191: Chapter 191 Miss Jiang is also an imposter!

Black smoke rushed into his face.

Heat waves poured into his lungs.

Li Li bent down, covering his mouth and nose with his left hand while holding the fire extinguisher in his right, and entered the hotel lobby.

The interior was already ruined.

Half of the ceiling had collapsed, steel frames pressed against the floor, and the crystal chandelier was shattered into pieces. The reception desk had been overturned, the computer tower had rolled into a corner, and the screen was still lit.

It was still stuck on the check-in interface.

Dedicated.

The hotel had been bombed, yet the system was still waiting for guests to register.

Two people were lying on the floor.

One was a security guard.

One was a front desk manager.

Li Li crouched down and felt the security guard's neck.

There was a pulse.

The front desk manager had one too, just knocked unconscious by the blast.

"Hold on, you two."

"Firefighters will be here soon."

He dragged the two of them to the wall, avoiding the ceiling that was still shedding dust overhead.

The fire in the lobby wasn't the worst of it.

The real killer was the blast impact.

The fire was concentrated in the pipe area behind the front desk and hadn't fully spread yet.

Someone had shouted from the second floor just now.

Miss Jiang was still up there.

Miss Jiang.

Jiang Rumu?

Li Li didn't have time to guess.

He bypassed the collapsed luggage rack and found the entrance to the fire stairs.

The fire door was deformed.

It wasn't locked shut.

He kicked it.

Bang!

The door panel hit the wall and bounced back halfway.

Li Li stepped aside and rushed into the stairwell, carrying the fire extinguisher.

The smoke was thinner in the stairwell.

The ventilation was still working.

He took the stairs two at a time.

From the first floor to the second, eighteen steps.

He counted them very clearly.

An architect's occupational hazard.

He was nearly cooked, yet his brain was still measuring the ceiling height.

Quite absurd.

But useful.

In a fire, anything that keeps your mind from panicking is useful.

He reached the second-floor landing.

The fire door was half-open.

Li Li pressed against the door frame and scanned the outside.

The corridor lights were still on.

There were high heels on the carpet, overturned champagne glasses, and a broken microphone rolling near the wall.

The banquet hall was at the end.

The door was open.

The lights inside were dim, with only the emergency lights remaining.

There were three people in the middle of the corridor.

Dark jackets.

Backpacks were thrown on the floor.

Each of them had a gun in their hand.

It was the same group that had entered the hotel earlier.

Over thirty of them, controlling the floors in groups.

These three were guarding the second floor.

One was crouching behind a planter.

One was stuck at the entrance of the banquet hall.

And another, with his back to the fire stairs, was checking the side door.

Their positioning was very disciplined.

They had been trained.

But the problem was also very obvious.

The closest one was only five meters away from Li Li.

Moreover, he was looking down and digging for something.

The system's blue text popped up.

[Ding! Three armed personnel detected.]

[Weapons: Short-barreled submachine guns × 3, pistols × 3, bulletproof vests × 3.]

[Host is advised to acquire equipment first.]

[After all, your current weapon is a fire extinguisher.]

Li Li ignored it.

A fire extinguisher was enough.

He gripped the handle, lowered the nozzle, and slowed his breathing.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

Four steps.

The closest man pulled out a black remote control, his thumb just about to press down.

Li Li jammed the nozzle against the back of his head.

He pressed the handle.

"Sss..."

Dry powder sprayed all over his head and face.

White mist exploded.

The man instinctively covered his face, and his gun dropped to the floor.

Li Li kicked the gun away and smashed the fire extinguisher cylinder down.

Bang!

It hit the back of his head.

The man collapsed.

No second sound.

The first one, down.

The man behind the planter realized what was happening and turned his gun toward him.

He saw a person standing in the white mist, covered in blood, clothes in tatters, still holding a fire extinguisher.

The man hesitated for half a beat.

Half a beat was enough.

Li Li threw the fire extinguisher.

The cylinder hit the edge of the planter with a dull thud.

