Zhou Ziwei rolled his eyes, somewhat speechless. These kids... their imaginations are really rich... The Terminator... does he look like a robot? Hmm... this kid must be a fan of Governor Arnold.
Zhou Ziwei had tried his best to find a place with fewer people, but... the population density in this coastal city was just too high. There were even homeless people living in the sewers. Where could Zhou Ziwei hide?
Fortunately, Zhou Ziwei still possessed powerful hypnotic abilities; otherwise, for his own safety, he might have truly gone mad and killed all the children to silence them…
He thoroughly cleansed the minds of the children in the corner, making them completely forget what had just happened. Then, after letting them stand there in a daze for a while, Zhou Ziwei immediately rushed to the street and hijacked a passing bus... There was no other way; there were just too many people. Including Zhou Ziwei, their group totaled twenty people, and a small bus definitely wouldn't be able to fit them all.
Zhou Ziwei hijacked the bus and drove it into the alley. Then, as usual, he ruthlessly erased part of the unfortunate bus driver's memory and made him temporarily forget that he was a bus driver. Even when the dilapidated bus he had seen for half his life was parked right in front of him, he had no reaction.
Although Zhou Ziwei knew that the chances of making the bigwigs in charge of the operation in the United States believe that they had all been killed in the bombing along with the crashed plane were slim, and even if they did believe it in their hearts, they probably wouldn't give up easily.
After all, they had previously deployed countless aircraft to create a massive encirclement to surround him, so they wouldn't give up so easily.
It's estimated that this city will soon become a prison, and a citywide curfew is inevitable. The only question is whether Zhou Ziwei and his group can escape before then.
After leaving the city, he was only about 200 kilometers away from the border. Zhou Ziwei believed that as long as he got to the seaside and into the water, he would have nothing to fear, even if the Americans sent an aircraft carrier or something to hunt him down.
For Zhou Ziwei, the underwater world was much safer than the land. Of course, the underground world could also allow him to temporarily escape the enemy's pursuit. However, he found that he was carrying too many burdens this time. Good heavens, in addition to himself, there were a total of nineteen people he needed to take care of. This was a huge burden. If he went underground, he probably wouldn't be able to hold on for long before he had to return to the surface to breathe.
But this place is fraught with danger, and every time you ascend to the ground, you'll likely risk your life.
Volume 3, King of the City, Chapter 556: Flying Car
Going underground was indeed a safer method, but it was too much of a burden for Zhou Ziwei, so he decided to take these people away in a bus for a while first.
He was well aware that it was impossible to just ride a bus to the beach, but... he'd hold out for as long as he could! He'd only consider burrowing underground when all else failed.
A series of rapid rumbling sounds descended from the sky as several helicopters flew over the city and quickly landed at the site of the transport plane crash.
Zhou Ziwei looked up at the two helicopters descending from the sky, a faint smile appearing on his lips. He then closed the car door, waved to an agent who had taken the driver's seat, and said, "Quick... drive, let's get out of here and head towards the sea!"
"Alright—" The agent still couldn't understand how all of them had managed to escape unharmed when the plane crashed.
He only remembered that his head went "buzz" and he passed out the instant the plane was about to crash into the building. He clearly remembered that he didn't seem to be injured at the time, so why did he pass out before the plane even hit the building? Was it because he was scared...?
The poor agent felt extremely ashamed that he had fainted from fright in that situation. However, he found that his three other companions seemed to have the same problem, which made him a little suspicious. But... despite his many questions, he didn't dare to ask Zhou Ziwei.
Moreover, at this moment, he didn't have time to consider so many issues. He immediately stepped on the gas pedal, quickly started the bus, drove out of the secluded alley, and then merged into the rumbling traffic on the road.
The entire C3 district of the city was in complete chaos. A 56-story police station building was struck in the middle by a small transport plane, resulting in a horrific explosion. Many people inside the police station died instantly, and subsequently, debris from many buildings and the plane fell from the sky, killing and injuring some ordinary passersby.
This shocking scene easily evoked memories of the horrific events that shocked the world ten years ago, naturally causing widespread panic. Ten years ago, the World Trade Center was struck by two planes one after the other before collapsing.
Now this police station has also been hit by a plane, and... countless planes are flying overhead like locusts. If all the planes in the sky were to fall, this city would probably be razed to the ground in an instant!
In the atmosphere of fear and unease, people became increasingly bewildered. Many did not know what they were doing, and those driving kept stepping on the gas pedal, wanting only to get away from here as quickly as possible. In particular, no one dared to approach any taller skyscrapers, as those buildings seemed likely to become targets for terrorist attacks. Pedestrians on the street seemed to be screaming unconsciously as if they had gone mad, running around the streets like headless flies.
