Act.6 Beautiful Day · A Beautiful Day

Foreword:

The greatest courage in the world is elegance under pressure.

--Ernest Miller Hemingway

[Part 1: The Battle of Revenge]

Once again, the executioner fell on the front lines.

He has died at Jiang Xueming's hands more than thirty times. Starting from the first failure, the Angel Infant will have to undergo new VR training courses to learn from these battle memories.

This time, however, his enemy was Bu Liuxing.

"Oh ho ho!" The executioner drew his execution sword, his expression becoming rich and natural, his speech fluent and clear, speaking to the intruder in Japanese, "We meet again, little mouse."

A dozen steps away, Meteor's soul power revealed its true form. [Mr. Wei Meng Rap]'s appearance resembled a mecha warrior, full of childlike fun.

Its entire body is a vibrant rose color. Unlike ordinary humanoid spirits, it has four strong arms and a walking limb structure of a six-legged, double-forked rhinoceros tortoise.

The front and back panels gleamed with a metallic sheen, resembling a warrior's armor.

The joints connecting the four arms to the torso are also covered in armor, and the helmet and hood have bifurcated horn-like protrusions resembling those of a rhinoceros beetle.

The elytra behind him flapped with a low whistling sound, mirroring the meteor's stance, and his two thick thighs contained astonishing power.

It's like a raging fire—

--With palms slightly open and fists clenched, it is the fierce posture of a four-armed Asura.

Bu Liuxing: "What the hell are you barking about? Who are you calling a rat?!"

The executioner said, "Two hundred million years ago, the ancestors of Homo sapiens were rats. In the eyes of a highly evolved life form like mine, you are just an un-evolved little rat."

As he said this, a mocking glint appeared in the executioner's eyes.

He raised his right arm, which held the sword, with a disdainful expression, while his left hand gently stroked his right elbow.

The executioner had previously torn off Meteor's arm, and the wound was located there.

"Does your severed arm still hurt? Hehehe."

"Won't there be neuralgia? Transplanted prosthetics always leave phantom limb pain, and activating the pain suppressor won't help. A crudely made Homo sapiens like you, even with the equipment from the Shinto City, your brain will still miss your former physical body—mistakenly believing that your former limbs still exist. A leopard can't change its spots, and a wild boar can't swallow fine chaff."

"Let me guess your motive?"

The executioner tilted his head, his pupils began to dilate, and his previously focused double pupils became careless and underestimated the meteor.

"Are you here for revenge? Or is that wanted criminal who caused chaos in the city your accomplice? Either way..."

He raised his sword and pointed it at the shooting star.

"--Anyone who trespasses into the Night Patrol center will be killed without exception."

I will crush you.

Before he could finish speaking...

"--Hot Wind!"

Meteor strode forward, his hair fluttering with the air currents created by his emerging spirit, and from the VENOM mechanism in his right arm, Rose Shining Stone spewed forth vibrant flames.

The flames spread from the forearm and upper arm all the way up to the torso, and the moment they were touched by the power of the soul, they turned into a furious rage of mind and body in perfect harmony!

[You actually have the patience to listen to this guy finish reading his lines? You're really patient!]

In an instant, the executioner's head was severely injured!

Before he could react, his dynamic vision, enhanced by the prosthetic eye, allowed him to detect bullets.

When he came to his senses, he found himself sprawled out in another logistics room!

What happened?

I don't understand at all?!

I was just standing in front of him a moment ago?! How did I suddenly end up in the prosthetic assembly workshop?

Why?

A crimson fist slammed into the air, creating a sonic boom. The crimson spirit, resembling a samurai general, flapped its wings and charged forward in tandem with the meteor, like a wild horse unleashed. Limited by its range, it couldn't unleash its full speed and power, instead firing a barrage of attacks at thin air.

--The chaotic fist shadows resembled the beating of drums, drawing out sonic booms in the air.

As the meteor caught up, and [Mr. Wei Meng Rap] came into close contact with the executioner again, the cyborg scrambled to his feet, utterly bewildered!

"Such powerful Soul Power! And that bright red VENOM!"

