Enko and his group hurried downstairs, barely managing to keep pace with the strange girl. As soon as she saw the main door, she bolted through it without a word, vanishing into the night.
The rest of them—Enko, Avee, and the surviving officer—reached the entrance, overwhelmed by the thought of making it out alive. But their relief was short-lived.
A figure blocked their way.
Standing before them was a man in a black raincoat, his silhouette eerily similar to the Fish-Men they had fought inside. His voice cut through the pounding rain.
"Those who should go have gone."
Enko tensed. He glanced behind the figure, but none of the other Fish-Men followed him out. It was just this one.
His mind raced, and recognition dawned on him. "That day at school… was it you who chased me?"
The rain fell harder, its relentless rhythm a stark contrast to the stillness that hung between them. Chino stood firm at the gate, his presence exuding menace. At that moment, Raven appeared, her entrance as effortless and casual as ever.
No one could pinpoint exactly when it all began, but within this monstrous group, an unspoken rule had formed—a rule as immutable as it was sinister.
If someone discovered their true nature or uncovered their secrets, there were only two possible outcomes: either the person would be transformed into a monster, or they would be quietly eliminated.
This rule wasn't just a guideline; it was a decree first mentioned by Raven. She claimed it was the Master's order—a command that left no room for disobedience, regardless of personal feelings or desires. If the Master willed it, they had to comply, no matter the cost.
Of course, there was always the lingering doubt. Could the order have been fabricated? Could Raven have twisted the truth for her own ends?
But who among them would dare question her? Who would take the risk?
The girl from earlier—if she had truly seen the Fish-Men, Chino would have no choice. He couldn't allow her to live, at least not as a human. It was a fate he didn't relish, but it was one he was prepared to enforce. After all, it was the Lord's command.
Yet, Chino found a way to exploit a loophole in the rule. He made sure that girl never laid eyes on the Fish-Men. She didn't know the truth, didn't see their grotesque forms. And because of that, Chino didn't have to transform her—or worse, kill her.
Enko gritted his teeth as he looked toward Avee and the remaining two members of his team. "I'll try to stop him. You guys find an opening and get out of here."
Avee glanced at the communicator in his hand, the red light flashing ominously. "How long can you hold him off?"
Enko hesitated, his body screaming in pain from earlier battles. He didn't know how much longer he could endure. "I can't say for sure. But I'll do my best."
With no time for further discussion, Chino stepped forward, his raincoat dripping in the downpour. He tightened his grip on his own neck, almost mocking them. "Enko, can you still keep going?"
Enko didn't bother responding with words. He kicked off the ground and lunged at Chino with all the strength he could muster. In a flash, he closed the distance, his fist aimed at Chino's face.
But Chino was faster. His foot connected with Enko's chest, sending him reeling. Enko's eyes widened in shock as Chino immediately followed up, grabbing him by the head and slamming him into the ground with a sickening crack.
The pavement shattered beneath Enko's skull, blood splattering in all directions. The impact left him dazed and gasping for air. Chino, now in his evolved form, towered over him with an overwhelming presence, dominating the fight effortlessly.
Enko had been strong, but against Chino in his current state, it was no contest. He was being crushed, and the outcome seemed inevitable.
Enko gritted his teeth as he looked toward Avee and the remaining two members of his team. "I'll try to stop him. You guys find an opening and get out of here."
Avee glanced at the communicator in his hand, the red light flashing ominously. "How long can you hold him off?"
Enko hesitated, his body screaming in pain from earlier battles. He didn't know how much longer he could endure. "I can't say for sure. But I'll do my best."
With no time for further discussion, Chino stepped forward, his raincoat dripping in the downpour. He tightened his grip on his own neck, almost mocking them. "Enko, can you still keep going?"
Enko didn't bother responding with words. He kicked off the ground and lunged at Chino with all the strength he could muster. In a flash, he closed the distance, his fist aimed at Chino's face.
But Chino was faster. His foot connected with Enko's chest, sending him reeling. Enko's eyes widened in shock as Chino immediately followed up, grabbing him by the head and slamming him into the ground with a sickening crack.
"Those things that can't kill me will only make me stronger. You know, your biggest mistake is not being able to kill me."
The pavement shattered beneath Enko's skull, blood splattering in all directions. The impact left him dazed and gasping for air. Chino, now in his evolved form, towered over him with an overwhelming presence, dominating the fight effortlessly.
Enko had been strong, but against Chino in his current state, it was no contest. He was being crushed, and the outcome seemed inevitable.
Not long after, Enko stopped moving entirely. His battered body lay still on the ground, utterly defeated. Chino, staring down at his fallen opponent, picked him up effortlessly and tossed him into the air. As Enko's body came down, Chino extended his sharp claw and, with a brutal precision, pierced straight through Enko's chest.
Poof!
The claw penetrated Enko's heart, and with a cruel twist of his wrist, Chino crushed it completely. Blood gushed from the wound as Chino muttered, "I won't make the same mistake you did."
Days ago, Enko had failed to kill Chino, leading to this day—a day of reckoning where their roles had reversed. Chino pulled out his bloodied claw and flung Enko's lifeless body aside with little regard.
