Chapter 778 Retaliation (4)
After hiding the unconscious police officer, Erik left the building.
<All done. Now I need to approach the target. If I play this well, I can lure him elsewhere. >
The goal that Erik had in mind was straightforward. To achieve his aim, he had to go as far as stealing the man's identity, infiltrating the Blackguards, securing vital information.
Maybe carrying out targeted assassinations and effectively thwarting their plans.
However, Erik didn't know if everything would go according to plan.
The Blackguard was surrounded by police and mercenary in a middle of Harmony square.
There were civilians, animals. Bystanders that would die during the confrontation.
Based on what he saw, the Blackguards didn't care about casualties. Besides, they would surely blame him for their deaths by using their propaganda tools.
<How do I lure him…? >
However, it took little for the young man to come up with some ideas. With everything settled, Erik started walking toward the Blackguard.
In the shadowed alley of Harmony Square, Erik adjusted his posture, embodying the guise of the seasoned police officer.
His strides were measured and firm, each step showing years of experience and authority. He blended among his fellow enforcers of the law.
As he made his way, the surrounding scene was chaotic. Police and mercenaries, in a frenzied effort to locate him, were still searching the crowd.
Civilians were being roughly handled, their protests and cries echoing through the square.
Erik observed the tumult, his expression stoic and unyielding, befitting the role he played.
While navigating through the swarm of officers and mercenaries, Erik maintained a steady pace.
His eyes, keen and vigilant, scanned the surroundings, all while avoiding any action that might draw undue attention to himself.
As he looked on, he saw an officer twisting a man's arms behind his back, while another officer pushed a young boy to the ground.
Erik moved with purpose and maintained his approach, shortening the distance from the Blackguard.
A cluster of officers and mercenaries formed a circle around the man, their faces reflecting a combination of respect and fear.
Erik maneuvered through the crowd, and with careful consideration, he positioned himself in the Blackguard's vicinity, making sure he was close enough to reach him but not directly in the spotlight.
<Now comes the hardest part. >
With a determined stride, Erik made his way towards the man.
"Excuse me, sir. Urgent news!"
Quakestrike's gaze upon Erik was the epitome of arrogance. His head tilted, an air of superiority emanating from every angle of his posture.
The slight upward curl of his lips conveyed a dismissive sneer, as if the old man in front of him was nothing more than an insignificant speck in his world.
Quakestrike's eyes narrowed as he looked at Erik from head to toe.
With his head held high and an air of unwavering confidence, Erik realized the man believed himself to be above everyone else in the vicinity.
"Who are you? Nevermind, I don't care. What's the matter?" Quakestrike looked at the surrounding chaos.
At that moment, Erik channeled mana through the neural links in his body.
More specifically, he was directing it through the ones connected to his Instability brain crystal power.
This power gave him not only the ability to gain insight into the mind of his target but also to tamper with their emotions, and it was this very capability that Erik sought to exploit right now.
Erik influenced the man's brain by implanting a mixture of self-satisfaction and anger into his thoughts. He needed him to be keen to follow him, so that he could kill him and steal his identity.
"I received news from the HQ. They said Erik Romano has been spotted around the 23rd street."
Quakestrike turned to look at the man. "Really? Why no one told me then?" It was weird for his comrades not telling him such important information.
"Sir. We are not sure about this and didn't want to bother the Blackguards until we were certain."
Erik kept pumping mana into the man's brain, who remained oblivious to everything.
"And yet you told me. Why?"
"It's just that I was thinking, sir."
"About what?" Quakestrike asked.
"If it really was Erik Romano. Despite being a rumor, it would be better for you to know about it. After all, someone of your caliber is with us. How could we possibly fail apprehending him?"
In every other circumstance, Quakestrike wouldn't have given credit to his words.
However, now, under the influence of Erik's brain crystal power, pumping his self-esteem, he was inclined to listen to sugarcoated words.
