Chapter 201 - 197: Trap

Words : 1168 Updated : Sep 23rd, 2025

Chapter 201: Chapter 197: Trap "This question should be asked by me, tell me, your name and your identity." "Zhang Xueli, head of the production department." "Miss Zhang, I have another question, and I hope you can answer me truthfully. Where are you holding the hostages?" "Hostages? What hostages?" Zhang Xueli replied coldly, "You must be mistaken, this is a legitimate factory, not a criminal organization." Ling Chen slightly lifted his lips: "Miss Zhang, we’re all sensible people, why pretend to be confused in front of me." Saying this, he slightly applied pressure with the dagger in his hand, leaving a crease on Zhang Xueli’s delicate neck, "I keep my word; as long as you tell me where the hostages are, I will spare your life and not harm you." Zhang Xueli hesitated for a moment, then spoke, "Third floor, count from the left, the second bedroom, the person you’re looking for is there." "Very good." Seeing her cooperate, Ling Chen smiled, casually taking out a mobile phone from her pocket, and said: "Miss Zhang, I need one more favor from you. Call your subordinates and have them bring the hostage here. As for the reason, with your wit, you should be able to think of one." "I don’t have that authority. I’m only in charge of the factory operations, others handle different matters, I can’t overstep." "In that case, you can take me to see the hostages, no problem right?" "That’s possible, but you’ll need to change your attire, I don’t want to be marked as a traitor." After a short while, Ling Chen changed into a neat suit. Before stepping out, he glanced at Zhang Xueli and reminded her: "Miss Zhang, after we go out, it’s best if you refrain from any suspicious actions. Within a meter, I can take your life at any moment. So, for your own safety, do not do anything out of line." "I know." Zhang Xueli replied indifferently. Ling Chen nodded and called through his earpiece, "We can move now." "Received!" Leaving the bedroom, Ling Chen closely followed behind Zhang Xueli, keeping a distance less than a meter. As he said, it was his effective attack range. Within a meter, no one could escape his dagger. Approaching the elevator, Ling Chen kept his head down for fear of being recognized. Fortunately, with Zhang Xueli leading him, no one doubted his identity. Stepping into the elevator, Ling Chen slightly relaxed and smiled, "Miss Zhang, you’ve done well, I hope you can keep it up." Ding! With a crisp sound, the elevator finally reached the third floor. Outside the elevator, the corridor was heavily guarded with surveillance cameras everywhere, and guards stationed every few steps. Ling Chen silently rejoiced that he didn’t act recklessly to come to the third floor alone. The guards were everywhere, nowhere to hide. He would definitely have been spotted. Arriving at the room where the hostage was held, Zhang Xueli nodded towards two men in suits by the door who immediately opened it and let them in. Once inside, Ling Chen immediately saw, in the center of the room, a chair with Yang Tao tied to it, head hanging down, covered in blood, a horrifying sight. Ling Chen frowned slightly, quickly walked up to Yang Tao, and gently patted his shoulder, trying to wake him from his stupor. "Brother, wake up!" After shaking him a few times, Yang Tao finally responded, slowly lifting his head. However, as Ling Chen clearly saw the other’s face, his expression drastically changed and exclaimed, "You..." Before he could finish speaking, the person in front of him suddenly pulled out a syringe and fiercely stabbed it into his leg. Seeing this, Ling Chen had no time to think and hurriedly retreated. However, at that moment the room’s door was kicked open, several men in suits rushed in, each holding a tranquilizer gun aimed at Ling Chen’s back. Even with Ling Chen’s quick reaction, he could not defend himself in the confined space. After several dodges, his arm was unfortunately hit by a tranquilizer dart, causing him to collapse to the ground. After an unknown amount of time, a bucket of cold water poured over his head suddenly woke Ling Chen. He opened his eyes and looked around, seeing Zhang Xueli stood before him, staring coldly, with several men in suits beside her. "You thought you could sneak in undetected, that no one would know?" Hearing Zhang Xueli’s words, Ling Chen frowned and said, "You knew I came?" "Ha! You were hiding under my bed for so long, you really thought I didn’t notice?" Zhang Xueli pointed to her left artificial ear, "This is fitted with an electronic eavesdropping device. When you communicated with others using your wireless earpiece under the bed, the transmitted signal would interfere with the device, causing electrical static noise. There’s an old saying in Huaxia, ’Even the wise have one oversight,’ you didn’t expect your movements would be exposed because of it, did you?" Ling Chen gave a wry smile, "Indeed, I did not." He thought he was being cautious, yet his presence was exposed by a small device, which was somewhat disheartening. "What time is it now?" Zhang Xueli looked at her watch, said: "You have fifteen minutes left until your operation." She took the wireless earpiece devices from one of the men, waved it in front of Ling Chen, "Earlier, your teammates contacted you three times, aren’t you going to reply to them?" "You think I will cooperate with you and betray my teammates?" Ling Chen smiled faintly. As long as he didn’t respond, Pang Jiulin would surely know something was wrong. Zhang Xueli spoke nonchalantly, "I know you won’t cooperate voluntarily, but no worries, I have my ways." During the conversation, one of the men walked to a desk in the corner, opened a laptop, and connected it to an external device. Watching the man’s actions, Ling Chen felt a bad premonition and asked, "What is he doing?" "All that you told me just now, I recorded. Soon, after analyzing your voice with software, it will automatically match." Zhang Xueli’s words had just dropped when the man turned around and said, "It’s ready." "Contact them." The man nodded, opened the wireless earpiece, and then, from the laptop, a voice emerged, "Where are you now?" Ling Chen heard this, his face changed immediately; the computer-generated voice was almost indistinguishable from his own, even he could hardly tell the difference, let alone Pang Jiulin. Indeed, Pang Jiulin’s response came through the earpiece soon after, "You finally decided to speak up, I thought something had happened." After a pause, he continued, "We’ve reached the sewage pipe and can enter at any time. How are things on your side?" "Safe." The laptop conveyed in two words. "Good, we’ll be over soon." Once the communication ended, Zhang Xueli watched the ashen face of Ling Chen and smiled triumphantly, "It looks like I need to prepare a few more coffins."

Chapter 201 - 197: Trap

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