103: Chapter 103 Death by Kissing

However, firearms had to be prepared for the bodyguards; it was impossible to let them face the enemy with cold weapons as sitting ducks. It would be best to prepare them according to special forces standards to allow them to exert their full strength. But fully equipping them would be a massive undertaking, involving various light and heavy weapons, specialized vehicles, equipment, and even attack helicopters. There was too much to prepare, and it wasn't something that could be solved immediately. Although South Africa didn't ban guns and had specialized gun shops, only legal citizens of South Africa could purchase them, and those were limited to semi-automatic light weapons.

The Angress Family couldn't possibly have heavy firepower in Cape Town either, so preparing a few types of weapons for now would be enough, and he'd have to find ways for the rest later. First were pistols, as short-range attack weapons; then assault rifles, as assault weapons; and finally sniper rifles, as long-range strike weapons.

Buying them was out of the question, so he could only manufacture them himself. But manufacturing required blueprints and templates; at the very least, he needed physical objects for the industrial mother machine to scan before it could design and produce them. There were three pistols on the scene, but he had no idea what the assault rifles and sniper rifles looked like, so he was powerless in that regard.

Time was tight, and having pistols was already decent. Even the Angress Family wouldn't dare use rifles in crowded places in broad daylight; otherwise, if a major incident occurred, the police would surely make things difficult for them even without evidence.

Cao Xiao's gaze fell upon the silver pistol produced by the Angress Family butler. As expected, this silver pistol was the famous desert eagle, and a limited silver edition at that, with only four hundred units worldwide. The desert eagle has a total length of 267 mm, an empty weight of 1.7 kg, a .357 inch caliber, a muzzle velocity of 378 meters per second, an effective range of 200 meters, and a magazine capacity of nine rounds. Its advantages are its extreme accuracy and its fierce, domineering appearance. Its disadvantages are its excessive weight, making it difficult to operate; it is much larger than ordinary pistols, making it hard to conceal; the grip is bulky and the recoil is large, making it difficult to hold steady; and the magazine capacity is only nine rounds—paltry compared to the glock 17's 17 rounds—resulting in insufficient sustained fire, which is a fatal issue.

Despite the many flaws of the desert eagle, its fierce appearance made Cao Xiao fall in love with it at first sight. He immediately decided to use the desert eagle as a template for improved production. He had two series of super alloys with material properties far superior to any current alloys, which could completely solve the weight issue. The magazine capacity could also be addressed, and other problems could be optimized through calculations by the AI brain. He would then conduct test firing within the space, constantly adjusting and improving; with the efficiency of the industrial mother machine, it wouldn't take much time. Metal was not lacking in the space; the only problem he needed to solve was the raw materials for the primers and propellants of the bullets. However, he didn't need to buy finished products; as long as he provided compounds containing the corresponding elements, the industrial mother machine would refine and synthesize them as needed. These raw materials, like fertilizer and cotton, were common supplies that could be easily bought anywhere without raising suspicion.

He didn't pick up the desert eagle from the ground; a detection scan could obtain all the data, including its shape and material composition. Cao Xiao didn't need to constantly monitor the specific research and manufacturing process. Although the AI brain lacked an autonomous personality, its logical capabilities were powerful. As long as he issued instructions, the AI brain would operate flexibly according to his requirements, and he only had to wait for the results.

Before long, Duan Hong and Li Quanshuo returned to the conference room. Zhou Zhengkun also returned after arranging the work and handed the surveillance footage of the conference room to Cao Xiao.

“Manager Zhou, please arrange for a few employees to immediately help me purchase some items and deliver them to the company as quickly as possible. Here is the list of materials; the cost will be charged to the company. Also, gather information on the Angress Family for me.” Cao Xiao wrote down a list of materials needed for the bullet primers and propellants and handed it to Zhou Zhengkun.

“Alright, I'll arrange for people to go right away,” Zhou Zhengkun replied and turned to leave.

