Chapter 13: Countless screams echoed from the chaotic crowd.
The atmosphere at the hideout was tense and busy for the next two days.
Chu Yanxi locked himself in the storage room and, using the raw materials and rudimentary tools that Lao Dao and the others had gone to great lengths to obtain, focused on making explosives and tear gas.
The air was thick with the pungent smell of chemical reagents, occasionally punctuated by the soft grinding sounds and the clinking of glassware. She was focused, her movements precise and swift as she purified, mixed, and packaged various powders and liquids, producing several tubes of thick, transparent liquid.
Every step she took exuded convincing professionalism and composure, leaving the monkeys who occasionally peeked in to monitor her dazzled and impressed. They were even more convinced of Miss Qiao's abilities and quickly reported the situation to Lao Dao.
The tear gas experiment was a success. After detonation, it first emitted an extremely bright white light, followed by thick smoke. The volatile liquid bromine quickly made Lao Dao and his companions' eyes and cheeks feel as if they had been burned, causing them to cough until their faces were covered in tears, making them look extremely disheveled.
As the smoke cleared, the greedy glint in Lao Dao's eyes was almost overflowing. He felt he had made the right bet; this unexpectedly picked-up chemistry major was simply his lucky star.
"Good, good, good! Quick! Make more, make a few more!" Old Dao's voice was hoarse and high-pitched, almost cracking, his heart pounding. With weapons like this, who was he afraid of? The police were nothing!
Once all the explosives and tear gas were ready, Chu Yanxi began to make arrangements.
First, Chu Yanxi wanted to reassure people and boost morale: "The end of the month is the peak time for withdrawing money. There are many people, the counters have the most cash, and the staff are the busiest. The police force is relatively dispersed. We have fewer people, and fewer people to divide the money, which is a good thing. We'll fill two bags with money, picking out the hundred-yuan bills. If we fill them up, I estimate we can have at least 100,000 yuan."
In 1985, the average income per capita was over 800 yuan, so 100,000 yuan was definitely a huge sum of money.
Previously, Lao Dao and his gang only knew that banks had a lot of money, but they didn't have a concrete idea of how much they could ultimately rob. Upon hearing the words "ten thousand or so," their breathing quickened, and their eyes were filled with greed and excitement.
"Over 100,000! That much?"
"Brother Dao, if we split it among ourselves, each of us should get forty or fifty thousand, right?"
"Take the money and go home. I'll drink and eat meat every day!"
Old Dao waved his hand: "We haven't received the money yet, so don't rush to think about these things. Let's hear what Miss Qiao has to say."
Seeing that the mobilization was in place, Chu Yanxi began to give instructions: "The operation is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Magan, you are responsible for providing support from the outside and controlling the bank's only main entrance. Once you hear a signal from inside, immediately block the entrance, put on a mask, and use tear gas to create chaos."
Ma Gan was preoccupied with how to spend the 50,000 yuan and didn't listen to Chu Yanxi at all.
Old Dao, however, remained relatively clear-headed: "Shouldn't we get a motorcycle for backup?"
Chu Yanxi shook her head: "No need. The smoke from the tear gas can confuse the security guards, giving us plenty of time to escape. Having a car would only make us easier to track down, which is unsafe."
Are you kidding me? We absolutely cannot use motorcycles. What if they get a car and speed off, and we miss one or two?
It was only then that Ma Gan snapped out of his surprise and looked at Chu Yanxi blankly. Chu Yanxi repeated the instructions, and Ma Gan nodded hurriedly.
"Monkey, you're agile, so you're in charge of rushing in first and using your shotgun to subdue the two staff members behind the counter. Your job is to create panic and obstruct their view. Remember, fire at the ceiling, don't hurt anyone yet."
"Understood!" The monkey rubbed the hunting rifle in its hand, eager to try it out.
"Brother Dao, you and I should rush to the counter immediately. Be sure to keep an eye on Director Liu. He usually stays in the back office and is the biggest variable." Chu Yanxi looked at Lao Dao.
"Alright! I'll deal with him myself!" Old Dao licked his lips, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes.
"Once I blow open the warehouse door, you and Monkey come in immediately when you hear the explosion and take the money!" Chu Yanxi's tone was calm, but it excited Lao Dao and Monkey so much that they couldn't help but shout a few times.
"The operation must be quick. From entering to exiting, it cannot exceed five minutes. After succeeding, we will leave through the back window, with Magan waiting to meet us. We will then cross the alley and take the western path."
Chu Yanxi finally pointed at Lu Zhe: "As for him, tie him up and leave him here. Taking him along would be a burden."
This arrangement was exactly what Lao Dao wanted. In his eyes, Lu Zhe was a good-for-nothing, a man on the verge of death. If it weren't for An Chu Yanxi's sake, he would have killed Lu Zhe right now.
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhe could only manage a wry smile.
The plan seemed flawless, with every step precise and ruthless, fully demonstrating Chu Yanxi's planning ability and attention to detail.
Lao Dao and his two companions felt their blood surging, as if they could see bundles of banknotes beckoning to them.
On the afternoon of the day before the operation, Chu Yanxi suggested that a final perimeter check be conducted to see if there were any new changes around the bank, such as any temporary increase in patrol points or suspicious vehicles.
Old Dao had already made up his mind to kill her after the deed was done, and he wasn't afraid that she would leak the news. He sent Monkey to follow her to town again.
This time, Chu Yanxi didn't approach the bank's main entrance. Instead, she pretended to buy something at a nearby supply and marketing cooperative with the monkey, her eyes quickly scanning every corner around the bank.
Soon, she keenly noticed several extremely subtle yet unusual signs.
