A gunshot rang out, deafening in its proximity, as the DFS officer pulled the trigger with unwavering intent.
The bullet flew straight toward Adam, aimed at his head, but to the officer's astonishment, it struck Adam's forehead, crumpling like paper before falling lifelessly to the ground.
The officer's hand trembled slightly as he shifted his gaze from the spent bullet to Adam, still standing tall and unharmed.
Adam's expression, radiated a cold fury.
The officer barely had time to react before Adam vanished from his line of sight, leaving only an afterimage.
A moment later, Adam reappeared behind him, seizing the man by the neck with a grip like iron.
The officer struggled, clawing at Adam's hand, his face turning red as he gasped for air. His feet dangled inches above the ground as Adam lifted him effortlessly.
"Enough," Adam growled, his voice like a low thunderclap.
The officer, in a desperate bid to free himself, fumbled for his firearm. But Adam's patience had already frayed.
With a sharp twist, the officer's neck snapped, a sickening crack reverberating through the space. His lifeless body crumpled to the ground as Adam tossed him aside with disdain.
The corpse rolled twice before coming to rest several feet away, limp and devoid of life.
Adam stood still for a moment, his hands flexing as if shaking off invisible residue, his breathing calm and measured.
The man who gave Adam a lift in his car, paralyzed by fear, lay flat on the ground nearby, his hands trembling above his head.
His breath came in shallow, panicked gasps as he muttered to himself, "What have you done? Do you even know what you've just done? You've doomed yourself. You need to run—get out of here before it's too late!"
Adam didn't respond, his sharp gaze drawn toward the road ahead.
In the distance, the blaring of sirens pierced the night, growing louder with each passing second.
Bright red and blue lights flashed ominously, reflecting off the glossy surface of the road.
Moments later, a convoy of black vehicles screeched to a halt a short distance away.
Doors slammed open as dozens of heavily armed DFS officers emerged, each training their weapons directly on Adam. The atmosphere grew heavy with hostility and anticipation.
"Raise your hands!" one of the commanding officers barked through a megaphone. "Do not resist. Surrender yourself peacefully, and we can resolve this without unnecessary bloodshed."
Adam stood unmoving, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. Could he fight them all? Would it make a difference?
The sheer number of officers, their rifles glinting under the harsh headlights, was a sobering sight.
Reluctantly, Adam raised his hands above his head, his voice steady but tinged with resignation. "Fine. I surrender. But don't shoot."
The officers lowered their weapons slightly, some visibly relaxing at Adam's apparent compliance.
Yet, not all shared their caution. A sniper positioned atop a nearby vehicle leveled his rifle at Adam. Through his scope, he focused on Adam's forehead, where moments ago his fellow officer had shoot.
The sniper whispered into his comms, "Taking the shot."
The bullet fired with pinpoint precision, tearing through the air toward its target. It struck Adam dead-center on his forehead, driving him back a step. For a brief moment, the assembled officers believed it was over.
But Adam didn't fall.
The bullet dropped harmlessly to the ground with a metallic clink. Adam straightened, his gaze locking onto the sniper with a predatory intensity. Around him, the officers froze in stunned silence, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
Adam sighed, lowering his hands. "Why does no one ever listen?"
Before anyone could react, Adam vanished, reappearing directly in front of the convoy.
His hand gripped the bumper of the lead vehicle, and with a single motion, he lifted it effortlessly into the air.
The officers barely had time to shout before Adam hurled the vehicle like a projectile.
It crashed into the second vehicle with catastrophic force, triggering a chain reaction of explosions.
The fiery blasts illuminated the daylight sky, sending shrapnel and debris flying in every direction.
Officers were thrown backward, some struck down instantly, while others scrambled for cover amidst the chaos.
Adam didn't pause. From the wreckage, he grabbed shards of broken glass, their jagged edges glinting dangerously in the light of the flames.
With a flick of his wrist, he hurled them toward the fleeing officers. The shards sliced through the air with deadly precision, embedding themselves in flesh and bone.
Screams echoed as some fell lifelessly, while others writhed in pain, clutching their wounds.
A handful of survivors managed to take cover behind the remaining vehicles, their expressions a mix of horror and desperation.
One of the officers grabbed his radio, his voice trembling as he relayed the situation.
"This is Officer Miller! We're under attack—severe casualties—requesting immediate backup! Repeat, send backup to Sector Gate immediately!"
A crackling response came through. "Copy that, backup is en route. Hold your position."
But holding their position seemed impossible. Adam turned toward the officers cowering behind the vehicles, his expression unreadable but undeniably menacing.
Bullets ricocheted off his body as they opened fire, the rounds deflecting harmlessly like pebbles thrown against a fortress.
With a sharp intake of breath, Adam vanished again, reappearing behind the remaining officers.
He extended a single hand toward them, his fingers snapping with a resounding click.
A shockwave rippled outward, slamming into the vehicles and sending them hurtling into the officers.
The impact was devastating. Some were crushed instantly, their bodies caught between the mangled metal.
Others were thrown violently across the ground, their injuries severe and life-threatening.
As the dust settled, Adam surveyed the carnage. A handful of survivors remained, huddled together and too injured to move.
The battlefield was silent save for the distant sound of sirens, signaling the arrival of reinforcements.
Adam's lips curled into a faint, grim smile on his face. "They never learn," he muttered, turning his gaze toward the horizon.
---
The chapter ends here, a scene of devastation left in Adam's wake.