Chapter 169: A Tense Moment
“Gulp—”
Peering through the narrow gap of the wardrobe, Skinny watched in horror as a forensic examiner approached his hiding spot. Instinctively, he swallowed nervously.
“Don’t come any closer!”
Inside his mind, he was already screaming in panic.
“Wait!”
Just as the forensic examiner was about to open the wardrobe, a stern voice from outside halted him. It was the SWAT team captain.
The forensic examiner paused, looking at the captain with confusion.
Without saying a word, the captain gestured to his nearby teammates with a tactical hand signal.
The trained officers immediately understood, silently raising their rifles as they entered the hotel room.
The forensic examiner hesitated, puzzled.
The SWAT captain gave him a subtle shake of the head before whispering, “Your job is to examine the bodies and collect evidence.”
At the same time, he sent the forensic examiner a meaningful glance.
The SWAT captain belonged to that rare group of individuals with an extraordinarily sharp sense of hearing.
Just moments ago, he had clearly heard the faint sound of someone swallowing nervously, followed by heavy breathing—sounds too distinct to be ignored.
It became immediately clear: someone else was in the room.
That “someone” was hiding inside the wardrobe!
If the forensic examiner hadn’t moved towards the wardrobe, the hidden individual wouldn’t have reacted so nervously, giving himself away.
This heightened sense of hearing had saved the captain’s life countless times in deadly encounters, so he never doubted his instincts.
Thus, he acted swiftly.
Realizing what was happening, the forensic examiner quickly adapted to the situation.
“Sorry, Captain, it was just a reflex,” he said quickly before stepping away from the wardrobe.
“Phew…”
Inside the wardrobe, Skinny finally exhaled in relief. He had barely escaped discovery.
But outside, the SWAT captain’s lips curled into a cold smirk.
“Got you.”
Without hesitation, the captain issued a silent tactical signal to his team: evacuate the forensic personnel and prepare for an assault.
His teammates instantly understood.
They signaled for the forensic team to withdraw.
Even though the forensic examiners weren’t frontline officers, they had worked enough crime scenes to understand what was happening. Without hesitation, they carefully exited the room, moving behind the SWAT officers.
Once the last forensic examiner had silently stepped out, the SWAT captain nodded to his team.
Action was imminent.
Their coordinated execution was flawless.
Within moments, the wardrobe was surrounded, completely sealed off.
“Don’t move! Put your hands on your head and step out of the wardrobe! This is your final warning!”
A SWAT officer wielding a ballistic shield stepped directly in front of the wardrobe, shouting the command.
Behind him, two teammates aimed their rifles directly at the wardrobe’s doors, fingers on their triggers.
Inside, Skinny felt a surge of terror.
“No way…”
“This can’t be happening!”
His face went pale, his hands instinctively tightening around the grip of his pistol.
“What do I do? Do I fight back?”
Cold sweat drenched his back as his thoughts spiraled into chaos.
For a brief moment, the idea of going down in a blaze of glory crossed his mind.
But his fear of death kept him frozen in place.
“I’m giving you three seconds!”
The SWAT officer bellowed.
“Gulp—”
Another nervous swallow echoed in the silent room.
At that moment, the SWAT captain’s ears twitched.
His gun barrel shifted slightly—he had pinpointed the exact location of the hidden suspect.
“Two!”
Another gulp.
Skinny gritted his teeth.
He raised his pistol, preparing to charge out.
Inside the wardrobe, his breath grew heavier. Sweat dripped onto the wooden floor. His clothing rustled as he adjusted his grip on the gun.
The SWAT captain heard it all.
He didn’t even need to see the target—his ears told him everything.
His gun barrel adjusted, locking onto the precise spot where the suspect was crouched.
If Skinny made a move, the captain would shoot first.
A direct hit to the abdomen was guaranteed.
If he was lucky, he might land a shot on the chest—maybe even the head.
Holding his breath, the captain maintained his aim. Then, he opened his eyes and subtly nodded to the shield officer.
His teammates caught the signal.
One by one, their gun barrels adjusted to match the captain’s precise aim.
They knew one thing for certain: if they fired where the captain aimed, they wouldn’t miss.
“This is your final chance!” the SWAT officer warned again.
“Surrender now, put your hands on your head, and step out of the wardrobe!”
“I repeat—this is your last warning!”
As he spoke, the shield officer began closing in.
His grip tightened. Step by step, he advanced.
Since he had the ballistic shield, opening the wardrobe was his job.
Watching the officer approach, Skinny clenched his jaw.
His finger tightened around the trigger.
He was ready to gamble his life.
The tension was suffocating.
Outside the wardrobe, the SWAT captain could hear it—the suspect’s breath was ragged and uneven.
Sweat dripped audibly.
Any second now…
The next moment could decide everything.
Would he surrender?
Or would gunfire erupt?
The SWAT captain’s finger tightened on the trigger.
If the suspect made a move…
He would shoot.
Because once bullets started flying—hesitation meant death.
(End of Chapter 169)
