Lu Renjia was furious.
He didn't know how the group sent to ambush had managed to alert their targets. Those fat sheep suddenly took off running, catching him off guard. Although he quickly rallied his men to give chase, they just couldn't keep up.
The two must have been injected with gene-enhancing drugs, Lu Renjia thought greedily.
Gene drugs, those were luxuries even his boss couldn't afford. This kid not only bought them for himself but also gave his woman a shot. What's the point of giving them to a woman? For better sex?
The thought made Lu Renjia lick his dry lips, revealing a wicked smile.
Whether it's better or not, he'd find out once they caught up. After playing with her, he'd let his brothers have a go, to see how different a woman enhanced by gene drugs was from the weaklings.
The mere thought of Sun Jiao's voluptuous figure made Lu Renjia feel a rush of heat.
The wasteland wasn't short of beauties; with the advancement of gene technology, genetic cosmetic surgery had been developed long before the war. And these enhancements were heritable. Although they were artificial beauties, the desire to look good was universal. Who wouldn't want to look good themselves and have good-looking descendants?
Despite some uncertainties, genetic technology had significantly raised the "national beauty index." This meant that, in this 22nd-century wasteland, aside from malnourished women, beauties were plentiful. As the leader of a raiding squad, Lu Renjia kept two such "tools" for his pleasure.
Yes, they were nothing more than tools for pleasure.
In a world where order had collapsed, beauty itself was a sin without the strength to back it up. The phrase "an innocent man carrying a jade is guilty" perfectly encapsulated this reality.
If Lu Renjia were to die on a mission, those two tools would likely be passed on to others by his boss. Such bizarre ethics were surprisingly common among bandits.
The lure of such exhilarating temptation often spurred the thugs to extraordinary feats in combat.
However, Lu Renjia was cautious, his careful nature belying his unfortunate name. He had clawed his way to his current position and didn't want to die, so he was always extra careful on missions.
Even when hunting two "weak" sheep and a burdensome lamb, he chose a conservative formation—sending the least intelligent member to the front, with four others on either side, and himself at the center of the triangle.
And it was this caution that kept him alive a bit longer...
Zzzt!
A laser beam pierced through the skull of the man leading the charge, leaving a ghastly hole in his forehead.
"Engage! Engage! Spread out!" Lu Renjia was momentarily stunned; he hadn't expected those sheep to fight back. Although taken by surprise, he quickly ducked behind a half-collapsed concrete wall, signaling his men to return fire.
Rat-tat-tat!
Bullets rained down like they were free, kicking up concrete dust everywhere, as Jiang Chen managed to keep the five mercenaries (bandits) pinned down.
"Damn, these guys are loaded," Lu Renjia cursed under his breath, pressing himself against the thickest part of the concrete wall, his finger on the trigger, waiting for an opportunity to strike back.
"Idiot, aim before you shoot. Who fires like that?" Sun Jiao's reprimand made Jiang Chen chuckle awkwardly as he switched his rifle to semi-auto. He had played many shooting games, but this was his first real-life shootout, and in his nervousness, he had pulled the trigger until the magazine was empty. Besides scaring the enemy half to death, he'd only managed to damage a bunch of concrete.
Yao Yao watched the scene outside with concern, occasionally ducking as bullets whizzed by overhead, trembling with fear.
Out of absolute trust and a stubborn adherence to her role as a slave, she didn't voice her confusion—What's the point of staying here?
Jiang Chen took deep breaths, focusing through the scope for precise shots. Though he didn't hit anyone, he managed to suppress the enemy's offensive.
Sun Jiao, on the other hand, was eerily calm, her laser shots accompanied by the hum of her rifle, taking down three lives, including the first one she hit.
This reduced the enemy's numbers by half, weakening their firepower. Their attack shifted from aggressive to probing, with occasional shots to test their opponents' positions.
Behind the cover, Lu Renjia clutched his bleeding arm, spitting in anger. The woman on the other side was clearly a better shot than the man. Realizing this too late, he now had a painful reminder.
Thankfully, laser wounds didn't get infected. Lu Renjia pulled out a bandage from his waist, quickly wrapping his arm. With his men dropping like flies, he abandoned any thoughts of personal glory, deciding to hold the line until reinforcements arrived.
Screw it, just wait until I catch you. I'll make you call me daddy... Lu Renjia's face twisted into a menacing scowl as he stared towards Sun Jiao's direction.
"Damn, they just opened fire without a word," Jiang Chen muttered, noticing the torn fabric on his shoulder, cold sweat breaking out. If that bullet had been just a couple of inches higher, he'd be dead.
To die at the hands of bandits would be the most ignominious end.
"You should step back... I can handle this," Sun Jiao's face showed a hint of concern. Despite her usual cold demeanor in combat, Jiang Chen's vulnerability softened her.
"No, I have to face this," Jiang Chen shook his head, continuing to fire. He couldn't keep relying on a woman's protection.
Though Sun Jiao was responsible for his safety, he didn't intend to always hide behind her.
Sun Jiao glanced at him, surprised but said nothing. The battlefield didn't allow for distractions.
The more enemies she killed, the less danger for him... Sun Jiao thought, pulling the trigger, her eyes aflame with the thrill of the kill.
Soon, the sound of an engine reached them; it was the pickup truck with the heavy machine gun finally arriving on the battlefield.
Rat-tat-tat...!
The unleashed firepower pinned Jiang Chen and Sun Jiao down behind cover, the shouts of the enemy growing louder.
Concrete fragments stung Jiang Chen's face, but it was nothing compared to the flying bullets. He exchanged a look with Sun Jiao, received her nod, and then waved Yao Yao over, crouching low to move deeper into the building.
