Mechanical Alchemist

Su Lun was also somewhat surprised that Kai would bring him along at the most critical moment.

From that distance, Kai's burst of muscle power was enough to allow him to retreat completely and comfortably jump into the underground cave. But with someone in tow, he was badly injured by the aftermath of the explosion.

But clearly, it was the right choice.

Kai was impulsive by nature, and as the team leader, he wouldn't abandon his subordinates to escape alone. Otherwise, he would have done so the instant the enemy appeared, knowing he couldn't defeat them.

The situation now was even worse. If Su Lun were to die as well, Kai wouldn't stand a chance escaping the Steam Faction's siege alone.

Even if they managed to get into the cave, it would only delay the inevitable.

....

The two of them fell into the cave, tumbling to the ground.

Su Lun immediately smelled the scent of charred flesh and burning hair.

His night vision was not weak, and he saw at a glance that Kai's back was badly burned, and there seemed to be bleeding wounds. It looked like this guy had been shot in the fire exchange earlier.

Kai stood up, gasping for breath, his leather armor melted and sticking to his skin, causing him so much pain that he gritted his teeth.

But he didn't make a sound and took out a potion, injecting it into his leg to temporarily slow the worsening of his injuries, while asking, "Su Lun, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

Su Lun himself was not badly hurt because Kai had been in front of him. The explosion had only singed one of his thighs, and the iron shrapnel hadn't penetrated deeply.

Such injuries wouldn't impact his mobility.

Kai glanced at the "Tri-headed Ghost" in Su Lun's hand, his expression slightly surprised as if he recognized the famous gun, but he didn't say anything more.

Those who join gangs often have their own secrets.

He looked around the pitch-black environment, and said with a serious tone, "We can't stay here long. The Steam Faction knows I'm injured; they'll definitely pursue us."

"Yeah."

Su Lun nodded too. If he were part of the Steam Faction, he would definitely come down to finish the job.

If Kai didn't die, this operation would be meaningless.

The two of them didn't talk much, observing their surroundings as they moved.

Su Lun thought that this must be a metro station from a thousand years ago, with platforms, staircases, waiting areas, and even traces left by the decayed tracks.

Kai's night-vision goggles didn't allow him to see very clearly, but having come from the slums, he was well aware of how to determine the direction for escape underground. He listened for the sound of water and whispered, "There's water to the west; the passage there might not be blocked. In a moment, I'll cover for you, and you should escape first. They're after me. We'll try to hold on for a while.

There's a lot of noise here; the gang will have received the news and will definitely send support. Perhaps we can still survive..."

Upon hearing this suggestion, Su Lun's eyebrows raised slightly.

Kai's plan wasn't wrong.

Two people together would indeed slow each other down.

Kai's burst speed was strong; he would actually have a better chance of surviving on his own. Moreover, if they split up, the enemies would surely focus on chasing him, increasing Su Lun's chances of survival.

But Su Lun looked at the dark shadows moving stealthily in the deep darkness, his expression growing very solemn.

In this cave, there were not only them but also some "natives."

Considering the "Mutated Freak" they had killed earlier, there were likely even more unknown monsters in the depths of the earth.

To venture deeper was not necessarily a better prospect for survival than facing the Steam Faction.

With this in mind, Su Lun shook his head and said, "I think it's best if we don't go too deep."

Kai seemed to have also thought of the presence of monsters and frowned, "But right now, it seems like we don't have a better option..."

"No, I think we can ambush them here."

Su Lun looked at the spatial layout of the ancient metro station. The platform, passages, tracks... all were relatively intact.

The ancient structures had withstood most of the bullets in the previous battle, giving Su Lun some confidence.

This was the best cover.

For a marksman, this complex environment was also the most advantageous battlefield.

"Are you planning to ambush them here?"

Kai was clearly taken aback by Su Lun's crazy suggestion.

The enemy outnumbered them ten to one, yet to suggest such a thing at this moment, one had to be either a madman or possess extraordinary abilities.

