Chapter 64 His World Collapses, Fully Searching
"Immediately initiate a Level 1 emergency response! Seal all exits! Retrieve all surrounding surveillance cameras! Mobilize all forces! Find her! Even if you have to turn the entire capital upside down, you must find her!"
The command Huo Tingxiao roared into the phone was like a nuclear bomb dropped into a calm lake, instantly causing unprecedented violent shock throughout the entire military region and even higher-level security systems!
Level 1 emergency response! This is the highest level of alert and action, usually only activated in cases involving major national security incidents or the safety of top leaders! Now, it's being activated just to search for a leader's wife?!
When the news broke, everyone who knew about it was horrified! But no one dared to question Huo Tingxiao's orders, and no one dared to neglect them at this moment! Everyone heard the seriousness of the situation and the extraordinary significance of that "madam" to him from Huo Tingxiao's hoarse, furious, and almost uncontrollable voice!
The entire huge war machine started running frantically with unprecedented efficiency because of the disappearance of a woman!
In a matter of minutes, the headquarters transformed into a tense makeshift command center. On a massive electronic screen, a map of the capital city zoomed in and out, countless dots of light and lines flashing and interweaving across it. Phones rang, radios rang, keyboards pounded, and rapid commands echoed in unison, the atmosphere tense to the point of near-explosion!
Huo Tingxiao stood at the command desk, looking like a demonic deity. His face was livid, his eyes a terrifying crimson. He exuded a tangible, destructive, and hostile aura, causing all the staff around him to hold their breath and remain in a state of concentration, afraid to make even a single sound, fearing they might accidentally detonate this volcano that could erupt at any moment.
His eyes were fixed on the screen, his brain working at an unprecedented speed, analyzing any possible clues.
"Report! All intersection surveillance within three kilometers of the service center has been retrieved and is being analyzed!"
"Report! All entrances and exits to the compound have been urgently sealed. No one is allowed to enter, no one is allowed to leave. We are checking each suspicious vehicle and person one by one!"
"Report! Madam's cell phone signal last disappeared. All base station signals within a 500-meter radius are being cross-checked!"
"Report! We've contacted the traffic department. They're setting up surveillance throughout the city, focusing on checking for black vans without license plates or with fake plates!"
Pieces of information came in like snowflakes and were quickly analyzed and processed.
Time passed by minute by minute, and every second seemed to be a torture on Huo Tingxiao's heart!
His mind uncontrollably flashed through all sorts of terrifying images of what Su Wanqing might have encountered—fear, struggle, hurt… Every thought made his heart ache and made it difficult to breathe! He couldn't imagine the fear and pain that seemingly weak but stubborn woman was enduring at this moment!
And all this is because of him!
It was because of his idiocy! His indifference! His lack of vigilance! If he hadn't been so caught up in that ridiculous cold war and his pride, if he had sent someone else to secretly protect her, if he had received that call in time... maybe she wouldn't have...
Endless self-blame and regret wrapped around him like poison ivy, nearly suffocating him! He slammed his fist into the hard command desk with a dull thud, and the back of his hand instantly became bruised, yet he seemed to feel no pain.
"Chief!" Assistant Chen stepped forward worriedly.
"Get lost!" Huo Tingxiao growled, his voice terribly hoarse, his eyes fixed on the screen. "Keep searching! Expand your search! Dig even deeper to find it!"
At this moment, his world seemed to completely collapse.
All the cold wars, estrangements, and hurts before, became insignificant and insignificant in the face of the huge fear of losing her forever. He realized that the woman he called a "substitute" and a "decoration" had already occupied such an important, even indispensable place in his frozen heart since who knows when!
He can't lose her!
Absolutely not!
Another ten agonizing minutes passed.
"Report!" A technical officer jerked his head up, his voice tinged with excitement and nervousness. "A suspicious vehicle has been spotted! An unlicensed black van. Two minutes after the lady's cell phone signal disappeared, it forced its way through the alternate lane on the west side of the compound, heading towards the abandoned industrial area west of the city!"
"Zoom in! Lock the area!" A terrifying cold light suddenly flashed in Huo Tingxiao's eyes, like a beast locking onto its prey!
The screen quickly switched, locking onto the long-abandoned factory area west of the city. Although the van's trajectory was intermittent, its ultimate vanishing point always pointed there!
"Target area locked! Preliminary assessment: the abandoned warehouse area of the Third Textile Factory!"
"Deploy the operation immediately!" Huo Tingxiao didn't hesitate at all. He grabbed the pistol on the table and checked the magazine with a sharp movement. His voice was as cold as iron, filled with murderous intent. "Notify the special operations team to assemble within five minutes! Prepare the helicopter!"