"Hot Wind! Are you helping him?!"

Within a mere three seconds, the spirit and the nano-armor collided more than twenty times!

The executioner's body trembled, and the execution sword was sent flying by the immense force of the impact.

Strangely, however, he was not harmed at all.

Whether it's the various values in the HUD or the physical sensations, even if the executioner had his pain suppressor removed and was powerless to fight back, he could hardly feel any pain!

These seemingly fierce punches, though accompanied by a gust of wind, landed on him like a gentle drizzle, shoving him and causing his body to lose its balance and bounce rapidly around the room, tumbling and rolling like a ball—each time he was about to land, the terrifying and mysterious rhinoceros beetle would deliver another punch at an even more terrifying speed, altering his trajectory!

The executioner was panicked; he had never seen such strange psychic power before.

When [Mr. Wei Meng Rap]'s boxing attack stopped, his body had no external injuries, but the entire room looked as if it had been hit by an explosive. The prosthetic parts cracked and exploded, the transport rails were smashed to pieces, and the alloy walls were also broken with several large holes.

Bu Liuxing's eyes were bloodshot; the mental energy he had expended while continuously activating his Soul Power had left him feeling exhausted.

The executioner, leaning on his knees, was terrified and not in a stable mental state, and questioned loudly.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Bu Liuxing yelled back, "I don't know either! I just want to beat you up! I want to turn you into a pile of minced meat!"

The executioner's expression became incredibly complex, a mixture of absurdity and absurdity. "You can't even control your own spirit?! Can't it hurt anyone?"

"This is the first time I've used it!" A Xing didn't mince words, directly revealing the characteristics of Soul Power to the enemy. "Before, we were only sparring with each other in VR training! It seems it really can't attack you directly!"

The executioner found this guy utterly unreasonable. "You know about this, yet you still launch this pointless attack?!"

Bu Liuxing was almost going crazy. "I'm so angry! I can't stand it at all! I completely forgot!"

After watching the first round of Hot Wind's merciless mockery.

You two are a match made in heaven.

A Xing was panting heavily; he needed to rest.

The sudden burst of psionic energy left him paralyzed, his body unresponsive, and the nerve signals in his muscles disordered. Unlike VR training, calling out [Mr. Wei Meng Rap] in reality would severely deplete his physical energy.

The executioner, hunched over and half-squatting, was also breathing heavily. Fear Teacher San San, rushing into his brain like a raging torrent. The sudden, multiple displacements caused his prosthetic body to lose its balance. Because he had no inner or outer ear, the drastic changes in air pressure and orientation caused the gyroscope in his body to malfunction and become inaccurate, requiring readjustment.

The executioner was shocked by the power unleashed by the little mouse before him.

The last time his arm was torn off, he was almost powerless to resist.

How could such bizarre psychic energy be able to treat me like a football these days?

The VENOM device on his arm harbors the spirit of Hot Wind—there's no doubt about it! It must have been Hot Wind who gave him this incredible power!

It seems he hasn't fully mastered this power yet.

Kill him! Absolutely kill him completely!

Defeat him before he realizes what's happening and before he fully masters psychic powers!

Why... why can't I move?

Why?

The executioner's prosthetic eye focused on himself, observing his limbs. His muscles trembled and quivered unnaturally. These subtle changes were difficult for the naked eye to discern, but the electronic android could see them clearly.

I.

I'm actually scared?

"I'm actually scared? I'm actually afraid of you, kid?!"

The executioner uttered these words almost involuntarily.

He began to regret it as soon as he said it.

Bu Liuxing was freed from the state of stiffness and disordered breathing.

Hey! Did I scare you?!

When faced with A Xing's burning gaze, the executioner, his prosthetic eye sight concealed, dared not meet his eyes.

When dealing with Jiang Xueming, the executioner felt no fear. Death was not the end; he could be reborn repeatedly, could go through it all again, could collect data, and could use VR training courses to bridge the gap between them.

But at this moment, facing this suddenly stronger little mouse, the executioner felt a profound sense of fear.

A Xing's smile disappeared, and he regained some strength.

"The first time I lost to you."

