Sparks flew and lightning flashed all the way.
Well... not really.
Luca and his group maintained a stable distance, always staying out of the car's line of sight, keeping up their pursuit.
However, to Luca's surprise, the fleeing vehicle wasn't heading towards Hell's Kitchen as he'd expected. Instead, it was making for a remote stretch of coastline near the Upper West Side.
'Could I have been wrong? Is Kingpin not actually supporting Dragan?'
'Or perhaps tonight's attack isn't from the same group as before?'
Knowing how 'in demand' he was, Luca had no doubt that multiple enemies might be targeting him simultaneously.
But just as Luca began to reflect and reconsider his preconceived notions, the wiretap, which had only transmitted heavy breathing and the sound of a car engine, suddenly picked up someone speaking.
And it sounded like the person was making a phone call, reporting on tonight's situation to someone.
"Boss... it's me..."
"Stop... stop yelling, Boss, all my brothers are dead! That bastard Dragan tricked us! That kid has a metal monster at his house!"
A series of frantic slaps against the steering wheel were followed by the sharp screech of tires rubbing against the ground.
"Damn it! Almost ran into a patrol car... Boss, you gotta believe me! I wasn't high at all tonight, it was just like in the movies! That monster punched Steve's head clean off, his brains splattered all over me."
On this end of the wiretap, Luca listened to the man's wild claims, then looked up at the large White blob in his rearview mirror, who was idly playing with his fingers, and rolled his eyes.
But at least one thing Luca could confirm.
'This matter tonight is indeed related to Dragan!'
Another thing that slightly surprised him was that the guy he let go was actually the leader of tonight's attackers.
'Looks like I might actually be able to catch something.' Luca thought.
However, his thoughts wouldn't transmit to the other end of the wiretap.
The phone call on that end was still ongoing.
He didn't know what was said on the other end of the phone, but after a series of affirmative responses, the fleeing guy finally spoke again.
"Boss, I'm sure no one's following me. I've already removed the license plate, but..."
"Yes, I know, but Boss... this isn't about money anymore! If that kid didn't die tonight, and the boss finds out what we did today..."
"Alright, alright, I'll go burn the car now."
The call had ended, but the wiretap still picked up continuous cursing.
It seemed that talking to his so-called 'Boss' had indeed relaxed the fleeing man considerably; he was no longer as tense and silent as before.
Not long after, the fleeing van drove to a deserted parking lot nearby.
Moments later, flames and thick smoke billowed skyward, and in Luca's monitoring view, the tracker's signal began moving in a different direction.
...
At a warehouse dock on the northwest side of Manhattan.
Tony, who had narrowly escaped death, carefully parked his precious car before getting out, cursing under his breath.
Although the car looked dilapidated, Tony had relied on it several times to disappear successfully after getting into trouble, only to resurface when the coast was clear.
Therefore, in Tony's mind, this beat-up car, a seventh-hand vehicle given to him by his deceased brother, was his only lucky ride.
After gently kissing the car's windshield, Tony stealthily jogged towards the pitch-black dock warehouse in the distance.
"Knock, knock, knock~"
"It's me!"
Moments later, the warehouse door was pushed open from the inside.
The person who opened the door peered out, looking around, before pulling Tony inside.
"The Boss is waiting for you in the small room!"
Feeling a bit guilty, Tony subconsciously adjusted the collar of his tattered jacket before cautiously walking towards the only lit partitioned room inside the warehouse.
"Boss... I'm back."
Tony, who was extremely nervous, spoke softly and tremblingly from outside the door.
From inside the door came a slightly impatient voice.
"Enter!"
The iron door opened, and the bearded strong man inside saw his capable subordinate standing stealthily at the doorway.
"Why aren't you getting in?!"
However, the bearded strong man had barely finished his curse.
The next moment, he saw Tony's head suddenly lurch forward, and then, struck by some unknown move, he simply collapsed to the ground without a sound, his life unknown.
"Damn it!"
Having been in the underworld for a long time, the bearded strong man immediately reached for the pistol on the nearby coffee table.
However, before he could even touch the gun.
There was a faint 'whoosh' of a gunshot, and the pistol in front of him was directly struck and sent flying, spinning as it fell to the ground in the distance.
Making a 'clank, clank' sound of metal hitting concrete.
And immediately after, a muscular woman holding a silenced pistol walked in, aiming the gun at him.
"Which gang are you with? Let's talk, don't be impulsive!"
However, he had barely finished speaking.
He then noticed, behind the muscular woman in front of him.
A handsome young man, hands in his pockets, his eyes obscured by the reflection on his glasses, strolled out calmly as if he were taking a walk.
Seeing him step over Tony's fallen 'corpse' without a care and walk into the room, the bearded strong man suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
Of course, recognizing the young man's identity by his highly distinctive face was also a reason for his intense fear.
"It's you! How did you follow me?! No! Tony, that idiot!!"
Just when the bearded strong man thought it was over.
A large hand wearing strange armor suddenly reached out and steadied the doorframe.
The next moment.
"Screech~ Crack~"
The metal doorframe first emitted a piercing, twisting sound, followed by the entire doorframe, along with the fixed wall panel, cracking and crumbling.
Then, a seemingly dull and foolish armored figure carefully shuffled into the room, and this bulky armored figure even politely reached out to steady the shattered doorframe to prevent it from completely falling.
"Your door, I'm very sorry. Hello, I am White!"
'Metal monster!'
With just one glance, the bearded strong man immediately understood why his capable subordinate had been so terrified earlier.
But...
'This is clearly carbon fiber armor! It's a robot!! It's not a damn metal monster!!'
The strong man cursed frantically in his heart, but on the surface, he dared not show any change in expression. Instead, he obediently raised his hands high above his head, his eyes filled with a desperate desire to live.
"What do you want to know? I'll tell you everything!!"
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