PART 30

As the roar of the propellers reverberated through the factory, the sound of gunfire erupted from outside. The cronie, a seasoned gun expert, immediately sensed that something was amiss.

The gangsters' arsenal boasted an array of firearms, each with their own distinct sound. Yet, the consistent pattern of gunfire could only mean one thing - law enforcement.

Sure enough, the factory doors were forcefully kicked open, and a panicked subordinate barged in, exclaiming, "We're in trouble! The entire police force has surrounded the place!"

The workers, taken aback by the sudden turn of events, stopped what they were doing and became frenzied.

Mrs. Gao, the mastermind behind the operation, was equally stunned. The factory was her pride and joy, and she had put in place an elaborate security system to safeguard it. Even her own subordinates had to be blindfolded when entering the premises.

The fact that the police had discovered the location was inexplicable.

"Jason!" Mrs. Gao exclaimed, recalling an incident from years ago. Back then, Kingpin had sent Jason to discuss a potential partnership in the hay grass market. Jason had been brought to the factory blindfolded, but unbeknownst to them, he had memorized the driving route.

Upon arriving at the factory, Mrs. Gao had been ready to exact her revenge on the traitor, but he had astounded her by reciting the factory's exact address. At the time, Mrs. Gao and Kingpin were still in the early stages of their collaboration, so they had commended Jason for his shrewdness and acumen, even hailing him as a talent in the criminal underworld.

Mrs. Gao cursed herself for her foolishness, realizing that her past mistake had come back to haunt her in the worst possible way.

"Don't panic!" she barked at her cronies. "Contact the helicopter and get me out of here. Arm the workers with every weapon we have in the warehouse and send them out to provide backup. And send out the blind men to distract the police's attention."

"But the police have surrounded the entire area. How will the helicopter even get close?" the cronie questioned.

Mrs. Gao smirked with confidence. "They will. Don't forget, this is a residential area. If the helicopter crashes and civilians get hurt, the feds will prosecute them and send them straight to prison."

"Understood. I'll make the arrangements right away."

As the cronie scurried off, Mrs. Gao leaned heavily on her crutches, her face a mask of grim determination. "Jason," she seethed. "You may have won this round, but mark my words - next time, you won't be so lucky."

The police helicopter hovered above the factory, the rotors beating the air into a deafening frenzy. From his vantage point, Jason used binoculars to survey the battle below.

The situation was grim. Despite their numerical advantage and superior position, the gangsters were on the brink of collapse against the heavily armed and well-trained special forces of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Within mere minutes, the special forces had broken through three lines of defense and were closing in on the factory's main entrance.

Stan looked at his watch, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. "Only five more minutes until the Marine Corps' carrier helicopter arrives. Once they descend from the roof, the inside and outside will work together to take down New York's largest cannabis factory."

For Stan, solving such a big case meant a promotion and salary increase, which was all he had ever wanted. He was tired of sitting in the chair of the Director of the New York Drug Enforcement Agency and was ready to take it to the next level.

But Jason had other plans. "Stan, prepare to rappel down with me."

"What? Why?"

"I want to be the one to take down Madam Gao," Jason replied coldly.

Stan was taken aback. He had been content to sit back and watch the action unfold from the comfort of the helicopter, but he knew better than to argue with Jason. He reluctantly made his way to the cockpit and signaled the pilot to land.

The helicopter touched down on the roof of the factory, and Jason and Stan jumped out, armed to the teeth. Stan brandished a police shield while Jason carried an automatic rifle.

"What the hell are you doing?" Stan asked as they made their way towards the small door on the top floor of the factory.

"I want to kill Madam Gao with my own hands," Jason replied without hesitation.

The factory was filled with the pungent smell of cannabis, which Stan couldn't help but find intoxicating. "This stuff is first-class," he remarked, taking a deep breath.

"Stay focused," Jason snapped, kicking open the small door.

Gunshots rang out almost immediately, and several bullets ricocheted off Stan's shield.

"Shit!" he cursed, crouching behind the shield for cover.

But Jason was undaunted. He aimed his rifle at the tiny hole in the shield and opened fire. With his expert marksmanship, he took down the gangsters one by one.

After a few minutes, the gunfire stopped. Stan was dumbfounded by the body count. "You're a better shooter than a police sniper," he remarked in disbelief.

[Ding! Kill 10 gangsters, get 1000 villain points, current progress: 2015/5000]

"Don't flatter me," Jason replied, motioning for Stan to move out of the way. He identified the direction of Madam Gao's office and headed towards it.

As he kicked open the door, a barrage of bullets sprayed out at him. But Jason was ready. He aimed his rifle at the gunmen and took them out with deadly precision.

[Ding! Kill 4 gangster, get 400 villain points, current progress: 2415/5000]

Madam Gao sat on a leather sofa, her face ashen as she watched her cronies fall around her.