"Finally here." A familiar voice came out.
"Thought you weren't coming," 36 complained.
"It's good you're okay," 24 was also present.
"Didn't I tell you to leave?" 13 accused.
"Do you think you're the captain?" 1 smiled. "Don't forget, I am the captain of Special Operations Team Seven."
"Whatever," 13 walked past the three towards the faucet, an unknowing smile on his face, hidden from the three.
"Why are you guys here too?" Nie Yun didn't expect to see the fruits of his cultivation at this time.
"From 13's route, we deduced he must be coming to the research institute, so we arrived one step ahead." 1 showed a strange expression. "We expected to find a large number of soldiers ambushing, but when we got here, we didn't see anyone except researchers. Logically, with Adam's strategic mind, he should have known 13 was coming here long ago, yet he didn't dispatch a single person?"
"Of course," Nie Yun understood clearly. "Precisely because he's smart, he wouldn't block 13's escape route."
"He wants a way out," 13 said.
"Because 13 holds SEED, he doesn't want to escalate the situation. It wouldn't look good for anyone," 24 added.
"In the end, it all depends on 13's choice." Nie Yun's words focused everyone's attention on 13 standing by the sink.
He nonchalantly started taking off his clothes, as if no one else was around. The battle armor and COOL-FIRE were tossed aside.
"Pervert," 36 commented.
But when they saw 13's left hand, no one spoke. Because the blood on 13's arm had already stained the ZX7 combat suit red. Rinsing the terrifying, unhealed wound with cold water, another wave of bone-piercing pain emanated.
"What happened to him? Grandpa!" 24 looked pleadingly at Nie Yun, as if her own heart was bleeding too.
"To remove SEED from his bone marrow, 13 did it himself, barehanded..." Nie Yun couldn't continue.
"Let me bandage it for you." 24 quietly tore a strip of cloth from the corner of her clothes and walked to 13's side.
"Oh, thanks." 13 quietly accepted the treatment, everything felt so natural.
"Since it's like this, I think we should leave early," 1 changed the subject.
"I think so too," 36 agreed.
Nie Yun stood before the instrument pile resembling a garbage mountain. "We need some things."
"What?" 36 asked habitually.
"Equipment updates!" Nie Yun stared at the "small mountain."
"Speaking of equipment, can you explain this pile?" 13 kicked the black armor at his feet.
"You mean 'Night'? What's wrong?" Nie Yun noticed the displeasure on 13's face.
"Nothing, just too heavy." 13 pointed out "Night's" biggest weakness. "It looks more refined than White Tiger, but its weight is at least 100 kilograms. If worn in combat, it would only reduce combat endurance."
"There's no helping it." Nie Yun sighed and started rummaging through the garbage mountain. After a while, he took out a bathroom scale and placed it on the ground.
"How much do you weigh, roughly?" Nie Yun asked.
"Around 55 kilograms," 13 replied casually.
"Weigh yourself again," Nie Yun pointed at the scale.
13 strangely stepped onto it. Everyone watched the pointer; it stopped at 75 kilograms. They looked disbelievingly at 13's toothpick-like figure.
Nie Yun explained: "The reason you're heavier is because of your arm."
"'Wing'?"
"Actually, the outer structure of 'Wing' is artificial reinforced muscle and sinew, while the inside is a skeleton made of Titan metal."
"Even if made of Titan metal, the weight of a skeleton wouldn't exceed 20 kilograms, right?" 24 said.
"The Titan metal used in 13 is different from your armor's." Nie Yun shook his head. "That's the prototype material discovered on 'Noah's Ark'! And 'Night' is also made from this prototype material."
"What's Noah's Ark?" 36 was confused.
"Explain later. First, let me explain why it's so heavy." Nie Yun avoided 36's question. "We all know metals differ in density and purity. Simply put, what you use is artificial Titan metal; its purity naturally can't compare to the prototype material. If the prototype material's Titan purity is 100%, then achieving 50% with artificial means is already considered incredibly advanced craftsmanship."
"You mean 'Night' and 'Wing' are both made of the purest Titan metal," 13 translated Nie Yun's words.
