0144 153 Extreme 24 Hours "Medium"

Panama City was deserted at night, with a few cars parked on the street, lights on in the buildings, and people drinking and chatting behind the windows.

The aroma wafting from the bakery across the street drifted out along with the smoke, hovering in the air like a ghost.

"Secretary Zhou, is that person in here? Does he know we're here? Does he have a gun?" Wang Xiaodong asked in a low voice. They were here to arrest a fugitive, someone on China's Interpol Red Notice list.

Zhou Xiye didn't answer him, but looked through the crack in the window at the window upstairs.

Bai Jialing stepped onto the back of the chair, tying her shoe insoles on, while the police officers in the front row also looked towards the building. "Ms. Zhou, our people will trigger the fire alarm inside in a moment to evacuate most of the people, and then the police will arrest the people your Chinese government wants."

“Okay,” Zhou Xiye turned his head, “but we need him alive, so don’t hurt him.”

The police officer nodded. “Don’t worry, Ms. Zhou, we Panamanian police won’t do anything reckless… especially to Chinese people.” He then chuckled, his words carrying a deeper meaning. “Ms. Zhou understands. Chinese culture is profound and extensive, and the Chinese language is rich in meaning.”

Zhou Xiye had no interest in interrupting them. He picked up his phone and glanced at the time. "When does it start?" They had been waiting for quite some time, but the party wasn't over yet, and time was running out; they needed to take the necessary actions.

The police officer picked up the walkie-talkie and said a few words. Soon after, the alarm sounded from inside the building. From the window, it was vaguely visible that many people put down their glasses. Within a minute, many people came out of the house, stopped, and looked back.

A short while later, a group of people came out, including the suspect in the crowd.

Seeing that most of the people had come down, the police officer picked up his walkie-talkie again and said something. Just as he put the walkie-talkie down, the sound of a siren rang out from the street, and a fire truck turned out and stopped at the entrance.

"Everyone, get out! Everyone, get out! There's been an accident here!" The people in the fire truck shouted as they got out. The partygoers were still having fun, hugging and cuddling in groups of three or five, their faces showing disappointment. Once they saw that most of the people had left, the police officer in the truck turned his head to the side, and the driver and passenger got out.

Zhou Xiye sat motionless in the back of the car.

Wang Xiaodong and Bai Jialing also got out of the car.

The drunk people didn't notice the police had appeared in the crowd, and they didn't care about the police either, continuing to walk on their own.

However, among the group of drunken people, one man had very bright eyes, but his steps were unsteady, clearly indicating he had drunk too much. This man was walking in a different direction than the others, heading towards the direction the police had come from.

When Wang Xiaodong saw that the man was completely drunk and was walking towards the police, he realized that the man was walking right into a trap. So, a relaxed smile appeared on his face. He thought, "This man is a transnational fugitive. He broke the law in China. There will definitely be a reward when he gets back."

As he was thinking this, his steps became a little more sluggish. The other policemen, also with protruding bellies, walked forward. As the little chick they were about to catch approached them step by step, they relaxed their vigilance and took their hands off the guns at their waists. How much strength could a drunk man have?

Zhou Xiye also got out of the car, and when she saw that they were about to catch the person, she got into the driver's seat.

Everything was calm. A group of people gradually surrounded the suspect. Zhou Xiye started the car and moved forward a few meters.

Suddenly! The suspect looked up, his eyes filled with vigilance, and took off running, dashing past the police like the wind, straight to the car, and getting in. Before anyone could figure out what was happening, the suspect had already pulled out a gun and pressed it against Zhou Xiye's head.

In an instant, half of the blood in Wang Xiaodong's body went cold.

That's the municipal party secretary. If something happens to her on foreign soil, will the Chinese government step in to hold her accountable, or will it use her death to gain even greater benefits?

The other police officers were also stunned. They hadn't expected that this drunk man would be so wary and have such strong counter-surveillance capabilities.

The moment the gun was pressed against Zhou Xiye's temple, every pore on her body seemed to swell, a familiar sense of danger washed over her, and her hair stood on end.

"Drive! Drive out!"

Without hesitation, Zhou Xiye stepped on the gas, and the car shot forward like a spring.

"Turn left up ahead!" the man shouted. Zhou Xiye didn't hesitate, turning the steering wheel and making a sharp turn at high speed. A moment later, the sound of police officers could be heard from behind. Zhou Xiye glanced at the rearview mirror; the police car hadn't caught up yet.

"Is that enough? Do we have to go to such lengths to put on an act?" Zhou Xiye chuckled, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

The Panamanian man slowly holstered his gun, placing it in his waistband, but his eyes remained wary. He licked his lips and said, "Miss China, when you asked me to help you carry your things, you didn't say I would encounter such danger."

