"I'm talking to you!"
Seeing Sheng Xiangsi frozen in place, the person lost patience and grabbed her arm, pulling her up forcefully.
"Xiangsi!"
Bai Ran, who was beside her, tried to help but was immediately held at gunpoint. "Stay put!"
"And you!"
On the other side, they pulled another dancer from the RED Dance Company, dragging her out along with Sheng Xiangsi. The two women, similar in build, were forcibly taken out of the dressing room.
Sheng Xiangsi and the other dancer exchanged pale, trembling glances, unsure of what awaited them...
...
Outside the theater, the police had it surrounded.
Using a loudspeaker, the police tried negotiating with those inside.
"Listen up, inside people..."
"There's nothing to talk about! Today, we're blowing this place up! Haha..."
"Don't do anything rash!"
"..."
The negotiations seemed to reach an impasse.
Inside.
On the large stage, the curtain had not risen. Sheng Xiangsi and the other dancer were unconscious, each tied to a chair.
Fu Hanjiang, dressed in a security uniform, pushed aside the curtain and jumped onto the stage.
"Xiangsi!"
Kneeling down on one knee, he landed in front of Sheng Xiangsi.
However, Xiangsi did not respond. The other girl beside her, hearing the commotion, struggled to open her eyes.
Simultaneously knocked out, Westerners indeed had a physical advantage.
Seeing Fu Hanjiang, the girl was about to speak.
"Shut up!"
Fu Hanjiang snapped at her, "If you want to live, don't make a sound!"
"Mm!" The girl blinked furiously—instead of nodding.
Why?
The girl raised her eyes, indicating Fu Hanjiang should look above their heads.
Fu Hanjiang had already noticed that there was a balance beam perched on the heads of Xiangsi and the girl.
What was this?
He stood up, frowning as he examined it.
His eyes darkened. It was a bomb!
—In the middle of the balance beam was a small bead. If this bead fell, it would complete the bomb's circuit!
—A time bomb!
It all depended on how long Xiangsi and the girl could hold out!
What to do?
Time was of the essence. Fu Hanjiang struggled to remain calm. He pulled out a folding knife from his pocket, carefully holding Sheng Xiangsi as he cut the ropes binding her.
Then, staying still, he reached over to the girl.
"I'm going to cut your ropes now. When I do, I'll hold the balance beam, and you will carry her... and run!"
"Huh?"
The girl's face turned pale as she shook her head. "It's too dangerous!"
Who knew if he could hold it steady? If he couldn't, it might be safer to stay put.
"Not going, huh?"
Fu Hanjiang sneered, "Fine, I can take her now!"
"No!"
Hearing this, the girl was terrified. If they ran away, who knew what might happen? But she was certain she would be blown to pieces!
No choice.
"Okay!"
She nodded, agreeing, "I'll do as you say!"
"Hmph."
Fu Hanjiang smirked menacingly. "Don't even think about running. If you run ahead without her, I'll drop the balance beam, and we'll all go down together!"
"!" The girl blinked rapidly, "I... I understand! I won't, I promise!"
"Good!"
Fu Hanjiang held his breath, cut the girl's ropes, tossed the folding knife aside, and steadied the balance beam over her head.
Then he looked at her, "I'll count to three: one, two, three!"
The girl quickly stood up. As Fu Hanjiang released Sheng Xiangsi, she caught her, and Fu Hanjiang firmly held the balance beam over Xiangsi's head!
"Run!"
Fu Hanjiang whispered urgently, sweat pouring down his face.
"Oh, okay!"
The girl nodded repeatedly, carried Sheng Xiangsi on her back, and ran.
'Bang!'
A gunshot rang out!
Then several more 'bang bang' shots followed!
Were those the rioters?
The girl ran a few steps before turning back, looking at Fu Hanjiang with a complex expression. "What about you? What will you do?"
"Get lost! Hurry!"
Fu Hanjiang growled.
Why so much nonsense?
"If you don't go now, none of us will get out!"
"Oh, okay!"
Frightened, the girl turned and ran with Sheng Xiangsi on her back.
Fu Hanjiang stood there, not daring to move. He bitterly smiled, "Damn, I'm in love, huh?"
What should he do next?
Was this it for him?
He never imagined his life would end this way.
Born in darkness, would he die in such a 'blaze of glory'?
The girl ran with Sheng Xiangsi for a while before encountering someone ahead, causing her to turn back in fear.
"Stop! Why are you running?"
"We're police!"
"Police, stop!"
What? The girl looked closely, tears streaming down her face.
Real police!
"Officer!"
"Quick! Get them over here!"
"Officer!"
Someone took Sheng Xiangsi from the girl's back, and she grabbed the officer, pointing to the stage. "Over there, there's a bomb! Someone still needs rescuing!"
"Alright, we got it!"
"Quick, get the bomb squad over there!"
"Yes!"
...
Back on the stage.
The police arrived swiftly.
"Sir, hold on a bit longer."
Fu Hanjiang held his breath. Until the bomb was defused, he couldn't relax.
The bomb squad examined it and found it odd, "As long as it stays balanced? Can't we just use something of equal height to support it?"
Fu Hanjiang nodded, "In theory, yes."
He had already tested it once.
But keeping it balanced while removing it from the theater wasn't easy. Who could guarantee the bead wouldn't move during the transfer?
'Ticking...'
Suddenly, the balance beam started ticking!
"Not good!"
The expert and Fu Hanjiang exchanged a look, realizing the balance beam was just one mechanism. There was also a timer!
The balance beam displayed a five-second countdown!
No time left!
"Sir, throw it now!"
Fu Hanjiang tensed, quickly raised his arm, and flung the balance beam away.
"Run!"
At the command, everyone ran off the stage!
Three, two, one... Boom!!
With a deafening explosion, Fu Hanjiang was thrown into the air. He opened his mouth and made a desperate leap forward!
...
Hearing the loud explosion, Sheng Xiangsi, lying in the ambulance, suddenly opened her eyes. Beside her, a nurse was attending to her.
"You're awake? How do you feel?"
"Not too bad."
Sheng Xiangsi held her neck, shook her head, and looked out the window. In the distance, the theater was ablaze.
So, she had been saved.
But the bomb that had been on her head had exploded!
The nurse glanced at her and explained, "The police and firefighters are over there. Compared to your colleagues, you're lucky."
Sheng Xiangsi nodded, asking the nurse, "Do you know how I got out?"
"I don't know. The police brought you out."
"Oh, thank you."
"Make way!"
At the theater entrance, paramedics carried a stretcher with someone on it into an ambulance.
"Quick! To the hospital immediately!"