Inside the garment factory.
The sudden gunshot shattered the silence, followed by a continuous crackling sound like beans being fried in hot oil.
Harry, who had just sneaked inside to investigate, was momentarily confused.
How did a fight suddenly break out like this?
He quickly slipped into the employees' locker room, and a colleague's anxious voice immediately sounded through his earpiece.
"Harry! Get out of there! The garment factory is under attack!"
"No—mercenaries!"
"The FBI just confirmed that Joe Gallo hired a mercenary unit to attack the factory!"
Harry cursed under his breath, but he quickly forced himself to calm down and survey his surroundings.
"No! We can't just leave."
"We finally located Yacovelli. We have to capture him tonight!"
"Where's the FBI? Have they arrived yet?"
"Almost!"
"The NYPD and the FBI are on their way!"
"Tell them to seal every exit. Don't let a single person escape!"
After saying that, Harry carefully pushed open the locker room door.
Without the door acting as a barrier, the gunfire outside became deafening.
Several mercenaries suddenly appeared from behind a stairwell diagonally in front of him.
The two sides locked eyes.
They immediately raised their guns and opened fire.
Bullets flew everywhere, tearing holes into the walls beside Harry.
Moments later, however, the only thing left on the ground was the mercenary's corpse.
Harry stepped forward, removed the mask from the body, and glanced at the face.
Completely unfamiliar.
He then carefully checked the man's neck, wrists, and the backs of his hands.
No tattoos.
No markings.
After years of dealing with terrorist organizations overseas, Harry was familiar with the identifying symbols used by many groups.
But this mercenary had none.
"I wonder which organization these guys belong to…"
Suddenly—
A faint sound echoed nearby.
Harry instantly crouched down, grabbed the corpse, and used it as a human shield.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a bald man standing above the stairwell, firing a submachine gun downward.
Harry dragged the corpse behind the corner wall while raising his pistol to fire back, forcing the man to dodge.
But then something dark flew toward him.
Boom!
Leaning against the wall, Arthur Bishop pressed his back tightly against the concrete.
The explosion caused a slight tremor, but it didn't affect his movements at all.
Calm and precise, he quickly reloaded his weapon.
To be fair, Arthur didn't particularly enjoy these kinds of chaotic siege battles.
He rarely accepted missions that involved protecting employers.
Those kinds of operations had too many unpredictable variables.
Maintaining full control of the situation was almost impossible.
Just like today.
The attack happened suddenly.
They had very limited intelligence.
Yet they were still forced to participate in this defensive operation.
Why?
Because the employer had offered a ridiculous amount of money.
Arthur frowned slightly.
That guy's reaction speed earlier had been pretty impressive.
After reloading, he peeked around the corner and aimed his gun toward the place where the opponent had been standing.
But the man was gone.
Arthur stared coldly at the empty spot for half a second before immediately changing routes and circling around the building.
After searching half the floor, he still couldn't find the man.
Instead, he casually eliminated a few confused mercenaries along the way.
He pressed the microphone on his collar.
"Area around Gate 3 is clear."
"What's the employer's current status?"
A voice replied through the headset.
"Safe!"
"Arthur, come provide cover for our retreat! The police are already on their way!"
Arthur nodded and quickly regrouped with his teammates.
This time, Cobol Engineering had sent five mechanics to New York.
Every single one of them was an elite among elites, veterans who had survived countless battles.
Protected by them were Carmine Persico, Joseph Yacovelli, and several Mafia soldatis.
Arthur reported calmly.
"Besides the mercenaries, we have another problem."
"The FBI and the police have already surrounded the factory."
"Mr. Persico, does this factory have any other escape routes?"
Persico looked embarrassed.
"I'm not very familiar with this place."
"It's not a military base—just an ordinary clothing factory."
Arthur frowned slightly before speaking again.
"Our mission is to protect your life."
"So you currently have two options."
"First option."
"We eliminate the mercenaries as best as we can."
"You remain here and surrender to the police."
"The police shouldn't kill you as long as you don't resist."
"As for how you deal with the charges later—that's not our concern."
"Second option."
"You follow us and break through the police and mercenary encirclement by force."
