Chapter 224 – Stepping forward (1/2)

Morning.

Dong Xuebing, who had not slept last night, took a short nap in his car. After he woke up, he ate a takeaway given to him by Chu Feng. After that, he continued to oversee the roadblock and the inspections of all vehicles passing them. But after one night of checks, they still have not spotted the escapees. The rest of the main roads also have not discovered the criminals, and they should still be hiding in the County. So, Dong Xuebing ordered his officers from the villages to help the armed officers to search for the criminals in the County town.

The Police started to comb the county town, and no one should be able to escape.

At about 1.40 pm, Dong Xuebing was discussing something with Liu Dahai and Chen Fa, when they received an announcement over their radio sets.

“The escapees are located! The escapees are located!”

“Northern District South road 7! Nan Liu Junior School!”

The escapees had entered the school! They might be holding some hostages!”

Dong Xuebing, Liu Dahai, and the rest of the officers looked at each other. “Let’s go!”

Dong Xuebing, Liu Dahai, and the rest of the officers boarded the Mercedes MPV and rushed towards the Northern District. Dong Xuebing and all the officers were worried. That’s a junior school, and it’s not the school holidays. If those children were taken hostage, the consequences would be dire. Dong Xuebing noticed the officer sitting beside Chu Feng had turned pale and was anxious. Someone from his family must be in that school.

Nan Liu Junior School.

When Dong Xuebing arrived, the Armed Police had surrounded a two-story school building. Everyone was holding their guns. In an area further away, Dong Xuebing could see the County’s Party Secretary Xiang Daofa, Xie Huilan, and other County Government leaders. They seem to be having a meeting beside the playground. Liang Chengpeng, Hu Yiguo, and an Armed Police Officer were there too. It was tense.

After alighting, Dong Xuebing called Deputy Team Leader Feng. “Old Feng, how’s the situation?”

Deputy Team Leader Feng turned and quickly walked over. “Chief Dong, when we arrived, the escapees had entered the school building. Luckily there are no lessons in the afternoon, and only a few students and teachers are in there doing the graduation ceremony preparations. From the shouts and noises, they are being held hostage by the criminals. No one dares to rash in, as we are afraid the criminals might harm the hostages. Party Secretary Xiang, Mayor Xia, and the rest are discussing the next course of action.”

Dong Xuebing clenched his fist. “These bastards. How many of them are there?”

Deputy Team Leader Feng replied. “There should be 9 of them. Out of the ten escapees from the neighboring County, most of them had escaped to Yan Tai.”

Dong Xuebing asked. “What are the chances of us storming the building? Where are the snipers?”

Deputy Team Leader shook his head. “If there are only one or two criminals, we can still enter the building. Nine criminals are too many for us to storm the building. Some of them even got guns. The guns should be taken from the prison wardens while they escape. Two officers were injured during their pursuit.” He points to the second floor of the building. “The criminals are very cunning. They had covered up all the windows, and we don’t know which classroom they are in. Also, our snipers can’t shoot all 9 of them at once. If we missed one of them, the hostages would be in danger.”

Suddenly, cries were heard from the school building.

“Sob… Help!!! Sob…”

One of the windows opened, showing a little girl’s frightened face. This girl must be a student of Nan Liu Junior. A big hand is holding the girl by her neck, and a middle-aged man slowly sticks his head out of the windows. That man is bald and had a long scar on his head. Almost all the officers at the scene had seen the photograph of this man before. He is one of the escapees, an armed robber.

“Everyone out there listens up! Whoever that dares to enter this building, or open fire, I will kill this girl!”

Liang Chengpeng looked at that criminal and shouted through the loud hailer. “Don’t harm the hostage!”

That escapee smiled and shouted. “I can don’t harm her. Get your County’s leader to speak to me!”

Liang Chengpeng hesitated and passed the loudhailer to a fat man beside him. This person is Cao Xupeng, County’s Deputy Party Secretary, Yan Tai County’s Number Three.

The Armed Robber shouted. “You are the County’s leader? Good. We don’t have other requests. We only want a medium-sized bus. Before the bus arrive, you all must guarantee our safety. If anyone of you dares to open fire, don’t blame me. We will release the hostages after we leave the County.”

Cao Xupeng looked at Xiang Daofa and Xie Huilan. Both of them nodded, and he said. “We agree to your demand!”

Liang Chengpeng interrupted. “Let us look at the rest of the hostages! We want to make sure all the hostages are safe!”

The Armed Robber said. “Don’t try other tricks! We will not let you look at the hostages! Go and get the vehicle now!”

From the murder of the woman and boy last night, these criminals are ruthless and very cunning. Liang Chengpeng must calm them down first. He turned to an officer and told them to prepare a bus for the criminals, before using another loudhailer. “I had asked my men to bring the vehicle over.”

The Armed Robber nodded. “Good! I will give you all 10 minutes!”

