Chapter 36: Wade Wilson

Robin and his companions all wore looks of despair. They had already survived one battle; there was simply no chance of winning another.

Robin’s four shots earlier had all been headshots—two predicted, two blind—and combined with using his gun to scout, the mental drain had been immense. On top of that, he had been constantly monitoring the map, exhausting his mental energy to the point where he could no longer even enter a meditative state to keep tracking their path.

Genice had a shoulder injury. Fortunately, it was her left, but her combat ability was already weak. Matthew’s mental energy was nearly depleted, and he had taken a bullet to the chest—not a lethal heart shot, perhaps, but certainly not a trivial wound. Jennifer and the shop assistant were completely devoid of combat capability. If they faced the enemy again, they would surely be wiped out.

"Regret it?" Matthew shook his head, trying to muster some spirit. He picked up the grenade the enemy hadn't thrown; it was the same type he had used earlier. Two grenades would have to be enough.

Seeing this, Genice picked up a submachine gun from the ground, found a magazine, and reloaded.

"No regrets," Robin said, shaking his head as he silently refilled his pistol’s magazine.

"If you had listened to me, we would both be gone by now!" Matthew stared at Robin, his eyes bloodshot. If Robin died here, it meant his mission had been a complete failure.

Genice, who was adjusting her weapon, faltered for a moment.

"Then they would be dead," Robin said, sliding bullets into the magazine one by one.

"They're going to die now anyway!" Matthew’s emotions surged. "After all this effort, we're all going to die here. Are you satisfied?"

Robin looked at Matthew in silence. "Trying and failing is one thing; giving up is another. If you judge everything by pros and cons and maximum gain, you’re a machine, not a human being!"

"Team leader, there's no point in saying this now. You'd be better off saving your strength to see if we can fight our way through!"

"How is it meaningless? Getting you out is my military order!" Matthew’s eyes were red. "A military order is supreme!"

"The order is to do your best to get me out, not to treat everyone else as expendable, trading your lives for mine." Robin chambered a round. "Let's go. We fight our way out!"

"Yes!" Genice stood firmly by Robin’s side. "I’ll protect you!"

Before, it had been a matter of orders, but this time, it was her own choice. Even if she died here protecting Robin, she would have no regrets. She steeled herself internally.

*Please, don't let me falter this time. Not this time.*

"You two," Robin looked at Jennifer and the shop assistant. "Once you encounter soldiers, drop to the ground and cover your heads immediately. If they don't kill you, tell them you were taken hostage."

"You... you must survive." Jennifer’s gaze toward Robin was complex. Honestly, she didn't know him well. Before, she only knew he was a war hero—handsome, fit, eloquent, and a marksman. From the conversation between Robin and Matthew, she finally understood what it meant to be a hero. Vincent had always belittled and abused his subordinates; they feared him. When she was with Vincent, she felt she had status. But Robin was different. For some reason, Jennifer wanted to be with Robin. Even in this dangerous situation, Robin gave her more of a sense of security than Vincent ever had.

"Don't worry. So many battles haven't been able to take my life; a holder of the Silver Wing Medal doesn't die that easily." Robin held his gun and walked to the front. The pursuers couldn't be far off; they couldn't afford another ambush.

Matthew sighed, clutching the two grenades as he silently followed. If he had to die, he would take at least two of them with him.

Just then, intense gunfire erupted ahead. They exchanged glances and hurried in that direction, though they could no longer manage a run. Before long, the gunfire ceased. A figure slowly walked toward them from the distance.

Robin decisively opened his intelligence system.

[Wade Wilson]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 26]
[Agility: B-]
[Affiliation: The "Destroyer Demon Wolf" sect of the Delos Empire. A top-tier superhuman with astonishing combat capability. Disapproving of the sect's actions, he has repeatedly defied his superiors. Due to his insubordination, he was suspended from his position as an instructor for the Magic Guide Battalion. He is laid-back, impulsive, and only does what he believes is right. Though highly intelligent, he rarely uses his brain.]
[Weakness Analysis: Extremely arrogant regarding his own combat skills; enjoys protecting the weak and relishes the thrill of being an unsung hero.]

Robin knew from his memories that since the disappearance of the True Gods, church influence had waned, making the church seem weak in a world of superhumans. However, they only seemed weak because they had transformed, becoming deeply intertwined with the state. These sects were much like the political parties of his previous world. The four candidates in Delos were all elites cultivated by these sects, binding everyone together through religious faith. Simply put, they were interest groups. The term "sect" just sounded more harmonious than "political party," making it less likely to trigger scrutiny in literature.

Robin watched Wade approach and felt a secret tremor of shock. A man from the Delos Empire? From the Roland Studio faction? Wait, his Agility is B? This was the first time Robin had encountered someone with a B-rank attribute!

"Who goes there?" Matthew stepped forward and barked.

"Oh, easy there, friends," Wade said, holding up his hands and smiling as he walked forward. He wore black work clothes, looking like a common laborer. There wasn't a drop of blood on him, though his clothes were rumpled and dirty, as if they hadn't been washed in days.

"I'm not a bad guy; I'm here to help you. Don't worry, the people coming to pick you up will be here soon. I just handled a few small fries on the way." Wade’s eyes settled on Robin. "Robin Rommel?"

"I am..." Robin frowned as he looked at him. *Someone from the Roland Studio, and they didn't kill me to silence me? A B-rank who could easily wipe out a squad of soldiers without a scratch—if he wanted to finish us off, it would be effortless! Does he disapprove of the Destroyer Demon Wolf sect, or is he actually opposed to what the Roland Studio is doing?*

"I came to help you this time because I wanted to ask one thing." Wade walked toward Robin.

"Don't come any closer, or I'll shoot!" Matthew shouted as Wade continued forward.

*Bang!*

A gunshot rang out. The bullet appeared to be headed straight for Wade’s chest, but Wade swayed slightly and continued his advance with the same posture. The bullet had missed him entirely.

Matthew’s eyes widened. What kind of superhuman was this? He had never seen anyone so fast!