The Human Heart

“Even if I save those idiots, the police won’t simply let me walk free. Avoid the death penalty, maybe — but I could still spend decades inside,” Wen Yiqian said without hurry. “Escaping with you is obviously the better outcome.”

“And even if you don’t escape and end up captured,” Monk added with a cold laugh, “you’d still collect commendations for trading yourself for the hostages. Either way, you don’t lose.”

He gave a slow, deliberate clap. “Remarkable. You play the lunatic, but your head is clearer than most people’s.”

Monkey hadn’t seen any of those layers. The look he gave Wen Yiqian grew considerably more complicated.

Outside, the squad leader and Li Weiguo watched the hostages emerge one by one and felt the tension drain out of them.

Letting Wen Yiqian operate the way he had — that had been a gamble with their careers, their futures, everything. The psychological pressure of the past hour wasn’t something either man would forget easily.

Watching the hostages find their families, the tears and the embraces, both men allowed themselves quiet smiles.

The officer who had carried the blast shield came forward and gave his report.

At first, both men still had reservations about how Wen Yiqian had handled things. Then the officer mentioned the exchange — Wen Yiqian walking in so the hostages could walk out — and their expressions shifted.

Sacrificing yourself for others. Easy to say.

Neither of them, police officers with a genuine sense of duty, could honestly claim they would have done the same without hesitation.

“We need to get Xiao Wen out of there,” the squad leader said, his face grave. “We can’t let someone like that come to harm.”

A nearby hostage overheard and turned around. “Isn’t he a death row inmate? And clearly unhinged. Honestly, they should shoot him along with the robbers.”

Others picked it up immediately.

“Exactly. Someone like that is better off dead.”

“He nearly got us all killed with his little games. That man is genuinely dangerous.”

“He wasn’t there to save us. He was there to have fun.”

“Even if he did save us, his sentence absolutely should not be reduced. If it is, I’m filing a complaint.”

Li Weiguo’s expression had been darkening with each word. He’d heard enough.

“That’s enough!” His voice landed like something physical, clear and hard. “He is not a death row inmate. He is an outstanding citizen of this city who put his life on the line for every single one of you.”

He looked at them. “And this is what he gets in return?”

The hostages fell quiet, mouths closed, though their eyes stayed sullen. A few muttered under their breath as they turned away.

“Can’t even take criticism now.”

“Saving people is your job anyway.”

“You—”

Li Weiguo was shaking. He genuinely wanted to send them all back inside.

If the squad leader hadn’t stepped in and taken his arm, he might have.

“Weiguo. Let it go.” The squad leader steered him aside. “You can’t expect everyone to be reasonable. The world doesn’t work that way.”

“If I were ten years younger, I’d have gone down the line and slapped every one of them,” Li Weiguo said, still working to control his breathing.

“With that temper you used to have, you probably would have.” The squad leader shook his head, a faint smile on his face.

“I mean it.” Li Weiguo’s chest was still heaving. “Last year — someone got robbed, we recovered almost everything, but a few items got damaged in the process. They turned around and demanded compensation from us. From the police.”

His eyes went slightly red at the edges. “We’re not superheroes. We can’t control every variable. Sometimes you have to improvise. Do they expect a five-star experience on top of everything else?”

“These things pass,” the squad leader said, patting his shoulder. “If you’d acted just now, you’d be looking at a disciplinary hearing. Instead you’re just angry for an afternoon, and in a few days you won’t even remember their faces. Put it that way and it doesn’t seem so bad.”

“Squad Leader, that’s a psychological trick.”

“I call it perspective.” The squad leader’s round face was cheerful, unhurried. “And the fact that you held yourself back just now — that’s growth.”

Li Weiguo shook his head. He knew it wasn’t growth. It was just what happened when life filed your edges down long enough.

When he’d first joined the force, he had been exactly the kind of person who made things difficult. The kind who pushed back.

At some point, those edges had simply stopped catching on anything.

“Squad Leader.”

Little Wang came jogging over.

Li Weiguo straightened immediately. “News from inside?”

“They’re using Wen Yiqian as leverage. They want a car at the entrance within ten minutes and a clear route out — no obstructions.” Little Wang delivered it quickly.

Li Weiguo and the squad leader exchanged a look. “Get it done.”

The car was in position at the entrance. The police moved the onlookers back and cleared the road.

Monk and Little Bai came out first, moving fast, and got into the car. Neither wanted to spend a second longer than necessary in a sniper’s line of sight.

Monkey came last, with Wen Yiqian in front of him, the gun at his back. Having a human shield made him the most relaxed of the four.

The two of them walked slowly toward the rear door.

“You know…” Monkey pressed the barrel against the back of Wen Yiqian’s head and dropped his voice to a murmur. “If I pulled the trigger right now, do you think you’d have time to do anything about it?”

“You wouldn’t.” Wen Yiqian didn’t even slow his stride.

“What makes you so sure?” Monkey snapped.

Wen Yiqian stopped.

He turned around, reached up, took hold of the barrel, and pressed it against his own forehead. He looked straight at Monkey through the eyeholes of the mask.

“Because you’re afraid to die.” The corner of his mouth curved. “If I go, you go with me. You know that. So no — you wouldn’t dare.”

He gave Monkey a light pat on the head, then turned and opened the rear door himself.

Monkey stood there for a moment, then snorted, climbed in after him, and pulled the door shut. He sat with his eyes fixed on Wen Yiqian.

“Monk.” Wen Yiqian settled into his seat and spoke toward the front with easy familiarity. “Roll down the window.”

“What are you after now?” Monkey said flatly.

Wen Yiqian turned to look at him with an expression of mild suffering. “What am I after?” He raised an eyebrow. “I get carsick. Is that a problem?”

(End of Chapter)