Chapter 1788 - 920: Miracle and Catastrophe

In the media reports, the fire at East City Bank burned for a full half-hour…

Half an hour later, the delayed fire brigade finally arrived to extinguish the flames.

Under the high-resolution capture of countless cameras, in the magnified images, the entire bank was already completely charred, on the verge of collapse, groaning with sorrow as the temperature suddenly dropped.

Amid the water hose flushing, contaminated water flowed, cascading down the steps, staining most of the plaza with a heart-wrenching black.

Under the witness of the camera lens, a remnant wall collapsed with a chillingly loud crash.

The East City landmark that stood on the plaza just hours ago is now in such a tragic state, leaving countless people watching the screen filled with sorrow.

On the other hand, with the rupture of the Earth Veins supply, two Kunwu Locks finally completely overloaded and self-destructed, the final barrier thoroughly broken…

But when the fully prepared members of the Security Bureau rushed into the vault, it was too late to salvage anything.

The faces of all the official personnel on the scene were ashen and gloomy, and the ambulances racing to the scene were queued outside the blockade but were of no use.

Amid the chaos, bad news continuously poured in.

Just as all the reporters and audiences began mourning for the victims, an onsite reporter was stunned by a piece of news received.

In front of the camera, the reporter was lost in a daze for over ten seconds, stumbling over words, nearly causing a live broadcast accident!

The studio host hadn't even found an excuse to cut the shot when a voice burst out in a near-breaking scream.

"A miracle, it's simply a miracle!"

The reporter shouted, almost dancing with excitement: "We've just received reliable inside information, during the robbery, all the bank's staff and hostages, miraculously survived!

Wow—oh, it's simply unbelievable, everyone is still alive… they're coming out, they're all coming out… everyone look!!!"

Captured under the lens of the live broadcast, the interior of the bank, still warm from the fire, was swarming with people.

Quickly, amidst the stretchers, victims in handcuffs were carried out, monitored and escorted by the Security Bureau members, from the charred ruins one by one…

Soon, more detailed information was dug out by the media.

According to the first batch of firefighters who rushed in, all the hostages were hidden in a second underground storage vault, where they had a sufficient oxygen supply and weren't harmed by the fire.

In this robbery that shocked the Federation, incredibly, none of the hostages were harmed!

But accompanying this miracle was an undeniable nightmare.

Because apart from them, there was not a single living soul left in the bank.

Similarly, the vault was empty…

All the robbers and the gold inside the vault, had completely vanished without a trace!

"Chase!"

Three minutes ago, in the empty bank vault, Yu Yinglong looked down at the gaping black hole beneath his feet, feeling dizzy and almost unable to stand:

"Chase them down for me! I refuse to believe they can escape East City!!!"

Immediately, almost hitting the pressure limit, the second division members of the Security Bureau leapt one after the other, disregarding whatever traps or mechanisms lay hidden in the tunnel, charging forward recklessly!

In the dead silent darkness of the cave, a cold wind blew, brushing against Yu Yinglong's face, making him shiver involuntarily, temporarily clearing his mind from the anger.

"Something's wrong…"

He suddenly turned around, his bloodshot eyes looking behind him: "Where are the hostages?!"

"Everyone who has been inside the bank, keep them under strict watch for me, re-verify their identities, and interrogate them one by one!"

He issued the command to everyone, almost hoarse from shouting: "Until confirmed, no one is allowed to leave, if not found, lock them up until next year!"

Under an unprecedented severity, the entire East City operated like a machine with a loud roar.

In less than a minute, under on-site identification, breakthrough news came immediately — among the survivors on site, from bank employees and hostages during the incident, the identities of seven unconscious ones did not match at all!

Seven!

Exactly the number of robbers initially estimated through ether observation, despite layers of contamination!

Yu Yinglong stood in a daze for a long time, his ashen face turning red again, almost unable to suppress his excitement and agitation.

"Someone, get me the Heart Core! Get the Heart Core here immediately!"

He rolled up his sleeves, excitedly rushing towards the prison van on the scene, "I'll interrogate them myself!"

Quickly, within the official zone of the East City Bureau's dungeon, seven suspects, sedated and rendered incapable of resistance, were awakened.

Shackled by Absolute Spirit Shackles and even donning the Ring of Truth, the six suspects faced the most rigorous interrogation.

Even attempts to hide or clear signs of passive resistance were completely pointless.

Then, once again, Yu Yinglong fell into despair.

"They're all ordinary people…"

Repeatedly examined by the Heart Core numerous times on site, even digging out the suspects' childhood memories of sneaking into pool changing rooms.

