71: Chapter 71 Circuit Breaker Protocol

The evening breeze in the parking lot carried the humid, muggy feeling unique to a Nashville summer night. Alex stood by his car, not opening the door immediately. His intermediate Spider-Sense spread out like an invisible radar web, centering on him. Within an eighty-meter radius, there were at least seven clear sources of threat: the reflection of a sniper scope on the roof of the building across from the courthouse, two vehicles at the parking lot exit starting their engines simultaneously in different positions, the unnatural bulge at a janitor's waist, and even the overly clean boots of a "homeless man" by the roadside.

Malice, surveillance, murderous intent. These three emotional colors were distinct in his perception.

His right hand hung naturally at his side, his fingertips only two centimeters away from the Glock 19 in the holster at his waist. Hank and Rex were in another car fifty meters away, communication channels silent but on standby. The vibration device on the inside of his left arm transmitted a pre-set Morse code signal from Hank: "Nine monitors confirmed, two sniper spots. Recommend cancelling the warehouse trip."

Alex adjusted his collar, seemingly casually, but with this movement, he activated a micro-signal transmitter hidden in a button, vibrating three times at a specific frequency—this was the pre-arranged signal for "Proceed as planned, but prepare for combat."

He knelt on one knee, pretending to pick up his keys, while his gaze scanned the underside of the car like a precision scanner. The black metal box inside the left rear wheel, the micro-camera above the right front wheel, the vibration sensor near the exhaust pipe... the opponent had conducted comprehensive surveillance. But he made no attempt to dismantle them—these monitors were now his "mouthpieces."

After pulling the car door open and sitting in the driver's seat, Alex started the engine but didn't leave immediately. He deliberately slowed his movements, allowing the surveillance devices to clearly capture his figure and voice. Then, he took out his phone, pulled up the recording function—not playing pre-recorded content, but speaking directly into the phone, in a volume clear enough but not exaggerated, he began to "talk to himself":

"...Hank, make arrangements, I need to go to Memphis tomorrow to meet the new person in charge from Universal... There's another issue with the equipment supplier for Taylor's tour, you need to have Rex check the background of that 'Summit Stage' company... The lawyer is urging for a decision on the site for the Foundation's West Coast office, have Lawyer Lawson handle the negotiations... Also, I'll send you the remixed version of 'Still Breathing' tonight, it needs an added string section..."

His speech was at a normal pace, the content mixed with half-truth and half-false information. Memphis, tour equipment, Foundation expansion, and a new song remix. He specifically used the names of real assistants like Hank, Rex, and Lawyer Lawson, making it easier for the listeners to believe this was a real internal communication.

While speaking, his fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel, sending real encrypted instructions to Hank and Rex via the car's computer: "Team A (Hank) establish a perimeter blockade, Team B (Rex) prepare for flanking assault, Team C (outer support) on standby. The warehouse is a trap, prepare the 'Anvil' plan, use my first shot as the signal."

After doing all this, he drove slowly out of the parking lot.

The vehicle merged into traffic. In the rearview mirror, that gray sedan and black SUV followed like shadows. Further away, two other inconspicuous cars were alternating positions. Hank and Rex's car had long since blended into the traffic, maintaining a distance that allowed for support without exposing themselves.

"They are following very professionally, at least military or top-tier PMC background." Rex's voice came through the bone conduction headset, almost inaudible, "There are counter-surveillance moves, deliberately testing if we are counter-tracking."

"Let them test." Alex's lips moved slightly, opening the window to let the engine noise fill the car. "Everyone remember—the opponent is a professional killer, not a street thug. Lethal force is authorized, but the primary goal is to control the situation and obtain intelligence."

"Understood."

Twenty minutes later, the rusty sign of "Southeast Warehousing" appeared in his field of vision. The factory area looked like a sleeping steel behemoth in the twilight. Alex parked the car in the center of the yard and turned off the engine.

Silence.

It was too quiet. The intermediate Spider-Sense reached an unprecedented peak of stinging at this moment! A three-dimensional, omnidirectional death warning—at least six heat sources were distributed in a tactical formation inside the warehouse; there was a cold "gaze" behind three windows on the second floor; in the shadows outside the yard wall, at least four moving heat sources were completing an encirclement.

This was a death trap.

Alex pushed the door open and got out. His movements were slow, as if completely unprepared. His right hand hung naturally, while his left hand reached into the car, as if to grab something.

Just at this moment—

"Whoosh—!"

The sound of a bullet breaking through the air! Coming from the leftmost window on the second floor!

