The moment Ke Yu's call ended, Duan Yiheng deduced that she was being controlled by Chen Liangyi. Infuriatingly, Ke Yu only uttered one word.
He was certain it was "bin." Duan Yiheng immediately contacted Uncle Deng, saying, "Have the police immediately search for street names in City B that begin with 'bin,' or addresses encompassing residential areas, shopping malls, and various buildings." Uncle Deng responded immediately, adding,
"There are many vehicles coming out of the funeral home; they're already checking them." Duan Yiheng paused, muttering to himself, "Funeral home." Uncle Deng: "What did you say?" "Investigate around the funeral home."
Duan Yiheng suddenly perked up, "Investigate everything; this is just my guess." "Okay." Just as Duan Yiheng hung up, his phone suddenly received a video.
The video's cover was bloodstained. Duan Yiheng glanced at An Qi, who was staring at him, and muted the volume. The video played, and Duan Yiheng saw a bloody hole in Ke Yu's thigh. His heart sank. The next second, another video came through.
It was surveillance footage of Lin Xi being beaten, accompanied by a message: "At eight o'clock, someone will arrive at the noodle shop opposite the east gate of the funeral home. If they don't come, the next bullet will pierce Lin Xi, from her leg to her limbs, and then to her heart."
"Stop the car," Duan Yiheng immediately ordered. The bodyguards were confused. Duan Yiheng quickly instructed, "Take An Qi to the police station and hand her over to Duan Zheng. Tell Uncle Deng that Lin Xi is in the vicinity of the funeral home. Make him cooperate with the police. Be quick."
"But you—" "Everyone get out of the car." Duan Yiheng opened the car door. "Give me the car keys." The bodyguards dared not disobey his orders and could only watch helplessly as Duan Yiheng drove away alone.
The distance from the mountain where the old man was buried to the funeral home was not short. Duan Yiheng barely arrived at the funeral home before eight o'clock. He parked the car haphazardly, strode across the street, and arrived at the noodle shop mentioned in the text message.
Before he could even look around, a black Volkswagen pulled up in front of him. The window rolled down a crack: "Get in, sit in the back." Duan Yiheng opened the back door and was startled to see Chen Liangyi. "Mr. Duan, please get in."
Duan Yiheng got in, and the car slowly started moving. Chen Liangyi said, "Throw all your phone and watches out the window." Duan Yiheng didn't argue, took off his watch, and threw it out the window along with his phone.
With Lin Xi in her hands, Duan Yiheng was hesitant to act rashly. "What did you do to her?" Duan Yiheng asked. Chen Liangyi chuckled and showed Duan Yiheng her phone: "You and Duan Mingxuan really love her." The surveillance footage showed Lin Xi asleep, leaning against Duan Mingxuan.
Duan Yiheng remained expressionless as he asked Chen Liangyi, "Why was Duan Mingxuan there?" Chen Liangyi replied, "He recognized my men and followed me. Actually, Brother Shan had already spotted him. He tried to jump out the window to save Lin Xi, so I hit him with a stick."
"Ke Yu is dead?" Duan Yiheng asked calmly. Chen Liangyi suddenly laughed, "No wonder you were entrusted with Yin Fan. You remained calm in a crisis. Duan Mingxuan isn't as good as you in this respect; he always does more harm than good." "What do you want?" Duan Yiheng negotiated, "As long as Lin Xi isn't harmed, I'll agree to whatever conditions you set." "Armed guns, murder, kidnapping..." Chen Liangyi stated clearly, "Do you think I have any room for negotiation?" Duan Yiheng looked directly into her eyes:
"Lin Xi has been missing for over ten hours now. I can't leave without using police resources. Guess how long it will take them to find you?" Chen Liangyi said frantically, "I didn't expect to leave alive either." Faced with such a kidnapper, Duan Yiheng was speechless.
But he couldn't just sit and wait to die; even delaying for a second was beneficial. "Why did you bring me here?" "You'll find out soon enough." The car turned from the main road into what seemed like a dead-end forest, branches swaying against the car as it drove along.
Duan Yiheng saw the white buildings in the distance and his heart calmed. He suppressed his excitement at seeing Lin Xi; no matter what, he had to ensure Lin Xi and Duan Mingxuan left alive. It was his responsibility.
Actually, from the moment he got into the car, Duan Yiheng had already anticipated the impossible outcome of negotiation. Because Chen Jingyi had come in person, and because he hadn't been blindfolded. Chen Jingyi had revealed the route to him, telling him: no one would leave alive, including herself.
What a madwoman! A car horn woke Lin Xi and Duan Mingxuan. Duan Mingxuan hadn't slept; he stared warily at the garage door. Lin Xi also stared intently, her heart in her throat. If Chen Jingyi came in this time, they were likely doomed. With a gun pointed at him, Duan Yiheng forced forward, finally stopping at the garage door. He asked Chen Liangyi, "Are Lin Xi and Duan Mingxuan inside?" Chen Liangyi didn't answer, opening the door directly.
Duan Yiheng disappeared into the darkness, unseen by Lin Xi and Duan Mingxuan, who instinctively stepped in front of Lin Xi. "Could you change the way you're tied up?" Duan Mingxuan complained. "My hands and feet are almost useless."
Chen Liangyi smiled, turning to look at the doorway. Lin Xi suddenly felt a pang in her heart. She stared intently into the darkness, sensing someone standing there. Chen Liangyi tilted her head slightly. "Come in." Duan Yiheng stepped forward, appearing in the light.
"What are you doing here?" Lin Xi panicked completely. Duan Yiheng strode over, immediately checking her bound hands and feet. "Untie them." Duan Yiheng turned to look at Chen Liangyi, his tone no longer calm.
Chen Liangyi gestured for Shan Ge to come forward. The tall, burly man used a dagger to pry open the self-locking nylon cable ties binding Lin Xi and Duan Yiheng. Lin Xi's wrists and ankles were already bleeding, the wounds a blurry mess. Her hands, feet, and joints were stiff and she couldn't stand up.
Duan Yiheng knelt down, lifted Lin Xi onto his bent leg, and turned to ask Duan Mingxuan, "How are you?" Duan Mingxuan nodded, "I'm fine, but Xiao Xi was tied up for a long time." Duan Yiheng gently stroked Lin Xi's face, comforting her:
"I won't let anything happen to you." Chen Liangyi chuckled, but before she could speak, a loud noise came from upstairs. Chen Liangyi's face darkened, and she said to Shan Ge, "Close the door here and come upstairs with me." Lin Xi instinctively gripped Duan Yiheng's clothes tightly:
"It must be Ke Yu." Duan Yiheng breathed a sigh of relief; this undoubtedly gave him some time. He took off his suit jacket, picked up Lin Xi, and carried her to a chair nearby. He spread his coat on the dusty chair and made Lin Xi sit down: "Sit still."
Duan Yiheng turned to Duan Mingxuan: "Come with me and look for any useful tools." Duan Mingxuan frowned: "She has a gun; whatever tools you have won't help." Duan Yiheng scoffed: "And then just wait here to die?
I'd like to see how she takes three lives with just one gun." Duan Mingxuan choked, obediently searching along the wall. He could only pray that Ke Yu would be of some use and delay Chen Liangyi for a while.