Minutes passed.
Xie Huilan was still stalling for time with Li Taibo over the phone.
Xie Huilan said. “The investigation of Wan Sizhao’s death is not over. Only the evidence is against you, and the court has not sentenced you. There’s still hope for you. If you kill Qianqian, it will be the end for you.”
Li Taibo laughed loudly. “Do you think I can still be fine now?”
“At least you think you are safe now.” Xie Huilan looked at the phone. “If you kill a child, your crimes will be more serious. The Police will hunt you down no matter where you run. Where can you hide? Other countries? You will be wanted internationally. If you release the baby now, things might not get so serious. You should know the country would not go after you at all cost now.”
Li Taibo laughed. “Enough. Stop wasting my time.”
“Do you want to hide for the rest of your life?”
“We shall talk again if you can find me. Haha…. Killing one or two more people makes no difference to me now. Save your breath.”
“Li Taibo, you got to think over this carefully.”
“Eh?” Li Taibo becomes quiet suddenly.
Qu Yunxuan’s mother shouted. “Li Taibo! Li Taibo!”
The phone call was not cut, and they could hear Qianqian crying.
Li Taibo sounded weird when he said after taking a long pause. “Stop wasting time and say your goodbyes to your baby when I still got signal.”
Qu Yunxuan screamed. “No….”
Luan Xiaoping shouted. “Stop!”
Qu Yunxuan’s father cried. “Qianqian!”
Li Taibo laughed. “I will start the countdown.”
“Ten….”
“Nine….”
Luan Xiaoping’s legs gave way, and she fell to the ground.
Qu Yunxuan and her mother were crying and shouting Qianqian’s name.
Xie Huilan rushed to the bedroom and opened the door. “We got no more time.”
Dong Xuebing was leaning against the wall, covered in sweat. He clenched his teeth and said. “I know.” He did not say anything else to Xie Huilan.
It will be over soon.
Just a while more….
A thousand miles away.
The cold sea winds blew against Li Taibo, who was standing at the end of a boat. His coat fluttered in the wind, and he held his phone in one hand and a baby in the other. He grabbed Qianqian by her clothes and dangled her over the water. He laughed as he imagined Dong Xuebing’s angry expression and felt good.
Li Taibo had never lost to anyone when working in the Public Security Bureau for years. His career was smooth sailing until he met Dong Xuebing. He couldn’t even understand how he lost and how Dong Xuebing got him arrested. But all these were not important now. He admitted he was no match for Dong Xuebing, but he would win this time.
Dong Xuebing’s goddaughter?
From the latter’s reaction, Li Taibo felt this baby was not Dong Xuebing’s goddaughter or only his cousin’s child. She might be his real daughter. He smiled when he thought about this.
I am no match for you, and I will target your daughter and your family instead.
Let’s see who is more ruthless.
“Six seconds more….” Li Taibo said he heard many people shouting and crying over the phone. It was music to his ears.
“Five seconds….”
“Four seconds….”
As Li Taibo counted down, he moved his arms and legs with a frown. Around two minutes ago, he felt a tingling sensation in his body. It was uncomfortable, and he thought nothing about it. Maybe he had caught the flu.
“Li Taibo! You bastard!”
“Release Qianqian now!”
“You will die a terrible death!”
Li Taibo laughed and shook his head. He let them scold as he got into the position of throwing the baby into the sea.
“Three seconds….”
“Two seconds….”
“One….”
Li Taibo’s body froze as he counted to one. Blood spurted out of his mouth, and his legs grew weak. He stumbled and dropped Little Qianqian on the deck. His face changed, and he could not understand what had happened. He looked down and could not believe his eyes.
Blood….
Li Taibo was covered in blood.
Li Taibo’s clothes were all stained red.
“Arrrhhh….” Li Taibo shouted in pain, and he pulled his shirt open weakly. His chest was deflated, and his stomach had a punctured wound. Blood was gushing out of his wound. After that, he felt he could not move his right leg. It was fractured.
What the hell was happening?
What is going on?!