"You indeed thought well. You have made the right choice telling me this. However, I need to warn the others. I can't move alone."
Erik put in a lot of effort to make his face appear disappointed, doing his utmost to convey his emotions.
It caught Quakestrike's attention, and he found it quite irritating.
"What?!"
"Nothing… sir."
"No, tell me now." Quakestrike's temper flared.
Under Erik's subtle influence, the signs of Quakestrike's escalating temper were etched across his face.
His eyebrows knitted together in a fierce scowl, the lines deepening with his growing fury.
His eyes blazed with a fiery intensity, reflecting the storm of rage brewing within.
The muscles in his jaw clenched, a visible testament to his struggle to contain the boiling anger.
Veins on his temples throbbed, pulsating with each surge of his quickening heartbeat.
Quakestrike's prideful nature, a product of his Blackguard status, made him view others as mere insects, trivial beings he could crush.
This inflated sense of superiority and a propensity for rage already teetered him on the edge of instability.
Erik noticed this precarious balance and manipulated Quakestrike's volatile temperament.
By raising his self-esteem and fueling his innate anger with his power, Erik destabilized the already unsteady man.
This strategic psychological push exploited Quakestrike's flaws, tipping him over the brink.
However, to make his performance more believable, Erik became humble all of a sudden.
"No, sir, it's just that… If I may… this would be a… an enormous opportunity for you…" If Erik only said that, it would have been weird. "And for us… if we could… capture the man by ourselves."
"Ah… So, you didn't have altruistic reasons," Quakestrike said. "But what can you do against such a monster as Erik Romano? Didn't you read the reports? Not even all these men banding together," he said, pointing at the other officers, "Could put a scratch on him."
"Oh, sir. That must surely be exaggerations. How could a man like him, unknown to everyone until recent, be stronger than someone such as yourself, a Blackguard?"
Quakestrike smirked. "You surely know how to use your words. Yet, I don't get why are you doing this."
"You know, sir," Erik said. "I just need a single big break and I'm going to get a promotion." the old man grinned.
"I'm old, and I didn't relish my life until now. An increase in my pension would be much appreciated."
"Ah… Money." A grin spread on Quakestrike's face.
"With someone like you… I thought I could have a chance."
Erik knew he needed to handle the situation with Quakestrike to avoid suspicion.
To create an impression of partnership, he presented a proposition that seemed mutually beneficial.
This tactic was crucial in building a sense of trust, even if not definitive. It was also crucial for lowering Quakestrike's guard.
In the intricate hierarchy of their operation, direct orders from the Blackguards' HQ were sacred.
If they deviated from these commands to apprehend Erik, it would be a blatant disregard for protocol.
Yet, most of the Blackguards bent those rules to serve personal interests.
Erik didn't know that was the case, but based on the man's demeanor, he could at least try.
He understood that if he could manipulate the situation, Quakestrike, driven by the prospect of an enormous achievement, might act impulsively.
Erik intended to manipulate the situation so that the officer he was impersonating would appear to have blatantly disregarded direct orders, leaving him open to accusation and blame.
This deliberate act of insubordination signaled to Quakestrike that the man was taking considerable risks, suggesting a level of seriousness and commitment.
Erik's strategy was to exploit this perceived vulnerability, using Quakestrike's own ambition as a lever to shift the dynamics in his favor.
"When was he last spotted?"
"5 minutes ago," Erik said, lying.
"All right. Bring me there."
Quakestrike couldn't see him, but there was a huge grin on Erik's disguised face. His instability power worked wonders.
Disguised as the seasoned Chief Inspector Samuel Hawthorne, Erik led Quakestrike through the teeming streets of the city.
The old officer's guise was meticulously maintained, from the slight hunch in his back to the practiced, authoritative stride.
Quakestrike walked beside him, a giant among men, exuding an aura of confidence and power.
As they navigated the bustling square, Erik kept a watchful eye on the surrounding chaos. Officers and mercenaries were still searching the crowd for him.
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