"Do you know there was an explosion on the fifth floor lounge just now?"
"Yeah, yeah, it was so scary, I thought it was an earthquake."
"Hey, brother, why aren't you saying anything?"
"Uh... to be honest, I just came up from the fifth floor."
...........
The three explosions caused a large number of employees from the lower floors to flood upwards. On the thirty-first floor, employees from the lower floors were packed together, and the scene was momentarily out of control.
Just as the chaotic situation was about to escalate.
Bang!
A gunshot silenced the noisy crowd.
Qi Shuangshuang looked in the direction of the gunshot.
The shooter was a man in a black tracksuit and a baseball cap.
Upon seeing the gun in the man's hand, the people around him quickly distanced themselves. However, there were so many people that even if they wanted to retreat, the space available was very limited.
Incidentally, the man was responsible for sending Chen Long to the restroom and installing and detonating the four bombs, all with the intention of creating chaos and seeking revenge on Stark Industries.
The man fired another shot into the air and shouted, "Everyone, hands on your head and squat on the ground. If anyone dares to move, don't blame me for putting a few holes in you."
The people present were ordinary office workers who worked at Stark Industries just to earn money to support their families. Now, facing an armed bandit, they all obediently put their hands on their heads and squatted on the ground. Some even willingly threw out their mobile phones and other communication devices to reassure the attacker.
However, there are always exceptions. A few individuals, whose brains were clearly not functioning correctly, felt compelled to be heroic without understanding the situation.
And so, behind the man, an office worker squatted on the ground, looking up at the armed assailant, and slowly moved to close the distance.
After ensuring he hadn't been discovered, and after a brief period of intense thought, the office worker decisively acted, grabbing the man from behind and locking his arms upwards.
Seeing someone take the lead, another office worker nearby joined in the "overtime superhero" game and lunged forward to snatch the gun from the man's hand.
With their combined efforts, the man's gun was successfully taken away.
But before everyone could rejoice for long, the man who had gotten up from the ground decisively pulled open his jacket. He was covered in explosives, and a slight press of a button would cause an explosion, which, while not powerful enough to level the entire building, would be more than sufficient to kill everyone present.
Instantly, everyone fell silent.
The man let out a long breath, a sinister smile spreading across his face. He slowly walked over to the office worker who had disarmed him, and then delivered a powerful kick to his chest, sending him to the ground.
The man crouched in front of him, picked up the gun from the ground, and pressed it against the office worker's head, saying, "Still want to be a hero? I think you're quite brave."
"No, I don't, I won't dare again. I'll never dare again."
At the moment of life and death, the office worker chickened out, shaking his head frantically, fearing that a misfire would end his life.
Seeing this, the man laughed even harder, lightly tapping the office worker's face with the gun a few times. "Don't worry, I'm here to cause trouble for Tony Stark. I have no quarrel with you all. We're all in this predicament because of Tony Stark. I won't kill innocent people indiscriminately."
After hearing the man's words, the office worker quickly chimed in, "That's right, Tony Stark is a scoundrel, a ruthless killer, a disgusting vampire."
In the face of life and death, the office worker sold out his boss without any bottom line, spewing the most vile words he could think of.
"Very good, kid, I like you. As a reward, you'll soon gain your freedom."
"R-really?!"
The office worker was both surprised and delighted. He hadn't expected to leave so easily. In times of crisis, everyone looks out for themselves. As long as he could get out of this hellhole quickly and survive, the office worker no longer cared about anything else.
"Of course, I'm a man of my word. However, I need you to deliver a message to Tony once you get out. Tell him Emand Gur sends his regards, and also ask him if he's ever woken up from nightmares due to the blood debt he's incurred."
"O-okay, I I I will definitely deliver it."
Just as the office worker was overjoyed at his impending escape, he was called back by the man when he reached the doorway.
The man quickly stepped forward and gave the office worker a passionate hug, then removed a small pendant from himself and hung it around the office worker's neck.
"A... a bomb!"
What the man hung around the office worker's neck was nothing other than a remote-controlled bomb.
Before the other person could speak, the man put his finger to his lips and made a shushing gesture. "Of course I trust you, but I'm a bit of a suspicious person. Don't worry, this bomb will deactivate automatically once you've delivered my message completely. Of course, if you make any suspicious moves before then, boom! Believe me, you'll see your own brains."
"Alright, hurry up and go. Don't keep your family waiting outside."
Finally, the man didn't forget to pat the office worker on the shoulder and offer some words of comfort.
Although the office worker was internally panicking, his legs felt weak as he walked downstairs, almost stumbling. Many times, he wanted to rip off the bomb around his neck, throw it far away, and then flee this place of trouble without looking back. But he dared not. Every time he recalled the man's words, the office worker immediately lost the courage to remove the bomb and could only do as he was told.
As the man took over the thirty-first floor and controlled everyone on that level, the news quickly spread. Police, SWAT, medical personnel, and some all-pervasive reporters swarmed outside Stark Tower. Coupled with some curious onlookers, they completely surrounded the Stark Tower.
"Sheriff, can you explain the current situation?"
"Is it true that this hostage situation is a personal revenge against Tony Stark?"
"Some people say the perpetrator is an Afghan who has suffered from the ravages of war. Is this true?"
The police chief had just arrived by car when a group of reporters, eager for a spectacle, surrounded the chief and his vehicle with their cameras and microphones.
In the car, the chief frowned as he looked at the crowd of reporters outside the window. "This is why I dislike reporters. They have no sense of priority."
"Quickly contact Willie and have him move these reporters behind the safety line."
Detective Willie was originally in charge of this hostage situation. However, the circumstances were unusual. Not only was the number of hostages large, but it had also occurred in Stark Tower, forcing him, the chief, to come to the scene to oversee the operation.