Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 1188: Chapter 29: Dazzling

The situation at the scene was continuously being transmitted via walkie-talkie to the cars of the officers rushing over.

Things seemed to be getting increasingly out of hand.

Zhou Yusheng’s head felt heavy… there was even a sense of nausea.

Sitting next to him was Gao Wen, the captain of the Second Team, who was continuously gathering information about the scene… about five more minutes before they could reach the scene.

“Brother Zhou, Brother Zhou?”

“What is it?” Zhou Yusheng instinctively responded.

Gao Wen frowned, glanced at Zhou Yusheng, and said lowly, “You got drunk again last night?”

“I’m fine, came back to my senses.” Zhou Yusheng rubbed his face.

Gao Wen’s frown remained, “Get off at the intersection ahead, I don’t think you’re fit to join the operation in your current state.”

His recent condition was very poor, he was quite lazy at work, and didn’t know if he could pass the next quarterly assessment… If he didn’t participate in the operation this time, it would certainly greatly affect his work.

“Captain Gao, I’m really fine.” Zhou Yusheng took a deep breath now, forced himself to perk up, and used his hands to slap his cheeks, bringing out a stiff smile, “See, this is being spirited, isn’t it?”

Gao Wen was about to say something but at that moment the latest news came through the walkie-talkie: the perpetrators had hijacked the cash transport vehicle and took two hostages, rushing into the underground parking lot of a building under construction.

Gao Wen had no time to scold Zhou Yusheng, hastily instructed the subordinate driving ahead: “Change direction, let’s block the other exit!”

…

Second Team’s convoy quickly drove to the C Zone exit of the building’s parking lot, while Area B’s exit was pursued by Team One who was chasing the perpetrators.

Everyone held their guns, quickly got out of the vehicle, and using the cars as cover, aimed at the C Zone exit.

Gao Wen leaned on the car door and switched to Team One’s communication channel, “Calling, calling, Second Team is at the C Zone entrance.”

“Received, received, this is Team One, I’m Luo Qi!”

Gao Wen quickly asked: “What’s the situation inside?”

“The situation isn’t good, these guys are desperate, two hostages, one is the cash vehicle escort, the other is a security guard from the construction site, estimated eight perpetrators, heavily armed… Seems like they are from Southeast Asia.”

Gao Wen’s expression tightened, “Received… What’s the situation in the building, are there any other people?”

“There’s been a shutdown these few days, basically no one. The situation isn’t too bad, but it can’t be good anywhere.”

The key is they have hostages.

Gao Wen nodded, discussed with Luo Qi for a while, left some people to stay put, and with a group of people started moving into the building.

“Hua Sheng, you take two people up from the left stairwell… Ah Tian, you follow me, the rest go to meet up with Team One.”

“Received!”

“Remember, prioritize the safety of the hostages above all!”

Second Team quickly divided into three groups and infiltrated the building’s parking lot.

…

Zhou Yusheng formed a temporary group with two others, heading to meet up with Team One… Among the three, Zhou Yusheng was the oldest and had been in the career the longest.

Because the building was still under construction, many of the facilities were not complete, even some places only had the framework… But in such a place, it’s not easy to hide people.

Just during the run, Zhou Yusheng felt a rush of stomach acid, and in the stairwell, he couldn’t help but lean against the wall and started vomiting.

This immediately made the other two younger team members dumbfounded… Zhou Yusheng was quite experienced, one of the veterans in the team, it’s heard he should have been promoted years ago, but later Captain Gao was parachuted in and suppressed Zhou Yusheng, since then, Zhou Yusheng seemed to be somewhat lax at work, continuously making small mistakes.

“I’m okay, no need to report it.” Zhou Yusheng, after vomiting, wiped his mouth, raised his head, looking at the two young guys, his gaze was like a harsh wolf, “You saw nothing, understood?”

The two looked at each other, seeming hesitant, but ultimately nodded.

Zhou Yusheng exhaled slowly, “Don’t be nervous, just follow me and you’ll be fine, come this way.”

The two young officers frowned as they saw the direction Zhou Yusheng was heading… This wasn’t the way to meet up with Team One.

