A deep silence had now settled across the Electronic Control Room only moments ago the room had stood on the edge of destruction
Now, the only sound remaining was the low mechanical hum coming from the high-voltage panels.
BZZZZZT...
Within that silence, the rapid breathing of Sheyaan, Younshu, and Alisha could be heard clearly.
Just moments earlier, they had been standing face-to-face with death itself.
Their hearts had been pounding uncontrollably, and traces of shock still lingered in their eyes.
Their chests rose and fell rapidly as their bodies slowly tried to recover from the overwhelming fear.
After a few moments The three of them slowly stood up from the floor. Their legs still felt slightly weak.
Then their uneasy gazes shifted toward the bomb lying on the ground. The bomb—
That could have ended all of their lives only moments ago. Now lay completely silent and lifeless.
Its warning light had gone dark. Its timer had stopped. And the destruction hidden inside it had been erased forever.
As they stared at it, relief slowly began returning to their faces..Younshu took a long, deep breath.
Placing a hand over his chest, he tried to calm his racing heartbeat. A small but genuine smile appeared on his lips.
Then, in a voice filled with disbelief, he said,
"For the first.. time..."
His gaze returned to the bomb.
"I've actually...seen a bomb being defused from..this close."
There was no fear left in his voice. No terror. Instead, there was only relief, amazement, and the feeling of a hard-earned victory.
The kind of victory only survivors can truly understand. Looking at the inactive bomb on the floor, Younshu smiled faintly and said,
"Thank goodness..."
A trace of light appeared in his eyes.
"Everything..worked out."
His words echoed softly throughout the room. And for the first time since this nightmare had begun—
Everyone felt that maybe, just maybe, they could survive this deadly game after all.
A wide smile slowly spread across Younshu's face lowering the hand that had been resting over his chest, he looked at Zavian and said jokingly,
"To..be honest.."
A laugh escaped his lips.
"My heart was beating so fast..today that I thought it might jump.. right out of my chest at..any second!"
There was no fear left in his voice. He was simply laughing about the terrifying experience now. And the moment he finished speaking.
Relieved smiles spread across everyone's faces. The fear that had weighed heavily on their hearts moments ago was finally disappearing.
Then Sheyaan smiled as well. The fear that had once filled her innocent eyes was gone. Only relief and happiness remained.
Looking directly at Zavian, she spoke sincerely,
"Seriously, Zayan..."
There was genuine admiration in her voice.
"You made everything.. look so easy."
Her words came straight from the heart. There was no teasing. No exaggeration. Only gratitude.
Hearing her heartfelt praise, Zavian turned his deep, cold gaze toward her. He said nothing. Not a single word.
He simply looked at her in silence. But this time. Sheyaan wasn't intimidated by his cold stare at all.
Instead, her smile widened even more. Playfully raising her fingers into the air like a thumbs-up gesture, she cheerfully said,
"Very good!"
After a brief pause, she lifted her other hand as well.
"And.. excellent!"
Her eyes sparkled brightly. As if she were proudly praising a hero. Her innocent and childlike behavior instantly lightened the atmosphere.
Even Younshu and Alisha couldn't help smiling. And then A rare change appeared on the face of the usually cold and expressionless Zavian.
The corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly. A faint side smirk appeared on his face. It was so subtle that most people might have missed it.
But for those who knew him— It was nothing short of a miracle.
At that moment— That tiny smirk somehow made his cold aura seem even more dangerous... and strangely captivating.
Fangxi who had been silently observing everything from the side, finally stopped forward.
But this time ,his deep gaze wasn't on the bomb now was it on the others it was fixed directly on Zavian
A strange seriousness lingered within his eyes. As if countless thoughts were running through his mind.
As if he was trying to understand something about Zavian. Something hidden. Something that nobody else had noticed yet.
After staring at him for a few moments, Fangxi finally looked away and began walking forward.
The relaxed atmosphere around him disappeared instantly. His expression turned cold and serious once again.Then, in a firm voice, he spoke,
"There's no need to..celebrate yet."
His words immediately drew everyone's attention.
"There are still bombs left..to defuse. Until the last one is.. dealt with, the danger.. isn't over."
