Chapter 105: The Unlucky Female Secretary (4000 words)

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Screech...

The black car came to a halt, and pairs of combat boots stepped heavily onto the ground. Five figures quickly assembled; the C12 squad had already separated from the other members of the Golden Spiral organization. Each five-person team guarded a location, surrounding the Flame Society’s stronghold.

A cold wind blew, and Mandolan’s fiery red hair billowed like flames. She lifted her narrow eyes and glanced into the distance, where the C13 squad was stationed just over a hundred meters away. Like her team, they were hidden in shadows and corners, waiting for the battle at the stronghold to erupt.

“White Wolf, if you have the capacity, help us keep watch here,” Mandolan said softly into her earpiece.

“Of course!” came the affirmative reply.

Mandolan exhaled slowly and stretched lazily, her chest rising and falling beneath her tightly fitted gear. She pulled out a hair tie and bound her flaming hair into a ponytail.

With a snap of her fingers, a small flame flickered to life, dancing like a sprite between her fingers.

“My ring power is fully charged. I’m in decent shape now—I hope I can hold out until the fight is over...” she mused silently.

Suddenly, a startled voice came through her earpiece from the black team.

“Captain! There’s something on you!”

She looked up to see the black team staring at her in shock, as if witnessing something impossible.

“Keep it down! We’re on a mission!” Mandolan frowned, but then she noticed the red team looking at her the same way. Confused, she lowered her head.

“Damn!” Mandolan almost jumped up.

She straightened and leaned against the cold wall, staring incredulously at her right hand, turning it over and over.

Beneath the smooth, jade-like skin, a faint, pale red light membrane quietly covered her hand.

“What the hell is this?!” she muttered.

Mandolan immediately drew a tactical knife from her pocket and cautiously sliced across her finger.

A sharp rasp sounded, like sandpaper scraping.

The light membrane on her finger did not react at all.

Her eyes flickered as she increased the pressure, cutting harder, but the red light membrane remained unbroken.

There was no sign of wear or damage.

Determined, she swung her arm and jabbed the knife hard.

Cling! Still, the membrane remained intact.

Mandolan’s mind raced with a startling hypothesis: she had just exerted superhuman strength on that stab.

This light membrane, faintly red and covering her entire body, resisted even powerful piercing blows. It looked exactly like the ring power membrane unique to the secret ring masters.

“Captain, could that be your ring power membrane...?” the black team’s elder twin sister asked, eyes wide.

“Captain, look at the earring by your ear!” the observant red team member quickly noticed.

Mandolan immediately reached up and removed the earring. Instantly, the membrane covering her whole body vanished.

In the palm of her hand lay a simple antique metal earring emitting a faint red glow. On the diamond-shaped metal tag beneath, a shield-shaped rune was gradually shrinking—until only a dot remained.

“It’s this earring! The one Qiu Lin gave me!” the three realized simultaneously.

Instantly, the black and red twins activated their powers. One’s body softened like a cotton candy puff, while the other’s figure grew taller, muscles rippling taut and lean.

Two white light membranes enveloped their bodies like a warm second skin.

Once brothers, now sisters, they exchanged a glance and simultaneously punched each other in the chest.

Thud! Thud!

Their fleshy chests trembled, and both staggered back several steps. Looking up, neither showed any pain, only surprise in their eyes.

The kinetic energy of their blows was perfectly absorbed by the membranes.

“Wow! That’s amazing! Awesome!” White Coconut’s voice rang through their earpieces.

Apparently, the sniper had discovered the earring’s effect while calibrating her rifle and joined the channel.

“Brothers, that earring...”

“We already know...” came three replies.

Five minutes later, everyone had calmed down.

“Qiu Lin, your friend isn’t just a powerful secret ring master; he’s an incredible rune master as well,” Mandolan murmured.

“When we get back, we must thank him properly...”

***************

“Winter” District, 132 Belo Street.

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This was the Flame Society’s third major stronghold in the city of Nirodo. There were four large strongholds in total, numbered according to their importance.

The third stronghold was a large mansion surrounded mostly by public buildings. Thus, foot traffic here was less dense than in the commercial or residential districts.

It was evening, and only a few scattered pedestrians passed by. Occasionally, vehicles sped along, and a sleek black sedan quietly pulled up.

The entire car was streamlined, exuding both grandeur and luxury. Silver metal strips decorated the edges, and intricate patterns wrapped the lower parts. The hood bore a fierce bull’s head emblem, crafted from pure gold, its expression full of tension and power.

A Burton series—the Bull Burton, a classic model.

Its market price was 15 million star coins.

The gate barrier lifted, and five or six burly guards let the car pass. The Bull Burton rolled inside.

The barrier lowered again, the iron gate closed. The guards stood on either side, silently watching the street ahead.

Though clad in blue security uniforms, their piercing gazes and muscular physiques suggested they were anything but ordinary.

The black sedan drove down the avenue, passing a circular garden. Beyond that, no effort was made to conceal the stronghold.

Armed men in tactical uniforms patrolled the roadside, carrying black automatic firearms. A simplified flame emblem was emblazoned on their chests. Clearly, they were members of the Flame Society’s combat force.

If any threat arose, they would tear apart anyone daring to enter the mansion, eliminating danger swiftly.

The car stopped in the parking lot, and a beautiful woman in office attire stepped out. She wore black stockings, her legs long and shapely, her figure striking. Her face was finely made up, lips red and inviting.

She looked every bit the efficient personal secretary of a powerful boss.

No sooner had she stepped out than someone came to greet her. She walked inside the mansion, passing through the resplendent hall to a quiet third-floor room.

Soon, voices could be heard from inside.

“Supervisor Leilian, Deputy Director Yangli asked me to bring a message,” the woman said, looking at the man before her.

