Disarming a Gunman Barehanded-Had I Become the Hero of an Over-the-Top Anti-Japanese War Drama?

The speedboat by the river drew closer and closer, its engine's roar tearing through the tense air.

The cold gun muzzle pressed against Chen Lin's lower back swayed slightly with the unsteady steps of the robber holding him hostage.

Now!

Chen Lin sent Clear Wind and Bright Moon the simplest possible command in his mind.

Go!

The two little balls of fur tucked against his chest instantly tensed.

The next second, the two robbers holding Chen Lin and Song Qiuya suddenly stopped moving. Their eyes went blank, and they froze in place.

The gun pressed against Chen Lin's lower back slackened.

My chance!

The strength Chen Lin had been gathering exploded into action!

His right hand shot backward like lightning, his fingers clamping down like iron pincers as he snatched the cold pistol from the robber's rigid hand!

At the same time, the muscles in his left arm bulged as he wrapped it around Song Qiuya's soft waist like an iron band, throwing her to the ground with him. They rolled into the grass beside the road.

As they rolled, Chen Lin twisted his waist at an impossible angle, wrenching his body around. His arm remained rock steady as he pulled the trigger on the other robber!

Bang!

The gunshot thundered!

A cloud of blood burst from the chest of the robber who had held Song Qiuya hostage. Before he could even recover from his mental stupor, he toppled backward, stiff as a board.

"Holy shit! Snipers, fire!"

In the distance, Criminal Police Brigade Chief Li Xiang had been watching the scene intently through binoculars. His eyes nearly popped out of his head at the astonishing display.

But he reacted swiftly, roaring the order.

In truth, there was no need for him to give it.

The moment the hostages broke free, the SWAT snipers who had been lying in wait seized their once-in-a-lifetime opening.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Several muffled gunshots rang out almost simultaneously, like Death calling the roll.

The three robbers who had just recovered and were about to drop their travel bags and draw their guns had blood burst from their heads. Their bodies went limp, collapsing to the ground like mud.

The robber who had been the first to suffer the psychic attack was not spared either.

Their accomplice driving the speedboat by the river was terrified out of his wits at the sight. He jerked the wheel around and fled in a panic.

Unfortunately for him, he had barely gone any distance before five Water Police speedboats converged from both banks, trapping him in the middle of the river like a vast net.

Chen Lin exhaled a scorching breath tinged with gun smoke. Only then did he feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

He looked down and helped Song Qiuya up from where he had pinned her beneath him.

Song Qiuya's expensive business suit was covered in grass and dirt, and her short hair was disheveled. She looked as though she had just been dragged out of the water, her eyes unfocused. Clearly, she still had no idea what had happened.

All she knew was that someone had suddenly tackled her, followed by a series of deafening gunshots.

Only when she saw Chen Lin's face as he helped her up did her muddled mind slowly begin to clear.

Chen Lin saved me!

She stared blankly at Chen Lin. The overwhelming shock of surviving left her utterly drained, and her legs buckled beneath her.

Seeing that something was wrong, Chen Lin quickly caught her and steadied her.

In the distance, An Changlin and Xia Xuejun saw the footage transmitted by the drone and sprinted toward the scene, followed by a large contingent of SWAT officers and criminal investigators.

Li Xiang was the first to arrive with his men. He quickly checked the robbers.

Four had been shot in the head and died on the spot.

Blood was still gushing from the hole in the chest of the one Chen Lin had shot. He clearly wasn't going to survive either.

Li Xiang approached Chen Lin and grabbed his hand, his face flushed with excitement and his voice trembling.

"Young man! That was fucking incredible! How on earth did you do it? You took his gun barehanded! If I hadn't seen it myself, I'd have thought that only happened in those over-the-top anti-Japanese war dramas!"

Just then, An Changlin and Xia Xuejun arrived, panting for breath.

Deputy Mayor An Changlin strode forward, swept a sharp gaze over Chen Lin, then clasped his hand firmly.

"Hello! I'm An Changlin. What's your name?"

"Hello, Mayor An! I'm Chen Lin!" Chen Lin shook his hand, neither servile nor arrogant.

An Changlin gave his shoulder a firm pat. "Comrade Chen Lin, well done! You stayed fearless in the face of danger and acted decisively. You're a hero to the people of Yicheng! On behalf of the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, thank you!"