Across the street from the bank, on the street corner, stood an unfamiliar Jeep 212. There seemed to be someone inside; the windows reflected light, obscuring the interior. However, the vehicle was parked in an excellent position, offering a clear view of the bank's entrance and the main street. Such vehicles are extremely rare in Yushutai Town; they are usually driven by county or even city government units.
In the alley next to the bank, two unfamiliar men squatted in the corner smoking. They were dressed in ordinary work clothes, but their posture was upright and their eyes were sharp. They would occasionally scan the passers-by, which was completely different from the lazy temperament of the town's residents.
These signs were scattered and subtle, and ordinary people would not notice them at all, but they were nowhere to be hidden in the eyes of Chu Yanxi, a professionally trained negotiation expert.
—The police have already set up a cordon!
The opportunity has arrived.
Chu Yanxi remained expressionless and whispered to the monkey, "Nothing has changed, just a bit more people. Let's go back and get ready."
She acted as if she hadn't noticed anything and calmly returned to the base.
Upon returning, she reported to Lao Dao: "Everything is normal. We'll proceed as planned tomorrow." She deliberately made her tone convey a hint of anticipation before the operation.
Old Dao was completely relieved and excitedly sharpened his knife.
Lu Zhe, however, felt a vague unease. He felt that since Chu Yanxi returned from town, there was something in his eyes that he couldn't understand. But he dared not ask, nor could he ask.
Early morning on the day of the operation.
Old Knife, Magan, and Monkey inspected the weapons and special equipment made by Chu Yanxi, their expressions excited and ferocious.
Old Dao's kitchen knife was gleaming, Monkey's hunting rifle was already loaded and covered with a cloth bag, and Ma Gan had his dagger tucked into his pocket.
Old Dao glanced at Lu Zhe, who was bound hand and foot and gagged with burlap, and warned him fiercely, "Stay in the house! If you dare to run away or try anything funny, I'll kill you when I get back!"
Lu Zhe huddled in the corner, unable to speak, only able to make two "uh-uh" sounds and nod frantically.
Chu Yanxi checked the explosive pack one last time, and after confirming that everything was in order, she looked at Lao Dao and said, "Let's go."
The four left their hideout and headed towards the bank in Yushutai Town.
In the storage room, only Lu Zhe remained, locked inside. The fear of the unknown made him uneasy; his heart pounded, and his eyelids twitched wildly.
Time passed by, second by second.
At 10:00 AM sharp, Lao Dao, Chu Yanxi, Ma Gan, and Monkey appeared on the street corner near the bank.
"Mahgan, get in position!"
"Monkey, get ready!"
"Miss Qiao, stay close to me."
As soon as the order was given, Lao Dao felt like a general going into battle. All the blood in his body rushed to his brain, his eyes were wide open, his hands and feet were sweating, and his adrenaline surged.
Ten past ten.
The bank lobby was bustling with activity. The end of the month is peak season for withdrawing money, depositing money, and settling accounts. More than twenty people were queuing in two long lines at the counter to handle deposit and withdrawal transactions, and there were also seven or eight people who looked like company accountants waiting at the corporate banking counter.
Old Dao glanced at Chu Yanxi, who nodded. Old Dao then took a deep breath, raised his hand, and sharply waved it downwards: "Action!"
Ma Gan stood guard at the bank's main entrance, his hands tightly gripping two tear gas canisters, holding his breath, and warily watching the passersby outside.
Old Dao rested his right hand on the handle of the kitchen knife at his waist, while his left hand carried two empty bags. Chu Yanxi followed closely beside him.
No sooner said than done, the monkey quickly put on the prepared cloth hood, darted to the counter, brandished the hunting rifle, and fired a shot at the ceiling!
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
The ceiling was instantly riddled with countless pockmarks from the shotgun blasts, and dust began to fall from it.
"Robbery—"
The monkey was overjoyed and, imitating a robber from a Hong Kong police thriller, let out a loud roar. At that moment, he, who was often ridiculed for his small stature, felt like a hero! Incredibly majestic!
"ah--"
Countless screams erupted from the crowd, and the once bustling bank instantly descended into chaos as everyone swarmed toward the exit!
As soon as the gunshot rang out, Lao Dao immediately held his breath, put on a mask, drew his kitchen knife from his waist, and with a swift stroke, broke the lock on the door leading to the bank counter. He then shoved Chu Yanxi inside, shouting, "Quick! Explosives!"
Seeing that the chaos had been successfully created, the monkey put away its hunting rifle, pulled out the tear gas that Chu Yanxi had prepared, and slammed it against the counter.
Bang!
Clang—
A sound of impact was heard.
However... the expected smoke did not appear.
Chu Yanxi had just experimented yesterday; a can filled with chemical reagents would release choking smoke upon violent impact, instantly enveloping everything within a two-meter radius.
Why is there no smoke?
At the same time, upon hearing shouts and seeing countless people running out of the gate, Ma Gan, who was guarding outside, quickly put on a mask and slammed the two tear gas canisters he was holding tightly to the ground.
Ma Gan wasn't wearing a hood. According to the original plan, once the gas hit the ground, a large amount of pungent smoke would instantly billow out, choking people and causing them to tear up and cough incessantly, making it impossible for them to see anything clearly and pay attention to him, an ordinary citizen standing at the bank's entrance.
Bang!
Bang!
The two cans landed on the ground, rolled across the concrete, and were kicked far away by the chaotic crowd.
Glug glug...
Nothing happened.
A note from the author:
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My darlings, the next chapter will be a VIP chapter, and I'll be releasing a 10,000-word long chapter at midnight. Thank you all for your company and support!
My next book is "The Prison Lady," a female-centric historical crime drama where the protagonist travels back in time. Please add it to your favorites if you're interested!
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