Chapter 168
Ren Yi didn’t dare to make a phone call. He sent several messages to Qiu Yan, but received no response. Every passing second filled him with increasing worry.NJXCwhobGOQaPFRabfMxTqkfhQNUBo
wsMQourOMLotRVARen Yi wondered, “Where were those people hiding before? Why didn’t they show up at the beginning? If they were there from the start, you would be outnumbered and have no chance of winning.”pTmNpfnqNEOOObnPvrNcrpBVdliJmT
hyvXHqBzdqbyRiP“I think those people were sent by Purple Flame, and it’s very likely that even Huang Yan himself doesn’t know about it.”GLClFxlDXRjOKmMbsjOxuuRVRNvIyR
jiKgEAQlDVlVVXz“Oh?”KLosOrBqDrYdCvNBscTIsDrLnbmeZu
dKzxGRliADNgHpA“Just like you said, if Huang Yan had help, what reason would he have to hide? Clearly, that would give him an absolute advantage.” Gong Yingxian analyzed, “I guess either Purple Flame doesn’t trust Huang Yan, or after so many attempts to kill us and failing, they had to keep this backup plan. Those people look like hired guns, not members of the organization.”icuRGyAyjjCkKHCzDNTgAoHIOyzUyP
buCxrXSXvKjfwIB“Purple Flame specifically hired assassins to kill us, really…” Ren Yi joked bitterly, “That’s quite a show of power.”mZAiEHAGlSlSmgMuJJLOXEaBWOlrkG
jkYJrOJQlGgvFZtGong Yingxian’s eyes turned cold: “He’s tried all sorts of methods and still hasn’t succeeded, so naturally, he’s becoming more and more desperate.”AtayZeECLomRSlAoZgKZJvxIlOXilE
LCRefcDAJRHiHKr“He keeps talking about purifying some evil with fire, but now he’s willing to go to any lengths to kill and silence people. Isn’t he afraid his followers will question him?”QKwDvUKjMPdnDAatMsdcZxmIYlfBdw
gNvTzaVcucPavtL“Once those people see him as a spiritual leader, most will unconditionally support every decision he makes, every word he says. He always finds a way to justify himself.”yFjYykmYcFbdJzaenJejDsnoGpJEMI
evfGzwvpDwLMNnj“Then Bai Yan is just not thoroughly brainwashed.” Ren Yi frowned, “But what he’s doing is the most insane.”JusCMTKLemEjptbGdjqlaXuFFrAVDa
RDiiDOhcjIrwYaR“People like him are bound to commit crimes, whether or not Purple Flame guides them…” Gong Yingxian suddenly pressed down on Ren Yi’s chest and quietly shushed him.lefPSyRMIeEKxKMvMbbcwYUewzyLFQ
qhSpEmkhzCkRFoZThe two stopped in their tracks and hid in a doorway, where they saw a shadow flash past the railing on the third floor of the storage area.acHWhuGiMMLpgSnXJBwsiJtJQYFoZw
gZpIvoyZIGVOjFmGong Yingxian pointed above, signaling them to go up.hHdZCSpOFcDkRoDBUqGLbLnNUUpQQt
BJkhzTGsrjQSdNCThey crept upstairs, and Gong Yingxian whispered, “We’ll flank him from both sides. If you encounter him first, try to divert his attention and make a noise to alert me. Don’t confront him head-on.”sEPHMrRWVsMBPDnZfIDCvhchZCokZf
pNIsxyILOCyFHGiRen Yi nodded. Just as he was about to move, he caught a glimpse of a fire extinguisher on the wall. He opened the box, pulled out the extinguisher, and muttered, “I wonder if it still works.”dRtpOlJdMqXtuhmBwAboEjZSoChfMj
DdiwuvzNWgcSqWhGong Yingxian gently squeezed the back of his neck: “Be careful.”AwLVtkMkcojIDgJMMcqZRHHnCYBQcx
yqtSaprKywevCqv“Don’t worry.” Ren Yi held the extinguisher and moved forward along the wall. As he felt the familiar weight, he imagined himself walking into a fire scene. In that moment, all his worries and fears transformed into the courage to fight. He regained his calm; even facing an unknown enemy, there was no reason to be afraid, because every time he responded to an emergency, he faced unknown dangers.SMDtbLOAgbueRjBEdUGqVcAsWawgSi
