Chapter 2

"Is he even human? How can anyone be this selfish?"

"I've already got it on video. I'm exposing him for sure! Taking taxpayers' money and refusing to do his job!"

Just as Hugh had steered it, the crowd turned on me.

As if the moment I didn't throw myself into the flames, I became history's greatest villain, someone who deserved to be torn apart.

I didn't argue back. I just held my wife's hand tight, and my palm was already slick with sweat.

"Maybe go take a look? If there's any chance, just try," my wife said, watching me with worried eyes.

I thought about it for a moment, then nodded and started toward the direction where the smoke was pouring out.

"They've already collapsed in there, can't you see? Hurry up and go save them!"

Hugh, trailing right behind me, rushed in front of me and shouted.

"Has anyone called 911?" I looked over at a man who seemed to be one of the mall staff.

"Already did," he said. "They said they'll be here soon."

"Good. Get these people back. Where's the fire hydrant? Let me hook up the water first."

I rolled up my sleeves, ready to put the little firefighting knowledge I had to some use.

But Hugh shoved at me, frantic.

"Who do you think you are, some kind of boss? We don't need you standing here giving orders."

"The smoke's this thick, what good is hooking up water going to do now? Rushing in to save them is the only thing that matters right now!"

I stopped, and said carefully, "The smoke's too heavy right now, we don't know what it's like inside. Charging in with no proper gear is just suicide."

Hugh wasn't listening at all. He sneered.

"That's just your excuse! You just don't want to go save anyone!"

"Wahh, wahh, wahh..."

"Help... help..."

Just then, from the nursing room wrapped in smoke, came the cries of a baby and a woman calling for help.

The crowd that had been busy fleeing now closed in around us.

There was an old man with graying hair, standing on his moral high ground and issuing orders. "Young man, the ones who run toward danger never hesitate. This isn't the time to overthink it. Go in and save them, or does this old man have to charge in himself?"

There was a woman in a sun mask, her face hidden, screaming, "You worthless piece of trash, I'm exposing you!"

"Spending taxpayers' money to stroll around a mall, someone like you doesn't deserve to be a firefighter! How are we supposed to trust any of you after this?"

A half-grown kid was crying too. "Firefighter, please, please save the little baby."

Seeing the crowd condemn me with one voice, Hugh's mouth curled into a strange little smile, then quickly wiped it away.

The voices were about to drown me. They'd already decided I was a firefighter, and they wouldn't hear a word of my explanation.

Inside the nursing room, there really did seem to be the faint shape of someone.

And in my ears, the woman's cries for help and the baby's wailing were so clear.

Could it be that Hugh really was married?

That his wife and child really were trapped in the fire?

Right then I wanted to shake off my wife's hand and rush into the flames to save them.

If someone really was trapped in there, I believed that with my skills, I should be able to get them out.

At that exact moment, the message crawled across the screen again.

【Whatever you do, don't go in. There's no one trapped in the nursing room at all!】

【Those are mannequins Hugh planted in there ahead of time. The firefighters are almost here. Don't throw away your own happiness.】