Chapter 219: The First Clash of Two Generals
Kezli lay on the ground, brow furrowed in pain. His back had slammed hard against the pavement, the heavy impact splashing rain into the air.
"Is that all?" John mocked. He was a police officer, after all. Though he was relatively new, he had undergone police training, and when combined with the inherent power of a Shadow General, his combat skills were far beyond those of an ordinary man.
Kezli rolled over, clutching his back as a sharp sting brought a tear to his eye. "Urgh..." He groaned in pain before slowly pushing himself up from the wet ground.
Seeing him stand, John raised his fists to his chest in a professional fighting stance. "Come on. Show me what makes you so arrogant."
"Go to hell!" Kezli didn't summon the Shadow Corps immediately. He could feel a surging, boundless energy within him and wanted to prove his own strength first.
He swung a wide hook at John's face. This time, his power was noticeably greater than before. John sensed the shift and quickly crossed his arms to block.
Crack!
The sheer force of the blow sent John stumbling back several steps before he could steady himself.
"Again!" Kezli pressed the attack, launching a kick aimed at John's midsection. He wanted revenge for the earlier strike.
John didn't know why Kezli's strength had spiked so suddenly, but he knew he couldn't take that power head-on. He spun away to dodge the foot, then countered with his own kick to Kezli's stomach—returning the favor.
Thump! The inexperienced Kezli took the hit squarely and was sent flying, crashing back onto the pavement.
Bang! The sudden crack of a gunshot echoed. Kezli's eyes widened, and he performed a desperate, undignified roll through the puddles to the left. The bullet struck exactly where he had been lying, burying itself deep into the asphalt.
Kezli looked up in a panic toward the source of the shot and saw Mike leaning around a corner, aiming his service weapon.
"Seems like everyone can dodge bullets these days," Mike grumbled, glancing at his gun. In the eyes of these "super" individuals, bullets seemed like mere toys that never quite hit their mark.
"You're under arrest!" Capitalizing on Kezli's daze, John strode forward and pressed the barrel of his pistol directly against Kezli's forehead. They might be able to dodge a bullet from a distance, but not at point-blank range.
"Cannibal? Is that it?" Mike ran over once the suspect was subdued, reaching for his handcuffs.
Kezli lay there without resisting, whispering, "Lieutenant John... I know you. The famous 'Star Cop' everyone's talking about."
Click!
"And his partner, Lieutenant Mike," Mike added, snapping the cuffs onto Kezli's wrists.
"Heh... hehe... Hahaha!" Kezli began to laugh maniacally, rolling around on the wet ground.
"F***! What kind of psycho is this?" Mike cursed.
"Why so serious?" Kezli suddenly stopped laughing.
Drip... Drip... Drip...
The three of them stood in an eerie silence. The crowd of onlookers had long since fled, terrified by the violence. Only the sound of rain hitting the pavement remained.
John didn't speak because his instincts were screaming at him; his attention was entirely focused on the surrounding shadows. Kezli remained calm, lying on his side and letting the rainwater wash over him. Mike stayed silent simply because the other two had.
"Captain, get down!" John suddenly sensed something. He shoved Mike aside, and both men rolled across the asphalt.
Slam! A massive sound erupted as an Eater Ninja's tentacle smashed into the spot where Mike had been standing a second ago.
"Hahahaha!" Kezli stood up slowly. His handcuffs were effortlessly bitten in half by the monster behind him.
"Nice cuffs. I'll keep them as a souvenir." Kezli tossed the broken metal to the Eater Ninja, who promptly swallowed them into its torso.
Mike shook his head, looking up at the creature in shock. "What is that thing? An alien invasion?"
"The Shadow Corps?!" John gasped. He didn't know why the name felt so natural on his tongue.
"You know about the Shadow Corps?" Kezli was genuinely surprised. How did a cop know that name?
"Hey, I feel like I'm missing the point here!" Mike shouted, having no idea what "Shadow Corps" meant.
"I... I don't know." John shook his head. The name felt etched into his very soul, yet he couldn't remember why.
Kezli grinned. "It seems we have a lot to talk about. Too bad you have to die first!"
On his command, the Eater Ninja lunged at the two officers.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Mike fired his weapon, but to his horror, the bullets passed straight through the creature's body. This was the Eater Ninja's unique ability: Phasing.
Only special energy, magic, or other Shadow Ninjas could harm them.
John pushed Mike back and charged forward alone. His fist passed through the creature's stomach, but the ninja instantly solidified, trapping John's fist inside its body.
"That's a disgusting trick." Before John could pull free, the Eater Ninja lashed out with a tentacle, striking him across the face and sending him tumbling ten meters away into a brick wall.
"Argh!" John barely managed to adjust his position so he didn't crack his skull against the bricks.
"John! You okay?" Mike ran to his side. They had just been promoted; they couldn't fall now.
"I'm fine." John stood up, wincing and gritting his teeth. "Captain, we might need to go with the backup plan."
"Plan E?" Mike asked.
"Yeah." John nodded.
Kezli watched them, confused. "No matter what your plan is, in the face of true power, you're just dogs shivering with your tails between your legs."
"Eat this!" John shouted, attaching a black canister to the muzzle of his gun.
Thump! A thick green mist instantly enveloped the area.
"F***!" Kezli squeezed his eyes shut. He had expected a high-powered bullet, not a smoke grenade.
By the time the mist cleared, the two officers were gone.
"You can run, but you can't hide. I'm coming for the precinct next," Kezli muttered.
Nearby, the roar of a motorcycle engine cut through the rain. John and Mike sped away into the night.
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