From Apocalypse To Entertainment Circle (BL)-Chapter 27: I agree!

After Lan Qisheng ended the call with Liam, he scanned the faces around him. Almost everyone wore grim expressions, their faces heavy with fear and reluctance. Of course, that was to be expected. After all, who could keep a smile in a situation like this—

Oh, there was someone.

Sian, who had left Lan Qisheng’s side earlier and returned to the couch, was sitting there quietly. No one knew what was going through his mind, but suddenly, a small smile bloomed on his face, like a delicate flower blooming in the heart of a bitter winter.

Lan Qisheng quickly averted his gaze, afraid that staring any longer might make him do something irrational.

"Commander, I’m sorry, but I don’t agree with this," Ren Yi said. "As everyone knows, only a fool would trust a criminal. A criminal is always a liar."

"I agree," Zhao Ling added. "I don’t think that terrorist will keep his word. It’d be fine if it were just us, but we have over ten civilians with us. We can’t take that risk."

Wu Hao, Yang Chen, and the others shared the same sentiments, their expressions saying everything they didn’t need to.

Lan Qisheng remained silent for a while. Just as one of his soldiers was about to speak again, a hesitant voice broke through the tense atmosphere.

"I... agree to the deal."

Liang Zhou’s voice trembled slightly. Then, as if seeking support, he turned his gaze toward Sian. The latter was still lounging on the couch, one leg crossed elegantly over the other, as if he were posing for a photoshoot.

With guilt written all over his face, Liang Zhou murmured, "I’m sorry, kid. I know I’m being selfish, but... but I want to live. I have to return to my family. I can’t die here."

Sian looked into the man’s eyes for a few seconds before simply smiling and nodding without a word.

After Liang Zhou spoke, it was as if everyone had found their courage, and they began voicing their agreement one by one.

Ben Wang declared, "I agree as well! Besides, it was Sian who provoked those people first. If not for him, they wouldn’t be demanding his surrender. I’m an innocent citizen, and as soldiers, it’s your duty to protect me."

As he spoke, his eyes met Lan Qisheng’s cold, piercing gaze. Fear gripped him, and he quickly averted his eyes, falling silent.

Aaron Wang remained quiet, but that didn’t mean he disagreed. He just didn’t want to appear heartless, so he chose to say nothing while subtly aligning himself with Liang Zhou and Ben Wang.

Even Tong Siao, who had initially wanted to defend Sian, found himself at a loss for words.

Well, that was only natural. The looming fear of death had a way of bringing out the ugliest sides of people.

It wasn’t as if Sian hadn’t seen scenes like this before. He wasn’t surprised, nor did he care. So, when the very people he had saved—the same ones who had been laughing and chatting with him just moments ago—demanded that he surrender himself to the terrorists for their sake, he felt no resentment toward them. Not even a little.

It wasn’t because Sian was some saint.

It was simply because he had gotten used to it.

You see, some things hurt like hell the first time. A little less the second time. Then, with each repetition, the pain dulls bit by bit. Until, eventually, your body and soul become so numb that you feel nothing at all.

Marco, who had been lifeless this whole time, suddenly found a reason to be cheerful. Forgetting his fear of Sian for a moment, he laughed, "Yes! Yes! Let’s hand him over to the terrorists. It’s his fault we’re in this mess anyway."

His laughter stopped when his eyes met Sian’s.

Sian’s golden-yellow eyes were calm and warm, like sunlight filtering through honey. But Marco wasn’t fooled by their beauty. He had seen it before—the way Sian looked at him like he was already dead.

Memories of yesterday flashed in his mind. The moment he had almost died under the wolves’ claws.

Fear returned.

He shrank back into the corner, trembling.

The live broadcast audience, watching everything unfold, couldn’t help but flood the comments with outrage.

"That bastard Marco! Did he learn nothing from yesterday? My stomach hurts just thinking about how he hasn’t been slapped by that gray wolf yet."

"Yeah, honestly, even though I hate Sian and curse at him in the comments, I can’t agree with what these people are doing. Forget Marco—he’s Sian’s enemy. But the others? They considered him a friend. He saved them multiple times. How can they sacrifice him so easily?"

"Honestly, Sian looks pitiful right now."

"How do you think he feels? Being betrayed and backstabbed by the very people he saved? If I were him, I’d be furious right now."

"Yeah, but look at him. Doesn’t he seem... fine? Like he doesn’t care at all?"

"I noticed that too. I think Sian has an incredibly stable mindset and a strong heart. I really hope he survives. I don’t want to see him die."

+1

+1

...

After letting everyone say their piece, Lan Qisheng finally spoke in a deep, measured voice.

"Are you all finished?"

The room fell silent.

All eyes turned to the imposing colonel standing in the center of the room. His voice spread slowly, carrying weight with every word.

