The gravel beneath his feet was still trembling slightly, and Ye Mo's lungs heaved violently like a bellows. That charge had not only exhausted him but also completely exposed his back to the enemy's guns.
"Da da da--!"
The dense blast of bullets seemed to explode right next to his ears; the oppressive feeling of death was like a tangible hammer slamming into his chest. Ye Mo could even see the tiny gusts of air stirred up by the gun muzzles, and the tongues of fire spitting from those dark gun barrels. He didn't dodge, nor could he. To dodge meant abandoning Emma Frost; not to dodge meant enduring it head-on.
Just as the first bullet was about to pierce his chest, the cold machine deep within Ye Mo's mind suddenly roared to life. There were no visual effects, no special effects, only a line of stark white text forcibly entering his field of vision: [Gene fragment analysis in progress... Energy barrier construction complete.]
He subconsciously raised his right hand, palm facing forward.
Buzz!
A deep, muffled sound, as if some high-frequency vibration wave had spread out instantly. A translucent, pale blue light curtain appeared out of thin air, like a giant soap bubble film, yet ridiculously hard.
Puff puff puff puff!
The bullet struck the light screen without leaving a dent, and was immediately bounced off, landing on the sand in the distance with a crisp metallic clang. Ye Mo felt as if his arm was filled with lead, the recoil shooting up his elbow and making his hand go numb. But he gritted his teeth and refused to take a single step back.
"This is getting interesting." Emma Frost's voice came from behind, tinged with surprise, but mostly with a sense of relief.
Ye Mo didn't turn around, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Emma Frost standing at the edge of the light barrier. Although the diamond luster on her body had dimmed somewhat, it was still dazzling. If it weren't for this shield, she would have been riddled with bullets even if she had turned into a diamond statue during that wave of suppressive fire. Now, the two of them stood side by side behind this blue "shield," and although the bullets outside were crackling and popping, not even a speck of dust could get into the small space where they were.
"Don't just stand there." Ye Mo took a breath, his voice coming through the bone conduction headphones, "This thing drains mana really fast, I can't last much longer. How's the situation on your end?"
"It's alright, just a bit noisy." Emma Frost pouted, tapping her fingers lightly on the surface of the light screen, creating ripples at her fingertips. "That old fox Commander hasn't realized it yet. He thinks we're putting up a tough fight, but we're actually waiting."
"Wait for what? Wait for them to work themselves to death?" Ye Mo's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Wait until they break through their defenses." A cold glint flashed in Emma Frost's eyes. "Since physical attacks are ineffective, they'll definitely switch to other methods. This is when their command system is most vulnerable."
Sure enough, the gunfire from the other side gradually subsided. Clearly, the mercenaries had also realized something was wrong. These bullets weren't even scratching their skin, leaving them questioning their existence.
"Switch to heavy weapons! Use sonic jammers! And incendiary grenades, throw them in!" The commander's roar came through the loudspeaker, tinged with obvious anxiety and anger.
Ye Mo frowned. Sound waves? Those were a method specifically designed to counter the mental power of Mutants. If the opponent really brought out that kind of weapon, the shield could still withstand the physical impact, but it would be powerless against mental interference. In that case, both he and Emma Frost would be in trouble.
"Looks like they've learned their lesson," Ye Mo muttered, a fine layer of sweat beading on his forehead. The mental strength required to maintain this Force Field Shield far exceeded his expectations, and his brain felt like it was being pricked by needles.
"It's up to you." Ye Mo took a deep breath, his eyes turning icy cold. "I'll tank the physical damage from the front; you take care of the mental attacks from behind. Remember, don't hold back, just blast their brains apart."
"Don't worry, I don't like playing games." Emma Frost chuckled, and the previously restrained light shone again, this time not in the defensive Diamond Form, but as pure spiritual energy.
Ye Mo steadied the shield tightly, feeling the increasingly violent explosions and sonic vibrations outside. His body trembled slightly, but his feet were firmly planted on the ground. He knew this was their last chance. Once the shield shattered, they would be doomed.
Meanwhile, the situation on the east plaza underwent a subtle change.
Emma Frost closed her eyes, her consciousness rapidly sinking into that invisible ocean of thought. She no longer tried to perceive specific images, but instead focused all her attention on one point—the enemy commander's mind.
There was a chaotic flow of information, filled with commands, anxiety, and fear. Emma Frost, like a shark lurking at the bottom of the water, silently approached that core node. She didn't attack directly, but gently plucked the string called "reason".
In an instant, a terrifying mental fluctuation emanated from the two of them and spread wildly outwards.
This is not ordinary interference, but Mental Dread.
"Ah!!!"
A soldier operating a sonic weapon suddenly screamed as the device slipped from his hand and slammed into his own foot. Immediately afterward, another guard, as if he had seen something extremely terrifying, rolled his eyes back and began firing wildly in all directions, completely disregarding who his targets were.