At least for a close-combat professional like him, there was absolutely no chance of winning!

Yet, Su Lun's suggestion seemed to be to Kai's liking, as turning the tables was far more satisfying than being chased around in embarrassment.

His eyes brightened as he asked again, "Are you confident?"

He hadn't realized that the usually taciturn gang member could be so wild.

Thinking back to the scene where he had taken down more than a dozen members of the Steam Party in one go, Kai increasingly felt that this newcomer to the gang was no mere rookie.

"This environment is very suitable for sniping, aside from those two professionals, the rest... are not to be feared."

Su Lun spoke these words with a very calm tone.

But Kai heard the self-assured ease in them and realized that this was an "expert marksman" whose shots never missed the mark!

Su Lun analyzed further, "But as soon as I shoot, my position will be revealed. That 'Iron Gorilla' will definitely try to kill me first, and at that time, I will need you, Captain, to buy me some time. I still have two alchemy bullets in hand. If we're lucky, we might be able to take him down... and then, we can turn the tide!"

"Turn the tide?"

Not just sniping, but also turning the tide of the battle?

Kai's expression lit up instantly upon hearing this.

After a brief thought, he quickly grasped the key to this tactic.

To turn the tide, the two of them couldn't split up, otherwise, they would be defeated one by one.

But professionals aren't that easy to kill, even if you have a gun. Advanced professionals have extremely high nervous reactions and alertness, and it's difficult for even an expert marksman to kill them, not to mention the enemy ranks included the impervious 'Iron Gorilla' Cis.

However, looking at Su Lun's expressionless face, Kai understood that this composure must be matched with a corresponding level of confidence: this fellow must have a hidden trump card!

"Okay!"

Kai chose to trust Su Lun and nodded without any hesitation, adding, "Cis may counter my profession somewhat, but it would not be possible for him to defeat me quickly."

Su Lun: "Mm. Please make sure to hold him off for at least ten breaths."

Kai: "Only ten breaths? That's definitely no problem."

Su Lun Jue's communication with an intelligent person was indeed time-saving. He continued, "It's not just the Steam Party, but also monsters. I heard some unusual noises by the water source just now; it might be a monster's den..."

As he spoke, he pointed towards the darkness.

This was also the most important reason why Su Lun chose to take the risk of staying here for an ambush rather than escaping.

He explained, "Most of the mutated monsters here have 'auditory perception,' and once we fire, it might attract them. However, monsters are not only our enemies, the Steam Party guys will also have to face them. We can use the monsters to hold them off, but our risk is equally great..."

Upon hearing this, Kai seemed to have realized something; he slapped his thigh in enlightenment, "Right, how could I forget about the mutated monsters!"

Now the enemy had the advantage in numbers, but once those mutated monsters in the darkness joined in, it would turn into a three-way melee.

The numerical advantage of the Steam Party would crumble in an instant, and instead, the duo of Su Lun and Kai, with their smaller target profile, would be more agile and adaptable to the situation.

....

Time was of the essence, and reality did not allow the two to discuss the details at length.

Su Lun quickly set up a "makeshift explosive" with puppet-controlling steel wire on the ground they had passed.

Then the two chose a passage entrance that allowed for both advance and retreat, and quietly waited for the enemy.

As expected, seconds later, a group of people rushed into the cave.

The gas lamps illuminated several figures, but Su Lun did not rush to act; his eyes were fixed on the professionals, Kundu and Cis, who conveniently stayed hidden in the shadows beyond the lamp's light.

Those fellows were also clever, knowing full well Su Lun's remarkable marksmanship, they evidently also anticipated an ambush and let the ordinary gang members walk ahead.

As soon as Su Lun fired and revealed his position, the initiative would instantly change hands.

Kundu was also an old hand who had been through many battles. He noted some strange tracks on the ground, probably left by monsters, and guessed that there could be danger here. He warned, "Everyone, be careful. I have a bad feeling about this cave."