“Boom — !”
A fist encased in a heavy metal gauntlet slammed down with brute force.
The screeching Chronomorph before him didn’t even have time to struggle before it exploded into a thick mist of blood, splattering bone fragments and minced meat everywhere.
Ironclad casually shook the filth from his gauntlet and approached with heavy, deliberate steps.
His blackened heavy armor reflected a cold, hard luster under the sun.
Smothered in bits of flesh and blood, the suit only served to heighten his overwhelming, murderous aura.
Ironclad came to a halt in front of Chu You and Gu Qiancheng, his towering frame casting a massive shadow over them.
He first looked up, his steady gaze sweeping over the few remaining, wounded rescue team members behind the pair to confirm the status of the survivors.
Then, he spoke in a voice that rumbled like muffled thunder.
“Beifu Headquarters, Seventh Tactical Squad — Night Hunt. Acting Captain, Ironclad… leading the team to provide support as ordered.”
As he finished speaking, his armor let out a sharp clack as he flipped up the faceplate, revealing a face that contrasted slightly with his ferocious combat style — it was a countenance marked by a certain honesty and grit.
He immediately extended a hand toward Gu Qiancheng in a crisp, efficient motion.
“Group Leader Gu, a pleasure to meet you.”
Gu Qiancheng blinked and looked up at the human tower standing two heads taller than himself.
He reached out to shake the man’s hand.
The massive palm almost entirely engulfed his own.
The sheer sense of power radiating from the man caused Gu Qiancheng’s lips to twitch into a stiff smile.
“A pleasure… Captain Ironclad.”
On the surface, he was perfectly polite, but internally, he was screaming.
‘What on earth did this guy eat to grow like this?’
‘Is his height for real?’
‘What the hell? Standing in front of him makes me feel like some underdeveloped grade-schooler. It’s… it’s pretty damn frustrating.’
After a brief, polite handshake, Ironclad cut straight to the chase, his tone devoid of small talk.
“Synchronizing latest intelligence: The survivors from the First and Second Rescue Teams have been escorted back to the Coastal Branch by logistics personnel for emergency medical treatment.”
“Regarding the sudden mutation of the Dead Realm and the organized ambush by the Chronomorphs, I have already provided a detailed report to Zhao Dongyuan, the Director of the Coastal Branch’s Security Department. I expect Beifu Headquarters has received the news by now as well.”
“Whether we continue the rescue mission deeper into the Dead Realm and how we proceed will depend on the headquarters’ further resolution.”
“In addition — ” Ironclad paused slightly, turning his head to cast a frigid, razor-sharp gaze toward the distant ruins of a skyscraper.
“My team members have already locked onto the culprit responsible for controlling the Chronomorphs behind the scenes. They are currently conducting a capture operation… I expect results very soon.”
Hearing this, Gu Qiancheng’s expression darkened instantly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
He followed Ironclad’s gaze toward the high-rise.
The space around him fluctuated slightly; he was clearly itching to jump in and get involved.
However, Ironclad’s next seemingly casual sentence was like a bucket of cold water, instantly dousing Gu Qiancheng’s impulse and snapping his attention back to the present.
Ironclad’s scrutinizing, professionally rigorous gaze slowly shifted back from the distance.
Finally, it settled on Chu You, who had been standing beside Gu Qiancheng, intentionally keeping silent to lower her presence.
“And this is?”
His brow furrowed slightly, his tone carrying an unquestionable gravity.
“Before I set out, I carefully reviewed the records and files of all registered and temporary personnel at the Coastal Branch… but there seems to be no record of you.”
Faced with Ironclad’s sudden, probing interrogation, Chu You’s heart skipped a beat.
Her emotions were a complicated mess.
Maintaining high vigilance during wartime, rigorously verifying all unknown factors — especially sudden new faces — and ensuring no detail was overlooked to guarantee the absolute safety of the mission and the team… these were the qualities and responsibilities of a competent commander.
