"What are you doing?"
Of all the startled cries, Ms. Star's was undoubtedly the loudest.
And the accusation that followed was full of outrage and shock.
How much of it was for Adele, and how much for the sake of keeping the team together, was hard to say.
Lady Qing and Brother Death Row looked just as shocked. In unison, they aimed their weapons at the Masked Man.
One moment he had been offering gentle persuasion; the next, he had struck without warning. Having such a moody, dangerous person for a teammate hardly inspired confidence.
Even Brother Red Dragon, who looked like the most level-headed of them all, had his hand on his cyber blade-spear.
The six-person team had only just formed, and already it was facing a crisis.
"You suspect she might be lying?"
Adele lay on her back, terror still etched on her young face.
After a brief hesitation, Red Dragon offered the Masked Man an excuse.
It was clear that he didn't want the team to fall apart so soon.
"No."
Unfortunately, the Masked Man didn't take the bait. Carefully resetting his hand crossbow, he rejected the excuse Red Dragon had offered on his behalf.
"I think Adele was very cooperative. She honestly told us what she knew."
"Then why kill her?"
Lady Qing's voice betrayed no emotion. In her hand was a shortbow, its gleaming triangular arrowhead ready to fly at the slightest provocation.
"Just because she didn't lie doesn't mean the information she brought us was true... Luckily, she can still help us test that."
The Masked Man had finished putting away his weapon. He shook his head gently, ignoring the threat right in front of him, and looked at Fu Qian.
Fu Qian had shown no reaction at all to what had just