Paris was stunned by Peng Fei's slap and curled up on the ground. Although she was still crying, her voice was much quieter. In her understanding, these two Asians must be psychopathic thugs who killed the security guard to prevent news of their date from getting out.
Although Paris was worldly-wise, she was still just a girl in her early twenties. What was happening before her eyes was driving her to the brink of collapse. She never imagined that her joke would cause such serious consequences.
"Brother Zhuang, this guy just pulled out a gun and tried to shoot me. Looks like someone's got their eye on this charity auction..."
Although Peng Fei was skilled in jungle warfare, he was also familiar with urban counter-terrorism. He skillfully removed all the headphones and microphones from the man and hung them on his own ears. He then said, "It seems that this floor is now under control. Let's find an opportunity to leave through the emergency exit."
Upon hearing Peng Fei's words, Zhuang Rui finally came to his senses and said incredulously, "You...you mean someone robbed us?"
You have to understand, today's charity auction has gathered the world's super-rich. If anything were to happen to any of these people, let alone if they all died, even if just three or five were injured or killed, it could probably cause a global economic recession. Who has the audacity to target them?
Listening to the conversation coming through his earpiece, Peng Fei said, "It should be right, they've already stormed into the hall..."
"Damn it, it's not 9/11 today, why did I have to encounter a terrorist event?"
Zhuang Rui couldn't help but swear, stood up, rushed to the bedside, picked up the phone, and shouted at Paris, "What's the emergency number in America?"
Zhuang Rui and Peng Fei had been speaking in Chinese, so Paris didn't know what was going on. After Zhuang Rui yelled at her, she instinctively said, "What? The police? It's 911..."
Zhuang Rui was taken aback by Paris's words and muttered to himself, "Damn Americans, are they commemorating 9/11?"
"No, the United States has been using this emergency number since the 1960s..."
Paris was also incredibly bold. After the initial panic, she realized that Zhuang Rui and Peng Fei didn't seem to want to kill her to cover it up, and she became bolder.
"You deserve to suffer a terrorist attack..."
Zhuang Rui replied irritably, then threw the phone away and cursed, "Damn it, the phone line's been cut! Peng Fei, call the police with the satellite phone..."
Without Zhuang Rui saying anything, Peng Fei had already taken out his satellite phone and started dialing, but then he put the phone down, shook his head, and said, "Brother Zhuang, I can't make the call. The other side must be using equipment to jam this place. Let's try to get out of this floor first..."
The Hilton Hotel has dozens of floors, making it virtually impossible to take complete control of it. According to Peng Fei's thinking, the robbers could only control up to eighteen floors. Once they left, they should be safe for the time being.
Zhuang Rui gave a wry smile and said, "Peng Fei, Huangfu Yun is still in the venue..."
"Brother Zhuang, let's not worry about that now, let's leave first..."
Although Peng Fei had a good relationship with Huangfu Yun, at this moment, he could only worry about Zhuang Rui's safety first. As for Huangfu Yun, he wasn't exactly a wealthy man, but he hoped the robbers wouldn't make things difficult for him...
"Ladies and gentlemen, this 11th-century Persian carpet represents the pinnacle of craftsmanship at the time. Only three such pieces exist in the world. The starting bid is $3.2 million, with increments of $100,000. Interested parties may now place their bids..."
Zhuang Rui's departure did not attract much attention, and the charity auction continued.
"Three million five hundred thousand dollars..."
"Three million eight hundred thousand US dollars..."
"Four million dollars..."
"This gentleman bids three and a half million, that's three million eight hundred thousand already, oh, four million, four million once, this generous gentleman bids four million!" William's passionate voice echoed throughout the banquet hall. This kind of auction was simply too unchallenging. If Bonadette hadn't offered him a high price to host it, William certainly wouldn't have come.
"I'll offer one hundred million US dollars!"
Suddenly, a voice rang out from the doorway, stunning everyone in the banquet hall. This thing was just a carpet woven from gold and silver threads and animal fibers, and its value could not possibly exceed ten million. This person shouted out one hundred million. Was he crazy?
Those who can participate in today's auction are all renowned figures in their respective fields. Once they speak, they usually don't take back what they say. Everyone wants to see who is so bored as to spend 100 million US dollars to buy this Persian carpet that even feels too small to be used as a blanket.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm offering one hundred million US dollars. Is there anyone who can offer a higher price?"
A man dressed as a hotel security guard appeared in everyone's sight. He was in his early forties, with some gray hair and a warm smile on his face, but his eyes radiated a chilling light.
"Oh, sir, I think... you've got it wrong. This isn't a masquerade ball, and it's not April Fool's Day either..."
William, standing on the stage, was annoyed when he saw the man's attire. The Hilton Hotel was a world-renowned chain hotel, so how could its staff have such poor manners? Even a security guard could barge into the venue and spout nonsense?
"Oh, you're right, this dress really isn't mine..."
The middle-aged man smiled, reached out and unbuttoned his security guard uniform, then pulled out a pistol, pointed it at William, and said, "Thank you for your excellent hosting, but now I'm the host..."
