Endless Debt Chapter 1138 - 1: A Dazzling Debut

Twisted shapes flickered in and out of existence amidst chaotic flames in the oppressive darkness, resembling phantoms from a terrible nightmare.

Qico stood frozen in the blood-soaked chamber, her sense of self lost, until a warm trickle of blood grazed her cheek, drawing her attention to the lifeless body at her feet.

A pale, emotionless face stared blankly ahead; Qico recognized him. Mere moments ago, they had been sharing laughter and conversation. They were classmates and companions, but now he lay deceased before her.

Qico was certain her own end was imminent.

The horrifying devastation and imminent threat of death loomed large. Qico attempted to access the combat techniques she had learned, but overwhelming terror rendered her mind a complete void.

Agonizing screams reverberated throughout the battlefield, painting a scene far more gruesome than anything she could have conceived. The young Qico was utterly paralyzed, unable to move a single inch.

Her thoughts turned to her family and her own survival, yet she found herself incapable of controlling her emotions or actions. Qico witnessed figures drenched in blood, scenes of carnage, and bodies mangled by projectiles, causing her heart to race uncontrollably.

An immense silence pressed against her eardrums until a powerful grip seized her arm, yanking her into a nearby corridor, where she subsequently collapsed onto the ground with a heavy thud. Instantly, the silence was shattered, and a cacophony of sound, like that of mountains and seas colliding, assaulted her ears.

"Qico!" a voice boomed, "Stay sharp!"

Qico’s unfocused eyes gradually regained clarity as she recognized the gore-splattered countenance before her. She gasped, "Cap... Captain Kemp."

Her awareness of the external world rushed back in an instant; an overwhelming sense of dread and isolation gnawed at her core.

Suddenly, utter pandemonium erupted before Qico's eyes. Bodies tore into each other, flesh flew through the air, and the unmistakable stench of death hung heavy, making it difficult for her to draw breath.

Within this nightmarish reality, Qico was confronted with spectacles of brutal violence too horrific to behold, with corpses strewn everywhere and mangled remains decaying on the ground. The putrid odor was so overpowering that it choked her. Some combatants, still clinging to life, emitted agonizing shrieks, unbelievably calling out Qico’s name.

Qico felt an urge to rush forward and offer aid, but her legs felt like lead, trembling uncontrollably as if her very life force had been extinguished in that moment. Her vision swam, the entire world seeming to buckle and sway, dragging her into a vortex of demise that threatened to suffocate her.

Amidst the violent tremors, malevolent specters and the abyss of her soul began to engulf her.

The urgent call sounded once more.

"Stay alert! Qico!"

Her pupils ceased their frantic darting, refocusing as Qico fought her way back from the brink of oblivion.

"Sorry, sorry," Qico stammered, offering repeated apologies.

Qico, a recent recruit to the Sixth Group, had an exemplary academic record, which led her to believe she would excel in this role with ease. Despite the presence of veteran members, she often conducted herself with an air of undeniable arrogance.

Until the brutal realities of bloodshed and death completely obliterated her misplaced confidence.

"It's alright," Kemp reassured Qico, returning fire into the surrounding darkness from behind a shattered wall. "When I was first starting out, I was in a similar state to you."

Kemp expended his ammunition, retreated behind the wall, and slowly sank down, clutching his abdomen in pain. The relentless, high-intensity combat had nearly depleted his Qi reserves, and a stray bullet had found its mark in his abdomen during a moment of distraction, staining his uniform crimson.

"Damn it all, ever since that incident, the world has only become more and more unstable," Kemp muttered under his breath.

Qico understood precisely what Kemp was referring to: the Decline Epidemic that had ravaged Oubos six months prior. As a novice, Qico lacked a deep understanding of the intricate details, but she was aware that following that catastrophic event, the King's Secret Sword and the Order Bureau had adopted a stance of complete non-interference, as if the other entity ceased to exist.

Concurrently, an escalating number of supernatural conflicts had erupted within the Rhine Alliance, keeping the special operations teams perpetually engaged.

"We need to get out of this place!"

Qico, summoning her resolve, helped Kemp to his feet. Kemp didn't protest, but a shadow of grim finality crossed his eyes. He harbored no hope of escaping this situation.

The enemy's numbers and strength far surpassed the initial intelligence reports. His unit had sustained a devastating blow during the initial engagement, with numerous members lost and others scattered to the wind.

Kemp had attempted to request backup through the Heart Core Net, but the connection was quickly severed by severe ether interference, leaving only a wall of static within the communication system.

"Hold on, Qico," Kemp stated, leaning against the wall, his resolve to move further faltering.

"What is it?" Qico asked, her gaze fixed on him, her tension palpable.

"To be completely honest, this isn’t my first time staring death in the face. It’s become almost routine. But you're different; your experience is limited, so you can’t possibly handle this. I get it, so don’t be too hard on yourself."

