Chapter 15: Escape:
Having dashed out of the fire escape, Yang Xu had been observing the hotel lobby's layout.
Facing the guards' suppressive gunfire, he executed a tactical roll, taking cover behind the left corner to avoid the hail of bullets.
He listened to the bullets impacting the wall and the frantic shouts echoing through his headset.
Yang Xu took a deep breath, slowing his pace to regain his composure after his frantic sprint.
Then, he raised his gun, firing at the ceiling, lamps, pillars, and other angles.
These shots, guided by his masterful firearm skills, ricocheted off various surfaces within the hotel lobby.
"The target has appeared in the hotel lobby…"
Before the team leader could finish his report, two bullets, rebounding at impossible angles, struck him in the head.
With the leader gone, a gap appeared in the three-man firing line.
Yang Xu seized this opportunity, quickly emerging from cover.
Without aiming, he fired several shots, guided by instinct, eliminating the guard on the right.
He then performed a tactical roll, avoiding the last guard's gunfire.
The moment he stood, he fired several shots, taking down the last guard.
Having dealt with the guards, Yang Xu sprinted out of the hotel towards his getaway vehicle.
…
On the fourteenth-floor terrace, Tony's relaxed demeanor vanished upon learning of the robber's escape.
However, he didn't unleash his anger on the commander. Instead, he pulled out his cell phone and shouted, "Jarvis!"
"I'm here, sir!"
"Track the robber's escape route and transmit the data!"
Tony glanced at the heavily armed security guards, who looked menacing, and added:
"Also, send it to the New York police, instructing them to pursue the robber."
"Excellent decision, sir!"
After the AI butler agreed, Yang Xu's image appeared on Tony's phone screen.
He had just left the hotel and was sprinting towards a white car.
Soon after, the car sped away like an arrow.
The phone screen then displayed a map of downtown New York City.
The car's location was marked with a red arrow icon.
Tony, his teeth gritted, watched the moving arrow on his phone and said:
"Relay this information to the police in real-time. I want him captured and fed cake!"
"Understood, sir!"
Director George Stacy, at the command center, saw Jarvis's message and immediately shouted into his phone:
"Notify them to follow the provided route!"
…
Driving a modified car, Yang Xu deliberately paused at an intersection on New York's Second Avenue!
He waited through several minutes of traffic lights, ignoring the honking cars behind him.
Soon, the wail of sirens filled the air.
Through the rearview mirror, Yang Xu saw several police cars approaching.
"The real spectacle is about to begin, clown. I hope you won't disappoint me!"
He whispered, then switched to the driving style of "Fujiwara Takumi".
Instantly, he gained an acute awareness of the car's condition from its subtle vibrations.
Noticing the traffic light about to turn red, Yang Xu floored the accelerator.
The car roared to life, surging forward like a wild horse.
"Quick, quick, quick, don't let him escape!"
The pursuing police cars, disregarding traffic signals, accelerated in pursuit.
Relying on "Fujiwara Takumi's" "speeding" skills, Yang Xu maneuvered through the dense traffic with ease.
He seemed to sense that the surrounding vehicles were no longer obstacles but rather barriers and roadblocks to impede his pursuers.
He drove against the traffic flow, easily evading the pursuing police.
However, he remained vigilant to avoid being cornered.
After all, he was now an enemy of the entire New York police force, so caution was paramount.
Sure enough, after crossing an intersection, dozens of police cars appeared from the opposite direction.
"How did they anticipate my route? Was it 'Jarvis'?"
Facing the oncoming police cars, Yang Xu seemed possessed by the spirit of a race car driver.
He slammed on the brakes, sharply turned the steering wheel with his left hand, rapidly shifted gears with his right, and pulled the handbrake.
This series of actions was completed in seconds, just as the police cars were about to collide.
Yang Xu's car drifted in a perfect turn, narrowly avoiding the oncoming police cars.
Leaving black tire marks on the road, the car smoothly entered the adjacent lane.
Witnessing the miraculous scene through Jarvis's feed, Tony leaped to his feet, exclaiming in disbelief:
"How is this possible? I calculated the optimal interception route!"
While he was still in shock, Jarvis's voice echoed:
"Sir, Chief Stacy is calling, requesting another interception route."
Tony snapped out of it and replied excitedly: "Of course, tell him to wait!"
[New York Big Shot, gained Tony Stark's reputation score of 85]
[…, gained George Stacy's reputation 5]
[…, Happy…30…]
[..., Police Officer A.... 0.5]
…
Yang Xu casually glanced at the system messages and smiled wryly: "So, 'Jarvis' is tracking me!"
Despite the AI's capabilities, he wasn't overly concerned!
His steering, acceleration, and gear changes were all perfectly timed.
If there wasn't music playing, Yang Xu would have even considered playing "Dai Xia Hu".
At that moment, a beam of light shone down from the sky, illuminating the entire car.
It was a relatively small helicopter, which had appeared and was now following Yang Xu's car from above.
The cabin doors on both sides were open, and a photographer was filming.
It was clear that the sudden street race was being broadcast live.
Yang Xu, his position highlighted by the spotlight, had a glint in his eyes and a confident smile.
With a turn of the steering wheel, the car jumped over the low flower bed, evading the police cars waiting at the intersection.