Chapter 156: Steal Door?
Moonlissa slowly lifted her head. "...Someone really came..." For the first time in hours...Hope appeared.
Back outside...
Nobody reached another security door. Unlike the others...This one required a fingerprint scanner. "...Hmm."
The System appeared.
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[Locked]
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Nobody stared. "...Very informative." He looked around. Then noticed an air vent above. "...Never mind." He crouched and jumped.
WHOOSH!!
One clean leap carried him upward. He removed the vent cover.
CLANK.
"...Maintenance entrance." He crawled inside. "...Ventilation systems. The true heroes of every action movie."
The System remained silent.
"...You could’ve laughed."
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[...] (ㆆ_ㆆ)
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"...Tough crowd."
The narrow duct stretched forward. Nobody carefully moved through it.
Voices echoed from below.
"They still haven’t caught him?"
"No."
"The boss won’t be happy."
"I heard he already reached Sector Three."
Nobody stopped.
Sector Three. The map inside his System flashed. His current location.
"...Perfect." He quietly continued.
A few moments later...
Light appeared ahead.
Nobody peeked through another vent.
Below...
A reinforced hallway stretched toward a massive steel door. Four armed guards stood outside.
Unlike the others...
These men looked disciplined. No unnecessary talking. They were just waiting.
Nobody smiled. "...Found the final checkpoint."
The System quietly displayed another message.
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Target Located
Moonlissa
Distance:
11 Meters
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Nobody slowly looked toward the steel door. "...She’s right behind that." He placed one hand on the vent cover. Then paused. "...System. How many people are inside that room?"
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Scanning...
One Friendly Target
No Additional Hostiles
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"...Good." He smiled beneath the crimson bunny helmet. "...Almost over."
The guards below remained completely unaware. One adjusted his rifle. Another checked his watch. None of them looked upward.
Nobody quietly counted.
"...Three..."
"...Two..."
"...One..."
He gently loosened the vent cover.
CLINK.
It tilted downward.
One guard frowned. "...Did you hear..."
Before anyone could finish speaking...
FLASH!!
Blue light erupted from above. The Crimson Bunny biker dropped into the middle of the hallway.
THUD!!
Cold mist exploded outward. Both icy crowbars spun in his hands.
CLANG.
The four guards instinctively stepped back.
One shouted, "IT’S HIM!"
Nobody slowly stood up. His visor reflected the flashing red emergency lights.
Behind him...Only one steel door remained. Only eleven meters separated him from Moonlissa.
He rested both crowbars across his shoulders. Then smiled. "...Sorry. You guys are standing in front of my destination."
Nobody stood in the center of the frozen warehouse, both icy crowbars resting across his shoulders.
The remaining smugglers were completely surrounded. Some were frozen from the waist down. Some had slipped across the ice-covered floor.
Others had already thrown away their weapons. Not one of them dared take another step.
Nobody slowly looked around. "...Anybody else?"
Only silence remains.
He nodded. "Good."
The System quietly displayed another notification.
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Mission Progress
Outer Guards: Defeated
Inner Guards: Restrained
Distance To Target:
18 Meters
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Nobody smiled. "Eighteen meters. So close."
Then...
A weak sound reached his ears. "...H-Help..."
His smile disappeared. "...Moonlissa."
The voice was faint. Barely audible. But it was enough. She was still alive.
Nobody tightened his grip around both crowbars. "...Hang on. I’m almost there."
Suddenly...
BOOM!!
A heavy steel shutter crashed down between Nobody and the hallway leading deeper into the factory. Dust exploded everywhere.
The smugglers immediately burst into laughter. "Hahaha! He’ll never get through that! That door weighs several tons! Even a bulldozer would need time!"
Nobody stared at the gigantic steel barrier. "...Seriously?" He sighed. "You people really enjoy wasting my time."
The System spoke.
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[Obstacle Detected]
Security Blast Door
Material:
Reinforced Titanium Alloy
Suggested Action:
Apply Force
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Nobody blinked. "...Your suggestion is literally ’hit it?’"
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[Affirmative.]
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"...You know what? I respect the honesty." He stepped toward the massive door.
The smugglers watched confidently. "He’s crazy. He actually thinks he can break it."
"No chance."
Nobody stretched his shoulders.
Crack.
Crack.
Then he rolled both crowbars around his wrists. Blue frost immediately wrapped around the metal. Cold mist filled the hallway.
"...Knock knock. Room service." He raised both crowbars.
SLAM!!
An explosive impact echoed through the factory. The entire blast door shook violently. Dust rained from the ceiling. Large cracks spread across the metal.
The smugglers froze. "...W-What?"
Nobody looked disappointed. "Hmm. Still standing. I expected better." He raised both crowbars again. "This one’s the deluxe package."
SLAAAM!!
CRAAAAACK!!
The reinforced steel split straight down the middle. An enormous crack raced from top to bottom. The blast door groaned.
Then...
BOOOOOOM!!
The entire structure collapsed inward. Chunks of steel slammed against the frozen floor. Silence filled the hallway.
Nobody spun one crowbar. "...See? Doors are basically very stubborn walls."
The System displayed another notification.
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Obstacle Cleared
Path To Target Restored
Remaining Distance:
12 Meters
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Nobody grinned. "Now we’re talking."
Without another word...
FLASH!!
He disappeared in a blue zigzag. Only freezing wind remained behind.
The stunned smugglers looked at each other.
"...Did..."
"...Did he just smash through a blast door?"
Another slowly nodded. "...I think we’re unemployed."
A third sighed. "...Assuming we aren’t arrested first."
Far ahead...
Nobody landed inside another corridor.
THUD.
Unlike the warehouse...This hallway was strangely quiet. No guards. Only rows of steel doors. And flickering emergency lights. The atmosphere suddenly felt different.
Nobody slowed down. "...Too quiet."
The System agreed.
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Warning
Elevated Threat Level
Unknown Presence Detected
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Nobody quietly twirled one crowbar. "...Great. That’s usually not a good sign."
From somewhere ahead...
A metallic sound echoed.
CLANG...
CLANG...
CLANG...
Like heavy chains dragging across concrete.
Nobody narrowed his eyes. "...Whatever’s making that sound...It’s between me...and Moonlissa." A grin slowly appeared beneath the crimson bunny helmet. "Bad choice."
He began walking forward. One steady step at a time. The icy mist followed behind him. And somewhere deeper inside the factory...Something enormous moved in the darkness.
From the darkness beyond the shattered blast door...Two glowing crimson eyes slowly opened.
...
Nobody stopped walking. "...Well. That doesn’t look friendly."
A low growl echoed through the corridor.
GRRRRRRR...
The cold mist around Nobody drifted forward while the creature remained hidden behind the darkness.
The System quietly displayed another warning.
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Unknown Enemy Nearby
Scanning...
...
...
Scan Failed
Reason:
Target Outside Current Database
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Nobody blinked. "...You don’t know what it is?"
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[Negative.]
Proceed With Caution.
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Nobody slowly spun one icy crowbar. A grin appeared beneath the crimson bunny helmet.
"Heh...Looks like tonight just got interesting."