RoleplayNovel Chapter 101 Fierce Battle
Chapter 101 Fierce Battle
Levi's pickup truck tires left two charred marks on the asphalt in downtown Gotham City. The acrid smell of burning rubber mixed with the damp smell of blood was blown into the car windows by the night wind.
He jerked the steering wheel, and the car came to a screeching halt, scraping against a fire hydrant on the side of the road.
The moment you open the car door, a piercing siren, a barrage of gunfire, and heart-wrenching screams, all accompanied by a wave of scorching heat, hit you, making your eardrums ache.
The glass curtain wall of the United Bank was shattered into pieces, and transparent glass shards mixed with dark red bloodstains were spread on the ground, crunching under the tires of passing police cars.
Several cold bodies lay at the bank's entrance, their blood flowing over the uneven pavement.
Blood flowed into the sewer manhole, creating small, crimson vortices on the black iron bars.
The yellow police tape was mostly torn off, lying limply between the police car and the lamppost.
Several police officers huddled behind a heavy police car, their guns pointed firmly at the bank entrance.
Their fingers were on the triggers, their knuckles turning white from the force, and they dared not even breathe heavily.
Gordon leaned against the door of a police car, his walkie-talkie deformed from his grip.
The black plastic shell was embedded in the lines of his palm, his voice was hoarse from shouting, and dried scabs covered the corners of his mouth.
Seeing Li Wei's pickup truck rushing towards him, he suddenly sat up straight, the fear in his eyes still lingering.
He staggered forward, knocking over the warning cones beside him.
"Thirteen people, all inside. They've already injured over a dozen passersby, and the hostages are trapped next to the vault in the center of the hall!"
Gordon's voice boomed, mingling with the gunshots in the background, and drifted intermittently into Levi's ears.
"Firefighters and ambulances are being kept outside; they can't get in at all!"
Following Gordon's gaze, Li Wei looked inside the bank, where thick black smoke billowed out of the broken windows.
The smoke twisted into bizarre shapes under Gotham's neon lights, and occasionally a flash of gunfire would emerge from the smoke, revealing the blurry outline of a red hood.
A series of loud crashes echoed as heavy objects collapsed, accompanied by the cracking sound of shattering glass.
Another piercing scream shattered the night sky, causing a stir among the surrounding crowd.
After being sternly stopped by the police officers, the group retreated back outside the police line, their faces filled with fear and curiosity.
A black figure suddenly landed on the edge of the rooftop of the bank next door; Batman's suit was still stained with blood and dust.
Several unhealed wounds oozed blood, staining the black cloth a deep brown.
The cloak, scorched by sparks, swayed in the wind, its edges stained with charred marks.
His fingertips hooked the grappling hook, the metal tip gleaming coldly, steadily aimed at the bank entrance.
His muscles were taut, and the lines of his shoulders and back were stretched like a fully drawn bow, clearly ready to charge in.
After discovering the bat, Li Wei contacted him using a communicator.
Levi, Gordon, and Batman stood beside the police car, looking at each other in silence.
The sound of explosions rang out again inside the bank, this time closer, as if coming from the direction of the vault.
The violent explosion rattled the glass display windows next to it, and shards of glass fell from the windowsill.
Gordon's face turned pale, and he raised his hand to wipe his face.
His palms were covered in a sticky liquid that he couldn't tell if it was sweat or blood, leaving a dirty trail on his cheek.
Li Wei's fingertips unconsciously rubbed against the phone in his pocket, the icy touch felt only by him.
My fingertips repeatedly rubbed against the edges of the panel, leaving shallow indentations.
His gaze swept over the bloodstains at the bank entrance, then fell on Batman's poised figure.
The fingers clenched tighter and tighter, the knuckles pressing against the palm, leaving deep marks.
He knew that these red-hooded bandits were not ordinary robbers; they were players like himself, earning reputation by creating killings.
Furthermore, because their lives in the real world are in the hands of others, they can only become puppets on strings.
But he couldn't utter a single word of these words. Gordon didn't understand the existence of the players, and Batman wouldn't believe in the threat from another world.
They assumed this was just another vicious criminal organization and only thought about how to wipe them all out.
Li Wei could only stand there, watching the chaos before him and listening to the screams around him.
The coldness at my fingertips gradually spread to my palms, and even my heart felt frozen.
"I'll go in."
Batman's voice broke the silence, his deep voice carrying a chill.
He raised his hand and aimed the hook gun at the metal railing on the second floor of the bank; the metal tip of the gun gleamed coldly.
"You guys hold them off from the front and draw their attention, while you lead your men to break in through the side and back doors. Focus on rescuing the hostages, and don't get bogged down in the fight."
