"what?"
Alicia was naturally very annoyed to be interrupted while she was speaking, and immediately looked up at the chandelier.
But Hayden noticed something more immediately. He looked closely and indeed found that the surrounding StarNet signals had been jammed, and the backup power supply provided by the upscale community mansion was not responding at all.
So Hayden already knew exactly what was going to happen next.
"Get down!"
It's too late, but it's soon.
An armor-piercing bullet with a fine gold warhead shattered the living room's French windows and flew into the house, its first target being Angela!
017: The Protoss in the New Century
The magic bullet aimed at Angela wasn't the kind that couldn't even pierce her skin that morning, but an armor-piercing bullet with an adamantite tip. If it hit her head, it would at least create a large crater.
Fortunately, Angela immediately realized that this thing was not suitable to be taken head-on, and then nimbly dodged to the side.
But one armor-piercing round is just the beginning.
Hayden's eyes, capable of seeing magic, already witnessed a massive, colorless, chaotic mass of magic following closely behind, surging into the house from the French windows shattered by the armor-piercing bullet, rushing towards them! In its path, all magical structures were disrupted and suppressed. Any mage who wielded magic as a weapon would tremble with fear at the sight!
Once all the protective magic inside the house had been suppressed, the next step was to suppress the person. A beam of light, more dazzling than daylight, shot into the living room, as if a thousand suns had exploded before one's eyes. To an ordinary person, their vision and consciousness would be completely obliterated into a blinding white world.
The process of hackers first breaking into the home network, cutting off power, interfering with communications, cracking security measures, taking control of the situation, and then breaking in is incredibly sophisticated.
So the next instant, four fully armed mercenaries smashed through the remaining glass of the French windows and rushed into the living room. They didn't bring any lethal weapons, nor did they release anything that could take lives, because they weren't there to kill.
However, the scene before the mercenaries upon entering the living room was beyond their expectations.
Angela wasn't blinded by the bright light, and we all know why. She even stood in front of Hayden, shielding him from the chaotic magic that was suppressing other magical effects.
Hayden wasn't blinded either. He had anticipated what would happen next when the lights went out. Since Angela had shielded him from the first wave of magic, as a professional, Hayden wouldn't have had much trouble blocking the bright light himself.
Strangely, Alicia wasn't affected either. She glanced back at the intruders as if they were a swarm of mosquitoes that had flown into her house, and aside from a hint of anger, she seemed unaffected.
What's really strange is that she didn't even have a maid.
"Dalita."
Alicia picked up a glass filled with Château d'Yquem wine and said with a displeased expression.
"Get these things away right now."
The maid obeyed and immediately drew a magnificent short sword from behind her. A crackling magical energy flashed across the blade.
The four mercenaries who stormed into Adam's living room were all highly skilled fighters. As part of their professionalism, they all wore protective masks to conceal their identities.
But as a mercenary who had also been around New Jersey for a long time, Hayden could recognize them at a glance.
The leader was a massive, heavily modified orc. He could cover his face, but not his two pairs of armored mechanical arms. This orc had not only replaced his two original arms with heavy mechanical prosthetics, but had even added a second pair of heavy mechanical prosthetics to his shoulders. He had been working in New Seattle longer than Hayden, and his four steel arms could smash a concrete wall to pieces with a single punch. He had once turned Don Janelli, the long-established mafia boss who had dominated the New Seattle Bay Area for twenty years, into mincemeat.
Therefore, people on the street gave him the nickname "Four-Armed Giant Gorilla".
Next was a female mercenary. Although she also wore a mask, her large shield and scepter betrayed her identity. The adamantite shield, like Angela's outer shell, was plated with an extremely expensive layer of white Orichalcum steel. Online legend has it that this woman once used this forty-kilogram shield to break into a biochemical research institute of the Smoke Mirror Life Construction Company, rescuing a live experimental subject from a security siege, all without sustaining any harm herself or the subject.
Therefore, people on the street respectfully call it the "steel shield".
