The two circled around the warehouse for most of its perimeter before finding another door.
The factory had originally manufactured automotive parts. The warehouse they were in now was four stories tall, with an open central area used for storage and functional areas arranged around the outer perimeter, including equipment rooms, material rooms, small storage rooms, offices, and so on.
Most of the storage area had now been cleared out, leaving only a few scattered racks and abandoned products. Everywhere they looked, there was either rust or a thick layer of dust. A stale, musty odor hung in the air, perfectly suited to the surrounding darkness.
The two didn’t dare use any lights. Wearing only their night-vision goggles, they passed through the functional areas and approached the storage area.
An exchange of hostages would undoubtedly take place in an open area without any obstructions, making it easier to prevent the other party from pulling any tricks. Therefore, they had to be in the storage area.
Soon, they saw a faint light coming from ahead, accompanied by intermittent voices.
The two removed their night-vision goggles and cautiously followed the light and sounds. Outside an office, they spotted a relatively strong light source through a grimy, fogged-up glass window.
The office had two doors, one at the front and one at the back. The front door led into the storage area, while the back door led back to the functional area. Almost every room had been designed this way.
They opened the door leading to the functional area and slipped into the office, crouching low.
Ren Yi wiped away a patch of dust on the window with his sleeve and peered through it at a portion of the storage area. He also spotted two people, a man and a woman, bound to chairs with their heads drooping. They were the married couple who had been kidnapped at Jianxing Hotel. Judging by their limp postures, they were probably both unconscious.
Ren Yi whispered, “We can only see the hostages from here. Should we circle around behind Yellow Flame?”
“Come on. Let’s get inside first.”
Ren Yi carefully pushed open the office door and tiptoed into the storage area. They were at the edge of the storage area, naturally concealed by the darkness. It would be difficult for the others to spot them.
They ran behind a storage rack, where they could finally see everyone.
Gong Yingxian was holding White Flame, standing about ten meters away from the hostages. Looking closely, Ren Yi could clearly see that explosives were strapped to the hostages’ bodies. A short distance behind them stood a tall, burly man who looked to be around forty. He was bald, had a vicious-looking face, and held a gun in his hand.
That was Yellow Flame. The very Yellow Flame who had set fire to Wenhui Mall and caused Sun Dingyi’s death!
Ren Yi took a deep breath, but he couldn’t stop his body from trembling.
Gong Yingxian and Yellow Flame were negotiating something, but they were too far away for Ren Yi and Qiu Yan to hear.
Ren Yi whispered, “What do we do?”
“Let them exchange the hostages first. Once we’ve ensured the hostages are safe, we’ll draw Yellow Flame’s attention so Yingxian has a chance to subdue him.” Qiu Yan thought for a moment. “We need to split up.”
“How?”
“You draw Yellow Flame’s attention while I help Yingxian subdue Yellow Flame and White Flame and rescue the hostages,” Qiu Yan said. “First, we’ll find a suitable position where we can circle around behind Yellow Flame while getting as close to him as possible. Then you throw one of the small bombs. Once you’ve thrown it, run. Remember, throw it and run. Don’t worry about anyone else. Just find a safe place to hide and wait for us to come to you.”
“…”
Ren Yi stared at Yellow Flame in the distance. The hatred in his heart boiled and churned like water brought to a rolling boil.
It was this man. This was the man who had killed Sun Dingyi.
His brother had been so young, with a bright future ahead of him, a love that was about to reach its happy conclusion, and endless possibilities waiting for him. But because of this man, he had lost everything.
During the darkest period of his grief, Ren Yi had endured the torment in his heart by imagining the most brutal ways to exact revenge. But now that his enemy was right in front of him, was he really supposed to turn around and run away?
“Ren Yi!”
Qiu Yan grabbed him firmly by the collar.
Ren Yi immediately snapped back to his senses and stared blankly at her.
Qiu Yan said sternly, “Did you hear what I just said? Can you do it?”
Ren Yi hesitated before nodding.
“I know you want revenge. I know you’d love to tear him limb from limb. But you also know that he should face justice under the law. If you can’t do what I just told you, you could put both Yingxian and me in danger. So answer me again: Will you follow my instructions exactly, without making any unnecessary moves or taking matters into your own hands? Can you do that?”
Ren Yi replied seriously, “I can.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
Using the darkness as cover, they finally found a suitable storage rack. The two crouched behind it, and Ren Yi pulled a small medicine bottle from inside his clothes, gripping it tightly in his fist.
Qiu Yan gave him a meaningful glance, signaling him to wait for her command.
Ren Yi heard Gong Yingxian say, “Disarm the explosives first.”
“You let him walk over here first.”
“Are we going to stand here in a stalemate until dawn?” Gong Yingxian said coldly. “Fine. I’ll compromise. I’ll let him walk over to the hostages and have him remove the explosives from their bodies.”
Yellow Flame hesitated for a moment. “Fine.”
Gong Yingxian nudged Bai Chicheng’s head with his gun. “Go.”
