Chapter 130: The Lone Hero

Sun growled in disbelief. "Who fired the shot?"

"It was Wang Yuanchao!" a nearby officer shouted.

The negotiator's death meant Li Wenjia had rejected all attempts at peaceful resolution. Sun snatched the radio. "Xiao Wang! Do not make eye contact with her. Get out of there immediately!"

He repeated the command several times before a weak reply came through: "Copy that…"

I had a terrible feeling. Moments later, Officer Wang emerged—but something was off. He moved strangely, clutching his pistol, his expression blank.

Sun moved to approach him, but I quickly stopped him. "He's likely under hypnosis. Everyone, back off!"

Alarmed, the officers scattered, guns trained on the dazed man. One commanding officer barked, "Officer Wang, drop your weapon!"

"Drop it now! Don't do anything stupid!" Sun echoed.

But Wang suddenly raised his gun.

Sun gave the order to fire.

A volley of gunfire erupted. Wang's body shook violently under the impact before collapsing into a pool of blood. The grim reality hit everyone like a brick wall. They had just been forced to kill one of their own.

Some of the special forces officers wept openly. Sun slammed a fist onto the hood of a car and roared, "This is a slap in the face of every officer in this country. I swear, that woman will pay!"

Li Wenjia was a fortress—impregnable.

As the dark sky loomed overhead, a plan suddenly came to me. I checked the time—it was 5 AM—and explained the idea to Sun and Huang Xiaotao. Sun immediately objected. "Absolutely not. I won't let you risk your life. I made a promise to your grandfather."

"This is our only shot," I countered. "Unless you're willing to sacrifice all the hostages and officers in a full-scale assault."

That, of course, was not an option.

Sun still hesitated. "No. I promised to keep you safe. I can't send you in."

Just then, static crackled through the radio. Then came a voice we all recognized: "Good evening, everyone."

Everyone froze. Some officers even raised their guns toward the radio reflexively. That's how deep her terror ran.

"I know you're all dying to see me dead," Li Wenjia said slowly, "but we're at a stalemate. So I've got a suggestion..."

I knew what was coming.

"Send in Officer Huang Xiaotao. I'll turn myself in after I kill her."

Sun grabbed the radio. "You think you're in a position to negotiate? Step over the line again and you'll face the consequences!"

One of the SWAT captains furiously shook his head at Sun, silently warning him not to provoke her.

But then—another gunshot.

Li Wenjia spoke again. "Oops. Another hostage just died. So what's the deal, Director Sun? Are police lives more valuable than civilians'? Isn't one person worth more than a dozen innocent lives?"

Sun clenched his fists. His jaw tightened until his teeth creaked.

Then, to everyone's shock, Huang Xiaotao snatched the radio and said, "This ends with me and you, Li Wenjia. I'm coming in."

"Well then," Li Wenjia replied coldly, "I'll be waiting."

The radio let out a high-pitched screech—another gunshot followed. Wang Yuanchao must have shot the radio itself, cutting off all further negotiations.

Huang Xiaotao turned to Sun. "The arrow's already notched. We can't back down now."

Sun trembled for a few seconds before finally nodding, his voice thick with emotion. "You both better come back alive."

Xiaotao saluted him firmly, her eyes steady.

A few SWAT officers volunteered to accompany us. Li Wenjia hadn't said we couldn't bring backup. Sun ordered us to wear bulletproof vests, but I declined. "Against Wang Yuanchao's marksmanship, they're useless. They'll only slow me down."

Both Xiaotao and I had radios for live updates. She taped a backup pistol to the small of her back. Sun gave her full authority: if necessary, she could take the shot.

We stepped into the dark, deserted paper mill. A single light glowed inside the warehouse. The body of the negotiator lay sprawled outside the entrance.

Xiaotao whispered, "Song Yang, you're like a god to me. I trust your plan. If I don't make it… don't hesitate."

I shook my head. "Not happening. When this is over, you're making me sweet and sour ribs."

She smiled. "Deal."

We entered the warehouse cautiously. The SWAT team covered all angles.

"Up there!" one shouted.

We looked up.

A line of people stood balanced on a narrow beam—barely the width of a palm. Like lifeless puppets, they didn't move. It was eerie.

Li Wenjia's voice rang out through a hidden speaker: "Put down your weapons."

We couldn't see her. The voice was everywhere and nowhere. She continued, "If I count to three and you don't comply, they'll all jump. One... Two..."

"Drop your weapons!" Xiaotao ordered.

Guns hit the floor in unison.

From the shadows emerged Wang Yuanchao.

He raised his pistol and shot a SWAT officer clean through the forehead. No hesitation.

Then he moved on to the second. Another shot.

As he aimed at the third, Xiaotao stepped in front of the gun.

The muzzle shook. His finger trembled. But he couldn't fire. His programming didn't allow him to shoot her.

Xiaotao shouted, "Li Wenjia, your grudge is with me! Leave the others out of it!"

A snapping sound echoed from the speaker—Li Wenjia's fingers. Wang Yuanchao lowered his gun.

Her voice followed. "My brother was all I had. You took everything from me. Now I'll take everything from you."

Xiaotao's voice cracked. "And you think this will help? You'll die here, Li Wenjia. You're not leaving this place alive."

"I don't care," Li Wenjia replied. "I stopped being human a long time ago. I welcome death if it means joining my brother."

"Let them go," Xiaotao demanded. "I'll stay."

Li Wenjia sneered. "Such nobility. How admirable."

Xiaotao turned to the SWAT team. "Go! Now!"

They hesitated, but she shouted again and they finally moved.

Li Wenjia chuckled. "Song Yang, why are you still here? Hoping for a tragic lovers' death?"

I stared into the shadows. "No. I came to arrest you."

Xiaotao whispered urgently, "Don't!"

Li Wenjia burst into laughter. "You? Arrest me? With your little parlor tricks?"

"Why?" I snapped. "Afraid to face me in person?"