After finishing physicals for all the students, I implanted explosive chips into every single one of their brains. Heavily armed SWAT teams had me surrounded. My voice was terrifyingly calm: “As long as you fulfill my birthday wish, I’ll disarm the chips.” “Otherwise, every fifteen minutes, one chip will randomly explode!” All the parents panicked, desperate to know my wish. I clenched my jaw, trembling all over. “I can’t tell you! A wish spoken aloud never comes true.” “Time is running out; you’ll have to guess it yourselves.” … Everyone erupted. “Are you out of your mind?! How are we supposed to make your wish come true if you don’t tell us?!” “It’s five already! I need to pick up my kid and get back to work! You’re having a meltdown on your own time, but you’re wasting *all* of ours!” “I bet those explosive chips are a bluff! Just let the kids go! If you want to celebrate your birthday, go home and do it!” As they shouted, the SWAT teams tightened their cordon. Some officers looked ready to storm the school. I chuckled and pressed the button without hesitation. A deafening blast. The school nurse’s office turned into a pile of rubble. Everyone went silent instantly. If a reinforced concrete building could be reduced to ruins in an instant, imagine what it would do to a human head. From the crowd outside the school gates, a man stepped forward, hands raised high: “Dr. Hayes, please, let’s just calm down.” “I’m here to help you. Just tell us your demands, and we’ll do everything we can to coordinate!” I knew this man. Detective Miller, the city’s most famous negotiator. Many parents, their voices trembling, chimed in: “Dr. Hayes, you’ve been our school doctor for over twenty years. We’ve all seen your dedication.” “Someone who treats these kids like your own wouldn’t do something like this unless you were truly desperate.” “Whatever your hardship, just tell us! We’ll support you!” Their eyes were red and swollen, filled with terror for their children’s safety. But I just stroked the button in my hand, my voice cold. “Didn’t I just say?” “As long as you guess and fulfill my birthday wish, I’ll release the children.” A few furious parents couldn’t take it anymore. They started screaming obscenities, their curses echoing. Detective Miller glared at them, his expression severe, clearly afraid I’d be provoked again. I shrugged. “These chips are incredibly powerful. Once they detonate, a person will be completely disintegrated.” The parents’ eyes were bloodshot with rage, wanting nothing more than to tear me to shreds. The school’s digital marquee, usually displaying inspirational quotes, now flashed a blood-red countdown. “Time is running out. I advise you not to waste it cursing at me.” “You have ten minutes left.” They had no choice but to compromise, huddling together for a frantic discussion. A minute later, dozens of armored vans sped towards the intersection. “Dr. Hayes, we know you’ve struggled financially your entire life. Your parents are bedridden, and their medical bills run into thousands every month!” “We understand your difficulties. Here’s fifty million dollars! Is that enough?” Everyone’s eyes lit up like stars, their faces full of desperate hope. I spoke slowly: “I don’t want money.” My husband, who had been silent in the crowd, pounded his chest in frustration. “That’s fifty million dollars! If you just take the money, Mom and Dad’s illnesses, and our hundreds of thousands in debt—all gone!” “Don’t worry, the officers promised me they won’t touch a cent of it!” Detective Miller’s voice was calm, persuasive: “Dr. Hayes, don’t be afraid.” “If you let the children go now, we won’t pursue any legal action against you!” My tone was flat: “Sounds tempting.” “But that’s not my birthday wish.” “You have five minutes left.” Detective Miller gritted his teeth. “One hundred million dollars! Is one hundred million enough?!” Silence was my only response. The countdown continued to shrink, and the crowd grew more agitated. “Just shoot her! One bullet, and all this craziness will be over!” “Yeah, even if she has a reason, she’s still a kidnapper, toying with human lives! She deserves no sympathy!” Snipers were already in position. I stood right in the center of the square, with no cover around me. Detective Miller’s expression was grim: “Dr. Hayes, this is your last chance!” I raised the button again. “The moment you shoot me, I’ll hit the master switch and take every single one of the thousands of students in this school down with me!” A sniper slowly aimed their laser sight at my right hand. I smiled scornfully: “Crippling me won’t work.” “I’ve implanted hundreds of trigger chips throughout my body. Any injury, any shot, and they’ll activate the explosives!” “If you don’t believe me, you can try.” No one dared to breathe. These were thousands of lives; they couldn’t gamble. Three minutes remained on the countdown. Mayor Thompson shouted loudly: “I’ll give you the National Medical Excellence Award! With that recognition, you could work at any hospital in the country!” This was an honor every doctor dreamed of. Since its inception, only two people had ever received it. But I still shook my head. The parents were frantic. “She doesn’t want fame, she doesn’t want money—what *does* she want?!” They pressured my husband to recall my preferences. They even brought me a birthday cake, expensive designer dresses, luxury cosmetics… but I rejected everything. Two minutes left. My husband, who’d been racking his brain, suddenly yelled: “I know what you want!” He frantically searched the backseat of my car and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from the gap. Everyone suddenly understood.
