After the three armed personnel from Truth Corporation Security Department's Delta Team discovered their most reliable weapons had vanished, they didn't appear overly panicked.

Although this was quite unexpected, Delta Team had always been one of the most elite squads in the Security Department, and they frequently encountered monsters with "perplexing" abilities among their adversaries.

While they temporarily didn't understand how the firearms had disappeared without their notice, the leader still spoke in a low voice.

"Be careful, the enemy might be non-corporeal entities like spirits, or possess abilities that distort reality or interfere with perception."

He wasn't just warning his two teammates beside him—he also activated his communicator to alert squad members who had boarded the Despair Train from other carriages.

"Activate 'full-frequency scanning' to ensure no invisible enemies approach, turn on the helmet's emotion inhibitors and soul self-check, and enable the 'time announcement' function with ten-second intervals. If you notice missing any time announcement, immediately verify and request backup."

Clearly, as a company exceptionally skilled at "manipulating souls," Truth Corporation's field personnel had extensive experience in ensuring their minds and perceptions weren't being invaded.

But unfortunately...

After this squad leader-like figure reported everything and ended the communication, he didn't hear any "received" responses from other team members via the communicator.

Looking down at his shoulder where the communicator should have been, the device that had just been connected moments earlier had now disappeared!

He felt utterly horrified.

Disappeared again... when?

He was absolutely certain there were no signs of interference with his attention or perception!

Had he unknowingly fallen into a complete illusion?

"Is this a dream? Or perhaps... a simulated illusion?"

He looked around uncertainly, questioning his teammates on both sides.

The answer came from directly above his head.

"This is completely real, of course... What, don't believe someone could achieve this in reality?"

On the carriage ceiling, a sunglasses-wearing girl who looked like a top student but had a mischievous aura was hanging upside down with her legs hooked around the overhead light strip, her hair and jacket dangling and swaying.

Also swinging from her forearm were three high-tech rifles and a communicator flashing with red lights.

Currently leading Carriage One was Delta Team's Deputy Leader, the second-in-command of the entire twelve-person squad!

When President Paris had summoned people, he had also been standing in the office.

So...

This Deputy Leader recognized the appearance of the upside-down girl—she was one of the girls who had appeared on the screen earlier.

And President Paris's assessment of her had been "she doesn't look like an ordinary character."

"Indeed not ordinary."

Upon seeing the other party, the Deputy Leader felt somewhat relieved, but didn't completely let his guard down.

This not being a "dream" or "illusion" meant he hadn't completely lost his ability to resist without realizing it, becoming completely vulnerable.

But...

Being able to take his and his two team members' weapons while they were fully conscious was absolutely not something an ordinary person could achieve.

Especially now that he had lost his primary weapons, his combat effectiveness was significantly reduced.

The only fortunate thing was that the other party didn't seem to have undergone any modifications or had any controllers implanted—which meant she also couldn't use those three company-issued weapons.

In other words...

Now, both sides could only engage in "hand-to-hand combat"!

The moment he realized this, the Deputy Leader drew the Security Department's standard-issue weapon—a short rod crackling with electric arcs.

"Although I don't know who you are, but..."

The Deputy Leader took advantage of the girl being suspended from the ceiling with limited mobility to charge toward the upside-down girl.

"Die!"

His electrified rod swung toward the girl at maximum power.

The Deputy Leader didn't dare hold back at all, even shouting fiercely while mentally preparing himself for certain death!

After all, no one knew the true depth of this expert before them.

Fortunately, although the enemy might be powerful, his companions were equally reliable.

The moment the Deputy Leader attacked, the two Delta Team members behind him made the same judgment, grabbing their weapons and flanking her from both sides with perfect coordination in perfect sync!

The three men's assault was swift and rapid, their short rods almost instantly about to strike the girl.

But the next second...

The other party's figure vanished into thin air once again.

"Hey, hey... don't be so hasty. Isn't there any possibility for negotiation?"

This time the voice came from behind them.

"Let me introduce myself—you can call me 'A Nian' or 'Master Thief.' I'm different from those lunatics lost in their notebook reveries. I don't have any deep-seated hatred for your company..."

All three turned around simultaneously to look behind them.

Beside the container, the 'Master Thief' Li Nian spoke with a smile.

"How about if you give me some benefits, I'll pretend I never saw anything?"

The response to Li Nian was another fierce attack.

"Swish!"

Three attacks simultaneously targeted Li Nian.

This time, Li Nian didn't "vanish into thin air" again. Instead, her figure nimbly and lightly dodged the assault, flying out a considerable distance like a slippery meatball flicked away from a soup bowl with chopsticks.

"So I'm saying... is there really any irreconcilable conflict between us?"

Li Nian asked aloud.

This time, the Deputy Leader finally couldn't help but respond to her.

"Of course! The important person who gave us our orders didn't specifically emphasize keeping you alive!"

As the Deputy Leader spoke, Li Nian quickly deduced some aspects of the situation from his words.

"Wow, so that means he probably issued something like a 'no survivors on the entire train' order? That's really brutal!"

"Hey, hey, that important person, are you watching? Can you hear me? Could you show some mercy?"

Li Nian said this but received no response whatsoever.

She could only sigh and turn her attention back to the Deputy Leader charging toward her.

"Alright, it seems it really has to be a fight to the death."

As she spoke, Li Nian pulled out that utility knife from her bosom.

Although this weapon seemed somewhat small and ridiculous compared to firearms or even electrified rods—almost like a child's plaything—this Deputy Leader didn't dare underestimate it in the slightest.

"Be careful of her knife... I'm still running maximum-level 'full-frequency scanning,' and there's extremely bizarre energy reactions coming from that knife!"

"Since she could steal our things without a sound, her knife attacks should also be extremely difficult to guard against and very unusual!"

Although the Deputy Leader said this and warned his two members to be cautious, he himself became even more aggressive!

He stepped forward, using offense as defense as he swung his short rod.

But at that moment, he suddenly felt a chilling pain in his wrist.

He instinctively withdrew his hand in pain, looking in shock at the blood line on his wrist.

Looking back at his opponent, the Deputy Leader discovered that a small, bright red drop of blood was dripping from the tip of that utility knife.

"When did she injure me? That's way too fast!"

But aside from the opponent's speed, the Deputy Leader realized one more thing.

"I take back what I said earlier—aside from being fast, her attack methods are quite ordinary... Just protect your vital areas properly, and we can kill her!"

Across from them, Li Nian, who was twirling the utility knife, suddenly changed expression.

"Shit, I didn't bluff them... I'm screwed!"