"You clueless vermin. Your big talk is laughable."
Adam Smasher had already risen to his feet amid the dust and smoke.
The red glow of his electronic eyes shone through the haze. He twisted his neck, and his alloy spine gave a crisp crack.
He stepped out of the smoke. The casing on his chest was shattered, exposing numerous components, and severed cables dangled from it, crackling with sparks.
"I don't know whether you two look identical because you're biological clones, but the orders from above are already in. I'm taking both of you back."
Smasher wore a vicious expression as he spoke, as though he could already see the lightless future awaiting them as test subjects.
The members of Maine's crew instinctively backed away when they saw him stand up again.
But they were too badly injured to escape. All they could do was stand behind the Shuofang Si who had suddenly appeared.
After all, he had just sent Smasher flying. That was one hell of an entrance.
Only then did Rebecca slip out of her coat and free herself from the original Shuofang Si's grip. He had held her by the scruff of her neck, dangling her like a child with her fate in his hands.
Rebecca threw herself into cyber Shuofang Si's arms and burst into tears.
She really had nearly died just now.
Cyber Shuofang Si held her, gently patting her back as he looked toward his teammates.
Lucy was crouched beside David, frantically injecting him with a Cyberware Inhibitor.
Maine had picked up Dorio. She had been in the driver's seat and taken the worst of Smasher's impact.
Meanwhile, the original Shuofang Si completely ignored Adam Smasher and turned to his cyber counterpart.
"By the way, do you have that thing? The Fujitsu-?"
Cyber Shuofang