Chapter 564

Chapter 564: Not Fighting Alone

A shadow suddenly flew in from a hundred-inch double-sided big screen television, scattering sparks and causing serious deformation. The vivid videos that had been playing blurred into darkness, with large sections completely losing their functionality, turning into big black spots. A scream erupted from the crowd at the Cosplay event.

The Dragon Knight showed no mercy, using an elbow to slam into an approaching attacker, a blow that could easily take the opponent’s life. With a loud clang, the opponent dropped their weapon, a spiked mace, which crashed to the ground, sending sparks flying. Others shouted as they retreated in panic.

"This guy is the real deal."

“Hand over what you have, or face the consequences," growled the hefty man dressed as a half-orc, glaring at Lin Mo with unwarranted confidence.

"What do you mean?" Lin Mo frowned.

The sudden attack and the strange threat left him puzzled. Did he possess something worth their attention? All his significant gear was super high-tech, and it was back in the country; what could they possibly want? If they were up for a heist, they should go after the F-35 instead—were these people insane?

So far, the intelligence personnel from the Foreign Affairs Department and the embassy hadn’t mentioned anything about the "Fenrir" alloy to Lin Mo; he still had to bear this burden. After all, this character from "Night" had combat capabilities that surpassed expectations; the old aviation experts could not be called to the frontlines every time. No one else could fill that role better than him.

"Watch out!"

Qi Fei suddenly spotted a burly figure resembling a Viking pirate coming up behind Lin Mo, brandishing a large axe. This guy had a hefty build, fiery red hair, and a body as strong as a bear; he might genuinely have Viking blood.

This wasn’t a prop; it was a real weapon, cutting through the air with a fierce wind.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Bam!

A rapid electronic sound blared, followed by a noise like a prankster bursting a sealed bag. The Viking pirate howled in pain as he was hurled backward with even greater speed than before, crashing heavily to the ground. His weight made the impact resonate, and the double-headed axe smashed into the earth, providing a loud bang. Fortunately, the performers and audience had retreated several meters; had he fallen into the crowd, there could have been serious injuries.

"Oh my God… that can’t be real!"

Seasoned cosplayer Chuck Helberg, along with others, covered their mouths in shock. He and everyone else had witnessed the barbarian-themed performers charging at the warrior clad in futuristic science fiction armor, especially the one attempting a sneak attack from behind as the Viking pirate. That warrior simply shifted slightly, raised a hand, and after a rapid series of electronic alerts, there was a thunderous explosion as a brief white halo flickered into existence around him. The invisible force of its explosive impact shot the “Viking pirate” straight into the air.

Clashing weapons created terrifying sounds against the ground; they were not fake, but genuine metal weapons. If one struck someone, it could easily result in severe injury. But what exactly was that cracking sound? And what about the sudden appearance of the white halo? It expanded to a meter in radius in an instant before vanishing, as if it had never existed.

Many felt as if they were still dreaming. What was that? Magic?

This was no sorcery; it was real high-tech.

It was a close-quarters weapon specially designed for the "Dragon Guard" by Henghai Defense, classified as a directed energy weapon. Hidden within the wrist guard was a miniature pressure shockwave cannon.

Despite its name containing "cannon," there was no barrel. Its main principle involved detonating the air to create a powerful shockwave, resulting in an extremely short-lived yet forceful air blast. Though its duration was very brief and its effective range limited to less than half a meter, in close combat, it was more effective than nearly any melee weapon, especially during a tense standoff, capable of instantly turning the tide.

If used at the right moment, it could even act as an invisible instant air shield.

The beeping electronic sounds earlier had signaled a rapid power charge. Due to limitations in the "Dragon Guard’s" energy supply, it could only be used every five minutes and required specific triggering media to function, with a standard base usage only five times.

The long activation time, high energy consumption, and extended firing cycles were all issues needing improvement.

Just like Lockheed created the "Fenrir" alloy, the pressure shockwave cannon was also an accidental invention by a domestic civilian research institute. It was a surprising discovery that caught the attention of the military, which then devoted itself to developing it into a military weapon with great value in specific situations.

The pressure shockwave instantly paralyzed the guy dressed as a Viking pirate, rendering him completely powerless in battle.