Once Zhou Zhengkun was far enough away, Cao Xiao spoke solemnly to Duan Hong and the other: “Brother Duan, I'll be counting on you two for my safety. Once Wu Feng arrives with his men, I want to conduct a decapitation strike against the Angress Family. We don't need to worry about that overseas mercenary group for now; I will prepare the weapons.”

“I've already called back home. Including Wu Feng, only eight people can come. They will rush here as fast as possible using fake identification. If the four of us can't take action, we won't have enough manpower. Actually, there's no need to fear the South African police's suspicion; even if they know we did it, they'll turn a blind eye. We can go to the embassy today to take shelter, and once the people from home arrive tomorrow, we won't have anything to fear,” Li Quanshuo said while Duan Hong was still deep in thought.

Cao Xiao didn't want to cause trouble for the embassy; if something happened, it would be a major incident. Thus, he said, “It's best not to stay at the embassy. In case those people really go crazy and attack the embassy, it would be a very serious diplomatic incident. The villa we're staying in now has a secret passage; if we really can't withstand an attack, we can escape through it.”

As they were speaking, a rapid siren sounded outside. Walking to the window and looking down, a line of eight police cars was rapidly approaching, followed by two anti-riot armored vehicles. After a burst of ear-piercing brake screeches, the ten vehicles parked orderly in the lot below.

The armored vehicles opened their top hatches, and riot police wearing helmets emerged from the waist up, mounting heavy machine guns and grenade launchers on the roofs. The police car doors all swung open, and over twenty fully armed officers stepped out, guarding the perimeter with automatic rifles.

The South African police force has a militaristic tendency, with ranks modeled after the military. They are well-equipped and possess strong combat capabilities. Officers on duty in Cape Town are equipped with glock 17 9mm pistols and pepper spray, while motorized patrol officers usually carry R5 assault rifles. But today, these police were not only all equipped with assault rifles, but even armored vehicles had been deployed, showing the level of importance placed on this matter. A pot-bellied Lieutenant Colonel stepped out of a police car, raised a hand, and waved toward the main entrance, and the police filed inside.

Cao Xiao returned to his chair and sat, waiting for the police to come up. Duan Hong and Li Quanshuo stood quietly by his side. Before long, Zhou Zhengkun and Xiao Du led several company executives into the conference room in a hurry. Following them, a squad of police burst through the door with guns drawn.

“Hands behind your heads! Squat down where you are!”

As soon as these police entered, they pointed their muzzles directly at Cao Xiao and the others, only then delegating some men to check the people lying on the floor. Cao Xiao sat calmly in his chair, while Duan Hong and Li Quanshuo stood still holding their alloy umbrellas. Zhou Zhengkun and the others were somewhat nervous and raised their hands above their heads, but they didn't squat; they were company executives who had seen something of the world and were unwilling to lose face in front of these police.

“Hands behind your heads! Squat down!” Seeing Cao Xiao and the others remaining motionless, the police approached with guns leveled and barked at them, seemingly ready to take coercive measures if they still didn't move.

“I was the one who reported the crime; we are the victims. The criminals have been subdued. Please restrain yourselves; staff from our country's embassy will be here shortly.” Zhou Zhengkun knew his young boss wasn't the type to be intimidated and wouldn't compromise. It wasn't about not cooperating with the police, but if they truly squatted down with their heads in their hands like pathetic wretches, where would their authority be in the future?

Hearing Zhou Zhengkun's stern negotiation in English, the police stopped approaching but still kept their guns aimed, warily on guard.

“Who is the person in charge of this company?” Just then, the Lieutenant Colonel appeared in the conference room.

Seeing the arrival of the police leader, Cao Xiao's brow furrowed imperceptibly. The man spoke rudely and didn't care whether the criminals had been subdued; instead, he seemed to be targeting Tiandu Company. Feeling uncomfortable, Cao Xiao didn't speak.

