Chapter 242: Terror Strikes

At Bencheng’s high-speed rail station heading to the provincial capital, S City.

“I know, I know! Sis, don’t worry. I can take care of myself. You’re starting to sound like Mom. Yeah, I might still be on the bottle, but I’m already a grown-up little brother…”

Holding up his phone, Xiao Yu was on the call with his wife as he boarded the high-speed train.

Taking the train to the provincial capital only took around two hours. Driving would’ve taken a bit over four.

Xiao Yu wasn’t in the mood to drive. It was too exhausting. He had no clue what kind of case the Provincial Department wanted him for this time. So, he decided to bring Guo Qiang along, someone he knew well and worked efficiently with.

Recently, Guo Qiang’s position as a deputy section officer was made official.

Xiao Yu had put in a good word for him with the higher-ups.

The role was basically a formal position, but before that, Guo Qiang had only been enjoying the benefits of the title without the actual status. 

Sure, Guo Qiang had held the rank of a second-tier police inspector before, but he was still a regular officer who only received the perks of a deputy section officer.

Now, with his official promotion, he was legit—a real deputy section officer. That made him equal to the deputy team leaders in their squad.

Some civil servants spend their entire lives never getting past that hurdle.

There were a ton of people who retired after a lifetime as a junior officer. Now that Guo Qiang had his promotion, he could step into the deputy team leader role once one of the current ones transferred or retired. Or he could be directly transferred to another equivalent position as deputy team leader.

But Guo Qiang didn’t want to leave.

Otherwise, Xiao Yu and the big boss could’ve helped him move up faster.

As Guo Qiang put it himself. He wanted to stick around the Criminal Investigation Unit and “retire in peace” just like the big boss.

***

The provincial capital, S City.  Central Avenue, outside a certain bank.  

Six hours ago, the city’s emergency hotline received a report. An unusual major bank robbery had taken place at the city’s XX Bank.  

Countless police cars lined up in a row, surrounding the bank completely. Police, SWAT, armed police. All with their guns raised, bullets chambered, ready to act.  

When Xiao Yu and Guo Qiang arrived, they were stunned.  

What the hell is going on?  

They had been taken straight from the station to the scene in a police car. At the scene, there were countless police officers. Several senior inspectors were present, along with many senior-ranking officers.  

When the bewildered Xiao Yu and Guo Qiang approached the senior inspectors a serious-looking First-Class Inspector in a white shirt approached.   

“Xiao Yu?”  

This was Zeng Lei, the top leader of the provincial police system!  

“Salute!”  

Xiao Yu and Guo Qiang raised their hands in salute.  

“At ease.” Zeng Lei waved his hand, his expression strange as he eyed Xiao Yu, “You’re very young.”  

Xiao Yu, “…”  

‘Wait, what exactly is happening here? A bank robbery? Why was I called for something like this?’

Zeng Lei sized up Xiao Yu for a few moments. 

“Report the current situation to Comrade Xiao Yu.”  

“Yes, sir!” a first-class inspector stepped forward, quickly reporting to Xiao Yu, “The bank robbery we’re dealing with is the second one to occur in this city.”  

Second one? Xiao Yu was momentarily stunned.  

What era were they in now?

Anyone with a bit of intelligence wouldn’t rob a bank, right?

This had nothing to do with bad decisions like drinking fake alcohol. It was more like some brain-dead act of someone trying to get themselves killed.

Of course, that wasn’t the main issue. The real issue was…

‘Did the head of the provincial department really call me here to crack a bank robbery case?’

Something was off.

A case like this should be handled by sending in the SWAT and armed police right away. Why would there be any need for an investigation?

Xiao Yu cleared his mind of the random thoughts and kept listening to the report.

“The first bank robbery happened a month and a half ago. The methods were similar, and we’ve confirmed it’s the same group of criminals,” the first-class inspector continued, “Back then, by the time our police arrived at the scene, seven people had already been killed, and the robbers escaped…”

Xiao Yu twitched his lips.

Now, here’s the interesting part.

The robbers actually succeeded in robbing a bank?

This wasn’t the past. The entire city was under constant surveillance. Robbing a bank in a city and then managing to slip away from the police’s radar?

Are you sure you’re not just telling me some tall tale?

“Stop.” Xiao Yu interrupted, shaking his head. “Just tell me what’s going on right now.”

“The incident occurred six hours ago. A civilian who was withdrawing money from the bank was killed. After the report, the provincial investigation team dispatched a large force. Based on the preliminary investigation, there are two robbers involved. They used two homemade guns, took nine hostages, and one person has been killed. The robbers are extremely ruthless, highly dangerous, and have no regard for life. They are clever, skilled in counter-surveillance tactics, and hiding in a blind spot within the bank where snipers can’t take them out. To ensure the safety of the hostages, the police have been locked in a standoff with the robbers for six hours…”

The officer finished quickly.

Xiao Yu thought for a moment. He still couldn’t figure out why they called him here in the first place.

Wouldn’t calling in special forces make way more sense than calling me?

“According to reliable intelligence, the other party’s goal isn’t to rob the bank.” Zeng Lei’s expression was heavy. “It’s to create panic in the city.”

Xiao Yu’s face changed.

What could be the purpose of creating panic?

There were too many possibilities, but most of them boiled down to one fact. What they were facing was no longer ordinary criminals, but terrorists. Was it a terrorist attack?

“Reliable intelligence?” Xiao Yu squinted his eyes, asking in a suspicious tone.

“Yes.” Zeng Lei nodded, his expression filled with sorrow. “It was information sent back by an undercover officer before he sacrificed himself.”

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yu’s face turned cold as ice.

That information was definitely reliable.

He didn’t ask how the fallen officer got the intel. When someone gave their life for information, you needed to show respect.

“Let’s handle the immediate situation first.”

Xiao Yu looked toward the nearby bank.

Thinking about anything else right now was pointless. The specifics of the case could be investigated later. If they didn’t quickly resolve the bank robbery, it would certainly trigger public panic.

Just as Xiao Yu was thinking this…

　　

【Ding, case triggered successfully.】

【Police God case sign-in activated.】

【Would the host like to sign in?【】

Without hesitation, he silently thought, ‘Sign in.’

【Ding, congratulations to the host for successfully signing into the case.】

【System reward: Ability—Repair Expert.】

【System mission issued: Solve the terrorist attack case.】

【Case time limit: 30 days.】

【If the host completes the mission within the time limit, a bonus system skill will be awarded: Bat Echo.】

【If the host fails to complete the mission within the time limit, the system abilities given to the host will be revoked.】

【Mission countdown begins now.】