Chapter 216 Handling the Scene
The following morning, Leonard and Trinity arrived at Lab Graveyard with a small team of FIC operatives.
Leonard had spent a restless night at headquarters, waiting in vain for the four B+ Modified Humans to be brought in.
He knew, with a sinking feeling, that there was only one place he'd find them.
Trinity, however, was a storm of conflicting emotions.
FIC prided itself on being at the forefront of Modified Human intelligence, yet the events of the past few days had left her shaken.
The organization had been tracking the Card Club assassins, codenamed "Chain Bridge" and "Invictus," for weeks. Their abilities, particularly Chain Bridge's rumored metal manipulation, were mysterious. Their threat level was SS – a danger on par with the most powerful Modified Humans on record.
Now, according to Officer Reed's intel, these four had clashed with Veridiania's "god" last night.
The outcome, however, was far from certain.
"Be prepared, Officer Reed," Trinity said, her voice slightly uneasy. "These are not your average thugs. They possess abilities that defy explanation."
Leonard, lost in his own thoughts, simply grunted in response. He just hoped Elbert had left at least one of them alive. A Modified Human with awakened abilities was a goldmine of research potential.
Twenty minutes later, they pulled up to Lab Graveyard. Trinity stepped out of the car, her jaw dropping at the sight that greeted her.
It was a scene of utter chaos.
One body hung limply from a tree in the distance, another lay sprawled in the grass with twisted limbs, and the third was missing half a shoulder, with his blood staining the ground.
And then, there was the shirtless man doing handstand push-ups with almost robotic precision. Another young man was slumped against a tree, nursing a monumental hangover.
Thud!
The rhythmic sound of someone repeatedly falling and getting back up drew her attention to a lone figure in the distance. Invictus was reduced to a stumbling, disoriented mess, trapped in an endless loop of hallucinatory torment.
Leonard, however, could only chuckle. This was Elbert's style, alright. Unorthodox, unpredictable, and undeniably effective.
He remembered their first encounter; the shattered remains of the cement mixer, the poisoned "courier," and the unfortunate assassin who'd been burnt to crisp.
Each encounter was more bizarre than the last.
He gestured to his team, and they fanned out, securing the area and beginning the grim task of processing the scene.
Trinity shook off her initial shock and joined them, her professional curiosity overriding her apprehension.
Leonard, meanwhile, approached Quentin, who was still diligently working his way through his handstand push-up routine.
"2,253... 2,254..." Quentin counted, his voice a strained whisper.
"Quentin, what in the world are you doing?" Leonard asked, tilting his head in amusement.
"Man's gotta work off the shame, Officer Reed," Quentin grunted, his muscles trembling with exertion. "Work off the shame."
Leonard chuckled. He could guess what had transpired; Quentin, proud and headstrong, had clearly been humbled by Elbert's power.
"What about the kid?" Leonard asked, gesturing toward Summer, who was still passed out cold.
"Drank himself stupid last night," Quentin said, his voice tight. "Even took down one of those Chain Bridge freaks before he passed out."
Leonard's eyebrows shot up.
'Summer? That scrawny kid took down a B+ level Modified Human?' he stunned.
"Then, Paul Three stepped in," Quentin continued with awe and resentment. "Put the kid down like he was nothing. I... I knew better than to try my luck."
Leonard nodded slowly. Elbert, it seemed, was full of surprises.
"And him?" Leonard asked, pointing to the still-spinning Invictus.
"Who knows?" Quentin huffed. "Paul Three took him out instantly, not even breaking a sweat. That Invictus... useless at cards, useless in a fight..."
He pushed himself up with a grunt, turning to face Leonard with a scar-covered back. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Officer Reed, I've got a lot more shame to work off."
Leonard just shook his head and smiled. He had a pretty good idea of what had happened here. Elbert had neutralized the threat, as expected. The methods, however, were uniquely his own.
Trinity approached, looking astonished.
"It's them," she said, her voice hushed. "The Card Club assassins. Three dead, one incapacitated." She looked at Leonard, her eyes wide. "Veridiania's 'God'... he's even stronger than we thought."
Her phone buzzed. It was headquarters, their tone frantic.
"Agent Trinity, report! Have you identified Chain Bridge and Invictus? What are their abilities?"
She hesitated, then sighed. "It's no longer relevant, sir."
"What do you mean 'irrelevant'? These individuals are a major threat! We need to understand their capabilities!"
"With all due respect, sir," She said, "Chain Bridge is dead. Invictus is out of commission. Permanently, I'd wager that," She paused. "Veridiania's 'God' took care of them."
She hung up before headquarters could unleash their inevitable barrage of questions. Explaining this situation over the phone was a fool's errand.
Leonard strolled over, grinning smugly. He took a leisurely sip from his thermos. "See? Told you that kid was something else. Tell your bosses, next time they're in over their heads, they know who to call." He winked. "But tell them I get first dibs on any intel."
Trinity could only stare at him, her mind reeling. B+ level Modified Humans, with their awakened abilities, were supposed to be the apex predators of their world. Yet here they were, effortlessly dispatched by a single individual.
It seemed FIC had a lot to learn about Veridiania's "God."
"Officer Reed," she asked, barely whispering, "that building... that's his home?"
"Sure is," Leonard replied, nodding.
"I need to meet him," Trinity said, determined.
"Good luck with that," Leonard chuckled. "That kid values his privacy. Even I haven't been invited inside."
Trinity took a step forward, her confidence returning. "Everyone has a weakness, Officer Reed. And I'm very good at finding them."
He grabbed her arm, his expression turning serious. "Don't," he warned. "I'm serious, Trinity. Push too hard, and that brother of his... he won't hesitate."
'Summer?'
Her gaze flickered toward he seemingly harmless young man, then to the still-exercising Quentin.
Even in the morning light, Quentin radiated an aura of raw power. His muscles rippled with each movement, his every breath a testament to his physical prowess.
"2,274... 2,275..."
Over 20,000 handstand push-ups. This was no ordinary Modified Human. This was someone operating on a whole other level!
"That's Summer?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Suddenly, the "harmless" young man stirred. He sat up, groaning. "Ugh... Quentin, c'mon... one more fight..."
"Oh, hell no!" Quentin yelped, scrambling to his feet. He leaped onto a nearby tree with surprising agility, his eyes wide with terror. "He's awake! The little monster is awake!"
Leonard sighed. "That, my dear Trinity, is Summer. And he's just the warm-up act."
'Kid? This seemingly harmless drunk is the reason a B+ level Modified Human is cowering in a tree?'
Trinity took a step back, her confidence crumbling.
Veridiania's "God" just got a whole lot more complicated.
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