"Xiao Ai, can the tech in your database be applied across different fields?"
Ethan tapped his fingers thoughtfully on the steering wheel. "Like, could computer chips be repurposed for smartphones? Could a sports car engine work in a regular sedan? Or what about weapon tech—can the optical aiming and recoil stabilization from a rifle be used on other firearms? Could a pistol hit as hard as a rifle?"
"Easily."
Xiao Ai's response came without a second of hesitation. "That's one of the core functions of the Huaqiangbei production system. It can integrate technologies across platforms, extracting the best parts of each to create highly optimized hybrid designs."
"…"
It sounded impressive… but wasn't she just describing an "assembled PC"?
Ethan was a little speechless. He didn't voice his skepticism, though.
The more technology Xiao Ai mastered, the more technology he controlled too.
Which meant that, right now, Ethan's most urgent mission was to absorb as much scientific and technical knowledge as possible!
Suddenly, a thought flickered through his mind.
"Huh? Someone's tailing me?"
While casually analyzing the vehicles around him, Ethan noticed a car in his rearview mirror that had been sticking too close for too long. What really caught his attention, though, was that his system scan detected several firearms inside that vehicle.
"In broad daylight, carrying guns like that in the middle of China? And you're following me?"
Ethan's brows furrowed.
He reflexively checked his personal inventory in the warehouse. Two standard firearms—an AK and a SCAR—plus two custom-optimized M4s he'd built during some downtime. Not a bad loadout if things went south.
As the saying goes, "If you've got a gun, you won't panic." Ethan subtly eased his foot off the gas and let his car slow down, eyes fixed on the rearview mirror.
He still held out a sliver of hope: maybe they weren't after him.
But reality crushed that hope pretty quickly.
As Ethan slowed, so did the car behind him—matching his pace with a kind of calculated patience.
"So, I am the target, huh?" he muttered, jaw tightening.
Who the hell had he pissed off?
Sure, he used to be a rich kid with no particular purpose, but he wasn't the type to stir up enemies—especially not ones armed with pistols in a country where that was practically unheard of.
Unless someone wanted to make a very loud statement.
"Screeeech…"
His thoughts were cut short when the vehicle behind suddenly sped up, swung in front of him, and slammed the brakes, forcing Ethan to stop abruptly in the middle of the road.
"Damn it. There's no one else out here right now…"
The road ahead was practically deserted—a stretch of low-traffic asphalt that had always felt eerily quiet. Today, it felt downright dangerous.
Before Ethan could react, the driver's side door of the other vehicle opened, and a hulking man—easily 6'3" and built like a linebacker—stepped out and approached Ethan's car with calm arrogance.
Without hesitation, he yanked open the passenger door and slid in, a nasty smirk on his face. Beneath his jacket, Ethan caught the glint of a pistol.
"Drive onto that side road if you want to live," the man growled, voice low and threatening.
"…"
Yeah. That side road? Probably a one-way trip.
Ethan's heart rate kicked up. He discreetly reached for the improved M4 he had stashed beside the seat. He'd just flipped off the safety when the guy got in—didn't even have time to lock the doors.
"W-We can talk this out," Ethan stammered, playing the part. "Who are you, man?"
He wasn't looking for answers—he just needed time. A few more seconds, and he could go for the gun.
Truthfully, Ethan had never fired a real gun outside of a controlled shooting range. But today, he didn't have the luxury of hesitation.
"I was paid to rough you up a little," the man said with a cold grin. "That's all. Nothing personal."
He chuckled. "You cooperate, and you get to keep breathing."
In a place like China, where bullets were hard to come by, he wasn't planning on wasting any just to make a point. Beating the kid up, maybe breaking a couple bones—that was the extent of it. Quick payday. In and out.
He'd done it before.
"Okay… okay…" Ethan nodded, trembling as his hands went back to the steering wheel.
Seeing this, the brute relaxed, holstering his pistol and sitting back with that same smug grin. To him, Ethan looked like easy prey.
But the moment he let his guard down—
"Then go to hell."
Ethan took a deep breath, then whipped the M4 from the side and pulled the trigger.
He didn't hesitate. Not for a second.
This was what he had prepared for—the reason he kept weapons on standby in his system's warehouse. When the opening came, he took it.
Da-da-da-da-da—
The man flinched, but too late.
The shots tore through him before he could even lift his arm. Blood sprayed across the dashboard. His body slumped sideways, riddled with holes.
Eyes wide.
Mouth still twisted in disbelief.
He hadn't just been surprised by the sudden appearance of the weapon—what truly stunned him was the fact that someone in China had a rifle.
He died staring at Ethan, as if trying to process it even in his final moment.
"There's no way he was acting alone."
Ethan didn't believe for a second that this guy was just some thug on a solo job.
He reached for another optimized M4 from the warehouse—this one had slightly more stopping power but near-zero recoil. Without wasting time, he changed the magazine and looked toward the vehicle still parked ahead.
His eyes narrowed.
You want to ambush me? Let's see how you like this.
He aimed at the car's windows and pulled the trigger.
A fresh burst of gunfire rang out.
The windshield shattered. The hood took a beating. Glass and shards scattered across the road.
It was a fierce, thunderous noise—one that had no place in a country where guns were banned.
If anyone had been walking nearby, they would've been in complete shock.
Ethan finally stopped firing and exhaled.
"…Probably dead," he muttered.
But he didn't take chances.
He stepped out of the vehicle, weapon still raised, and cautiously approached the other car, one foot at a time.