Xu Feng did not smoke, yet in moments of deep contemplation, having a cigarette between his fingers somehow sharpened his mental acuity.
He stared into the obsidian night, when suddenly several figures hurriedly appeared at the parking lot. Their furtive glances cast left and right as they slipped into waiting vehicles.
Xu Feng's eyes fixed on the foremost figure, and he was struck dumb. That was Poseidon — a man he knew well. Blessed with exceptional eyesight even under the cloak of darkness, Xu Feng discerned him clearly.
As Xu Feng prepared to step out of his car, he noticed behind Poseidon the unmistakable figure of Yuan, bearing a long blade conspicuously strapped to his back. Curiosity seized him; he murmured to himself in disbelief: Why are they together? What brings them to the city?
The villa district where Allen resided lay on the outskirts of New City; such a grand estate could never be found at its center.
Poseidon's team had parked their vehicles within a wooded area northwest of the city, then proceeded on foot, stealthily infiltrating the urban sprawl until reaching this parking lot.
Leading the group, Poseidon approached a car, casting wary glances about. Swiftly, he conjured a slender shard of ice from his fingertips, sliding it deftly into the lock. With a gentle twist, the door clicked open.
The ice crystal continued to grow, morphing seamlessly into a replica of the car key, granting him effortless access.
Poseidon slid into the driver's seat; Yuan and Jack followed suit. Nearby, Zehong employed his shadowy abilities to unlock another vehicle, where Yuan, Jack, and Satan climbed in.
Their movements were swift, practiced, and undetected by others.
Yet Xu Feng observed every detail with crystalline clarity, knowing full well they were stealing these vehicles. Oblivious to the nearby presence of Xu Feng's own car, their engines roared to life simultaneously, headlights piercing the night as Poseidon and Yuan each drove off, vanishing into the darkness.
From a distance, Xu Feng trailed behind them in his vehicle, his instincts tingling with unease. Their course pointed unmistakably toward the Alliance military base. He promptly activated his communicator to contact Rice.
Rice was just preparing to sleep when his device lit up, revealing Xu Feng's stern visage.
"Hey, it's late—what are you doing still up?" Rice asked.
Xu Feng's tone was resolute, devoid of jest. "I just spotted Poseidon of the Seven Gods, along with Jack and Yuan from the Seven Fiends. They've stolen two cars and are heading straight for our camp. You need to issue a combat alert immediately. These six are formidable warriors. If they breach our defenses, the consequences will be dire. Handle it as you see fit."
Rice's expression froze in disbelief. "Is this for real?"
"Absolutely. I wouldn't lie. We're moving fast on XX Road right now."
Without hesitation, Rice threw off his covers. "Understood." He ended the call.
As Xu Feng drew closer to the base, his conviction only strengthened.
About two kilometers from the camp, Rice reconnected. "Everything's in place."
Xu Feng nodded grimly. "Good. This time, we must not let them escape. Tell the brothers to fight with everything they have."
Rice smiled confidently. "You don't need to tell me twice. Sit back and watch the show."
Ahead, Poseidon drove at the forefront. The military camp loomed not far, situated along a broad, deserted avenue devoid of any passerby.
A sudden unease crept over Poseidon. He glanced to Jack beside him. "Jack, do you notice anything unusual? Why is this place so empty?"
Jack frowned. "Where exactly? You're right—there isn't a single soul around."
Poseidon slowed the vehicle, eyes narrowing as he sought to scrutinize their surroundings.
Then, without warning, a massive armored vehicle thundered from a side street like a moving fortress, dwarfing standard APCs by three or four times, yet propelled with uncanny speed, clearly powered by some unconventional engine.
Poseidon slammed on the brakes, the car fishtailing as it screeched to a halt. The monstrous vehicle blocked the road, unleashing a barrage of fire from its four side-mounted machine guns and several miniature surface-to-surface missiles atop its turret, raining destruction upon their two vehicles.
Reacting swiftly, Poseidon swerved sharply into a narrow alleyway.
"Damn! Where did this armored beast come from?" he cursed, pounding the steering wheel.
He managed to evade the onslaught, but Yuan, driving the trailing car, was struck multiple times. Cursing, he followed Poseidon into the alley.
Xu Feng pulled his car aside, recalling Rice's words to finish off this group within this confined space.
He slammed his door shut and strode purposefully toward the alley entrance.
Just as Poseidon's vehicle neared the alley's mouth, he stomped on the brakes. The trailing car nearly collided before halting abruptly.
Jack turned, puzzled. "What's wrong? Why the sudden stop?"
Poseidon's voice was tense. "I don't think we should take this path. We need to turn back—now."
He began to execute a U-turn. The alley was wide enough to complete it within ten seconds—yet before he could, shadows descended from the nearby buildings.
Poseidon's eyes widened as he shouted, "Ambush! Everyone, prepare to fight!"
With a series of metallic clangs, figures landed around their vehicles—sounds unmistakably mechanical in origin.