It's so painful! So hard! So difficult!

We don’t need to rely on human lives to threaten you, think that their lives are important to you, not us.

A flood of flames erupted, and a hail of bullets instantly intertwined, pouring down upon Ivan. Instead of retreating, Ivan advanced. He crossed his arms and raised them forward, centered around his twin blades. Black waves of wind swirled from their sharp tips. Furious, sharp, yet seamlessly integrated, as if intentionally controlled by him. They instantly spread to Ivan's front, clinging to him in a posture seemingly detached from reality.

The guns and ammunition were like nothing in front of him, melting away the moment they touched the black wind and waves. However, his speed was faster than even bullets, and he arrived in front of the mobile force in an instant.

The powerful, cleaving collision instantly shattered the bodies of the front row. Seeing this, the team members behind quickly adjusted their formation and pulled back. It was during this gap that Ivan opened his hands, and the wind and waves in front of him gradually receded, clinging to his double blades. He looked at the machine in front of him, which was more than five meters tall, and with a low roar, he swung the double blades in his hands.

With a furious, heavy blow, accompanied by a chaotic slashing, he reduced the mechanized machine before him to slicing in just two breaths. He took two breaths, then swung his blade, stirring up a wave of wind and deflecting the incoming bullets from the side. Then, crouching down, he leaped, thrusting his elbow forward, and swiftly sprinted from the ceiling like a shuttle. Then, with a swift leap, he attacked, descending, bringing his blade down upon the enemy once more.

"Retreat formation, disperse quickly! Equivalent impact, Trinity formation!"

No matter how fast Ivan killed his enemies, they still had time to react. After all, they were officials, and they couldn't just sit there and do nothing. Suddenly, effective and swift commands came from the back row. From the crowded retreating column, several canine-shaped mechanical creatures emerged. They quickly swarmed over, like a swarm of locusts, attempting to completely block Ivan's path.

Seeing that defense and dodging were impractical, Ivan stood up with his sword, stepped firmly, and swiftly slashed out with his blade, trying to open a line of defense. However, when his weapon just touched the mechanical dogs, the devices automatically exploded.

A curtain of flames filled the corridors, sky lanterns shattered, and a deafening roar erupted. This was followed by an even more powerful barrage. Soldiers in the rear rank quickly set up a heavy machine and aimed it at Ivan. Energy was accumulating, ready to explode. With the volatile force of lightning, it looked like a blazing white light condensed from multiple energies, instantly blasting out.

This time, the corridor was completely dark. The light was saturated, making it impossible for anyone to observe properly. Only after the smoke slowly cleared did everyone regain their sight. Because the ceiling lights had been damaged, the soldiers activated their night vision systems and were able to observe the shelled area. A massive crater had appeared on both the upper and lower floors. No trace of the enemy remained, only a pool of fresh blood.

The broken sky lanterns creaked and twisted, flickering a dim light. The tense atmosphere made the soldiers in the front row holding their guns nervous. They no longer followed the basic pattern of holding their guns and guarding, but instead put their hands on the trigger.

But is being on guard really useful?

"Something is coming towards us from the side, quickly pull it away!"

Chapter 917 Memetic Weapons

By the time anyone noticed the unusual movement, the situation was already irreversible, like the artillery fire. A figure, cloaked in black liquid armor, burst forth from the wall like a fish leaping from water. Then, two powerful blows, like a whale's fall, easily ripped through the rows of bodies, leaving only pairs of bloody, half-limbed bodies in their wake.

When a marine creature is wounded, a peaceful ending is impossible. Following the blood trail, numerous predators will descend upon you, even those of their own species, and they might attack you directly. Blood dripping into the sea will inevitably cause an even greater tidal wave.

The sound of saw teeth scraping against steel echoed, like the wailing of a bell, or the sound of death knocking at the door. Those who still retained their sanity calmly accepted the order, using their final lives to deliver a final blow to this monster they couldn't understand. Meanwhile, the majority of the people were completely disoriented. The dark corridor felt like a bottomless abyss. They struggled haphazardly, firing their weapons like flailing survivors on the verge of death.

However, is it so easy to swim out of the abyss?

-

Xiao Nuo sat there quietly. Although she had wiped off the bloodstains, every time the hostages looked at her, they could still see the blood-soaked her from before. She was like a dozing hound, or perhaps a mad dog—no one dared to judge her personally based on her appearance.

No one dared to say a word. Even Qianhua, who appeared later, looked very young. Because of Xiao Nuo's presence, they lost the courage to win over or incite the other side. In this respect, their deterrent effect was extremely successful.

Listening to the gunfire outside, the entire building trembling, they remained unable to express their emotions. While this proved that someone had come to rescue them, it also proved that Xiao Nuo had more people on his side that they couldn't see. And the fact that someone like Xiao Nuo was chosen solely to hold everyone hostage showed how powerful the forces behind him were.

