Accidental Hero: The Rookie Who Outshines the Force - Chapter 78

The Type 64 pistol fired 7.62mm rounds, with a magazine capacity of only seven bullets.

In actual combat, to extend the magazine’s lifespan, shooters rarely loaded it to full capacity—usually only five or six rounds.

Not exactly friendly for a marksman.

Fan Wanqing had lent Lu Cheng the Type 64 for self-defense, just in case. This mission never required him to chase anyone while holding a gun.

His role was simple: play the cousin, coordinate with the ambush team, and nab Wang Xiaolong during the transaction.

Fan Wanqing had picked Lu Cheng for a reason. Among the younger officers, he was sharp, agile, and had performed impressively in other cases. Add that to the lack of other suitable candidates, and borrowing him made perfect sense.

Otherwise, Lu Cheng’s rank wouldn’t have qualified him for this operation. Besides, he wasn’t even part of the Economic Investigation Team.

No one expected the unexpected.

Lu Cheng was now chasing the Fujian boss—alone!

Fan Wanqing’s heart wavered. She didn’t want Lu Cheng in danger. Ideally, the SUV’s undercarriage would get stuck, preventing him from continuing the pursuit.

But at the same time, she didn’t want the mastermind to escape—it would be a waste. This case had been months in the making; letting the prize get away was unacceptable.

…

Four bullets left.

Lu Cheng had initially aimed to take out both rear wheels, sure the car wouldn’t get far.

But he’d overestimated the Type 64’s power. Its 180-joule kinetic energy wasn’t enough to flatten a cow.

And he had underestimated the SUV’s tires.

So he concentrated every remaining bullet on a single wheel.

Bang!

Bang!

…

The system skill [Pinpoint Shooting Lv1] triggered spectacularly. Perhaps you’ve heard of aim-assist?

While Pinpoint Shooting wasn’t that extreme, its micro-correction ability turned even an average shooter like Lu Cheng into a sharpshooter.

All rounds expended, magazine empty.

It was Lu Cheng’s first time firing in a real-world situation. Not at a person, but at an object—it was strangely exhilarating.

Three bullets hit the tire, one went astray.

No matter. The left rear tire was punctured. Once it deflated, how far could the SUV go?

Lu Cheng’s brief joy lasted three seconds.

Clang!

The SUV’s undercarriage caught on a rock.

Any driver knows that sound. At that moment, you realize it’s over, over, over…

The car tilted sharply, resting on the rock.

The front wheels spun uselessly. Forward movement? Gone.

Lu Cheng abandoned the car. Four wheels were now two legs.

Even with its higher clearance, the SUV’s undercarriage only sat a few inches above a normal car. The road deteriorated fast, visibility poor.

The Fujian boss wouldn’t risk flooring the accelerator. A rollover here would be fatal.

Add the unstable left rear wheel, and the car shook violently.

Even so, it still moved at over forty miles per hour.

Two legs against four wheels?

A professional sprinter tops out at roughly thirty-seven miles per hour.

Lu Cheng wasn’t that fast, but he wasn’t running flat out yet. Full speed now? Idiotic. Exhaustion in minutes.

To widen the tracking range to 500 meters, Lu Cheng activated the [Flycatcher Enhancement Card], extending detection to 999 kilometers.

The purple dot stayed in his vision. No matter how far the SUV ran, he could track it.

As the red SUV disappeared into the dust ahead, Lu Cheng ran steadily behind.

Within minutes, his face was coated in dust. Spitting twice, he kept pace.

Two legs against four wheels?

Lu Cheng’s answer: possible.

23 points in stamina, 19 in speed—they weren’t for show.

Besides, that rear tire wouldn’t hold out long.

The SUV grew more distant, but Lu Cheng stayed calm.

Static hiss crackled in his earpiece. Someone was speaking, but the signal was weak, distant—unintelligible.

…

Meanwhile, at the little forest command post, Fan Wanqing exited the vehicle, brow furrowed. Zhu Yaojie and Wang Xiaolong were pinned by two officers, heads down.

“Where’s the SUV headed? Any hideouts near Xinguang Village?”

Fan Wanqing stared coldly at Wang Xiaolong.

He remained silent, shooting a venomous glance at Zhu Yaojie.

Tonight, he was supposed to sell two machines, pocket fifty or sixty thousand, then ride his prized horse at the club.

Instead… a trap.

Wang Xiaolong’s white trousers and shoes were caked in dirt, his slicked-back hair filthy and disheveled.

Earlier, Zhu Yaojie’s “cousin” had slammed him to the ground—bones almost shattered. No warning, no mercy!

That “cousin”? Clearly an impostor.

Frustratingly, the young impostor vanished after the throw. Wang Xiaolong couldn’t even curse him directly.

Fan Wanqing studied Wang Xiaolong’s expression, realizing interrogation would yield nothing. She let it go.

Two officers from vehicle one returned, out of breath.

They’d barely pursued a kilometer before the car’s engine got stuck on a rock—just bad luck. They couldn’t continue. Only vehicle two chased the SUV out of sight.

This place was remote; waiting idly wasn’t an option. They had to regroup with the main force.

Fan Wanqing asked hurriedly, “Vehicle one still chasing?”

Her radio call to Lu Cheng received no reply—signal lost.

Phone call? Predictable.

One officer shook his head. “The trainee probably couldn’t get far. He’s stuck halfway.”

“The road’s awful—rocks, pits. Even a tractor would get stuck.”

Fan Wanqing frowned. Letting Wang Xiaolong take the money and tracking him via the backpack was an option—but risky. If lost, the culprit escaped entirely.

Now, there was nothing they could do. The command van was full of equipment, unable to escort prisoners. They could only wait.

The frustration of those few minutes was unbearable.

The biggest worry? The mastermind might escape. Even if reinforcements arrived, catching him would be unlikely.

Even with the SUV’s license plate, the Fujian boss was clever. Could switch cars easily. No cameras in this remote area…

…

Twenty miles east of Xinguang Village, the red SUV’s left rear tire had fully deflated. The rim scraped the dirt road, potholes and stones jarring it to a halt.

The bearded middle-aged driver stepped out, peering back into darkness. No one followed.

Damn!

He cursed loudly—didn’t expect the “cousin” to trap him, almost costing him dearly.

Ma Kuixiang didn’t dare rest. Police might catch up, and running on foot now would be impossible.

He’d played cat-and-mouse with the “cousin” before, knowing that kid could track him no matter the distance.

But this time was different.

This remote location? Perfect for a secretive transaction and as a contingency against situations like this.

Lucky for him, this area had trees and hills; hide in any ravine, and even a god couldn’t find him.

…

Elsewhere, Lu Cheng noticed the purple dot in the distance had slowed significantly. The target had abandoned the vehicle.

Four wheels down, now two legs?

Time for this officer to act.

He had been pacing himself, conserving stamina. Now that the target was on foot, he could close the gap.

Acceleration. Chase!