After circling the labyrinthine museum several times, Chen Mo finally found Officer Wang stationed at the entrance, thanks to the help of a tour guide.
Yet, the middle-aged officer couldn't help but frown as he glanced at the job applicant in the wheelchair.
"Mr. Chen, did Director Li Yun truly agree to let you take the night guard position?"
It was hard to blame him for such skepticism. Chen Mo, swathed like a mummy, looked more suited to being part of an exhibit than a night watchman.
To be fair, a small museum like this was unlikely to attract any real burglars. But still, assigning a disabled man as the sole night guard did seem rather absurd.
Those familiar with the situation would know the museum was simply hiring part-time help. Outsiders, however, might assume it had gone bankrupt and was now scraping the bottom of the barrel—resorting even to the disabled to fill its ranks.
What could he say? Chen Mo could only offer a wry smile and shake his head, assuring the officer that he would recover soon.
Sensing Officer Wang's lingering doubt, Ye Rong quickly interjected,
"Officer Wang, Mo is really strong! Last time, when gangsters showed up to cause trouble, he smashed a stone statue with one palm!"
At this, both Chen Mo and Officer Wang simultaneously rolled their eyes.
Chen Mo's reaction stemmed from disbelief that a bluff he once made was still fresh in Ye Rong's memory.
Wang's reaction, however, was more practical—Nonsense! If someone truly had the power to shatter stone sculptures with a single strike, why work at a museum? He should be stationed at Zhongnanhai, protecting heads of state!
Yet despite such thoughts, Officer Wang couldn't help but feel a certain fondness for this refined young man.
After a brief pause, he finally nodded slightly.
"Very well. The night watch will be your responsibility. Your shift runs from 8 PM to 5 AM, monthly pay is 2,000 yuan—no days off."
Though modest, it was a rather generous offer for Chen Mo, who was currently saving up to buy a home.
So after just a few seconds of consideration, he accepted without hesitation and asked what duties the job entailed.
Wang nodded and replied flatly,
"Nothing much. Just patrol the grounds. Due to budget constraints, you'll be the only night guard on duty."
"Wait, what?" Chen Mo blinked in surprise, suddenly recalling the eerie feeling of walking alone through the vast, dimly lit halls—and a chill crept down his spine.
Officer Wang clearly knew what was on his mind. He waved it off casually,
"Nothing to worry about. In fact, this place only has two full-time employees—Director Li Yun, who handles daytime operations, and Guard Yang, who used to manage the night shift... of course, now it's just Director Li left."
As he spoke, Officer Wang took the opportunity to explain more about the museum and shared some anecdotes about Director Li.
Located in a quiet little city like Nancheng, the museum had always seen sparse traffic. It was only preserved as a cultural relic because of its age and architectural value.
But due to chronic underfunding, the entire museum was essentially run by Director Li alone. The local government only sent representatives during funding audits.
As for this Director Li, Officer Wang's assessment was oddly entertaining—
"A drunkard, muddle-headed, eccentric... often engrossed in bizarre research projects, though I've never seen any real results."
Still, for all his quirks, the old man remained Nancheng's most respected academic figure. As long as he didn't drown in his wine vat one day, all decisions regarding the museum remained his.
"In short," Officer Wang patted Chen Mo on the shoulder with a slight smile,
"Just do as he says. And don't worry about security."
"Honestly, there's nothing here worth stealing. Most of the relics are replicas or sculptures. And most importantly—the criminal police station is only 300 meters away. Even an idiot wouldn't try anything around here—"
Bang!
A sudden gunshot shattered the calm, cutting Officer Wang off mid-sentence.
Amid a chorus of terrified screams, a bald-headed robber burst out of the bank's doors, clutching two bulging sacks of cash as he dashed straight toward them.
A few seconds later, Chen Mo blinked in speechless disbelief and muttered,
"Well... looks like idiots do still exist in this world."
There was no time for sarcasm. Officer Wang froze for a moment, then hastily drew his sidearm and rushed forward.
Meanwhile, panicked citizens surged toward the museum entrance. Ye Rong, pushing Chen Mo, had barely made it ten paces before they were engulfed by the stampede.
In the chaos, Chen Mo and his wheelchair toppled over. By the time he struggled upright, he saw Ye Rong—just meters away—fighting her way back toward him.
