198: Chapter 190: If I sacrifice myself, can I become a martyr?

When Yang Tian said those words, the crowd hadn't yet grasped their deeper meaning. However, as they pondered and interpreted them, Yi Hongquan, Huang Xiao, and the others suddenly looked up at him with faces full of shock.

In an emergency, protecting one's own life is the most normal individual behavior; after all, you only have one life.

But when a police officer puts on that "navy blue armor" and realizes the responsibilities and missions they shoulder, thinking first of protecting the lives of the people in an emergency—that is a national act.

As for a historical act; perhaps many years from now, when people mention the name "Yang Tian" again, they will recount his heroic deeds on the internet, in books, in classrooms, and even during the educational activities of various government agencies, learning from his spirit of self-sacrifice.

Passed down through generations, never-ending.

Yi Hongquan was deeply moved; Yang Tian had taught him a lesson. At this moment, his gaze was filled with nothing but fondness and admiration for Yang Tian. He patted his shoulder heavily and praised, "Good man!"

Just then, a CCTV reporter and a photographer squeezed through the crowd with their equipment.

A few days ago, they had followed Yang Tian's suggestion and arrived in Qianzhou from the Capital yesterday. Their goal was to use the police award ceremony as an opportunity to interview Yang Tian and produce a special program about his daily work.

But when they arrived at the activity hall of the Qianzhou City Public Security Bureau this morning, they heard the news that Yang Tian had rushed into a bank alone to take on five robbers and rescue hostages, so they rushed to the scene.

However, they were still a step too late. Yang Tian had already successfully rescued the hostages. The tense atmosphere, the command scenes, and the action plans they hoped to capture were all missed.

Now, they could only seize the opportunity of Yang Tian emerging from the bank to interview him. As for subsequent reports, they would see if they could borrow some video footage from others.

When Yi Hongquan, Huang Xiao, and the others saw that they were CCTV staff, they immediately straightened their backs and stood tall, putting on their best spirit and presence.

For the two of them, although they often appeared in local or Ministry of Public Security news media, appearing on CCTV was a rare opportunity.

Moreover, this was a moment of glory and positive reporting. If they could get some screen time by interviewing the hero Yang Tian, they would not only gain the appreciation of their superiors but also the love of the people.

Reporter Bingbing walked up to Yang Tian with a microphone, panting. After catching her breath, she smiled at Yang Tian, Yi Hongquan, and Huang Xiao behind him before looking at Yang Tian and asking, "Can we ask you a few questions, Officer Yang?"

Yang Tian nodded.

Just as reporter Bingbing was about to ask a question, Zhang Qingshan suddenly reminded her from the side.

"I suggest this female reporter comrade watch this surveillance footage first before asking questions. It might make them more focused!"

Reporter Bingbing turned to look at Zhang Qingshan. Zhang Qingshan gave a look to a cyber security staff member, who brought a laptop over to her.

Bingbing immediately looked at the computer screen.

When she finished watching all the fight scenes inside the bank, she was completely dumbfounded, her mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an apple.

Looking at Yang Tian with full admiration, she praised directly, "You... you are simply too amazing!"

[I've never seen such combat scenes before. He's even cooler than a movie protagonist. Especially that calm sense of fearlessness when facing a gunfight—my god, how can there be such a handsome policeman!] — From the inner thoughts of CCTV reporter Bingbing.

Uh.

Yang Tian glanced at the female reporter.

Sure enough, "fangirls" existed in every group and profession.

At this time, Bingbing, whose emotions were completely influenced by Yang Tian, excitedly asked the first question: "Before you rushed into the bank, did you know how many robbers were inside and what weapons they had?"

Yang Tian responded, "I knew! Because I happened to be passing by and saw the robbers get out of a van and run into the bank."

Bingbing asked, "Then, knowing clearly that they were very dangerous armed robbers, why did you still rush in without hesitation to fight them?"

Yang Tian responded, "I didn't think too much at the time. I just knew that national property was being lost and the lives of the people were being threatened, and I had to stop it!"

Bingbing widened her eyes and opened her mouth again as she looked at Yang Tian.

"You... weren't you afraid?"

Yang Tian smiled. "I didn't think that much then. I just felt like I could take them down, so I rushed in!"

Huang Xiao, Yi Hongquan, Zhang Qingshan, and the others nearby couldn't help but laugh.

But behind the laughter, they were won over by Yang Tian's heroic spirit, and at the same time, a sense of infinite respect arose.

This kind of thing is done with a burst of courage; hesitation leads to failure. If one were to weigh the pros and cons, they would never have the courage to rush in.

And it was precisely this fearless courage that made Yang Tian so precious.

Reporter Bingbing stared blankly at Yang Tian for a good while until the photographer coughed twice to remind her, and only then did she snap out of it.

"Next question. I saw in the surveillance video that the criminal used the hostage's life as a threat, asking you to throw away your gun and then walk out from behind the self-service machine with your hands up, becoming a live target for the criminal. At the moment you walked out, what were you thinking?"

When this heavyweight question was asked, everyone's eyes focused on Yang Tian.

[Yeah, if rushing into the bank was courage, then what about being a live target? Was that also just courage?] — From the inner thoughts of Yi Hongquan.

[This is no longer something that can be done with just courage. The moment he reached out his hands, he had already put life and death aside. This is a further sublimation of the police spirit!] — From the inner thoughts of Huang Xiao.

[Brother Yang Tian is so silly. He only thinks of others and never of himself. The robbers robbing the bank wasn't his problem. Is it really worth trading a life for a life?] — From the inner thoughts of Zhang Jingque.

Yang Tian's expression darkened slightly, and involuntarily, the image of his father saving him surfaced in his mind again.

He looked up at the camera and said, "I once promised someone that when I grew up, I would become a great person just like him!"

Bingbing immediately asked, "Who is he?"

"My father!" When he said those two words loudly, his eyes sparkled with the light of pride.

In truth, what he was thinking was not just about becoming a great person like his father.

When he threw away his gun, raised his hands, and walked out from behind the self-service machine, completely exposing himself to the muzzle of the criminal's gun, he was thinking: if I sacrifice myself, can I become a martyr?