Batman leaned forward slightly, his toes pointed, ready to take off at any moment.
Gordon quickly assigned personnel over the walkie-talkie, and the officers guarding the side and back doors responded immediately.
Footsteps sounded in disarray as officers crouched low and slowly approached the bank's side door, guns pointed at the lock.
Li Wei opened his mouth, wanting to call out to Batman, but couldn't find a suitable reason.
The mastermind behind it all isn't in the bank. Even if you do everything in your power to take down those thirteen Red Hoods, it won't be long before a new thirteen appear.
As long as the mastermind behind this remains, this endless killing will not stop.
The key point is that he has absolutely no way to deal with these fellow players.
Another explosion rang out inside the bank, this time more violent than the first.
A muffled thud came from the direction of the vault, and thick smoke mixed with flames poured out of the bank's floor-to-ceiling windows, reddening half of the surrounding night sky.
Batman's hook gun was ready to fire; with a slight flick of his finger, he was about to pull the trigger.
Just then, Li Wei's phone vibrated in his pocket.
The faint vibration was almost masked by the noise, but Li Wei caught it instantly, as if he had grasped a lifeline.
He reached out and pulled out his phone; the screen's brightness was particularly glaring in the night.
A text message from an unknown number popped up on the screen. There was no signature and no extra words.
There was only one short line of white text, which stood out clearly on the black screen.
"Abandoned docks on the outskirts of the city, Warehouse No. 3."
Li Wei's fingers paused on the screen, his fingertips touching the cold glass, his fingertips trembling slightly.
He stood there stunned for a moment, his eyebrows twitching involuntarily.
His pupils contracted slightly, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
My fingers traced the words on the screen repeatedly, making sure each word was clear and accurate.
It was Marcus; he recognized the sender immediately.
The player he turned to the other side, the man filled with despair in the jewelry store.
Li Wei's breathing quickened a beat, and his chest rose and fell slightly.
The fingers that were clenched tightly slowly loosened, only to clench again very quickly.
The edge of the phone dug into his palm, causing a slight pain, but it kept him perfectly alert.
He had assumed that Marcus's compromise was temporary and that he would continue to obey Gao Le and He Mang due to the threats of the real world.
I never expected that what I said in the jewelry store office that day would actually have an effect.
Marcus dared to act in the bank, right in front of the other players.
Risking being discovered and facing certain death, he picked up a passerby's phone to send himself a message.
This courage exceeded Li Wei's expectations.
Overwhelmed with joy, Li Wei's lips curled up almost imperceptibly.
The melancholy in his eyes vanished instantly, as if a ray of light had suddenly pierced through the darkness, finally allowing him to find the key to breaking the deadlock.
Gao Le and He Mang, the two behind-the-scenes players who controlled everything, have finally had their positions exposed.
Li Wei raised his hand, strode forward, and grabbed Batman's wrist, causing Batman to freeze instantly.
She turned to look at him, her eyes filled with confusion, her brows furrowed tightly, clearly not understanding why Li Wei had suddenly stopped her.
Gordon also stopped setting up and turned to look at Levi, his eyes filled with confusion and a hint of anxiety.
The gunfire continued inside the bank; every second that was wasted increased the danger to the hostages.
Li Wei gripped his phone and held the screen close to the two of them.
His fingertip tapped the address on the screen, his voice carrying a barely perceptible certainty and an barely suppressed excitement.
"Buddy, don't rush in yet."
He gestured for Batman to look at his phone, his finger repeatedly tapping the words "Abandoned Docks in the Suburbs, Warehouse No. 3," before slowly speaking.
"The people behind the scenes aren't here; they're in Warehouse No. 3 at the abandoned dock on the outskirts of the city."
Those two are the real controllers of the Red Hood; eliminating them is the fundamental solution.
Batman's gaze fell on the text message, and his brows furrowed even more.
His fingers swiped across the screen, the cool glass brushing against his fingertips, and the doubt in his eyes deepened.
"How do you know? Who sent this text message? Is the information reliable?"
Three questions came in quick succession to Li Wei’s ears.
He looked up into Batman's eyes, his gaze firm and unwavering.
"No matter who posted it, trust me, buddy, this is the only chance to get this over with."
Once these two are eliminated, these red-hooded people will be like headless flies, unable to cause any trouble.
"Leave these people in the bank to me and Gordon. You go to the docks right now, don't let them escape, or it'll be too late."
Gordon leaned over to look at the text message, and his lips moved.
He wanted to say something, but ultimately didn't.
He knew that Li Wei had been hiding something all this time and had his own secrets.
