Molotov Cocktail

Los Angeles, Texaco Building.

4:20 PM

Schneider arrived at the conference room, and the Executive Department agents in black combat uniforms rose to salute the great dragon slayer with their eyes.

The old man gave a slight nod, signaling everyone to return to their seats.

Then he switched off the conference room lights and had Norma take control of the display, beginning to explain the mission intelligence in a hoarse voice.

"Over the past seventy-two hours, the Los Angeles police have recorded multiple abnormal deaths and disappearances in the outer industrial district. The actual death toll has exceeded fifty."

"The police classified them as gang conflicts, drug abuse, illegal clinic accidents... Granted, those conclusions are reasonable enough for ordinary people."

At that point, Schneider paused. The students sitting closer could clearly hear the hiss of his respirator.

"That was also the Executive Department's initial judgment, until our Los Angeles agents found this corpse in a gang's underground clinic."

As the display lit up, someone in the conference room drew a quiet breath.

It was a corpse stored in a freezer. The victim's pupils had already dulled, yet a dim ring of gold still lingered deep within his eyes, like metal that had melted and solidified again.

"Male, twenty-six years old, with no registered mixed-blood record. He was merely an ordinary employee at a convenience store on San Pedro Street. But before his death, he showed an obvious Golden Eyes activation response, accompanied by muscle breakdown, cardiac rupture, spinal deformity, aortic tearing..."

"Four provisional agents. Who can tell me what this means?"

At Schneider's question, Xia Mi, seated beside Li Lin, raised her little hand high.

"Professor, it's dragon blood contamination!"

"Looks like we won't need to give you any extra introductory lessons." Schneider nodded, then instructed Norma to switch to the next set of images.

"Our agents secretly took control of that underground clinic two days ago. In the freezer, they found a large number of bodies that had yet to be discovered by the police, as well as a drug called 'Molotov Cocktail' by the doctors and gang members."

A slender ampoule appeared on the screen. Dark red liquid was sealed within the glass, with faint golden flecks drifting through it beneath the lights.

Then more than a dozen photographs appeared in succession: golden pupils, distorted fingers, scale-like tissue bulging beneath the skin, restraint straps violently torn apart.

"As you can see, these people were not mixed-bloods before injecting this drug. Its effect is to forcibly push the user into a dragon blood reaction. As for whether the user survives, that clearly was not a concern of the drug's designer."

Schneider had Norma continue displaying the photographs.

Everyone saw a man strapped to an operating table, his body carved into pieces.

"According to further investigation, the name 'Molotov Cocktail' came from this victim, Shinji Katakura."

"The drug came from Japan. The identity of its carrier is unknown, but preliminary speculation suggests he was a peripheral researcher from a Japanese yakuza mixed-blood organization. About a week ago, he entered the United States and attempted to contact the Secret Party's North American branch, offering these drug samples in exchange for protection. But when he was at his most exhausted, he unfortunately encountered an attack by a group of thugs..."

Schneider did not describe the exact torture Shinji Katakura had suffered. The blood-soaked images on the screen had already made Aki Shigede cover her mouth at the conference table.

Compared to her slightly overwhelmed reaction, the other three students were much calmer.

Caesar even stood up and asked Schneider directly.

"Did the gang know the drugs they intercepted were related to dragons?"

"Of course they neither know nor understand the existence of dragon blood." Schneider studied this highly anticipated genius. "But they understand what power is."

"The gang treated it as a new type of stimulant, using it on underground fighters, gunmen, debtors, and street vagrants within their organization. After a brief frenzy, it caused the deaths of many ignorant people. When we secretly took over the clinic, there was only one sample left."

Caesar had completely entered the role of an Executive Department agent. "Have you confirmed that every corpse showed signs of drug injection?"

"Only forty-three cases have been confirmed. One was severely damaged, and four others have been identified as missing."

The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly changed.

"Missing?"

Caesar raised his eyes toward the screen.

Norma had already brought up a black-and-white surveillance recording.

In the footage, the old freezer door slowly warped. About a minute later, a bare-chested man emerged from the cold mist, his eyes glowing white in the monochrome image.

He hunched over and kept his head low as he left the freezer, dragging his legs awkwardly like a beast that had just emerged from hibernation.

Two glass bottles could vaguely be seen in his hands. He staggered beneath the camera, seeming to hear the faint mechanical sound of it operating. He suddenly looked up, the image shook violently, and then the screen was filled with a mass of chaotic static.

"This is the only victim we have found so far who survived after injection. Facial recognition confirmed his identity as Leonardo Williams, nineteen, born in Los Angeles, a high school dropout, and currently a professional boxer affiliated with a gang."

"Leonardo? The real Little Leo is here."

An inappropriate quip came from the conference table.

Xia Mi hurriedly kicked Li Lin's heel.

Unfortunately, it was too late. Schneider immediately ordered the pair of flirtatious kids outside to stand and listen.

"Although you are only first-year freshmen, do not forget that this is a battlefield. Those who refuse to follow discipline must be prepared to accept punishment."

Schneider looked at Caesar. "Caesar Gattuso, you will serve as the leader of the student squad. You have the authority to temporarily take over squad operations if communications are cut off, on-site command fails, or the target's threat escalates."

Caesar nodded with a solemn expression.

"Please clarify the firepower restrictions for this operation."

"You are permitted to use Word Spirits and conventional firearms. Live ammunition could easily trigger large-scale police involvement, so until I issue orders through Norma, the only supplies you will receive are Frigg Bullets. At the same time, avoid exposing the existence of Word Spirits in public as much as possible. Beyond that, use your own judgment."

"Sounds like you want me to lead the team in a war through the city that no one can see."

"That is the Executive Department's daily routine."

Xia Mi, standing by the door as punishment, raised her hand.

Schneider glanced at her. "Speak."

"Professor, you still haven't told us what we're supposed to do now!"

"Your current task is to stay here, learn how to analyze intelligence, and wait..."

Before Schneider could finish, Norma suddenly turned the conference room lights an eye-searing crimson.

"Norma, what happened?"

"Agent 03154B has lost contact. His last transmission coordinates were in the underground space at 115 Alameda Street."

"That was an outstanding graduate with B-class bloodline who independently completed three A-class missions!" Schneider's hoarse voice echoed through the conference room.

"Sorry, Professor Schneider. At present, Agent Jon's vital signs cannot be confirmed."

The artificial intelligence's emotionless reply made Schneider nearly crush the arms of his wheelchair.

It asked politely, "After verification, Agent Jon has combat experience in killing an A-class Dead Servant. Do you require me to apply to raise the mission rating to 'S'?"

"Apply immediately. Have the Executive Department send another combat team to the scene."

Schneider quickly composed himself, but anyone could see the bone-deep hatred and fury in those blazing Golden Eyes.

Then he turned toward the four students, who had somehow already lined up. Li Lin and Xia Mi were whispering to each other, Aki Shigede stared distractedly at the ceiling, and only Caesar stood tall and looked at him, proud as a fighting cock waiting to rush into the ring and bloody itself against an opponent.

The rage on Schneider's face froze for a moment because of it, but he still gave the order decisively.

"I now grant you special operations authority. Leave immediately with the First Action Group. Your mission is to secure the clinic and surrounding area within four hours, and search for and confirm Jon's vital signs."

"Yes!"

The scattered responses of the young men and women rang out, announcing the beginning of this battle.