Chapter 346: The Highway Heist!
Tesla's Expansion and The Last Shipment
The year 2004 was indispensable for Tesla. Through Luke's continued efforts, the Metropolis local government finally signed a special agreement with Tesla, including multiple robust measures such as tax exemptions, reduced interest, and subsidies. Simultaneously, the White House launched the "March to Space" initiative, and as the first beneficiary, Tesla received substantial government funding.
The two agreements brought Tesla significant fame and launched it into a high-speed development phase.
February: The second phase of the Tesla factory renovation was completed.
April: The South District Branch factory was established, with production workshops gradually brought online.
As production capacity upgraded, the military placed a new order for three hundred next-generation armors, featuring enhanced performance, multiple functions, and comprehensive protection, in addition to the original order of ten thousand exoskeletons.
These three hundred suits were specially customized combat armors for the FBI and A.R.G.U.S. They utilized cutting-edge materials to significantly mitigate damage from solid bullets and explosive weapons. Even an ordinary person wearing one would be transformed into a super-human capable of fighting a hundred men.
Each of the three hundred suits was priced at $1.5 million. The first two batches, totaling two hundred suits, had already been transferred to the White House. Today was the final batch.
Inside the Tesla factory, a wave of cheers erupted from the workers as the last batch of goods was loaded onto military trucks. The boss had promised that upon completion of this order, 30% of the profit would be distributed to all employees as a special bonus, rewarding their hard work over the past six months. With Tesla employing just over four hundred people, the 30% profit averaged out to a reward of approximately $160,000 per employee—more than a year's salary.
While the employees gathered to discuss their excitement, three military trucks, protected by dozens of armed soldiers, drove out of the Bay Bridge and reached Gotham City.
Upon entering this area, the soldiers immediately raised the security level. Although the security situation in Gotham had improved somewhat after last year's riots, the city's reputation was simply too terrible.
Fortunately, no danger appeared. The trucks successfully passed through Gotham's North District and reached the suburban highway. As the colossal city, notorious for its villainy, slowly receded, the soldiers began to relax.
Lieutenant Colonel Moreg, the officer in charge of the escort, complained angrily,
"I don't understand what those people in the White House are thinking, sending such good armor to those idiots at A.R.G.U.S.! What do they do besides holding things up?"
His aide at the side sneered, "Don't forget, A.R.G.U.S. was founded by the President himself. Although it's stupid, for his own face, they have to give them the necessary support... even if it's useless."
Lieutenant Colonel Moreg looked around and lowered his voice. "Compared to the powered armor, I'm more interested in the enhancement agent."
"Shh!" The aide replied seriously. "The brass has ordered us not to mention General Lane's case again. The agent is now classified as contraband."
Moreg pouted, regretful.
"That agent was incredible! An ordinary person could lift a truck after injecting it! Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk!"
Moreg praised it repeatedly, a hint of yearning in his eyes.
"It's a shame about the severe side effects."
The Attack
Just as he was speaking, a Lamborghini sped up in the rearview mirror. It was moving extremely fast, overtaking the trucks in the blink of an eye. The driver flipped a middle finger at the fully armed military Humvee, the provocation unmistakable.
"Damn joyrider!" Moreg cursed angrily.
Before the words were out, two more sports cars flew up from behind. The passenger in the left car was a sizzling hot woman in a bikini, revealing ample cleavage. She blew a kiss at the Humvee, then, under Moreg's startled gaze, pulled out a rocket launcher thicker than her arm from between her legs.
Boom!
The Humvee was struck by the rocket and violently exploded.
The truck driver behind, seeing the situation turn dire, slammed the accelerator, rammed the burning Humvee aside, and continued to drive forward. This was the military's special protocol for highway attacks: regardless of the circumstances, the trucks must not stop.
Soldiers inside the trucks immediately opened their windows and fired outward. Bullets sprayed out, turning the sports car into a honeycomb.
The bikini woman and the driver were killed instantly, and the sports car exploded.
Just as the soldiers believed the enemy was repelled, a vibration came from above.
Bang!
Following a deafening crash, a dent appeared in the seven-centimeter steel roof. The next second, the dent instantly became a round hole, and a monstrous figure—wearing a black battle armor and a falcon helmet, and possessing immense strength—appeared inside the truck.
The soldiers were terrified. They quickly raised their guns and fired. Bullets pierced the black armor, splashing countless spots of blood, yet the monster didn't flinch, seemingly without sensation. He drew the katana from his back.
A flash of the blade.
Two soldiers were cut in half at the waist. The monster charged forward, unleashing a bloodbath. The driver realized what was happening and, his face pale, grabbed the walkie-talkie.
Thwack!
The long blade pierced the armor, emerging from his chest.
The driver gasped, slowly collapsing into the seat. The truck, now out of control, spun wildly on the road. After twisting back and forth, it was struck by the truck behind it and flipped over.
Unlike a Humvee, the overturned truck was a colossal roadblock.
The remaining trucks collided front-to-back, forced to stop.
Simultaneously, six black SUVs sped up from behind. Dozens of heavily armed thugs poured out of the vehicles, firing furiously at the trucks. Several men even set up machine guns.
Boom!
The rear door of a truck was blown open by a cannon shell, immediately followed by hand grenades being tossed inside.
These thugs were well-prepared and highly trained. With the aid of the black armored warrior, the battle was resolved in just a few minutes. All forty-three armed soldiers involved in the security detail were killed, with no survivors.
After the fighting ended, a middle-aged man wearing a fedora and a scar on his left cheek walked up to the truck, opened the weapons container, and slightly nodded upon seeing the gleaming, specialized armor inside. He raised a hand, and the thugs behind him cheered excitedly, throwing down their weapons and carrying the containers onto other vehicles.
The group moved quickly and efficiently. After taking the weapons boxes, they split into three columns and drove toward the sparsely populated wilderness.
When the Gotham police arrived at the scene, all that remained were the bodies on the ground and the empty cargo trucks.
All the armed soldiers escorting the cargo were dead, and the 100 sets of Tesla's custom-made powered armor, valued at $150 million and capable of granting ordinary people powerful combat abilities, had vanished.
The news sparked widespread reporting. In a sensitive place like Gotham City, the meaning of one hundred sets of specialized armor falling into the hands of criminals was a potential catastrophe for the citizens and police.
Jim Gordon, recently promoted to Gotham City Police Commissioner, was forced to personally rush to the scene. The military, A.R.G.U.S., and the FBI also dispatched additional personnel to launch an investigation.
An hour had passed when Luke received the news. The billionaire had to set aside his lunch and drive to Gotham City.
The armor was manufactured by Tesla. If it was truly used for terrorist activities, Tesla would face unimaginable difficulties.
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