51 Code of Life

Location: South America, Colombia.

Time: Three months later.

In a dilapidated auto repair shop, Wade suddenly appeared from behind a stone pillar, his shiny katana resting against Nicole's neck, letting out a bizarre cry, "Ah, you're dead."

Nicole, expressionless, stepped forward as soon as Wade moved the blade away, her own katanas in hand, ready to strike. But Wade was quicker, his katana now at her head and the other at her heart, "Ah, you're dead again."

Inside, Nicole trembled, despite her stoic façade.

Wade's training was relentless, not just in combat skills but in psychological endurance. His endless trash-talking could enrage anyone. These past three months, Nicole had been verbally shredded.

"Ah, you're dead again," Wade chuckled, sword in hand, his back to Nicole, parrying her attacks with ease, his other katana once again touching her chest with uncanny precision.

Then, the unexpected happened.

Nicole stepped forward, allowing the katana to pierce her chest, then thrust her blade fiercely into Wade's spine.

"I'm not dead," Nicole's gaze was icy as she withdrew her katana from her chest and slammed it into the ground.

Wade lay there, no intention of getting up, muttering, "Your mind's unbalanced, sweetheart. Anger has clouded your judgment, preventing clear analysis. Your beautiful body is paying for your power, a poor body ruled by a fragile mind. Can't you hear it? Your heart cries, cursing: Why must I beat for this woman who cares nothing for me?"

With a hiss, another blade impaled Wade's skull, nailing his head to the ground. Nicole's fists clenched, her chest heaving, her eyes glinting with a chilling light as she walked away.

Aiden emerged from the shadows, watching Wade sprawled on the ground with a bemused look. The two's brazen combat style was beyond any normal human's comprehension, offering no insights to Aiden. Mutants, indeed, were a law unto themselves.

"Look what you've done to my little Nicole," Wade grunted as he pulled the katana from his head, sensing Aiden's presence.

"Hmm?" Aiden approached, helping to extract the sword, watching Wade lie back, still not bothering to rise.

"Though I hate to admit it, she's changing, becoming unhinged by your training," Wade said, removing his red mask. His uniform, suggested by Aiden, made him look like the Deadpool from the movies.

"I see it," Aiden nodded.

"No, you don't. Your greedy eyes haven't seen the change within her, you ugly jaundiced devil," Wade murmured, staring at the ceiling. "Last mission, she killed sixteen men, torturing the leader to death with extreme cruelty. She's being consumed by hatred, drowning in it, unable to escape. I foresee the birth of a she-devil, though it's her last mission with me."

"If you knew what she's been through, you wouldn't question her actions," Aiden mused. "Perhaps vengeance is what keeps her going."

"We're all bloodied, none of us saints. I just hate to see her fall," Wade said, sitting up nonchalantly. "Whatever, let it be."

"In fact, from the moment she decided to undergo the transformation, I knew what she'd become. When you arrived and learned she was a mutant, you should've foreseen this," Aiden walked away. "I'm sorry, the angel who once cared for you is changing irreversibly."

"Sounds more to my taste, huh?" Wade rubbed his chin, pondering.

Wade's residual feelings for Nicole made him somewhat regretful, but fundamentally, he wasn't one for lingering on such matters.

Today's training ended early due to Nicole's state, and Wade sneaked off in Aiden's old car, probably heading to the red-light district for fun.

Dinner was unusually quiet without Wade and his annoying chatter.

"I heard you employed certain... methods, allowing the target to die only after?" Aiden's tone was gentle.

"He deserved punishment for his heinous acts," Nicole paused, unaccustomed to Aiden inquiring about her training with Wade. Normally, Aiden stayed out of it, only summarizing improvements at night. Clearly, her actions had raised his concerns.

Setting down her utensils, Nicole sat up straight, awaiting orders.

"Don't be tense; I'm just asking. Why not continue?" Aiden offered her a chili-smeared Mexican wrap, nodding slightly.

"I wanted him to empathize with his victims, to feel what he inflicted on those families, those whose lives he trampled," Nicole said, taking a bite and covertly watching Aiden for any emotional cues.

"But emotional trauma can't be felt physically, so I let him experience fear, pain, despair. I showed him hope crumbling before his eyes, his powerlessness to stop it. It required... certain methods," she acknowledged.

"So, an eye for an eye?" Aiden asked softly.

Nicole hesitated, then said firmly, "He was beyond the reach of the law here. I was merely acting in its stead."

"Have you considered that by punishing this criminal so extremely, you're no different from him? You, too, trample the law, cruelly taking lives," Aiden's gaze bore into Nicole, his words striking her core.

Nicole's cold eyes flickered with struggle.

"You're wavering? Questioning your beliefs?" Aiden's voice was stern.

Nicole froze, knowing Aiden's words carried weight.

"Because you told me, so…" Nicole trailed off, hands resting awkwardly on the table.

Aiden's expression was complex, torn between relief and anger. On one hand, Nicole acted entirely on his will, even against her most steadfast beliefs. On the other, her inner resolve seemed to shake.

"Never let anyone question you, neither your actions nor your beliefs. Never," Aiden said earnestly.

Nicole realized Aiden's questioning was a test.

"So, do you think what I did yesterday was right?" she asked after a long silence.

"Your methods may or may not be right. That's not for you to ponder. What you need to know is if you're honoring your heart. If your actions give you the strength to live, to move forward with conviction, then that's the right thing for you," Aiden pushed them both towards the abyss, speaking as much to himself as to Nicole. "Never let anyone question your life's creed. No one has the right, no one."

Nicole licked the chili sauce off the wrap, and moments later, a sincere smile broke through.

A genuine smile has the power to heal.

Tips:

Sorry, on webnovel, fan fiction cannot be signed, and some important content cannot be uploaded.

So I uploaded the full story on Patreon, and for just $0.10 / day, you can enjoy 20 chapters in advance

If you're interested, check out Patreon

Copy to browser open:

patreon.com/Xiaosheng634