[TN:Alright you last bonus chapter good night yall]
A micro-missile zoomed towards the highway as the Mackinaw sped past the impact point—
Boom!
For an ordinary car, this explosion would have spelled complete destruction, leaving its passengers in pieces.
But this Mackinaw was no ordinary car. The explosion jolted it upwards, sending it soaring over a cracked section of the overpass.
As it landed, eight synchronized guns hidden beneath its armored exterior roared to life!
Bang!
Drones rained from the sky, but the Mackinaw kept barreling forward!
"Whoohoo! This is insane!"
V shouted, gripping the wheel, then flopped back into the seat with a grin.
And insane it was.
Three people occupied the car: V driving, Jackie manually operating the Ba Xing Chongs via his personal link, and Leo simultaneously assisting with targeting, controlling electronic warfare systems, and hacking any immediate threats.
Leo had dragged a functioning portion of a cyberspace access pod into the car. With no cooling system, he directly plugged into the cyberworld, his heat-dissipating fins fully deployed and steaming, relying solely on the car's air exchangers to keep cool!
After emptying the magazine, the Ba Xing Chongs retracted into their reserved slots. Jackie swapped out the ammo, working like a tank loader.
When done, he shoved the guns back out, yelling, "Damn, it's so hot in here!"
"The AC's already maxed out!"
The drones' missiles couldn't land a direct hit on the Mackinaw. In their tactical observation systems, the car was nothing but a blur!
Tyger Claws' vehicles trailed from a distance, their drone operators transitioning from arrogance to shock, then to dread, sweating profusely.
It hadn't even been 30 minutes!
These three maniacs were unstoppable!
The Tyger Claws had initially seen this as a cat-and-mouse game, laying a sophisticated trap in the slums.
But their firepower was no match!
The big guy could even hurl steel bars to take out drones!
Before long, their operations vehicle outside the slums was sniped and blown up.
What followed was brutal street combat, resulting in immediate carnage:
The first wave of 50 Tyger Claws barely managed to stop the trio, leaving only two survivors.
The big guy and the woman disappeared into the labyrinthine slum terrain, turning the chase into a massacre.
Hackers who dared to engage were cooked alive in under a minute. Successive replacements lasted barely 30 seconds.
Some were bisected by blades in the dark, others smashed into pulp by the brute's iron blows, and a few burst into flames the moment they stepped in.
The two survivors only lived because their cyberware was minimal, reducing the intensity of the burns—but they were effectively brain-dead.
As for drones, the Tyger Claws had plenty—or so they thought.
"It's just a Mackinaw," they figured. "It escaped City Center because of a fluke in our plans, like the news and the boss said."
Then the trio stepped into the Mackinaw—whose engine roared like a tank!
Why did the Mackinaw have missile compartments?! Didn't NCPD or the Corps investigate this?!
Even the Tyger Claws assumed they were missile compartments!
Inside, watching drones drop like flies, Ueno began sweating bullets.
"Keep sending the drones! Keep going!" he shouted.
"Boss! Boss!" his subordinate whispered, tugging at his sleeve. "We're out! We're completely out of drones!"
The driver quietly slowed down, sneaking glances at Ueno.
Ueno avoided looking at the dashboard.
"Boss, we're almost at the NCPD barricade. We can't keep chasing."
"Yeah… true. The barricade's just ahead," Ueno murmured.
They had technically done their part, right?
But the Mackinaw suddenly slowed down.
"Boss! Boss! They're reversing! They're coming back!!"
Before Ueno could react, the Mackinaw was already alongside their lead car.
Inside the Mackinaw, V scanned the area using her optical implants. "Where are the drones?"
"Used up, I guess," Jackie said, reloading the Ba Xing Chongs.
"Used up? So they're running?"
[Leo: The NCPD barricade is ahead. They're probably trying to flee. Reverse. Don't let them escape.]
V grinned wickedly. "Good call."
The car stopped abruptly, then seamlessly shifted into high-speed reverse!
Bang!
It rammed into the trailing Tyger Claw car, sending it flying off the overpass!
The Mackinaw barely flinched, while the remaining cars swerved to avoid it in panic.
V stomped the accelerator, tearing into the Tyger Claw convoy like a wolf among sheep!
Bullets ricocheted off the Mackinaw's impenetrable armor as V mowed through their vehicles.
"Bring out the heavy machine guns!"
"They're too fast! We can't hit them!"
Panicking, Tyger Claw vehicles were either crushed or outmaneuvered.
Ueno, trembling, shook his driver frantically. "Stop chasing! Retreat! Run!"
The driver wasted no time, spinning the wheel dramatically—but it was too late.
The Ba Xing Chongs locked on, unleashing explosive rounds.
Ueno saw the bullets coming but couldn't dodge. His head exploded in a fiery blast!
With one final push, the Mackinaw obliterated the last Tyger Claw car, sending it tumbling off the overpass.
Flipping the bird at the wreckage, V sneered, "Chasing us? Get lost!"
Leo unhooked from cyberspace and muttered, "Damn, it's hot."
"Why are you out here? Weren't you going to rush the skyscraper?"
"The exit from the overpass is blocked by NCPD. They've set mines, so we're taking another route."
Leo jumped out of the car, and his two mechanical arms opened a toolbox filled with instruments.
"So, what's the plan? Getting out like this isn't exactly safe, is it?"
"For now, it's fine. The NCPD wouldn't join forces with the Tyger Claws to attack us from both sides."
Leo opened up the Mackinaw's hood.
