"Huh? Why is it so hot?" Lois Knightley suddenly exclaimed, a note of confusion in her voice.
Jiang Hai froze. Hot? She was already flushed red—what else could make her feel hotter?
Before he could comment, he felt it himself—a searing heat accompanied by a faint burning smell.
Glancing back, he realized the archives room had caught fire sometime during the day. The flames weren't huge, but the smoke and heat were enough to make him jump. Without hesitation, he scooped Lois Knightley into his arms and leapt toward the exit.
Fire was dangerous, but fleeting exposure could be survived—especially with Jiang Hai's speed and strength. In a few powerful strides, he was out of the archives.
But outside, Doflamingo Campbell was waiting, flanked by several obese guards and grotesque, skinless humanoid creatures.
"Finally couldn't hold it in? Heh, you really think you could hide from me? Funny…you could've lasted longer. This room has an automatic fire suppression system. At fifty degrees Celsius, it activates and puts out the fire," Campbell said, smirking as he watched Jiang Hai.
Jiang Hai put Lois Knightley down and draped his clothes over her shoulders, shielding her from view. Now wasn't the time for appearances.
He turned his attention fully to Campbell. The man was tall—about 1.95 meters—blond-haired, with a sharp, cruel face. He wore a guard's uniform, but instead of normal shoes, he sported oddly pointed leather shoes with his legs severely turned out, standing with a disgusting, exaggerated posture.
"Hmph. I don't want a conflict, but I'm not afraid of one. Keep pushing me, and I won't hesitate," Jiang Hai said, narrowing his eyes. He wasn't threatening lightly—this man was testing him.
Campbell chuckled maniacally. "Go ahead, call the police. Let them deal with us! Better to keep you trapped here forever than let you escape!"
Jiang Hai's eyes narrowed further. "You're insane," he muttered, reading the man's madness.
"No, it's this world that's insane! Hahaha! But tell me, who are you looking for? Maybe after I assimilate you, I can let you meet him!" Campbell grinned slyly.
"Bruce David. Do you know him?" Jiang Hai demanded.
"Of course. He's being put to good use now," Campbell replied, stroking his chin.
"Perfect. Then let's settle this," Jiang Hai said with a faint chuckle—and charged.
Campbell anticipated the move. As Jiang Hai lunged, he slipped back, letting his burly men attack. Jiang Hai pivoted mid-air, kicking one in the face, spinning to avoid another, and delivering a whip-like kick to another, sending him flying 180 degrees before he crashed heavily. Any normal observer would be terrified.
But these weren't normal men. Lois Knightley had said as much—they had no human emotions. Even with two down, the others lunged relentlessly.
Jiang Hai didn't hesitate. A flat kick dropped one, a dodge avoided another, then a leaping knee smashed into a third's face, sending teeth and blood flying. Landing, he spun into an elbow strike, incapacitating another.
"Electric!" Campbell shouted into his walkie-talkie, realizing four of six men were already down. The basement lights cut out again—but Jiang Hai pressed on, unaffected. Darkness didn't slow him; it only made him deadlier.
The remaining two men fell in seconds. Jiang Hai was about to pursue Campbell when Lois Knightley stopped him.
"What's wrong?" he asked, confused.
"Fire! The archives room!" she pointed.
Campbell had planned this perfectly. With the fire spreading and no electricity to suppress it, Jiang Hai would be forced to intervene—or risk burning alive.
"Damn it!" Jiang Hai cursed, spotting a fire hydrant. He pulled the switch, grabbed a fire extinguisher, and sprinted back inside. Three minutes later, the flames were down, reduced to ash—but Campbell had vanished.
"This guy is ruthless," Jiang Hai muttered.
"He must have gone to the lab. He's been staying there for days," Lois Knightley said solemnly.
"Then that's where we're headed." Jiang Hai led the way. On the way, they passed the power supply room. Three burly men remained, but Patrick Charles was gone. Jiang Hai didn't hold back—he killed one, injured two, and restarted the power.
With Lois Knightley guiding him, Jiang Hai reached an isolated laboratory after about five minutes. He set her down.
"I don't know what dangers await inside. Wait by the elevator," he instructed seriously. Lois Knightley nodded. She wasn't crazy—she knew she'd only slow him down. Her part of the mission was over; now she trusted Jiang Hai to handle the rest.
She was his accomplice. If he succeeded, all would be fine. If he failed… she could end up as lunch for these lunatics. That wasn't a joke—it was reality.
These monsters had no reason, no law, no humanity to restrain them.
(To be continued.)