82: Chapter 82 The princess's gaze at me was a little strange.

Outside the car window, the prosperity of Manhattan gradually receded, replaced by the slightly desolate outskirts of the industrial zone.

The number of vehicles on the highway began to thin out, and eight black SUVs maintained a perfect defensive formation, like a pack of hounds patrolling their territory.

Princess Salama's words from moments ago were still echoing inside the car.

She held her chin up high and haughtily.

Those deep blue eyes were filled with disdain.

Chen Yuan sat beside her.

Not only was he not angry, but he also cheerfully flicked his cigarette ash.

"It seems Her Highness the Princess indeed has a significant misunderstanding regarding Umbrella's scope of business."

He shifted into a more comfortable position, his tone lazy.

"Since you feel you don't need bodyguards, then when the fighting starts later, don't go crying for help."

Salama sneered.

"In Saudi Arabia, I received the highest level of military training."

"Whether it's hand-to-hand combat or firearms, I've always been top of the class."

"Mr. Chen, instead of worrying about me, you should worry about your..."

She hadn't finished her sentence.

"Boom—!"

A high-pitched engine roar suddenly came from the rear flank.

Immediately following that.

Several pirate-themed motorcycles covered in gaudy graffiti burst out from a junction.

The riders on the bikes wore black leather jackets with skulls printed on the backs, brandishing cold, gleaming submachine guns in their hands.

"Rat-tat-tat-tat!"

Tongues of fire spat out.

Bullets struck the thick bulletproof armor of the Lincoln Navigator, producing a series of muffled "thud-thud" sounds.

"Boss, it's a local Biker Gang. They must have taken someone's dirty money to test us."

Ada Wong's calm voice came through the intercom.

"Need them cleared out?"

Chen Yuan hadn't even had the chance to speak yet.

Salama, sitting beside him, suddenly moved.

Her movements were extremely fast.

They even brought a gust of fragrance with them.

She abruptly flipped open the central armrest box of the back seat.

With a "click."

Inside, there were no tissues or drinks.

Instead, there was a snap-in concealed gun rack.

A desert eagle, entirely gold-plated and still shimmering with the light of the ultra-wealthy even in the shadows, lay there quietly.

Salama grabbed the heavy weapon in one swift motion.

"Clack!"

She expertly chambered a round.

Her actions showed no hesitation, revealing a ruthlessness gained from years of handling guns.

"Open the window!"

She barked at the driver in front.

The driver was stunned for a moment.

He instinctively glanced at Chen Yuan in the rearview mirror.

Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"Do as Her Highness says. Give her a chance to demonstrate her 'Royal Traditional Talent'."

"Whirrr—"

The bulletproof window slowly lowered, leaving a narrow gap.

In that very instant.

A powerful wind rushed in, disheveling Salama's black robe and making her deep-set eyes even sharper.

She didn't lean her body out at all.

She simply extended the muzzle through the gap, using the reflection in the side mirror to find that fleeting opportunity amidst the swaying vehicle.

"Bang!"

The first gunshot rang out.

The terrifying recoil of the desert eagle caused Salama's wrist to tremble slightly.

But with training at her level, it was completely under control.

In the distance.

The head of a motorcyclist who was about to throw a homemade bomb instantly exploded like a shattered watermelon.

The man and his motorcycle spun out of control, tumbling several times on the highway before finally turning into a massive fireball.

"Bang!"

Immediately followed by a second shot.

Another gunman attempting to overtake was hit in the chest.

The massive penetrating force knocked him clean off his seat, slamming him heavily onto the asphalt where he was instantly crushed into a pulp by the wheels behind him.

Clean.

Precise.

Violent.

Salama retracted her hand and casually tossed the gold-shimmering desert eagle aside, the muzzle still emitting a faint trail of blue smoke.

She turned her head and looked at Chen Yuan provocatively.

"How was that?"

"Mr. Chen, it seems there's no need to use your Biological Weapons for such a trivial 'formality'."

Chen Yuan stared at her, remaining silent for a full three seconds.

Then.

He suddenly raised his hand and gave Salama a sharp whistle.

"Not bad, Your Highness."

A playful light flickered in Chen Yuan's eyes.

"That marksmanship is indeed hardcore."

"I take back what I said earlier. You, this pearl, are not only bright enough but also have thorns."

Salama's originally proud and cold face actually stiffened slightly upon hearing that somewhat flippant whistle.

She was used to the fear of others.

