Rise of the Wasteland Chapter 40 - Fifth Avenue

Chapter 40        Fifth Avenue

If you were shot by a bullet from the point 45 caliber right in the middle of your back, you could consider yourself dead. When Lena Fox screamed, Zhou Qingfeng realized that he was in big trouble, again. He quickly started the engine and pressed the accelerator. The engine growled and the car rushed out.

The police had already blocked a few streets around the hospital for the kidnapping case. Zhou Qingfeng was driving at a speed of over a hundred kilometers per hour in just a few seconds and the car whizzed out into the streets.

A bunch of reporters and police outside the hospital were flabbergasted by the scene. No one could have expected that such a harmonious situation could change completely in the blink of an eye.

What did the chief say before he died?

Why is that officer running away?

And why did Miss Lena Fox run with that cop?

There were a lot of questions popping up in the reporters’ heads. They gathered in front of Chief Bratton’s body. The shutters of some their cameras went off like crazy, while the other reporters reported to the other cameras.

Zhou Qingfeng only drove for a few blocks before he immediately went into the car park of a building. He was once fooled by a police car. Every police car in New York had an electrical lock built into it and it could be controlled via remote. He needed to switch cars before the police reacted.

Zhou Qingfeng saw a Ferrari. He waited for its owner to come down from it, then he went over to punch him. The owner fainted. Zhou Qingfeng robbed the car and started to drive. Lena Fox still followed him and got into the car.

“Hey! Miss Fox, why do you keep following me?” Zhou Qingfeng did not want to bring a burden along. “Didn’t you see me kill the chief police officer of New York? There will be countless of policemen after me. Don’t you think that it’s too dangerous to follow me?”

“But, my gut tells me that it would be more dangerous if I didn’t follow you,” Lena Fox could not explain it. She shrugged her shoulders and said, “My uncle convinced Bratton to work for him. He could have asked others, too. So, I can’t trust anyone that easily. Before I understand the entire situation, I won’t leave you. Because, I think that you are a very lucky person.”

Lucky, my ass! Zhou Qingfeng really wanted to tell her about all of the trivial and unlucky things that he’d experienced in the past few days. It would have been a nightmare for an ordinary person to encounter just one of them, and yet, he was inundated with them.

“It’s up to you whether you want to follow me or not. That’s your choice,” Zhou Qingfeng thought that she would either be killed by the police if she was with him, or disappear when the cataclysm happened. He could not be bothered with a lady who is doomed to leave.

“Sure, no problem. Give me my phone. I think that I still have some trustworthy friends.” Lena Fox took the phone from Zhou Qingfeng and quickly dialed a number, “Hello! Butcher, I’m out. But, things are a little complicated. I need your help again……”

After Lena Fox spoke to Butcher, Zhou Qingfeng started to drive. He heard the conversation and it was obvious that this rich lady was talking to someone who she knows very well. He then asked, “Why don’t you find this friend? It’s better than following me.”

“Butcher is the executive chef of a famous restaurant in New York. He was one of the reasons I escaped. But he’s too….” Lena Fox did not know how to describe him. She thought for a moment and said, “Anyway, he’s not that friendly. He could be a friend, but, it’s better to stay away from him.”

“A weirdo,” Zhou Qingfeng presumed.

“Hahahah…. Actually, I think that you’re kinda weird, too.” Lena Fox nodded her head and smiled, again. She asked, “Where are we going?”

“To the University of Columbia.”

Zhou Qingfeng put his hand out and looked at the armband-computer on his wrist. The time was eight in the morning. There was ten more hours to the cataclysm.

This private computer with a high level of intelligence probably sensed Zhou Qingfeng’s actions. All of a sudden, it started up and asked, “Master, I detect that you are driving. Do you need a navigator?”

Wow, how high-tech!

Zhou Qingfeng glanced at the virtual screen projected by the computer and said, “I want to go to the University of Columbia. Could you pick a route that avoids the police?”

The computer responded immediately, “Connecting to New York city’s highways’ information network... successfully connected. According to the information from traffic control and the real-time situation analysis by the street cameras, I have calculated the best route. Continue straight, then take a right turn at the third junction.”

Hohoho…. I think that I’ve found something good.

Zhou Qingfeng smiled happily. Never had he thought that the computer would be so intelligent. Not only did it have a strong language recognition ability, it was also autonomous. Suddenly, he had a thought and ordered, “Computer, can you download any more information online? Especially information about technology. Focus on biopharmaceutical technology.”

“Roger that. I will do that immediately,” its response was short and simple.

Lena Fox was a little interested in this computer too. She peeked at it a few times and said, “I think that this is the limited edition computer from IBM. It has great performance. Where did you get it from?”

“It’s a relict of Professor Alonzo,” Zhou Qingfeng said.

“Is this related to the lab that you wanted?” Lena Fox was still curious about it.

“Yeah. But, I’ll give you more details if there’s a chance,” Zhou Qingfeng could only sigh. He did not want to talk about it.

“Then, why are you going to the University of Columbia?” Lena Fox asked again.

“I had a bet with this annoying guy, Tony Parker. I was going to get a robotic dog named, ‘DogMeat’. But, I guess it’s too late now. That annoying guy’s got so much confidence that he’s going to get it. He must have used a special method.”

While Zhou Qingfeng considered the troubles that he could encounter in the University of Columbia, his private computer suddenly issued a warning, “Master, the junctions ahead are all blocked by the police. According to the information intercepted from the police’s communication system, you are driving a robbed car and the owner had reported it to the police.”

“Damn it! I knew that this wasn’t gonna be smooth,” Zhou Qingfeng could only slowly stop the car by the road. He looked around and thought about how to get another car.

Lena Fox also looked at the road and she laughed, “It doesn’t matter how many cars you change. The police will stop all the cars to check.”

“What should I do now?”

“Please follow me,” Lena Fox opened the door and got out of the car.

“Follow you like this?” Zhou Qingfeng had the special force uniform on and bloodstains on his body. He also carried a few guns.

Lena Fox proudly looked up and smiled, “Welcome to Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York - not ‘one of the’, but the most prosperous street in the entire United States.”

“This is the perfect place where your status is everything. As long as you are in the upper-class society, you can get anything that you want from here. Trust me, I get the the most divine services with just my face alone. Come….. let your real journey of Manhattan begin!”

Chapter end