Break Through
By this time, the rebel army had successfully infiltrated the capital under Clive’s lead. They were heading towards the palace as Clive’s communication device rang out. Several words were transmitted over, causing Clive’s facial expression to change immediately.
“It’s a code from the palace, we’ve been found out! The palace has been closed down, and the imperial forces were mobilised…” Clive’s expression grew unsightly, “Without those insiders it’ll be much more difficult for us to break into the palace…”
“We didn’t expect to avoid much trouble in the first place. In fact, just being able to infiltrate the capital is worth being excited over, isn’t it?” Crowley looked behind him.
They were currently in the capital’s streets, those behind them all bloodline carriers and warriors armed with firearms, along with a portion of the military. This motley crowd radiated grandeur as they walked forward.
Even more surprising was that the capital’s citizens were all hiding behind closed doors, glancing occasionally at them but not standing out. It was like the guards of the capital had all perished. The group felt strange, as if the imperial army and the entire capital accepted their presence.
“Looks like revealing the existence of Project X and the Tree of Life to the public has indeed been effective…” Bobbi looked at her surroundings, “At least those lower-ranked soldiers will not fight against us.”
“More important is that outing the royal family destroyed their trust in their government. We now have to work separately. Cut the palace’s power; even if they have a spare we can still take advantage of the confusion.”
An unswerving determination appeared on Clive’s face. “The interior of the Special Forces headquarters contains a detailed map of the palace. It can help us with our plan, I’ll take care of it!”
“Do you want to settle your grudge with your brother?” Bobbi rolled her eyes. “It’s up to you. Although I’ve had problems with them for a while, our target right now is the palace.”
“Thanks!” Clive straightened his back, an unyielding and determined look on his face. “I promise I’ll succeed!”
A portion of the retired and serving officers separated from the rebel army, rushing towards the headquarters of the Special Forces.
“Eh? What’s going on?” After arriving at the Special Forces headquarters, Clive was stunned to discover that it has become a slaughterhouse. Numerous black cloaked bodies fell on the ground with an unbelieving expression.
“This was all done by one person, and…” Clive stood up and walked past a dead body while entering the headquarters.
“You’re finally here, my benevolent brother!” Javis had long been waiting here, his eyes containing an evil sneer.
Preventing the others from indiscriminately rushing into action, Clive spoke with a heavy tone. “You killed those people outside? Why?”
“They were a group of fools. They started to panic and think of rebelling after hearing the rumours, so I had to send the useless trash off personally.” Javis blew his fingernails while speaking, as if he had only killed a few ants.
“Even now you still can’t let it go? I’m sorry for what happened, but our brother should not be the reason for you to turn to evil. It’s time to stop!” Tears brimmed in Clive’s eyes as he spoke.
“Stop? Are you kidding me? The project is going to succeed, and third brother’s soul is about to come back. At this point in time, you are telling me to stop?” Clothes ripped apart, and a cloud of black energy emerged from Javis’ body. “I’ll turn you into a corpse!”
“Sigh… I didn’t expect that it would come to this between brothers…” Clive sighed, “You were a genius from birth. However, you lacked the most important quality of the strong as you advanced on your road for power… Love, and forgiveness…”
One of the soldiers raised his laser gun, firing a warning shot towards Javis.
“It’s not too late for you to change your mind,” Clive tried to persuade him for the last time.
“You should be the one changing their mind, not me!” Even surrounded by the rebels there was not a trace of fear in Javis’ eyes. Instead, he seemed like he was watching a good show.
“Not good!” Clive understood his brother well, and he’d noticed the abnormality. Still, he couldn’t make out what it was.
*Thud!* One of the rebels suddenly fell to the floor, twitching unconsciously.
“What’s wrong?” Clive’s astonishing eyesight allowed him to instantly notice a layer of dark green spreading on the surface of the soldier’s neck.
*Thud! Thud!* The condition seemed to spread, numerous rebels starting to fall one by one. The rest were left staring at each other.