zznPgHQxPfyCyycWith his mind focused, Ren Yi felt that he could see things more clearly—perhaps his eyes had fully adapted to the darkness. He seemed to sense something and gently pulled the safety pin from the extinguisher.raQwwTsnshMtGMozeAnVTYLBFggacU
wMbsHQcgHQdgKpGUnexpectedly, the pin was rusted badly, and as he pulled it out, it fell apart, clattering to the ground. That tiny, crisp sound, which would normally go unnoticed, became a beacon in the eerie silence.yzlCWLgmYdafGBCPmwUYdwJnObCoZj
nFOckRRwptddqUtNot far ahead, the door to an office was suddenly pushed open violently, and a shadow rushed out. Ren Yi, startled, quickly made a decision—he hurled the extinguisher at the person.YfBmlfJNHbZPUeRyEMzNSdlRYixJDT
DJODYcKNMYGnMtmThis type of dry powder extinguisher, if not used for a long time, could clump together. It needed to be shaken before use, and with winter just passing, even shaking it might not disperse the powder. It was unlikely to spray effectively, but its weight could easily knock someone out.PRLlfQLGWVMUdvAEyQQTfrovuBhujV
uvOdXVrYbzDrnVNAs soon as the extinguisher left his hand, Ren Yi turned and ran. The corridor he was in was built around the hollow storage area, only two meters wide, with no space to hide. He couldn’t outrun a bullet, so before the gunfire started chasing him, he shouldered open the door to an office and stumbled inside.FbQmKcRCPFqDWKwWZCLlhtocTrPIvy
wPmnLlMBvZNXTSuOnce inside, Ren Yi regretted it. The office was very small, offering no place to hide. He had essentially walked into a trap and could only crawl under the desk.KfPfzvbpdTKvIQuDzejlqNITsnPUcS
DwiwafUJuWPUUDUHe heard urgent footsteps behind him, but before they entered the office, gunfire erupted. The footsteps hesitated for a moment and then retreated quickly.CvWhsBzWeOlkQXXadwqFMDyUqbkICY
MjjaPmhepMATbOURen Yi knew Gong Yingxian had arrived. He crawled out from under the desk just in time to see Gong Yingxian slip into the office, anxiously asking, “Are you okay?”fGIxCnfklOIkSysjYIjXIQBJCnMyWc
MRoMOXCphOjxdIv“I’m fine. Did he miss?”AGRjWAQlDoSrLVGySywhqKRBFWhXaS
nbrhTsZdihdkVFZ“No.” Gong Yingxian said reluctantly, “He should be in the office around the corner.”qxaBbGhWpmxyQLVWCVmjCuUVpdARCW
MXHFPFhTXXXESMC“What do we do now?”oyprmhiBZYNrGVAkaEWhgswAhoQNzG
mVkahtKzpgQLJlRGong Yingxian picked up a thick tool book from the desk and stretched it out the window.mXgvVmWWTCjPaSPAbQUtSzjZxEGzzV
TNEahHCXdxGhytbA gunshot rang out, and the tool book, which had only just poked its head out, was pierced through, the singed edges still emitting wisps of smoke.mEcxOSevRsdmknJeTXMXzQudIJnbDv
DvjJZCwHujgWyZiGong Yingxian threw the book on the ground, his face serious: “Fortunately, he doesn’t know we only have one bullet left.”NYnWFKjlRlaJzesZRMHSITzUNdIScK
dfhQAXvHnqFCFgMRen Yi felt a tightness in his scalp. Now both sides were afraid to go out, each testing the other’s patience and resolve, but in this regard, they couldn’t compete, as the other side surely had more bullets.YyBCeewAsWjLTjOrQPsdKBUCYEArlM
YMklflfNGGqzKywGong Yingxian pulled out a light bulb grenade from his pocket: “We can only use this for cover. I need to jump to the second floor from here and circle around to take him out.”VDSPCuGUXeSxhBbTnpzIvgNiaTOdrr
TqThOdruxXKwMEl“Okay, I’ll cover you.” Ren Yi took the grenade, unsure of its effectiveness since he had never really used one before.BOuyMPvOqGyiKYgVrXUdFivdCAVFQe
FVOAnTCMpPOcaYWGong Yingxian noticed his concern: “Just throw it hard at him; it should scare him.”zmXcFpYKpFAOLGwwiIlbZrzNOLAaSA
gNkvqSGyClZnAVSRen Yi nodded: “You be careful.”VlogQnDMbZvYblPXXifzNQLshFkftO
vpabpfnFzVGeTUVGong Yingxian returned a determined and fearless look, the kind that belonged to a man of great courage, as if nothing could bring him down.yCUZYICpzczNfhViqNiPYlnQDKjtNG
