[Location: Inside a bulletproof Rolls-Royce Phantom.] [Time: 09:30 PM.]
The interior of the limousine was silent, smelling of expensive leather and Shen Ruobing's cold perfume.
Chen Qing sat across from the Ice CEO, looking relaxed. Next to him, Sun Mengjia was busy licking the icing off a piece of stolen cake. And on the floor... General Fluffles (the Husky) was gnawing on the car's mini-fridge handle. Crunch.
"Let's talk business," Shen Ruobing said, crossing her long legs. She handed Chen Qing a digital tablet. "This is the contract. 20 million a month. Your job is simple: Keep me alive."
Chen Qing scrolled through the contract. "Standard bodyguard clauses. But you have many enemies, CEO Shen."
"The Black Dragon Syndicate wants my technology," Shen Ruobing replied calmly. "They've sent three assassins this week. My last bodyguard is currently in the ICU."
"Weak," Sun Mengjia muttered, her mouth full of cake. She glared at Shen Ruobing with red, possessive eyes. "Hey, Ice Lady. Why do you keep looking at my husband? Do you want me to scratch your pretty face?"
Shen Ruobing didn't flinch. She simply took a sip of water. "Your wife is... spirited."
"She's off her meds," Chen Qing smiled apologetically. "Don't worry, she only bites bad people."
CRUNCH! A loud noise came from the floor. General Fluffles had successfully ripped the door off the mini-fridge. He looked up, a bottle of vintage Dom Pérignon in his mouth.
"That bottle costs $50,000," Shen Ruobing noted, her eyebrow twitching slightly.
"Put it on my tab," Chen Qing waved his hand.
Suddenly, Chen Qing's expression changed. The playful look vanished instantly. His [Genetic Lock] hummed. [Danger Sense: Activated!]
"Get down!"
Chen Qing moved faster than thought. He grabbed Shen Ruobing's head and forced her down onto the seat.
BANG!
A high-caliber sniper bullet smashed into the bulletproof window right where Shen Ruobing's head had been a second ago. The reinforced glass spiderwebbed but held.
"Sniper! 3 o'clock! High rise!" Chen Qing shouted.
"Accelerate!" Shen Ruobing ordered the driver via intercom.
But the driver didn't respond. His head slumped over the wheel. A small hole was in the front windshield.
"Damn. They took out the driver first," Chen Qing cursed. The car was now swerving out of control on the highway at 100 km/h.
"We're going to crash!" Shen Ruobing's calm mask finally cracked.
"Mengjia! Take the wheel!" Chen Qing kicked the door open.
"Weee! I love driving!" Sun Mengjia scrambled over the partition into the driver's seat. She pushed the dead driver aside and slammed on the gas instead of the brake.
"Not that fast!" Chen Qing yelled, climbing out onto the roof of the speeding Rolls-Royce.
The wind whipped his trench coat. His eyes glowed with a faint golden light. Far away, on top of a construction crane, a glint of a sniper scope reflected the moonlight.
[Target Locked: Syndicate Assassin (B-Rank).] [Distance: 1200 meters.] [Weapon: Throwing Knife.]
"You picked the wrong car to shoot at," Chen Qing muttered.
He didn't have a sniper rifle. He only had a cheap fruit knife he grabbed from the buffet earlier. But with [Genetic Lock Phase 1], his arm strength was ten times that of a normal human.
He pulled back his arm. Muscles rippled. Whoosh!
The fruit knife tore through the air, breaking the sound barrier with a sonic boom. It flew straight and true, faster than a bullet.
1200 meters away. The assassin looked through his scope, confused. "Where is the target?" Then he saw a silver flash.
Splat. The fruit knife embedded itself directly into the assassin's scope, piercing through his eye and out the back of his skull.
[System Notification:] [Enemy Eliminated. +200 XP.] [Skill Unlocked: Precision Throwing (Master).]
Chen Qing climbed back into the car. "Sniper down," he said, dusting off his shoulder.
Inside, Shen Ruobing stared at him as if he were a monster. "You... you killed a sniper with a fruit knife? While moving at 120 km/h?"
"I aim better when I'm angry," Chen Qing shrugged.
"Woof!" General Fluffles barked proudly. He had finished the champagne and was now wearing the empty bottle like a hat.
"Good dog," Chen Qing patted the Husky. Then he looked at the terrified but impressed CEO. "So, about that contract... maybe we should add a hazard pay clause?"
Shen Ruobing took a deep breath, regaining her composure. "50 million," she said. "Just don't let me die."
"Deal."