The other two mercenaries were no ordinary fighters either. One was dressed in a black jumpsuit, completely hidden in the shadows, and the short swords in his hands were also painted black. Hayden figured he was probably the top-notch assassin who had just arrived in New Asia this year and wiped out thirty organ traffickers from the Brain Eater Gang on his very first night. The other looked like an old man, his age obscured by a mask, but he held a heavy smart pistol in his right hand—the latest generation of the most popular pistols from Mars Industries—and arcane sparks danced in his left hand, suggesting he was a seasoned magic gunslinger.
In short, these four mercenaries were all top-tier fighters whose reputations on the streets, in the underworld, and within the mercenary community were no less than Hayden's. Although Hayden himself would probably say that they were all inferior to him, if he were attacked by all four of them, Hayden's chances of winning would be slim.
However, Alicia's maid charged at the four of them with only a short sword in hand.
These mercenaries were originally there to capture people alive, not to kill them, but for those who weren't their targets, it didn't matter. The old gunslinger raised his hand and fired two green magic bullets infused with [Disintegration] towards the charging maid. The maid, however, wielded her short sword, creating a silver light that protected her entire body, making her impenetrable. The magical field on the short sword easily neutralized the [Disintegration] spell.
The "four-armed giant gorilla" cursed under its breath, took a step forward, and swung its steel fist at the maid. Just being exposed to the force of the punch would cause a concussion; if struck directly, the corpse would be unrecognizable. No matter where it hit, the power would be enough to completely destroy human tissue.
However, the maid remained motionless, only the silver light from the short sword in her hand scattered like droplets in the air. The orc's four consecutive steel fists were all deflected by the short sword in the maid's hand. The sword light was like a string, tracing a series of dazzling trajectories in the darkened room.
"This woman is incredibly strong!"
They collided and bounced apart. The tingling sensation in his hands, like punching a giant rock, made even the "four-armed giant gorilla" cry out.
Suddenly, a dark figure flashed behind the maid. The assassin in black had infiltrated her from behind, launching a sneak attack. The twin blades moved with lightning speed, aimed straight for the maid's head.
An ordinary soldier would certainly not be able to dodge this attack.
A top-tier soldier might only suffer a scratch and then recover.
So, what about the maid?
Without even turning her head, she swung her short sword, precisely wedging the blade into the trajectory of the assassin's twin blades, easily deflecting the slash. The force of the rebound even numbed the assassin's hand.
Even a top-tier warrior couldn't do this unless he possessed overwhelmingly superior physical abilities.
Not to mention the mercenaries, even Hayden was secretly shocked when he saw this scene.
Hayden wasn't surprised that Alicia was a high-level Coordinator. He'd suspected her appearance was genetically engineered the first time he saw her. What truly puzzled him was the maid—Coordinators were mostly wealthy heirs and upper-class individuals; how could even Adam's maid be a Coordinator?
As a Coordinator, even if she's not a combat type, she's more than capable of crushing mortals. High-ranking Coordinators from large corporations are the "gods" of this era. Their power and speed far surpass those of ordinary beings.
Fortunately, these mercenaries were among the best in the mortal realm. "Steel Shield" roared and hurled his large shield at the maid. However, the maid neither dodged nor evaded, instead thrusting out a short sword. The adamantine shield, which had approached like a high wall, was pierced through by the short sword's disintegrating force. The short sword, having pierced the shield, went straight into "Steel Shield's" throat, severing her neck and causing her head to fall to the ground.
The momentary opportunity gained at the cost of his teammates' sacrifice allowed the "four-armed giant gorilla" to unleash a powerful punch to the maid's forehead. The force of this punch surpassed even that of a cannonball, yet the maid's head, struck squarely at close range, did not shatter like a watermelon.
She was hit in the face by a cannonball, but she only staggered for a moment, and that was it.
However, Alicia, who was sitting at the round table drinking red wine, immediately clicked her tongue in displeasure upon seeing this. She raised one hand and began to chant:
“connectdb”
“selectmagicfrommaitreya”
Her eyes sparkled as she invoked the power of the company.
