If Lin Xiaoxiao had known that a simple shopping trip could lead to being taken hostage, she would have never left the guesthouse.

With the assailant's arm tightly locked around her neck and the cold blade of a dagger pressed against her skin, she was too terrified to even muster a sarcastic thought.

Her life since transmigrating had been nothing but trouble—nearly suffocated yesterday, taken hostage today. Would she ever manage to live peacefully in this era?

And this time, was it yet another attack targeting Zhou Huai'an?

Liu Mei had been shoved aside, too frightened to scream. The crowd around them instantly scattered, some bystanders retreating to a safe distance.

Leaning back against her captor to avoid the knife, Lin Xiaoxiao locked eyes with Liu Mei, mouthing silently for her to find Zhou Huai'an. He was the first person she thought of.

Fortunately, Liu Mei wasn't slow to understand. Stumbling slightly, she turned and ran to get help.

The police arrived quickly, surrounding Lin Xiaoxiao and the hostage-taker with several motorcycles with sidecars.

The man pressed himself tightly against the wall, using Lin Xiaoxiao as a shield. The officers couldn't risk a move and could only try to negotiate, urging him to stay calm and state his demands.

From the back-and-forth, Lin Xiaoxiao gathered that the man was driven by a years-old grievance—his wife had been assaulted by their village chief.

In those days, he'd been too afraid to speak out. After the initial turmoil settled, he tried to bring the chief to justice, but his petitions were ignored everywhere he turned.

The chief, an opportunist, was still thriving.

As a last resort, the man had chosen this desperate act to force the authorities to pay attention.

Lin Xiaoxiao was speechless. If he had the courage to take a hostage, why not confront the chief directly? Now he'd end up in prison, and the chief would remain untouched.

And it seemed this really was just a coincidence—it had nothing to do with Zhou Huai'an after all.

When negotiations stalled and the man grew increasingly agitated, the police discussed their next step: taking him down, but only if they could ensure the hostage's safety.

Lin Xiaoxiao grew anxious. Where was Zhou Huai'an? The hospital wasn't far from here.

At that moment, Zhou Huai'an was in Lu Yunda's office, waiting by the phone for authorization from his unit. Without official approval, he couldn't assist the police or use a weapon.

Lü Zhigang was growing impatient. "Are you sure you can do this? You remember why you left—you lost your precision. If you can't, let me take the shot."

Zhou Huai'an shook his head. "It's fine. I can do it."

The call came through quickly: he was authorized to support the police in the hostage rescue.

But Lü Zhigang was still uneasy. He knew Zhou Huai'an had never fully overcome the psychological barrier that ended his military career—otherwise, he would've risen much higher.

Seeing Zhou Huai'an's resolve, Lü Zhigang could only follow him to the scene.

They met with the police commander. The city lacked highly trained snipers, so they typically requested support from the nearest military unit. This time, however, the Second Institute had sent someone—and to everyone's surprise, it was the legendary Zhou Huai'an.

Many knew of his heroic deeds from his army days. Even now, though no longer serving, he carried the focused, lethal aura of a seasoned sniper.

After a brief exchange, the commander pointed out several sniper positions: "The clock tower opposite is one option, and the water tower is another. The water tower has the best line of sight, though it's quite a distance."

Zhou Huai'an glanced toward the water tower and nodded. "The water tower it is."

Lü Zhigang followed closely, worried Zhou Huai'an might falter and ready to assist if needed.

From the top of the water tower, Lü Zhigang estimated the distance—at least 800 meters. The early spring breeze, however slight, would affect the shot. But the biggest variable was Zhou Huai'an's state of mind.

Squinting, Zhou Huai'an could see the assailant gripping Lin Xiaoxiao tightly, the blade pressed firmly against her neck.

The man was cunning, hiding almost entirely behind her, only the top of his head visible.

Lü Zhigang voiced his concern: "It's too risky. If she moves even slightly, it could be disastrous."

Zhou Huai'an pressed his lips together, his gaze scanning the scene before returning to Lin Xiaoxiao. He steadied his aim, waiting for an opportunity.

While observing their surroundings, Lü Zhigang noticed movement on the clock tower—someone seemed to be flashing a mirror.

Damn it, he thought. If that light flashes just as Zhou Huai'an takes the shot, it could cost Lin Xiaoxiao her life.

Without wasting time explaining, he ducked down and hurried back down the ladder...

Lin Xiaoxiao had scanned the crowd countless times but saw no sign of Zhou Huai'an. A wave of despair washed over her. Would he abandon her?

But that wasn't like him. He would help even a stranger, let alone his nominal wife—especially since she'd recently tended to his wounds more than once.

A sudden glint of light caught her eye from across the street. Could Zhou Huai'an be positioned on the clock tower or the water tower?

The hostage-taker noticed it too and shouted for the sniper to back off, threatening to harm her immediately.

In his agitation, the blade nicked Lin Xiaoxiao's neck.

A sharp pain, followed by a trickle of warm blood.

Fighting the urge to scream, she forced her voice to remain steady. "Stop moving! You're only making yourself more exposed."

"Shut up! If my problem isn't solved, I'll take you down with me!" the man snarled.

Lin Xiaoxiao was at a loss. Was this guy insane?

But she couldn't let him spiral further—her life was on the line. Adopting a tearful tone, she pleaded, "I've done nothing to you! If someone wronged you, go after them! Why hurt me? If you kill me, your enemy gets to keep living happily, and you'll be dead. Is that worth it?"

The man snorted coldly. "Not your concern. If I die, someone will avenge me. That bastard won't get away with this."

"Who would avenge you?" Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't help asking.

The man was taken aback. This woman was being held at knifepoint, and she was still curious?

What kind of hostage was this?

Torn between monitoring the situation and responding to her, he grew increasingly irritable.

"Shut up! One more word, and I'll kill you!"

Lin Xiaoxiao could tell the man was on the verge of a complete breakdown—or he was gambling with his life.

Fortunately, his unstable stance caused him to sway, briefly exposing half his head.

A deafening shot rang out.

Lin Xiaoxiao squeezed her eyes shut. She felt something warm and wet spray across the left side of her face and neck.

Even with her strong nerves, she knew what it was. The moment she hit the ground, her stomach churned violently.

Police rushed over to help her away, someone kindly wiping her face with a cloth.

As she was settled into the sidecar of a motorcycle, she saw Zhou Huai'an walking toward her, his steps firm and steady...