The flames from the rocket explosion were still surging wildly, but a figure, barely visible to the naked eye, darted out from the center. Its speed was so instantaneous that the fire split apart, offering no time for reaction.
By the time their sight captured him, he had already rushed to the back of the bus, grabbing the leader of the robbers. He lifted the man up amidst his screams.
"Make them surrender, immediately!" The cold, electronic voice sent shivers down the spine of the robber leader. The robber stubbornly drew the pistol from his thigh and desperately fired at Zhou Yi's crystal-shielded helmet.
Watching the bullets twist and deform on the crystal, leaving strange visual stains, Zhou Yi decided the man in his hand was worthless. He simply tossed him backward. The unlucky fellow flew dozens of feet and was embedded entirely in the door of a scrapped car. He twitched a few times before slumping there, unconscious.
This action terrified everyone, but the remaining two robbers were most affected. The one named Baal immediately threw away his gun, rushed into the driver's seat, started the vehicle, and sent it swerving wildly. The other robber, named Andrew, cursed loudly as he picked up a little girl, tore open his jacket, and revealed the bombs strapped to his body.
"I'm asking, don't you have any intention of surrendering?" Zhou Yi jumped through the back door and confronted the two still stubbornly resisting robbers.
"Get lost, you monster." Andrew held the little girl with one hand and pressed a button with the other, slowly retreating toward the front door. He desperately wanted distance from Zhou Yi.
But the distance proved meaningless. A flash of white light shot out from Zhou Yi's helmet, sweeping directly across Andrew's arm. Following this was a flickering shadow, and in the blink of an eye, Zhou Yi appeared in front of Andrew, clamped his neck, and lifted him up.
"Put down the girl, and stop the car!" Zhou Yi commanded.
"Go to hell, you monster!" Andrew struggled, trying to press the button in his hand, but his finger didn't move. His forearm slid right off, without a single drop of blood. The point of separation was instantly scorched black, as if the limb wasn't part of him.
The ultra-high-temperature ray had instantly severed the arm while simultaneously searing the nerves and stopping the bleeding. Apart from losing his limb, Andrew felt absolutely nothing—not even pain.
This precision only escalated the robbers' terror. Baal, insane with fear, frantically stepped on the gas pedal, disregarding the vehicle's direction. Andrew, demonstrating a desperate resolve, roared angrily, "You bastard monster, my arm, ah!" He raised his remaining intact hand, grabbed the little girl he was holding, and threw her out the car door.
Due to Baal's loss of control, the bus was already hugging the edge of the bridge. Andrew's throw sent the child directly off the bridge, plummeting toward the sea. Falling from that height, the impact pressure upon hitting the water would be fatal.
Not expecting such viciousness, Zhou Yi immediately threw Andrew onto Baal. The immense impact instantly rendered both unconscious and broke several of their bones. Zhou Yi then quickly rushed out the door, pursuing the falling little girl at an even faster speed.
The little girl, mid-scream, felt her body abruptly drop, then found herself safe in Zhou Yi's arms. Zhou Yi gently pinched her pale face, smiled, and said, "Little fellow, everything is fine now." His grip was too rough, leaving her small face slightly red, but she was still in shock, her wits not yet recovered.
Just then, a huge metallic crash sounded. Zhou Yi looked up to see a familiar yellow figure charging down from the other side of the bridge with unstoppable momentum. From his position, Zhou Yi could clearly hear the crying and screaming of a bus full of children.
Just as Zhou Yi was performing the mid-air rescue, the out-of-control bus, after hitting the police barrier, did not stop. The speed bumps tore its tires, and the sudden deceleration caused the unconscious Baal to press the accelerator hard. The bus continued its roaring, listing charge, and plunged off the bridge.
The police officers were horrified. A busload of students dying due to police error would bring unimaginable condemnation. Director Stacy covered his eyes in agony. Meanwhile, the media, the species most eager for chaos, were frantically filming and live-streaming, sensing the massive rating potential.