BXlPqDsTNNkDUPvRen Yi placed his hand on Gong Yingxian’s face, saying earnestly, “I like every part of you so much; you mustn’t get hurt.”OFahQRSuhjhZczJIkOKNIAJREjsxgK
vJyeOrCXqbgnfOaGong Yingxian’s heart trembled uncontrollably. He grasped Ren Yi’s hand: “You too, you’re perfect in every way; I like every part of you.”dEwFgvmhjLZUMyrWVdcpxJSQPzCHtA
NXSOHIIeSYmuCceRen Yi looked into Gong Yingxian’s eyes, filled with boundless affection: “Go, take down the bad person, and then bring us home.”aNqXGpMkvdnOaNoOjblBkCNrPsRRjk
vwbZRSkepKBaAUMGong Yingxian moved Ren Yi’s hand to his lips and kissed the warm palm: “Follow my orders.” He first threw a small bomb to test the waters down the corridor. That little thing might not have much killing power, but it made a significant noise. In the tense danger of the night, it was like setting off firecrackers right in someone’s face, and gunfire immediately followed, revealing the urgency of the situation.wdTGBGPPdGpfIvegtuLVqjAgdfJMkY
GZnPeVqdJMAWMmw“The second to last room in this row is where he’s hiding. I’ll jump to the second floor as quickly as possible and come up the west staircase to subdue him. You need to keep throwing bombs to draw his attention.”okkTeeZPhxWQxaVOAwqSGWpYBPOdqq
hubLziZFowfDsWz“Understood.”GXSgGojGYOjXdVuCjMWVwYjQFwpstn
xuxHJNuZiCZtVGW“Light it.”wfRVzczpvHFHzJgwGnJlzyWaaKcroj
cvDiPTchxkTJvaLRen Yi used a lighter to ignite the fuse on the grenade. The fuse burned quickly, visibly shortening, and just as the fire was about to reach the bulb’s original screw base…vgsfXvwpFyTmvynRfWTnDVtSKvdDlb
nviovqzBonIubrr“Throw!”tCijwNlYDdGxaPFFsSCdBCrZOXkUir
xHxMRxDrbapsZGlRen Yi threw the homemade grenade out the window with all his might. There was a loud bang, and a fireball shot up, towering over a person’s height, shaking the floor beneath him.jytVpecZGOtYoiZbccRSuzobhRKfvj
RcVViKvOqRojtywRen Yi was momentarily stunned, not expecting such a small bulb to have such great power.KRRPcJlPXSBgIzllNlEJHezrsSwPvf
lBZSxpjSMKSewVZThe criminals facing them likely didn’t anticipate they had so many bombs. Uncertain of the situation, they dared not recklessly come out to shoot. Taking advantage of the cover of the flames, Gong Yingxian leaped out the window, vaulted over the railing, and directly jumped into the corridor on the second floor.GMHtolHKpOoxIqftamxMwzwMcqukSR
QytryxgaArSXKBaRen Yi continued to throw bombs, confusing the criminals, making them too afraid to advance or retreat.ShVKAYHRKQZMpeLvHmgtFtSZlQpvcm
bHjAbgVDgLSBxkbBefore long, several gunshots rang out nearby, accompanied by the sound of a person roaring.NMtBTfnrEoLNvOsBPDhujCQsvIuSeA
NofVlucXpxsPmALRen Yi’s heart raced. He cautiously leaned out to confirm there was indeed a struggle. He glanced at the fire extinguisher not far away, grabbed it, and ran toward the source of the noise.vVOaNLOuNJVChAnIVBSJQVgBXTRrnU
yjgsIZuHZSLIpnKSuddenly, Gong Yingxian and a criminal tumbled out of the office door, both crashing to the ground.XeoAIABhbJVjWSJEInvvYpWWUzRuKV
dHltSsmZlmJZqqrThe criminal pushed Gong Yingxian away, using his feet to spring up, his movements both flexible and powerful. But Gong Yingxian naturally wouldn’t let him succeed. He stabilized himself by grabbing the railing with his left hand and swept his long leg toward the opponent’s still unsteady lower body.GAaNYfulbYPnphzrfmlxaBTyITzxjO
jqcSYNhxEpwfCAsAfter being knocked down, the criminal rolled to the side and quickly got back up. Gong Yingxian also stood up, and the two exchanged blows in the narrow corridor.fLTTgcikFEiCAbJgRmRloMkpgMHzhJ
