John's body stiffened abruptly, and his once indifferent eyes instantly erupted with unbearable pain. He clutched his injured shoulder, trembling violently, his mind feeling as though countless sharp knives were churning within it. Firelight, explosions, her terrified yet resolute face, her hand tightly gripping his... those long-sealed images and sounds brutally assailed his brain, tearing at him. He could feel the blurred outlines slowly sharpening, the fragmented murmurs gradually coalescing into a complete melody, each note carrying a bloody agony.
"Yaya..." John whispered, his voice filled with pain and longing. His body began to tremble violently, cold sweat streaming down his forehead, as if enduring immense torment. Yet, he stared intently at Phyllis, as if she were the only one who could pull him from this suffering.
"John!" Phyllis rushed towards him. She knew he was experiencing the agony of memory regression; she had to be by his side!
However, just as Phyllis rushed towards John, a dark figure suddenly lunged from the side, aiming straight for Phyllis! It was another "Shadow" organization operative!
"Phyllis, look out!" John shouted. Ignoring his shoulder injury, he lunged towards Phyllis, trying to shield her from the attack.
But Phyllis reacted faster. She twisted her body, dodging the attack, while simultaneously firing her pistol precisely at the assailant. However, the assailant was agile, and the bullet grazed past him.
"John!" Phyllis saw John's shoulder wound tear open again from his violent movement, blood gushing out. She knew he couldn't afford another injury!
"Catch them! Don't let a single one escape!" John's voice carried a hint of pain, but his tone was filled with fierce resolve. He knew this was his plan to lure them out, and his crucial battle to reclaim his memories!
The entire castle plunged into unprecedented chaos and fierce battle. Gunshots and screams echoed one after another, and the fireworks in the night sky exploded uselessly, no longer able to mask the symphony of blood and fire. In this pandemonium, the door to John's memories was completely shattered open, and Phyllis knew that no matter how many thorns lay ahead, they would walk this path together, until all the mists were cleared, until the truth was revealed!
The instant "Phantom's" dagger sliced John's shoulder, the agonizing pain surged like a tide, yet also like a lightning bolt, cleaving through the thick fog in his mind. He clutched his wound, his eyes no longer bewildered. In their place was an extreme coldness and killing intent. He was no longer the CEO plagued by memory loss, but "Zhuo"—the one who had hovered on the edge of death and risen, bathed in blood!
"Lynn, lock onto 'Phantom's' position!" John's voice roared through the communicator, filled with a suffocating fury, each word seemingly squeezed through gritted teeth. He glanced at Phyllis, a flicker of pain and anxiety in his eyes, but he knew this was no time for sentiment.
He spun abruptly, dodging "Phantom's" second attack, his body as swift as a leopard. The blurred images in his mind were now as clear as yesterday. He felt a five-year-suppressed surge of anger and power erupt within him. He abandoned all flashy moves; every punch, every kick, carried the precision and force of a special forces soldier, striking directly at "Phantom's" vital points. His movements were sharp and decisive, without an ounce of wasted effort, like a finely tuned killing machine. His eyes were cold and bloodthirsty, like a beast gazing at its prey, sending a shiver down "Phantom's" spine.
On the other side, Phyllis was locked in combat with a "Shadow" operative, her peripheral vision constantly on John. She saw the blood on his shoulder, her heart twisting in agony, but when she saw his familiar fighting stance and the long-lost coldness and killing intent in his eyes, her heart jolted. That gaze, that ruthlessness, was strikingly similar to the power he had unleashed to protect her in the train wreck five years ago! Every gesture he made to handle his enemies, every cold, sharp look, was like a brand seared into her memory.
"John..." Phyllis murmured, her gun leveled at her immediate enemy, pulling the trigger without hesitation. She knew the man she had loved and sought for five years had finally returned! At this moment, all the waiting, all the pain, all the pretense, became worth it. She knew there were no longer any barriers between them, only a future of fighting side by side.
During the intense struggle, John's memories flooded back in a tearing, furious torrent. He could feel the long-sealed images slowly becoming clear, the fragmented sounds gradually coalescing into a complete melody. He remembered the train accident five years ago, Phyllis's terrified yet determined face, her hand gripping his, and the vow, "Never forget, never part." He also remembered being secretly transferred, his memory suppressed by "Shadow" organization technology, and the painful process of them trying to groom him into a pawn.
"Damn it!" John roared internally. He slammed his fist into "Phantom's" chest. The assailant grunted, flying backward to crash against a ballroom pillar, spitting blood.
"They dared to touch you! Phyllis, I will never let them harm you again, not an inch!" John's eyes were filled with brutality and rage. He knew now that he could no longer pretend. A long-buried image flashed in his mind: a blurry photo of just the two of them in his private office. That photo was the only solace in the depths of his memory, the only truth beneath his five years of pretense. Now, he could no longer pretend; all the forbearance and pain transformed into overwhelming hatred for the "Shadow" organization and a fierce determination to protect Phyllis.
Inside the ballroom, chaos reached its peak. The screams of guests, the gunshots of security personnel, and the sounds of "Shadow" operatives fighting intertwined into a symphony of death. John's appearance, while stabilizing part of the situation, had also completely enraged the "Shadow" organization. More dark figures surged from all directions, their targets clear, lunging directly at John and Phyllis.
"Kevin, lead the encirclement! Lynn, full power to restore surveillance and pinpoint the intrusion source!" John's voice rang out again, carrying an undeniable command and suppressed fury.
Phyllis and John stood back-to-back, a silent understanding passing between them. Phyllis handled close-quarters combat, her movements agile, her techniques sharp, each strike aimed directly at the enemy's joints. John, with his extraordinary combat skills and control over the battle, cleared obstacles for Phyllis and was ready at any moment to take a fatal blow for her. Their coordination was seamless, as if they had rehearsed countless times. A single glance, a single movement, conveyed their intentions.
"Left side!" Phyllis whispered.
John shifted his body, dodging a dagger attacking from the left, while simultaneously kicking his opponent's knee.
"Behind!" John said in a deep voice.
Phyllis spun sharply, her pistol accurately firing at the enemy attempting a sneak attack from behind.
Their figures darted through the chaotic ballroom like two flashes of lightning, and wherever they went, enemies fell. John's shoulder was still bleeding, but he seemed to feel no pain. In his eyes, there was only Phyllis, and those who tried to harm her. His memories were returning at an astonishing speed; the suppressed love and protective instincts now erupted completely.
"Phyllis, follow me!" John suddenly grabbed Phyllis's hand, leading her towards a hidden passage in the ballroom. He knew this was a trap set by the "Shadow" organization, but it was also his breakthrough point for a counterattack.
Phyllis didn't hesitate for a moment, following John closely. She could feel the warmth of his hand, the strength conveyed through his palm.