Chapter 739: Operation Deception

“How many operators are there in that board game bar?” After several inquiries, Chen Shi found the landlord of the building and asked.

“I remember just one person, a young man who just graduated from college. Running a board game bar doesn’t require much manpower; customers just come in and start playing,” the landlord replied.

“Do you have a photo of him?”

“Haha, why would I have a man’s photo on my phone… Oh, wait, I have his WeChat.” The landlord opened WeChat and showed Chen Shi the operator’s photo. Chen Shi nodded and said, “Try contacting him.”

The landlord made a call and shrugged. “He hung up.”

Chen Shi fell silent for a moment and continued, “Another question: besides the front door, are there any other exits from the house?”

“Um, none.”

After the landlord left, Chen Shi said, “The operator is about the same age and build as Xiaosi. I guess he’s been kidnapped too.”

“Why would they kidnap someone unrelated?” Lin Dongxue suddenly realized. “Is this what you call the Operation Deception?”

“For example, starting a fire. When we rush in, there are six bodies inside. Without Xiaosi’s DNA information, we would likely assume Xiaosi had been burned inside. Meanwhile, the real Xiaosi has escaped through another method.”

Chen Shi observed the building again. Across the street was an office building, and on the other side were a parking lot and a road. The front door and windows of the board game bar were tightly closed, completely out of police view—let alone sniping. It was an ideal location for hostage-taking.

“It’s not necessarily that straightforward. Even if we see six bodies, we would still think the operator was inside,” Lin Dongxue objected.

“Then make it seven bodies. I’m sure he’s not giving up easily but actively trying to stay alive,” Chen Shi said. “Just in case, let’s have a fire truck on standby nearby!”

After dark, the fire truck and local police arrived. Lin Qiupu informed Lin Dongxue of the situation and requested a SWAT team.

The negotiation expert from the SWAT team tried to negotiate through the door with Xiaosi, asking the kidnapper’s demands. But Xiaosi was uncooperative, repeatedly telling the negotiator to leave and saying, “I want to talk to Officer Lin.”

So Lin Dongxue came to the door and said, “Xiaosi, I’m here.”

“Hearing your voice makes me feel much calmer.” Xiaosi smiled inside the door. “Officer Lin, I have a question for you. Do you have someone very important to you? Someone you can’t afford to lose.”

Lin Dongxue didn’t want to answer, but to stall for time, she said, “Yes.”

“Then you should understand my feelings. My sister was taken as a worthless trophy to show off. My heart feels shattered like it’s been crushed. These people must be buried with her.”

“I understand your feelings, but I don’t agree with your actions. You only see the side of them that you dislike, forgetting they also have families and their own social responsibilities. Their deaths will only bring more pain and hatred. Killing them solves nothing.”

“Haha, do you think people can change? Truthfully.”

“… It’s difficult.”

“I think so too. Even if these scumbags go through this, they won’t change their ways. I wonder how many women will cry for them. Killing them won’t save more people.”

“You don’t need to convince me. Have you thought about where you’ll go after you die?” Lin Dongxue remembered that Guo Yang had religious beliefs and thought she might use this.

“To hell, haha.”

“The more people you kill, the farther away you’ll be from your sister in hell. Perhaps you’ll never see her again.”

Xiaosi was silent for a moment and said, “I have a request.”

“You said!”

“Today is my sister’s birthday. I want to see twenty-three fireworks from this window.”

“After fulfilling your request?”

“I can let a few people go.”

“I’ll negotiate, but I hope you keep your promise.”

“One word.”

Lin Dongxue came down and informed the police. Cost-wise, this was nothing, but the SWAT team didn’t fully agree. “We shouldn’t encourage criminals; these fireworks will cause citizens to ask why they’re being set off. If they find out the police compromised with criminals, it will tarnish our reputation.”

“Captain X, you’re worrying too much. Even if it’s a hundred fireworks for one life, it’s worth it. The most important thing is that he’ll open the door, and we can observe the situation inside and discuss countermeasures.” That was the negotiator’s opinion.

Finally, everyone agreed to negotiate with a nearby hotel building. Around eight o’clock, several fireworks rose slowly into the night sky, blossoming brilliantly. Many pedestrians stopped and looked up.

Xiaosi held a knife, sitting on the windowsill, tears slowly falling from his face illuminated by fireworks. He stood up and said to himself, “It’s time to act.”

Before the twenty-three fireworks were finished, someone suddenly screamed, “Fire!”

Everyone looked up and saw thick smoke billowing from the window of the board game bar. Seeing this situation, the SWAT team immediately put on gas masks and rushed up, forcibly breaking the lock and charging in.

In the thick smoke, several men were tied up on the ground, blood gushing from their necks. The SWAT team was shocked and quickly called for backup.

Meanwhile, Chen Shi stood downstairs, his eyes fixed on the building. The sudden fire had driven all other residents outside, crowding the entire balcony corridor. He suddenly noticed a person in a red vest, walking with his head down, separating from the crowd and heading outside.

Here he comes! He was surprised, grabbed a nearby police officer, and said, “The suspect is running! Come with me.”

The officer was on the phone and didn’t hear Chen Shi’s voice at all, stunned for a moment and continued to say into the phone, “Several ambulances and several, hurry!”

With the sudden outbreak of the fire, chaos had broken out around, and Chen Shi could only chase after him alone.

The man came down the stairs, looked at Chen Shi, and saw that the man who walked out of the fire was indeed Xiaosi!

Xiaosi was alert, turned around suddenly, and Chen Shi ran with all his might.

The two ran into an alley, and Xiaosi suddenly turned around and swung his hand. Chen Shi instinctively took a step back, and the cold blade narrowly missed his neck, frightening his hair upright.

“Haha!” Xiaosi transferred the knife from his right hand to his left hand. “Mr. Chen, you are indeed smarter than the police.”

“Just a consultant, why bother so desperately? Did the police buy insurance for you?”

“Cut the crap!”

Chen Shi threw a punch, Xiaosi dodged, and the knife came from below, sneakily attacking. Chen Shi kept his eyes on the knife and immediately slapped Xiaosi’s wrist down, while a headbutt hit Xiaosi’s face.

Xiaosi staggered for a moment, blood flowing from his nose, pain making him angry. He said, “I’ll destroy you! As long as you dare to take out your phone, I’ll cut your throat immediately.”

“Oh, really?”

Chen Shi reached into his pocket, and Xiaosi really pounced, but what Chen Shi took out was not a phone but a handful of white powder, smearing Xiaosi’s face.

His sight was instantly deprived, and then he was kicked heavily in the abdomen, and the whole person flew out.

Chen Shi quickly ran over, kicked away the knife in his hand, turned him over, handcuffed his hands back, and shouted, “You’re under arrest!”

“Fuck!” Xiaosi cursed. This guy was too despicable.