Rise Of The Wasteland Chapter 48 - Confrontation

Chapter 48        Confrontation

It was five-thirty in the evening. Chief Wood, who got his temporary promotion rushed towards General Grant National Memorial Hall. He jumped down from the helicopter and asked the cops at the scene, “Are there any hostages?”

“Probably not,” the cops at the scene replied.

“What are you guys still hesitating for? Order the SWAT team to shoot some tear gas into the hall. There’s no way he’ll continue taking refuge inside the hall,” Chief Wood finally got the chance to present himself. He even brought the journalists with him in order to end the case perfectly.

“Yes, Sir!” the commander on-scene went hurriedly to execute his order.

On the other hand, Chief Wood, who wore a bulletproof vest, was standing at a distance. He allowed the journalists and photographers to take candid shots of him.

Zhou Qingfeng only took refuge in the hall for about three minutes before tear gas was sprayed into the hall. The cops did not only shoot one or two bullets as they were afraid that they were not enough to take him down. Instead, they threw seven to eight tear gas canisters into the hall.

Given no choice, Zhou Qingfeng put his gas mask on. Before this, he had killed and did a body search on two members of the ESU. Therefore, he was now well-equipped.

Due to the smoke discharged from the tear gas, his vision was distorted to the extent where he could no longer see objects that was only a few metres away. Thus, he could only sharpen up his ears to listen to his opponents’ movements.

Both parties did not make any moves after waiting quietly for around three minutes.

Mr. Wood was crouched outside as he watched the smoke that dispersed out from the memorial hall. Although he was standing at a distance, as he was not wearing a gas mask, the sudden gust of wind that blew at him made him choke. He then asked, “What’s happening? Why didn’t the criminal come out yet?”

The commander on-scene stuttered, “Maybe, he’s been choked and hence, lost consciousness.”

Chief Wood agreed with him as he could not stand the tear gas even though he had only sniffed a little bit of it. He thus came to a conclusion that the suspect has been smoked to death. He waved his hand as if the outcome was a foregone conclusion, “Then, we shall rush into the hall and bring him out.”

Apparently, Zhou Qingfeng had moved stealthily to the entrance of the lounge. He had also changed his weapon to a semi-automatic Bernielli M4 Super 90. After waiting for quite a while, he heard footsteps coming from the entrance. The footsteps were slow and steady.

The cops did not have clear vision as the smoke inside the memorial hall hadn’t dispersed completely. Zhou Qingfeng stood behind a column near the entrance as he quietly watched as four of the special forces unit members entered the lounge.

The four of them got into a diagonal formation. They took small, quick steps and searched the lounge. However, they did not discover anything at all.

“Will he be inside the pit?” a special forces unit member asked.

They then walked towards the pit and aimed the muzzles of their guns at the coffins of Mr. and Mrs. Grant. However, they still did not discover anything at all!

Where’s that guy? The four special forces unit members were confused in the smoke. We still need to find his corpse even if he’s dead. What the h.e.l.l is going on?

At that instant, the commander on-scene asked on the wireless radio, “How’s the situation? Have you guys caught the suspect?”

“Negative, sir!” the special forces unit member who led the team answered. He, however, quickly turned around and asked his companion, “Wait a minute…. How many of us came in?”

“Four,” said his companion.

“One, two, three, four,” the special forces unit member who led the team did a headcount. He was confused, once again, “Then, why did I hear the footsteps of five people?”

Five people?!

The four special forces unit members instantly cleared their head. They tried to turn around, but, Zhou Qingfeng who had followed them all this time took one step ahead of them.

Bang… a twelve-gauge shotgun sh.e.l.l was fired from its muzzle before the semi-automatic gun was reloaded. Zhou Qingfeng pulled the trigger continuously as he fired all six bullets at his fastest speed.

Zhou Qingfeng actually chose a shotgun in order to deal with the visual distortion caused by the smoke. The four special forces unit members collapsed after all six bullets were shot.

They could not defend themselves from getting shot in the neck even though they were wearing bulletproof vests. Using the ‘As Quick as Lightning’ ability, he was able to pull the trigger four times in one second. His current strong body was able to cope with the burden caused by its multiple recoils.

The voice of the commander on-scene could be heard via the wireless radio after the gun was shot. He kept asking about the situation inside the Memorial Hall. However, he did not receive any reply.

The Memorial Hall descended into silence, once again. The cops who blocked the entrance, however, began to sweat as now, they could only vaguely hear their own breath.

That guy inside is still safe and sound!

The commander on-scene clenched his teeth and gave out an order, “Take a mobile heavy-duty anti-riot s.h.i.+eld and launch an attack with that s.h.i.+eld. Also, order the SWAT team to climb up to the dome of the memorial hall and get ready to break the window. That jerk has to die. "

Five to six members of the special forces unit climbed up to the dome of the hall within a mere two to three minutes. They held guns in their hands and walked gradually to the gla.s.s skylight. The skylight was decorated with beautiful religious decorations, but they, on the other hand, were getting ready to break this expensive piece of gla.s.s.

The cops carried two heavy-duty anti-riot s.h.i.+elds and slowly pushed them to the entrance of the Memorial Hall. However, Chief Wood received news before he got the chance to launch the attack. His men had captured Lena Fox, the other suspect.

“Bring her here,” said the deputy chief officer.

Lena Fox wore a ghastly expression when she was brought to the exterior of the Memorial Hall. Chief Wood put a huge speaker at her mouth. He said with a straight face, “I don’t want my subordinates to suffer any further injuries. Persuade your companion to come out from the hall, and perhaps, your charge can be mitigated.”

Lena Fox tried to drive away, but she was captured by the patrolling cops. She was now brought to the entrance of the Memorial Hall by two cops. She straightened her face and shouted at the speaker, “How are you, Victor?”

So, we’re now starting conversation?

Zhou Qingfeng was happy with it. He replied her while he was collecting weapons from the corpses, “I’m fine, what about you? Did you get caught?”

“Yes, I got caught in no time after losing your protection,” Lena Fox felt pathetic when she said those words. “The police want you to surrender. By doing that, you’ll be judged fairly…”

Zhou Qingfeng looked at the time and realized that it was already five fifty-four in the evening. The cataclysm would soon occur. He would be able to get through it if he was to hold on for a few more minutes. He will not surrender at such a crucial moment. He would get caught by the police and be locked inside an iron cage if he were to surrender now. He would then starve to death as the police would soon disappear.

“Alright, I’m willing to surrender. However, I wish to have my final dinner. I hope that I can have a meal prepared by the chef from the most famous restaurant in New York. I’ll surrender as long as you guys agree to my terms,” Zhou Qingfeng had it all calculated. All he had to do now was to wait for the time to pa.s.s.

However, at that instant, a special forces unit member who had climbed up to the dome reported to the commander on-scene, “Sir, I have a clear view of the suspect. I’m a hundred-percent sure that I can shoot him to death.

“Are you sure?” The commander on-scene hated Zhou Qingfeng as he had lost four of his subordinates.

“Affirmative.”

The special forces unit member who climbed up to the dome lifted his a.s.sault rifle and aimed through the stained gla.s.s-window.

The commander on-scene then said fiercely, “Then, kill him! I don’t want to see him alive and walking out of the Memorial Hall.”