The metal floor beneath his feet felt like it had been slammed down by a heavy hammer, the dull tremor shooting straight up to the top of his head. Ye Mo slipped and almost lost his balance, quickly reaching out to brace himself against the metal shelf next to him, his knuckles turning white from the force.
"What are these guys up to?" Ye Mo cursed, his voice echoing in the empty core storage room. "We were just about to pick up the goods, and they're already giving us a hard time?"
Emma Frost reacted even faster than him. In an instant, her Diamond Form covered her entire body, transforming her into a crystal-clear statue, standing firmly in place. Her brows furrowed slightly, her icy blue eyes fixed intently on the massive black shipping containers ahead.
"It wasn't an earthquake," Emma Frost's voice was icy cold. "The emergency evacuation procedure has been activated. That old fox Klaue had a backup plan. If we don't act quickly enough, this Vibranium will be automatically transported away, or... destroyed outright."
Ye Mo's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at the tactical watch on his wrist; time was ticking away, each second feeling like a knife twisting in his flesh. The notification sounds from the Gene Spiral Tower were still beeping, but he had no time to deal with the tedious data. His brain was racing, rapidly analyzing the current situation.
Forcibly taking it? No way. Although the surrounding defenses were disrupted earlier, they are now restarting. Once a higher-level alarm is triggered, the entire camp will become impenetrable. Moreover, these Vibranium are enormous; moving them quickly is simply unrealistic.
Then we can't just rely on "moving" anymore.
Ye Mo took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the surging blood in his chest. He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking once more into the depths of his mind. There, countless faintly glowing gene fragments were slowly rotating. He was searching for the fragment of the ability he had just unlocked— Extreme Cold Environment Perception and Construction.
This wasn't some sophisticated attack skill; it was more like an environmental control technique. He'd tried it a few times in the training ground before, but he could never quite get the temperature balance right—either he couldn't freeze anything, or he'd freeze himself solid first. But today, the situation was different, and he had to take a gamble.
[Abnormal mental fluctuation detected. A 30-second cooldown is recommended.]
The system notification sounded coldly, devoid of any emotion.
"Shut up, I didn't tell you to." Ye Mo silently repeated to himself, forcibly suppressing the system's warning. He knew the risks, but he had no other choice.
Just then, the container in front began to move. The hydraulic system emitted a screeching sound as the black metal shell slowly opened, revealing the Vibranium ore inside, which gleamed with a faint blue light. The familiar energy fluctuations, carrying a faint sense of radiation, rushed over, causing goosebumps to rise on Ye Mo's skin.
"Now!" Ye Mo suddenly opened his eyes and shouted.
Instead of charging at the Vibranium, he turned and rushed towards the nearest ventilation duct. His movements were astonishingly fast, his body shooting out like a fully drawn bowstring. At the same time, Emma Frost moved as well. She didn't use her Diamond Form to confront it head-on, but instead spread her mental energy, locking onto the nerve endings of the guards trying to approach the Vibranium.
The mercenaries who were preparing to activate the defense system suddenly felt a strange stiffness. Their muscles seemed to be bound by invisible shackles, and their movements were momentarily slowed down. In that instant, Ye Mo had already rushed to the core storage rack.
He placed his hands on the core piece of Vibranium.
There were no fancy light effects, nor deafening explosions. Only a bone-chilling cold spread wildly from Ye Mo's palm. This cold was not ordinary frost, but energy ice crystals with extremely strong adhesion. As if they were alive, they quickly enveloped the Vibranium and its base, freezing it together with the surrounding metal support.
Click, click...
A sickening cracking sound rang out. A few seconds later, the previously exposed Vibranium were completely covered by an indestructible ice fortress. Any attempt to move them would cause the ice to shatter and trigger an alarm. This made it impossible for Klaue to easily obtain them, and the Vibranium became scrap metal unless someone was willing to risk their life to break it.
"Well done!" Emma Frost shouted from the side, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible admiration.
Ye Mo was panting heavily, a layer of cold sweat beading on his forehead. That last move had almost drained him of all his strength, but he couldn't afford to rest. He knew this was only the first step.
Freezing Vibranium only delayed the enemy's actions; the real crisis had just begun.
As the ice layer formed, the facility's level two alarm finally went off. Red lights flashed incessantly, and a piercing buzzing sound echoed throughout the underground facility. More armed personnel began to gather in the core room, their footsteps chaotic and filled with anger and panic.
"They've gone mad," Ye Mo sneered. "The commander may have cut off communications in some areas, causing the guards to descend into a state of frenzied disarray. This is when things are most likely to go wrong."
Emma Frost nodded, and the diamond gleamed again, but this time, her movements were more cautious. She walked to Ye Mo's side and whispered, "I'll create a mental noise barrier to mask our footsteps and breathing. Come with me; we'll retreat through the maintenance pipes in the opposite direction. The main passage is already blocked."
