T City. A living hell, the top floor.
The wolf was lounging lazily on the sofa, his legs crossed and stretched out on the coffee table, his shirt half-open revealing his bronze chest, a glass of red wine in his hand. Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. "Come in."
"Boss, news has come back from Z City that your precious child has been kidnapped by the Gu family."
Wild Wolf frowned and put his legs down. "The Gu family? Gu Zheng, or that Gu Tian Ce who escaped?"
"It's a guzheng."
Wild Wolf snorted coldly, stroking his chin with his left hand, deep in thought. "What a fearless woman. Smart people should stay abroad obediently, but she's come back to die. But she's kidnapped Bao'er, what are we going to do? Track her down immediately, mobilize all our informants, especially keep a close watch on Z City and its surrounding areas, particularly the old hideouts of the Gu family. Report any leads immediately. We must find her as soon as possible!"
"Yes!" the man replied, thinking to himself, "It's not like they're gambling, it's more like a den of thieves!"
"Also, call that woman, Mo Ran, in." Wild Wolf suddenly tightened his grip on the wine glass, causing it to shatter with a soft crack. His fingers parted slightly, and the shards fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
Mo Ran entered shortly after. She stood with her legs straddling him, looking at him calmly. "What do you want?"
"My baby has been kidnapped." The wolf looked at her, his face expressionless.
Mo Ran pouted. "What does that have to do with me? That's your baby, not mine." If you listened carefully, there was no hint of jealousy in her tone.
The wolf suddenly stood up, straightened his clothes, and said, "I'm going to save people. Come or not, it's up to you." With that, he strode away. Even in his haste, his walk was as graceful as a flower in bloom.
Mo Ran glared at his tall figure, wishing she could kick him to death.
...
About half an hour later, the traffic was finally cleared.
Yuan Meng was driving towards the villa when she suddenly veered off onto another road. Kaiyi had taken her to their special forces base once before, and although many years had passed, she should still remember the way—her memory was exceptional!
"Mom, where are we going?" Huo Fu'an asked, peering out the window as the scenery outside seemed to fly by.
Yuan Meng stared intently at the road ahead, and after a while, she replied, "We're going to the army to find Daddy, and ask Daddy to come and rescue Mommy! Hold on to the seat, don't let go, okay?"
"Okay!" After a while, he said again, "Mommy, Mommy will be okay. I'm not afraid, and you shouldn't be afraid either!"
Hearing his childish voice, Yuan Meng's eyes burned, but she didn't cry. Crying was useless; she had understood that deeply five years ago! So, Yuan Meng, don't cry! Kaiyi, if you have a spirit in heaven, please protect Ruoke's safety!
The road to the unit remained almost unchanged. There was actually a long-distance bus route along this road, but it only went as far as a certain point; one still had to pass through a forest to reach the special forces base. Moreover, this forest was teeming with special forces soldiers lurking in the shadows!
After driving for nearly two hours, Yuan Meng finally found the entrance to the mountain forest based on her memory.
"Fu'an, get out of the car quickly, let's go find Daddy!" Yuan Meng unbuckled her seatbelt, grabbed her phone, jumped out of the car, and locked it.
Huo Fu'an obediently pushed open the door and got out of the car, almost falling as he stumbled.
Yuan Meng crouched down, picked him up, and plunged into the path. The path was a bit overgrown, but she knew that was precisely why it was safest. Yuan Meng stumbled along, inwardly thankful that she didn't like wearing high heels and preferred sneakers and canvas shoes; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to walk at all.
This is deep in the mountains, densely wooded, with thorny bushes and sharp, cut-skin-like grasses in some places. Special forces are extremely secretive, so this route takes three hours to reach. Only their soldiers can move here and there so freely.
Yuan Meng was extremely anxious. The road ahead seemed endlessly long.
Yuan Meng's legs were almost giving out; they felt as heavy as if they were strapped with dozens of kilograms of sandbags. Her hands, supporting Fu An, were also weak and numb, as if they no longer belonged to her. She was panting heavily, and her lungs burned. Sweat blurred her vision and stung when it got into her eyes.
She couldn't care less about any of that. She just mechanically kept running, constantly telling herself: I must get to the army base quickly, I must get Huo Qingfeng to save Ruoke! I absolutely cannot let anything happen to Ruoke, I absolutely cannot!
Several times she nearly fell to the ground, and Huo Fu'an, who was on her back, kept clamoring to get down and walk on his own. She slapped his bottom hard, yelled "Stop messing around," and then ran forward. To say she ran was an understatement; she was actually slower than walking. She hadn't undergone any physical training, and her body had already been severely damaged over the years in prison. If it weren't for her unwavering will, she would have fainted long ago.
Without noticing, Yuan Meng stepped on a protruding pebble, cried out, and stumbled to her knees. Her knees were cut by the stone, the pebble even embedded in them, burning with pain. She fought back the burning sensation in her eyes, gritted her teeth, and tried to stand up, but her weak limbs wouldn't cooperate. Just as she tried to get up, she fell to her knees again.
"Mom, Mom, what's wrong?" Huo Fu'an finally couldn't hold back his tears.
