Death Descends from the Sky (Part 2)

"Hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss--!!!!"

This wasn't the sound of gunfire; it was the sky roaring, the metal screaming, and death announcing its arrival in the most brutal way.

The "Little Bird 1" helicopter hovered less than fifty meters above the villa, its fuselage trembling slightly from the immense recoil and the downdraft from the rotor.

Through the open hatch on the side of the fuselage, Jack, codenamed "Bull," had half his body leaning out of the cabin, his waist securely tied with a safety rope. He wore a helmet and goggles connected to the internal communications system, and the expression on his face was a mixture of extreme excitement and a focused, almost ferocious, ecstasy.

His hands were firmly gripping the heavy handle and electronic firing mechanism of the M134 "Vulcan" rotary machine gun. The six dark barrels spun wildly under the drive of a high-speed motor, forming a blurry black wheel. The muzzle flashes, in the deepening twilight, drew a continuous, dazzling, and intensely hot whip of light, exceeding two meters in length! Hot spent cartridge cases poured out of the ejection port like a golden waterfall, clattering against the cabin floor before tumbling out of the hatch and plummeting into the hell below.

Jack couldn't hear anything else. The headphones blocked out most of the external noise, except for the unique, continuous, and exhilarating tearing sound of the Vulcan firing, and his own excited, distorted roars, echoing inside the helmet. Every muscle in his body resonated with the vibrations of the machine gun, and his adrenaline surged to its peak.

The target was below. The villa in the woods, which looked exquisite and even somewhat elegant in the intelligence photos, was now, in his eyes, nothing more than a toy made of wood, glass, and a fragile structure, waiting to be torn apart. Following the pre-battle briefing and Captain Locke's instructions, he wielded the death whip like the most precise sculptor's chisel, or the most ferocious bulldozer, indiscriminately and destructively "plowing" the ground from the front of the villa, from left to right, and from top to bottom.

He saw bullets strike the beautiful wooden exterior wall; the thick planks instantly shattered and splintered as if struck by a giant's fist, splintering wood chips mixed with insulation fragments. Windows? They didn't exist. Whether clear glass or stained glass, they were reduced to a shower of shimmering fragments by the first wave of bullets, shimmering eerily in the firelight and smoke. Decorative columns were broken, their heavy upper halves collapsing with a crash onto the porch, drawing another round of fire that tore the wreckage apart further.

He adjusted his angle, the fire whip sweeping across the second-floor rooms with their large floor-to-ceiling windows. Window frames twisted, curtains were torn and set ablaze, and expensive furniture, bookshelves, and lamps danced and disintegrated in the hail of bullets, turning into smaller fragments and burning balls of fire. He saw figures swaying and falling behind windows, only to be quickly buried by the ensuing barrage of bullets and collapsing walls. There was no pity, no hesitation, only the mission—to eliminate all threats and create a safe entry environment for the assault team.

The villa groaned and trembled in agony amidst the roar of "Vulcan." Bullets pierced the outer walls, penetrated the interior, and struck the concrete load-bearing columns with dull thuds. They exploded with sparks and crackled short circuits as they hit metal pipes and electrical appliances, igniting curtains, carpets, and wooden furniture. Flames began to burst from multiple windows and holes, and billowing black smoke mingled with the twilight, enveloping the villa in an apocalyptic scene.

Inside the villa, within seconds of the first wave of bullets, it was completely transformed into a living hell.

When A Wei and A Cheng heard the roar of the helicopter and A Ta's distorted warning over the walkie-talkie, they realized something was wrong. But before they could fully understand what was happening, the earth-shattering strafing began. They were guarding the entrance to the living room on the first floor.

A Wei reacted quickly, tackling A Cheng to the ground. The two rolled behind the heavy oak dining table. Almost simultaneously, a hail of bullets swept across the spot where they had just stood, instantly riddling the corridor walls and decorative paintings with holes, sending shards flying. The crystal chandelier overhead was hit by stray bullets and shattered, scattering glass fragments like knives.

"Get down! Don't move!" A Wei roared, pressing down on the still dazed A Cheng, while desperately squeezing his body into the narrow triangle formed by the dining table and the wall. Bullets whizzed past overhead and to the sides, striking the stone fireplace and scattering sparks; hitting the leather sofa, sending cotton and stuffing flying; hitting the wine cabinet, causing expensive bottles to explode one after another, filling the air with a strong aroma of wine mixed with the smell of gunpowder.

They could hear short, piercing screams coming from every corner of the villa, muffled by gunfire and explosions. Were they the kitchen helpers? Or another bodyguard on duty at the stairwell? They didn't know, and they couldn't care less. They could only lie there, praying that the damned dining table was sturdy enough, praying that death's gaze wouldn't fall on this small corner.