Meanwhile, ether comparison records, East City Police examination of blood types and fingerprints…

Ultimately, the desperate confirmation—

These six people are completely ordinary, and indeed, they are innocent people victimized during the robbery!

"They had exchanged clothes and name tags with each other, suffered brain impacts, imposed with shallow suggestions, temporarily forgetting their own original identities.

As a result, logic and speech became disordered... I fear it was left intentionally, to attract our attention."

Heart Core sighed, "Everything has been thoroughly checked from the inside out, and indeed the innocent are not the problem; even for the Heavenly People, there is no need to disguise to such an extent..."

The Security Bureau's current actions are nothing more than wasting time!

Even, at this critical juncture, they are wasting valuable manpower on such matters...

Yu Yinglong could no longer restrain himself, kicked open the interrogation room door, grabbed the trembling employee, and shouted angrily: "If you are innocent, why are you afraid!

What are you hiding! Believe me, with just one word I can make you rot in prison!"

Immediately, the hostage who had already collapsed could no longer hold back and burst into tears.

"They, they said, if we cooperate with them, they can recognize work injuries and extend rest periods... I, I was forced to... I really have no way out, please, I beg you..."

"..."

In the silence, Yu Yinglong dumbfoundedly watched the victim sobbing before him, unable to utter another word.

The intercom reported updates from the pursuit team,

turned into the last straw that broke the camel's back.

After breaking through layer after layer of traps and mechanisms, even forcibly digging through the collapsed parts with their own hands, the East City Security Bureau finally found the tunnel's exit...

A place no one had anticipated.

The East City Second Drinking Water Reserve!

The exact location was right beneath the altar where a pig's head had once been placed!

Surprise, isn't it?

Surprise!!!

Which means, if the East City Security Bureau had been a bit more cautious, a bit more careful at the time, if they had just spent a little more time to dig down another meter or two, no, just one meter, it would have been enough to block the gang's escape route...

However, they did not.

Thus, unknowingly and narrowly missed the gang, almost stepping in each other's footprints.

When they gathered all their manpower outside the East City Bank, while their attention was elsewhere, the gang had already calmly escaped with the gold.

With that, no trace could be found.

Even though the Security Bureau and the police exerted all their strength and turned the entire East City inside and out multiple times, they still couldn't find a single clue.

Vanished into thin air!

Until, five hours later, approaching dusk, it was confirmed that the situation in East City was irretrievable in locating the gang, external aid was called in.

Central City, the current family head of the Heavenly Eye Chou Family, Old Mrs. Chou's second son, Chou Zong was transported to East City.

Time was precious, with no delays or pleasantries.

Heavenly Eyes All-Encompassing!

The divine light emitted from the Heavenly Eye on his forehead swept across the bank, dispelling all pollution and hidden traces, revealing all the clues unmistakably.

With just one glance, it was confirmed...

"Played thoroughly."

Chou Zong sighed, withdrawing his gaze from the ground in front of the tunnel: "Through the tunnel, only your Security Bureau personnel had traveled; the gang and the gold did not leave through this route.

Mr. Yu, the direction was entirely wrong!"

Instantly, Yu Yinglong, who had already been predetermined to face charges and suspension, could no longer muster any emotional response.

Only a dead silence of numbness.

Upon hearing, he could only let out a bitter laugh, devoid of anger or sorrow, and, in exhaustion, plead internally to know the final truth.

"Where did the people really go?"

"I am searching..."

Chou Zong closed his eyes, and from his forehead, the Heavenly Eye emitted a brilliant light, seemingly piercing through the veil of time and the interference of countless distortions, beginning to trace their footsteps, gazing at the settling dust.

A silent sigh.

Turning to look at the dazed Yu Yinglong, he could no longer bear to reveal the truth.

The answer was his initial suspicion...

The gang hid among the hostages!

More precisely, among those hostages whose identities appeared completely legitimate... Seven in total, all wearing special forces uniforms and armed, mingled within the crowd, personally escorted out by the Security Bureau.

In the initial screening, when those seven innocent individuals had attracted all the attention, they were naturally postponed for interrogation, having undergone only preliminary questioning and superficial inspection by Heart Core before being temporarily detained.

When all of the East City Security Bureau's efforts were entangled by that tunnel, leaving no room to consider anything else, they were sent to the prison hospital for preliminary medical treatment and tight confinement due to injury...

Most crucially, their identities had already been entered into the East City Bureau's archives long before they donned the special forces uniforms, no, even before entering the bank!

Absolutely no need for suspicion—authorities from within!

After all, who would suspect that special forces rushing into a bank under everyone's gaze to save East City's assets were actually the gang?