead.
Lucius felt his eyelids getting heavier and heavier.
"Master! Master!" Arthas's panicked voice rang in Lucius' ears.
"Don't...panic, you...are the Lich King..."
Lucius's words stuttered.
"But master, your body!" Arthas couldn't find an appropriate word to describe Lucius' state at this point.
"It's okay... it's okay… Ar, I have a task for you." Lucius murmured as if he was really whispering in Arthas' ear. His vision gradually plunged into darkness for a moment.
"While I'm imprisoned in the steel cage, freeze all exits of escape from the cage. Don't let it fly out… even if it's only a small fly".
"Freeze…? Okay..."
"Good girl..."
With that, Lucius closed his own eyes, and his limbs sagged weakly.
"No!!!" Standing outside on the street, Arthas's silver-white cat ears stood vertical. She wanted to rush in and bring Lucius back... But, she didn't dare disobey his order.
A cage of steel? Arthas couldn't understand what Lucius meant. She looked towards the manor with melancholic eyes, not knowing what to do.
But you took my heart with you, Master… It's too cunning to take it without my permission and not return it.
...........
"Hahahaha! Motherfucker finally die! Die you bitch!!! Die!!!" Ye Fusheng walked in the heavily damaged manor. Covering his abdomen, blood was flowing from the corner of his mouth. Two black watch soldiers wearing exoskeleton armor stood at each side of him.
He looked at the vampire pinned to the wall with his heart pierced by a crucifix. This was what humans supposed to do with vampires! Burn them to death! Stab their heart with a crucifix! He didn't know why he didn't turn into ashes like in the legends, but not all legends are true.
"It's all according to my plan! Take this rat's body into the research base!"
Ye Fusheng's smile grew wider.
"I'm going to mutilate his body one piece at a time!"
His pupils beneath the glasses frame exuded hatred. He had lost his mind.
"One piece at a time!"