The man's eyes were bloodshot. "Gu Lingzhi, stop fucking trying to sweet-talk me! If you hadn't insisted on obsessing over the theft in the scrap warehouse, how could things have turned out like this?
If you hadn't insisted on making an example out of someone, I wouldn't have lost my job, my wife wouldn't have tripped down the stairs during our divorce argument, and the child in her womb wouldn't have been lost just like that. My child is gone, so I'll make your grandson pay for it!"
As soon as he said this, the woman collapsed on the ground, wailing heart-wrenchingly, "Please, let my son go! He's innocent, he's so small, he'll be terrified!"
The man let out a manic laugh. "He's small? Then what about my child?
I'll send him down right now to keep my son company in the afterlife!"
With that, he pressed the knife directly against the child's neck.
One look at the man's expression made it clear he wasn't just talking; the onlookers all held their breath.
Someone attempted to step forward to rescue them, but the man sensed it immediately and backed against the wall. "Anyone else take one more step, and I'll take his life right now!"
Fearing her grandson might actually be caught in the crossfire, Gu Lingzhi hurriedly waved her hands, signaling the well-meaning bystanders to step back. "What will it take for you to stop?"
The man's face was set in grim determination. "Stop? How is that possible?
I'm on a dead-end road anyway, so I might as well take this kid with me. At least I won't be lonely on the road to the underworld."
The boy held hostage by the man began to cry out, "Grandpa, Mommy, save me!"
Seeing the man's expression turn bloodthirsty upon hearing the boy's cries, Liu Chuxue knew things were going south; this man had truly come with a death wish.
Just then, the sound of chaotic footsteps echoed from downstairs. The man holding the child naturally heard it too, and he grew even more frenzied. "Fine! You dare call the police? Very well!"
With that, he raised the knife to slash at the boy in his arms.
Just as the woman on the ground screamed a heart-wrenching "No!", and in that split second of chaos, Chuxue took advantage of the man's final manic laugh and hurled the coarse porcelain bowl with extreme speed.
At the very moment the knife was about to plunge into the boy's chest, the porcelain bowl finally struck true, hitting the captor in the head just in time to save the child.
Amidst the collective gasp of the crowd, the knife fell from the man's hand to the ground, and then his entire body went limp and collapsed.
The woman scrambled over on all fours, pulling the sobbing, breathless boy into her arms. "Son, it's okay, it's okay. Mommy's here, Mommy's here."
Seeing that her grandson was unharmed, Deputy Director Gu let out a massive sigh of relief. Her body swayed so much she nearly fell, but fortunately, someone behind her caught her.
At this moment, the police arrived at the scene. "What happened here?"
Deputy Director Gu quickly stepped forward to explain the situation to the officers.
It turned out the man knocked unconscious by the bowl was named Cao Xiangguang. Due to a gambling addiction, he had frequently stolen items from the scrap warehouse to resell.
A few days ago, a unit in a nearby township had an accident caused by substandard parts. The police followed the trail back to their factory, and the investigation revealed a shocking truth.
The amount of material missing from the scrap warehouse was quite significant—a serious matter indeed.
The factory's security department eventually identified over a dozen people, and Cao Xiangguang was made an example of. However, since there had been loopholes in the factory's management, they decided not to pursue legal charges, opting instead to dismiss him immediately.
Cao Xiangguang had approached the factory leadership several times, seeking leniency, but the leadership's response was that if he caused any more trouble, they would hand him directly over to the police.
And that was how today's scene came to be.
(End of Chapter)