Chapter 309: Utter Annihilation
The Massacre
A wave of killing intent, terrifyingly potent, permeated the air. Everyone present felt a bone-deep chill, their heavy hearts consumed by the primal fear of facing a superior predator.
At the front of the convoy, the truck carrying heavy weapons had been crushed into scrap metal. A tall, purplish-red humanoid monster stood atop the wreckage.
Its body was sculpted, exuding a vibrant sense of power. Its ugly face held a pair of red, lantern-like eyes that, despite the swirling snow, shone with a bloody red light.
"Ge-General, what should we do?" someone stammered.
Sam Lane pulled back the slide on his weapon and said coldly, "Kill it."
Bang!
The agent closest to the front, unable to withstand the pressure, fired first. Instantly, a volley of gunfire erupted, the dense screen of bullets spraying forward like a sudden downpour.
The next moment, everyone froze.
The bullets struck the monster's body, leaving only shallow dents before ricocheting away in all directions, as if hitting a glass ball resting on high-strength rubber.
Its skin seemed impervious to bullets.
Sam Lane yelled, "Lint!"
The agent named Lint opened the trunk and pulled out an alien energy cannon. A blue light condensed at the muzzle.
Boom!
A blue energy column shot out, striking the monster squarely in the chest. The powerful impact sent the creature flying backward. Lint was also shaken, his shoulder nearly dislocated by the cannon's recoil.
"It worked!" someone exclaimed.
But that hope quickly vanished. Joshua, who now had a charred burn on his chest, rose from the ground. His lips curled slightly into a sneering expression, like a cat toying with its prey.
"You are all going to die horribly!"
Joshua let out a low growl, and his body instantly lunged forward. Several afterimages flashed, followed by sickening, squelching sounds. Pfffft! Pfffft! Pfffft! The sound of blood spraying made everyone's scalp crawl.
Eight brutally mutilated corpses lay on the ground, their blood turning the snow a deep crimson.
The situation descended into pure chaos.
Everyone was paralyzed by the sight. Joshua didn't stop but continued his rampage. Screams rose and fell as armed agents and researchers hidden in the vehicles were all killed instantly.
In less than a dozen seconds, over thirty highly trained agents were annihilated. No one survived.
Not a single person was able to stand against him for more than a moment.
The only ones left alive were Sam Lane and the three security guards desperately shielding him.
The heavy, sickening scent of blood filled the air. Sam Lane's face was ashen, his eyes blazing with despair.
The gap in power was staggering!
Neither the highly trained special forces personnel nor the elite undercover agents had any defense against the monster. They were like ants, trampled underfoot.
"We're all going to die here, including me!"
Sam Lane took a deep breath, pushed the guards aside, and walked toward the monster.
"Before I die, I want to know, what exactly are you? Why did you come to Earth? What is your purpose?"
Joshua, his hands dripping with blood and flesh, stared coldly at him, as if looking at a dead object. Suddenly, a trace of confusion flickered across his face. The red light in his eyes wavered, replaced by a flicker of human hesitation.
"Cannington Street 63!"
"You are that man."
Sam Lane was stunned. Cannington Street 63 was his home address. How did the monster know? Thinking of his wife and daughters at home, his face grew desperate.
"Who are you? Why do you know Cannington Street 63? Who told you?"
The old general's voice was loud and laced with fury. Joshua recoiled slightly, seemingly taken aback by his rage. He remembered the cotton jacket, the boots, and the hot food the old man had given him. A profound sadness swept over him.
Since his parents died, this old man was the only person who had shown him care without asking for anything in return.
"I cannot kill him. Absolutely not!"
Joshua muttered internally. The bloody light in his eyes subsided, revealing amber-colored pupils. Without a word, he rushed to the truck, grabbed the meteorite fragments inside, and fled.
The seemingly unavoidable deadly encounter was over.
Sam Lane stood silently in the heavy snow. The complex look in the monster's eyes as it left—gratitude, regret, and a subtle, unidentifiable apology—told him too much.
"Who exactly was he? A man? Or a monster?"
Sam Lane sank into deep thought. The eyes seemed familiar. Slowly, the image of a man in a tattered delivery uniform, with thin cheeks and blue lips, surfaced from his memory.
"Could it be him..."
"Was it really him? Was he the one possessed by the alien bug?"
One of the remaining guards walked up, speaking with lingering horror.
"General, why did the monster stop? Did it... know you?"
He didn't finish the question. The three were not fools; the monster's demeanor clearly suggested it knew the General, and that their relationship was significant.
Sam Lane spoke hoarsely, "I met him once."
He then looked forward. When he saw the scattered remains on the road, it felt like a punch to the chest.
Dozens of lives—the elite recruited by A.R.G.U.S. from various departments—were dead, killed for nothing.
Damn it!
Sam Lane clenched his fist, his heart boiling with murderous intent. He had never felt so powerless in his life. A.R.G.U.S. was too weak, too fragile to withstand any serious crisis.
"General, are you alright?"
Sam Lane shook his head slightly. "Call the logistics team. Have them get here as fast as possible."
"I will handle the White House."
"Alright."
The guards wanted to say more but ultimately turned away. This disaster had left the three newcomers to A.R.G.U.S. bewildered. The agency was not what they imagined. It was too dangerous for ordinary people.
After briefly informing the Secretary of Defense and the President about the events, a grim-faced Sam Lane dialed Lex Luthor's number.
"Kill that monster. All of your conditions are accepted."
He hung up after saying just that.
On the other side, Lex Luthor, who had returned to Metropolis with the small portion of meteorites, chuckled softly and spoke to Professor Ivo beside him.
"He's agreed. Now the rest is up to us."
Anthony Ivo grimaced. "Time is too short. The inhibitor will last two minutes at most. If you can't kill it in two minutes, we're finished!"
"It will eat you, and then it will eat me! No, I must run! I can't stay here and die with you!"
Lex sneered. Ivo instantly froze, suppressed the urge to flee, and reluctantly sat back down on the sofa.
Just then, an alarm blared from above, followed by screams. The entire floor began to shake violently.
"He's fast!"
Lex rose and walked toward a safe room.
His era was about to begin.
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