The villa's structure groaned. With each sweep of Vulcan, the entire building seemed to tremble violently. The plaster decorations on the ceiling peeled away, and dust cascaded down. The dull thuds of load-bearing walls being hit were terrifying, making one fear that the entire building would collapse at any moment.

A Wei's ears were ringing, and his nostrils were filled with the mixed smells of gunpowder, dust, blood, and burning materials. Through the gap in the dining table, he saw that the huge viewing window in the living room had disappeared, replaced by a large, jagged hole burning with flames. Outside the hole was a hovering, flame-spitting steel Grim Reaper, and the sky was getting darker and reddened by the firelight.

It's over. It's all over. This isn't the police, it's not the army, this is the most professional, ruthless killing squad. Who did the boss mess with?!

Fear and despair, like cold, venomous snakes, coiled tightly around his heart.

The villa is located on the edge of a wooded area.

The sniper, codenamed "Shadow," lay prone behind a pre-selected rock about 300 meters from the villa. Through his high-powered scope, he calmly observed the villa's movements and the distant forest. His mission was to provide perimeter security, preventing any escapees or unexpected reinforcements from appearing.

Through the sniper scope, the villa was rapidly crumbling under the onslaught of the "Vulcan," flames and thick smoke rising. He didn't look at the details, but focused his attention on the villa's possible exits and the surrounding woodland. He didn't see anyone escaping yet. In his earpiece, he could only hear Jack's excited, muffled shouts mixed with gunfire, and Captain Locke's occasional concise instructions.

He remained calm. He had seen this kind of scene many times before. The new boss's equipment and intelligence made this mission feel like a drill. He adjusted the focus of his night vision goggles and began scanning the darkness further away.

Inside the cabin of the "Little Bird 1" helicopter.

Captain Locke sat firmly in the passenger seat, his sharp gaze peering through the windshield at the extent of the damage to the villa below. He wasn't wearing a full-face helmet, only a communication headset and goggles. The cabin reeked of gunpowder, the scorching metallic smell, and Jack's excited sweat.

"Jack, control the firing line, pay attention to the right flank of the villa, and focus on area A3 (where Xie Yunchuan's master bedroom and study are located), but don't destroy it all, leave some items for Team B to confirm." Locke spoke calmly into the Mike, his voice drowning out the gunfire and engine roar.

"Roger, sir!" Jack's voice was panting, but still excited. He slightly adjusted the muzzle of his gun, directing a denser hail of bullets toward the second floor of the right wing of the villa. From there came a more violent crash of breaking planks and the collapse of some heavy object.

Locke glanced at the timer on the dashboard. The firing had been going on for almost fifty seconds. That was about it.

"Jack, cease fire. Empty the ammunition belts and prepare to evacuate your firing positions," Locke ordered.

"Swoosh swoosh swoosh..." The gunfire abruptly ceased. Only the slowing, whirring sound of the gun barrel spinning due to its high-speed inertia, and the plumes of blue smoke rising from the muzzle, remained. The suffocating, tearing sensation in the air vanished instantly, replaced by a strange silence that the ears couldn't immediately adjust to, broken only by the roar of the helicopter rotor, the crackling of the burning villa below, and the faint sounds of wind or groans.

Jack reluctantly released the launch button, gazing down at the ruins of the villa below, riddled with bullets and ablaze in several places. He grinned and shouted excitedly into his helmet, "Wow! That's awesome! I love this amazing thing! And our new boss, is he Santa Claus? How did he manage to get his hands on something this good!"

He patted the still-hot gun barrel, as if he were patting a beloved warhorse.

The assistant gunner, who was also secured inside the cabin and was responsible for handing him ammunition belts, wiped the sweat from his face and said into the communicator, "Team B, the external threat has been largely eliminated. You can prepare for rappelling."

Through the headset came the steady voice of Rex, the vice-captain of "Little Bird 2": "Roger that. Team B, prepare. Team A (Locke Team), provide air cover. Team C (Shadow Team), report the perimeter situation."

"The perimeter is clear, no abnormalities." The Shadow voice came succinctly.

Little Bird 2 began to descend and approach the villa, searching for a suitable rappelling point—ideally the relatively open area in the front yard, which was now covered with rubble and burning debris.

Locke glanced at the burning villa below, then at the excited Jack, and calmly added into the communicator:

"Everyone, stay alert. The boss wants confirmation that the target is dead. We need to see them alive or dead, especially Xie Yunchuan. Team B, once you're down there, be quick and ruthless. Find the target, confirm it, and then we'll go home and get the remaining 100 million."

"Understood, boss!" Rex's voice came through, carrying a chilling killing intent before the operation.

Two "Little Bird" adjusted their positions, like two birds of prey that had completed their first strike and were surveying their prey, circling above the villa. Below, there were flames, thick smoke, ruins, and deathly silence.

The first phase of the killing is nearing its end.

A more ruthless cleanup and verification process is about to begin.