The opponent gave no warning, no negotiation; the first shot was a lethal shot!

Alex's body had already moved before the bullet left the chamber! 【Dynamic Vision】 allowed the sniper bullet to appear like slow motion in his eyes, he could clearly see the trajectory of the bullet—aiming at his left chest.

In his forward rush, his body twisted strangely to the right, the bullet flew past the outside of his left arm, and the scorching airflow burned through the suit fabric. And what his left hand had pulled out from the car was not documents, but a modified MPX-K submachine gun!

"Enemy attack! Execute 'Anvil' plan!" Alex's roar spread across all channels via the microphone.

Almost simultaneously, the warehouse gate burst open with a boom! Six armed personnel in full black combat gear, wearing night vision goggles and full-face masks, poured out like a tide! Their tactical movements were perfectly synchronized, in groups of three, forming a cross-fire net, their gun barrels instantly locking onto Alex!

But Alex was faster than them!

The moment the sniper rifle fired, he had already completed a roll, hiding behind the hood of the car. The submachine gun poked out from above the hood, 【Gun-Fu: Ballistic Calculation】 completed multiple calculations in an instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Precise three-round burst! The bullets hit the concrete half a meter at the feet of the three leading gunmen! The splashed concrete fragments and sparks made the charging gunmen subconsciously pause for half a second.

That was the half-second!

"Team A, suppress the second floor!" Alex roared in the communication channel.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Dull explosions came from outside the factory area! The smoke grenades and stun grenades deployed in advance by Hank's team detonated simultaneously outside the windows of the second floor of the warehouse! Dense smoke instantly obscured the sniper's vision, and the strong light and loud noise disrupted their senses.

"Team B, flanking assault!"

The team led by Rex broke in from the east wall of the factory area, the automatic rifle fire swept precisely toward the second group of gunmen at the warehouse entrance, forcing them to seek cover.

But the opponent was a true professional killer. In the chaos of being ambushed, they quickly adjusted. The two groups of gunmen on the first floor immediately dispersed, one group relying on abandoned machine tools to exchange fire with Alex, while the other group tried to circle to the rear of the car. The snipers on the second floor who were not completely affected began to return fire at Rex's team.

Bullets wove into a network of death in the air. The car Alex was in was instantly riddled with holes. He crouched behind the wheel, able to hear the terrifying sound of bullets piercing metal.

Spider-Sense warned frantically—flank! Someone was circling around!

Alex rolled violently to the left, almost at the same time he left his original position, a burst of bullets hit where he had just been.

He rolled up, back against a rusty iron oil drum. The corner of his eye caught a black shadow creeping from the rear of the car. No time to hesitate—this was a life-and-death moment!

Bang!

The sound of the Glock 19 was crisp. A burst of blood exploded from the black shadow's right shoulder blade, and he fell to the ground with a scream. This shot from Alex precisely disabled the opponent's ability to hold a gun, but avoided lethal parts.

But more enemies were pouring in. Alex could hear the short, sharp instructions in their tactical headsets and see their tacit cooperation.

"Alex, we are being held back! There are still snipers on the second floor, Team C is trying to break through the blockade outside the yard wall, but the opponent has heavy firepower!" Hank's voice sounded in the channel, with intense gunfire in the background.

"Hold on!" Alex gritted his teeth. He poked his head out from behind the oil drum, repelling a gunman trying to rush over with a precise burst, but immediately attracted more intense suppressive fire.

The oil drum was hit and clanged. Suddenly, Alex's Spider-Sense sent a needle-like warning—not for bullets, but for the oil drum itself!

Boom—!!!

A stray bullet hit the oil drum! Not an explosion, but a dull deflagration! The rusted barrel wall split open, residual flammable liquid sprayed out, and ignited instantly upon contact with sparks!

Flames rose like a viper, instantly engulfing several nearby oil drums! The heat wave blew Alex away, throwing him heavily onto the ground three meters away. His ears were ringing, and his skin felt a burning stinging sensation.

The flames spread in front of the warehouse, billowing with thick smoke. This accident disrupted everyone's rhythm. The enemy gunmen were also forced to retreat.

Alex struggled to get up, the submachine gun had fallen out of his hand. He coughed up the dust in his mouth, and severe pain came from his left arm and back—burns and bruises. But 【Rapid Healing】 and 【Comprehensive Physical Enhancement】 were running frantically.

The fire and thick smoke became new cover. Alex narrowed his eyes, 【Dynamic Vision】 barely able to distinguish the outlines of enemies in the smoke. He drew his spare Glock 19 and took a deep breath.

It was time.

