"Who is it?" One of the guards asked. As soon as he heard the clicking sound of the door opening, he immediately went toward it to see who was behind it. Still, as soon as he did so, he found his throat pierced by a blade; without the possibility of even shouting, he fell to the ground, blood pouring out of his wound.
[HOSTILE INDIVIDUAL KILLED: MANA ABSORBING PROCESS STARTING.]
[0%...1%....5%...30%...70%...100%]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED, STARTING CONVERTING PROCEDURE.]
[3...2...1...0]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED INTO EXPERIENCE. 900 EXPERIENCE POINTS AWARDED TO THE HOST.]
"What the-" one of the guards said, but immediately, as Erik fell to the ground over the guard he had just killed, Gwen, Amber, and the others rushed inside by jumping over him and immediately attacked the guards.
Benedict decided to tank one of the two, brandishing his mana weapon. Gwen did the same with the other guard, totally enveloped by her mana armor.
The others followed suit and immediately circled the men and attacked simultaneously.
Aaron helped Gwen and Amber by using his slime to prevent the guard from moving while the other two attacked.
Gwen used her martial arts prowess to knock him out. However, Erik's girlfriend was brandishing her daggers, as she knew she was the one who had to deal the finishing blow.
Amber's heart was pounding so hard that it felt like it was about to burst out of her chest.
She had never been in a situation like this before today, and the weight of it all began to bear down on her. She knew what to do, but that didn't make it any easier.
As she stood facing her opponent, she couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt wash over her.
She didn't want to hurt anyone, but she knew this was the only way to protect herself and the people she cared about.
The man in front of her was stronger than all of them and was in the middle of swinging his weapon at Gwen, aiming for her neck.
She knew she couldn't hold back, lest her hesitation cost her friend's life, and that she needed to deliver a blow that would kill him. But every fiber of her being was resisting the urge to harm another human being.
This was a situation that was completely different compared to when they fought the Crystal Cross Gang; in that case, they were defending themselves, and even if they tried, it was hard for them to actually injure the assassins. Now, this was definitely within the scope of their abilities.
She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she had to do. As she raised her weapon, she closed her eyes and prayed that this would be over soon. Immediately, she plunged the blade inside the man's neck, and he fell to the ground while his life left his body.
At the same time, Benedict, Floyd, and Martha were attacking the other guard. Martha restrained the man with her thorny vines, but it was only partially successful since the thug was currently stronger than her and was trying to move.
However, Benedict swung his weapon down while Floyd further restrained his movements with his energy negation power.
Benedict's weapon quickly plunged the blade left shoulder, traversing his body until it stopped at the middle of his chest.
The man died with a gaping wound on his body and slumped to the ground the next moment. All of that took place in the span of fifteen seconds.
The guards didn't even have time to call for help or shout to gather attention.
[MULTIPLE HOSTILE INDIVIDUALS KILLED: MANA ABSORBING PROCESS STARTING.]
[0%...1%....5%...30%...70%...100%]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED, STARTING CONVERTING PROCEDURE.]
[3...2...1...0]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED INTO EXPERIENCE. 1800 EXPERIENCE POINTS AWARDED TO THE HOST.]
[QUEST COMPLETE.]
-----------------------------
<New quest: Kill Matthew>
-Rewards for completion: 2000 experience points; 500 DNA points if the mission is completed.
-Failure Penalty: Unknown.
-Description: Matthew dared to come against you. Make him pay!
-----------------------------
Erik's friends were trembling. They had just taken other lives; it wasn't something easy for them to accept, as they had lived until now pampered, sheltered, and with everything served on a plate.
However, the adrenaline coursing through their veins gave them the strength to look around themselves, and it was at that moment that they saw it.
All 21 hostages lay unconscious on the ground, their bodies sprawled in various positions as if they had been drugged, and then they were dropped unceremoniously to the floor.
Amber's heart sank as she saw the scene before her eyes. The hostages' faces were slack and peaceful, with no hint of the terror and fear they had likely felt, not even an hour ago.
