The Dilemma

Arriving at the neighboring street, Wen Yiqian saw a cordoned-off area from a distance.

Outside the perimeter, a crowd had gathered, mostly onlookers and reporters drawn to the spectacle.

After pushing his way to the front with considerable effort, he was stopped by police officers.

The target of the robbery was a bank, but the robbers had taken hostages, preventing the police from moving in.

Wen Yiqian spotted the squad leader and Li Weiguo nearby, huddled together discussing the situation.

He immediately waved his arms and called out to them.

Seeing Wen Yiqian, Li Weiguo quickly walked over, his expression serious. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to help. Let me in,” Wen Yiqian said.

“Help?” Li Weiguo’s face showed a trace of suspicion. “Why?”

Wen Yiqian had stumbled into criminals repeatedly over the past few days, which had already put Li Weiguo on guard.

Now, with a major incident unfolding, Wen Yiqian, who had previously refused to become a police consultant, was actively inserting himself into the situation.

Li Weiguo couldn’t help but question his true motives.

“I don’t want anyone to get hurt,” Wen Yiqian said, feeling as though he was only missing a halo to complete the saintly image.

“No need. We can handle this ourselves.” Li Weiguo waved his hand dismissively and turned to leave.

Even a three-year-old wouldn’t believe a reason like that.

“Alright, I’ll be honest. I have a friend inside as a hostage. I don’t want her to get hurt.” Wen Yiqian quickly grabbed Li Weiguo’s arm, his face urgent.

Given the circumstances, with the robbers clearly holding hostages, that reason sounded far more plausible.

“What’s her name?” Li Weiguo’s expression remained skeptical.

“Mu Su,” Wen Yiqian answered without hesitation.

With so little time having passed, he was betting the police hadn’t yet compiled a full list of hostages.

“Mu Su.” Li Weiguo stared at him for a long moment. “How did you know she was trapped inside?”

“Her friend called and told me,” Wen Yiqian continued.

“Fine. Come in.” Li Weiguo nodded, studying the man’s earnest demeanor.

The police were facing a real challenge, and Li Weiguo knew Wen Yiqian had genuine skills. That was why he had considered inviting him to serve as a special consultant in the first place.

Whether the reason was true or not was a secondary concern.

If Wen Yiqian could provide assistance, all the better. If he tried to pull any tricks, Li Weiguo was no pushover either.

The squad leader was surprised by Wen Yiqian’s arrival, but after hearing the situation, he didn’t say much.

He seemed to be aware of Wen Yiqian’s track record.

Besides, the man now carried the titles of private detective and outstanding citizen. No one was going to underestimate him.

“What’s the situation inside?” Wen Yiqian asked, looking toward the bank entrance from a distance.

“Our technical team is already pulling footage from the surveillance cameras around the entrance,” Li Weiguo said, glancing around. “We haven’t confirmed the exact number of robbers yet, but there are at least a dozen hostages.”

“Is this the only entrance?” Wen Yiqian asked.

“Yes.” Li Weiguo nodded, anticipating the next question. “The ventilation ducts are too small to fit even a puppy. There’s no way in or out through there.”

“Have the robbers made any demands?” Wen Yiqian thought for a moment.

Li Weiguo shook his head.

“Captain!”

Officer Little Wang came rushing over, flustered and anxious. “The bandits have made contact through one of the bank employees’ phones.”

The group exchanged glances and quickly followed Little Wang to the RV serving as a temporary command post. They put on headsets from a technician and took the call.

“Has the person in charge arrived yet?” came an impatient, irritable voice through the headset.

“I’m in charge here. You can speak with me,” the squad leader replied, his voice steady and resonant.

“Listen carefully. We have over a dozen hostages. If you don’t want them dead, come to the bank alone.” The other party’s tone was aggressive.

“Stay calm. Let’s talk this through,” the squad leader attempted to soothe them.

“Cut the crap.” The other party cut him off. “If you don’t come, I’ll kill a hostage every five minutes. Let’s see if you can live with that.”

“Don’t act recklessly. You know what the consequences of that would be,” the squad leader said, his tone hardening.

“We robbed a bank. Do you think we’re afraid to die?” The other party sneered. “Should I kill someone right now to prove it?”

“No, no.” The squad leader quickly said. “Can you tell me why you want me to come in alone?”

“Because we’re afraid a few hostages aren’t enough leverage,” the other party said impatiently. “If you storm in, we won’t be able to hold out.”

“We are the police. We will never allow any innocent citizen to come to harm,” the squad leader said.

“I don’t care who you are.” The voice turned cold. “You have five minutes to decide. If I don’t see you by then, you’ll face the consequences.”

The line went dead.

The group removed their headsets and looked at each other.

After a moment, the squad leader’s face settled into resolve. “Should I go in and exchange myself for the hostages?”

“No.”

Before Li Weiguo could speak, Wen Yiqian cut in.

He knew perfectly well that the other party didn’t actually want the squad leader as a hostage.

If he walked through that door, they would shoot him on the spot.

“Why?”

Both the squad leader and Li Weiguo looked puzzled.

“It’s… too dangerous…” Wen Yiqian couldn’t tell the truth, so he fell back on the weakest possible excuse.

Seeing their confusion deepen, he quickly added, “These robbers know that with so many hostages, we won’t dare act rashly. Their demand for the squad leader to come in alone isn’t just leverage. There has to be a hidden motive.”

Neither of them pressed further.

The squad leader glanced at his watch, his expression tight. “We need a solution fast. We don’t have much time.”

Wen Yiqian rubbed his stiff cheeks and ran through the situation in his mind.

The problem was clear: although the bandits appeared trapped, the hostages gave them the upper hand.

If their demands weren’t met, they would start killing people.

The fallout from that would be unbearable, for Li Weiguo and the squad leader alike.

Saving the hostages while subduing a group of desperate criminals seemed nearly impossible.

Wen Yiqian suddenly thought: if he had chosen black just now, would he even be troubled right now?

(End of Chapter)