The bus stop arrived, the front and rear doors opened slowly, and a portion of the passengers on the bus got off, immediately improving the crowded condition.
After the passengers waiting on the platform began boarding one after another, just as the bus driver was about to close the door, suddenly a laborer in tattered clothes, holding an old canvas bag, boarded the bus.
As soon as the laborer boarded the vehicle, the passengers near him reacted as if smelling something foul, with faces full of disgust as they moved away from him.
The laborer seemed accustomed to the disdainful looks from others, and as soon as he came aboard, he dropped his canvas bag on the floor and wiped the sweat off his face.
"You need to pay two bucks!"
Seeing that the laborer hadn't paid upon boarding, the bus driver, losing patience, turned back and glared at him, shouting loudly.
The laborer responded with a simple smile, "You're right, it's cooler at the front, but there are too many people, too crowded. I think it's quite cool in the back as well—I'll go there to cool off."
With that, the laborer, carrying his tattered bag, squeezed toward the back.
The laborer's words instantly stupefied the driver, and the passengers erupted into a roar of laughter.
"Sir, you have to pay two dollars when you board."
As the laborer passed by Fang Jieru, she held back her laughter and kindly reminded him.
"Pay money?"
Upon hearing this, a cold smirk appeared on the laborer's face, "If you want my money, I'm afraid it won't be that easy. Heh heh, I not only won't pay, but I want money instead!"
"..."
Fang Jieru was stunned by his words and did not understand what he meant for a moment.
With a strange laugh, the laborer scanned all the passengers in the bus and declared loudly, "I am now going to rob you all. Please kindly take out all your valuables!"
This...
The bus was silent for a full minute as everyone recovered from their astonishment, then broke out into laughter again.
"What is this country bumpkin talking about? Hahaha, he says he's going to rob us? Does he think this is a TV show?"
"It's not about acting in a TV show; I think this guy clearly just ran out of a mental hospital?"
...
While the passengers were still talking and laughing, the laborer, finding no other option, shook his head, bent down, and pulled a handgun from his old canvas bag.
With the gun in hand, he skillfully pulled back the slide, chambered a round, and held it high above his head. He aimed at the roof and fired a shot.
Bang!
A bullet hole appeared in the roof amidst the gunshot, the driver slammed on the brakes in panic, and the passengers screamed, throwing the scene into chaos.
"Sigh, why doesn't anyone believe me when I tell the truth!"
The laborer wiped the muzzle and sighed pretentiously, then shouted to the panicked crowd, "Shut the fuck up, all of you! Anyone who dares to move or scream, I'll kill them!"
The previously meek laborer had, in the blink of an eye, turned into a ferocious and cruel robber. This dramatic transformation, though incredible to all the passengers, was undeniable with the reality before them.
After the laborer shouted, the bus fell silent. The bus driver, seeing the laborer's back turned to him, frantically opened the door to the driver's cabin, attempting to run into the street.
Bang!
But before he could take two steps, the laborer, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, fired a shot without turning around. The driver fell into a pool of blood, his fate unknown.
"Sigh, why doesn't anyone believe me when I tell the truth!"
Once again, the laborer repeated his earlier statement, then pointed the gun at Fang Jieru and said, "Girl, make a call, call the police!"
Facing the dark barrel of the gun, Fang Jieru was dumbstruck, standing frozen and unable to speak.
"Give you three seconds, if you don't call the police, I'm gonna shoot!"
The construction worker's mouth twisted into a sinister smile, his index finger hooked on the trigger, with no hint of mercy on his malevolent face.
Fang Jieru had never witnessed such a terrifying scene; her delicate body trembled lightly, her gaze frozen, and she was too frightened to speak.
"Hold on!"
Just as the construction worker shook his head, ready to pull the trigger, Liang Fei stepped forward, shielding Fang Jieru with his body. He smiled at the construction worker and said, "I'm her boyfriend. I'll make the call for her!"
Without waiting for the construction worker's agreement, Liang Fei took out his mobile phone and dialed 110.
Although Fang Jieru was nervous, having Liang Fei by her side, and recalling him just calling himself her boyfriend, the excitement in her heart was beyond words.
After making the call, Liang Fei told the construction worker, "I've already called the police. They'll be here any minute!"
"Very well!"
The construction worker scrutinized Liang Fei, and, noticing his calm demeanor, asked in surprise, "You don't seem the least bit scared?"
"Why should I be scared? I'm a man with a terminal illness; I don't have many days left to live, nothing to fear!"
Liang Fei thought quickly and bluffed him.
In fact, after practicing the Shennong Scripture, both his strength and courage had been enhanced. What's there to fear from a petty robber?
A dying man with a terminal illness!
The construction worker did not doubt Liang Fei's words and pointed the gun at Fang Jieru behind him, barking, "Girl, you come here!"
Fang Jieru was too scared to move. Liang Fei still kept his body in front of her, forcibly moved the gun to his own head, and said, "My girlfriend is unwell. If she faints from shock later, she might not even be able to walk, so she isn't suitable as your hostage. I think it's better you take me instead!"
"You?"
The construction worker gave him a glance and said with disgust, "You're already a dying man, what value do you have?"
Liang Fei replied with a smile, "You're wrong. I'm just about to die, I'm not dead yet. Moreover, the police don't know I have a terminal illness."
"Hmm, you seem to make some sense!"
The construction worker nodded, then left the stunned Fang Jieru, grabbed Liang Fei, pointed a gun at his head, and shouted at the people inside the bus, "Everyone just sit there and don't move. Anyone who disobeys will end up like the driver."
The driver had already become a cold corpse; who would dare to do as he did? The passengers all shrank into their seats, not daring to move.
At that moment, the sound of sirens filled the air outside, as the police who had arrived dispersed the crowd and surrounded the bus.
"To the person inside, you are surrounded. Please do not harm any hostages. Whatever your demands, just state them, and we can satisfy you!"
From within the police ranks, a young policewoman stepped out with a megaphone and shouted loudly towards them.
Looking through the bus window at the policewoman, the construction worker asked, "And who are you?"
The policewoman shouted back, "Shen Xing, Captain of the Criminal Investigation Team, Binyang City Public Security Bureau!"
"Good!"
With the policewoman's identity confirmed, the construction worker immediately made his demands, "Within half an hour, get me a car filled with gas and five million in cash. If it's not here on time, I'll start shooting people!"
"Don't get agitated, I can agree to your conditions, just please don't harm the hostages!"
Shen Xing glanced at Liang Fei, held hostage by the criminal and agreed to his conditions without hesitation.
After stepping back, Shen Xing quickly called the director of the Public Security Bureau and reported, "Director, the criminal is extremely vicious. He's already killed the driver, and now there's a bus full of hostages in his hands. I request to mobilize SWAT for a sniper takedown!"
"Okay, I'll arrange it right away!"
Director Yi Jianfeng agreed to Shen Xing's request, at the same time calling the mayor to urgently request a fund transfer from the bank and ordering the SWAT team to arrange sniper positions on the surrounding vantage points.