Chapter 99

On this early morning in Nancheng, the sunlight shone down, reflecting off the glass curtain walls, creating a bright spectacle, resembling a jungle forged from steel.

Just after the morning rush hour, a line of police cars set off from the City Bureau, speeding towards the city center. The blaring sirens pierced the sky, signaling that it would be an eventful day.

Even at the fastest speed, it would still take twelve minutes to arrive. In the leading command vehicle, Song Wen and Zhu Xiao sat on one side, while Xu Youyou and Xu Changying sat on the other.

Xu Youyou was responsible for coordinating communication in this mission. After a brief period of busy work, she looked up and reported, “Captain Xu, snipers and bomb disposal personnel are on their way. Based on the overall traffic conditions, they are expected to arrive at the base of Nancheng Tower within eighteen minutes.”

“This speed may not be enough,” Song Wen said, staring at the electronic screen held by Zhu Xiao. The speeding black sedan had been completely locked onto. Its location appeared on the electronic screen, blinking constantly. Due to the car’s high speed, the intercepting team had tried twice but failed to stop it, and it had even managed to shake them off.

Xu Changying said, “It’s best to evacuate the crowds as soon as possible, as Commissioner Gu suggested.”

Xu Youyou asked, “Should we inform Nancheng Tower to close down directly?” If the tower were closed, Zhang Congyun would undoubtedly be unable to go up.

Song Wen shook his head. “In our preliminary investigation, Nancheng Tower is Zhang Congyun’s obsession with his deceased wife. Closing the tower won’t help. He should climb up even if it’s closed.”

Nancheng Tower was not only a symbol of Nancheng but also a sacred place for suicides. Outsiders didn’t understand the history of Nancheng Tower or the determination of its residents to die there.

Xu Changying agreed, “We cannot be certain of the destructive power of the explosives. Closing the tower rashly might anger the suspect, and if the explosion happens under Nancheng Tower, it will still cause casualties.” Then he turned to Xu Youyou and said, “Let’s wait for the SWAT team to arrive first. Speed up the evacuation of the crowds at Nancheng Tower and leave them an empty tower.”

Now, they could only hope that the destructive power of the explosives wasn’t too great, and wouldn’t directly cause the tower to collapse. In that case, letting Zhang Congyun climb the tower would actually be more controllable.

Xu Youyou nodded and made a phone call. Then she turned around and reported, “It will take about five more minutes to evacuate the crowds.” She glanced at the time and added, “By the time we arrive nearby, the evacuation should be almost complete.”

Song Wen continued, “Nancheng Tower is 333 meters tall, and its location is unique. The broadcasting studio is on the 18th floor. We are collecting architectural drawings and other relevant information about Nancheng Tower.”

Xu Changying said, “We will join forces with the SWAT team later and devise an assault plan.”

Song Wen added, “Furthermore, I suggest contacting nearby hospitals to make emergency preparations.”

Xu Changying nodded, and Xu Youyou quickly began to make contacts.

At present, the situation didn’t look too favorable for them, but they had prepared everything they could. It felt like a battle, with no smoke in the air yet, but danger could strike at any moment.

The people in the car fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of Xu Youyou’s keyboard as she communicated and the clicking of Zhu Xiao’s mouse. Song Wen took out his phone, checked the time, hesitated for a moment about whether to update Lu Siyu on the situation, but then decided against it. Telling him wouldn’t change the current situation and would only cause unnecessary worry.

With that thought, he put his phone back in his pocket.

The car continued to speed forward, racing against time. As they approached a junction near Nancheng Tower, Zhu Xiao looked up and said, “Zhang Congyun’s car has stopped, right under Nancheng Tower.”

Xu Changying asked, “How much longer until we arrive?”

Zhu Xiao replied, “Less than a minute.”

Xu Changying was dissatisfied with this answer. “Be more precise.”

Xu Youyou checked the distance. Nancheng Tower was already in sight. “About thirty seconds.”

Xu Changying nodded. “Notify the police cars behind us to surround the target vehicle with a safe distance of twenty meters. Everyone, be prepared.”

Xu Youyou checked the time again. “The SWAT team is expected to arrive in a few minutes. Should we proceed first?”

Xu Changying said in a deep voice, “Let’s wait and see. Don’t act rashly. Be flexible.” Then he added, “I hope Zhang Congyun is still in the car…”

Within those few sentences, thirty seconds had passed.

With a screech, the speeding police cars suddenly came to a halt in the parking lot below Nancheng Tower. The tires, already hot from the high-speed chase, kicked up a cloud of dust. The other police cars also braked, forming a blockade around the black target vehicle from all directions.

Silence enveloped the scene, the air thick with tension.

