Chapter Five: Three Steps to Hell

After the explosion.

Kris hit the ground, shaking his head to clear it, reeking of alcohol as he turned to OG Cat and asked, “You alright?”

“Thank God for Lao San and the others. Without them… we’d both be toast. Honestly… those guys are real iron-blooded warriors,” OG Cat stammered, still wiping sweat from his brow, visibly shaken.

Seeing that OG Cat was unharmed, Kris immediately pushed him aside, scanning his surroundings before calling out to a nearby colleague in a low voice, “Give me a gun.”

The other officer, crouched behind a wooden table, glanced at Kris with a terrified expression, clearly confused.

“I said, give me a gun!” Kris barked again.

Snapping out of it, the officer quickly slid a gun across the floor toward Kris and resumed cowering beneath the table.

The firearm was an A2911 model, built on the frame of the M1911 but modified to hold nine rounds, specifically designed for frontline police forces. Kris had never used this model before, having only seen it in magazines. However, he was familiar with firearms' basic structure and feel. After a quick inspection, he instinctively ejected the magazine, checked it, and chambered a round. The movements were fluid and precise.

With the gun in hand, Kris crouched low, took two steps to the side to adjust his angle, and used his left arm as a stabilizer while gripping the gun single-handedly. He pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three shots rang out, and the head of the middle-aged man who had just thrown the grenade exploded. He collapsed on the spot.

Yes, Kris had chosen to shoot to kill rather than injure. With armed suspects acting so ruthlessly, leaving any margin for error could lead to further casualties.

Without looking elsewhere, Kris immediately ducked.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A volley of bullets struck, sending debris flying from the walls. Using the sound to pinpoint the attackers, Kris tilted forward, crouched low, and fired two shots in rapid succession toward the source of the gunfire. Both bullets missed.

The two suspects were quick to react, one providing cover fire while the other kicked open a window and leapt out. They avoided the door, unsure if police reinforcements were waiting outside, opting for the element of surprise by escaping through the window.

Kris, noticing their escape, chose not to pursue but instead headed up the stairs to the second floor with his gun raised.

In the hall, Lao San sat on the floor clutching his butt, staring in disbelief at Kris, who had just shot without blinking. He seemed completely dumbfounded.

“Damn, is Xiao Qin always this intense?” OG Cat exclaimed, standing up and shouting at Lao San and the others, “Chase them! Help Xiao Qin! He’s on his own!”

Lao San shot him a glare, practically exploding with rage. In his mind, every bit of bad luck he had experienced was directly tied to OG Cat. Whenever that guy showed up, nothing good ever happened.

On the Second Floor

Kris reached the back window, glanced down, and saw the short middle-aged man dragging a young woman across the street into an old alleyway within a cluster of dilapidated buildings.

After weighing his options, Kris gritted his teeth and muttered, “No backup? Just one guy left? Fine, I’ll take the gamble!”

Clang!

Kris flung the window open and leapt out, the cold wind whipping against him.

Landing gracefully, Kris immediately broke into a sprint, covering the street in less than three seconds. Alone, he positioned himself at the entrance of the alley, raising his gun and firing twice.

Bang! Bang!

The shots echoed in the darkness.

The short middle-aged man, hearing the gunfire, quickly pulled the woman into the shadows of the alley, pressing her against the wall, his brows furrowed.

“Are you from the Outskirts?” Kris shouted.

The man checked his weapon and responded in broken Chinese, “Yeah. The streets out there are dead. Came into the city to survive. How long have you been tracking us?”

“We weren’t. Just stumbled into this,” Kris replied truthfully.

“Can’t you let it slide? I’ve got cash in my bag. Say the word, and it’s yours,” the man said, licking his lips nervously.

Kris blinked. “Life out there is rough, I get it. But I’m wearing this uniform, and I can’t turn a blind eye. I don’t want your money. Leave the girl, and you can go.”

The man hesitated. “I’ve got a gold chain in my pocket too. Let me take the girl, and I’ll leave the rest.”

“No deal,” Kris said firmly.

