So he deliberately told Alice what he witness she was capable of. So that he could see what reaction she will have and what she was going to do to him.

He's saying these words because he wanted to test her.

And see what her goal is.

Lance seriously looked at her before uttering the words, "My goal is to infiltrate the fortress and take back the things they owe me." He sharply look at her. "But it's impossible to do it alone. At least, with my current strength, I will be walking into a trap. That's why I need you."

With this, Alice raised a brow. "Why do you think I should help you? What you want to do is equivalent to betraying the fortress."

Lance slightly tilted his head. "Isn't that your goal also? Back inside the hibernation pod, you never glance in Marshal Klein's direction. That Marshal who broke your arm deliberately bullied you to vent his frustration against the Marshal. And it actually worked, Marshal Klein was worried about you. However, you seemed not too bothered by it. At first, I thought you acted like that because you don't want the reputation of that Marshal to be affected. But maybe... Maybe that was your plan all along. You want Marshal Klein to believe you acted you don't care about him so that he will not be affected by that fuss. And he will then do his best to make you stay in the fortress, which helped you reach your goal."

"You also want something inside the fortress, right?" Lance silently clench the fist on his side. Studying the girl's indifferent face closely.

He doesn't believe he will not be able to convince her.

In an organization like the fortress, it was dangerous to work alone. No matter how strong you are, it is much more effective if you have someone who got your back.

But after a few minutes, Alice did not say anything. She only stared at him. Lance did not shy away and stared at her.

Two people, in the middle of a quiet forest, are staring at each other intently. Not one has any intention to back down.

Lance's emotions were turbulent. Did he fail to convince her?

It did not work? And just when he was thinking about countermeasures, Alice suddenly throw a small blade at him. He instinctively sidestepped, barely avoiding the small blade.

Then Alice throw three blades. Lance used the knife in his combat gear to deflect all three.

Not satisfied, Alice threw five more. Lance gritted his teeth and rely on his heightened instinct to pinpoint the direction of the five small knives. In three successive moves, he managed to deflect all of them.

Lance did not let down his guard and waited for Alice to continue throwing her with small knives. Surprisingly, she stopped. She only stood in front of Lance, her expression completely devoid of emotions. But with how her peach blossom eyes stared at Lance intently, a slight pang hit his chest.

These artificial induced memories made his emotions uncontrollable. He wanted to see her smile at him again as he run his way back to his teammates.

Lance suppressed the ache in his chest and controlled his expression.

This is not his Alice. That girl is an illusion. What he must do is to save his teammates as soon as possible.

Alice walk towards his left and retrieve three small knives she had toss at him. They are stuck in a tree trunk, drilled deeply.

He soon notice the five other knives stuck right below it.

Wait, how did it all end up in one tree?

Alice tuck them in her combat gear suit and attempted to climb up.

"Wait!" Lance shouted behind her. He's itching to ask how she did it.

Earlier, when he is dodging, he noticed the direction of the wind was off in the knives she threw. It had never occurred to him that after bypassing him, these knives changed trajectory.

Alice's foot stepped on a root that broke under her weight, making her lose balance.

"Careful." Lance was quick on his feet to catch her. Her body leaned against his chest, letting her hair make contact with his chin.

When Lance looked down, he met her indifferent gaze.

"What do they owe you?" she murmured.

"Ha?" Lance blurted out. He then remembered what he said earlier. He pursed his lips.

Should he tell her? About the truth…

[No.]

The system's mechanical cold voice put his thoughts to stop.

"I have to save my friends. And they are trapped inside the hibernation pods." Lance's lips pursed. He cannot say any further.

Alice just look at him. After a few moments, she remove his hand and got up to climb.

"Suits are treated like pigs and used as clothes. They are replaceable and dispensable. The reason why fortress use 'Suit' to fight in the front line is because they are scared to get corrupted." 

Lance remembered the 'truth' revealed by the system to him. How there are two types of aliens fighting against each other. The mecha and the infested.

Mechas are intelligent type creatures who have taken over human brains and started to act like one. Infested is the corruption and the monster aliens he and his friends have been fighting against.

Of course, he knew the fact about 'Suits'. But he can't understand why is she telling this information to him.

"Suits are powerful but they are heavily controlled by the human base's main system. If you want to save them, you have to find a way to disconnect them from the main system."

Lance's eyes lit up. He hurriedly keep up and walk alongside her.

"Do you know where I can find this main system?"

Alice look at him, and a small smile appeared on her lips. But it never reach her eyes.

"It's in this fortress. Somewhere."

Lance gulped. He suppress his excitement and ask again.

"Is that what you are after?"

Their conversation was hurriedly cut off when the sound of gunfire and bullets erupted. Further along in the direction they headed, they can also hear the sounds of water flowing along the riverbed.

Lance and Alice hurriedly crouched down. The intense exchange of gunfire is drawing near. The two stayed silent. Taking advantage of the thick trees and bushes in the area, they concealed their presence.

Soon, the sound of footsteps replaced the gunshot. A shadow emerged right across from them. A young man with an energetic smile popped his head. Seeing them, he smiled and said.

"Oh, hi!"

Lance recognized him. He is Luka. The enthusiastic young man he sat next to. Lance frown when he heard something click. He immediately lowered Alice's head down and grab her hand, taking her away from Luka.

"This crazy fucker!" Lance cussed.

Who in their right mind greets people and then shoots them down after?

The fuck?!

They are running forward. Lance knew it was a bad idea. This exposes the two of them to the other two people who were engaged in a gun fight with Luka earlier.

A small grenade suddenly rolled in his feet.

His first reaction was to run and get away from the grenade as far as he can. But Alice was different. She directly kicked it. Back to the person who just tossed it.

A man hiding behind the tree trunk was stunned to see his grenade at his side. He cussed under his breath and run in opposite direction.

Alice immediately spotted him. She smack Lance's hand away and threw her small knives at the man, hitting his throat in just one strike.

Lance's mouth hang wide open. The man's eyes were bulging, his face was full of disbelief. His huge body collapsed in the ground with a loud thump.

Lance could understand why the man was taken aback. He was too. Who would believe him if he say that the small knife turn 180 degrees after the man avoid it?

Lance can surely manipulate a weapon's trajectory using his wind abilities. But right now, he was restricted. Others should not be able to use their abilities as well.

So how…..?

Alice seemed to read his thoughts as she bluntly said.

"I stole these from that dumbass who broke my arm."

"From a marshal?!"

While they are preoccupied, a bullet shout out behind them and struck the pile of fallen leaves one meter away from them.

Lance caught a glimpse of Luka smiling brightly at him.

"Ah, please stay still. How can I shoot you if you keep moving?"

Idiot. Who would stay still to let them be shot by you?

In these parts, the lighting is slightly dark. Lance does not know how many hours has passed since they arrive in this place, but the sun is no longer giving strong sunlight.

Evening is drawing near.

Luka fired another shot. And it almost pierced Lance right leg if Alice had not shove him aside.