"wherespell = [Implosion]"
"andlevel=9"
The mercenaries had no time to stop it; the company's blessings had already been used by the supervisor's family. An invisible, colorless stream of energy passed through the "four-armed giant gorilla's" body, and boiling flesh and golden flames began to spew from his eyes, nose, and ears, causing him to let out a mournful howl and stagger backward. Something exploded inside him, leaving him spewing smoke and collapsing to the ground, charred inside and tender outside.
Seeing this, the remaining two mercenaries decisively turned and fled.
Alicia casually continued channeling the energy of the [Implosion] spell, shooting the assassin in the back until he was completely out of sight. Then she turned to the maid, who had just regained her footing, and said, "Dalita, report to my father, and then quickly fix everything that's broken—Mr. Hayden, where were we? The character design of an AI idol?"
Her posture was confident yet reserved, as if she didn't take the attack seriously at all, as if it were as easy as chasing away or killing a few rats. Just as she said, some low-level mercenaries couldn't do anything to her.
Hayden couldn't help but feel that his worries might indeed be unnecessary.
In ancient times, tribal chiefs used stones and sticks. Even lower-class people could find stones and sticks.
In the Middle Ages, the king's army carried iron weapons, rode horses, and perhaps even possessed ancient magic. But the lower classes could also find decent iron tools, lacking horses, and perhaps even magic. The wrath of one man could cost two lives, draw blood five steps further, and plunge the world into mourning.
Then came modern times. One or two hundred years ago, although guns and cannons that could make attack magic more efficient were invented, if the lower classes could rise up and fight back against oppression, the upper classes would not dare to really do anything.
...So, what about now?
Technology advances and productivity grows, yet capitalists control everything like gods. Even Alicia's family, merely mid-level managers in a company, is easily overwhelmed when a group of top-tier mercenaries from the lower rungs of society break into their home, their attacks completely ignored. A high-class adjuster maid, struck squarely on the head by a low-class soldier, merely stumbles slightly.
As long as they have the blessings from the company, they can eliminate inferior intruders as easily as swatting mosquitoes. Even the most powerful inferiors will be slapped to death by the superiors, numbering ten at a time.
Neither of them are even combat-oriented Coordinators.
The saying goes, "When the rabbit dies, the fox grieves," and "Those of one's own kind grieve." Hayden felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the way these three mercenaries had died. They were all top-tier mercenaries, at least relatively well-off individuals from the lower rungs of society. Yet, under the management of large corporations—these modern-day gods—they were nothing more than cannon fodder, easily slaughtered like fish.
The gods of this new era are like towering corporations, wielding resources and power. Their senior employees are the divine race of this new era. Mortals of this time can only grovel at their feet.
What power in this world can possibly rebel against the new gods?
—It's not that there isn't any at all.
"Miss, the house's security system has been formatted by a hacker,"
The maid suddenly spoke up.
"Neither the home magic circuit nor the protective barrier can be restarted. I need to replace the software system, which will take a while."
Alicia's expression naturally darkened upon hearing this: "Then Mr. Hayden and I are going to have to chat in the dark? Fine, go and fix the French windows first..."
Before the words were even finished, something came.
Taking advantage of the barrier's inability to activate, a bolt of green lightning pierced down from the sky. A burst of intense heat erupted in the room, and malevolent green smoke began to billow from the point where the lightning struck.
Everyone was stunned, even Angela looked puzzled. Only Hayden immediately realized what it was.
"Run!" he shouted immediately. "Get to the second floor, quick!"
But it was too late. The billowing smoke formed a doorway, and heavy footsteps echoed from within the swirling mist. Then, a hideous face appeared inside the house.
This malevolent creature, half-human and half-beast, possessed the robust body of a giant, with wings covered in scales on its back. It wore ornate armor made of ceramic and stone, while its lower body stood proudly alone in the form of a four-clawed beast, its entire body shrouded in a blood-red hue. Neither human nor beast, a single glance from it was enough to incite terror and madness in mortals.
