QT: Against My Will-Chapter 564 - 8.81 - A Wraith’s Autonomy - Monster Heist
Bing Shi seized a fleeting opportunity when Ru Quan momentarily turned his attention away. Her finger tightened around the trigger and she aimed at the target once more.
Just as she fired, everyone would have thought from the trajectory that she would have missed again, but unexpectedly, the crying bird flew right into her line of fire instead, in order to get itself shot.
Ru Quan settled down nearby and pinched the bridge of his nose, ’Our son crashed what into our living room?’
’A fucking truck! We’ve got a huge damn truck in our living room again!’ Ziek’s voice dripped with profanities as he stood there, staring at the shattered french windows of their living room on the second floor, ’Come and discipline this little rascal! He’s your damn son too!’
Before turning to head back to camp for a quick ’nap’, Ru Quan couldn’t resist the urge to share a moment with Bing Shi.
Stepping closer to her, he cupped her face in his hands. Without a word, he lifted her mask and pressed a quick yet passionate kiss to her lips.
"..." Bing Shi’s initial surprise melted into a soft smile, tasting the lingering sweetness that she couldn’t help but savor, ’My defense never stood a chance against him.’
’~Did you ever have one around him?’
’Before we started dating, yes.’
Bing Shi shared with Dai An the time when she didn’t allow them to even hold her hand.
’~Wanna see our first kiss ever?’
Dai An shared the images of Ru Quan kissing Ting Zi before his concubine.
’Woaah! When did this happen?’
’~Our first lifetime, apparently. I’ve been trying to extract information about our past lives from the dead soul I got from hubby.’
’Speaking about past lives, I’ve got some memories from the time I was a nun.’
’~Show me.’
· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·
The commander’s grip tightened around the piece of drawing, his fingers tracing the invisible claw marks that seemed to be etched onto the paper.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, a mix of anger evident in his voice. "None of the team returned... How is that even possible?"
His second-in-command approached, "Sir, we searched the area thoroughly. There’s no sign of them. The breach in the barrier had been temporarily sealed. They must have crossed the second layer."
The commander’s face reddened with frustration, his voice rising, "Crossed the second layer?! Have they lost all sense of protocol and discipline? Breaking through barriers without authorization?!"
He took a deep breath, his frustration simmering as he clenched his jaw. He glanced down at the drawing once again, his fingers gripping it almost forcefully.
"They were entrusted with a mission, and they let their impulses override their training," he said through gritted teeth. "Find out exactly how this breach happened, and ensure that those responsible for disregarding orders face the consequences."
"Understood, sir." His second-in-command nodded solemnly, her expression reflecting his seriousness. "But sir, Shina Night is a Wraith. She will be exempt from the punishment if she is found to have acted within the protocols of her branch’s autonomy."
The commander’s jaw clenched as he stared once more at the drawing, "Wraiths have privileges, but those privileges carry immense responsibility. We are here to ensure that their autonomy doesn’t translate into recklessness. It’s our duty to uphold 7th Special Operation Force values in the military as a whole."
The Wraiths in short, operated with a higher degree of autonomy. Their rapid response capabilities and agility were key to their success in high-stakes scenarios — their words carried the same weight as a general’s, even though they operated in the midst of the terrain.
It enabled them to communicate and receive orders without the hindrance of multiple layers of hierarchy — even allowing them to break the law and orders when circumstances demanded it.
The southern barracks accommodated just 9 Wraiths, including Shina Night. Their unity was paramount, given their small numbers. To prevent clashes in times of crisis, they held regular meetings to discuss strategies and ensure seamless cooperation.
· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·
Despite the synchronized efforts, the battle beyond the second layer began to take a toll on both teams.
Some members of the LADs lay scattered across the clearing. Broken and battered, their bodies were a haunting reflection of the brutality they had faced.
Their body contorted in twisted postures. Deep gashes marred their skin, evidence of a vicious struggle against an unseen foe.
