Chapter 5

Noah gave up trying to think further. Grabbing the rifle tightly, he sprinted blindly in the direction that seemed best.

At the same time, in the area where the explosion occurred, Francis, having learned of the blast, rushed to the scene, flanked by more than a dozen guards carrying fire extinguishers, attempting to quench the flames that had spread through the facility.

As he surveyed the wreckage, Francis moved forward with a dark expression. However, after only a few steps, he noticed an oxygen chamber in the corner, its door ajar. Wade, who was supposed to be restrained inside, was gone. Alarm bells rang in Francis's mind.

"Boom!"

Out of the thick smoke, a figure suddenly charged toward the guards stationed at the perimeter.

With a piece of broken glass in hand, the figure swiftly sliced through a guard's throat. The pungent scent of blood filled the air. The guard, shocked, clutched his throat, trying to cry out for help but only managing a weak gurgle.

The figure was none other than Wade.

At that moment, Wade stood there naked, his entire body covered in hideous, rotting scars. His skin, burned and deformed, looked as if he'd been dipped in acid. The sight was both terrifying and heartbreaking.

"Francis!" Wade growled, locking his blazing eyes on Francis. His hoarse voice was filled with seething rage, each word dripping with venom.

Just as Noah Clover had predicted, after Francis had captured Wade, he subjected him to relentless and brutal torture.

In what seemed to be retaliation for Wade's unrelenting insults, Francis trapped him in an oxygen-deprivation chamber, leaving Wade in a state of constant suffocation and agony. He tortured Wade again and again, intending for the suffering to be endless.

But Francis's cruelty backfired.

The extreme stress from Francis's sadistic treatment accelerated the activation of the serum inside Wade's body. This gave Wade a powerful healing factor, one that eradicated his cancer and rendered him nearly immortal.

However, the price was high—Wade's face and body were left a mass of horrid scars, disfigured beyond recognition.

Even with his typical carefree attitude, Wade found it difficult to come to terms with his new appearance.

When Francis left him alone, Wade managed to steal a match and ignite the oxygen chamber, triggering a massive explosion. Thanks to his healing factor, Wade survived, though the entire lab had been obliterated.

Instead of fleeing, Wade had stayed, waiting for Francis to arrive.

…

"So it was you, idiot," Francis muttered, finally realizing how the explosion had occurred after seeing Wade.

Without hesitation, Francis barked orders to the remaining guards: "Shoot! Kill him!"

But Wade was faster.

Even before Francis finished speaking, Wade had already snatched a rifle from one of the dead guards, flicked off the safety, raised the barrel, pressed the stock into his shoulder, and pulled the trigger.

The entire sequence was flawless—smooth, as though Wade had performed it a thousand times over.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Gunshots rang out, and three guards dropped as bullets tore through their heads, their skulls bursting like watermelons.

The remaining guards hesitated, stunned by Wade's precision. Wade capitalized on this moment, swiftly taking down two more before they could even react. Finally, the remaining guards gathered themselves, raised their rifles, and began shooting wildly in Wade's direction, barely taking aim.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The air filled with the roar of gunfire as bullets flew in every direction.

But Wade, with his years of mercenary experience, dodged behind a nearby barricade. He continued to fire back, using the cover to his advantage, while the thick smoke that filled the hall did little to hinder his accuracy.

This kind of environment didn't bother Wade. If anything, it gave him an edge, given his combat background.

Meanwhile, Francis remained hidden behind the wreckage of a large piece of equipment, observing the gunfight without participating. He didn't seem concerned, as though waiting for something to happen.

…

Amid the chaotic noise of gunfire, there was a faint sound of footsteps approaching.

Francis glanced toward the sound and saw a guard scrambling over the wreckage, holding a rifle and sitting down beside him with a deep breath, slapping his chest as if startled.

Francis's eyes narrowed as the guard turned his head toward him.

Their gazes locked, and the atmosphere became awkward.

Noah Clover felt like his luck couldn't get worse. He'd been wandering around the institute trying to find an exit, only to stumble upon this deadly firefight.

Seeing Wade slaughtering the guards had prompted Noah to seek cover and avoid being caught in the crossfire. But in his bid for safety, he'd accidentally bumped into Francis.

This was unbelievably bad luck.

Francis, still under the impression that Noah was just another surviving guard, gave him a questioning look. "What are you doing?"

Realizing Francis hadn't recognized him, Noah quickly decided to play along and disguise himself as one of the guards. "It's dangerous out there. I thought I'd stay close to protect you!"

"I don't need protection," Francis responded, his expression unamused.

Noah nodded eagerly. "Of course, then you can protect me."

Francis: "???"

Francis had heard plenty of things from his subordinates, but this? A subordinate asking him for protection? That was a first.

His suspicions immediately deepened. "Who are you?" Francis demanded, his eyes narrowing.

Noah grinned widely, a familiar glint of mischief in his eyes. "What I know, I know. What I don't, doesn't matter."

"It's you!!" Francis's expression twisted in rage. That sentence structure—it was unmistakable. This was that damned riddler!