My exclusive card pool

Chapter 236 Things to Note in the Next Life
The night is getting darker.

The moon hangs high above Márquez.

In the stillness of the night, a slightly noisy commotion broke into Red Bird Street.

This is a private armed force, consisting of dozens of people, fully armed.

Several thick searchlight beams brutally pierced the darkness, like the fingers of a giant pressing forcefully against the walls and windows of apartment number 15.

Heavy footsteps approached like the thunder of war drums.

"Execute the order immediately!"

A cold voice came from behind the mask of a mecha soldier.

"Capture the intelligent puppet Pinocchio and his accomplices! Slaughter any who resist!"

"Copy that, sir."

The soldiers readily agreed.

They were all under Baron Ivan's command.

Upon receiving Detective Gulliver's letter, Baron Ivan immediately launched his capture operation.

Ivan is one of Márquez's elites. He is unwilling to accept the Elders' leftovers and plans to capture Pinocchio first to gain leverage in negotiations.

In this way, if any research results are found, he can have priority access to them.

Armed forces surrounded the apartment building, the soldiers' magical firearms already fully charged, gleaming with a deadly blue light. Among the ranks were several heavily armored units, each over two meters tall, clad in mechs and carrying small electromagnetic cannons on their shoulders.

"Damn it!" Booth, the walking cat assigned by theater owner Draco to stay outside the apartment, screamed. "The authorities have found out?"

It immediately drew its rapier from its waist and pulled out a magic flintlock pistol from its other claw, instantly entering combat mode.

Hawke, standing next to Booth, had a sudden change in expression as the magic playing cards spun rapidly between his fingers.

The commotion naturally alerted Goddariel and Pinocchio in the apartment.

"Godariel, what happened?"

Pinocchio, dressed in a princess nightgown, ran into the living room and immediately spotted Cinderella standing by the window, looking out.

"The enemy has come to arrest you, beautiful Princess Nora."

Godaril spoke calmly, already summoning her broom wand.

Upon hearing this, Pinocchio's face showed anger, and a hint of grievance flashed in his eyes. He didn't understand what he had done wrong that the Elders' Council was so determined to pursue him.

Pinocchio suddenly remembered Kai's words before he left: "If anything happens, just call my name: Kai! We've been discovered!"

Just finished shouting.

boom! boom! boom!
The electromagnetic railgun roared suddenly.

Bang! !

The apartment's thick walls became as fragile as paper under the bombardment of the energy projectiles, instantly blasting open huge gaps.

A barrage of bullets followed like a torrential downpour.

Da da da da da!
Godariel immediately summoned vines to form a wall, but it was quickly torn to shreds by the fierce firepower.

She groaned and staggered backward.

Booth leaped off the wall, nimbly flipping in mid-air, narrowly avoiding several deadly shots. But one of his cat ears was grazed, emitting a smoky sheen.

"Meow!" Booth was furious and pulled the trigger to retaliate, killing an armed soldier with a single shot.

Hawke's figure flashed across the barrage of comments, and several playing cards flew out.

shhhhh--

But one of the mech soldiers stepped forward, raised his arm, and immediately deployed a shield-shaped energy barrier, which blocked all the playing card knives with a buzzing sound.

The soldiers were clearly professionally trained; their tactical movements were orderly, and they all raised their guns and fired at Hawke.

The overwhelming barrage of firepower left the magician in a sorry state, unable to even retaliate.

This is the technological power of the Clockwork Kingdom.

When they are in large groups, a single awakened individual can hardly stand against them.

"Their firepower is too intense!" Booth shouted to his companion Hawke as he ducked around the corner of the wall. "Should we retreat first?"

Hawke gritted his teeth and snapped his fingers.

Bear!
Fire bursts out.

He leaped out of the flames and disappeared, reappearing beside Booth.

Hawk peered through the broken apartment wall and saw the woman named Godaril and Pinocchio struggling against the armed forces' fire.

Godariel's magic was rapidly depleting, and her face grew increasingly pale; she clearly wouldn't last much longer.

