Outside of Lanshier Bank in New York, a police car screeched to a halt just beyond the police tape.
George stepped out of the car. The sunlight glinted off his face, which was as black as the bottom of a pot. It looked like a light shake of his head would send coal dust raining down.
Who could understand it? He was preparing a press conference to explain the bank robbery from the day before, and then another robbery happened while they were in the middle of the meeting. The slap in the face came too fast.
At this moment, the police were surrounded by a large crowd of media and onlookers outside the police tape. Some reporters even had news helicopters broadcasting live coverage of the bank.
"What's the situation inside? Have the negotiators arrived yet?" George asked, trying to ignore the gazes of the reporters behind him.
The officer in charge of the report said, "Report, Chief. There are seven robbers. Someone has already died inside from resisting. There are now over twenty hostages inside, and they could be in danger at any moment."
"As for the negotiators, they won't be here for a while."
Hearing that there were already casualties, the expression on George's face became even more serious. "We must contact them inside as soon as possible. Have you called the bank's dedicated phone line?"
"They've already called, they said they'd get back to us, to wait," the officer said.
As soon as he finished speaking, the phone beside him immediately rang. Another officer nearby reported, "Chief, they're calling from inside. Should we answer immediately?"
"I'll take it," George sighed.
Picking up the phone, he heard a calm male voice: "Hello, is this the police? Get someone with some authority who can make decisions to talk."
George didn't hesitate. "I am George, the New York police chief. We've surrounded the entire bank. Please put down your weapons immediately. We can discuss sentencing if you surrender."
"I'm a hostage. Talking to me is useless."
"Oh…"
"Next, I will open the bank doors to serve as a point of contact for both sides to talk. Several guns are pointed at my back right now. Any out-of-line action will result in immediate gunfire, so please do not take any drastic measures."
Inside the bank, Bai Ye stared at the dark muzzle of the gun pointed at him. His expression was calm, but his muscles were tense, ready to explode into action at any moment.
After all, his current physique wasn't enough to withstand bullets. But it didn't matter; as long as he didn't die instantly, he could use attribute points to return to his optimal state.
"Now, go out there and tell them our demands. If you mess up, you're dead," the leader of the robbers said viciously.
Bai Ye nodded lightly, already feeling impatient. He had an urge to kill these people, but with such a commotion, it would be difficult to make a move.
Under the muzzles of their guns, Bai Ye took the phone to the door and slowly pushed it open, seeing the police, reporters, and onlookers.
Outside the bank, the reporters were eager to see who would be the first to come out.
They saw a handsome Chinese-American youth walk out, his appearance a 1.4 on the attractiveness scale, causing everyone present to gasp in surprise.
At this moment, George was still on the phone with Bai Ye, and he hadn't expected the person to emerge to be such a beautiful youth.
As a father, he instinctively focused on the small details, his brow furrowing slightly as he spoke into the phone, "You're still a student? Isn't today Wednesday?"
"Yeah, I skipped class," Bai Ye said matter-of-factly, catching George off guard.
"Let's not waste time. Isn't the priority getting us out of here?" Bai Ye countered, adding, "They want you to get a van ready immediately and let them leave with cash. No tailing them."
"This... we need a little time to consider and prepare," George said.
"Of course, no problem. But if you can't do it within an hour, they'll kill a hostage every five minutes. Hmm, starting with me," Bai Ye described the robbers' demands calmly.
"I'm done talking. Is there anything I need to relay to them? If not, I'm leaving," Bai Ye asked.
"Tell them we'll do our best to meet their demands, but we'll need a little more time. It would also be best to communicate face-to-face, as that will help with communication," George said helplessly.
"Okay, I'll pass on your message. But whether they listen is none of my business."
Bai Ye's carefree attitude made George wonder. Why is this guy so calm? "Aren't you scared, being caught up in a robbery?"
"There's nothing to be afraid of. I'll be safe once you've met their demands." Bai Ye said, turning and walking into the bank.
Inside the Osborn Company, under the guidance of their teacher, James, the students were touring the globally leading tech company with the staff.
As James was accompanying the guide on the tour, his phone suddenly rang. The caller was the principal of their school.
"Hello, Principal, what's up? I'm accompanying the students on a tour of the Osborn Company," James said, picking up the phone.
"Is Bai Ye with you? The Chinese student in your class?" the principal asked sternly on the other end of the line.
"Uh, he skipped class today. Why are you asking about him all of a sudden?" James wondered.
"He's been kidnapped at the bank and is now the top story on all the major news outlets across America," the principal said, looking at the news that had made the front pages of all the major news websites.
"What!" James exclaimed, his voice cracking. He quickly composed himself, glancing at the class who were looking at him. "You all follow the staff for the tour. I have something to take care of."
Peter Parker and the other students watched James leave in a hurry, looking as if his house was on fire. They were all puzzled.
Above Peter's head, a red and blue spider was descending on a strand of web. It landed gently on the back of his neck and bit him.
"Ouch…" Peter instinctively slapped at his neck, then looked at his hand. A crushed spider lay there.
Meanwhile, James borrowed a computer at the Osborn Company and opened the news. The front page of every major American media outlet featured a photo of a boy in a black and white striped shirt.
That face… wasn't it his student?
James didn't know how to describe how he was feeling. He continued browsing, finding not only photos but also videos of Bai Ye. There were even news helicopters circling the Lanshier Bank.
(End of Chapter)