The Mackinaw was powered by a custom experimental engine developed in-house. Its rated horsepower was 400—
But that was just for show during inspections. The actual normal operating power was 2400 horsepower, though it was usually limited for regular driving.
The car also had a nitrous oxide acceleration system, and its theoretical maximum output exceeded even that.
Leo was now adjusting the physical safety valve on the nitrous system—because what they were about to do would require going beyond the theoretical maximum.
V watched as Leo ducked into the engine compartment. "So, what are you doing? Don't tell me you're about to turn this car into a flying vehicle with a few tweaks?"
Leo fiddled with the safety valve and grabbed a tool handed to him by the mechanical arm. His hand paused for a moment—
Actually, it wasn't impossible.
Back in the Marvel universe, he did have an aerodynamics expert for support. Adrian had even designed aircraft engines, so reverse-engineering a flying car engine wasn't out of the question, right?
But now wasn't the time.
"Not quite. I'm just tweaking the nitrous valve to raise the safety threshold," Leo said.
With a bang, he slammed the hood shut and jumped back into the car.
Maybe the news of the Tyger Claws being wiped out had reached them, but Leo could hear the sound of helicopters approaching.
A police helicopter was heading toward the overpass.
As everyone knows, helicopters have an overwhelming advantage against ground armor units. Even though this was a police chopper, its machine gun could easily destroy the Mackinaw with sustained fire.
Yet neither Jackie nor V seemed remotely scared. They both turned to Leo at the same time:
"What now?"
"Start driving."
V complied.
Boom!
The car roared to life with a massive jolt.
Jackie exclaimed excitedly, "Hermano! Did you just give this car a shot of adrenaline? Can you do the same for my bike when we get back?"
Leo helplessly patted Jackie on the shoulder. "Buckle up—V, you see the route I marked for you?"
"I see it, but why's the path leading off the overpass?"
"Exactly. We're jumping off."
Jackie and V turned their heads again.
Tatatatatatatata—
The helicopter drew closer.
"I'm serious. Drive toward it! Jackie, take out the guardrail!"
"Aw, man..." Jackie swallowed hard.
V wasn't any better off, though she managed an uneasy smile.
Leo patted both of their shoulders. "Listen, the overpass is 57 meters above the ground in Kabuki, but if we land in Westbrook just right, it's less than ten meters high. I've done the math. The car can take it.
"And look, we're conveniently on an uphill stretch right now, so no need to reverse."
With that, he leaned back in his seat and fastened his seatbelt.
Sure, this car was tough—but at the end of the day, it was still a Mackinaw.
Both V and Jackie strapped themselves in as well.
The helicopter drew closer. Perhaps out of habit, it approached the car from the front, using its spotlight to observe the occupants inside.
Seeing this, Leo furrowed his brows and pulled a box of military high-energy rations out of his pocket, tapping Jackie on the shoulder.
"No need to buckle up. Open the window. If we get the chance while we're airborne, grab the helicopter to soften the landing."
"?!"
Jackie's brain overloaded as he took the high-energy rations from Leo.
Click! The seatbelt unlatched, and the window armor disengaged, starting to lower.
V suddenly found herself in high spirits. "Haha, Jackie, this is your moment of fame! People have seen road rage before, but never someone grabbing a helicopter in traffic!"
"This is the NCPD! Stop the vehicle immediately! Do not attempt to resist or flee," the helicopter blared a warning as it closed in.
But Leo could tell they had no intention of leaving survivors. The machine gun had already locked onto the car.
Ignoring Jackie's incredulous expression, Leo slapped V's seatback. "No time to hesitate—V!"
"Here we go!"
"Mecago!" Jackie stuffed the high-energy rations into his mouth, cursing through a mouthful of food as he glared fiercely at the helicopter.
[TN:I Think he said he shat himself]
Boom!
The engine thundered like rolling storm clouds.
The officers aboard the helicopter saw the Mackinaw surging forward along the overpass. Its acceleration rivaled that of top-tier supercars.
Then the Ba Xing Chong roared to life!
"That kind of weapon is fine for gangsters," a police gunner scoffed. "Saves us the trouble. Get ready to fire."
As a police helicopter, it wasn't equipped with the automated cannons of military gunships. Instead, it had manually operated rotary machine guns.
The gunner crouched at the side of the helicopter, aiming the rotary gun.
Meanwhile, the advanced electronic countermeasures on the helicopter ensured that smart bullets with guidance systems would be ineffective, as the ECM could completely disrupt their onboard chips.
The helicopter suddenly descended, planning to evade the gunfire before rising from beneath the overpass and opening fire.
But the high-explosive rounds weren't targeting the helicopter.
Boom!
A high-explosive shell struck the concrete guardrail, blasting up a cloud of dust and creating a small breach.
The helicopter, thinking it had dodged the attack, ascended and prepared to fire.
Then the crew aboard froze. They saw something they couldn't comprehend:
The Mackinaw, revving to its absolute limit, spewing flames from its exhaust, charged straight for the breach without hesitation!
Crash!
The reinforced bumper smashed through the gap. That's when the helicopter crew realized:
The car was coming right at them!
The gunner reflexively pulled the trigger, but it was too late to stop a flying armored car.
From the pilot's seat and the co-pilot's vantage point, they saw a grotesque spectacle: a man still chewing something had somehow positioned himself at the passenger window, leaning out—
And he seemed to be reaching for the helicopter!
The gunner, up close and personal, could confirm it:
Amid the muzzle flashes, the man's savage, predatory expression glared back as he reached for the helicopter's landing gear—
And he grabbed it!
The helicopter lurched violently, spiraling out of control.