"But that requires additional payment, and we cannot guarantee your survival."
"If you resist arrest, the police will not hesitate to shoot."
"My personal suggestion is the first option. It will save you a lot of unnecessary trouble."
Hearing Arthur's cold explanation, Persico began calculating rapidly.
Just like Gallo, he was currently out on bail.
That idiot Gallo.
That idiot crazy piece of shit!
Hiring mercenaries had dragged him into this entire disaster.
If he stayed here, the police would definitely arrest him—even if he was technically the victim.
The police would never miss such an opportunity.
Once he returned to jail, the family war would effectively be over.
"How confident are you that you can get me out?" Persico asked quietly.
Arthur answered calmly.
"Earlier I was about 70% confident."
"Now it's 68%… maybe 67%."
"There are more and more police arriving."
Persico clenched his fists.
"I'll break through."
"I choose the second option."
"I'll escape with you."
Arthur exchanged glances with his teammates.
They immediately understood the plan.
Mafia soldatis would create distractions and draw the attention of the police and mercenaries.
Meanwhile, the mechanics would escort Persico and Yacovelli through another route.
The group fought their way forward, killing mercenaries along the path.
These ordinary mercenaries were no match for the mechanics.
Soon they reached a warehouse on the first floor.
But just as they prepared to leave—
A muscular man suddenly stepped out from the side.
He carried a rifle taken from a dead mercenary.
Without hesitation, he opened fire.
Several Mafia soldatis instantly fell.
Arthur's eyes turned cold.
It was that guy again.
He quickly drew his pistol and returned fire while the other mechanics covered Persico's retreat toward the back door.
The back door burst open.
A police car smashed through the gate like an enraged bull.
A bald man climbed out while shouting angrily.
"Damn it!"
"Why is it always me rushing to the front when things get messy?!"
The man grabbed a submachine gun and used the police car as cover, unleashing a torrent of bullets.
It felt as if a single soldier was holding back an entire army.
Like a Lone Wolf Against the World.
The mechanics were forced to lower their heads.
One man.
Yet he fought like a thousand.
The mechanics were no amateurs.
They immediately launched a counterattack.
Boom!
A grenade exploded and flipped the police car upside down.
John McClane was thrown away by the shockwave.
Arthur tossed another grenade to block the retreat route while urging his teammates to withdraw quickly.
But then—
Out of the flames—
The bald cop rushed forward again.
His body was covered in blood, looking like a demon crawling out of hell.
Arthur froze briefly.
That explosion didn't kill him?
Harry arrived from the opposite direction and froze as well.
Wasn't that the reckless bald cop?!
For a brief moment—
A bald man, a shaved-headed assassin, and a muscular spy stood in a triangular standoff.
They exchanged glances.
Then all three moved simultaneously.
Gunfire erupted once more.
---
Outside the garment factory.
Explosions and gunshots echoed nonstop.
Denham and David stared at each other, stunned.
"This fight is insane…"
Denham wasn't a field combat agent.
He couldn't participate in the frontline battle.
David wasn't particularly strong in combat either.
He was far better at solving cases than engaging in large-scale gunfights.
"It feels like we're in the Middle East."
"Even during the drug wars we never saw a battle this intense."
Both men felt a chill run down their spines.
"If too many police officers die tonight, the report will look terrible."
David asked nervously,
"Did the Dove say how to handle this?"
Denham shook his head.
"The Dove only said he would handle everything."
"All we have to do is clean up the aftermath and wait to take credit."
"In the end… things should resolve peacefully."
David was both impressed and confused.
That really did sound like something the Dove of Peace would say.
Inside the warehouse, the battle had reached its peak.
At first, McClane fought both Harry and Arthur.
But after discovering Harry's identity—
The two men began cooperating against Arthur Bishop and the mechanics.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
After firing a burst of bullets, McClane ducked behind a shelf.
"You're a spy?"
"Why didn't you say that back at the villa?!"
Harry shouted back.
"I was on a mission then! I didn't even get the chance to explain!"
McClane looked suspicious.
"So you're not on a mission now?"
You look honest with those thick eyebrows and big eyes…
Why are you such a liar?
Harry sighed.
Wasn't it because the Dove never gave him any useful information?
