Chapter 196 - Race against time
Chapter 196 - Race against time
Duan Yunhong's car was not stopped all the way to the east, but on the second day after he moved home, an uninvited guest came to his house.
"Colonel Xu, what a rare visitor."
Duan Yunhong sat in his own living room for the first time in a long time, entertaining guests alone for the first time in a long time: "I'm sorry in advance, I'm a little busy here, I'm afraid I don't have much time to receive you. I think it's better to have a cup of tea today, and I'll prepare a small gift and pay a formal visit another day, how about it?"
A middle-aged man in military uniform sat opposite him. He was Staff Officer Xu, who was nominally on the same side as Liu Fan. However, he actually belonged to another legion and was not Liu Fan's direct subordinate. Duan Yunhong had met him twice before at some gatherings in Shashi, but their face-to-face communication was limited to saying hello. They were just "acquaintances" and there was no real friendship between them.
"It's been so long since we last met, why did Boss Duan order us to leave so quickly?" Staff Officer Xu obviously didn't intend to give Duan Yunhong much face, and after just a few words of greeting, he started asking, "I heard that you brought someone else with you yesterday, how come I didn't see them?"
Duan Yunhong didn't even bother to cover up by drinking tea, and asked directly: "Why is Staff Officer Xu paying so much attention to me? You came to visit me right after I came back, and you asked me questions right after I brought people back?"
"Boss Duan, there's no need to be so hostile. We're just chatting. I didn't bring anyone to barge in without knowing the truth, right? My department has ordered many cars from you. We take care of each other, so we can be considered friends." Staff Officer Xu smiled, but it didn't look sincere. "I heard that the eldest son of the president of the Southwest Chamber of Commerce came back with you? I didn't have the chance to see him last time he came. How about asking him to come and have a chat?"
Duan Yunhong said: "Not here."
"Boss Duan, you are bored now, right? Are you afraid that your friend will steal your business?" Staff Officer Xu was rejected coldly one after another, and finally his face turned cold. "Okay, since the eldest son is not here, why don't you bring back a woman?"
"What woman?" Duan Yunhong responded to the change with his unchanging attitude, "Staff Officer Xu, do you care whether I bring a woman with me?"
"Boss Duan, let's stop beating around the bush. Did you bring Cheng Lingqi's mother to Shashi?" Staff Officer Xu completely tore off his friendly mask and stared at Duan Yunhong with a bit of sternness. "Admiral Liu even called Shashi to ask for someone! You are so brave. Adjutant Cheng was kidnapped by bandits and his life or death is unknown. You actually dared to take his mother away overnight. What are you going to do, huh?!"
"You also know that this is an emergency. We just brought Mrs. Cheng to Shashi so that she can be reunited with her daughter during this difficult time. What's the problem with mother and daughter supporting each other?" Seeing that he was questioning so directly, Duan Yunhong also came clean and stopped pretending. Of course, Duan Yunhong's words were still packaged in the pre-arranged "package": "Also, Adjutant Cheng is in urgent need of ransom, and Admiral Liu can't give much, so the Cheng family mother and daughter had to borrow from us. Young Master Ning can only give a part of it, and I hurried back to free up cash. What's the problem?"
"Really? You came back for the ransom?" Staff Officer Xu sneered again, "Then before I came, the car that drove out of your back door was also to collect money for Adjutant Cheng?"
"..." Duan Yunhong's expression remained unchanged, but alarm bells were already ringing in his heart.
Indeed, twenty minutes before Staff Officer Xu arrived, Ning Fei took Cheng's mother into the car and headed for the meeting point designated by Cheng Mengxiao. Duan Yunhong originally wanted to go with them, but Ning Fei held him at home and said, "In order to avoid being caught in one fell swoop, you stay at home to provide support. Besides, I'm just going to see someone off, and I'll definitely be back today. If I can't come back, you can go out again." Duan Yunhong had no choice but to listen to the debt collector's arrangements and stay home.
Then, not long after Ning Fei left the house, Staff Officer Xu came to the door.
Duan Yunhong thought that as long as they saw that he was at home, they would ignore the car that had gone out before, or at least they would not make any big moves for his sake. But now looking at Staff Officer Xu's performance, Duan Yunhong speculated that these people had already suspected that Cheng Lingqi's kidnapping was a trick.
——Ning Fei...you have to be careful.
***
Ning Fei sent Cheng's mother to Cheng's house...then took Cheng Mengxiao with her and sent them to a village outside Shashi.
This is not the end. There is a jeep hidden deep in the village. It is an old model, but looks very clean. Shen Zejun got out of the car and walked towards Ning Fei who also got out of the car. He took the initiative to shake hands with him: "Thank you so much, Mr. Ning! When we rescue Ling Qi, we will definitely invite you and Mr. Duan to have a good meal!"
"Okay, if there's a chance." Ning Fei knew he was still acting, and she also knew that he might understand that she saw through his acting, but she still cooperated. "Auntie will leave it to you like this, is that okay? Are you sure Ling Qi can come back safely?"
"Well, Ling Qi is definitely safe now, don't worry." Shen Zejun replied, "But it will take some time to rescue him, so he can't go to the city right away in the near future, don't worry. Oh, and don't trust Liu Fan and his people. They pushed Ling Qi into the fire pit, and they will never be willing to spend a penny or a person to save Ling Qi."
Ning Fei soon became too lazy to continue playing the role of "supporting the rescue" and changed the subject directly: "Let's not talk about that. Just tell me, if Lingqi, Auntie and Xiaoxiao are handed over to you, can you guarantee their safety?"
