"This will work?"
Zhuang Rui and Peng Fei exchanged a glance. Women's bodies are much more practical than men's. But then again, it seems that even people like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone can fit a phone between their pectoral muscles.
"Brother Zhuang, take the magazine out of the gun, leave the gun here..."
Peng Fei glanced at Zhuang Rui. His appearance was truly shocking. Covered in blood and carrying a submachine gun, he would probably be mistaken for a robber by the guests on the 31st floor.
Zhuang Rui listened to Peng Fei's words and threw the submachine gun into the emergency exit. Then he took off his suit. Although there were still some bloodstains on his white shirt, they were no longer so conspicuous. The three of them walked towards the hotel elevator. Although it was safe here, it seemed better to leave. Who knew if those robbers would be so ruthless as to blow up the entire hotel?
"The elevator won't go any further..."
Upon arriving at the elevators on the 31st floor, the group discovered that the indicator lights on the eight elevators that could be used simultaneously were off. More than twenty guests who were about to go downstairs were making a fuss there, each holding their phones and doing nothing of substance. The shaking that had just resembled an earthquake had left them all with worried expressions.
Perhaps the hijackers had just removed the signal jamming, because Paris, who had been dialing 911, suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "It's through! I got through! Is this the LAPD? We've been hijacked! The damn Hilton Hotel has been taken hostage by the robbers..."
If Paris Hilton were to choose the most unsafe hotels in the world right now, she would undoubtedly put her own family's hotels first, even if it meant betraying her own family.
"What? Kidnapping? What happened?"
"Oh my god, could it be a terrorist attack? What happened?"
"Damn it, I need to go downstairs..."
Paris's emergency call caused panic among the people guarding the elevator. Although eight years had passed since 9/11, the scene would never be forgotten by Americans. Seven or eight people immediately ran towards the emergency exit.
Chapter 1063 Horrific Incident (Part 5)
"Fuck, the stairs have been blown up..."
"Oh my god, could it really be 9/11?"
"Hurry, run up there, get to the rooftop..."
Four or five minutes later, those who had entered the emergency exit ran back in a panic. These people staying at the Hilton Hotel are usually business elites or successful people in certain fields, but when faced with the threat of death, they are not necessarily much stronger than ordinary people.
Perhaps because phone calls could now be made, almost everyone was holding a phone. Some were angrily dialing 911, while others were calling family and friends. This scene wasn't limited to Zhuang Rui's floor; it was happening on almost every floor of the Hilton Hotel.
Paris's call to the police took a long time. The other party asked many detailed questions. Paris was no stranger to dealing with the police and explained what had just happened.
"Miss Paris, have the police arrived?"
When Zhuang Rui saw Paris put down her phone, he quickly pulled her away from the elevator. The area had become a place where people vented their emotions, and it was so noisy that it was impossible to have a conversation.
"They didn't say..."
Paris shrugged, but then her gaze immediately turned to what was behind Zhuang Rui, her face filled with disbelief. She opened her mouth wide and said, "My God, when did the police become so efficient?"
Zhuang Rui turned around and a strong beam of light shone on his face. He squinted slightly and saw a helicopter circling outside the hotel. Because of the hotel's soundproof glass, he did not hear the helicopter's roar.
"Damn it, does the US government want to kill everyone?"
Unlike Paris's delighted expression, Zhuang Rui immediately cursed. The robbers in the hotel were no innocent victims. Judging from their equipment, these were not petty thugs who would wield large knives on the street.
When lives are threatened, those robbers will definitely take everyone with them. Zhuang Rui has no connection with those super-rich people, but Huangfu Yun is still inside.
"We're here, please help us..."
"Smash this damn glass..."
Upon seeing the helicopter, the panicked people reacted as if they were drowning people grasping at a straw. Immediately, two or three people lifted the flowerpots from the hotel's evergreen trees and smashed them against the hotel's windows. As a cold wind blew in, the roar of the helicopter also reached their ears.
It wasn't just Zhuang Rui's floor that was experiencing this; it was happening on almost every floor. If we hadn't received confirmation, people would probably have already started jumping off buildings. You know, during the 9/11 attacks, the number of people who died jumping off buildings was even greater than the number who died directly from plane crashes.
Suddenly, a voice came from a loudspeaker inside the helicopter: "Everyone, don't panic. This is just an anti-terrorism drill. Please return to your rooms. I reiterate, this is just an anti-terrorism drill. Please return to your rooms to avoid accidental injury..."
The police had sensed something was amiss long before Paris called the police and had secretly surrounded the Hilton Hotel. However, they did not know the exact situation inside until they received Paris's call and learned that the wealthy people in the building, who owned more than 50 percent of the world's wealth, had been kidnapped by terrorists.
Given the capabilities of the Los Angeles Police Department, it was simply impossible to handle such a major case. With the current Governor of California also involved, the police dared not act rashly and immediately reported the news. The helicopter that arrived was actually a Navy SEAL team that was training near Los Angeles.
