Thud!!
The thick wallet fell to the ground. It was open, revealing a considerable wad of cash, around fifteen or sixteen hundred yuan.
In this day and age, fifteen or sixteen hundred yuan was a substantial sum, equivalent to half a year's income for an ordinary person.
Seeing the thick pile of cash in the wallet, different glints of light appeared in the eyes of the four men in black.
Then, one of them quickly stooped down and picked up the wallet.
Just as Qin Chuan thought they were a group of common bandits, the men in black began to approach them.
"Friends, I've given you the money, what more do you want?!"
Qin Chuan had been cautiously observing their movements. The moment the men in black moved, he immediately grabbed Shang Honglian's small hand and retreated rapidly.
As for Shang Honglian, she was already terrified. She was just a young girl in her early twenties and had never witnessed such a scene.
Late at night, four men in black wearing masks appeared out of nowhere, wielding weapons like clubs and daggers. Who wouldn't be scared?
"What more?"
"Looking at the way you two lovebirds are dressed, it's clear you're well-off. You think a mere thousand-plus yuan can buy us off? Is your life that cheap, or do you take us for beggars?"
One of the men in black, who seemed to be the leader, kept tapping his palm with a club. He advanced steadily, his eyes beneath the mask glinting with lewdness as they roamed over Shang Honglian.
"Run!!!"
Qin Chuan noticed the man's gaze and knew this situation couldn't be resolved peacefully. These men in black were greedy. He made a decisive call, shouting, and pulling Shang Honglian as they sprinted towards the nearest alley.
"Trying to run? Chase them!"
Seeing Qin Chuan drag Shang Honglian into the alley, the four men in black immediately gave chase.
The alley at night was as dark as ink, rendering vision impossible. At the same time, a foul stench wafted from all directions. Stepping on the ground often resulted in a squishy or soft sensation.
But none of that mattered. The most important thing now was to escape with their lives.
"Ouch!"
Suddenly, Shang Honglian cried out in pain, stumbling and nearly falling.
"What's wrong?"
Qin Chuan asked quickly.
"I lost my shoe!"
Shang Honglian was wearing sandals today, which were completely unsuitable for such strenuous running. Qin Chuan quickly scanned the surroundings. The alley was pitch black; even Shang Honglian, who was right beside him, was indistinguishable.
In this brief moment of delay, the four men in black behind them had closed in rapidly. Their footsteps were clear, and their blurry figures could be faintly discerned.
"I'll carry you!"
Qin Chuan made a swift decision, telling Shang Honglian to climb onto his back. He cupped her behind, and once again, his long legs sprang into action as he fled at breakneck speed.
However, running with someone on your back was significantly slower than running alone. The pursuing footsteps grew louder and louder, and the exit of the alley remained unseen. If this continued, they would surely be caught.
The consequences would be unimaginable!
"Honglian, I have my phone in my pocket. Help me get it out and call for reinforcements quickly!"
Qin Chuan said rapidly, already feeling the drain on his stamina.
"Which pocket is your phone in?"
Shang Honglian asked urgently.
"The right pocket of my pants!"
"I... I can't reach it!"
Shang Honglian tried several times, nearly twisting her waist, but couldn't locate the phone. Her voice was tinged with tears.
"Let me do it. Hold on tight!"
Qin Chuan said helplessly.
Shang Honglian immediately wrapped her arms tightly around Qin Chuan's neck, pressing her entire body against him like a sloth.
This posture was like zero-contact intimacy, and both could feel each other's warm body heat.
Fortunately, it was a critical moment, and neither had the inclination for such things. Qin Chuan, with one hand supporting Shang Honglian's behind, reached into his pocket with the other for his phone.
Just as he got his hand on the phone, a large pit suddenly appeared under his feet. Qin Chuan's foot slipped, causing him to stumble violently and nearly fall.
"Ah!!"
Shang Honglian, clinging to his back, shrieked in unison. Fortunately, Qin Chuan had strong control and managed to stay on his feet, though a sharp pain shot up from his ankle, as if he had sprained a ligament.
Enduring the pain, Qin Chuan continued to run, lifting his arm as he ran to offer the phone.
"Quick! Call my construction site and have them bring people over!"
In the pitch-black alley, the light from the phone screen immediately attracted the attention of the men in black behind them.
"Damn lovebirds, they actually have a phone and are calling for backup!"
"Stop them from calling!"
"Snatch their phone, it's worth more than that thousand-plus yuan!"
The moment Shang Honglian turned on the phone screen, the pursuing men in black spotted the light.
Their footsteps quickened, as if they were accelerating their pursuit.
Shang Honglian was startled, almost dropping the phone, and began to tremble again.
"Calm down!"
"Even if the sky falls, I'll be here to hold it up for you. Hurry and make the call!"
Qin Chuan's cold voice made Shang Honglian regain some composure. She quickly started searching for the number.
"Which number is for your construction site?"
Shang Honglian was on the verge of tears. Everything she was experiencing was beyond her comprehension. She never imagined that in such a peaceful era, she would encounter such robbers.
"The contact is named 'Construction Site' in the address book. Dial it quickly."
Shang Honglian finally found the number and quickly dialed it.
"Hello, who is this?"
After a few rings, the call was picked up, and a deep voice responded.
"Is this Qin Chuan's construction site?"
"Your boss is in trouble!"
Shang Honglian said urgently.
"Who are you? Where is our boss now?"
The man on the other end of the phone's tone instantly turned chillingly cold. Even through the phone, the hidden rage was palpable.
"Brother Dao, are you on duty today?"
Qin Chuan, fleeing for his life with Shang Honglian on his back, recognized Zheng Chengdao's voice and spoke up. Shang Honglian quickly brought the phone closer to Qin Chuan's ear.
"Boss, what happened? Where are you now?"
Zheng Chengdao asked anxiously.
"We're in the old city's snack street area and ran into four masked men in black. They're chasing us!"
"I don't know the exact location, but it's deep inside a very, very deep alley... Ah!!!"
As he was speaking, a scream suddenly erupted, and the call was abruptly cut off.
Zheng Chengdao anxiously called out a few times and tried to call back, but the phone was turned off.
"Son of a bitch!"
Zheng Chengdao, usually calm and experienced, cursed for the first time. His weathered face was filled with intense anxiety.
He practically sprinted out of the corrugated iron room at top speed and headed to the sales center.
It had already been luxuriously decorated and was quite high-end. Since it hadn't officially opened yet, it had temporarily become a place for them to relax and have fun.
Qin Yang, Qin Gang, Bai Xiaoguang, and others were all there, playing cards amidst a lively atmosphere.
"Stop playing, all of you! The boss is in trouble!"
Zheng Chengdao burst into the sales center and roared.
His words plunged the once lively room into dead silence...