oonRxlqVakwJRBIIf one didn’t look closely, they wouldn’t notice the blood splattered on the ground—but Ren Yi did. The blood clearly came from Gong Yingxian’s noticeably sluggish right arm. The criminal also noticed this, targeting Gong Yingxian’s right side with every strike, making Gong Yingxian’s defense difficult and forcing him to struggle to counterattack. For a moment, neither could gain the upper hand.nMWfJbLYdPJggCdXWOaqhGwAYfGYOm
QLbAVyWahgNLWXqGong Yingxian was injured!sMoXrsnFDmLYKfJtaQdxHCpYnFCSRz
AdPloBhFFUTmUMGRen Yi’s heart ached, filled with a murderous rage. He shook the fire extinguisher desperately, hearing the sound of the solidified dry powder shifting inside. Without a second thought, he charged forward and sprayed it at the criminal.KyaxNwwXQOflLbdThEhndYoQkgPBsk
ARXpudurrxVkJrcThe criminal raised his hand to block, but he couldn’t stop the omnipresent dry powder, instantly blinding him.FBtIzBgeYicfoaHrEKSWwmQjUAotPf
XKAUUlpxHTSMcrsGong Yingxian seized the opportunity to deliver a powerful kick to the criminal’s chest, knocking him down to the ground.RZBUTsMpmTgcHigoOotnfGkVzSrVzi
awmNWSkEKSBHQDURen Yi stepped on the criminal’s chest, aiming the extinguisher at his face, and sprayed dry powder furiously. At first, the criminal struggled and tried to dodge, but soon it became futile. He began to roll helplessly, finally curling up, gasping for breath, as if poisoned.WIvbfeSGBkflAabKCAyuuDXDRUVCtE
NOSdPyQouUnsvMbRen Yi threw the extinguisher on the ground: “What do we do? If we don’t help him, he’ll suffocate.”PkHFkOAyzDiGsiTKRhNezhSpisqOul
mxqVEjpzZUIYwuW“Leave him alive, tie him up.”tpXWqfgTBvhcklsWjYDqiAOTgKFPtZ
mkXzRgSVusWDAIhRen Yi crouched down, flipped the criminal over, cleared the large amount of dry powder clogging his mouth and nose, and then patted his back to bring him back from the brink of suffocation. He looked like he had no strength left.gUAHqMmNNdKfDuhSlpSumIDYRqAFES
abcqBAfisPAYGZPSeeing that he wouldn’t die, Ren Yi turned his attention back to Gong Yingxian, anxiously asking, “Are you shot?”rygbMQJIozgwPWUmRGXtXlzPPakXoN
iqrWsWpemstMUTJGong Yingxian replied, “First, strip off his jacket and tie him up.”mzeqAjOdMqUsxfyXtNapWazxiXmTib
MWScmKjNiLPMlhHRen Yi had no choice but to remove the criminal’s jacket, binding his hands behind the railing with several tight knots.CIhkqVmHYDXXqNUDDkaGezFpgnNWJp
lrDETuXyKXXiwvgGong Yingxian crouched down and delivered a heavy punch to the criminal’s temple, knocking him out completely. He then tiredly sat down on the ground.TFbsQmegYkJvuQQlNbPfQqSZSDAePX
upqYjOdhrRrSgNRRen Yi quickly supported him, his eyes turning red: “How’s your injury? We need to get to the hospital!”yBWmCTxfNnlhYSYZXXnqtQAGvlDFEi
evXxKwLtqgaSWbWGong Yingxian glanced at his sleeve, soaked in blood, and said softly, “It didn’t hit the bone or artery. Tear off my sleeve and help me tie it up.”MMMmeFDEjvknzeXZkJRxlKIGyiuDUk
UmAipPmPEVfbTeXRen Yi complied, but Gong Yingxian’s blood made it hard for him to keep his eyes open.qXWLihvjLjcoBTpKKmBQvVaHezIkjV
sNaiqQPegkHMCKqSuddenly, Ren Yi’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He froze for a moment, hurriedly pulling it out. It was a new phone, and the only people who knew the number were Qu Yangbo and Qiu Yan. It was very likely…FFSkQMDsZQvvIqqrTlhnqriyHfAcyv
bdcABcboFHpxxqL“Is it Yan Jie?” Gong Yingxian asked urgently.lwVNbnfhmKKrhaGmNproqWDIqdptNR
BESaakIAdLMsmpbRen Yi handed the phone to Gong Yingxian with a serious face.DTURVhnKhOCyfxsEgCBusmjXuYVKwt
fWBVuIHhlkUpGyTThe message read: She is in my hands. Exchange Bai Chicheng for her in the first conference room.eVcMStGWfjfwiuTvfKCjTUAtMCjSqt
JDZjgbTjziOmmzDcjzTUxvHMwUOoSozaFtnReoElevoLz