One of them couldn’t help but ask: “Brother Zhou… Isn’t this the wrong direction?”

“No, it’s the right direction.” Zhou Yusheng turned around, casually turned off the earphones, “Can you take ten of them alone? Are you sharpshooters who can hit the bullseye every time? We’re facing a group who don’t care about their lives… They don’t care about their lives, but I do. If you don’t want to die, follow me.”

“Brother Zhou… This might not be good?” Another young officer hesitated immediately… If this got found out, the consequences wouldn’t just be a scolding.

Zhou Yusheng sneered, “Do you have parents? Do you have siblings? What kind of people are on the other side? Machine guns, grenades, a group of foreign thugs, what are you using to fight them with? Your fists or that little gun in your hand?”

“We’re police officers!” Perhaps due to youthful vigor, the young officer shouted angrily.

“I’m also a police officer.” Zhou Yusheng said indifferently: “But I’m also someone’s husband, someone’s father… If I die, what about them? If you die, what about your parents, siblings? Rushing to the front doesn’t signify you’re brave; preserving yourself doesn’t mean you won’t have a chance to make merit later! If all the perpetrators are captured this time, everyone shares the credit. Even if the operation fails, there are people at the top responsible, but if you’re injured or dead, who would pity you?”

Bang bang bang bang—!!

While speaking, the sudden sound of gunfire came from an unknown direction… In the spacious stairwell, the noise was as deafening as firecrackers being set off right in front.

“Did you hear that?” Zhou Yusheng pointed to his ear, sneering, “It’s nice for young people to have dreams, but don’t think you can grab all the merit… What’s yours won’t escape you. What’s not yours, no matter how much you strive won’t be yours. Only life is the most important.”

With that, Zhou Yusheng switched on the earphones again, saying solemnly, “Calling, calling, circumstances have changed, meeting has been obstructed!”

“Received, this is Team One Captain Luo Qi, you and your men adapt to circumstances, we’ve engaged several of the bandits, find cover and opportunity to rescue the hostages!”

“Received!”

Zhou Yusheng then pressed the call button, looking at the two dumbfounded young officers in front, “You heard him, find cover… I’m using this area, if you want, that’s going into the battlefield, I don’t stop you.”

With that, Zhou Yusheng turned and left.

The two young officers hesitated for a moment, finally, bracing themselves and followed Zhou Yusheng’s footsteps… Due to the echoes, they could hardly determine the exact position of the gunfire, only cautiously continued walking.

“This should be it.”

Zhou Yusheng carefully opened a door that wasn’t closed… The space inside was large, with several rooms, but completely unfinished.

After beckoning the two officers in, Zhou Yusheng shut the door directly, then leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette to start smoking.

After just two puffs, he handed the cigarette to a young officer who looked somewhat pale and trembling, “Relax a bit, the culprits either plan on how to break out or keep escaping upward, we are in the middle, with so many rooms, they won’t come here. Let’s wait until the gunfire stops, then go out.”

The tense young police officer instinctively took the cigarette Zhou Yusheng handed over, took two quick puffs, and then passed it to another colleague.

They were indeed young, having joined the team for only half a year, and hadn’t encountered any real major cases… Initially, encountering such a big case was incredibly exciting, but Zhou Yusheng’s words were like a bucket of cold water.

Throughout the journey, there were constant updates over the communication device about the situation on the scene. In this short time, four officers had been shot, with one even dying on the spot… They realized Zhou Yusheng was right; it was indeed a battlefield.

“Are we really… okay with this?”

Even though it was currently safe, the gunfire hadn’t stopped, and a police officer could die at any moment, which kept the two young officers on edge.

Zhou Yusheng leaned against the wall, peeked out slightly to look below the building, and then came back, “It’s fine, support has arrived… I see the snipers are already in position. Later, remember not to get too close to the windows, lest you’re seen slacking off.”

“Yeah…” One of the young officers let out a slow breath and suddenly said, “Thanks, Brother Zhou. The firefight between Team One and the thugs was terrifying. I’m only scared now; if we’d rushed up earlier, we might’ve been riddled with bullets.”