The room was silent except for the soft rustling of clothing and the shallow breathing of the hostages.
The dim, bright light from multiple neon lamps immediately made Erik and his friends see who was inside that room and made the unconscious figures look even more vulnerable and helpless; they had been drugged and left on the ground like rag dolls.
The room itself was small and cramped, with no windows or natural light. The walls were painted a drab beige with no decorations or adornments. The hostages were dressed in various clothing, from business suits to casual wear.
Their belongings, such as wallets and purses, were scattered around the room, indicating that they had been taken by surprise and that they had been searched and stripped of their belongings.
He knew that they needed medical attention as soon as possible.Erik and his team quickly scanned the room, checking for anything useful.
The room was bare except for the unconscious hostages and the few pieces of furniture scattered around. However, Gwen quickly noticed a bag with something written on it.
"Ah, I get it. They had been drugged."
"Why do you say so, Gwen?" Benedict asked, albeit being clear that was the case since they were unconscious.
"Because there is a bag full of flumazenil," she said while looking inside the bag.
"This substance is commonly used to reverse the effects of anesthesia and allow patients to wake up after surgery. It is a medication that belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepine receptor antagonists, which work by binding to and blocking the effects of the receptors in the brain responsible for the sedative effects of anesthesia," she quickly added.
"So, we just need to give this to them to wake them up, right?" Erik asked.
"Yes, I think," Gwen replied.
"All right, let's check them out to see if they are injured," Amber said.
Erik and his team carefully checked each of the hostages for injuries or any other signs of harm. They found nothing serious aside from the effects of the anesthesia.
The kidnappers wanted the hostages alive and unharmed. At that moment, though, Amber recognized Anderson's father among the hostages.
He lay on the ground, unconscious and bound with ropes. He was a middle-aged man with short, graying hair and a neatly trimmed beard. His face was lined with wrinkles, indicating a life filled with both joy and hardship.
Despite the ropes binding him, his clothes were still well-kept and stylish, suggesting a man who took pride in his appearance.
His eyes were closed, and his breathing was slow and steady, indicating that he had been drugged with a powerful sedative.
There were no particular signs of physical harm on his body, but his expression was tense, as if he were caught in a nightmare. His hands were clenched into fists, and his brow was furrowed, suggesting that he fought the Mambas before being kidnapped.
Then Gwen recognized a woman; she was Mikey's mother. She was a small woman with delicate features and soft, curly brown hair.
Her face was angular and elegant, with high cheekbones and a slender nose. Despite her petite stature, there was a quiet strength and resilience about her that was evident even in her unconscious state.
As she lay on the ground in the hostage room, her breathing was shallow and steady, and her chest rose and fell rhythmically.
Her skin was pale, with a faint flush of color in her cheeks. Despite the situation, she looked peaceful, as if she were simply sleeping.
"Why do you think they had been anesthetized?" Martha asked.
"Simple, there was no way they could restrain them with their money or technology. That is something only the government and wealthy institutions can do. One thing is to buy buildings and decorate them lavishly; another is to buy government-protected technology or barrier masters," Erik said.
"It makes sense," Floyd added.
Erik then turned to look at the bag; Matthew's men were probably prepared to wake up the hostages, and then he asked. "Can someone administer the medications?"
"I can," Martha said. "I often had to give injections to my mother since she is ill."
"Good, then give them the shots and get the hell out of here."
Martha takes charge of injecting the medication into the hostages, grabbing the vials of flumazenil, and preparing the syringes.
She carefully checks the dosage and expiration date of the medication to ensure that it is safe for use.
The room was filled with a sense of urgency and tension as everyone worked together to revive the unconscious hostages.
The sound of needles piercing skin and the quiet hiss of the medication being injected filled the air. Despite the seriousness of the situation, there was a sense of hope and relief that permeated the room as the hostages began to stir.
Throughout the wait for the medicine to take effect, Martha remained focused and attentive, making sure that the hostages were safe.
She worked closely with the rest of the rescue team to ensure that each hostage received the care and attention they needed to wake up.
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