AWB Chapter 171 Captured as a Hostage
Chapter 171 Captured as a Hostage
Li Wanqing held Nuonuo tightly, her hands unconsciously tightening their grip due to nervousness.
She held her breath, listening intently to every sound coming from next door.
A sense of oppressive unease permeated the air, making even breathing feel heavy.
Sure enough, not long after, heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor, accompanied by hurried and chaotic knocking.
Immediately following was a loud crash as the door panel shattered after being violently struck.
The sound was like a thunderclap, causing Li Wanqing's heart to clench sharply.
The woman on the ground, bound hand and foot, seemed to be awakened by the commotion. Her brows furrowed, her body twisted weakly within the restraints, and she let out a soft moan, as if she might wake up at any moment.
Li Wanqing reacted quickly and without hesitation, grabbed a wooden stick from the side and smashed it down on the woman with all her might.
The woman didn't even utter a sound before falling into a coma again.
Nuonuo clung tightly to her mother's clothes, her big eyes brimming with tears. Fear and anxiety intertwined, making her little face appear unusually pale.
Li Wanqing gently stroked her hair, her voice soft yet firm: "Don't be afraid, Nuonuo. With Mommy here and Uncle here, bad people can't hurt us."
Her tone was full of undeniable power as she comforted Nuonuo with each word.
Gradually, the fear in Nono's eyes faded, and she nestled softly in her mother's arms.
Meng Renjie pressed his ear against the crack in the door, listening carefully to the sounds coming from next door.
Until the unsettling footsteps gradually faded away, until they disappeared at the end of the corridor.
He dared to speak then, his voice extremely low: "It seems the person has already left."
Li Wanqing softly hummed in agreement, gently placed the sleeping Nuonuo on the bed, and then tiptoed to the door.
She pressed her ear against the crack in the door, listening intently to the sounds outside, her brow furrowed the entire time.
"Uncle, I'm going out to take a look. You and Nuonuo shouldn't go out for the time being." Li Wanqing's voice was low and firm.
Upon hearing this, Meng Renjie frowned and anxiously dissuaded him, "No, it's too dangerous for you to go out. What will happen to Nuonuo if something happens to you?"
Li Wanqing glanced at her daughter, her heart conflicted, but in the end she hardened her heart and looked away.
“Uncle, those people will definitely not give up. Only if I leave here will you and Nuonuo be safe.”
“No way!” Meng Renjie said without even thinking. “Even if we’re going to distract those people, I’ll be the one to go.”
Li Wanqing sighed softly, her eyes filled with helplessness and determination: "Uncle, you know, only I can distract them."
Their target was Cheng Baichuan; compared to Meng Renjie, his wife carried more weight.
Meng Renjie lowered his head slightly. He knew Li Wanqing was right, but he couldn't bear to watch his niece, whom he had finally found, go on such a dangerous journey...
He really couldn't do it.
His inner struggles and contradictions surged like a tidal wave, almost suffocating him.
Li Wanqing understood Meng Renjie's concerns, but as a mother, protecting her daughter was in her nature.
She said firmly, "This dagger is for you."
As she spoke, she shoved the dagger she had obtained from the woman into Meng Renjie's hand.
Li Wanqing instructed with concern, "After I leave, find an opportunity to take Nuonuo to the Provincial Department or the Public Security Bureau."
Meng Renjie stubbornly refused to take it, and Li Wanqing said earnestly, "Uncle, if something really happens to me, you are the only person I can entrust Nuonuo to."
Meng Renjie's shoulders trembled slightly. He took a deep breath, finally raised his head, and his eyes shone with determination: "Okay!"
He took the dagger from Li Wanqing's hand. "But you have to promise me you'll protect yourself."
Li Wanqing nodded with tears in her eyes, her heart filled with reluctance and determination.
She turned and walked to the bedside, leaned down and gently stroked her daughter's cheek, her eyes filled with reluctance and longing.
She couldn't stay here any longer. The fact that those people were able to sneak into the military guesthouse meant they had considerable strength and resources.
She had to lure the people away as quickly as possible to ensure the safety of Nono and her uncle.
Li Wanqing straightened up, turned around, opened the door, and hurriedly left the room.
As she left the guesthouse, she could clearly feel the probing and subtle gazes around her.
Her heart tightened, and she quickened her pace.
She didn't dare to stop for a moment, covering her face slightly with her scarf, and walked quickly forward.
Soon, four or five people quickly caught up. Their steps were steady and powerful, clearly indicating that they were well-trained individuals.
Li Wanqing was secretly anxious; she didn't know where she could go to escape these people's pursuit.
But for her daughter's safety, she absolutely could not go to conspicuous places such as the provincial government or the public security bureau.
The people behind her were hot on her heels, and she knew she was no match for them in terms of force.
Moreover, for Nono's safety, she couldn't hide, otherwise they would definitely go back to the guesthouse.
Li Wanqing quickly considered all the possible options in her mind, and finally decided to go to South Alley.
The terrain there is complex and remote, and for her, Cheng Baichuan and his group are currently the safest option.
She glanced at the relentless pursuers behind her, took a deep breath, and started running.
Upon seeing this, the people behind her immediately sprang into action and chased after her.
The guesthouse is quite a distance from South Alley; it would take at least 45 minutes to walk there.
Li Wanqing went to great lengths to conserve her energy.
With South Alley right in front of her, she could even see the people Secretary-General Wang had arranged to provide support.
But before she could even open her mouth, a deafening gunshot suddenly ripped through the air.
Immediately afterwards, her right foot felt as if it were being burned by flames, and an excruciating pain instantly swept through her body, causing her to involuntarily kneel down.
Those people had clearly lost patience, like beasts driven to the brink of desperation, and were willing to do anything to capture her.
Having suffered a defeat in Nanxiang, they must hold onto Li Wanqing, their crucial bargaining chip, to gain the upper hand.
The echoes of gunshots lingered in the South Alley, startling those who were busy there.
Upon hearing the news, Cheng Baichuan and Cheng Chi rushed out of the alley almost simultaneously, their eyes filled with vigilance.
When their gaze fell upon Li Wanqing's figure, with a gun pressed firmly against her, Cheng Baichuan felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart, causing him unbearable pain.
"Release them, or you will all die!" Cheng Baichuan's voice was low and cold, each word sounding like it was squeezed out from between his teeth, filled with anger.
The man who held the gun to Li Wanqing's temple had a long, grotesque scar on his left cheek, resembling a winding centipede.
Upon hearing this, a playful smile curled at the corner of his mouth, the laughter sounding particularly jarring in the tense atmosphere.
"Hahaha, then we'll see whether Commander Cheng's gun is faster or mine is faster."
His eyes gleamed with madness and defiance; the moment he took that step, he had already disregarded life and death.