Chapter 147: Try and Die

Chapter 147: Try and You Die

The old gold shop in Yau Tsim Mong District stands along the main avenue, centrally located on the pedestrian street.

Police barricades have been erected at both ends of the main thoroughfare.

The entire Mobile Unit of the Hong Kong Police Force Operations Department has been deployed, arriving swiftly after officers from Sham Shui Po Police Station.

Police motorcycles, more agile, were first on the scene, and the Police Force's equipment is more comprehensive.

They are maintaining public order on the pedestrian street, escorting nearby pedestrians and vendors to safety.

Officers from the Police Force Special Duties Unit, clad in bulletproof vests, hold their submachine guns at the ready, forming a line beside Chen Yunchuan, their muzzles aimed directly at the old gold shop.

A Police Force medical rescue vehicle is parked in a corner, already attending to several civilians wounded by stray gunfire.

A helicopter hovers above Yau Tsim Mong Pedestrian Street, poised for a potential pursuit.

Snipers from the Special Duties Unit are also on standby in the adjacent buildings on both sides.

The Police Force Public Relations Section has directed media vehicles to pull back to safe positions, leaving four photographers and reporters with war zone reporting experience on the front lines.

Among them are Chen Zhuyao, the star reporter of Hong Kong Star Network News (STN), and Tang Shiyao, renowned for her solo coverage of the Hong Kong bank robbery case.

Also present are Liu Peizhen, the star reporter of Hong Kong Metro News (MTN), and her photographer, Ma Bojue.

Chen Zhuyao, microphone in hand, reports: "The scene is thick with smoke, and the acrid scent of gunpowder hangs heavy in the air. Outside the main entrance and the shattered display window of the old gold shop, two robbers lie on the ground."

"One was shot twice in the chest; his condition is unknown. The other was shot in the forehead and died instantly."

"When officers from the Police Force and Sham Shui Po PD arrived, the fierce shootout had already concluded. We heard only one final shot before the old gold shop fell into a profound silence."

"Currently... the situation remains unclear."

Chen Zhuyao's voice is tinged with emotion.

Beat reporters in Hong Kong possess their own intelligence networks.

She had received a tip before arriving—four officers from the West Kowloon unit were believed to be trapped inside the old gold shop.

One of them was rumored to be Jian Ruochen!

After both networks concluded their broadcasts, the entire pedestrian street fell silent.

The wind, carrying a plastic bag discarded by panicked crowds, swept it across the road. The blue bag, stained with dust, swelled as it swirled and tumbled upward, catching on a telephone pole near the old gold shop.

Suddenly, two figures emerged from the entrance of the old gold shop, their hands raised.

All eyes were fixed on them.

Fang Kaichang, Head of Operations for the Police Force, immediately grabbed his radio: "All units, do not fire unless ordered. Commissioner's direct orders: prioritize the safety of all hostages. Keep your fingers off the triggers!"

At this moment, every officer's breath seemed to synchronize.

They couldn't fathom why a seemingly simple gold shop robbery necessitated the mobilization of nearly the entire Police Force.

But they understood the weight of the Commissioner's orders.

Although Lei Jinwen hadn't been "on the battlefield" for a long time, he was once a legendary and formidable figure in his youth.

Many officers present had grown up hearing tales of his exploits and chose to join the force out of admiration for him.

Who was emerging?

Hostages or robbers?

If they were hostages, why had the robbers suddenly released them?

***

A few minutes earlier.

In the building.

Guan Yingjun cuffed the second thug and picked up the binoculars left behind by the robbers to observe the gold shop.

The robbers had chosen an excellent sniper's nest—close, suitable even for amateurs, and with the binoculars, most of the activity inside the gold shop was clearly visible.

He saw the robbers approaching the counter, noticed Lin Yazhi's empty magazine with the slide locked back, and realized she was out of ammunition.

Jian Ruochen's gun was also low on ammo.

