Anatoly went on to explain what kind of organization Steel Serpent was, only for Liam to realize at the end that it was something run by Madame Gao. The Russian gang was very new, but Steel Serpent had been in New York for almost a decade now.
"So, if I go there now, I can rescue Thomas?" Liam asked.
"Yes, and along with him, I have seen other young men and women. That Pier 97 is essentially the grounds of Steel Serpent, where they send young men and women all over the globe. They import them from other countries too, and they go to the highest bidder," Anatoly explained. Liam then asked a bunch more questions before he got the general idea.
Since Thomas had made them lose business, they thought of taking him away to calm their own anger. They also had no idea where these kidnapped children would go, nor did they care.
"When is the ship leaving?" Liam asked.
"Tomorrow... at night," Vladimir said.
"I guess I should give them a visit before they leave," Liam said as he got up. "After I free them, gather a meeting with all the heads of whatever great plan you are making. Tell them you have a clue about what is going to happen. Then send me the location and time."
"Understood, sir," both of them echoed in acceptance. Liam could only smile, seeing how his domination ability was so useful. He didn't waste a minute, and soon found himself jumping over rooftops and ledges to reach the pier.
It wasn't far from his current location, so he reached it in almost 10 minutes.
"I should be Spider-Man. This is time-consuming," Liam huffed a bit. He had been running and jumping, and though he wasn't tired, it sure annoyed him.
Liam crouched low on the rooftop overlooking Pier 97. The air reeked of saltwater and diesel fumes. The cargo ship loomed in the moonlit harbor, named Oni. Workers moved crates stamped with false labels, and he could also see guards.
Liam didn't take much time and threw a Pulse Blade into the depths of the cargo ship. Within seconds, the whole ship was clear on his HUD. He could see several guards, both outside and inside. He could also see some of the children inside two quite heavily sealed rooms.
Liam even saw a young child of around 10 years inside. Though it was a momentary outline, he was able to discern it easily. Liam knew what he had to do. He took out his bow, readied an arrow, and fired it at the topmost wooden pole of the ship. The arrow easily hit its mark, and in the next moment, Liam appeared just beside the arrow. This was the shadow strike ability, which basically allowed him to teleport to individuals or places where the arrows had hit.
The first guard didn't even have time to scream. Liam's dagger materialized in his hand, glowing with a spectral blue light. He drove it through the man's throat, silencing him instantly. The corpse fell to the ground with a dull thud, but Liam was already moving.
Another guard turned the corner, his eyes widening in horror as Liam activated his wraith chain ability. In a flash, Liam teleported behind him, driving his sword through the man's back and into his heart. The body slumped forward, but Liam didn't stop. His wraith bow shimmered into existence, and three arrows shot forth in quick succession, using Eagle Sight, which made anyone feel that he had stopped time while shooting. In fact, it was his wraith ability in its full beauty, each arrow finding its mark in the skulls of three guards patrolling the far side of the deck.
The remaining guards on the ship were now fully alert, their shouts ringing out as they drew their weapons. Liam smiled coldly. He hadn't forgotten how he used to brutalize and kill the Uruks in the game and have mounts under him. Though there were no mounts with him anymore and no base to seize, he was free to do whatever he wanted here.
He leaped into the fray, his sword cutting through flesh and bone with precision. They tried using guns, only to be shot by an arrow, followed by a chain of shadows. This allowed Liam to kill the first one with an arrow and then proceed to chain-kill the other guards at breakneck speed. Each kill was more brutal than the last—a guard's head severed cleanly from his shoulders, another guard cleaved in half, while another had his head split.
One guard tried to run, but Liam wasn't about to let anyone escape. He extended his hand, and the guard froze mid-step, his body convulsing as Liam's wraith domination ability took hold. The man turned on his comrades, firing wildly before succumbing to Liam's will and plunging his own knife into his throat. He could use the domination ability from afar too, but he noticed it was only possible when the enemy was in extreme fear and on the run.
Liam moved below deck, where the heart of the operation was. But there were still guards here—more heavily armed than those above. When he used his spectral glaive, he cut through each of them like he was slicing through tofu. None of them had a chance. But since it was a cramped space, he had to use daggers too at times, throwing them like shurikens at some of the guards, impaling and stabbing them.
At the door of the room that held the children, there was only one guard standing. He had heard the commotion but didn't dare to go out, as these were his instructions. Liam came down and instantly shot an arrow at the gun, making the guard lose it. This made the man fear more than ever before.
"You should've run," Liam said, his voice low and filled with menace. His left hand lit up with a spectral glow, and he punched the man right in the face.