Although he couldn’t understand why a boy his age wouldn’t want to be as flashy as possible, showing off all his capabilities to gain respect and fame, this made him realize that the boy was no fool.
There’s a difference between being very strong and becoming an uncontrollable monster with a target on your back. Showing only what one needs to, and not all they can, ensures they don’t make unnecessary enemies and can easily deal with any that do appear, because others would underestimate his true capabilities.
This was why Liang insisted that the squad leaders of the Reapers Guild be present when Kai was planning his little revenge after Alister had been stripped of his equipment, ensuring he couldn’t summon any monsters.
Because Liang was certain that just taking away his equipment wouldn’t be enough to stop him.
Kael let out a sigh and said, “I feel your pain, Rex. When the Vice Branch Master told us we might need to team up against a summoner, I had my doubts too. But you know his gut feeling is never wrong, and his plans are usually flawless. It’s just a necessary precaution, nothing more.”
“So don’t go taking out your frustration on our ride. I almost thought you’d send us crashing just now. Nearly gave me a heart attack.”
Kael leaned back in his seat, the smirk on his face still present as he glanced at Aria, who was engrossed in the holographic display.
“Aria,” Kael called. “How’s the tracking of our ‘Underground disaster’ coming along?”
Aria’s fingers moved over the console, adjusting the display as she responded, “I’ve located it.”
“It’s about a thousand kilometers east of our current position. We can intercept it easily before it reaches any unreachable zones.”
Kael nodded. “Good, that’s what I like to hear.”
“And what about the bait?”
“It’s ready.”
“Perfect,” Kael said with a smile.
Kai, who until now still had no idea what the specifics of the plan entailed due to his late arrival at the meeting yesterday, leaned forward, his brow furrowed.
“I still haven’t been fully briefed on the specifics of the plan.”
“All I know is that I’ll be teleporting back with Alister. But what about the body cams? Both ours and the ones on the White Comets-won’t they see us coming? And what about their top squad members? If I’m not mistaken, they should be just as strong as you guys are. How do you plan on dealing with them?”
Kael’s smirk widened, but before he could respond, Mira spoke up, her tone dripping with amusement.
“You’re only this clueless because you were acting like an absolute ‘young master’ yesterday,” she teased, a playful look in her golden-brown eyes.
“You thought you could just waltz into the meeting whenever you felt like it, didn’t you? Honestly, I’m glad Vice Branch Master Liang didn’t bother to explain everything again. The look of frustration on your face was practically comical.”
Kai’s eyes narrowed at Mira’s words, his pride stung by the jab. “I don’t need a lecture from you, Mira,” he shot back, his voice edged with annoyance.
Mira just chuckled, clearly enjoying his discomfort. “That’s ‘Miss Mira’ to you, newbie. And if you don’t want to be left in the dark, maybe try showing up on time next time,” she said, her grin widening.
Kael finally intervened, his tone calm but firm.
“Enough, you two,” he said, holding up a hand to silence any further bickering. He turned his attention back to Kai, his expression serious now.
“We’ve got contingencies in place for the body cams. The Reapers aren’t stupid-we’ve planned for every possibility.”
“As for the White Comets’ top squad members,” he said, his grin widening. “Let’s just say, we won’t be getting our hands dirty.”
“You just need to focus on bringing Alister back and finishing him off. We’ll handle the rest. Understood?”
Kai clenched his jaw, but after a moment, he nodded. “Understood, Captain.”
“Good,” Kael said, leaning back in his seat again, the smirk returning to his face. “Now, let’s get back to the matter at hand. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, and I don’t plan on
failing.”
The aircraft’s AI system chimed. “Approaching designated drop-off point. Preparing for landing.”
Aria looked up from her console and gave a nod. “Commence landing procedures.”
The aircraft’s engines roared softly as it began its descent, the cabin filled with a faint vibration. The team members braced themselves as the craft touched down on the rugged terrain. Dust and debris were kicked up by the landing gear, swirling around them.
As the engines powered down, Kael rose from his seat. “Alright, everyone. Time to move.”
Aria was already at the hatch, her fingers tapping the control panel to open the doors. The metal hissed as the hatch slid open, revealing the harsh, barren landscape outside. She turned back to the team with a focused look.
“Let’s make this quick and efficient. We need to get into position before we’re spotted.”
Rex, towering over the others, stood up and stretched, his muscles tensing as he prepared for action.
“Time to see what this wasteland’s got for us this year,” he said, his deep voice echoing with a touch of excitement.
Mira adjusted her headphones, now with a serious expression on her face. “Looks like we’re ready to rock. Let’s hope our targets are as fun as they’ve been hyped up to be.”
Kai stepped up to the hatch, wearing a serious expression that broke into a smile as he muttered, “I’m coming for you, Alister, and I’ll be sure to make you pay for what you did to
Yanzi.”
Kael clapped him on the shoulder, his smirk widening. “Come on, ease up a bit. If you tense up like that, you won’t be able to take in some of the beauty this lawless land has to offer.”
“I wasn’t tense; I was smiling,” Kai said with a touch of irritation.
“Yeah, I saw, smiling like a total freak. Thought you might have gone insane for a moment there because you were afraid or something. Wanted to snap you back to reality, is all,” Kael
said, still smiling.
As the team filed out of the aircraft and onto the rocky ground, Kael took a deep breath, surveying their surroundings. The barren landscape stretched out before them, as if eagerly
awaiting their arrival.
“Alright,” Kael said, his voice cutting through the chatter. “Let’s get things started.”