Chapter 11: Passing By, the Hero Saves the Beauty
Red Ribbon Army Central Command – Classified Zone
"The Shenji Regiment… has been wiped out?"
A cold voice echoed through the high-tech war chamber. Rows of monitors flickered with tactical data and satellite feeds. Commander Reiter, one of the top regional leaders of the Red Ribbon Army, slammed his metal gauntlet against the control panel, denting the steel casing.
"Jack may have been greedy and reckless, but he was still one of our best enforcers. Efficient, loyal, enhanced with cybernetics. And yet—l some martial artist took him out like an amateur?"
Across from him, Adjutant Black stoic and precise as always stood firm, hands behind his back as he reported.
"Yes, Commander Reiter. The reports confirm it. Jack and the entire Shenji Regiment were obliterated in their mobile base. The last transmission captured a massive energy surge consistent with ki-based techniques."
Reiter's brow twitched. His original plan had been simple: use the expendable Shenji Regiment as bait to deal with the unknown martial artist who had seized one of the Dragon Balls. With them gone, not only had he lost a valuable pawn, but the enemy was still at large and now stronger than ever.
As Reiter seethed, Black stepped forward with another update.
"There's also a new message from Dr. Gero. He's requesting an additional twenty million zeni in research funds."
"Again?!" Reiter's voice cracked like a whip. "I just wired him last month! That senile parasite is draining the budget dry. I should've handed his lab over to Commander Violet instead!"
Reiter's anger flared, but he knew the truth. Without Dr. Gero's scientific genius the creator of the Red Ribbon Android Program, the supplier of pulse rifles, energy dampeners, and cybernetic augmentations the Red Ribbon Army would've been reduced to a common mercenary faction long ago.
Adjutant Black, calm as ever, offered a measured response.
"Commander, I've reviewed Dr. Gero's recent progress. His next-generation prototypes show remarkable promise. He's already supplied us with upgraded weapon systems and automated recon drones. Cutting his funding now may delay our weapons schedule by several quarters."
Reiter sighed deeply, fingers tapping the steel table. He knew the army's expansion and power projection relied entirely on Gero's tech but twenty million was no trivial sum.
"I know his value," Reiter growled. "But that doesn't mean I enjoy being held hostage by his invoices. If I authorize this, we'll need an alternate cash source to maintain operations."
Black adjusted his glasses, then offered a chilling suggestion.
"If funds are tight, perhaps we borrow from another source. For example the Capsule Corporation."
Reiter raised an eyebrow.
"You mean that Capsule Corporation? The tech conglomerate that practically runs West City?"
"Precisely. They're worth billions. Twenty million is a rounding error to them. More importantly, they have a weakness—Bulma Briefs, the founder's only daughter. She's often seen in the field, traveling without heavy protection."
Reiter's eyes gleamed with dark amusement. The implications were immediate.
"Clever. Kidnap the Capsule heiress, hold her ransom. Not only will we get the funds, but we can demand access to their tech. We'll make Gero's lab look like a stone age workshop."
He stood tall, grinning now.
"Very well. Arrange the operation. But let's make it worth their trouble. Not just twenty million. Tell them we want a hundred million zeni or we start shipping off body parts."
Black saluted crisply.
"Yes, Commander. I will handle the abduction squad personally."
As he exited, Reiter leaned back, already imagining the feel of a hundred million zeni flowing into his personal weapons vault.
---
Meanwhile...
Over the next several days, Ye Lin continued his journey across the Central Plains of Earth. His mastery of Moon Step a modified version of Bukūjutsu allowed him to soar across vast territories in record time.
While others walked for days, he glided like a shadow across the skies, training his skill proficiency with every step in the air. Although reaching the thousand-point mastery threshold would take time, Ye Lin believed that even sand can pile into a mountain with enough patience.
"Still nothing…"
He frowned at the Dragon Radar in his palm. The green display remained static no signal, no flicker. That meant the final Dragon Ball was either hidden underground, in a shielded structure, or still in motion.
Since the fall of the Shenji Regiment, the Red Ribbon Army had grown surprisingly quiet. Ye Lin had expected retaliation, but days passed in eerie silence.
His routine was broken by the sudden sound of automatic gunfire echoing from the forest road below.
Tak-tak-tak-tak!
Ye Lin immediately halted in midair, eyes narrowing. A convoy of black vehicles with Red Ribbon insignias surrounded a single airborne hovercar, and gunmen opened fire while shouting orders.
Below, a girl in a blue travel suit ducked behind the hovercar, returning fire with a plasma capsule blaster. Her long cyan hair whipped in the wind. A familiar face.
"Is that... Bulma?"
