Part 14: Obstacles

ACT 2: Obstacles

Edelyn’s Perspective:

It was back to ten minutes ago, as Jun Cheng and Chen Kwang were discussing with Edelyn about the plan.

“I came back from the future, and was told by you to ask us to escape.” Edelyn described the situation again, about the police officer that Chen Kwang knew.

“What, we aren’t going to leave…” Jun Cheng said as Chen Kwang seemed to roughly know what he probably said in that timeline.

“Yes, go and find Ilyas.” Chen Kwang said. “Jun Cheng, now before the cops arrive.”

“Wait… how is Ilyas going to change this situation?” Jun Cheng asked, as Chen Kwang told him that Ilyas’ sword might be the key to saving Li Peng’s life.

Jun Cheng was enlightened by the fact that the Dozer could actually be separated.

“How did you know that?” Jun Cheng asked, as Chen Kwang said that the sword is able to adapt with the Dozer, and forcefully separate the Human and the Dozer.

After hearing that, Jun Cheng agreed to head back to Ilyas, and his naivety was the only way he could be convinced to leave.

“It was all a made up lie, huh?” Edelyn cried, as Chen Kwang faced away from her.

“You should deactivate the time loop.” Chen Kwang said, sitting down on the ground. “I probably never found a right solution to deal with this anyways.”

“Why are you putting this all on yourself? We… we can’t abandon you after all the help you gave us.” Edelyn said as Chen Kwang simply laughed.

“We aren’t the same, Edelyn.” Chen Kwang said. “I am a proprietor, you are the DEA. We can’t mix well together like water and oil. Anyone who joins forces with the DEA will only subject themselves to arrest.”

“Besides, you aren’t the type of person that would kill a Human-Dozer.” Chen Kwang said, as he stood up and gave her a head pat.

“Ilyas probably knows that I am lying. He knows it better than me.” Chen Kwang said. “He is still someone who barely knows his own weapon.”

“But… one thing he does know… is seeing through someone and pretending like he doesn't.”

Edelyn wept as Chen Kwang knew that this was the only route possible to not get them in trouble.

“What did my future self say?” Chen Kwang asked. “Heh, probably something stupid about Keaton.”

“You were talking a lot about him.” Edelyn said. “But you seem to look up to him somehow.”

“Huh… is that so?” He grinned widely as he turned her around towards the door. “Deactivate your power and leave this room. I’ll deal with Pavak myself.”

“But…” Edelyn looked at the Dozer and knew exactly what Chen Kwang was going to do.

“Sitting here crying your eyes out and resetting isn’t going to lead you anywhere.” Chen Kwang said. “Mostly I’ll lose my proprietor status, but I am sure we are all like Li Peng. Trapped inside a box of time that we can never hope to escape.”

Edelyn deactivated her time loop, knowing that there was no way she could go back in time again.

“Good.” Chen Kwang sat down in the middle of the hall. “Now… leave this instant.”

Edelyn left the room as Chen Kwang watched the Dozer. It did not try to escape, as if it knew its own fate.

“Well… 10 minutes is really… a very long time, huh?”

Jun Cheng ran back to Ilyas who was resting on a sofa and staring into space. He told him about Chen Kwang and how he needs to go back now and use his sword.

But Ilyas knew that Chen Kwang was probably sacrificing his own dignity to save them.

“Chen Kwang… is a good person.” Ilyas said. “There is no reason for me to go back there. Or any of us for that matter.”

As he said that, Edelyn appeared back, kneeling down from exhaustion. She was weeping, feeling devastated that she couldn’t do anything to help him.

Jun Cheng sat back down and realized that it was all a lie to get them back to safety.

“He did not want any of us to do it.” Edelyn said. “Even though… we should be the ones to end the Dozer’s life.”

“Yeah.” Ilyas said, looking at the sword that was still charging. “Not like I could… ever use that sword properly.”

Back at the hall, the police sirens were heard as they all marched into the room. All they saw was Chen Kwang sitting in the middle of the hall, with his weapon in his hand.

“Where are the others from the DEA?” Pavak asked as Chen Kwang got up from his position.

“There is no one else here.” Chen Kwang said. “I am the one who called you guys out here, anyways.”

“Arrest him and that Dozer.” Pavak said, as his men circled around him with their guns pointed at them.

“When did you become so aggressive towards an old friend?” Chen Kwang asked, as Pavak simply shook his head.

“Ever since you sided with the DEA, and helped them to kill Dozers.” Pavak said. “We aren’t going to let it slide. Your duty as a proprietor is over.”

“Hmm, very well.” Chen Kwang took out his needle, as he sliced the Dozer in half. It was a clean cut, as the Dozer transformed into a wolf in retaliation.

“What the hell are you doing? Stop right there!” Pavak ordered Chen Kwang to not step over the boundary as a proprietor. “Do you have any idea what is going to happen to you if you keep this up?”

