Accidental Hero: The Rookie Who Outshines the Force - Chapter 77

Heart pounding, hands trembling.

Lu Cheng’s urge to capture the criminal was practically uncontrollable.

And this time, he had a gun.

“Team Leader Fan, it’s time to act!” he whispered.

“Everyone, pay attention! The SUV is likely to flee. Stay alert!” Fan Wanqing gritted her teeth and gave the order: “Action!”

Lu Cheng dashed forward. “Brother Long, wait!”

Wang Xiaolong turned impatiently to speak, but before he could say a word, Lu Cheng moved like lightning.

In an instant, his speed blurred Wang Xiaolong’s vision, and all he saw was a shadow flicker in front of him.

Then—he felt himself lifted off the ground. Weightless.

Flying.

And finally, he crashed hard into the earth.

Bones? Probably fine… maybe not. His entire body ached with a pain that shot through every limb.

Stars danced in his vision.

Crack!

Lu Cheng efficiently handcuffed Wang Xiaolong behind his back.

Immediately after, he drew his gun, aiming at the SUV ahead to intimidate the driver.

“Get out! Or I’ll shoot! You’re surrounded!”

The engine roared. Tires scraped against the dirt, kicking up a cloud of yellow dust.

Of course, the people inside had no intention of surrendering—they wanted to escape.

The SUV’s high beams flared, blinding Lu Cheng for a full two seconds.

Seven or eight officers lying in wait outside the woods charged forward, restraining Zhu Yaojie and Wang Xiaolong.

The rest aimed their guns at the speeding red SUV.

Behind the windshield, a middle-aged man with a hardened face and a full beard stomped the gas pedal.

Dust flew, obscuring vision.

No one fired.

“Scatter!” one officer shouted, and everyone scrambled to avoid the oncoming SUV.

“Get in the car and chase!”

No one wanted to let this big fish slip away. Foot chase? Impossible. There was a nearby sedan, but it had already started moving.

It was Lu Cheng.

He jumped in first, quickly shifted gears, and floored the accelerator, tailing the SUV.

Another small car stationed at the restaurant had already set off, trying to intercept.

But two small sedans taking on a Ford SUV? Impossible to stop it directly—at best, they could keep up.

Inside the van, Fan Wanqing contacted the branch command center, requesting emergency backup to set up a roadblock.

“Who’s in car two?”

“It’s me, Team Leader Fan!”

“Lu Cheng?”

Fan Wanqing was surprised. How did this kid move so fast?

“Be careful!” she warned.

“The SUV knows these country roads well. Twists, turns… it’s cunning. I’m worried the sedan will bottom out!”

Lu Cheng’s tires hit a rock, jolting violently—his head nearly smashed the roof.

Fan Wanqing frowned. At this rate, before backup arrived, the target would be gone.

She felt powerless. What could she do?

“Team Leader Fan, I request permission to shoot!” Lu Cheng gripped the wheel with one hand and drew the M64 pistol from his pocket with the other.

“Shoot? What do you mean?”

“Hit the tires.”

“No, that’s pointless! The chance of success is too low!”

In movies, cops shoot tires during car chases, forcing the vehicle to skid or flip—it looks great on screen.

Reality? Not even close.

Pistol rounds barely penetrate tires. Rubber absorbs energy, and steel belts inside act as a second line of defense—like a soft bulletproof vest.

Even rifles barely make a difference.

Strict conditions must be met:

1. Very close range.
2. Vehicle moving slowly.
3. Pinpoint aim.

Even then, at best, it only causes slow air leakage—not a flat or flipping car.

Bullets hitting the tire can feel like hitting a nail—the car keeps running.

That’s why Fan Wanqing initially refused. Shooting would be wasted.

But Lu Cheng was close now, tailing the SUV along a country road at fifty to sixty kph.

The problem? The bumpy terrain made accurate tire shots nearly impossible.

“Trust me, Team Leader.”

“Lu Cheng, it’s not about trust, but…”

Before Fan Wanqing could finish, car one ran into a boulder. The engine sputtered. It was stuck.

The driver: a seasoned Economic Crime officer with over a decade of experience.

Fan Wanqing’s heart sank—now only Lu Cheng remained.

His car wouldn’t last long either. Backup was still ten minutes away.

These rural roads were tricky, no cameras, no streetlights. Lose the SUV now, and catching it again would be nearly impossible.

But letting the target escape? Unacceptable.

Over the radio, Lu Cheng persisted: “Team Leader, please allow me to shoot!”

Shooting tires with a pistol would likely fail—at best, cause slow leaks.

But Lu Cheng’s car bounced over rocks and potholes, weaving like a ship in rough waters.

If not for his system skill, [Precise Shooting], he wouldn’t dare.

Even at level one, he trusted it could hit.

One hand on the wheel, head out the window, gun raised.

Bang!

The bullet scraped the hub—missed the tire!

Yet Lu Cheng was exhilarated. The shot was deflected by a rock; he thought he wasted a round.

Instead, he hit the hub. The system skill corrected the aim. Incredible!

The driver of the SUV panicked, stomping the gas, swerving violently.

The Economic Crime officers behind tensed—what just happened?

Lu Cheng floored the accelerator, closing the gap.

He fired again.

This time, no misfire.

Pfft!

Bullet hit the SUV’s left rear tire. Didn’t pierce it. Thick rubber meant it was like a nail—little effect. Speed unchanged.

Four bullets left…