Chaos—the whole city was in chaos, as if the end of the world was about to come.
Seeing the chaos on the street, Zhou Ziwei could only sigh helplessly. He knew that his decision would inevitably result in the deaths of some innocent people, but at the time it was the only and best way to solve the problem. Although some sacrifices were unavoidable, Zhou Ziwei did not want his compatriots to be harmed, so he had no choice but to sacrifice these American citizens. There was no other way... The American military was tracking them like madmen, and they actually dispatched thousands of planes to surround them at once.
Good heavens, I can't just sit there and wait for you guys to catch me, so I guess I'll just have to...
To those innocent friends from the US who died in this incident, if you know anything from beyond the grave... please don't forget that if you want to settle scores, go find your own military leaders... However... it seems you no longer have the chance for revenge. I'm going to mercifully send you on your way.
Through the bus window, Zhou Ziwei vaguely saw transparent phantoms rising into the air, then struggling painfully under the scorching sunlight. He couldn't help but feel compassion. In a flash, he silently recited the six-syllable mantra, instantly purifying and absorbing all the souls in the city that were on the verge of collapse.
To be honest... the soul power that could be generated from just a few dozen ordinary people's souls, especially those souls that had become somewhat damaged under the sunlight, was really negligible. Zhou Ziwei didn't even consider them worth his attention. Therefore, when he recited the Six-Syllable Mantra this time, he didn't intend to possess the soul energy of these people at all. He simply wanted to let those poor souls suffer a little less pain before their souls were scattered.
Zhou Ziwei's Six-Syllable Mantra can indeed plunder the energy of these souls, causing their souls to completely disintegrate in an instant, their consciousness to collapse, and from then on, they will no longer suffer any pain.
Moreover, some important or persistent memories that these people possessed during their lifetime will settle in Zhou Ziwei's vast sea of souls, which can be considered as preserving a trace of their existence! In a sense, this can indeed be considered a kind of salvation for those deceased souls!
Because the accident occurred at the police station, almost all the police officers in the city were either rushing towards the police station or too busy to attend to other matters. The police officers who were usually responsible for maintaining order on the streets were also disoriented, causing severe traffic jams.
The agent in charge of driving was so anxious that his forehead was covered in cold sweat. He honked the car horn until it was almost broken, but the car in front was still moving like a snail, taking a long time to move forward a distance of one car length.
The agent watched with envy as motorcycles whizzed past the bus, weaving through the gaps between other vehicles. Unfortunately, his bus was far too large to squeeze through the congested road like the motorcycles.
Zhou Ziwei stepped forward, gently patted the agent on the shoulder, and said, "Go and rest for a while. I'll drive the car."
"You...you're going to drive?" The agent looked at Zhou Ziwei with some surprise. It wasn't that he doubted whether Zhou Ziwei could drive...how could someone who could even fly a plane not know how to drive? It's just that...although the piloting skills of an airplane are much more complex than those of a car, they have a high level of intelligent control technology, and there are not many places where the pilot really needs to do things manually.
But driving this bus is different; you have to do everything yourself.
But... given Zhou Ziwei's height... if he sits in this seat, his feet won't be able to reach the accelerator and brake pedals at all. How is he supposed to drive this car?
Regardless of what he was thinking, Zhou Ziwei immediately and unceremoniously pulled the agent aside, and then sat down in the driver's seat with an air of nonchalance.
"Boom..." Zhou Ziwei's foot couldn't reach the accelerator, but he just lightly pressed the accelerator pedal in the air. The accelerator pedal then dipped slightly, and the car engine immediately emitted a deep roar.
"This works too!" The agent's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he saw this. He had seen Zhou Ziwei carrying two adults and leaping up the rope ladder as if walking on flat ground. His appearance was even more impressive than the light-footed skills in martial arts movies, naturally reminding people of the Wudang light-footed skill "Ladder Cloud Leap" described in novels.
So what is his ability to accelerate remotely now? Is it like hitting a bull from a distance?
"Find yourself a seat... and buckle your seatbelt!" Zhou Ziwei waved his hand, shooing away the agent who had been dragged aside, who was still staring at him with his mouth wide open.
Zhou Ziwei had already figured it out. Because this place was too close to the police station building, everyone was rushing to leave after the accident, which was why the road was so congested with vehicles. Once they got through this street and crossed the intersection ahead, the road would be clear.
However, under normal circumstances, it would probably take at least half an hour to get through here, and after half an hour... without a doubt, the entire city would be under strict control, and they would no longer be able to sneak out.
In extraordinary times, we have no choice but to resort to extraordinary measures.