Yao Yao, though nearly crying from the roar of gunfire, managed to suppress her fear, following Jiang Chen with a strong, low stance.
"You're not curious why we're counterattacking here?" Jiang Chen smiled at Yao Yao, ruffling her hair.
Yao Yao shook her head, her big eyes earnestly gazing at him.
"I trust you."
Jiang Chen laughed, slinging his rifle over his shoulder, leading Yao Yao down the stairs.
"This is...?"
"Exactly, the sewers!"
The clever Yao Yao instantly understood why Jiang Chen and Sun Jiao chose to make their stand here.
It wasn't for escape; it was to catch all the bandits in one fell swoop, to give those who dared covet his wealth a brutal slap in the face!
Upon discovering that the holographic map included the drainage system, Jiang Chen had noticed this detail. There was an entrance to the sewers in the center of the construction site! Although it had been sealed, Sun Jiao had already cleared the obstacles during her previous visit.
Opening the manhole cover, a foul odor hit them, but Jiang Chen only grimaced, saying nothing as he jumped down. In this parallel world, Hope City's sewage system was quite spacious, at least not comparable to the cramped sewers of his own world. Though the smell was similar, it didn't hinder their plans.
Once his feet hit the ground, Jiang Chen turned on his flashlight and readied his assault rifle, prepared for any desperate, hungry mutant rats.
The eight-foot-wide tunnel seemed relatively clean, with the stench emanating from the central channel. The sides were solid, with only some moss here and there. An AI-managed automated water treatment system still operated, ensuring sewage flowed steadily in one direction. These essential public facilities had been repaired after the war ended but were soon abandoned, yet they continued to function in their original mode. Such AI-controlled unmanned systems were still operational across this abandoned land.
"Be careful. Jump down; I'll catch you," Jiang Chen called out to Yao Yao after ensuring the area was safe.
Unbothered by the stench, Yao Yao jumped down, and Jiang Chen caught her, setting her on the ground.
"We'll wait for Sun Jiao here." Jiang Chen exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow. The danger was momentarily averted.
"Is Sun Jiao going to be okay?" Yao Yao asked worriedly.
"She'll be fine," Jiang Chen replied with confidence, his face showing no trace of worry.
She's the one who could bind me in a single encounter... This, of course, he didn't say aloud.
Dodging the incoming hail of bullets, Sun Jiao retreated towards the sewer entrance, firing back.
"Hey, little miss, where's your man? Left you here for us?" A bandit laughed, only to be silenced as a laser bolt found its mark, leaving him dead on the ground.
Dodging rifle fire, Sun Jiao smirked, tossing a stun grenade.
Zzzt!
The intense flash and high-frequency sound wave incapacitated most of the bandits aiming at her, causing them to double over in pain.
Seizing the opportunity, Sun Jiao didn't hesitate, sprinting towards the corridor leading to the construction site's center.
Blocking out the crude shouts behind her, Sun Jiao moved quickly, using cover to fire back occasionally. Finally, she reached the sewer entrance, jumping down and closing the manhole cover behind her.
The expected thud came from above, and Sun Jiao smiled.
"I say, aren't you worried about brain damage with that jump?" Jiang Chen said with a wry smile, giving Sun Jiao's firm rear a playful slap.
"Isn't that why I have you, my dear?" Sun Jiao giggled, hooking Jiang Chen's chin with her finger. Instead of feeling embarrassed, she enjoyed being cradled in his arms, legs crossed with ease.
Yao Yao, watching the two flirt, blushed and looked away.
"We'll deal with you later," Jiang Chen whispered fiercely into Sun Jiao's ear, biting her earlobe before setting her down.
"You do the honors, my boss," Sun Jiao said, rolling her eyes, and handed him the remote.
Looking up at the ceiling, Jiang Chen hesitated briefly before his eyes turned cold. He took a deep breath and pressed the button without hesitation.
"Shit, where'd they go?" Lu Renjia roared, grabbing a subordinate by the collar.
"She, she's too agile, her shooting..." The terrified subordinate stuttered, his teeth chattering.
"Shoot your mom's ghost!" Lu Renjia slapped the man, sending him sprawling.
"Spread out, search!" Another leader, sporting a bushy beard, stared down the corridor where Sun Jiao had last disappeared, firing shots into the ceiling.
"Boss! Something's here!"
The bearded man's interest piqued, and he rushed over.
It was a manhole cover.
It seemed to be locked from the other side, immovable.
Just as he was about to call for a blowtorch from the truck...
A realization struck him, draining the color from his face.
...
"Did they catch the sheep?" A punk with a mohawk leaned against the truck, chatting with his comrade manning the machine gun.
"Probably, listen, the gunfire's stopped," the gunner chuckled, turning his head.
"You know, that chick's got some serious shooting skills, took out six of ours and wounded a bunch more."
"You think they've got her? The boss hasn't come out yet, could be..." The mohawk punk grinned lasciviously.
The gunner on the truck roof caught on, grinning back with the same vulgar expression.
"That's for sure. Once the boss is done, he'll probably let us have some fun too. Can't wait to see that look of defeat on her face, then..."
Boom!
Flames erupted.
The explosion shattered the truck's windows in an instant, sending shrapnel flying out, even reaching the opposite street.
All screams and cries were drowned out by the sound of collapsing concrete.
The unfinished building began to tilt slowly with the blast.
"What the hell happened! Doggie, Doggie, ah!" Crawling from the debris, the bloodied punk searched for his comrade, only to find a face contorted in pain... without a neck.
Perhaps this was karma, the end of a life filled with sin.