Zhou Xiye smiled and nodded, "I'm not giving you the money for nothing. Five million to retrieve something is more and faster than you making money as a mercenary, right?"

At this point, the man chuckled, stroking his chin. "Actually, I was quite curious at the time, what could possibly be worth five million..." He paused, turning to look at Zhou Xiye, his hand leaving his chin and resting on Zhou Xiye's leg. "So I made backups of your things, and found a few Chinese people who speak Chinese to translate a section for me..."

The smile on Zhou Xiye's face vanished, replaced by an undisguised murderous intent.

The man pinched and rubbed Zhou Xiye's leg, his hand moving upwards along Zhou Xiye's waistline. "It is indeed a big deal, something the Chinese government urgently needs... Won't it cause turmoil at the top? Will people who know this news die?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiye's expression returned to normal. He rolled down the car window, and the wind blew in, causing his black hair to move with the wind.

“The last person to know this news is dead,” she said, turning to the man. “Let’s go to the place where we first met. It’s safe there.”

The man nodded, and as he reached for Zhou Xiye's chest, her expression suddenly changed. "Take your hand away from me, or I'll make you suffer a terrible death."

"Huh?" The man was startled, then released his grip, a smile on his face, and leaned back in his chair. "Give me another fifty million US dollars, and I'll tell you the backup address. I'll keep this secret for you."

Zhou Xiye smiled contemptuously, turned her head to look at the road, "Don't you understand? Once you know this news, the Chinese government will issue a global arrest warrant for you, and then, in the dead of night, in a dark corner..." She dragged out her words, "Do you know about Chinese torture? They make you wish you were dead, and after you reveal your secret, they will kill you without hesitation."

The man shook his head. "Money? I only want money. How I live is none of your business." He looked out the window. "I've always lived on the edge of a knife. I don't know when I'll die, or who will kill me. Whoever gives me money, I'll kill for them."

Zhou Xiye slammed on the gas pedal, made two more turns, and shook off the police behind him.

“Life has no meaning for you, does it?” Zhou Xiye suddenly said.

The man thought for a moment, "No, it's not that. I like beer, drugs, pretty girls, beaches, and the sun."

Zhou Xiye nodded and didn't say anything more.

The two remained silent for a moment, as if by unspoken agreement. The man couldn't hold back any longer and turned to Zhou Xiye, asking, "Is your internal strife serious? Who is he? Has he returned? Is he still alive?"

Zhou Xiye smiled slightly, "Even if you sell this information to the Chinese government, or even just to the Americans, you could make a lot of money, or become the next Snowden."

"Who the hell is Snowden? All I want is money. The only thing that works in this world is money. Is it more money to sell to the Chinese or to the Americans?"

"The Chinese won't give you money, they'll take your life. Americans are different; they live in a capitalist society where money can decide everything."

The man didn't understand what she meant; as long as he was paid, he would fulfill his mission.

Soon, the two arrived at the cliff edge where they had first met. Zhou Xiye got out of the car, and the man also got out.

The wind was strong, and Zhou Xiye's bangs fluttered in the wind.

“Show me the backup. If it’s genuine, I’ll pay you,” Zhou Xiye said bluntly, cutting to the chase. The man took out a creased paper document and handed it to Zhou Xiye. “I’ll sell it to you for fifty million US dollars. How much would they pay me if I sold it to the Americans?”

Zhou Xiye glanced at the documents under the car headlights. They were photocopied. She didn't know when the man in front of her had made them, but she had to admit that the methods of a top mercenary were beyond her comprehension.

"Is it true? Fifty million is enough?"

The man looked at her and suddenly laughed, "Fifty million, and you'll sleep with me again... otherwise I'll sell myself to the Americans. Do you think they'll give me a hundred million?"

The car headlights were bright, casting large shadows on the two of them. Zhou Xiye took out a lighter from her pocket, lit the paper in her hand, and waited for the documents to burn before looking at the man. "You may not know, but I've been to the battlefield too, and the people I hate most are mercenaries."

The man raised an eyebrow, looked at the woman who exuded a dangerous aura, and smiled. He was born in a dangerous place; danger was his daily life, and he preferred dangerous women.

"Because of money."

"Yes, because mercenaries are cheap; everything they have can be bought with money, including their lives."

The man laughed loudly, and after laughing, he looked at Zhou Xiye, "But today you're going to be fucked by someone like me, fucked by the person you hate the most, doesn't that feel disgusting? Dirty? Hahahaha!"

Zhou Xiye was not angered by him. She looked at him calmly, with a hint of pity in her eyes.

The man noticed Zhou Xiye's unusual state and stopped laughing. "You really... went to the battlefield?"

Zhou Xiye did not answer him.