Tears welled in Qico’s eyes. Just as she intended to speak further, Kemp moved abruptly, turning and unleashing a barrage of attacks, expending his remaining ether. An ethereal barrier materialized around him.

Flickering flames illuminated a ghastly, blood-drenched ghostly apparition. Though bullets struck its form with precision, they failed to impede its advance. In the blink of an eye, it was upon Kemp, its sword agleam as the ethereal barrier was obliterated.

A gruesome gash opened across Kemp’s chest, forcing him backward several meters, where he tumbled into a heap of corpses.

Driven by battle instinct, Kemp scrambled swiftly to his feet, but the viscous blood caused his shoes to slip, and he fell once more, his vision filled with pallid, decaying visages as layers upon layers of corpses surrounded him.

Following the decline epidemic and an increasing number of extraordinary conflict events, the Field Operations Department underwent a significant reorganization. The former action groups were expanded, and their members were assigned to distinct teams. Owing to his commendable performance record, Kemp was appointed leader of one of the squads within the Sixth Group.

A week prior, Kemp received orders to journey to this very town, tasked with investigating a recent series of disappearances. As his investigation delved deeper, he uncovered the enemy’s stronghold, only to realize the enemy's scope and the very nature of their being far surpassed Kemp’s wildest estimations.

"How could the Night Race possibly be here?"

Kemp strained to lift his head. Within the dim, shadowy corridor, the crimson-hued figure possessed a ghastly pale countenance, its pupils burning a blood-red, akin to clotted gore.

Amidst Qico’s anguished cries, the longsword plunged into her shoulder. The assailant yanked the blade free and deliberately licked the cold steel, relishing the metallic tang of blood.

Lurking behind this figure, distorted specters, one after another, slithered forward like predatory beasts; they bore human forms, yet Kemp recognized with chilling certainty that their humanity had been extinguished.

These were the Bloodthirsty, the most abhorrent entities among the Night Race, entirely devoid of self-awareness and driven solely by primal instinct.

Kemp coughed, a wave of intense pain threatening to shatter his resolve.

The assailant seized Qico by the throat, dragging her with long, powerful strides toward Kemp before tossing her unceremoniously beside him.

A faint, weak light emanated, illuminating a small portion of the oppressive darkness. It was then that Kemp observed the sheer abundance of bones scattered throughout the area, far exceeding his prior assessment. Alongside a vast quantity of desiccated corpses, numerous fresh bodies lay strewn about, and a few individuals still clung precariously to life.

The chilling sound of bloodthirsty inhalations echoed from every direction. An increasing number of Bloodthirsty creatures were converging upon them. Only then did the horrifying realization dawn on Kemp: this was not merely a collection of corpses, but the monstrous feeding ground of these abominations, and he and Qico were destined to become their next bloody feast.

"I never envisioned my end would come in a place like this," Kemp murmured softly. Having survived countless harrowing battles, to meet his demise here felt profoundly, intensely frustrating.

At this moment, Qico was completely overwhelmed. For a novice on her first operation, the sheer intensity of the situation was undeniably too much.

Just as Kemp prepared to launch a final, desperate offensive, a faint sound reached his ears. Kemp paused, straining to listen, confirming to himself that the noise was not a mere figment of his imagination.

A sudden sense of relief washed over Kemp, and he slumped back amidst the pile of corpses. Witnessing her captain’s apparent resignation, Qico sank deeper into despair, believing he had given up.

"Are you surrendering too, Captain?"

"No," Kemp stated, shaking his head. "Reinforcements are on their way."

"Reinforcements?"

Qico strained to listen through the Heart Core Net, but no response came to their desperate calls.

Could it be... could it be that Kemp, in his despair, had succumbed to madness? Was he beginning to grasp at nonexistent hopes?

Just as these wild thoughts threatened to engulf Qico’s mind, Kemp spoke.

"Listen closely, Qico. Not to the Heart Core Net, but to the sounds from the outside world."

Kemp visibly relaxed, closing his eyes, and instructed Qico, "Listen carefully. Can you hear anything?"

In that dire moment, how could Qico possibly find the composure to listen? The sounds of ravenous breaths grew nearer, the terrifying Bloodthirsty entities encircled them, and Qico desperately attempted to summon her Ether for one final counterstrike.

Suddenly, Qico heard it – a chaotic, piercing cacophony erupting from the darkness.

The sound intensified, growing loud enough to capture the attention of even the primary assailant.

Something was approaching.

Instantly, a deafening engine roar filled the air, striking the ears like a sharp, painful dagger thrust. The sheer volume and oppressive nature of the sound seemed to throw the very atmosphere into disarray.

The assailant sensed a disturbance and attempted to disengage, but at that precise moment, the adjacent wall exploded inward. A colossal arm punched through the debris and seized the assailant by the head.

The arm, pulsating with an overwhelming, unstoppable force, slammed the assailant against the opposite wall, embedding half of its body partially into the solid structure.

The sound of the engine grew discernibly louder.