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Chapter 2

Author: HF Era
With the experience from my previous life, I was able to stabilize the bomb on Mike quickly.

After removing the main device, my vision went black, and I collapsed to the ground.

My colleagues rushed me to the hospital.

Sometime in the middle of the night, a sharp, acrid gas suddenly flooded my nose. I lost consciousness instantly. I don't know how long passed before I forced my eyes open again.

My right hand was locked tightly to the table by an icy chain.

Under the dim light, I made out a familiar figure.

"Erica!"

The hand gripping my wrist hesitated for a split second.

I struggled against the chair, summoning every ounce of strength I had.

"Erica, it's you, isn't it? Let's talk. Please, let me go! I saved Liam! I really did!"

She fell silent for a moment, then let out a low sigh.

"You did keep him from being held accountable by Mayor Bowser… but you also made him bear everyone's blame. I'm sorry, Andrew. If you truly want to help him, then you'll have to sacrifice this hand.

"As long as everyone believes you were the one who defused the bomb—and that Liam was the one who really saved the day—he can start over. I'll handle the records. I'll take care of our colleagues. Andrew… just help me this once, okay?"

I stared at her in disbelief.

"Erica! Do you even hear yourself?!"

The utility knife in her hand lifted suddenly. I jerked back in panic.

"I'm a police officer! If you cripple my hand, how am I supposed to go on missions ever again?!"

The blade froze midair. In the dim light, a flicker of hesitation crossed her eyes.

"Don't be afraid, Andrew. I'll take care of you for the rest of your life."

"Wait!" My voice tore from my throat. "If you do this, you'll ruin yourself too!"

She shook her head gently.

"Chief Johnson brought me into this line of work. He won't abandon me. I'll still wear this uniform, and I can keep protecting you."

"He's already given up on you!" I yelled.

Her body stiffened, but she forced out a faint smile.

"No. He hasn't."

"Ahhh!!!"

Agony exploded through me, shattering every last shred of reason. I couldn't stop the scream that ripped from my throat.

Just to help Liam, Erica actually went through with it.

I could no longer feel anything in my right hand. I didn't dare look. I didn't dare imagine what it looked like now.

"It's over. Don't be afraid, Andrew."

She wrapped my mangled wrist gently in a towel, even lowering her head to press a soft kiss against it.

"I'll stay with you. I promise."

"Get lost!"

My voice trembled so badly that it barely formed words.

"Andrew."

"I said get away from me!"

She slowly released me and took a step back.

"I'm sorry, Andrew. But until everything is settled, you'll have to stay here. Liam's reputation can't be ruined."

I laughed as tears streamed straight down my face.

"Are you that afraid I'll tell the truth?"

"I'm sorry."

With that, she closed the door and left.

My world plunged into complete darkness, and my consciousness slowly faded, sinking into oblivion.
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  • When Duty Kills   Chapter 6

    "No… no!!"I was terrified of snakes. And yet Mayor Bowser kept all kinds of them. A writhing mass of bodies, tangled together—before I could react, a bodyguard shoved me in.I fell into the pit. Cold, slick coils wrapped around me instantly.The wound in my chest was still bleeding. I didn't even have the strength to struggle. All I could do was let them bite.Mayor Bowser's snakes weren't venomous, but every one of them liked to bite.By the end, I couldn't feel the pain anymore.Only when I was hauled back up did I hear Mayor Bowser shouting as he gripped me tightly, "Mike is vomiting blood! Hurry! Save him! Now!"I was dragged to the bedside. Blood had already soaked a large portion of the sheets.I closed my eyes at the sight."It's too late.""How can it be too late?!"Mayor Bowser seized my shoulders."The drug you used—it's your family's secret formula, isn't it? How could there be no solution? The experts don't even know what it is—they can't develop an antidote! T