The sudden change in Fangxi's attitude caught Sheyaan, Alisha, and Younshu completely off guard.
Moments ago, the room had been filled with relief and victory. Now, the atmosphere became heavy once again.
The smiles on their faces slowly faded. Replacing them with concern. Without saying another word, Fangxi continued walking toward the exit.
Watching his retreating figure, Zavian's eyes narrowed slightly. He remained silent.
His deep gaze followed Fangxi's back. As though he, too, was trying to understand the reason behind this sudden change.
"Something's definitely...going on..."
The thought briefly crossed his mind. But a second later, he shifted his attention back to the others.
Sheyaan, Alisha, and Younshu were still standing there, visibly confused. Then.
The cold authority returned to Zavian's face. Looking directly at them, he spoke in his usual sharp tone,
"What are you... standing around for?"
His voice instantly snapped them back to reality.
"A bomb can explode at... any moment. If you want to stay alive, start.. moving."
The sudden harshness in his words left the three of them stunned. They were still trying to process Fangxi's unusual behavior...
And now Zavian's cold reprimand struck them like another shockwave. For a brief moment, it felt as though the temperature inside the room had suddenly dropped several degrees.
The three of them stood frozen, their eyes widened with shock as they silently started at Zavian
A strange silence filled the room. No one had any answers. And no one even knew what question to ask.
The moment Zavian finished speaking, he turned around without looking at anyone. His face remained as cold and unreadable as ever.
Without another word, he quietly walked out of the Electronic Control Room.
Tap... Tap... Tap...
The sound of his footsteps gradually faded away. Watching him leave so suddenly, Sheyaan, Alisha, and Younshu remained rooted to the spot for several seconds.
Then they exchanged confused glances. The same question lingered in all of their minds—
What just happened? Alisha was the first to break the silence. Looking toward the doorway, she asked softly,
"What happened to.. those two all of a.. sudden?"
Confusion and concern were evident in her voice. Younshu took a deep breath before stepping forward. Trying to calm them down, he said,
"Now isn't the.. time to think.. about that."
For the first time, his voice carried a sense of leadership.
"Come on. Let's focus on the remaining.. bombs first. We can figure out.. what's wrong with those... two later."
Hearing that, Sheyaan and Alisha looked toward the door once more. Then both nodded.
"Okay."
"Let's go."
The next moment, the three of them hurried out of the room without wasting any more time.
Outside, the atmosphere was still chaotic. The mall manager and the entire staff had already gathered there.
Exhaustion, fear, and anxiety were clearly visible on everyone's faces. However, one thing had changed—
The main entrance was finally unlocked. For the first time, people could see a glimpse of hope.
Standing in the center of the mall, the manager continued monitoring the situation carefully.
Then his eyes landed on one of the younger staff members. His expression turned serious.
As though several worries were still weighing heavily on his mind. Walking closer, he spoke in a low voice,
"Go."
He briefly glanced around before continuing.
"And find where everyone's.. phones have been..stored."
His tone became firmer.
"As quickly as possible...We need to return them..immediately."
The staff boy nodded without hesitation.
"Yes, sir!"
The next second, he rushed deeper into the mall. The manager watched him leave.
Even now, concern remained visible on his face. Because he knew one thing very well—
Defusing a bomb was a victory. But this battle was far from over.
At that moment, the manager turned toward his Junior Fashion Consultant and gestured for her to come closer.
His expression was serious, and the authority of a responsible leader could be clearly heard in his voice.
"You go,"
he said firmly,
"and carefully bring all the... hidden customers out to...safety."
After a brief pause, he glanced toward the main entrance.
"Meanwhile, we'll head over and..fully open the entrance.. doors."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Junior Fashion Consultant nodded immediately.
"Okay, sir. As you.. say."
Before she could move, however, three other female staff members quickly stepped forward.
"We'll go..with you!"
Fear was present in their voices, but their sense of responsibility was even stronger.
Seeing this, a faint trace of approval flashed through the manager's eyes..Without wasting any time, he said firmly,
"Good. Then move quickly. Every second.. matters."
"Okay.. sir!"
The four women responded together.
