Chapter 169: I'm Waiting for Support, What Are You Waiting For? - It’s the Cyber Age—Still Playing a Traditional Villain?

### Chapter 169: I'm Waiting for Support, What Are You Waiting For? "That's not right, or should I perhaps call you... Shen Qin?" Xia Wuyou instinctively wanted to cover her mouth as soon as she finished speaking. It wasn't for any particular reason, except that she realized her mannerisms were subconsciously starting to exhibit some of Xu Shi’s traits. This... In the past, a playful and teasing remark like this would have been difficult for her to say. Even if she did, it wouldn't have come out so smoothly as it just did. Not to mention there was a certain sense of satisfaction... Xu Shi, this is all your fault, hmph! "You..." Shen Qin was taken aback by the remark. How did she know?! No, more accurately, how did that Xu Shi know... It doesn't make sense at all! Just a moment ago, Shen Qin witnessed her brother's plan being foiled by Xu Shi, and now it was her turn. This feeling wasn't pleasant at all. Moreover, seeing Xia Wuyou’s expression, it was clear she hadn't just discovered all this now. Did that mean... they had suspected her all along? "Honestly, you’re the most capable and competent deputy I've ever met." Xia Wuyou cleared her throat, trying to get used to the feeling. "But unfortunately, you still did something like this." "What should I have done? Become a willing dog like you?" Shen Qin sneered back, not bothering with other issues and immediately retorted. Once the bow is bent, the arrow must be loosed. Things had already happened, dwelling on it further wouldn't change anything. And the fact was, if she didn't deal with Xia Wuyou—a thorn in her side—right here, talking about any rebellion or subsequent matters was pointless. "Say that again?" Xia Wuyou's brows furrowed. Clearly displeased by the comment, she charged at Shen Qin with her blade, "Give up!" She wasn't genuinely fond of Shen Qin. Ever since their first meeting, there was always tension between them. Though in truth, the underlying issue didn't have much to do with her, Xia Wuyou never held any affinity for Shen Qin. And especially during such a tense standoff, one must strike first to gain the upper hand! "Damn you, you wretch!" Shen Qin harbored even more resentment towards her. If not for you betraying my brother, things wouldn't have come to this point! I would tear you limb from limb! She flipped her wrist, revealing two icy blue daggers—evidently another product of the "Forgotten" using "Rust Mist" technology. With a low growl, Shen Qin leaped like a panther at Xia Wuyou, aiming directly at her vital points. This wasn't their first showdown. They had a confrontation early on when Shen Qin first infiltrated the city under a false identity. However, back then... both sides held back, treating it more like a performance than a true battle. But now the stakes were real—a life-and-death battle! Both were familiar with each other's moves, and the fight was a deadlock... at least that's how Xia Wuyou perceived it. Under normal circumstances, her gravitational field would give her an undeniable advantage in close combat, but against Shen Qin, it seemed less effective. This woman fought recklessly. Shen Qin had evidently made preparations—similar to when facing Tang Shuang before. With special protection, she could partially resist the debilitating effects of the field. As their weapons clashed, Shen Qin showed no signs of being suppressed... She certainly held nothing back, besides her "Blood Burning Liberation," her innate healing ability was troublesome, enabling her to recover rapidly from injuries. Tch. Xia Wuyou's eyes narrowed, she seamlessly alternated between her blade and sidearm, giving Shen Qin no room to breathe. In truth, Shen Qin wasn't as comfortable as she appeared. Reluctantly, she had to admit Xia Wuyou was a formidable opponent... maybe even more so than Zhao Yuan, who she had faced multiple times. Zhao Yuan was a brute, strong but lacking agility. Xia Wuyou, on the other hand, was astonishingly powerful despite her slender build, moving with the grace of a butterfly or a drifting fish, making close combat anything but easy. Never mind her vexing field—she might have come prepared, but she couldn't ignore the constant gravitational pressure. Whether it was the sudden lightening affecting her attack rhythm or the sudden