Saving the Heartthrob Frenemy-Chapter 555: Caught

He checked through the painted windows for any movement outside and when he found no one he pushed out the four-wheeler bike outside. He climbed on it and turned the key before pressing the start button. He followed the directions on his phone.

His heart pounded against his ribcage as he tore through the dense forest on the quad bike. The engine roared, drowning out the rustling leaves and the distant howls of nocturnal creatures. His breaths came in ragged gasps, the adrenaline pushing him forward.

He glanced over his shoulder, eyes scanning the moonlit trail. No sign of pursuit. But he knew better than to trust the silence. Qie Ranzhe wouldn’t let him escape so easily.

As he got closer and closer to the extraction point he smiled menacingly. His fingers clenched the handlebars, knuckles white. He couldn’t afford any mistakes.

The quad bike jolted as it hit a gnarled root, and Leong Jinn fought to keep his balance. The forest closed in around him, a living, breathing entity that seemed to conspire against him. He pushed the machine harder, branches whipping at his face, adrenaline masking the pain.

As he neared the clearing, the sound of rotor blades sliced through the night. The helicopter descended, its spotlight piercing the darkness. Leong Jinn’s heart soared—he was almost there. He skidded to a halt, leaping off the quad bike, legs trembling. The wind whipped his hair, and he squinted against the blinding light. Excited, he rushed over but when the helicopter doors slid open, Leong Jinn’s elation turned to ice. Qie Ranzhe stepped out, his silhouette framed by the chopper’s glow.

Leong Jinn’s mind raced his complexion turning white. How could have Qie Ranzhe found him? That message was from the investors so why was he here? Panic clawed at his throat as he drew his gun aiming it at Qie Ranzhe.

"Stay back or I will shoot," he said his eyes blazed with fury as he aimed the weapon at Qie Ranzhe, who stood before him with a devilish aura that seemed to almost taunt him. But just as Leong’s finger tightened on the trigger, a gunshot rang out, and pain seared through his hand. The gun clattered to the ground, and Leong Jinn howled in agony, clutching his wounded hand.

In the tense silence that followed, a tall woman emerged from the shadows, calmly lowering her own weapon. Her expression was unreadable as she surveyed the scene before her, the rotating helicopter blades casting long shadows and whipping up gusts of wind that tousled her hair.

Qie Ranzhe’s gaze flickered from Leong Jinn to the woman. Hei Xiwen emerged from the bushes and checked the four-wheeler bike for anything useful. There was nothing but a few feet from where Leong Jinn fell there was the satellite phone.

"How did... ugh, how did you?" said Leong Jinn as he crawled away with a contorted expression on his face.

Without a word, Luo Muchen took a step forward, his devilish aura seeming to intensify with each movement. As the wind continued to howl and the helicopter blades spun relentlessly overhead, a dangerous tension hung in the air.

Leong Jinn knew that he was trapped. He was surrounded by men and women clad in combat gear who had sprung up from the bushes.

Qie Ranzhe grabbed the man’s collar with a fierce grip. His fists rained down on the man’s face, each blow fueled by weeks of fear and desperation. Blood splattered, mixing with the dirt as Qie Ranzhe’s knuckles connected with bone. It was a raw, primal release of all the pent-up emotions he had harboured for so long.

Airen, sensing the intensity of the moment, rushed forward and pulled him back, her voice a distant echo in the roaring storm of his anger. "Boss, stop! You can’t kill him yet."

Qie Ranzhe’s chest heaved with each ragged breath, his body trembling with the force of his emotions. Slowly, he released his grip on the man’s collar, the taste of victory bittersweet on his tongue. His eyes, filled with a mix of relief and anguish, bore into the man beneath him, who now lay broken and defeated on the ground.

As the adrenaline began to wear off, Qie Ranzhe straightened his back trying to compose himself. "Leong Jinn" his voice cut through the wind. "You thought you could escape, didn’t you?"