“They are Mr. Draco’s guests…”

Hawke hesitated before saying something.

"Is it really appropriate for us to just leave like this?"

Boom!

Another electromagnetic cannon shot.

The powerful shockwave destroyed the vine shelter, sending Godariel and Pinocchio flying and crashing into the wall.

Booth and Hawke were also stunned and dizzy.

Armed soldiers, guns at their ready, charged forward, pouring into the apartment building through the breach.

呲——

Steam billowed from the back of the lead heavily armored unit. He raised his giant chainsaw sword and swept it several times, shattering the coffee table and sofa blocking his way, before rushing straight for Godariel and Pinocchio.

"?!"

Godariel, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, gritted her teeth and cast a spell, attempting to summon the vines again to carry her and Pinocchio away from their spot.

But the mech soldier was already close, and reached out to grab it.

Pinocchio raised his hand and fired in retaliation, but the dense bullets only grazed the surface of the enemy's mech, making a clanging sound.

Just as the massive metal hand was about to grip Godariel's neck—

Wow!

A sound of rippling water suddenly rang out in the apartment lobby.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment.

The next moment, the heavy mech soldier was sent flying backward, knocking down his comrades behind him like a bowling ball.

A scream and a muffled groan rang out.

Goddariel and Pinocchio suddenly turned their heads, their faces immediately showing surprise and delight.

Suddenly, Kai appeared out of nowhere in the corner of the living room.

Beside him was a bald girl wearing a striped hospital gown.

Alice looked shocked, seemingly still reeling from the fact that she had escaped the asylum.

How did she leave the lab and appear here in the blink of an eye?
Wang Xi was holding the girl's waist, his expression calm, but his gaze toward the armed forces was slightly cold.

Most of these soldiers have one or two stars on the blank board, while the heavy units wearing mechs have three stars on the blank board.

Their ratings largely depend on their technological equipment, so they must be considered elite.

It's normal that Godariel and Pinocchio can't beat them.

But compared to Wang Xi, they were completely insignificant.

"act recklessly."

Wang Xi waved his hand casually.

hum-

A ten-meter-long dragon, its body flowing with dark ink-like colors, snaked out and roared silently as it surged forward.

"Damn Awakened Ones!"

The mech soldier wielding the giant chainsaw sword got up and roared as he slashed down at the dragon.

Clang! !

呲呲呲——

The high-speed rotating saw blade cut into the dragon's head, but was blocked by the scales, creating more than a meter of dazzling sparks.

Completely impenetrable.

Immediately following was a loud bang.

The mech soldier felt as if he had been hit head-on by a steam train; his chest tightened, and he was sent flying backward.

The sturdy mech dented instantly, steam billowed from its back in an attempt to release pressure, the roar of operation abruptly ceased, and sparks flew from its joints.

Oh!

Crackling!

A sickening metallic creaking sound rang out.

The mech soldier, which flew more than ten meters away, exploded the moment it hit the ground, its flesh and blood flying everywhere, and finally turned into a puddle of mud and lay still.

The rampage of the ink-wash dragon has not yet stopped.

It went straight for the remaining soldiers.

"Fire! Fire!"

Someone shouted in shock and anger.

Da da da da da——

The magical guns spewed out flames, but the bullets felt like tickles when they hit the dragon.

Wang Xi remotely controlled the dragon with a flick of his hand.

puff!puff!puff!
The soldiers who rushed into the room were flung away by the dragon's tail. They were like cans crushed by the pressure of ten thousand tons of water, exploding into a cloud of blood mist in mid-air.

He couldn't even let out a complete scream.

Shattered gun parts and splattered crimson flesh created an extremely gruesome scene.

The powerful searchlights outside the window suddenly went out.

The neighborhood fell silent.

Crackling...

Dust filled the hall, and some gravel fell from above the open wall.

The few soldiers who had miraculously survived sat slumped at the apartment entrance, staring dumbfounded at the horrific scene inside the hall through the broken walls and windows.

It was easy to see from their expressions and eyes that they were filled with incomprehensible shock and deep fear.

