Chapter 99: Chapter 51: No Other Choice (3)
He Kao: "I want to! Why don’t you let us go? I just told you everything."
Xiaotao: "It’s not that we want to kill people, but letting you go is impossible. Even if I don’t kill you, keeping you locked up here like this, you’d eventually die of starvation. It’d be quicker to just give you one swift cut!
But I’m now willing to give you an opportunity, your one chance to survive!
You can make one phone call to the person you most want to contact, but be warned, you must speak according to my instructions. If you say one wrong word, the woman next to you, her pretty face will get slashed."
Now tell me, you only have this one chance, who do you want to call?"
The woman on the other side also slapped Gao Xue’e’s face with a knife, shouting, "Speak, who do you want to call?"
Gao Xue’e shivered, feeling close to fainting, and gasped, "I don’t know, listen to He Kao."
Xiaotao: "She’s listening to you, so go ahead."
He Kao: "But I can’t remember the number, it’s in my phone contacts, and my phone isn’t with me."
This was an unexpected answer. Nowadays, very few people memorize phone numbers; contact numbers are stored in phones, and unless it’s someone very familiar or close, it’s hard to remember them.
Moreover, in many cases, people don’t need to make calls anymore and can directly contact through social media apps.
Xiaotao was taken aback, seemingly talking to himself, "This job! I actually didn’t get the phone." Then he turned and asked Zhao Hai Zhen, "Should we notify the guys over there to check this kid’s phone?
No need to bring it over, just ask for the password and unlock it there to find the number."
He Kao’s phone not being taken by the kidnappers wasn’t a mistake. Because now many phones have tracking features, it’s the right choice to prevent unforeseen circumstances by not carrying it.
Zhao Hai Zhen pondered, "Kid, first tell me the boot-up password, then tell me whose number you want to check?"
He Kao was about to speak, but Zhao Hai Zhen interrupted him again, saying, "Wait, don’t rush, listen to my requirements. Once the call goes through, you can’t tell the person you’ve been kidnapped or hint at it in any way.
Second, you must tell the person that you and this Manager Gao are together, that you need their help, and ask them to make sure they come over. As for what the issue is, you’ll explain it once you meet up."
He Kao: "It’s the middle of the night, they might not even answer."
Xiaotao: "You just dial, whether they answer or not is another matter."
He Kao: "Where do I tell them to come to?"
Xiaotao: "Jiangbei New District Pugang Town, Sanxi Bridge."
He Kao knew this place; even someone unfamiliar could find it using navigation.
Previously, Puhu Village, Shangwan Village, and Xiaowan Village in this area were all grouped into Pugang Town.
Shangwan and Xiaowan are actually two rivers, and their watershed is called Bai Ma Mountain. They flow together at the northern end of Bai Ma Mountain in the town and merge into Bai Ma River, which flows south shortly into the Great River.
The Sanxi Bridge is downstream not far from the confluence of the two rivers, and there used to be Shangwan Village nearby.
Later, Jiangbei New District developed, not only rebuilding the Sanxi Bridge but also modifying the river bends into ecological wetlands and green lands to protect the soil environment and improve flood control standards, relocating Shangwan Village.
The scenery around the Sanxi Bridge is quite nice, with citizens strolling and playing on sunny holidays, but the location is indeed somewhat remote. There are no residents nearby, and it’s deserted at night.
Sanxi Bridge isn’t far from Joy Valley; the bridgehead is just over a kilometer away from the southwest wall of the amusement park, but there’s a small hill along Bai Ma Mountain’s southern end in between.
He Kao: "Even if I say what you want, what if they don’t want to come?"
Xiaotao: "Well, that depends on your skills, isn’t it? Find a way, find reasons to get them to come. And don’t even think about calling some random people, like a cop you know, or even Lin Qingshuang.
Remember, this is your only chance, seize it if you want to live, don’t waste it... And make sure not to say a single word wrong!"
