Nominal: Hou Liangping blocking the door? He was slapped away!

Dozens of fully armed special forces soldiers followed closely behind, their Type 95 rifles not raised, but simply slung diagonally across their chests with the muzzles hanging down naturally.

This stance is an extreme expression of contempt for the so-called armed forces present at the scene.

The police officers in the hall looked at each other in bewilderment.

They were used to showing off their power in front of ordinary people, but when they actually encountered a regular army, especially one that didn't even bother to look them in the eye, their bravado quickly dissipated.

"Don't move! Don't move!"

A deputy director on duty hid behind a load-bearing pillar, shouting in a trembling voice, it was unclear whether he was warning the other party or comforting himself.

Shen Zhong did not stop.

This silent sense of oppression made the air feel thick and viscous.

Just then, a menacing voice boomed from the side stairwell.

"They've rebelled! They've all fucking rebelled, haven't they?!"

Old Ma, the captain of the criminal investigation team, rushed down quickly.

He wasn't holding a gun, but his right hand was always on the quick-draw holster at his waist, and his face showed the same fierce look he usually had in the interrogation room.

As Cheng Du's confidant, he was used to running rampant in the Guangming District and didn't believe anyone would actually dare to use violence in the Public Security Bureau.

Old Ma strode to the top of the stairs, pointed at Shen Zhong, and shouted at him.

"Which unit are you from? Do you know where this is? This is a national law enforcement agency! You've brought your troops in here; do you have a search warrant? Do you have any authorization?"

Shen Zhong didn't even lift his eyelids, and his steps didn't slow down at all.

In his eyes, this was a dead man.

When Lao Ma saw that the other party was ignoring him, his temper, which he had developed over the years, flared up instantly.

"I'm talking to you! Stop right there!"

Old Ma took a step forward, spitting as he spoke.

"Take one more step and I'll consider it an assault on a police officer! Don't think you can act with impunity just because you're in uniform. This is the Bright District, our territory!"

Shen Zhong still ignored him.

Old Ma was furious.

He's been in the branch office for so many years, and even city leaders have to give him some face. When has he ever been ignored like this?

"You're asking for it!"

Old Ma cursed, then pressed his right hand down sharply, his five fingers gripping the handle of the Type 92 pistol at his waist.

This was a completely subconscious action.

In past conflicts, as long as he pulled out his gun and slammed it on the table, even the toughest person would have to back down.

But today, he wasn't facing a reporter like Zhang Xiao, who was unarmed.

Just as Old Ma's fingers touched the gun handle's anti-gun buckle...

Zhou Weiguo, standing behind Shen Zhong, didn't even turn his head. He simply raised his right hand, joined his index and middle fingers together, and gently waved it downwards.

The movements are simple and without any unnecessary frills.

But in the green field of vision of night vision goggles, this is death's invitation.

On the water tower, a high point 200 meters away from the branch office compound.

A special operations sniper was already lying prone under the camouflage net, his eyes pressed against the thermal imaging scope, his breathing slow and deep.

The crosshairs had long since locked onto the head of the target with obvious infrared signature.

Upon seeing Zhou Weiguo's gesture and Lao Ma's action of drawing his gun, the sniper pulled the trigger without hesitation.

"Bang--!"

A dull, loud gunshot pierced the rain and tore through the glass.

The heavy tempered glass window on the side of the hall shattered with a loud crash, scattering shards everywhere.

Almost at the same time.

Just as Old Ma was about to draw his gun, his head snapped back.

A dark red hole appeared between his eyebrows.

The immense kinetic energy propelled his body backward, causing it to slam heavily against the wall at the top of the stairs with a thud that made your teeth ache.

Old Ma didn't even have time to let out a final scream before his body slid limply down the wall.

Blood splattered on the snow-white wall, like an abstract ink painting, a shocking sight.

The entire hall fell into absolute silence.

The hustle and bustle that had been filled with whispers and glances was suddenly cut off by an invisible hand.

Everyone froze in their tracks.

The young police officers who had originally intended to reach for their waists turned ashen-faced, their hands snapping back as if electrocuted, and raised high above their heads.

They stared wide-eyed at Old Ma's still convulsing corpse, their Adam's apples bobbing violently, yet they couldn't utter a sound.

They really fired.

It was not a warning shot.

It's not a leg-beating uniform.

He was shot in the head and killed instantly.

Shen Zhong didn't even falter in his footsteps. He walked to the center of the hall, turned around, and looked at the group of police officers who were already terrified.

"Who else wants to try?"

His voice was soft, as calm as if he were asking what we were having for dinner.

No one answered.

All that could be heard was a series of clanging sounds.

That was the crisp sound of a pistol being thrown to the ground.

Dozens of police officers squatted down neatly on the ground with their hands behind their heads. Even the most arrogant ones had their heads buried in their crotches and were trembling like leaves.

Behind the railing on the second floor.

Cheng Du witnessed the entire process of Lao Ma being shot in the head.

That shot not only shattered Old Ma's head, but also shattered all of Cheng Du's psychological defenses.

His legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground, a dark stain spreading across his crotch.

"Madmen...they're all madmen..."

Cheng Du's lips trembled as he tried to crawl back, to hide in the office, to call Zhao Ruilong, and to call Li Dakang.

He doesn't want to die.

"run?"

Heavy footsteps echoed down the stairs.

Zhou Weiguo rushed up to the second floor and kicked away the trash can blocking his way.

Cheng Du had just climbed to the office door and hadn't even had a chance to touch the doorknob when someone grabbed him by the back of the neck.

"Weren't you all so impressive just now? Where's that energy you had when you were stomping on those medals?"

Zhou Weiguo sneered and tightened his grip.

Cheng Du felt like a little chick being lifted up, its feet off the ground, being dragged and pulled towards the stairwell.

"Don't kill me! I'm a government official!"

Cheng Du struggled desperately, scratching wildly with his hands, but he couldn't budge that iron-like hand at all.

"A government official?"

Zhou Weiguo kicked Cheng Du in the back of the knee, sending him sliding down the stairs on his knees.

"A government official like you should probably go see the King of Hell first."

Cheng Du tumbled all the way to the lobby on the first floor, landing face down and completely disoriented.

Before he could even get up, a military boot stepped on the back of his hand.

"ah--!"

Chengdu let out a bloodcurdling scream, like a pig being slaughtered.

Shen Zhong sat in the center of the hall in the leather swivel chair that originally belonged to the duty leader, toying with a bright yellow bullet casing in his hand.

He looked down at the body lying at his feet, which resembled a dead dog, his eyes calm with a despairing calmness.