Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After Ma Qiqi finished yelling, she was stupefied. She had clearly come here to beg for Nianzhi’s life! How did it become so hostile? She really wanted to die. What if Huo Shaoheng become angry and wouldn’t go save Nianzhi?
Ma Qiqi opened her mouth. However, when she saw how Huo Shaoheng’s eyes looked indifferent and stern, she really wanted to find a hole and stay in it. The imposing manner she had before went down a thousand li.
Everyone there was transfixed with amazement and didn’t react for a while. Just a moment ago, there was laughter all over the place, but now there was absolute silence. It was as if Ma Qiqi’s crisp voice was still ringing in their ears.
Nevertheless, the director of the television station used his discretion and quickly stopped the live broadcast. Actually, the live broadcast was not really a live broadcast. It was five minutes behind so that it would make unexpected situations like what just happened easier to censor. So the scene of Ma Qiqi yelling at Huo Shaoheng was not broadcast by the television station at all. Other than the people who were present at the time, no one saw it.
…
Reinitz took Gu Nianzhi back to the little country residence she stayed in before. She laughed coldly to herself. However, it was true that her body was beyond exhausted. Reinitz put her on the chaise lounge that she often curled up on.
Reinitz brought her milk, cake, the white sausage that she liked, and bread. He put them on the tea table in front of her. She didn’t want to eat. She turned her head and looked outside the window. Her stubborn expression gave Reinitz a headache. He didn’t know how to comfort her, but he felt awkward in the silence.
He brought his laptop over and looked up videos from the Hua Xia Empire for her to watch. He clicked on the Hua Xia Empire’s social networking site’s most popular video. When Gu Nianzhi saw the caption “Huo Shaoheng” on the video, she was immediately drawn to it. She couldn’t help but watch it.
Reinitz let out a breath of relief when he saw her being interested in something. He walked over to the window and leaned against the window ledge. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Gu Nianzhi.
Gu Nianzhi watched the video quietly. She slowly straightened her body, and her facial expression became excited, then pale, then empty. It was like the middle of summer became winter in a split second.
The laptop’s high definition screen showed Huo Shaoheng and Tan Guiren walking down the hanging ladder. She watched him get off the plane while listening attentively to what others were saying, saw him smile so easily, and watched him as he held the prime minister’s daughter who almost sprained her foot. She watched cute children giving this pair of attractive people freshly cut flowers. Furthermore, he took the flowers for the prime minister’s daughter so naturally, so carefreely, as if he had done it thousands of times.
She smiled as she watched it. She didn’t realize she was crying until the teardrops formed a little pool on the laptop’s keyboard. She wiped her tears and continued to smile as she watched the computer. Her big black eyes looked like the night bathed in rain, penetrating and sparkling and translucent. One couldn’t see the end of it.
Reinitz was watching her the whole time from the window. He saw her smile and cry. It was like seeing a flower that hadn’t bloomed suddenly come to its zenith.
Gu Nianzhi’s disheartened smile cut and bruised him. He was about to say something when he suddenly heard a rumbling sound from outside the window. He then heard systematic and orderly footsteps from all four directions. Immediately following that was a cold and indifferent voice coming from outside the window. It was perfect Hanover German.
“Reinitz, I’ve got all the locations of the eight people with you locked in. Rest assured that we are all using armor-piercing bullets. We can burst your head open with one shot, even with a wall between us. If you know what’s good for you, put down your weapons, go to the door, and get down with your hands on your heads. Don’t blame me if you don’t move by the time I count to three. I’ll warn you one more time, don’t touch Nianzhi. I promise that whoever moves toward her will have his blood spattered not too far away. Try it if you don’t believe me.” He Zhichu’s voice came in through the window. Reinitz didn’t know what equipment he used, but it sounded like he was talking while lingering around him.
Gu Nianzhi didn’t move a muscle. She was like a statue. She didn’t hear a thing that was said.
Reinitz sighed. He lowered his head and saw a little red dot on his heart area. He knew it was a laser guidance system. He even had that kind of weapon. He Zhichu really was not someone they could defy. Reinitz shook his head and said into the Bluetooth mic, “Withdraw.”
His people in the little country residence walked out. They threw the weapons out the window and put their hands on their heads as they walked out the door. They saw He Zhichu with ten big, masked men armed with heavy weaponry facing them in the open space.
There were several cars behind them. They knew they were bullet proof cars at first glance. They were as durable as an armored car. Is he going to war?