“The X gene mutated! Have they begun to act?”
Javis seized this moment’s opportunity to attack. “Shadow Wind!”
*Whoosh!* A violent tornado suddenly blew everyone away. A cluster of shadows suddenly turned those who remained standing into a fog of blood.
“Guards!” Javis’ rampant laughter was oddly obvious in the wind.
*Creak! Creak!* The metal floor opened up, rows of armed robots moving out to surround Clive and the rest.
“How now? Who’s surrounding who?” Javis looked at his brother. “To be absent minded with the fall of a few soldiers, you haven’t changed indeed. Still so hypocritical!”
“Even if I’m being hypocritical, it’s still my duty. Just like I rushed here, not to save the country but to prevent you from falling further. Come back, brother!” Clive suddenly stood up.
“Annoying preaching…” Javis dug his ears and turned back. “However, I can give you a chance.
“A showdown between the two of us, where both our people are not to interfere. If you can defeat me, I can give you anything you want. Be it the palace plans or the most important of intelligence…”
“Just what I had in mind!” Clive clenched his fists, and a terrifying aura exploded in the air.
“Well, then come with me!” Javis walked in and brought Clive to an ancient colosseum. “So how’s this for an arena? It’ll serve well as your burial place, won’t it?”
“If death can save you, I will not hesitate.” Clive finally understood that his brother had changed long ago. He’d become a demon the moment he joined the Special Forces.
*Boom!” Two silhouettes rammed ferociously into each other in the dusty sky, a terrifying battle aura flooding the whole colosseum.
……
During this time, a majority of the people in the capital had quietly fallen to the ground. Be they merchants, officials, or even royals, nobody was spared. Everyone who fell foamed at the mouth, a layer of dark green spreading around their bodies. The change was especially pronounced in their eyes. Blood vessels thickened as their pupils lost colour, the eyes turning a complete white.
It wasn’t just the humans facing such a situation. The entirety of nature and the ecosphere had suffered from disaster. A majority of insects and other small animals broke out with the symptoms immediately, while those with larger bodies soon followed. The dark green spots spread continuously around their bodies, finally forming a huge mark— the letter X!
“X Gene! This damned Empire, they really did dare to act!” Crowley looked in fury as his men fell to the floor without end.
Still, it was the soldiers, martial artists, and knights that suffered the heaviest casualties. The protection of extraordinary power allowed the Bloodline Alliance and the Coven of Witches to escape the calamity with minimal losses.
“With Project X activated, the Tree of Life won’t be far behind. We need to break through the palace as soon as possible and get rid of the evil!” Crowley gazed at the huge capital. The masses that were crying due to the previous disaster had received another blow, half of the city dead silent while the other half screamed.
The X gene had spread through more than 60% of the population. About sixty amongst every hundred people had fallen under the Empire’s control the moment it activated the program.
“It seems like they’ve only lost their mobility and consciousness? They might still be saved!” Bobbi released a sigh of relief.
“No. Don’t you feel like this is suspicious?” Crowley’s facial expression was instead imposing. “Look at the current situation. Doesn’t it look as if the Empire is purging their original consciousness to pave the road for the Tree of Life’s activation?”
“Report!” Just then, a liaison officer ran over. “Our front lines have reached the palace, but the enemy robots are holding us back. We’re currently in a stalemate!”
“Sure enough, the Empire has prepared for this situation!” Crowley waved his hands. “Let’s rush there… We can only hope Clive deals with Javis more quickly…”
……
The entrance of the Imperial Palace.
Xavier, who was in the midst of battle, suddenly noticed the defensive forcefield of the palace weaken, the robots losing the radiance in their eyes. A pleasant smile surfaced on his eyes.
“Clive’s succeeded! Everyone, rush in with me!”
The morale of the rebels rose instantly. Although the Empire had a reserve energy source for moments like this, they didn’t have the time to switch. Their defence was suddenly broken.