Chapter 186

Chapter 186 - A Cunning Plan!

Before Zhang Xiaolong had a chance to clarify, a swarm of masked armed thugs burst from the shadowy corners of the room.

Armed with handguns and automatic rifles, the dark barrels aimed at the center created an overwhelming sense of terror. Updated chapters at novelhall.com

Each bullet in the room had the potential to end a life. Who would dare to test their lethality?

Zhang Xiaolong furrowed his brow, realizing that the earlier feeling of being watched wasn't from Su Mingtang and his daughter, but from the thugs lying in wait.

“Nobody moves, or they'll be sent straight to the underworld,” a gaunt masked man stepped forward, brandishing his weapon at the crowd and barked, “Cooperate, and we won't make this harder than it needs to be. Hand over the blue diamond and the emerald now!”

The crowd felt a bit more grounded upon hearing the specific items mentioned.

The blue diamond was worth a billion, and Xiaolong's emerald was valued at a hundred million. Securing these two items was certainly more lucrative than a bank heist.

What mattered most was that if the thieves took the items and left, there would be no casualties. The items weren't theirs to lose, so the robbery seemed almost inconsequential.

Quickly, a thug dashed onto the stage and seized the blue diamond, then turned his gaze toward Huang Zhiyong.

With great reluctance and under the gun's menacing threat, Huang Zhiyong surrendered the emerald.

Having smoothly acquired both items, the thin thug appeared quite pleased, remarking with a hint of jest, “Excellent, thanks for your cooperation. If you could, please wait half an hour before calling the police.”

“You can't just take these! They were donated for charity. Such actions will bring divine retribution!” Xu Shaoning suddenly stepped forward, speaking with a sense of moral fervor.

“Divine retribution?” The thin thug gave Shaoning a look and burst into laughter, “What's that? All I know is when I'm hungry, I need to eat. Divine retribution doesn't mean a thing to me.”

Many in the crowd regarded Xu Shaoning as if he were a simpleton. Talking about divine retribution to a thug? It seemed utterly absurd.

He looked like a hero straight out of a movie. Could it be that Young Master Xu had hidden depths? Was he capable of transforming into a vigilante hero, like those in films who conceal their true identity only to unleash their power in a dramatic showdown?

Please, if you're going to go on a rampage, don't drag us into it!

Chen Yaru wanted to call out to him, but with the Xu family's residence cordoned off by the police, leaving now could easily lead to misunderstandings. She hesitated, her mouth opened, but ultimately, she remained silent.

She knew Zhang Xiaolong wasn't reckless; he must have a good reason for leaving now. And if he felt it was necessary, her calling out would be futile.

True to form, Zhang Xiaolong didn't head for the main door. He deftly navigated through the crowd to a shadowy corner, and with another swift move, he vanished from sight.

His speed wasn't particularly fast, but his choice of angles aligned perfectly with the crowd's blind spots. Despite the number of people present, no one noticed his departure.

Tracking the faint traces, Zhang Xiaolong concentrated on distinguishing the scents.

The criminal wasn't someone he knew, but having just vanished from the vicinity, identifying him wasn't too challenging.

Their unusual escape route also helped to avoid any confusion.

Upon figuring it out, Zhang Xiaolong was taken aback by the ingenuity of the plan.

In a room, a gaunt criminal was opening two boxes—one held the priceless blue diamond, and the other, the exquisitely crafted Jadite Phoenix.

“Wow, these are some fine treasures!” the criminal couldn't help but admire aloud.

With items worth over a billion, just a fraction of the loot would set him up for life.

“The treasures are indeed valuable, but do you really think you'll get to keep them?” a chilling voice suddenly echoed from the doorway.

The criminal was taken aback. He had been extremely cautious, and he was sure that the police were distracted by his accomplices. He thought that his hiding spot was practically inconceivable to anyone.

“Who are you?” Despite the initial shock, it was clear the criminal wasn't inexperienced. He regained his composure quickly. “What do you want?”

“What do you think?” Zhang Xiaolong chuckled, gesturing towards the Jadite Phoenix. “You're holding my property and asking me who I am. Isn't that a bit absurd?”

“Here, take it back!” The criminal glanced at the object in his hand and abruptly hurled the Jadite Phoenix away.

Simultaneously, he drew his gun at lightning speed, aiming it at Zhang Xiaolong with a menacing grin.