"Go to hell!" Number One roared, driving the armored vehicle toward Han Xiao's position.

No one noticed the rope stretched between two trees, with a string of grenades tied to its center.

The armored car slammed into it. The rope tightened violently, nearly uprooting the trees. The armored car lurched to a halt, throwing the occupants into disarray.

Before they could react, the grenades exploded in a deafening roar, sending flames skyward. Spiderweb cracks spread across the armored car's bulletproof glass.

Since this was an ambush, Han Xiao had naturally prepared in advance. He used a thick rope and the last few G-type fragmentation grenades to create a simple vehicle trap.

The instant the grenades detonated, Han Xiao removed his night vision goggles. In the bright glare of the fire, everything was visible to the naked eye. Without a word, he aimed his rifle at the armored car's front windshield. The recoil traveled from the buttstock to his shoulder, causing even his strength to waver slightly—a testament to the Military Saber rifle's formidable power.

"Bang!"

Round after round struck the windshield, cracks rapidly spreading, the target squarely on the driver's seat.

Number One gritted his teeth and yanked the team member from the passenger seat in front of him. The next moment, the glass shattered with a deafening crash, bullets tearing through, blowing the scapegoat's skull apart and splattering Number One's face with brain matter, a sickening stench filling the air.

"Abandon the vehicle!"

The team scrambled into action. In the face of life and death, Number One, ignoring the range limitations, sprayed a hail of bullets from his submachine gun toward Han Xiao's position, the remaining team members following suit.

Han Xiao ceased his attack, dropping to the ground for cover and quickly swapping magazines.

Bullets whizzed overhead. Knowing that the enemy had lost their composure, he knew that after this volley, they would all have to reload, at which point they would be at his mercy.

Soon, the Experiment Team tasted the consequences of their recklessness. As they simultaneously emptied their magazines, the sound of a sniper rifle, like Yama's death knell, rang out once more!

Shot after shot.

Accurate and lethal.

"Bang—bang—"

The rhythm of the shots was nuanced, even possessing a certain beauty, inexplicably evoking images of precise machinery.

He methodically picked off the enemy, one headshot at a time, consciously avoiding Number One, saving him for last.

One by one, his teammates fell. Number One trembled with rage, firing wildly and screaming hysterically, "Who the hell are you! Show yourself!"

He had been full of confidence in the Experiment Team, but their first mission had ended in such a crushing defeat, shattering all his self-assurance.

"Click, click, click…" Number One's magazine was empty again. He roared, "Come out here!"

Han Xiao, his face grim, revealed himself.

Number One's eyes widened in disbelief. "How could it be you!"

In his mind, Han Xiao, having escaped the base, would be running like a stray dog. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that Han Xiao would dare to counterattack his pursuers.

Even if Number One still harbored doubts about Han Xiao's achievements in escaping the laboratory, he now knew he had been wrong, terribly wrong.

Zero was far, far stronger than him.

The realization ignited a fire of jealousy in Number One's heart.

"I'm the most superior one! You're just a failure, a piece of trash!"

Old and new hatreds surged into his mind, and Number One lost his reason. Drawing his handgun, he prepared to attack. Han Xiao raised his rifle slightly, and a large-caliber sniper round shattered Number One's right arm, leaving it hanging by a mere flap of skin.

Blood and flesh flew everywhere.

Number One stared blankly at his severed arm, dazed.

Han Xiao fired again, shattering one of Number One's legs. Number One fell to the ground. Then, Han Xiao leisurely reloaded before shooting out Number One's remaining limbs.

Number One lay on the ground, unable to move, his gaze filled with venomous hatred as he glared at Han Xiao.

"Zero!" His hoarse, sinister howl resembled that of a wounded beast.

"Too noisy." Han Xiao strode forward and kicked out, shattering Number One's jaw with a direct blow.

"Do you know why I saved you for last? Because I didn't want you to die so easily."

Number One was unable to speak, only able to make muffled grunting noises, writhing and twitching on the ground like a snail, blood spurting from his severed limbs.

Just then, the palmtop computer lying nearby automatically lit up, displaying the leader's virtual image. He said calmly, "Zero, enough."

