Captain Shu Xuyao commanded, "Adam, play the footage provided by the hospital."

"At once," responded Adam, and a video began to play.

In the sterile treatment room, the lead psychiatrist sat behind a table, facing the mentally ill convict Swordwood, who was seated across from him.

Looking gaunt, with a beard stubble and heavy bags under his eyes, Swordwood was restrained to his chair.

He strained to open his eyes wide, fists clenched. "I'm really not from Blackwater City. Yes, my name is Swordwood, but I haven't committed any crimes. I'm not a mental patient! I'm not ill!"

"Alright, I understand. Please calm down, Mr. Wood!" The psychiatrist leaned back cautiously, his tone careful not to agitate the already volatile Swordwood.

"You know nothing! I'm no criminal! I haven't done anything wrong! I'm not insane!" Swordwood's voice was frantic, his despair and confusion palpable even through the holographic projection. "Lawyer, I need a lawyer! I want to call the police!"

The psychiatrist replied, "Mr. Wood, as a level-six citizen, your political rights have been revoked. You have no right to appeal, and we cannot provide you with legal counsel."

"Fucking bullshit!" Swordwood broke free from his restraints, lunging to grab the psychiatrist's collar.

The psychiatrist hit the panic button, dodging backward as the door burst open and hospital security rushed in to subdue Swordwood, pressing his face hard against the table.

"I'm not a criminal, I'm not!" Swordwood's face contorted as he was pinned down, his words muffled but insistent.

The psychiatrist quickly administered a sedative into Swordwood's neck.

"Let me... go home..." Swordwood's voice trailed off as he succumbed to the drug's effects and slipped into unconsciousness.

Cyrus watched the scene with an impassive face.

Her own start in this world had been dangerous enough, but compared to her, Chill's situation was quite ordinary, merely troubled by financial difficulties. Swordwood, however, with his tragic predicament, made Cyrus wonder who had it worse between them.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Swordwood was not in a rational state of mind. If he had calmed down, he might have been able to summon the game system's screen and clarify his current identity. But his panic and fear had stripped him of his judgment.

Cyrus pondered how many people had actually read the game's notices and documents carefully before agreeing to play, and how many remembered the six pieces of advice and decided to adhere to them? She knew many players often clicked 'agree' without even glancing at the terms when playing games.

Perhaps Swordwood hadn't paid close attention to the game's emails. Unaware of the rules for survival, he was at a disadvantage.

Cyrus understood that the federation had abolished the death penalty over eighty years ago. If Swordwood had done nothing and remained in the psychiatric hospital for treatment, he would have lived a safe life, albeit without freedom, until his natural death.

But Swordwood had fled.

By fleeing, he had given the Enforcement Department the right to terminate him during pursuit.

Cyrus had killed two muggers without even a reprimand. If Field Team Seven terminated Swordwood, they wouldn't face any disciplinary actions—in fact, they might even be commended for their service.

"The fugitive Swordwood lacks anti-tracking experience. Since his escape from the psychiatric hospital, he has appeared on the streets several times, and the city's surveillance network has tracked his movements," Shu Xuyao explained. "Show the map."

Adam displayed a map of the city, with Swordwood's sightings and movements indicated by small red dots and lines.

"He's been active in the Northern District. An hour ago, he tried to buy food at a convenience store but couldn't because his account is frozen. My estimate is that he's still in the Northern District. He can't use public transport or enter public areas." Shu Xuyao zoomed in on the map. "The slums of the Northern District have sparse surveillance and are prime hiding spots for fugitives. We need to search thoroughly."

"Swordwood's mental state is highly unstable, and the nature of his supernatural ability, though non-lethal, is unknown," Shu Xuyao continued. "We'll combine long-range and close-range tactics for this operation. Jiang Ming, Liu Kangyun, and I will pursue on the ground, while Lan Lan operates the drone swarm. Cyrus, you'll act as the long-range sniper. Any issues with that?"

A sniper? This was a major problem; she had never even held a gun before!

Cyrus fell silent, and Shu Xuyao mistook her silence for the nervousness of a rookie. He encouraged, "If the capture goes smoothly, a sniper won't be necessary. You're the last line of defense, ensuring the criminal doesn't escape. Your shooting test was perfect—I trust you."