"Stop! What are you doing?!" The commander's roar became intermittent as he began to hallucinate. He saw the soldiers around him with distorted expressions and stiff movements, as if they had become puppets.
The once orderly formation instantly descended into chaos. Soldiers shoved and jostled each other, some even turning on each other. The entire camp was plunged into utter confusion, with shouts, cries, and the clashing of weapons mingling together to create an absurd symphony.
"This is the power of the Mind Stone." Emma Frost opened her eyes, a cruel smile curving her lips. "Much more effective than bullets, and it saves ammunition."
Ye Mo couldn't help but shudder at the scene before him. This woman's ruthlessness was sometimes even more terrifying than his own as a transmigrator. However, this was exactly what he needed.
"Well done." Ye Mo relaxed his tense shoulders slightly, and the shield's light dimmed for a moment, but quickly stabilized again. "Now, prepare for the next step."
Emma Frost turned her head and looked at Ye Mo's slightly pale face, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. She knew how much pressure Ye Mo had endured to buy her time. That shield was not just an energy barrier, but also a testament to trust.
"Where to next?" Emma Frost asked, her tone less haughty and more serious.
" The Vibranium storage area." Ye Mo pointed to the area ahead, glowing red from the firelight. " Klaue must have hidden his most valuable stuff there. We need to get it before those lunatics come to their senses, and then disappear."
"No problem." Emma Frost nodded, and the Diamond Form once again covered her entire body, but this time, her movements were even lighter, as if she could transform into a bolt of lightning at any moment.
The two exchanged a glance; no words were needed, for their tacit understanding had already been forged in the crucible of life and death.
The chaos outside continued. The commander tried to regroup the troops, but the soldiers' eyes were filled with fear and confusion. They no longer obeyed orders and scattered in all directions, fearing they would be the next to suffer.
Ye Mo clenched his fist, feeling the power gradually returning to his body. He glanced at the tactical watch on his wrist; exactly fifteen minutes had passed.
"Let's go," Ye Mo said softly, taking the first step.
Emma Frost followed closely behind, the two figures moving like ghosts through the chaotic camp. No one noticed the two intruders, as everyone's attention was focused on the sudden mental storm.
As they approached the entrance to the Vibranium storage area, Ye Mo stopped. There was a heavy metal door there, covered with a complex set of latches.
"Can you open it?" Emma Frost asked.
Ye Mo shook his head. "Mechanical locks, my abilities can only penetrate physical objects, not crack electronic passwords. However, I have a way to 'disable' them."
He reached out and gently touched the door panel with his fingertips. Another segment within the Gene Spiral Tower began to operate, a rare ability he had acquired during his early attempts at fusion—" Resonance Disintegration."
If the frequencies are right, even the hardest metal will become as fragile as tofu.
With a faint buzzing sound, the latches on the metal door began to loosen, producing a teeth-grinding scraping sound. A few seconds later, the door slowly opened, revealing a deep, dark passageway inside.
A chilling aura wafted over me, mixed with a faint metallic smell.
"Go in." Ye Mo stepped aside to make way for Emma Frost to go first.
Emma Frost glanced at him, then stepped inside without hesitation. Ye Mo followed closely behind, and the instant he entered, he slammed the door shut, completely shutting out the chaos outside.
In the darkness, only the sound of their breathing could be clearly heard.
"This is the core area." Ye Mo turned on his flashlight, the beam illuminating the road ahead. Neatly arranged on both sides were huge metal boxes, each bearing a prominent warning sign.
Emma Frost walked up to one of the boxes and reached out to touch its surface. It was icy cold and felt real.
"It really is Vibranium," she said softly, a hint of excitement flashing in her eyes. "The value of this on the black market is simply unimaginable."
"Don't get too excited," Ye Mo cautioned. " Klaue won't let us succeed so easily. There's definitely a trap here."
Before he could finish speaking, the ground suddenly began to shake violently.
Click! Click!
The surrounding walls began to move, revealing the cannon muzzles hidden inside. Countless red laser aiming points appeared on the two men, as if countless eyes were staring at them.
"I knew it." Ye Mo cursed, grabbed Emma Frost's hand, and jumped backward.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Shells were fired in succession, blasting large craters where they had just stood. Dust flew and debris flew everywhere.
"It seems the real battle has only just begun." Emma Frost steadied herself, and the diamond light shone again as she stood in front of Ye Mo.
Looking at her resolute back, Ye Mo felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He knew that no matter how many dangers lay ahead, as long as she was by his side, he would have nothing to fear.
"Are you ready?" Ye Mo asked, a faint light gathering in his hand.
"I'm available anytime." Emma Frost smiled slightly, her eyes full of confidence.
The two stood back to back, facing the approaching storm. In this land filled with bloodshed and desire, they would be the only variable.