Joint Operation

"Hey, no—why are there so many outsiders in Lungmen's slums? Why hasn't the Guard Department received any news at all?" Swire stared at the sea of people before her in confusion. Ever since they had fought their way over from that street, the question had lingered in her mind.

"To be honest, they're already comparable to some large gangs. But based on my experience, they probably aren't a major gang. They belong to some country and were sent here to gather intelligence," Hoshiguma analyzed, while also directing the troop deployment on site.

"So... the hunt begins?"

The voice coming through the communicator made everyone present fall silent for a moment.

For law enforcement officers, the word "hunt" was usually derogatory. But tonight, a group that was not part of law enforcement had joined the battle. To them, this was naturally a hunt.

"Begin. Full firepower authorized. Cover all our personnel," Zhuang Xiaolin said flatly, then strode forward.

His black trench coat fluttered slightly backward in the wind, while the black Morgan family hat on his head gleamed faintly beneath the night sky.

The silvery-white holster and the golden, crimson-streaked Death's Revolver complemented one another, creating the illusion of bloodstained wealth.

The towering heavy-armored operators stepped out from the formation and lined up near Zhuang Xiaolin. They gripped their shields tightly and braced them straight ahead.

Chen held the rear behind the heavy-armored operators, never lowering the longsword named Chi Xiao in her hand for even a moment.

The blond Feline named Swire, meanwhile, directed the drones from the back.

Within a few breaths, the neatly equipped members of the Lungmen Guard Department had formed up and prepared to meet the enemy's charge.

Shields could defend, but they could also turn defense into offense.

"Charge, brothers!"

"Show them what we're made of!"

"Damn Lungmen Guard Department!"

Cursing and shouting, the mafia members raised their swords and blades and lunged at the heavy-armored operators' formation like rabid dogs.

Bang—! A deafening blast rang out through the street.

The woman in the knit cap gripped a C1 submachine gun. A black half-mask covered part of her face, making her features impossible to discern.

The C1 submachine gun's fire echoed without pause. At this distance, its moderate rate of fire inflicted damage even more terrifying than that of the deadly close-range shotgun.

One mafia member after another was pierced through the chest or other vital organs by bullets. They did not even have time to cry out before collapsing painfully into pools of blood, twitching as they awaited death.

"All right, boys, the barbecue party has begun!" Tachanka shouted as the grenade launcher loaded with incendiary rounds continuously fired ammunition trailing faint flames.

When the incendiary rounds struck the ground, the chemicals within reacted, and several raging fires erupted across the street.

No matter how the mafia members caught in the flames twisted their bodies or had their companions douse them with water, they could not extinguish the fire. Under the searing heat, their clothes burned black, their flesh fused with the scraps of fabric. Once the flames died down, nothing remained but charred corpses.

As continuous gunfire rang out from the rooftops, a massive shield joined the ranks of the heavy-armored operators.

Unlike the surrounding Guard shields marked with pale blue patterns and the Lungmen Guard Department logo, this shield was black. Its small viewing slit reflected a pair of resolute eyes.

Specks of blue light flickered across the black shield—the visible form of electricity.

Streak after streak of current coursed through every available conductor and directly into the bodies of enemies trying to attack them. The enemies before them had no choice but to drop their weapons and flee in shrieking panic. Electric shocks were an agonizing experience for the human body.

During electrocution, the body's muscles spasmed. The unbearable pain from muscles beyond one's control was like a leg cramp in the middle of the night while lying in bed—excruciating beyond measure.

Because of this, the pressure on the Lungmen Guard Department's heavy-armored operators abruptly eased. They looked in surprise at the person in black combat gear wielding the massive shield.

Under the combined assault of the Lungmen Guard Department and the Rainbow Six Squad, these mafia members were beaten back again and again like a rabble. They could not even halt the Guard Department members' advance.

Still, before completely wiping them out, the Lungmen Guard Department showed them a measure of mercy. Those who laid down their weapons were knocked unconscious by the Guard Department members. It was perhaps the last kindness they would receive.

Zhuang Xiaolin calmly moved forward with the main force. As the formation advanced, more and more clusters of red life energy were absorbed from corpse after corpse into his body.

"This vast life force is truly enviable," Zhuang Xiaolin remarked, reflecting on the changes within himself while keeping his attention fixed on the battle ahead.