Chapter 6 The First Despair

  I hobbled along the corridor of the office building, replaying the thrilling scene from just now. I had barely reached the freight elevator when the thugs spotted me. Several guns opened fire simultaneously, and I took cover behind the button panel on the elevator. A stray bullet hit my right thigh. The wound wasn't deep, and I managed to pull out the bullet by pinching its tail. Although it didn't hurt much, it affected my mobility. As soon as my right foot touched the ground, my thigh would ache with every step, making me break out in cold sweat.

  Checking the weapons, only two AK magazines and four pistol magazines are left. I've been shot twice and it's inconvenient to move around. If I encounter enemies again, I won't be able to run away, so I need to find a hiding place.

  Friends all say I'm an optimistic and humorous person, but the wounds on my body and the situation in front of me have made me think about death more than once. People say that those who can still laugh when facing death are heroes. Obviously, I am not one of them. I couldn't laugh, and I thought of my parents. Maybe I should give my parents a call. But what would I say? Should I tell them I'm going to die? No, I couldn't do that. My elderly parents can't withstand such a blow.

  Just as I was considering whether to call my family, the phone rang by itself. As soon as I picked it up, it was Qin Zhong again.

  "Are you okay?" He asked with a warm smile.

  "It's no good, I've been shot in the leg. If you guys don't come soon, I'm probably done for." I admit that I'm quite depressed.

  "Our team members have rushed back, but if we rush in, they may shoot the hostages, so..." Qin Zhong was very helpless.

  "If you don't come in, I'll die, they've been chasing me all along."

  "Why are they after you? You're just a nobody, it doesn't matter whether you live or die." Although the words were unpleasant, I had to admit that he was telling the truth.

  "I overheard their conversation, they said that their boss's surname is Yang and there are two other very capable guys with him."

  "Is that all? They can't be after you for just this."

  "There's nothing else, I don't know either, they just said their boss is very powerful. This plan with a lot of guts is perfect. That's all I heard, that's it!" The fact also made me feel helpless.

  "Hey, hey? What did you say? I didn't quite catch that." Qin Zhong shouted loudly.

  "Hey, hey? What did you say?" Qin Zhong's voice disappeared on the other end of the phone - the phone had run out of battery.

  I put down the phone, biting my index finger as I calculated in my mind. Yeah, they're not worth chasing me for these things. Why are they doing this? If it's not because they know my surname is Yang, then what is it for? Is it their plan? Aren't they currently executing his plan? It can't be that no one knows about the commotion they're causing. Could it be for something else? Their plan is so perfect, what are they afraid of? I only know they have a plan, but I don't know what their plan is or what they're afraid of.

  Suddenly, it dawned on me - 'Boom!' My mind was enlightened, and I understood. I knew he had a plan, which means what they're doing now isn't their entire plan. They have another plan. With so many foreigners and such strong equipment, if it's not robbery, then it must be a huge conspiracy! I need to inform Qin Zhong.

  The phone is out of power, only wireless can be used. But the bandits will also hear it. If they hear me leak their plan, even if this matter is over, they will not let me go well. What to do? What to do? Finally, the word "foreigner" made me determined to make a contribution to the country once and for all.

  I hope I didn't do anything wrong.

  "Qin Zhong, can you hear me? Qin Zhong, can you hear me? Answer me!" I said tightly grasping the walkie-talkie while looking around.

  "What's up? You tell me!" Qin Zhong responded.

  "I found out why they must kill me, they are all foreigners, they don't speak Chinese, they have a plan, but it's not just robbery, what conspiracy do they have." I told him definitely.

  "What plot, my men have already surrounded the building, they can't do anything!" Qin Zhong said with certainty.

  "It's not necessarily them doing it themselves, I reckon they have some help. Has there been anything related to foreigners recently? This group of people speaks Chinese very well! Asian ethnicity, definitely not speaking Japanese!"

  "Foreigners? Nothing about foreigners. Hmm... Asians? We share a border with Myanmar, are they related to drug trafficking?"

  "You're done for, kid! You're done for!" The dry voice suddenly cut in. There were also a few snickers from the side.

  "I see. My men are on their way to pick up a few Burmese who were caught with drugs, probably for them. Damn it, luring the tiger out of the mountain!" Qin Zhong cursed.

  I put down the intercom and knew I was done. The other party might have been too lazy to come find me earlier, but now they're probably on their way.

  With great effort, I stood up and looked at the police outside the building, forcing a bitter smile. Suddenly, there was a loud gunshot above my head, which scared me into shrinking my neck, and one of the policemen on the ground fell down.

  Snipers, they were above me. Another bang, another one fell, the police on the ground fired back. What are they doing?

  They weren't this violent before, what's their intention? Watching the police blindly retaliating below, one by one being beaten. I know what to do now. On tiptoes, I slowly climb up to the floor above. A guy holding a PSG1 sniper rifle is shooting and laughing at the same time, as if he's not shooting people but toys. I aim my gun at his head, but realizing that firing would attract others, I put it down instead, taking out my crossbow from my bag, setting the string, loading an arrow, aiming, and releasing - the arrow shoots into his left ribcage, he screams in agony, trying to pull out the arrow but can't reach. He can only scratch at the arrow's tail, scratching for a while before becoming still. It's unbearable to watch someone's dying struggle, I turn my head away. Didn't expect there was another sniper on the same floor. When a bullet takes off a chunk of flesh from my left shoulder, I finally understand what it means to not take your eyes off the battlefield for even a moment.

  I quickly raised my gun to counterattack, but my left shoulder was injured twice and I couldn't hold the gun steady. After firing a burst, I didn't hit him either. No wonder the AKM is being retired, its controllability is so poor and it's so loud that my ears are almost deafened. After finishing the last burst of bullets, I threw away the AKM and pulled out the MK23, and the two of us started a game of hide-and-seek around the building. The office building is garden-shaped and all connected, making it easy for the two of us to run into each other. He's a sniper, and his secondary weapon is also a pistol. The firepower between the two of us is about the same, now it's just a matter of who gets lucky and can catch the other off guard and shoot them in the back.

  As I was crouching in a corner, watching quietly, a silent and noiseless pistol was pointed at my head. Everything before my eyes turned black, as if the whole world had come to a standstill.

  Click to view picture link: PSG1 sniper rifle