This young man...

Who is he?
With just his superpowers, one person wiped out this entire elite armed force?!

Could he be a high-ranking member of the rebel group "Blue Butterfly"?
They couldn't think of any other reason besides this... It is said that the higher-ups of Blue Butterfly are all powerful Awakened Ones who have developed their own superpowers to the extreme.

As the dust settled, Wang Xi remained standing in the same spot.

He released his arm around Alice's waist and made a loose fist with his fingers toward the remaining soldiers: "Come here."

whoosh-

"what!"

"Ugh!"

Three or four wounded soldiers were thrown into the air uncontrollably and fell straight down in front of Wang Xi.

They looked up in alarm at the young man before them.

"Who sent you?"

Wang Xi's voice wasn't loud, but it sounded deafening to the soldiers.

"..."

The soldiers remained silent.

Wang Xi's fingers twitched slightly.

A middle-aged man with short hair suddenly raised his hands, grabbed his head, and twisted it forcefully.

Gaba!

His neck snapped, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud, dying instantly.

"?!"

The other soldiers were startled.

What kind of superpower is this?!

Their companion, right in front of them, committed suicide without hesitation...

"I'll ask you one more time." Wang Xi's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable coldness. "Who sent you?"

A soldier kneeling on the ground shuddered, feeling a chill run down his neck. Overwhelming fear instantly overwhelmed any semblance of loyalty or hesitation.

"It's... Baron Ivan Costa!"

He almost cried out, his voice trembling slightly.

"We were just following orders!"

“Evan Costa…” Wang Xi murmured the name, then looked at the soldier: “Where does he live?”

...

...

After obtaining information about the mastermind, Wang Xi showed no mercy and swiftly disposed of the remaining soldiers.

"The target has been killed!"

More than a dozen green lights flew in from all directions and all entered Wang Xi's brow.

"Gentlemen, it seems this place is not safe either."

Wang Xi turned around and spoke to Booth and Hawke who were walking towards him.

The Walking Cat and the Magician still had lingering shock in their eyes. They had just witnessed the other party wipe out the armed forces single-handedly, which deeply shocked the two Blue Butterfly members.

"Your Excellency Gai, I am very sorry, we did not expect that Baron Ivan had been investigating in secret all along, and even found his way here..."

Hawke bowed apologetically to Wang Xi, patting his chest.

"The opera house base must have been exposed, so we can't stay here any longer. I will inform Mr. Draco immediately and arrange for your emergency evacuation with your companions."

"Yeah." Wang Xi nodded.

As Blue Butterfly's intelligence chief in Marquez, Draco certainly wouldn't put all his eggs in one basket.

He must have other strongholds hiding there.

"Gai, who is she?"

At this moment, Godariel approached with Pinocchio, her gaze frequently drifting towards the bald girl beside her.

Although Alice was thin and haggard from the torment in the laboratory, and even had her hair shaved off, her features were extremely delicate, and she had a unique, aloof temperament.

In addition, Kai had been holding her tightly, as if he was trying his best to protect her...

This inevitably aroused Godaril's jealousy.

"Alice Riddell".

The bald girl looked at Godariel expressionlessly and introduced herself in a flat tone.

Wang Xi added: "The daughter of Raymond and his wife."

Upon hearing this, Goddariel and Pinocchio both looked enlightened.

"Now is not the time for idle chatter."

Wang Xidao.

"You guys follow Booth and Hawke and leave. Find a safe place to hide."

"Mr. Kai, what about you?"

Alice immediately looked at Wang Xi and frowned.

She had just escaped from a mental hospital and had no relatives or friends. Only the young man in front of her could bring her a sense of security and warmth.

The sudden separation left Alice feeling inexplicably flustered.

"I'm going to deal with the people behind the scenes to prevent further trouble... Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

Wang Xi smiled.

After saying that, he took a step forward and, to everyone's astonishment, soared into the air. A phantom white cloak unfurled behind him, and he streaked across the sky like a shooting star, disappearing into the night.

...

...

The Marquez Center.

Sunflower Manor.

