Mechanical Alchemist

"Yo, isn't that Captain Kai, long time no see..."

The voice echoed through the tenement building, and everyone could hear the sarcasm in those words.

The "Steam faction" guys, looking down from above, had encircled the people from Green Street at the bottom of the tenement.

The one leading them was none other than 'Red Hair' Kuntu, who had appeared at the Elephant Tavern previously. He looked at Kai with an easy, confident smile, as if he was holding all the winning cards.

....

Su Lun watched the enemy, his expression becoming more serious, "Two professionals, this is a bit troublesome..."

'Red Hair' Kuntu's alchemical augments were of the "Flame Lizard" variety, with the main material being the flame lizard's oil gland, a kind of offbeat and somewhat redundant cursed material. However, these augments granted him extremely high resistance to fire and the ability to manipulate flames. With some fine-tuned flamethrower devices added on, he had become a "pseudo-fire magician."

His combination of machinery and augments was a crafty one, also known as "new school" among alchemists.

Though not as flexible as a pure first-generation old-school fire alchemist and not as strong as the body of a typical professional, his lethality was not to be underestimated. The key was that casting spells were more economical for him.

It was like comparing a lighter with a focused lens for starting a fire; different methods, identical outcomes (limited to the domain of lower-tier spells).

As members of the "new school," the Steam faction preferred machinery over alchemy.

To them, alchemical augments were just auxiliary tools. Machinery was their focus. Although this shortcut approach resulted in a lower ceiling for augments, the potential for mechanical modifications was limitless. Moreover, augments with low cursed properties were less potent but also less likely to cause mutations, making them more suitable for a wider range of people with less talent.

However, just Kuntu alone did not pose much of an advantage against Kai.

If it came down to one-on-one, the highly agile assassin Kai would likely have a higher chance of killing the pseudo-magician Kuntu.

Clearly, the enemies had also considered this.

In their ranks appeared another individual who had unsealed his augments.

He was a man wearing a black coat, topped with an octopus-like metal mask and his hands and exposed skin on his neck glinted with a dark metallic cold light.

As soon as Su Lun saw this man, information clicked in his mind, "The captain from the West City's 13th Block, 'Iron Gorilla' Sis!"

Knowing that a conflict between the Cross Society and the Steam faction could erupt at any time, he had done his homework during this period, gaining some understanding of the abilities of some renowned professionals from rival gangs.

The 'Iron Gorilla' Sis had awakened a beastial talent, "Talent C-071-Ape," which allowed him to transform into a giant ape much like a werewolf, greatly enhancing his strength, speed, and toughness.

It was quite an exceptional close-quarters combat talent.

Moreover, the guy had got himself an offbeat alchemical augment called "Salamander Ironskin," combined with an exceedingly tough "metallic bionic skin" developed by the Steam faction, so when he unsealed the augment, he gained the extraordinary defense capable of withstanding the shots from a fire gun.

That's why Sis had earned the title, 'Iron Gorilla.'

"This is a bit tricky..."

Seeing the situation, Su Lun knew it was probably specifically aimed at Kai.

One could strike, another could resist.

Kai's "Blades" were sharp, almost always severing a person with a single cut.

But obviously, the 'Iron Gorilla' was a counter to such assassins.

At least Kai's blades were unlikely to kill him in the short term.

.....

"'Red Hair' Kuntu is not much of a threat. Although he has powerful fire control abilities, his attack range is limited..."

To Su Lun, who had assumed his position recently, Kuntu did not seem much of a threat.

His method of attack was single-faceted, and the direction from which his mechanical flame throwers fired was highly predictable.

Furthermore, now that his gunplay skills had advanced to "High Master," Su Lun was confident he could "kite" that guy into a bloody sieve.

But then there was 'Iron Gorilla' Sis.

Su Lun squinted, observing the man in the coat above him, and pondered, "I wonder if the 'Piercing Alchemy Bullet' could penetrate that guy's goggles..."

Without actual combat data, this was hard to judge.

It was rumored that this guy had feats of withstanding alchemical bullets...

His apparent only weakness, the eyes, were also shielded behind rune-etched goggles and seemed not easy to break. And of course, given that it was one of the few weak spots on his body, he would undoubtedly guard it fiercely.

Su Lun felt that choosing these two professionals as the prime targets was not a sound decision.

Because the most troublesome issue right now was not the two professionals, but the number of enemies!