Anxiety and depression spread in everyone's heart. They also lowered their usually proud heads, physically and psychologically.

"Hey, take a break for a while, I'll just watch them."

Qianhua passed by Xiaonuo, who whispered this. Her tone was still a little aggressive, but it was completely different from her violent behavior. She couldn't scare anyone.

Qianhua was slightly stunned by the call and stood still. Looking at Xiaonuo who was gradually standing up, she replied,

"It's okay, I'm just checking him out. Don't look at me like this, I'm actually quite professional in this area."

Although this is true, in front of Xiao Nuo, the gap between Xiao Nuo and Bai Lin is almost the same. Xiao Nuo put his hands on his waist and sighed as he said,

"Oh—that's not necessary. We can handle this kind of thing on our own. We're busy enough, so it's better if you don't show up as much as you can. Don't you want to see what life holds for you and whether you can find the answer that allows you to survive? Although making enemies and settling grudges is part of a hypothetical life, some enemies are unnecessary."

Xiao Nuo advised the other party in this way, her back slightly bent, and her tone and attitude made Qian Hua feel a little familiar. Then, Qian Hua smiled slightly,

"Is it not necessary? Maybe. But I'm doing it because I want to."

"Why? You're not on the same team as us. Why don't you just watch us work and wait for the results? The situation won't be much more difficult without your help, and our lives won't intersect after this. Why do you want to do this? Do you miss your old job?"

Xiao Nuo seemed a little confused, but her tone was not excited. She looked at the other person's soft smile, and could not find the slightest flaw in the gentle and delicate smile. Qian Hua shook her head and replied,

"I've never liked pointing a gun at someone. I've just gotten used to it. I just want to do the same thing as you do. As for why..."

In the middle of the conversation, Qianhua suddenly changed the subject and asked,

"Strictly speaking, I'm not one of you. I heard you're the Dark Knights, right? And you, it seems, aren't a true knight either. Is that why you have that master with you?"

Qianhua's words were a precise strike. Xiao Nuo tutted, looked away, and replied,

"Whether it's true or not is none of your business. Regardless of the name, I'm already carrying out my will."

"I'm the same. Regardless of the name or the reason, this is my choice. So, even if you're wary of me or don't trust me, you don't have to treat me as weak."

Following Xiao Nuo's response, Qian Hua quickly gave her own answer. As she spoke, she smiled again, reached out to hold Xiao Nuo's hand, and said,

"Of course, from my personal perspective, I hope you'll view me as a partner. What do you think?"

As expected of a PR professional, she's so good at managing emotions. She's a perfect example of treating the problem head-on, emotionally investing in internal staff. The rapid progress left Xiao Nuo slightly startled. But just as she was about to shake hands, a low pitched sound suddenly struck her ears, instantly spreading throughout her body.

In an instant, her body began to tremble violently, as if in immense pain. She fell to her knees, blood gushing from her mouth and nose, and her vision blurred. She herself didn't even understand what was happening, only that...

It feels like something is wrong.

The people around them, including Qianhua, suddenly stood up. The record player in the bar automatically turned on and played a piece of music that would be solemn enough for a dance hall.

People touched the ground with their feet and began to dance gracefully, their bodies gradually moving to the music. Only Xiao Nuo and the large dog that had been brought in earlier were twitching and in pain. The scene was extremely bloody and eerie.

Before long, the dog exploded and died. Xiao Nuo, on her side, struggled to hold herself together, seemingly enduring the pain, but the situation wasn't ideal. The dark images filled her eyes more and more, and the increasingly intense impact was transmitted throughout her body along with the frequency of the music.

Qianhua, who was dancing, had a shocked expression on her face. She looked at the hostages beside her and asked,

"You...you actually used memetic weapons!"

Chapter 918: Holding On

"Don't talk nonsense, little girl. We didn't use this weapon. Maybe it was just someone who wanted to save us, or maybe it was used by the authorities?"

Seeing the situation reversed, the smiles on the faces of these upper-class people could not help but bloom. They teased each other and were full of disdain for Qianhua's anger and doubts. Qianhua retorted,

"Nonsense! I'm just a public relations officer. I've handled many incidents over the years, and we've changed countless facts. But this, this is something that cannot be touched, a product that has long been abandoned. How could the authorities possibly use it?!"

Memetic weapons, as the name suggests, are weapons that harm and influence specific groups of people through memes. Initially, they were designed to defend against foreign enemies, but were later abandoned.

First, the research funds invested in this project were too high, and for a long time, the project did not make any progress.

Secondly, the project's level of danger is far too high, and the resulting consequences are too extreme to be controlled. After the intended memetic attack is completed, the affected area and surrounding areas will be rendered unusable, similar to the situation with biological weapons.

