Bai Ming had experience dealing with rare, sudden incidents—plenty of it, in fact. Normally, he’d never make such exaggerated, attention-grabbing moves. But in these extreme circumstances, his actions might appear to others as perfectly reasonable self-defense.

He wasn’t afraid. As mentioned, he’d been through this many times before. In the past, he’d always stood openly before the crowd. Now, he did the exact opposite.

He was a different person entirely. No one would recognize him. No one would notice him. When their lives were threatened, most powerless humans panicked and acted without thinking.

So what happened when you crammed even more humans into a confined space?

Like this massive shopping mall right now.

“Aaaaaah!”

“Don’t move! Don’t move! I’ll shoot if you do!”

*Bang!*

“Don’t kill me! Please!”

…

By the time Bai Ming snapped back to reality, the entire mall had descended into chaos.

People pressed tightly together, a sea of bodies. Desperate screams, furious roars, and the shrill cries of children filled the air. Almost everyone stampeded toward the exits. Some leaped straight from the third floor. Others collapsed after just a few steps, shot down by gunfire.

The scene was so chaotic Bai Ming could barely believe he lived in a human society.

Most people, like Bai Ming, chose to crouch where they stood. Except for one woman’s overly dramatic shrieking, they covered their heads with their hands, slowly scanning their surroundings.

A group of masked men armed with submachine guns emerged from the stairwell entrance. Leading them was a man chewing gum, his right shoulder bare except for a dragon tattoo. His face burned fiery red, his hair jet-black. Thin, even eyebrows arched over sharp eyes. A high nose bridge and a scar slashing across his entire face made him look like a hellish demon even from afar.

Behind him trailed lackeys in tight outfits—average height, average build. Even those older than him carried the unshakable label of “underlings” in everyone’s mind.

“Good afternoon, law-abiding citizens,” a bearded man beside the leader began. Despite wearing a pitch-black mask that covered everything but his eyes, he’d made sure his prized beard remained visible—a touch that oddly lightened the grim atmosphere.

Unlike the earlier gunfire, his tone was surprisingly casual. So far, he’d even been greeting the crouching customers.

“Let me explain simply. We, the ‘Scar Syndicate,’ are being chased by those annoying cops and the Hero Association outside. We didn’t storm this mall for fun. We need your help. Cooperate, and we all walk away safely. A fair deal, right?”

Bai Ming couldn’t help but roll his eyes inwardly. He slightly lifted his head, stealing a glance at the man before him.

Yes. This was the leader of the “Scar Syndicate” criminal gang reported in the news. His unnerving calm in this situation, the vicious glare that seemed ready to devour anyone he saw—it all confirmed his identity.

What surprised Bai Ming was that such a man had been driven to this dead end by the police and the Hero Association.

What kind of desperation would make a crime boss resort to hostage-taking—a low, last-ditch tactic everyone knew rarely succeeded?

Whoever was outside… if they were sent by the officially sanctioned Hero Association, how had they let this monster slip into a crowded mall?

“Seriously…”

At times like this, what else could you say?

Since he’d made it inside, Bai Ming could already predict what came next.

“Attention inside!”

A familiar megaphone voice blared.

Great. Another cliché line. Every time he heard it, the hostages still in the criminals’ grip would tense up.

Ignoring the voice outside, the bearded man pulled out his own megaphone. Calmly, he shouted toward the doors:

“Yu Lingfeng! Listen up! Your days as police chief are over! You ignore real crises just to meddle on our turf? You’re bored out of your mind! I’m giving you ten minutes to prepare vehicles and pull your men back one kilometer. One hostage per minute dies if you fail. And if you’re not ready in ten? We’ll serve you a *full banquet*.”

His tone shifted instantly. The earlier friendliness vanished, replaced by ruthless authority.

If you saw things from their perspective… maybe it made sense.

Their will to survive might burn fiercer than any hostage’s. It took guts just to utter those threats, regardless of escape odds.

Deciding not to invite trouble, Bai Ming lowered his head again. He’d ignore the man and find a chance to slip away.

This wasn’t his problem. He had no obligation to intervene. No one expected it of him. No one demanded it. Self-preservation was the only rational choice. Those about to die? Their fate was sealed.

Understanding that made things clear. Bai Ming couldn’t change others’ destinies. He could only save himself.

Just like before.

But as he prepared to flee, a small boy no older than five or six abruptly stood up.

He wore a playful blue baseball cap and a black T-shirt boldly printed with “HERO” in large capital letters. His stylish black shorts looked like something his mother had picked to make him stand out—modern, cute, and utterly fearless.

“Bad man! Don’t hurt my mom!”

He faced the scar-faced demon head-on, his childish voice ringing with righteous indignation.