Chapter 40: You're only making a few thousand a month, why risk your life for it!

"Huh? A thief?"

Tan Ping, hearing this, immediately looked toward the rear. In the distance, on the sidewalk, a woman was struggling to her feet, chasing after someone while shouting. A motorcycle roared past her, speeding directly toward where Tan Ping and his team were stationed.

"Is that a bag-snatching incident?" Tan Ping realized instantly. He immediately shouted, "Quick! Get in the car! We’re going after them!"

"Right!" Seeing Tan Ping jump into a law enforcement vehicle, the cameraman, Yang Wei, followed close behind.

Inside the vehicle, as Tan Ping drove, he explained to the viewers in the livestream, "When we were by the roadside, we heard someone shouting for help. It’s that motorcycle ahead. They just snatched a handbag from a victim as they sped past, causing her to fall. They’re moving very fast and trying to escape!"

Cameraman Yang Wei immediately shifted the lens to the motorcycle racing ahead. In the livestream, netizens were shocked by Tan Ping's explanation:

"Holy crap! Stealing right in front of Officer Tan? These two thieves are really asking for a prison sentence!"
"Criminal and punishable—they better not get away with this today!"
"I bet they’ll regret it once they find out this robbery was livestreamed to over ten thousand people!"
"Regret? Hardly! I bet they’d be even more excited to know they’re on TV, probably start their own channel once they get out!"
"I have to say, these two have some serious riding skills, weaving through traffic like that. An average person would’ve lost them already, but too bad for them, they ran into Officer Tan!"

After chasing for a while, Tan Ping realized that while he hadn't lost them, this approach wasn't ideal. He said, "They’re moving too fast! We can't push them too hard; I’m worried that if they get too panicked, they’ll crash into other vehicles. If they cause an accident, it wouldn't just endanger them, it would threaten the safety of other road users... We can't keep chasing like this; we need to find a way to make them stop."

With that, Tan Ping picked up his radio to report the situation: "Publicity Department, please notify the Polytechnic University area to intercept a motorcycle. The license plate number is XXXXX..."

Soon, traffic police ahead received the notice and immediately attempted to intercept the motorcycle. However, these two were hardened criminals; rather than stopping, they made an emergency turn and sped into a small alleyway. As they reached the entrance, they abandoned the bike and fled on foot into the alley. The intercepting police vehicle was blocked at the intersection, unable to follow.

"These two are definitely repeat offenders; they know this terrain well!" Tan Ping noted, immediately exiting his vehicle and giving chase on foot.

"Such speed!"

***

Seeing Tan Ping sprint ahead, the cameraman struggled to keep up, his camera on his shoulder, soon becoming breathless.

In the livestream, netizens flooded the chat: "The cameraman’s name was surely prophetic! He can’t keep up!"
"To the person above, is it possible that Officer Tan is just running too fast?"
"Exactly! Just look at that speed—he looks like an Olympic sprinter!"

Although the cameraman couldn't keep pace with Tan Ping, he managed to capture his figure from a distance. Despite the thieves having a several-minute head start, Tan Ping caught up to them! With a flying tackle, he brought the rearmost thief to the ground. Lacking handcuffs, he quickly unbuckled the thief's belt and tied his hands. After securing him, Tan Ping got up and chased after the other.

"Whoa! Officer Tan’s skills are insane!" the viewers exclaimed.
"Are you kidding? Officer Tan is a veteran. I once saw him doing push-ups; he was like a little electric motor!"
"Exactly! I saw that stream too. His stamina is better than mine, and I hit the gym every day!"
"Officer Tan joked he was a 'tea-serving soldier' before, but I think he was a scout!"

Soon, Tan Ping caught the second thief. Desperate, the thief realized he was cornered and, fueled by malice, pulled out a knife and lunged back at Tan Ping.

"Ah! A knife! Officer Tan, look out!" The cameraman, blinded by the flash of the blade, shouted a warning.

"What? The thief has a knife?" The netizens were immediately gripped with anxiety.
"He’s too close, Officer Tan can’t dodge that!"
"A close-quarters street fight with a knife is a completely different ballgame than one without!"
"Exactly, a dagger like that can incapacitate you with a single strike. It’s even more dangerous than a thug with a machete!"

Just as the thief thrust the blade, a sense of impending danger surged through Tan Ping, and he sidestepped sharply. The blade, originally aimed at his abdomen, grazed his side instead. He felt a sharp, searing pain across his waist. It was clear the blade hadn't just shredded his uniform—it had left a wound.

***

Had Tan Ping not dodged in time, that blade would have plunged straight into his stomach.

In the blink of an eye, as the knife passed his midsection, Tan Ping firmly clamped his arm around the thief’s knife-wielding limb and delivered a brutal elbow strike to the thief’s head with his other hand.

*Crack!*

Struck with such force, the thief’s vision went black, and he collapsed, unconscious, the knife clattering to the ground.

"Officer Tan, are you alright?" The cameraman and two other traffic officers arrived shortly after. Looking down, they saw a pool of blood forming on the ground beneath Tan Ping. They immediately dialed for an ambulance.

In the livestream, the viewers were frantic.
"No! Officer Tan has been stabbed!"
"That blade looked sharp; I hope he didn't hit anything vital!"

After the call, the traffic officers rushed to check on him. They discovered that Tan Ping’s reflective vest had been sliced open, the clothing underneath cut through, and his uniform was soaked in blood.

"There’s so much blood—he must be badly hurt! It’s all my fault for running too slowly!" the cameraman said, filled with self-reproach.

The two officers immediately began administering first aid.

"I’m fine, it’s just a cut," Tan Ping said, a faint smile appearing on his face despite their concern.

"What do you mean 'just a cut'? Officer Tan, you’ve lost so much blood!" The viewers, seeing his smile, felt their hearts break even more.

"Officer Tan, you’re just a civilian assistant! You’re only making a few thousand a month—why are you risking your life like this?"
"You have to stay alive and get better! We’re all waiting for the day you get your official badge!"
"Hurry up, ambulance! A good cop like Officer Tan must be okay!"