After reimbursing the owner for the damage, we left the stall on foot. The SWAT team captain wiped the beads of cold sweat off his forehead, saying, "Oh my God, that was close! Fortunately, you reminded us to keep our identities hidden. But the whole incident is really strange since the gang got beaten up over nothing. I think the incident will put them on alert."
Xiaotaoâs fists were still clenched tightly as if she hadnât fought her fill. "What do you mean they got beaten up over nothing?!â she seethed. âThey asked for it. Scum like this should be properly taught a lesson and removed from the streets!"
"Captain, I'm really sorry about tonight,â I said. âBut we only started fighting after we were pushed into a corner. Anyway, thank you for your help!"
The man simply waved his hand and smiled bitterly, "Itâs alright. With where things were heading, how could we just stand by and watch you get hurt?"
"By the way, do you know Captain Zhang?" I asked.
The man pointed to his nose and said, "Youâre talking to him!"
Xiaotao and I exchanged a look of disbelief, shocked at our chance encounter. To be on the safe side, I verified his identity; the man was indeed the Captain Zhang we were looking for.
"What can I do for the two of you?" Captain Zhang looked askance at us.
I briefly informed him of the situation, explaining there was a man out to kill him. Hence, we had to keep him under close watch.
"Thatâs not possible,â Captain Zhang shook his head. âAs you can see, I'm on a mission right now so I can't leave. Who is it who wants to kill me?"
"Do you still remember the name Long Bangguo?"
"When was he released?" Captain Zhang furrowed his brows.
"Possibly a week or so before,â answered Xiaotao. âHeâs now taking revenge on the officers who sent him to prison back then. Officer Niu and Officer Ouyang were murdered by him, and now Officer Cuiâs family was completely massacred..."
Despite the shock from the bombshell we dropped on him, Captain Zhang was after all a tough guy who had weathered countless storms, neither depressed nor grief-stricken. "Death comes to all, especially for those who work in high-risk occupations like us. Perhaps one day, on my way home, Iâll be stabbed by a criminal but thatâs the life I chose. Let him come to me! Youâve seen my team and what theyâre capable of. I don't believe he dares to go up against me!"
"Long Bangguo doesn't need to lift a finger to kill you!"
"Consultant Song, are you joking? The man has been in prison for twenty years,â laughed Captain Zhang. Even if he has the ability, he doesnât have the courage to... "
His remarks came to an abrupt stop when I handed over my cell phone and showed him the photos of Officers Niu and Ouyangâs dead bodies. Captain Zhang stared wide-eyed at the screen, "What the hell happened? Long Bangguo did this?!"
"To be exact, they did it themselves!"
I explained all the evidence pointed to a musical instrument that could kill the listener. Even the most strong-willed man would be driven to commit suicide, and the effect of the music potent enough to implicate those around him.
However, Captain Zhang merely took my words with a grain of salt. "Donât you remember Professor Li who had the ability to hypnotize? In the beginning, many officers didnât believe she could do anything using hypnosis, but the consequences told us otherwise. More deaths are just around the corner so we can't risk any more lives just to prove a point!"
Captain Zhang burst out laughing, "Do you doubt that I can't resist this so-called murderous music? I received professional special forces torture training. Even if someone tried to hypnotize me, they wouldn't succeed. Li Wenjia's hostage-taking situation was handled by my team. Iâm not trying to show off, but the officers involved in that case were too weak in terms of willpower. If I had been given the case from the start, the suspect wouldnât have had the chance to hypnotize me because I wouldâve killed her with one bullet. So, please go back, both of you. Your worries are superfluous."
His words struck a raw nerve in Xiaotao, especially since Li Wenjia's case was still a sore spot. Hearing Captain Zhangâs downplay of the dangers, displeasure was written all over her face. "Do you mean to say that your brain is so well trained you won't be affected?" she quipped.
"YesâŠâ replied Captain Zhang. âHold on, are you being sarcastic?"
"So youâre trying to say that my teacher, Ma Guozhong, and those officers all died in vain because they werenât as tough as you?â sneered Xiaotao. âSong Yang, letâs leave the man to his own devices. Why should we bother about him if he doesnât care? We'll just wait to collect his body in a few days."
Captain Zhang awkwardly scratched his head, well aware he had offended Xiaotao. Watching the tall, burly man trying to wade through the uncomfortable situation was rather hilarious. "Xiaotao, don't be upset,â I comforted. âAfter all, it's a matter of life and death!"
Xiaotao folded her arms and stopped talking. I turned to Captain Zhang, "The murderous music cannot be resisted by willpower alone so don't be overconfident. Even if you can resist, can you ensure that no one else will be around you at the time? What about these buddies of yours? Do you want them to die because of you?"
"Iâm his target!" insisted Captain Zhang.
"How naive!â I scoffed. âDo you know how many innocent people he killed in retaliation against Officer Cui's family? An entire restaurant of people were murderedâall 27 of them! Heâs gone mad and he doesn't care how many innocent people are involved. If youâre in the car when he comes for you, heâll gladly murder everyone on board. If youâre with your team, heâs not going to care if theyâve got nothing to do with your feud. If youâre with your family... "
At this point, I deliberately trailed off. Captain Zhang clenched his fist, smoldering under that stony expression. Finally, he wavered, "I have to report this matter to my superiors. After all, if I interrupt the mission, I will be punished."
"Your superior has approved of your leave,â I affirmed. âHe said your life is more important than the mission. If you don't believe me, you can call and ask him." Of course, that extra bit in the middle was my own embellishment.
"All right, follow me back to the SWAT department,â he said. âI'll change and grab some daily necessities."
A while later, Captain Zhang drove us to the SWAT unit. This was my first time visiting the place. In order to enter the compound, we were subjected to three checkpoints. Along the way, I noticed several scouts standing guard on high ground, holding QBU-88 sniper rifles.
As we drove into the compound, we passed several riot control vehicles, ZFB-05 armored personnel carriers and military armored cars parked by the road. To my amazement, these vehicles were armed with machine guns on their roofs. In the distance, there are several large heaps covered with cloth, possibly military helicopters.
Captain Zhang explained that the guns and ammunition here were enough to arm the entire company. The existence of the SWAT team was not only a deterrent to criminals, but also a strong support for the city! If foreign enemies were to invade the city one day, they were no longer SWAT officers but soldiers who would charge to the frontlines to protect the common people.
When we arrived at his dormitory, the other officers had already turned in for the night.
"Captain Zhang, why do you still live in the dormitory?" I asked.
"Iâm all alone so I might as well live here," he laughed.
Only after speaking to him did I know that his wife left him a few years ago, taking the children with her. I grew more cognizant of the fact that being an officer of the law was challenging, and many policemen ended up with broken families.
My gaze flitted over to Xiaotao as a thought crossed my mind. If I were to face such emotional conflicts in the future, would I choose to leave her?
And my answer to that question wasânever!
Solving crimes was our form of a date, and our sort of relationship would never wane with time.