Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Those words were meant for Tang Yuanchu.
However, if one were to closely analyze his words, it felt like they were meant for Xie Wanwan.
Tang Yuanchu did not dare look at Xie Wanwan’s expression. He could only look at the bomb which was strapped tightly around her waist.
After hearing Bai Muchuan’s words, Salimu did not feel as embarrassed as earlier and focused his attention on the bomb.
“Boss, is this… easy to dismantle? Do you have to choose between the red line or a blue line?”
In television dramas, there were often such scenes.
Between the red line and the blue line, it was the choice of life and death, as well as a test to people.
However, in reality, the bomb device was far more complex than what was depicted in films and television works. It was not as simple as cutting lines…
The principle of bombs was basically the same, but as the bomb makers were different, they would adopt different methods to create their bombs. This meant that a bomb-maker could create a thousand varied bombs which required different types of dismantling techniques. Many a time, on the spot decision making was required from a bomb defuser.
“This is a time bomb!” Bai Muchuan said, “It activated the moment we lifted the jacket…”
“Ah!” Salimu shrieked in bewilderment and looked at the bomb closely.
There was now a small timer on the bomb. He was confounded.
There was nothing there earlier. However, right now, the timer had lit up and the numbers were moving…
“Five minutes and 45 seconds to go?!”
His gasp made the atmosphere stagnant.
“Captian Bai, what should we do? How do you dismantle such bombs?”
Bai Muchuan just glanced at him. “Hold the flashlight high!”
“Okay—” Salimu followed the instruction, he was so anxious that his arms were rigid.
…
The timer kept on moving.
There was lesser and lesser time—
Thump! Thump!
Their heartbeats felt like drums in their heads.
Bai Muchuan suddenly looked up at Tang Yuanchu, who was in a daze. “Come and help out!”
“Mm?” Tang Yuanchu regained his vitality the moment he heard his command. His eyes were sparkling. “How can I help?”
“Help me wipe off my sweat!” Bai Muchuan was checking the bomb on Xie Wanwan conscientiously.
He was not fooling around either.
At this moment, his back was already drenched with perspiration.
There was a layer of tiny beads of perspiration on his forehead, his neck, and even his face.
“Okay!” It was better to have something to do than wait and do nothing.
Tang Yuanchu was ready to do what he had asked of him when he noticed that Bai Muchuan’s arm was trembling slightly.
It was his injured arm.
Tang Yuanchu felt his already nervous heart clasping even tighter.
At this moment, he had a tinge of doubt… on the reason why Bai Muchuan insisted on coming himself.
Was it because Xie Wanwan was… different from the rest after all?
Tang Yuanchu guessed these somewhat bitterly. “Captain Bai,” he sounded a little down. “You’re hurt… why didn’t you allow Captain Quan to come instead?”
“What do you think?” Bai Muchuan’s face was as indifferent as usual. His eyes were focused on the bomb without batting an eyelid.
Tang Yuanchu, on the other hand, was not focusing on the bomb.
He did not dare look at Xie Wanwan either. He was worried that he might seem like a pervert to her if he had done so…
However, at the same time, he wanted to face her as well. He was unwilling to let Bai Muchuan face her alone either.
At the very least, with him looking on from the side, the atmosphere between the two of them would not appear to be ambiguous, right?
No, no, no, there’s no ambiguity! This is my job, and I’m just doing my job. Tang Yuanchu tried to remind himself and took a deep breath.
“Is it because you two are friends, so you don’t want any outsider to be involved… for it might not be convenient?”
“You’re an outsider then!” Bai Muchuan’s eyes had a piercing gleam. “Lift the flashlight a little higher.”
Salimu complied. “Yes!”
It was not bright enough!
Tang Yuanchu put his gun aside. “I’ll hold another flashlight—”
He took his own flashlight. While doing so, he suddenly noticed that Xie Wanwan was staring at him.
Was it because of his words earlier?
—He was just an outsider.
Tang Yuanchu looked down, pretending that he did not notice her looking at him. “If it’s not about the inconvenience then why?”
“It’s because the person I trust the most is—myself.”
Bai Muchuan did not even turn to look at him. However, each and every word he uttered was strong and powerful.
“This time bomb has multiple external connecting wires…
“There’s the trembler switch and anti-tilt switch!
“There’s also—a collapsing circuit!”
At last, he was now certain about what the type and the structure of the bomb was.
However, the time left was now four minutes and 20 seconds…
They had no Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) tools.
They had no high-tech detectors either.
Bai Muchuan’s judgment was totally based on the naked eye and his experience.
So what exactly does the trembler switch, anti-tilt switch, and collapsing circuit mean?
Xie Wanwan’s pale complexion was on the verge of despair.
Tang Yuanchu’s face was writhing with fear like he was on the verge of collapse.
On the contrary, the naive Salimu was completely captivated by the elaborately made bomb. He was absorbed by the bomb’s technical aspects and was oblivious to the danger it might bring.
