Chapter 87
Snake Eyes - Darkness
The night is pitch black, devoid of stars, with only the cold white moonlight accompanying the ship as it silently breaks through the waves on the still sea.
The captain raises his binoculars to observe the distance; beyond the thick fog obstructing his vision, he sees nothing. He frowns at his watch—it is 20:20, the ship is about to enter the White Zone, yet the expected target has not appeared.
- Tsk, maybe I should change professions!
The captain presses a button, and the high-speed fan at the bow immediately generates a whirlwind to blow the fog away. The mist drifts to both sides, as the ship's lights cast far into the distance. The captain narrows his eyes, raises his binoculars again to peer closely, and a massive vessel emerges.
The captain hastily presses a button, and the ship swerves hard to the left... making... the deckhands lose their footing, limbs struggling, but they quickly regain their balance. They do not flinch at the terrifying impact about to breach the hull. The entire team enters combat positions, drawing guns to return fire toward the vessel rumbling toward them.
Full firepower clashes head-on, deafening sounds exploding under the blazing light that paint the night red. The sea and the crowd roar madly together as waves rise:
- Kill! Kill them all for me!
- Rob this cargo, and we'll be famous across the ocean!
- I will bathe in your blood to celebrate the victory!
The captain raises an AK rifle and opens fire. Bullets pierce the cabin glass, tearing through the wind, shattering the chests of three pirates who fail to dodge in time. He calmly commands the fierce resistance:
- Hold the formation! Anyone who boards the ship, kill them all... no mercy!
A burst of bullets howls like a gale, interrupting the command, shattering the front of the ship and even mincing the cockpit. Glass shards shower across the floor, slicing the skin of the deckhands. One side attacks with fury, the other defends in chaos; bullets hiss, and artillery blasts explode in the roar of victory.
The deckhands stare at two other large vessels approaching. The pirates open fire but do not shoot recklessly; they carefully avoid hitting the ship's cellar—the place where the cargo is stored.
Countless criminals die, yet the rest of the crowd still surges upward simultaneously. The deckhands resist stubbornly but struggle to withstand the overwhelming enemy; more than half are casualties. The battle is nearing its end, lives are like fish lying on a cutting board, causing the deckhands to panic and scream:
- You motherfuckers, you cowards, where the hell are you hiding? Come save us...
- Everyone is about to die, and you still haven't brought your corpses here to save...
The howl of bullets, the sound of destruction, the sound of collapsing structures, and the screams echo with the waves pushing each ship. Amidst the chaos, an arrow streaks from the right, piercing straight toward the pirate general's ship.
Though it only makes a slight buzz like a mosquito, the leader still senses the danger, panics, and jumps onto the cargo ship... just as his ship is blown into pieces, some of his subordinates' bodies are pulverized.
The shockwave slams the pirate general into the cabin. He spits out a mouthful of blood, glaring angrily at the blue fishing boat joining the battle in the distance. The leader on that boat roars:
- Burn the crowd who dares to stroke the tiger's whiskers until they are reincarnated!
The captain and deckhands are overjoyed; a dose of mental stimulant immediately ignites their exhausted energy. Everyone is more enthusiastic than before, shouting along with the reinforcements:
- Protect the cargo to the death!
- Avenge the tragic deaths of our brothers!
The people on the blue boat are all clad in heavy armor to deflect stray bullets. The pirate general, seeing the situation is unfavorable, immediately uses a provocation tactic:
- You group of low-life cowards! If you're so tough, rush in here for a piece of the action. You don't dare to engage in melee, just hiding and sniping from the dark—you're more pathetic than dogs!
The blue boat leader sneers:
- Ah, it seems you've chosen a more painful death!
He glances quickly at his subordinates, who are frustrated from standing in one spot just to shoot; these battle-crazed men cannot endure the itch... the stimulation of a carnal desire... to stain their own hands with the enemy's blood. Understanding his subordinates better than the lines on his own palm, the Master still asks politely:
- Brothers, do you want a Humiliating Victory, or a Glorious Victory?
The men are far too accustomed to this kind of command—precise calculations meant to ensure victory... and... the Master always knows how to respect his teammates. They are so excited that their faces contort:
- Victory is not enough! It must be grand, so that we can reach the peak of climax!
Standing beside the leader, a towering man roars, his red eyes scanning every single enemy:
- I want to drink their blood! I want to chew their bones!
