As the bandit leader shouted in anger, he suddenly pulled the trigger at Ryan Bennett. When Ryan Bennett heard him speak, he instinctively turned his body to the side. The bullet grazed past his eye—Ryan Bennett only felt a flash of fire streak across his vision, and then a sharp, burning pain at his eye.

The eyes are the most developed and sensitive part of the human nervous system. Blood was already seeping out from between the fingers of Ryan Bennett's hands as he clutched his eye. The intense pain made Ryan Bennett's body spin and fall backward. He couldn't see where the back of his head was landing, but it happened to be right where the alarm button was located.

With a "bang..." Ryan Bennett's head slammed hard against the glass box covering the alarm button. The tremendous impact shattered the square glass box, and blood instantly stained the side of the counter where the alarm button was installed. Ryan Bennett's head rested against the counter, and he had already lost consciousness.

The gunshot and the sound of the alarm startled the bank couriers outside the door. The armed bank couriers quickly rushed into the pawnshop, but the bandit leader's pistol seemed to be homemade—after firing that evil bullet at Ryan Bennett, it wouldn't fire again. There were no hostages inside the pawnshop for them to take. After a brief struggle, it was clear that these robbers were not very skilled, and the three of them were quickly subdued by the bank security guards.

"Xiao Zhuang, Xiao Zhuang, are you okay? Can you speak?"

The bank courier who knew Ryan Bennett well called out anxiously to Ryan Bennett behind the counter, but there was no response. The hall, where shots had just been fired, was filled with the strong smell of cheap gunpowder, and their hearts gradually sank.

From outside, they could see the bloodstains behind the counter, but couldn't open the security door. Everyone outside was at a loss. After a few minutes, the police, who had received the alarm, arrived at the scene and set up a cordon around the pawnshop. The robbers were hooded and taken into the police cars, but everyone kept nervously watching the bit of scalp of Ryan Bennett visible behind the counter, waiting for someone from the pawnshop, notified by the police, to come and open the security door.

No one noticed that the blood seeping from the back of Ryan Bennett's head was slowly trickling into the gap of the alarm button. A blue electric current followed the blood into Ryan Bennett's brain, causing his body to twitch slightly. His hands, which had been covering his face, had already fallen to his sides. If someone could see Ryan Bennett's face at that moment, they would have noticed a halo of multicolored light appearing around his eyes. However, it lasted only a dozen seconds before disappearing.

Chapter 0002: Hospital

"Why is everything black? Why do my eyes hurt so much? Why can't I open them?"

In a VIP intensive care ward of a hospital in Zhonghai City, Ryan Bennett, who had been unconscious for three days, finally woke up. The severe headache made him forget what had happened before he passed out. The darkness before his eyes and the pungent smell of disinfectant filled him with panic. Ryan Bennett desperately tried to open his eyes, but it was all in vain—he could only wave his hands in the air.

"Xiao Rui, don't be afraid, Mom is here..."

A familiar voice sounded in Ryan Bennett's ear, followed by the low sound of sobbing—that was his sister's voice. Hearing his family by his side, Ryan Bennett gradually calmed down. The voices of his mother and sister made him feel at ease, and he soon drifted back to sleep.

Ryan Bennett's grandfather was a well-known geologist in their hometown's ancient city, but he didn't survive the ten years of turmoil. Even Ryan Bennett's father was implicated, and when Ryan Bennett was five years old, his father passed away due to health reasons. Ryan Bennett's mother was just an ordinary middle school teacher, who worked hard to raise Ryan Bennett and his sister, and took early retirement last year.

Ryan Bennett's sister is named Emily Bennett, five years older than him. She is already married and has a child over three years old. After giving birth, she stopped working. Her husband's family is also ordinary, with several brothers, and their parents can't offer much help. Her husband is an honest man and treats Ryan Bennett's sister well, but his income isn't high. The family of three lives rather modestly. Most of Ryan Bennett's mother's retirement pension is used to support them, which is one of the reasons Ryan Bennett came to Zhonghai to look for a high-paying job.

After Ryan Bennett was injured, his mother and sister rushed to Zhonghai City as soon as they were notified, and had been keeping vigil by his hospital bed for two days. Both mother and daughter showed signs of exhaustion and worry on their faces.

"Doctor, how is Xiao Rui? Why did he fall unconscious again?"

Ryan Bennett's mother tightly grabbed the white coat of the doctor who had rushed over, her tearful eyes full of hope, afraid to hear any bad news from the doctor.

"It's all right. His ECG is very stable. He should just be sleeping now. Please don't disturb him and let him wake up naturally. The patient's eyes still need further examination, but his retinas have not detached—just suffered a strong stimulus. There shouldn't be any risk of blindness, so please rest assured! The patient is a hero of our city, and the leaders have given instructions. We will do our utmost to treat him."

The doctor's words calmed the mother and daughter, who looked worriedly at Ryan Bennett lying in the hospital bed.

...