Chapter 48: In Case of Like
Chapter 48: In Case of Like
Fang Cheng believed his two lifetimes had hardened his mind like a seasoned warrior, leaving him unfazed by honor or disgrace, remaining calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before him.
Yet when he stepped out of the elevator and spotted what looked like a robot soaring toward him through the air, a startled “Holy shit!” escaped his lips.
As the figure drew closer, Fang Cheng squinted and realized it wasn’t a robot but someone clad in a powered exoskeleton, their face hidden beneath a helmet.
Without warning, the figure raised an arm toward Fang Cheng. The thick gun barrel attached to it glowed white.
“Shit!”
Fang Cheng’s scalp prickled. Retreating into the elevator was impossible. He triggered his short-distance dash ability, lunging sideways.
The gun fired a white blast that exploded at the elevator’s entrance. The impact kicked up a storm of red dust, resembling a sandstorm.
After missing, the attacker spun midair and pursued Fang Cheng. The rotating mini-gun on their left shoulder spat bullets, tracer rounds streaking like ribbons of light.
Fang Cheng kept activating short-distance dashes, his body flickering like a shadow as he zigzagged down the hallway.
The pursuer stayed glued to his heels, bullets relentlessly nipping at his heels.
Oddly, the gunfire sounded muffled, lacking the usual sharp cracks.
Fang Cheng noted this strangeness but couldn’t afford to pause.
Thankfully, his daily exercise routine—grinding for that +1 Stamina boost—had built enough endurance to spam his dash ability.
He raced through the corridor into an open training ground, snatched a nearby barbell, and hurled it with a roar of effort.
The attacker dodged the flying weight effortlessly. A red light blinked on their right shoulder.
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A laser beam shot out.
By the time Fang Cheng realized he’d been targeted, evasion was pointless—unless he could move at light speed.
The laser hit his body… but no pain followed.
Fang Cheng froze, then snorted. This was just a harmless beam, nothing like the deadly laser that had sliced Heishi Youto in half.
His gaze swept the hallway floor—littered with black rubber bullets.
He’d been pranked.
Fang Cheng leveled a dead-eyed stare at the hovering figure as it landed and removed its helmet, revealing Kanzaki Rin’s smug grin.
“Not bad,” she said, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Your reflexes shocked me.”
Kanzaki Rin seldom smiled unless witnessing Fang Cheng’s misery. Her joy now stemmed purely from watching him scramble like a panicked rabbit.
“Solid performance, kid.”
Takeda Masumi emerged from hiding, arms crossed as she eyed Fang Cheng with approval.
Though he’d taken a hit at the end, surviving this long against the exoskeleton’s ambush had shattered all previous records.
His dodging speed had been unreal—Takeda Masumi’s eyes could barely track him. No ordinary human pulled that off.
She considered this a special ability that Fang Cheng possessed.
“Oh? Then let’s exchange a few moves later.”
Fang Cheng tossed out a remark that made Takeda Masumi’s face pale, then schooled his expression and steadied his emotions.
Usually, he was the one pranking Kanzaki Rin. Getting tricked back once wasn’t a big deal—he wasn’t sore about losing.
There’d be plenty of chances to get even down the road.
Right now, Fang Cheng’s entire focus was on the equipment covering Kanzaki Rin’s body. What man could resist such sleek, mechanically charged coolness?
“Is that a powered exoskeleton? Where’d you score this?”
His eyes lit up as he moved closer, hands already wandering over the gear.
“Correct. It’s a solo combat system—powered exoskeleton armor, weapon platform, life-support, communication, fire-control, computing…”
Kanzaki Rin started explaining, only to yelp “Hey!” mid-sentence.
She spun and threw a punch at Fang Cheng, snapping, “Watch your hands!”
He blocked her fist but staggered back two steps—the exoskeleton granted shocking power. Rubbing his wrist, he grinned. “The butt protection here’s lacking! You can’t skimp just ’cause there’s extra padding. What if some pervert goes for spanking…”
“You’re the damn pervert!”
Kanzaki Rin advanced like winter incarnate. “You’re dead!”
This jerk kept crossing lines—verbal jabs before, now physical contact.
“Enough, enough…”
Takeda Masumi hastily intercepted Kanzaki Rin.
Truthfully, Masumi’s personality screamed for letting Rin pummel Fang Cheng into humility.