Patrol officers typically carry only one spare magazine, for a total of 22 rounds including the one in the gun.

That patrol officer had used some rounds himself, and by the time he handed the gun to Jian Ruochen, the first magazine was already nearly empty.

Guan Yingjun immediately dropped the binoculars, dropped into a prone position behind the sniper rifle, and racked the bolt.

"Click."

A shell casing flew out from the side of the sniper rifle, and a new round was chambered.

Before Guan Yingjun could aim at the white sneakers approaching the counter, he saw Jian Ruochen suddenly stand up and fire through the scope!

"Bang!"

The robber fell to the ground.

Then, Jian Ruochen decisively dropped his gun, raised his hands, leaped over the counter, and disappeared from the scope's view.

He was no longer visible.

Guan Yingjun took a deep breath, shaking off the shock of that shot.

His hands trembled slightly, and he almost wanted to rush to Jian Ruochen's side immediately—to touch his lover's hands, cut and bleeding from glass, to feel the shivering back.

But he couldn't.

He stood up, found the rifle case tossed aside nearby, retrieved another professional scope, and replaced the laser sight with the sniper scope.

Jian Ruochen had taken down a robber and actively jumped over the counter—he must not be trying to create a three-on-three combat situation.

Now, Liu Qishang, Lin Yazhi, and Jian Ruochen were all out of bullets.

A three-on-three fight would leave them outgunned, but if Liu Qishang and Lin Yazhi could be gotten out, the situation would be entirely different.

Given Jian Ruochen's personality, he would definitely negotiate with the hijackers for the release of the captives.

Guan Yingjun adjusted the scope, his heart pounding like a dull, heavy drumbeat, the blood rushing in his ears making his eardrums throb.

He knew very well that although Jian Ruochen was kind-hearted, he was by no means a person overflowing with reckless heroism.

If there were any other way, he would not have chosen to go up alone to negotiate.

The reason Jian Ruochen had the confidence to do this was likely because he had counted on him using this sniper rifle!

So he couldn’t leave.

Guan Yingjun adjusted the sniper rifle and gave a cold, humorless laugh.

Half of it was anger toward the robbers, half resignation, mixed with a hint of regret.

If he’d known it would come to this…

He never should’ve let Jian Ruochen fall asleep.

***

The old gold shop.

Amid the afternoon heat.

Chen Yunchuan was the first to recognize the people emerging from the old gold shop.

She turned around and said, "It’s Superintendent Lin from West Kowloon and Inspector Liu from the ICAC! All units, do not fire!"

All officers eased their aim upward slightly.

Lin Yazhi and Liu Qishang slowly walked toward the police line.

They knew there were guns pointed at their backs; one wrong move, and it wouldn’t just be their own lives on the line.

Lin Yazhi had been through the shootout and was injured, with varying cuts on her arm and thigh, and a piece of glass stuck in her knee.

Liu Qishang wasn’t faring much better—his suit pants were torn, and when he had thrown himself over Lin Yazhi earlier, a stray bullet had grazed his shoulder blade, leaving a wound.

As soon as the two reached the police, they were immediately taken to a vehicle by medical staff.

Fang Kaichang braced against the doorframe of the ambulance: "What’s the situation inside? How’d you get the robbers to let you out?"

"Jian Ruochen negotiated and became a hostage." Lin Yazhi had a small blanket draped over her shoulders as a doctor knelt before her, picking the glass out of her wounds.

Fang Kaichang’s face instantly turned pale. "Who?"

Jian Ruochen?

The Police Force was closely tied to Hong Kong’s security, and information traveled quickly.

After Jian Ruochen signed the 5.9-billion development deal with the mainland, the Police Force had been keeping a close eye on him.

Orders had come from above: no matter what, this golden goose had to be protected.

A few days ago, leaders from the mainland had personally come to Hong Kong and specifically met with local Hong Kong businessmen, including Jian Ruochen.