"Do you all think I refused the deal for Sian’s sake? Do you truly believe that handing him over will guarantee your safety and get you out of this forest unharmed?"

His sharp gaze swept over them before he continued,

"I and my team are against this deal not because of Sian’s life, but because there’s no proof that the terrorists will honor their side of the agreement. If we go through with it, the worst-case scenario is all of you dying. If I follow the terrorist’s demand and hand myself, my soldiers, and Sian over, there will be no one left to protect you. The chances of you becoming hostages will skyrocket."

Just as Lan Qisheng took a deep breath to continue, Sian interrupted him.

Sian stood up and walked toward him slowly—one step, then another—his voice casual yet laced with amusement.

"I don’t see why you’re wasting our precious time explaining these pointless things. Lan Qisheng, you and I both know that no matter what you say, it won’t change their minds in the slightest. So why bother, hmm?"

When Sian finished speaking, he was standing right in front of Lan Qisheng.

The colonel froze.

Not because of the close proximity.

Not because of the sweet scent that lightly brushed against his nose.

Not even because of the mesmerizing golden eyes that, under the dim lighting, looked more like honey shimmering in the sunlight.

No.

It was because Sian had called him by his full name.

This was the first time, wasn’t it?

For some reason, it felt like butterflies were fluttering around him.

So happy. So, so happy.

I want to hug him.

"Hey?" Sian waved a hand in front of Lan Qisheng’s face. "Are you even listening?"

"Ah—w-wait! Yes! I’m listening!" Lan Qisheng stammered.

Then, as if trying to salvage his shattered icy image, he quickly composed himself.

But before he could say anything, Sian raised a hand and spoke first—

Siān raised his hand and said, "To be honest, Commander Lan, it’s not like you have any other choice. Besides, that damn servant was right—trading the lives of ten people for eighty is a gamble worth taking. We’ll suffer more if we reject their offer."

Lan Qisheng fell silent, and the five soldiers exchanged glances. What Siān said was true. Even if they refused with their words, they were fully aware of the predicament they were in. It wasn’t as if they had another option. Of course, they wanted to push the terrorists a little, buy some time, and create opportunities to save as many people as possible, but they couldn’t drag this out any longer. Otherwise, no one would win, and too many lives would be lost.

Silence enveloped the scene. The audience was on edge. Though the live broadcast had only been running for two days, it felt like they had endured years of psychological torment—so much pressure, so many events, so much fear and terror. They felt terrible for the hostages trapped in the forest. No one could go through all this without losing their sanity...

"There’s no need for all this gloom and fear. Just call them and say you accept the deal," Siān said as he stretched his arms. "I just want to get out of this damn forest as soon as possible. I’m starving—I haven’t had a proper meal in ages."

Lan Qisheng: "..."

Everyone: "..."

"You idiot! Is your stomach all you can think about?! Death is lurking around every corner, and our chances of survival are less than one percent! Tsk, you’re either extremely optimistic or incredibly foolish," Zhao Ling scoffed, unable to hold back his criticism. The tension in the air eased slightly, and some expressions softened.

Siān patted Ren Yi’s shoulder. The man was still frowning, his deep eyes fixed on the outside world. In them, Siān saw misery—the quiet resignation of a man who had accepted death.

"Don’t worry, nothing will happen. I promise you."

"Tsk, tsk, Ren Yi, do you really need comfort from a kid fifteen years younger than you? As they say, live long enough, and you’ll see everything," Zhao Ling taunted.

"You—! You idiot! Come here! If I don’t beat you up today, I’ll change my surname!"

"Oh? And what will your new name be? Siān’s little brother?"

"Pfft—"

"Hahaha!"

Laughter filled the air as Zhao Ling and Ren Yi began a game of cat and mouse. That was until Lan Qisheng stepped in, snapping everyone back to reality.

Lan Qisheng called Liam, who answered immediately, as if expecting their call. After promising to release the hostages he currently had and come to pick up the others once the deal was complete, Liam abruptly ended the call.

Of course, Lan Qisheng and the others didn’t believe him. But since they had a radio transmitter, contacting the military wasn’t impossible. The army had already been watching the live broadcast and had the same suspicions.

There were no longer any signal disruptions, so the call connected quickly. The conversation between Lan Qisheng and the military wasn’t complicated. After exchanging names and ranks, Lan Qisheng recognized the person on the other end—it was an old friend, someone he had worked with on many missions.

After discussing the rescue plan for the hostages Liam and his men would release near the forest’s border, they decided on the time and method of extraction. The military was already prepared and equipped with all necessary forces and medical supplies. All that remained was to set off and wait, ensuring that this wasn’t a trap.

Lan Qisheng instructed the military to contact him once their mission was complete, then ended the call.

Now, all they could do was wait.

Not just them—the entire country was waiting.

More than seventy lives were on the line. This was no small matter.