Artifact Report

Chapter 83: Chai Si - Switching Cell Phone Carriers
Generally, gangsters don't want to offend the police.

It is part of a huge state machine, a system that constantly absorbs new forces for replenishment, and it is also a violent collective that is happy to abuse power and protect each other internally. Once they are remembered by the police, there will be endless troubles.

This is also why Chai Si had been hiding under the surface and always kept a distance from the police; it was not because he was afraid of the law - after all, a person would not be afraid of something that did not exist in his eyes.

But at the same time, he would not succumb to something that did not exist in his eyes.

Since it was impossible for him to "surrender to justice", the confrontation with the law enforcement agencies naturally meant war; so as long as it could be avoided, he was unwilling to drag the Kai family into the war.

However, today it seems inevitable.

To take the "rumor" away from Chai Si is to declare war on the Kai family - even though Chai Si doesn't know who gave the order to the police.

He felt a tongue rising from under his cheek and sliding across.

"Rumors" always move for no reason; but it seems that when the host recites it repeatedly, it moves more frequently - of course, the "movement" naturally refers to Chai Si's tongue.

Unable to help himself, Chai Si slowly licked his lips, as if to verify that he still had control over his tongue.

...In most conflicts between forces in the world, there is always a critical point where one side gains while the other loses.

The Yakuza or Hunter factions don't want to mess with the police because they will become a big trouble that will be hard to get rid of; so when they have to confront the police, they just need to become a nightmare that is more frightening and more undesirable than them.

It is always easier to cause trouble to others than to be troubled by others.

"...Are you sure? That's the Blackmoor City police system." The woman on the phone chuckled and said, "You have to understand that once we take action, we won't stop halfway. Have you considered the consequences?"

"I don't remember you being such a talkative person." Chai Si replied in a low voice.

"It's for your own good," the woman on the phone said unconcernedly. "But out of curiosity, let me ask. Where are your own hunters? Why are you looking for us and not them?"

"They have other missions."

"Hey, you're just going to ask us mercenaries to do the dangerous stuff?" The woman nicknamed Mercury said in a long tone, "What a good plan."

Now is not the time for Chai Si to chat.

Amidst the broken tables, chairs and shattered glass, he was still sitting on the suspect's chair, which was the only piece of furniture still standing intact in the entire room.

Chai Si stretched out his long legs, with the phone balanced precariously on his knees, ready to tip over at any touch.

He had one hand hanging behind the back of the chair and holding a gun in the other. The gun body tapped lightly on the chair, making a metallic collision sound, as if it was following the rhythm of a music that no one else could hear.

Frye sat on the floor, his handcuffs tucked around the chair legs, his face inches from the pistol; every time it lifted gently into the air, Frye couldn't help but glance at it quickly.

He was quite tough. Although the pain from the broken arm made his face pale and his forehead sweaty, he remained silent and listened attentively to Chai Si's call.

"When will you arrive?" Chai Si asked bluntly. "There are at least dozens of police officers outside my door, looking for an opportunity to break in."

"Oh? How can you hold on for so long?" Mercury asked casually - if someone who didn't know the answer heard it, they might think she was asking about aerobic exercise.

"Hostages, negotiations, a few bullets... and a bit of luck." Chai Si whispered.

Mercury laughed, his voice boisterous. It was hard to believe that such a cheerful and cheerful man commanded the largest mercenary hunter force in Blackmore City. For many retired hunters, being a mercenary was perhaps the most suitable way to survive.

For hunters who often come and go in their nests, the real world has long since gradually deteriorated.

No matter how long they stay back, the fear, love or death in the human world are permanently separated from them; like food without seasoning, like a photo, like an experience recounted by others... no matter what happens, it is not vivid and real.

…What's that called? Nest dissociation?

"Just because you've memorized my phone number, I won't let you down." Mercury said almost cheerfully, "If only the targets you give me were as easy to find as the Central Police Station... We're on our way now. See you later."

Chai Si chuckled softly through his nose.

After he put Frye's phone in his trouser pocket, Frye finally spoke hesitantly.

"You...what are you planning to do? Even if you find some mercenaries or gang members, it's useless. They've probably already called in the SWAT team. A few gangsters are nothing compared to the special tactics team."

It might not be the first time that a police officer was taken hostage by a suspect in the Central Police Station; but the fact that the suspect actually called in mercenaries was probably unprecedented since the founding of Blackmore City.

"Yakuza?" Chai Si glanced at him with interest. "You think I'm a yakuza? You've been kept in the dark. What did the people behind this tell you?"

Fry shook his head, not sure if it was because he wasn't qualified to know, or because he was unwilling and afraid to say it.

"I'm your only lifeline now. I know you'll never let me go," he said earnestly. "You killed a police officer. There's no turning back now, so I won't persuade you to surrender..."

He said this and looked across at Chai Si.

Chai Si faced the broken one-way glass wall, which just allowed him to see another room.