Vo Than cracks his knuckles, shaking his head to produce sharp, popping sounds. Cold, cruel, and contemptuous, he scans every pirate. He sneers at the blue boat leader:
- Hot blood is boiling inside me. Thuong Tung, how much longer are you going to make us wait? Order the attack already, let me loosen these muscles and bones.
The Director curls the corner of his mouth into a cold smirk and waves a hand to command his men:
- Thuong Tung, welcome the guests!
The entire team erupts in demonic laughter, leaping en masse toward the enemy vessels, gunning down foes as they go.
Hundreds of people on the four crafts are instantly squeezed together; because the distance is too close, they can no longer continue firing and are forced into close-quarters combat. Both sides draw their machetes—crude hooks clash with flashing blades and swords in a chaotic melee.
Spilling blood stains the deck red, skin is torn apart, and muscle from both sides flies in all directions.
A chunk of shredded meat from a bicep flies toward flies toward the man wearing a grey T-shirt, dark green military pants, and a crocodile skin belt.
Its appearance is entirely different from a human's: ears perched like a wolf's, a nose as massive as a tiger's, and a mouth like a rat's beak. Rough cheekbones crumple the thick skin on its narrow, pointed face.
Its eyebrows are sparse and blank at the head and tail but deep black in the middle; the eyelids are long but have no lashes. The iris invades the white of the eye, and the pupils do not move—like a beast... lurking motionlessly... hunting in the darkness.
It opens its large black mouth and bites into that piece of meat. Its sharp, cold-white wolf-teeth produce a brittle crunching sound as if chewing dry matter, crushing the flesh and swallowing the bait directly into its bloodthirsty esophagus.
It raises its greedy gaze; it has no need to distinguish between what is human and what is animal. In those dead, silent eyes, all living creatures are merely delicious bait... for the beast to tear the corpses apart.
The enemies are so terrified that their limbs tremble; their legs flee instinctively. It roars and charges. Its massive, muscular hands strike with a heavy blow, flipping the faces of the group on the right, then slapping the group on the left until their heads snap violently from front to back.
Its claws dig downward, piercing the spines of two others. Blood spurting from both their mouths and their groans of pain further ignite its beastly nature. It roars and slams directly into them; the terrifying force of the impact crushes the enemies.
It swings its leg, kicking a corpse into the sea. A bold man sneaks an attack from behind; it dodges nimbly, but the machete still tears through its clothes.
It lets out a wolf's howl and rips its grey T-shirt apart, revealing a fit body—a physique as harmonious as an ancient statue, with tendons bulging over coiled muscles.
The abdominal section is straight like pillars, with three blocks of muscle bearing deep-cut scars that have hardened into tough calluses. The chest area is broad; on the right side is tattooed the mark of a blazing God of Violence burning within a Resurrection Circle.
It roars, a heavy blow flipping the face of the guy trying to sneak attack; the fellow is sent spinning through the air several times. It leaps up and delivers a punch that snaps his spine. This blow pushes the enemy into the crowd below, the corpse pinning those on the floor. Its feet fly straight down, trampling everything like a fierce, rumbling beast charging forward.
Anyone blocking the way has their lungs crushed and their heads split open; some mangled limbs are tossed toward Vo Than. The menacing guy immediately kicks an enemy far away, grabs the back of two opponents' necks, and slams their bodies together. The pirates are terrified out of their wits at the sight of their teammates' bodies broken and their flesh torn to shreds. Vo Than coldly licks every drop of fresh blood flowing down his arm.
Terrified men turn to flee, while those afraid of being mocked as cowards charge forth with reckless fury. In an instant, Vo Than snaps one man's arm bone and swings his fist to shatter another's facial bone. The opponent clutches his fractured arm, screaming in horror. Vo Than follows up with a punch that pierces through his chest.
Another group of madmen rushes in; he kicks a corpse into them, spins his legs, and sweeps them all away with a whirlwind kick. The force of the attack pushes them toward the spot where Thuong Tung is dueling the pirate vice-general. The two leaders effortlessly strike the whole pack of "trash" into the sea.
The blonde man evades a heavy roundhouse punch. He closes in quickly, driving an uppercut into the jaw. The pirate vice-general tilts his head back to avoid it. Thuong Tung suddenly changes his technique, his fingers like hooks tearing into the enemy's chest. The pirate vice-general launches a sweeping kick at the hip; Thuong Tung blocks it, but the powerful force of the leg sends the blonde man flying to the right. A group of subordinates takes the chance to swarm him, slashing frantically:
- I'll chop your ancestors!
