Ultimate Choice System: I Became The Richest! - Chapter 244

Chapter 244: Protection Mission (2)
Noah didn’t hear them. Didn’t care. The moment the roundabout was behind him, he hit the gas, the guttural roar of the engine tearing through the quiet of the sleeping city.

220 km/h.

Buildings blurred, neon signs streaking like comets in his peripheral vision. The streets were his. Empty, endless, bending to his will.

Ahead, the final stretch. A narrowing underpass, concrete walls pressing in. Most drivers would hesitate.

Noah didn’t.

He threaded the needle.

A pair of headlights flared in his side mirror—a car in the next lane, too close, too slow. Noah cut between it and another vehicle with inches to spare. The turbulence rocked them both, their side mirrors rattling from the force.

The sedan’s driver let out a strangled yell. “Are you INSANE?!”

A motorcyclist, barely missing the chaos, wobbled violently, cursing into the night.

Horn blasts. Shouts. Chaos in his wake.

Noah? He barely registered it.

…

The base was in sight.

He veered onto the final road, high-security gates rising ahead. The floodlights illuminated the military checkpoint, bright against the inky darkness. Guards snapped to attention, their hands twitching toward their holsters—until they saw the vehicle.

The gates groaned open without question.

Noah had already informed Adam about the car’s details, and Adam in turn, informed the soldiers who were ready for such a scene.

Noah finally eased off the accelerator, the engine growling like a beast denied its prey. The G-Wagon rolled to a stop in the designated zone, steam curling from the hood.

He stepped out, adjusting his sleeves, completely unbothered. As if he hadn’t just shattered every traffic law in existence.

Lieutenant Adam was already waiting.

Waiting for him near the helipad stood Lieutenant Adam, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Beside him, fully geared and ready, were Anderson, Natasha, Nathan, and Theo—his unit. Special Forces. The best of the best.

Unlike Noah, they actually looked like they were about to deploy into a high-risk mission. Dressed in full tactical gear, weapons secured, boots laced tight. Meanwhile, their captain had just rolled up looking like he’d come back from a casual night drive.

Anderson blinked. “Sir… you’re seriously showing up in that?”

Nathan let out a low whistle. “Not even a vest. No gear. Just vibes.”

Theo, always the quiet observer, shook his head slightly.

Natasha exhaled sharply, unimpressed but not surprised. This captain…

Adam, however, didn’t waste time with remarks. “Your gear is ready. Get changed,” he said.

Noah gave a small nod. No hesitation. No unnecessary words. He simply grabbed the duffel bag beside Adam’s feet, unzipped it, and—without a second thought—pulled off his shirt right then and there.

The team stared.

Changing in the open wasn’t exactly standard, but there was no time to run to a changing room. Besides, Noah wasn’t the type to care about formalities.

And yet—

Natasha quickly turned her head, only to immediately steal a glance again. Damn it, why did I look?

The floodlights cast sharp shadows over him, highlighting every defined line of his body—lean, powerful, built like a soldier forged through war. There wasn’t an ounce of excess. Every movement, every muscle, was honed for a purpose.

She swallowed, looking away. Then—another quick glance. By accident, of course.

What am I thinking? she scolded herself, shaking her head slightly. Get a grip, Natasha.

Noah changed efficiently. Tactical pants. Vest. Boots. Holster. Every strap tightened, every piece of gear secured in under thirty seconds.

Natasha caught herself thinking, That was too fast… I wish he took a bit lon—

She shut the thought down immediately. No. Absolutely not.

Adam didn’t acknowledge any of it, keeping his focus where it mattered. He turned to the team, his voice cutting through the moment like a blade.

“This is a high-status protection op. An assassination attempt is in play. Our focus is solely on securing the VIP, and clearing the area. Neutralizing the threat is our second priority. There is no room for mistakes, any mistake could be catastrophic.”

Adam turned to Noah.

“The team will fill you up with the details on the way, it will take about five minutes to arrive at the location.”

Noah nodded once, sharp and precise. Adam motioned toward the helicopter, its blades spinning faster, kicking up dust and loose gravel from the tarmac.

“Get in,” Adam ordered, his voice firm over the deafening roar of the rotors.

Noah turned to his team, his voice cutting through the noise. “Let’s move.”

Without hesitation, they boarded the chopper, each of them moving with the discipline and efficiency of seasoned soldiers. Noah took his seat near the edge, securing himself with the harness as the aircraft lifted off the ground. The vibrations of the powerful engines thrummed through his chest, the city lights below shrinking into a sea of glowing orange and white.

Anderson, seated across from him, leaned forward slightly, speaking over the noise. “Boss, here’s what we’re dealing with.”

Noah locked eyes with him, listening intently.

