Chapter 3

"Latest model of the 'iFone'!" Ning Xiaofan casually tapped the touchscreen, and four small squares appeared on the screen.

"Password?"

Tang Chuyi hesitated for a moment but still replied, "...1234."

This password... might as well not have one at all! Ning Xiaofan silently complained in his heart and quickly entered the password.

"What do you use your phone for?" Tang Chuyi couldn't help but ask.

"Just a moment..." Ning Xiaofan replied, his slender fingers nimbly tapping the screen several times as he entered a phone number.

"Moonlight... gently falls on the treetops... the quiet night... I am waiting... waiting for him... waiting for him to return..."

A beautiful melody suddenly rang out in the quiet hall. To be precise, the phone ringtone came from Ning Xiaofan's pocket.

The melody was soothing, the voice clear and magnetic, incredibly moving, graceful, and ethereal, captivating the listener.

Hearing this familiar ringtone, Tang Chuyi couldn't help but pause. The beautiful song coming from the phone was the one she had sung, "Moonlight."

He really is my fan. Tang Chuyi's captivating eyes became a bit hazy. She knew she had a large number of fans, but hearing her own voice from the young man's phone made her feel a bit touched.

At this moment, Ning Xiaofan's expression was slightly awkward. He admitted he was a fan of Tang Chuyi, but when her song played from his phone in front of his idol, it made him feel a bit uneasy and nervous.

Fortunately, this awkwardness didn't last long. Shen Qing quickly pulled out his phone from his pocket and pressed the answer button.

The beautiful melody abruptly stopped, replaced by a faint electromagnetic noise!

The sudden interruption of the beautiful song left Tang Chuyi feeling empty. Her eyes flickered, and a hint of reproach appeared in her gaze as she looked at Ning Xiaofan.

"Uh, it's a knockoff phone, that's its problem," Ning Xiaofan said with a forced smile, meeting her reproachful gaze. "I usually just make and receive calls, so I didn't buy a very good phone. This one is cheap, only 280 yuan. The quality is a bit poor, and the electromagnetic interference is quite strong during calls, but it doesn't really affect the conversation..."

Ning Xiaofan seemed to be explaining himself. Tang Chuyi couldn't help but think: Doesn't he know that electromagnetic radiation from phones is bad for the body? Can he really save money on this?

For some reason, Tang Chuyi had already started calling this seemingly shy young man "guy" in her mind.

At this moment, Ning Xiaofan had already crouched down, placing the two phones on either side of the swivel chair. He then stood up and said, "It's done. No need to worry about remote detonation anymore."

Hearing this, Tang Chuyi felt a sense of relief, though she didn't quite understand what he meant.

Ning Xiaofan seemed to sense her confusion and explained, "Knockoff phones have poor quality and electromagnetic interference. This interference makes the remote control ineffective. However... the explosive device still needs to be removed to be completely safe. We need to remove it as soon as possible."

Tang Chuyi understood his explanation but felt a sense of unease at the word "unsafe." Thinking that he had managed to stop the countdown, she wondered if he could also remove the explosive device. She asked, "Can you... remove it?"

"Should be able to..." Ning Xiaofan smiled shyly.

What does "should be able to" mean? Tang Chuyi was a bit taken aback. His vague response made her feel uneasy.

At this moment, the sound of police sirens faintly echoed from outside the hall.

Tang Chuyi heard it clearly and felt a surge of hope. The police had arrived!

Outside the United Mall, there was a wide square. The sky was clear and blue, and the early spring sun shone warmly on the square.

On a normal day, the square would be bustling with people, noisy and lively. But now, the square was clearly divided. The area near the mall entrance was empty, with no one in sight, while the area near the street was crowded with people.

The sirens wailed as a Volkswagen Passat police car with the 110 emblem sped towards the scene. With a screeching halt, the car doors opened, and three uniformed police officers jumped out.

The three officers were clearly well-coordinated. One officer held a megaphone, dispersing the crowd and pushing through it. The other two officers, one carrying two red and white warning cones and the other a plastic barrier tape, quickly followed.

The three officers struggled to push through the dense crowd and then began setting up the police cordon.

Just as the three officers were setting up the cordon, another wave of sirens approached. Soon, several police cars with flashing lights arrived from different directions. In the distance, more sirens could be heard.