- Daddy's gonna kill you
- Die your mother...
Thuong Tung spins his entire body, his left foot kicking away the weapons while his right foot rotates in mid-air, snapping a jaw and smashing three faces to pieces.
The pirate vice-general takes advantage of the moment Thuong Tung has yet to land on the deck, guessing his opponent can no longer rotate, and launches a pincer attack, unleashing a direct punch with all his might. If he takes this devastating blow, Thuong Tung's heart will burst and his lungs will be shredded to pieces, leading to his certain death.
The pirate vice-general prepares to celebrate his victory, his eyes bulging—both oversized and coarse. Thuong Tung unexpectedly twists his hips in mid-air to evade the blow, flips his body upside down, and launches a hook kick right into the center of the pirate vice-general's face.
The pirate's vision goes black and blurred; no longer needing to distinguish friend from foe, he smashes everyone around him to death. Rage surges in his eyes, burning with the image of Thuong Tung rumbling toward him.
The pirate vice-general roars, exploding with full power and repeatedly pushing Thuong Tung back. The blonde man takes countless incredibly heavy punches. Thuong Tung uses every ounce of his strength to parry, patiently waiting for a gap. Finally, he catches an opening and strikes the flank, the sound of cracking bones echoing clearly.
Before the pirate can steady himself, Thuong Tung leans to the left, drives his knee into the stomach, and follows with a punch right in the middle of the enemy's chest. The vice-general is pushed back, roaring in fury. The two men charge at each other once more.
A dark shadow flies in as fast as lightning, kicking the vice-general square in the face, sending the pirate crashing onto the deck. He endures the pain and stands up, glaring to see who dared to sneak attack him. The "despicable" guy says to Thuong Tung:
- You go deal with the pirate general; let me handle this guy!
Thuong Tung looks into the distance, where the pirate general is slaughtering the juniors and deckhands. If he doesn't prevent it quickly, the company will lose a massive number of employees. The blonde man isn't in a hurry to intervene, instead saying with a scowl:
- Tsk, you're free, but I'm busy. You pushing the responsibility onto me seems a bit unreasonable!
The other guy curls his lip; despite being in a bloodbath, he still speaks politely:
- Well... a general must face a general. If I fight him, it would be an overstepping show of authority!
Thuong Tung laughs at the silent guy who never says a redundant word. The Director requests the silent one to take his place:
- Sounds reasonable. Then please help me clean up the mess here!
Thuong Tung pushes his opponent away and sprints toward the pirate general, not forgetting to call out:
- Clean up the trash, pal!
The contempt from the two men drives the vice-general mad:
- Damn it, Daddy will smash you to death!
The vice-general rushes forward, throwing continuous arc-shaped punches that cover the entire area, forcing the opponent back. The silent guy focuses on defense, quietly observing the enemy's attack patterns. Every time the left hand throws a circular punch, the vice-general exposes his flank. But he doesn't counter-attack yet, instead glancing at Thuong Tung. The Director says to the staff:
- Tsk, there's too much trash, I can't clear it all. Everyone, help me clean up that foul-smelling stench!
The Director speaks with hidden meaning; the staff implicitly understand they are no match for the pirate general—rather than dying in vain here, they might as well take out the trash.
From the past until now, once Thuong Tung decides something, no one can change it; even with ten livers, no one dares to disobey his orders. Everyone scatters to help the teammates currently in a bitter struggle.
Thuong Tung looks up at the Pirate General, who is taller than him. The physical disadvantage makes him click his tongue. The pirate sneers:
- You haven't even fought yet and you're already shivering like a coward, you motherfucker!
Thuong Tung presses his forehead and sighs:
- A man must be civil; only with civility comes... success! - Thuong Tung suddenly rushes at his opponent - Today, a polite person is going to civilize you guys who didn't study as kids and grew up to be pirates!
No sooner does Thuong Tung finish speaking than the pirate general charges. The deck is trampled and shattered everywhere; the buffaloes fight, the flies and mosquitoes die. Among a pile of subordinates, the injured cannot stand up, while others collapse and die on the spot.