"Go! I'm fine!" Seeing her anxious expression, a warm feeling stirred in Chen Mo's chest. But he immediately waved her off, assuring her he was alright.
Almost simultaneously, the sharp wail of sirens filled the air. Dozens of police cars screeched in from the distance.
The robber paused, then—gritting his teeth—suddenly veered toward the museum, clearly hoping to lose his pursuers in the confusion.
"Freeze! Or I'll—"
Before Officer Wang could finish, the robber opened fire. The bullet forced him back—and just then, the man found himself face-to-face with Ye Rong, who had staggered forward in panic.
A flicker of hesitation crossed the robber's eyes. Glancing at the incoming police, he lunged at Ye Rong without warning.
"Don't move! One more step and—"
His veined hand reached toward her—only to be blocked by a wheelchair sliding between them at the last second.
Facing the barrel of the man's gun, Chen Mo raised both hands with calm detachment and offered a pleasant smile.
"My friend, don't you think I'd make a much better hostage?"
"...Huh?"
The bizarre volunteerism caught the robber completely off guard. Was this guy possessed by the spirit of Lei Feng?
"What are you waiting for?" Chen Mo slapped his own chest like a salesman. "Look at me—bandaged up, stuck in a wheelchair—I'm the weakest hostage in history! And believe me, don't be fooled by Sister Rong's looks. She's a real femme fatale."
"Shut up!"
Still dazed, the robber found the incessant chatter unbearable and nearly pulled the trigger.
But moments later, as he noticed dozens of armed officers closing in, his instincts kicked in—he grabbed Chen Mo and dragged him into a human shield position.
Seizing the moment, Officer Wang risked everything to pull Ye Rong back into the museum.
Even as several people held her tightly, Ye Rong struggled violently, desperate to rush toward Chen Mo.
She knew full well—Chen Mo could've escaped. If it hadn't been for her... if he hadn't—
"You can't save him! Let go!"
A cold, lifeless voice rang out as Mu Yun appeared silently at the entrance, her expression as vacant as ever.
"What do you know?" Ye Rong snapped. "That robber's lost his mind! He's trapped! If this keeps up, Mo will die!"
"Then let him die. Who lives forever?"
The indifferent reply silenced the crowd. Even Ye Rong was left speechless.
At that moment, staring at Mu Yun's zombie-like visage, everyone involuntarily shivered.
Officer Wang wiped cold sweat from his brow and muttered,
"Dear god... that's what you call crowd control? Sounds more like inciting panic..."
And yet, strangely enough, her words had the opposite effect. The chaos subsided. Even Ye Rong stopped struggling.
Meanwhile, in the tense standoff at the entrance, the robber had pressed his gun firmly against Chen Mo's temple.
Crouching expertly behind the wheelchair, he snarled,
"Try anything funny and I'll blow your brains out. Killing you would be as easy as squashing a bug!"
He then shouted at the surrounding officers,
"You hear me? Clear a path, or I'll kill this guy! You've got three minutes!"
To underscore the threat, he fired a shot into the ground. Sparks flew up near Chen Mo's feet, eliciting a cry from Ye Rong inside the museum.
The police didn't flinch. All fingers remained on their triggers, their expressions cold and determined.
They'd seen enough of these standoffs to know: only a sniper could end this. The hostage's fate was uncertain.
"I don't think they'll let you go," Chen Mo sighed, his voice tinged with tragic irony.
To the astonishment of all, he reached out and patted the robber on the shoulder.
"Friendly advice. You fired three times. That leaves you with three bullets. Use them wisely."
"...What the hell? Whose side is he on?"
The officers glanced at each other, baffled. Was the hostage losing his mind?
Even the robber looked momentarily stunned, then snarled,
"Shut up, damn it! Even if I had one bullet left, I'd still blow your head off!"
"Yes, yes, of course," Chen Mo shrugged, unfazed, watching the faint green glint flicker at his fingertips.
"I was just trying to help. You never know with all the fake products these days—maybe your gun's defective?"
"Reminds me of the time I bought what I thought was a new Jin Yong martial arts novel. I got home, read a few pages—it just didn't feel right. Went back to the bookstore and asked... Know what they told me? 'It's not by Jin Yong. It's by New Jin Yong...'"