Song Wen opened the car door and jumped out, followed closely by Xu Changying. Their movements were almost synchronized as they drew their guns and aimed at the target vehicle. The others also got out of the car, and in a moment, the vehicle was surrounded by a dozen or so detectives.

All eyes were focused on the car, and then suddenly, the door opened.

Out of the car emerged a fair and delicate arm, followed by Zhao Liu’er’s tear-stained face. She cried out, “Help me, save me…”

Song Wen tightened his grip on the gun, while Xu Changying shouted, “Are there any other people in the car?”

“They… they got off the car,” Zhao Liu’er cried, “Just now, that old man took Huo Shaoqing… they went up the tower…”

Xu Changying couldn’t help but gaze at Nancheng Tower. It was his first time seeing the tower up close, and before him stood the towering structure reaching into the clouds, truly magnificent.

Xu Youyou reported, “The SWAT team will arrive in four minutes, and ambulances are on the way. Most of the people inside the tower have already been evacuated. The elevators have been stopped, and to get to the top of the tower, you need to climb eighteen flights of stairs to reach the broadcasting room…” Her implication was clear, hoping that this delay would buy them some time.

“Help!” Zhao Liu’er cried again at this moment. “I have a bomb on me, and there are two minutes left… wuwuwu… help me… disarm it…”

Xu Changying’s expression stiffened, and he quickly turned around and shouted, “Is anyone capable of disarming the bomb?” Compared to the headache of dealing with the situation inside Nancheng Tower, the current situation seemed even more dire. With only two minutes until the bomb exploded, there wouldn’t be enough time for bomb disposal experts to arrive, and this girl would likely be blown up in front of everyone.

“I’ll do it,” Song Wen said, holstering his gun and reaching under the seat for a toolbox.

Xu Changying hadn’t expected Song Wen to step forward at this moment, furrowing his brow. “Song Wen, how confident are you?”

“Normally, there shouldn’t be a problem, as long as it’s not a special bomb,” Song Wen said as he walked briskly towards the car.

Xu Changying’s brow had long been furrowed with unease. Although he was brave and capable, he knew nothing about bomb disposal. He could only watch as Song Wen approached, cautioning him, “Be extremely careful, and if it’s too risky, don’t do it recklessly.”

In the midst of the conversation, Song Wen had already reached the side of the car. Zhao Liu’er was sitting inside, lifting her clothes to reveal the bomb strapped to her waist. Song Wen inspected the bomb. In fact, he had learned bomb disposal in college, as there was an elective course on the subject, covering some basic theory and a practical exam. However, Zhang Congyun specialized in chemistry, and while the explosive might be powerful, it probably wasn’t a high-tech bomb.

Zhao Liu’er had been controlled by Zhang Congyun since last night, having endured an almost sleepless night and then being terrified this morning. She was on the verge of collapse, her body trembling uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.

Song Wen glanced at the timer, which showed two minutes and thirty-two seconds remaining. Then he used a screwdriver from the toolbox to unscrew the screws on the device. “The first rule I learned in bomb disposal class is not to panic when dealing with a timed bomb. When I was in school, I used to think it was nonsense… isn’t it obvious not to panic when dealing with any bomb? But now… I find it quite practical. So, the key to survival is to stay calm.”

As Song Wen spoke, his movements were steady and swift. He removed two nuts, held them in his hand, and then began unscrewing the third one.

“I’m… I’m scared…” Zhao Liu’er trembled, tears falling from her cheeks.

“Don’t be afraid. It’s different from what you see in the movies. It won’t be a slow, agonizing death. With a bomb this size, you’ll be gone in an instant, without any pain. And besides, I’ll be with you,” Song Wen reassured her. The thought of possibly dying here made Song Wen suddenly think of Lu Siyu, and then of his own parents. His gaze hardened for a moment, then became even more resolute. “Don’t worry, I’ll do my best to survive, for the important people in my life.”

Zhao Liu’er wiped away her tears, feeling a warmth in her heart after hearing Song Wen’s words. She had been more frightened by the first two sentences, but the latter part made her feel a little comforted.

“How were you abducted? Is there anything you saw or remember? Tell the people on the other side,” Song Wen said as he disarmed the bomb, handing Zhao Liu’er the communication device. Time was running out, and there was no time for further inquiries. Before ensuring that he could successfully disarm the bomb, he had to leave behind clues and information.

Sniffling, Zhao Liu’er choked out her words into the communication device, “I… what I said during the live broadcast was true… and then… six months ago, a person named Moon Shadow Voice suddenly appeared in my live broadcast room. He often gave me tips, and he was always at the top of the tipping list. Then, last night, he suddenly asked to meet me. At that time, I didn’t think much and went to meet him… I didn’t expect him to be the husband of the janitor we accidentally killed. He kidnapped me yesterday and took me to a house he rented in the countryside, where he coerced me into wearing this device. He also asked me to contact Huo Shaoqing and said we were going to pick him up… just now… when we were about to get off the car, that old man made me handcuff a box to Huo Shaoqing’s hand, and he had the remote control. He said it was also an explosive…”

By this time, Song Wen had unscrewed all four knobs and opened the device, carefully examining the various circuits inside. Xu Changying on the other end of the communication device listened with an increasingly solemn expression, realizing that Huo Shaoqing’s explosive might be even more complex and powerful.

