Chapter 78: Other Power
"No way! You're coming too!" shouted Antonny, their leader. "The hangar's just ahead! Once we're on the plane—"
A gunshot cut him off mid-sentence. Antonny turned to see the pilot who had volunteered to cover them fall to the ground, blood pooling beneath his lifeless body. "Adam!!!" Antonny screamed, his eyes blazing with fury. "You bastards! Is killing us all really necessary?!"
He raised his gun and opened fire, his shots precise and deadly. Several pursuers dropped instantly, but their numbers were overwhelming. Before long, Antonny took two bullets—one to the shoulder, another to his lower abdomen. He stumbled and nearly collapsed, but one of his teammates caught him and dragged him toward the hangar.
"Get the captain on board!" another pilot shouted, taking cover and laying down suppressive fire. He and his partner exchanged grim looks before stepping out of cover, determined to buy their comrades more time.
From the enemy ranks, a man with sharp features stepped forward, wielding a large-caliber revolver. His movements were deliberate, his aim unerring. Bang! Bang! Two shots rang out, and the pilots fell instantly, each bullet striking dead center in their foreheads.
"Well done," said a voice from the shadows. Kane, one of the masterminds behind the coup, stepped forward, applauding slowly. "With marksmanship like that, have you considered staying at our base once this is all over?" His tone was light, almost playful, but his eyes glinted with cold malice. As a ruthless real estate mogul turned warlord, Kane's unassuming name masked a deadly ambition—and a willingness to crush anyone who stood in his way.
Antonny, the founder of the base, had suffered heavy losses during repeated missions to fight off threats. Each time he went out, his subordinates faced severe casualties. This left his position vulnerable, and Kane, along with his accomplices, seized the opportunity to wrest control of the base.
The devastating Battle of NYC was no exception. Antonny's forces were crushed, and his loyal followers were dwindling rapidly. Seeing the perfect chance to strike, Kane allied with the other Base—a large survivor base on their south. Together, they planned to eliminate Antonny and his remaining men. "Not interested," Clint, a middle-aged man with a stern expression, said flatly. His tone carried no hint of emotion. "If it weren't for my boss's orders, I wouldn't even bother with these people."
Kane wasn't fazed by the rejection. Instead, he pressed on with a sly grin. What he cared about most was ensuring Antonny's death and securing absolute control over the Imperial Capital base. "Relax," Kane replied confidently. "Once it's done, you'll get what you want—five thousand girls, as promised."