Then, a huge clamor erupted among the reporters.
A police officer patted Stacy's shoulder, his voice filled with surprising joy. "Director, I think you should take a look at this!"
Stacy looked up and saw a black figure, illuminated by the afternoon sun, slowly descending from the sky, holding up the bus and cradling the little girl in his arms. He gently landed the bus on the ground.
The moment he set the bus down, the camera flashbulbs almost bleached the entire scene silver-white.
The large number of hostages were immediately reunited with their parents who had rushed to the scene. The police focused on dragging away the two unconscious robbers, a process done with some violence.
A young couple rushed up to Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi knowingly handed over the little girl. The relieved woman hugged the child, and the man, eyes red and trembling, said to Zhou Yi, "Thank you, sir. Thank you for saving my child."
"You don't have to thank me!" Zhou Yi gently stroked the little girl's hair. "Your child is very cute. It is my duty to ensure such a lovely child enjoys a wonderful life."
The couple thanked him repeatedly. Zhou Yi waved his hand and walked toward Director Stacy.
"A happy ending for everyone, isn't it, Director Stacy?"
Director Stacy frowned, staring intently. "Who exactly are you? A super machine from Stark or Osborn, or some kind of unsavory Alien? What is your purpose?"
"None of the above. Like I said, I am just a kind Samaritan passing by, a person who still possesses the spirit of a knight. You can see me as the last Shadow of the night, and also the harbinger of the coming Dawn. As for my purpose, you have already seen it: maintaining peace. I think those words describe it well."
"Do you think I'll believe that? And peace and order don't need guys like you, who hide their faces, to maintain them. We, the Police, are enough." Director Stacy waved his hand irritably, worried about the future chaos such vigilantes would bring.
"There will always be things like today that you find difficult to handle," Zhou Yi shrugged. "I think there will also be times when you need my help, Director. I won't cause trouble for you or steal your job; just consider me a friendly partner."
"A partner wouldn't even withhold his name," Stacy complained, his resolve wavering.
"That's a secret, Director. Use your wisdom; I think a code name is enough to solve this problem." Zhou Yi smiled, leaped into the air, and tore through the clouds with a loud roar, accelerating to an unrecognizable speed before vanishing.
The surrounding reporters immediately rushed past the police barricades and swarmed Director Stacy.
"Director, sir, what is your relationship with this mysterious fellow?" "Director, sir, what exactly is the identity of You-Know-Who? Is he a super-human, a Mutant, or a mechanical warrior?"
"Director, sir, in this rescue operation, the Police accomplished nothing and even exacerbated the situation at one point. The entire rescue was carried out by the mysterious individual. Can I assume the Police are wasting taxpayer money?"
Stacy patiently pushed aside the microphones, put on a serious expression, and spoke. "Gentlemen, ladies. Regarding this rescue operation, all I can say is that it was accomplished through the joint efforts of both parties. Therefore, the claim that the Police are wasting tax money is unfounded."
"Director, sir, when you say joint efforts, does that imply the Police Department has a cooperative relationship with You-Know-Who?"
Director Stacy cleared his throat, fabricating a story that the mysterious man had tacitly approved. "Based on our verbal agreement, you can assume that. The New York Police Department does indeed have a certain cooperative relationship with You-Know-Who."
"The cooperative relationship is strictly between You-Know-Who and the Police Department and does not involve the true identity of You-Know-Who, which is a private matter. The content of the cooperation is also limited to maintaining public order."
"So, Director, sir, what do you call your partner? Flyer, Strongman, or Future Warrior?"
Director Stacy thought for a moment and said seriously, "A Knight. I call him the Dawn Knight."
As Director Stacy's designation for Zhou Yi slipped out, all the reporters began referring to Zhou Yi by that name, and the name was formally cemented through media dissemination.
This was a new beginning for Zhou Yi's life as a Superhero: The Dawn Knight.