With the information now clear to him, Song Wen thought that Zhang Congyun must have used the compensation from Zhao Youlan’s car accident to carry out these operations. He gathered information, tipped off Zhao Liu’er to make her relax her guard, rented another residence, continuously purchased various materials, and conducted experiments. Now, everything was coming to a head…

Zhao Liu’er continued to tremble as she spoke, “When the live broadcast stopped, that old man was very angry… Then he drove here to Nancheng Tower, and when we arrived at the tower, he left me here. I don’t know anything else… I… I was wrong. If I can survive, I’m willing to go to jail… As long as… as long as I can live… I can’t remember anything else…”

As she spoke, there was only one minute and ten seconds left on the countdown. The fate of the two people was hanging by a thread, and each second of trembling increased the pressure on Zhao Liu’er. Her breathing unconsciously quickened. The girl looked at the busy Song Wen and couldn’t help but ask him, “How many years did you study bomb disposal?”

“Probably about a week. There was no choice. The SWAT team couldn’t make it in time. Just bear with me. My memory is a bit different from others’. When I see something, it’s like a photo in my mind. So, I memorized the circuit diagram of this explosive device,” Song Wen replied with a smile, glancing at Zhao Liu’er. “I did pretty well on the exam back then.”

His words and the smile in his eyes gave Zhao Liu’er a sense of security. She looked down at the device on her body. The timer was open now, revealing a network of circuits, reminding her of the classic question from movies.

But these lines in front of her didn’t seem to have any red or blue distinctions; they were almost all the same color.

Holding her breath, time seemed to stand still. Song Wen’s brow furrowed slightly, and his hands moved quickly. Each wire was cut in an instant. After the scissors fell, the countdown didn’t stop; it continued. Zhao Liu’er hadn’t expected this twist. Her face turned pale instantly. “What… what’s happening…”

At the same time, there was a buzzing sound from Song Wen’s pants pocket.

At the moment of zero, Zhao Liu’er felt a tremor throughout her body and screamed, “Ah! Ah! Ah!”

Everyone present was extremely tense, closely watching the situation. Xu Changying was particularly nervous. When he heard Zhao Liu’er’s scream, everyone instinctively hit the ground.

The expected explosion did not occur.

Song Wen looked awkwardly at the female anchor in front of him, who had her eyes tightly shut, then looked at his teammates and shouted, “It’s okay, crisis averted. Relax a bit, have some confidence in me. My phone rang just now, and it startled her.”

Then Song Wen explained, “I removed the connector. Now the ignition device has nothing to do with this countdown.” As he spoke, he slowly removed the bomb from Zhao Liu’er’s waist. His words sounded relaxed, but the sweat on his back had soaked through his clothes. No one knew the pressure he had just faced. Any slight mistake, and both he and the girl in front of him would have died here.

“Am… am I okay now?” Zhao Liu’er burst into tears again, this time tears of joy. After being bound with the bomb for a day, it finally left her body, but she still didn’t dare to move easily.

Song Wen: “Hmm.” He nodded. “You can go now.”

Zhao Liu’er immediately got up and ran towards the police car. Watching her reach a safe distance, Song Wen heaved a long sigh of relief. He carefully placed the bomb on the ground and walked back to Xu Changying. “When the bomb disposal team arrives, let them take it away.”

Xu Changying had almost had a heart attack from the recent turn of events. He took out handcuffs and put them on Zhao Liu’er. Now, watching Song Wen return safely, his suspended heart finally relaxed. His lips twitched a few times, and he whispered softly, “Thank you.”

“That device wasn’t too complicated.” Perhaps Zhang Congyun’s timing was a bit off, just enough for him to disarm the bomb, Song Wen said as he reached for his phone in his pants pocket. “I received a WeChat message at a critical moment just now. I wonder who it was.”

As he spoke, Song Wen turned on his phone, but his expression suddenly changed. His hand holding the phone trembled so much that he could hardly grip it.

Xu Changying, who had just seen Song Wen deal with a timed bomb with ease, was puzzled by his sudden panic and frowned, asking, “What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

Song Wen hesitated for a moment before speaking, “It’s Lu Siyu.” He paused for a moment before continuing, “…He’s on Nancheng Tower.”

TN:

Why is Lu Siyu always getting himself in these sh*t situations?!