Bai Chicheng raised both hands. “How am I supposed to disarm the explosives if you don’t unlock my handcuffs?”
Gong Yingxian took out a key and unlocked one side of the handcuffs.
Bai Chicheng took a deep breath and slowly walked forward. Gong Yingxian kept his gun trained on Bai Chicheng’s head the entire time.
Ren Yi was so nervous that he barely dared to breathe.
Bai Chicheng reached the hostages and carefully removed the explosives strapped to their bodies.
“Put them aside and move away,” Gong Yingxian ordered.
Bai Chicheng glanced at Yellow Flame. Only after Yellow Flame nodded did he carry the explosives to the side. The direction he took, however, led straight toward the spot where Ren Yi and Qiu Yan were hiding.
Although they were concealed in the darkness, their silhouettes were still visible upon closer inspection.
Bai Chicheng froze. Suddenly, he shouted, “They have accomplices!”
The unexpected turn of events happened so abruptly that Ren Yi froze for a moment. In the next instant, everyone present sprang into action.
Qiu Yan shouted, “Now!”
Ren Yi hurled the small bottle in his hand toward Bai Chicheng with all his strength. At the same time, Gong Yingxian swiftly swung his gun toward Yellow Flame and fired without hesitation.
Yellow Flame fell to the ground with the shot.
But the most unbelievable thing was that the two hostages, who had been slumped limply in their chairs, suddenly sprang to their feet in perfect unison and pulled guns from their clothes!
Everything unfolding before Ren Yi’s eyes seemed to be happening in slow motion. He watched the two men raise their guns and aim them at Gong Yingxian. His eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he let out a furious roar.
Almost simultaneously, two gunshots rang out. One of the “hostages” fell backward in a spray of blood, while Gong Yingxian threw himself backward, hit the ground, and rolled away. Gunfire immediately followed him.
Gong Yingxian moved as quickly as possible to take cover behind the nearest storage rack. The “hostage” relentlessly pursued him, bullets striking the metal rack. The cold, sharp clanging echoed through the vast warehouse, sending chills down their spines.
“Yingxian—!” Ren Yi’s head was burning with panic, and his eyes were practically bloodshot.
Qiu Yan shouted at him, “Go after Bai Chicheng!”
With that, she ran toward the fallen “hostage” with all her strength.
Ren Yi turned his head and saw that Bai Chicheng was already almost at the exit. Meanwhile, Yellow Flame was struggling to get up from the ground. There wasn’t a single drop of blood on him. He was clearly wearing a bulletproof vest.
Ren Yi shot a worried glance at Gong Yingxian before turning and chasing after Bai Chicheng.
After getting back to his feet, Yellow Flame fled toward the functional area. Qiu Yan immediately picked up the gun belonging to the “hostage” and pursued him.
Ren Yi ran out of the warehouse in one breath. Bai Chicheng was weaving through the waist-high wild grass, glancing back in terror as he ran.
Ren Yi stretched out his long legs and chased after him with all his might. Bai Chicheng naturally couldn’t outrun him. Just after passing through the factory gates, Bai Chicheng was caught.
Ren Yi launched a flying kick into his back. Bai Chicheng cried out in pain and fell flat on the ground.
Ren Yi grabbed Bai Chicheng by the collar and slammed a vicious punch into his loathsome face. He poured all his hatred, anger, worry, and fear into that single blow. The force behind it was undoubtedly the greatest he had ever thrown in his life.
Two of Bai Chicheng’s teeth flew out of his mouth along with a spray of blood. Still unsatisfied, Ren Yi punched him twice more, continuing until Bai Chicheng was knocked unconscious.
Ren Yi glared at Bai Chicheng’s limp body with bloodshot eyes, panting heavily. His heart felt as though it were about to leap out of his chest at any moment.
Gunshots continued to ring out intermittently from inside the warehouse.
Ren Yi hauled Bai Chicheng to his feet and took one side of the handcuffs still hanging from his wrist, fastening it to a pillar beside the factory gate. Then he turned and ran back toward the warehouse.
Yellow Flame was far too vicious. He had actually replaced the hostages with his own men! If Gong Yingxian hadn’t reacted quickly enough, the three of them would be the ones lying in pools of blood now!
Ren Yi had no idea how Gong Yingxian and Qiu Yan were doing. They were both facing armed criminals. How could he possibly run off and hide somewhere safe?
When he returned to the warehouse, the storage area was completely empty except for the fallen “hostage.”
Ren Yi looked around before running over to the man. His instincts as a firefighter made it impossible for him to ignore an injured person, especially when the man was also an important witness.
The man was wearing a wig and a red tracksuit with a rather feminine design. He had kept his head lowered the entire time, so at a glance, no one would have realized that he was a man in disguise. Ren Yi had no idea where the real married couple were now. Their chances of survival were probably as slim as Gong Yingxian had said.
Ren Yi felt for the man’s pulse.
He was already dead.
Gunshots rang out again in the distance, and Ren Yi ran toward the sound.