Chapter 191: Launch

"BOSS, is that you?"

Li Tailai looked at Li Mochen with a probing gaze, after all, before this, inside the cold armor there had been only a body devoid of any spiritual consciousness.

"It's me."

When Li Mochen spoke, he felt a stinging pain in his throat and chest, which was also caused by the newly born 'vocal cords' and lungs not yet having adapted to this world.

So then, he became even more concise and sparing with words: "Explosives? Rune stones?"

"We've already prepared the C4 explosives, a total of two tons. Also twelve Dark Realm rune stones, which Nathan's people transferred to Samson Brut, and then to us."

Li Tailai understood what Li Mochen meant.

"They've sent over the structural drawings of Craig Community Bank. But those are the blueprints before it was remodeled by the Blood Hand Gang, so we've strengthened the blasting plan. Besides the C4 explosives, we've also purchased eight Grade 12 Blaze Magic Crystals. Even if the Blood Hand Gang has truly turned Craig Community Bank into a fortress, we can breach it."

Li Mochen raised an eyebrow: "Money?"

Blaze Magic Crystals are usually made from fire-type beast crystals or elemental crystals, possessing extremely high explosive power, each with a yield equivalent to one ton of TNT. But they are also expensive, costing as much as thirty thousand gold shields each.

"I took the liberty of allocating two hundred thousand gold shields from the reserve funds."

Li Tailai explained: "Yesterday, BOSS's secret art saved us about one hundred fifty to one hundred sixty thousand gold shields."

Mainly the cost of the drugs he and the Collinsons were preparing to break through to Outlaw; originally they estimated it would cost at least over a million.

"Very good!"

Li Mochen nodded slightly. Subordinates of Li Tailai's caliber must have a certain degree of authority over fund usage.

"And the magic array?"

"The two magic-energy mages borrowed from Brut are already setting it up—one in the Dark World, and one around Craig Community Bank."

Li Tailai frowned slightly: "They said those twelve Dark Realm rune stones can't fully pull this building into the Dark World. At most, they can drag it into the gap between the two realms, forming a temporary space. That means our time for action will be very short, maybe only three to ten minutes, depending on the internal protective array of Craig Community Bank and our speed of action. Also, the magical energy fluctuations from their array setup could alert the Blood Hand Gang at any time, so we've only completed the 'Dimensional Tether Array' in the Dark World; the part here must be done within twenty minutes before the operation."

At this moment, Li Mochen was holding the External Elixir, manipulating the three hundred sixty Zhou Tian Star-Dou Divine Swords that had risen from the sword case behind him, performing various movements.

About a minute later, Li Mochen withdrew his sword technique, letting all the miniature flying swords return to their sheaths.

Perfectly done. Although the various organs of this body were in a fragile newborn state, the specially strengthened meridians inside were sufficient to bear all the power of the External Elixir.

And his manipulation of all the flying swords was also very adept, almost as if they were an extension of his arm.

The 'Sun-Moon-Star Zhou Tian Star-Dou Divine Sword' was precisely the sword type that could leverage his strengths—since he was inferior in 'quality,' he would compensate with 'quantity.'

His ability to divide his divine consciousness and his extraordinary sword skills could push the power of this set of swords to the extreme.

"If everything is ready, then let's begin."

Li Mochen had already stood up and strode toward the door: "Notify the men below to be sure to prioritize safety. Their goal is not to inflict as much damage on the Blood Hand Gang as possible, but to create chaos, understand?"

"Understood!"

Li Tailai originally wanted to advise further—Craig Community Bank was the Blood Hand Gang's stronghold, and with their current strength, even with Samson Brut's group, they might not be able to take it.

But when the words reached his lips, Li Tailai held back and instead picked up the telephone beside him.

He understood Li Mochen's plan: if they couldn't take Craig Community Bank at the start, before the Blood Hand Gang truly took notice, it would be very difficult to have another chance later; it would definitely become a key defensive point for the Blood Hand Gang.

This would also be the critical point determining victory or defeat in this war, capable of greatly weakening the Blood Hand Gang's war potential, so it was imperative.

And they had already prepared to this extent; it was like an arrow already nocked, and had to be shot.

...

About fifteen minutes later, on Rhine Street in East Atlanta.

Senior Sheriff Sanders D'Aum of the East District Police Station sat in the driver's seat of a police car, his face grim as he looked at the street ahead. This ordinarily peaceful and bustling street was now filled with screaming and running crowds. The sound of gunfire coming from ahead was incessant. Sanders D'Aum was experienced; he could tell at once that these were powerful automatic rifles, and there were at least three of them.

By the time their police car finally arrived at the scene, the gunfire had already subsided. But on the street, there were three more bodies. Sanders D'Aum got out to take a look and found they were all middle-aged white men in suits, riddled with bullet holes.

"All Italian descent. I'm guessing they're from the Blood Hand Gang."

Sanders' assistant put on gloves, bent down to examine the bodies, and indeed found a blood-red glove in the pocket of one of them.

"Looks like a gang vendetta. Their personal belongings are still there. Look at this watch—it's a Grade 12 protective gear, worth at least fourteen thousand gold shields."

"Their action was very swift, very clean, with a strong sense of purpose. They opened fire and killed as soon as the car stopped. Two people on the scene escaped, but they didn't pursue; after the shooting, they immediately drove away."

"Question the witnesses, and find out as soon as possible what model that car was, and a license plate number if possible. Also, apply to the station to set up roadblocks on all streets within five kilometers of the crime scene. And check where the two escapees went—"

Just as Sanders was speaking, there was a loud bang. The huge blast shook him, a Level 9 magic professional, causing a ringing in his ears.

Sanders then looked in the direction of the explosion in shock, where a plume of black smoke rose into the air.

"The explosion is one block away. In that direction, could it be the Chloé Nightclub? Wow—"

Sanders' assistant couldn't help but exclaim: "Could this be some gang declaring war on the Blood Hand Gang?"

The Chloé Nightclub was one of the largest nightclubs operated by the Blood Hand Gang.

"It should be!"

Sanders D'Aum muttered, then walked toward the police car by the roadside. He heard an urgent call from the police vehicle's radio. He walked to his car window, picked up the walkie-talkie, and heard a female dispatcher's voice.

"Unit 21, Unit 21, please respond. A shooting incident has occurred in the southern part of Rawling Street, with both sides engaged in heavy exchange of fire. Upon receiving this notice, please proceed to the scene as soon as possible—"

"Sorry, we're at the shooting scene on Rhine Street. Three people are dead here. We need to secure the scene and cannot leave."

After speaking, Sanders asked curiously: "Over there, is it also the Blood Hand Gang members being attacked?"

There was a moment of silence on the walkie-talkie before the voice came again: "Probably? Starting from fifteen minutes ago, there have been three explosions and two shootings in East Atlanta, all confirmed to be related to the Blood Hand Gang."