increase causing strain, neither was pleasant. The crackle of gunfire and the ringing clash of blades intertwined, creating elegant arcs, a sight to behold. Yes, breathtakingly elegant. There's a reason people enjoy watching pretty girls fight; not the hair-pulling kind but the hand-to-hand combat like now. In the face of life and death, one truly sees the beauty in combat—or rather, it's precisely because it's a life-or-death situation that the grace of the fight comes through. In today's age, few pursue such a craft... Is the mushroom cloud from artillery not beautiful? Are the tongues of flame and electric blasts not beautiful? In an era of advanced weaponry, cold weapons inevitably seem inferior. Yet, somehow, it doesn't feel that way now. As everyone watched the two go back and forth, they found themselves captivated, unable to look away. "You wretch, die already!" Unfortunately, the dialogue during battle wasn't as refined, as Shen Qin's face grew paler, evidence of "Blood Burning Liberation" taking its toll, the healing struggling to keep up. But her attack only became fiercer, daggers humming through the air with a cold aura, suggesting even their aura alone could strike her opponent down. So powerful! "Watch your mouth!" Xia Wuyou, more attuned to the dynamic, remained poised despite facing a growingly fierce adversary. She knew Shen Qin relied on risking her life to gain strength, yet she couldn't foresee a way to exhaust Shen Qin completely. It was indeed annoying. Not that Xia Wuyou was weak. Despite the intense barrage, she maintained a calm adeptness. Even without any self-healing abilities, she showed no signs of faltering, appearing as invigorated as Shen Qin as time progressed. Partly due to her bias against Shen Qin, but more importantly, a phrase kept resonating in her mind. It was something she once said herself: "I am willing... to be the sword in your hand." Perhaps the "Entropy of Malice" power was at play, the firmer this thought, the greater her display of abilities. How do they say it? Going dark can increase strength ten-fold? She didn't see herself as going dark, but the thought of wanting to do something for Xu Shi definitely enhanced her capabilities. Xu Shi probably never imagined this was an effect of his own power—it's not just wooing women into submission, this kind of "loyalty incentive" was very real. In an admittedly awkward parallel, in certain anime, a character that turns dark often easily captures their fellow mates... that’s about it. Under this nuance, the confrontation ascended to a height neither of them anticipated. Setting aside all matters, they both agreed this was the highest-stakes fight they'd ever experienced. If they could put aside their differences, they could undoubtedly be great companions, right? (doge) But it wasn't meant to be. During their intense clash, Shen Qin suddenly felt a chill behind her. She turned to see another figure had swiftly appeared at her back. "You... Su Lin!" She recognized her but didn't expect her to arrive now. "Director Su?" It wasn’t only Shen Qin who was surprised. Xia Wuyou also froze momentarily. "The young master wants her alive." Director General Su stated succinctly, jabbing her stun gun precisely at the back of Shen Qin's neck. "You all..." Shen Qin didn't know what to say. Should she complain about the lack of chivalry? They were fighting properly, and suddenly Su’s intervention changed the game. But unfortunately, this was never a gentlemanly duel but a decisive battle between different factions—otherwise, Xia Wuyou wouldn't have exposed Shen Qin's long-hidden true identity. And since it was no gentleman's duel, two against one wasn't something to be ashamed of. From Su Lin's perspective, there wasn't any burden to bear—joining forces with Xia Wuyou was the least of her concerns. In her eyes, even bringing a hundred more people to capture Shen Qin wouldn't matter. The young master's orders were her ultimate priority. Xia Wuyou shared this sentiment and quickly recovered from initial reservations, joining forces with Su Lin for a more aggressive assault on Shen Qin. Indeed, Xu Shi's instructions were crucial, everything else was secondary. This, however, left Shen Qin in a difficult position—she was no invincible war deity, and who could guarantee they wouldn't fall or make a miraculous comeback in such a scenario? The truth was, battling Xia Wuyou