Chapter 24
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Chapter 24: Let the Flames Purify All!
“It’s time for us to move.” Tyler said. He lifted a circular table with both hands. “Those with stab-proof vests should go up front; those without should stay behind and shoot with crossbows. Everyone, be cautious. Our goal is to distract the opponents; avoid getting hit easily!”
“I know, the real show starts soon,” echoed the American, mimicking Tyler by lifting another table and following suit. As they returned to the corridor, the enemies were still rallying outside, none daring to step through the doorway. Leading the charge, Tyler pushed his table against the wall as a shield, while Naruko and Zhou Zhi took cover behind it, peering out to fire their crossbows at the adversaries.
Instantly, chaos erupted in the hall once more!
The retaliatory gunfire crackled, sending splinters flying from the tabletops. Due to reinforcements, the police officer’s shooting this time was even denser than before, momentarily pinning down the four individuals, making it difficult for them to raise their heads. The wooden tables couldn’t fully block the bullets; several rounds penetrated the surface, shattering and ricocheting unpredictably, creating whistling sounds near their ears that instilled fear merely upon hearing.
However, these four individuals were no ordinary people.
With substantial pain reduction and the trump card of not truly dying, they possessed enough courage to withstand the barrage and counterattack. Joe James even occasionally let out peculiar shouts, aiming to psychologically unsettle their opponents.
The police force, on the other hand, faced a more challenging situation.
Despite firing multiple rounds at the table, logic dictated that those behind it should have been riddled with holes by now. Yet, the tabletop remained steadfast, continually blocking the entrance and preventing them from assessing the true situation inside. The crossbow bolts fired back were unpredictable and extraordinarily powerful; within half a minute, two more officers were struck, visibly gasping for breath.
“Charge in there, they’re only five! Do you still want your bonuses or not?” Guster roared.
“But sir, closing the distance puts us at a disadvantage!”
“A disadvantage?” Guster erupted in curses, “You have twenty men here—how exactly is it disadvantaging you? Soft armor protects the torso, not the head and neck! Fine, convey my orders: fifty golden klinkers per head, with rewards increasing based on kills!”
With the promise of substantial rewards, Guster’s subordinates finally mustered the courage for a frontal assault. A few daring ones moved along the wall towards the door, switching their weapons to straight knives. This position was a blind spot; no matter what, the individuals in the corridor could not see them.
Just as Guster prepared to urge his men forward, another subordinate brought new information, “Sir, Squad Three spotted a rat heading towards the second floor!”
Squad Three comprised the group that had circled around from behind, consisting of only four members, primarily tasked with containing the opposition. Guster never expected the enemy to dare split their forces at this critical moment!
Wait, it’s also possible there were internal conflicts within their ranks, and someone couldn’t withstand the pressure, choosing to flee alone.
“Did they manage to intercept him?”
“Uh… No, but reportedly they landed two shots.”
“No need for a pincer move now, let them keep on his tail,” Guster ordered after a moment’s thought. Suddenly, he felt tonight’s events were unusually unfavorable. The rats had never been this tenacious before; neither overwhelming force nor containment seemed effective. “Inform Squad Three about the additional bounty as well.”
“Yes, sir!”
At that moment, one of his subordinates who had cautiously approached the wall signaled, and the gunfire momentarily ceased. Then, two individuals at the forefront suddenly surged forward, lunging straight towards the table! Taking advantage of the brief tilt as they pushed it aside, the rest swiftly followed, intent on eliminating the rats hiding behind it. However, to their surprise, the table crashed to the ground with a loud thud, revealing no one beneath!
Guster realized with shock that what had been propping up the table were simply several chairs!
It seemed the rats had anticipated this move. As soon as Guster’s men charged in, the rats emerged from both sides, unleashing a flurry of strikes. The close-quarters combat ensued amidst continuous screams, and within less than thirty seconds, the leading forces retreated in disarray, drenched in blood.
“Fire! Quick, open fire!” Intense gunfire erupted again, forcing the opposition back into the corridor.
For a moment, Guster’s face turned pale as he clearly saw that out of the eight who entered, only five returned.
