"Extraction Complete. Have additional intel" came in Rhino's voice sounding urgent.
Huo Shen adjusted the earpiece beneath his cap and continued forward, the janitor's cart rolling smoothly as he cleared the last laboratory door.
The institute was open today only for the olympiads. So staff were limited. However, the research labs were open. So it was a weird combination of busy and negligent.
For Huo Shen, it made his job a bit easier. As long as he stayed disguised and seemed "visibly busy" he blended right in.
Lin Ke had hacked into Huo Yichen's plans for this mission and shared intel. Apparently Senior Mo was around a 50 year old man and should've been held in a saferoom near the basement.
When Huo Shen reached the location, the soldiers there were knocked out - Black Lotus had already obtained Senior Mo.
"Senior Mo potentially in the control room" came in Rhino's voice, confirming Huo Shen's findings. "They have your nephew, a student, and a few other soldiers holed up there" reported Rhino. "And boss, it's Han Zheyu" finished Rhino quietly.
They had only just begun the vetting process to be folded under Aegis command. One of the first rules drilled into them was simple: know Black Lotus by face and name. Rhino recognized Han Zeyu instantly from the dossier.
"Received. Approaching" replied Huo Shen calmly and moved to the control tower with no change in pace.
Mentally, his mind raced with options. His father had only asked to extract senior Mo.The idea is to help his precious grandson accomplish the mission. That meant collateral was … flexible.
But now, things were different. Clearly, he had to rescue Huo Yichen as well as Senior Mo.
"Do not engage on your own" called Falcon urgently. "I can have Rhino and Viper to flank you in 5 minutes"
Before Huo Shen could respond, intercepted comms from the Black Lotus cackled clearly "We have your Aegis and Senior Mo. If you want them back, we need the codes for Project Nexus." came Han Zheyu's arrogant voice. "You have 10 minutes or someone dies" he threw down his ultimatum.
Huo Shen's team was stupefied. What's with the bluff?So brazen!
"Falcon, escalate to Central Command. Viper flank me. Renzhou, stand by for getaway. Lin Ke, notify hospitals nearby to standby for emergency rescue" Huo Shen fired off rapidly.
He already had a plan.
He turned a corner and came to an abrupt stop. Because, unexpectedly he came face to face with Han Zheyu's team who were exiting in a tight formation, weapons ready, and hostages in their midst.
The scene froze. Because Huo Shen finally noticed the student Black Lotus had captured.
How could it be her?
Lu Mian was walking a little away from Han Zheyu, her hands tied up. Her head was down, and her entire posture looked scared and defeated.
Huo Shen didn't need to see her face to recognize her. Every line of her body, her features were permanently etched in his soul.
Huo Shen's blood turned to ice. Then fire. His anger mounted as he catalogued the injuries on her. The bruises on her hand, the way she angled her left side and her telling limp.
His vision went red.
Without waiting for Viper, Huo Shen charged with a roar that seemed torn from the depth of his heart. He kicked the cleaning cart over first - the metal crashed hard against two gunmen. He closed the distance before they could react.
He used his baton to cleanly disarm one soldier and with an upper cut snapped the jaw on another one. And Huo Shen still wasn't done; he twisted and fired, one controlled shot into the ceiling.
The group scattered. With the military just outside, this shot was a beacon that announced their location.
Han Zheyu was livid. He whipped out his gun "Since when did the great Aegis need rescue by a useless soldier like you Huo Shen?" he growled and fired.
Lu Mian's head snapped up. Huo Shen? Her "disgraced" but trusted guardian? She saw a whirlwind in a janitors' costume weaving through the bullets with deadly precision. Where the figure went, gunmen dropped.
Huo Shen didn't react to Han Zheyu's taunt - his purpose had narrowed into one: get her.
But Han Zheyu was having none of it. He moved methodically, repositioning his men, never engaging directly, but cleverly shunting Huo Shen to a kill zone. Han Zheyu was a trained commander, and now it showed. He didnt need brute strength. He didn't even need to fight. He commanded the people under him to weaken Huo Shen, and keep him at a disadvantage.
Ultimately, it came down to 5 to 1, with Han Zheyu's soldiers surrounding Huo Shen. "So this is what it's come to - the great Aegis is reduced to being saved by scum like you" he scoffed. "But guess what, you still are not good enough to be up against elites like us"
Huo Shen's eyes flickered, not betraying any emotion. As always, he didn't acknowledge the jab. "Reinforcements come in 5 minutes. Are you sure you want to waste your time?"
Han Zheyu gave a cruel smile "I only need 3" and raised his gun. At this distance, his shot would kill Huo Shen point blank.
Han Zheyu smirked. He knew his boss specifically hated Huo Shen. Maybe this kill would make him move up even higher in the circle!
But he had discounted Lu Mian. She charged through the circle of gunmen and threw herself against Han Zheyu, bodily taking him down.
With her hands tied back, it was not even a scuffle, Han Zheyu turned and gave her a powerful kick in her stomach, and she crumpled with a muted groan.
Huo Shen roared like a wounded animal and charged in - tussling with Han Zheyu. It wasn't a fight- it was one sided slaughter, with Huo Shen battering him single handedly.
Han Zheyu's lip split open, every punch loosening some teeth. His face streaked with blood and he almost lost consciousness.
But Huo Shen wasn't done. He raised his fist and hammered him again and again "How dare you!" he kept roaring.
After an unknown amount of time, he felt a soft hand catch his arm.
He would know that touch anywhere. He turned to see her clear eyes, looking at him seriously. "We need to leave" she said urgently.
Her voice penetrated the haze of red and brought Huo Shen back to the present. He heard it too - the sound of chopper and the clatter of boots that signalled more people were headed this way.
No one can know of Huo Shen's involvement!
Lu Mian had surmised as much, given the amount of redaction she had seen in his files.
Huo Shen kicked Han Zheyu aside who had fainted and stripped him of weapons. Then he went to check on his useless nephew who was still passed out. He completely ignored Senior Mo, who was watching them with wide eyes.
The military can take care of them. He had done enough.
Without further ado, Huo Shen picked up Lu Mian and moved to the nearest exit. Viper was already there, disarming the assassins.
If he was surprised to see his boss bringing along a student, and not the researcher, he didn't show it. "East exit is clear. Bai Renzhou and Lin Ke are ready to leave". He reported.
Huo Shen grunted and without hesitation, jumped out of the window.
The last thing Lu Mian remembered was being tied securely to a strong, reliable back. Strangely, all she felt was safe - a feeling she had never felt in her previous life time. And maybe that sense of security was so powerful, she finally let go, surrendering to the pain and darkness.
She was safe. It was all ok.