Chapter 81 Challenge Letter

Su Xiaonuan placed it on the sofa, poured it some water, and then found some unseasoned chicken breast that she had bought before, tore it into small pieces, and fed it to it.

The little black cat sniffed carefully before taking small bites, its tail tip swaying gently.

Seeing the kitten settle down, Su Xiaonuan also felt much more relaxed.

She planned to cook a simple dinner to soothe her frightened mind and body.

Walking into the kitchen, I picked up the cartoon apron hanging behind the door. Just as I was about to tie it, I reached into my pocket to adjust the strap, but instead touched a stiff, wrinkled piece of paper.

She took it out with a puzzled look and unfolded it.

The moment Su Xiaonuan saw the contents of the note, her blood seemed to freeze. A chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, making her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, and half of her body felt cold!

This is not an ordinary wad of paper.

This is a... challenge.

The handwriting is printed out by a printer; it's cold and standardized.

Su Xiaonuan:

The humiliation I suffered in the Sanda ring years ago is etched in my memory. I have come here today to challenge you to a duel and avenge that defeat.

Time: This Saturday night, 11:00 PM.

Location: Rooftop of Cruise Building.

Rule: Only one person is allowed to come. If a second person is found, or if the police are called, the hostage's safety is the hostage's sole responsibility.

At the end of the signature, there was only a surname written hastily, with a fierce air about it—Ji.

discipline!

Ji Xianjun!

It really was him! Just like she had guessed!

That boy who was in the high school Sanda training team, and who was repeatedly defeated by her because he was not as skilled as her, but whose eyes became more and more gloomy and obsessive!

He once made a bold statement, saying that he would win back one day.

Unexpectedly, after so many years, he not only failed to let go, but instead brewed that resentment and twisted competitive spirit into such extreme behavior!

He didn't hesitate to kidnap an innocent person and use such despicable means to force her into a so-called "duel" in order to vent his long-suppressed desires and resentment!

Su Xiaonuan's fingers, gripping the note tightly, turned slightly white from the force, and her face was so solemn it seemed to drip water.

She stood alone in the kitchen for a long time, her mind racing as she weighed her options.

Going to the meeting alone? Although Su Xiaonuan was confident in her skills, she was by no means a reckless person with only passion and a sense of justice.

The other party is in the shadows, she is in the light.

Does the other side actually have any hostages? What is the condition of the hostages? All of this is unknown.

Since Ji Xianjun was capable of kidnapping, his character cannot be judged by ordinary standards, and his credibility is out of the question.

How could she be so foolish as to actually believe that the other party would keep their word and conduct a fair one-on-one competition?

This could very well be a trap.

But if we don't go, what about the innocent person who might be implicated because of her...?

After careful consideration, Su Xiaonuan took a deep breath and made a decision.

She couldn't risk it alone, but she couldn't ignore it either.

Holding the note that seemed to carry the scent of gunpowder, she walked out of the kitchen and knocked on Zhao Liyue's door.

"Sister Yue, it's me, Xiao Nuan. I have something I want to tell you."

Zhao Liyue opened the door and saw her grave expression, knowing it must be something serious. "Come in."

Su Xiaonuan entered the room and, without much preamble, handed over the note, then succinctly explained her suspicions about Ji Xianjun and the grudges from high school.

Zhao Liyue took the note, quickly glanced at it, and her eyes instantly turned sharp as knives.

Without the slightest hesitation, she immediately took out her encrypted communication phone, dialed a video conference number, and quickly connected with Zhao Liming.

"Brother, make this quick." Zhao Liyue pointed the camera at the challenge letter and quickly recounted the information provided by Su Xiaonuan. "The target is suspected to be Ji Xianjun, Su Xiaonuan's high school classmate. The motive stems from past grievances. He issued a challenge letter, agreeing to meet alone on the rooftop of the Cruiser Building on Saturday night, threatening to use hostages."

After listening to this, Zhao Liming on the other end of the screen frowned, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke in a deep voice, revealing part of the truth they had previously concealed from Su Xiaonuan: "Li Yue, Xiaonuan, your assessment is likely correct. After our previous rescue operation failed, the other party completely disappeared, displaying exceptionally strong counter-surveillance capabilities, far exceeding those of ordinary criminals. This time, he was able to accurately deliver the challenge letter to Xiaonuan, and explicitly mentioned 'hostage'... This in itself is very likely a signal he deliberately sent out, a kind of... provocation. He seems to be enjoying this cat-and-mouse game and has absolute confidence that we won't find him."

Su Xiaonuan's expression turned even uglier as she listened to Zhao Liming's words.

Sure enough, the situation was more complicated than she had imagined.

This Ji Xianjun is not only paranoid, but also extremely dangerous and cunning.

The three of them quickly exchanged opinions across the screen.

The final strategy was to use their stratagem against them, but not to let Su Xiaonuan really risk her life alone.

Police will conduct thorough surveillance and deployment in and around the Pacific Place in advance, using high-tech means for monitoring and support.

Su Xiaonuan arrived on time to confirm the hostage's safety and to keep the hostage calm as much as possible. Zhao Liyue would act as an unseen backup, providing support from an absolutely concealed location. If the situation changed or the hostage's location was confirmed, an immediate arrest would be carried out.

After hanging up the phone, a brief silence fell over the room.

The framework of the plan has been set, but facing such an unpredictable opponent, no one is entirely confident.

Su Xiaonuan took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her somewhat disordered heartbeat and cold limbs.

She couldn't help but think of her adoptive father, Su Guangming.

The man who always told her "good will prevail over evil" and who never backed down in the face of even the most vicious criminals.

If he were here, he would definitely support her decision and be proud of her, right?

Thinking of her adoptive father, the faint fear of unknown danger in her heart suddenly dissipated like a thin mist driven away by the sunlight.

Instead, it is replaced by a firm courage and sense of responsibility.

She could not back down, for the sake of that potentially innocent person, and also to completely end this ill-fated relationship that she had started.

She rubbed her face vigorously, adjusted her expression, and remembered that she had an important matter to attend to tomorrow.

Her usual slightly adorable smile returned to her face as she turned to Zhao Liyue, who was deep in thought, and said, "Sister Yue, don't worry too much. Things will work themselves out. By the way, I won't be home for dinner tomorrow night. My cousin's child is having a one-month celebration, and my aunt invited us over for dinner."

Zhao Liyue was taken aback by Su Xiaonuan's sudden change of topic, but quickly recovered. Seeing Su Xiaonuan's attempt to appear relaxed, she understood that Su Xiaonuan was trying to lighten the mood, so she smiled in response and concealed the seriousness in her eyes: "Really? That's a happy occasion. I'll go out tomorrow morning to buy some suitable gifts."