Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“What injuries?”
Mei Yangyang told An Xiaoning the truth about everything that had happened ever since she sneaked her way inside the den. Although she had sounded calm, An Xiaoning was extremely shocked and frightened.
She realized how Mei Yangyang had risked her own life just to save hers.
Moreover, Mei Yangyang even allowed herself to be stabbed in order not to let her identity be exposed. Greatly touched by how much she had sacrificed, An Xiaoning hugged Mei Yangyang and expressed her gratitude.
“Thank you, Yangyang.”
“I’m just glad to see that you’re alright, Sis. We’re still not safe yet, so we must get out of here as soon as possible. But I’m afraid we won’t be able to leave tonight. Everyone is looking for you, it won’t be easy to leave,” said a teary-eyed Mei Yangyang.
An Xiaoning gave a nod of approval.
“I’ll send Mr. Jin a text message right away so he can relax,” said Mei Yangyang.
“Alright.”
Jin Qingyan was overwhelmed with mixed emotions upon hearing that Mei Yangyang was with An Xiaoning at the moment. He then informed Mei Yangyang that he had sent his bodyguards to block the entrances of all the secret passageways.
Xi Bolai had engaged all his men to surround the main entrance and exits. Thus, there was no way An Xiaoning could leave from there.
The only solution ahead was to leave via the secret passageways and meet with Jin Qingyan’s bodyguards.
Jin Qingyan instructed clearly that he would be meeting them at the entrance of one of the secret passageways.
After discussing the plan with An Xiaoning, Mei Yangyang then left together with her according to Jin Qingyan’s instructions.
They had a feeling that Xi Bolai’s territory would be completely destroyed once they managed to escape.
——
Xi Bolai grew into an uncontrollable rage as soon as he woke up.
He had been reinforcing the command that An Xiaoning was strictly not allowed to be rescued. Yet, his efforts had gone in vain.
After looking through the surveillance camera footage, Xi Bolai discovered that An Xiaoning had escaped in the direction of Xi Boyu’s backyard.
However, nothing else could be seen since there were no surveillance cameras at the blind spot.
He deduced that An Xiaoning must be hiding somewhere and was yet to leave his territory.
Thus, he checked all the footages of the surveillance cameras himself.
He scrutinized every segment, one by one.
He made sure not to let any clues escape his eyes.
After a full day of investigating and watching the footage, he suddenly discovered that Mei Yangyang had been captured by the surveillance cameras.
Xi Bolai was a quick-witted and intelligent person.
He immediately summoned his bodyguards and headed to his brother’s abode to look for Mei Yangyang.
Xi Boyu said that Mei Yangyang had gone to get some rest after dinner.
Xi Bolai insisted on seeing her, however. Thus, the two headed to Mei Yangyang’s room, only to find that she was not around.
“Where are the surveillance cameras in your place?”
“Brother, did you forget that the surveillance cameras here have been faulty for a few days already? You said you wanted to fix them for me.”
“What!” Xi Bolai gasped in exasperation. How could such important devices like surveillance cameras be left damaged and unrepaired!?!
“The two of them must be in cahoots. I knew something was off about that woman.”
“Brother, didn’t you already test her?” said Xi Boyu, who refused to believe that Mei Yangyang was a spy since she had once risked her life for him.
“We’ll know the answer if she does or doesn’t come back. I reckon she won’t be returning, though. But I’ve already laid traps everywhere, there’s no way they can escape,” Xi Bolai deduced.
A frown creased Xi Boyu’s forehead. He was hoping to himself that Mei Yangyang was not a spy and had merely gone out for a walk.
Half an hour later, he was struck with a huge blow.
“Master, we’ve found that the two of them headed in the southeast direction.”
Upon hearing the report, Xi Bolai immediately instructed, “There are no exits in the southeast direction, only secret passageways. Seems like they’ve already discovered the existence of the secret passageways there. But not to worry, inform me immediately once they’ve entered the passageway.”
“Yes!”
“Brother, why don’t we just chase them straight away?”
“Why should we? If we can’t get them back, we’ll just destroy them. I’ve already embedded several bombs in the passageway. Once I activate the switch, they shall be trapped and blown into pieces.”
Xi Boyu was left speechless, astonished to discover that such a gorgeous girl actually turned out to be a spy.
Noticing that his brother was about to return to his room, Xi Boyu quickly followed behind. Just as they reached the bedroom, they received a call from Xi Bolai’s assistant.
“Master, they’ve entered the passageway.”
“Got it.”
“Once Jin Qingyan hears the explosion, he’ll definitely come for us to exact revenge. So, we have to leave right away,” said Xi Bolai.
He retrieved the detonator from the drawer before packing some important belongings.
“Brother, do we leave by another passageway?”
“Yes, Jin Qingyan couldn’t have discovered all of the passageways. We’ll take a different direction.”
“What about our servants here? Wouldn’t they all die a wrongful death?” Xi Boyu asked.
“Now’s not the time to bother about them. Leave them to fend for themselves. As long as we make it out, we’ll be able to start cloning. Once we succeed, we’ll forever have a hold on Jin Qingyan.”
There was a burning question in Xi Boyu’s mind which he dared not ask: What happens if we don’t make it out?
Xi Boyu followed suit and hurried back to pack his belongings. They then fled together with a few bodyguards via another secret passageway.
Along the journey, Xi Bolai asked, “How long has it been since I received the call?”
“Brother, it’s been 10 minutes.”
“It’s about time, they should have reached the middle of the passageway by now. Even if they ran, they wouldn’t be able to make it out so quickly,” Xi Bolai said in an unhurried manner.
He whipped out the detonator and pressed the switch.
They instantly felt a tremor radiating through the ground, after which Xi Bolai said, “Alright, let’s go.”
——
Jin Qingyan and Long Tianze waited anxiously by the exit of the passageway, unaware that An Xiaoning got shot in her leg while escaping. Thus, she experienced great difficulty walking and instructed Mei Yangyang to sprint away without her.
Mei Yangyang refused and insisted on piggybacking her. However, it was impossible to do so because the passageway was too short in height.
Having walked a distance, An Xiaoning knew that the wound on her leg had begun to bleed profusely, and she soon could not manage to take another step. Mei Yangyang had no way to help her out since she could not carry or piggyback her. Thus, she heeded An Xiaoning’s instruction and sprinted towards the exit to inform Jin Qingyan to carry An Xiaoning out on a stretcher. To her astonishment, she heard a loud, deafening explosion as soon as she came out of the exit. The secret passageway had collapsed.
Mei Yangyang’s legs turned to jelly at the sight before her, and she blacked out soon after.
“Yangyang!” Long Tianze exclaimed as he rushed forward to pick her up.
Jin Qingyan was dumbfounded and shocked beyond speech. He hurriedly ordered for his men to dig into the ground with an excavator and search for her.
He was aware that An Xiaoning had fled together with Mei Yangyang, who made it out of the exit alone. Needless to say, she must have been buried in the passageway.
Jin Qingyan knew right away that the explosion had come from a bomb.
Boiling with anger and distress, he felt his blood rushing to the veins on his head.
“Young Sir, the bodyguards at the west reported that they had caught Xi Bolai and his men, who were trying to escape.”
Clenching his fists in fury, Jin Qingyan instructed, “Guard them well, I’ll make my way there later.”
“Yes!”
Long Tianze carried Mei Yangyang into the ambulance while the doctors and nurses on duty hurriedly put her on a drip. It pained Long Tianze to note, after days of not seeing her, that her porcelain, doll-like face had visibly become thinner.