“Captain Bai, the trembler switch, the anti-tilt switch, and the collapsing circuit… With all these around, how should we disarm this bomb?”
Bai Muchuan turned to look at him. “Salimu, it all depends on you now!”
“Me?” Salimu turned ashen with fright, seemingly at a loss.
Bai Muchuan gave a pat on his shoulders. His cold eyes revealed his trust in him. “The bomb is also a control system! I believe that with your skills, you can nullify the trembler switch, anti-tilt switch, and the collapsing circuit…”
No wonder Bai Muchuan had chosen to bring Salimu along!
Salimu thought for a while. “I’ve never come in contact with bombs…”
Bai Muchuan strengthened his hold on his shoulder. “You can do it! The principles are the same!”
Beep!
Beep!
Beep!
The timer on the bomb continued to move.
After Salimu heard that the bomb had a control system, he started to break out in cold sweat.
He was even more nervous than earlier. Soon, he gritted his teeth. “I’ll give it a try.”
Salimu took out an electronic device from his backpack.
He was an expert in hacking. He was a simple young man with a passion and obsession for information technology.
In no time, he took out the connection wire from an electronic device that looked like tweezers in his hand before looking at Tang Yuanchu.
“Hold the bomb well!”
… This bomb could not be moved due to the existence of the trembler switch.
They had to make sure the bomb did not suffer from any motion impact.
“Mm.” Tang Yuanchu gritted his teeth and slowly stretched out his arms around Xie Wanwan.
Together with her body, together with the bomb…
That expression on his face looked as though he was ready to die…
Xie Wanwan looked at him but did not move.
Therefore, when Tang Yuanchu accidentally turned his face, he came face to face with her.
“You must not move; I don’t want to die yet!” Salimu reminded nervously.
“…”
Tang Yuanchu and Xie Wanwan looked at each other. They did not move.
They did not even… dare to blink.
…
Salimu managed to get the lines to connect together smoothly. Then, he looked at the timer with its countdown continuing its course.
Tac! Tac! Tac!
Tac! Tac! Tac!
His hands moved swiftly on the keyboard of his electronic device.
Nobody could understand what he was doing.
Bai Muchuan’s face seemed so serious as though a cold mist formed around him.
The timer was still decreasing with every second.
More and more sweat dripped on Salimu’s head.
When the wind blew against him, he quivered in coldness. “… If this wouldn’t work, what will happen?”
“Then get a dashing pose ready—”
“Another minute is gone!” Salimu’s tone sounded as if he was sobbing.
“Calm down!” Bai Muchuan ordered coldly, “Don’t look at the timer.”
“… Alright.”
“Take a deep breath!”
“… Alright.”
This process made him felt like he was struggling in a pot of oil.
The timer on the bomb was still decreasing!
Every time the timer moved, it looked like they were closer to death.
Almost, almost there!
Salimu was hesitating—he frowned.
Tac! His finger tapped on the keyboard as he executed a command.
He started to mull over something—his brows were closely knitted together.
Tac! Once again, he executed something!
This process went on a loop several times.
His heart leaped from his mouth when the number on the timer showed 15 seconds left.
“I’m done! Captain Bai—”
Salimu’s cry of joy sounded a little cracked.
This was because he was also terrified and worried at the same time as what he had done, was only to remove all those “protective features” of the bomb.
The dismantling of the bomb starts now.
“Captain Bai! Quick, we still have 10 seconds left!”
Death was beckoning to them.
Maybe their lives only had 10 seconds left to go!
“You two fall back now!” Bai Muchuan yelled coldly. He took the surgical scissors and stared at the few wires of the bomb…
Tang Yuanchu was holding Xie Wanwan without moving. He did not want to run away from danger.
Salimu was fast as lightning as he ran away—
Yet in less than two seconds, he stopped in his tracks and turned around.
“Captain Bai—I believe you!”
Bai Muchuan did not answer.
He did not have the time to stop them from making their choices.
The sweat from his forehead slid down to his cheek.
The collapsing circuit had been deactivated by Salimu. It was all up to his judgment now.
Eight seconds!
Seven seconds!
Six seconds!
He was unable to ascertain.
There was no red or blue wire at all.
A bomb that was out to kill did not require such things.
There was no hint, and no way to avoid it…
What Bai Muchuan could do now was only to gamble. He could only depend on his experience and the gut feeling he had toward the bomb… as well as analyzing the psychological state of the bomb maker to form his own judgment.
Four seconds!
Three seconds!
“Tang Yuanchu, Salimu, go further away now!” He issued the last warning.
“No need! Let me die with you!” Tang Yuanchu smiled. “I believe in you, Boss!”
He believed in him!
But could trust let them survive?
Two seconds!
One second!
Bai Muchuan closed his eyes.
Clip! A wire got cut and snapped into two!
