"System! Use the Skill Copy Card—copy Anna's Firearms Mastery LV4!"
Alex didn't hesitate. He pulled out the Purple Skill Copy Card and slapped it against Anna's thigh.
The moment his voice fell, a flood of gun knowledge, firing stances, and advanced techniques rushed into his brain.
When his eyes opened again, a razor-sharp glint flashed across them.
At that instant, he felt as if he had just completed an elite assassin's training camp.
Ratatat! Ratatat!
Whizz—whizz—!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Gunfire roared. Bullets screamed past his ears. Metal rang out as rounds tore into the SUV's frame.
Alex didn't lift his head. With the edge of his vision, he glimpsed chaos outside the shattered windows.
Some drivers panicked and slammed their brakes, causing small traffic jams. Others floored the accelerator, desperate to get clear of the firefight. And then there were New York's seasoned veterans of urban violence — calmly steering through as if nothing unusual was happening.
In the other two SUVs, assassins leaned from windows and doors, firing bursts back at the pursuing vehicles.
Alex exhaled sharply. He pulled a Mid-Tier Weapons Crate from his system inventory, snapping it open while scanning the streets.
Spotting a narrow side road ahead, his voice cut through the gunfire:
"Turn right—take the alley! Then find a place to stop!"
As he spoke, he strapped the combat knife to his ankle, loaded a fresh mag into his pistol and tucked it at his waist. The MP5K clicked as he chambered a round, safety off, held firm in his grip.
The driver yanked the wheel. The SUV clipped another car in the process but still muscled into the side street.
That was their chance.
Alex pushed himself upright from Anna's embrace. He raised the MP5K through the shattered rear glass.
Anna read him instantly, bringing her own MP5K up alongside.
Seconds later, as the enemy vehicles barreled into the alley—
Ratatatatatat!
Twin streams of fire lit the night, forcing the lead car to a dead halt. Alex glimpsed the crimson spray painting the windshield.
He finally exhaled, then checked the other two SUVs.
Both were a mess of dents and bullet holes. One had lost its front bumper. The other's trunk lid was bent upwards like a tin can.
"Damn it!" Alex cursed. "We just bought these tonight, and they're already scrap metal!"
His jaw tightened. His eyes went cold as steel.
"Whoever set this up… when I'm done here, they're going to pay."
The convoy skidded to a stop outside a derelict building. Tires screeched, brakes wailed.
Anna leapt out first, sprinting to the entrance.
Bang! Bang!
Two quick shots blew out the locks. A hard kick sent the doors crashing open.
The assassins hustled Alex inside, covering him with disciplined precision. They didn't stop running until they reached the fourth floor.
There, Alex turned to take stock.
Of his ten men, only two were unscathed. One assassin's cheek had been torn open by a grazing round, blood pouring steadily. Two more clutched their ribs where bullets had smashed against their armored suits, likely fracturing bones.
Alex frowned, lowering his voice with command precision:
"Wounded go upstairs, stick together, patch each other up, and stay sharp. Unhurt—form fire teams, find cover, and prepare for combat!"
Then he turned to Anna. MP5K in one hand, he flashed simple hand signals with the other:
[Free fire. No survivors.]
Screeeech—!
Brakes wailed outside the building. The killers tensed.
Alex pressed against the fourth-floor corridor corner. Across the hall, Anna mirrored him, setting up a crossfire.
Step! Step! Step!
Boots thundered on the stairwell, rushing upward. Louder, closer—
As the footsteps reached the fourth floor, Alex whispered inside his mind:
"System! Activate John Wick Experience Card!"
In an instant, he felt it. Death itself slid into his skin. His senses sharpened to a razor's edge. Every sound angle, every muzzle rise, every trigger pull — he knew it all with chilling precision.
Tap!
A heel hit concrete.
Alex's ear twitched. Instinct calculated instantly: left stairwell, three meters, standing posture.
He swung the MP5 up—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Two to the chest, one to the head. The attacker collapsed before he even realized he was dead.
The gunfire was the signal. A dozen more weapons roared from every direction.
Bullets shredded walls and ceiling. Alex dropped, yanking his armored suit over his head to shield from the worst.
Rolling, he leapt into position beside Anna.
They locked eyes for the briefest second—then rose together, back to back.
Their weapons spoke as one. Bullets flew like guided blades, mercilessly cutting down every enemy that dared step into their kill zone.