"Holy shit!" Both blurted the words at once—one in a feminine voice, the other masculine.

The man was Lloyd, the special forces soldier. After touching the girl, he froze solid, cursing instinctively. The girl, too, cursed furiously when touched.

"Y-you... you’re actually a guy!" Lloyd stared in horror at the girl before him. She was so beautiful, so divine, but...

"Damn! I was careless! I’ll never do this again, not even if you kill me!" the girl thought.

"Whatever. Guy or not, you’re cute enough—I don’t care!" Lloyd lunged at the man with a girl’s face.

"Get lost!" The girl swung her fist without hesitation, gray energy surging with it.

True to his decade as a special forces vet, Lloyd sensed danger instantly and activated his superpower: an energy-based [Defensive Barrier], B-rank. But he’d underestimated her. Her fist shattered the barrier, slamming into his face. He flew backward, crashing into the wall.

The impact echoed loudly outside.

"Hank, should we check? That noise was huge," Kedal said.

"Don’t bother. He said not to come—so no one goes." Hank took another sip of his drink, scanning the area.

The other soldiers shrugged it off. Lloyd probably hadn’t gotten any in ages and was getting carried away...

Back in the lounge, the girl—no, our little brother Tran—had pinned Lloyd down for interrogation.

"After five years out of touch, cross-dressers are this strong now?" Lloyd muttered from the floor. A kick cut him off.

"You’re the cross-dresser! Wanna see if I make you a real woman?" Tran lifted his foot, aiming low.

Lloyd rolled away in fright, barely sitting up.

"Wait—we can talk!" Lloyd said, secretly reaching into his pocket for a gun.

He thought he’d blow Tran’s head off next instant. But Tran appeared right before him. "No talk!" Another kick sent Lloyd sprawling. For a special forces soldier, he couldn’t beat a newly awakened kid like Tran... Of course, if he could, Tran’s superpower wouldn’t be called [World Annihilation].

Seeing Lloyd unconscious, a gun fallen from his hand, Tran silently thanked his luck for ignoring the lies.

Tran was in the first-floor lounge—meant for police, but empty at night. He slipped out quietly. The interior was formal, authentic European architecture.

He crept to the hall, dodging patrolling guards. Unspotted, he could search properly. Maybe find Alice.

Tran focused his hearing, listening for loud heartbeats. Shi Niang had mapped this place with ultrasound earlier, forcing him to memorize it. Now, he was somewhat familiar. Besides the noisy entrance guards, faint sounds came from underground.

"Must be Alice’s guards!" Tran thought. He searched for the basement entrance. Risking it to bring her back—the Leit Family wouldn’t keep her in her bedroom; that was common sense!

He wandered the castle silently but found no way down. Just as he hesitated, a dangerous aura enveloped him.

A chill swept in, forming ice spikes aimed at his neck. Tran’s honed danger sense kicked in—he sidestepped, dodging them.

He moved swiftly along walls, seeking his attacker. No one appeared; only more ice spikes flew. He dodged them all, spotted a janitor’s closet, and dashed inside, slamming the door.

"Weapon..." Tran scanned the room. Only a two-meter clothes rod lay there. He grabbed it and burst out.

Icy confinement froze his lower body solid.

"Heh. Our guards were careless—letting a little mouse in." An old voice chuckled. A robed elder appeared before Tran.

"Little girl, why are you here? Did Leithawk send you?" The elder radiated intense cold, his pressure smothering Tran.

Unpanicked by the ice, Tran recalled the frozen victims and the Redemption Bar’s dead staff. "Did you kidnap Sister Alice?"

"Hmm?" The elder was surprised she dared question him under his pressure. "Fine—I did. But who are you? Calling Alice ‘sister’... her foolish friend from Sin City?"

"So you killed them that day?" Tran tightened his grip on the rod.

Annoyed she ignored his question, the elder answered smoothly, "They were in the way. The sight of me tearing off their limbs is still vivid! Now answer me—then I’ll send you on your way."

"No, no, no..." Tran shook his head. He slammed the rod down, shattering the ice.

"That’s all I need. Now face my wrath!" Tran’s eyes glowed faintly crimson.

"Hmph. Brat—"

The elder’s eyes widened next instant.

Terrifying Destruction Force erupted from Tran’s body, blazing like gray fire from afar.

"Fascinating! Brat, witness quasi-SS Rank power!" the elder declared arrogantly...

But he shouted it while flying backward.