  • When Duty Kills   Chapter 5

    Clutching my chest, I leaned against the car and stared at the man, his eyes bloodshot. I could hardly believe it."Why are you doing this?"Before I lost consciousness, I heard him say coldly, "Officer Craig… you've played quite an elaborate game."When I woke, I learned that Mayor Bowser had resolved to uncover the truth at all costs. Everyone involved had been detained and subjected to brutal interrogation.And Erica—she had confessed. She claimed that the entire setup had been orchestrated by the two of us.I was dragged into a basement and saw her there—bound, covered in injuries.Mayor Bowser spoke first."So, you deliberately had him attempt a one-handed defusal, knowing he would fail?""What?"I turned to Erica in shock.She spoke weakly, "If we hadn't done that, how would you have gotten personally involved, Mayor Bowser? How else could we have gotten close to you?""Erica, what are you talking about?!" I clenched my teeth.But she smiled at me."Stop pretending,

  • When Duty Kills   Chapter 4

    "Speak!"Mayor Bowser's voice was ice-cold.The police chief and Liam both held their breath."Surveillance footage."At that, Mayor Bowser almost laughed."Do it!"He snapped his head toward me, eyes locked in."The footage was wiped clean long ago. Even my tech team couldn't recover it, and you're still putting on an act?"What?I turned to look.Relief flickered across Liam's face, a faint "just as I thought" smile curling at his lips. The police chief shook his head, watching me as if I were a joke.Of course. Veterans like them wouldn't leave evidence behind for others to seize.But I smiled faintly."It was destroyed, but I have a backup.""What?!" Liam and the police chief shouted almost at the same time.After being reborn, I had been quietly gathering evidence of Liam's violations. I knew witness testimony alone wouldn't be enough. People can change their stories. But footage doesn't.In the screening room, the police chief was struggling to explain, "Mayor Bow

  • When Duty Kills   Chapter 3

    The next time I woke, it was to Erica shaking me violently."Andrew! Wake up! Why has Mike's bomb started ticking again? Didn't you already defuse it?!"My right hand was still numb, like it no longer belonged to me.I looked at the woman in front of me, teetering on the edge of hysteria, and let out a cold laugh."That kind of complex device needs continuous monitoring. How could one attempt possibly solve everything?""You—!"She grabbed my arm tightly."Why didn't you say so earlier?!"The next second, as if remembering something, she yanked up my left hand and tried to drag me outside."Come on! We need to stabilize the bomb now! Otherwise, Liam's life is over!""Erica!" I roared with everything I had left. "My hand is already gone!"She froze. Her gaze slowly dropped to my right arm. Her pupils contracted sharply."It's… it's okay," she said, her voice barely audible. "One hand is enough."She stared into my eyes as if clutching at her last shred of hope."You're so

  • When Duty Kills   Chapter 2

    With the experience from my previous life, I was able to stabilize the bomb on Mike quickly.After removing the main device, my vision went black, and I collapsed to the ground.My colleagues rushed me to the hospital.Sometime in the middle of the night, a sharp, acrid gas suddenly flooded my nose. I lost consciousness instantly. I don't know how long passed before I forced my eyes open again.My right hand was locked tightly to the table by an icy chain.Under the dim light, I made out a familiar figure."Erica!"The hand gripping my wrist hesitated for a split second.I struggled against the chair, summoning every ounce of strength I had."Erica, it's you, isn't it? Let's talk. Please, let me go! I saved Liam! I really did!"She fell silent for a moment, then let out a low sigh."You did keep him from being held accountable by Mayor Bowser… but you also made him bear everyone's blame. I'm sorry, Andrew. If you truly want to help him, then you'll have to sacrifice this han

  • When Duty Kills   Chapter 1

    I was reborn on the very day Liam Dunlap bragged about defusing a bomb with one hand.The first thing I did was turn off my phone.Then I slept straight through till morning.When I turned it back on the next day, there were—just as expected—over a hundred missed calls.In my previous life, after realizing the disaster he'd caused, Liam had called me frantically through the night, begging me to come clean up the mess.At the time, I had just finished three consecutive bomb disposal operations and had been home for less than an hour. Even so, I rushed back to the scene in the pouring rain and worked through the night to defuse the bomb.Because of that, the hostage's father—Mayor Allen Bowser—chose not to pursue legal action against Liam. Liam received only the internal disciplinary action he deserved. If he had managed to endure that period, he might still have had a chance to remain on the force.But Liam had grown up under my girlfriend Erica Adams's protection, sheltered from

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