"Bang!"
Before the people in the hall could react, a gunshot rang out, and William, who was standing on the stage, fell to the ground. The bullet entered his forehead, and the huge impact ripped open the back of his head. Red blood mixed with white brain matter, which shocked the people standing not far from William.
William, whose brain nerves were completely dead but whose body was still convulsing, finally made people realize what had happened. A few seconds later, all sorts of extremely piercing sounds rang out, and countless shrill screams and exclamations erupted from the crowd.
These ultra-rich individuals, who were used to a life of luxury, suddenly unleashed unprecedented physical strength, rushing towards the elevators and various emergency exits. However, to their disappointment, all the doors were locked, and no matter how hard they tried, they could not open them.
As some people bypassed the white-haired middle-aged man and prepared to exit through the gate he had entered through, the two gates were suddenly pushed open from the outside, and more than a dozen people armed with submachine guns rushed in.
Chapter 1060 Horrific Incident (Part Two)
"Get back! Everyone who doesn't want to die, get back!"
The dozen or so burly men who swarmed in through the main gate did not use their submachine guns. Instead, each of them took out a plastic baton and began beating the crowd like they were herding pigs and dogs. They seemed completely unaware that they might have just hit the face of some country's richest man.
Although the crowd included many on-screen heroes such as Will Smith, Tom Cruise, and Sylvester Stallone, it was clear that these heroes who were formidable on screen were no match for these "professional" robbers. After a few rounds, the people who had squeezed towards the main entrance were all bruised and battered and had to retreat.
"Governor, I can't make the call. I think...we're in trouble..."
There were also some people who didn't run around. Mr. Arnold, who was surrounded by five or six professional bodyguards, was one of them. Whether it was his status as a celebrity governor or his well-built muscles, a group of people quickly surrounded him.
Although Arnold's bodyguards were all elite veterans of the U.S. Special Forces, they did not bring any weapons to the dinner party. With their extensive counter-terrorism experience, they knew that they should remain silent rather than try to be heroes and provoke these unknown robbers.
Unfortunately, very few people can remain calm these days, especially Hollywood actresses who are showcasing their singing talents that they don't usually display on screen. Even a beauty like Zeta-Jones is holding onto her husband tightly while using her extraordinary lung capacity to create a cacophony of noise.
Moreover, there were many waiters inside, who were all ordinary people, and they were even more unable to keep quiet. The entire banquet hall was noisy, and some of the bolder people even tried to break through the main entrance guarded by the thugs again.
"Bang bang bang..."
Three crisp gunshots rang out, silencing the noisy hall. The chaotic crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw three men dressed as waiters lying at the entrance, all with gunshot wounds to the head, bright red blood gushing out, mixed with white brain matter.
These gunshots made everyone fully realize their predicament. Unarmed, they were like a flock of sheep facing a pride of lions; any resistance would be met with sharp teeth.
It must be said that those who have become super-rich people in various countries around the world definitely understand the meaning of the Chinese saying "a wise man knows when to yield." After seeing the situation clearly, they all fell silent and gathered in places where they knew many people, quickly forming several small circles.
"I think... my friends are willing to listen to me for a moment now..."
At some point, the middle-aged white-haired man who had entered first stood in front of the auction stage where William had been, put the microphone that had fallen to the ground back on, and drew everyone's attention to the center of the venue.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I regret to inform you that your party today has come to an end..."
The middle-aged man smiled and continued, "You can call me David. Oh, sorry, I know it's a fake name, but you can use that name for now. Now, please cooperate and hand over all your mobile phones, walkie-talkies, cameras, and any other dangerous items..."
As soon as the middle-aged man finished speaking, more than a dozen burly men rushed into the crowd like wolves. Several people got up to resist, but they were soon knocked to the ground by heavy plastic batons, groaning in pain. Interspersed among them were the screams and cries of some women. Clearly, the thugs were trying to find some lethal weapons in their underwear or bras.
Ten minutes later, everyone had been looted. The middle of the venue was filled with all kinds of expensive and luxurious mobile phones and communication devices. The female celebrities in the crowd, who were already wrapped in a few pieces of cloth, were now barely clothed, squatting on the ground with their arms crossed, trembling.
"Boss, it's all done..."
After the robbers had completely taken control of the 18th floor, three more people entered through the main entrance. The leader, carrying a laptop, walked straight to the middle-aged man.
"Bernie, your heart is about to race. Hurry up and get the internet connected. Oh, and you can cancel the signal jamming now..."
The middle-aged man smiled, looking at the gentlemen and ladies in the room, a hint of smugness involuntarily appearing on his face. So far, his planned operation had not encountered any flaws, and perhaps in an hour, he would become one of the richest people in the world.
"Boss, don't worry, everything is under control..."
Bernie turned on his computer and started setting things up. A few minutes later, the defense map of the entire building appeared on the computer screen. There were more than twenty red dots on the first-floor basement and rooftop. These were their people, indicating that they had taken control of the key locations in the hotel.
