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The pupils of Captain America's eyes narrowed, and a bone-chilling cold crept up from the soles of his feet, spreading throughout his entire body.
The image on the screen pulled back, revealing the true face of the owner of those eyes.
It was a young man wearing a duckbill cap, and the black-and-white picture quality added a sense of mystery to him.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, giving off the impression that everything was under his control.
He had a distinctly Chinese appearance, and his voice was soft, though it carried no warmth.
This was the man who blew up the base!
Captain America's pupils contracted again; he never would have imagined seeing this person in such a manner.
And from the way it looked, everything had already been planned.
What exactly was this man after?
"Ah—"
A woman's scream pierced the air from inside the vault, followed by chaotic sounds of panic.
The same could be heard from the people in the safe room, though it seemed more frantic on the vault's side.
"Welcome, Captain Steve."
The corners of Jackson Chen's mouth curved upward. "Please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jackson Chen."
"I'm glad you've decided to join the game."
"I hope this game gives you an experience you'll never forget."
As Jackson Chen spoke through the monitor, his cold eyes made Captain America's brain tingle with unease.
At that moment, Steve finally understood. Jackson Chen had never intended to blow up any bank.
Everything that had happened today had been aimed at him!
That's why the Ancient One had shown him glimpses of the future.
He couldn't distinguish between what was real and what was illusion.
Was he dead? Or not?
Captain America suppressed the slight tremor in his heart and focused intently on the screen.
"Hello, Mr. Jackson Chen. If I'm not mistaken, you're the one who blew up our base, correct?"
On the screen, Jackson Chen snapped his fingers. "That's right, dear Captain Steve."
"What's wrong? Did my greeting startle you?"
Jackson Chen's smile was slight, as though he was discussing something trivial.
Captain America resisted the urge to smash the monitor with a punch. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Yes, if you're willing to come out and meet me, I'd be more than happy to 'talk.'"
He emphasized the word "talk," clearly implying a physical confrontation.
"Sigh." Jackson Chen shook his head slightly. "Dear Captain, don't be so impulsive."
"It's not time for us to meet just yet. But until then, we can still have some fun. You might find that I'm not the person you think I am."
Jackson Chen's tone deepened. "Let me explain the rules of the game."
He blew a breath on his index finger, his expression indifferent.
"First, you should be able to hear the panic and screams coming from the safe room on your left, right?"
"There are thirteen people in total. Eight are women, and one is pregnant."
The screams of madness echoed constantly, punctuated by the sounds of bodies crashing against the door.
"And on your right is the vault, which contains twelve men."
"Each of them has a work badge on their chest, and I've hidden a small bomb inside the button of each badge."
"Naturally, to prevent accidents, if anyone dares to remove their badge, the bomb will detonate."
"You understand, of course, that it's powerful enough to turn a person into meat pulp."
Captain America's pupils constricted further, and although he couldn't tell if the people on both sides could hear Jackson Chen's words, the noise inside grew more frenzied.
It was a chorus of desperate screams and madness.
"Help! Please, someone, save us!"
"For God's sake, let us go! I've never done anything wrong!"
"Sir, please let my child go! I'll die in their place, but they're still so young!"
Captain America clenched his fists as he listened to the pleas from inside.
"What do you want?" he demanded. "These people are innocent. If you want something, come at me instead!"
"Let them go!"
Jackson Chen on the monitor sighed. "My dear Captain, you seem to be mistaken. This is just a game."
"Of course, it might feel cruel to you."
"But... well, there's a way for you to make me let them go."
Jackson Chen paused, revealing a glint of cunning in his eyes.
"Make a deal with me, Mr. Steve."
He laughed, like a devil, his voice dripping with temptation.
Captain America felt a flicker of consideration. He had often been willing to pay a price for the lives of others.
He would do it again now. It's who he was—always choosing others over himself. This was the Captain America everyone knew.
But just as he hesitated, a voice cut in.
"No, don't trust him!"
"Steve, you're Captain America. You can't make deals with criminals."
A thin Indian man in the small surveillance room spoke up just in time.
Steve's mouth, which had just opened, closed again, the words catching in his throat.
That's right—how could he possibly negotiate with a criminal?
The conditions Jackson Chen would offer were certainly not going to be simple; most of them would likely be intertwined with criminal acts.
Or worse, he might end up as an accomplice to this man.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a tremor shook the other side of the safe room, as if something had detonated. This was immediately followed by hysterical screams and cries of terror.
"Oh no, no!"
"He's dead! He's dead! My God, why?"
"Please, let us out! I'll give you anything, please!"
The people inside were crying, pleading in pure terror, their minds on the verge of collapse.
Even though Captain America couldn't see the carnage unfolding in the safe room, it didn't stop his imagination from filling in the horrific details of torn flesh and blood.
Captain America was on the verge of losing control, his eyes filled with rage. "Damn it! What did you do?"
Jackson Chen, still calm on the monitor, replied, "I didn't do anything. But someone ignored my warning and removed their badge."
"Now, the number of people on both sides is equal—twelve."
Jackson Chen's words caused the chaotic environment to fall into an eerie silence.
No one dared to make another move, and the quiet that followed was dark and dreadful.
"So, Captain Steve, are you ready to make a deal with me now?"
Jackson Chen smiled faintly, maintaining a polite demeanor, though his coldness was palpable.
Captain America stared intently at Jackson Chen on the monitor, grinding his teeth as he responded, word by word, "What do you want!"
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