The next moment, they turned around and hurried deeper into the mall, where many frightened people were still hiding inside stores and storage rooms.
After they left, the manager shifted his attention to the remaining staff.
"Let's.. move."
With a single command, everyone sprang into action. The manager and the rest of the staff quickly headed toward the main entrance.
The atmosphere inside the mall felt unusually heavy. The air was stuffy. A faint smell of smoke and burnt wiring still lingered throughout the building.
Exhaustion and tension were clearly visible on every face. Yet despite everythin A small spark of hope had begun to return.
At least now, there was finally a way to get everyone out safely. However... A completely different scene could be found nearby.
The condition of Youlang and his dangerous gang members was truly pitiful.
The same men who had been spreading terror throughout the mall not long ago—
Were now the very image of helplessness. All of them were tightly tied to chairs with thick ropes.
Some were slumped over one another, while others struggled unsuccessfully to free themselves.
Anger, humiliation, and frustration were written all over their faces. But at this moment— There was absolutely nothing they could do.
All they could do was watch silently As their entire plan slowly fell apart before their eyes.
While Youlang silently watched everything with those same painful yet cunning eyes.
There was no panic on his face. No sign of surrender. Instead, something strange flickered deep within his gaze.
As if he were still waiting for an opportunity. As if he still had one final card hidden up his sleeve.
But at that moment, nobody was paying attention to him. Everyone's focus was fixed on only one thing Freedom.
Meanwhile, the manager and the remaining staff quickly arrived at the main entrance.
They stopped for a moment. Their eyes settled on the massive glass doors standing before them.
The very doors that had trapped them inside the mall since morning. The manager stepped forward.
Placing his hand firmly against the glass, he took a deep breath. Then he pushed.
SHAA~
The next second— The automatic doors smoothly slid open to both sides.
Without resistance. Without any difficulty. As though they had never been locked in the first place.
The moment everyone saw the doors opening, relief flooded across their faces.
Several staff members looked as though a tremendous weight had finally been lifted from their shoulders.
Then— The fresh cool air of the dark night, the lights of passing cars, the twinkling lights of the surrounding stores, and the first cool breeze from outside flowed into the mall.
WHOOOSH~
The breeze brushed across their faces. It flowed through their hair.
And carried away a portion of the fear and tension that had been suffocating them all day.
Some of the staff unconsciously closed their eyes. Simply enjoying the feeling. A young staff girl smiled brightly as she felt the cool breeze.
With visible relief, she said,
"The doors were.. locked all morning..."
A sparkle appeared in her eyes.
"And now, for the first time..today, I finally feel..relieved."
Taking a deep breath, she added,
"The air feels.. amazing..."
Her innocent words brought smiles to everyone around her. For the first time that day, they felt genuine hope.
For the first time, survival no longer seemed impossible.The manager also took a long, peaceful breath.
At the manager looked outside at the moving traffic and the normal rhythm of life beyond the mall, a trace of relief finally appeared on his face .
A cool breeze brushed across his skin. For a moment, he closed his eyes and simply enjoyed it. Then he smiled faintly.
"You were..right."
Taking a deep breath, he added,
"It finally feels... like we can.. breathe again."
However, the next second, his gaze shifted back toward the interior of the mall. And the smile on his face immediately weakened.
Broken glass doors. Scattered furniture. Collapsed display stands. And mannequins lying across the floor. The entire place looked like the aftermath of a battlefield.
The manager stared at the destruction for a few moments before letting out a heavy sigh.
"As long as everyone.. gets home safely..."
His eyes swept across the damaged mall.
"We'll have to completely.. renovate this place.. afterward."
The rest of the staff followed his gaze and silently examined the ruined surroundings.
The signs of chaos were everywhere.Then Two figures suddenly appeared from one side of the mall, rushing toward them.
Everyone immediately turned to look. Upon closer inspection, they recognized the staff boy and the Senior Fashion Consultant.
The consultant was carrying a large plastic bag. Inside it, dozens of mobile phones could be seen. In her other hand was a small round mirror.
A few moments later, the pair arrived in front of the manager. Taking a relieved breath, the Senior Consultant handed over the bag.
"Here."
Exhaustion was visible on her face.