"I was terrified and could barely do anything."

"You can break my arm, and you could take my life with the slightest movement."

"I think that fear wasn't about being afraid of death—it was about that moment when I felt I couldn't win, and for a split second I gave up on the idea of winning!"

"I almost forgot that Professor Victor once taught me with a quote from Hemingway: 'A man can be destroyed but not defeated!'"

"It's far more terrifying than death!"

"Now it's your turn to experience this horror!"

"Executioner!"

[Part ②: Thrilling Moments]

"Don't underestimate me! You bastard!" The executioner stared intently at the execution sword on the floor.

A Xing followed the look and immediately understood his opponent's intention, then sprinted toward the deadly weapon!

The two met halfway, avoiding the control panel and squeezing into the narrow passage. When they collided, it produced a dull, loud sound!

In the instant of close combat, Meteor drew his pistol and ordered the executioner to use a CQC wristband to twist the arrogant little rat's arm behind his back.

They fought fiercely in the cramped room. A Xing was like a slippery eel; the only sound was the slurping sound of sweat rubbing against the mesh of his nano-armor.

--Meteor stopped and snatched the gun back from around the waist. The executioner's electronic brakes stopped on his torso, and his legs seemed to have a mind of their own, following the upper body's movements. They kicked continuously along the alloy platform, neutralizing A Xing's unreasonable hugging action, and almost circled behind Meteor, trying to snatch the gun again.

Meteor pulled the trigger. The bullet struck the platform and bounced off the wall. After two ricochets, it had been pulled seven times while wrestling with the executioner. The soft, hot iron flow bounced off the sturdy workshop wall and landed on the executioner's skull, hitting his metal head and causing it to tilt. His limp brain was concussed, and he looked like he was about to collapse.

"Unlock my pain inhibitors! Unlock them completely!"

The executioner shouted the order, and the pain made his eyes even more ferocious as he suddenly snapped back to reality. The aftereffects of the concussion made his legs go weak and he almost knelt down, but thankfully he hadn't completely passed out!

They embraced each other, kneeling on one knee. The essence of the divine beast sculpted the terrifying physique of the android. But at this moment, the executioner was surprised to find that the core power of the boy in his arms seemed to be in no way inferior!

The knuckles kneaded the pistol's grip, almost squeezing the nylon parts out of shape. A crack extended from the handguard to the slide. The executioner's right upper arm was locked in place by the meteor, while his left arm was still struggling for control of the pistol!

He couldn't win against this kid! He actually lost the duel of strength!

The dark muzzle of the gun was trembling violently, slowly shifting, heading straight for the eyes!

His fragile prosthetic eye was probably the only weak point in his skull! Vision is the most sensitive and expensive sense in the human body, and it must be directly connected to the brain! Through these two holes, a bullet could penetrate his head!

"I won!" Meteor's ferocious expression suddenly turned into a bright smile.

The moment the three points were aligned and the aim was complete, the executioner broke out in a cold sweat, and the surge of adrenaline couldn't help his muscles exert any more force!

This guy! This kid!

This rat's power is greater than mine!

With a "click--" sound.

The moment the trigger was pulled, the executioner almost gave up entirely, loosening his grip and gripping the slide tightly!

The firing action of a semi-automatic pistol requires the slide to return to its original position. He tried to stop the firing action by pushing the slide, but it didn't work in this situation!

Since the meteor has already fired seven bullets, there must be a bullet in the chamber, and the firing pin of the trigger will definitely detonate the next bullet!

But the gun still misfired.

It seems like a strange twist of fate, unwilling to let the executioner fail.

When A Xing's large fingers pulled the trigger, the gun simply clicked and went silent, leaving even the executioner momentarily stunned.

The two men were locked in a struggle, and the immense grip they exerted while fighting for the weapon deformed it. Looking up along the safety mechanism, the firing pin inside the exposed slide was broken in two.

The executioner, still clutching the slide, could barely contain his instinctive elation, overjoyed at surviving such a close call, "Hahahaha!"

"Hahahaha!" Bu Liuxing also burst out laughing.

Executioner: "What are you laughing at! You scoundrel!"

