C40 (1)

For a multitude of reasons, many found themselves unable to resist the allure of the Modified Man's potent capabilities, leading them to covertly create Modified Men containing their own genetic material. The intent behind incorporating their own genes was to ensure unwavering loyalty from these beings.

They all aspired to craft an exceptional "offspring" to safeguard and vie for greater interests. Ostensibly, these Modified Men were their children, but in actuality, they were merely tools, with their creators indifferent to their emotions and mortality.

Gene modification was an act of extreme cruelty for the Modified Men. Those who appeared normal were forced to stealthily conceal their instincts. Exposure meant not only enduring dehumanizing stares but also facing the constant threat of being exterminated.

Modified Men with visible mutations were destroyed immediately upon their creation. If their normal functions were deemed excessively deviant, they would be eliminated as soon as they began to demonstrate their unique abilities. By the 29th century, Modified Men had vanished from public view.

Yang Chuxia understood that both the normal and mutated Modified Men were beings with souls and minds. The creation of Modified Men was undeniably a practice steeped in cruelty and heartlessness.

As such, the United Nations, which governed humanity with a veneer of civilization, had long forbidden the creation of Modified Men—at least overtly. Covertly, the practice was unstoppable; otherwise, Edi's parents would never have been able to bring him into existence.

Yang Chuxia was uncertain about the specific extraordinary abilities Edi possessed. However, she was aware that if his identity as a Modified Man became known, he could face lifelong imprisonment or even be subjected to what was euphemistically termed "humane destruction."

Silence enveloped them as they reached the corridor's bend. Yang Chuxia was at a loss for words to console Edi, realizing that perhaps offering no comfort was the most comforting gesture of all.

Suddenly, a thunderous explosion erupted, accompanied by a dazzling flash of white light, as the Secure System's alarms blared urgently.

"Attention, we are under attack by unidentified terrorists. Please be alert," the mechanical voice of the Intelligence System repeated incessantly.

Another volley of gunfire followed, causing the entire building to tremble and the system's announcements to be drowned out by the chaos.

Yang Chuxia gazed at Edi, her expression a mix of shock and uncertainty.

Edi's expression was grave as he declared in a deep voice, "Let's go down and get ready for battle!"

Yang Chuxia followed his lead, taking a few steps before abruptly stopping. "General, Mrs. Aurelian, she..."

Edi had already activated the elevator doors. Overhearing her, he responded without looking back, "She's got guards."

But no sooner had he spoken than a barrage of gunfire tore through the corridor. Piercing screams echoed as people surged forward like a tidal wave.

In the chaos, Edi was swept into the elevator. Yang Chuxia was pushed aside, losing the comforting grasp of Edi's hand, and she was momentarily dazed.

Edi, left with no other choice, gripped the elevator's edge tightly and yelled, "Chuxia, get in here!" But his voice was lost amidst the cacophony of screams and gunfire.

Yang Chuxia took a quick look at the throng of people cramming into the elevator. Unable to hear Edi or spot Mrs. Aurelian in the crowd, she hesitated for a moment before turning and heading back to the hall.

Someone loudly berated Edi to let go, eager for the elevator to whisk them away.

Unable to push through the crowd to reach Yang Chuxia, Edi swore and slammed his fist against the elevator door, which then began to close slowly.

The passage's bulletproof glass was shattered, and several small battleships flew overhead, relentlessly shooting at the building marked as headquarters. A relentless stream of bullets swept in from outside.

Yang Chuxia spotted Mrs. Aurelian slumped against the wall and made a beeline for her. Dropping to one knee, she slid across the floor, grabbed Mrs. Aurelian's arm, and rolled behind a cluster of sofas in the hall.

The hall had emptied quickly after the alarm sounded, leaving it eerily silent compared to the relentless gunfire outside.

Mrs. Aurelian had been shot in the shoulder, blood spurting wildly. Her face was ashen, her body shaking. Recognizing her rescuer as Yang Chuxia, she clenched her lips tightly, remaining silent.

Thankfully, the wound was caused by a standard machine gun, leaving just a bloody hole. Yang Chuxia ripped off the obstructive skirt hem and swiftly dressed the wound. Mrs. Aurelian didn't protest, perhaps too shocked to react.

A flurry of hurried footsteps echoed from the southwest corner of the hall.

Yang Chuxia firmly tied up Mrs. Aurelian and clamped a hand over her mouth. Peeking stealthily from beside the sofa, she saw five individuals clad in Alliance Army uniforms enter, guns in hand.

Mrs. Aurelian caught sight of them too. She wrenched free from Yang Chuxia's grasp and cried out desperately, "Come protect me, I am..."

The soldiers aimed their weapons at Aurelian, who had risen to her feet, and opened fire simultaneously.

Yang Chuxia pushed her down just as the shots rang out.

Aurelian screamed in terror, prompting Yang Chuxia to quickly silence her with a hand over her mouth.

When the gunfire ceased, the sound of footsteps drew closer to their hiding spot behind the sofa.

Yang Chuxia, through clenched teeth and in a hushed tone, hissed, "Be quiet, fear won't save your life!"

Mrs. Aurelian's face was ashen. With one hand over her mouth and the other gripping her skirt, she shook uncontrollably and looked at Yang Chuxia with wide, fearful eyes.

Yang Chuxia slipped off her high heels, one in each hand, and slid them across the floor to the left and right. The shoes attracted a hail of bullets, each one hitting the direction of the respective shoe.

Simultaneously, Yang Chuxia shoved Mrs. Aurelian under the table behind the sofa, whispering urgently, "Hide!" She then sprang to her feet and with a powerful kick, sent the hefty two-meter-long sofa flying towards the soldiers.

Two soldiers on either side swiftly dodged, but the one in the middle and the two behind him were crushed beneath the sofa's weight.

Seizing a tablecloth, Yang Chuxia leapt into action, her left foot striking the soldier to her left while she whipped the cloth at the one on her right. The soldier she kicked in the chest was sent flying, his gun clattering to the floor.

Yang Chuxia landed, kicked the gun over to Mrs. Aurelian, and with a yank of the tablecloth, dragged the soldier on the right, now bundled up with internal force, towards her.

Meanwhile, of the three soldiers felled by the sofa, one lay unconscious, while the other two were still aware.

One of them, gravely injured, bled from the mouth and stared fixedly at Yang Chuxia with bulging eyes. The other, in a state of shock, raised his gun and aimed it at her, his finger trembling on the trigger, ready to fire.

Yang Chuxia flicked the cloth in her hands, hurling the wrapped soldier toward her assailant. With a resounding "Bang," the heavy form hit the ground. The soldier who had attempted to shoot her was knocked unconscious by the impact of the human projectile. The thrown soldier was left reeling from the tumble!