Zod stormed into the factory.
Most of the workers here were Mexicans. Although the factory was located on the Texas border, it was still within U.S. territory, yet due to its proximity to Mexico, it wasn't surprising to find undocumented Mexicans here. After all, for the Scorpion Gang, headquartered in Mexico, it was easier to control people who feared the gang's wrath and whose families still lived back in Mexico.
The Skeleton Gang had attempted to destroy this factory multiple times, only to be repelled by the Scorpion Gang's heavy firepower.
After many days under the blistering Texas sun, Zod had become immune to small-caliber bullets, though large-caliber weapons still posed a threat. However, to avoid ruining his clothes, Zod preferred to dodge instead of relying on his invulnerability. After all, he couldn't walk around in armor all the time.
He moved with ghost-like speed, terrifying the Scorpion Gang members, who were unaccustomed to fighting someone like him. Normally, they dealt with civilians, but now, facing an opponent with abilities far beyond human, their fear and shock were palpable.
Zod easily dodged the first round of gunfire, grabbed a semi-automatic rifle—he didn't bother checking the model—and opened fire. The recoil was negligible to him, and with his enhanced senses, his accuracy quickly matched that of a sharpshooter.
One by one, the Scorpion Gang members fell, their futile counterattacks achieving nothing. The survivors, panicked, began fleeing. Zod picked them off as they ran, until the entire gang was either dead or incapacitated.
After looting the bodies, Zod found about $20,000 to $30,000. "Still not enough," he sighed. Had he brought his War Armor, he could've hacked into the network to acquire money and a new identity, sparing himself the need to rob gangsters.
Zod didn't destroy the factory. Instead, he rounded up the Mexican workers and instructed those who spoke English to tell the Scorpion Gang to deliver $10 million. If they didn't comply, Zod threatened to kill every worker and leave their bodies to rot in Texas.
Given the factory's importance, the Scorpion Gang responded quickly, sending almost 200 men, heavily armed and prepared for war. They even brought a mounted machine gun, ready for a showdown.
However, the Mexican workers' descriptions were vague—they had assumed Zod was part of a rival faction or the Skeleton Gang, since he had used a rifle during the massacre.
"Just you?" the Scorpion Gang's No. 3 leader, Jin Fei, asked, eyeing Zod with suspicion.
"I've always been alone," Zod replied, puzzled by the question.
"Take him down!" Jin Fei shouted, clearly disbelieving Zod's claim. He assumed Zod was just a messenger for a larger group or the Skeleton Gang.
Before Jin Fei's men could react, Zod picked up a pistol and shot down three of them with precise, lightning-fast accuracy. Jin Fei ducked for cover, barking orders.
"Kill him!"
The gang opened fire, but Zod grabbed two rifles from the nearby table and returned fire. Bullets sprayed across the room, and the gang members fell like flies. The rifles, designed for large-caliber rounds, tore through cover as if it were paper. Zod didn't flinch from the recoil, emptying magazines with deadly precision, reducing the Scorpion Gang's numbers in seconds.
Despite their superior firepower, the Scorpion Gang refrained from using explosives inside the factory. The month's production of illicit substances was still inside, and losing it would cost them a fortune.
Zod used the momentary confusion to rush forward, killing anyone left standing. When the dust settled, he found Jin Fei cowering in fear.
Over 200 men had been wiped out by a single person. Jin Fei was trembling. "Who… what are you?"
Zod didn't answer, instead stepping on Jin Fei's chest. "Call your boss. Tell him to bring the money, or I'll kill everyone."
Reluctantly, Jin Fei complied. "Monis… I failed. There were too many of them. I couldn't hold them off."
He paused, then added, "They just want money… and the goods."
Zod didn't care what Jin Fei said—he knew the Scorpion Gang couldn't afford to lose this factory or the shipment inside. Giving up the product would leave a gaping hole in their operation, and their rivals, the Skeleton Gang and Kingpin's organization, were already circling like vultures. If the Scorpion Gang faltered, their clients would take their business elsewhere.
As expected, the Scorpion Gang wasn't willing to abandon the factory. Despite the danger, they sent a small contingent of men with the money, hoping to resolve the situation peacefully.
This time, only about a dozen men came, carrying briefcases filled with cash. They had decided to retreat, at least temporarily.
"Boss Jin Fei!" the men called out, staring in disbelief at the carnage—the bodies strewn across the factory floor and Jin Fei sitting at a table, counting money. Zod was lounging nearby, sipping whiskey, appearing completely at ease.
"Idiots! Bring the money over!" Jin Fei barked, his hands still shaking as he handled the cash.
"Thank you," Zod said, satisfied as he accepted the payment. The sum amounted to $10 million, mostly in old twenty-dollar bills. He realized he'd need a bigger car just to transport it all.
After finding a suitable vehicle and loading the money, Zod drove off, leaving the bewildered gang members in his wake.
"Boss Jin Fei, we should head back. Monis will want to know everything," one of the men said, still trying to make sense of what had happened.