Zuo Zhenyu heard the noise and frowned.
"What are you doing here."
"Hurry up and leave!"
Usually, Zuo Yiming would obediently listen if he saw his father with such an attitude, but this time, Zuo Yiming decided to hit back hard.
"Father."
"Luo Ling's sister is right here."
Upon hearing this, Zuo Zhenyu turned to look at Luo Ling.
Luo Ling nodded.
Zuo Zhenyu was about to say something but then thought better of it, waving his hand at the three of them: "Forget it, you guys go aside first."
He turned around and continued to study the terrain with the police station's director.
"The robbers are currently at Lakeside Mansion, Building 32. We have already found the layout structure of the villa."
"Additionally, we have also retrieved the renovation details of the target from the light-brain database."
"Zuo Jiangjun, our police station has received eleven reports so far, and the kidnapped have a distinctive feature."
"Oh, what feature is that?"
Zuo Zhenyu asked.
Beside him, Lu Lin, Zuo Yiming, and Luo Ling were sitting in a corner, listening intently.
"The kidnapped are all relatives of last year's and this year's top College Entrance Exam students."
"Last year's Tongyuan champion, Zhao Yutong, an Ice System Twin Stars Technique Awakener's parents, last year's second-best exam scorer, Chen Feng, a Flame System Twin Stars Skill Awakener's father and little sister, last year's third runner-up, initial refining degree reaching 0.99% Gold System Awakener, Doflamingo's sister and girlfriend, this year Youai Middle School's Wind System Awakener Ashina Duer's parents who participated in the College Entrance Exam, this year Tongyuan Martial Arts School's Gao Wei's grandparents and two aunts who participated in the College Entrance Exam, and Golden Sword High School's Thunder System Twin Stars Skill Awakener Luo Ling's sister…"
The police station director spoke while glancing at the three listening in nearby.
Luo Ling, although she had already expected it, still felt a wave of dizziness upon hearing the police briefing.
Her sister wasn't just out of contact for other reasons; she had really been kidnapped.
All the way, she was thinking, her family had no money or power, if a robber wanted to kidnap someone, they wouldn't choose her sister.
Unexpectedly, the other side chose all the relatives of last and this year's top College Entrance Exam students.
"Luo Ling, don't worry."
"My father will rescue everyone."
Zuo Yiming softly consoled beside her.
Luo Ling no longer had the strong and stubborn demeanor she had before; her face turned pale. If not for Zuo Yiming holding her, she might have fainted.
"Do you know the robbers' demands?"
"What are they, the grand Black Shark Society, kidnapping so many students' relatives in Tongyuan for?"
Zuo Zhenyu rubbed his temple and asked.
Tongyuan is a relatively remote small city on Blue Star, so why would it attract a bunch of Black Shark Society people?
Thankfully, no reporters have stationed here yet. Otherwise, if this matter exploded, it might shock and draw attention across the entire Blue Star.
So many students' relatives involve students, the universities they are in, the regions and races the students belong to, and their fellow students, friends, teachers, and other related parties in many aspects.
If not handled well, Zuo Zhenyu losing his hat is the least of worries; the entire Hua Xia District's reputation and image could face tremendous impact and doubt.
"Zuo Jiangjun, we still don't know the robbers' demands."
"After the robbers kidnapped many hostages, they have only blocked the Star Energy Network signal inside the villa, ruined our previous two rescue attempts, and destroyed Lakeside Mansion Building 31."
"Mm."
Zuo Zhenyu responded, quickly analyzing the current situation in his mind.
The situation indeed wasn't something the Tongyuan Police Station could handle; the Black Shark Society robbers hadn't revealed their demands yet; to Zuo Zhenyu, this meant they had significant demands.
They're waiting.
Waiting for this vicious kidnapping case to ferment, for more public attention on this matter, for higher-level federation people to inquire about it; only when the matter escalates can their demands possibly be met.
But Zuo Zhenyu knew.
The federation could never compromise with villains, especially not with those from the Black Shark Society.
"Alright, could you please have the police send a negotiation expert to draw attention here, and I'll deploy an elite team to attempt..."
"Director Zhang, Zuo Jiangjun, something is happening at Villa No.32!"
At this moment, a police officer checking the monitors shouted.
"What?!"
Zuo Zhenyu and Director Zhang immediately got up and went to the monitoring area.
The video showed a woman wearing a floral dress, holding a tray made out of cardboard, walking out of the villa.
On the back collar of the woman's dress was a white flag.
"Zoom in!"
"See what she's carrying in her hand?"
Zuo Zhenyu said.
"Yes!"
The image zoomed in, and when Zuo Zhenyu and Director Zhang saw what was on the tray, they couldn't help but gasp.
On the tray were one hand paper after another.
Some of a man, some of a woman, some soft, some coarse.
Hand paper, lined on the tray, shocking to the eye.
Blood stained the cardboard, leaving one terrifying black and red mark after another.
"These sons of bitches!"
Zuo Zhenyu cursed angrily.
Since he arrived here, without even seeing the robbers, he was hit with two blows sent by the robbers in succession.
Without a word, they blew up a villa.
Without a sound, they chopped off dozens of hostages' hand paper.
This was a display of power.
This was provocation.
A provocation testing everyone's patience present.
"Sister?!"
Luo Ling suddenly cried out sorrowfully.
The woman in the video was Luo Ling's sister, Luo Yu.
The moment she saw her sister's figure, Luo Ling could no longer bear it. The mental pressure and pain she faced reached a limit, and she collapsed to the ground.
"Luo Ling!"
Zuo Yiming and Lu Lin exclaimed, quickly helping Luo Ling to the side.
Zuo Zhenyu also didn't have the time to scold the three for watching the video. During this moment, Luo Yu walked to the villa's main gate with the cardboard full of dozens of handpapers and placed it down.
She discreetly glanced toward the villa direction.
"Quick, prepare to assist."
"She's going to escape!"
Zuo Zhenyu almost instantly understood Luo Yu's intended actions from her movements.
But.
It was too late.
Before Director Zhang could give the order.
In the video, Luo Yu rolled on the ground and then quickly got up.
She reached the door.
Zuo Zhenyu's heart suddenly tightened.
Luo Yu's movements, though not standard, were unexpected. The robbers might not react in time.
That is to say, Luo Yu's chance of escape... was high.
The villa robbers obviously did not expect Luo Yu to have such moves.
Clearly, inside the villa, Luo Yu had been very cooperative.
Because of this, the robbers let Luo Yu out.
Unexpectedly, this girl, who seemed soft and compliant, turned out to be so decisive.
Luo Yu ran one step.
Safe.
Luo Yu ran a second step.
The robber monitoring her movement aimed a gun.
Luo Yu ran a third step.
The City Defense Army soldiers surrounding the villa quickly used biological chips to search for possible hiding robbers to protect Luo Yu.
Luo Yu's eyes revealed a glimmer of hope.
Almost... almost...
Clearly it was only a matter of a few meters, clearly the kind of few seconds that passes by unnoticed.
At this moment, it seemed like a chasm.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
Luo Yu's movements, though not flawless, and before they could respond unexpectedly, the robbers might not react in time.
Which meant, Luo Yu's hope of escape... was high.
The shot startled everyone in the room.
At the moment the shot was fired, all holdable objects and hopes fell into ruins.
The hope in Luo Yu's eyes suddenly collapsed.
In that instant when she saw her sister's figure, Luo Ling could bear it no longer; her mind was crushed under the pressure, her body limp, collapsed to the ground.
"Luo Ling!"
Zuo Yiming and Lu Lin exclaimed and quickly moved to support Luo Ling.