137: Containment

Shen Mingyuan moved like a bolt of lightning. Instead of pulling away, he rapidly closed the distance between himself and the mountain of flesh that was Qian Qiang!

The twin pistols in his hands continued to spit tongues of fire at point-blank range. The dark red energy bolts exploded almost directly against Qian Qiang's skin, specifically targeting areas where the fat layer was thin, the gaps between bone plates, and the joints where his defense had loosened after being struck earlier.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The gunfire was deafening in the narrow space.

Seeing this, the GUPA Squad leader was amazed by the mysterious black warrior's fighting style, but he immediately judged that the other party was creating an opening. He decisively ordered, "Support him! Restrict the target's movement and watch out for the acid!"

The two other experienced members understood instantly. They immediately switched to non-lethal projectiles with higher fire rates and impact effects, diverting Qian Qiang's attention from both sides while continuously shooting at his feet and supporting legs to disrupt his balance.

The rescued rookie also came to his senses. Gritting his teeth, he raised his weapon. Although he didn't dare to charge forward again, he began firing precise shots from the perimeter, attempting to block off Qian Qiang's room to maneuver.

Watching Shen Mingyuan actually charge into the monster's embrace with his twin pistols, the rookie grew anxious and confused, blurting out, "Hey! What are you doing charging so close with guns? Keep your distance!"

With a nimble side-slide, Shen Mingyuan narrowly avoided a fan-shaped spray of acid vomited by the enraged Qian Qiang. The acid splashed onto the concrete, instantly corroding it into pits and clouds of white smoke.

Even as he dodged, he used the momentum of his rotation to sweep the muzzle in his right hand upward, pressing it almost directly against the gap in Qian Qiang's bloated chin before pulling the trigger!

Boom! With a muffled thud, the energy bolt exploded at point-blank range, snapping Qian Qiang's head back and forcing a pained howl from him.

"What kind of marksman is a marksman who doesn't want to fight in close quarters?" Shen Mingyuan's reply came through his armor's voice changer, carrying a hint of relaxed ease, as if he were stating an obvious truth.

Before his voice had even faded, his left pistol lunged out like a venomous snake. Taking advantage of the opening created by the injury to Qian Qiang's jaw, he pressed the muzzle directly against a relatively soft fold of fat on his chest that lacked bone plate coverage, and then—he pulled the trigger repeatedly!

"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!" A succession of point-blank shots! The dark red energy impacts weren't meant to penetrate, but to pour the entirety of their massive destructive kinetic energy into him without any decay! Each shot was like a heavy iron hammer smashing ruthlessly into Qian Qiang's chest cavity and internal organs!

"Agh—!!!" Qian Qiang let out the most piercing scream since the start of the battle.

Thick fat and reinforced organs could resist cutting and some energy erosion, but it was difficult to completely dissipate this pure, body-penetrating shock vibration.

Intense pain, a sense of suffocation, and the agony of his internal organs feeling as if they were being displaced and shattered instantly overwhelmed him.

His massive frame staggered backward, his flailing arms lost all coordination, and the acid secretion in his mouth became erratic.

Shen Mingyuan showed no mercy, sticking to him like a shadow. His twin pistols fired alternately, always maintaining a dangerous distance of one or two body lengths as he precisely showered the rain of bullets onto Qian Qiang's pressure points and centers of power.

Coupled with the continuous pressure and restraint applied by the GUPA members from the perimeter, Qian Qiang fell into a state of being completely and passively beaten.

The defense he was so proud of was greatly diminished under this "mountain-moving" shock attack and precise strikes against his weak points.

The power brought by his evolution was difficult to exert amidst the intense pain and loss of balance.

Finally, after another string of bullets slammed into the back of his knee, nearly making him collapse, the last of Qian Qiang's frenzied fighting spirit was crushed.

"Stop... Stop! Don't hit me anymore! Any more and I'll die! I... I surrender! I surrender!!" he croaked indistinctly with a sob. His massive body trembled violently from pain and fear, and he no longer made any aggressive movements.

"Secure him!" the leader barked immediately.

Several team members rushed forward, throwing specialized metal restraints with powerful suction and locking functions. They firmly bound Qian Qiang's limbs and joints, especially those arms that could spit acid.

A restraint device similar to a riot muzzle, but made of special Materials and lined with acid-absorbing fabric, was carefully and quickly fitted over Qian Qiang's large, drooling mouth, sealing it tight.

Finally, several thick inhibitor injection needles pierced his relatively soft fat layer, pushing potent sedatives and muscle relaxants into his body.

Qian Qiang whimpered a few times in protest, the fierce light in his eyes gradually replaced by the vacancy brought by the drugs. Eventually, he stopped struggling completely, slumped like a bound mountain of flesh on the cold concrete platform.