The night breeze rustled through the carefully pruned rose bushes, carrying with it a delicate fragrance.

Unlike the hustle and bustle of other areas in the Márquez neighborhood, the Sunflower Estate is located in the quietest corner of this affluent area.

Ancient oak trees cast tranquil shadows in the moonlight, while the villa, surrounded by a spacious lawn, was brightly lit.

The crystal chandelier illuminated the spacious and luxurious living room.

The dark solid wood furniture gleamed with an expensive sheen, and portraits of several solemn-looking family ancestors hung on the wall.

Baron Ivan and his guest Thomas Edison were sitting on the living room sofa, chatting and laughing over fine wine.

Wow.

The baron swirled his wine glass, the ice clinking softly. A composed smile played on his lips as his gaze fell upon the middle-aged man in a grey suit opposite him.

"Thomas, my friend."

Ivan's voice was deep and magnetic, with a hint of subtle seduction.

“Our research is progressing smoothly, but there are always bottlenecks. Tell me, with your talent, if you had the opportunity to study an intelligent puppet like Pinocchio up close, how long would it take you to replicate its core structure?”

Upon hearing this, Thomas Edison pushed up his glasses, revealing a confident, even arrogant, expression.

He was once a key technical member of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Although his research direction differed from that of his "old rival" Gipeter Tesla, he never hid his pride in his professional abilities.

“Your Excellency,” Thomas said, taking a sip of his drink, his tone resolute, “to be honest, the technical principles are not entirely insurmountable barriers. Gippertow’s genius lies in his almost incomprehensible imagination.”

"But if I had the chance to actually observe Pinocchio's internal structure, and most importantly—the main material with the characteristic of 'growth potential'..."

He put down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, and his eyes were full of fervor.

"I believe that within six months, no, perhaps three months, I will be able to come up with a detailed reverse engineering plan."

“Gipeter? He’s just a paranoid lucky guy.”

“Good! Very good!” Baron Ivan clapped his hands and chuckled, a look of satisfaction on his ruddy face. “Your confidence is exactly what I’m looking for… Talent and opportunity are both indispensable, Mr. Thomas.”

Thomas keenly sensed the implication in Ivan's words and was slightly surprised: "Could it be that His Excellency the Baron has already..."

“Not bad.” Ivan’s smile became meaningful, and he was about to deliver the “surprise” he had promised.

next second.

Rumbling--

A muffled, loud bang came out of nowhere from outside the manor; to be precise, it was an airburst caused by an object flying at high speed through the air.

The crystal chandelier swayed wildly, making a clanging and clattering sound.

"What the hell?! What's going on?!"

Baron Ivan's smile vanished instantly, his brows furrowed, and the wine in his glass spilled out, soaking his expensive velvet vest.

“Black!” Baron Evan called out, turning his head.

Not long after.

The elderly butler, Blake, with his full head of silver hair, almost stumbled into the living room. He said in a deep voice, "Master Evan, it seems there is an unidentified flying object in the manor."

"UFO?"

Ivan's expression was grim.

He spent a lot of money hiring security personnel and purchasing a large amount of defense equipment from Isaac Technologies, and even let in so-called "unidentified flying objects"?
Soon, an elite security force quickly assembled and guarded the entrance to the villa.

The head of security was a burly man wearing a nearly three-meter-tall brown-black heavy mech suit. The huge rectangular module on his back was a powerful, top-secret electromagnetic railgun.

This mech suit looks incredibly valuable.

“Your Excellency, do not worry, we will protect you and Mr. Thomas.”

Beneath the brown bear-shaped mecha mask came the steady and powerful voice of security captain Wilson.

"Hmm." Ivan's expression softened slightly; with this security force around, he felt very safe. "Let's go take a look."

Immediately afterwards, surrounded by security personnel, he and Thomas stood on the steps outside the door, looking up at the sky—

Soon, the scene before them stunned everyone.

A figure hovered in the night sky.

It was vaguely discernible that it appeared to be a young man.

