NYPD Police Plaza.
Everyone moved in and out in a rush. After completing the killer's first task, they regrouped here to figure out the next "challenge"—and more importantly, the killer's real objective.
"Has he been watching us?"
Inside the office, John McClane, now fully dressed, stared at David Mills and the others.
"He knew where I was. He even knew about Keung."
"He must have people tailing us," David said with a shrug. "We were being watched the moment we stepped into Little Italy."
McClane frowned.
"Who the hell is targeting me? I don't remember ever pissing off anyone named Simon."
"I'm already digging into it," David replied, sitting beside him. "Every criminal you've ever arrested—anyone named Simon, any race, even suspects—it's all being checked."
Then he added,
"You started as a cop in New York, then went to Los Angeles. Over the years… you've made a lot of enemies."
A nearby officer chimed in jokingly,
"Maybe it's a fan. You know—crazy ones. Some people have tried to assassinate presidents just to impress their idols."
McClane snorted.
"So what, he's gonna send me flowers next instead of bombs?"
"No," David shook his head. "He's trying to control you."
"He thinks he's a conductor," another officer added, "and you're supposed to dance to his rhythm."
McClane scoffed.
"Yeah? Then what was that earlier—striptease? Making me walk around half-naked in the freezing cold? That bastard must really love me."
Soon, a full list of "Simons" was compiled.
McClane glanced through it once—and immediately shook his head.
None of them matched.
He remembered every case he'd worked.
None of these people were capable of pulling off something like this.
At that moment, a bomb technician entered the room carrying a device recovered from Little Italy.
"It's a binary liquid bomb," the expert explained. "Individually, the liquids are stable. Mix them—and you get a violent reaction."
Then he added:
"A lab recently reported over two thousand pounds of raw materials stolen."
Silence filled the room.
"What happens if all of that goes off?" someone asked.
The expert didn't hesitate.
"Enough to flatten the largest stadium in New York."
Everyone's expression changed.
McClane rubbed his forehead.
Yeah.
No wonder he had to run around shirtless in winter.
"Where's the Dove?"
McClane suddenly asked.
David pointed toward the door.
Luca was standing outside—with an arm casually draped over Keung's shoulder, explaining something.
"Keung, here's the situation," Luca said. "New York is under attack by a group of terrorists."
Honestly, Luca was on the verge of losing it.
Simon had gone from targeting Italians…
To dragging Keung into this.
That escalation was insane.
Keung hadn't even been part of the Bronx conflict.
And now?
He'd been thrown straight into a city-wide crisis.
In simple terms—
Today's incident was a meticulously planned heist.
The target?
Federal Reserve gold—worth $140 billion.
Everything else—
The bombs, The games, and The chaos.
All of it was just a smokescreen to distract the police.
In the original sequence, the robbers succeeded.
They moved the gold out of New York—
And were only stopped at the U.S.-Canada border by McClane.
As for Simon—
He was the older brother of the terrorist McClane had killed years ago in Los Angeles.
Revenge and robbery.
Two birds, one stone.
But there was one thing he absolutely shouldn't have done.
He mentioned Keung.
Originally, McClane's partner had been a Black man who always says 'Motherfucker...'
(TN: It's Samuel L Jackson guys)
Now?
It was Keung.
Luca almost felt like praying for Simon.
Still…
$140 billion was $140 billion.
Not $140 million.
It would be a lie to say Luca wasn't tempted.
In the original sequence, the gold had already been moved to the Canadian border.
Perfect timing.
Perfect scapegoat.
Perfect setup.
All he had to do…
Was wait.
But then—
Luca's heartbeat slowed.
If all that gold vanished…
The entire U.S. economy would take a hit.
The government would go all-in hunting the culprit.
The consequences would be massive.
And the reward for "protecting peace"…
Would become impossible to calculate.
He exhaled slowly.
Too risky.
Taking everything was unrealistic.
But taking a small cut?
That might work.
"Keung," Luca said seriously, "sorry you got dragged into this right after arriving in New York. But thanks to you, Officer McClane avoided getting hurt—and that bomb didn't go off in Little Italy."
"The terrorists are the ones who should apologize," Keung replied firmly, fists clenched.
His eyes burned with anger.
"That bomb wasn't far from Uncle Bill's store. If it had exploded…"
He paused.
"I won't stand by. Since they've targeted me—I'll fight them to the end."
Luca blinked.
…Yeah.
This guy was even more reckless than McClane.
Almost like the Baba Yaga.