"Well done..."
The middle-aged man nodded, turned his gaze to the crowd in the banquet hall, and said, "My time is limited, and I'm sure your time is also precious. I have a list now. Ladies and gentlemen whose names are called, please step forward. If you are willing to transfer a sum of money to a certain account, I think you will be free very soon..."
The middle-aged man pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and read aloud, "Who is Mr. Richard Belif? I have long admired your media group..."
"I...I am..."
A voice rang out from the crowd, and a bald, short, stout old man stood up tremblingly, his face covered in cold sweat. He hadn't expected to be the first person called.
The middle-aged man glanced at Richard and said, "Richard Belif, a media tycoon from country X, the owner of the world's third-largest media company, has just completed a $30 billion acquisition. I think... your distinguished status is worth at least $5 billion, right? Well, now, as long as I see $5 billion in this account, you'll be free..."
The middle-aged man's appearance had put immense pressure on everyone present. They didn't know what these people's purpose was in kidnapping them. But now that the middle-aged man had spoken, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. For the people in the room, problems that could be solved with money weren't problems at all.
What they fear most is attacks by terrorist organizations, like the 9/11 tragedy eight years ago. Those people don't care about money; in the face of those fanatical religious figures, whether you are a billionaire or a poor beggar, life is equally fragile.
"Five...five billion US dollars?"
Upon hearing this figure, the media tycoon, who had initially looked fearful, jumped up and shouted, "Sir, are you crazy? No company could possibly have that much liquid capital. Those acquisitions worth hundreds of billions are just a numbers game..."
Richard was telling the truth. Although his assets amounted to tens of billions, including various stocks and fixed assets, the amount of cash he could actually use at any time was only about one billion US dollars. Moreover, if he wanted to use this one billion dollars, he had to personally call the Swiss bank to make the operation.
It's worth noting that when Li Ka-shing's son, once the richest man in Hong Kong, was kidnapped, it took him two full days to raise HK$1 billion, despite his net worth of tens of billions of US dollars. This shows that liquid assets and actual personal assets are two different things; it's not that he can produce as much cash as he owns.
"Mr. Richard, your words put me in a difficult position. If everyone acted like you, wouldn't my trip today have been in vain?"
The middle-aged man still had a smile on his face, but his eyes turned cold, and when he looked at Richard, it was as if he were looking at a dead man.
Seemingly sensing the threat of death, Richard hurriedly shouted, "Sir, I can transfer $1 billion right now, I mean right now. I need time to raise the remaining $4 billion..."
Richard's words slowly dispelled the murderous intent in the middle-aged man's eyes, and a smile returned to his face. He said, "You can transfer the money over the phone now. Of course, you can also dial 911 to report it. I think... the US government will award you a Good Citizen Award, and the prize money might be used for your funeral..."
In fact, the middle-aged man didn't care that the other party called the police. He had already planned various escape routes. With these people in front of him, even if the US government had a lot of courage, it wouldn't dare to launch a rash attack. These hostages were enough to ensure his safety to the greatest extent.
Richard took the phone handed to him by a robber and started the transfer. The richer the man, the more he valued his life. He didn't play any tricks. It was just a procedural issue, and the money would arrive in ten minutes.
"Damn it, a billion US dollars? I couldn't come up with that even if it were two zeros less. Damn it, did Zhuang Rui know someone was robbing him and run away beforehand?"
In the crowd in the middle of the venue, Huangfu Yun held the Xuande incense burner in his arms, his face full of bitterness. He was probably the poorest person in the room, apart from the waiters and security guards. Huangfu Yun had been looking for Zhuang Rui since the incident, but he found that Zhuang Rui did not seem to have returned after leaving the banquet hall.
"Boss, what should we do with all this jewelry? Shall we take it all?"
One of the robbers stared at the dozen or so glass cases, his eyes sparkling. Those were all genuine, top-quality jewels.
“Fool, take these things back. You'll only be able to hang them on your genitals…”
The middle-aged man glared at the guy.
Chapter 1061 Horrific Incident (Part 3)
"What...what's going on? How did he get a gun?"
After being slapped by Peng Fei, Paris finally regained her senses. Apart from her somewhat decadent private life, she was a very smart girl, and now she also sensed that something was wrong. Generally, even security personnel are not allowed to carry guns at gatherings like this.
"If you don't want to die, come with us..."
Peng Fei glanced coldly at Paris, pulled the knife out of the corpse, and then put away the man's pistol. He had just learned from his earpiece that the entire 18th floor of the hotel had been completely taken over by the robbers.
Seeing that Peng Fei was about to leave the room, Zhuang Rui quickly asked, "Peng Fei, what should we do about Huangfu Yun?"
Putting aside the friendship between Huangfu Yun and Zhuang Rui, Huangfu Yun has become Zhuang Rui's right-hand man in terms of work. No matter what, Zhuang Rui cannot leave him here. Otherwise, when he returns to China, he will not be able to explain himself to Yun Man alone.