Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 2001: Ask you a few questions

"What a shame about Ah Bing. His battle power wasn't impressive, yet his control skills proved incredibly useful. Coordinating future missions will get tricky without him."

That voice belonged to the waiter who had ambushed Jie Su and Ye Zhongming earlier in the restaurant.

Inside a room, he changed into fresh attire. Their ambush struck swiftly, herding the targets into an alley even before finishing the job, and their battlefield exposure remained brief. Still, caution remained essential. Starshine City maintained exemplary public order as a warning to others. Getting hunted by the local guards would trap them here for good.

Once dressed in their old guises, immediate departure was crucial.

Picture the chaos that would explode across cosmic races once Starshine City's assault leaked out, particularly with casualties like this year's top Novice and a prized Su Clan heir among the fallen.

The whole city might seal shut. Lingering now meant no escape; their covers wouldn't hold under deep inspection.

"Truth is, our quartet could've taken down the targets right in the restaurant, but orders forced us to lure them to the rear alley, costing us a comrade. Being low-rank truly sucks."

The flame-wreathed fighter from before muttered bitterly, stowing gear and erasing every sign.

Within the group, these four didn't rank as top-tier. Yet dual ice-fire prowess, the waiter's assassination and trap mastery, alongside Four Blades' brutal charges, let them utterly dominate this mission's marks.

Their monikers reflected their specialties—a standard in the outfit, unless rising to elite status.

"Sure, those two targets lack raw power, but their fame towers high. One's a Su Clan scion wielding much of the elite Silk Sea Light Formation's might, an ascending prodigy drawing notice. The other clinched this year's Novice arena crown with unprecedented scores, eyes glued on him everywhere."

Packing done, the waiter eyed his teammates and pressed on: "Prey with such prestige, weak or not, yields massive perks when slain firsthand— a standout feat for our logs later. Think top brass would hand that glory to us?"

As squad head, the waiter grasped the bigger picture sharpest.

"So why hold back and make us strike first?"

The four-armed behemoth grumbled. His massive bulk squeezed uncomfortably in the space, voice rumbling low.

"Eight guards shadowed the targets still. You witnessed their savage defense. Launching in the restaurant risked total mess—if they slipped away, extraction turns impossible."

"Plus!" Glancing at the clock, sensing margin left, the waiter elaborated: "Their styles don't fit messy brawls well. Armored Thorn Race stealth or Qiemen's crowd control shine on solos but falter versus mobs."

The pair nodded at the waiter's words. In the org, their skills carried unique edge.

"Back home, scour the reserve camp harder. Spot anyone filling Ah Bing's gap? Pull them aboard."

The waiter stressed; replacing him topped the list.

"Fine, Four Blades, stick to routine. Ah Huo and me on passenger liner; cargo hauler for you."

Prep wrapped, site scrubbed clean, the waiter led the duo out. Door swung open—shock froze all three at the black-robed figure looming outside.

Extreme vigilance had ruled them: en route, in-room, senses maxed, scanning nonstop.

Battle-hardened, they'd sensed zero threats.

No clue how this intruder materialized, arrival time unknown, or conversation bits overheard.

Yet these elite killer pros snapped into assault the instant horror hit.

Origin irrelevant: enemy, plain and simple.

"I want to ask you a few questions." The man abruptly declared, spreading his hands wide to each side, as an invisible energy barrier sprang up before him, stopping the trio's strikes dead.

Shock intensified among the three killers. Their assaults had been rushed, far below maximum power, yet no ordinary human could possibly withstand them. But this fellow deflected them with total ease?

"What questions do you want to ask?"

Realizing the foe's immense strength, the server quickly switched tactics. He covertly signaled his two allies with a gesture only they recognized, retreated two steps, and posed the question.

With this guy sealing the doorway and escape impossible, they figured it best to hear his demands first.

"Who are you? Which organization do you belong to? Who is the leader of your organization? Who is behind it? How many people came here this time? Who are they? Where are they? And your organization's situation and all the member lists you know."

This rapid-fire barrage of queries twisted the expressions of the server and his two comrades.

Such matters lay beyond their ability to disclose. Their intel was shallow to begin with, and even full awareness wouldn't permit spilling it—doing so guaranteed a gruesome, unmarked end.

"I think we cannot answer your questions."

In the midst of his words, the server abruptly shifted aside. Four Blades, who'd been channeling strength covertly from behind, unleashed his strike!

Unlike the prior casual single-blade swing, this assault unleashed all four blades. Though shy of the devastating force from the eatery entrance, it remained utterly fearsome—especially confined here. The surging energy from the blades rendered dodging all but impossible.

"You could have answered my questions properly and then died properly. Why struggle?" the man remarked, his hand motions a blur; four faint clangs echoed, utterly dismantling Four Blades' onslaught.

Next, a ghostly palm silhouette materialized over Four Blades' chest, searing itself into place.

The noise stayed subdued, merely a soft pfft. Four Blades staggered, his enormous head drooping as he gawked in disbelief at the palm imprint scorching his chest armor. Abruptly, his frame flushed scarlet, and mere seconds later—boom—his body detonated entirely.

The spectacle left the remaining duo quaking in terror. An instant kill... right? What godlike dominance enabled such a feat?

The server sucked in a sharp breath, blurting instinctively: "Librarian?!"

For the first time, the man lifted his gaze and murmured softly: "You shouldn't have said that."