Yuan Meng clenched her teeth tightly. "Fu'an, Mom doesn't have enough strength anymore, can you walk by yourself?"
Huo Fu'an obediently climbed down, took her hand, and walked even faster than her. Children are naturally agile, and he hadn't put in any effort. Eventually, he ended up supporting Yuan Meng as she walked, but unfortunately, he wasn't tall enough; he even tried to imitate others by carrying their mothers on their arms.
Yuan Meng felt her vision blurring, and her breath felt as hot as the steam from a boiling pot. She felt utterly drained, but a sliver of hope sustained her, making her think she could hold on a little longer, just a little longer…
"Comrade, you can't go in here. Who are you looking for?"
When she was stopped and asked who she was looking for, Yuan Meng felt her vision go black, her legs went weak, and she fainted. Before losing consciousness, she was still murmuring Huo Qingfeng's name, but her voice was too soft for anyone to hear.
"Hey, comrade?"
Yuan Meng wasn't unconscious for long, because a voice inside her kept urging her to wake up. When she opened her eyes, her head was still spinning; she was truly exhausted, both physically and mentally. "Comrade, I need to find Huo Qingfeng! His wife has been kidnapped! I need him to rescue her! This is Huo Fu'an, his son. He's been to the military base!"
Many people recognized Huo Fu'an, including the guards at the gate. That's why Yuan Meng was able to enter after registering her identity.
Yuan Meng was thankful that she still had her ID card with her, and also thankful that Gu Zheng hadn't taken all her belongings. She was led into the reception room and told to wait there.
She waited and waited until the sun set and darkness fell. But the person she was waiting for was nowhere to be seen.
Fortunately, someone took them to eat, otherwise they would have fainted from hunger. They also called a military doctor to treat her leg wound and apply medicine, which finally helped to heal the wound.
Not being able to see Huo Qingfeng made Yuan Meng's heart feel like it was being tossed around in a hot oil pan, burning with pain. She almost couldn't hold back her tears again.
...
This exercise is of paramount importance, and everyone has been working hard for it for a long time. Huo Qingfeng hasn't seen his wife for over a month. He's thinking that once the exercise is over, he must spend some quality time with her at home.
The military exercise had begun, and their decapitation strike had been successful. A quarter of the enemy's camp had already withdrawn from the battlefield before even leaving the combat zone. But on the battlefield, no one can declare victory or defeat until the very last moment, even though he was full of confidence!
Leading troops into battle involves the lives and safety of countless people, so one must be full of confidence, but not overly arrogant.
A map lay before him, his dark, rough, and wounded fingers tracing lines across it. He pondered how to strike at the heart of the enemy and destroy their command system.
His dark eyes, sharp as claws, pierced the map, pinpointing key points one by one… “Guards!”
Someone came immediately to obey orders.
Huo Qingfeng pointed to several points on the map and gave a detailed explanation. It was truly a grand review of troops on the battlefield, brimming with heroic spirit and boundless ambition. He spoke extremely quickly, and it was fortunate that the man could understand and remember him.
"Yes, sir!" The man accepted the order and left.
Huo Qingfeng stared at the map, lost in thought. He rubbed his dry eyes. He hadn't slept well for several days because of this battle. Once the exercise was over, he would definitely hold his wife and sleep soundly for a day and a night.
Just then, someone rushed over. "Report!"
"Come in!" Huo Qingfeng maintained his bent-over posture while looking at the map, without even stopping the pen in his hand, nor did he look up.
"Report, Commander!" The person who came was his bodyguard, Meng Zheng. He looked at Huo Qingfeng, seemingly wanting to say something but hesitating.
Huo Qingfeng glanced at him briefly, but only for a moment before looking back at his map. "Speak," he said, his voice cold and authoritative.
"Commander, news has come from your home that your wife has been kidnapped!"
Huo Qingfeng paused in his drawing, then abruptly looked up, his brow furrowing. "What did you say?"
"My sister-in-law has been kidnapped! The kidnapper is Gu Chengze's daughter, Gu Zheng!"
The pen in Huo Qingfeng's hand snapped in two with a snap. "When did this happen?" Gu Zheng actually came back! Damn it!
"Four hours ago! Because of the ongoing military exercises, news from the outside world came in..." Meng Zheng didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood.
Huo Qingfeng pondered for a moment, then threw away the wreckage of his pen and strode out of the tent, heading straight for headquarters. "Report!"
"Come in. You've come at the right time. I was just about to send someone to look for you. Come and take a look."
Huo Qingfeng didn't move, but snapped to attention and saluted. "Report, I request to withdraw from this military exercise!"
The person looking at the map paused, then stared intently at him. "Say that again!"
"I request to withdraw from this exercise. My wife has been kidnapped, and I need to rescue her. I must leave the exercise!"
"Nonsense! What have we always said? An exercise is also a war. Can you just quit a war? Since you got this information, the person who notified you will naturally go to rescue people. Take back what you just said, and do a good job in the exercise. Fight a brilliant battle!" He slammed the things in his hand on the table, his anger blazing.
