Chapter 26: IMUC-CHAPTER 26 EXPOSED
Beneath the vast expanse of the night sky, fierce winds howled, accompanied by the symphony of thunder and lightning. Bullets zipped through the air, filling the atmosphere with danger and anticipation.
Kyle's gaze remained fixated downward as he hurtled through the air, his cloak billowing in the tumultuous wind.
This time, he had chosen to accompany Steve on a mission to rescue their fellow troops, and he did it because he wanted to test the full extent of his abilities in actual combat.
Additionally, the prospect of accumulating achievements and claiming spoils enticed him. It was an opportunity too enticing to pass up.
Not far below, Steve deployed his parachute, and Kyle diligently calculated the precise moment to activate his own parachute device. The two of them descended gracefully toward the wilderness.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Just as they neared a height of twenty meters, the enemy soldiers stationed below became aware of their presence and unleashed a barrage of gunfire upon the sky.
"I'll draw their fire!" Steve shouted, concerned for Kyle's safety. Immediately, he adjusted his parachute to descend rapidly, intentionally becoming a target to divert the enemy's attention to himself.
'I don't need you to shield me from bullets.' Kyle shook his head as he thought with a smile playing on his lips. With his left hand, he unsheathed the Nepalese military knife secured at his waist and with a swift, calculated motion, he severed the parachute ropes tethering him!
Still several meters above the wilderness, and devoid of the parachute's buoyancy, Kyle descended swiftly once again.
Witnessing this extraordinary spectacle, not only Steve but also several German soldiers below stood dumbfounded.
"Is that fellow attempting suicide?"
Before the thought could fully register in the minds of the German soldiers, Kyle descended from a dozen meters above and executed a seamless roll upon the muddy ground before he effortlessly rose to his feet.
"My legs feel a tad numb, but now I can accomplish feats beyond the reach of ordinary individuals," Kyle remarked in a low voice that no one other than him could hear before his cold demeanor got tempered by a hint of a smile.
Without undergoing any formal testing or experiments, he simply possessed an intuitive understanding of his newfound capabilities. Thus, he embraced the risk and embarked on this daring endeavor.
With his physical abilities surpassing the limits of human potential, it was akin to a treasure trove discovering its key. Hundreds of combat skill cards intersected with his capabilities, akin to a sports car unleashed on an open highway, resulting in unfathomable transformations.
"What are you waiting for? Shoot that man!" The German soldiers remained transfixed, their gaze fixed upon Kyle. Only after their leader's urgent reminder did they hastily raise their firearms and take aim.
Yet, Kyle's reflexes were unparalleled. Instead of retreating, he propelled himself forward while brandishing the military knife in his left hand as he charged swiftly toward the German soldiers and their awaiting muzzles.
"Step!" Kyle abruptly sidestepped to the left, evading the incoming barrage of bullets. They harmlessly grazed his right shoulder, embedding themselves into the ground.
In a moment of panic, the German soldiers redirected their aim to the left, but Kyle deftly maneuvered to the right.
His movement to dodge the bullets served as a means to avoid the deadly spray of bullets. However, it was the remarkable speed at which he moved that proved truly astonishing.
The average sprinter in a hundred-meter race typically completes the distance in approximately ten seconds. However, Kyle traversed the same span in a mere three or four seconds!
Considering the close proximity between him and the enemy— merely twenty to thirty meters— the distance seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye.
"Pū!" Before the second wave of bullets could be unleashed, Kyle closed the gap between him and the enemy soldiers, and he swiftly raised the knife in his left hand. With a resounding sonic boom, the gleaming blade sliced through the air.
The leader's eyes widened with horror as the barrel of his rifle shattered, tumbling to the ground. Within moments, a clean bloodstain adorned his neck, severing his head from his body.
"Monster!" A soldier, positioned behind the fallen leader, cried out in fear and retreated. Yet, before he could go far, Kyle took a decisive step forward. Extending his right hand, he seized the soldier by the neck from behind, effortlessly lifting his entire body with a single hand.
"Let him go!" Another soldier pleaded frantically with his gun trained on the nearby Kyle. However, before he could pull the trigger, a figure suddenly descended from above, landing forcefully upon him.
"You took your time," Kyle chuckled lightly when he saw this scene. With the soldier still grasped firmly in his hand, he executed a complete 360-degree rotation, driving the soldier's face forcefully into the soil.
"Kyle, what's the deal with your speed and strength?" Steve asked while he stepped on a struggling German soldier with an astonished look on his face.
Kyle remained calm. He never intended to hide his Super Soldier abilities from Steve, as he knew that sooner or later, he would have to explain it to the military if he wanted to utilize his powers to their full extent.
"I didn't tell you because I've only recently gained control over this power," Kyle sighed and explained to Steve seriously, "Do you remember the counterattack battle ten days ago? In the warehouse of the enemy's large base, I found a vial of serum on the commander. I planned to bring it back to the base for scientific research, but unfortunately, the vial broke and the liquid entered my wound while I was escaping."
Steve had no doubts about Kyle's words and asked eagerly, "Was the liquid in the vial light blue?"
Kyle nodded, confirming, "Yes, that's right. The serum fused with my blood, and I passed out in excruciating pain. When I woke up in the hospital, my body had undergone an unprecedented mutation, surpassing ordinary humans in both strength and speed."
"Kyle, congratulations. It seems you obtained the Super Soldier Serum and successfully integrated it into your body," Steve said happily.
"The Super Soldier Serum?" Kyle asked back with a confused look on his face.
"Yes. Doctor Erikson was originally associated with the German Scientific Department, but he later escaped from the research facility. I heard that some high-ranking German soldier also used the Super Soldier Serum, but it seems that there was a remaining supply, luckily, it was obtained by you," Steve marveled.
He genuinely felt happy for Kyle, as he was the one who gave up the opportunity for the Super Soldier Program and recommended Steve for it. Steve had been carrying a sense of guilt all along from that time.
Kyle knew that the story he made up was a bit rough, but based on Steve's unwavering trust in him, it was an easily believable lie.
Once he gets Steve to believe him, he would relay the information to the military, and the matter of Kyle possessing Super Soldier abilities would be settled.
"I was worried about you before, but now that you're also a Super Soldier and have more combat experience than me, the chances of us successfully infiltrating the enemy's factory and rescuing the soldiers have greatly increased!" Steve exclaimed excitedly.
"In that case, I'll take command of the infiltration mission," Kyle nodded confidently and looked meaningfully at Steve. "But first, let me give you a brief lesson on the battlefield."
Before he finished speaking, Kyle lifted his left foot and stepped forward, completely submerging the struggling soldier's head into the muddy ground.
The soldier's limbs flailed even more frantically, soil splattering around, but under the overwhelming force, he quickly suffocated in the earth.
"On the battlefield, never show any mercy towards the enemy. Aim for a single lethal strike. Killing may not always be just or even right, but eliminating the enemy is the military's code and justice," Kyle said coldly, his chilling aura causing the environment around him to drop to freezing point.
"I understand," Steve hesitated a little but still nodded.
No matter how strong his physique was, he was still a rookie who had never set foot on the battlefield. He needed proper guidance… no, he needed to be taught.
"Then follow me, we are moving to the front entrance of the factory! We will avoid patrolling enemy soldiers whenever possible, but if avoidance is impossible, then don't give them a chance to communicate. Engage them directly and kill them before they could call for backup!"
After Kyle finished speaking, he set off toward the factory direction that he had observed from the plane earlier, with Steve following closely behind.
Once again, the two of them swiftly disappeared into the night rain.
...