Chapter 355: Chapter 355

Ji Yu’s current condition seems off.

They were all worried that if something happened to Ji Yu, the operation would become much more difficult.

In fact, Ji Yu was much calmer than they expected her to be.

For instance, despite the situation in front of her, her mind was unusually clear. The source of this content ɪs novel_fіre.net

Her goal was simple: as long as she could rescue Gu Qixiao, everything else was secondary.

But things didn’t progress as smoothly as they had imagined. Just as they successfully entered the basement, they suddenly heard a faint chuckle.

"Miss Ji, you truly are bold. But it’s a shame—we’ve known about this for quite some time."

The man who appeared wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Ji Yu, and standing right beside him was Gu Qixiao.

Facing such a scenario, Ji Yu’s expression remained composed.

"What do you mean?" She had long prepared for the possibility of complications, so this development was not entirely unexpected.

"Miss Ji, what I mean is that you probably won’t be leaving this time. Look at you—how flustered you get when you see me. Relax, as long as the money comes through, the two of you can still leave here."

Ji Yu sneered coldly, "Do you think I’d give in that easily? I suggest you let Gu Qixiao go, or I guarantee you’ll face consequences you can’t even begin to imagine."

Hearing her words, the man became even more intrigued by Ji Yu.

Everyone knew what kind of person Ji Yu was. Given the current situation, something about her behavior didn’t seem quite right.

From the outset, she had been unshakably calm, as if purposefully biding her time for something.

"I don’t know what kind of consequences I’ll have to face, but one thing I do know is that Miss Ji won’t be leaving here."

Ji Yu’s smile deepened but turned colder. