Chapter 157: Setting Out

As the cruise ship passed through a well-known strait, it eventually came to a slow halt at the harbor of the neutral zone.

Inside the meeting room, Li Hongshen’s newly appointed boss—the middle-aged arms dealer—had already arrived, carrying a black leather briefcase.

Meanwhile, Uncle Lutz and the female soldier who had packed Li Hongshen into a container had already donned their bulletproof vests and were unzipping their backpacks to inspect their weapons.

"Li, this bag is yours. It contains all the weapons you requested, though there's no M500; we'll have to wait until we go ashore to get that one. And this is Valmet, my wife."

Li Hongshen did not reply. Instead, he simply nodded at them, took the duffel bag handed to him by Lutz, and examined it. The bag was remarkably simple, looking at first glance like ordinary gym gear.

However, when Li Hongshen unzipped it, he found an AK-47—an authentic Soviet-original model—along with two M1911 pistols and three combat knives.

Li Hongshen picked up a bulletproof vest and put it on, strapping two of the combat knives to his calves and the third to his left thigh.

Then, he took out a magazine, emptied all the rounds inside, and reloaded them one by one. After completely filling his tactical vest, he stashed the remaining ammunition back into his backpack.

Next, he swiftly field-stripped his firearms, touching and inspecting every single component in meticulous detail before reassembling them. After pulling the trigger to test the feel, he holstered the pistols and stowed the rifle in his backpack.

"I'm ready. If possible, I hope we can get our hands on that M500 soon."

"The M500 revolver was only just manufactured recently. How did you know about it so quickly? Still, you could practically call that thing a hand cannon. Can you really handle it?"

"I wouldn't mind having it just for the collection. Besides, I imagine as my boss, you have an obligation to provide your employees with the necessary equipment, don't you?"

"Alright, but I want to make it clear to you: the M500 is a new gun, and it's not some officially mass-produced revolver. It requires a reservation, so my young friend, you'll just have to wait patiently. Once I finish this handover mission, I'll pull some strings to get you a couple, how about that?"

"Hm, don't worry. You'll survive the handover mission."

"Hahahaha! Good, I believe you."

"Alright, come over and verify the intelligence. The reports from the intelligence center are no joke. Someone has put out a ten-million-dollar bounty at the Continental Hotel for the boss's life, from the port all the way to HCLI headquarters. Right now, the entire Netherlands is in an uproar. This journey is going to be no walk in the park; it's obvious someone doesn't want you making this delivery."

"Aha, looks like this trip is going to be quite thrilling. Lutz, Valmet, Li, I'm placing my life in your hands."

Li Hongshen felt a surge of admiration for the smiling white-haired man before him. Those who had seen the big leagues were truly different; no matter the world, there were always people who faced danger with a smile.

"Let's move. Time to go."

With that, Lutz stood up first, pushed open the door, and took the lead, followed by the middle-aged boss, Floyd Hekmatyar, then Valmet, and finally Li Hongshen.

They disembarked from the cruise ship and opened a container parked nearby. Inside sat a Mercedes-Benz sedan, and the refraction of the glass made it immediately clear that it had undergone heavy bulletproof modifications.

"How is it? This bulletproof car was custom-built for me, and its modification craftsmanship rivals even the personal ride of that Soviet Emperor. It features a 6.0-liter, V12 engine capable of nearly 400 horsepower. At the same time, this car boasts a titanium alloy frame, dual-layer run-flat tires, and the latest, strongest tempered glass from the Eastern Country. You could say this vehicle is absolute—"

"Boom—!"

The sudden explosion cut short the arms dealer's enthusiastic introduction. Upon hearing the blast, Li Hongshen and the others instantly formed a protective circle around their boss, with Lutz shoving the boss's head down.

Everyone looked toward the source of the sound, only to see billowing plumes of thick black smoke and raging flames rising from the container yard at Port Number Six.

"Heh, looks like someone really wanted to ambush me at the port. Good thing I was prepared."

"Let's move. Now they know that side was a decoy."

The bulletproof car roared out of the container, sped down the road, and drove out of the port toward the city center.

"Boss, about how long can the people you arranged stall them?"

"Who knows? Maybe seven or eight minutes. They should realize it by now, and who knows, they might catch up to us any second. Hahahaha, getting this exciting right out of the gate—truly, they don't care about subtlety at all."

Lutz was driving, while Li Hongshen sat in the front passenger seat. The boss and Valmet occupied the rear, with their weapon bag resting near Valmet's feet.

Li Hongshen glanced at the rearview mirror.

"Boss, I think you're right. They've caught up. Lutz, take a look at the riders behind us."

Following Li Hongshen's words, a group of riders rapidly closed the distance behind the bulletproof car. Every single one of them was dressed in black leather, wearing black motorcycle helmets, and riding heavy-duty motorcycles of a uniform color.

"These guys are still just as arrogant. Dressed like that as if they're afraid people won't notice them—pulling this stunt in broad daylight, don't they even feel hot?"

"Well, who knows?"

"Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat~~~"

The group of riders trailing the bulletproof car drew submachine guns from beneath their jackets and opened rapid fire on the speeding vehicle. Judging by the results, however, they were barely scratching the paint.

Li Hongshen looked back as the submachine gun rounds struck the rear windshield, embedding themselves into the thick tempered glass. Aside from spiderweb-like cracks spreading across the surface, they proved completely useless.

"That Eastern glass is seriously something else. Tell me, are we just going to sit here and let them shoot at us?"

Hearing this, Lutz glanced sidelong at Li Hongshen.

"And what do you suggest we do?"

"Let me give them something fun."

With that, Li Hongshen reached down and fished out a round, spherical object.

"Click, ting—!"

Li Hongshen rolled down the window, held the grenade in his hand for a couple of seconds, and tossed it outside.

"Boom—!"

"See? Problem solved."

While keeping his eyes firmly on the road, Lutz caught sight of the aftermath in the rearview mirror. He glanced at Li Hongshen, sweat beading slightly on his forehead. Seeing Li Hongshen suddenly pull a grenade out of nowhere had given him quite a fright.

He had no idea when Li Hongshen had managed to acquire a grenade, let alone why he would casually pull one out inside a moving vehicle. One slip-up, and everyone in the car would have been blown to pieces.

"Next time you pull a stunt like that, give us a heads-up. Don't pull the pin on a grenade inside the car; it's dangerous."

"Relax, I gave a warning. Besides, aren't we fine?"