The other person was dressed in a black trench coat, which accentuated his tall and straight figure. A crown was burning on his head, and a ghostly white "cloak" was spread out behind him.

It looks like a god standing in mid-air.

"An awakened being of the Blue Butterfly?!"

Evan seemed to have misunderstood something, and a surge of anger at being offended instantly overwhelmed his fear.

"A bunch of rats who only dare to hide in the gutter have some nerve, daring to come here to die!"

He pointed at the young man in the air and shouted at the security captain, "Wilson, take him down!"

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Without any hesitation, the security captain unleashed a torrent of flame from the jet thrusters on his mech's legs. His massive steel body launched itself forward with incredible agility, while the enormous electromagnetic railgun on his back glowed with a chilling blue light.

*Swoosh—Boom!*
A blue energy beam, as thick as a bowl, tore through the night sky, emitting a shriek, and slammed into Wang Xi in mid-air with the force of a thunderbolt.

Wherever the energy beam passed, the air was ionized, producing crackling and popping sounds.

Everyone in the manor held their breath, as if they could see the mysterious creature in mid-air being blasted into dust.

however.

Faced with a terrifying blow that could pierce a 20-centimeter-thick steel plate, Wang Xi merely raised his right hand and gently brushed it away from the incoming energy beam.

hum-

When the blue beam of light was about ten meters away from Wang Xi, its trajectory suddenly changed, as if it had been forcibly twisted by an invisible hand.

Boom! !
The blue beam of light veered off course and struck the main body of the villa, causing a violent explosion.

Brick and stone walls, carved stone beams, colorful arched windows... all shattered and flew apart under the explosion and shock wave.

The corner of the villa's magnificent third floor collapsed instantly, like a cake struck by a giant hammer.

"what!"

Ivan was startled, and the old butler quickly helped him up.

The baron's face drained of all color; he was shaken and filled with terror.

Even an electromagnetic railgun couldn't kill this guy?!

Wang Xi remained indifferent and detached throughout.

He didn't lower his raised right hand, but instead made a loose fist with his five fingers towards the crowd on the steps.

—"Dragon and Fish Dance in the Sleeves" and "Dragon's Breath"

The black dragon appeared out of thin air, raised its head and let out a silent roar, then opened its mouth and spat out a blinding white pillar of fire.

It descended from the sky like divine punishment.

"?!"

Security Captain Wilson was horrified.

But his reaction was undeniably swift.

"Protect the Baron!"

His mech engine emitted a screeching sound as it operated at overload, his entire body leaving a trail of afterimages as he moved sideways in front of Ivan, his arms crossed.

hum-

A thick, deep blue, semi-circular energy shield suddenly unfolded, crackling with electric arcs—this was the core defensive module of the Brown Bear Mech.

It can be described as the top-tier individual energy barrier.

But the next second—

Boom! !
The blazing white dragon breath, like a giant spear of light piercing through the heavens and earth, struck the barrier.

The incandescent white light instantly engulfed everything.

Boom!

Boom! !

— "Adding fuel to the fire"

A second explosion followed.

In the sea of ​​fire, the deep blue shield only lasted for a few seconds before completely collapsing.

"No!" Wilson opened his mouth wide and let out a final roar, but the sound was swallowed by the flames.

Ivan, Thomas, the security guards, the old butler... everyone's expressions froze in extreme fear, and in the blink of an eye, they were carbonized and decomposed in the pale sea of ​​fire, burning into nothingness.

The entire villa melted and collapsed like a candle under the terrifying heat.

The blazing white dragon breath continued to wash over the area for a full five seconds.

When the light finally faded.

All the noise subsided into deathly silence.

The once luxurious and grand manor entrance and the front of the villa have disappeared without a trace, leaving only a dark crater tens of meters in diameter.

The residual heat ignited the lawn and villa, and the blazing orange flames illuminated the night sky, with thick smoke billowing into the air.

Wang Xi floated in the night sky.

He calmly looked down at the sea of ​​fire.

Be more careful in your next life.

Wang Xi shook his head, his figure flashed in the air, and disappeared in a streak of light.

(End of this chapter)