"Everyone's phones are..completely safe."
Relief immediately appeared on the manager's face. He quickly took the bag. But then his expression turned puzzled.
"Where have you..been all this..time?"
Concern filled his voice.
"We haven't seen you..for so long... Tell us quickly, where were..you? Are you okay? Nothing happened to.. you, right?"
Hearing that, the consultant raised the small mirror in her hand.
"I'm completely..fine..Actually..."
She pointed toward it.
"Miss Sheyaan sent me... to find this.. mirror."
Everyone's attention shifted toward the mirror. She continued,
"But while I was searching.. through one of the.. stores, I found this.. bag."
She glanced toward the phones.
"When I checked inside, I discovered everyone's... phones."
The staff exchanged surprised looks.
"I figured that if I found the... phones, maybe I could contact the boss.. and explain the situation."
She shrugged helplessly.
"So I started turning..them on one..by one...The problem was..."
She sighed.
"I didn't know any... of the passwords."
A few people chuckled softly.
"And my own phone... had already been.. destroyed."
The consultant then continued,
"Eventually, I found your.. phone."
The manager blinked.
"My phone?"
"Yes."
She nodded.
"I recognized it because... of the wallpaper."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"It had your own... picture on it."
Several staff members immediately struggled to suppress their laughter. The manager looked slightly embarrassed. Ignoring the reactions, she continued,
"But unfortunately..."It was password-protected too...I tried quite a few... cocombinations over and over." But I couldn't..unlock it."
As soon as she finished speaking, an awkward silence settled over the group. And the manager's expression became strangely complicated.
As though he was wondering— "Exactly how long had.. she been trying to guess.. his password?
"Then suddenly, I remembered.. something..."
the Senior Consultant said, taking a deep breath.
"Once, I saw you unlocking.. your phone. At that time, you used your.. daughter's birth date as.. the password."
The manager's eyes widened slightly.
"So I entered the same date.. without wasting any time... and the phone.. unlocked immediately."
A look of surprise appeared on the faces of the staff members around them.
"As soon as it...unlocked, I searched for Secretary Mr. Zhao's number in the.. contacts and called him..right away."
Everyone listened attentively.
"The moment the call..connected, I explained everything—the bombs, Youlang, his men, and the civilians..trapped inside the.. mall."
Her voice had finally regained some calmness.
"Mr. Zhao immediately informed... the Boss. After hearing the situation,.. the Boss ordered the police and...several elite security guards to come.. here at once."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"He said they were.. already on their way... and could arrive at any... moment."
The news instantly lifted a heavy burden from everyone's hearts. For the first time since the nightmare began, genuine relief appeared on their faces.
The manager looked at the Senior Consultant with gratitude.
"You've done.. an excellent job."
His praise was sincere. The Senior Consultant lowered her head modestly. However, the manager's expression soon turned cold.
His gaze shifted toward Youlang and his bound subordinates. A trace of fury flashed across his eyes.
"And this time,"
he said through clenched teeth,
"Youlang will receive a..punishment he'll never..forget."
Silence swept through the area. The manager stepped forward.
"This time, he won't be... escaping prison."
His heavy voice echoed across the mall.
"After putting so many.. lives in danger... he'll pay for everything he's.. done."
The staff members fell silent. No one spoke. Their eyes drifted toward Youlang. For the first time, the arrogant criminal no longer looked confident.
A faint trace of unease appeared on his face. Then. One of the Junior Consultants suddenly looked toward the side corridor.
People were slowly emerging from their hiding places. Some were still trembling in fear. Some were holding their children tightly in their arms.
Others could barely walk straight. The four staff girls carefully guided them toward safety.
Seeing everyone alive filled the manager with relief. At least the civilians were finally safe..But then—
THUD~!
A heavy sound echoed from outside the mall's entrance. Everyone froze instantly.
And at the same moment A deep Powerful. Authoritative voice cut through the air.
"Stop."
It was only a single word.Yet it instantly changed the atmosphere. Time itself seemed to pause.
Everyone's footsteps came to a halt.Their breathing stiffened.
Slowly every pair of eyes turned toward the entrance because whoever that voice belonged to. There presence alone was enough to command the entire scene.