Reborn: The Rookie Detective

"The requirements are the same as before: keep a low speed. No matter what you hit, even if you get a flat tire, don't stop, don't get out of the car, and absolutely don't call the police until you contact that number."

Scott, holding his shotgun, seemed a little bolder, and asked with some doubt, "Why can't we call the police? Whose number is this?"

Jack pointed to the wreckage of hundreds of vehicles in the crater. "Do you think the local police are really so stupid that no one notices so many people are missing in their jurisdiction?"

"The owner of this number is David Rossi, a senior FBI official. You must contact him immediately, give him my name, and then…"

Jack seemed to suddenly remember something, took Scott's phone, took a picture of the crater, and pointed to the tin-roofed house.

"Go inside, open the freezer, and take a picture of the inside too. After you make the call, send it to David Rossi; he'll realize the seriousness of the situation."

Scott and Carly's faces immediately turned grim. They looked at each other, then moved with difficulty towards the tin-roofed house.

Jack's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "We didn't waste too much time getting back, so theoretically no one should be going to ambush you from behind, but who knows what might happen in a little while."

Watching the two trembling figures walk around the corpse on the ground into the house, then vomit and run out again, his mood seemed to improve.

Of course, he wasn't deliberately teasing them. If he didn't make the young couple realize the seriousness of the situation, they might act rashly, rushing to a highway patrol officer for help, only to be murdered to cover their tracks.

Scott, his hands trembling, shoved his phone into his pocket, then clutched his shotgun tightly, as if only that could give him a sense of security. Carly, after emptying her stomach, hadn't let go of her boyfriend's arm.

"Hey! Hurry up, and be smart!" Jack called out, pointing to his head. "Tell the people looking for us that we'll go upstream along that stream and leave markers at key locations."

Scott nodded vigorously, while Carly looked at her best friend with teary eyes. "Jessie, are you really not coming with us?"

Jessie shook her head firmly, gripping her crossbow tightly, staring silently at Jack with an unreadable expression.

After the two got into the car and drove away, Jack looked at her.

"Promise me two things, or I'll leave you here."

Jessie gave a soft "hmm," waiting for him to continue.

"First, do everything I say, no acting on your own."

"Second, no more crying, no more screaming."

Before Jack could finish speaking, two soft lips sealed his mouth.

A sneak attack, utterly lacking in sportsmanship, and the man innocently stared wide-eyed, letting it happen.

Only then did he realize that from carrying the girl to escape, to ignoring her later, and finally silently deciding to help save her, he had unexpectedly accomplished something.

'That's enough. If this keeps up, Hannah in LA waiting for my call to meet her in Texas is practically growing weeds on her head.'

Jack mustered all his willpower and gently pushed Jessie away, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Ahem, I think I mentioned before that I have a girlfriend."

He said, ignoring the girl's resentful look, trying to pretend nothing had happened.

"Pack your things. There are still more than two hours until dark, we need to hurry and get going."

Bottled water, food, a survival blanket, and a bunch of other odds and ends for the wilderness were all stuffed into his backpack.

Jack glanced at Jessie, who was only wearing a low-cut sports vest, took off his thin jacket and handed it to her.

"Put this on."

Then he handed her a small military knife, about the size of a dagger, and gestured for her to strap it to her calf. He only carried two knives; he also had a slightly larger kukri slung across his waist.

Next, he pulled a hunting vest from the back seat and put it on. It was similar to a tactical vest, with many small pockets, perfect for storing ammunition.

Finally, he checked his weapon again, then slapped his forehead — he'd almost forgotten the most important thing! He opened the trunk and pulled out a folding stock, a red dot sight, and a custom suppressor from a hidden compartment.

With all these accessories installed, his FK 7.5mm was truly complete, especially the folding stock, which was specifically designed for the FK pistol.

If he had had this stock, he wouldn't have been nearly injured by several crossbows at a distance of less than 200 meters.

With everything prepared, Jack slung his backpack over his shoulder, covered his beloved car with the tattered tarpaulin again to disguise it, and, holding Jessie's hand, slipped into the woods beside the gas station.

There was a narrow path worn into the woods, and considering the gas station's connection to the men, he had reason to suspect it was created by those creatures.

Re-entering the woods, Jack had gradually adapted to his surroundings. By adjusting his senses, he could remain alert to any disturbances without overburdening his brain.

After walking along the path for a short while, he keenly sensed unusual activity. He quickly turned, put his index finger to his lips, signaling Jessie to be careful and not make a sound, and led her into the bushes beside the path.

Jessie, looking tense, carefully strung her crossbow, took a bolt from her quiver, placed it in the slot, and then gave Jack an OK sign, indicating she was ready.

A moment later, two men appeared on the path, muttering something unintelligible. It was barely legible; their English was heavily accented with a southern accent, but very unclear.

Jack held up one finger, pointing at Jessie, then held up two fingers, pointing at himself, meaning she would deal with the first one, and he would handle the second.

Jessie's face was pale; she was so nervous that she bit her pink lower lip white. Seeing Jack's gesture, she nodded slightly, indicating she understood.