After fighting for a hundred rounds, the pirate leader finally realizes with horror that only his side has suffered heavy casualties, while Thuong Tung's men are completely unharmed. They smile triumphantly and mock him:
- Don't you teach your subordinates how to dodge under a master's combat pressure to save their lives and minimize casualties? Stupid fellow!
- He crippled our brothers; many died miserably at his hands. Butcher him, take revenge, Boss!
Victory was once within reach, the spoils seemingly firmly in hand, only to lose everything in the end—not only suffering heavy losses in manpower but also enduring utter humiliation. The pirate general can no longer keep a cool head; rage burns through his sanity as he swings his fists frantically.
A heavy blow, like the booming of a massive hammer, smashes the deck to pieces, and Thuong Tung constantly retreats. The blonde man fights in a provocative manner, his lips emphasizing "politeness" just to mock the man who has lost his mind.
- You son of a bitch, Daddy will kill you!
Both men swing their fists simultaneously, and fist shadows fly out in an instant. Thuong Tung suddenly turns and precisely catches the enemy's hand. The pirate general never expected his opponent would dare such a risky move; his surprise costs him dearly. His heavy body is hurled away by Thuong Tung with a brutal shoulder throw.
- Jiu-jitsu?
Thuong Tung does not answer directly; instead, he says coldly:
- The extra fee for cultural tutoring is a one-way trip to Hell!
Thuong Tung strikes again. The pirate general crosses his arms in front of his chest, trying to protect his vitals. This single strike shatters the bones of his arms, which are already completely beyond feeling.
- If you want to reincarnate. - Thuong Tung concentrates his power into his fist, hitting the most fatal spot - You should be polite to King Yama!
The pirate general still manages to block the attack in time, but his arms snap and hang down completely; the piercing pain from the bones is like ten thousand arrows piercing the heart.
Thuong Tung rushes in for the kill—a perfect combination of fists and feet, without a single redundant move, seamless and without gaps. The sudden surge of power from within him is more terrifying than an untamed beast.
The pirate general loses the strength to resist. This blow shatters his heart. His subordinates watch in terror as he coughs up blood and dies miserably.
The underlings jump into the sea in fear, swimming in a panicked frenzy. Thuong Tung coldly orders his juniors to shoot them all dead.
The remaining pirates lose morale, frantically looking for a way to escape. They are so terrified that they cannot even hear the pirate general's roaring threats:
- Get back here! Whoever dares to run, I'll kill...
Before the words can finish, Vo Than and that "Beast" rush up to slaughter them. The sound of crushing bones, the gushing of blood, and the screams of extreme horror... echo through the nine heavens.
The color of death stains the night red; the scene is like the souls of sinners being tortured in Hell. The vice-pirate general vents all his rage on the silent guy.
The silent guy remains calm, waiting for the right moment. The vice-pirate general strikes with all his might but misses the target. The move shatters everything, causing the mast to snap under the force of the punch, yet it fails to injure the enemy.
The vice-pirate general knows it is hard to win with old techniques, but he has no choice. Forced to use his old moves, he tries to gain an advantage. He rotates both hands in continuous hammering blows. Seeing his enemy cornered, his blood boils even more, and he swings his left arm in a circular strike.
The silent guy takes the opening; his hand slides through the gap, and two fingers lightning-bolt into a vital point near the spleen. The vice-pirate general feels an electric shock through his spine, and a strange current of air rushes straight to his brain.
Outside the fight, Thuong Tung and Vo Than frown, feeling that for a split second... the vice-pirate general seems to freeze. Then, the power of that rotating punch twists the liver; the pain of crushed internal organs makes the vice-pirate general fall to his knees.
That ruthless killing move... has... dispelled the suspicion that there was something "not right" about the technique which had surfaced in the minds of the two suspicious men.
The silent guy kicks the vice-pirate general forward. He picks up a machete from the floor and pierces the enemy's abdomen; the force of the thrust immediately pins the vice-pirate general to the cabin wall.
At the moment near death, that angry, flushed face suddenly turns paler than a corpse. The terrified face is filled with panic... because... the silent guy's eyelids are twisting and turning like a venomous snake... changing those pigeon eyes into... snake eyes as dark as Hell.
- You... you... are... Snake Eyes?
The silent guy gives a soft "Shhh":
- I am not Snake Eyes! - He presses the machete in deep and delivers one final fatal stab - I am Darkness!