Chapter 61: Versus: Sinister Scales (1)

"Mr. Atlas! The cameras installed are all linked." Percy wobbled over, eating a lollipop while holding his laptop.

"Good job! We're counting on you to monitor the overall situation."

Observing Atlas's warmth to Percy, Blade furrowed his brows with bewilderment. This boy seems very normal, like he's never tried cultivation before. Why is Atlas speaking so tenderly to him?

"Atlas." Blade poked him. "Is he your son?"

"Wah?!" Atlas stepped back, waving his hands so vigorously as if he has never done so before for his whole life. "I'm like 17! He's like 12?"

"13!"

"Do the math! Having a child at 4 is physically impossible!"

"But can't Warriors do the impossible? Maybe when you were..."

"Stop." Atlas squeezed Blade into a duck face to prevent him from going on. "This conversation is getting no where."

"Oh." Blade nodded his head, scratching his chin. "Then what makes him so special?"

Hearing this, Atlas rubbed Percy's blonde hair. "My boy here is a talented hacker, and a gifted too."

"A gifted?!" Blade gasped in amazement. "I always wanted to have a gift too! But why isn't he a Warrior? In my cult, my big brothers and sisters who have gifts, are all Warriors."

"Then you're incorrect silly." Atlas caught the phrase 'big brothers and sisters'.

[There are more of these genetically brilliant kids?! Oh boy.]

{Cheer up Atlas. You have me and this awesome shrine right here. Excelling is no problem!}

"Just like what you said, Warriors are not all gifted. So not all gifted are Warriors. Get it?"

Atlas instantly realized that his words may have hurt Blade, for as it's indirectly emphasizing he's not a gifted.

"I'm sor..." as he was about to face Blade to apologize in a genuine manner, he realized that Blade probably wasn't even aware of the unintended insult behind those words.

Blade currently is jotting down notes on a notepad with a dull look, showing no signs of disconcert.

Atlas stretched his neck to see more notes, only to find terms like gym and, wait, is that 'f, u, c, k' written there?

However, in a matter of seconds, the dullness of Blade instantly became stern, his face embedded with seriousness. "I have one last last question."

Atlas also adopted the serious tone. "Go ahead. Ask."

It must be an important...

"What's math?"

"Pffhh." Atlas spat out the water he drank that was meant to clear his throat to better explain Blade's grave question.

Suddenly, a deafening boom shattered the tranquil mood. "Show yourself! Return my son at once!"

"Geez. He's quicker than I thought. Get into battle positions." Atlas ordered into 𝓡𝓱𝔂𝓽𝓱𝓶, his wireless earphones.

"Yes sir."

"Roger."

"Already in position."

After hearing everyone's confirmation, Atlas yanked his head to briefly tidy his hair. "Alright. Time to see what the Sinister Scales is made of."

The time is currently 4 o'clock. Is this a display of intimidation? Atlas doesn't know. But he does know that in China, 4 means death.

Three black Mercedes Benz screeched to a halt before a sign of a factory.

10 men exited the vehicles, one of them comparing the logo sign of the building and an address on his mobile device.

"It's the correct address master Borus. Are you sure we can just walk in? There could be traps. I can test it out first."

"No need." Borus shook his head faintly. "Leave it to me."

He closed his eyes.

Instantaneously, a large surge of invisible energy manifested from Borus, swarming towards the factory building and the empty field sandwiched in the middle.

His men felt the energy hack through their bodies without harming them, undoubtedly sending visible shivers down their spines.

"Our leader has such powerful Spiritual Energy!"

"I feel like he can read our minds."

Borus focused his Spiritual Projection on covering more ground, but all of a sudden, he felt his Spiritual Energy hit a solid wall, a wall that's blocking his Spiritual Energy from observing the inner structure of the building!

"Impossible." Borus murmured. It's obvious that its not an equally powerful Warrior who is unleashing Spiritual Energy to compete against his.

After few unsuccessful attempts, he could only switch his target to the lone path which leads to the central field, where a picnic table is set up nice and neatly.

————————

"Well done Louis! I don't even know how you are doing this but it's amazing!"

"Thanks." In one of the industrial buildings, a man with bushy mustache whispered. He is the person called Louis whom Blackbear brought along with for the mission.

Unlimited rounds of sound waves blasted out of his palms, generating an astonishing mass of sound barriers to protect its territory.

The Blood Hound member, Louis, who has been timid all along, is secretly a gifted and possesses the power to create and manipulate sound waves.

"Since Spiritual Projection is like echolocation, I managed to match the sound frequency to intercept it. It disrupts that ability well enough." Louis said in a heavy Italian accent, puckering his mouth to fix his mustache.

"I don't know how you do it, but good job Louis. I'll give you the signal for any further alterations."

"Copy."

———————

There is one boy awaiting patiently, a mature teenager with good looks and a confident smile. Too bad it's a face he'll be crushing.

The boy is clearly Axonn, for as he was coating himself with a thick layer of Spiritual Energy to prevent his inspection.

He paid extra caution to the slightly tanned boy. That boy has a firm grasp with his Spiritual Projection.

"Welcome Borus! The man who's responsible for killing three opposing company owners, killing many innocents, collecting... woah! Taxes from laypeople? Literally! Almost every single aspect covered!"

Atlas memorized and spilled out the information he's collected regarding the Sinister Scales.

"So you're the kid who's challenging our authority?" One of the men stomped his foot, waving his fist at Atlas.

Atlas leered at the man who spoke. "Are you Borus?"

"No." He said.

"Then you don't have the damn authority to talk to me."

"You! You little!" The man stuttered indignantly, pointing his finger at Atlas in frustration.

This is the effect Atlas wanted. The intention to gain an upper hand in dominance.

It's essential to exploit or agitate his opponent to inflict even the slightest amount of disruption.

"Eh, no wonder you have the guts to challenge the Sinister Scales. Foolish and arrogant. I am Borus. Since you dare to challenge me, I'm assuming you've brought back up." Borus stepped in front of his henchmen, confronting Atlas's leer.

He does not believe that this kid would come alone, and unarmed. A smile formed on his cold face. An utterly fake smile. Actually, more of a really ugly smile. Smiles and his face fits like... Oreos and orange juice.

Nasty.

"Back up? What nonsense is that? I'm just inviting you for a nice warm buffet. Don't mind if you take a seat?" Atlas gently bowed, allowing him to take a seat on the chairs before a table stockpiled with mouth watering delicacies.

The aroma of food pervaded in the air, striking into their noses to leave a remarkable memory and aftertaste.

"My son first." He glanced at Atlas with abnormally calm eyes.

"Of course!" Atlas clapped his hand three times, and Blade appeared as he pulled open a garage gate.

As Borus confirmed the hostages, his eyes were painted a shade of vengeful red, but immediately vanished as if extinguished with water.

His son is tied to a chair, his mouth gagged by a dirty diaper, as well as Barnes Rent, an obedient dog of his, wrapped in an extremely long chain.

"You can't even protect my son. What do I even need you for!" The extinguished flame in his eyes abruptly ignited as Borus flung his fist.

A boom escaped his knuckles as fiery mass of white Aura fired towards Barnes.

[So fast!] Atlas grimaced at his inability to cease the attack in time.

"Smush." The Aura penetrated Barnes's skull like slicing knife through butter, ending his life in a flash.

[Shocks.] Atlas concluded from Borus's attack. [I may have underestimated my opponents.]

A Tier 6 Elite may be too much for him to handle.