Chapter 91: Danger
You Ruxu froze.
Downstairs?
Downstairs at her apartment building?
She walked to the window, pulled back the curtains slightly, and looked down. It was pitch black outside, only the howling wind and the rustling of branches, she couldn’t see anything clearly, “Okay, I’ll come down as soon as I change.”
Her tone was urgent, conveying a sense of anxiety.
You Ruxu hung up, quickly went to her room, and called Captain Zhou, her voice calm and collected, “Where are you? Are you off duty?”
Captain Zhou had just dozed off at the station and immediately woke up, hearing You Ruxu’s voice, “Not yet, what’s wrong?”
“Listen to my call now, track my location.” You Ruxu’s instructions were clear and concise, “And bring people to my apartment, quickly,” You Ruxu continued, “The person in charge of the abandoned building contacted me, he said he has the USB drive.”
Captain Zhou abruptly sat up, “The USB drive?”
They hadn’t found any USB drive on Xu Jinwan, suspecting Zhou Heng had hidden it. Now, it suddenly appeared, in the possession of the construction site manager. You Ruxu said, “I don’t trust him, but I need to stall him.”
“Don’t…” Captain Zhou hesitated, “Don’t do anything risky.”
You Ruxu said, “They’re probably planning to use the same tactic, so you need to follow me.”
There was very little information about Xu Jinwan’s case, no primary crime scene, the suspects, Zhou Heng and the “informant,” one could easily escape charges, the other couldn’t be found. Even if they found the informant, there was no guarantee they could prove a connection. The longer the case dragged on, the more difficult it would be to find evidence. You Ruxu wanted to go downstairs, to stall the manager.
At least he knew something.
Or rather, he was part of it, and if they could get something out of him, they might find a breakthrough.
Captain Zhou’s heart pounded. She admired You Ruxu’s quick thinking, her ability to analyze the situation and weigh the risks, and even more so, her courage, daring to go down there alone. She said, “Wait for us to arrive.”
“There’s no time.” You Ruxu said, “I haven’t gone down yet, he’s probably getting suspicious.”
He might be gone by the time she got there.
If they missed this opportunity, the person behind it would know they were onto them, they might even give up on Xu Jinwan. They were counting on catching her off guard, so she had to pretend to be off guard.
You Ruxu quickly hung up. In the elevator, she opened her chat with Zhou Tianzui, their last conversation a voice message.
“A Ran, what are you doing?”
She pursed her lips.
Typed: [Zhou Tianzui.]
Zhou Tianzui replied: [Yes?]
You Ruxu sent: [I miss you.]
Such cheesy words, You Ruxu chuckled inwardly, easy to get sentimental in the middle of the night? Being alone at home, it was easy to overthink. Zhou Tianzui, after a while, replied: [I know.]
A seemingly nonchalant response, but she couldn’t suppress the smile spreading across her face. You Ruxu parked her car near the flower beds, turned off the engine, got out, and looked towards the right side of the building. Their building was at the edge of the complex, the area behind it empty, originally intended for a second phase of development, but construction hadn’t started yet, so it was dark and deserted, only the occasional passerby.
It had rained last night, puddles everywhere, the darkness reflecting the faint shimmer of water, making it slightly less opaque.
There was a car parked there.
She couldn’t tell what color it was, a sedan, its engine off, blending in with the night. A figure stood behind the car, near the front, half of his body visible, a man, seemingly talking to someone inside the car.
The person inside couldn’t be seen clearly.
Zhou Tianzui looked for a moment, entered the lobby, pressed the elevator button, and went upstairs.
She opened the door to her apartment and called out, “A Ran?”
You Ruxu had just messaged her, she couldn’t be asleep already, could she? The lights were on. She called out again, no response. She went to the bathroom, no one there either, then to the bedroom, where she saw You Ruxu’s pajamas by the bed.
Had she changed her clothes?
Where did she go?
Zhou Tianzui immediately called You Ruxu, the line busy. She sat on the bed, holding her phone, then suddenly thought of the car she saw downstairs.
And the man.
Zhou Tianzui’s eyes widened slightly. She immediately stood up and walked to the window, looking down. It was too dark to see anything. She rushed to the elevator, repeatedly pressing the button, her hands trembling slightly. She called You Ruxu again.
Still no answer!
Zhou Tianzui’s heart pounded with anxiety. As soon as the elevator arrived, she rushed out.
The car that had been parked downstairs earlier had its headlights on, driving away. Zhou Tianzui tried to chase after it, but it was too late. She got into her car, followed it, and opened the location sharing app on her phone.
After the Xu Jinwan incident, she had been worried about You Ruxu’s safety, and they had turned on location sharing after dinner last night.
A red dot blinked on the screen.
Right ahead.
The distance between them shrinking, Zhou Tianzui sped up, following closely behind.
Inside the car ahead.
The driver glanced at the rearview mirror occasionally, “Someone’s following us.”
You Ruxu also looked at the rearview mirror. It was Zhou Tianzui’s car. She pursed her lips. The man beside her said, “Your phone.”
He poked her waist with a knife, “Your phone.”
His tone impatient.
