That night, just as Su Jiu was about to practice with Zhao Yun, Chi Yang sent a message.
"Captain, intruders detected. They have been confirmed as Taotie."
As Su Jiu walked toward the Command Room, he asked, "How many?"
"Captain, they aren't people. They're armored warriors."
A video arrived shortly afterward. Six white-armored Taotie Warriors, each three meters tall and equipped with mechanical wings, were flying toward Juxia City.
Su Jiu grumbled, "Armored warriors, my ass. Chi Yang, you've gotten cheeky too."
"Captain, I can learn as well."
Ignoring Chi Yang's teasing, Su Jiu asked in the Guild Channel, "Who's in Juxia City?"
Baili Shouyue: "I am. I recently found a girl with great sniper potential and was planning to get in touch with her."
Su Jiu: "Taotie Warriors are heading toward Juxia City. Shouyue, go take them out. Be careful."
Baili Shouyue: "I know, Captain!"
Su Jiu: "...?"
Liu Chuang: "Xiao Jiu, didn't you check the guild mission? A mission was refreshed ten minutes ago."
Su Jiu: "...Right! Okay, Shouyue, be careful. Call for support anytime if you can't handle it."
After saying that, Su Jiu opened the mission panel and saw an updated mission.
Mission: "Taotie Probe. Six Taotie Warriors are preparing to test China's combat strength. Go eliminate those who dare invade China. Mission location: near Feiliu District Airport." Mission requirements: ① Eliminate all invaders. Reward: 3,000 Energy Coins. Mission accepted: Accepted by Baili Shouyue.
Su Jiu: ...Damn it, I hadn't even noticed the mission section.
At that moment, Grey Wolf, who had been grinding away day and night in the laboratory, spoke up. "Mr. Shouyue, be sure to bring back a Taotie Warrior for me."
Baili Shouyue: "Alive, Mr. Grey Wolf?"
Grey Wolf: "No need. Just make sure the armor remains intact. I want to study the Taotie Warriors' armor."
Baili Shouyue: "Fine. I won't say more. The girl I've been watching has gone to my mission location."
Looking at the familiar scene before him, Su Jiu felt that something seemed oddly familiar. He glanced at the Command Room's video feed again, slapped his thigh, and finally remembered.
Guild Channel...
Su Jiu: "Shouyue, is the girl you've been watching named Qi Lin?"
Baili Shouyue: "Yes, Captain. Do you have any other orders?"
Su Jiu: "No, carry on with the mission."
Baili Shouyue followed a police car all the way to the vicinity of Feiliu District Airport.
The fight had already begun. Baili Shouyue did not hesitate. He pulled his sniper rifle from his personal inventory, aimed, and fired. One Taotie Warrior immediately fell headfirst from the sky.
Seeing one of their own die, the other Taotie Warriors immediately shouted, "There's a sniper! Spread out and clear out those ordinary people!"
Lasers rained down from the sky. With a series of beeps, the people below were immediately caught in the attack. When Baili Shouyue looked again, the girl he had been watching had been shot through the chest.
Anger filled Baili Shouyue's chest.
He raised his gun and pulled the trigger. A streak of red light flashed past, and another Taotie Warrior was finished.
The remaining four Taotie Warriors located Baili Shouyue and fired wave after wave of lasers toward his position.
But another streak of red light flashed, and yet another Taotie Warrior was destroyed.
The remaining three Taotie looked down to see more than a dozen Baili Shouyues standing on the road, atop cars, and on streetlights, all aiming their guns at them.
Baili Shouyue showed no mercy. Three red streaks flashed from three directions, and the three Taotie Warriors fell to the ground. Then the dozen or so Baili Shouyues vanished, leaving only one behind.
Baili Shouyue stepped forward, dragged up a Taotie Warrior who had been shot in the head, and threw him into the wormhole that had just opened.