Zhou Ziwei had already made up his mind. Knowing that normal methods wouldn't work, he looked up at the sky. At the same time, a large amount of attribute-less energy surged out of his body, quickly controlling a large mass of airflow in the sky. Then... as soon as he had a thought, a super-large tornado instantly formed and roared across the city.
"God... what is that?"
"Look, it's a tornado!"
"How is this possible... How could a tornado appear here? Ah... That looks like my car... God... How did my car get swept into the sky? My brand new car... It's not even insured yet..."
Shouts rose and fell all around, and countless people stared blankly at the rapidly spinning cloud of air that suddenly fell from the sky, their hearts trembling with shock.
The tornado raged wildly, collapsing walls and houses in its wake. The cars parked on both sides of the road looked like toy cars, being swept up by the tornado and carried into the air... who knew when they would fall back down.
Fortunately, the cars initially swept up by the tornado were all parked on the side of the road with no one inside. So, although some cars were lifted up by the wind and fell from a great height, turning into piles of scrap metal, not a single person was injured.
But when the tornado lifted a car for the fifth time, many people watching nearby couldn't help but scream in alarm.
Because this time, what was rolled up was a large bus, and it seemed that there were quite a few people sitting inside.
If the car were to crash again with such force... sigh... the people in that car are really unlucky...
Those who witnessed this scene gasped in shock and began to feel uneasy. This time it was the people on the bus who were unlucky, but next time it might be their turn.
Originally, many people were still waiting in their cars on the road to clear up so they could leave this terrible place quickly. But now... as soon as they saw what happened to that bus, countless people abandoned their cars that were still parked in the middle of the road and ran to places they thought were safer to hide in. In short, they could no longer stay in the middle of the road.
With a loud "boom," the car was lifted into the air by the tornado, then blown a long distance away, finally crossing a block before crashing heavily to the ground.
Everyone who witnessed this scene couldn't help but sigh heavily in their hearts. Some timid people even closed their eyes and silently prayed that the "poor people" who died in the car would be blessed by God.
What many people didn't expect was that the bus, which had been blown at least a kilometer away by the tornado, was not deformed after it landed, and not even a single part of the bus was knocked off.
Then... people near the bus clearly heard a series of frantic engine roars coming from the bus. Then they saw the bus wheels spinning rapidly, and then it accelerated to a speed of at least 70 kilometers per hour in an instant, and sped away.
All that remained were people on the street, staring wide-eyed and mouths agape, dumbfounded as they watched the dust cloud trailing behind the departing bus.
Looking up at the sky again, I saw that the tornado that had been howling and raging just moments before had long since disappeared, and the sky had temporarily returned to its original clarity.
Zhou Ziwei drove his car, ignoring traffic lights at intersections and speed limit signs on the street, pressing the accelerator to the floor as fast as he could.
Because Xiaoxin had previously hacked into the city's street surveillance system, he could accurately know the current road conditions on every street in the city. He chose the perfect route, bypassing all potentially congested sections, and drove smoothly and quickly towards the city's suburbs.
Once you successfully leave the city, driving another hundred kilometers or so west should get you to the seaside.
However... Zhou Ziwei didn't believe that the US military's reaction would be so slow. They must have set up many checkpoints along the way, and the possibility of them rushing all the way to the sea was probably very slim.
Fifteen minutes later... Zhou Ziwei finally drove his car to the entrance of a highway leading to the seaside dock on the edge of the city, only to find military vehicles parked on both sides of the intersection. Squads of heavily armed American soldiers stood there arrogantly, setting up checkpoints. All passing vehicles had to undergo their almost rigorous inspections before they could pass.
Normally, there aren't many vehicles on this highway, and there's no need to queue up to enter or exit.
But now... because of the soldiers' strict checks, a long queue has formed at the entrance. It seems that it will take at least ten minutes before their vehicle can be checked.
The four agents' faces fell upon seeing this scene. After exchanging glances, they all looked at Zhou Ziwei and said, "Comrade... our mission is to escort you out of M country, but... we don't even have a plane now, so staying here is pointless. How about... you drop us off here? We... we'll split up and go our separate ways... what do you think?"
Zhou Ziwei was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. He looked up and carefully examined the expressions of the others before realizing that they knew their identities had been completely exposed. It was likely that their arrest warrants had been issued throughout the United States, and wherever they went, they would inevitably attract the attention of the U.S. military. On the other hand, the U.S. military might not be able to obtain any real intelligence about Zhou Ziwei and his group.
So... if they stay in this car, Zhou Ziwei and his group might be able to get through the inspection by the M soldiers ahead.
However, it was clear that the four of them couldn't be fooled.