He mustered these daring ones from among his trusted inner circle, knowing each loss diminished his core strength. Finding more gang members or hardened criminals was easy enough, but cultivating loyal subordinates took time and effort.
This was the first time he’d suffered such a significant setback against the rats.
What puzzled him was how the rats could react so swiftly, having prepared defenses for a potential assault beforehand. It even felt like they deliberately allowed his men to enter the room.
Yet, there should have been no way for them to observe the situation outside!
“Boss! Quick, look over there!” someone suddenly alerted him.
Guster followed his subordinate’s pointing finger and looked up. In just that brief moment, he spotted a tall young man climbing along the third-floor framework to reach above the hall. Without a doubt, this was the fugitive mentioned by Squad Three.
That area was designated for controlling and changing the chandeliers, typically accessed only by theater maintenance personnel and lighting technicians. Moreover, the “path” consisted of several robust horizontal and vertical beams; not only was it difficult to run swiftly, but there were also hardly any obstacles around to provide cover.
This meant that the rat venturing there had become a sitting duck.
“What does he think he’s doing? Trying to extinguish the chandeliers?” Guster frowned. “Fool. It’s not so easy to operate such mechanisms with just one person.”
Even if all the chandeliers were extinguished, they still had wall lamps and torches. If the intruder aimed to create chaos through darkness, it was essentially wishful thinking.
“Uh… Could he be planning to topple the chandelier?”
“That would make him even stupider.” Guster lost interest in watching further, knowing the guy was as good as dead. The chains supporting the chandeliers were sturdy enough to anchor ships. Who did he think he was, trying to overturn a chandelier? Even standing on it and dancing wouldn’t cause the light fixture to waver slightly!”
***
Zhang Zhiyuan felt as if his injured arm no longer belonged to him. Although it appeared to be bleeding profusely, he experienced no pain.
The pursuers cautiously approached from behind, occasionally sticking their heads out to fire shots. He knew they feared the crossbow in his hands, but unfortunately, all his bolts had been expended. Sooner or later, they would realize this fact.
Or perhaps they already did, as the braver ones started climbing the roof structure. Once both parties were at the same level, he would have nowhere left to evade.
“Host, you’re listening, right?” Zhang Zhiyuan asked while leaning against the chandelier’s chain.
“That’s correct.” Chaoyang’s figure materialized directly in front of him.
“Help me disable the pain inhibition.”
“You sure?” The Host’s voice remained largely unfluctuating. “Intense pain may lead to shock or leave traces in your memory, causing a series of uncontrollable—”
“You know who I am!” Zhang Zhiyuan interrupted loudly. “Isn’t that why the Paradise invited me here? Don’t worry, I’ve received specialized training; I’m fully aware of what I’m doing!”
“Alright.” Chaoyang swiped his finger.
Instantaneously, a sharp pain surged from Zhang Zhiyuan’s arm directly into his brain, causing him to shudder violently! However, almost simultaneously, he felt his body becoming much more agile, and sensation returned to the wounded hand. Gritting his teeth, he tore off a piece of his clothing, leaned forward, and tied it around the chains.
The layers of wrapped cloth formed a “nest”.
Then, Zhang Zhiyuan took out a packet of aluminum-thermite, ripped open its edge, and poured the crimson powder into the nest.
“Raise your hands and surrender; we can spare your life!” someone shouted from the other side. Turning back, he saw that one individual had already climbed onto the roof structure, their gun barrel aimed at him.
Zhang Zhiyuan naturally wouldn’t fall for such tactics. He knew they were merely buying time for their comrades climbing behind.
After all, multiple shooters have a higher chance of hitting compared to just one.
Ignoring them, he reached into his pocket, retrieved a match, and ignited the slender magnesium strip attached to the packaging.
The enemies had no clue what the flickering white sparks in his hand signified. To them, everything Zhang Zhiyuan was doing seemed utterly harmless.
Until he deeply inserted the magnesium strip into the cloth nest—
A dazzling burst of light, too bright to look at directly, suddenly erupted above the hall.