"Found it!"
Cipher quickly located the latch on the crate. However, the moment she toggled the switch, a sharp sense of crisis radiated from within. Acting on pure instinct, she dropped into a low crouch.
The upper section of the crate suddenly exploded. As the wood splintered, a flash of cold steel whistled through the air, passing exactly where her head had been a second prior. Cipher didn't hesitate. She lunged forward, delivering a powerful snap-kick into the heart of the wreckage.
Feeling her foot shatter the casing and connect with a solid object, she used the counterforce to leap backward. In less than a second, she had put significant distance between herself and whatever was hiding inside.
"Hiss... As expected of a feline genomic sub-human from Genesis Biotech. Your reflexes are incredible."
A familiar male voice echoed in Cipher's ears. She recognized it instantly. This was "Brother Tan," the man she had overheard talking to Boss Shen yesterday!
'So that's why I couldn't find a trace of him on the way here. This insidious rat was hiding inside the triads' shipment the whole time!'
Cipher glared at the man emerging from the debris, her irritation mounting. As a Demi-God of [Trickery], nearly being caught off-guard by a sneak attack was nothing short of a total disgrace.
"First of all, I'm not with Genesis Biotech! Second, I'm not some feline genomic experiment! Stop labeling me with your tired stereotypes!"
The moment the words left her lips, Cipher lunged. Her feet kicked off the concrete with explosive force as she blurred toward the man.
Tan Rui blinked, momentarily stunned by her outburst, but his body moved on habit. He thrust his dagger forward in a straight pierce as she closed the gap.
Predictably, the strike met nothing but air. Cipher was already behind him. She swung a heavy fist downward, aiming directly for the back of his skull. Tan Rui failed to dodge in time and staggered forward from the impact.
He let out a muffled groan but quickly regained his balance, swinging his dagger in a blind backhand slash. It missed again.
Under the pressure of Cipher's supernatural speed, Tan Rui found his attacks, predictions, and counters utterly useless. Every move was evaded with effortless grace.
From the sidelines, Luo Lin and Xiong Lei could only see a flurry of gold and purple afterimages dancing around the stranger. Luo Lin kept her firearm leveled at the man, who was being tossed around like a ragdoll, but she hesitated to pull the trigger.
She wasn't worried about her aim; she was worried that Cipher was moving so fast she might accidentally step into the line of fire. Cipher appeared to have the upper hand, and Luo Lin feared a stray bullet might break her rhythm.
'How is this Tan guy so durable?!'
Cipher was becoming genuinely annoyed. She knew her strikes were heavy. She had hit his crown, his temples, his throat, his abdomen, and even his vitals with a mix of kicks and punches. Yet, no matter how much she pummeled him, he refused to stay down. He even had enough strength left to counter-attack.
She tried to disarm him by targeting his wrist, hoping to seize his weapon and finish him with his own blade, but his right hand seemed fused to the hilt. It wouldn't budge.
"It's no use."
Tan Rui finally spoke, talking even as he took hits and tried to strike back.
"I admit I underestimated you. Your speed and strength far exceed my projections. But you aren't going to kill me anytime soon, and my reinforcements are almost here. If you want your partners to leave safely, take this chance while you still can. Go back."
Cipher's brow furrowed. She halted her assault and called out to the team.
"Luo Lin, take the others and head back first. I'm going to keep playing with this guy."
"But, Sister Cipher, you—"
"Go. I told you, I'm strong. A stubborn cockroach like this isn't a threat to me."
"...Fine."
Seeing Cipher's resolve, Luo Lin bit her lip and turned toward the warehouse exit. Xiong Lei hesitated, opening his mouth to protest, but Luo Lin's voice cut him off.
"Big Bear, let's go."
"Cipher, stay safe. Wait for us to come back..."
Leaving those words behind, Xiong Lei turned and followed Luo Lin out.
★ ★ ★
"Leader... are we really just leaving?"
The moment they reached the safety of the alleyway, Lin Wei turned to Luo Lin, her voice trembling with doubt. She had watched the entire fight through the surveillance feed.
"We have to. If someone as capable as Sister Cipher can't take him down, he isn't someone we can handle."
"But still..."
Lin Wei tried to argue, but Luo Lin interrupted her firmly.
"I know what you want to say. We're leaving for now, but that doesn't mean we aren't coming back."
"Leader, you mean...?"
Lin Wei's somber expression brightened instantly.
"Our only choice is to go beg her... I just hope this much money is enough to convince her to help us."
Luo Lin gripped her terminal tightly. Looking at the balance of 10,531 Credits displayed on the screen, she whispered with grim determination.
★ ★ ★
Back in the warehouse, the scene had shifted.
Tan Rui was leaning against a wall, breathing heavily as he sat on the floor. He looked at Cipher, who was leaning against the opposite wall with her eyes closed, resting. He forced a smirk.
"You're still here? Do you really plan on fighting me until my backup arrives?"
"I'm just too lazy to keep hitting a punching bag that won't break. And calling that 'fighting' when you were just getting one-sidedly thrashed? You really do have thick skin."
"As for why I'm staying..."
Cipher paused, opening her eyes to lock onto Tan Rui. She spoke each word with cold precision.
"I want to see if your reinforcements are just like you... and if they are truly—un—kill—able."
She closed her eyes again.
"Then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," Tan Rui said, shaking his head. "My ability is B-rank Rapid Regeneration. Before coming here, I injected myself with a standard dose of Potential Stimulant, boosting my ability to B-plus. That's the only reason I seem immortal. My backup won't have that luxury."
He sighed. "Besides, I think there's been a misunderstanding—"
"A misunderstanding? You mean the part where you staked out our mission objective and tried to put a knife in my back the moment I let my guard down?"