At the same time, over Lanshiang, Asia.
Night had fallen. The cyberpunk-tinged coastal city was drowning under a heavy downpour. Neon signs refracted wild, fractured colors across the puddles, and thousands of meters above the cloud layer, a Star Fire stealth command ship hung motionless in the sky like an airborne fortress.
Inside the bridge control room.
Chris sat at the weapons maintenance bench, stripping and reassembling an assault rifle. His hands moved in a blur, but a sharp crack cut through the rhythm. The aviation-aluminum grip crumpled under a momentary squeeze, deep finger impressions pressed into the metal.
Piers swallowed hard beside him. "Captain, that's the third gun you've wrecked today. Dawn Type III's enhancements are... insane."
"Strength's scaling faster than my muscle memory can keep up." Chris frowned and tossed the ruined rifle onto the table.
He could feel it, that terrifying kinetic force coiled inside him, ready to erupt at any moment. If he could go back to Edonia now, he was confident he could punch through a wall barehanded and snap the enemy's neck.
"Catch."
A lazy, amused voice called out.
Chris raised his hand on reflex and caught a black case tossed through the air.
Ryan strolled over from the command console, a steaming cup of green tea in hand.
"Heisenberg Heavy Industries special edition. High-density tungsten-steel frame, built-in micro electromagnetic acceleration rails." Ryan pointed at the case. "Designed for post-Type III physiology. You can toss all that old junk you've been using."
Chris opened the case. Inside lay a heavy assault rifle with an aggressive silhouette, its surface gleaming with a dark blue coating. He racked the charging handle one-handed, feeling the frictionless magnetic feedback inside. No conventional firearm had ever felt like this.
"Pretty sure this thing violates the Geneva Conventions for regular military." The corner of Chris's mouth finally twitched into a grin.
"Star Fire is the convention." Ryan tossed the line off casually and took a sip of tea.
Just then, the massive holographic display at the center of the command room lit up. A dense cluster of red signals blanketed Lanshiang's port district.
Ada's virtual image appeared on one side of the screen.
"Must be nice being the Boss. Sipping tea without a care in the world." Ada's voice carried a trace of the rain-soaked night. "Meanwhile I just finished rolling through the mud out here."
"Ada Wong!" Chris surged with killing intent, glaring at the screen. Ryan clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Easy. Look closer."
The tap knocked Chris back to his senses. He studied the image carefully and caught the subtle differences between this woman and the impostor.
Not in appearance. It was something less tangible, a quality he couldn't quite name. In that single look, Chris's sharpened instincts picked up the cool, effortless composure in her micro-expressions. Nothing like the deranged woman from Edonia.
Before Dawn Type III, Chris never would have caught the distinction. But since the injection, it was like his brain had been upgraded. His dynamic vision and neural processing speed had jumped an entire tier.
Chris slowly lowered his tensed shoulders and let out a long breath. "She's the real one."
"Judging by your position, you made it onto Carla's carrier?" Ryan studied the holographic map, eyes locked on the massive red blip. A heavy aircraft carrier anchored in the waters just off Lanshiang.
"More accurately, a mobile fortress loaded with C-Virus missiles." Ada's image flickered slightly. She was clearly on the move, staying hidden. "Carla's even more far gone than I expected. She doesn't just want revenge on Simmons. She's got intercontinental missiles loaded with high-concentration C-Virus aerosol sitting in that carrier's launch silos. Targeting every major city on the planet."
Chris shot to his feet, murder in his eyes.
"She wants to turn the whole world into Edonia." Piers went pale.
"Then we weld her launch silos shut." Becky cut in, her voice ice-cold, fingers tapping lightly against the barrel of her electromagnetic sniper rifle.
"She'd have to live long enough to push the button." Ryan set down his teacup. Something sharp finally surfaced in his gaze, the edge of a man accustomed to command.
He walked to the holographic map and braced both hands against the console, scanning Lanshiang's tangled streets and the carrier looming offshore.
"Ada, cause some trouble for her on that carrier. Lock down her launch systems. Don't let her set off the fireworks early. We've got local authorization. Support is inbound."
"Copy that." Ada let out a soft laugh and cut the connection.
Ryan turned around. Chris and Piers were already fully geared up. Sherry and Becky looked ready to jump out of their skin.
"Uncle Ryan, what about the J'avo legion's anti-air coverage down there?" Sherry drew her long blade. Bright blue arcs of electricity crackled along its edge, harsh and vivid in the control room's dim light.
"Shadow Force infiltrated the port an hour ago. They'll tear open a landing corridor for you." Ryan's tone was perfectly calm, like he was arranging a dinner party. "Everyone, Carla Radames is on that ship. Her J'avo legion has already taken control of several blocks in Lanshiang."
He walked to the bay door and hit the release. Wind and rain surged into the bridge. Below stretched the vast, glittering city, its lights alive with hidden currents.
"Sherry, Becky, protect the civilians. Help clear the J'avo forces in the city."
"Big guy." Ryan turned his head toward Chris. "You wanted payback on the woman wearing Ada's face, right?"
"I've been waiting for this." Chris strode to the edge of the bay door, facing the gale, and racked the bolt on his electromagnetic rifle. Blue arcs danced inside the barrel.
"Then go." Ryan pointed down into the abyss below.
"Smash that carrier and that cheap fake to pieces."
[This novel is now COMPLETE. Read the entire series right now on Patreon: patreon.com/NiaXD]