ch4

Terry's grip on the laptop tightened as his pulse pounded in his ears.

"We strongly advise you to cooperate."

That sentence echoed in his mind like a death sentence. He knew exactly what that meant—if he didn't comply, they would come for him. No, they were already coming for him.

His body moved before his mind could even process the decision.

"System! Find me a safe escape route!"

[Calculating safest path…]

[Threat detected: Host has approximately 90 seconds before engagement.]

A cold chill ran down his spine. They're already close…

His laptop screen suddenly turned to static.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

A heavy knock on his apartment door.

"Federal agents! Open the door!"

Terry's breath hitched. They're fast.

His muscles tensed, his heart hammered against his ribcage, but strangely—he felt no fear. Instead, a familiar thrill spread through his body, the sensation he had always called VGP.

A deep breath. Calm. Focused. Controlled.

His senses sharpened instantly.

He heard the footsteps outside his door—three, maybe four men, all armed.

He felt the subtle vibrations from the hallway—reinforcements coming up the stairs.

He knew he had less than a minute before they breached.

[Escape Route Found]

[Advising: Exit via window. Estimated success rate: 79%]

"79%? That's good enough."

Breaking Free

Terry rushed to the window, throwing it open. The city sprawled below him—five stories up, no fire escape, just the narrow ledge of the building.

Another BANG at the door.

"Last warning!"

He jumped.

Not in a reckless leap, but in a calculated push. His feet landed perfectly on the ledge as his hands grasped the side of the building. His body moved with a fluidity that felt completely unnatural—his muscles responding faster than his mind could keep up.

He started moving along the ledge, hugging the wall as he made his way towards the emergency stairwell. The moment he reached the railing—

CRASH!

The door to his apartment burst open.

"Where the hell is he?!"

Terry didn't wait to hear the rest. He vaulted over the railing, dropping two floors down before twisting his body mid-air to grab onto the next level. His fingers screamed from the strain, but he held on.

"System, enhance agility!"

[Agility +1]

The moment his feet hit the ground, he bolted.

A Blur in the Night

The moment his feet hit the pavement, the agents spotted him.

"He's on the move! Take him down!"

A red dot flashed on his shoulder.

A sniper.

Terry ducked.

The bullet whizzed past his ear, shattering the glass of a nearby car.

His breathing remained steady. The world around him seemed to slow down.

"Move."

He zig-zagged through the street with inhuman speed, dodging the agents who were scrambling to keep up. He sidestepped a taser shot, vaulted over a metal fence, and ducked behind a moving truck just in time to avoid another bullet.

[Route Adjustment: Nearest Safe Zone – 2.4 km away.]

"Two kilometers? I need to lose them first."

Terry turned sharply into an alleyway, kicking off a wall to gain momentum before climbing up onto a dumpster. With a powerful push, he grabbed the edge of a fire escape and pulled himself up with newfound strength.

Vanishing into the Night

By the time the agents reached the alley, Terry was already three floors above them, crouched in the shadows.

"Where did he go?!"

"Jesus, he's fast…"

"Dammit. HQ, we lost visual on the target."

Terry exhaled slowly, his body burning with adrenaline. His fingers trembled slightly, his muscles ached—but he had done it.

[Safe Zone Located: Abandoned Warehouse 3 km North.]

"System, guide me there."

[Affirmative.]

With one last look at the agents below, Terry disappeared into the rooftops.

Tonight, he had won. But he knew—this was only the beginning.