Chapter 16: Blade Unsheathed

  Location: Science Castle, Central Hall and Connecting Passage to Living Quarters

  Time: Minutes after the android riot began

  Chaos spread through the central hall like a virus. More service androids emerged from every corner, their eyes uniformly glowing with emotionless crimson, transforming this hall symbolizing order and technology into a cold hunting ground. The air was thick with the acrid smell of burnt circuits, human screams, and the piercing noise of metal collisions.

  Valeria Mendoza's command played a crucial role. The officers she'd brought and the responding Science Castle security personnel quickly formed a fragile defensive line, using overturned tables and decorative structures as cover, struggling to hold back the android assault with non-lethal weapons—mainly high-voltage stun guns and capture nets. Their goal was to cover the panicked researchers and families as they evacuated toward the living quarters. But non-lethal weapons had limited effect on these steel-shelled machines, often only temporarily paralyzing them before they struggled back up.

  "Hold the formation! Don't scatter! Aim for joints and sensor clusters!" Valeria's voice cut through the chaos. She fired precisely, successfully disrupting the androids' movements each time. But non-lethal weapons couldn't deliver killing blows—they could only buy time.

  Thunderhawk protected Verdandi and the little girl, fighting their way toward the safe passage under Valeria's covering fire. His gaze swept the battlefield sharply, combat skills performing at peak efficiency. He no longer tried to fully disable the androids, but focused on destroying their balance and senses, buying precious time for evacuation. An android tried to flank the crowd from the side; Thunderhawk crouched low to dodge its swinging mechanical arm, then with a swift leg sweep kicked its hydraulic joint on the supporting leg—the android instantly lost balance and crashed down.

  Just as the defensive line barely held and the crowd was about to pass through the connecting passage entrance, another change occurred!

  Two androids seemed to receive higher-level commands, abandoning indiscriminate attacks and instead lunging with shocking speed and coordination at the coldly observing Dr. Cassandra Walker! Their target was clear, movements ruthless, completely different from their previous civilian-attacking pattern.

  This "ethics inspector" who'd been coldly watching showed genuine shock for the first time. She clearly hadn't expected to become the priority target. But in the instant before mechanical arms would touch her, long-trained instinct overcame everything!

  Cassandra Walker's body leaned back with almost dance-like fluid grace, narrowly avoiding the deadly grip. At the same time, the metal briefcase she always carried was raised like a shield before her, taking the heavy blow from another android!

  "Bang!" The heavy impact made even Thunderhawk and Valeria's hearts skip.

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  But an even more shocking scene unfolded. Using the impact's force, Cassandra spun, and the sharp heel of her high shoe struck like a venomous fang precisely at one android's most vulnerable wiring connection point at the neck! This strike's power and accuracy far exceeded any civilian official's capabilities. The android's movements suddenly froze, its head tilting unnaturally to one side.

  She didn't pause for a moment. In the gap before the other android could attack again, she'd drawn a weapon from her briefcase's hidden compartment—not a standard firearm, but a short-handled electric lance crackling with ghostly blue energy arcs! She gripped it reverse-handed, body low like a coiled leopard, eyes frighteningly cold.

  "Her skills..." Valeria blurted out, professional instinct immediately recognizing this was absolutely not the combat capability an ordinary government official should possess, but rather the result of rigorous, possibly military training.

  Thunderhawk was equally shocked. The ferocity and decisiveness Cassandra displayed at this moment was completely different from her previous elegant, rational inspector persona. This wasn't just self-defense—these were efficient, lethal combat techniques. Who was she? Why would the androids suddenly prioritize attacking her? The amount of information behind this was staggering.

  Cassandra clearly realized she'd been exposed. As she used the electric lance to force back the androids, she quickly moved toward Thunderhawk and Valeria's defensive line, her tone urgent yet maintaining eerie calm: "These units' attack patterns have been rewritten! Prioritizing specific targets! We must quickly find the control source or cut off their group network!"

  She offered no explanation for her identity or skills, instead directly steering the topic toward technical solutions. This was a masterful deflection technique.

  Valeria glanced at Thunderhawk, their eyes exchanging doubt, but the critical situation allowed no internal conflict. "Agreed! But we must ensure civilian safety first!" she shouted back.

  With Cassandra, an unexpected strong ally joining them, the defensive line's pressure eased slightly. Her electric lance seemed an effective weapon against these steel shells—each thrust caused violent spasms in the androids. The three formed a brief coordination: Valeria providing ranged suppression and command, Thunderhawk close-quarters control, and Cassandra roaming to strike at android weak points.

  Finally, the last batch of civilians successfully retreated behind the reinforced door to the living quarters. Security personnel quickly closed and locked the gate. After Thunderhawk, Cassandra, Valeria's squad officers, and Science Castle security personnel's (excluding Graham's) valiant fight, this mad android riot was finally completely suppressed.

  A brief moment to catch their breath. The hall was in ruins, with only them, several wounded, and androids still struggling to rise or spinning in place. The alarm continued its piercing wail.

  Valeria immediately raised her gun slightly, but her wary gaze fell on Cassandra Walker. "Dr. Walker, I think you owe us an explanation. About your... extraordinary skills, and why they particularly 'favored' you."

  Cassandra slowly straightened, the electric lance's ghostly glow reflected in her emotionless face. Just as she was about to speak, Science Castle's lights suddenly flickered violently several times, the power system emitting unstable humming.

  An even stronger sense of oppression seemed to emanate from deep within the structure.

  Thunderhawk's neck interface sent a sharp stab of pain, Black Cat's warning message branded directly onto his visual cortex like bloody characters:

  "Network traffic anomaly peak! Signal source—'Cornerstone'! They've been activated... the real purge has begun."