Ye Mo glanced at her, grinned, and said, "You're the smartest one. Let's go, don't dawdle. If those lunatics realize what's going on, we'll have to spend the night here."
The two acted swiftly. Emma Frost took a deep breath and spread her mental energy throughout the entire floor. An invisible wave of mental energy swept over, diverting everyone's attention elsewhere. Ye Mo was responsible for clearing away obstacles in his path. He used a non-lethal method to take down several guards blocking the way, his movements clean and efficient, without the slightest hesitation.
The narrow maintenance tunnel was filled with the smells of mildew and engine oil. Ye Mo led the way, with Emma Frost close behind. The two worked together seamlessly, as if they were one person. Ye Mo was responsible for determining the route, while Emma Frost was responsible for blocking surveillance and calming down any hostile elements. They moved through the darkness like two ghosts, silently traversing the chaotic camp.
The scene along the way was horrifying. Those once ferocious mercenaries were now fighting fiercely. Some were even covered in blood, yet they refused to stop, as if they had fallen into some kind of frenzy. This was the side effect of mind control; when the enemy loses their mind, they can even target their own people.
Ye Mo watched this scene without a trace of pity. In this dog-eat-dog world, compassion is the most expensive luxury. He only knew that only by leaving this place alive could they prove they were the winners.
Finally, they reached the exit. Through the gaps in the pipes, they could see the night sky outside. The stars twinkled, peaceful and beautiful, a stark contrast to the chaos of the underground world.
"This is it." Ye Mo stopped and turned to look at Emma Frost. "Are you ready?"
Emma Frost nodded, her eyes growing even colder. "I'm available anytime."
Ye Mo clenched his fist, feeling the power gradually returning to his body. He glanced at the tactical watch on his wrist; exactly twenty minutes had passed.
"Walk!"
The two of them pushed open the gate to the pipe opening and leaped out. The night wind rushed in, carrying the dry smell unique to the Africa continent. When Ye Mo landed, he rolled over to absorb the impact, then quickly got up and crouched down behind some cover.
Emma Frost followed closely behind, moving as nimbly as a cat. She cautiously scanned her surroundings, only breathing a sigh of relief after confirming there were no pursuers.
"Did you succeed?" Ye Mo asked.
"We're safe for now," Emma Frost replied, "But Klaue won't give up. He must be nearby."
Ye Mo smiled, took out a small communicator from his pocket, and dialed a number.
"Hello, it's me," Ye Mo said into the communicator. "Got the item. Prepare for the pickup."
After hanging up the phone, he looked up into the distance. In the pitch-black night, it seemed as if a pair of eyes were watching them. It was the gaze of a hunter, cold and greedy.
"It seems the game has only just begun," Ye Mo said in a low voice.
Emma Frost stood beside him, her Diamond Form gradually fading, returning to its original shape. She looked at Ye Mo's retreating figure, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. She knew that from this day forward, they could never go back to the past. But this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Because even in the darkness, there will always be a ray of light shining through. And that ray of light is the belief they share and uphold.
Ye Mo turned around, looked at Emma Frost, and smiled, "Let's go home for dinner."
Emma Frost paused for a moment, then smiled. It was a faint smile, but it was enough to warm the entire cold night.
The two walked side by side into the shadows in the distance, their figures gradually disappearing on the horizon. Behind them, the abandoned camp remained engulfed in chaos and flames, like the embers of a nightmare.
But in the distant future, this experience will become part of a legend—a story of courage, wisdom, and the two who lit a light in the darkness.
Of course, that's a story for another time.
At that moment, Ye Mo felt a little hungry. He patted his pocket and found that there was still half a compressed biscuit left. He took it out and took a bite. Although the taste was rough, it was filling.
"Next time you go on a mission, remember to bring plenty of food," he said to Emma Frost.
Emma Frost rolled her eyes. "Who do you think I am? Doraemon?"
"More or less," Ye Mo shrugged. "After all, you can pull all sorts of strange things out of your pocket."
"That's my secret weapon." Emma Frost proudly raised her chin.
The two walked along chatting and laughing, as if the life-or-death struggle they had just experienced was merely a casual outing. But this relaxed atmosphere did not last long.
Suddenly, Ye Mo stopped in his tracks.
He sensed a subtle change in the air. It wasn't the sound of wind or insects, but an extremely faint fluctuation of energy.
"What's wrong?" Emma Frost keenly noticed Ye Mo's change.
Ye Mo didn't speak, but stood there quietly, listening intently.
A few seconds later, he turned to look at Emma Frost, his expression turning serious.
"He's here."
Emma Frost's expression instantly turned serious. She gripped Ye Mo's hand tightly, her fingertips turning slightly white.
"Get ready," she said.
Ye Mo nodded and drew the high-frequency vibrating knife from his waist. The blade gleamed coldly in the moonlight, like a venomous snake awakening.
In the distance, heavy footsteps approached. One step, two steps, three steps... getting closer and clearer.
Ye Mo took a deep breath and gripped the knife tightly in his hand.
The battle is about to begin again.