"Correct, also the hardest substance in the world. Its resistance to ion fluctuations is also the highest. Even the ion cannons of American mecha can't harm it."
1 whistled.
"But why don't I feel the weight of 'Wing' at all?" 13 flexed his left hand.
"That's also why I was surprised you could use 'Wing' so quickly." Nie Yun pulled out 13's left hand. "Because of the weight, an ordinary human body simply cannot use it. Moreover, high-concentration Titan metal causes poisoning symptoms in humans. Currently, only two people worldwide can have Titan transplanted into their bodies."
Everyone knew the other person was Adam; it must be due to genetics.
"To use 'Wing' freely, the Titan skeleton is surrounded by high-strength artificial muscles and sinews. Only after the body fully adapts to the muscles and sinews can one barely wield the Titan metal arm. The adaptation period for a normal human is two years. After adaptation, the weight is no longer felt. As for 'Night', I have no solution. I can only hope you possess formidable physical strength."
"Is it a test?" 13 looked strangely at Nie Yun.
"Can you handle it?" Nie Yun smiled.
13 fell silent.
"Alright, talked so long, don't forget we're still surrounded. Let's leave first and talk later," 1 reminded.
"There's a tunnel here for leaving. But we can't leave yet!" Nie Yun stared at the "garbage mountain" before him. "Inside here, I remember there's still a piece of Titan metal raw material. 'Night' still needs a new weapon to match. And many things aren't resolved, like your equipment also needs updating, and I want to study the SEED equation myself."
"Use all these materials?" Everyone stared blankly at the "garbage."
It took a day to find the needed items. Special Operations Team Seven and its founder vanished from the world stage.
June 1, 2013. While children worldwide happily pestered adults for gifts, out on the sea, an arrogant nation began an arrogant plan.
Japan summoned reporters from various countries and held a strange press conference – a declaration of aggression!
Standing at the podium, Koizumi Shinta spoke few words, merely mentioning some unresolved historical issues. Just as all reporters were about to lose interest, Shinta spoke calmly into the microphone: "Great Japan will wage war against the wicked South Korea!"
The audience fell silent. Everyone looked at the person next to them, all thinking their ears had gone mad. But after calming down, they realized everything was real. Japan, silent for over fifty years, once again raised the banner of aggression. The first blatant war of aggression since World War II erupted. The press corps was in an uproar!
Leaders of various countries unanimously thought: "Watch the show." Twenty minutes after Koizumi Shinta's announcement, the South Korean President responded.
"Come! Let them come! Our warriors will let them know the pain of defeat again! This time, we will not accept surrender! We will fight to the Japanese homeland, beat them back to the Stone Age! Damn bastards!" Even on live television, the South Korean President couldn't control his emotions. Just one curse word ignited the silent South Korean populace. Old and new hatreds would be settled this time. After the live broadcast, military recruitment offices across the country were swamped. Over two million able-bodied young South Korean men signed up to join the army. Among them were teachers, students, farmers, women. Their only condition was to be given a gun. They swore to kill every single Japanese who dared set foot on Korean soil.
As a pre-war buffer period, large numbers of Japanese in Korea frantically returned home, because the Koreans had truly gone mad. They began searching for Japanese nationwide. Upon discovery, they were dragged into the streets and beaten to death with sticks. This was the most merciful way. If encountered by radicals, death was even more agonizing. Burning, slicing – methods more creative than the cruel tortures of the Qing Dynasty! And the Korean police just watched, some even joining the beating crowds. Walking on the streets of Korea, you could often see police batons stained with blood – Japanese blood, needless to say. Three days after Japan's announcement, no country expressed an opinion. Because South Korea's most powerful neighbor – China – also remained silent. In the UN General Assembly hall, the Secretary-General repeatedly urged both countries to exercise restraint. Restraint reached a point where the South Korean representative somehow procured a gun and shot the Japanese representative in the head. After confirming death, he even emptied the remaining bullets into the corpse. Although his final fate was the death penalty, he became a hero in South Korea!
On the fourth day, Zhao Xiang finally stood before the Monument to the People's Heroes...