The man cautiously stepped back, pulled out a gun from his waist, and pointed it at Zhou Xiye. "If I kill you, it's the Panamanian government's business, not mine."

Zhou Xiye suddenly laughed, raised his hand and waved. The man took a few steps back and fired a shot into the air.

"No, aren't we making a deal? You don't need to be so nervous... Tell me where you put the backup, and I'll give you money, as much as you want... But you can't lie to me," Zhou Xiye wasn't scared at all, and she walked towards the man.

For some reason, the man was terrified of Zhou Xiye. He had never seen such composure and fearlessness in the face of danger. Who isn't afraid of death? Those who have been on the battlefield and come close to death are even more afraid. At the sight of a gun, they should kneel down.

But the person in front of me didn't seem afraid at all, as if he were holding a toy gun.

The man suddenly stopped and fired a shot at the open space in front of Zhou Xiye. "Don't go any further, or I'll kill you."

“You can kill me, but you need to think carefully. Right now you’re only on China’s wanted list. After you kill me, you’ll appear on the lists of many countries, including many warlords,” Zhou Xiye chuckled. “Don’t think I’m bluffing you. Think about it. What kind of person am I to have access to top-level secrets? The weapons used by those armies were all sold by the Chinese. If you kill me, plenty of people will avenge me. In the end, you might not even know how you died.”

At this point, she shrugged. "Your life is worthless, but mine is. Don't make trouble for yourself. Taking the money and leaving is the best option."

The man shook his head and looked at Zhou Xiye.

Zhou Xiye sighed, expressing her helplessness at the man's lack of understanding. "I'll give you another chance to choose. Think it over! The person standing in front of you isn't just a Miss China; behind her is the entire Chinese government. You may not be afraid of the Chinese government, but aren't you afraid of China's weapons and munitions? Do you want to be an enemy of the Chinese government? Yes, this news is valuable, but..." She took out her phone, "If I release this news directly, will what you have still be valuable? News, news, has a time limit; it's only worth a little money."

The man looked at Zhou Xiye without saying a word.

“I’ll give you five seconds to think. Tell me where you put the backup, and I’ll give you the car. Drive away and run for your life, or else…” Zhou Xiye waved his phone in his hand, “I just set it up so that if I die, I won’t turn on my phone for ten minutes. Then this message… will be known to the whole world. And you? You won’t even live to spend the five million I gave you. You’ll be on China’s wanted list forever. If someone pays to have you killed…”

Zhou Xiye stopped talking and looked at the man with a smile.

"Fifty million, and I'll tell you."

"I won't give you a single penny right now."

"You just said..."

Zhou Xiye nodded earnestly, "Yes, you said it yourself, it was just now. Now, I've changed my mind. Tell me the exact location, and I'll spare your life."

The man remained silent, staring intently at Zhou Xiye.

Zhou Xiye raised her hand, and the man pointed his gun at her hand and fired.

The bullet struck Zhou Xiye in the shoulder.

It hurts a lot.

Zhou Xiye took a few steps back and fell onto the hood of the car. The man didn't dare to fire again and took a few steps back.

Blood flowed from her shoulder. Zhou Xiye gritted her teeth, turned her head to look at the man, and said, "Since we've already hit you, tell me, where is the place?" She had beads of sweat on her forehead and glared at the man fiercely.

The man felt that Zhou Xiye posed no threat anymore, so he put down the pistol and said, "I sent it to my grandmother."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiye found it amusing. "Your grandma? Where is she?"

The man sighed deeply, "Can you really spare my life?"

"able."

Zhou Xiye, holding onto the car, turned to look at him and said, "I can."

The next second, the man told her his grandmother's address, his legs went weak, and he squatted down. "I didn't mean anything by it..."

The wind blew by.

A few seconds later, the man sensed something was wrong. He turned his head and saw the car speeding towards him. Before he could react, he ran forward. The dark sky was already beginning to lighten.

The car performs very well; it only makes noise when driving on gravel roads, otherwise it is very quiet.

The man ran as fast as he could, thinking that jumping into the sea might be the best solution.

How could a person outrun a car? In the instant he was hit and thrown into the air, the man felt as if his internal organs had shifted out of place. He fell to the ground, his head hitting the ground, and blood flowed out.

The man's hand can still move.

Zhou Xiye was in a bloodthirsty rage, and the car engine roared to life.

Are you going to kill someone? Are you going to kill this innocent person? She has never killed anyone outside of the battlefield.

But... she couldn't kill. Zhou Xiye looked at the person lying on the ground in the distance, unsure whether her fingers were trembling from the pain or from her inability to kill.

If the person in front of you doesn't die, then what does it matter what Ye Rouxin gave her life for?

Something is slowly festering.

Something else is coming together.

She slammed on the gas pedal and sped past, the car running over the man.