Public Security Bureau Director Xia Xuejun stood beside them, his face also filled with relief and admiration.

"Chen, I'm Xia Xuejun. We owe you a great deal today! Without you, the consequences would have been unthinkable!"

Through the drone's high-definition footage, they had watched Chen Lin's astonishing counterattack from beginning to end.

Chen Lin's decisiveness had kept the losses in this vicious crime to a minimum.

Otherwise, Yicheng Civilized City's prestigious status as a civilized city would have been ruined in an instant. And as director of the Public Security Bureau, Xia Xuejun could have forgotten about a peaceful retirement.

Chen Lin scratched his head sheepishly.

It was the first time he had received such praise. Thick-skinned as he was, even he felt embarrassed to be praised to his face by the mayor and the Public Security Bureau director.

"Mayor An, Director Xia, you're giving me too much credit. I was just trying to save myself. I've learned a little martial arts, nothing special, and I acted on impulse."

Leaning against Chen Lin, Song Qiuya stared at him.

Her feelings toward Chen Lin changed completely at that moment.

She had thought he was merely a young man with incredible luck and a bit of money-an important client whose relationship she needed to cultivate carefully.

She had never imagined that, in a life-or-death crisis, he would unleash such frightening strength and courage, pulling her back from the brink of death like a lone hero in a movie.

Looking at Chen Lin's face now, which wasn't particularly handsome, Song Qiuya found his composure and calm more attractive than any dazzling good looks.

Once everything was over, both An Changlin and Xia Xuejun solemnly gave Chen Lin their private phone numbers before leaving.

"Comrade Chen Lin, Yicheng needs brave citizens like you who stand up for others. If you ever run into difficulties here that you can't resolve, whether in your personal life or your career, call me directly."

An Changlin's words were impeccably measured, both a commendation and a promise.

As far as they were concerned, they truly owed Chen Lin an enormous favor this time.

He was only forty this year, with limitless possibilities ahead of him. He could not afford to let a stain like this mar his record.

Criminal Police Brigade Chief Li Xiang took Chen Lin and Song Qiuya to the police station to give their statements.

Along the way, Li Xiang asked roundabout questions about Chen Lin's background.

When he learned that Chen Lin was just an ordinary villager running a farmhouse restaurant in Chen Family Village, he was stunned.

He had assumed Chen Lin was some elite veteran from a special forces unit.

Helpless, Chen Lin could only make up another story, saying he had studied martial arts under an old master for several years as a child and had some basic training.

Only then did Li Xiang let the matter drop, though he remained somewhat skeptical.

They stayed at the police station until three in the afternoon before everything was finished.

Everyone at the station treated Chen Lin exceptionally well. At noon, they not only ordered a lavish delivery meal from a five-star hotel for the two of them, but even ordered pour-over coffee especially for them.

Someone had even driven Chen Lin's Qin Plus, which he had parked outside Zhou Xiaofu, into the police station courtyard.

Song Qiuya had finished giving her statement earlier and already left.

Such a major incident had occurred at Zhou Xiaofu, and an employee had died. As the store manager, she had to return to handle the aftermath.

Before leaving, Song Qiuya looked at Chen Lin with an extremely complicated expression. Her eyes held gratitude and lingering fear, but more than anything, a new curiosity, tinged with a desire to understand him.

"Chen Lin, thank you. I'll treat you to dinner in a few days."

With that, she turned and walked straight out. Her back remained straight, though her steps were still slightly unsteady.

Chen Lin drove his Qin Plus back toward the village.

After what had happened today, his desire for strength had risen to an entirely new level.

You never knew which would come first-tomorrow or an unforeseen disaster.

But if you possessed abilities beyond those of ordinary people, perhaps you could face any unexpected danger with composure.

As the car traveled steadily along the highway, Chen Lin's emotions gradually settled.

Clear Wind and Bright Moon, nestled against his chest, seemed to sense their master's relaxation too. Their little heads poked out of his collar.

"Master, weren't we amazing?" Clear Wind called out in his mind, eager for praise.

"Yeah, yeah! We chased all the bad guys away!" Bright Moon chimed in, a tremor of excitement in the voice.

Chen Lin smiled and reached over to rub their heads.

"Yes. You're today's biggest heroes."

This time, he really did owe it to these two little ones.