"It's really Iron Man!"
"Xuhui, don't be ridiculous! Figure out a way to save us before the cars behind ram into us!"
"Hurry! We need a solution!"
"Yang Le, stop panicking. I think someone hacked into our car's system and is controlling them!"
"What?! Is that even possible? How advanced is our car's system? Who could breach it? Are you joking?"
Given ordinary circumstances, cracking into these cars' systems would be near impossible for an average person. But in this case, it was Jarvis, an advanced artificial intelligence, at the helm.
"Jarvis, direct them to the rest stop and alert the nearby traffic police about these high-speed racers."
Fang Yan didn't waste time on words. He turned and left immediately. Throughout the encounter, he hadn't engaged with Shen Xuhui's words. Shen Xuhui, on the other hand, was overjoyed by the presence of an actual superhero.
This is truly Iron Man!
Who else but a superhero could stand atop his car? Surely, Iron Man must've flown in from somewhere!
"Quick, take pictures! Yes! I need to capture this moment!"
Frantically, Shen Xuhui grabbed his phone. Though his iPhone X boasted impressive camera quality, the image he captured amounted to little more than a red streak.
Only a faint silhouette of a human figure could be discerned from the red line, framed against a backdrop of swirling leaves—a somewhat artistic shot, if not for Shen Xuhui's words.
"..."
Seeing the photo, Shen Xuhui experienced mixed emotions. Regret gnawed at him—had he acted more promptly, he might've managed to capture a clear image of Iron Man. Yet, he remained excited; after all, this was Iron Man!
With eagerness unabated, Shen Xuhui uploaded the image to his social media platforms along with a caption: "Out racing with friends, and guess who we ran into on the road? Iron Man himself! He said, 'Speeding will cost you.' What an experience! Check out this pic!"
Despite Shen Xuhui's excitement, his friends' responses were overwhelmingly skeptical.
"Landlord, you must be dreaming. This is reality—Iron Man doesn't exist here!"
"Xuhui, have you lost your mind? Hurry home, and your mom will cook you a nice meal!"
"Tsk tsk, Shen Xuhui, stop living in a fantasy world. Stick to being an IT guy!"
Undeterred, Shen Xuhui turned red with embarrassment. While he longed to provide an explanation, he ultimately had no concrete evidence to back his claims.
Meanwhile...
"Jarvis, did you inform the traffic police?"
"Sir, I've checked these individuals' information. They are influential figures in Ningcheng. Even if the traffic police were involved, they might not take action against them."
"I'm aware. You can simply transfer some money from their bank accounts."
With no conventional means to penalize these individuals, and given Jarvis's research indicating they had clean records, Fang Yan chose to bypass the matter.
"Very well, sir."
"By the way, sir, a bank robbery is in progress 34.6 kilometers from our location. Would you like to address it?"
Jarvis inquired.
"Sure, let's go. There's nothing pressing at the moment."
Seizing the opportunity to further test his battle suit, Fang Yan decided to confront the robber. Moreover, he needed more time to explore the suit's capabilities.
"I'll gather the relevant data. I want to know who dares to rob a bank in broad daylight in Ningcheng."
Upon his arrival in Ningcheng, Fang Yan had marked it as his territory. Therefore, any disturbances in his domain amounted to defiance.
"Understood, sir."
Information panels materialized before Fang Yan. As he sifted through the details, his expression darkened—this bank robber had committed a litany of heinous crimes!
"Heh, it seems this outing is well-timed. One less menace in society."
"Jarvis, guide me to the location. I'm heading there now."
With Jarvis's guidance, Fang Yan initiated a swift departure. Flames erupted from his feet as he soared into the sky.
"Look! Someone's flying!"
"Quit it and focus on the card game! Don't distract us."
Amidst the fleeting attention his flight garnered, Fang Yan had already vanished, leaving only bemused onlookers.
"Ha! Show yourself if you dare!"
"Bang bang bang!"
Gunshots echoed within the Dongxia Industrial and Commercial Bank, casting an air of tension. Outside, security personnel adopted grave expressions.
"Sir, there are six hostages within the bank. They haven't escaped and are being held captive."
"They've demanded we clear out and stay at least one kilometer away. They've threatened to harm the hostages if we approach."
Shi Hui, the head of the operation, contained his anger. Suppressing his frustration, he barked commands, his voice a mixture of menace and rage.
"Do these criminals have a death wish?"
"Is our sniper team ready?!"
The severity of the situation irked higher-ups, prompting them to dispatch Shi Hui, an expert from the Ningcheng Bureau. In addition, five snipers had been deployed to handle the situation flawlessly.
"Sir, the snipers are prepared. However, these criminals possess counter-sniper capabilities, and their positions fall within our snipers' blind spots."
"Damn it!"
Shi Hui cursed, seething with frustration. "I won't entertain their demands. Keep the snipers on high alert. If they slip up, shoot them immediately. These criminals are armed!"
"Yes, sir!"
Within the bank, the conversation continued.
"Boss, these notes aren't aligning with our demands. What's our move?"
A tall, gaunt figure chuckled at a man nearby.
"What should we do? Humph! We take lives!"