“We’re protecting a scientist. A very important one.” Anderson’s expression was grim. “He’s been working on a breakthrough in quantum AI warfare. If he succeeds, it could change the entire intelligence and military landscape for any country that gets their hands on it.”

Natasha, seated beside Anderson, continued. “We received intel from a reliable source—one of our spies embedded in an underground network. The scientist is marked for assassination, and the hit could happen any moment now.”

Noah’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Who’s behind it?”

Nathan, double-checking his weapon, spoke up. “We don’t know for sure. But the method is unmistakable—it’s an elite clan. Silent, efficient, untraceable. If they’ve been contracted, it means someone very powerful wants this guy dead.”

Theo, as always, got straight to the point. “He has security—his own private team plus law enforcement we dispatched earlier. But they won’t be enough.” His tone was flat, matter-of-fact. “The enemy will tear through them like paper if we’re not there.”

Anderson nodded. “Which is why we were sent in. Our mission is to secure the scientist, extract him safely, and then—if the opportunity presents itself—neutralize or capture the assassin.”

Noah processed the information swiftly. Every word mattered, every piece of intel shaping the plan forming in his mind. He leaned back slightly, staring at the floor for a brief moment before lifting his gaze.

“How many entrances to the scientist’s location?”

“Three main ones,” Natasha answered immediately. “Two ground-level, one rooftop. The enemy will most likely breach from an unexpected angle”

Noah’s jaw tensed slightly. “Current security detail?”

Nathan responded. “Ten officers, six private bodyguards.”

Noah exhaled slowly. “Sixteen bodies between him and death. And they still won’t be enough.”

“Not against these guys,” Anderson muttered.

A short silence settled between them, broken only by the rhythmic thumping of the rotors.

Then Noah spoke, his tone measured, controlled. “Weapons?”

Anderson gestured toward the supply case in the back of the chopper. “We’ve got the usual loadout—assault rifles, suppressed pistols, smoke grenades, EMP charges, and night-vision goggles in case the power gets cut. Standard breaching tools as well.”

Noah reached over, unzipped the case, and pulled out a sleek black rifle, checking its weight before attaching a suppressor.

The helicopter hovered steadily above the estate, its rotors cutting through the night air with a low, rhythmic thrum. Below them, the dense jungle-like surroundings concealed the modern villa nestled within. The scientist, for whatever reason, had chosen to live in isolation, surrounded by thick trees, winding paths, and nature swallowing the edges of human civilization.

Inside the chopper, tension crackled like electricity.

Noah, his expression unreadable, zipped open the weapon case and retrieved a sleek, black rifle. He ran a quick check—weight distribution, magazine, suppressor—before locking in the final adjustments. It was second nature.

Then, without looking up, he spoke. His voice was steady, cold.

“Alright. Here’s what we’re going to do.”

His team instantly focused, their gazes locked onto him, waiting.

“When we arrive, you will follow my orders completely. No hesitation, no questioning.”

Anderson furrowed his brow slightly. Natasha exchanged a glance with Nathan. Noah had always been strict, but this? This was different.

“Even if my orders seem wrong,” Noah continued, tone unwavering, “even if they contradict the mission, you follow them. No second-guessing, no ‘what ifs.’ Is that understood?”

There was a brief silence before the team nodded in unison. They weren’t worried—yet. They trusted Noah’s judgment, his ability. They knew he was calculated, and methodical. If he made a call, it was for a reason.

Still… going against the mission’s core objective? That sat strangely in the back of their minds.

The helicopter pilot’s voice crackled over the comms. “Approaching drop point. Thirty seconds out.”

The estate came into full view below—large, sprawling, partially obscured by dense tree cover. The only clearings were small garden patches and a winding driveway leading to a heavily secured gate. The security team stationed outside looked alert but unaware of the real threat lurking in the shadows.

Natasha stepped forward, reaching for the rope to begin their descent.

Noah’s hand shot out. “Wait.”

She froze, her brows furrowing.

Noah wasn’t looking at her—he was looking down, through the open chopper door, his eyes scanning the estate with unsettling focus.

Then, his pupils dilated slightly.

The world shifted.

Noah’s Advanced Clairvoyance Skill kicked in.

Instantly, the layers of darkness peeled away in his vision, revealing what no normal eye could see.

Twenty figures.

All moving with lethal precision.

Two stationed in the trees, rifles aimed directly at them, waiting for their descent. The remaining eighteen closing in on the estate—silent, efficient, blending seamlessly with the shadows.

Noah’s eyes locked onto the first sniper, perched high in a tree, scope glinting faintly under the moonlight.

The assassin frowned, sensing something.

“Why is he looking directly at me?”

There was no way.

No thermal vision, no infrared. Just… raw instinct?