Explosions echoed along the highway of the capital of Vespania. Three vehicles raced at breakneck speed down the road in a deadly chase. The
Explosions echoed along the highway of the capital of Vespania.
Three vehicles raced at breakneck speed down the road in a deadly chase.
The driver, Qinlei, slammed the accelerator and swerved into oncoming traffic, weaving through cars with one dangerous maneuver after another.
Gin gripped the passenger-side handle tightly, his eyes fixed on the approaching cars that were swerving in panic to avoid them. At the same time, he kept a close watch on the rearview mirror.
Who is it?
Just who the hell is that?
To be able to track the trajectory of a grenade while driving at high speed, then fire two shots to deflect it mid-air… Gin hadn't expected that a small country like Vespania could produce someone that capable.
At that moment, Grappa's vehicle was trailing close behind.
The thrown grenade had failed to slow their pursuer. He scoffed coldly and extended his arm out the window, firing a few shots.
Bang! Bang, bang!
The bullets hit Daisuke Jigen's car without causing much damage. The rogue-like man took a deep drag on his cigarette.
"Seriously… can't I just finish one damn smoke?"
He struck back instantly.
While most modern assassins preferred automatic pistols, Daisuke Jigen was more like an old-school cowboy—favoring a revolver.
And in a cowboy shootout, speed was everything.
Grappa and several others leaned out of the windows, weapons drawn. But Jigen was faster—his bullets hit their hands before they could fire.
On the high-speed road where the landscape blurred past, several blooms of blood and severed fingers flashed and vanished in an instant.
Bang! Bang!
Jigen fired consecutively.
He didn't flinch at the incoming bullets. The moment his revolver sparked, the front car's tires burst and the vehicle dipped sideways—
Its speed dropped sharply, and Jigen's car quickly closed the gap.
Seeing the panicked driver and passengers fumbling for their guns, Jigen smirked.
"That one! The guy in that car is the key!"Conan shouted.
"Yeah, the one who's practically dripping with killer intent."
As he spoke, Jigen shot the driver square in the head.
The out-of-control car kept hurtling down the wrong lane at high speed, quickly crashing into a curve and flipping violently.
Watching Grappa's car from the rearview mirror, Gin's eyes tightened with urgency.
An impressive opponent…
He checked his weapon loadout, eyes narrowing as he glanced at the mirror again.
Ssshhhhh…
Suddenly, static came through his earpiece.
"You hearing this, Gin?"
Cointreau's voice?
Was he with Vermouth?
"This is a one-way connection through a bug, so I'll assume you can hear me."
"I don't know exactly what's going on over there, but at 19:49:30, there'll be an explosion 600 meters inside the first tunnel."
"Figure it out yourself."
The bug's transmission was cut off.
Gin checked the time.
Less than two minutes left.
The first tunnel…
He looked at the road signs, then at the pursuing cars in the rearview mirror, his eyes glinting with frost.
"Give me the submachine gun."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
The grunt in the back immediately handed over a weapon from the trunk.
Without hesitation, Gin took it and fired downward, right at the car floor.
"Gin!?"
The driver, sweating profusely, let out a scream.
Gin ignored him. With a few shots, he blew open a hole beneath his feet. Glancing into the mirror at their pursuers, he allowed himself a cold smile.
The hole in the car floor exposed the rushing highway below.
He pulled the pin on a grenade and dropped it through the opening.
The smoking grenade tumbled across the asphalt.
Following behind, Jigen spotted it instantly. He yanked the wheel to dodge it, avoiding the explosion.
Even so, the blast shook the entire car violently.
"Not bad at all..."
He clicked his tongue in surprise.
"He managed to put distance between us."
"But it's not over yet!"
Jigen wasn't one to slack off—especially not when money was involved.
He spat out his cigarette and focused on driving.
Screams from pedestrians and honking horns filled the road, but nothing could break the deadly chase between them.
Amid the growing noise of explosions and gunfire, Gin kept his icy gaze on his wristwatch.
Almost there.
The tunnel loomed ahead.
600 meters…
But there would be no signs inside indicating how far they'd gone—it would have to be guessed by eye.
Crack!
Just as the car entered the tunnel, a bullet shattered the driver's side mirror, flinging it back at high speed.
"That guy!"
Qinlei, the long-legged woman at the wheel, was primarily a getaway driver for the organization. She was bold and precise—a real pro.
But even she had never heard of someone who could drive and shoot with such deadly precision at this speed.
Lethal.
In a high-speed chase like this, with enemies on their tail, losing the mirror could easily prove fatal.
"Shut up and floor it."
Seconds ticked by.
Gin's jade-green eyes grew ever more intense.
Bang!
The passenger-side mirror shattered next. Then the rear jolted slightly—everyone inside felt it.
Their tire had been shot.
"Blow out all their tires first and then— damn! How many grenades do they have?"
Jigen, now charging into the tunnel, trailed off as he saw multiple grenades rolling out from beneath the front car.
He quickly yanked the wheel. The car drifted in a clean arc as explosions thundered behind them.
In the passenger seat, Conan was thrown into chaos, his vision blurred from the shock.
Even Jigen was rattled.
Holding down his hat, he stabilized the car and resumed pursuit, eyes sharp under the brim.
No matter how hard they pushed the gas, a car with a busted tire couldn't keep up speed for long.
He caught up fast.
Just as the target loomed closer and closer—
A transport truck suddenly veered in from the far-left lane, tilting at an angle and sliding across their path to block their vision.
Flames flickered on its body.
"What the...?"
Jigen instantly sensed something was wrong.
The next second, a massive explosion lit up the tunnel.
Seeing the wall of fire rushing toward them, Jigen had no choice but to slam the brakes.