Then, Lin Mo swiftly knocked down an attacker swinging a steel rod toward his waist. With quick reflexes, he caught the rod mid-swing, refusing to let it advance any further. He stepped forward, delivering a lightning-fast punch known as Black Tiger’s Heart, landing perfectly in the center. The opponent rolled their eyes and convulsed before being knocked out. Nearby, some people couldn’t help but cheer.

In front of everyone, Lin Mo bent the steel rod, which was as thick as an egg, with his bare hands. The creaking sound of metal deformation proved it was indeed a deadly weapon. The overwhelming force he displayed sent chills down everyone’s spine. What kind of monster was this future warrior?

Oh my God!

The four tall and muscular bodyguards tightly guarding Qi Fei’s side made the sign of the cross at their chests.

The hefty man dressed as a half-orc, who had been the first to charge but hesitated after witnessing his companions’ quick defeats, threatened with empty bravado, "You will pay for this!"

Of course, three of them hadn’t even lasted a round before being knocked down, and even the fierce half-orc was now looking weak.

Shaking the massive hammer in his hands, the hefty man knew that with a slight twist of the handle and a press on a specific part, he could detonate the C4 explosives inside.

He did possess the means to drag Lin Mo down with him; the C4 inside the hammer could instantly turn the entire Cosplay area into a deadly ground. However, that was a trump card. What is a killer’s move? It should never be used lightly before the end.

They were here to steal something, not to act like terrorists; if they blew up the "Fenrir" alloy, where would it end up? That would be a waste of lives and could even raise several relentless opposing forces.

"I say you people are just looking for trouble. What have I done to you? Why won’t you stop? Do I have to kill you all for you to back off?"

Lin Mo’s anger flared up; they were truly asking for it.

"Don’t pretend you don’t understand. I give you ten seconds to hand it over, or we’ll go down together. The explosives in this hammer can flatten this place, and even your tactical armor won’t protect you…”

Before the hefty man’s threat could finish, he collapsed as if his spirit had been sucked away, falling to the ground. The massive hammer provided the mall with an excuse for flooring repairs.

Around them, people screamed, unsure of what had just happened. Why did this fierce guy suddenly fall over?

"Subsonic attack complete, target unconscious for approximately 30 minutes."

Lin Mo had no patience for the man’s threats; he activated the built-in directional subsonic weapon in his helmet.

The "Dragon Guard," as an extremely expensive high-tech digital tactical armor, was a killing machine, even without guns or blades.

The tactical helmet scanned and displayed a virtual map of the area within a 50-meter radius, showing several suspicious dots moving, indicating that even though Lin Mo had just dealt with this group, he was not yet safe.

“Dragon Knight, here’s your extraction route. The pickup vehicles have been arranged; please evacuate quickly.”

A man’s voice rang out from the tactical helmet, seemingly from an automated connection initiated by the command center.

The "Dragon Guard" was a warfare tool and therefore considered the digital functional modules for internal team coordination and higher command control. The call-in feature indicated a higher-level command system was issuing orders.

The helmet visor displayed a mall layout with a marked route, small dots indicating allies along the way, and details of the pickup vehicles’ types, colors, and license plates, along with the next steps for relocation.

Clearly, higher-ups were actively seeking ways to rescue Lin Mo from his predicament. The Dragon Knight was not fighting alone.

"Okay!"

Lin Mo thought for a moment and understood his situation; he was like a bright, shining light bulb attracting countless moths. Remaining here, he didn’t know what would happen next.

If civilian casualties occurred, foreign powers wouldn’t care about American lives, but the CIA couldn’t afford that. They would definitely intervene, making more enemies and obstacles. Lin Mo wasn’t going to take that losing deal.

Lin Mo glanced at Qi Fei, still surrounded by bodyguards. In a short time, dozens of strong men appeared, tightly enclosing her.

He couldn’t help but chuckle. This girl promised to enhance her self-protection, but she called in way too many people. Only facing his direction, the rest of her surroundings were completely blocked off.

However, the security company she hired was quite professional. Judging by their demeanor, they seemed to be retired soldiers trained as bodyguards.

Yet this too created a big target. Lin Mo wanted to eliminate this potential trouble, charging straight toward those burly men.