An An tumbled out of He Zhongwu's arms, her face etched with anxiety.
He Zhongwu's vision was black. With his last ounce of consciousness, he yelled, "Run outside! Quickly!"
Qin Ningyi, from afar, also urged An An to get out quickly. They were already at the alley entrance. An An just needed to take a few more steps, and Huo Rou would be able to protect her.
"But, Uncle He..."
"Dad's here," Qin Ningyi swiftly took down the person beside him and looked at An An, his gaze urging her on.
An An ran towards the alley entrance. Taking advantage of the cover provided by the people around him, Ma Xiu also moved towards the alley entrance.
Huo Rou heard on her earpiece that things had taken a turn. She dragged Chen Li to the alley entrance to wait for An An.
"Mom!" An An's figure appeared at the alley entrance.
Huo Rou's eyes were gentle. Before she could speak, she saw the figure behind An An.
The person had no protection, sallow skin, a crew cut, thick eyebrows, and a well-featured face. A black jacket revealed the collar of a white shirt and a sweater vest, and he wore black sneakers, running very fast. This appearance would make no one suspect him of being a bad guy.
Huo Rou, holding Chen Li, snapped coldly, "Stop!"
Ma Xiu clearly saw the person in front of Huo Rou.
After much hesitation, he stopped. "Chen Li!"
He shouted Chen Li's name loudly, hoping to wake her up.
Chen Li was trained in the UK. Once she woke up, dealing with a delicate woman like Huo Rou would be more than enough.
Seeing Huo Rou, An An ran towards her quickly.
"Mom!"
"An An, get behind Mom."
Ma Xiu unwillingly took two steps forward. Huo Rou rarely left the laboratory. To deal with her, they had to attack her weakness. Chen Li had been observed in the hospital for so long, and they had finally found an opportunity when An An was alone at the door.
Now, not only was the child gone, but Chen Li was also trapped.
It was truly losing the wife and also the soldiers!
"Boss, we..." the subordinate behind him swallowed nervously. "How do we leave without that child?"
Who could have imagined Qin Ningyi was so formidable? Who could have imagined they could actually rescue An An in broad daylight?
All their bargaining chips were gone.
What were they to do now?
Ma Xiu's face turned terrifyingly dark, distorting his well-featured face, revealing a savage glint. "Huo Rou..."
He murmured Huo Rou's name. If he didn't kill Huo Rou here today, then tomorrow, they wouldn't survive either.
Not only were they targeted by Qin Nishui, but more importantly, it was because of the Yizhou virus. Once the Yizhou virus was cracked, they would completely lose their value. He knew how ruthless the Empire could be.
He didn't want to end up like Kurt, being thrown out as a target.
"Chen Li!" he called Chen Li's name again, his eyes filled with an unfathomable meaning.
The subordinates behind him seemed to have realized something and also loudly called Chen Li's name twice.
When his own life and Chen Li's life could not both be preserved, he naturally chose himself.
This was human instinct.
Ma Xiu took a small hidden weapon from his bag, clenching it in his hand, veins bulging.
He was out of options.
Just as he took another step forward, Chen Li's eyes indeed fluttered open.
She had been fortunate that Ma Xiu still cared about her, but the next second, she saw the object in Ma Xiu's hand.
Although only a corner of it was exposed, she had used it and remembered it clearly.
"Boss!" Chen Li looked at Ma Xiu in disbelief. She still couldn't believe that Ma Xiu intended to abandon her.
She had already been prepared to trade her own life for the success of their plan, but now...
Indeed, the Empire was heartless. With all the chips she held, the sleepless nights filled with fear in the UK, every broken rib... she had done so much, sacrificed so much, only to end up being abandoned.
"You want me dead?" Chen Li looked at the boss. Although she was still weak, her eyes widened as if facing death.
Seeing her wake up, Ma Xiu immediately signaled to her. Qin Ningyi was tied up. With so many of them, dealing with a weak woman like Huo Rou and a child like An An would be easy, wouldn't it?
But Chen Li's eyes were only on the hidden weapon he intended to use to kill her too.
"Might as well do it together," she narrowed her eyes, grabbed the blade in Huo Rou's hand, and kicked towards An An behind her.
Huo Rou, startled, released her grip, scooped up An An, and turned to dodge.
Ma Xiu's heart rejoiced. As expected, Chen Li was their best weapon. But before he could savor his triumph for too long, Chen Li, her face pale, threw the blade towards him.
The burst of force was considerable, and the blade instantly flew towards Ma Xiu. The subordinates behind him hastily pulled him to dodge.
But this was their most accomplished assassin, an assassin who had endured hellish training in the UK! Her aim!
It was truly precise.
The blade finally plunged into Ma Xiu's chest.