As more police cars arrived, the police presence increased. The crowd near the street was briefly in chaos but gradually dispersed under the persuasion of the police, both gentle and firm. Eventually, the square in front of the mall was cleared, forming a wide isolation zone.

At this moment, a black SUV with flashing police lights sped towards the scene. As the BMW X3 screeched to a halt at the curb, two nearby police officers' eyes lit up. One of them, a slightly chubby officer, eagerly opened the car door, while the other placed his hand above the door to prevent the person getting out from hitting their head.

The two officers' eagerness indicated that a high-ranking official had arrived, attracting the attention of many onlookers.

The person who got out of the car was indeed eye-catching. As the door opened, a slender leg, wrapped in a sheer, flesh-colored stocking and paired with black high heels, appeared, exuding an irresistible sensuality. Then, a graceful figure emerged.

The person who got out was a woman, with her hair lightly tied back, delicate features, wearing a white blouse and a blue skirt, and a graceful, mature presence.

It was hard to guess her age. Her refined features were smooth and wrinkle-free, exuding an elegant and mature aura. She looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties. She carried a black leather handbag, and her attire, though not fashionable, was simple and elegant, perfectly accentuating her curvaceous figure and adding a touch of grace and sensuality.

"Director Su, you're here..." The officer who opened the door subtly inhaled the faint fragrance she emitted and greeted her with a fawning smile.

Director Su! This elegant woman was no ordinary person.

Her name was Su Mei, a first-class police inspector and the Chief of the Jiangnan Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Today, she was on leave. Before coming here, she had been strolling on a commercial street not far from the United Mall. When she received an urgent call from the duty officer about a major incident, she rushed to the scene without going home to change into her uniform.

Su Mei ignored the fawning officers, her eyes scanning the square. Although the square was cordoned off, the edges were still crowded. Her eyebrows furrowed. "Why are there still so many people? Gather more officers to disperse the crowd and immediately implement traffic control around the mall. No one, whether pedestrians or vehicles, should be allowed to linger here!"

Su Mei's voice was cold and decisive, yet pleasant to the ear.

"Yes, I'll go and do it right away!" The officer who opened the door didn't dare to delay and quickly went to gather more officers. The other officer, however, stayed a bit behind, following Su Mei into the square.

Although the crowd at the edge of the square was dense, a path had been cleared by the police, so they didn't need to push through the crowd.

As Su Mei walked quickly into the square, she asked, "Has the Major Crimes Unit arrived?"

"They're already here, setting up a temporary command center!"

"Have the bomb disposal experts arrived?"

"They're on their way, but the traffic is congested, so they might not arrive on time."

"Not on time?" Su Mei's eyebrows furrowed again. "Contact Captain Zhang of the Traffic Police and have him clear the traffic immediately to ensure the bomb disposal experts arrive as soon as possible!"

"Yes!"

As the officer left, Su Mei quickened her pace and entered the square.

In the southern part of the square, a blue tent had been set up. Next to it, a Kostar police van was parked, and over a dozen officers were unloading various equipment.

"Director Su!"

"Director Su, you're here..."

Su Mei hadn't even approached when several officers who seemed to hold some rank came forward to greet her.

Su Mei exuded a fragrant, pleasant aroma. The officers, though seemingly enthusiastic, kept a respectful distance, as if afraid to get too close.

"Everyone, get back to work. Don't just stand around me. You two, stay and give me a report."

Su Mei was not only beautiful but also efficient and decisive. She directly asked two officers with the rank of police inspector to stay, the chief of the Criminal Investigation Division and the head of the Major Crimes Unit.

"Old Zhao, what's the situation inside?" Su Mei asked the head of the Major Crimes Unit, her voice calm but authoritative.

The head of the Major Crimes Unit, who was around forty, didn't dare to be the slightest bit negligent in front of the beautiful director. He quickly replied, "We're not sure yet. We received a report of a bomb inside, and one hostage is being held by the bomb. Since the bomb disposal experts haven't arrived, we don't know the bomb's power, so we haven't risked entering..."

A bomb in the mall was a serious matter. Without a full understanding of the situation, it was absolutely necessary not to take any risks. The head of the Major Crimes Unit's decision not to enter was in line with protocol.