CH 3

Before Xu Qingyan could react, Ah Bao swiftly removed the needle from Lord Liang’s hand and grabbed a coat, wrapping it around him. He then hoisted him up on his back and hurriedly made his way towards the exit.

He sternly shouted at Xu Qingyan, “Let’s go!”

Xu Qingyan immediately snapped into action, grabbing her backpack and sweeping all the medicine bottles on the table into it. She turned around and followed them as they rushed out.

It was the first time in six days that she had left the basement. 

Da Li ran at the front, with Ah Bao carrying Lord Liang in the middle, and Xu Qingyan followed behind.

The hallway was pitch black, and she thought they would reach the lobby of the small hotel upstairs. However, they led her down another passage and slipped out through an extremely narrow back door.

To be honest, if Xu Qingyan turned around and escaped at this moment, they would have been too preoccupied to chase after her. 

However, it was precisely this moment of hesitation that led her onto a completely different path.

The sky had already darkened, and there was an unpleasant dampness in the air, as if it had just rained. 

Xu Qingyan felt an uncomfortable stickiness under her feet and a tense sensation of blood flowing in the wrong direction through her veins.

She could hardly see the road ahead. They were already far away from the Kathmandu Valley, nearing the border, surrounded by mountains in every direction. 

She could only follow behind Ah Bao, who carried another person on his back, as he continued to move swiftly as if nothing weighed him down. 

Xu Qingyan had reached her limit, nearly twisting her ankle several times along the way, but she managed to barely keep up with him.

She didn’t know who was chasing them, and she didn’t know why she was foolishly running with them. All she knew was that she had to keep running, without stopping.

Da Li looked around vigilantly, constantly beckoning them to hurry while glancing behind him. “Hurry up,” he urged.

“Do you see who it is, Da Li?”

Da Li spat on the ground. “Damn it, couldn’t see clearly.”

“Wait…wait a moment,” Xu Qingyan called out, gasping for breath, stopping them in their tracks.

Da Li was so frustrated that he almost lost his temper, “Shut up, if you can’t run, I’ll kill you!” 

But Xu Qingyan pointed at Ah Bao and said, “Be careful with his wound.” 

Ah Bao paused for a moment, but before he could check, a gunshot echoed through the night sky.

Xu Qingyan’s heart contracted intensely. 

This wasn’t a movie; she was truly in a place where her life could be taken at any moment. How dare they shoot! They were all insane!

With one hand, Ah Bao grabbed Xu Qingyan and practically threw her behind a small mound of dirt. As she hit the ground, she felt something fly out of her bag. Before she could even get up, another gunshot rang out.

Xu Qingyan’s mouth was filled with gritty soil, but she dared not breathe. She pressed herself tightly against the ground, not daring to move, allowing the bitter taste of the dirt to fill her mouth.  

To her left was Ah Bao, and to her right was Da Li. Both of their heavy breaths resembled the sound of an old, worn-out car’s exhaust pipe, wheezing and ominous.

Ah Bao pushed Lord Liang towards Xu Qingyan and said to her, “Hold on tight. If he dies, you won’t live either.”

Xu Qingyan felt the man’s rigid body against hers, and she stiffened, but she couldn’t push him away. 

After running all this time, she felt nauseous and dizzy, and her hands trembled uncontrollably as she held onto the man. Suddenly, a cold hand covered hers, gently gripping it.

Xu Qingyan shuddered, quickly lowering her head. The man still had his eyes closed, but his hand firmly held onto hers.

Inexplicably, her trembling hands gradually calmed down.

The exchange of gunfire between the unknown assailants on both sides and behind them grew increasingly fierce. Xu Qingyan could feel the ground shaking beneath her, a testament to the intensity of the battle unfolding.

“Ugh…” came a stifled groan from Da Li.

“How are you?” Ah Bao inquired, simultaneously engaging in the counterattack. 

“Doesn’t matter.” Da Li’s breathing grew heavier, and his eyes shone brightly in the darkness. 

“Brother Bao, just a little further ahead is the agreed spot. Hold on a little longer, I’ll lead them away.”

“No, you can’t…” Ah Bao’s words were cut short as Da Li let out a loud roar and charged forward.

Xu Qingyan closed her eyes, listening to the intense gunfire and the sound of agonizing cries behind her. 

Ah Bao tightly restrained himself by her side, while her palms were drenched in cold sweat, and her heart felt like it had plunged into an icy abyss, ready to stop at any moment.

What kind of world had she been dragged into?!

The hand that was holding hers tightened even more, and just then, several beams of light appeared ahead of them. They grew closer, faster and multiplied. 