After being attacked, even if one leaves the attack space, the memetic contamination will still exist for a period of time to varying degrees, existing in the state of the person being attacked.

Third, the limitations are too great.

First, planning an attack requires a limited environment. It can only be an indoor space within a certain range. Second, the preparations for the attack take a very long time to complete. Furthermore, the memetic attack content can only create a relatively stable state under limited circumstances.

For example, designing a meme message like "When you hear music, you must dance classically" is already extremely difficult. Any more complex and the memetic weapon could lead to indiscriminate killing of innocent people. Fortunately, the memetic standards used in design were in sync with the times. Therefore, the act of "dancing classically" perfectly fits the plug-in worn by the wealthy and Qianhua.

Qianhua's expression darkened. She understood what all this meant. Xiao Nuo's ability to hold out for this long was already beyond the reach of ordinary people, and there was no telling how much longer she could maintain consciousness. If her body didn't perish after she passed out, there was no telling what would happen next. They had to find a way to deal with this matter as soon as possible.

The attack area should be this bar. In that case, we can just retreat to the emergency door. But the problem is, I have to keep dancing. Otherwise, if I just rely on my physical condition, I probably won't be able to hold out for even a minute, and then I won't be able to leave with Xiao Nuo.

Just as she was racking her brains to think of what to do next, those upper-class people were already approaching with dancing steps.

"How did you humiliate us and intimidate us just now? You can't move now, right?! You're a pariah who can't even dance!"

The opponent rushed over with a knife in hand, full of momentum. Qianhua's gunshot rang out at the same moment. Although the twisting dance pose would affect the design, she was still able to complete the movements.

Unfortunately, after the shot was fired, it bounced off the opponent's waist, leaving only a black mark. The skunk-faced guest with a white beard tilted his mouth and said with a smile,

"I'm wearing a bulletproof vest, didn't you expect that?! These days, prosthetic technology is controlled by cutting-edge cores. Even though I'm rich and powerful, I wouldn't dare bet on whether this prosthetic isn't backdoored or flawed. Today, isn't this going to come in handy? Haha!"

As he spoke, he danced, flipped his upper body, and effortlessly approached Qianhua with the supplies, swinging his knife. Fighting while dancing was a rare experience for everyone, and Qianhua's experience was clearly lacking. As someone from the upper class, the other party naturally had plenty of opportunities for dancing and socializing.

He seemed far more at ease than Qianhua. A pampered aristocrat, surprisingly, was forcing a professional PR agent into retreat. She looked hesitant, and after missing two shots in a row, she dared not advance further. From a more sober perspective, not firing was actually more threatening. If she emptied the magazine, she would have no chance.

But the opponent seemed completely fearless, completely immersed in the joy of his victory. Seeing Qianhua's gun empty, his behavior became even bolder, and he swung his sword more fiercely to the rhythm of the music. In the midst of the collision, the gun was directly knocked away and fell to the ground.

An extremely passive situation befell Qianhua, and the situation was reversed!

Seeing Qianhua at a disadvantage, the opponent's expression became even more arrogant, his mouth wide open, as if he were mad, and the blade in his hand swung faster and faster. Qianhua's dodging became increasingly difficult. Even though he was not afraid, the psychological pressure was increasing.

"have you had enough?"

There was a sound of bones snapping. It was Xiao Nuo who had made her move. Her face flushed crimson as she crept down on all fours, snapping the skunk's thigh with such speed that it had no time to react. The skunk screamed, then collapsed to the ground in terror, trembling and waving its knife wildly.

Xiao Nuo's hand easily controlled the opponent's chaotic swings. She snatched the knife, smiled grimly, and instantly stabbed the opponent's chest, leaving a large scar. Blood splattered, and screams were heard everywhere. The other upper-class people who had originally planned to pursue Xiao Nuo and attack her stopped in their tracks and danced awkwardly in place.

Xiao Nuo, with her upper body hanging down, managed to slowly crawl up from the ground in a posture that was not human-like, but just so terrifying. She supported her arms, panted for a few seconds, and said to the front,

"You think... this thing can stop me? You're kidding. No matter what you use, the result of resistance is only one."

"That means ending your life faster!"

Xiao Nuo screamed, her face full of ferocity, but her body was becoming increasingly weak, and she soon collapsed to the ground. She could only hold the knife in her hand and stare at the front, letting her body gradually collapse. Those who were equipped with life analysis prostheses could naturally see through her situation at a glance.

"Why are you holding on? If you move around like this, you'll end your life even faster. If we attack together, she won't be able to resist."

"Then just try it! I don't care about anything else. You want to touch me? I'll kill as many people as I can!"

Chapter 919 It’s My Turn

Xiao Nuo had no intention of hiding her feelings. She just roared out loud, shocking everyone with her extremely furious attitude.