Continuing that charade had been a complete waste of time.
Now the FBI finally had real intelligence.
"I'll explain later."
Harry stood up and fired several shots.
"Let's finish these guys first."
"We can't let Yacovelli escape tonight!"
Behind them, SWAT teams began storming the building.
Watching the scene, Persico and Yacovelli both showed despair.
Being arrested wouldn't kill them.
But prison would end the civil war immediately.
Persico clenched his fists.
Back then, he supported Colombo's rise and even helped rename the family.
Now Colombo was dead.
He should have inherited the leadership.
Instead, he ended up fighting a civil war against that lunatic Gallo.
"Motherfucker…"
The worst part?
The Mafia Commission simply watched from the sidelines like vultures.
Persico sighed deeply.
More and more SWAT officers flooded into the building.
Escape seemed impossible.
Just then—
Yacovelli's phone rang.
Caller ID: Dove of Peace
"Let Persico answer," Luca said.
Yacovelli handed the phone over.
Persico answered and heard Luca's calm voice.
"Mr. Persico."
"It seems your situation isn't very good right now."
Persico gritted his teeth.
"Get to the point, Dove."
"I don't have time for small talk."
Luca chuckled softly.
"I can help you get away."
Persico's pupils shrank.
He looked up.
A tall man wearing a small round hat stepped out from the shadows.
In one hand he held a gun with a smoking barrel.
---
In the other side—
A dagger dripping with blood.
With Yacovelli's surrender and the mercenaries annihilated, the battle finally ended.
A Mafia boss was arrested.
Many Mafia soldatis were captured.
The mercenaries resisted to the very end but were eventually wiped out.
Denham and David were shocked.
They expected a fight to the death.
Instead, Yacovelli surrendered surprisingly easily.
But McClane and Harry both realized something was wrong.
Because the bald assassin had disappeared.
His body wasn't among the corpses.
And he wasn't among the prisoners either.
__________________________________________________________________________
[Ding! You provided intelligence that helped authorities eliminate or capture 43 mercenaries and 14 Mafia members, including one Mafia boss.]
[You defended the peace of New York.]
[Skill Points +50]
[Skill Fragments +25]
[Theoretical Lifespan +6 Months]
[Remaining Skill Fragments: 139]
[Fragments –40 (99 remaining)]
New Skill Unlocked
[Skill: Carrier Pigeon]
(TN: Carrier Pigeon sound's way better than Carrier Dove, so i choose that)
__________________________________________________________________________
At that moment—
On Bowery Street.
On the rooftop belonging to the King of Bowery Street.
The distant city shimmered with lights.
Luca looked up into the night sky and raised his arm.
A pigeon flew down from afar and landed on his wrist.
Beside him, Jin stared in disbelief.
"That's strange."
"My doves are actually obeying you?"
Luca smiled faintly.
"Maybe it's because…"
"I'm a dove too."
He gently stroked the bird's head before flicking his wrist and letting it fly again.
Footsteps approached.
Persico, Arthur Bishop, and several mechanics stepped onto the rooftop, escorted by Leon and Mr. Nobody.
Luca laughed.
"Mr. Persico."
"This must be the first time in your life you've ever walked through the sewers of New York, right?"
"Everyone is used to climbing upward."
"But sometimes you have to go down to understand how this city truly stands."
The homeless people of Bowery Street were familiar with almost every underground tunnel and sewer in New York.
Using these passages, they could travel anywhere in the city.
This was one of the reasons the King of Bowery Street controlled New York's underground intelligence network.
In the original story, he could even deliver Baba Yaga directly to Santino's doorstep.
And during the High Table's citywide manhunt, he hid Baba Yaga underground where no one could find him.
Persico looked at Luca with a complicated expression.
"I never imagined the sewers beneath that garment factory would lead directly to Manhattan."
He took a deep breath.
"Dove."
"Let's talk business."
"What do I need to give you… for your support in becoming the next boss?"
================================================================================
Thx to Bram Mols to become my P Knight, my cats can eat more fish.
You guys can support me on P Site/OrbisTranslate, for three bucks to get 15 advance chapters.
As always, 100 Stones = 2 Bonus Chapters.