Saint-Paul, in a dilapidated building.

Huo Dongsheng looked at the grim-faced young man in front of him, sweat pouring down his forehead.

His young, innocent granddaughter was wailing in the young man's arms, and the surroundings were in chaos. Many of Huo Dongsheng's loyal subordinates had also drawn their guns and aimed them at the young man.

"Release the child!"

"Zhang Yan, are you fucking crazy? Do you know what you're doing?!"

"..."

Amidst the shouts, the young man named Zhang Yan, clutching Huo Dongsheng's granddaughter, roared, "Don't fucking push me! Everyone, get out!"

As the two sides were at a stalemate, Huang Peishan suddenly stood up and held Huo Dongsheng's three- or four-year-old son hostage with a gun: "Don't move!"

At the same time, two of Huang Peishan's men suddenly grabbed Huo Dongsheng's daughter-in-law and wife.

These sudden actions shocked everyone.

"Old... Old Huo, you go out and take the blame!" Huang Peishan gripped the gun, tightening it around Huo Dongsheng's son's neck. "If you don't go out, we'll all die; if you do, we might have a chance to live. You're the president; you have to take the fall..."

Huo Dongsheng turned his head, staring at Huang Peishan in astonishment, his expression blank.

Silence filled the room.

"Don't fucking blame me!" Huang Peishan's lips trembled. "I have no choice! I... I don't want to die!"

Huo Dongsheng's eyes reddened, and his voice trembled as well. "Old, Old Huang, we've been brothers for twenty or thirty years. We've already come this far. Is there any need to make it like this? Let's struggle together, live together, die together, okay?!"

Huang Peishan gritted his teeth and said, "Why should I die with you? You're the president. You made the decisions. I was just helping you. Am I supposed to give my life in the end?"

Huo Dongsheng frowned, suddenly looking a decade older. He hunched over and asked softly, "Then what do you want...?"

"The higher-ups stay; I'll leave with my family." Huang Peishan said coldly, "They want to catch you; they want to make an example of you. So you go talk to them."

The two men stared at each other.

Huo Dongsheng was completely despondent. He slowly unclenched his fists and nodded blankly. "Okay, if you want me to die, I'll die; if you want me to talk, I'll talk. We won't fight anymore... There's no need."

"Old Huo!" Huo's wife cried out, tears streaming down her face, and the children all wailed along with her.

"All of you, shut the fuck up!" Huang Peishan shouted, simultaneously releasing the safety on his gun.

"Don't anyone move!" Huo Dongsheng tore open his shirt, looked at Huang Peishan, and held out his hands. "Hand grenades, give me all the hand grenades, tie them around my waist. I'll go out and find them."

Several cadres silently approached and hung the remaining hand grenades around Huo Dongsheng's waist, stuffing two more into his hands.

And so, Huo Dongsheng took a deep look at Old Huang and his family, then, clutching the two hand grenades, walked out of the building alone, heading towards the outside.

...

"Da da da!"

At this moment, outside the building, the gunfire continued relentlessly. Brigade Commander Yang personally led the team, pressing the remaining hundred or so soldiers of Saint-Paul’s government army.

"Stop fucking shooting! Cease fire!!"

Just then, a hysterical shout suddenly came from inside the building.

Soon, Huo Dongsheng, covered in dust, clutching two hand grenades, slowly walked out of the shadows of the building. "Stop fucking shooting! Aren't you trying to find me? I'll talk to you!"

As he spoke, Huang Peishan, holding Huo Dongsheng's family hostage, slowly appeared in the lobby on the first floor, observing the situation outside.

Brigade Commander Yang frowned, not rushing to give orders, but staring at Huo Dongsheng.

"I surrender, isn't that good enough?" Huo Dongsheng shouted loudly.

"Cease attack!" Brigade Commander Yang finally waved his hand, calling off his men's attack. "What's the meaning of this? Are you trying to stall for time?"

Huo Dongsheng gripped the two hand grenades, his voice calming down. "I surrender, but on the condition that you let a group of people go. Get me five cars and let Huang Peishan leave with their families. Once they're gone, I'll surrender."

Brigade Commander Yang coldly swept his gaze over Huo Dongsheng and asked, "Do you think you're in a position to negotiate with me?"

As he spoke, Brigade Commander Yang gently waved his hand. The adjutant behind him understood and quietly retreated.

Huo Dongsheng roared hysterically, "Aren't you arresting me to make an example of me for all eternity? If I, Huo Dongsheng, die here, what kind of example are you going to make? Who's going to perform for you? Who's going to recite the lines for you?! Ask Su Tianyu, does he need me to speak? I can guarantee, as long as you release the families, I'm willing to cooperate with you. I'll say whatever you want me to say, and after I'm done, you can execute me!"

Brigade Commander Yang thought for a moment and said, "I can give you a maximum of three cars."

"Am I only worth three cars?" Huo Dongsheng stared at Brigade Commander Yang. "Those people are useless to you! They're all family members; they don't know anything, they haven't participated in anything. All the core members will stay. Just let their wives and children leave, okay?!"

Seeing that Brigade Commander Yang wasn't speaking, Huo Dongsheng raised the hand grenades again. "One word: five cars, yes or no?"

"Fine, five cars." Brigade Commander Yang agreed.

Huo Dongsheng breathed a slight sigh of relief, but still didn't lower the hand grenades. "I'll surrender twenty minutes after they leave."

Brigade Commander Yang directly cursed, "Are you fucking dreaming? Do you think my men can wait twenty minutes? Ten minutes, tops!"

This time, Huo Dongsheng didn't insist and nodded. "Okay."

After the two sides reached an agreement, Brigade Commander Yang waved his hand, and soon five pickup trucks were brought over and parked on the side of the road.

Huang Peishan, holding Huo Dongsheng's family hostage, along with the families of twenty or so Hua Gong Hui (Chinese Workers' Association) higher-ups, came out and got into the cars one by one.

"Don't shoot! Don't worry, I definitely won't leave. I'll stay here." Huo Dongsheng was still shouting.

As the group entered the vehicles, some of the cadres inside the building became restless, especially the head of the security department, who was holding a pistol and about to rush out.

"If they're leaving, we have to leave too!"

"What the fuck, why are we being left behind?!"

"Quick, rush out!"

A group of people rushed towards the door like madmen.

"RPG!" Brigade Commander Yang waved his hand, and two soldiers stepped forward. Two RPGs were immediately fired.

"Boom!"

The shells exploded in front of the door, kicking up large amounts of dirt and stone. The cadres who had just gone crazy were all frightened pale and ran back inside.

At this moment, Huang Peishan and the others had already gotten into the pickup trucks. At the moment of closing the door, Huang Peishan turned his head and looked at Huo Dongsheng.

Huo Dongsheng, clutching the hand grenades, looked at Old Huang, speechless for a long time.

The two men exchanged a brief glance. Huang Peishan closed the car door, his voice hoarse: "Go!"

"Bang!"

The car door slammed shut, and the five cars sped away.