Therefore, if they split up now, as long as the four of them attract the attention of the M army and draw all the military's attention away, Zhou Ziwei and his group will have a better chance of getting through this hurdle.
Zhou Ziwei understood their thoughts and couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He never imagined that the domestic special agent training would be so successful. How could these foreign devils be trained to be so patriotic, so devoted to their people, and so loyal to the nation?
Zhou Ziwei then reached out and patted the four agents on the shoulder in a very "friendly" manner, just like an old commander who loved his soldiers like his own children and was showing them care and concern.
However... it's strange that such an expression and action were made by a child who looks only five or six years old.
This gave all four agents goosebumps.
“I understand what you’re thinking!” Zhou Ziwei said with a smile, waving his hand. “But don’t worry… If it’s just this level of examination, I guarantee they won’t find anything. You can just stay in the car and don’t go anywhere. We’re all brothers who have gone through thick and thin together, and I don’t have the habit of abandoning my brothers. I appreciate your kindness…”
Volume 3, King of the City, Chapter 557: Getting Away with It
Hearing Zhou Ziwei's words, the four agents all showed expressions of deep emotion. However, after exchanging glances, the lieutenant colonel still said resolutely, "Comrade, we appreciate your kindness, but you must understand that our mission was to escort you across the border and ensure your safety. Now that we are no longer able to protect you, and our presence only poses a greater danger, our mission should end. I know you are reluctant to abandon us, but... comrade... everything must be for the greater good, for the sake of the motherland and the people. You bear an important mission; your primary goal must be the successful completion of the mission, and you must not let emotions cloud your judgment!"
The lieutenant colonel paused slightly, glancing subconsciously at the Dragon Group members sprawled haphazardly on the bench. He sighed softly before continuing, "There's something I shouldn't say from my position, but... from my position as a Chinese person, I must say it... That is, I hope you, comrade, prioritize the overall situation and the completion of the mission. When it's time to sacrifice, you must be ready. Not only should you not hesitate to sacrifice yourself, but if necessary, you must also... absolutely not hesitate, when it's time to sacrifice your comrades. The current situation is very bad. You leading such a large group alone will inevitably be a burden, and it's very likely that everyone will perish here."
So… if we really get exposed later, I hope you'll just leave alone, comrade! With your light-footed skills, I believe no one here can stop you. But if you take so many unconscious comrades with you, then… the only result will be that we all die together. Since you and your comrades came here for the same mission, I believe they don't want the mission to fail either. So… as long as you return to the country with the mission items, they will have also successfully completed the mission. Even if they die, it will be…”
The lieutenant colonel choked up as he spoke. It was clear that while it was reasonable and rational for him to persuade a soldier to abandon his comrades and his compatriots, it was still very painful for him emotionally.
This is the education the lieutenant colonel received back in China, and the deep-rooted belief that was ingrained in his mind—everything should be for the greater good, for the country, and that as a special agent, one must know how to sacrifice.
This kind of sacrifice not only means sacrificing oneself when necessary, but also sacrificing one's comrades and family members. As long as it is for the country, sacrificing everything is worthwhile.
It must be said that this spirit of sacrifice is indeed very noble and great, and the prosperity and strength of our motherland is precisely because of so many people who are willing to sacrifice.
However... Zhou Ziwei was not a special agent after all. In fact, he could not even be considered a soldier. Therefore, Zhou Ziwei was not impressed by this guy's lofty and great spirit at all. On the contrary, he felt extremely strange to hear this "foreigner" calling everyone "comrade" and "motherland" repeatedly.
Of course... actually, what the lieutenant colonel said made a lot of sense, but the main reason was that Zhou Ziwei was confident that he could safely lead everyone out of danger.
If he didn't have so many trump cards up his sleeve, Zhou Ziwei wouldn't have been so reckless as to single-handedly confront the violent machinery of a nation, burdened with so many obstacles.
But if he had this power, why should he abandon his comrades? Zhou Ziwei may not be a great person, but he is not a heartless person either.
Zhou Ziwei immediately shook his finger, then pointed to an empty seat behind him and said, "You don't need to say anything. Just go to the back and sit quietly. I said I was confident we could get through, and I meant it. Do you think I'm tired of living and want to rush off to my death? Don't worry! If I really can't protect you, then I will naturally abandon everyone without hesitation and run away to save my own life. Hehe... I'm a person who values my life quite a bit, and I don't have any spirit of sacrifice."
The four agents exchanged bewildered glances upon hearing this, and then could only temporarily choose to believe Zhou Ziwei. Of course... in their hearts, Zhou Ziwei's figure was extremely lofty, comparable to a great sage. As for Zhou Ziwei's words about him being a person who cherished his life and lacking the spirit of sacrifice, they automatically overlooked them.