Ye Lin's grip tightened around the Dragon Radar.
He descended like a thunderbolt.
A fleet of high-speed bikes weaved violently down the highway, chasing after a sleek, armored black vehicle. Despite the hail of bullets fired from the speeding gang, the car's reinforced shell remained intact clearly bulletproof and top-of-the-line.
From above, Ye Lin hovered silently in the sky, observing with sharp eyes. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the unmistakable red insignias stitched onto the jackets of the bikers—Red Ribbon Army operatives. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
Ding!
System Alert: Mission Triggered!
Objective: Protect Bulma Briefs, daughter of Capsule Corporation.
Difficulty: Simple Mode.
Reward: One God-Tier Lottery Draw
Ye Lin raised an eyebrow in surprise. "So it's her? Bulma... Looks like the Red Ribbon Army never learns. Well, I'm just about bored enough to deal with this."
Without hesitation, he propelled himself downwards, stepping through the sky with Moon Step, the technique he had refined through countless hours of flight practice.
Down below, one of the gang's grenades struck the rear of the black car. The explosion forced it off-course it skidded violently, slammed into a roadside railing, and came to a halt.
A squad of elite bodyguards, clad in black suits and equipped with Capsule Corp firearms, exited the vehicle.
"Protect Miss Bulma! Hold off the hostiles!"
They surrounded a teenage girl with long, turquoise hair Bulma Briefs, barely fifteen years old but already exuding poise under pressure. Her fists were clenched, her breath tight, but she didn't panic.
Da-da-da-da!
Gunfire erupted as the Red Ribbon troops advanced with ruthless coordination. Despite their best efforts, one by one the bodyguards were struck down. The outnumbered defenders fell quickly beneath the Red Ribbon's assault.
Watching her allies fall, Bulma bit her lip. Her fear threatened to overtake her but she held her ground. She was a Briefs. And she refused to cry.
Now alone, Bulma stood surrounded.
"Well well... so the VIP target is just a little girl," one soldier chuckled.
"She's smarter than she looks," another sneered. "Too bad for her, she's our golden ticket. Once Capsule Corp hears we've got their heiress, they'll pay up big time."
Bulma's eyes widened. She understood immediately: this was a ransom operation. They planned to use her to extort her family's fortune.
"If it's money you want," she said, forcing calm into her voice, "why not take me home? My father would pay you ten times more if I'm safe. I'll even promise you five hundred thousand zeni each. Just escort me home."
Some of the Red Ribbon men hesitated, but one brute scoffed. "Nice try, kid. We serve the Red Ribbon Army. We don't sell out for pocket change. You'd best behave—unless you want trouble."
The man reached out to grab her.
But before his hand could touch her shoulder—zap!
A single beam of light pierced his forehead.
He collapsed instantly, lifeless.
"Enemy attack!"
"Where's it coming from?!"
Panic spread through the Red Ribbon squad as they looked around in confusion.
A lone figure emerged from the smoke, calmly walking forward. No weapon in hand. No armor. Just a determined expression and glowing fingertips.
"You Red Ribbon punks are getting bolder by the day..." Ye Lin said coldly. "Kidnapping a teenage girl for ransom? How low can you sink?"
The soldiers raised their weapons, barking orders.
"You idiot! You brought fists to a gunfight!"
"Get him!"
Ye Lin sighed, unimpressed.
"No. You're the ones who didn't realize... I'm not targeting you. I'm targeting your lives."
With a flick of his hand, several beams of light burst forth from his fingertips—precision Dodōnpa strikes. Unlike the focused single beam he had first practiced, Ye Lin had refined the technique to scatter-shot mode. Though each beam lost some power, it was more than enough for cannon fodder like these.
The beams struck cleanly. Holes tore through torsos and helmets, and before any of them could fire, their bodies hit the pavement.
In a matter of seconds, the ambush was over.
The battlefield fell silent.
> Ding! System Update:
Simple Mode Mission Complete!
Reward: One God-Level Lottery Draw
The familiar glowing prize wheel spun, and from it dropped a plain white sphere.
Congratulations! E-Rank Reward Unlocked: Lamborghini (Earth Make)
Ye Lin arched an eyebrow.
"A Lamborghini? Seriously?" He shrugged. "Stylish, sure—but I can cross continents faster with Moon Step."
Nearby, Bulma stared at him, awe written across her face. Her eyes lingered on his hands, which still glowed faintly from the energy discharge.
"You... did all of that... with your fingers?" she asked, blinking.
Ye Lin gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Yup. Just a little trick I picked up recently."
And for the first time since the attack began, Bulma laughed nervous, shaky, but genuine.
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