“Target unresponsive, presumed neutralized.”
Stopping his steps, a man who appeared to be the captain surveyed the tiger, now a mangled mass of flesh from the barrage of bullets.
“Numbers Two and Three, switch to incendiary rounds. Numbers Four, Five, and I will maintain suppressive fire.”
They had no intention of approaching to verify the tiger’s demise; instead, their plan was to incinerate it on the spot with incendiary ammunition.
This was the most prudent course of action.
Avoiding all unnecessary risks and preparing for the worst-case scenario in every situation was the standard operating procedure for their Guard Army.
Click-clack!
Numbers Two and Three deftly ejected the magazines from their firearms, then retrieved red-painted magazines from their belts.
With a distinct click, these were loaded into the hefty, dark muzzles of their weapons.
Throughout this process, Captain One, along with Numbers Four and Five, continued their precise bursts of gunfire, keeping the tiger suppressed without the slightest lapse in vigilance.
This was despite the tiger’s body being riddled with bullet holes, scarcely a single intact spot remaining on its entire form.
Numbers Two and Three pulled their triggers, the immense recoil unmitigated by the foregrip, driving the buttstocks hard into their shoulders.
Specialized red casings ejected from the gun bolts, clattering crisply as they fell to the ground.
Shrimp-red flames burst from the muzzles, and as the bullets struck the tiger, they instantly ignited its tattered body.
The blood-stained, reddish-brown tiger fur curled in the inferno, transforming into grayish-white powder and emitting the foul odor of burning protein.
Flesh sizzled under the intense heat, and a tantalizing aroma of cooked meat began to permeate the air.
Huang Xiu, catching the scent, felt her stomach rumble with an audible spasm, her small face flushing crimson in an instant.
‘Damn it, the prolonged combat has drained me. I’m utterly ravenous!’ she thought.
The flames continued their relentless scorching of the body—one second, two seconds… Finally, the tiger could endure no more.
He abruptly flipped over, transforming into a frenzied fireball, and bolted deeper into the campus.
“Damn it! Damn it!” His vocal cords twisted by the intense heat, the tiger let out a roar like that of a malevolent spirit.
He was utterly unwilling to accept this fate!
Had he not been ambushed, he could have exploited the cover of darkness and his agility to slaughter everyone present.
After all, with his regenerative capabilities, as long as his Void Energy (TL Note: A mysterious energy source used by certain individuals or creatures to perform supernatural feats.) wasn’t depleted, firearms alone couldn’t truly kill him.
Thus, after the surprise attack, he had resolved to feign death and bide his time.
He intended to wait for his joint injuries to recover, then ambush the five individuals with a single fatal strike once they drew near.
But who could have imagined these five would be so cautious, showing no inclination to approach whatsoever?
Instead, they intended to turn him directly into a roasted tiger!
Fire was the natural enemy of all flesh and blood, and even with Void Energy protecting his body, he couldn’t withstand it!
After waiting several seconds without seeing the five approach, the tiger finally gave up hope and decided to flee.
The five members of the Guard Army reacted with lightning speed, immediately performing small hops backward and opening fire the moment the tiger flipped over.
The muzzle flashes constantly illuminating their oil-painted, serene faces, which resembled ice sculptures.
These flashes also revealed the tiger’s body, now covered in scorch marks and blood blisters.
Leaping left and right, frantically dodging bullets, he felt the Void Energy surge wildly within him.
Having completed the self-healing of his joints, only a sliver of Void Energy remained within him, as tenuous as a flickering candle in the wind.
Yet, that mere trace allowed him to successfully unleash the survival technique he relied upon—Immovable Vajra (TL Note: A protective ability that hardens the user’s body or creates a barrier, making them highly resistant to damage.).
Solid, almost tangible, golden light emanated from the tiger’s body, swirling around him.
The large-caliber bullets, which had previously been unfailingly effective, now failed to penetrate this thin layer of golden light.
The moment they struck, they were instantly deflected, turning into ricocheting rounds that punched bowl-sized holes in the surroundings.
Fortunately, the battlefield had moved far from its original location; otherwise, this volley of ricochets would have caused numerous casualties.
“Tsk!” The captain, showing a rare flicker of emotion, raised his left hand and extended two fingers.
This signal indicated that firearms were ineffective and it was time to deploy the second plan.
The team members understood immediately: two continued firing, while the remaining three retrieved strange, paintball-gun-like weapons from their backs.
But it was already too late; the moment the weapons were drawn, the terrified tiger had already vanished at the end of the road.
“Target escaped, cease fire!” Seeing the tiger disappear into the distance, the captain decisively ordered a halt to the shooting.
He showed no regret for missing the target.
The Guard Army’s purpose was solely defensive.
Their primary objective was to ensure the safety of the populace and rescue those trapped in contact zones.
Offensive operations into the Void Realm were the responsibility of Transcendent individuals.
“Quickly, get these people out!”
The captain slung his rifle across his chest, then took a can of spray from his waist and began spritzing the unconscious girls.
Amidst the low-hanging mist, the girls began to stir one after another, but their eyes were filled with utter bewilderment.
They looked at the Guard Army, then at Huang Xiu and Yun Ning, as if dazed.
“That’s a ‘Waking Spray’,” Yun Ning explained, limping over from behind. “It was developed by Tiandu University.”
“While it can quickly revive unconscious people, those awakened often exhibit symptoms similar to sleepwalking.”
Huang Xiu nodded, wasting no words, and manipulated the surrounding plant life to gather the unconscious girls together.
Although the tiger had been driven off, no one could guarantee there weren’t stronger monsters lurking within the campus.
And…
A hint of gravity flashed in the young girl’s eyes. She had initially only sensed that the tiger was not simple, so she chose to bluff it.
After all, she hadn’t encountered many Void Realm creatures, so how could she know if there were any particularly knowledgeable ones?
But she never expected her bluff to uncover such a significant piece of information.
This tiger wasn’t a Void Realm creature… he was a person!
“This disturbance has the involvement of Transcendent (TL Note: Individuals possessing extraordinary abilities, often operating outside conventional human capabilities.) individuals!”
Huang Xiu planned to report this crucial intelligence immediately after withdrawing from the school.
The girls awoke one by one, and despite their sleepwalking state, they were remarkably obedient.
Under the Guard Army’s direction, they lined up, holding hands like schoolchildren, and began walking towards the school exit.
Huang Xiu was about to follow the Guard Army out of the school when she saw Yun Ning suddenly turn and slowly walk towards the dormitories.
“Senior Yun, what are you doing!” she called out anxiously.
“……”
Yun Ning’s retreating figure paused slightly. He lifted his head, gazing at the bright moon that even the dark clouds couldn’t obscure.
“The boys are waiting for me back in the dorms. I can’t abandon them!”
“Damn it, you’re so injured!” Huang Xiu gritted her teeth, unable to let Yun Ning walk to his death.
After all, he had, in a way, saved her life.
“You’re going like that? You’re just throwing your life away! As your teammate, I’m reporting you!” The young girl huffed, exasperated.
Drip… Blood slid down the young man’s right hand, instantly absorbed by the soil.
He was gravely wounded, limping as he walked, and his words were punctuated by heavy breaths.
Yet, his voice remained exceptionally firm.
“This is what I promised them. This is my commitment!”
“But…”
Huang Xiu was stunned into silence.
Though not particularly eloquent, she had, in her urgency, formulated a persuasive argument.
But at that moment, looking at the young man, the words she had prepared suddenly caught in her throat.
Could her meager words truly stop a man who had made up his mind?
As a man, even if only formerly a man, she could understand the young man’s feelings.
This was a man’s promise, his dignity, and his character.