After finishing this, Cloud walked up to Angel.
He extended his hand, Chaos Divine Power surging. Those metal restraints capable of binding a prehistoric giant beast shattered inch by inch as if made of paper.
"There, you're free now," Cloud said to her.
Angel slowly sat up from the mobile bed.
She moved her wrists, marked with red welts. She didn't say "thank you," nor did she show any excitement at surviving a disaster.
She just tilted her head, the corner of her lips curving into an arc that could even be called "provocative."
"Oh? Handsome~"
Her voice carried a hint of hoarseness and lazy sexiness.
"So you're... the demon king they say has been turning the organization upside down?"
"Chased off my little ice colleague and saved my life while you were at it?"
"What? You interested in me?"
She stuck out the tip of her tongue, lightly licking her somewhat chapped lips—a movement full of wild seduction.
"Want me to give myself to you in gratitude?"
"But let me tell you~"
She suddenly leaned close to Cloud, their faces almost touching.
Her purple eyes flickered with a crazy light.
"—I'm quite expensive, you know~"
Cloud smiled as he looked at her, nodded, and took her away with him.
...
The "butterfly effect" triggered by that earth-shaking "Clone Kyo Rampage" incident at KOF 99 was far from over.
NESTS, this mysterious organization with a heart smaller than a needle's eye, after being "reverse-robbed" by Cloud and losing both wife and soldiers, decisively activated their "Plan B."
Thus, overnight.
All major news media and social networks around the world were flooded with global wanted posters for "two extremely dangerous terrorists."
On the wanted poster were two photos with clarity rivaling "4K HD."
One showed a young man wearing a black leather jacket and sunglasses, with a head full of red hair and defiant eyes.
Name: K'.
Crime: Suspected of using mass-destruction flames to commit terrorist attacks in multiple locations worldwide.
The other was a burly man wearing a high-tech combat suit, also wearing sunglasses.
Name: Maxima.
Crime: K's accomplice, suspected of illegally infiltrating multiple nations' networks and stealing classified information.
This wanted poster was written "with evidence and detailed documentation," accompanied by several "carefully edited" surveillance videos.
It instantly and successfully portrayed K' and Maxima—two "victims" who had just defected from the organization—as public enemies of the entire world.
"Holy crap! Who's this redhead kid? So arrogant?!"
"Burning buildings? That's way too antisocial! I strongly demand the authorities arrest him and sentence him to life imprisonment!"
"And that big guy—he doesn't look like a good person! Are hackers this buff nowadays?"
For a while, the clueless masses were filled with righteous indignation.
K' and Maxima had completely transformed from "victims" into "rats crossing the street that everyone wanted to beat."
...
South Town, a run-down motel reeking of motor oil.
"—BANG!"
A cheap television was blasted into pieces by a surge of violent flames.
"Fuck! These bastards!"
K', watching the news scrolling his "global wanted" status on TV, trembled with rage, the crimson flames in his right hand burning uncontrollably.
"How... dare they?!"
He couldn't understand.
They were clearly the victims!
They were clearly the ones being modified, used, hunted!
Yet now they were being framed by the real "villains," splashed with dirty water!
Was there no justice in this world?!
Was there no law?!
"Calm down, K'."
Maxima, this rational cyborg, was rapidly typing on a battered laptop, trying to delete the "evidence" against them from the internet.
But it was useless.
These news articles and videos were like viruses—delete one, and ten more would pop up from different places.
Behind them was clearly an extremely professional and massive "troll army" and "hacker" team conducting global public opinion manipulation.
"It's useless, Maxima." K' collapsed onto the bed. "We've been nailed to the pillar of shame."
A hint of despair showed in his defiant eyes.
Betrayed the organization, but couldn't find his own past.
Gained power, but was antagonized by the whole world.
He felt like... an orphan... abandoned by the entire world.
"Ding dong."
Just then, the motel's doorbell rang.
Both instantly became alert!
"Who?!" Maxima asked in a deep voice, the armor on his arm already quietly deploying to reveal the dark muzzle within.
From outside the door came a lazy, extremely familiar voice.
"Water meter inspection."
K' and Maxima exchanged glances, both seeing... astonishment in each other's eyes.
That voice...
Was that... Cloud?!
How did he find this place?!
Maxima hesitated for a moment but still opened the door.
Cloud was standing there in casual clothes, a lollipop in his mouth, leaning against the doorframe like a neighbor dropping by.
Behind him followed a voluptuous, mature woman with red hair and a unique allure.
"Yo, you two globally wanted criminals." Cloud spat out the lollipop, walked in with a smile, and sat down on the only relatively clean chair in the room.
"Judging by those gloomy faces, getting cyberbullied?"
K' snorted coldly and turned his head away without speaking.
His "tsundere" personality made him unwilling to show any weakness in front of Cloud.
"Mr. Cloud." Maxima, being more sensible, asked in a deep voice. "How... did you find us?"
"Finding you two is hard?" Cloud shrugged. "One of you has a flame GPS on him, the other has mobile wifi on him. Wherever you go, you're like fireflies in the dark—so obvious, so conspicuous."
"You know, South Town is my territory. It'd be hard for you NOT to be found by me."
As he spoke, he tossed an invitation made of unknown metal, stamped with a "bird's nest" emblem, onto the table.
"This is..." Maxima picked up the invitation, his pupils suddenly contracting.
"An invitation to... KOF 2000?!"
...
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