However, they also knew that Li Wei would never joke about human lives, much less deceive them with false information at such a critical moment.
Batman stared at the text message for a few seconds, then looked at the thick smoke and flames billowing from the bank.
Hearing the intermittent gunshots and screams inside, he remained silent for a moment, the hesitation in his eyes gradually fading, and finally he slowly nodded.
He retracted the hook gun, flipped his wrist, and precisely hooked it onto the eaves of the office building next to him.
The metal gun tip made a crisp sound the moment it hit the wall.
A powerful force lifted his body into the air, his black cloak billowing in the night wind.
Like a black eagle spreading its wings, it soars across the neon-lit night sky of Gotham.
His voice came from mid-air, carried by the wind to Li Wei's ears.
"Be careful, contact me immediately if anything happens, and always put your safety first."
Before he finished speaking, Batman's figure had already disappeared into the night.
He sped off towards the outskirts of the city, leaving only a faint black afterimage before being swallowed up by the dark night.
Watching Batman disappear completely, Levi turned to look at Gordon and put his phone back in his pocket.
He pointed to the side door of the bank, speaking very quickly and firmly.
"Hey buddy, get the men in. We'll split into three groups."
They launched a feint attack from the front, using a loudspeaker to attract their attention.
The remaining two groups of people broke in through the side and back doors, with SWAT officers in front and police officers behind.
The priority is to rescue the hostages, and try to keep them alive as much as possible. However, if they resist, kill them without hesitation; do not give them the opportunity to harm the hostages.
Gordon nodded immediately and quickly issued instructions into the walkie-talkie.
He shouted at the top of his lungs, drowning out the surrounding noise.
"The frontal squad is preparing a feint attack; open fire immediately to draw attention."
"Squads at the side and back doors, listen to my command: three, two, one, charge!"
A unified response came through the walkie-talkie, and the officers who were originally guarding the side and back doors immediately took action.
They moved quietly, pointing their guns at the doorway.
Several SWAT officers pulled out crowbars and smashed them hard against the side door lock of the bank, making a loud "bang".
The police officer in front raised a megaphone and shouted into the bank, his voice echoing through the night sky.
"Listen up, you people inside, you are surrounded."
Lay down your weapons, release the hostages, and we still have room to maneuver!
However, no sooner had they finished speaking than they were met with a burst of gunfire, followed by the terrified screams of the hostages.
Li Wei took a submachine gun from a SWAT officer and checked the magazine.
The cool metallic touch from his fingertips completely calmed him down.
The turbulent emotions gradually subsided, leaving only extreme focus.
He pulled back the bolt, making a crisp sound.
His gaze was fixed on the side door of the bank. The gunfire inside the bank stopped for a few seconds, clearly the red-hooded man inside had been distracted by the shouts outside.
Right now.
"Charge!" Gordon shouted, his voice filled with ruthlessness.
The officers facing the bank opened fire first, and bullets rained down on the bank's walls.
Bullets splattered countless fragments, leaving bullet holes in the wall.
Li Wei and several special police officers rushed in through the side door under the cover of gunfire.
The lock on the side door had been broken with a crowbar. The moment the door was pushed open, a strong smell of gunpowder and blood hit the door.
The smell was so strong it made his throat tighten, and Li Wei couldn't help but want to cough.
The bank lobby was a mess, with overturned tables, chairs, and safes blocking the way.
The shards of glass and scattered banknotes crunched underfoot.
More than a dozen hostages were tied to pillars next to the vault in the center of the hall, their mouths gagged with rags, making muffled noises.
Their eyes were filled with fear, and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
Thirteen people in red hoods were scattered in various corners of the hall, using overturned tables and chairs as cover.
Hearing the commotion, these guys immediately turned and opened fire in the direction of Li Wei and his group.
The bullets grazed past Li Wei's ear and struck the wall behind him, leaving deep black bullet holes, and shards of bullets splattered all over Li Wei.
Li Wei quickly hid behind the overturned marble countertop and raised his hand to retaliate.
The gun was aimed at a red-hooded man who was pointing his gun at the hostages. The finger pulled the trigger, and the bullet hit the man's arm precisely.
The man in the red hood let out a muffled groan and staggered backward.
The red hood fell to the ground, revealing a young face with eyes full of madness.
He wanted to fight back but because of his injured arm, he could no longer lift the gun and could only cover his wound and roar.
The man in the red hood immediately stepped in, aiming his gun at Li Wei.
Li Wei suddenly turned to the side and hid behind another marble pillar.
With his back pressed against the cold stone surface, he could clearly feel the vibrations of the bullets hitting the pillar, and stone chips fell onto his shoulders.