The two police officers felt relieved looking at the gasping commissioner beside them who refused to budge.
Putting aside other things, just escorting their commissioner up these five floors had nearly exhausted them. Fortunately, the commissioner had given up before they did. Otherwise, with their slight builds, helping such a fat pig walk the remaining twenty-five floors would have either killed them or peeled their skin.
One officer beside him said, "Commissioner, why don't we go back? Such a small matter upstairs doesn't require your personal attention."
The officer, who had intended to flatter, didn't realize his casual remark had backfired spectacularly.
The commissioner waved him closer, then kicked him away and shouted, "Get lost, you know nothing!"
When he had entered with the main force, the commissioner had intended to make a public appearance, showcasing his brave and heroic image. Who knew it would be so tiring? Even more infuriating was that Willy had already gone ahead. If he was too late, Willy would snatch all the credit, leaving him with nothing.
Another reason the commissioner couldn't retreat was that his entry into the building with the troops had been filmed by the media. If he left now, those reporters, who thrived on sensationalism, would surely swarm him with questions. If he couldn't come up with a coherent explanation, the next day's news might feature a headline about the New York Police Commissioner's dereliction of duty and where taxpayers' hard-earned money was going.
Don't think the commissioner was exaggerating. It was precisely because he was the commissioner that he understood the sensationalized headlines journalists could create.
Just as the commissioner was catching his breath and preparing to push on, another officer quickly stepped forward to stop him.
It was a joke; truly escorting the commissioner up thirty-one floors would mean sacrificing either his future or his life today.
Seeing the officer about to speak, the commissioner said with a dark expression, "If you dare to suggest going back, start preparing your resignation letter when we return."
This officer wasn't foolish. The previous one had been kicked by the commissioner for suggesting they turn back; he certainly wouldn't repeat the mistake.
The officer smiled and said, "Commissioner, the perpetrators only damaged the elevators from the first to the fifth floor. We are on the sixth floor now. Why climb the stairs? We can take the elevator directly. You'll surely be the first to arrive."
Upon hearing the officer's words, the commissioner slapped his forehead in realization.
Right, only the elevators from the first to the fifth floor were out of order. Floors six and above were fine. How could he be so stupid, following a bunch of idiots up the stairs? He could take the elevator.
With that thought, the commissioner waved his hand and declared, "Let's go, we'll take the elevator."
His voice was like heavenly music to the ears of the two officers, who felt like weeping with relief.
Upon reaching the elevator, the officer who had been scolded earlier tried to redeem himself in the commissioner's eyes by stepping forward to press the button.
Soon, the elevator descended to the sixth floor.
The moment the elevator doors opened—
Boom!
The elevator exploded violently, and a torrent of scorching heat erupted. The officer closest to the elevator doors was instantly engulfed by the blast, beyond any hope of survival.
The commissioner and the other officer fared no better. Although they were further from the elevator and the officer at the door had absorbed some of the impact, the unexpected heat wave still threw them to the ground.
The officer was relatively lucky; he was thin, had a smaller surface area, and was well-protected. The commissioner, on the other hand, was different. His obese body was not only wide but also bulky. Furthermore, he had discarded his protective gear due to the heat and exertion while climbing the stairs, leaving him completely vulnerable to the surprise explosion.
He suffered multiple burns all over his body, and numerous metal fragments from the blast had pierced his flesh.
"Ah!"
The searing pain made the commissioner cry out like a pig being slaughtered as he lay on the ground. His body was a bloody mess. The officer beside him could still stand, but he was just a regular officer with basic first-aid knowledge; the current situation was beyond his expertise.
Why did the elevator suddenly explode?
The answer was quite simple: it was the work of the now-deceased Goul.
Goul had originally intended to blow up the elevator. However, there was a problem with the detonator during ignition, preventing it from exploding. Later, Goul achieved his objective and didn't bother with the bomb in the elevator.
By sheer coincidence, when the officer used the elevator, the bomb was reactivated and exploded the moment the doors opened.
If Goul knew from the afterlife that his bomb had nearly killed the police commissioner, he might have burst into laughter.
"What's going on! Where did that explosion come from?"
Willy, who was at the forefront of the special forces, was startled by the sudden explosion and immediately ordered them to halt and inquire about the situation.
It wasn't that Willy was being overly cautious. After all, strange incidents were frequent these days. As a captain of the police and special forces, a lack of caution could lead to a three-foot-long patch of grass growing on his grave.
Moreover, they were unfamiliar with the situation inside the building. Although they had blueprints provided by Happy, the perpetrator had destroyed all the surveillance cameras on the three floors above and below the thirty-first floor. Even they couldn't guarantee that there weren't accomplices inside the building.
American police were different from those in China. The word "people" did not precede their profession. In comparison, American police were more like a relationship of employer and employee.
Wealthy Americans paid a large amount of taxes annually, a portion of which went towards the salaries of American police officers. In return, American police were obligated to protect the lives and property of these wealthy individuals.
Yes, there were numerous incidents of police accidentally killing people in America every year. The most famous among them was the case of American police shooting a suicidal person.
To give a famous example, a 75-year-old woman once called the police, reporting that her 51-year-old daughter was threatening to commit suicide at home with a gun.
When the police arrived at the scene, the mother told them that her daughter had repeatedly said, "I hope the police will shoot me to death."
Shortly after the police arrived, the daughter, who had been proclaiming her suicidal intent, walked down the stairs from the second floor with a gun and pointed it at the officers.
One officer quickly fired three shots at her and then fired a few more shots at the mother standing near her daughter. Both mother and daughter later died from their wounds.
This example sounds incredibly absurd, so much so that it's hard to believe its authenticity. But the reality is that this is the daily life of American police. Moreover, such cases of police shooting suicidal individuals occur almost every year. The American public even created a specific term to mock this phenomenon: suicide by cop.
Translated, it means suicide by police.
Do you think these officers who commit such absurd acts are foolish?
Not at all. In a way, the officers who can commit these acts are quite intelligent.