Chapter 925 - 741: Our Squad Is Like Family, So We Must..._2

Chapter 925: Chapter 741: Our Squad Is Like Family, So We Must..._2

This isn’t self-harm, at least not entirely.

He was smashing the miniature earpiece that had slipped from his ear during a fall, shattering it against his cheek with his skull.

Metal and plastic shards pierced his flesh, bringing new pain, but he was indifferent.

After completing this action, he turned his head back, his forehead a bloody mess, and pleaded earnestly to Feng Mu:

"Rest assured... I, I’m not trying to extract your intelligence and pass it on to others before I die... I just, just want to die knowing..."

Feng Mu looked at the other’s forehead wound and the scattered earpiece fragments, a look of sudden understanding crossing his face.

By habit, he usually wouldn’t bother answering such "insignificant" questions.

But given the other’s sincerity, he couldn’t bear to deny a dying person’s final wish.

He really was a soft-hearted person.

He spoke warmly:

"I’ve been following you from behind, running with you for quite a long stretch."

He gestured with his hand, indicating that the distance was indeed not short,

"And the reason you couldn’t see me is because I used a little ability."

Feng Mu chose his words carefully, seemingly finding it too complicated to explain the specifics to a dying person, so he summarized:

"I can’t explain the specific details of the ability to you, but I can tell you its name— Void Stealth!"

(Phantom March: Void Stealth: Gain "Void Stealth" status while moving on any terrain [considered flat ground, increases movement speed by 40%, complete invisibility, undetectable by skills below Class A].

Become visible after attack and inflict 2.5x critical hit damage.)

"Void Stealth..."

Fortress repeated the name, a hint of realization flickering in his murky eyes.

He pondered over the term, repeating it again, as if trying to engrave the name deep in his soul for the afterlife.

Then he asked the most unsatisfactory question:

"I see... Since you caught up with me, why didn’t you show yourself?

Running with me all the way... Was it to give me hope of escape, only to then destroy it all in... toying with me?"

Fortress had seen many perverse strongmen who took pleasure in torturing their opponents’ minds.

He thought Feng Mu was one of them.

However, Feng Mu shook his head, showing a hint of misunderstood helplessness.

How could he be a person of such vile character?

I am a rare kind person, certified by your teammates just now.

He seriously thought in his heart, his face solemnly answering:

"No, initially, I just saw you running so earnestly without turning back, no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t find the right moment to interrupt, so I simply ran along with you a little longer.

Of course, the most important thing was, I thought after you escaped, you’d be able to lead me to your captain. But who would’ve thought, that your captain is so heartless, never responding to your calls."

The words stabbed into the most painful place in Fortress’ heart like the most venomous dagger.

He listened, his expression twisted, teeth grinding audibly.

Feng Mu appropriately showed three parts sympathy, sighed, and said:

"Ah, I initially planned to wait a little longer.

But seeing you cry so heartbroken, I really couldn’t bear it. I’m kind-hearted, I can’t stand seeing a man shed tears, so I thought of easing your suffering earlier."

Fortress felt deeply, filled with indignation, not directed at Feng Mu, but at his captain who wasn’t acting humanely.

Feng Mu added:

"Anyway, I had no intent of toying with you, if blame is to be placed, it should be on your captain for not showing up, causing both of us to wait in vain."

Feng Mu cleverly positioned himself and Fortress as shared sufferers, under the effect of the Deceiver’s Glasses, Fortress increasingly felt a strange affinity for Feng Mu.

Listening to Feng Mu’s reasonable and even empathetic explanation, his last bit of resistance crumbled, giving rise to a bizarre and twisted thought:

Though Feng Mu wants to kill me, maybe he is essentially... a "rational" and perhaps even "warm" good person?

Not only does he understand my pain, he also eagerly wants to ease it.

Fortress was unaware that this equally absurd thought was once genuinely felt by a teammate who passed before him, a moment before his heart was extracted.

He might even join his teammates later to "communicate" well, verifying their shared shocking discovery.

Fortress suddenly grinned savagely:

"So, my captain isn’t dead, he really escaped, right?"

Fortress stared at Feng Mu intently, as if the answer mattered more than his own life or death.

Feng Mu nodded affirmatively:

"Yes, he’s too cunning and escaped too swiftly, I couldn’t even spot his shadow, but it’s fortunate that I’m only short one, and having you is enough."

Upon hearing Feng Mu’s words, Fortress’ face changed, recognizing the subtext in Feng Mu’s tone; the latter seemed not overly obsessed with capturing Fortress’ captain.

What does ’only short one’ mean?

Clearly, even counting me, our team is still missing one!

Come on, our team is like a family, a family should be together and complete.

Fortress eagerly said:

"No, let me tell you, our team’s hidden safe house and the captain’s possible hiding spot are right..."

To prevent Feng Mu from losing interest, Fortress gave him no chance to refuse, spilling everything he knew like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.

He practically wished to dig out his memory and display it before Feng Mu.

Then he stared with wide bloodshot eyes, filled with near-mad reverence and hope, fixating on Feng Mu.

That look moved Feng Mu tremendously.

The two enemy teams he saw today, whether members of Worries Relief Studio, concerned for teammates’ lives, or the White Mask Squad still caring after death, deeply touched Feng Mu.

However, Feng Mu couldn’t really say which of the two kinds of teams’ loyalties was more moving.

Now it appeared, in all probability, it was the latter kind!

Feng Mu sighed helplessly, warmly promising:

"Well... for your ’sincerity’, I promise you. If there is any chance later, I will definitely bring your ’longing’ to your captain."

Then he leaned down, whispering into Fortress’ ear with a voice tinged with strange magic:

"In return, your heart... mustn’t disappoint me."

With many hearts "collected", Feng Mu gradually discovered some seemingly irregular patterns.

He vaguely felt that the more recognition, the more gratitude the person killed showed him before death, the more likely their heart could "yield" a skill matching his "needs".

After finally extracting three [Exoskeleton Specialization] skills, he was just one short of achieving a certain qualitative transformation.

He didn’t want to obtain a heart tainted by fear and resentment resulting in "low quality".

Fortress couldn’t quite comprehend the bizarre significance of Feng Mu’s words.

He simply stared, watching Feng Mu slowly extract his hand from his chest, displaying a still faintly pulsating, seemingly ordinary heart before him.

Obviously, it was a normal heart just like everyone else’s, he didn’t understand why Feng Mu appeared so covetous.

I don’t understand!

Is there a treasure inside my heart I don’t know about?!!

But regardless, he’s dying, it no longer matters.

No matter what Feng Mu wants, he’s willing to give it unconditionally, only hoping Feng Mu keeps his earlier promise to let the captain ’reunite’.

He tried blinking, willingly answering Feng Mu’s initial question:

"Hmm... you’re right... I should learn from my teammates... This heart of mine... it’s... also yours..."