Chapter 1233: The Criminals

As expected, the crowd started to panic when they realised that their phones were not receiving any signals and the compounding effect of the fire alarm was not making it any easier. The employed security staff were trying their best to keep the peace as they attempted to vacate premises. However, there seems to be a ripple effect of shouts and screams at the far end of the south entrance when people were saying that they were not able to leave.

The screams got even more horrifying when someone tried to use force to leave the area and his hand was burnt upon placing force through the said barrier. The panic from the crowd upon seeing the incident increased tenfold and the whole place turned to chaos.

Some did not believe and tried to attempt the same thing, only to have been thoroughly burnt and losing their arms or legs in the process. Without chi, cultivators trained in the art of healing were unable to save them even when they were able to put the fire out. The inability to use chi once again caused another layer of anxiety among the crowd and the security forces were unable to contain it even further without the coordination from the head office.

Everyone who was trapped in this World Expo had basically become the hostages of the masterminds behind it. “Everything is in order, proceed according to plan.” Shang Xia spoke through the ‘network’ and his criminal partners acknowledged. Among the chaos, the cleaners abandoned their work carts and started walking to their objective until… a new message came into their thoughts.

“Overlord, I picked up chatter outside the barrier. The police are coming.” One of the technical operators said as he monitored the situation.

“Should not be a problem. It is slightly earlier than expected but within the plan parameters. All units, proceed.” Shang Xia ordered once again. When it seemed as if the criminals who were instigating this particular incident were delighted that the plan was as simulated, they did not expect the police to come into the scene that quickly.

They had ensured that all communication lines were cut including the satellite phone which they picked up at the very last minute so there was no way people would be able to call the authorities and even if they did, the police would not have enough manpower.

One to two cars worth of police officers would investigate the situation and only much later they would get more help. That was the scenario the criminals had and they knew that they could complete their objective before the reinforcements arrived. But as luck would have it, the situation did not roll as expected. Their technical operators who were drinking a cup of coffee to calm his nerves suddenly saw not one, not two but columns of police cars howling in the background. Even two helicopters had been deployed to the scene and they were already scanning the area.

To make things worse, there were not just patrol cars in the mix, SWAT vans were seen and even black armour SUVs which indicated that they were going to respond to the threat with punitive force. The operator immediately sent another message through his thoughts and to Shang Xia telling her the police were here in full force. They had no idea that the Ministry of State Security had already asked the district police in the nearby regions to be on standby for the Symposium and one word from Kong Rong was what needed to send these police to the current situation.

“That does not change anything. The barrier will hold and they cannot do anything to us at the moment. Everyone! Focus on completing the objective. Jack, find an alternate way to get out of this damn place. I do not care if we need to fight through the police and hijack their cars. Get an actionable plan out and we will do just that.” Shang Xia ordered once more as she walked along with the VIPs who were currently being escorted to a safe zone. Masquerading as one of the sponsors’ representatives for the Symposium, she was able to have the opportunity to be in the same room as her target, the Minister of Defence He Fei. As she scanned the guards, they were the very same people she and her team had ID except for one conspicuous female bodyguard who wore a surgical mask and large pair of sunglasses.

The worst of all, there was no sense of professionalism coming from her with her hair partially dyed in tranquil blue and wore clothes that were not befitting of a bodyguard. An overly sized jacket and skin tight yoga pants made her stuck out like a sore thumb. The odd thing was that she carried an umbrella everywhere she went and there was no wet weather according to the forecast.

While she was not in the list of guards that the criminals had obtained, Shang Xia could only assume that she was either some mistress or a plaything being brought by the Minister or his entourage.

“We are being escorted to the makeshift bunker. He Fei had already sent people to get the item. Get into position to snatch it.” Shang Xia said through her telepathy network and the other operators already performing their second objective in search of a particular suitcase. The suitcase was ordinary but the contents inside was what counts.

The killing of the Defence Minister was just a step in their grand plans as the suitcase contained the relic that would summon their old master back. The only drawback was that it required souls for it to work and the hostages within the expo were precisely the best way to harvest them. No massacre nor killing was needed, as the relic would do the work. The only caveat was that criminals needed the protective chants sat aside with the relic. Those chants upon activation would negate the relic incessant killing ritual and that would allow them to complete their objective.

Why would the relic be brought to a public event such as the Dungeon Supplier Symposium was not of concern to Shang Xia. The only thing that matters is that both the minister and the relic were indeed here and she would take whatever it takes to complete the task.

For the Banned Emperor.