MOBA Game Apocalypse-Chapter 214: Why Are You Looking At Me Like That?

"What…"

Everything seemed to slow down. The car began to fold and topple, metal screeching as the roof caved inward. Adam, crammed inside the wreckage, didn't bother with the doors. He practically ripped the car in half, tearing through steel and upholstery with his bare hands, and then gently grabbed the driver along with his entire seat to keep the man from being crushed like a rag doll.

"Hold on!" He hugged the seat close as momentum carried them through the air, landing hard against the brick wall of a nearby building, cracking it with his boots. Adam dropped to the ground, the driver still strapped into the seat in his arms.

"Hey. Hey! Are you okay?" He looked at the driver, but he was completely knocked out. He carefully checked his pulse—unconscious but fortunately alive.

Adam sighed, then quickly looked around him. They were in the middle of the city, and there were people everywhere, all of them looking worried, hands over mouths, eyes wide.

"Everyone, please…" Adam quickly raised his hand, "Get inside the buildings and hide somewhere safe!"

None of them, however, listened. They only looked nervously at Adam before recognizing him and pulling out their phones, flashes lighting up as they pointed cameras at him.

"Are you guys serious right now…?" Adam almost raised an eyebrow at them. It would seem the Game has… clouded people's perception of danger.

No, Adam. People have always been like this. Even before the—

And before he could finish his thoughts, Carmen once again flew toward him, a crimson streak tearing through the air.

***

"Congratulations on your new car! Take care of it!"

"T-thank you! Thank you."

Somewhere close, someone was congratulating a young man who had just bought his first car, full cash. He was taking a picture in front of the silver sedan with the agent, grinning ear to ear, keys jingling in his hand.

"Okay, look at the camera. Wait, let him hold the giant key. Okay, alright. Look at the camera, and say cheefuck!"

And all of a sudden, a figure shot past behind them and completely crumpled the car. The woman taking the photo, the agent, and everyone else there all quickly ran to hide. The young man, however, just stood there, completely in shock, not yet comprehending what he had just witnessed.

"N-no…" he whispered.

Maybe it could still be buffed out, he thought, staring at the completely crushed left half of the car. And then… Carmen emerged, her wings completely splitting the car in half along with the concrete floor.

The people started running again, leaving the young man alone in the dealership lot. The two halves of the car were thrown at the walls of the dealership, glass exploding everywhere as the wreckage embedded itself in the showroom.

"What are you doing?!" Adam quickly looked around, sighing with relief that no one was hurt. "Stop it! You could hurt people! Enough. Calm down."

"Shut the fuck up, little bitch!" Carmen wasn't hearing him. Well, she was. But she didn't care at all.

She just had a manic expression on her face, more so than when they were in the Game. She was speaking in Spanish now, and even though Adam couldn't understand her at all, he knew enough that she was cursing at him.

She then flew at him again, wings sparking with explosive energy.

"I said…" This time, Adam caught her by the shoulders.

"Enough!" Adam raised his voice, slamming Carmen down on the floor of the dealership. The building rocked, and the tile floor caved beneath her small frame. Blood splattered from Carmen's mouth, and she coughed once, heavily.

"K—heh…" Still, even flat on the floor, she smirked up at him, her eyes filled with a hint of insanity.

Her wings grew wider, shimmering with dangerous light, and she flew up. But Adam managed to grab her by the ankle, and he pulled her down hard.

Then, he grabbed both her wings. His hands were burning, skin almost melting from the scorching heat they were emitting, but he gritted his teeth as he planted a foot on her back and started pulling on the wings.

"Calm down," Adam said as he pulled harder. "This isn't the Game. People shouldn't—"

"G—grah!"

"H-huh…?!" But when Carmen started to scream in pain, a high-pitched shriek, he quickly let go in surprise.

"Are you…" Adam raised both his hands, watching as Carmen retracted her wings back into her back with a wet sound. She groveled on the ground, gritting her teeth, breathing hard.