A diagnosis for late-stage liver cancer. To survive, a liver transplant was the only option. “Valerie, you want a matching liver, don’t you?” “That’s something money and power can’t just buy!” Before I could answer, they immediately accessed a confidential database, searching for a suitable liver. In just one minute, a match was found. Before, afraid of burdening my family, I had kept silent about my cancer, barely clinging to life with painkillers. But now, if I just agreed, I could have the surgery for free, extending my life by at least thirty years. Everyone thought I would agree. Yet, I still shook my head. “That’s not my birthday wish.” “You have one minute left.” The crowd erupted into a chaotic argument. A specialized team had already scoured all my recent browsing history and call logs, but found no clues. Detective Miller frantically flipped through the stack of documents, thicker than a brick, trying to find any tiny lead. Thirty seconds on the countdown. Detective Miller suddenly received a call, his voice filled with excitement: “I know! You want revenge for your daughter!” “Three years ago, your daughter graduated and got a job at a big corporation, but she quit after six months, not even asking for her wages!” “On paper, it was a voluntary resignation, but in reality, she was sexually harassed by her superior!” “You fought for justice, but every attempt was shut down, swept under the rug. He not only denied the crime but even sent you death threats!” Someone in the crowd sighed: “So that’s it. A mother’s love knows no bounds.” “I knew it. Dr. Hayes wouldn’t kidnap these kids unless she was pushed to the absolute brink.” Detective Miller’s eyes were full of sincerity: “We just apprehended him. Don’t worry, he’ll face the full force of the law!” I curved my lips into a smile. “He was rich and influential. You’re really impressive for finding him in such a short time.” “It’s a little… poignant. The nightmare that haunted me for three years, and you solved it in mere minutes.” “So why, then, in the past three years, could I not get any justice?” Detective Miller’s face paled, and he tried to explain, feigning composure. I gently raised a hand, cutting him off. “Forget it, it doesn’t matter anymore.” “Unfortunately, that’s not what I want either.” Ten seconds remained on the big screen’s countdown. All the students in their classrooms were engrossed in a movie, occasionally bursting into laughter. They had no idea that death was at their door. I picked up the loudspeaker, connected to the school’s PA system, my voice gentle: “Students, watching movies for too long isn’t good for your eyes.” “Everyone, close your eyes and rest a bit.” “And please, *please* don’t open them—” 10, 9, 8… Just then, my exhausted daughter suddenly rushed in. “Mom, no—” My body jolted violently. Three years ago, Chloe had been drugged by her superior, suffering severe neurological damage ever since. Doctors had declared she might never speak again. I stared at Chloe, stunned. Her voice was hoarse, her pronunciation slightly awkward from years of disuse. “Mom, I know you must have a terrible reason.” “But no matter what, as long as we’re together, as long as we’re a family, we can get through anything!” “Mom, please don’t do anything foolish, okay?” “Your daughter can’t lose her mother!” Chloe spread her arms, pleading for me to put down the button. A gentle embrace awaited me, and countless people in the crowd wept openly. I clenched my jaw, trembling all over. *Drip.* The countdown hit zero.