Professionals from the FBI and NSA, stationed in Los Angeles, have made contact with the kidnappers. Due to the critical importance of the hostages, they have no room for negotiation at this point.
"Damn it, are they going to shut down the elevators and blow up the stairwells for a drill?"
"I'm going to file a complaint against you bastards, I'll sue you guys who waste taxpayers' money..."
"Stop arguing, let's go back to our room. If we get accidentally hurt, we'll have nowhere to complain..."
After hearing the police warning, the people gathered on the floor were somewhat skeptical, but they felt a little relieved. After grumbling for a while, they went back to their rooms.
"Brother Zhuang, it should be safe now. Let's go back to the 28th floor and rest for a bit..."
Peng Fei finally breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't very good at urban counter-terrorism, and he didn't think he had the potential to be a lone hero and wipe out the robbers on the 18th floor in one fell swoop. In Peng Fei's mind, Zhuang Rui's safety was the most important thing.
“Alright, Miss Paris, please make yourself at home. This is your family's hotel; you don't need to follow us anymore…”
Zhuang Rui nodded, then frowned as he looked at Paris. He wondered if he should thank this American girl; if it weren't for her prank, he would probably be one of the hostages now.
"Oh, no, I think... I'll stay with you until I see the police..."
Paris shook her head. Although the girl liked excitement, after witnessing Peng Fei and Zhuang Rui's skills, she knew that staying by their side was the wisest choice.
"casual……"
Zhuang Rui said nonchalantly, then he and Peng Fei returned to the emergency exit and went back to the 28th floor. Fortunately, the people on this floor didn't have any counter-terrorism knowledge and didn't block the emergency exit. Of course, after Zhuang Rui and the others entered the floor, they immediately sealed the emergency exit.
Back in her presidential suite, Paris received another call from the police. The officers not only spoke with Paris but also questioned Zhuang Rui in detail, ultimately instructing them to keep their phones on at all times and stay in their rooms awaiting rescue.
"Peng Fei, is Brother Huangfu alright?"
Since gaining spiritual power in his eyes, this is the second time Zhuang Rui has felt helpless. The first time was in the vast ocean and on that deserted island. This time, even though he is in the world's most prosperous metropolis, Zhuang Rui still cannot change anything with his magical eyes.
Zhuang Rui had always believed that his eyes could change the world, but the current situation left him feeling somewhat bewildered. Only now did he realize that he was merely better than ordinary people in certain specific areas, but not omnipotent.
"Brother Huangfu should be fine. He has no money, those robbers won't do anything to him..."
Peng Fei's words lacked confidence. After thinking for a moment, he continued, "Brother Zhuang, how about... I go down and take a look?"
"No, you should stay here quietly. Remember, you're just a tourist right now. Professional matters should be handled by professionals..."
Zhuang Rui shook his head. Huangfu Yun and Peng Fei were both very important to him. He wouldn't put the other in danger for the sake of one of them. It seemed that waiting was the only way.
"Brother, this is Xiao Rui. I've run into some trouble in the US again. I've been kidnapped by thugs at the Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles..."
After thinking for a moment, Zhuang Rui borrowed Paris's phone and dialed Ouyang Lei's number. However, after only a few words, there was a sudden static sound on the phone, followed by a dial tone, which surprised Zhuang Rui. Could it be that American wireless carriers are not as good as Chinese carriers?
Just as Zhuang Rui was about to dial again, his phone rang. Without thinking much, he answered. "Mr. Zhuang, this is Emerson from the National Security Agency. I know who you are, but this incident is a national secret involving U.S. national security. I hope you will not spread it. We will hold a press conference after this is over..."
After receiving a nonsensical phone call and being warned, Zhuang Rui was stunned for a long time before he realized, "So my phone was being tapped? Is this what they call wiretapping?"
Zhuang Rui couldn't help but smile wryly. He tried dialing Ouyang Lei's number again, only to find that not only international calls, but even 911 couldn't be dialed. He guessed that the signal had been blocked by the US government. He could only return the phone to Paris with a sigh.
However, Zhuang Rui's phone call did have some effect. Although Ouyang Lei didn't get much information, the matter was made clear. He immediately contacted the Chinese Embassy in the United States and demanded that the US government properly resolve this terrorist incident and ensure the safety of the hostages.
There are no secrets in this world. After the Chinese Embassy in the United States issued a note to the US, many countries simultaneously engaged in negotiations with the US. Some national television stations even reported on the incident in their impromptu news broadcasts, describing it as a second 9/11 in the United States.
The US, which has always liked to meddle in other countries' internal affairs and comment on other countries' news, is in a very passive position this time. Its foreign ministry is busy and overwhelmed. Of course, the US, which has always touted itself as free and open, naturally denied the shocking robbery and started a war of words with the embassies and consulates of various countries in the US.
But just as Zhuang Rui made the call, the US president convened an emergency teleconference with the Secretary of State, who was on vacation abroad, and several other political figures. The content of the meeting was classified as a top-secret national secret and remained unknown to outsiders. ...