Emotions can be contagious… Avoidance needs an excuse.

Seeing the look in these two young guys’ eyes, Zhou Yusheng knew he had just ruined two potentially promising young people… But if they were truly determined, how could they have been swayed by his words?

We’re all just the same… Those charging ahead just haven’t found a reason to run yet.

Zhou Yusheng felt his life had long been a pile of dog shit… Dog shit stinks and can be smelled from afar, he really was rotten to the core.

“Brother Zhou, have you ever encountered such a big case before?” One young officer suddenly asked.

Perhaps due to nervousness, he just wanted to say something to ease his taut nerves.

Zhou Yusheng squatted on the ground, lit a cigarette, and looked at the two while speaking, grinning mischievously, “Want to know?”

The two nodded simultaneously.

Zhou Yusheng beckoned them over, and they squatted in front of him, heads lowered, listening as Zhou Yusheng slowly said, “If we make it out alive, I’ll tell you.”

Pfft—!

The two young guys instinctively laughed.

For some reason.

Maybe because, in this echoing gunfire and relatively sealed-off but weirdly safe feeling space, a smile to release fear was needed.

Zhou Yusheng laughed, his laugh tugging at his nerves, as he watched the two young men lower their heads to stifle their laughter, his gaze suddenly cold for an inexplicable reason.

Ah… Yes, just like this, rotten all the way.

There’s really nothing wrong with that.

Life is just like this, surviving on and on leads to living longer… Really, there’s nothing wrong with that at all.

If… if only this smile didn’t suddenly freeze, how nice would that be?

For Zhou Yusheng, everything happened too suddenly… abruptly.

He couldn’t even react, everything seemed to turn black and white, into a silent film.

A deafening gunshot exploded next to Zhou Yusheng’s ear, as if his hearing was stripped away… The young life that was joking with him just a second ago, his smile was frozen like this.

A bullet pierced through the side of his head.

At the moment of falling, the young man’s smile still hadn’t faded, his gaze even lingered on Zhou Yusheng… But he just fell to the ground.

As if sinking into a quagmire, it was instinctive to look back and see a strong body, a grim, bloody face, and a black AK.

“Run… ah…”

How did he get in?

Zhou Yusheng didn’t understand; everything seemed to be slowing down by countless times in his brain… The other remaining young officer was shouting loudly at him… It should’ve been loud, almost a roar.

But Zhou Yusheng couldn’t hear clearly because it was all slowed down… Even this young officer’s mouth moved incredibly slowly.

The sound was slow too… coming slowly, like it changed tones.

The young officer stood up bit by bit, still very slow— but the bullet was fast, the bulletproof vest couldn’t protect his neck.

Perhaps he wanted to escape, or maybe he wanted to push Zhou Yusheng aside… But in the end, he approached him.

Fell onto Zhou Yusheng.

The weight pressing down from the front accelerated everything… brought time back to normal, Zhou Yusheng shivered violently, and in this short moment, he was drenched in cold sweat.

The young guy slid bit by bit from Zhou Yusheng, finally falling at his feet… Zhou Yusheng instinctively glanced down.

His mind went blank.

The thug grinned, suddenly whistling… This triggered Zhou Yusheng’s nerves; he suddenly remembered he had a weapon to fight back, wanting to raise it.

But the thug was faster—the dark muzzle thrust easily to Zhou Yusheng’s forehead like a spear.

His heartbeat quickened, the thug’s movements once again slowed down, every move, every breath, like one frame of film.

He felt dizzy as if the world was spinning, perhaps because the alcohol wasn’t fully out of his system, or maybe it was another reason.

The strong dizziness made Zhou Yusheng feel unsteady… He lurched slightly and instinctively raised his hands slowly.

“coward.”

The thug tilted his head, seemingly mocking.

Bam—!

Instinctively, Zhou Yusheng closed his eyes, letting everything plunge into darkness, the gunshot resounded in the empty room, once again shaking his hearing.

He heard a buzzing sound.

And.

“Are you okay?”

So he slowly opened his eyes and saw a person, not the thug, but a radiating light breaking through the dark, such a dazzling person.

“Captain Luo…”