Chapter 116: Regret

Lin Xiao gestured for the two others to stay silent and then pulled out his phone. The incoming call displayed Ning Xi’s name.

“Lin Xiao, where are you right now?”

Lin Xiao replied, “At the mall.”

“The mall?” Ning Xi’s voice revealed a sudden unease from the other end, “You aren’t at the city center mall, are you?”

“Yes, that’s the one I’m at.”

“Why are you there?” The anxiety in Ning Xi’s voice was palpable, her tone laden with concern, “Are you aware of what’s going on?”

“I have some idea. A group of bank robbers just stormed into the mall,” Lin Xiao said, his tone remarkably calm.

This seemingly nonchalant and poised demeanor not only caught Huang Xinyu’s attention but also deepened Ning Xi’s worries. Her primary concern was that Lin Xiao, with his exceptional abilities, might confront the robbers on his own.

“Lin Xiao, pay close attention,” Ning Xi urged, her voice tense. “Ten men robbed a bank nearby. During their escape, four were gunned down in a shootout with the police. The police also took heavy losses; several officers are dead, and more than a dozen were injured. These robbers are well-armed and highly skilled, so please, don’t do anything reckless. The police are now stationed outside the mall, sealing off every entrance. They’re hesitant to go in because the robbers have taken hostages and are demanding to negotiate. That’s all the info I’ve got.”

Ning Xi shared all she knew in one breath.

Lin Xiao listened without interruption, and once she was done, he asked, “Sister Ning Xi, can you get me in touch with the police?”

A momentary silence followed on the line. When a voice returned, it was the cool and melodic tone of Wan Caixuan, “What do you need from us?”

“I need a connection to the police’s field commander outside,” Lin Xiao said promptly.

“Understood, give us ten minutes,” Wan Caixuan answered succinctly, “I’ll ring you back in ten.”

After ending the call, Lin Xiao looked up to find two pairs of bright eyes staring back at him, each with a distinct emotion.

“Big Brother Lin, who is this Sister Ning Xi?” Huang Caixing challenged, her voice dripping with envy.

Lin Xiao sighed, surprised that even in such a tense situation, Huang Caixing was still caught up in her jealous feelings.

“She’s a colleague,” he explained.

“Do you share a close relationship with her?” Huang Caixing persisted, her tone both sugary and drippy.

“We’re just colleagues,” Lin Xiao said, clearly exasperated by Huang Caixing’s relentless questioning.

To Lin Xiao’s dismay, Huang Xinyu also wore a look of sheer curiosity, evidently intrigued by the drama unfolding before her. Before Huang Caixing could probe further, Lin Xiao silenced her by placing a hand over her mouth, murmuring, “Quiet, don’t speak.”

Seeing Lin Xiao’s anxious demeanor, Huang Caixing mistakenly believed something was amiss and hurriedly sealed her lips, refraining from making another sound.

Seizing the moment, Lin Xiao swiftly unlocked the door and made his escape.

“I’m heading out to keep an eye on those thieves. Stay put.”

Stunned, Huang Caixing could only stare at the spot where Lin Xiao once stood, realizing she’d been cleverly sidetracked.

Huang Xinyu, observing this scene, struggled to stifle her laughter.

“What’s so funny, Mom?” a disgruntled Huang Caixing exclaimed as she plopped onto Lin Xiao’s jacket. “Now that I have a rival in love, you find it amusing. Am I even your real daughter?”

Huang Xinyu internally shook her head. She had never anticipated her daughter would harbor such profound feelings for Lin Xiao, feelings that seemed to border on obsession.

Yet, Huang Xinyu harbored no intentions of intervening. If anything, she’d advocate for Huang Caixing to chase after her own happiness. Having been trapped in a loveless marriage herself, she didn’t wish to see her daughter suffer similarly. Additionally, her impressions of Lin Xiao were largely positive, and she held him in high regard.

Where else could one find such a capable and dependable young man?

Upon departing the storage room, Lin Xiao refrained from taking any hasty actions. His adversaries this time were unlike any he’d faced before. The most significant difference was that these robbers had hostages. Lin Xiao was uncertain whether eliminating one robber might prompt the others to harm the civilians.

All Lin Xiao could do for now was wait, hoping for a chance to apprehend all the robbers simultaneously.

***

On the third floor of the mall, after Lin Xiao had escorted Huang Xinyu away, the rest of the shoppers continued their leisurely browsing, largely unaware of the lurking danger. Yet, due to Lin Xiao’s previous words, a sense of unease had nested in their hearts.

‘What if what he said was true?’

This unsettling thought loomed in the minds of many.

Finally, a man, unable to contain his curiosity and anxiety, rose and headed toward the elevator.

“I need to see what’s going on.”

But as the elevator doors opened and was about to step in, he was confronted by a menacing group. Before he could even get a good look, a swift kick sent him sprawling, screaming in pain and clutching his abdomen.

“Do you lot have a death wish? Which one of you jerks–”

His outburst was cut short after just a few words. The sound that followed was a strangled gurgle as if his windpipe had been constricted. His expression was an odd combination of terror and fury. He looked comically pitiable.

An assault rifle, fully loaded, was thrust forward. The chilling black muzzle pressed threateningly against the man’s forehead, the gun gripped firmly by a rugged, powerful hand.

The hand belonged to a towering figure, standing over 1.8 meters tall, garbed in camouflage and with a mask concealing his features. He was an intimidating presence. As he walked into the mall’s third floor, the previously defiant man retreated under the looming threat of the gun, ultimately collapsing into a seated position on the floor.

His face was ghostly pale, and his pants were drenched. A pungent smell of urine filled the air as fear caused him to lose control of his bladder.

“Pathetic, utterly worthless,” the burly man scoffed.

With disdain evident in his eyes, he lifted his assault rifle and struck the man’s head with the butt end. He crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

“Help! There are robbers!”

“Mama, I want Mama!”

As these cries rang out, the others finally grasped the gravity of the situation. Panicking, they let out terrified screams, scattering in all directions. The burly man, observing this chaotic scene, fired his gun into the air with a contemptuous glare.

Deafening gunshots reverberated throughout the mall.

“Silence! Anyone who tries to run will be shot on the spot,” he bellowed.

The clamor immediately ceased. Those who had been desperate to escape now stood frozen, their eyes wide with horror as they stared at the menacing figure. However, some managed to escape. Those nearest to him weren’t so lucky. They were particularly petrified, their teeth chattering, bodies shaking uncontrollably.

Expressions of shock and terror were etched on every face. Regret consumed them as they recalled their earlier mockery of Lin Xiao.

‘If only we’d listened to him,’ they lamented internally.

They could’ve been safely away from the mall instead of being trapped in this life-threatening situation where one wrong move might cost them their lives.