Zhang Henshui arrived with his men and saw the police officers retreating outwards.
“Is the incident resolved?” Old Wu got out of the car, lit a cigarette, and frowned.
“Something’s not right. Director Chen hasn’t left,” Ma Li pointed to Director Chen within the cordon.
“Let’s get to work. Old Wu, you wait for Liu Shuang and Xiao Dao to count. Xiaochuan, you’re with me inside.”
Upon hearing this, Mo Chuan, along with Zhang Henshui, climbed over the cordon and entered the scene.
“That person said… he’s going to send out four people now, prepare two cars for them, and he’ll put one hostage in each car,” said the trembling bank manager as he emerged from the bank. “You have… six minutes. They will drop the hostages after leaving the city.”
“…Do as he says.”
“Lao Chen,” Zhang Henshui walked over, and upon hearing the conversation, had a bad premonition. “Are they going to release people?”
“Mm…”
“Tampering with things?”
“…One car will move, one won’t. I’m worried the robbers inside are pros, and if they notice anything, it’ll be over.”
“Alright, Mo Chuan, keep an eye on the good car later. See if there’s a chance.”
“Okay.”
A moment later, the cars stopped at the bank entrance.
The bank’s roller shutter opened, and four robbers walked out. Two carried bags of money, while the other two held hostages.
The robbers clearly didn’t suspect anything. After getting into the cars in pairs, they drove away immediately.
The faulty car turned the corner and the engine stalled. Just as the robbers were about to do something, two ambushed snipers took them down with one shot each. The hostages in the car were rescued with loud cries.
However, before the police could even move after rescuing the hostages, the car behind them suddenly exploded, plunging the scene into chaos once more.
The good car turned the corner and was about to accelerate when a faint green grappling hook flew out, shattering the car window and directly slicing the neck of the robber driving.
The vehicle began to lose control, and blood instantly splattered all over the windshield.
“Damn it!” As another robber tried to regain control of the vehicle, he stuck his head out and was hit by a faint green lantern, immediately knocking him unconscious.
The lantern enveloped the hostage, forming a white protective shield.
Then, Mo Chuan pulled the hook, its blade severing the robber’s neck. He then hooked onto the lantern behind him. With a pull of both hands, the chain directly dragged the hostage out of the car.
The out-of-control vehicle swerved, hit the road divider, and then exploded.
Ma Li and the other police officers watched in bewilderment as Mo Chuan helped the hostage up and checked for any issues.
“This… it’s over?” a police officer couldn’t help but ask.
“Uh… send the people to the ambulance… and the rest, help our comrades from the fire department put out the fire,” Ma Li said helplessly, turning off the car engine and addressing the others.
Moments later, two robbers, along with hostages, got into another white sedan.
At the same time, just as Mo Chuan was about to track the car, Zhang Henshui stopped him and shook his head. “Leave it to Ma Li. I think there’s something wrong with these hostages. You and I keep an eye out, don’t let anything go wrong.”
The car started, and the robbers, with the hostages and loot, sped away. Soon, Ma Li and the other police officers began their pursuit.
Zhang Henshui, with Mo Chuan disguised as an ordinary person and a few plainclothes police officers, moved within the cordon. Inside the cordon, only Director Chen and a few police officers were watching the entrance to the bank’s parking garage.
“Beep beep beep…”
“What is it now?”
“Oh… Officer, I believe you are at the entrance to the bank’s parking garage right now?”
“What about it?”
“Now, you and your subordinates retreat within the cordon.”
Director Chen frowned and motioned to the police officers next to him. “Fall back, back outside the cordon.”
With no one left inside the cordon, the voice on the phone spoke again. “Alright, I’ve let them out. Remember, they have cameras on them. I don’t want you to touch them before they leave the cordon, understood?”
Seeing that the robber hadn’t hung up, Director Chen didn’t intend to move the phone. Instead, he signaled to his subordinate, instructing him to notify the breakthrough team, and have the ambulance and fire department in position.
On the other end of the phone, the robber leader tucked the phone into a cloth bag on his chest. Then, he pulled up a woman with bound hands, held a gun to her back, and walked step by step towards the restroom with her.
But he didn’t notice the woman’s hand move slightly, a faint light flashing momentarily.
Just as the robber and the woman entered the restroom, Director Chen’s voice sounded from the phone. “The hostages have entered the cordon. And then what?”
The robber picked up the phone and chuckled. “Then…”
“I have a big surprise for you.”
Before he could finish speaking, the person closest to Director Chen, who had entered first, felt a burning sensation on his back. He seemed to realize something and shouted, “Get back quickly! He’s going to blow me up!”
Zhang Henshui’s pupils contracted. He shouted, “Mo Chuan! Protect these nine people!” Then, he clasped his hands together and shouted, “Illusionary Dream!”
A flash of silver light enveloped all the onlookers.
Mo Chuan threw out the lantern, casting a protective shield over the nine people.
Boom—
A violent explosion shattered the ground, broke the glass of surrounding buildings, and kicked up a cloud of dust.
Zhang Henshui deactivated his ability and fell straight to the ground.
As the black smoke dispersed, the nine hostages were unharmed, though some were blown back by the shockwave and fell to the ground.
Glass fragments were everywhere, and car alarms blared in the vicinity.
Director Chen, gasping for breath, quickly shouted, “Search for casualties! Breakthrough team, enter the bank!”
Mo Chuan retracted the lantern. He inadvertently glanced at the alley beside the bank and his pupils instantly contracted.
There, a green butterfly was quietly fluttering.