Anan sat in the passenger seat, his expression grim. The bodyguards in the vehicle shared the same look—they all knew now: this was an ambush aimed at Chen Mo.
"Stay alert. Watch for hostiles in the surroundings," Anan ordered.
Normally, civilian bodyguards wouldn't be allowed to carry firearms. But Chen Mo's identity wasn't ordinary—and with the team's former military backgrounds and enhancements from the potential drug, Li Chengzhi had secured them special clearance.
"Vice Captain, there's a car coming head-on," the driver warned.
Anan looked up. A black SUV barreled toward them—behind the wheel, a bulky, muscular man with a crazed, bloodthirsty grin.
Anan's expression darkened. He reached out the window and opened fire.
The brawny driver flinched, ducking, then slammed his foot on the gas—charging straight at them.
"He's going to ram us! Bail out!" Anan shouted.
He ripped off his seatbelt, flung open the door, and dove out onto the roadside. The rest of the bodyguards followed suit in split-second reactions, tumbling out into the greenery.
But even as they escaped, dread filled Anan's chest—Chen Mo's vehicle was just behind them. If they dodged, that SUV would smash into it next.
The enemy driver smirked as they jumped and then leapt from the SUV himself.
BOOM!
The two vehicles collided with a deafening crash, the explosion echoing down Phoenix North Road.
"Damn it—Captain, a heavy truck's coming in fast!" Anan shouted, already scrambling to his feet.
Behind the crashed SUV, a massive semi-truck was barreling down the road like a missile.
"I see it," Wang Hai responded tensely.
Within just ten minutes, everything had unraveled. The earlier fire, Chen Mo's detour, and now a staged traffic blockade—they'd been lured and boxed in.
From the coordination, Wang Hai knew the enemy wasn't a random group—this was a well-planned extraction operation.
At the rear, Black Hawk stared at the fallen body of the young driver, his heart pounding.
Every strike had targeted vulnerable, vital points. The man was trained—probably an agent. Fortunately, he'd been neutralized, but there was no time to linger.
"The boss is under attack. We're en route to reinforce," Black Hawk radioed.
Without bothering to move the dead body, he and another guard sprinted to their car.
VROOOOM!
The sudden engine roar behind them made Black Hawk glance back. His eyes widened.
A second semi-truck was charging toward their vehicle—no intention of stopping.
"Abandon the car, now!" he barked.
RUMBLE!
The massive truck collided, smashing their vehicle into the roadside trees with a thunderous crash.
In the other truck's cabin, a young man chuckled, tapping his headset.
"Bumper cars are fun," he grinned, watching the wreckage in the mirror.
"Captain," Black Hawk's voice crackled over the comms, "we've been hit. Vehicle destroyed. We're trying to regroup."
Wang Hai's expression turned steel-hard.
"The front and rear roads are blocked. Two semis. We're boxed in," he told Chen Mo. "We need to leave the vehicle and take cover in the woods."
Chen Mo nodded without hesitation.
"Pearl, protect the boss and Miss Xiao Yu—into the woods!" Wang Hai commanded.
White Pearl popped the door open before the car even stopped, yanked a suitcase from the trunk, and deployed collapsible bulletproof shields, forming a temporary barrier.
"Protect Miss Xiao Yu first. Get her out," Chen Mo ordered, patting Xiao Yu's hand.
"I want to go with you," she whispered, gripping his arm tightly.
"Alright," Chen Mo said softly, seeing the fear in her pale face. "I'm with you."
He helped her out of the car, and under Pearl's cover, they entered the roadside grove.
BOOM!
The second semi-truck plowed into the convoy vehicle. Wang Hai spun, raised his gun, and fired at the driver's seat.
The white man inside saw the muzzle flash and ducked just in time. Bullets slammed through the windshield, grazing the edge of his headrest.
Too close.
Their intel hadn't prepared them for bodyguards this sharp, this well-trained. That shooter nearly ended him on the spot.
The white man yanked the wheel, aiming at Wang Hai's position.
CRASH!
Another collision, another wreck. But Chen Mo was already out of the vehicle—he'd made it to the woods.
Breathing heavily, the white man slung his rifle, kicked the door open, and opened fire toward Wang Hai as he jumped.
Da-da-da-da!
Crack!
Pain flared in his shoulder—he'd been hit. He ducked behind wreckage, cursing.
"Damn, this guy's aim is lethal," he hissed, clutching the wound.
He tapped his headset. "Flies, status?"
"Wheeeew! That truck ride was wild," came the chipper voice. "Almost crushed two civvies back there. Bumper cars and fireworks, baby! And looks like Black Cat's down too."
"Don't get cocky," the white man gritted. "Chen Mo's security team is tougher than we thought. I just caught a bullet."
"You? That's rare. Should I kiss your boo-boo when we're back?" the other guy laughed, then ended the call, speeding toward the woods.
Wang Hai's jaw tightened. The enemy had rifles—this was turning into full-blown combat.
"Anan, report!" he called out.
"The fire's thick! That damn musclehead's got two rifles—one man down on our side."
"Move the rest into the woods! We hold them back. Protect the boss!"
Under Wang Hai's orders, the remaining bodyguards regrouped and charged toward the trees.
Inside the woods, Chen Mo moved swiftly, gun in hand. White Pearl covered the rear, and Xiao Yu clung to Chen Mo's other arm, trying to stay close.
"Ink Girl," Chen Mo said calmly, "send the home vehicle to pick us up—now."
"Yes, Brother," Mo Nu replied, voice firm.
Chen Mo turned to Xiao Yu. Despite her trembling, she hadn't panicked or screamed—just held tightly to him.
He gently touched her cheek. "Don't worry. The local police are already on their way. They'll be here in under fifteen minutes. Just hang in there."
Xiao Yu nodded, breathing shallowly, forcing herself to stay calm.
But then—her eyes widened.
Behind them, in the trees, Ruth stood silently. A cold smile on her face. Gun raised. Aimed at White Pearl's back.
Xiao Yu's pupils shrank.
In a flash of instinct, she screamed, "Chen Mo, watch out!"
And without thinking, she threw herself toward him.
BANG!
A single shot rang out, slicing through the quiet grove.