Chapter 159

Chapter 159

"You..."

Diana stared at the man standing inches away from her, feeling an invisible sense of oppression wash over her like a tidal wave, threatening to drown her completely.

The aura radiating from him was dangerous—that bone-deep composure and indifference made it seem as though the gun pointed at him didn't even exist, as though she, a police officer with a weapon, was nothing more than a bluffing child in his eyes.

"You do realize that for assaulting an officer, I could shoot you dead right now!" Diana said through gritted teeth. Her voice remained cold, but she couldn't quite hide the faint tremor beneath it.

"You could try."

Jack tilted his head slightly, his gaze as deep and unfathomable as an abyss. Not only did he not retreat, but he actually leaned forward, his chest almost touching the cold muzzle of her gun.

He extended one slender finger and rested it lightly on the trigger guard of Diana's weapon. His voice dropped to a low, seductive murmur.

"But before you pull that trigger, I guarantee you'll watch your own head explode first."

Diana's pupils contracted sharply. Her breathing stopped.

"Diana, what are you waiting for?! Shoot him! Kill him!"

Jeremy, pinned down firmly by Joseph, saw this as his last lifeline. He roared with every ounce of strength he had left.

"I'm the Chief of Police! I'm ordering you to shoot! Kill this terrorist!"

"Shut up."

Jack didn't even turn his head. His response was ice-cold.

Joseph understood. His grip tightened abruptly.

A sickening sound of grinding bone echoed through the room.

"Ahhh!!!"

Jeremy let out a bloodcurdling scream. His entire body convulsed in agony. Cold sweat drenched him instantly, and he could no longer form words.

Diana flinched at the sound, and her grip on the gun wavered.

In that split second, Jack moved.

Like lightning, his hand shot out and seized Diana's slender wrist.

Diana felt an irresistible, terrifying force surge through her wrist. The gun flew from her hand in an instant, and Jack caught it effortlessly.

The next second, Jack pushed her backward with one hand.

Diana felt an overwhelming force hit her. She stumbled back several steps, her back slamming hard against the edge of the desk.

"You..." Diana clutched her numb wrist, staring at Jack in disbelief.

Jack toyed with what had been Diana's service weapon, spinning it deftly around his long fingers as though it were nothing more than an elegant plaything.

He looked at Diana's striking face, now flushed with shock and anger, and a playful smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Diana, you're too tense."

Jack casually slipped the gun into his own pocket, then turned his back to her. His voice was calm—devastatingly so.

"I'll confiscate this weapon as evidence."

"As for Jeremy..."

Jack tilted his head slightly, his peripheral vision catching sight of Jeremy, who was drenched in cold sweat from the pain.

"He's suspected of murder. The evidence is solid. Taking him with me is just helping you clean house."

"You..." Diana bit her lower lip, her eyes boring into Jack's retreating figure. She wanted to rush forward, but reason held her feet firmly in place.

She knew she couldn't stop this man.

Jack didn't spare her another glance. He strode toward the door.

Joseph dragged Jeremy—who looked like a beaten dog—right behind him.

But the moment they pushed open the office door, they found themselves facing a different scene.

Outside, dozens of police officers had formed a blockade.

In the corridor, dozens of fully armed SWAT officers stood ready, their riot shields gleaming coldly under the fluorescent lights. Dozens of assault rifles, their barrels dark and menacing, were all trained on the office doorway.

The lead senior police inspector's face was ashen. He barked sharply, "Drop your weapons! Hands on your heads! You're surrounded!"

Faced with this razor-sharp standoff, Jack didn't even slow his stride.

He kept both hands in his pockets and walked out as casually as if he were strolling through a park—as though the dozens of armed officers weren't a threat at all, but rather an honor guard assembled to greet him.

Joseph dragged Jeremy along behind him, his cold eyes sweeping over the SWAT team as though he were looking at corpses.

"Stop right there!"

The senior inspector's face turned red with fury as he watched Jack's brazen disregard. A vein bulged on his forehead. "This is your last warning! Drop your weapons, or we will use force!"

Jeremy, who had looked like death moments ago, suddenly saw hope at the sight of so many officers.

A triumphant, twisted grin spread across his face.

"Hahaha!"

"This is a police station!"

"You think you can just waltz in here and take me? You're dreaming!"

"Arrest them! Now!"

Jeremy barked orders at his subordinates.

These officers didn't know the full story. All they knew was that their chief had been taken hostage, and it was their duty to rescue him.

As Jeremy's voice rang out, the dozens of SWAT officers immediately chambered their rounds. The dark muzzles closed in again, and the air filled with the acrid smell of gunpowder, as though a single spark could set everything off.

Diana rushed out of the office as well. Seeing the explosive tension in front of her, her face went pale.

"Buddy, if you don't let me go today, you're not leaving this station alive."

Jeremy looked at Jack smugly.

He knew Jack's identity.

But these officers didn't. He was the chief—they would only follow his orders.

If Jack wanted someone to blame, he should blame himself for being too careless. Coming here with just one man to arrest him? Foolish.

Jack stopped walking. His gaze slowly swept over the rows of gun barrels aimed at him, finally settling on Jeremy's smug face.

Not only did he show no sign of panic, but he actually looked as though he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world. A mocking smile curved at the corner of his mouth.

"Is that so?"

Jack said with a light chuckle.

Jeremy sneered coldly.

"That's right. Let me go now, and maybe I'll let you live. Otherwise, I'll have them gun you down right here."

Jack heard this.

His eyes remained calm.

He looked at Jeremy and said flatly, "Jeremy, it seems you still don't understand the situation you're in."

"Don't forget—you're still in our hands."

The moment his words fell, Jeremy felt a sharp, excruciating pain shoot through his restrained arms.

It was Joseph behind him.

Joseph's fingers tightened just slightly, and Jeremy felt as though his bones were about to be crushed.

"Ahhh!!!"

A bloodcurdling scream tore through the tense air in the corridor.

Jeremy's smug sneer twisted into a mask of agony. His legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees, completely out of control.

Cold sweat soaked through his uniform in seconds. He struggled desperately, trying to turn and look at Joseph behind him, but the man's arm was like forged steel—clamping down on his joints so tightly that even the slightest movement became impossible.

"You... you..." Jeremy's entire body convulsed with pain. He couldn't even finish a sentence.