The security measures at that restaurant had been a joint operation between the mainland and the Police Force.

Fang Kaichang grabbed the megaphone: "Attention inside the store, no matter what your demands are, please stay calm. Do not harm the hostage. So far, there have been no civilian casualties on this street. No one’s been killed yet—you can still walk away from this! We can work this out!"

Fang Kaichang’s voice cut through the air, carrying deep into the gold shop and echoing throughout the entire block.

The three hijackers were breathing fast. "Third Brother, what do we do?"

It worked!

If they got their plane, they could leave this damned place!

"Third Brother, I’ll cover him. You go negotiate with the police!"

Jian Ruochen interrupted, "I have another demand."

Seventh Brother: "...Speak."

"Third Brother, put a gun to my head. You two, take all the gold you can carry. The kind with..." Jian Ruochen kicked a gold ring with a jadeite inlay at his feet. "The ones with green inlays are more valuable. Be sure to take those."

They’ll also get you a heavier sentence.

"You rob often, so you’re the experts." Jian Ruochen studied the greed flashing in their eyes, clenched his still-trembling fingers, and coolly baited and provoked them. "You’ve already done it—you’ve come this far. Only by taking the money can you get away clean, right?"

It made sense.

It sounded incredibly tempting.

But coming from Jian Ruochen, it sounded particularly strange.

"I won’t be the one controlling you," Third Brother said. "The one holding the hostage gets the police’s full attention. I don’t want to die."

As soon as he said this, the other two robbers froze, exchanging glances.

What was he saying?

Were they supposed to risk their necks while he played it safe?

At the critical moment, Third Brother wouldn’t even stick his neck out for them?

This attitude was a cold shock.

"Third Brother..." Seventh Brother frowned. "This..."

Jian Ruochen let a faint, almost invisible smirk touch his lips.

Of the seven robbers, the three who survived were the most cowardly and self-serving.

From the way they had pushed White Sneakers out to take him hostage, it was clear they were all afraid of being the one to hold the hostage.

Because once they took that role, there was no turning back.

And Third Brother was the most authoritative and ruthless among them.

He was their last pillar of support.

If Third Brother were gone, the other two wouldn’t pose much of a threat.

If Third Brother held him hostage, Guan Yingjun would see it and make Third Brother his first target.

Jian Ruochen stared fixedly at Third Brother. "It has to be you. Otherwise, we’ll stay here and see who dies first—me or you."

The other two robbers panicked: "Third Brother, we can't keep this up."

"Yeah, if you ask me, following our usual robbery routine, we should have taken the gold and left. It's all because you insisted on staying to kill Chen Yun-chuan!"

"What's the point of killing Chen Yun-chuan? She's just Lei Jinwen's wife. If she dies, he can just find another wife. I really don't understand why you and the boss agreed to take this job."

Seeing the team falling apart, Third Brother finally realized just how uncanny Jian Ruochen's words could be.

He tore off a piece of black tape and slapped it onto Jian Ruochen's mouth. "Alright, I'll take the hostage. You two grab the gold and follow me."

Third Brother took a deep breath, pushed Jian Ruochen in front of him as a shield, and gripped his wrist tightly. He shouted at the police on high alert, "Get me that helicopter in the sky! Once we reach a safe place, we'll let him go! Otherwise, I'll kill him!"

Fang Kaichang felt dizzy and was about to let the negotiator speak when Third Brother added, "Don't let that old windbag say a word, or I'll shoot your precious hostage!"

The negotiator slowly closed his mouth.

Seeing the black tape on Jian Ruochen's mouth, he realized that this robber had already been verbally attacked by Teacher Li's protégé.

Third Brother, on the edge of collapse and in a precarious situation, was terrified of dying: "No more nonsense! Bring that helicopter down for me! Now—!"

The sunlight was blinding.

Everyone's adrenaline surged at once.

No one dared to fire from the front.

