In my past life, my wife falsely accused me of being a serial killer. No matter how desperately I tried, I could never prove my innocence.

The victims’ families took revenge on my loved ones using the same brutal methods, some were dismembered, others left without a whole body to bury. And yet, from my prison cell, I was powerless to stop it.

When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the very day my wife went to the police station to file her report.

After warning them that someone would die that day, I tried to investigate the truth behind her frame-up, only to discover that she had vanished without a trace.

By coincidence, on my way home, I came across a bank that had just been robbed. A sudden idea struck me.

“Yes, I volunteer to take the place of that pregnant woman as a hostage.”

——

The negotiating officer froze for a few seconds.

“You know the criminals inside have homemade guns? This could really kill someone!”

His eyes flashed with urgency, but more than that, with worry. Worry that I didn’t understand the danger, worry that I would back out once I realized the truth.

I simply shrugged, indifferent.

“Whatever. If I die, just give me a Good Citizen Award.”

I had already died once, a death so unjust it suffocated me. This time, I wasn’t craving a heroic end.

All I wanted was for them not to tie me to that serial killer, for my family not to suffer more undeserved pain. That alone would be enough.

“Alright, we’ll make the most of this hostage exchange opportunity. Please, try not to be too nervous!”

The negotiator instructed me earnestly before strapping me into a bulletproof vest.

Wearing one for the first time felt oddly novel, I almost thought I was cosplaying as a soldier.

The police were already in the middle of negotiations with the bank robbers inside. I waited at the back, ready for the exchange.

“No way! Women should be exchanged by women!”

“This guy’s obviously your undercover cop!”

The robbers’ voices echoed from within.

I rolled my eyes inwardly. My skinny arms and legs? How could anyone mistake me for a trained officer?

“Cut the crap. Watch this!”

I bypassed the officers and strode straight into the center of the area. Then, one by one, I began stripping off my clothes.

Jacket. Bulletproof vest. Wool sweater. Pants. Socks. Heavy leather boots.

Until I stood there completely bare, save for a pair of boxer shorts.

“Guys, need me to take more off?” I asked, holding out my hands so the cops could cuff me again.

The move stunned not only the robbers, but even the police themselves.

“A pregnant woman about to give birth is already in a desperate situation. Why do you think she left the hospital and came to the bank instead?

“Isn’t it because no one was there to take care of her? She’s already suffered enough, pushing through for the sake of her child. And now you refuse to exchange hostages? Are you really trying to kill her?”

I stepped two paces closer, but the robber didn’t react at all.

Dressed like this, who could possibly suspect anything strange?

“I’ve got nothing on me, handcuffs locked tight. If I were undercover, you’d be celebrating. You’re holding cops hostage; they’d be extra cautious with me!”

I kept pleading with the robber.

Many people outside were sweating bullets at that moment. If I couldn’t pull off the hostage swap like this, who else could?

Finally, after a tense few minutes, the hostage-taker spoke up.

“Walk in here with your hands up. No tricks!”

Hearing those words, I felt an enormous weight lift off my shoulders. I almost wanted to rush straight inside.

In just a few hours, it would be the very time when the “me” from my past life committed the crime. After that, my beloved wife, Seraphina Duvall, would walk into the police station to file her false report.

The police would find the tools used in the murders at my home, bearing my DNA. Witnesses would even swear they had seen me near the crime scene.

Even the surveillance footage, from the moment I left home all the way to the crime scene, captured my face.

This time, I would find an alibi strong enough to shatter those lies!

As I stepped inside, they were just releasing the pregnant woman.

Her legs trembled as she walked out, yet she kept thanking me. “You’re a good person, thank you!”

“If you really want to thank me, help me out once this is over.” I raised an eyebrow.

The pregnant woman froze, still unsure of what I meant. But I was certain she would find out soon enough.

“Get in here!”

The robbers were cautious, always keeping themselves positioned to block the blind spots so the outside world couldn’t see inside.

The moment one of them dragged me in, I received a blow to the head.

“You really aren’t a cop?”

I felt the cold muzzle of a gun pressed against my back.

“I swear I’m not. Check these cuffs yourself, real enough?”

I tried to wiggle my hands, but the cuffs only dug in tighter.

Finally, he stepped around to face me. His expression wasn’t exactly menacing.

He studied me carefully. “Aren’t you afraid of dying?”

The robber frowned as he spoke.

“Why fear death? If I’m afraid of anything, it’s of dying unjustly. But saving people here, that’s not unjust at all.”

I gave a casual shrug.

The robber stared at me blankly for a moment before saying, “You talk like you’ve already been through death itself. We’ll see how tough you are when it’s really your turn!”

“You’re actually right. I have died once before.”

