Lauren''s voice squeezed Cyrus'' heart.
"Cyrus, save me^" Lauren''s face was devoid of color. Tears rolled down her cheeks, which hurt to
watch. He so wanted tofort her, but such an attempt might provoke the criminal and ce her in
greater danger.
He cast a deep nce at Lauren before shifting his attention to Denver''s crazy eyes. He said, "Denver
Whitman, please calm down. That youngdy is innocent. She has no idea about your backstory and
doesn''t even know the five students. She''s just an innocent outsider.
"How about this? I''ll take her ce as the hostage. You''ll set her free."
Lauren watched Cyrus approach Denver through tears, crushed by feelings of guilt. She thought, "How
could I have been so dumb? I should''ve waited for Angie in the ssroom. If only I had run faster!"
s, it was toote to regret.
Denver growled when he saw Cyrus approaching, "Don''te any closer, or I''ll slit her throat and jump
off this rooftop. We''ll meet our end together!"
"You think I have no idea what''s up your sleeve? You asked to take her ce so that you could fight
me. I can''t possibly overpower a policeman.
"I''ve killed two kids, so I''m doomed. It doesn''t matter if I kill one more."
Cyrus put on a serious face. His heart raced. "I understand your grief. I might not have a daughter, but I
would not have it if my sister was abused this badly. I''d avenge my family, too."
Denver''s eyes wavered. His hand that held the cold de trembled, causing Lauren to feel pain in her
neck.
"I heard that your daughter, Joanna, was a student of this academy. The five students had bullied
Joanna. In other words, it was a school bullying incident."
Upon hearing that, Lauren widened her teary eyes as her mind went nk, and her ears rang.
Memories from her tattered past shed across her eyes.
She heard the taunts from the past. "You idiot, retard! Why are you even in school? Do you even
understand what we''re saying?"
Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.
"She shouldn''t be attending school like the rest of us. She should be put in a mental institution!"
"Stay away from her. She''s a moron. Who knows if it''s contagious? Haha!"
The harsh and cruel mockery gnawed at her like howling ghouls. Shutting her eyes in pain, she looked
pallid. Her legs were shaking so badly that she might copse at any time.
Cyrus picked up her unusual reaction, which agonized him. He said to Denver in a hoarse voice, "I
really wanted to help. You''ve made a mistake. You should stop now when there is still time. Joanna is
still in critical condition at the hospital.
"What you should do is stay by her side and help her through the tough times instead of resorting to the
extreme. It will only lead to your ruin.
"How would your daughter feel if she woke up to her father branded a murderer? She''d suffer from the
trauma of school bullying and the guilt from your actions.
"How''s a young girl, scarred from trauma, able to face the challenges? She''s attempted to take her life
once. Do you want her to try again?"
Cyrus'' colleagues cast looks of admiration at their chief. Despite Cyrus'' young age, he was as skilled
as a veteran in hostage negotiations. His words were simple yet impactful.
Most importantly, he carried himself with sincerity, a crucial technique in negotiations. He not only
aimed to rescue the hostage, but he also strived to understand the criminal''s pain and perspective,
thereby dismantling their defenses.
As expected, Denver seemed swayed by Cyrus'' earnest speech. However, the thought of his badly
injured and unconscious daughter filled him with irrational resentment.
He hissed, "Stop lying! All the police know is to make hollow promises when you can''t do anything
about it. Joanna and I met the school administration and the police a few times, begging them to take
action against those five scoundrels. But those five bullies always walked away scot-free because they
were rich. How can I trust your words?"
Cyrus seethed upon learning the truth. The Sna City Arts Academy fell beyond their jurisdiction.
They were dispatched solely due to the criminal nature of the incident.