Chapter 24: Go Time


    “You’re such a coward! Stop making excuses. Last time you almost died, and it scared the hell out of you,” Sun Jack sneered while scanning their surroundings.


    By now, the SUV had cleared the checkpoint and entered the affluent district. The area was noticeably emptier than outside, with rare patches of greenery. Vis were concealed beneath white, dome-shaped rain covers, their interiors hidden from view. From a distance, they resembled giant eggs.


    “Don’t think I’ve been cking. I’ve spent big to prepare for this,” Song 6 interjected, marking one of the domes on Sun Jack’s interface.


    “That’s the ce. The rocker kid signed up for Gaofeng Technology’s Silver Package. Six bots are stationed there: four humanoids armed with M221 Saratos rifles and R-46 Storm backup weapons, along with four defensive grenades and two shbangs each. Four Ai, Jack, and Tapai, you’ll handle them. Got it?”


    As Song 6 spoke, detailed schematics and weapon stats for the bots appeared on Sun Jack’s HUD, even highlighting the weak points in their kic cores. It was clear Song 6 had done his homework, tempering some of Sun Jack’s resentment.


    “There are also two AAB beast models. Father, you’ve dealt with these in the army before. You’ll coordinate with the others to take them down, alright?”


    Father silently chambered a round, nodded once, and said nothing.


    “Alright, the rest is up to King Kong. We’re almost there. Get ready; the gates are opening.”As the rain cover lifted, Sun Jack found himself staring into what felt like another world. Artificial sunlight bathed lush, greenwns. A massive treehouse-style vi stood tall, surrounded by yful mechanical puppies chasing balls. The melodic sound of chirping birds provided an almost surreal backdrop.


    “Damn, so this is how the rich live?” Four Ai muttered, taking a drag on her cigarette while admiring the view. It seemed even she was seeing this for the first time.


    At that moment, a figure in a tuxedo began approaching.


    “I thought you said no one was home?” Sun Jack tensed, and with a metallic <em>snikt</em>, an Electric Arc de extended from his forearm.


    “Rx. That’s just an AI butler, not a real person. It’s got synthetic skin. King Kong’s already breached the vi’s firewall; we’re almost set,” Song 6 reassured him.


    As the AI butler reached the car, it started to speak but then froze, its body convulsing violently. After a few spasms, it copsed, sitting limply on the ground while its mouth emitted distorted metallic chanting in binary code.


    The artificial sun flickered, and the serene BGM shifted to solemn, heavy Buddhist hymns. Above, King Kong’s holographic projection appeared, styled as a cybeic Buddha.


    “Gentlemen, the internalwork, auto-rms, and surveince are handled. I’ve also activated soundproofing. Get to work. However, Gaofeng’s ICE is too strong—I couldn’t breach the security bots. You’re on your own for those.”


    Before his words even finished, four humanoid bots rose from the vi’s corners, weapons in hand, and charged toward the group.


    “Damn it, cut the theatrics!” Tapai groaned, leaping out of the car as gunfire erupted.


    Sun Jack took a deep breath, jammed abat stimnt into his neck, and felt time slow slightly. His senses sharpened, his surroundings crystal clear. ???Ｎ??????


    He kicked the door open, using Tapai’s sturdy frame as a shield. Mounting his rifle on Tapai’s shoulder, Sun Jack opened fire on the approaching bots.


    “Take one down fast! Don’t let them coordinate!” Sun Jack barked as sparks flew from the lead bot’s neck under his relentless barrage.


    But Gaofeng’s bots weren’t pushovers. Even as bullets riddled their bodies, they stood firm. The high-grade alloy protecting them was clearly bulletproof.


    Frustrated, Sun Jack raised his cybeic hand. His fingers folded back, revealing a dark barrel in his palm.


    With a sharp <em>whoosh</em>, a grenade shot out, detonating in a fiery explosion that obliterated the bot.


    “This gear sucks! You should’ve bought some rocketunchers!” Tapai grumbled, shaking his submachine gun disdainfully.


    “Easy for you to say! You know how much rocketunchers cost? Can we afford that? Just hold still!” Sun Jack snapped, firing another grenade from his palm, taking out a second bot.


    Meanwhile, Four Ai had already taken down a third bot with her sniper rifle. Her unusual weapon sted half the machine’s body apart, leaving it sparking on the ground.


    As the three of them focused on the final bot, the vi’s garage door slowly opened. From the dark interior, four glowing red lights pierced through the shadows.


    “Careful! AAB units iing!” King Kong’s voice red.


    The words had barely left his mouth when a ck blur shot out of the garage, charging straight at Sun Jack and Tapai.


    It was fast—so fast that even withbat stimnts, Sun Jack struggled to react. He managed to push Tapai aside, hoping to split them up, but underestimated Tapai’s weight.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Instead, only Sun Jack was thrown clear. Tapai remained stationary, taking the full brunt of the impact as the blur mmed into him with a thunderous <em>crash</em>, sending him flying into the rain cover and leaving a gaping hole.


    Sun Jack hit the grass hard, his arm burning with pain. Luckily, the softwn spared him from worse injuries. Struggling to his feet, he finally got a clear look at their assant.


    A machine the size of a car, shaped like a sleek ck panther, stood before him. Its matte-ck finish and seamless design gave it an almost organic appearance, save for its exposed joints, which revealed its metallic nature.


    The strangest part? It had a disturbingly realistic appendage beneath its belly, like that of a male predator.


    The mechanical beast’s red cybeic eyes locked onto Sun Jack’s prosthetics, seemingly analyzing or hesitating.


    Before he could catch his breath, another ck shadow leapt from the garage, this time targeting Four Ai.