The meteor pointed to the executioner's stiff right arm, then to his limp left hand gripping the sleeve.

The executioner finally came to his senses.

Bu Liuxing raised his right hand, which had been pointing and gesturing, high and then clenched it into a fist the size of a clay pot, round by round.

"Bang--"

The finger bones kissed the executioner's face passionately, almost breaking his neck!

His head was tilted to one side, trying to use his flexible artificial muscles to deflect the terrifying force of the punch! He felt like he had been gored hard by a rhinoceros! His right torso, which had been locked in place, naturally loosened and unlocked, and his body slammed violently into the iron frame, his mind filled with the buzzing of a thousand bees!

[Watching you guys fight is fucking disgusting]

Without any hesitation, Meteor drew his submachine gun the moment it was unlocked and spat fire at the disoriented enemy!

The continuous barrage of ammunition sparked intensely, but at that very moment, the executioner Bu Liuxing were surprised to discover something.

[Mr. Wei Meng Rap] is like a fair and impartial referee in a jousting match, suddenly appearing in front of the executioner and stopping all the bullets!

The bullets that bounced and deflected towards A Xing's body were also shattered by the eerie rhinoceros beetle.

Meteor couldn't understand! How could his own soul power be so biased towards outsiders!?

[Haven't you noticed its special features yet!?]

A Xing looked completely innocent. "In VR training, I was always fighting against multiple enemies! It was always helping me fend off the other enemies! How would I know about these strange things!"

"Hahahahahahahahahaha!" The executioner struggled to his feet, quickly straightened his head, and the crisp, cracking sound of bones realigning in his neck could be heard.

Bu Liuxing: "What the hell are you laughing at again?"

Executioner: "Bu Liuxing"

Bu Liuxing: "Huh?! You're calling me?!"

The gunfire inside the cramped room made A Xing's hearing impaired. Jason Megan once said that this guy spoke as loud as thunder, and at this time, Meteor had to open his mouth as wide as he could to shout in order to hear the enemy.

The executioner touched the execution sword, but he was no longer Dior Homme or conceited.

"I'm calling you! Bu Liuxing! I'm calling your name!"

A peach-colored glow filled the room. The moment the high-frequency weapon was activated, the intense light reflected off the iron platform and walls, creating a dazzling display of fragmented cherry blossoms.

Bu Liuxing touched his nose, blew out the foul blood from his nasal cavity, and pointed his other finger at the executioner's nose.

"You're not calling me 'Little Mouse' anymore? I told you we weren't that close!"

The high-frequency blade spewed out a violent stream of energy. Surrounded by the four arms of the rhinoceros beetle warrior, the jet was guided to the other side by the spirit body. The scorching air almost set A Xing's hair on fire, and a bright red scar appeared on his right shoulder.

The energy beam pierced through the wall, shot out from the ceiling of the assembly workshop, and disappeared into the pitch-black night.

Seeing the result of the shooting, the executioner showed no sign of discouragement.

Like throwing a flying axe, he hurled the execution sword fiercely at the meteor.

The blade, not yet fully cooled, was cracked halfway through by [Mr. Wei Meng. Wham Rap] and flew off somewhere unknown.

The executioner opens his arms as if to embrace the enemy.

"Bu Liuxing! It seems we'll have to settle this with our bare hands!"

Bu Liuxing assumed a fist stance, tucked his chin, lowered his shoulders, and dropped his elbows.

"Ah, that's probably what it means."

Executioner: "You're like a fire! You'll burn through my artificial iron skull!"

Bu Liuxing: "Many people have said that."

The executioner. "Long-dormant emotions have resurfaced, my enemy, they surge forth from my chest, making my blood boil."

Bu Liuxing: "Fighting with you really fucking hurts!"

The executioner's arm began to emit a faint red glow, a sign of a shattered personality.

"The nameless warrior! A mystery has always shrouded my mind."

"I can feel the pain, but everything is becoming clearer and clearer."

"I can see someone who looks exactly like me. Who is that guy? Is it Hot Wind? Or is it myself?"

The fog is about to dissipate.

"Come on, shooting star!"