“Keaton once told me.” Chen Kwang said firmly, as he sliced off the Dozer’s ear with his needle. “That keeping Dozers alive as test subjects isn't solving issues. And I thought I disagreed with his statements and as a proprietor I had to stand against his ideals.”

“Stop moving or else I’ll not be obliged to fire.” Pavak warned him as Chen Kwang went for another slice.

“Fire at his arms!” Pavak yelled, but as soon as he said that, a large figure charged in, blocking all of the bullets into its lead body.

“What… just happened?” Chen Kwang thought. “That is-! The Dozer… I have to kill it now-” He felt a strong punch to his chest, as he was flung to the other side of the hall. On the stage, out came a man wearing a labcoat, enjoying the performance that he got to witness before him.

“Sorry, I had to stop you there.” The man said, lifting up his arms to welcome his presence. “I can’t have you kill that Dozer now. Not under the Wolf Tamer’s orders, you see.”

“Who the hell are you?” Pavak cried, as the beast ravaged through half of his men.

“Are you an officer? Hmm… I don’t really think you should poke your noses into these things.” The man said, walking down the steps. “It would be more fun if I get to keep that Dozer as a pet.”

“Are you part of the Wolf Tamer’s gang?” Pavak yelled, as the beast charged at him, intending to claw off his head.

“Hibiscus Technique: Petal Slice!” Chen Kwang came to his rescue, slicing off its arm in one swing.

He tumbled over and regained his footing but the beast seemed to be unfazed by the loss of its arm.

“Humans are interesting… I mean, saving someone who tried to capture you.” The man said, interested in the complex irony of their friendship. “This is truly a spectacular view.”

“Get out now.” Chen Kwang said. “You can arrest me after I defeat this beast.”

“Chen Kwang… you aren’t getting away from my sight.” Pavak said, shooting the beast several times in the head. But his bullets were not penetrating its tough lead skull, but only left dents on its forehead.

“Your duty isn’t as important as your own LIFE?” Chen Kwang said, as the beast started to regenerate its arm back.

“What kind of weird monster is this?” Pavak asked, as Chen Kwang had never seen such a strange abomination in all of his time being a proprietor.

“I have no time to explain this to you.” Chen Kwang said. “But this is definitely a threat that requires the DEA’s help.”

“What?” Pavak said, but knew this was no time to arrest him. “You think a bunch of criminals like them-”

“They are no criminals… or low lifes with no money to afford rent…” Chen Kwang said as the beast started to attack him with both of its hands.

“Hibiscus Technique: Blossom Slice.” A circular motion of his hand sliced both of its arms off, as Chen Kwang went in for its body. However, it kicked itself back, and a clean cut could not be made in time.

“Go to Hougang Hibiscus now.” Chen Kwang said. “This wasn’t what Edelyn expected to happen… but it looks like she failed to see what happened beyond that future.”

“Don’t die.” Pavak said, as he called the remaining men to head to Hougang Hibiscus. Chen Kwang had to stall as much time as he could.

“Well… I think it is safe to say how heroic you are.” The man jeered at him for his bravery which he felt was all redundant. “Asking more people to arrive at their gravestones, is rather selfish of you… I mean… weren’t you the sacrifice all along-”

“Hibiscus Technique: Petal Blossom of the Night Sky.” A large swipe of his needle sliced the beast completely in half, even from an incredible distance. The man soon realized that his needle could not be seen at all. Almost like it was thinner than it was before.

“You were saying?” Chen Kwang said, but the beast’s body reformed together like some sort of plant.

“Haven’t you heard?” The man taunted him and was mesmerized by the beauty of this Dozer. “That not all Dozers have an animal as their base form. Plants can get corrupted too, man eating plants I suppose.”

A large stinky gas filled the room, as Chen Kwang realized this was no ordinary Dozer.

“A rafflesia… as its base.” The man said, as petals started to form all over its body. “A death flower that can destroy any creature that it consumes. Your useless flower comparing itself to this beast? It’s almost like a dinosaur to a human.”

“Although… my goal isn’t to kill you.”

The Flexidozer ran towards Li Peng’s Dozer, as Chen Kwang swooped in and blocked it with his needle.

“Tch, if this bugger gets adapted, we might be completely screwed.” Chen Kwang thought. “Hibiscus Technique: Petal of the Grand Fiesta.” He swung his needle like a conductor in a performance, as it sliced the beast into several pieces.

Li Peng’s Dozer ran off, as Chen Kwang realized how difficult it would be to protect it on his own.

“All for the life of a Dozer.” The man sighed. “Are you really doing this…? I mean… wouldn’t it be easier for you to just kill that Dozer?”

“He’s right.” Chen Kwang said. “If I kill it faster than that Plant Dozer does… then I could focus on killing it later.”

“There is no other way.”