Some lay motionless, their eyes wide open in a frozen expression of terror, hinting at the horrors they must have witnessed in their final moments.
"Focus!" Shina’s voice cut through the chaos like a clarion call, carrying an intensity that resonated with every member of the team.
In response, a surge of energy radiated from her body, rippling through the air like an electric shockwave.
The atmosphere around her seemed to shimmer with a newfound intensity, as if reality itself had shifted in response to her command.
Time seemed to slow down as her power enveloped her team, their perception sharpened to an almost supernatural degree.
They could feel the minuscule shifts in the air, anticipate the trajectory of the unseen assailant’s attacks, and respond with an uncanny precision that bordered on the otherworldly.
As the invisible claws lashed out once more, the team moved with a seamless synchrony that defied the creature’s attempts to catch them off guard.
The once-invisible assailant began to reveal itself through the culmination of their efforts. Faint ripples of distortion coalesced into a vague, 10 feet (3m) tall silhouette — a bright ethereal form that flickered in and out of view like a mirage.
Its hunched posture had an eerie elegance, while its humongous hands ended in razor-sharp claws that glinted with an otherworldly luminescence. It had no eyes, no mouth, just a blank, featureless face. Two twin horns rose from its forehead, curling slightly as they reached towards the heavens.
What made the scene even more unsettling was the realization that they weren’t alone. Similar entities had gathered around them, forming a silent circle, observing the battle without intervening.
The air around them crackled with tension as curses mingled with the sounds of combat, creating a raw symphony of desperation.
Liam sent Juliet a message through the mind link, ’This feels like the orderals. Where we’re a bunch of caged beasts, unleashed to fight in some twisted colosseum for someone else’s damn entertainment!’
Bing Shi’s heart pounded in her chest as she struggled to keep herself and her team alive. As the battle raged on, it became painfully evident that those entities simply did not want them to cross this threshold.
"Enough!" Shina’s voice pierced through the chaos, "We can’t keep this up. Fall back, everyone! Retreat!"
With a grim understanding, the team began to disengage from the relentless battle, their hearts heavy with a mix of disappointment and relief. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·
However, retreating wasn’t going to be as simple as they hoped. The eerie entities surrounding them seemed to share a collective consciousness, and as the team attempted to break free, the entities moved with them, their ethereal forms shifting and swirling like a living mist.
The teams were dealing with forces beyond their comprehension, entities that defied the rules they had come to understand. Bullets and spells alike were met with resistance, deflected by the mysterious powers.
Orion’s concentration wavered for a split second, leaving him vulnerable to a sudden burst of energy from one of the entities. The impact struck him directly, sending him stumbling back with a pained cry. The force of the blow left a searing burn on his arm, and he gritted his teeth, determined to fight through the pain.
The other team’s leader, his focus divided between offense and defense, didn’t notice the entity sneaking up from behind until it was too late. A shadowy tendril lashed out, striking him across the chest with a sickening thud. He gasped, feeling the wind knocked out of him.
One of the LAD’s attempts to use his magic to create a shield were met with a swift and brutal counterattack from the entities. A surge of energy struck his outstretched hand, causing his protective shield to collapse in on itself. The backlash sent a shockwave through his body, and he collapsed to his knees with a groan, his energy drained.
Aria’s attempts to maneuver around the entities were met with a sudden, sharp pain as a concealed force caught her leg. The impact sent her sprawling to the ground, her vision swimming as she clutched her injured limb.
Leon’s defensive spells shielded the team partially, but some attacks still got through, leaving some minor injuries and scorch marks. With beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his concentration remained unwavering as he teleported the LADs one after another.
As soon as Shina and her team crossed back to the borders of the second layer, an ominous rumble echoed through the earth beneath their feet.
The ground cracked and churned, the trees uprooted with a sinister creak, their branches transforming into gnarled claws. Toxic flora bursts forth, releasing a cloud of poison that engulfed the LADs.