The enemy numbered nearly fifty, with dozens of guns and rockets trained on the Green Street group.

Under concentrated fire, casualties were inevitable.

Su Lun wasn't sure he could avoid the fusillade in the first place.

However, there was one piece of relatively good news for him...and that was that the majority of the barrels were pointed at Kai.

After all, to those people, only the professional fighter Kai was seen as the biggest threat.

Thinking of this, Su Lun's gaze began to wander...

....

Armed fights are the daily routine of gangs.

The veterans were psychologically prepared, knowing they could die in a clash with a rival gang at any moment. But the newcomers looked somewhat clueless.

Perhaps it was because of these newcomers, shivering in the face of death, that the Steam Party guys didn't move on them right away.

It was like a Hunter seeing the prey fall into a deep trap, they wouldn't kill it right off but rather savor their handiwork.

"Red Hair" Kuntu smiled from his superior position, "Captain Kai, yo, you don't look so good, do you?"

"Heh heh... Is this all the Steam Party has got? Last time at the Elephant Tavern you tucked tail and ran, and now you want to play dirty?"

Kai mocked mercilessly.

Then he whispered to his gang members beside him, "Their attention is mostly on me. I'll draw their fire later; you find your opportunities to strike. Prepare for a death battle, gentlemen..."

Surrender was out of the question, gang fights only end when one side wipes out the other.

Everyone understood this.

With a gun pointed at him, Su Lun's adrenaline surged dramatically.

He had been mentally prepared for emergencies, so his face showed no surprise.

However, upon careful observation, he noticed something odd.

With his exceptional vision, Su Lun clearly saw that among the group of shooters upstairs, there were two guys with scopes fixed firmly on him.

The moment their eyes met, he confirmed he indeed had "special treatment."

Su Lun thought it was odd, "Huh... why are those two guys aiming at me instead of the veterans or Kai?"

While the other shooters were aiming loosely at the crowd, those two shooters' gaze was precisely locked on him.

Having this thought, Su Lun quickly realized: Could it be that he'd gotten too close to Big Shot Qian, and now he was marked?

Pondering, he couldn't help but purse his lips. It seemed he should avoid getting involved with big shots in the future, or he might become a special target for enemies.

....

Since he had observed he was being targeted, Su Lun didn't act rashly, instead, his shotgun gradually relaxed.

To the enemy, this seemed like a non-threatening gesture that could lower their guard.

But what others didn't know was that Su Lun was rapidly analyzing the situation in his mind, "The exits of the tenement must have been blocked. Only by fleeing to that 'dungeon' after the first round of concentrated fire can we possibly take advantage of cover and the darkness to take out the enemy..."

The position of the Green Street crew was very awkward; this bottom floor had almost no cover except for a few load-bearing columns.

With the enemy in a higher position, if it came to a straightforward shootout, Green Street's side would be wiped out instantly.

Therefore, Su Lun decided to strike first.

The sensation of his adrenaline spiking made his body excited too.

A fierce light appeared in his eyes, "Time to kill again, huh..."

....

Su Lun was well aware that he had some issues with emotional control.

This was something the psychiatrist at the juvenile detention center diagnosed after he killed those gangsters at the age of twelve, calling it a "dangerous personality."

But he didn't think it was another self; more accurately, "he" was a part of his own emotions.

Later, the education and therapy there also taught Su Lun to manage that part of his "emotions" precisely.

It allowed him to compartmentalize some negative emotions in his everyday life, such as rage, fear, the urge to kill, lust... or even pain.

Earlier, Su Lun thought it was a "disease."

Latter, he discovered it was also a form of self-preservation.

In dangerous situations, the explosion of certain specific emotions could unleash hidden potentials.

Like those news stories from his previous life when ordinary people in crisis could lift cars weighing tons with their bare hands.

Like when he was twelve and could kill those strong gangsters in that state.

It was a potential known as "hysterical strength."

The scientific explanation is that in extreme circumstances, a hormone rush from the adrenal glands floods the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body. This floods the muscles with oxygen-rich blood and allows for greater strength. But this process is also associated with risks, with a high probability of causing various organ failures and tissue breakdown leading to death.

Su Lun wasn't sure if his condition was like that.

But once "he" was released, his body would become extremely excited, hormone secretion skyrocketing, and his strength and reflexes increased significantly...

Now, with a gun pointed at his head, he felt that sensation again.