Full-Time Public Enemy

THUD!

Xulong's fist landed where Chen Gu had just been standing. The ground shook momentarily, sending ripples outward from the center like those on the surface of water and pulverizing the surrounding rocks.

Bu She's eyes narrowed as strands of [Entanglement Control] wrapped around Chen Gu. He controlled them from afar, tugging at Chen Gu. However, Chen Gu didn't fly toward the Ghost Ape as Bu She had anticipated.

The Ghost Ape was a [Resonance Council Celebrity]. He spread his left hand open, and intense vibrational waves emanated from his fingers. Even the hardest alloy used in Chen Gu's Mecha could be instantly shattered by these waves.

Chen Gu's body swayed, slipping free from Bu She's [Entanglement Control], and he dodged further away. Then he raised his hands. "I truly mean no harm."

Bu She and Ghost Ape ignored him, continuing their fierce assault, while Dao Fu, the [Mist Singer], who had just hissed, was now opening his mouth, ready to release a sonic attack.

The client, a young girl, spoke up. "We're all human; there's no need for infighting."

Xulong glanced at her and slowly raised a hand. "Stop!"

His three subordinates halted but still maintained their attack stances, keeping Chen Gu firmly in their sights.

Xulong frowned. "Are you a soldier of the Confederation?"

Chen Gu replied, "On this planet, everyone but you is a soldier of the Confederation."

Xulong nodded. "What are you doing here?"

"It's a military secret."

Xulong looked towards the girl, troubled. She said indifferently, "Are you interested in cooperating? We help you complete your mission, and you help us find what we're looking for."

"I can give you a good price for the contract fee."

Chen Gu hesitated. "My mission is highly classified."

"Haha," the girl laughed. "Your team suffered heavy losses, right? If I'm not mistaken, these traces... they're related to you, aren't they?"

She pointed to the chaotic footprints on the ground and continued, "Desperate times call for desperate measures. We'll help you with your mission. Otherwise, you have no hope on your own."

Chen Gu, seemingly convinced, said, "You may have to sign some confidentiality agreements afterward. Breaching them would be a serious crime!"

Xulong asked the girl in a low voice, "This guy... can we trust him?"

The girl replied indifferently, "Our only enemies here are the Insect Race."

Xulong thought for a moment and reluctantly agreed. The real reason, of course, was Chen Gu's formidable strength. The skirmish had been brief but was enough for him to discern some things.

The Insect Race here were particularly strong and even more bizarre. Having such an ally was worth taking some risks.

Finally, Chen Gu asked, "How much is the fee?"

"One million five hundred thousand," the girl said breezily. The price was nothing to her. "Since we also need to help you with your mission, the price isn't high."

Indeed, it wasn't high. Chen Gu nodded with satisfaction. "Deal."

Free money.

The girl then stepped back, saying no more. The rest was Xulong and his team's work. She had paid; she didn't need to do anything herself.

Sure enough, Xulong asked, "What's the deal with these tracks?"

Chen Gu explained about the giant egg creature. Of course, in his description, Benjamin and his team became Confederation soldiers, his good comrades-in-arms.

Chen Gu had just finished speaking when Dou Mao, the only female mercenary, said coldly, "So in the end, you abandoned your comrades and ran away by yourself?"

To make it plausible, Chen Gu's description had him unleashing a [Biological Nuclear Explosion] at the last moment and then fleeing alone.

As Dou Mao spoke, the other mercenaries looked at Chen Gu with disdain. They most despised warriors who abandoned their comrades to save their own lives.

Perhaps such people shouldn't even be called warriors; they didn't deserve the title.

Chen Gu said indifferently, "Someone had to complete the mission!"

"Hmph!" Dou Mao scoffed contemptuously and said directly to Xulong, "I'll cooperate with him, but I won't fight alongside him. I don't want to be the one betrayed and sacrificed."

Xulong also glanced at the girl with dissatisfaction. What kind of collaborator has she found? he wondered. The girl, however, remained expressionless.

"Follow the tracks," Xulong commanded.

The chaotic footprints led deeper underground. The entire mercenary group proceeded cautiously. They reached a stone wall where the path seemed to end, but the wall had been breached by a large hole dug by the giant egg creature...

Just as the mercenaries were about to enter, Chen Gu suddenly said, "Wait!"

Dou Mao and Dao Fu were positioned behind Chen Gu, one to his left and one to his right, both full of vigilance.

"What is it?" Dao Fu asked, his tone unfriendly. Chen Gu raised a finger to his lips, shushing him. Dao Fu rolled his eyes in anger, thinking, This guy is definitely trying to get back at me.

But the place was dangerous, so everyone remained cautious and silent, listening intently.

Indeed, strange sounds were coming from the hole.

TAP, TAP, TAP...

It drew closer. The sound was all too familiar to them—the tapping of hard, sharp Insect Race legs against stone.

"The Insect Race are here!"

"There aren't many. Eliminate them quickly! Don't attract a large swarm!" Xulong commanded.

As per their previous arrangement, Dou Mao pulled the client back quickly, taking responsibility for her protection at the rear, while the others found suitable positions for an ambush.

Chen Gu looked around and, unsurprisingly, found he was the odd one out. All the suitable combat positions had been taken by the mercenaries. He rubbed his nose and silently retreated to the back, standing with Dou Mao and the client.

Dou Mao immediately thought he was a coward avoiding the fight. She glanced at him with even greater disdain and said to the client, "I think your one million five hundred thousand has gone down the drain."

Chen Gu pretended not to hear. The young female client remained noncommittal.

A sharp Insect Race limb extended from the dark opening. Bu She was the first to act, raising his hand to cast [Entanglement Control]. He grabbed the insect and yanked it outward. The other hidden mercenaries were ready. The moment the insect was pulled out, they would strike like lightning, killing it instantly. They were perfectly synchronized in this maneuver.

However, despite Bu She's pull, the insect didn't budge. Instead, it swung a leg and pulled Bu She towards it!

Bu She was greatly alarmed. "Danger!"

He released the [Entanglement Control], but his body was already flying uncontrollably. The insect charged out of the opening, brandishing its huge, sharp limbs, and stabbed down at him.