I shivered violently. No turning back now! *Click*. The button descended. Almost instantly, the windows of the third-grade, second-period classroom turned crimson. Thick, viscous flesh splattered down the glass, snaking like venomous tendrils. The students were splattered with blood, frozen in place. It took several minutes for someone to react, screaming and frantically banging on the door. But I had already locked the doors and windows. The school’s soundproofing was excellent, too. Their desperate screams, to anyone else, would sound like nothing more than a faint buzzing. The other classrooms continued watching their movies. Only the third-grade, second-period classroom was a hellscape. The countdown reset to fifteen minutes. Chloe passed out from shock. The parents of the third-grade, second-period class cried heartbrokenly. From so far away, they couldn’t tell if the child who had just exploded was their own. Parents from other classes visibly relaxed, relieved that their darlings had escaped. I secretly chuckled. “You probably don’t know this, but I mixed up all the students’ classes.” “So, guess who that unlucky child was?” Everyone erupted instantly. Cries, prayers, and furious curses erupted into a chaotic cacophony. Detective Miller’s gaze grew cold. “Valerie, nerve-paralyzing agents are on their way.” “I advise you to give up and surrender.” I laughed bitterly: “What good would surrendering do? Will you let me go?” Detective Miller forced himself not to look at that blood-red window. “We can push for leniency…” I cut him off directly. “I have late-stage liver cancer anyway. Death row or life imprisonment, what difference does it make to me?” “We have ten minutes left. Let’s continue our game.” Everyone went mad. Enraged parents turned their fury directly on my family. The police couldn’t stop the furious crowd. Robert and Chloe were pelted with mud and garbage, looking as wretched as beggars. I fought back tears, my voice trembling. “Five minutes left.” Chloe, still weak from just regaining consciousness, was sobbing uncontrollably. “Mom, you always said you loved children more than anything.” “When a kid had a fever and their parents brushed it off, you’d pay out of your own pocket to take them to a specialist, wouldn’t rest until you knew they were okay.” “If a child’s parents were going through a messy divorce, you’d bring them home to stay with us, afraid of the trauma they were facing.” “Thousands of kids in this school, and every single one calls you ‘Mama Valerie’!” “Mom, I’m begging you, please tell me why you’re doing this? Please?” “What do you *really* want?!” Chloe’s cries were raw and desperate. I trembled all over, almost biting through the soft flesh inside my cheeks, but the words I spoke were still cold: “I can’t say.” “A wish spoken aloud never comes true.” “Four minutes left.” Chloe screamed, grabbing a fruit knife from a nearby stall and pressing it hard against her carotid artery. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll die!” Chloe had been battling severe depression for three years. With her psychological trauma and neurological damage, she’d wake up dozens of times every night, barely getting two or three hours of sleep. But no matter how difficult, hope always shone in Chloe’s eyes. She never spoke a word of surrender. She even planned to prepare for grad school, to restart her life. And now… The blade bit into her skin, a string of blood pearls welling up. “Enough!” “Come here, I’ll only tell you.” Detective Miller squeezed Chloe’s hand, a silent signal not to be afraid. Chloe walked towards me, her frail body as thin as a withered leaf. I leaned close to her ear and slowly whispered my wish. Chloe froze, the color draining from her face like a tide. Even when Detective Miller screamed himself hoarse, she only nodded blankly, then walked back in a daze. Back in the crowd, everyone clamored to know what I had said. Chloe slowly turned, giving me a deep, meaningful look. Suddenly, with an almost inhuman speed, she bolted towards the school fence! She threw herself onto it! No hesitation, utterly resolute. The sharp picket speared directly through Chloe’s neck, blood gushing everywhere. Yet, a strange smile spread across her face. Robert instantly broke down: “What did you tell her?!”