Give him a name and an address—and he'd walk in alone.
No hesitation.
No backup.
No gun.
He'd just take one from his enemy mid-fight.
Adapt. Improvise. Win.
Start with nothing—
And snowball from there.
Luca inhaled sharply.
This guy's a monster.
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[Character Card: Ma Hon Keung]
[Rank: SSR]
[Source: Rumble in the Bronx]
Skill:
[Furniture Store War God]
Description: Master of improvised mayhem.
Effect: Grants rapid environmental adaptation. Allows the user to weaponize any object or terrain in combat.
Stats:
Evasion: +10% to 50%
Combat Power: +10% to 50% (Scales with environmental complexity).
Domain Bonus:+100% Combat Power when fighting inside a furniture store.
Requirements: Bond Level: Partner+ | Skill Fragments: 200
[Slapstick Resilience (Pain Comedy)]
Description: Turning agony into irony to stay in the fight.
Effect: Reduces perceived pain and follow-up damage through high-intensity comedic reactions.
Stats:
Pain Suppression: -5% to 50%
Damage Reduction: -5% to 20% (Scales with "comedic effectiveness")
Requirements: Bond Level: Friend+ | Skill Fragments: 50
[Daredevil Stunts]
Description: High stakes, higher rewards.
Effect: Increases the success rate of high-risk maneuvers (parkour, tactical crashes, extreme jumps) by 40%.
Bonus: Significantly reduces impact damage taken during stunts.
Requirements: Parkour LV.5+ | Bond Level: Close Friend+ | Skill Fragments: 100
[Martial Arts Synthesis (Kung Fu Master)]
Description: A fluid, nameless style that defies convention.
Effect: Integrates multiple combat disciplines into a unique, adaptive system.
Stats:
Learning Efficiency: +30% for all combat skills.
Mastery Bonus: Each mastered combat skill (LV.5+) grants a permanent +5% Combat Power (Max Cap: +100%).
Requirements: Bond Level: Partner+ | Skill Fragments: 500
[Descendant of the Dragon]
Description: The ultimate survival instinct of a legend.
Effect: Survival and reversal capabilities are vastly enhanced in extreme situations. The more chaotic and dangerous the environment, the stronger your adaptability and "comeback" potential becomes.
Requirements: Bond Level: Symbiosis | Skill Fragments: 3000
[Bond: Familliar]
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After reading all that, Luca had only one thought.
Absolute cheat code.
The first skill turned the environment into a weapon.
The second… somehow made humor reduce damage. Ridiculous—but effective.
The third? Pure stunt survival.
The fourth? Permanent scaling. Mandatory.
And the last one?
Basically just said:
"You win."
"Dove! Keung!"
David hurried over.
"The killer wants to talk to Keung!"
A calm, confident voice came through the phone.
"I prepared that game for McClane very carefully… but you interfered."
There was arrogance in every word.
Complete control.
"This friend from China… or Taiwan?"
"You should introduce yourself before joining my game."
"I'm Chinese!" Keung snapped.
"And who are you? Hiding in the shadows—what kind of man does that? Show yourself if you've got the guts!"
Simon replied calmly,
"This is my game. You follow my rules. I was going to let you go back to your supermarket… but now, you'll be joining us."
The officers around them tensed.
Luca, however, smiled faintly.
"Next game," Simon continued, "McClane and your Chinese friend will head to the Broadway subway station."
"Answer the public phone at the entrance."
"No police within fifteen minutes."
"Fail—and the bomb goes off."
It was clearly another diversion.
But no one else realized it yet.
After the call ended, McClane scoffed.
"You expect me to play along with this lunatic?"
David sighed.
"We don't have a choice."
McClane turned to Luca.
"…Can you find him?"
"I can," Luca said calmly.
'But I want the gold too.'
Then he added,
"I'll mobilize my people. Give me time. Until then—you and Keung finish the game."
This game had to be played.
---
Aside from the school bomb—which might be fake—
The suitcase bombs were real.
And powerful enough to wipe out half a block.
The butterfly effect had already begun.
Luca couldn't predict what would happen next.
Would the school bomb still be fake?
Or real this time?
Too many variables.
He hated this kind of situation.
No preparation.
No warning.
Just chaos.
Everyone moved out immediately.
Meanwhile, Luca pulled David aside.
"Bring me someone."
"Who?"
"A thief your department arrested a few days ago."
David frowned.
"Name?"
"Angelo."
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Thx to Kayopa 77 for becoming my P Knight, my cats is eating big tonight.
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