allonlinenovel Chapter 611: Frustrated and Angry
Chapter 611: Frustrated and Angry
After listening to the report from the security captain, Charlie Wallace immediately felt a strong sense of crisis. He knew that if the conflict with the Chinese army escalated, the consequences would be disastrous. He quickly tidied his clothes and prepared to go downstairs to negotiate with the commander of the Chinese army, hoping to resolve the crisis.
However, just as he reached the corner of the stairs, a burst of intensive gunfire suddenly rang out, accompanied by screams, breaking the tense and silent atmosphere. Charlie Wallace's heart sank suddenly, and he knew that the thing he least wanted to see had happened.
The security captain turned pale when he heard the gunshots. He rushed to the window and looked out. He saw that the front of Julie's company was in chaos, with gunshots and screams coming one after another. The Chinese soldiers fired at the company's guards with rifles. Those guards who had tried to hold their posts fell down quickly under the powerful firepower and were shot into sieves.
The streets were filled with thick smoke and the smell of blood, and pedestrians screamed and fled in all directions. The originally prosperous concession became chaotic at this moment, as if it had become a hell on earth.
After the dense gunfire and screams, the Chinese army did not stop. The machine guns in their hands continued to fire 7.62MM bullets like a rainstorm. These ruthless bullets penetrated the door of Jules Company, tore through the heavy wooden boards and metal decorations, and instantly shattered the entire first floor hall.
The staff in the business were frightened out of their wits by the sudden attack. Their busy figures turned into chaos, and they ran around the corridors and offices in panic. Screams, crying and crashing sounds came one after another, and the whole business was in chaos.
Some staff members tried to find a hidden place to hide, but in this narrow space, they had nowhere to escape. The whistling and crashing sounds of bullets continued to come, making people feel that there was nowhere to hide. They could only helplessly wait for death to come, their hearts filled with despair and fear.
The items in the store were also scattered by bullets. Books on the bookshelves, documents on the desks, and merchandise on the display racks were all smashed to pieces and scattered on the ground. These items that originally represented the prosperity and civilization of the store now became symbols of death.
The entire first floor lobby of the business was completely destroyed by this sudden attack, turning into a devastated battlefield.
Seeing this scene, Charles Wallace was filled with anger and fear. His face turned pale, his lips were tightly pursed, and his arms trembled slightly unconsciously. As a nobleman of the British Empire, he had never thought that one day he would witness his homeland being attacked so brutally. The humiliation of being forced into the concession and wantonly causing bloodshed was like a thorn that pierced deeply into his heart.
Xu Qiang stood downstairs of the company, his voice echoing in the empty street, full of unquestionable majesty. He waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to stop shooting, and then said loudly: "I give you fifteen minutes to hand over Eric to me, otherwise, we will massacre Jules Company!" His voice was cold and resolute, and every word was like a nail nailed into Charlie Wallace's heart.
Realizing that this was the best time to negotiate, Charlie Wallace suppressed his fear and took the weak-legged security captain to the shattered first floor lobby. Broken glass, scattered documents, fallen tables and chairs all indicated the tragic battle that had just taken place. The air was filled with smoke and the smell of blood, which made people feel suffocated.
At the same time, a car slowly stopped outside the army. The door opened and Consul Edward hurriedly got out of the car. He looked anxious and his forehead was covered with sweat. Facing the black muzzles of the Chinese soldiers' guns, he raised his hands and shouted loudly: "I am Consul Edward! I have no ill intentions, I want to see your commander!" His voice was full of tension and eagerness, trying to use his identity to calm the conflict.
Xu Qiang came forward, his eyes swept over Edward, and then nodded slightly to signal the soldiers to relax their vigilance. Edward walked quickly to Xu Qiang, and their eyes met in the air, and the atmosphere instantly became tense. However, at this critical moment, they all knew that only through negotiation and dialogue could they find a solution to the problem.
In a tense and depressing atmosphere, Charles Wallace, Consul Edward and Xu Qiang began intense dialogues and negotiations.
Charlie Wallace's face was solemn. He suppressed his fear and anger and spoke first: "Captain Xu Qiang, your action this time is really too radical. Our Jules Company has always abided by the rules of the concession and has never done anything improper. Eric is just a young man. What did he do to make you make such a fuss?"
As the commander of the Jinggang City garrison, Xu Qiang, Charlie Wallace certainly knew his identity.
Xu Qiang had a blank expression on his face, staring at Charlie Wallace with a sharp gaze: "Eric has committed a serious crime on Chinese territory. We demand that he be handed over and brought to justice. Otherwise, this is not just a matter for Jules Company, the entire concession will be implicated."
Edward quickly interrupted, trying to ease the tense atmosphere: "Mr. Xu Qiang, I understand your position. However, according to the laws and rules of the concession, we have the right to protect our citizens. Eric is a citizen of our British Empire, and we should resolve this issue through diplomatic channels."
Xu Qiang sneered and said firmly: "Diplomatic channels? I emphasize again, this is Chinese territory! Maybe soon, you will be forced to return the concession. Now, I only give you fifteen minutes. After fifteen minutes, if I still can't see Eric, then I will have to take necessary actions."
Charlie Wallace's face changed. He knew that Xu Qiang was not joking. He turned to look at Edward, and the two exchanged anxious glances. Charlie Wallace gritted his teeth and said, "Mr. Xu Qiang, please give me some time to discuss this with the Consul."
They walked aside and talked in low voices. Charlie Wallace said anxiously: "I can't hand Eric over. He is my only son, and it will bring shame to the British Empire."
Edward cautiously glanced at Xu Qiang, who had his hands behind his back and a murderous look on his face, and lowered his voice with worry in his tone: "But if we don't hand over Eric, the other party may really massacre the company. Their actions have shown their determination to achieve their goal."
Edward continued, "I have called the embassy and Chinese President Su Zhengyang separately, but the embassy said that the ambassador lost contact after the press conference, and Su Zhengyang also refused to answer the phone. This means that there is a high possibility that there is no room for maneuver in this matter."
Edward looked anxious. He knew the urgency of the situation and said anxiously, "They have wiped out our gendarmerie, which means things are completely out of control. Mr. Wallace, we have to put the overall situation first! If we don't take action, the entire concession will be implicated."
When Charlie Wallace heard this, his anger was completely ignited. He widened his eyes and glared at Edward, his voice trembling but firm: "No matter what, I will not hand over my son! I don't believe that the Chinese really dare to kill people!"
Edward was shocked by Charles Wallace's anger. He tried to persuade him again: "Mr. Wallace, please calm down. We need to consider the safety of the entire concession, not just the life and death of one person."
However, Charlie Wallace would not listen to any advice. He waved his arm angrily and slapped Edward loudly. The slap echoed in the empty hall, making a crisp sound. Edward staggered and almost fell to the ground. He covered his burning cheek and looked at Charlie Wallace in shock, his eyes full of disbelief.
"Shit! You, a piece of rubbish, are you going to sacrifice my son to keep the concession safe?"
The whole hall fell into a brief silence, with only Charlie Wallace's heavy breathing echoing in the air. He stared at Edward as if he wanted to eat him alive. Edward silently endured the humiliation and pain brought by the slap, his heart filled with helplessness and sorrow.