“Why be so cautious? Just give me a call—the lines are encrypted anyway,” a pale-faced middle-aged man said, raising his head slowly.

“You know, there have been many spies lately,” she replied.

“Indeed,” Leilian tapped his fingers on the desk.

“There’s no electronic bugging in this study, and the soundproofing is excellent. Just speak,” he said.

“Alright.” The woman nodded. “We’ve received the latest news from headquarters: part of the ancient prophecy has been deciphered. We now have more concrete information...”

“Oh?” Leilian straightened.

Information regarding ancient relics was always crucial.

It was considered top-level classified material within relic organizations.

“Go on...” Leilian squinted slightly.

“The expert team at the Ancient Hall sent word: a miraculous creature, the Nightshade Crow, will appear in one month. The location is Kolenco—that is, the current Nirodo district. It will show up at midnight and cause widespread anomalies. After the anomaly, the Nightshade Crow will temporarily inhabit a human body...”

“A key feature is a black crow-shaped mark on the left shoulder...”

The woman spoke every word clearly, leaving nothing out.

“I understand...” Leilian nodded.

After a moment, there was a knock at the door.

The woman paused, and Leilian asked,

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, Carlos,” came a man’s voice.

“Come in.”

The door creaked open, and a tall, lean man entered. He had a horse-like face and sharp eyes.

He wore a black jacket, exuding a subdued aura.

He glanced at the secretary from headquarters, then addressed Leilian, seated behind the desk.

“Supervisor Leilian, tomorrow morning I need five elite members to escort me back to the Flame Society headquarters in the outskirts...”

He gently closed the door behind him.

“Don’t tell me my mansion isn’t comfortable enough?”

“Or unsafe?”

Leilian showed some displeasure. A few days earlier, he had temporarily sheltered the defector Carlos. Yesterday he reported to Nirodo headquarters and was now awaiting a response.

Carlos said nothing.

Leilian continued, “Don’t worry; I’ve already petitioned the higher-ups...”

“Supervisor Leilian, here is the intelligence department’s order...” Carlos handed over a printed sheet.

Leilian’s face darkened as he read it.

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“I understand. You may leave now.”

With a bang, the door shut decisively.

Leilian narrowed his eyes.

Carlos belonged to the intelligence department, while Leilian was part of the combat division. The two departments had been at odds for the past six months, and their chiefs had personal grudges.

This time, the intelligence department had made significant contributions. The combat chief hinted that Leilian should keep Carlos in check, but the results were poor. Leilian expected a reprimand.

After a moment,

“Supervisor Leilian, I’ll take my leave,” said Deputy Director Yangli’s secretary and left.

Five minutes later, a black sedan resumed driving down the road toward the gate.

The patrolling guards opened the iron gate.

The woman placed her hands on the steering wheel, silently watching ahead. Half the car had already left the mansion grounds.

Suddenly, a piercing whistle sounded from above.

She looked up sharply; her delicate eyes reflected a flying rocket projectile hurtling straight toward her.

Boom!!!

The rocket slammed against the windshield, exploding into a fiery oval. Scorching heat surged outward in waves.

Glass shattered everywhere. Nearby guards were cut by flying shards, blood gushing down.

The Burton car shuddered and slowly advanced. Amid the rolling flames, a mangled black figure slumped in the driver’s seat. The beautiful secretary was neither a ring master nor a superhuman; she had no chance.

Whoosh! Another rocket came flying in.

Straight into the window again.

Boom! An internal explosion erupted. The high-pressure flames shattered all six windows, wildly swirling in the air.

The car, which had been inching forward, came to a stop, wedged in the center of the gate.

A pitch-black arm shot out of the window, dropping with a thud and emitting black smoke.

The secretary was simply unlucky to be caught in the blast. Ordinary people almost never survive rocket attacks.

“Attack!” a man ordered over the combat channel.

With a roar, figures clad in battle gear burst from the shadows, sprinting toward the Wisteria Mansion at superhuman speed.

Whoosh! A white-haired youth led the charge, running fastest.

His white hair stood upright like steel needles. His eyes were sharp and oppressive—as if targeted by a beast.

His boots struck the ground heavily, suddenly cracking open. A massive tiger claw burst forth.

The sharp claws pressed onto the concrete, slicing through it like tofu, sinking deep.

In an instant, the white-haired youth transformed into a charging tiger over four meters long, weighing half a ton, sinewy muscles like carved stone.

A bloody wind blew past.

A rifle-wielding man ready to fight froze as the huge tiger mouth loomed, its terrifying fangs snapping forward.

Crunch—the man’s upper body was swallowed whole.

Amid bone-crunching sounds and blood spray,

Roar! The corpse was spat out.

The tiger pressed onward, slamming a giant paw that sent a guard flying over ten meters.

Blood gushed from the body, which slumped against the wall.

“Beep! Beep! Beep!”

Alarms blared inside Wisteria Mansion.

A swarm of combatants poured out, some armed, others bare-handed. Instantly, they clashed with the invading Golden Spiral members.

Gunfire rattled, carving chaotic craters into the ground. Rockets exploded sporadically, red flames burning the grass. The scent of smoke and blood filled the mansion.

Both sides were formidable, but the Golden Spiral was better prepared and outnumbered their foes. After a brief stalemate, they forced their way in, inching closer.

Inside Wisteria Mansion, the third-floor study,

Supervisor Leilian was on a call.

“I’ve alerted a nearby medium stronghold and two smaller ones to rush here. Hold out for five minutes. The headquarters’ Azure Flame Combat Task Force has also been deployed; they’ll arrive in half an hour...”

A stern voice came from the other end.

“That’s good. That’s good...”

Leilian hung up, exhaling deeply.