Chapter 29-30

Chapter 29: Gus's Little Trouble

The highway wasn't particularly busy, with only a few vehicles passing by from time to time. However, at this moment, the middle of the road was completely blocked by flames shooting into the sky and the continuous sounds of battle, effectively halting traffic. Europeans, not wanting to intrude, were scared out of their wits, reversing their cars faster than usual. Shortly after the brief battle began, no other vehicles were in sight along the entire stretch of road.

The commotion was too great!

Lloyd frowned. There was no helping it; the client had urged for a swift action, leaving no time to find a more secluded ambush spot. Missing this opportunity could mean an indefinite wait for another.

Fortunately, despite some resistance, the situation was still unfolding as anticipated. Upon seeing that only two bodyguards remained resistant on his monitor, Lloyd immediately ordered the second squad to approach the Lincoln Navigator in the middle.

This heavily armored tank, comparable in weight to two regular-sized cars, met Europe's highest VR7 ballistic protection standards. It meant the vehicle could withstand assault rifle rounds of 7.62x51mm caliber and even resist grenades from the American M51 on its roof and bottom. The simplest way to breach it, without harming the passengers, was through targeted cutting with specialized tools.

Under Lloyd's comprehensive surveillance, everything seemed smooth. The two gravely injured bodyguards were not only wounded but dared not show themselves under the suppressive fire of his first squad.

In Lloyd's monitor, the target Lincoln Navigator sat quietly in the middle of the road, with no one daring to make a move from start to finish. They were either in panic and helpless or trying to call for help. But even if efficient rescue came, his team would have already captured the target and left, leaving no worries behind.

The second squad's breacher, covered by his teammates, quickly approached the car door to begin breaching. Lloyd allowed himself a slight relaxation and glanced at his wristwatch to check the time.

Just as he was momentarily distracted, a sudden change occurred!

"Ah!"

"FIRE!"

"Suppressive fire!"

"Dadadadada!"

A series of urgent and chaotic screams and gunfire burst through the communicator. When Lloyd looked again, the perspective of his selected team member was now lying close to the ground, barely making out anything. Near the front side of the view, a body in familiar clothing lay on the ground, its head crushed as if run over by a tank, beyond saving.

What happened?! Did the enemy have heavy weapons too?

Lloyd quickly switched to other team members' perspectives, regaining control of the situation just in time. He saw that the door on one side of the Lincoln Navigator was gone, and a formidable bodyguard was crouching, using the heavily armored car door as a shield, charging at the remaining two members of the second squad with incredible speed.

Even through the monitor, the terrifying speed and fierce momentum of the attacker, impervious to the barrage of bullets that only left dents in the door, were palpable. The polycarbonate windows, over six centimeters thick, were not penetrated either.

Hmph, ignorant of their impending doom!

Yet, witnessing the fierce charge, Lloyd felt a sense of relief. The enemy had hidden inside the Lincoln Navigator, unable to discern their situation, wary of harming their target, and thus restrained from attacking recklessly. Now that one had emerged alone, did they really think the ballistic armor would make them invulnerable? This was, after all, just a civilian-grade armored vehicle.

As expected, the member of the second squad equipped with specialized armor-piercing rounds completed the strike as Lloyd had anticipated. Despite the attacker's extraordinary speed making them hard to catch, several armor-piercing bullets penetrated the door. It was estimated that at least three bullets went through, hitting the bodyguard and significantly slowing his rapid movement.

The enemy was as good as dead!

Lloyd was certain, well-aware of each squad's firepower. Although the assault rifles equipped with steel-core armor-piercing rounds didn't pack the massive power of anti-material rifles, they were designed to penetrate armored vehicles. The close-range impact was tremendous, likely to punch a large hole through a person, possibly even severing them in half if unlucky.

However, he soon realized that everything had gone off track since he glanced at his watch. The opponent, clearly hit by the armor-piercing rounds, only slowed down a bit before charging again, defying all logic. This unexpected scene soon cost the second squad members their lives, as chaotic visuals and screams indicated more casualties.

"3, cover me as I assault the target. First and second squads, alternate suppressive fire, eliminate the remaining enemies!"

Lloyd, both shocked and enraged, made a swift decision and issued commands through the communicator. Then, he sprinted from the bushes, rushing towards the battlefield.

Now was the moment for Lloyd to shine. He was acutely aware of the mission's critical nature, under immense pressure from the company's upper echelons. Securing the target was the top priority before anything else could be considered. As for his unfortunate teammates, this was a risk inherent to their line of work; they knew this day might come, and their families were assured of receiving generous compensation.

As Lloyd sprinted at full speed, his equipped HULC exoskeleton emitted a soft, rhythmic sound. Sensors were reading the force applied throughout its structure thousands of times per second. A powerful built-in microprocessor drove thirty subsystems, converting these data into commands for the mechanical limbs. This ensured they moved in sync with Lloyd's actions, unleashing speed and strength far beyond the ordinary.

After all, it was a basic model of the exoskeleton, not primarily designed for speed, yet it still achieved an impressive velocity of ten meters per second. In just a few breaths, it had carried him onto the highway. The figure holding the massive armored car door was still rampaging across the battlefield. Lloyd spared it only a glance before swiftly redirecting his focus to the Lincoln armored vehicle – his actual target.

