Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

"Ten, nine, eight..." The gang leader began to count down, his voice icy and chilling. Each number was like a hammer, slamming into Officer Ida's heart.

"Dad, I'm not afraid!"

Although the boy's face was pale and his body trembled slightly, he still raised his head, his small chest puffed out proudly, and looked at his father with firm eyes. His voice was clear but tinged with a sob.
"I'm a man, I'm not afraid of these bad guys!"

"...navigation,"

Officer Ida looked at her son's stubborn face, her eyes instantly reddening, and her voice becoming hoarse.

He desperately wanted to rush forward, hold his son tightly in his arms, and protect him from any harm.

But in front of him was the cold hunting rifle of the gang leader.

Behind him were the desperate gazes of more than thirty hostages.

He is a policeman, but also a father, and both identities put him in a difficult dilemma.

"Tsk tsk, not bad, quite spirited for such a young age."

The gang leader grinned maliciously, his tone full of mockery.
"Unfortunately, in this day and age, integrity is worthless. I've already counted to three, officer, two, one..."

"Wait a minute!" Officer Ida called out quickly.

"Figured out?"

The gang leader grinned smugly, slowly moving the gun away from the boy's head and pointing it at the group of hostages.
"Why didn't you do this sooner? Choose, which hostage to kill? Don't keep me waiting any longer!"

Officer Ida's gaze slowly swept over the group of hostages, his eyes filled with pain and guilt.

The hostages trembled with fear, lowering their heads to avoid his gaze, some even sobbing softly.

The female student who had been targeted by the gang leader was so frightened that she huddled in the corner, her body trembling uncontrollably, her eyes filled with fear, afraid that she would be chosen by Officer Ida.

"Hurry up! My patience is running out!"

The gang leader shouted again, moving his gun back and forth among the hostages.

Each movement elicited a gasp from the corresponding hostage.

Officer Ida closed her eyes, and two lines of tears slid down her cheeks.

He took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes again, his gaze was filled with determination.
"...I really can't do it. I'm a police officer, I can't sacrifice any innocent life. If you're going to kill someone, kill me first!"

"father!"

The boy panicked and struggled desperately to rush to his father's side, but the thugs beside him grabbed his collar tightly and he couldn't move.

Officer Ida looked at her son's anxious face, a gentle smile appearing on her face, and praised him softly.

"Hang, you did a great job just now, you were really brave. You're definitely a man now, and Dad is so proud of you."

"dad……"

The boy could no longer hold back his tears, which streamed down his face like beads from a broken string.

"I don't want you to die, Dad, please don't die..."

"Don't cry, Hang."

Officer Ida smiled and reached out to pat his son's head, but the thug stopped him.
"A real man doesn't cry easily. You have to be strong and take good care of yourself from now on."

"...Mmm." The boy choked back tears, wiped them away, and nodded forcefully, forcing himself not to let any more tears fall.

"Dad, I will be strong, I will be a real man!"

The gang leader standing to the side watched the father and son with cold eyes, his face showing no emotion, but rather a cold mockery.

Just as Officer Ida closed his eyes, preparing to face death, the gang leader suddenly spoke up.
"I'm keeping you alive to negotiate with the police. Why would I kill you? If you die, who will relay my message to the police?"

Officer Ida opened his eyes abruptly, his face full of surprise, clearly not expecting the gang leader to suddenly change his mind.

Seeing his surprised expression, the gang leader's face broke into an even more smug smile, and he said in a sinister tone,
"Alright, I'm in a good mood now, so I'll give you a chance. Kneel down and beg for mercy, beg me to spare all the hostages, and I won't kill the hostages or harm your son, how about that?"

"What if you refuse..."

He paused, then pointed his shotgun back at the group of hostages, his eyes filled with threat.
"I won't let you choose. Just kill any hostage. There are so many people here, killing one won't make a difference!"

“You…” Officer Ida clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, the pain keeping him conscious to the last shred of his mind.

He was a policeman and a patrol chief. From childhood, he taught his son to be strong and have backbone, never to bow down to evil forces, and never to kneel down.

But now, for his son's safety and the lives of more than thirty hostages, must he give up his dignity?
Officer Ida stood there, struggling, his face filled with pain and hesitation.

On one hand, there is the dignity and faith of being a police officer; on the other hand, there are the lives of innocent people and the safety of his son. Choosing either side would cause him unbearable pain.

"Dad, you said a real man shouldn't kneel!" the boy shouted.

"Don't you want to?"

The gang leader snorted coldly, his patience completely exhausted, his finger already on the trigger of the shotgun.

"Since you're so ungrateful, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

As he spoke, he pulled the trigger forcefully, pointing the gun at a mother holding a baby in the crowd.

The mother was terrified, clutching her baby tightly and letting out a desperate scream.

"No, I'll kneel!"

At this critical moment, Officer Ida spoke up again.

He no longer cared about dignity or faith; he was willing to give up everything to protect his son and the hostages.

Before he could finish speaking, Officer Ida bent his knees and knelt heavily in front of the gang leader.

His back remained ramrod straight, his eyes filled with humiliation and pain, yet he gritted his teeth and said in a hoarse voice, "Please, please spare us! Please don't hurt my son, don't hurt these innocent hostages!"

"Hahaha……"

Upon seeing this, the gang leader laughed so hard he almost fell over, his face full of smugness and mockery, as if he had won a great victory.

He reached out and roughly pinched the boy's cheek, saying in a contemptuous tone,
"See this? This is your father, the man you call a hero! What a load of bull! What a load of bull! When it comes to survival, he's worthless! Doesn't he still have to kneel down and beg for mercy?"

“Dad…” The boy stood there, his face full of disbelief.

He never imagined that his father, who had always taught him not to kneel, to have backbone, and to be a strong and upright man, would kneel before a vicious robber.

In his little world, his father was an omnipotent hero, a strong man who would never bow down.

But now, the image of the hero seems to have collapsed instantly. (End of Chapter)