Huo Qingfeng remained unmoved; he understood all of this. "Many people could take my place in this war, and we could win even without me. But my wife can only rely on me; I must save her. If I can't even protect my woman, how can I talk about protecting the country and its people!"
No approval was needed. After he finished speaking, he turned around and rushed out.
"Guards, stop him! This is getting increasingly outrageous!"
However, that was a sharp blade. Even the enemy wouldn't dare to think they could stop him on their own turf, let alone on his own. Who could possibly hinder him in the slightest?
Huo Qingfeng sped away in his Hummer, his face frighteningly grim. Even facing the most detestable enemy on the battlefield, he had never displayed such a terrifying look. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other dialing his wife's number, he was surprised to receive a call. "Guzheng?"
"Hello, Huo Qingfeng, this is Yuan Meng!"
"Yuan Meng?" Huo Qingfeng frowned slightly. "How did Ruoke's phone end up in your hands?"
"Gu Zheng kidnapped me and Fu'an, using us to exchange for Ruo Ke. Right at the entrance of Xinghai Park, they took Ruo Ke away. They were going to inject her with a whole syringe of something, I don't know what it is. Gu Zheng brought a lot of people and drove a lot of cars. Huo Qingfeng, you have to go save her! I've notified your mother, Tan Peishi, and someone named Xuanyuan something." As if she had finally found someone to rely on, Yuan Meng burst into tears.
"Where are you?" Huo Qingfeng remained calm; he was the type of person who became even more composed when things got urgent.
"We're in your unit's reception room. Don't worry about us, go and rescue them."
"You wait there, I'll send someone to find you. Stay in the army these days, don't go anywhere!" After saying that, he hung up the phone and then called the orderly to arrange for Yuan Meng and her son to stay at the army base.
The military base is the safest place, and it's the best place for Yuan Meng and Fu An! At this moment, Huo Qingfeng suddenly regretted not letting Ruo Ke come with him! Once this is over, even if it's selfish, he'll still bring her to the military base!
After giving instructions to the orderly, he immediately dialed Xuan Yuanqi's number. He was secretly relieved that Yuan Meng had notified Xuan Yuanqi, so he should already be investigating. "Hello, any progress?"
"We've made some progress, but haven't found the exact location yet. We're narrowing down the search area. Gu Zheng discovered the tracker on the ring, so she took it off and lured my men away." Xuan Yuanqi hadn't expected Gu Zheng to divide her forces into several groups, making it difficult for them to determine which group Ling Ruoke was on. Not only that, she also sent men to intercept and delay them!
The Gu family is indeed no good!
Huo Qingfeng's face was expressionless, but his eyes were as sharp as a murderous blade.
...
Ling Ruoke let out a soft moan, her consciousness slowly returning. She felt a slight headache, but the most painful pain was in her face.
She had no idea how much time had passed, or where she was. But she knew she must have been slapped and kicked several times, because her face and body ached.
When Ling Ruoke opened her eyes, she found herself lying on the floor, the cold floor beneath her no longer feeling cold. This meant she had been brought here for some time.
She slowly sat up, only to find her body limp and weak, making even sitting up difficult. She gritted her teeth and used all her strength to drag her body until she was close to the wall, where she finally managed to sit up. Even this small movement left her breathless and drenched in sweat.
Ling Ruoke looked around and realized that this was the living room of a house, but it seemed to be abandoned or long-abandoned, as the floor was covered in dust. Perhaps this wasn't an ordinary dwelling, but rather something with a special purpose, hence its somewhat unusual structure.
The front door was tightly shut, and light streamed in through the windows. The windows weren't large, and they opened rather high. Looking out from the windows, all one could see was greenery, like a forest. In other words, the house was in the suburbs, nestled in the woods.
She was injected with drugs, otherwise this place wouldn't be able to contain her. It was because Guzheng understood this that she injected her with the drugs, and that's why she felt safe leaving her here alone now.
Judging from the color and intensity of the light, it was already evening. Her whole body felt weak, her stomach was growling with hunger, and she felt nauseous. Her abdomen ached slightly, probably from being kicked. The worst part was the numbness and tingling in her limbs—not painful, but far more unbearable than actual pain! She had to bite her lip hard to keep from groaning. She knew that once Guzheng knew she was awake, the torment would begin.
At this moment, Ling Ruoke felt a surge of relief that she wasn't pregnant. Otherwise, under these circumstances, she might not have been able to protect her child at all. Given Gu Zheng's hatred, if she had known she was pregnant, she would have beaten her until she miscarried. Thankfully! Perhaps the child also knew of this impending calamity, which is why it hadn't yet come after her.
Ling Ruoke was lost in thought when suddenly a thought struck her, and she looked down at her hands. She was immediately dismayed to find that her hands were completely bare, with nothing on them. The only things she saw were the rings left at the base of her fingers from wearing a ring for so long, and the scratches from when the ring had been forcibly removed. That makes sense; Gu Zheng wouldn't be so foolish as not to check her for a tracking device.
She sighed, leaned quietly against the wall, rubbed her eyes, and looked out the window. Fu'an and Yuan Meng should be safe now, right? She wondered if Qingfeng had received the news yet; he must be frantic with worry.
Just then, with a clang, the door was pushed open.
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