"Can you handle it, rookie?" The man seated to Cyrus's left sized her up, his tone challenging.

Cyrus matched his face to the data she had reviewed, recognizing him as Lan Lan, the team's technician responsible for maintaining and operating various technological devices. She had diligently memorized the profiles of everyone in the room.

"I can handle it, Captain," Cyrus bravely accepted the order.

"Let's see what's on the reading page, shall we?"

"Alright, no time to waste. Go gear up," Shu Xuyao instructed.

Everyone stood up and left Shu Xuyao's office, turning right to the door marked "Armory" and scanning their irises one by one.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Cyrus did the same and entered.

Adam's voice emanated from nowhere: "For this mission, you will require a bulletproof combat suit, standard firearms, standard melee blades, the new K80 long-range sniper rifle, micro-drones, a data monitor, a spare communicator, a blast-resistant helmet, and an emergency medical kit."

"Please ensure everything is correct before leaving the armory."

The armory was suffused with the smell of gunpowder and firearm maintenance oil.

Rows of black firearms hung neatly on racks, various types of bullets and magazines gleamed coldly, and Cyrus spotted many bizarre-looking pieces of equipment whose uses she couldn't fathom.

She followed her teammates to pick up a correctly-sized bulletproof combat suit and changed into it in the women's locker room.

The black combat suit was simple, devoid of any decoration, and felt snug, the material thin but stretchy. Cyrus fastened her belt, which had numerous hidden clasps likely for holding guns and magazines.

After changing, she approached the display case holding the firearms, observing her teammates and mimicking their actions. She picked up a standard pistol as indicated by the label and secured it at her waist, along with two magazines and a short blade with a reflective-proof finish.

Cyrus moved to the rack holding blast-resistant helmets and put one on. This type of helmet wasn't fully enclosed, mainly protecting the back of the head.

As a sniper, she needed to equip herself with an additional K80 long-range sniper rifle.

At the sight of the unassembled sniper rifle, Cyrus felt overwhelmed—it was massive, and even more daunting, it was in pieces!

Her scalp tingled as she stared at the disassembled K80, unsure of where to begin.

"What's the matter?" Lan Lan approached, asking, "Hurry up and assemble it. The captain said you scored perfectly in shooting; I've never seen you put together a gun in all the time we've been teammates. Let me witness your skills."

Cyrus closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and her hands reached for the rifle parts.

Barrel, receiver, recoil compensator, stand, connector, scope... the components came together rapidly under her touch, her speed dizzying.

Lan Lan watched, mouth agape in astonishment.

As the final piece clicked into place, Cyrus's fingertips spasmed involuntarily.

Luck was on her side. Her inherent talent for combat had apparently extended to firearms; when someone has assembled a weapon thousands of times, muscle memory takes over, enabling them to put it together even blindfolded.

Hefting the K80, Cyrus said to Lan Lan, "Impressed?"

"Damn, you're good!" Lan Lan grinned, plucking the spare communicator Cyrus hadn't had a chance to grab and clipped it to her belt for her. "Since your hands are full with the gun, I'll help you with the communicator."

"Thanks," Cyrus replied.

She couldn't rely too heavily on combat instincts. A theoretical foundation was essential.

"Security Officer Cyrus" had left her criminology textbooks on the desk in her bedroom. Once she had a chance, she vowed to read them thoroughly and enrich her knowledge.

Together with her teammates, Cyrus left the armory and stepped into the hallway, where Adam instructed, "Please follow the yellow lights to the landing pad. Captain Shu Xuyao is already there."

"Lan Lan, you forgot to activate your helmet," Cyrus said as they walked side by side.

"I don't have a free hand..." Carrying the K80 was proving difficult for Cyrus.

Fortunately, this body's superior physical condition allowed her to carry the hefty weapon down the corridor with ease.

Cyrus added, "Don't call me 'Lan Lan,' it sounds annoying."

"Hey, you can call me 'Little Lan' if you want," Lan Lan said cheerfully, reaching out to help her. "Let me turn on your helmet for you."

