The Fighter (Part 1)

"Gurgle, gurgle."

Ronan clearly heard the sound of boiling water.

In fact, the Fire Cloud filling most of the corridor really was boiling. Swollen, bursting dark-red bubbles crowded together, resembling an underground Lava Lake at first glance.

But to the Burning Demon Shadow, those bubbles of slurry that constantly formed and vanished were more like a powerful cleanser, with the added effect of a tumbling drum.

The "spores" stirred up by Fearful Roar were instantly annihilated the moment they touched the boiling Fire Cloud. Even the power that had already been effectively transformed—such as the Dark Seclusion flames wrapped around the demon body—suffered tremendous interference.

A vortex was taking shape in the void. Of the "Three Flames," whether they belonged to the Burning Demon Shadow, the Deep Blue Walkers, or the soldiers, anything swept into it ceased to respond.

If that were all, the Burning Demon Shadow would not have been at a disadvantage. But this was a military Transport Ship. Who was going to fight you one-on-one?

With a muffled bang, blue light burst from one of the cabins along the corridor. A sturdy figure charged out at an angle—it was another Deep Blue Walker.

His propulsion system had clearly been pushed to its limit, and he was far more formidable than the previous one. He lunged straight in, alloy combat knife raised in his hand, its blade likewise gleaming with translucent "Format Fire."

What precision!

Ronan nearly suspected that this "Fighter" possessed the ability to directly sense Darkside Creatures. The blade was aimed right at the area occupied by the Burning Demon Shadow, almost dead center.

The Burning Demon Shadow reacted a little slowly. Perhaps the two sides were too close, or perhaps it lacked any sense of danger toward physical attacks. Only when the flaming blade was upon it did its form blur as it tried to dodge.

It was still too late. Where the blade passed, both the outer Dark Seclusion flames and the nearly incorporeal shadowy demon body beneath them were sliced open by a long, visible blank scar.

Everything in its path was reduced to nothingness!

On Ronan's end, the information sent back by the Burning Demon Shadow suddenly became chaotic, followed by an eruption of violent force.

The Burning Demon Shadow had been provoked into ferocity. Disregarding Ronan's earlier orders, the Siege Hammer struck without restraint.

The Format Fire protecting the Fighter suddenly dimmed. His body, still gliding through the air, lost control and slammed into the corridor's metal wall with a boom, leaving several shallow dents in the hard alloy.

Many people cried out in alarm.

Yet after that impact, the several-hundred-kilogram Exoskeleton Armor actually bounced back. The flames guarding him grew dimmer, but the fire on his short blade nearly condensed into something tangible.

As he flew past, twisting through the air, he slashed again.

Damn!

Ronan inwardly cried out. This slash appeared to be much farther off than the last, only grazing the Burning Demon Shadow's outer edge. Yet that fierce, tyrannical will had already merged with the Format Fire and bored straight into the Burning Demon Shadow's core.

Hit twice in succession, especially by that second slash, the Burning Demon Shadow's reactions were thrown into complete disarray, leaving it frozen in place.

Sure enough, though this thing looked overwhelmingly vicious, it actually feared confronting firm, powerful willpower the most. That had been true when Ronan subdued it before, and it was true now, when one slash left it dazed.

Of course, the Fighter was not doing well either. After that slash, he crashed flat onto the floor, skidding into a corner and lying motionless.

"Save him!"

At that moment, the first Deep Blue Walker to enter and take control of the scene shouted an order. At the same time, seizing the opportunity, he manipulated the Format Fire so that the now-imposing Fire Cloud vortex closed in from all sides, intending to trap and crush the Burning Demon Shadow.

But perhaps the chaotic situation in the corridor made him wary. The encircling Fire Cloud vortex was not particularly tight, and his judgment of the Burning Demon Shadow's position was somewhat off as well.

Just then, Ronan stimulated the Burning Demon Shadow, forcing it to snap out of its dazed state. It had no time to think of retaliation. Its body transformed into a streak of light, forcibly breaking through the weakest point of the Fire Cloud before burrowing underground. It passed directly through some rich kid and entered the lower deck of the warship.

The central Smart Brain's judgment remained swift and sharp, but the rich kids sprawled across the corridor served as human shields, making further measures impossible to carry out. It could only order a second wave of interception.

The first Deep Blue Walker shook his head, showing no intention of giving chase. He removed his sealed helmet, revealing a handsome yet stern face. It was Yan Yongbo.

At that moment, medics went to inspect the Fighter lying on the ground, his Life and Death unknown. But before they could truly approach him, he suddenly rolled over and sat up. He shoved a medic away, then drove a heavy fist into the floor, his resentment and fury fully on display.

Yan Yongbo walked over. A rare smile appeared on his usually cold face as he extended a hand toward the Fighter. "Captain He, controlling your emotions is the first priority when dealing with Darkside Creatures. Besides, what you just did was already flawless..."

"I know perfectly well how I did."

The Fighter ignored Yan Yongbo's goodwill completely. Her voice was hoarse and cold. Then she used the assistance system to stand and began recalibrating her armor.

"Captain He..."

The Fighter turned her helmet's translucent faceplate toward Yan Yongbo. "Quantum Corporation's professionalism is still worthy of trust. I hope we can work together with Tacit Understanding from here on and reduce unnecessary mistakes—I value this time very much."

Yan Yongbo smiled faintly. "Naturally."

The Fighter turned and left. Yan Yongbo followed behind, carefully savoring the distinctly feminine quality concealed within that hoarse voice, while pondering whether her words carried any other meaning.

A few seconds later, he lowered his head and sent a reminder to his subordinates through the company's internal public channel. "The target is extremely powerful. When working with the military, everyone's first priority is stability... Hei Zi, especially you. Don't rush in recklessly. Focus on support first."

Hei Zi answered dumbly, "Got it. I'm watching."

Under wartime regulations, all non-military communication channels were either blocked or monitored, and no one was allowed to speak freely.

Yan Yongbo's words and actions quickly drew a warning from the Command Department. But since there was no sensitive information involved, and it also aligned with the military's intended role for Quantum Corporation, the criticism was merely routine.

Only Yan Yongbo and Hei Zi, the two involved, understood the real meaning behind it:

"Delay the operation. Observe and wait for changes."

Yan Yongbo lowered his gaze, thoughts turning in his mind. What luck today. I unexpectedly got the chance to meet and spend time with Captain He. Compared to this koi carp that could leap through the Dragon Gate at any moment, that undernourished little brat from the Luo Family can be put aside for now.

There are many ways to probe a child's background, but an opportunity like today's will never come again. No matter what, I have to leave a good impression in Captain He's eyes...

Mm, putting in a little more effort won't hurt.