18: The heist that will shock the world

Watching the live broadcast on TV and listening to Coulson's report from the scene over the phone.

Nick Fury's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

But thankfully, there was still a chance to salvage the situation.

From the moment the bank alarm sounded until now.

Less than thirty minutes had passed in total.

The first patrol Police to arrive had already surrounded the bank two minutes after the alarm went off.

Subsequent Police who arrived also stated that no one had exited the bank.

So, those robbers must still be inside the bank.

As long as they were caught, perhaps the identities of the two who robbed Stark last time could also be uncovered.

On this sleepless night.

Countless people stared intently at their TV screens.

Watching with their own eyes as the armed Police team entered the bank lobby.

Some people who enjoyed a good spectacle, as well as criminals.

All shook their heads with a sense of regret at this moment.

“It's a pity, the robbers' courage is admirable, but the price is losing their freedom.”

At this moment, everyone was unaware.

Joa and his two companions, who had plundered all the gold from the bank vault, had long since vanished.

Late at night.

East University Ambassador to America's residence.

Li Hua was awakened from his sleep by a phone call.

He groggily opened his eyes.

The moment he picked up his phone.

Li Hua jolted, his sleepiness completely gone.

'Elder! Grand Elder?'

He dared not show the slightest disrespect.

Even through the phone, Li Hua couldn't help but spring from his bed, sitting upright and answering the call.

“Hello, Grand Elder, this is Li Hua.”

A faint 'hmm' came from the other end of the line, and after a few seconds, a sentence followed.

“Watch the news.”

This single sentence made cold sweat break out on Li Hua's back.

'Damn it! What news? What on earth happened?'

'Even the Grand Elder, all the way in East University, knows, but I don't?'

“Yes! Yes, yes!”

He quickly turned on the TV.

No need to change channels.

It was a live broadcast of the Pacific Standard Bank robbery.

'What?! A bank robbery?'

“Little Li.”

“Grand Elder!”

“I remember you reported a while ago that a young man wanted to sell fifty tons of gold?”

Prompted by the Grand Elder, Li Hua immediately recalled the incident.

His eyes widened instantly.

Could it be, could it be!

That Asian youth wanted to sell to East University...

It was... it was...

“Grand Elder! I understand!”

As for Agent.

East University has them, and America, of course, also has them.

The intelligence that Pacific Standard Bank was going to transfer fifty tons of gold was only a secret to ordinary people.

With a soft 'hmm', the Grand Elder hung up the phone, satisfied.

Some things couldn't be explicitly stated; it was enough that the other party understood his meaning.

Some people cannot make mistakes.

Even if they make a mistake, it is someone else's mistake, or a subordinate's misunderstanding.

Putting away his phone, Li Hua stared blankly at the live broadcast on the TV.

'Oh my God, this young man?'

'He's really... really so spirited.'

'Daring to think! Daring to act!'

Recalling the Asian youth who had furtively snuck into the embassy that day.

Li Hua wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, startled by the Grand Elder's call.

All talk of American conspiracies was baseless.

What kind of conspiracy would involve trying to tarnish another country's reputation by first having someone slap one's own country in the face?

Isn't that just pure idiocy?

'Should I send someone to help them?'

'With so many Police, it will be hard for him to escape.'

'Now the SWAT and armed Police have entered the bank.'

'It's definitely too late to send someone to meet them.'

'Perhaps we could consider doing something during their escort.'

'And those gold... how will they transport it out?'

Frowning deeply, Li Hua's thoughts raced, considering various ways to help Joa and the possibilities of his escape.

But no matter how much he racked his brain, considering countless methods.

He couldn't figure out how that young man would escape the Police's pursuit.

Even if he secretly sent people to meet them, hope was still slim.

'Given the speed at which Los Santos Police arrived, unless...'

'Unless they had already left with the gold before the alarm sounded.'

'Heh, but how could that be possible?'

Shaking his head with a self-deprecating laugh at the thought that had just popped into his mind.

The next moment, Li Hua's scalp tingled with shock at what the TV host said.

“They're out! The NOOSE and Police SWAT teams are out.”

“But they don't seem to have escorted any criminals!”

As the camera slightly shook.

The host immediately squeezed in front of the fully armed SWAT officers.

“What exactly is the situation inside the bank now?”

“Are there any casualties?”

“Where are the criminals, the robbers who robbed the bank?”

A large number of media personnel broke through the Police's blockade, forcefully squeezing in front of the SWAT officers, clamoring with questions that everyone was curious about.

The Mayor of Los Santos and the Police Director, who had already arrived, saw that the incident had already caused a sensation in Los Santos, and it was impossible to cover up or conceal it.

So, they simply gave up, deciding to publicly announce the case.

It was also a good opportunity, with the media reporters present, to have witnesses, so as not to be blamed by the public for incompetence later.

After all, their reaction had been quick enough.

But even God would likely find such a bizarre case difficult to handle.

They truly couldn't be blamed.

Having made up his mind, the Mayor of Los Santos was about to quietly step aside.

He was firmly pulled back by the Police Director.

Helplessly, the two had to answer the reporters' questions together.

“Uh... inside the bank, no trace of any robbers was found.”

“The SWAT team entered the bank lobby ten minutes and thirty-eight seconds after the incident occurred and conducted a thorough search.”

“But in the end, only the bodies of a total of more than thirty security personnel were found.”

“When the troops, guided by the bank's internal personnel, arrived at the vault door, the vault door was open.”

“Nerve gas was still being released inside, but there was no sign of any robbers.”

“We don't know how much property was stolen inside; you can ask the bank personnel.”

Taking a deep breath, the Director of the Los Santos Police Department spoke with a solemn expression.

“Inside the bank, we found no bullet holes or traces of explosives.”

“Based on preliminary judgment, a high-ranking bank official must have been involved in this case, acting as an insider for the robbers.”

“Perhaps today wasn't even the actual time of the incident; perhaps the vault had already been emptied days or even more than ten days ago.”

“Otherwise, I really can't understand how the audacious robbers could have infiltrated the bank, killed the security personnel, and emptied the vault of its contents in such a short amount of time.”

After the Director of the Los Santos Police Department announced the details of the case, it immediately caused an uproar.

Laughter, curses, accusations.

They overwhelmed the Mayor and the Police Director.

“F***! Useless! S***!”

“No one?!”

“How can there be no one?!”

In the few short minutes from when the alarm sounded to when the first patrol Police surrounded the bank, how did the robbers disappear with the contents of the vault?

Could it be, as that useless Police Director said?

Nick Fury scratched his bald head, utterly bewildered, his expression furious.

'Hateful and arrogant robbers! They completely disregard all of us!'

This thought simultaneously appeared in the minds of the CAI, FIB, S.H.I.E.L.D., National Security Agency, and various senators and politicians.

These people could already foresee what tomorrow's newspaper headlines would be.

They could even imagine that in a few days—no, it wouldn't even take a few days.

Tomorrow, this incident would shock the World, making America, known as the beacon of freedom, lose great face in the World.