Zhou Zhengkun, however, stood up and said righteously, “I am the manager of this company, and I reported the crime just now. This is our company's Mr. Cao, who has just arrived in Cape Town from China. We require a reasonable explanation from the police as to why an incident of armed extortion against a foreign enterprise would occur in the capital, Cape Town. Our Mr. Cao was just shot at by a criminal, and his safety was seriously threatened. People from our embassy will arrive shortly. Please deal with these criminals first; we will cooperate with your side in handling this incident accompanied by embassy staff.”

The pot-bellied Lieutenant Colonel gave Zhou Zhengkun a cold look, scanned Cao Xiao and the others, and then said, “This is an internal matter of our Cape Town police; there is no need for your embassy to worry. Since you are suspects in this murder case, come back to the station with us. Take them all back; if there is any resistance, shoot to kill!”

Zhou Zhengkun had thought that upon hearing his questioning, the Lieutenant Colonel would have the police lower their guns and then place more importance on the case to severely punish the criminals. He never expected this Lieutenant Colonel would define them as murder suspects without even asking about the situation, turning black into white. Thus, he said in a mix of anxiety and anger, “This was clearly illegal armed extortion, and we acted in self-defense, subduing and killing the criminals. Why do you say we are murder suspects? You are shielding criminals and framing the victims! I want to complain to the Mayor, ah—”

Before Zhou Zhengkun could finish, he was pressed to the ground by a policeman with his hands twisted behind his back, crying out in pain. Cao Xiao and the others were also shocked by this sudden turn of events. Wasn't it said that the Angress Family had always been a thorn in the side of the police? Why would this Lieutenant Colonel act this way?

“Stop! We have evidence proving these people are criminals. Their weapons are all here, and this conference room has surveillance footage. If you act recklessly, this evidence will be handed directly to your Police General Headquarters by our embassy personnel.”

At this point, Cao Xiao could no longer remain calm. If they were taken to the police station, they would be at this man's mercy. A single piece of forged evidence could quickly convict them. By then, even if the embassy intervened with evidence to negotiate with the police, it might not guarantee their safety. He had no choice but to speak up.

“Subdue them all and gag them. Go to the security room, take the footage, and bring it to me. Take the people on the floor as well, but release that fat one; he's a victim. Take that corpse too; it's too dirty here. Remember to clean up for them when you leave.” The Lieutenant Colonel didn't even look at Cao Xiao as he gave orders to the police. Having finished, he turned and walked out.

Seeing the police about to act, Cao Xiao was extremely anxious. This Lieutenant Colonel definitely had a deep connection with the Angress Family; otherwise, he wouldn't take such a huge risk to blatantly frame them. They absolutely could not fall into their hands, or everything would be over. Steeling his heart, since the man was an enemy, there was no need to be polite. Only by dealing with this Lieutenant Colonel immediately would there be a glimmer of hope. Without further hesitation, he gave a slight shake of his head to Duan Hong, signaling them not to move.

Then, he quickly used his spatial ability to continuously collect the air around the pot-bellied Lieutenant Colonel's body, while simultaneously using metal to block the barrels of all the firearms held by the police present. This was the safest method he could think of: by draining the air around the Lieutenant Colonel, the man would suffocate, and the police would rush to help him, temporarily preventing them from being taken away. Even if the Lieutenant Colonel suffocated to death, it would be attributed to a pre-existing respiratory condition. Blocking the police's gun barrels was a precaution in case they still insisted on taking them, at which point they would have to resist. He just needed to stall until the embassy people arrived.

Cao Xiao extended his hands to let the police handcuff him, but before the handcuffs could be put on, an incident occurred. The Lieutenant Colonel clutched his throat, gasping for breath, his face turning bright red. He couldn't even make a sound to call for help; he could only turn around and reach out a hand to grab the shoulder of the policeman beside him, shaking it. Cao Xiao watched the man struggle with a cold face. Finally, several of those police noticed their superior's abnormality.

