Inside the heavy atmosphere of the central command room at Biotope 5, Colonel Pierce stood at the center, surrounded by holographic screens projecting the faces of five high-ranking security council members. The full report from Peacekeeping Substation 42 was laid out in meticulous detail, including confirmed casualty figures for every officer at the scene.
"I warned you before… giving special treatment or turning a blind eye to Out Law and criminal groups in the Outlands, no matter which Biotope they operate in, is the same as raising a viper."
Pierce's voice rang sharply through the room.
"And now it's turning on us."
"And what exactly do you propose, Colonel?"
One of the council members asked, his expression tense as he glanced at the smoldering ruins still burning on the display.
"I propose we abandon our defensive stance and begin a full-scale purge immediately."
Pierce declared, his eyes gleaming with a ruthless intensity that had long been waiting for this moment.
"P-Type will take the lead in wiping out every illegal network, along with that wasteland they call the Outlands."
"So you intend to place everything in the hands of those test subjects, Colonel?"
An elderly woman on the council cut in, her tone laced with contempt, her eyes filled with distrust toward the modified humans.
"I'm not placing any hope in those creatures."
Colonel Pierce replied, his voice calm but firm.
"They simply have enough value for us to exploit to the fullest. On top of that, I'm requesting authorization for a large-scale reinforcement deployment. What we lost at Substation 42 wasn't just manpower, it was the core of our combat strength. No matter how powerful the P-Type may be, based on their past records, not a single one of them possesses proper military knowledge or discipline."
His gaze swept across the remaining authority figures, just as another member of the council spoke up, touching on the most fragile issue of all.
"And what about the investors? Do you really think they'll go along with this? If we suddenly launch a full-scale purge against every illegal network, it's going to cost major players in the black market a fortune. That could destabilize everything inside the dome."
The question brought the entire room into silence. Everyone understood how deeply rooted the hidden ties were between the investors inside the dome and Out Law operating beyond it. Cutting those connections would not come without serious economic shockwaves.
"The world has always been this shade of gray."
Colonel Pierce said calmly, though there was a deeper meaning beneath his words.
"But the reason it's never become a problem isn't that we chose to negotiate with criminals… it's because we chose to control them."
"What exactly are you getting at, Colonel?"
The same man frowned, pressing him for a clearer answer.
"The large-scale purge I'm proposing… isn't meant to wipe them out completely."
Pierce allowed himself a faint, chilling smile.
"It's meant to force the survivors into submission, to bring them under a framework we design. They'll continue their illegal operations, feeding profits to the investors in ways we can still control. The investors keep their business running smoothly, the criminals get their cut… and we hold the reins over all of them."
"And you're certain this won't create further problems, Colonel?"
The same elderly woman asked, her voice edged with concern.
"I mean… none of this will reach the ears of the people inside the dome, will it?"
"There's no chance of that."
Colonel Pierce replied with cold confidence in his eyes.
"We'll use their dirty hands to carry it out, while we remain behind the curtain pulling the strings. If anything goes wrong or a secret leaks, we simply cut them off… claim that a few lower-ranking officers went rogue and colluded with criminals. Find a scapegoat to take the fall, and everything ends neatly."
The ruthless precision of his explanation left the council in silence for a long moment, until another member let out a quiet sigh.
"Fine… do as you propose. But remember, nothing must damage the image of the central government."
"Understood."
Pierce acknowledged with a faint smile at the corner of his lips. The holographic projections of the five leaders flickered out, returning the room to silence. He stood alone in the dimness, motionless.
The plan to reshape the world beyond the dome into a controlled enclosure under his authority had already begun. And the next piece he needed to deal with… was breaking a battlefield predator like Zenos and forcing him to kneel.
…..
The ruins of Peacekeeping Substation 42 were reduced to nothing but piles of shattered concrete and twisted metal. Pockets of fire still crackled here and there, mingling with the eerie whistle of the wind as it carried the burnt stench of flesh and ash across the area. Edward stood motionless before the wreckage, the glow of the flames reflecting off the lenses of his mask. His hands trembled slightly, still shaken by a scene far more brutal than anything he had ever imagined.
"This has Out Law written all over it…"
Edward muttered, his voice rough.
"Yeah… no one else would have the guts to go this far."
Drago stepped through the drifting smoke to join him, scanning the surroundings with a hardened expression.
"But leveling a substation like this… this isn't just a robbery anymore. It looks like they're making a clear declaration of war against the central government."
Darius and Jenkins arrived right behind them, stepping out of the vehicle. Both stood frozen at the sight before them, far more intense than anything they had faced before. This battlefield was no longer about fighting over resources. It was a direct challenge to authority, one that could ignite a purge no one would be able to escape.
"So what do we do next? After this, they're not going to stop hunting us… especially you."
Darius said tensely as he lit a cigarette, gray smoke rising against the glow of the burning wreckage. His gaze shifted meaningfully toward Edward.
"We need to figure out what they're after first. Otherwise, there's no way to predict their next move."
Drago added, scanning the devastation around them.
"No… that's not what we need to know. We already know what they want."
Edward cut in, his voice calm and steady.
"They want test subjects like you two. But the more immediate objective is revenge. Just look at this place. This wasn't about looting supplies. Who in their right mind would hit a peacekeeping unit that has nothing worth stealing?"
"What exactly are you getting at?"
Drago frowned, puzzled by the boy's conclusion.
"We need to find out who that scarred mask guy is… because from what I can see… this place was wiped out by a single person. And there's only one name that fits."
Edward spoke his thoughts aloud.
"Let's head back to base. We got here too late… and it's not safe to stay any longer."
Chloe cut in, turning toward the pickup with a somber expression. The fading flames behind them stood as a grim reminder of the death closing in on their heels. Jenkins remained where he was, kneeling amid the ashes, his rough hand pressed against the cold ground as if offering a silent farewell, a prayer for the fallen. Those officers had nothing to do with this hidden conflict. They were nothing more than pieces on a board, swept aside without mercy.
"Come on, Jenkins… there's nothing we can do here anymore."
Drago called out, his voice restrained.
Jenkins let out a long breath before rising and making his way back to the pickup. Moments later, the engine roared to life, breaking the silence once more. The convoy, along with Edward's Rocket Bike, began to move away from the ruins of Substation 42, leaving behind the dying flames and the fading scent of blood as they disappeared into the darkness of the Outlands, heading back to their base to prepare for the storm that was coming.