It didn't hit him.

But the man tilted his head.

Li Li had already snatched up the gun from the floor.

He pulled the bolt.

Short burst.

Pop-pop.

The first shot hit the bulletproof vest.

The second shot hit his shoulder.

The man hit the planter, lost his grip on the gun, and fell to the floor.

The second one, down.

The man at the banquet hall entrance reacted the fastest.

He retreated behind the door frame, stuck his gun barrel out, and fired directly.

Three bullets flew over.

Two hit the ceiling.

One grazed past Li Li's ear.

His ear throbbed with pain.

Li Li vaulted into the pantry on the right, his back against the wall.

The opponent fired two more shots.

The plaster in the corner exploded, covering him in debris.

"Annoying."

He looked down at the gun.

Still enough ammo.

The opponent was hiding behind the steel door frame.

Rushing him head-on wasn't worth it.

Inside the pantry were food carts, trays, half a bottle of red wine, and a row of white porcelain plates.

Li Li picked up a plate and threw it out.

The plate slid along the floor to the wall opposite.

Clang.

It shattered.

The person behind the door frame didn't move.

A veteran.

He didn't fall for that.

Li Li picked up another plate.

This time he didn't throw it.

He extended the plate out, and by the light of the corridor ceiling, he clearly saw the tip of a shoe and the direction of the gun muzzle behind the door frame.

The opponent was waiting for him to show his head from the right side.

Li Li decided not to go from the right.

He switched hands holding the gun, stuck to the other side of the pantry, and lowered the muzzle.

Short burst.

The first shot missed.

The second shot hit his ankle.

"Ah!"

The man lost his balance, and half his body exposed from behind the door frame.

Li Li stepped out and fired two more shots.

One shot knocked the gun out of his hand.

One shot hit the center of his bulletproof vest.

The man hit the floor and couldn't get up for a long time.

The third one, down.

The corridor went quiet.

Only the crackling of flames in the distance remained.

Li Li exhaled.

Three people.

Less than forty seconds.

Fire extinguisher.

Submachine gun.

White porcelain plates.

If this combination were written into training manuals, the instructor would resign on the spot.

The system's blue text popped up.

[Combat result: Three enemies incapacitated.]

[Time taken: 38 seconds.]

[Weapons used: Fire extinguisher × 1, submachine gun × 1, hotel bone china plates × 2.]

[Evaluation: Are you treating the battlefield like a buffet area?]

Li Li had no time to respond.

He walked over to the second person and stepped on his wrist.

"Don't move."

The man tried to struggle.

Li Li smashed his gun butt into the back of his neck.

The man went limp.

He stripped off the man's bulletproof vest and put it on himself.

A bit tight.

It would do.

He also fished a pistol and two spare magazines from the third person.

He tucked the pistol behind his waist.

He stuffed the magazines into his pants pockets.

He slung the submachine gun over his shoulder.

Equipment update complete.

The fire extinguisher warrior had upgraded to temporary infantry.

Less than a minute in total.

Li Li unloaded the magazines from all three guns and kicked them down into the stairwell.

He then used their backpack straps to tie their hands and feet behind their backs.

After thinking for a moment, he also crushed their communication devices.

Snap.

Snap.

Snap.

Three times in a row.

Li Li headed toward the banquet hall.

It was very dark in the banquet hall.

The main lights were out, leaving only the green glow of the emergency lights.

Half the tables and chairs were overturned.

The floor was covered in broken wine glasses and trampled napkins.

A dozen or so people were huddled in the corner.

There were women in evening gowns.

There were men in suits.

There was also a waiter holding an old lady; both were shaking.

Li Li scanned the room.

Jiang Rumu wasn't there.

He walked over to the nearest woman.

"Where is Miss Jiang?"

The woman looked up, her face covered in dust.

She froze for two seconds, then reached out and grabbed Li Li's arm.

"Are you here to save us?"

"Yes."

"Where is Miss Jiang?"

The woman pointed to the corner.