Reinitz didn’t fight back. However, he did quietly look at He Zhichu. He raised his hands in the air and nodded at him. He then turned around and put his hands behind his head as he got down on the ground next to his men.
A big fellow with a mask on moved forward. Aiming the gun at Reinitz and his men, he told them not to move as they fixed their eyes on them.
He Zhichu was the first to rush into Reinitz’s little country residence. The moment he went in, he saw a very thin girl sitting on the chaise lounge emotionlessly in the warmly decorated living room. In front of her was a laptop. Her eyes were glued to the laptop as if they were about to penetrate the screen.
He Zhichu’s heart ached. He quickly walked over and held Gu Nianzhi. “Nianzhi, I’m going to take you home.”
Gu Nianzhi’s lifeless eyes slowly looked up, and she saw He Zhichu in front of her. Her deep black eyes moved, and big teardrops rolled down her cheeks. Gu Nianzhi put her head on his chest. At first, she just cried quietly, but then gradually her whole body started shaking. Then at last, she bawled out loud.
Even those expressionless mercenaries who would lick the blood off the knife after they killed someone were visibly distressed. One by one, they looked away.
He Zhichu held her tightly as he caressed her back to comfort her. She almost suffocated from crying.
“Professor He, I’m so upset! I’m really upset! More than when they beat me, when they electrocuted me! When I was being tortured here, he’s with a woman. He held her when she sprained her foot… I can’t take it! I really can’t take it! I know it’s not his fault, I know he doesn’t know what has happened to me! But I’m still upset! I still blame him! I’m wrong! I’m wrong! I’m wrong! I’m not that great! I’m selfish! I’m narrow minded! I’m inferior! I can’t work for the benefits of all! I don’t have a father or a mother! I’m not Ms. Perfect! I’m just a beggar that he picked up! I shouldn’t have wishful thinking! I don’t deserve him! I reap what I sowed! I deserve it! I deserve it! I deserve it!” She cried until her whole body was shaking uncontrollably. She was almost falling apart.
He Zhichu’s heart was cut to pieces and tears fell down in streaks. “Nianzhi, no, you’re not… No, you’re not… I’m the one that’s… come back with me… I’ll take you back…”
Gu Nianzhi fainted from crying. He Zhichu carried her out of Reinitz’s little country residence and to the car.
Reinitz and the rest weren’t tied up for a long time. He didn’t give He Zhichu much time to retreat.
He Zhichu used all of his connections and spent an astronomical amount of money to bribe people in order to find Reinitz’s base of operation and to successfully save Gu Nianzhi.
Just before Reinitz and his men could give chase, He Zhichu and Gu Nianzhi got on their rescue plane and flew out of Germany’s airspace.
…
At the same time, something suddenly happened at terminal three’s tarmac in front of the Hua Xia Empire’s imperial capital. The moment Ma Qiqi’s loud voice was heard, Cai Songyin’s bodyguard turned pale with fright. A few sturdy looking men rushed toward her, grabbed Ma Qiqi from behind, and covered her mouth. Two other people held her down, one to her right and one to her left. One of them slapped her face repeatedly.
Ma Qiqi had never been hit by anyone like that before. That person’s hand was heavy. One hit caused her to be in a state of mental confusion. Her cute little round face swelled up immediately and tears rolled down uncontrollably. She didn’t want to cry in front of so many people, but it really hurt…
At that moment, she only could only think of when Gu Nianzhi was being electrocuted. It must have been thousands of times more painful than this. Ma Qiqi became sadder. As a result, she cried even more.
Those bodyguards didn’t care if she lived or died. They frantically covered her mouth. They wanted nothing more than to drag her away immediately.
Tan Guiren saw the scene and was furious. She could never tolerate people bullying and humiliating those who were weak and small, not to mention an innocent girl being slapped in front of her.
“Let her go! You guys, let her go! Tan Guiren quickly walked over, pointed at those bodyguards, and said in a stern voice, “Let her go now! Is there no law? To do this in broad daylight!”
The bodyguards were stupefied. They looked at Tan Guiren’s mother, Cai Songyin. Only after Cai Songyin gave them a look did they let go.
Tan Guiren quickly held Ma Qiqi in her arms. She took out her handkerchief to wipe her tears and said, “Don’t be scared. No one’s going to hit you again.”
Ma Qiqi pushed her with one push and angrily said, “Who wants your fake kindness! Go away! Don’t touch me!”
Tan Guiren took a few steps back out of shock. She had an expression of being completely at a loss as she looked at her mother. Then she looked at Huo Shaoheng who was behind her.
