What if you were targeted by a cool and aloof beauty?

Therefore, her impression of Zhang Zhidong was also that of a policeman who died in the line of duty, a man who had done many remarkable deeds.

An Chen also turned slightly to the side and shifted his gaze toward Zhang Zhidong.

In recent years, he has been immersed in his plans to become stronger and seek revenge against Phantom. As for many major news stories in society, An Chen has not paid much attention to them.

“That’s right! Thank you, but I didn’t think I was anything special. At the time, I was thinking that if I died in the line of duty, I wouldn’t be able to participate in many cases and many events that could contribute to the country and the people, and my childhood dream would have to end.” Zhang Zhidong’s expression became unusually serious.

He felt somewhat lost when he walked into the unfinished building.

According to internal police records, the perpetrators were all long-time inmates, and Zhang Zhidong personally apprehended them all.

These people all have criminal records and are very shrewd. A lot of evidence shows that they are not short of money or desperate; they just like to commit crimes and enjoy the thrill of success.

Fellow inmates who shared a cell with them also said that the group had been plotting a big heist against the police for a long time.

They are not afraid of going back to jail, and they are even less afraid of dying.

Years of antisocial personality disorder led these individuals to a shared goal in prison—to at least take down Zhang Zhidong, the police chief, who was also the culprit who had captured them.

Therefore, when his workplace received a criminal warning from the perpetrators, when videos of kidnapped hostages began circulating online, and when the perpetrators openly revealed their criminal targets, Zhang Zhidong probably already knew what awaited him.

He accepted the amount of cash specified by the robber without hesitation.

His colleagues advised him not to go and tried to stop him, saying that they should all think of other solutions together.

So brave and fearless, with such a good personality, and despite his young age, he always treated everyone with the warmth of an older brother. No one could bear to see Zhang Zhidong step into such a dangerous place.

However, what followed was news that the hostage, who was still a child, had been strapped with a time bomb, along with a countdown video.

The perpetrators claimed that only the remote control they carried could stop the bombs on the hostages.

They demanded that Zhang Zhidong travel to the destination alone, carrying only 500,000 yuan in cash and nothing else that could cause harm.

No one knows what Zhang Zhidong is thinking beneath his cheerful, smiling exterior.

No one knows what emotions Zhang Zhidong was feeling as the word "Not bad!" appeared more and more frequently in those sentences.

When he actually stepped into the unfinished building, tension, unease, fear, and confusion—emotions that many ordinary people would experience—all rushed into Zhang Zhidong's heart at once.

"Not bad! That's not Zhang Zhidong, who dedicated his life to the people." As he picked up his bag, dropped his weapon, and walked forward, he couldn't help but mutter to himself with a smile.

The criminals are on the third floor of the unfinished building; there are six of them in total.

The tycoon's son is very cute and has a great personality; he's still in elementary school.

They have somehow acquired a time bomb and strapped it to the child.

A video of a bomb attached to a child displaying a time display was posted online and went viral.

"Our target is Zhang Zhidong; we want his life." The perpetrators stated their intentions frankly online.

"I don't really care about the money, since our wives and kids have all run away anyway," they added online.

Chapter 181 The Thugs (Seeking monthly votes and subscriptions)

The reporters' cameras were pointed at Zhang Zhidong's back from a distance.

The criminals were wearing bulletproof vests and were sitting in a spot inside the unfinished building where they were less likely to be hit by snipers.

Just in case, they also carried several smoke grenades, which they could use if they changed positions along the way.

The hostages in the unfinished building could be detonated by the terrorists at any time. In addition, there were many terrorists, making it difficult for snipers to target these cunning criminals. The commander also dared not make any rash moves for fear of hurting the children.

"Waaaaaah..." The child's cries grew closer.

Unarmed, Zhang Zhidong walked upstairs step by step with a sullen face.

He was furious that the criminals had strapped a dangerous bomb to such a young child.

He couldn't understand why criminals would harbor such malice towards police officers who were working to maintain social stability.

"Zhang Zhidong, put your hands up, put your bag down, and turn around a few times," came the loudspeaker from the third floor.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhidong obediently put down his bag.

He raised his hand and spun around a few times.

"Okay, that's enough." After confirming that Zhang Zhidong had no weapons, the thugs called for a halt.

