Chapter Sixty-One: Well Done

Yuan Xiaoying bent down slowly and began to untie her sandals, which were high-heeled and laced, appearing to be quite troublesome to remove. Huang Xing stared at her, his eyes aflame; he had fantasized about scenes like this countless times. The more unattainable something was, the more he desired it. Yuan Xiaoying was, so far, the only one he hadn’t conquered.

Of course, the police did not sit idly by. Yuan Xiaoying risked herself, not just to keep Huang Xing calm, but to create an opportunity for Liu Jingye and his colleagues. Huang Xing was no fool; he knew that every minute wasted reduced his chances of survival. Yet, seeing Yuan Xiaoying ignited his fury. Beyond resentment, a suppressed desire surged within him, demanding release—otherwise he would die unsatisfied.

While he was humiliating Yuan Xiaoying, venting both resentment and desire, the police launched their assault. A skilled special police officer stealthily approached the driver’s cabin, as that was the only spot without children by the windows. The driver was unconscious, offering a clear view inside and possibly a chance to eliminate Huang Xing.

The officer moved inch by inch, sticking to the side of the cabin, quietly gripping the rearview mirror, stepping onto the tire, and slowly peeking in through the window. He saw Huang Xing wholly absorbed, watching Yuan Xiaoying’s alluring bent posture. Recognizing the opportunity, the officer reached for his pistol, moving slowly.

But at that moment, the driver, who had been feigning death against the steering wheel, suddenly sat up. The officer was startled, about to signal him not to move, when he noticed the driver held a gun, its barrel aimed at his forehead, exuding the aura of death.

The officer froze, unsure what to do, but the driver was ready to pull the trigger without hesitation.

Just then, a sharp gunshot rang out. In the next instant, a bloody hole appeared in the driver’s forehead, his eyes filled with disbelief as he collapsed onto the steering wheel, never to rise again.

“Quick, get to the driver’s cabin!” Liu Jingye called out after firing.

The young woman, ignoring her shock, turned and ran. Huang Xing, stunned, instinctively followed, his rage turning to madness. He pulled out a hand grenade and shouted outside the vehicle, “You dare fire at us? I’ll take you all down with me!”

With that, he reached for the grenade’s pin.

“Damn, just a bit short!” Liu Jingye cursed. Fate was unpredictable; though Huang Xing chased after Yuan Xiaoying, Liu Jingye still couldn’t see his body, only his toes and calves.

However, he could see Yuan Xiaoying clearly—her alluring form vivid in his mind. He recalled Huang Xing’s earlier words and his obsession with Yuan Xiaoying.

The worst was about to happen, leaving Liu Jingye no time to hesitate. Thinking quickly, he squeezed the trigger again.

With an explosive crack, the bullet whistled by, grazing Yuan Xiaoying’s smooth shoulder and breaking her dress strap. The elegant gown slipped, revealing a patch of snowy white skin. Luckily, she reacted swiftly, covering herself and avoiding exposure.

Yuan Xiaoying cried out in pain, and as her dress fell, Huang Xing froze for a moment, forgetting to pull the grenade’s pin and instinctively looking at her.

It was the most natural reaction for any man, especially one infatuated with her.

“Take him down!” Liu Jingye shouted through the phone; his voice thundered in the Bluetooth earpiece.

Yuan Xiaoying instantly regained clarity, grabbed Huang Xing’s wrist holding the grenade, twisted it sharply—there was a crack as she broke his wrist—then turned his arm behind his back and pressed him to the ground. She knelt on his back, and with her other hand struck his neck twice, knocking him out.

Without delay, Yuan Xiaoying shouted to the children in the vehicle, “Run, hurry!”

The children, as if granted amnesty, rushed out in a swarm. Outside, the police immediately surged forward and shielded them.

At last, Yuan Xiaoying could breathe a sigh of relief. Enduring the pain, she pulled at her fallen dress, gritting out, “Couldn't there have been another way? Now I’m exposed and injured—what if there's a scar?”

Liu Jingye laughed, “Then don’t wear off-shoulder or backless clothes anymore.”

“Hmph, petty man.” Yuan Xiaoying smiled despite the blood flowing down her shoulder, her heart brimming with happiness.

At that moment, the leader entered with the special police, followed by emergency doctors who placed Yuan Xiaoying on a stretcher. Though her injury was minor, her blood-soaked dress looked frightening.

After a quick bandage and with the leader’s permission, reporters swarmed in, cameras trained on Yuan Xiaoying. A female reporter wearing sunglasses led the charge, asking, “Officer Yuan, what just happened in there? We heard two gunshots, apparently from the roadside woods. Was this part of your department’s plan?”

