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 gazes.

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

Then he turned 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 already exceeded fifty."

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

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

"That was originally the Executive Department's assessment as well, until the Los Angeles agents discovered 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 gone unfocused, yet a dim ring of gold remained deep within his eyes, like metal that had melted and then solidified again.

"Male victim, twenty-six years old, with no Mixed-Blood registration record. He was merely an ordinary employee at a convenience store on San Pedro Street. But before his death, he displayed an obvious Golden Eyes ignition reaction, accompanied by muscle dissolution, cardiac rupture, spinal deformity, aortic tearing..."

"Four temporary agents, who can tell me what this means?"

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

"Professor, it's Dragon Blood contamination!"

"It seems there's no need to give you extra introductory lessons," Schneider said with a nod, 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 corpses the police had yet to discover, as well as a drug referred to by the doctors and gang members as 'Molotov Cocktail.'"

A slender ampoule appeared on the screen. Dark red liquid was sealed inside the glass, with faint golden flecks drifting within it under the light.

Then more than a dozen photos 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 was to forcibly push the user into a Dragon Blood Reaction. As for whether the user could survive, that was clearly not within the drug designer's considerations."

Schneider had Norma continue displaying the photographs.

Everyone then saw a man tied to an operating table, his body cut into scattered pieces.

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

"The drug originated in Japan. The identity of the carrier is unknown. Preliminary speculation suggests he was an outer-circle researcher for a Japanese underworld 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 safe asylum. 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 were already enough to make Aki Shigede cover her mouth.

Compared to her somewhat overwhelmed reaction, the other three students appeared far calmer.

Caesar even took the initiative to stand and question Schneider.

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

"Of course they didn't know about or understand the existence of Dragon Blood," Schneider said, studying the highly anticipated genius. "But they understood what power was."

"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 led to the deaths of many ignorant people. When we secretly took over the clinic, there was only one sample left."

Caesar had completely assumed 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 corpse was severely damaged, and four more missing persons have been identified."

The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly changed.

"Missing?"

Caesar raised his eyes toward the screen.

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

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

He left the freezer hunched over with his head lowered, dragging his legs awkwardly like a beast that had just emerged from hibernation.

Two glass bottles could vaguely be seen in his hand. He staggered beneath the camera, seemingly hearing the faint sound of the machine operating. He suddenly looked up, the footage shook violently, and then the screen was left with nothing but a huge mass of chaotic static.

"This is the only victim we have found so far who survived the injection. Facial comparison has confirmed his identity as nineteen-year-old Leonardo Williams, a Los Angeles native. He dropped out of high school and is now a professional boxer affiliated with a gang."

"Leonardo? The genuine Little Li is here."

An incongruous jab rose from the conference table.

Xia Mi hurriedly kicked Li Lin in the heel.

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

"Although you are only first-year freshmen, don't forget that this is a battlefield. Anyone who refuses to obey discipline should be mentally prepared to accept punishment."

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

Caesar nodded with a solemn expression.

"Please explain the firepower restrictions for the operation."

"Word Spirits and conventional firearms are permitted. Live ammunition could easily provoke 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're asking me to lead a team into an invisible war in the city."

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

Xia Mi, standing at 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 to analyze intelligence, and wait..."

Before Schneider could finish, Norma suddenly changed the conference room lighting to a glaring crimson red.

"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-Rank missions!" Schneider's hoarse voice echoed through the conference room.

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

The artificial intelligence's emotionless response made Schneider nearly crush the armrest of his wheelchair.

It asked politely, "After verification, Agent Jon has combat experience killing A-Rank Dead Servants. Do you need me to apply to raise the mission level to S?"

"Apply immediately. Have the Executive Department send another operations group to reinforce the scene."

Schneider quickly regained control of his emotions, but anyone could see the bone-deep hatred and fury in those ignited Golden Eyes.

He then turned toward the four students, who had somehow already lined up. Li Lin and Xia Mi were whispering to each other, Aki Shigede stared blankly at the ceiling, and only Caesar stood with his head high and chest out, looking at him as proudly as a fighting cock waiting to enter the ring and battle an opponent until both were bloodied.

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

"I now grant you special operational authority. Depart immediately with the First Operations Group. Your mission is to secure the clinic and surrounding area within four hours, search for Jon, and confirm his vital signs."

"Yes!"

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