You Ruxu took out her phone and handed it to him, as if wanting to resist, but the man grabbed it, rolled down the window, and threw it out.
All in one swift motion.
Zhou Tianzui saw something fly out the window. She swerved to the right, wanting to overtake them, but the car in front sped up. She looked at the red dot on the screen.
What they just threw out, seemed to be a phone.
Not You Ruxu’s phone?
Whose was it?
Was there someone else in the car?
Zhou Tianzui struggled to stay calm, not knowing what was happening to You Ruxu.
Her eyes reddened slightly. She called Captain Zhou while driving.
Captain Zhou was surprised: “You’re following them?”
Zhou Tianzui, sensing that she knew something, asked, “You knew?”
Captain Zhou said, “Reporter You just called, we’re sending people over.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Is she crazy? Knowing who they are, and still going?!”
She had just promised to be careful that afternoon, and now she let herself be taken?
Liar!
Zhou Tianzui’s eyes burned, a red film clouding her vision. She wanted to grab You Ruxu and shake some sense into her.
Captain Zhou said, “Reporter You is doing this to solve the case.”
“Isn’t solving cases your job as police officers?!” Zhou Tianzui said, “What’s she, a reporter, doing getting involved?!”
Perhaps surprised by her outburst.
Captain Zhou paused.
She didn’t have a strong impression of Zhou Tianzui, having only met her a few times at the hospital, a very rational person, now seemingly losing her composure, “We’ve already located Reporter You, we’re on our way.”
“Didn’t she think something could happen on the way?” Zhou Tianzui said, “What if they decided to do something to her on the road?”
Xu Jinwan was dead.
It meant these people were ruthless.
They could do anything.
This wasn’t a simple kidnapping, not just intimidation, but a clear intent to harm!
Zhou Tianzui’s anger raged, rendering her speechless. She wasn’t thinking clearly now, the thought that just moments ago, You Ruxu was calling her, messaging her, saying she missed her, and now, trapped in another car, her safety uncertain, it made her panic.
All rationality gone, she just wanted to drive faster, faster!
Catch up!
Catch up to that car!
Zhou Tianzui’s eyes were bloodshot, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, her gaze fixed on the car ahead, her teeth biting into her lip, the metallic taste of blood in her mouth, her expression grim.
A car sped past her.
Captain Zhou said, “Dr. Zhou, stop the car.”
Zhou Tianzui didn’t seem to hear.
Captain Zhou said, raising her voice, “Zhou Tianzui, stop the car!”
Her voice much louder now.
Zhou Tianzui slammed on the brakes, as if suddenly jolted back to reality.
Covered in cold sweat.
Captain Zhou and her team had already caught up to You Ruxu. They had originally planned to discreetly follow the car, working with You Ruxu to find their hideout, but they hadn’t expected Zhou Tianzui to follow them, and by the looks of it, she had been discovered.
These people wouldn’t go to their planned location now.
They had to stop the car, while ensuring You Ruxu’s safety. She couldn’t contact You Ruxu, didn’t know if she was aware of the situation.
You Ruxu had already guessed. She was sitting in the back, the two men flanking her, their bodies blocking the door locks. She didn’t recognize the man on her left, his face menacing. The man on her right was the construction site manager, his usually jovial face grim and serious. The car drove on in silence, she looked around, not speaking.
The car turned onto another street. You Ruxu’s body leaned to the right. The manager said, “Watch it!”
The driver said, “The car behind us was too close.”
Looking closely now.
Zhou Tianzui’s car was no longer in sight.
You Ruxu breathed a sigh of relief.
She turned to the manager, “You’re Xu Jinwan’s informant?”
The manager’s expression faltered.
He wasn’t.
You Ruxu had a feeling.
She asked again, “Zhou Heng sent you?”
The manager frowned.
You Ruxu said, “Zhou Yun?”
The menacing man on her left sneered, “So many questions? Why don’t you ask Xu Jinwan herself?”
You Ruxu remained silent.
The man glared at her.
Quite obedient.
More obedient than that Xu Jinwan.
Xu Jinwan had struggled and shouted when they first took her, he had to slap her and give her sleeping pills to make her quiet down. In comparison, You Ruxu was much more compliant. He glanced at the rearview mirror, no cars following them.
Only two or three black sedans.
Models he hadn’t seen before.
The man said, “Turn around.”
The driver was puzzled, “Huh?”
The man spat, “I said, turn around!”
The car abruptly made a U-turn in the middle of the road, screeching to a halt.
The cars behind them, unable to react in time, swerved into the other lane. You Ruxu, seeing the man distracted, looking out the window, suddenly kicked the driver. The driver’s arm jerked, the steering wheel turning sharply to the left, throwing everyone in the car to the left. The manager, losing his balance, moved away from the door lock. You Ruxu, quick as a flash, unlocked the door, opened it, and pushed the manager out of the car before he could react. He tried to grab onto the seat, but it was too late.
You Ruxu didn’t hesitate and jumped out after him.
The man on her left, his face contorted with rage, lunged at her with a knife, the blade piercing her clothes, a line of blood appearing on her arm.
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