I let out a long sigh.

Recalling my past life, executed as this century’s most vicious serial killer, the resentment inside me threatened to burst through the heavens.

“You’re a lunatic, aren’t you? Get back inside and stay put!”

The robber shot me a strange look.

I couldn’t be bothered to explain. All I needed to do was hold out until nightfall. Then, whether anyone else died tonight or not, it wouldn’t matter to me. There would be countless witnesses here to vouch for me.

Time ticked by and dusk fell.

Outside, the police continued their negotiations with the robber, the standoff growing increasingly tense.

“Cut the fucking bullshit! Give me what I want, or I’ll kill one of them right now to prove my point!”

The robber’s emotions flared.

Though he was alone, the three other hostages besides me were all women, bound together and utterly helpless.

“Calm down, buddy. You don’t seem like a bad guy. You don’t have to push things this far, do you?”

I casually interjected from the sidelines.

The robber’s eyes widened at my words. He yanked me up and shoved me toward the bank’s entrance.

“Listen up! I want a bulletproof SUV!

“You have five minutes to decide. One minute late and I break one of his legs!”

Outside, people were already live-streaming the entire scene, drawing a growing crowd of onlookers.

The standoff had dragged on far too long—by now, even if the police tried to control the narrative, it was too late.

“Wait, isn’t that naked guy Alexander Ravenscroft, the chairman of Brilliant Group?”

“Holy crap, it really is him! I interviewed him back when I worked at the finance channel!”

Hearing the murmurs outside, I finally cracked a smile.

Bring it on, make sure to get a good close-up of me looking handsome!

The news spread like wildfire across the internet.

The kidnappers unexpectedly learned my identity, their eyes widening in disbelief.

“You... you’re the son of that big corporation’s boss?”

Amid his excitement, a flicker of fear crept into his eyes. While this might be his chance to make a fortune, it also meant taking on far greater risks.

I shrugged, unconcerned. “Don’t worry. Who I am won’t change anything.”

Meanwhile, my father, having heard the news, rushed over in a panic. Before his car even came to a complete stop, he leapt out, desperately trying to push through the police cordon.

The officers immediately stepped forward to block him. “Sir, you can’t go through! It’s too dangerous!”

It took several of them to finally restrain him.

“Our group pays so much in taxes every year! We contribute so much to society!” “And now you’re sending my son to his death? How can you justify this?”

My father roared in anger.

The police understood his distress and didn’t blame him. Instead, they patiently explained the situation. “Mr. Edward Ravenscroft, your son entered voluntarily. He said he wanted to help others. We’re doing everything we can to ensure his safety.”

Hearing this, my father froze. He knew my personality well and he couldn’t fathom why I would make such a decision.

But he didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he grabbed the nearest megaphone and shouted into the bank.

“Listen up, hostage-takers! Whatever money you want, I’ll give it!”

“Just don’t hurt my son!”

“Or better yet, I’ll go in as a hostage myself and get my son out!”

My eyes stung with tears. In my past life, he had always been this way, no matter what I faced, he was the first to shield me from the storm.

This time around, I couldn’t let him suffer any harm.

I looked straight at the hostage-takers and said bluntly, “Don’t listen to him!”

“Think about it. In this world, there are fathers who save their sons, but sons who save their fathers? Where have you ever seen that?”

“If you release me, I’ll let you do whatever you want to that old man. Then all his wealth will be mine, right?”

The kidnappers exchanged stunned glances, clearly taken aback by my words. But upon reflection, it seemed to make a certain kind of logic and they ultimately rejected my father’s proposal.

By now, the kidnappers were even more curious. They asked why I was doing this. Why would a rich kid, who could easily enjoy life, want to get involved in such a mess?

No matter how they looked at it, they couldn’t understand.

“Are you seriously out of your mind?”

That was the only conclusion they could draw.

Seeing their expressions, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Nothing much. Just wanted to experience a different kind of life.” “You’re not here to kill me, just to get money. Rest assured, I’ll cooperate and pay up.”

They exchanged glances again, still baffled by my motives, but said nothing more.

By then, several minor internet celebrities had already set up their equipment and begun live-streaming online.

Countless people watching wondered why I would willingly become someone else’s hostage.

Some suspected ulterior motives, a publicity stunt or hidden agenda. But most praised me, calling me a selfless hero.

By the time my mother arrived, the situation had grown even more chaotic. When she learned what had happened, she wept uncontrollably, pleading with the kidnappers outside.

“Please don’t hurt my son! I’ll pay any amount. I beg you!”

Hearing her voice, my heart twisted with sorrow. Remembering how she had died so tragically in my previous life because of me, I resolved even more firmly to protect her.