“Lieutenant Colonel, sir, what's wrong? Captain, come over and take a look quickly, what's happening?” A Black policeman supported the nearly falling Lieutenant Colonel and shouted anxiously to the other police.

“Shit, is it asthma? I've never heard of the Lieutenant Colonel having a history of asthma! Could it be a sudden onset? Stand back, don't block the airflow, he needs fresh air,” said a policeman wearing Captain's stripes after approaching and examining the Lieutenant Colonel's symptoms closely.

The other police also stopped what they were doing, still keeping their guns ready against Cao Xiao and the others, but their eyes were focused on the Lieutenant Colonel's situation. By now, the Lieutenant Colonel's face had turned a dark purple, his chest had collapsed significantly, and his belly didn't look quite so large anymore. Cao Xiao was being ruthless; the Lieutenant Colonel not only couldn't breathe in any air, but even the waste air he exhaled was being collected, leaving his internal body in a near-vacuum state.

“The situation isn't improving; we must perform emergency first aid immediately. Who knows how to do mouth-to-mouth?” the Captain asked the gathered police urgently.

However, all the police avoided his gaze; not a single person spoke.

“You bastards! If something happens to the Lieutenant Colonel, you can all expect to be suspended!” Seeing his colleagues' evasive looks, the Captain became exasperated. Seeing still no one speak, he said in shamed anger, “Shit, just you wait. Lieutenant Colonel, sir, I'll give you mouth-to-mouth right now, please bear with it.”

Suppressing a feeling of disgust, the Captain took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and lowered his head toward the Lieutenant Colonel's wide-open mouth. But before he could make contact, the Lieutenant Colonel, still possessing a sliver of consciousness, saw a glimmer of hope for survival. He used all his strength to grab the Captain's head with both hands and pull it toward his own mouth. The Captain, knowing this was the Lieutenant Colonel's self-rescue reaction, did not resist. Once their mouths met, the air in the Captain's mouth entered the Lieutenant Colonel's, but how could Cao Xiao let him have his way? He mercilessly collected it all.

The Captain had exhaled the air from his mouth and lungs and wanted to break free from the Lieutenant Colonel's hands to lift his head and breathe again, but the Lieutenant Colonel's hands were death-gripping his head. No matter how much force he used, he couldn't break free, and their mouths were completely sucked together, unable to be pulled apart. He tried to breathe through his nose, only to discover in horror that he couldn't inhale a single trace of air. Terrified, he pushed hard against the Lieutenant Colonel, but the Lieutenant Colonel's consciousness was already blurred; his hands had lost sensation and begun to stiffen. The Captain still couldn't break free despite his best efforts, so he pinched the Lieutenant Colonel's fat hard, trying to make him feel pain and let go. But it had already been several minutes since the Lieutenant Colonel began suffocating; he was already at death's door and could no longer feel pain. Unable to break free himself, the Captain tried to signal the people behind him with his hand, but the sounds that reached his ears filled him with despair.

“I didn't expect the Lieutenant Colonel to have this kind of... haha!”

“It's been several minutes and he still hasn't had enough. Has the Lieutenant Colonel always had a thing for the Captain and is only now expressing it? Haha!”

“I bet a hundred rand they'll kiss for ten minutes. Who's in?”

“I'll take that bet. The Captain's lung capacity isn't as good as the Lieutenant Colonel's; he'll definitely lose strength first.”

...

“Alright! Ten minutes are up, pay up. Captain, you're truly something; tomorrow I'll treat you and the Lieutenant Colonel to afternoon tea. Huh? Why aren't you moving?”

“Quick, separate them. Kissing for too long isn't good for the body!”

Several police officers stepped forward grinning, wanting to help the two up, but they never expected the two bodies to be tense and stiff as boards, unable to be separated. Approaching their faces, they saw their lips were still fused together, their complexions a dark blue, and their eyes bulging and bloodshot.

“They... they... they're dead!” Seeing their expressions, a policeman checked their breathing with a finger and cried out, his body trembling involuntarily.