But her gut warned that any brawl might leave Rin battered instead. Odd, considering the combat system should guarantee victory—yet the intuition persisted.
If Rin got wrecked, would the bystander escape unscathed?
Better to douse flames than risk collateral damage. Blocking Rin, Masumi shot Fang Cheng a glare urging damage control.
Fang Cheng shrugged, then thrust out his rear. “If you’re feeling cheated, I’ll suffer your touch. Maybe it’s got a better feel than yours…”
Kanzaki Rin’s kick whistled past as he dodged.
“Masumi, let go! I’m killing this bastard today!”
Takeda Masumi smacked her own forehead, black lines practically visible.
The idiot wasn’t calming anything—he was fanning flames.
No fight materialized. Only after Kanzaki Rin threatened to cut his meal stipend did Fang Cheng offer an insincere apology.
Kanzaki Rin accepted the out—she couldn’t live in the combat system forever.
“Why’d you never use this gear before?”
Fang Cheng fiddled with the solo combat system Kanzaki Rin had removed, asking, “If we’d had this gear earlier, wouldn’t fighting those vampires have been like beating up elementary school boys?”
“It was only recently approved under Masumi’s name,” Kanzaki Rin replied, struggling to remove her exoskeleton armor. “Do you think an intern like me could get this equipment otherwise?”
“Does the Countermeasures Department have many of these sets?” Fang Cheng pressed. If every agent got this solo combat system, it’d be revolutionary.
With firepower, enhanced strength, flight capability – wasn’t this basically a budget Iron Man suit?
Kanzaki Rin shook her head. “The department has considerable stock, but few qualify to use them. SAT teams all have sets, but they rarely deploy.”
“The SAT teams are that powerful?”
“Mediocre at best,” Takeda Masumi cut in with a mocking tone, clearly holding some grudge. “Internationally, they’re considered second-rate.”
Noticing Fang Cheng’s surprise, Takeda Masumi sneered, “Kid, you think ability users are humanity’s defense against monsters? Dead wrong.” She slapped the exoskeleton’s metal frame proudly. “Technology’s our real weapon.”
Fang Cheng didn’t care about the tech vs abilities debate. Why choose? Combine them for superpowered Iron Man suits!
He turned to Kanzaki Rin. “This set’s for me?”
“Don’t get excited,” she said lightly. “It’s a neutered training version. The Countermeasures Department tracks it outside the training ground.”
“Then what’s the point?” Fang Cheng complained.
“We’ll train you in firearms, blade techniques, stealth, intelligence gathering. Fists alone won’t survive you long.”
Losing interest in the grounded equipment, Fang Cheng shared Uka Mirai’s social media account. “Check her background.”
Kanzaki Rin had already seen their conversation via drone surveillance. Unlike Fang Cheng, she recognized the girl as one of that night’s rescued hostages. She’d made sure survivors couldn’t report Fang Cheng to the Countermeasures Department – yet this girl found him anyway. Suspicious indeed.
As Kanzaki Rin pondered, Fang Cheng returned to the exoskeleton. Despite its limitations, the gear fascinated him. After persistent begging, Kanzaki Rin relented.
Clumsily activating the flight system, Fang Cheng lurched airborne. He careened like a drunk hornet, crashing into the ceiling repeatedly. Kanzaki Rin and Takeda Masumi smirked at his struggles – until he hovered above them, weapon barrel gleaming.
Their smirks died instantly.
…
Later, the exhausted women soaked in adjacent bathroom stalls. Takeda Masumi broke the silence: “You and Fang Cheng aren’t dating, right?”
She’d assumed mutual attraction, but weeks of observation showed nothing.
“Absolutely not,” Kanzaki Rin stated. Her earlier claim of relationship disinterest hadn’t been empty words. She lacked time and inclination.
“In that case,” Takeda Masumi purred, “I’ll take my shot.”
Kanzaki Rin sounded startled. “You’re serious?”
Takeda Masumi’s tongue flicked over her lips. “Don’t you find him… thrilling?”
After a pause, Kanzaki Rin warned, “Don’t provoke him.”
“Jealous?”
“No.” Kanzaki Rin shook her head. “You can’t handle him. He’s not normal.”
Takeda Masumi grinned. “Normal boys bore me.”
Kanzaki Rin stopped objecting. “Your funeral.”