Li Taibo’s mind was blank. He was alone on the deck and was not carrying any sharp objects. His shirt and pants were not torn. How? How did he get seriously injured suddenly? It was too sudden.
Li Taibo finally broke down after being injured suddenly and about to die.
“Arrhhh…. Help! Save me!” Li Taibo shouted for help.
Li Taibo’s voice was getting softer, and blood continued to gash out from his chest and stomach. He was losing his strength slowly.
Dong Xuebing’s apartment.
Everyone held their breath when Li Taibo counted to one. They thought Little Qianqian would die, and the next moment, Li Taibo was shouting in agony.
“What happened?” Qu Yunxuan’s mother panicked.
Luan Xiaoping asked. “Where is Qianqian? What happened to her?”
Qu Yunxuan’s father quickly said. “Listen! Qianqian is still crying. She is fine! She is fine!”
“What happened to Li Taibo? How come he….” An Officer was puzzled.
No one except for Dong Xuebing could answer this question.
Dong Xuebing supported himself against the door frame as he walked out of the room. It was the longest two minutes of his life. He was mentally exhausted from the pressure. Sweat was dripping from his forehead, and his eyes were blurry. He felt all his efforts were worth it when he heard Li Taibo’s screams and Qianqian’s cries. REVERSE had worked! He had successfully reversed Li Taibo’s body condition!
However, it was too early to celebrate. Dong Xuebing still did not know about the situation on Li Taibo’s side.
Li Taibo continued to cry for help. “Save me….”
Li Taibo’s voice got weaker.
“Li Taibo is injured.” Xie Huilan’s eyes narrowed. “Someone is beside him.”
“But we did not hear anyone.” An Officer replied.
Another Officer listened to Li Taibo’s voice with headphones. “He seemed to have injured his lungs and might suffer heavy blood loss.”
Dong Xuebing asked. “Is he going to survive?”
That Officer shook his head. “I don’t think so. Unless he can get his wounds treated and get a blood transfusion at a hospital immediately, he will not survive. He should be on a boat now, and it might be a smuggling boat. Such boats will not have medical equipment. So….”
Dong Xuebing nodded and listened to the phone quietly.
Li Taibo’s cries for help made everybody feel better. He deserved it.
One minute….
Five minutes….
Ten minutes….
Li Taibo’s cries stopped.
Li Taibo was lying on the deck, in his blood and his pupils dilated. Until his last breath, he still could not understand what had happened. He was scared and regretted going against Dong Xuebing. He should not go against him in the first place and should have escaped after breaking out from the detention center. He should not kidnap Dong Xuebing’s daughter.
Li Taibo suffered a painful death.
A while later, the Officers in Dong Xuebing’s apartment concluded Li Taibo was dead.
Everybody heard Little Qianqian’s cries get softer, and they were relieved.
Qu Yunxuan’s mother cursed. “I said he would die a terrible death.”
Dong Xuebing released his clenched fists and sighed in relief. Qianqian was safe for now.
Suddenly, the line got cut. They immediately called back the number but could not get through. The boat must have sailed out to the deep waters. There’s no signal there.
Everyone knew Qianqian was still in danger as they didn’t know where the boat was heading.
Xie Huilan looked at the Officers. “Find out the boat’s location and contact the coast guards! We must find Qianqian!”
“We will do our best, Mayor Xie!”
The few Officers packed their equipment and were about to bring the phone recording back to the station.
Before the Officers left, they looked at Dong Xuebing, who was smoking by the window. They were dumbfounded and impressed by him. Everyone in the Public Security Bureau had heard of his name and the saying, “those who clashed with the God of Plagues will have terrible endings.” They thought it was only a rumor.
But the Officers confirmed the rumors today.
Li Taibo was about to kill the God of Plague’s goddaughter and died before he could do anything.
How bizarre was this?
It was precisely the same as the rumors about Dong Xuebing.
Once might be a coincidence, and twice might be luck. But what about the third, fourth, and fifth time?
The rumors were true, and the Officers gained new founded respect for Dong Xuebing.