“…Fine. I’ll leave the girl.” The man hesitated briefly before pushing the woman forward. “Start walking. Slow at first. Three seconds later, run. Don’t listen, and I’ll shoot you.”

The woman hesitated before slowly stepping forward, her pace increasing after three seconds.

Kris, after a brief hesitation, stepped into the alley, gesturing for the woman to hurry. “Come on!”

The woman glanced at Kris, her eyes filled with panic. “He’s still there!” she cried.

Before Kris could react, the short man stepped out of the shadows, gun raised.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Gunfire erupted, the shots reverberating through the night.

The woman screamed, crouching with her hands over her head.

A second later, the man let out a muffled groan and collapsed.

Kris stood in front of the woman, his gun still raised. He didn’t move forward but instead fired two more shots into the man’s head to ensure he was dead.

The woman, still trembling and covering her ears, sobbed uncontrollably.

Kris ignored her, stepping over to the man’s body and kicking his head to confirm he was dead. Only then did he glance at the graze on his own shoulder, letting out a relieved curse. “Damn, that was close.”

“Damn, you took him out?”

A familiar voice called out from the mouth of the alley.

Kris turned his head to see Lao San, still clutching his injured rear, standing under the dim streetlights. “Where’s OG Cat and the others?”

“They’re still chasing the other two. Gunshots confused everyone, so they veered off to the left,” Lao San replied, panting heavily. “That guy, he’s dead?”

Kris nodded and walked over to Lao San, glancing around the area cautiously. Then, without warning, he grabbed Lao San by the collar and yanked him into the alley.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Lao San exclaimed, confused and startled.

“Do you want to fight me here and now?” Kris asked, his face cold and unreadable.

Lao San froze, suddenly remembering that he’d come to the restaurant intending to confront Kris.

“What did you want to talk about earlier? Let’s discuss it here,” Kris pressed, narrowing his eyes.

“What’s your problem?” Lao San asked warily.

Kris raised his gun, pressing it against Lao San’s forehead. “You ever been to the Outskirts? Where convoys passing through Three Steps to Hell stop to offer incense and prayers, hoping not to die? I fought my way out of there alone. Now I’m here, and you think you can teach me the rules? Huh?”

Lao San was stunned into silence.

Bang!

The gunshot echoed, shattering the tension.

Seconds later, Lao San fell to the ground, gasping for air, his eyes wide with fear.

Kris tossed the gun onto Lao San’s chest. “From now on, any dangerous jobs, we share them. Don’t mess with me again, or next time, when I panic, who knows where the gun will point.”

With that, Kris walked over to the woman, who was still huddled on the ground, and crouched down to meet her eyes. “So, what kind of trouble did you get yourself into, miss?”

An Hour and a Half Later – Police Headquarters Hospital

Lao San lay on an operating table, holding a phone to his ear. “Captain Yuan.”

“Where are you?” Yuan Ke asked, his voice cold and sharp.

“I’m at the hospital.”

“Did you encounter a case at the restaurant earlier?” Yuan Ke continued.

“Yeah.” Lao San immediately started bragging. “We were on routine patrol when we spotted a few Outskirt fugitives at Erjie’s restaurant. I knew something was off right away and went to check. Next thing I know, they pulled guns on us. It was a big case, Captain! So I led the team and took them on. Two suspects were killed on the spot, but two managed to escape. Don’t worry, though; the precinct is on their tail now. Oh, and guess what? The main perp is supposedly some guy named Matsushita—wanted for years, lots of murders under his belt. We nailed him! Captain, this is a huge win for us. You’ve got to mention it to the Commissioner—getting a guy like him is no small feat. This could be my ticket up. I’ve been a second-class officer for two years; it’s about time I moved up. And this case shines a light on the whole department!”

“Shines a light, my ass!” Yuan Ke snapped.

“Captain, why are you—”

“Shut up! Do you know what you’ve done?” Yuan Ke growled. “Matsushita was someone my brother arranged. The job was almost done, and you went in guns blazing under the guise of being a hero!”

“Wait, Captain, let me explain—” Lao San stammered, realizing he had severely miscalculated.

The line went dead. Yuan Ke had hung up, leaving Lao San lying there, stunned.