For the first time since arriving in this world, Gus felt pressured by ordinary humans. To him, each one seemed so weak individually, yet they possessed strong wills, coordinated seamlessly, and wielded weapons of astonishing firepower. Whether it was armor-piercing bullets capable of penetrating the body or grenade launchers, they all posed a significant threat.

So, when he saw Lloyd approaching the Lincoln, intending to intercept him, Gus was forced to make a wide detour due to being bombarded by three consecutive grenade explosions.

Chapter 30: Power Struggle

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The powerful grenade explosions nearly destroyed half of the highway, and the ground beneath seemed to shake and tilt under their force.

Unfortunately, they did little to harm Gus. The main drawback of the M320 grenade launcher module is its slow speed, both in terms of firing rate and grenade velocity. The designers probably never imagined it would one day be used against a monster moving as swiftly as the wind.

Even so, they managed to sufficiently hinder and delay Gus. Meanwhile, a sniper positioned on a small hill 700 meters away finally seized his opportunity!

Gus's speed had been too fast, and the protective cover of the armored car door made finding a clear shot difficult.

Finally, as Gus turned to prevent Lloyd from advancing and dodged the grenade explosions, the sniper, lying in wait like a venomous snake ready to strike, found an unprotected side. A 12.7mm bullet from a Barrett tore through the air, nearly creating a large hole across Gus's waist, revealing organs and bones, with blood gushing out.

Gus's hefty frame shook violently from the cannon-like shot, forcing him to step back twice. Then, with a look of disbelief, he let out an angry and terrifying roar, like a wounded Tyrannosaurus rex, unleashing its ferocity. With a sweep of the heavy armored car door, he bisected a Black Nest soldier shooting at him from behind, spraying blood and flesh, the lower half of the body standing for a few seconds before collapsing. The force of this enraged strike was evident.

Yet, Gus did not cease his killing spree. Completely enraged, he threw away the car door he had been holding, smashing the concrete ground, and, like a tiger freed from its chains, his movements became even faster than before!

This unbelievable scene nearly popped the eyeballs of Dryden, the Black Nest company sniper hundreds of meters away!

As an experienced veteran, though not having served for long, Dryden had extensive experience as a mercenary and security consultant, battling across Libya, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and was familiar with a wide array of weapons. His most commonly used weapon was the anti-material rifle designed for breaching.

The Barrett M107A1 in his hands was not often aimed at humans but rather enemy materials and equipment. Even armored vehicles, airplanes, bunkers, and ships usually couldn't withstand this terrifying weapon. On the rare occasions he targeted humans, they were invariably blasted into countless pieces, turning into a mist of blood and remains.

Yet, the monstrous man in his scope, having been hit by a Barrett shot, was still jumping around, becoming even more ferocious, making it impossible for Dryden to find a second chance. His subsequent shots missed, forcing him to watch helplessly as his teammates were slaughtered.

HOLY SHIT! Was this terminator from some damned place?!

Battle-hardened Dryden felt his brain malfunctioning. The power of a Barrett was not something any bulletproof vest could withstand, especially since he saw the bullet hit the target, creating a fist-sized hole. Yet, all of it seemed futile as the target continued his rampage, leaving Dryden with a chilling sensation, his normally steady hands beginning to sweat…

Meanwhile, Lloyd Warren, the operation leader, was too preoccupied to notice these developments. The unexpected turns of this ambush filled him with unease. Approaching the car door, he didn't rush forward but cautiously hid behind the vehicle's corner, observing—reluctant to blindly shoot into the vehicle lest he harm the target, yet wary of retaliation without knowing the enemy's weaponry. He couldn't be sure his exoskeleton's protection was sufficient.

Fortunately, the operation was well-prepared. With a slight motion of his arm, two tear gas grenades he threw into the car bounced cleverly off the opposite side of the door and fell to the ground. Meanwhile, Lloyd crouched and moved forward, ready to apprehend anyone driven out.

But after just one step, two small objects flew out from the car at an even faster speed. Lloyd's gaze followed them, shocked to find they were the tear gas grenades he had just thrown!

Could that person have blocked them immediately?!

Was this some kind of joke? Who could react so quickly? The thought, even amusing to Lloyd, vanished the next moment as an arm reached out from the car, gripping him firmly. An immense force pulled him forward, toppling him onto the Lincoln's step before he crashed to the ground, causing two loud thumps. The impact made Lloyd's head spin. If not for his helmet, his jaw might have shattered, leaving few teeth intact.

Bruce glanced at the attacker clad in sophisticated gear. Before Lloyd could regain his senses, Bruce pulled him into the car, stepping heavily on his back, ensuring the struggling A-level security consultant made intimate contact with the car floor once more, unable to turn over.

"Gus, kill the sniper."

Although he hadn't shown himself outside the car, Bruce always kept a close watch on the situation outside. He immediately relayed the message to Gus, who had already decimated both squads.

Given the circumstances, it was best to eliminate everyone present. After all, even without transforming, Gus's exaggerated combat abilities far exceeded those of ordinary humans and could easily attract the attention of those with ulterior motives.