"Of course..." Shen Zejun answered subconsciously at first, but he quickly realized that there was something else behind Ning Fei's words. He looked at Ning Fei back and forth, with a probing look in his eyes, as if he was evaluating whether to tell more of the truth. But Ning Fei didn't want to join them, nor did he want to hear his confession, so he just patted his shoulder and said, "If you can promise me, then I will believe you for now. After all, Ling Qi is my brother. I took my aunt back and forth between Shashi and Yucheng because I hope they are all safe and have a smooth life."
"Don't worry, Mr. Ning. My mother and brother will be safe!" Cheng Mengxiao sent her own mother to the old jeep. When she came back, she saw Shen Zejun was stunned. She quickly replied, "You just need to send us here. Thank you for your hard work. Zejun will take us away later. You..."
Ning Fei glanced at the jeep and asked casually, "Where are you going to meet Ling Qi next?"
"Let's go to the home of a relative of mine in the countryside." Shen Zejun finally "came online" again. "It's farther away from the disputes there, and it's safer. We can live in peace. But life there is bound to be hard. I guess Mr. Ning will find it shabby and inconvenient. When it's cleaner, I'll invite Mr. Ning to be my guest."
"Okay." Ning Fei thought to himself that the vehicle you guys came to pick up was obviously a military vehicle, and I'm afraid you're going to take Cheng's mother directly to the organization over there, how could it be some "relative's house in the countryside". But the more they hide it, the safer it will be for Cheng Lingqi's family. So Ning Fei didn't ask any more questions and just waved his hand: "Then I'm leaving. You guys go too, and be careful on the road."
Shen Zejun said: "You have a safe journey too."
Ning Fei nodded and got into the car first. The car started back without hesitation. Shen Zejun and Cheng Mengxiao watched the exhaust of the black car go away. After a long while, Cheng Mengxiao finally spoke up: "Do you think... can he be pulled over?"
"I had the same feeling. Did you hear me? He only asked if he could guarantee the safety of your brother and mother, and did not ask in detail how we were going to rescue Ling Qi if we did not get the ransom. He seemed to understand what we were actually doing." Shen Zejun still looked into the distance and replied slowly, "However, no matter what he thinks, by helping Ling Qi this time, he must have offended Liu Fan's group.
"Those people are playing the game of 'those who dissent must be punished', and will force those who were originally neutral to lean towards us. Maybe in the future, without us taking the initiative to attract him, he will join us on his own. After all, as long as he knows that Ling Qi is actually living a good life with us, his impression of this place will become better."
"Well, let's wait a little longer and take care of my brother's matter first." Cheng Mengxiao turned to look at him, "Let's go, get in the car, I have to 'brainwash' my mother first. As long as I tell her that the organization's rear is safe and stable, and my brother will no longer have to fight on the front line and risk his life, my mother will definitely follow me to persuade my brother!"
Shen Zejun also turned his head to look at her and smiled: "There are many women in the organization, your mother can do activities with them. Do some simple work every day, and chat and relieve boredom. She should like it."
"Haha, actually my mother is a good cook. But she has been worried about my brother's safety these years. It's not safe for her to go out, and she is so bored that she doesn't want to move..."
The two of them chatted and turned back, then got into the car together.
***
Ning Fei took Duan Yunhong's car back to the city. The journey was safe in the suburbs, but he was stopped at the city gate.
The driver thought it was just a routine favor, so he rolled down the window and handed over a few good cigarettes as usual. As a result, the guards at the city gate took the cigarettes away, but still leaned on the window and said, "There is an order from above. The people in this car should go directly to the General Staff Office."
The driver was startled when he heard this: "General Staff? Did they make a mistake? Our boss is a businessman, Mr. Duan from the car dealership..."
"Stop talking nonsense, I'm talking about this car, just go!" The guard swung the gun on his back forward and shook it next to the muzzle, "You are shameless, aren't you?"
As he was speaking, another guard on the passenger side tried to pull the car door, but when it didn't work, he slammed the window and said, "Open the door!"
The driver was confused by this situation and subconsciously turned around to look at Ning Fei. Ning Fei looked around and found that the front and back seats were surrounded by several guards, all of whom were carrying guns. Although there were pistols hidden in the front and back seats of the car, two fists are no match for four hands, and it would be difficult to resolve the fight.
——Sure enough, I was targeted as soon as I came back. Fortunately, I rushed to send the person away early in the morning, otherwise it would have been too late.
"...Open it." Ning Fei made the decision. The car door was unlocked, and the guard got on the passenger seat with his gun on his shoulder. He sat down carelessly and said, "Drive in the direction I tell you to drive. Don't try to play tricks."
Ning Fei took another pack of cigarettes from the back seat and handed it to the front seat: "Sir, the higher-ups are looking for me? Then I can just walk you to the door and leave, right?"
The guard stuffed the whole pack of cigarettes into his arms and said in a more polite tone, but still very tough: "No, everyone on the bus has to get in. You are a big businessman, so don't make things difficult for us. If you have anything to say, go talk to the staff officer directly."
The driver was also detained, so there was no chance for him to quickly inform Duan Yunhong.
Ning Fei thought it over and simply leaned back in his chair, relaxing his body.
——Forget it, let Duan Yunhong react on his own.
——If worst comes to worst, I’ll just quit the General Staff Office and forget about this crappy mission.
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The world will end in the next chapter!
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