Zhao Hai Zhen impatiently said, "Stop rambling and ask him who he wants to call."
He Kao: "Let me think carefully."
He Kao reported his phone’s unlock password and then pondered for another half a minute, finally saying, "I want to call Qian Guran, just like I mentioned earlier, Old Qian."
Just as Xiaotao said, He Kao had to make this call, it was his and Gao Xue’e’s only chance to seek help from the outside world, and their hope to survive.
Even knowing Zhao Hai Zhen’s intentions, he had no choice.
The call’s content was restricted, and he had to speak as per the kidnappers’ demands, not daring to risk the kidnappers really slashing Gao Xue’e’s face.
Not revealing the kidnapping, or hinting, was a normal request. After all, calls can be recorded, and if the other side records the conversation, they could use it to call the police.
Following the kidnappers’ instructions, the person answering the call couldn’t report it to the police, and even if they did, the police wouldn’t take it seriously. Originally, he and Gao Xue’e lived alone; didn’t they just go out in the middle of the night?
As for luring someone to Sanxi Bridge, Zhao Hai Zhen and the others must have already set up an ambush there. Their original goal was to use him and Gao Xue’e to draw out the Hidden Moth.
He Kao’s best option for help was Xiaopang, but this call absolutely couldn’t go to Xiaopang; otherwise, it would directly tell Zhao Hai Zhen who the Hidden Moth was.
With only two choices, excluding Xiaopang left no other option but Old Qian.
Upon hearing He Kao say Qian Guran’s name, the dozen sorcerers present frowned secretly, guessing—could Qian Guran be the Hidden Moth?
Thinking it through, Old Qian is indeed quite suspicious, almost the most suspicious! He was the first to swap the pendant; who knows what he swapped it for?
As for later handing a magical artifact, admitting and apologizing, returning it to He Kao, and Lin Qingshuang recognizing this artifact has rare benefits, even borrowing it... Was this a cover-up?
If Qian Guran could swap once, he could swap twice, sacrificing a precious magical artifact to hide the real Hidden Moth Object, and using Lin Qingshuang to prove his innocence... That’s quite slick!
The smarter people are often more susceptible to misdirection, because once a conclusion is set, they find the path themselves, yet remain very confident.
Though there were many doubts, everyone increasingly felt that Qian Guran was more suspicious.
Only one person onsite could confirm that Qian Guran wasn’t the Hidden Moth, at least not during Liang Kai’s disappearance. That person was Peng Xian, because he had sneaked a look at He Kao’s company’s restaurant footage from that time, showing He Kao and Qian Guran dining there.
But later, this footage was furtively deleted by Peng Xian, who had already decided to frame Old Qian back then.
Peng Xian knew Qian Guran wasn’t the Hidden Moth but said nothing. He Kao merely chose Qian Guran to make the call, while everyone just speculated silently, holding various thoughts.
Zhao Hai Zhen narrowed his eyes, suddenly recalling something else, and said, "Then no need to send someone to check the number anymore. I know his contact... Since it’s Qian Guran, I’ll add another requirement to the call content.
Once connected, you first ask him what he took from the bank safe? You don’t tell him the answer, let him reply."
Xiaotao patted He Kao’s face, chiming in, "Remember, also don’t say anything wrong, don’t give hints!"
Upon hearing this request, He Kao’s heart couldn’t help but race suddenly.
At this moment, someone came in handing Xiaotao a strange phone, resembling a walkie-talkie rather than a mobile phone, with numeric buttons on the front and an antenna nearly a meter long at the top.
Zhao Hai Zhen reported Qian Guran’s number, Xiaotao entered it, pressed the send key, then pointed the phone at He Kao’s face.
**
PS: This Chapter is a supersized, combined Chapter.
2024, Happy New Year to all book friends, may your career thrive, your health flourish, your life be happy, your youth eternal, and wealth plentiful!
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