“They’re here!” There was a rare trace of excitement in Ah Bao’s voice.

Xu Qingyan immediately understood—they had encountered a turning point!

Several cars surrounded them, forming a fortress-like barrier. Dozens of individuals in black rushed out of the cars.

The leader of the group sprinted towards them and crouched down. Xu Qingyan could vaguely make out his rugged features. His first words were, “Where is Lord Liang?”

Leopard Man remained composed and replied, “Don’t worry, Brother Jiu, Lord Liang is safe.”

The gunfire behind them gradually ceased, but these people didn’t seem to care at all. Their undivided attention was focused on this man.

The man known as Brother Jiu immediately called for assistance, and they carefully carried the man away. As he was being taken away, he struggled for a moment before finally letting go of the hand he held.

The man in front cast a fleeting glance at Xu Qingyan, his eyes shining with a coldness akin to a silver dagger grazing her throat.

Shortly after, she was engulfed in darkness.

Xu Qingyan was unsure if she had been kidnapped.

Her eyes were blindfolded, her mouth was taped shut, and she could still taste the bitter residue of sand in her mouth. Her hands were tied behind her back, and her bag had been taken away. She was locked inside a moving vehicle, enduring the incessant jolting for what felt like a long time.

During this time, someone would feed her food and water, but no one spoke to her.

Whenever someone approached, she would seize the opportunity to ask questions, but no one responded, and the whereabouts of Ah Bao remained unknown. 

After being fed, her mouth was taped shut again.

Through the unimaginable experiences of surgery, pursuit, death, and abduction, Xu Qingyan had gone from initial terror to a state of calm. 

Her emotions fluctuated wildly this whole time, and it was impossible to describe the rollercoaster of feelings she went through. The only thought occupying her mind was how to survive.

She couldn’t just die like this; not when she still had promises to fulfill. 

Soon, someone escorted her onto a plane, and the journey continued with constant upheaval. It must have been another two days, as she had been provided with six meals during this time. 

Finally, she was brought to a relatively stable location.

However, she was still confined, though now she had the ability to breathe through her mouth. 

“Take her out, and remember to remove her shoes. Third Miss doesn’t like the floor to be dirty.”

The voice belonged to a stranger, not Ah Bao.

Xu Qingyan was being supported by two individuals, who forcefully dragged her forward.

She struggled for a moment, realizing her efforts were futile, so she allowed them to take control, but couldn’t help asking, “Where are you taking me? And where is Ah Bao? I want to see him.”

Xu Qingyan didn’t yell for help or threaten to call the police. She had enough common sense to know that doing so would only lead to a quicker death in their territory. 

“I want to see Ah…”

Smack!

Xu Qingyan’s entire right cheek was struck, causing a searing pain.

“Make another sound, I’ll kill you right now.”

The cold and emotionless voice left no room for mercy.

Unable to see, Xu Qingyan’s other senses sharpened. The taste of blood filled her mouth.

She forcibly swallowed the bloody saliva, gritting her teeth in silence. 

“We’re here.”

She was pushed forward. Stumbling, her legs giving out, she fell to the ground. 

Before she could get up, a clear female voice came from her right.

“It’s her! Oh, oh! Big brother, how could you treat our second brother’s savior, so harshly?”

Though she spoke these words, her tone was unusually light and cheerful.

“Third Miss, Doctor Xu indeed saved the second young master’s life. Without her, we…”

Third Miss interrupted him lazily, “Ah Bao, since when is it your turn to speak?”

“I apologize for my impoliteness.”

“Ah Bao, where did you find this woman?”

This time, a male voice came from the left—deep, steady, and devoid of genuine curiosity.

Without hesitation, Ah Bao replied, “I stumbled upon her by chance and discovered she is a doctor.”

“Such a coincidence?” The man seemed skeptical.

“Yes.”

The man asked again, “Do you know who orchestrated this ambush against you?”

Ah Bao’s voice carried noticeable nervousness, “I am ashamed to admit that we still haven’t discovered who leaked the information.”

Xu Qingyan remained prone on the ground, afraid to move. Even Ah Bao seemed tense, showing how intimidating this man was.

“Big brother, let her get up for now.”

Upon hearing the voice, Xu Qingyan turned her head towards the right.

“Our little brother is a softie,” the third miss giggled. “Since she won’t live past today anyway, let’s allow her to die more comfortably.”

Xu Qingyan’s heart skipped a beat, and a surge of adrenaline rushed through her veins. 

She struggled to sit up from the ground, suppressing her fear, and faced the direction of the third miss. 

