Cyber Era Witch

Black Fire Innovation was almost the public enemy of the entire world, and the people of Kyoto Infinity must also understand what they would do with the Witch.

"Hold on," the manager replied.

Wait, wait, wait, waiting for what!

I'm about to die!

Zzzt—

With a grating metallic tearing sound, Matteo had already torn off the door of the mining vehicle with one hand, sticking his head through, his stiff, cold, mechanical face staring at Xu Yang like the Grim Reaper.

Xu Yang's face turned deathly pale.

"Come here, you!" Matteo reached out to grab Xu Yang.

"I've activated it, be careful, I'm still waiting to turn you into my paid vacation," the manager sent one last message to Xu Yang.

The next second, with an ominous countdown-like buzzing sound, Matteo sensed something was wrong, kicked his legs, and bolted.

But the electromagnetic pulse wave had already burst forth instantaneously, sweeping over the entire mining field with a massively scaled electromagnetic pulse!

This weapon was specifically designed against electronic devices, able to instantly generate extremely high voltage, destroying electrical components and electronic systems.

No matter how powerful Matteo's body was, he couldn't resist such a nemesis-like assault; even if his advanced body was equipped with anti-electromagnetic interference components, they were insufficient to withstand the force of the electromagnetic pulse device within the mining field.

But, the damage was the same for Xu Yang! He also had electronic implants in his body!

The electromagnetic pulse swept over Xu Yang's body, the implants in his head and right hand instantly exploding, the pain even worse than a thousand arrows piercing the heart; he smelled the scent of his own muscles cooking, his head roaring even more terribly than if struck by lightning.

He nearly passed out, falling to the ground convulsing as the electrical surge blew the fuses in his implants, coursing through his internal organs, internal bleeding was a certainty.

He crawled outward, seeing Matteo already collapsed on the ground, his body igniting.

This bastard could die a thousand times and it still wouldn't be enough.

Wait, there's also the Witch...

The Ancient Witch held her arms, standing silently covered in blood.

Xu Yang lifted his head, looking at the Witch in despair.

Save me...

The next second, he realized the Witch's condition was even worse than his.

She was indeed standing, but her face was bloodless, her body riddled with wounds, her burial clothes had been blasted to dust.

The Witch took two steps towards Xu Yang, her eyes lifeless, looking every inch like a person nearing death.

Then she collapsed heavily to the ground, blood flowing out from her wounds.

She can't save me! Xu Yang thought in despair. During the previous blast of the defenses that bombarded Matteo, the bullets had also severely injured her.

There's a noise... Xu Yang heard something, turned his head, his body trembling.

Faint sounds of an engine grew from a distance to near.

He turned his head and saw a black shuttle machine speeding through the dark underground space towards the mining field.

It was the shuttle machine the mercenaries had previously called for! There was hope!

With a shuttle machine, there must be provisions or something on board...

Die? I absolutely cannot die... I have a hundred million on my card now! I need to get the money out! I want to return to the ground! To live freely! There are so many things I want to do, so very many!

Xu Yang clenched his teeth, propped himself up, and staggered towards the direction of the shuttle machine.

The shuttle machine is a very common modern vehicle capable of low-altitude flight and generally operated by AI.

The shuttle machine before his eyes was streamlined, pitch black, without any paint, and unremarkable. It swooped in at high speed and stopped near the burning corpse of Matteo.

After a burst of gas pumping sound, the left cabin door opened, and the gangway automatically popped out, waiting for the crew to enter.

As long as he could get into that shuttle machine, everything else would be negotiable. Even if he had to crawl, he must get in!

Xu Yang stood there, struggling to breathe, feeling as though the air entering his lungs was not air but fire. It felt like all his internal organs were boiling, his limbs would not heed his command, and his head was so dizzy he could not tell up from down, ready to fall at any moment. He had never suffered so much in his life.

He lifted his legs, which felt impossibly heavy, inching closer to the shuttle machine, and then he heard the Witch's wail.

The Witch struggled, supporting herself on the ground with her elbows, looking up in the direction of the shuttle machine.

Xu Yang watched her. If the information was accurate, she hailed from a thousand years ago and would not possibly recognize this thing for what it was. But she seemed to guess—it could turn the tide of her current predicament.

"Save me..." the Witch's body kept bleeding, and it was difficult for her to crawl closer to the shuttle machine as she let out a plaintive whine.

"...I can hardly save myself." Xu Yang simply could not rescue her.

"It hurts so much... It's so hard..." the Witch's cries continued unabated, her body riddled with wounds.

Xu Yang felt anxious and disordered.

The implants in his body were already burned out, his body half-destroyed, and the Digital Mind was finished. There were no conditions nearby for implant repairs, and even if he miraculously survived, he would be a cripple.

The Witch was different. In the battle before, the Witch had been torn apart by the mercenaries' bullets, but in an instant, she was fully restored, clearly, her power could heal extremely severe injuries.

Maybe she could heal me? Xu Yang thought silently. But I cannot pin my hopes on this murderous monster.

Agony.

Kyushu High Pavilion, due to my escape, was beside itself with rage; its treatment of escapees was indeed stricter than other companies. Since its inception until now, Kyushu High Pavilion always retained the immense Power to take life and give death over all of its corporate populace.

My family has been corporate people for three generations, unable to escape this cage. Who would think, who would dare?

Giant corporations all had their own ways of dealing with escapees. Xu Yang did not know the fate of each individual, as these pieces of information were all confidentially sealed away. Clearly, the companies neither wanted to reveal their own cruelty nor encourage more people to follow suit.

Until he saw his own records exposed...

What number was I this year? The people before me were all dogs in the company. How difficult is it for me to just be a free individual?

Xu Yang's thoughts were in disarray as he grabbed onto the edge of the shuttle machine.

Dizzy and utterly drained.

The shackles, oh, the shackles...

How hard to break free completely.

Pursued by Kyushu High Pavilion, alerting Kyoto Infinity, encountering Black Fire Innovation's advanced robots, having an extremely dangerous Witch as a companion, surveillance everywhere outside; and me? My body's implants had been blasted to pieces by an Electromagnetic Pulse.

Have I cornered myself? I refuse to believe it—I will see the sun on the Ground! Xu Yang roared inside his mind. I want to be the first to escape Kyushu High Pavilion and live to tell about it, I want to spend this hundred million with absolute pleasure!

He bit down on his teeth as he climbed the gangway, crawling on his knees on the cabin floor.

A medical kit hung on the wall. He extended his trembling hands and grabbed it down, not even having the heart to look at his charred skin.

The pain was unbearable.

Xu Yang didn't have the strength to hold up the medical kit, and it fell to the floor.

He bit the latch with his teeth, lifted his head to tear it open, and Xu Yang used his damaged vision to look for the contents. The Healing Injection, where was the Healing Injection... yes, there was one left.

His left hand was devoid of implants and therefore relatively intact. Xu Yang grabbed the Healing Injection, stabbed it violently into his chest, and pushed the fluid in.

Breathe...

All was silent.