"Over there... Sister Jiang is over there..."

Li Li walked in the direction she pointed.

In the deepest part of the corner, a middle-aged woman was leaning against the wall.

Around fifty years old.

Wearing a deep purple cheongsam.

Her left arm was scraped, wrapped in a napkin.

She pushed herself up against the wall.

"Are you rescue?"

"I'm looking for Miss Jiang."

"I am."

She stated her name.

"Jiang Shufen from Hengsheng Real Estate."

Li Li stopped.

Jiang Shufen.

Not Jiang Rumu.

The "Miss Jiang" called out downstairs just now wasn't Jiang Rumu.

The system's blue text popped up.

[Friendly reminder: Miss Jiang has been found.]

[But not the one you were looking for.]

[Advice: Bring a photo next time to avoid social death due to same surnames.]

Li Li closed his eyes.

Then opened them again.

"Ms. Jiang, are there any other people with the surname Jiang on this floor?"

Jiang Shufen shook her head.

"Only me."

"Who are you looking for?"

Li Li didn't answer.

Jiang Rumu was not on the second floor.

If she had left the hotel earlier and headed toward Victoria Harbour.

Then she was outside right now.

But she could also be upstairs.

Communications were cut.

The streets were in chaos.

Yossi's people were also outside.

Li Li clenched his teeth.

He turned to look at the people in the banquet hall.

These people needed to get out too.

The upper floors were still burning.

This building wouldn't hold for much longer.

"Everyone listen to me."

The dozen or so people all went quiet.

A person covered in blood, wearing a bulletproof vest, with a gun slung over his shoulder, stood under the emergency light.

No one dared to interrupt.

"The fire stairs are at the third door on the left in the corridor."

"Go down to the first floor, exit through the main entrance, and run to the left."

"Don't look back."

"Don't take your bags."

"There are three people tied up on the way, don't touch them."

"After you get out, tell the police there are at least twenty more armed personnel in the building, and have the Flying Tigers come up."

Jiang Shufen stood up first.

"Everyone get up."

"Listen to him."

Even though this Miss Jiang wasn't the one he was looking for, her words carried weight.

The dozen or so people helped each other stand up.

Some had weak legs.

Some were crying.

Some stepped on broken glass and doubled over in pain.

Jiang Shufen helped them.

"Go, don't block the door."

Li Li led them to the fire stair entrance.

The three tied-up people were lying on the floor in the corridor.

As the guests passed by, their footsteps quickened.

Li Li stood at the stairwell entrance.

"Go down."

"Don't stop."

Jiang Shufen stopped in front of him.

"Aren't you leaving?"

"I still have someone to find."

Jiang Shufen looked at him for two seconds.

This face was half-covered in dust and blood.

But she recognized him.

He was the one who fell from that plane at Victoria Harbour.

She didn't try to persuade him further.

She turned and led the people downstairs.

High heels clattered on the metal stairs, a chaotic sound that soon faded away.

The corridor went quiet again.

Only the hum of the emergency lights and the sound of fire from above remained.

Li Li leaned against the wall and took out his phone.

Still no signal.

Yossi's text message was still hanging on the screen.

[I wonder if you can save Miss Jiang?]

He swiped open the chat box with Jiang Rumu.

The last message was one he had sent on the plane.

Jiang Rumu hadn't replied.

Li Li locked his phone and stuffed it back into his pants pocket.

A dull thud came from upstairs.

Not a bomb.

It was a structural component breaking.

The fire on the top floor was pressing downwards.

There wasn't much time left.

He checked the submachine gun.

The magazine was locked tight.

He pulled the pistol slide back slightly to confirm a round was in the chamber.

Then pushed it back.

Click.

Li Li stepped up and headed toward the third floor.

Just as he stepped onto the third step.

Footsteps came from above.

Not the chaotic running of people fleeing for their lives.

It was a disciplined advance.

Uniform.

Dense.

Li Li raised his gun muzzle.

In the shadows of the stairwell corner, six pairs of boots appeared.