“Hmm…” Yuan Xiaoying hesitated.

The commander stepped forward, replying earnestly, “Yes, it was a strategic deployment based on the situation. Our principle is to protect the children at any cost, and, as circumstance demands, eliminate the criminals.”

Ignoring the leader, the reporters pressed Yuan Xiaoying, “Officer Yuan, could you describe what happened inside?”

Yuan Xiaoying answered truthfully, “It was extremely dangerous. The criminal had a weapon of mass destruction, and there were actually two of them. Fortunately, our leaders anticipated the threat, coordinated command, and departments worked together, turning danger into safety.”

It was the official rhetoric, meant to flatter leadership. She had no choice; bureaucracy binds the hands.

The sunglasses-wearing reporter immediately withdrew her microphone and ran toward the woods. The other reporters followed suit.

Nowadays, the public prefers to celebrate heroes directly, rather than listen to bloated officials give speeches.

As the reporters dispersed, the leader, still peeking at his palm notes, was left bewildered, feeling a chill and desolation.

Suppressing a laugh, Yuan Xiaoying asked the nearby doctor, “Can I go now?”

“No, your wound is deep. You’ll need sutures,” the doctor said seriously.

“Thankfully his aim was true. If it had deviated, who would he be kissing now?” Yuan Xiaoying murmured.

“What did you say?” the leader asked, puzzled.

“I said, the sniper arranged by leadership is an excellent shot. I’m grateful for his close cooperation,” Yuan Xiaoying replied evasively.

Given her special status and heroic deed, the leader dared not neglect her, quickly signaling the doctor to take her for treatment.

Meanwhile, a crowd of reporters and police officers rushed into the roadside woods, searching for the mysterious sniper.

By now, Liu Jingye was leaving the forest. No one expected him to simply walk away, take a stroll through the nearby wildlife park, and return home only at dusk.

What surprised everyone, including Liu Jingye himself, was that after nightfall, a woman quietly returned to the forest. She removed her sunglasses, revealing a face both beautiful and resolute, flashlight in hand as she searched the ground.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. She saw a fluorescent footprint on the chaotic earth, glowing and leading toward a large tree. Even the trunk bore fluorescent prints.

The woman smiled slightly. “So it was you.”

Liu Jingye never imagined that his shoe soles had picked up fluorescent powder scattered by the woman—nightclub makeup, now betraying his tracks. On the battlefield, he would never have made such a grave mistake; but in the peaceful city, he let his guard down, never expecting a woman to be more cunning than an enemy.

That’s why men can join the army at eighteen, but the law says they can’t marry until twenty-two.

Because killing enemies is easier than being a husband, daily life is harder than war, and women are harder to deal with than foes!

After nightfall, Liu Jingye returned home, feeling uncomfortable. While hiding in the tree, he’d been bitten by mosquitoes, crawled over by caterpillars, and even had bird droppings on his head.

He showered, ate something, and lay in bed, calling Yuan Xiaoying.

As soon as she answered, he heard her sigh, “In half a day, I’ve seen off four groups, totaling over twenty officials. Being a hero isn't all it's cracked up to be.”

“Doesn’t that mean I did well?” Liu Jingye asked.

Yuan Xiaoying immediately grew wary, “What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb,” Liu Jingye snapped. “Didn’t you say if I did well this time, you’d let me do well?”

Yuan Xiaoying feigned ignorance, “Yes, I said that. But I meant next time, if something similar happens, you keep doing well!”

“Pfft!” Liu Jingye mimicked her signature retort.

Yuan Xiaoying giggled mischievously, “I advise you to curb your desires. I’ll have no time soon—organization requires at least a month of treatment and recovery. After discharge, I’ll be interviewed by major media, give advanced deeds reports to judicial departments in surrounding provinces, go to the capital for the annual Outstanding Youth selection, and finally attend further training at the provincial department’s center. By year’s end, I won’t be Officer Yuan Xiaoying anymore…”

Liu Jingye’s face darkened, protesting, “If you’re not Officer Yuan, will you be a third-rate starlet?”

“Pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft…” Yuan Xiaoying’s retort intensified. “So impatient, are you? I’m not going anywhere. When I return from training, if not a municipal political commissar, I’ll at least be a deputy bureau chief. Then you’ll have a high-ranking girlfriend. I’ll get you a legal gun permit and extra household registrations.”

“I’m not a corrupt official, don’t own lots of property, and don’t need to launder money. Why would I need so many household registrations?” Liu Jingye grumbled.

Yuan Xiaoying suggested, “You could be a polygamist! Each registration lets you legally marry another woman.”

“Hm, you make sense.” Liu Jingye’s eyes brightened, praising her.

“Dream on!”