She spoke, “Miss, as a doctor, I saved someone out of professional ethics. Right now, I have no idea where I am or who you people are. You’ve abandoned me hundreds of kilometers away, leaving me to fend for myself. I’ll consider it all a dream.”

“You’re not afraid at all? How Interesting,” Third Miss exclaimed, taking two steps closer in astonishment. “But you have already seen Ah Bao and the second young master (Lord Liang). How can I be sure that you didn’t deliberately infiltrate our organization?”

“Since they want the second young master’s life, if I really were an infiltrator, it would be easy to kill someone during surgery,” Xu Qingyan remarked calmly, despite the circumstances. 

Unable to see, she was unaware of the subtle expressions of those around her.

The third miss observed Xu Qingyan with great interest. 

Despite her disheveled appearance, dirt smudges all over her body, and a scar on her right cheek, she maintained a straight posture and exhibited a calm demeanor and composed tone that made it hard not to take a second look.

“Big brother, this doctor is quite impressive,” the third miss commented.

“Doctor Xu.”

Xu Qingyan immediately turned her head to the left. She knew that the person referred to as “Big Brother” held the power over her life and death.

The man spoke slowly, “How can you prove that you are innocent?”

Proof? Why would she need to prove anything? She was innocent from the start, merely a victim caught up in this mess. But would these bandits believe her words? They were only looking for a reason to dispose of her.

However, she couldn’t just die like this. She had made a promise to someone, to live out his life no matter what.

She took a deep breath and said, “I captured the person you’re looking for in my camera.”

“What did you say?”

Her arm was grabbed excitedly by Third Miss.

“Dr. Xu, there’s no camera in your bag.” Big Brother remained unfazed.

“I hid it.”

During these days of anxious contemplation, she had thought of every possible way to save herself. 

According to her judgment, this attack caught Lord Liang and his men completely off guard. They had no idea which gang was targeting them, nor who had leaked the information.

So, she decided to take a chance.

“Release me, and I’ll tell you,” Xu Qingyan pleaded.

“Dr. Xu, I have dozens of ways to make you speak,” The third miss threatened.

Xu Qingyan’s heart sank bit by bit. Was there really no way out? Was escape truly impossible?

“Wait a moment.”

Xu Qingyan paused, looking ahead with a sense of bewilderment.

A fourth male voice emerged in the room.

“Untie her,” the voice commanded.

This voice was neither as deep as Big Brother’s, nor as gentle as the younger brother’s. It carried a metallic chill, tinged with a slight hoarse of magnetism.

Soon, Xu Qingyan’s hands were freed and the sudden brightness forced her to tightly shut her eyes. 

After enduring the initial stinging sensation, she quickly wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and adjusted to the light. 

She slowly raised her head, and the blurry scene in front of her gradually became clear.

It was a strangely spacious bedroom, dominated by shades of blue – deep blue cashmere carpets, navy blue leather sofas, and even the wallpaper flowed in shades of sea blue. 

Xu Qingyan dared not look around too much and kept her gaze straight ahead. 

Right in front of her was a large bed, on which sat a man. His posture was casual, looking tired but seemingly fine.

Indeed, he was as resilient as a cockroach that couldn’t be killed.

She was already familiar with his face. He wasn’t exceptionally handsome, but there was something intriguing about his good looks. 

However, back when he was unconscious, his appearance seemed slightly different – his pupils were extremely black, like a vortex that could suck people in. Yet, his demeanor was relaxed, which was surprisingly casual.

“Are you trying to see through my second brother?” he asked.

Startled, Xu Qingyan quickly turned her head away. The third miss had somehow come up to her, blinking her eyes and carefully scrutinizing her.

Xu Qingyan opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.

“Second brother, look, she can see us clearly now. Why go through all this trouble? Let’s stick to the old ways,” Third Miss suggested.

Not sure whether it was intentional or not, the third miss spoke those cruel words with a smiling face.

Xu Qingyan’s pupils involuntarily contracted. Despite her courage and composure, she was just an ordinary citizen from the city.

Who wouldn’t fear death?

The young man who had been silent behind the third miss, spoke up, “But she did save our second brother’s life after all.”

Xu Qingyan looked at him. This young man, about twenty years old, was in the prime of youth and had a handsome appearance. His double eyelids gave him a somewhat refined and scholarly look.

“Xu Qingyan.”

Xu Qingyan turned her head, only to find the man on the bed casually toying with her ID card. 

His fingers were slender and slightly curved, tapping on it with each motion, each tap felt like a strike to Xu Qingyan’s heart.

He slowly lifted his gaze and looked at her, his black pupils emanating a faint cold gleam.