And these… were precisely the operating principles she had personally and repeatedly drilled into Ironclad back when she was the Captain of Night Hunt and he was just a team member.
Now, times had changed.
The very principles she had painstakingly taught him were being executed with meticulous precision by Ironclad… against her.
The feeling was truly subtle, tinged even with a hint of bitter irony.
At the thought, Chu You couldn’t help but look at Ironclad’s weathered face.
‘He’s gotten even darker since I last saw him, and the wrinkles on his face are deeper and more numerous… He must be under a lot of pressure, suddenly being thrust into the position of acting captain for Night Hunt.’
Chu You fell into silence, her thoughts churning.
For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond to his questioning.
In Ironclad’s eyes, this brief silence undoubtedly added weight to his suspicion.
The scrutiny in his eyes intensified, pressing down on Chu You like something physical.
The atmosphere grew stagnant.
Seeing this, Gu Qiancheng felt as anxious as a cat on a hot tin roof.
He hurriedly reached out, discreetly tugging at Chu You’s sleeve.
Simultaneously, a warm yet slightly awkward smile broke across his face.
He jumped in to explain before she could speak.
“Ah, ha ha… That, uh, it’s a misunderstanding! All a misunderstanding!”
“This is Chu You. She’s the… well, the private assistant to our Coastal Branch Minister, Comrade Lin Mo! Yes, a private assistant!”
“You know how it is. These kinds of private assistant positions usually aren’t registered on the official branch roster. It’s perfectly normal!”
As Gu Qiancheng spoke, he tried to signal Ironclad with his eyes, suggesting ‘you know how it is,’ while quickly changing the subject to ease the tension.
“Speaking of which, let’s not just stand around here.”
“Isn’t the priority to get these injured brothers back for treatment?”
“Don’t you agree, Old Iron?”
Hearing this, Ironclad first nodded and gave clear instructions.
“The logistics transport convoy is on the way and should arrive here in 10 minutes. We’ve already coordinated with the hospitals in Coastal City. As soon as the wounded are sent back, a green channel will be opened for priority treatment.”
He was as thorough and reliable as ever.
Then, his tone shifted sharply.
His eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, locked onto Chu You once more.
The scrutiny in his gaze didn’t weaken; instead, it became even more oppressive.
“However — regarding Minister Lin Mo hiring a private assistant, according to our checks, he did not file any report with the South Bay Province Branch, nor did he submit any personnel records to Beifu Headquarters.”
His voice was low and serious, carrying an unquestionable authority.
“Therefore, Miss, I ask that you clearly state your identity immediately and present the relevant credentials to prove it!”
As he spoke, he slowly raised his right hand, encased in the heavy metal gauntlet, and clenched it into a fist.
Though he didn’t take an aggressive stance, the silent action was full of powerful deterrence.
After completing the motion, Ironclad spoke each word with a weight that felt like a hammer striking everyone’s hearts.
“If you cannot provide a clear, credible explanation and proof of your identity…”
“Then, in accordance with Chapter Three, Article Seven of the Wartime Operating Regulations, I will treat you as an unidentified person posing a potential threat and proceed with… an. Immediate. Arrest!”
The words “immediate arrest” exploded in the air like a crack of thunder.
As soon as he finished, the smile Gu Qiancheng had been trying so hard to maintain froze completely.
His mouth hung open as if he wanted to say something else to mediate, but in the face of Ironclad’s absolute seriousness and unyielding stance, he found himself at a loss for words.
It was then that Chu You, who had been silent all this time, slowly looked up.
Her eyes were filled with complex emotions.
She took a deep breath, meeting Ironclad’s scrutinizing gaze, and spoke.
“Fine, forget the arrest…”
“You’re from Beifu Headquarters anyway. You’re the high-ranking official; you set the rules…”
At this point, she simply closed her eyes, adopting the posture of someone who had completely given up on resisting.
“… I can’t be bothered to explain it to you.”
“Just kill me already.”