As fresh blood dripped from his sharp claws, Chino turned his attention to the remaining two: Avee and the unconscious policeman. His eyes narrowed as he raised his claws again, ready to end it. "It's over," he declared.
Bang!
The sudden crack of gunfire echoed through the rain-soaked night. A bullet whizzed from behind, just missing Chino's head, but it grazed his face, causing his scaly skin to explode into a gory mess. For a moment, there was a deep wound, but almost immediately, the flesh and bone began to knit back together, healing right before their eyes.
Tak, tak, tak!
Powerful beams of light flooded the scene from behind. Chino turned his head slowly, only to find himself surrounded by countless police officers. Each officer held a large spotlight, cutting through the darkness and illuminating the terrifying scene.
"Don't move!" one of the officers shouted through a megaphone. "Hands on your head, drop your weapon now!"
Chino frowned, his sharp gaze shifting to Avee, who slowly raised his right hand. In his palm, a small video transmitter glowed dimly. Despite everything, Avee managed a faint, bitter smile. "Finally... backup arrived."
There were only two of them left, but they had bought enough time.
Chino's eyes glowed red with fury. He knew what that meant, but as he shifted to move, gunfire erupted from the surrounding officers. Bullets ripped through his legs and arms, sending him crashing to his knees, blood spurting from the wounds.
Bang! Bang!
"Damn it!" Chino hissed through clenched teeth, his frustration boiling over. Desperation pushed him to unleash a guttural sound, a strange, otherworldly scream that echoed through the ruined building like a whale's mournful cry. The sheer force of it startled Avee, causing him to flinch.
"Quick, shoot...!" Avee tried to rally the officers, but it was already too late.
Boom!
In a violent explosion of dust and debris, the entire first floor collapsed. The ground beneath them gave way, and rubble rained down as if the building itself was crumbling under the weight of the chaos. Amid the destruction, countless dark figures leaped down from the shadows, grabbing Chino and vanishing into the night.
By the time the police force stormed into Nanyan, the scene was nothing but devastation. Chino had disappeared, taken by his allies into the darkness. Avee and the unconscious policeman were nowhere to be seen, buried beneath the ruins.
One of the officers, surveying the scene, muttered in frustration, "Still... one step too slow."
The sixteen-man police squad that had entered Nanyan was now completely annihilated. The building stood silent, a graveyard of shattered hopes and broken lives.
...
At somewhere near Nanyan hotel.
Queen Bee glared at Chino, her frustration palpable. She jabbed a finger at him, seething with anger.
"Seriously, what's the point of all this? I covered up Nanyan, and what do I get? More attention?"
Her voice rose in exasperation. "You had the chance to end this before backup arrived, and it was all because of that girl, wasn't it? Whether she saw our secrets or not, she can't be allowed to leave here alive. It's a simple principle!"
Taking a deep breath, she dialed a number, her fingers trembling slightly. "Hey, a group of police are raiding my place right now. Get them out of there immediately! And make sure today's events and all related information are blocked from reaching the higher-ups!"
A weak male voice answered, "Yes, Queen Bee."
Queen Bee hung up, her mood darkened further. She turned her attention back to Chino, who was wincing as Fish-Men extracted bullets from his wounds. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead.
"You're saying she's 'innocent'?" Queen Bee's voice dripped with skepticism.
Chino nodded, despite the pain. "Yes, innocent."
"Who isn't, then?" Queen Bee snapped, clearly unimpressed. "Are you playing the role of a saint now? If Lord Aurora decides to blame you for this, don't think you can run away!"
Chino's voice was strained but firm. "I've confirmed all the death targets. My mission is complete."
"It's your job to finish the job."
"My job?"
Queen Bee's frustration was palpable as she glared at Chino. "You turned my house into a seafood market and blew a massive hole in the second floor. Should I be thanking you or cursing you?"
Raven, transformed into a young girl with an emotionless demeanor, sat on the sofa, seemingly detached from the argument. She sighed deeply.
"Have you not noticed that the target might still be alive?" Raven's voice was calm, yet carried an undercurrent of urgency.
Queen Bee and Chino exchanged puzzled glances. "What are you talking about?"
"Enko," Raven clarified. "I saw him in the video. Despite you crushing his heart, it seems he survived."
Chino's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! I made sure his heart was destroyed."
"Just look at the footage," Raven urged. "When you and the Fish-Man group breached the first floor, he managed to climb up and escape into the ruins."
Chino's face turned pale as he realized the implications. He let out a guttural scream, sending a shockwave of sound through the building. Despite his efforts, he sensed two lives still lingering amidst the rubble, causing his heart to race with unease.
"Is that... the Fish-Man's heart?" Chino muttered in shock.
Raven, now more determined, stood up and dialed a number on her phone with a sense of urgency. "We need to take additional measures."
"Additional measures? What do you mean?" Queen Bee asked, her frustration giving way to concern.
"003,"
...
In the rain-drenched streets, Han strolled beneath his umbrella, each step measured and deliberate.
"Hey?"
Han's expression remained impassive as he listened to the voice on the other end. After a brief pause, he responded with a calm acceptance.
"... Mission failed?"
"Understood."
"Okay, I will do my best."
With a final nod, Han ended the call and continued walking, his focus unwavering as he moved through the storm.