Liu Yu's cigarette slowly extinguished, leaving Ren Yuanhao somewhat concerned about the hot ash. Should it accidentally ignite these potent firearms, it would be a case of failure before even beginning, a true tragedy.
"Big Brother, I know you despise the Lionheart Group, but we're here to rescue someone, not to confront them head-on. Bringing these weapons... you didn't plan on coming back alive, did you?"
Ren Yuanhao understood Liu Yu's anger, but if revenge was the motive, this rescue mission would likely devolve into a vengeful slaughter. Forget rescuing anyone; everyone, including himself, would probably be captured by the enemy.
This was the outcome he least wished to see.
"Brother, if you had experienced my pain, you'd understand my current thoughts. Yes, you're right, I didn't expect to come out alive. I just want those madmen to pay the price for what they did back then!"
Liu Yu caressed the cold rocket launcher, his eyes completely bloodshot. Hunched over in the dim light, he resembled a beast driven mad by hatred, coiled and waiting for its moment to strike, fueled solely by the obsession of revenge.
Ren Yuanhao shivered involuntarily, then, a thought striking him, he turned his back, looking as if he were about to leave.
"Where are you going?"
"Our objectives differ this time; I cannot cooperate with you."
Ren Yuanhao's words were resolute as he made to step through the curtain.
"Our enemy is the Lionheart Group; how can our objectives differ?" Liu Yu held the rocket launcher as if it were the only thing that could calm his fury.
"I told you, I'm here to rescue people, not to kill. That's where our motives diverge."
"Brother, I don't understand what you're saying. I'll clear a path for you with these things, and you can take the opportunity to rescue the person. It's a perfect synergy!"
"No, you're just a monster blinded by hatred!" Ren Yuanhao raised the long sword in his hand and added, "Weapons are what kill. Can you seek revenge on an inanimate object?"
Liu Yu didn't understand, nor did he wish to. His mind was occupied by a single, incredibly simple formula, a formula that had sustained him thus far, and the answer to this formula was absolute: everyone who had touched his daughter's child must die!
"Big Brother, come find me when you've thought it through. Ye Lan actually obtained the defense map of Lionheart Tower long ago, and I have reason to believe that given her nature, she might have even managed to steal some internal data. With that, I can rescue them myself."
Ren Yuanhao paused for a moment, then sheathed his sword back at his waist. "The ones at fault are not the pawns or the tools, but the person giving the orders. The more you kill, the heavier your malevolence will become, and you'll eventually be consumed by hatred. I don't need teammates like that."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ren Yuanhao vanished into the damp, dark underground warehouse.
The sky was overcast, dark clouds looming high. A light rain began to fall, and the waterlogged roads, reflecting the lamplight, seemed to shimmer with oily iridescence. Drainage systems were always one of the most troublesome issues for coastal cities. Fallen leaves, blown by the wind, flowed along the drainage channels into the dark sewers, where they would soon rot into disgusting humus.
Much like the deceased sealed in their coffins, they would all eventually turn into disgusting humus.
He waded through the water and drove to a parking garage two to three hundred meters away from Shen Lan Ni's apartment.
Undoubtedly, given the capabilities of the Lionheart Group, Shen Lan Ni's apartment was likely already swarming with informants, be they digital listening devices, micro-cameras, or assassins and superhumans clad in black trench coats. Ren Yuanhao's attempt to return to her apartment to retrieve the security data exported by Ye Lan would be no less difficult than stealing ancient artifacts from a museum.
He hid his sword in the car and changed into a trench coat. He couldn't fathom any way to infiltrate Shen Lan Ni's room without alerting any watchers or surveillance. Crucially, he wasn't sure if that security data was still there.
"DiDi, it seems you've encountered some difficulties. Perhaps you should visit the hidden shop to see if there are any useful items. However, before you enter, I must remind you that the items inside are not free; they require corresponding points, and the opportunities to acquire them are quite random, so seize this chance."
Ren Yuanhao was like a pathetic man with nowhere to apply his strength, and the system was his last resort.
"Alright, I'll use my spins first."
He clicked on the spin-the-wheel, and the system offered more suggestions.
"Ren Yuanhao, do you dare to try your luck?"
"I dare. A gamble can turn a bicycle into a motorcycle."
The system paused for a moment, seemingly hesitant.
"You can choose to consolidate your spins into one, with a chance to increase item rarity, but this probability is extremely low. I've done a simple calculation; the chance is between zero point one and zero point five percent."
"This probability is indeed terrible, but at this point, regardless, I have to try."
"Very well, if you've made up your mind, please click the 'Merge Spins' button in the lower right corner."
Ren Yuanhao did as instructed. Soon, the number of spins displayed in white font changed from '2' to '1' in orange font.
"As you can see, the spins are merged, and the number of spins will accumulate in powers of two, progressing through orange, blue, red, purple, and finally, dark gold."
"It sounds like the typical progression in some trash online games for merging equipment."
"You can think of it that way, but the success rate will also decrease. For instance, the success rate for the highest-tier dark gold is only one in ten thousand, and your required base spins are 32. This means you could have obtained 32 different items, skills, or points, but if it fails, you'll only get one."
"No need to think so far ahead. Just the accumulation of points for 32 spins sounds like a lifetime endeavor."
"You needn't be so pessimistic. The difficulty of future orders will increase, and so will the points."
Ren Yuanhao sighed, "Forget it. Look at how much time I've wasted on this order. And if I were there, Shen Lan Ni and the others..."
At this moment, the system, with a knowing tone, changed to a deeper inflection and said.
"No, if you were there, perhaps your three girlfriends would have already met their demise, and you would become an object of research for the Lionheart Group. Do you understand?"
Ren Yuanhao suddenly felt as if he were being manipulated by the threads of the Fates, or perhaps, by the system's gentle manipulation.