He stopped hiding and instead actively charged into the thick smoke!

To the enemy, this was tantamount to suicide. But Alex's Spider-Sense and Dynamic Vision, in the chaotic environment of smoke and fire, became an advantage instead.

The first gunman groped forward in the smoke, Alex appeared from his flank like a ghost, smashed his gun butt into his temple, and then added a shot to shatter his kneecap—completely losing his ability to act.

The second gunman heard his companion's scream and turned his gun, but Alex had already used the burning oil drum as cover and circled behind him. Two shots at close range, precisely hitting the shoulder joint and elbow joint not covered by the bulletproof vest—disabling both arms.

The third...

Alex shuttled through the smoke and fire, like the shadow of a hunter. Every shot was precisely aimed at non-lethal but immediately incapacitating parts: joints, ligaments, the wrist and fingers of the gun hand. He completely fused 【Parkour Mastery】, 【Gun-Fu: Ballistic Calculation】, 【Dynamic Vision】, 【Crisis Prediction】, and 【Spider-Sense】, demonstrating battlefield control beyond ordinary people.

"Where is he?!"

"Three o'clock direction! No, on the left!"

"Damn it, the smoke is too thick!"

Panic shouts came from the enemy's communication channel. They had never encountered such an opponent—not only not fleeing in a desperate situation, but instead "dismantling" their combat effectiveness as precisely as a surgeon.

A sniper on the second floor finally locked onto a blurry figure in the smoke and pulled the trigger.

But just at the moment the bullet left the chamber, Alex seemed to have predicted it and dived to the side! The bullet flew past his shoulder. He didn't stop after falling, and fired a shot while rolling!

Bang!

The bullet passed through the thick smoke, through the broken window on the second floor, and precisely hit the bolt part of the sniper rifle! In the sparks of metal collision, the rifle jammed, and the sniper looked down at his weapon in horror.

"Sniper suppressed!" Rex shouted in the channel, "Team C has broken through the perimeter and is encircling!"

The situation turned around!

The remaining enemy gunmen realized the mission had failed and began to retreat with alternating cover. But Hank and Rex's teams had already completed the encirclement.

The last gunman retreated to the depths of the warehouse, back against the oil drum with the silver briefcase, raising his gun for a desperate fight. Alex walked out of the smoke, the Glock's muzzle pointing steadily at him.

"Put down the gun, you still have a chance to live." Alex's voice was hoarse but cold.

The gunman gasped, the eyes under the mask full of despair. He suddenly raised his gun—

Bang! Bang!

Alex's two shots were faster! The first shot hit the opponent's wrist, the weapon fell; the second shot hit near the femoral artery in the thigh—heavy blood loss but survivable with timely rescue.

The gunman screamed and fell to the ground.

The battle was over.

The factory area was filled with the smell of gunpowder, blood, and burning. Hank and Rex's teams were cleaning up the battlefield. Three of their own were slightly injured, no one killed; nine enemies, three were killed on the spot, four were seriously injured and lost combat effectiveness, two were captured.

Alex walked up to the gunman shot in the thigh and pulled off his mask. It was a young face.

"Who are you?"

"Greystone International... 'Fuse Protocol' execution team..." The gunman was pale from blood loss, "Mission failed... They will clean up..."

"Whose order?"

"Montero... Alisa Montero..." The gunman fainted. Hank immediately performed emergency hemostasis.

Alex nodded and walked to the silver briefcase. He quickly browsed the "Fuse Protocol" document, seeing the closed-eye emblem and the target list on the USB drive.

Then, the encrypted communication device rang, and the message about "72 hours" and "creating an incident" appeared.

Alex turned off the device and looked at the battlefield. The system interface appeared in the smoke:

【Current Popularity: 4,620,000 points】

【Spider-Sense (Intermediate) combat breakthrough, evolution progress: 89%】

【Gun-Fu: Ballistic Calculation (Mastery) complete high-level fusion, new trait 'Adversity Shooting': under extremely harsh environments (smoke, strong light, interference, etc.), shooting accuracy penalty reduced by 50%.】

【Comprehensive Physical Enhancement (Second Stage) critical breakthrough, recovery speed increased by 20%.】

Still 5.38 million to ten million.

Still 5.38 million to transcendent.

And the time given by Northrop was 72 hours.

Alex wiped the blood from his face, his eyes burning with cold flames in the reflection of the firelight.

"Hank, Rex."

"Here."

"Notify all core members. Within 72 hours, we are going to do something that will make Northrop regret forcing us to act."

He gripped the closed-eye emblem.

"A war has begun."