He tapped the side of Cyrus's helmet, and suddenly, a green data display appeared before her eyes. Adam's voice came through, "Greetings, Trainee Security Officer Cyrus. I will filter team communications and collect real-time data on wind direction, wind speed, humidity, obstacles, target distance, shooting elevation angle, Coriolis effect, and other factors to assist with your sniping accuracy."

...So advanced? Cyrus was impressed.

The elevator doors opened, and the team ascended to the rooftop helipad.

"Let's see what's on the reading page, shall we?"

Captain Shu Xuyao, fully geared, stood before an extended police car. "Prepare to depart."

"Yes, Captain!" Field Team Seven responded in unison.

They boarded the car, with Cyrus, clutching the lengthy sniper rifle, occupying the last row by herself.

The police car levitated and took off.

Then Liu Kangyun, who had been silent, reminded, "Check your weapons' safeties, everyone. No accidental discharges."

Jiang Ming muttered, "You say that every time we go on a mission... I've got calluses in my ears."

Lan Lan turned from the front seat to explain to the puzzled Cyrus, "His gun's safety broke once. While sitting in a car with it holstered at the waist, it fired accidentally. Didn't hit anyone, but it shot through the police car. We were flying at the time, and the car caught fire and nearly fell from the sky. Gave Liu a bit of trauma, hahaha..."

After hearing this, Cyrus reflexively looked down to check the safety on her sidearm.

"Don't be too tense, Cyrus," Shu Xuyao advised from the driver's seat. "You only need to grip your gun, aim at the target, and stay focused. Don't think about anything else."

"Yes, Captain," Cyrus replied softly.

The relentless rain mirrored her somber mood.

Raindrops crowded the car windows, obstructing Cyrus's view. After a thirty-minute flight, the car began to descend slowly.

"We've reached the location where the target was last seen," Adam announced. "The best sniping position is at the top of the Liberty Square Signal Tower in the Northern District. Officer Cyrus, please proceed there. Officer Lan Lan may accompany you to control the drone swarm. The signal tower is 230 meters high, offering a relatively clear view from above."

"Go," Shu Xuyao ordered.

Members of Field Team Seven exchanged glances, with Cyrus and Lan Lan being the first to break away and ascend the nearby signal tower.

Reaching the top of the tower, Cyrus took a deep breath, knelt, and set up the K80, peering through the scope.

Lan Lan opened his backpack, revealing a metal box. The box opened, and five fist-sized drones detached and soared like birds of prey into the rainy sky, descending towards the residential area below.

"These drones are mainly for scanning. Since it's a residential area, we can't use weaponized drones; too risky for civilian casualties. Better to rely on sniper precision," Lan Lan manipulated the control panel, guiding the drones. "Adam can control the drones too, but its main function is data collection and analysis. Manual operation saves on computing power, allowing Adam to respond more quickly and thoroughly. Really, the Enforcement Department should upgrade Adam's core so we could save a lot of hassle."

Cyrus remained focused and did not respond.

She scanned the residential area below through the high-magnification scope, searching for Swordwood.

Cyrus moved the K80 millimeter by millimeter. She spotted Captain Shu and Jiang Ming, Liu Kangyun, confirmed their positions, then shifted away from the scope, her finger hovering over the trigger. Her concentration was at its peak, the rifle an extension of her body.

Unbeknownst to her, the barrel of her gun unconsciously tracked every moving object in the scope—whether it was her teammates or ordinary civilians in the slums.

Cyrus's "Combat Instinct" had been fully awakened. In that moment, she was an eagle soaring in search of prey, a python lurking in the shadows of a cave. She didn't need to consciously act; her hunting instincts took over, turning her into a predator.

For a fleeting instant, Cyrus felt an urge to shoot every moving thing in her scope.

She breathed evenly, adjusting her mindset, clearing away distractions.

"Target sighted," Adam suddenly announced.

Lan Lan directed the drones to follow the lead.

Cyrus immediately swung the rifle around, locating the target marked by Adam—there he was!

A figure in panic appeared in her scope, a man running barefoot through the streets with a loaf of bread in his mouth, both pitiful and comical in his escape.

"Target distance, 986.2 meters; current wind speed, 2.3; angle..." Data streamed into Cyrus's vision.

She locked onto Swordwood, her index finger resting on the trigger.