"Chief! You can't go in person! It's too dangerous! Let us..." Assistant Chen hurriedly dissuaded him.
"Shut up!" Huo Tingxiao interrupted him abruptly, his eyes sharp as a knife, with an unquestionable determination, "She's my wife! I have to go!"
He said this in a decisive manner, with an unprecedented clarity and weight.
At this moment, all the rules and dangers were thrown out of his mind. He had only one thought in mind - to rescue her personally! No one could stop him!
Five minutes later, several military off-road vehicles shot out of the military district gate like arrows, their roofs flashing glaring police lights as they sped toward the west of the city! In the sky, an armed helicopter roared into the air, providing air support and reconnaissance for the vanguard troops!
Huo Tingxiao sat in the passenger seat of the lead vehicle, his face as cold as ice. His fingers unconsciously stroked the cold gun barrel, his eyes swirling with raging anger and bottomless worry.
Wanqing, wait for me.
You must wait for me.
Whoever hurt you will be repaid a hundredfold by me!
At this moment, in a dark and damp warehouse of an abandoned textile factory in the west of the city.
Su Wanqing woke up with a sharp pain in the back of her neck. A cloth ball was stuffed in her mouth, and her hands and feet were tightly bound with rough ropes. She looked around in horror and found herself thrown into a corner filled with discarded textiles. The air was filled with a strong smell of mold and dust.
The warehouse was dimly lit, with only a few broken windows high up letting in a sliver of daylight. She could see a few blurry figures swaying in the distance, whispering to each other in obscene and menacing tones.
"...Damn, this job is too risky..."
"...What are you afraid of? Just pay the bills! And this girl is so damn pretty, even more attractive than in the pictures!"
"...Hey, the boss said, let's 'play around' first, take some exciting photos and then dispose of them..."
"...Tsk tsk, what a pity! If it weren't for the order from above, I really want to play for a while longer..."
Those unbearable words pierced Su Wanqing's ears like a poisonous snake, making her body cold and terrified to the point of vomiting! She struggled desperately, but to no avail. The rope cut deep into her wrists, causing burning pain.
Tears slid down helplessly, and great despair overwhelmed her.
Huo Tingxiao...
Where are you……
Help me...
Just as a man with a face full of flesh was rubbing his hands and walking towards her with a lewd smile——
"Buzz—woosh—buzz—woosh—!"
In the distance, the sound of sirens could be heard faintly, and they were approaching rapidly!
The kidnappers in the warehouse panicked instantly!
"Damn it! How did it come so fast?!"
"Quick! Grab your weapons! Prepare to retreat!"
"What should I do with this girl?!"
"Get rid of it! Quick!"
The man who walked towards Su Wanqing's face changed, a fierce light flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly pulled out a dagger with a cold glow from his waist and pounced towards Su Wanqing viciously!
Su Wanqing opened her eyes wide in horror, and the shadow of death instantly enveloped her!
At this critical moment——
"Bang!!!"
The warehouse's massive iron door was violently slammed open from the outside, and the glaring light of car lights and flashlights instantly shone in!
"Don't move! Put down your weapons!" A roar like thunder penetrated the noise and spread clearly throughout the warehouse!
Huo Tingxiao took the lead, rushing in like a god descending from heaven, the muzzle of his gun pointed steadily at the kidnapper who was lunging at Su Wanqing with a knife! His eyes were bloodshot, murderous, and the terrifying aura emanating from him instantly shocked everyone!
"Tingxiao..." Su Wanqing looked at the figure who suddenly appeared like a savior, tears instantly burst out, and she could hardly believe her eyes!
He really came!
The knife-wielding kidnapper was intimidated by Huo Tingxiao's aura and froze for a moment.
In this lightning-fast moment!
"Bang!"
A crisp gunshot!
Huo Tingxiao pulled the trigger without hesitation! The bullet accurately hit the kidnapper's wrist holding the knife!
"Ah——!" The kidnapper let out a shrill scream, and the dagger fell to the ground with a clang!
"Capture them all! Those who resist will be shot on the spot!" Huo Tingxiao didn't even look at the screaming kidnapper. His cold eyes swept across the entire warehouse like a radar, locking onto the other panicked kidnappers. His voice was like a judgment from hell!
The special forces behind him rushed in like a tiger descending from the mountain and quickly took control of the situation!
Huo Tingxiao, on the other hand, strode forward without hesitation towards Su Wanqing, who was tied up in the corner with tears in her eyes!
His world finally stopped collapsing the moment he found her.
But his anger was far from subsided.
Anyone who hurts her, don't even think about escaping!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