Seeing Qian Qiang completely controlled and collapsed after the sedative injection, the tense atmosphere permeating the underground space eased slightly.

The GUPA Squad members remained on alert, but their gazes involuntarily turned toward the black warrior who had appeared so suddenly and used such sharp methods.

The young member who had been saved was the first who couldn't hold back. He put away his weapon and stepped forward somewhat awkwardly, his face still showing lingering fear and gratitude. "Th-thank you for saving me just now. If it weren't for you, I might have..."

Shen Mingyuan tilted his head slightly, his dark red visor looking at him. The electronic voice after the transformation was calm and emotionless. "You're welcome. Next time, remember to listen to your leader and don't be so quick to speak up."

The young man's face turned red, and he nodded sheepishly before stepping aside.

At this point, the leader walked over. He carefully examined the black armor before him with a sharp gaze, as if trying to see the person behind it through the suit. "Codename 'shadow'?" he confirmed.

"Correct," Shen Mingyuan replied briefly.

The leader pondered for a moment before saying, "Your fighting style... reminds me of a high-clearance internal briefing from another city. It was about an individual codenamed 'silver skeleton'. However..."

He shook his head and didn't continue, clearly involving higher-level secrets or some judgments of his own. "Forget it, it's nothing."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming more formal. "shadow, in view of your assistance in controlling a high-risk abnormal evolved individual and your performance in saving our team member, I represent the GUPA Sector 7, Third Action Team, in expressing our recognition and gratitude."

The recorders on our bodies will faithfully record everything that happened tonight, including your presence and actions. The state always maintains a respectful and open attitude toward any talent with special abilities who is willing to step forward in times of crisis."

The leader paused, seemingly observing Shen Mingyuan's reaction, then continued, "I know that beings like you, probably like 'silver skeleton', have your own reasons and positions, and may not be willing to accept official organization and constraints. We understand this point."

He pointed upward. "The matter here has come to an end. Containment and follow-up processing are our jobs. Do you... still plan to stay here?"

Shen Mingyuan immediately understood the other's polite hint to leave. When official agencies handled the cleanup, they naturally didn't want an uncontrolled third party present. He nodded, and his voice came through the changer: "Understood. Then, until we meet again."

Without any extra words, he turned around. The black armor almost merged with the shadows in the dim light. With a few light leaps, he disappeared into the shadows of the pipes he had come from, his speed breathtakingly fast.

The leader watched the direction he disappeared, his gaze deep. He whispered to his deputy beside him, "Record: A new unregistered high-sync Aptitude Holder has appeared, codename 'shadow'. Appearance is a black biological armor. Possesses high-speed movement, precise shooting, and suspected sonic or special sensory abilities."

Attitude is temporarily neutral-to-friendly. Combat style... highly personal. Suggest increasing the surveillance level of his activity area, but do not take active contact or restrictive measures for now."

"Yes, Captain."

...Shen Mingyuan didn't go far. Relying on his memory and excellent sense of direction, he quietly circled back to the dry corner where he had hidden his tactical satchel.

After a quick check, the backpack was intact, and the things inside hadn't been touched.

He returned the twin pistols to their holsters, shouldered the satchel, and moved silently like a true ghost through the complex underground pipe System. He avoided several ancient municipal sensors that might still be functioning and finally climbed out of a remote maintenance manhole quite far from the scene of the incident.

Once back under the night sky, he quickly found a deserted corner. He pressed his finger against the crimson orb on his armband.

The black armor rapidly dissolved and shattered like a receding tide, dissipating into faint light and revealing his unharmed casual clothes underneath. However, along with the armor, the strength that had been supporting him also faded.

An extreme sense of hunger that made every cell scream, along with a bottomless weakness and exhaustion, instantly swallowed him like a tidal wave.

His legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed to the ground. He hurriedly grabbed the wall, his vision swimming with darkness as cold sweat instantly soaked his undershirt.

"Whew... whew... this price really isn't discounted at all..." He gasped for air, forcing himself not to pass out. With trembling hands, he fished out spare high-energy compressed food and chocolate from his satchel, wolfing them down before gulping down more than half a bottle of energy drink.

It wasn't until a sense of fullness came from his stomach that the heart-palpitating weakness eased slightly. He sat back against the wall for several minutes before he felt he had regained control of his body.

The night breeze blew past, carrying a chill. Shen Mingyuan looked at the distant city lights and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. Tonight, he had stopped an evolved monster, saved a person, and even had a face-to-face encounter with an official organization, earning a word of "thanks."

More importantly, he had truly tested the power of "shadow" and drew a bit of attention to himself.

"A passing Detective..." he repeated the line he had used for his entrance in a low voice, his lips curling into a weary arc. "This 'commission' is really getting more and more exciting."