Fang Kaichang turned to the snipers positioned on both sides. "What's the line of sight?"

"Blocked. Firing would endanger the hostage."

Fang Kaichang took a deep breath. "What about the other one?"

"Sir Fang, I'm not confident either. He's too well-covered."

Fang Kaichang felt a chill run down his spine.

He knew perfectly well that Jian Ruochen dared to negotiate with the robbers and let two police officers go because he trusted that those outside could take the robbers out when he lured them out to negotiate.

But now, he couldn't do it at all!

"Don't give them the helicopter," the negotiator reminded.

If they did, the robbers might kill the hostage as soon as they boarded.

What to do?

The robber held Jian Ruochen's wrists with one hand and gripped a machine gun with the other, pressing it against Jian Ruochen's temple.

The machine gun was heavy, and holding it with one hand was a strain.

His hand gradually lost strength, growing more hysterical. "Give me the helicopter!"

***

Inside the small building.

Guan Yingjun took a deep breath.

Jian Ruochen's life was now in his hands. If he missed, the bullet could easily hit Jian Ruochen's head!

He slowly adjusted his breathing, lowered his heart rate, and quickly calmed down.

In that moment, he recalled the first time he and Jian Ruochen had worked together.

On that ship sailing across the sea, Jian Ruochen had leaned against him and disarmed a bomb.

Jian Ruochen's expression had been so animated then, it felt as if it were happening right before his eyes.

He seemed to remember every moment he had spent with Jian Ruochen.

He even remembered the time their legs brushed against each other in Teacher Li's office during their second meeting.

That day, Jian Ruochen had been wearing a puffy, canary yellow down jacket that made him look like a loaf of bread, and he carried a sweet grapefruit scent.

Guan Yingjun fixed his eyes on the robber and pulled the trigger.

"Thwip!"

The sound of a bullet piercing flesh echoed.

Blood splattered.

The robber was thrown sideways by the impact.

The machine gun pressed against Jian Ruochen shifted slightly.

Jian Ruochen immediately reacted, crouching down to break free, sweeping his leg to knock Third Brother over, and snatching the machine gun from him.

The next moment, Third Brother collapsed to the ground.

He was still conscious.

A hole in his temple bled incessantly.

Sniper rifle bullets are larger; the entry wound is small, but when they penetrate the skull, they blow open a gaping hole.

Pink brain matter oozed from the bowl-sized cavity.

Third Brother stared fixedly at Jian Ruochen, his lips slightly parted. "You... tricked me..."

Jian Ruochen ripped the tape off his mouth and tossed it aside.

Holding the gun, he pointed it at the two remaining robbers, each clutching two bags of gold, unable to draw their weapons immediately, and slowly backed away.

The machine gun shook in his hands.

"Don't panic, everyone has a first time," Jian Ruochen muttered to himself, trying to stay calm. "No big deal. Not even as nerve-wracking as dining with a high-ranking official."

Muttering to himself, he retreated into the police protective circle and instinctively glanced toward the small building.

Guan Yingjun was sprinting toward him.

"Click!"

The officers of the Police Force's Special Duties Unit snapped into action, raising their guns in unison.

The two robbers were so terrified that they dropped the bags of gold, dropped to their knees, and put their hands up.

"We surrender! We surrender now!"

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"

Guan Yingjun pushed aside the nearby cops, rushed to Jian Ruochen's side, and swept him into a tight hug.

He hugged him briefly, then immediately raised his hand to brush aside the hair stuck to Jian Ruochen's cheek.

These hands, known for their steadiness and capable of precisely taking down criminals just moments ago, were now trembling uncontrollably.

Jian Ruochen was slightly dazed; the poor-quality tape the robbers had used had left his mouth sticky.

He took Guan Yingjun's trembling hand and pressed it to his cheek, murmuring softly, as if to comfort Guan Yingjun or perhaps himself: "It's alright now. Everyone is safe, no one was killed. Pretty good, huh?"