Han Xiao frowned, but remained silent.

"I am the leader of the Germination Organization." The leader's tone carried the overbearing arrogance of someone who had long occupied a high position.

"Betrayal is a dead end. You can't win against the organization. No matter where you run, to the ends of the earth, the organization has the ability to capture you and bring you to justice. Every second you live will be immersed in endless fear. But I can give you a way out."

Han Xiao remained expressionless. "What way out?"

"Return to the organization obediently, sincerely admit your mistakes, and accept our judgment. I can give you the opportunity to retain your memories, allowing you to attain a higher position, no longer a mere experiment." The leader said, greatly impressed by the abilities Zero had displayed. He wanted to understand the cause of the mutation. If it could be replicated, the organization would gain a batch of powerful warriors.

Upon hearing this, Number One's eyes erupted with extreme anger. Why should Zero receive better treatment than him? He had killed so many people from the organization. Why were they trying to win him over instead?

Han Xiao understood Number One's expression and asked with a playful smile, "I've killed so many people. You still want to win me over?"

"Some trash. Their deaths are insignificant." The leader replied decisively, as if the corpses scattered on the ground did not exist.

Number One shuddered, his spirit crushed.

"Why do you think I would serve you?"

The leader said as a matter of course, "The organization is destined, carrying out a great cause. Serving us is only right and proper. What is there to hesitate about? Oh, I understand. Is it because you feel the previous treatment was unfair? Don't be so petty. Those who accomplish great things don't dwell on trivial matters. A little humiliation is insignificant compared to our ultimate goal."

Han Xiao said calmly, "I'm not interested in your ideals in the slightest. You killed my friends. We are enemies. There's no point in saying another word."

The leader's tone turned cold. "If you refuse me, the world is vast, but there will be no place for you to hide!"

"I will destroy you."

Han Xiao's tone was serious.

Germination would not be persuaded by anyone, nor would they feel a shred of remorse. The only way to resolve violence was with greater violence.

The leader seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. "Destroy the organization? Just you? What do you think you are?! Compared to the organization, you are a pathetic ant that can be crushed with a flick of the wrist. Killing some trash has made you arrogant, thinking you can take on the organization alone? You're looking at the sky from the bottom of a well, overestimating yourself!"

"Then you wait and see. By the way, you have no idea how big the world is."

Han Xiao shook his head and fired three shots into Number One's chest, sending bullets into his heart.

Number One's eyes quickly dimmed.

The Experiment Team was annihilated!

The leader wore a mask, making it impossible to see his expression, but even through the virtual communication, one could sense his fury.

"You will regret this." The leader coldly declared, ending the call.

[You have killed Number One · Valkyrie Experiment, gaining 900 experience.]

[【Revenge】has been completed, gaining 15,000 experience.]

"Click, click, click…"

The Military Saber rifle automatically disassembled. The internal structure of this old gun had long been aging. This battle was the swan song of its service life.

The SWP sniper rifle seized from the Night Owl Squad required mastering the [Sniper] skill, so Han Xiao disassembled it into parts and modified the Military Saber rifle.

Wiping out the Experiment Team had brought him several thousand experience points, plus the mission reward, adding up to over twenty thousand experience points.

Now that he had become an enemy of the Germination Organization, Han Xiao not only had to escape, but also had to find a way to inflict damage on Germination.

His current personal strength was indeed insignificant compared to the Germination Organization, but he had the ability to severely damage the Germination Organization's forces. The countless pieces of advanced information in his mind were his true trump card!

To utilize this information, he had to borrow power, and the target of that power had to be strong enough to contend with the Germination Organization.

That meant the choices were limited to the Six Nations!

Star-Long, Red Maple, Tilus, Rylan, Hai Xia, and Odin.

Star-Long was the closest to him. Compared to Rylan's cold ruthlessness, Red Maple's bureaucratic rigidity, Hai Xia's profit-driven nature, Tilus's eagerness for quick success, and Odin's cunning, Star-Long's internal atmosphere was the most moderate, and their hatred for the Germination Organization was deeply rooted.

Considering all angles, Star-Long was the best choice at present.