Indeed, the lives of the rich are precious, at least that's what they believe. If so many people were to attack, they could indeed kill Xiao Nuo, at most at the cost of a few casualties, and the outcome would be a sure success. But what if they were the one stabbed to death? That would be a 100% certainty of death. Even if they didn't die, just getting stabbed twice, most people wouldn't want to.

but……

Precisely because they are rich, their mental state is full of variety. After all, they have the money to support their inexplicable and morbid pursuits, so it is normal for people to have different understandings of this situation.

"Are you kidding me? If we don't kill you, we'll be the ones to die. They sent someone like you here, so they didn't intend for us to return alive from the beginning! So, I'll kill you first! I didn't get to where I am today by talking."

"Yes! You insulted and threatened us before, so I have to show you that there are some people you can't mess with."

"You killed my pet. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have to use this thing. I..."

For various reasons, rows of wealthy people stood up. They were at the top of the city, but they weren't without feelings. They simply treated things they didn't value as worthless. They casually discarded the lives of ordinary people, their family ties, and their friendships, treating them as nothing more than a burden.

But people in this world always have something to sustenance for their emotions. And when it comes to "rebellion," they often have a higher bottom line than the poor. This is because they have also cast aside most of the constraints of morality and law, and their spiritual freedom is completely centered on the individual.

So, different people instantly surrounded Xiao Nuo. Xiao Nuo had clearly lost her former prestige. Her demeanor, like her current state, was merely a facade. Without the power to control her, she grappled with the three men and gradually fell into a disadvantageous position.

-

The situation in the hallway didn't look promising either. Clearly, Ivan was growing tired of dealing with the opponent's various technological prowess. He slumped to the ground, half his body stained red with blood, whether his own or the opponent's. The black magic around him was faint, and he looked utterly frail.

At that moment, several flashbangs and smoke bombs were thrown into the corridor and came into his sight. He stood up from the pile of corpses, weapon in hand, muttering to himself, "Are these the same ones again?" before casually covering his ears and eyes with his hands.

Then, a large number of troops rushed out and launched a dense fire assault on him.

"Don't these people value human life? So many people have died, but they still keep sending more people up? Ah, I really want to rest for a while."

Black magic armored his body, but his blue bar seemed to be running low, forming only a relatively tattered armor. At this moment, a powerful impact accompanied by a heavy roar came from the interior of the building. Ivan didn't move much, because it wasn't coming this way, but...

A second later, an elevator pierced through the building and crashed into his sight, crushing a large number of enemies while also creating a break and a break in the battlefield. Ivan approached the elevator and found an intercom in the elevator car, which was emitting a questioning voice.

"Hey, can you hear me?"

"I hear you, Lord Saint. I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to help me eliminate some enemies, but why did this unplanned communication occur?"

Apparently, Ai Wen was in a bad mood due to exhausting work. Bai Lin did not react much and just said,

"Is it possible that it's not in your plan, but it is in the plan for me? Is this the first day you met the poet?"

This was a questioning tone, and Ivan was immediately dissatisfied and wanted to retort, but Bai Lin continued,

"Okay, don't even think about arguing with me. We don't have time for that. I just discovered something."

"what's up?"

"Xiao Nuo was attacked. The situation is not optimistic. It is said that some special weapons were used. I have to go there immediately."

Bai Lin said this, and Ai Wen frowned and immediately asked,

"The poet has—"

"The poet often doesn't plan everything down to the minute, especially when it comes to me. This isn't the first time I've interfered with your battle situation, right? She just told me to lend a hand, and didn't give me any further guidance."

"She also gave me full authority over the major battle decisions. You should have heard similar orders, right?"

Ivan was silent. He could hardly deny it. After a while, he said,

"I'll trouble you to change their route. Leave the rest to me."

His tone was calm. He was obviously very exhausted from dealing with the situation, but he still accepted the task without any doubt.

"Don't you hate people like me the most? Why do you trust me so quickly? Aren't you afraid that I'm just looking for an excuse to dump you here?"

Bai Lin always liked to push his luck. As soon as the other party agreed, he started to tease her. Ai Wen did not seem to have much emotion in response to this. He just sighed deeply, his eyes looking far away, as if he remembered something. Then, he replied,

"I don't believe in you, I just believe in the poet. No, you're thinking too much."

Bai Lin chuckled softly, and then the call ended. Then, a roar erupted from the corridor, as if it had been severely damaged. A large amount of debris cascaded down the stairs, instantly unbalancing the entire building and tilting it slightly. And the corridor in front of Ivan was suddenly knocked open again.

This time, what caught his eye was no longer just an elevator car, but... a corridor thrown in. It was obvious that Bai Lin had taken something down from the building and thrown it in.

The violent shaking gradually stopped, and the building did not collapse again. Ivan, who had stood firm in the violent shaking, shook his head.