Therefore, this figure can remind some people of a special term.
"……devil?"
Alicia was no ordinary person, but she still uttered the word blankly, her deep-seated fear almost beyond words.
The next instant, the devil raised the ancient and terrifying totem pole and smashed it down on the maid's head.
The maid quickly retreated. Immediately afterward, the massive totem pole shattered the floor she had cleared. Even the mansions in the upscale New Asia neighborhood couldn't withstand the impact and began to shake. The chandelier on the living room ceiling couldn't withstand the shock and crashed down, smashing to pieces on the floor.
Taking advantage of the demon's missed attack, the maid's dagger seized the opening and thrust forward. The disintegrating force field exploded in the air, sparking and whistling, piercing the demon's skin and tearing open its flesh. Filthy pus and green blood gushed from the wound, causing the demon to roar in fury.
That's all.
The pain only fueled its rage. Thick tentacles wriggled and intertwined on its flesh, secreting a mucus that quickly hardened into a carapace, and the wounds healed rapidly while bubbling.
Seeing this disgusting sight, even though the maid had optimized genes, she couldn't help but feel nauseous and vomit-inducing, as if some kind of poison had seeped into her mind through her vision.
So in the next instant, she realized that she could no longer escape the totem pole that the devil had raised high and then swung down.
She could only raise her sword to parry, but when the magical field released by her short sword collided with the demon's totem pole, it was as fragile as toilet paper, shattering at the slightest impact.
With a sharp "smack," the maid's head was struck into the inside of her torso, killing her instantly. She gushed blood, like a decapitated corpse, and collapsed limply.
"babble!"
Alicia stared blankly at the horrific sight, her throat convulsing with screams against her will.
Hayden watched as the maid was killed by a single blow, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow.
devil?
Where did this devil come from?!
Why would there be demons in a place like this?!
But complaining now was useless. Having sensed the devil's arrival beforehand, Hayden was able to prepare accordingly. He raised his favorite amulet—a silver pentagram inscribed with the names of five gods and attached to a gold chain—and shouted:
"Get out, evil spirit! Or you will be cursed and reviled forever! By the name of Adonai, Elohim, Sabaoth, Elshaddai, and Elelyon, by the name of five great powers, you cannot get past me! Fallen evil spirit, go back to your darkness!"
This action might seem surprising or even ridiculous in normal circumstances, and it doesn't sound like a spell, right?
But it is indeed a spell.
Before he finished speaking, the star symbol in Hayden's hand emitted an invisible force, like sweeping across the floor with a broom. The demon, when struck, braced itself against the ground with its massive totem pole and let out a muffled groan. Hayden immediately sensed that the demon was resisting his ancient magic and was instead exerting pressure on him. It was as if Hayden were trying to push a sumo wrestler away with a log.
So after holding out for several seconds, Hayden realized that his method wouldn't work against this monster. This demon was a bit too powerful.
Of course, the others didn't just watch. Alicia immediately began chanting in a panic:
“connectdb”
“selectmagicfrommaitreya”
"wherespell=【Crushing Palm】"
"andlevel=9"
As the last word escaped Alicia's lips, the company's blessings immediately arrived for the supervisor's family. It was a gigantic, gleaming golden force field hand, larger than a person, which reached out to grab the devil.
This is the highest level of force field hand, capable of moving at the user's will, crushing tanks, smashing buildings, and even adamantite cannot stop its fingers.
However, the demon was focused on resisting Hayden's ancient magic and didn't even glance at Alicia's spell. The golden giant hand, capable of crushing tanks, grabbed the demon and instantly shattered it into hundreds of pieces—gone.
"Why!?"
Alicia was stunned.
Does a company's good fortune have no effect on the devil?
Of course not. It's simply because Alicia herself is incapable.
Demons are extremely powerful and ancient magical creatures, even older than the history of capitalism. Low-level demons are one thing, but high-level demons are not something mortals can easily provoke.