alone would have been challenging enough, a single misstep could mean serious trouble. Let alone now, with Su Lin added into the mix. It was established early on that, unlike the radiant warrior Xia Wuyou, Su Lin's abilities designated her a stealthy and elusive assassin. Merely tracking her movements was tough. Anticipating where and when her attack might come from was an even bigger headache. Damn, was this also part of Xu Shi's plan? In fact, it was. Although unseen, as a commander overseeing the battleground, Xu Shi maintained constant vigilance over every location. Previously, Su Lin wasn't present because she was tasked with securing other critical zones. Upon completing those tasks, Xu Shi had immediately directed her to support Xia Wuyou—Shen Qin was an important target, and he couldn't afford any mishap. Director General Su was like a versatile brick—wherever she was needed, she was dispatched. With a pincer movement, Shen Qin began to falter, inevitably exposing a vulnerability. And it was through this vulnerability, perhaps lasting less than a second, that Su Lin landed her stun gun hit perfectly. "Ugh..." The paralyzing sensation swept through Shen Qin's body, leaving her utterly limp. "This should suffice, take her away." Ensuring safety, Su Lin administered a hefty dose of sedative before comfortably casting her aside. Xia Wuyou couldn't help but twitch at the corners of her eyes—mainly questioning if that syringe was a tad too large. It could probably drop a cow with ease. She worried Shen Qin might end up comatose... But these concerns were outside Director General Su’s purview; neutralizing risks was her primary duty. So ruthless. Director Xia subconsciously stuck out her tongue in awe, silently acknowledging the seniority and different caliber of skill Su Lin had developed over time with Xu Shi. This wasn’t just the diligent cook who kept everything together back home, was it now? "What are you standing around for?" Su Lin snapped Xia Wuyou back to reality with a single line, ignorant of her musings. And not just Xia Wuyou—it also brought her entire combat team back to the present. Only then did they remember the battle wasn't over yet. "Destroy them!" Someone shouted first, and everyone moved together to initiate a final assault on the equally stunned "Forgotten." Caught off guard, the "Forgotten" were swiftly scattered and defeated. This situation made Xu Shi, watching from behind the scenes, chuckle quietly. I'm waiting for Su Lin's support, what are you waiting for? Perhaps the defeat and capture of their leader shook them, and the marauders were soon wiped out—though, even without this tipping point, they stood no chance against the "Serpent’s Loop" combat team. "What should we do now?" Xia Wuyou lowered her stance, softly consulting Su Lin for her advice. "Kill them, of course." Su Lin was pleased with her deferent attitude, responding with the same expression she used back in the hospital, "…No, leave a few alive. We need representatives from both the ‘Forgotten’ and 'Shark Teeth'." "Okay." Xia Wuyou agreed without objection, these marauding destroyers of night city deserved to die a thousand deaths. Meanwhile, in addition to these territories, Xu Shi at the "Serpent’s Loop" headquarters received cheerful updates of the marauders being subdued across other areas. Glancing at the time, from the riot's start to its end, it hadn't even been an hour. "You know, what you did makes their effort seem like a complete joke." Beside him, Xia Ke An smirked, unable to hide her joy. It wasn’t due to anything else, but pure concern for her niece. Regardless of how skilled Xia Wuyou was, sending her into such dangerous situations couldn't have given her peace of mind. So seeing things proceed smoothly put her in excellent spirits. "Were their efforts noble enough to be textbook material?" Xu Shi shrugged, "Besides, it’s not over yet, is it?" "True." Xia Ke An admitted, "So what’s next? Using those captured to appease the citizens of night city?" She was aware Xu Shi wasn't so sentimental; keeping captives wasn’t for showing compassion, especially not with Shen Qin... who knows how she would be dealt with. "That's part of it." Xu Shi playfully ruffled her hair, pulling her into an embrace like a personal pillow, "I also want to observe how our 'Serpent’s Loop' dignitaries, including my dear brother, will fare." (End of chapter)