Someone had just set their sights on going to the next room, seemingly intending to take the enemy by surprise and break in from the side, but they hadn't expected that Chai Si had already broken the glass wall first and noticed something was wrong immediately - now the wall opposite the room was splattered with large amounts of blood, which was flowing to the ground in strands, like a blood-red forest in the style of a postmodern painting.

Beneath the bloody wall, several bodies collapsed, like signatures left by an artist in the corner of a painting. "...Precisely because you can't surrender yourself, you must make good use of your only hostage. This isn't just for you, it's for me as well," Frye continued. "You know, you have a chance now. You can escape from this police station."

Chase glanced at him.

"Even if you take away their guns, the bullets will be enough for now, but how long can you hold out alone?"

Frye's face was pale with pain, but he spoke reasonably clearly. "You won't win if you force yourself to fight. The best outcome is for you to escape the police station with the hostages you have, right? For my own safety, I'm willing to cooperate with you and help you escape. But if you can't figure it out and want to find some armed men, then if the situation escalates, it will be difficult for you to get out of here alive."

Chai Si didn't answer, but took out his cell phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen.

The wallpaper on his phone was a photo of Frye and his son; their smiling faces lit up, out of place in this interrogation room.

"Your people won't be able to arrive for a while,"

Frye, mistaking Chase for someone checking the time, seized the opportunity to speak. "Do you really believe they'll risk their lives for you? They might not even come. How long are you going to sit here in despair? Aren't you afraid they'll throw a smokescreen, disregarding my life? Why not ask them to prepare a car for you so you can leave the station as soon as possible?"

Time jumped forward one number.

Not yet, Chase thought. He turned his head and stared at Frye for a few seconds.

Frye was stared at by him and involuntarily moved back, and the handcuffs made a clang.

Frye has taken great pains to create opportunities for his colleagues.

The Central Police Station lobby was circular, and anyone walking out of any room on the second floor could see the lobby below. This meant that as soon as Chai Si left the interrogation room on the second floor, he had created an opportunity for the police to surround him. No matter how skilled he was, could he dodge a bullet from behind?
Chai Si is confident in his skills, but not to the point of experiencing hallucinations.

"I can offer you a chance," Chai Si whispered. "Who sent you to find me? What do you know? Tell me everything now."

Frye was stunned.

"Of course," Chai Si, who considered himself a very reasonable person, said patiently, "I'm afraid you won't obey my advice. Judging from your face, it looks like you haven't used your mind well in a long time. Let me explain it to you."

Frye's eyes rolled toward the door. The room was well soundproofed, but some rustling noises could still filter through.

"You're definitely not the only one who knows the inside story of this matter. You're not uniquely precious. You can choose to tell me everything you know now, even if you've apologized to me."

Chase raised his hand and gently pushed away a few strands of Fry's hair that were stuck to his forehead due to sweat. Fry seemed to use a lot of strength to stop his body from shrinking back.

"Of course, you don't have to apologize. Once I take control of the Central Police Station building and everyone inside, I'll find someone who knows the inside story... I think it shouldn't be hard to find someone more polite than you. So what about the impolite ones? We'll have to climb the flagpole."

Fry closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"You might... you might be a little bit abnormal."

It was obvious that it took him a lot of courage to say this, but he still said it. Perhaps he was relying on the fact that he was the only hostage and was sure that Chai Si would not really kill him.

"Control the Central Police Station? You're overthinking it... This is real life, not a TV show.

"Besides the Blackmore City Police SWAT team, there are also federal SWAT teams. The federal government also has specialized HRTs, hostage rescue teams. Depending on the situation, military special units can arrive on the scene faster than you think. Do you think a few armed individuals you've gathered can declare war on this country's military?"

After listening to this, Chai Si just nodded.

Except for a strand of black hair that slipped down from his forehead when he took action just now, there was no fluctuation on his face.

"So our taxpayers' money is being spent on these things. So, are you suggesting that no matter what happens here, the news must not be spread?"

After Chai Si finished speaking, he tapped the screen of his phone. There was no notification, message or call on the screen, but he suddenly laughed softly from the depths of his throat: "Ah, here it comes."

With a flick of his wrist, he flashed the phone screen in front of Frye.

"What?" Frye asked in surprise.

"Didn't you notice?" Chai Si said, standing up from his chair.

His black shirt was wrinkled, and stained with barely perceptible blood. The stench of blood mixed with the scent of cologne was almost like a dizzying poison. "Your chance is over."

"W-what? I don't understand..."

Chase placed his slender finger on the corner of the screen and tapped twice as a reminder; but he had no intention of actually educating Frye. As he was about to put the phone away, Frye took a deep breath.

...After all, he is a detective, so his observation skills are not bad.

"What's that?" Frye asked blankly. "My carrier's network logo... shouldn't it show a 'T'? What, what is that?"

Chai Si bent down deeply and met his eyes.

"See? That 'Nest'?" He knew Frye didn't understand, but he smiled anyway. "The Blackmoor Central Police Station is now in the 'Nest Communication Network.'"

　I died in this chapter... It's so laggy. Why is it so laggy? Should I ask someone to replace my brain...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)