Chapter Twenty-Three: Critical! Critical!

After chatting with the little girl, Yao Yao, for a while, Tan Ping went to the nearby intersection to enforce traffic regulations, though his attention remained fixed on the child not far away.

His mentor, Wang Xingyun, noticed this and teased, "Ah Ping, it seems you’re quite fond of children!"

"I am," Tan Ping replied with a smile.

"You’re not young anymore; have you ever thought about finding a partner?" Wang Xingyun continued.

"Master, I’m still young. My work comes first for now!" Tan Ping immediately deflected. He suspected that if he agreed too easily, his mentor would be introducing him to someone within the hour.

"I see," Wang Xingyun said, sounding slightly disappointed.

As time ticked by, the countdown to the end of the little girl’s life, visible only to Tan Ping above her head, drew closer and closer. Tan Ping grew increasingly vigilant, his hands clenched tightly together.

"Ah Ping, are you feeling unwell?" a colleague in charge of the camera asked from the side.

Tan Ping didn't answer, remaining focused on the little girl. Less than five minutes remained on the countdown. The child was still playing with her mother at the entrance of the residential complex. Tan Ping’s entire body was tensed, ready to sprint over and intervene the moment she neared the road.

Just then, a large black dog with its tongue lolling out trotted over from the other side of the gate. It sniffed the road as it walked, showing no signs of aggression. Neither the little girl nor her mother showed any alarm at its arrival.

*Huh? Where is the owner? According to the regulations, when walking a dog, there must be a leash. Especially for a large dog like this, it should also be wearing a muzzle...* Tan Ping’s instincts flared with concern. Even though the countdown still had five minutes left, he spoke to the camera: "Ahead, there is a large black dog. Its owner is nowhere to be seen, and it is not wearing a muzzle. This way of walking a dog violates relevant regulations. We are going to go over and secure the animal!"

In the livestream, some viewers who owned dogs left comments: "Officer Tan, aren't you overreacting? This dog doesn't look like it would bite anyone!"

"Exactly! The dog is big, sure, but if it were aggressive, the owner wouldn't let it wander alone!"

"Right! Dogs are man's best friend. This one looks so docile; it definitely won't bite. Officer Tan, why don't you go up and pet it to prove us wrong!"

"Please don't hurt the dog before it has actually done anything!"

"Controlling a dog just because you see it is too cruel! It might get hurt; it's so pitiful!"

Glancing at the comments, Tan Ping’s face hardened. "Just because it hasn't bitten anyone yet doesn't mean it never will. You are not the dog; you cannot fully understand its behavior. In public spaces, there are many variables. When walking a dog, especially a large breed, the owner must be present, and it must be leashed and muzzled!"

As he spoke, he began walking toward the black dog.

However, at that very moment, the black dog looked up at the little girl playing with her mother, its eyes flashed with ferocity, and it suddenly charged!

Seeing this, Tan Ping shouted a warning: "Watch out, there's a dog behind you!"

He accelerated, moving as fast as he could. Hearing his shout, the mother immediately scooped up her daughter, shielding her tightly. The black dog was incredibly fast, like a speeding arrow. It opened its massive jaws and, missing the child, sank its teeth into the mother’s back.

"Ah!" The livestream viewers gasped as the camera captured the scene.

"Who was it that said this dog was docile and wouldn't bite?"

"Officer Tan, run faster!"

The other traffic police officers nearby dropped their gear and rushed toward the scene.

*Rip!*

After biting the mother's back, the dog gave a violent tug, tearing a chunk of fabric and flesh away. Blood gushed out—a shocking and gruesome sight! The black dog was not finished; it lunged again, trying to reach the little girl.

"Ah! Ah!" the mother screamed in despair, knowing she was no match for the beast.

Tan Ping lunged forward and, without hesitation, delivered a powerful kick to the dog’s head.

*Bang!*

The impact was loud. Tan Ping felt a sharp pain in his foot; in his haste, he had twisted his ankle. The kick sent the black dog stumbling back a few paces. However, its aggression was fully unleashed, and it lunged again, desperate to get at the child protected under the mother. Despite his injury, Tan Ping dove forward, grappling with the dog.

*Rip! Rip!*

Soon, Tan Ping’s uniform was shredded, and his arms and legs were covered in bloodied scratches from the dog.

"That dog is vicious!" The viewers watched, breathless with terror.

"Even with the mother’s protection and Officer Tan’s intervention, it’s still fixated on the little girl!"

"With jaws that big, if it had bitten the child, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

Fortunately, Wang Xingyun and the other officers arrived, joining the effort to drive the dog away. Seeing they were outnumbered, the dog turned and bolted toward the side of the road.

Tan Ping ignored his own injuries and immediately asked, "Yao Yao, are you hurt?" He was terrified that the child had been bitten during the chaos.

Little Yao Yao was sobbing, traumatized by the attack.

"Yao Yao, let Mommy check you," her mother said, finally recovering enough to examine her daughter.

Tan Ping noticed that the countdown above the girl’s head had changed; it was no longer nearing zero, but had extended into a long string of time. The black dog had indeed been the source of the lethal threat.

Realizing this, Tan Ping turned to Wang Xingyun. "Master, we must find that dog immediately! We cannot let it wander around uncontrolled!"

"Agreed! There are many children in this complex, and there’s a school across the street!" Wang Xingyun nodded and immediately reported the situation to headquarters.

Soon, the local police station deployed a large number of officers to search for the dog.

"Tan Ping, you’re injured; you need to go to the hospital!" his colleagues urged.

"Right," Tan Ping nodded. Although his wounds weren't life-threatening, there was a risk of rabies. He didn't forget to add, "Yao Yao’s mother was bitten as well; she needs to be taken to the hospital immediately!"