Leong Jinn’s gaze darted to the treeline looking at the armed figures closing in like vengeful shadows. He crawled back with fear in his eyes. "Qie Ranzhe, this this is illegal—"

"Save it," Qie Ranzhe snapped. "Tie him up and bring him back." Leong Jinn couldn’t accept this. Yes, Qie Ranzhe was powerful but he couldn’t cover the sky. It was impossible.

Screaming in anger he yelled, "How could you find me? You bloody bastard, how did you mmm mmm?!" His mouth was suddenly gagged and he was thrown into the helicopter. They got in and the deafening roar of the helicopter’s blades sliced through the tranquil forest, causing the trees to tremble in protest. As the aircraft ascended, the branches swayed violently, leaves swirling in a chaotic dance.

Flying across the vast expanse of greenery, the helicopter eventually descended, hovering just above the forest floor. Hei Xiwen and Qie Ranzhe got down and a group of people rushed to carry the man who was bound and gagged.

Leong Jinn’s eyes darted around frantically, his muffled cries lost in the whirl of the blades above.

They dragged him through winding tunnels of the underground lair, his hands bound tightly behind his back. Blood dripped from a gash on his arm and his eyes were swollen shut, and his breath came in ragged gasps. The adrenaline that had fueled him earlier had now abandoned him, leaving only exhaustion and defeat.

The room they threw him into was stark—a cold, windowless chamber with stone walls. A single flickering bulb hung from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows. Leong Jinn’s head lolled to the side as they untied the ropes that bound him. He slumped against the rough surface, barely conscious.

The door creaked open, revealing a figure cloaked in darkness. The newcomer stepped inside, boots echoing on the stone floor. Leong Jinn’s eyes fluttered, but he remained motionless. He had no fight left in him.

"Leong Jinn," a voice murmured, low and menacing. "You have no idea who you offended do you?"

Leong Jinn recognised the voice. It was Luo Shih or as others called her the goddess of the abyss. When he came up with his plan and kidnapped her son he knew there would be consequences but he just didn’t think he would get caught.

She circled Leong Jinn, studying him with cold detachment. "Was it worth it?"

Leong Jinn’s tongue felt like sandpaper. He tried to speak, but his voice cracked. "I—"

"Shh shh shh," Luo Shih snapped. "I just want to know one thing and I won’t make things difficult for you."

The room seemed to close in on Leong Jinn his chest rapidly rising and falling. He wondered if this was where he would meet his end. He hoped she would make it quick but soon his hope was shattered when he saw what she had in her hand. It wasn’t a blade or a gun. Instead, she produced a small vial—a murky liquid that glimmered in the dim light. Leong Jinn’s pupils trembled as he tried to flee for his life.

Luo Shih chuckled softly before saying, "Oh, don’t worry. This isn’t going to kill you but... it will hurt like hell. I sincerely hope that for your sanity you will be honest with me. Good?"

She tilted her head slightly and a cold glint shone in her eyes. Leong Jinn was terrified out of his mind. He tried to fight but it was pointless.

Luo Shih tilted the vial as she drew back the syringe. She tightened the belt restraining his arm and looked for his swollen veins. She touched his arm with a gloved hand and he started screaming.

"NO NO NO STAY AWAY FROM ME YOU CRAZY BITCH!!!"

Luo Shih laughed manically as she injected the unknown liquid into his body. Screams of anguish followed suit.

Hei Xiwen who was sitting outside the room gambling with some mercenaries glanced at the door. The other men shivered in fear hearing those blood-curdling screams but for Hei Xiwen it was music to his ears. He knew that after this Luo Shih’s mood would improve and he might get a reward so yes he was very happy.

"Why are you smiling like that?" asked one of the men and Hei Xiwen laughed softly before saying,

"No reason. I just think I might be getting a reward very soon."

The men, "..."

Meanwhile, Qie Ranzhe walked towards the room with all the instruments expecting to find Wen Qinxi but he wasn’t there. He turned to Machu who was monitoring the kids and asked, "Where is he?"

Machu pointed at the other door and said, "I knocked him out. He was too tired and fighting off sleep. I had to do it."

Qie Ranzhe didn’t even argue with that. Machu was right to do so otherwise Wen Qinxi would work himself to death.