Pier 4 was strewn with countless abandoned containers. A few hundred meters away from the pier, a construction site rumbled like a thunderstorm.
Leon Chen had been using three of his Overman series abilities extensively these past days. After employing Penetration at the banquet, he could now only use two abilities. Weighing his options, Leon ultimately chose Overlooking scene and Iron Will, opting not to use Bio-electricity, his attack ability.
Overlook allowed him to cover the pier comprehensively, which was crucial for tracking enemy movements. Iron Will would aid him in successfully completing this rescue mission.
From his vantage point, Leon quickly assessed the layout of the pier. He spotted at least eight kidnappers. These experienced abductors had positioned themselves in strategic, well-concealed spots with clear lines of sight. Using the containers as cover, they set up watch points in the darkness, alert to any intrusions.
In five minutes, Leon memorized most of Pier 4's layout and the enemy's positions.
Taking a deep breath, Leon silently and stealthily entered Pier 4, the weight of impending death heavy upon him.
Carlos lit a cigarette, leaning against a container.
"Thunk." A muffled sound came from the container opposite.
Carlos glanced over, muttering impatiently.
"Aren't you afraid of being spotted smoking?" his companion remarked.
"We're not in Somalia. What's there to fear?" Carlos scoffed, exhaling smoke.
His companion nodded in agreement, showing no sense of urgency. He jumped down from the container, took a cigarette, and lit it. "I wish we had jobs this easy every day."
"Haha, true that," Carlos laughed.
The two chatted idly. Suddenly, the companion jumped as if electrocuted, looking terrified.
"What? Seen a ghost?" Carlos joked.
"It felt like someone touched me," his companion said, patting his waist. "My F1 tactical knife is gone."
"Maybe you dropped it?" Carlos replied dismissively, knocking the ash from his new cigar.
"Damn..." His companion leaned back against the container, smoking. At that moment, a pair of hands grabbed him from behind, pulling him into the container without a struggle.
Carlos looked up to see his companion gone, the cigarette still on the ground, along with the tactical knife. "*****, disappearing like a ghost." He cursed, "Isn't the F1 right there?"
As Carlos bent to pick it up, a shadow emerged from the steel wall. Before Carlos could react, he felt a searing pain rip through his throat. Instinctively clutching his neck, warm blood gushed as he collapsed. Even in death, the battle-hardened Carlos couldn't comprehend what had happened.
Leon emerged from the steel wall, the cold moonlight casting his shadow.
"Second one down!"
Leon's gaze was indifferent, as if the man he had just killed were livestock.
After stashing Carlos's body in a container, Leon re-entered Overlook, gradually completing Pier 4's mental map.
Another mercenary convulsed against a container wall, then, unbelievably, passed through the steel. A young man, hands covered in blood, emerged.
This was Leon's sixth kill.
Using decoys to lure them to the containers for a fatal strike worked repeatedly. These mercenaries, accustomed to dealing with death, never anticipated someone could pass through steel walls to slit their throats or stab their hearts.
Fifteen minutes had passed.
The final two enemies were more challenging. They stood guard in an open area outside a steel shed on the pier. With no cover nearby, Material Penetration was useless. Seeing the dim light in the shed, Leon surmised Sienna Tang was inside.
Leon found a stone, recalling the movies' distraction tactics. The sharp sound in the darkness immediately tensed the guards. Unlike movie villains, these two were experienced and not easily fooled. One went to check the noise, while the other remained vigilant at the door.
But they faced an extraordinary opponent. Leon slipped to the shed's side, bypassing the door entirely to pass through the wall.
Inside, he saw three men playing cards.
Leon carefully hid.
Soon, a high-cheekboned man emerged from an inner room.
"How was your chat with the woman?" one of his comrades asked, glancing up.
"Too stubborn. She'd rather die than agree," replied the man, Michiel.
"Ha, she's so hot. How about letting us have some fun with her?" A muscular black man grinned.
Michiel frowned. "She's important. If we take her back, we'll get a hefty reward."
"Hey, I'd forgo the money for a turn," the black man laughed.
"Save it for after we're on the ship," Michiel sneered.
The men laughed lewdly.
They conversed in English, which Leon didn't understand. But their global body language and expressions made their meaning clear. Anger flared in Leon's eyes, intensifying his cold demeanor as he silently moved closer.
Michiel caught a glimpse of Leon's hiding spot. "Did something just move over there?"
"What?"
The men looked but saw nothing. "Scared of a kid?"
Michiel sighed, checking the time. Twenty minutes had nearly passed. "Where's your boss?"
"We've tried calling several comrades, no response. The boss went to check on them," one man replied.
The black man played a card, laughing. "Probably slacking off again. Serves him right."
"Yeah, we're slacking off too, aren't we?" another laughed.
Michiel was frustrated with his unalert comrades. He wanted to warn them but decided it was unnecessary—a mere teenager.
Wait, what if he alerted the authorities regardless of Sienna's fate?
"When's the ship arriving?" Michiel asked anxiously.
"In ten minutes."
Relieved by the answer, Michiel felt more confident.
Entering the inner room, Leon found Sienna Tang bound to a chair. She hung her head, exhausted, her wounds and the blood at her mouth nearly causing Leon's suppressed fury to explode.
These damned scumbags!
In her daze, Sienna felt a gentle touch on her face, soft and comforting. "Get lost, you bastard. Even in death, I won't forgive you."
Sienna's words stung Leon's heart. "Teacher Sienna, it's me!" he whispered.
"Who?"
Sienna slowly opened her eyes, her blurry vision gradually clearing. She gasped, about to scream, but Leon quickly covered her mouth, signaling for silence. There were still six enemies outside; it wasn't safe yet.
Sienna's eyes widened in disbelief. She nodded.
"You fool, run!" She whispered fiercely. "They'll kill you."
"Don't worry. They'll die first," Leon replied, his Iron Will exuding a daunting aura even seasoned soldiers would envy.
"You're crazy, Leon. They're special forces. You're just a student…" Sienna's desperation almost made her shout. "Run, as far as you can…"
"Alright," Leon nodded, "but I'm taking you with me!"
Sienna trembled. A surge of indescribable emotion flooded her heart, her fears and anxieties melting away in the safety she felt with him. Though she had faced death during archaeological missions, this was different. She quickly suppressed this dangerous sense of security, biting her lip, her words catching in her throat. She stared at his young face, those earnest and determined eyes, and the blood-stained hands…
Blood-stained hands?
Snapping out of her emotional daze, Sienna suddenly realized a terrifying fact!
How had he gotten in here?