Then he walked over to Qi Lin, whose chest had been pierced, crouched down, and saw that she was still alive. He picked her up and contacted Su Jiu. "Captain, those Taotie moved too fast. I had just killed one when the rest immediately began clearing the area. Damn it. One is still alive, and it seems she has Super Gene."
"Next time you encounter enemies, don't give them a chance to catch their breath. If you can finish them in one second, don't take two."
"Understood, Captain. But what should I do about this girl?"
"Let me think of something. How about this? Bring her back to the Hyperion. I'll have a Simulated Robot take her place. But she carries a Super Gene, so she won't die. Will that work?"
"Captain, nothing ventured, nothing gained. It won't hurt to try, right?"
"Fine, bring her back! But you only have three hours. Any longer and they might notice. Once she's treated, send her back."
Su Jiu thought about the original story in the Command Room.
In the original story, there had not been this many Taotie Warriors, but Qi Lin had still been injured just as she was now. It seemed that nothing could continue following the original plot. After all, this was no longer an anime; these were real people now. Who knew what else might appear that had never existed in the original story?
Did that mean Su Jiu was cowardly? Not necessarily. In a real world, anything could happen. Given Su Jiu's current position, he could not simply do whatever he wanted. A person's position shaped the kind of person they became, and Su Jiu was slowly changing too. It was best to plan before acting.
If he just took things one step at a time in this world full of schemers, he would die so thoroughly that not even ashes would remain. How would he build everyone's paradise then?
Baili Shouyue brought Qi Lin back to the medical area, where Su Er was already waiting nearby.
Baili Shouyue placed Qi Lin on the bed. Su Er stepped forward to examine her, administered two tubes of medicine, then clapped her hands. "Big Brother Baili, this big sister is fine. The Super Gene in her body is slowly healing her. All I can do is speed up the recovery. At most, this young lady will recover in an hour. I'm going to play now. Bye-bye, Big Brother Baili." With that, Su Er waddled away on her short little legs.
Looking at the girl before him, her police uniform stained red with blood, Baili Shouyue felt something indescribable. Then he turned and walked out of the medical area.
Only Zhao Yun and Su Jiu were in the Command Room, discussing matters. Baili Shouyue walked up to them.
"Captain, I want to take a gamble."
Su Jiu understood what Baili Shouyue meant and said, "You really want to gamble?"
"I do."
"Fine. I'll sweeten the deal. I'll give you Star Fate, along with fifty thousand Green Crystal Bullets." Su Jiu handed the items to Baili Shouyue.
"Captain, aren't you curious?"
Su Jiu smiled. "What is there to be curious about? Isn't trusting you enough? Besides, Star Fate was yours to begin with, wasn't it?"
Baili Shouyue had wanted to say something else, but after hesitating, he said nothing and left with his weapon.
Su Jiu turned to look at Zhao Yun. "Zilong, you want to ask me why, right?"
Zhao Yun did not answer, merely waiting for Su Jiu's explanation.
Su Jiu continued, "Zilong, we're all family. There's nothing to hesitate over. Whatever Baili wants to do, we support him. Even if he's wrong this time, even if he's wrong next time, it doesn't matter. Baili is family. Even if he makes a mistake, I'll bear it with him."
Confusion first appeared on Zhao Yun's face, followed by understanding, then shock, and finally a smile.
Zhao Yun smiled and said, "Captain, Zilong understands. Thank you, Captain."
Hearing the word "Captain," Su Jiu smiled happily.
Ever since Zhao Yun had appeared, he had always treated Su Jiu as his lord and himself as a subordinate. He had never truly integrated into the group. Although others might not have understood, Su Jiu saw it clearly, and it gave him a headache. Now Zhao Yun understood.
What Su Jiu wanted was not some general, nor someone who rigidly followed every rule. He wanted someone who could strive alongside this paradise, someone who could laugh and play with everyone, someone who could devise plans with everyone—not someone who planned and fought for Su Jiu alone.
Tsk, tsk. Thinking about designing a support character and a swordsman—were there any good character templates, everyone?
Before you continue