"911 emergency call, how may I assist you?" The black man's phone, of unknown brand, produced sound comparable to domestic knockoffs. However, through the receiver came the voice of the emergency dispatcher, surprising the individuals huddled against the wall.
"I need to report a robbery on Alley Lane, Eighth Street..." The black man's words left those present bewildered. Was he attempting to deceive the authorities?
On the other end of the line, the dispatcher's voice grew tense, "Sir, where are you? What do you see?" But this time, the black man did not respond. Instead, he kicked Judy, who had been quietly sobbing, prompting her to scream.
Then, he turned, wielding the butt of his gun, striking Curtis, Boyd, and Nick indiscriminately, causing the cowboys to cry out in pain.
The dispatcher's voice grew more urgent, "Sir, what do you see? Please don't hang up. I'm sending the police..."
Only then did the black man violently fling his phone to the ground, stomping it with rage until the screen shattered. Raising his gun, he glared menacingly at the men and women, proclaiming, "Listen up, you white scoundrels. Today, I'll show you that a black life matters too!"
Upon hearing this, Mu Chen's heart sank. It seemed they had encountered an extremist willing to confront the police head-on.
In recent times, racial tensions in the United States had escalated dramatically. From the Ferguson incident in Missouri to the recent riots in Baltimore, the unrest among African American communities was palpable.
Just when the storm seemed to subside, they encountered this madman. His intention appeared to be to lure the police to them. If he handled the situation poorly, they could all be in jeopardy.
None of those present were fools. Upon hearing the man's declaration that black lives matter, they all surmised what was happening.
"Please, sir, don't hurt us..." To everyone's surprise, it was Curtis, the cowboy, who pleaded for mercy. Gone was the bravado he had displayed in the restaurant; now he cried like a child.
He knelt on the ground, tears and snot streaming down his face, attempting to grasp the black man's legs, only to be kicked away.
"Get lost, you white pig! You filthy rich people, can your money still save you now?" The black man's mocking words echoed loudly. As Curtis sobbed louder, Nick and Boyd joined in quietly weeping.
Beside them, Judy and Maria continued their quiet tears. The three cowboys were now in a state of despair. This was also Helen's first encounter with such a situation, feeling both aggrieved and frightened, almost wanting to cry.
But as she looked up at Mu Chen, standing steadfastly before her, his lips pursed, his eyes resolute, his face as cold as marble, she felt an inexplicable warmth in her heart.
On the other side, the three cowboys lay sprawled on the ground like mud, and Helen couldn't help but feel disgusted by them.
She had merely disliked them before for their boasting and bullying, but now she found them utterly contemptible, appearing obedient on the surface but truly spineless at heart.
The notion of them being rugged cowboys from the wild west was laughable!
At this moment, Mu Chen seemed to sense her change of heart. He turned his head to glance at her, offering a faint smile. Though he didn't speak, that smile alone calmed Helen, who had been feeling anxious.
Her legs, which had been trembling with fear, now regained their strength. Standing tall, she even tightened her grip on the warm hand in hers.
The black man ahead seemed agitated, pacing back and forth with his gun, but seeing the children cowering in fear, he didn't torment them further. Instead, he continued to rant while brandishing his weapon.
Before long, the piercing sound of police sirens drew nearer and nearer. Within moments, flashing lights could be seen from the alley entrance.
At that moment, the black man also calmed down, standing still before the group, gazing toward the alley.
Judy and Maria ceased their sobbing, while the three cowboys seemed to gather their courage.
As the police car stopped at the alley's mouth, the three cowboys suddenly shouted in unison, "Help!"
However, the black man merely chuckled coldly, making no move to stop them.
Two police officers stepped out of the car, immediately drawing their guns upon seeing the black man in the alley.
"Drop the weapon, don't move!" they commanded. The black man offered no resistance, bending down to lay his gun on the ground.
"Hands on your head, face down on the ground!" The police officers shouted again. Surprisingly, the black man complied without hesitation, placing his hands on his head and lying face down.
His cooperation struck the group as odd, especially Mu Chen. As the black man lay down, Mu Chen seemed to catch a hint of disdain in his smirk.
The police remained silent, and the group dared not move. They knew the protocol; any sudden movement could result in them being shot.
The officers shone their flashlights over them, confirming they were indeed victims, and sighed in relief. One of them lowered his gun, while the other took out handcuffs, approaching the black man lying on the ground.
Just then, another black man emerged from behind the large dumpster to their right, wielding an AK47.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The alley filled with the continuous flashes of the AK47 muzzle, shell casings clattering as they hit the ground. The two police officers were like leaves in the wind, staggering under the impact, blood spraying from their bodies before they collapsed to the ground.
Judy and Maria, startled by the sudden turn of events, covered their ears and screamed in shock, while the three cowboys were left completely dumbfounded.
Helen's mouth gaped open. Despite her years, this was her first time witnessing a shooting at such close range, especially of police officers!
A sense of overwhelming panic washed over her, but just then, a pair of arms enveloped her.
"Don't worry, I've got you!"
Helen glanced up, catching Mu Chen scrutinizing the scene intently.
How could he be so fearless? Did he not feel any fear at all?
It seemed that calmness was contagious. Mu Chen's composure gradually eased her impending sense of collapse.
The two policemen had been riddled with bullets, and the shooter ceased firing.
"Keane, get up, we need to leave here quickly," the shooter called out to the black man lying on the ground. The black man swiftly rose, picking up his gun from the ground and giving the shooter a glance.
"Wait, I still have some trouble to take care of," he replied.
"Then hurry!" The shooter turned his head away, keeping an eye on the alley entrance in case other police officers barged in.
Grinning sinisterly, he strode toward Mu Chen and the others. Even the most clueless person could tell that this old black man intended to finish them off.
Judy and Maria were completely overwhelmed, only able to hold their heads and cry. The three cowboys were terrified beyond belief.
Curtis, the biggest and most intimidating of them all, had even wet his pants by now. The stench of urine emanating from him could be smelled from far away.
As for Nick with his blond hair, he could only plead for mercy, while Boyd was the first to crack. He stood up abruptly and dashed toward the alley entrance.
But just as he took a couple of steps, the black man raised his hand and shot him in the back. Boyd fell to the ground without making a sound.
It was then, at that very moment, that Mu Chen sprang up from the ground like a coiled spring.
With a swift motion of his hand, a flash of silver flew from his right hand, grazing the black man's ear before hitting the neck of the black man guarding the alley entrance directly behind him.
The black man groaned softly, collapsing like a noodle onto the ground.
The black man with the gun was taken aback. In that split second, Mu Chen had already crashed into his embrace.
It was the decisive move of the Eight Extremities Fist: "Close-Body Charge."
Sideways charge, confronting the enemy, bending the waist, and then forcefully slamming the shoulder into the enemy's embrace. The position of the impact was crucial, targeting the sternum and abdominal junction known as the solar plexus.
This move essentially turned Mu Chen into a weapon. Like a cannonball, he flew out with his weight of over 180 pounds, coupled with the accelerating force of the impact. Hence, the force behind this blow was absolutely formidable.
The black man, who stood at over six feet tall and weighed over 200 pounds, was repeatedly pushed back by Mu Chen's onslaught.
Of course, Mu Chen didn't give him a chance to escape the attack range, swiftly stepping forward with consecutive fast-paced strides.