Used to the flattery of others.

Even used to the curses of her enemies.

But she had never seen a man who could whistle at her like a street thug in the middle of a hail of bullets.

That feeling was like having meticulously prepared a magnificent speech, only for the audience member below to not only fail to applaud but also ask if she wanted to go grab some skewers together.

A very faint blush rose to her pretty face.

It was born of anger, and also because of that sliver of inexplicable embarrassment.

"Rogue."

She cursed in a low voice and sat up straight again.

But out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but start stealing glances at Chen Yuan.

This man...

Was truly strange.

From the moment they got in the car until now, even when bullets were flying everywhere, the cigarette in his hand hadn't shaken once.

This level of calm was definitely not an act.

It was the kind of extreme disdain for such minor squabbles that came from being accustomed to even more terrifying and grand scenes of destruction.

"What is he thinking?"

Such a thought suddenly popped into Salama's mind.

She prided herself on being able to see through the minds of most men—greed, lust, or ambition.

But in Chen Yuan's pitch-black eyes, she only saw a depth like a black hole and a sense of the unknown that made her heart race.

This curiosity was even more fatal than the bullets just now.

The convoy continued to accelerate.

The fire behind them gradually disappeared in the rearview mirror.

"Boss, that was just an appetizer."

Ada Wong's voice came through the intercom, breaking the eerie silence in the car.

"Those people just now were only meant to distract us."

"The real heavy hitters are already waiting for us on the road ahead in Death Valley."

Chen Yuan put away his smile.

He glanced out the window.

By now, the convoy had already driven out of the New York metropolitan area and entered a stretch of deserted desert highway.

On both sides were rolling tan-colored hills, with almost no cover whatsoever.

Chen Yuan looked up, his gaze piercing through the front windshield towards the clear blue sky.

Under that distant horizon, several tiny black dots were rapidly enlarging.

They were moving extremely fast.

Accompanied by a faint, thunder-like roar.

"That is..."

Salama noticed as well. She gripped the handle tight, her expression finally becoming solemn.

"Attack Helicopters."

Chen Yuan slowly extinguished his cigar, a bloodthirsty glint flashing in his eyes.

"It seems someone doesn't want you to leave America alive."

He turned his head to look at Salama, his tone suddenly becoming somewhat teasing.

"Your Highness, your desert eagle is good, but I'm afraid it can't shoot down a helicopter."

Salama bit her lip, staring intently at the horizon.

"What exactly have you prepared?"

She turned to look at Chen Yuan, her eyes carrying a hint of dependence and urgency that she herself hadn't even noticed.

Chen Yuan adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, his smile as bright as a boy next door.

"What have I prepared?"

"I've prepared a little..."

"Surprise to let the world feel pain."

On the roof.

Several Exoskeleton Soldiers from Umbrella Corporation had already pushed open the sunroofs.

Heavy anti-aircraft machine guns began to slowly rotate.

"Boss, targets have entered range."

Ada Wong's voice held a cold excitement.

"Shoot them down directly?"

"Or play a little game of cat and mouse?"

Chen Yuan looked at Salama, his gaze making her feel a chill down her spine.

"Your Highness."

He suddenly leaned in close to her, his voice kept very low, like a whisper between lovers.

"The commotion might be a bit loud in a moment."

"If you're scared, I can lend you a shoulder to lean on."

Salama glared at him and pushed his face away.

"Scram!"

"Chen Yuan, if your people can't handle this, I'll stuff your head into an oil well!"

Chen Yuan burst into laughter.

He picked up the intercom, his gaze instantly switching to hell mode.

"Brothers, time to work."

"Since the guests have been so generous as to bring out their prized helicopters."

"Then we shouldn't be too stingy either."

"Give them an 'Umbrella-style' greeting."

By now.

The black dots in the sky had revealed their hideous faces.

They were four AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopters, dipping their noses like four giant bloodthirsty dragonflies.

The dark muzzles of the autocannons had already locked onto the convoy below.

"Fire!"

In the onboard communication channel, a cold voice issued the command.

At the same time.

On a heavy truck in the middle of the convoy, the canvas that originally seemed to only cover construction materials was suddenly pulled back.

Revealing.

Not guns.

But several pairs of eyes glowing with an eerie red light.

"What is that?"

Salama cried out in surprise.

Chen Yuan looked at the firelight about to descend from the sky and murmured softly.

"That is our... Biological Air Defense Network."

"Your Highness, are you ready to scream?"