"I... I thought that wasn't connected to you," Adam said in worry. He carefully approached Carmen, crouching.

But then, Carmen's head snapped toward him, her face now completely… berserk.

"Puto!" She cursed at him again, spitting blood onto the concrete.

"I will kill—" But this time, before she could do anything, Adam suddenly grabbed the back of her head and slammed her down again. Hard. The floor cracked.

"Wh—" She tried to get up, and Adam slammed her down again.

"D—" And then, she tried to get up, and again, he slammed her down.

"Uh…" His expression was almost hesitant, uncertain... like trying to restrain a child having a tantrum. Granted, Carmen, so far, has been the only opponent smaller than him.

She got up. This time, before Adam could slam her down, she screamed for him to stop.

"S-stop it! Stop!"

Adam slowly backed away, squinting at her.

"F-fuck… man…" Carmen sat up, falling to her butt in exhaustion before crawling back, her face covered in blood. She gasped and wheezed, and cursed again.

"You… you weren't this strong in the Game," she said, voice raspy. "You were strong, but what the fuck are you eating?"

Adam didn't respond and only glanced around at the destruction they caused. A lot of cars totaled, cratered floors, wrecked walls… and extremely terrified people.

"Ha…" Adam closed his eyes, sucking in a breath of regret. "Why… would you even do this?"

"Eh…" Carmen ignored him, looking around before staring in a specific direction. She scratched her head vehemently, fingers tangling in her dark hair. Adam looked to where she was looking, only to see a drone hovering about fifty feet away, its camera lens pointed directly at them.

"What... is that?" Adam asked.

"Aaagh! You humiliated me again, Gringo!" Carmen just sprawled on the floor. "I was supposed to beat the fuck out of you! You know how many people are bashing me on the internet because I lost to you?!"

"You…" Adam blankly looked at her. "You... did all of this for that reason?"

Adam's eyes almost started to twitch.

"Tranquilo," Carmen said, waving a hand. "I'll pay for everything here."

"What…?"

"It's no problem." She stood up, patting her skirt clean before extending a hand to Adam. "Join my guild."

Adam blinked in confusion, looking at her hand, then her face.

"I'll offer you double—no. Triple the average pay of an B-tier Hero."

Adam just looked at her weirdly, not taking her hand.

"F-four times, iho!" Carmen nervously raised four fingers. "Just say yes, this offer is limited!"

"I'm an S-tier Hero now."

"Bullshit!" Carmen's eyes widened.

"I have no reason to lie."

"Bullshit!" she repeated. Carmen looked around, then caught sight of the young man... who was still completely frozen in shock near the wreckage of his new car.

"You! Imbecile! Give me your phone!"

"You don't have to give her your pho—" Before Adam could finish his words, the young man was already crying and handing the phone over, tears streaming down his face.

"What S-tier… bull fucking shit." Carmen quickly checked the phone for a moment, scrolling through the news.

"What the fuck is this shit?!" And without even any warning, she crushed the phone in her hand.

The young man's eyes were now completely blank, staring at the remains of his phone and his brand-new car.

"Argh!" Carmen continued to scream in frustration, stomping her feet. She pointed at Adam again. "Fine! Name your price! I'll pay you whatever you fucking want! Is that what you want to hear?! Huh?!"

"I'm… not going to join your guild." Adam sighed, shaking his head again. "And you really need to—"

"What the fuck is that?" Carmen looked around as a loud beep rang across the dealership. She looked at Adam, only to see him pulling out a phone—and even from where she was standing, the phone's screen was clearly glowing orange.

Adam squinted—it was an alert for a High-risk Red Leak.

"Where…" He looked at where the Leak was, and then at the location of the rest of the RLRD… and every one of them was far from it. If anything, he was the closest one. But still, dozens of miles away.

"Hm…" His eyebrows lowered, but then quickly relaxed as his eyes landed on Carmen.

"W-what…?" Carmen held her breath, taking a step back as this was the first time Adam ever looked at her like that. Almost… with a smile on his face.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?!"