The desert wind blew hot and dry.Dust rose into the sky, and the sun blazed down like it meant to burn everything away.
In the middle of it all, the Guardian Unit rolled through the sands.
Their convoy pulled into the base.Dust-covered soldiers climbed down, unloading gear and letting out exhausted sighs.
Among them—Vincent Kang.His face was tired, but the team's mood was light.
"Hey Vincent, heard you handled the whole mission on your own again,"Alex teased with a grin.
"Not my fault the enemy was dumb,"Vincent replied with a shrug.
"Careful, you'll end up eating our lunch too,"Taylor laughed.
Laughter echoed through the camp.But Brad, more serious than the others, looked at Vincent with a furrowed brow.
"You always go in too hard, too fast. Leave something for the rest of us."
"It's less dangerous when I finish it quick. Means we get more time to relax, right?"
"Still… you've got people watching your back. Sometimes, let us do our part."
Vincent didn't answer.He lit a cigarette, eyes distant.He had never let anyone guard his back—not once.
A few days later, a new mission arrived.
Operation: Red Eagles
Target: Eliminate high-value asset Naharama
Secondary: Rescue hostages
Location: Enemy stronghold, outskirts of the desert
The briefing was short.Afterward, the team gathered around the map.
Vincent studied the layout carefully. Something felt wrong.
"They really stationed someone that important… here?"
"Lucky us,"Alex said casually.
But Vincent wasn't convinced.It was too quiet. Too perfect.
"Brad, doesn't this feel like bait?"
"Having one of your feelings again?"
"It just feels... too easy."
"You're overthinking. Just do it your way."
Vincent hesitated—Then nodded.
"...Yeah."
He didn't know this mission would tear his life apart.
They deployed near the objective in tactical trucks.Guards were taken out silently.Cameras disabled.Quick, surgical precision.
Silencers. Ropes. Shock weapons.It was textbook.
"Here's the door.""Told you it'd go fine, paranoid bastard,"Brad laughed.
Vincent led the team in.Target secured.
Then—
BOOM.
The floor gave way.
Explosion. Dust. Chaos.
Vincent and Brad fell hard, crashing into a lower level.Their ears rang. Breaths shallow.
They were ambushed.
The underground chamber was damp, flickering lights hanging overhead.
They were in a trap.
"Damn… you were right,"Brad muttered, dragging himself up.
"Hate being right sometimes,"Vincent growled.
TAP. TAP. TAP.Boots echoed from above.
"Welcome, Guardian Unit,"a voice rang through a speaker."This little hellhole was built just for you."
Vincent yanked Brad into cover.Gunfire rained down.Walls cracked.
"Seven armed. Three melee.""Can't charge through," Brad said.
Vincent scanned their surroundings.Rusty chains. A metal pipe. A sickle on the wall.Dim lighting.
He kicked a bulb.Darkness spread across part of the room.
"Now we fight on my terms."
"Lights are out! What the hell?""Flashlights! Move!"
Vincent slipped into the shadows.
Target One:As he fumbled with his flashlight—CLANG.Pipe to the head. Instant down.
Target Two:Vincent swept low, slashed a wrist.Gun fell. Arm twisted. Slammed into the wall.
Target Three:
"There he is!"
Gun raised—
Vincent leapt, kicked off the wall—Spinning through the air, kicking the weapon aside, crashing into his chest.
Brad joined in.
"Now!"
Silenced shots fired.
Vincent grabbed a dropped weapon and opened fire.
"2 o'clock! Watch your flank!"He signaled Brad.
Crossfire. Perfect sync.
Headshots. Knee shots.Clean. Fast. Deadly.
Panic spread among the enemy.
Vincent rolled to flank again—Knife to the spine. One more down.
Only three remained.
They regrouped.
Vincent stepped out.
"This isn't the outcome you expected, is it?"
Gun in one hand. Knife in the other.
The first rushed in.
Vincent faked a shot.The enemy flinched.
Too late.SLASH.Blade deep in his throat.
Second tried to shoot—Vincent threw a corpse.Bullets hit dead flesh.
Vincent leapt again.Gun to the skull.
BANG.
Last man dropped his weapon, hands up.
"P-please…"
Vincent stared at him.Lowered his weapon.
And knocked him out cold.
Silence. But blood was spreading.
Brad.
Slumped against the wall, holding his stomach.Blood pouring out.
Vincent rushed over.Bandaged the wound.
"Hang in there."
Brad shook his head.
"Not this time…"
He grabbed Vincent's hand.
"You were always ahead.Too fast. Too deep.We just chased after you."
Vincent held on tight.But the grip was fading.
"You'll survive.You always do.Just… find a reason to live."
And then—He smiled.
And died.
The silence was unbearable.Only the wind moved.
"I survived.""But was it the right outcome?"
Vincent closed his friend's eyes.Stood.
Bloody hands.
And now—Alone.
He gasped awake.
Sweat. Shaking hands.The smell of blood, the weight of war.
"I survived. But did I change for the better?"
He stood, lit a cigarette.
"Are they still watching me?"
And outside the window—A shadow was.
Episode 10 – What to Do with Him
Confidential Intelligence Bureau – Operations Analysis Room
A dark war room.Screens filled with data and surveillance from Harrison City.
Vincent's destruction played out in clips.Some gasped. Others weren't surprised.
"That movement—classic Guardian Unit. No doubt.""We have operatives like that? Which unit was he even in?"
The Director silenced them.
"Vincent Kang singlehandedly dismantled an entire syndicate. That's no mechanic."
Agent A (Let-him-be):
"He's one of ours. Guardian-trained. We shouldn't interfere. He's dangerous if provoked."
Agent B (Contain-him):
"That's exactly why we need to act. He's gone rogue. No orders. No oversight."
Agent A:
"He was retaliating. This isn't our problem."
Agent B:
"He doesn't know when to stop. What if we're next?"
(Silence.)
"…"
The debate dragged on.No conclusion.
But one man sat silent.
Robert Kane.
Hands clasped, eyes cold.
"You survived, Vincent.""I knew you'd resurface. The question is—how much do you remember?"
"The agency won't act fast… So I will."
Meanwhile, in Harrison City—
Vincent sat in a quiet motel, hidden from sight.He scanned the streets.
Then stepped into the night.It was time to move.
He froze.
"Someone's watching me."
He turned.
No one there.
"So. It begins."
Elsewhere—
Robert Kane made a call.
"You want him eliminated?"
"Yes. Vincent Kang… has lived long enough.And he remembers too much."