Liang Chengpeng frowned. “10 minutes is not enough. We need to return to our garage to get the vehicle. To and fro…”

The Armed Robber interrupted him. “I don’t care what method you use. 10 minutes! If we don’t see the vehicle in 10 minutes, this girl will die! Think carefully!”

Suddenly, someone shouted from outside the school. “Honghong! Honghong!”

The little girl at the classroom window heard someone calling her and started waving her arms. She cried: “Mum! Dad! Save me!”

A woman at the school gates was trying to push herself through a few police officers. “Honghong!”

“Honghong! Dad will be coming to save you! Don’t be scare!”

A man with red eyes pushed an officer aside. “Go away! Let me enter!”

News of the escapees entering Nan Liu Junior and holding the students’ hostage had spread. Many worried parents had rushed to the school to look for their children. Those that couldn’t find their children were crowding at the school’s main gate. Some of the teachers’ relatives were also there. It was chaotic, and everyone was shouting for their children or relatives. The hostages in the school building heard their parents calling for them and shouted.

“It’s my son’s voice! My son is inside!”

“Leilei! Mum is here!”

“Niuniu! Are you there?”

Liang Chengpeng was afraid the parents and relatives outside would agitate the criminals. “Chief Dong!”

Dong Xuebing immediately lead his officers to block the school’s entrance and stop everyone from entering. “Please calm down! I understand how you all feel, but this is an emergency. Please stop shouting, and the Police will try our best to save your children!”

A woman suddenly kneeled and cried. “Please… Please save my son!”

“Sob… My son is only ten years old!”

More than a dozen parents and family members were crying outside the school. Even old grandpas were weeping. Dong Xuebing could feel his heart aching.

The Armed Robber had moved away from the window and seemed to be discussing with someone behind him. After a while, he stuck his head out of the window again and shouted. “My brother says you Police cannot be trusted. You all must send a leader to be our hostage!” The Armed Robber looked at the crowd downstairs and suddenly shouted. “You! That fatty who spoke to me earlier. Come in!”

That Armed Robber was referring to the County’s Deputy Party Secretary, Cao Xupeng!

Cao Xupeng’s face changed. He did not expect the criminals to have this request!

Liang Chengpeng pulled Cao Xupeng. “Secretary Cao! You must not go!”

Cao Xupeng also did not want to go. He knew his chances of survival is low if he enters the school building. The criminals will hold him hostage until the last minute. Even if they managed to escape, they would also kill him. Liang Chengpeng pulling him back had saved him from embarrassment, and he was grateful. If he chickens out in front of everybody, the County Party Committee would be disgraced by him.

Xiang Daofa was angry. “Where is the vehicle? Give them a vehicle to calm them first!”

The Armed Robber upstairs was getting impatient, and tighten his grip on the little girl’s neck. “Hey, Fatty! Hurry up and get upstairs! I give you 3 minutes, or we will start killing the hostages!”

The woman at the school gates cried. “Honghong! Don’t kill my daughter! Please… I beg you!”

Honghong’s father looked at the County’s leaders and shouted. “Save my daughter!”

Cao Xupeng turned pale. At this time, he had to say something. “Let me go!”

Xie Huilan looked at the window upstairs coldly and narrowed her eyes.

Liang Chengpeng’s heart sank. These criminals were more cunning than he expected. If he knew they would make this demand, he will move the temporary command center behind the police vehicles and will never let the County leaders speak to the criminals. He was afraid matters will get worse and knew he had to protect Party Secretary Xiang, Deputy Party Secretary Cao, and Mayor Xie. “Chief Hu! Send Party Secretary Xiang and Mayor Xie out! Set up the command center outside!”

Hu Yiguo stepped forward. “Secretary Xiang, Mayor Xie.”

Xiang Daofa turned and gave Liang Chengpeng a stare. “The hostages are not saved yet! I am not leaving!”

Liang Chengpeng is not sure if Secretary Xiang is saying this from the bottom of his heart, or is he pretending. He only knows that if the criminals changed their minds and wanted the County’s Party Secretary to be the hostage and he refused, the hostages might be harmed. It will not be good for the County’s reputation. This must not happen. That’s why Secretary Xiang and Mayor Xie must leave the scene. “Chief Hu! Hurry up!”

Hu Yiguo opened the car door and wanted to invite Secretary Xiang to board. But Xiang Daofa pushed him away!

Hu Yiguo thought to himself. Stop pretending and leave. But because of Xiang Daofa’s rank, he dare not use force to make him leave.

Xiang Daofa was in a dilemma. Xie Huilan was still standing there firmly and had no intention to leave the scene.

Liang Chengpeng was furious. “Chief Dong! Bring them away!”

Dong Xuebing, who was maintaining crowd control, heard Liang Chengpeng and looked at Sister Xie. He then turned to Xiang Daofa and said. “Secretary Xiang! It is too dangerous here! You must leave immediately!”

Xiang Daofa replied with a stern look. “The hostages are still…”