The television in the room had no signal. As time passed, it quickly became past midnight. Zhuang Rui and the others, who had been watching outside, noticed two helicopters leaving from the rooftop.
"Ding-dong, ding-dong..."
About half an hour later, the doorbell of the presidential suite where Zhuang Rui was located suddenly rang.
Chapter 1064 Calming
"Wait a moment……"
When Peng Fei saw Zhuang Rui stand up to open the door, he quickly stopped him, took a side step to the door, pressed his body against the wall, took a deep breath, and then peeked through the peephole in the door with lightning speed.
"Brother Zhuang, it's an American police officer. I'm about to open the door..."
Peng Fei first took out the pistol with a silencer from his waist and carefully placed it two or three meters in front of him. Then he gestured to Zhuang Rui, indicating that he should not hold the submachine gun, as it could easily cause a misunderstanding.
"We are from the FBI, Ms. Paris, please open the door..."
After waiting for a while, the person outside the door grew a little impatient. Just as he finished speaking, the tightly closed door suddenly opened, which startled the detective in police uniform. However, the counter-terrorism team members guarding the door reacted quickly and rushed into the room.
"Squat down, everyone squat down for inspection, please cooperate with our work..."
More than a dozen fully armed men, wearing hoods like those often seen in Counter-Strike, immediately pointed their dark gun barrels at the three people inside the room. Peng Fei readily squatted down by the door, while Paris was a little slower to react and was pinned down on the sofa by a burly man.
Zhuang Rui was clever. When Peng Fei turned around and winked at him, he threw the submachine gun in his hand onto the carpet. Sure enough, the soldiers who came in saw the submachine gun immediately and pointed it at Zhuang Rui, who was sitting on the sofa, as if facing a formidable enemy.
"Calm down, I don't have a weapon..."
Zhuang Rui raised his hands. He knew that although the United States claimed to uphold human rights, police shootings of civilians were not uncommon, especially since many police forces had strong discrimination against people of color.
Last year, a white police officer in New York shot and killed a black man, which caused a great uproar. So Zhuang Rui cooperated by squatting down and raising his hands. He couldn't be a fool here.
Paris, who was pinned to the sofa, struggled and cried out, "Damn it, we're not robbers! Let me go! Let me go!"
After a night of fear and being treated this way, Paris's spoiled temper flared up. Unlike ordinary people in China who have an innate fear of the police, wealthy Americans are least afraid of government officials, and their most common saying is "You're wasting our taxpayers' money." However, this time it wasn't just the police who came in, but also fully armed soldiers. They didn't care how much tax Paris paid in a year. Although they released Paris, the cold muzzles of their guns remained pointed at her.
After several people used instruments to check Zhuang Rui and the others, as well as the room, the leading federal agent finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Alright, gentlemen, Miss Paris, I'm so sorry, you can sit down now..."
"Officer, I'd like to know... how exactly was this resolved? Also, I have a friend who was in the banquet hall on the 18th floor. Where is he now?"
Zhuang Rui was unaware that the reason he was still able to sit here peacefully instead of being taken to the police station was mainly because the Chinese Embassy in the United States had immediately made representations to the US side. Moreover, the people who came this time included not only US federal agents, but also personnel from the National Security Agency and the diplomatic corps.
“Mr. Zhuang, my name is Virgil. Your friend is safe, but you can't see him yet because we need to take a statement first…”
The leading federal agent introduced himself, but he did not mention his position as the deputy director of the FBI. As a powerful figure within the FBI, Zhuang Rui would not have needed the director to personally give a statement if not for his special status.
This situation is extremely troublesome. Suppressing public opinion is no longer an option, so they need to focus on the kidnapped individuals to minimize the impact of this incident.
"Mr. Zhuang, you and Peng shot two thugs dead, right? Please tell us the details of what happened..."
Virgil turned on the electronic pen, and at the same time someone turned on the camera. Peng Fei and Paris were also taken to another room to give their statements.
Zhuang Rui didn't hide anything and told the whole story. He wasn't afraid that the US government would accuse him of any crime. After all, there is self-defense in China. You can't just sit there and not fight back when someone points a gun at you in the US, can you?
Virgil asked very detailed questions, even making Zhuang Rui recall how many punches he had thrown at the man. This made Zhuang Rui glad that he hadn't used his spiritual energy to heal the wounds on his hands, otherwise the relevant departments would definitely have suspected him.
About half an hour later, after taking Zhuang Rui's written statement, Virgil stood up and said, "Alright, Mr. Zhuang, thank you for your cooperation. I'm sorry, you'll need to stay here for the time being..."
"I'm sorry, I need to see my friend, I need to leave the United States, my safety is not guaranteed here..."
Zhuang Rui protested, saying that being stuck here and unable to leave was practically house arrest. He worried that the Americans might try to cover up the truth and then kill him, making him even more wronged than Dou E. Thinking of this, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but shudder.