Tears streamed down my face as I stared blankly at the countdown. “Three minutes left.” Robert’s face was a mask of utter despair. He spat out one word – “Divorce” – before frantically pushing Chloe towards the waiting ambulance. My bedridden parents, who’d been watching the live feed, called me directly, demanding to disown me. Abandoned by everyone—I had expected it. Two minutes left on the countdown. I suddenly pressed the pause button. Everyone strained their necks, wondering if I’d finally snapped out of it. I stared intently at the pool of blood Chloe had left on the ground. The iron fence wasn’t particularly sharp, yet it had pierced directly through her throat. How utterly resolute was Chloe in her desire to die? “Let’s observe three minutes of silence for my daughter.” I burst into tears. In that moment, I wasn’t a kidnapper; I was just a wretched mother who had witnessed her daughter’s tragic death. The crowd watched me coldly, as if I were a madwoman. As soon as the three minutes were up, I instantly wiped away my tears, returning to that cold, detached state. I had long understood that since I chose this path, this was what I deserved to endure. The countdown resumed. *Thud.* A mother in the crowd suddenly fell to her knees. “Dr. Hayes, my child has severe epilepsy.” “She has to go to the hospital for a special injection before 6 PM every day, even one minute late could be life-threatening!” “Please, have mercy! Let me take my child to the hospital!” I remembered that child. Her name was Lily, well-behaved and thoughtful. Every time she saw me, she would share one of the fruit candies she’d saved up. “Dr. Hayes, you work so hard. Have a candy and you won’t be so tired.” A faint smile touched my lips at the memory. But just as quickly, my resolve hardened, and my face went rigid. “Have a doctor bring the special injection here! Administer it right here!” Saying this, I paused the countdown again and used the loudspeaker to call Lily to the main entrance. Lily looked bewildered: “Dr. Hayes, why did the nurse’s office collapse?” I gently took her hand, trying to guide her forward. “It’s nothing. The school wants to build a bigger and better nurse’s office.” I personally handed Lily to her mother. The special injection arrived quickly. Also brought along was a brain CT machine. They swiftly set up a temporary medical tent, pushing Lily into the machine, attempting to remove the explosive chip. Save one if you can. Everyone was sweating nervously, as if the child lying there was their own. I stood leisurely to the side, arms crossed, watching them bustle about with a cold gaze. The countdown remained stuck at two minutes. I gave them time. Over ten minutes later, Dr. Aris, the city’s top neurosurgeon, ripped back the curtain. Everyone surged forward, clamoring: “Well? Did you get the chip out?” Dr. Aris gritted his teeth. “Valerie is lying! She didn’t implant any explosive chips at all!” The entire scene fell silent. “Doctor, are you sure?” Detective Miller’s face was grim. If all of this was fake, then everyone in the city, scrambling and panicking over my “birthday wish,” was nothing but a joke! Dr. Aris thumped his chest, guaranteeing: “These are the scans we just took.” “The child’s brain is perfectly normal! There’s no chip whatsoever!” Other parents were still unconvinced: “Could the chip be somewhere else? Like… her heart?” Dr. Aris shook his head firmly: “We just did a full-body CT scan on the child. There’s not a trace of a chip, not even in her toes.” “And there are no wounds on the child’s body, no sign of any implantation surgery.” Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief. Immediately followed by an erupting volcano of rage. “She dared to make fools of us! Kill her!” “Flay her alive and hang her naked from a pole for everyone to see!” The police no longer held back. At a single command, all the SWAT officers breached the main gate, rushing towards the school building like madmen. I looked somewhat helpless: “The explosive chips *are* real.” “If the chips detonate simultaneously, the entire school will be leveled.” “The more people you send in, the more horrific the casualties will be when those chips explode.” Their curses grew louder. If the police hadn’t been holding them back, they would have charged at me and torn me to shreds. I ignored their curses, directly tossing Dr. Aris a USB drive. “This contains the detailed schematics of the explosive chips. You’ll understand after you see it.” By now, SWAT officers had their guns pressed against my forehead. Just one pull of the trigger, and everything would end. Dr. Aris shot me a dismissive glare, then carelessly jammed the USB into his laptop. For a full ten seconds, the data was still loading. Dr. Aris spat in disgust: “Liar! The chips are fake, and the USB is fake too!” “You cold-blooded monster! You don’t deserve to call yourself a doctor!” The SWAT teams all chambered their rounds. One command, and I would be riddled with bullets. “Valerie, this is your last chance.” “Surrender!” Detective Miller yelled at the top of his lungs. I shook my head firmly. “The moment I’m shot, all the chips will detonate simultaneously!” “You wouldn’t dare fire!” Saying this, I whipped out the kitchen knife I’d hidden in my jacket. The police chief’s face went white with shock, and he immediately ordered: “Open fire!!!” I squeezed my eyes shut. Was I going to fail this time too? But the searing pain I expected never came. I snapped my eyes open. Dr. Aris, who had just been mocking me, had actually shielded me from the gunfire. He thrust the laptop overhead, his eyes wide with a desperate, guttural shout. “Order the SWAT teams to retreat immediately!” “The explosive chips are real!”
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