What does death feel like?

Zhang Zhidong was momentarily stunned.

He was prepared to trade his own life for the hostages' lives.

"Very well, come up empty-handed now. Once you're up here, we'll disarm the bomb on the hostage," the thugs continued shouting through the loudspeaker.

Zhang Zhidong continued walking upwards.

He began to think about what would happen if the criminals didn't keep their promise, or what if they felt they were about to die and thought that taking him wasn't enough, so they wanted to take a child with them.

Thinking about all this, Zhang Zhidong tried to calm his mind.

We must at least rescue the child.

He could not tolerate the possibility of losing his life and his child dying with him.

At this moment, for the first time, Zhang Zhidong truly hoped that spirits and souls could exist in the world.

What if something goes wrong in the end?

He's dead, the hostages are dead, and the criminals will surely perish too.

At that time, he will become a spirit.

Even if the price is to go to hell with the spirits of the thugs, Zhang Zhidong will personally restrain them and push them down into hell.

He absolutely could not tolerate the idea of ​​innocent children being buried alive with the dead.

The entire unfinished building is now under surveillance by criminals, and colleagues are unable to enter.

Unless Zhang Zhidong safely sends the child out, the sniper will have no way to fire a shot.

One step, two steps, he got closer and closer to the third floor.

There was no time for him to think about whether he was alive or dead.

The important thing is the child, the life of this innocent hostage.

“Good! I’m almost on the third floor now. Where’s the child?” Even in such a tense situation, Zhang Zhidong’s voice was still powerful and imposing.

The child's crying has stopped.

The cameras outside were still filming, and the conversation between Zhang Zhidong and the thugs was broadcast outside through loudspeakers.

The news reached the ears of Zhang Zhidong's colleagues, the ears of the wealthy family members, the ears of netizens, and the ears of viewers watching the live television broadcast.

"It's in the blind spot on the right side of the third-floor staircase. You'll see it as soon as you come up," another thug said irritably.

No sooner had he finished speaking than he kicked a stone down the stairs.

Seeing the small stone land, Zhang Zhidong turned around.

Judging from the size of the stone, the speed at which it was kicked, and the sound of it landing, what the thugs said should be true.

He continued climbing the steps one by one.

Reporters in the distance were on tenterhooks, colleagues were on tenterhooks, and most netizens were on tenterhooks as well.

It's quite ridiculous, really.

At this point, a new wave of doubts arose online, questioning whether Zhang Zhidong had orchestrated the whole thing.

As Zhang Zhidong's blurry figure became increasingly indistinct in the live television broadcast, netizens voiced more and more doubts.

It's trending on social media.

Conspiracy theorists jumped out in the comments section of Toutiao.

"Could this be a publicity stunt?"

"He definitely won't die in the end."

"He directed and acted in it himself, creating a lofty and great persona for himself."

"It's been half a day, and we still haven't seen the bomb actually explode."

"I didn't see any real weapons, and I didn't see any prisoners either."

"I also think it might be fake."

Various doubts and questions have arisen one after another.

As more and more people gave them likes, the onlookers gradually lost patience.

"Is he afraid of dying? Why didn't he just rush in and fight head-on?"

"Tsk tsk tsk, I thought he was really that great, but he's just afraid of dying."

"The lives of innocent civilians are still less important than his own life."

"I'm not paying attention anymore, I'm going to play games."

"When it comes to my life, this is how it is."

"Those previous incidents have made Zhang Zhidong sound so amazing, I think it might be an exaggeration."

"Yes, we didn't realize he was so amazing."

A large group of people who believed the story was true also started to speculate about a conspiracy.

The server of a certain blog was even paralyzed as a result.

Finally, Zhang Zhidong slowly walked up to the third floor.

In his line of sight, several thugs and a child who had cried himself unconscious were just two meters away from him.

He neither knew nor cared about the storm that was brewing online.

The thugs, brandishing guns they'd somehow acquired, smiled and aimed at Zhang Zhidong.

"I'll give you my life, but you have to disarm the bomb on the child first." Zhang Zhidong looked at the criminals with a serious expression.

His gaze did not waver in the face of those cold gun barrels.

"Please ensure the child's safety," Zhang Zhidong said, glancing at the surrounding terrain out of the corner of his eye.