C17

The detectives shouted sternly, "You're surrounded. Drop your weapon and surrender!"

The criminal, holding a knife to a pregnant woman's neck, shouted back in a panic, "Get me a car and a million dollars, or I'll kill her."

"No, no, please!" The sharp blade left a cut.

"Shut up, you!" The criminal's expression grew more menacing. The detectives tried to calm him down to prevent any irreversible consequences.

Zhang Baigui quietly stepped out of the circle, ready to signal the sniper to take the shot.

"Wait!" Tang Wan'er stopped him. "Look at what he's holding."

A bottle filled with liquid peeked out from the criminal's coat. Zhang Baigui's expression changed dramatically. "He's got a homemade bomb."

"Ha! Just now figuring it out?" The criminal laughed loudly, flaunting the bottle, glaring at the detectives who dared not approach.

The pregnant woman, overwhelmed with fear, had a trickle of blood running down her leg.

"This is bad. Her condition is critical. She needs to get to a hospital immediately," Tang Wan'er said, her brow furrowed with worry.

The detectives tried to negotiate the release of the hostage, but the criminal refused, leading to a tense standoff, with the pregnant woman's situation becoming increasingly dire.

Tang Wan'er stepped forward and said to the criminal, "A pregnant woman isn't suitable as a hostage. She'll just be a burden. How about you trade her for me instead?"

"Wan'er, are you sure about this?" Zhang Baigui looked at her disapprovingly. Tang Wan'er waved him off and cautiously moved closer to the criminal.

"You?"

"Yeah! A pregnant woman with a big belly would slow you down if you tried to escape. Look at me—I'm small and not a threat to you."

Tang Wan'er patiently used her words to ease the criminal's guard, eventually persuading him to agree to the hostage exchange.

"Come here."

Step by step, she approached. The criminal released his grip, pushing the pregnant woman toward the officers behind him. Just as he was about to grab Tang Wan'er, Zhang Baigui lunged from behind. In perfect sync, Tang Wan'er swept the criminal's legs, and together they subdued him.

"Let go, let me go!" The criminal struggled fiercely, pinned to the ground by Zhang Baigui. "Quick, get rid of the bomb."

Tang Wan'er removed the bottle from the criminal's waist, opened it, and her expression changed dramatically. "It's just regular water."

Suddenly, everyone heard a ticking sound coming from the backpack, and panic spread through the group.

The criminal laughed maniacally, "It's a timed bomb! In a few seconds, it'll explode, and we'll all go down together! Ha ha ha!"

The detectives urgently evacuated the surrounding area, but before Tang Wan'er and Zhang Baigui could reach safety, the bomb exploded with a thunderous roar, sending a massive shockwave through the air. Caught in the blast zone, Zhang Baigui shielded Tang Wan'er with his body at the last moment, but they were both thrown by the explosion, leaving their fate uncertain.

In the darkness, Tang Wan'er slowly lifted her head, unable to see her own hand in front of her face. Faintly, she heard a woman sobbing nearby. Suddenly, a figure appeared ahead, a woman with disheveled hair and her head bowed. As she drew closer, she lifted her head, revealing a blank face.

"Ah!" Tang Wan'er awoke with a start, her clothes clinging to her skin, drenched in sweat. She realized that at some point, she had become soaked.

"Xiaocui!" she called out toward the door, only to remember after a moment that Xiaocui had gone back home to visit family.

She got out of bed, threw on a cloak, and slowly walked to the window.

The sun had risen again, casting rings of light through the windowpane.

Meanwhile, outside the room, a cacophony of voices filled the air, bustling like a busy marketplace.