Chapter 411: Chapter 411

The woman who had chased after them cursed angrily, "You dare harm innocent bystanders? I’ll twist your head off!"

The man shivered instinctively, but quickly regained composure and sneered, "You pushed me to this! If you don’t want him hurt, then stay out of my way. Don’t block my path, or the knife in my hand won’t discriminate!"

As soon as he finished, the knife pressed closer to the skin, the delicate neck appearing so fragile that it seemed a mere flick could snap it—it couldn’t withstand much resistance.

The woman gritted her teeth, wary of the situation, and retreated a few steps.

"Fine, I’ll let you go, but you absolutely cannot harm her. If you do, I’ll hunt you down to the ends of the earth!"

"Try to trick me, and I’ll make sure you end up penniless, loveless, and childless!"

"Cut the nonsense! Let her go immediately!"

The man moved cautiously, holding the black-clad figure hostage as he retreated. Once they reached the roadside, he discreetly slipped the knife’s hilt back into his sleeve, resting an arm over the black-clad person’s shoulder. At first glance, it might look like a casual gesture, but in reality, the blade concealed in his sleeve was aimed directly at the hostage’s carotid artery.

He kept a vigilant eye on the woman behind him while raising a hand to flag down a car.

Suddenly, he felt something suspicious and instinctively turned to look at the figure beside him.

Despite being held hostage, the person had remained entirely calm from start to finish—too calm, in fact, and it was unnervingly abnormal.

Clad entirely in black, with a mask and a baseball cap, the figure exuded an air of mystery.

"Dressed like someone with something to hide?"

As he spoke, the man reached up to remove the black-clad person’s baseball cap and placed it on his own head.

The moment the cap came off, silky locks of hair spilled onto the delicate neck beneath, the stark contrast of black and white forming an arresting visual.

The hair wasn’t particularly long, but it was clear at a glance—this was a young woman.

The man froze briefly, "It’s...a girl?"

The young woman raised her head slightly, the black frames of her glasses catching the light and creating an icy reflection that obscured her eyes.

A haze surrounded her, an impression of nebulous mystery where reality and illusion blurred. This content belongs to NoveI~Fire.net

"Yes, isn’t it unlucky?"

Her voice was cool yet gentle, laced with a faint trace of amusement.

She was answering the man’s earlier statement.

But who was truly the unlucky one?

The man suddenly felt a sharp numbness in his palm, the small knife hidden in his sleeve fell loose instinctively and dropped to the ground.

The young woman reacted swiftly, kicking the blade away in one deft motion.

"Courting death." The man snapped back to his senses and lunged to grab her hair, but an unexpected hand intervened precisely, grasping his wrist and bending it forcefully.

"Ah...!" The piercing scream echoed through the night sky, sounding almost inhuman.

A taxi was just about to pull over at the curb, but upon witnessing the scene, the driver panicked, slammed on the accelerator, and sped off in a flash.

The woman quickly pulled the black-clad young woman behind her and twisted the man’s arms behind his back at an unnatural angle, indifferent to his endless cries of pain.

"Go on, try running now," she growled.

Forcing him on his knees, the woman took out handcuffs and snapped them onto the man’s wrists with a crisp "click."

Defeated, the man glared ferociously at the black-clad young woman standing nearby, spitting angrily, "You ruined my plans! I’ll kill you...!"

As the words left his mouth, he struggled fiercely, attempting to rush toward her.

The woman knocked his head squarely, snorting coldly, "Stay put!"

With one knee pressing firmly against his back, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

"Biyun Road and Xiangxue Street intersection. You’ve got ten minutes."

Once she finished speaking, she ended the call briskly.

Only then did she lift her gaze toward the black-clad young woman standing by the roadside. "Hey, kiddo, are you shaken up? Don’t worry, the bad guy’s been dealt with."

The girl’s thin frame made her appear delicate and well-behaved. Thinking about how this scumbag had just held the young woman hostage, the woman couldn’t help but slap him on the head a few more times.

The girl adjusted her glasses delicately, the pale skin of her exposed face glowing almost unnaturally under the streetlights, making her resemble a fragile little victim.

Xiang Chenyu felt a pang of guilt deep down. This young woman had nearly been hurt due to her oversight. Though the ordeal ended favorably, it likely left an indelible mark on the girl.

"I’m fine. Are you a police officer?"

Her voice was soft and gentle, making her seem all the more meek.

"Apologies, kiddo. Chasing this criminal nearly put you in harm’s way."

A police car screeched onto the scene, coming to a halt by the roadside. The doors opened, and Wen Zhou strode out decisively.

Taking in the scene before him, Wen Zhou’s eyes narrowed slightly as he swiftly approached without a word.

"Director Xiang, my apologies for arriving late."

Wen Zhou waved dismissively, and two officers immediately stepped forward to take custody of the man from Xiang Chenyu, escorting him to the police car.

Xiang Chenyu scrutinized Wen Zhou. "Take him back first. I’ll take the young girl to the hospital."

Wen Zhou had noticed the black-clad young woman as soon as he stepped out of the vehicle. Her silhouette struck him as oddly familiar. Over years of handling cases and countless interactions with criminals, he had developed an uncanny memory for appearances, imprinted into his core.

He remarked with surprise, "Shen? What are you doing here?"

Xiang Chenyu arched an eyebrow, her gaze darting between the two, "You two know each other?"