Several sharp, hurried sounds rang out as several electromagnetic capture nets fell over He Ao, covering his body.
At the same time, the figures standing behind the alloy crates threw away their firearms and took out the Gauss Rifles slung across their backs.
At that very instant, the blade at one figure's waist suddenly flew from its sheath, streaking beneath the wooden post of the scarecrow.
The knife struck the scarecrow without knocking it down, then immediately swooped lower, circling the alloy base that secured the cross and cleanly cutting the base of the cross free from the metal crate.
Then the blade shot upward and slammed into the metal crate.
With a crisp clang, the cross holding the scarecrow remained completely unharmed, but the metal crate crashed backward.
The surrounding figures immediately reached out to catch the crate, preventing it from toppling over completely.
At that moment, the scarecrow that had remained standing had lost its obstruction and turned around.
The figures standing behind and to the sides of the metal crate stiffened completely the instant the scarecrow turned toward them.
Twisted, soft, slender strips began writhing rapidly beneath their skin.
Only the two Mercenaries whose bodies were hidden behind the metal crate remained normal.
At that instant, the man in black raised his eyes and looked toward He Ao.
The figure who had been lying on the ground had somehow already stood up. The electromagnetic chains and shackles wrapped around him glowed with flickering light.
He Ao clenched his fists, and his muscles suddenly tightened in bunches.
Boom--
With a violent, thunderous roar, his locked arms suddenly spread apart.
The electromagnetic shackles and chains shattered instantly, exploding into flying chunks of steel.
The two figures hiding behind the metal crate were about to prop it back up and