The Bit-Player Robber

"Amelia, how are you getting home so late?" Ethan Parker pushed his bike out of the shed, walking with Amelia to the school gate.

"My home isn't far, it's just up ahead. The school built some family housing for faculty, including a few single dorms for young teachers without homes," Amelia explained.

"How about I walk you home first, and then I'll head back?" Ethan Parker suggested.

"I'm the teacher here! Shouldn't I be the one walking you home?" Amelia laughed.

"Amelia, you may be a teacher, but you're also a girl. How can I let you walk home alone this late?" Ethan Parker said with a wry smile.

"Huh?" Amelia was taken aback, then realized that apart from their teacher-student roles, they were nearly the same age, with her being only three years older. It made sense for a boy to walk a girl home.

"Alright, it's not far anyway, just a short walk," Amelia nodded.

Ethan Parker initially wanted to shamelessly invite Amelia to ride on his bike, but now he couldn't bring himself to say it. So, he pushed his bike and walked beside her into the darkness.

Suddenly, Ethan Parker reached out and grabbed Amelia, who was walking ahead.

"Ah, what are you doing?" Amelia was startled and turned to see Ethan Parker's serious expression, suddenly feeling scared. Was he planning to do something to her? It was a dark, deserted night, and recalling Ethan Parker's earlier looks and the tent in his pants... Amelia shivered.

Ethan Parker didn't notice her changing expressions and whispered, "There's someone up ahead!"

Relieved that Ethan Parker wasn't trying anything, Amelia felt a surge of fear upon hearing his words.

Ethan Parker, having recently gained the ability to see far and through objects, couldn't help but use it. He discovered he could see clearly in the dark. When he glanced at the trash bin ahead, he saw three people hiding behind it.

So late at night, no one would be loitering behind a trash bin without a reason, so there was only one explanation: they were robbers! To Ethan Parker's surprise, one of them was the PE teacher, Jin Gang.

But the upcoming events quickly made sense: Jin Gang wanted to stage a hero-saving-the-damsel scenario while also teaching Ethan a lesson!

"Robbery!" Two figures jumped out from behind the trash bin, leaping towards Ethan and Amelia.

"Ah!" Despite Ethan's warning, Amelia was still startled and instinctively grabbed Ethan's arm.

Ethan was secretly thrilled. Jin Gang had unknowingly given him a chance to shine! The two goons in front were no match for him, so he didn't expose them and instead put an arm around Amelia's shoulders, smiling, "What do you want to rob?"

Amelia was too nervous to notice Ethan's move, and in her fear, she unconsciously leaned closer to him.

"What do we want to rob?" The two were actually just Jin Gang's hired extras and had never done this before. Ethan's question caught them off guard.

"What did Brother Jin say we should rob?" The chubby extra, resembling a gas cylinder, asked his partner.

"Don't talk nonsense!" The second extra glared at the first, then said with feigned calmness, "Robbery... we're here for money! Yes, hand over your valuables!"

Ethan, knowing their background, struggled to keep a straight face but said seriously, "I don't have money, just my life. Oh, and there's an old bike here. Surely you sophisticated robbers wouldn't be interested in that, right?"

"Right!" the first extra replied without thinking.

"Damn it!" The second extra quickly kicked him, signaling to shut up.

But the first extra didn't get it and, with wide eyes, protested, "Why the hell are you kicking me?"

The second extra nearly lost it but suppressed his anger and turned to Ethan, "Don't fool us. No valuables? Hand over your wallet and phone!"

"Yes, IP, IC, IQ cards, and tell me the passwords!" the first extra added, looking smugly at the second, proud of his quick thinking.

The second extra wanted to hit him right then but restrained himself to keep the act going.

"Ethan, should we just give them our money?" Amelia, having assumed they were real robbers, didn't doubt them at all.

"Give them nothing. If they want it, they can take it," Ethan said.

"Take it myself? Great! You search the guy, I'll search the girl!" The first extra excitedly suggested.

The second extra, now exasperated, wondered why he had enlisted such an idiot for this act. He had thought the idiot robber from the movie "A World Without Thieves" was a joke, but now he'd met someone even dumber!

"Let's deal with the guy first, then the girl," the second extra reminded.

"Oh right, I almost forgot. Brother Jin said we need to beat this guy up!" The first extra smacked his head and rushed at Ethan.

Ethan understood his words, but Amelia didn't. She thought it was some kind of code and didn't pay much attention.

Ethan, who had honed his fighting skills over the years, wasn't impressed. As the first extra approached, Ethan kicked him in the face, sending him bleeding from the nose.

"Ah!" A scream startled everyone present.

Ethan sighed and patted Amelia, "It's alright, it's alright."

Amelia, seeing the first extra's bloody face and twisted features, had been scared out of her wits.