Huo Shaoheng looked as he usually did. He didn’t show any feelings, but he had penetrating eyes that carried so much pressure that even Tan Guiren didn’t dare to look again. It only took one look for a person to have the jitters. She quickly turned her eyes away.
Cai Songyin didn’t say anything. She only pulled Tan Guiren’s hand to indicate that she should mind her business. Cai Songyin’s bodyguards surrounded Ma Qiqi again, one on her left and one on the right. Another person covered her mouth.
Yin Shixiong came running up and handled the situation at lightning speed as he took Ma Qiqi away from the bodyguards. Then he coldly warned the spectating prime minister’s wife, Cai Songyin, “Mrs. Tan, your husband hasn’t officially taken office yet, and your bodyguards are already hurting our people so severely. I think a lot of people would be interested in this news.”
Cai Songyin laughed and casually said, “If they are interested, then they are interested. People rely on this job to survive. We shouldn’t trample on their livelihood, should we?” Surprisingly, she was not one bit scared of what the media would say about the whole family.
The secret service personnel who maintained order at the airport hurried over. They pointed at Ma Qiqi as they said to Yin Shixiong sternly, “This person is trespassing on airport property. She might have broken a law. Please hand her over to us.”
Of course, Yin Shixiong didn’t want to. Although he could handle Cai Songyin’s bodyguards, he couldn’t handle those elite secret service agents who also had military training.
The secret service agents soon took Ma Qiqi away. One person twisted Ma Qiqi’s hands behind her back. Another female agent took out handcuffs and was about to put them on Ma Qiqi.
Huo Shaoheng silently stood by the side, but his brows gradually became more and more creased. When he saw Yin Shixiong appear, his eyes uncontrollably pulsated a few times.
His heart sank.
Ma Qiqi was probably not speaking without thinking. He didn’t believe it at first. He had provided Gu Nianzhi with such tight security measures. How could anything have happened without his knowledge?
At first, he thought Ma Qiqi just made a mountain out of a molehill. After all, she had always been a student, and she might even cry for three days if her boyfriend cheated on her. But now, even Yin Shixiong was helping her. It looked like it was no small matter.
Huo Shaoheng threw the flower in his hand away. He took big steps toward Ma Qiqi. He clasped his hands behind his back as he stood in front of her and said to the secret service agents with indifference, “Let her go.”
The person in charge of the secret service agents refused. After all, they were under the command of the Minister of the Interior and not under the command of the army. So the person only said, “Sir, don’t make it difficult for us, we…”
Huo Shaoheng didn’t wait for them to finish. He took out his gun without the least bit of hesitation and held it against that person’s chest. “You going to let her go or not?”
“Gun!”
“He’s going to shoot!”
The people who were present screamed hysterically and started to push and shove as they ran in all directions. It was a good thing the director had stopped the live broadcast a long time ago. Now even television cameras were asking to be smashed. The journalists and cameramen were running toward the airport terminal to take cover, but the door to the airport terminal was obstructed by armed soldiers who had all been brought over by Yin Shixiong. All their guns were loaded, and they were pointed at those who were trying to enter.
Huo Shaoheng squinted as his fingers tapped on the trigger. The pistol rattled. The secret service agent who twisted Ma Qiqi’s hands behind her back let go immediately. Yin Shixiong quickly half supported and half carried Ma Qiqi on his chest.
When Zhao Liangze got off the airplane, he saw the chaos. He promptly ran and asked, “What happened?”
Yin Shixiong said in a hurry, “We’ll talk in the car! I brought everything!”
Huo Shaoheng took big steps toward the airport terminal. Yin Shixiong was holding onto Ma Qiqi’s hands. “You’ll come with us.”
Ma Qiqi’s face was streaked with dried tears. She choked up as she said, “Are you going to rescue Nianzhi?!”
“Of course we are!” Yin Shixiong said without the slightest hesitation. He pulled her hand as he speed walked behind Huo Shaoheng.
At that time, Zhao Liangze finally realized something had happened to Nianzhi! He immediately said to Yin Shixiong, “Big Xiong, did you bring your phone? I didn’t bring my work cell phone. I can’t connect to the computer system.” He wanted to immediately connect to the Special Operation Forces’ central control computer system so that he could get a satellite to track Gu Nianzhi’s position.
Yin Shixiong looked gloomy, shook his head, and said, “You can use the system in the car, use that.”
Zhao Liangze knew something was different about this. Something big had happened. His expression also became grim.
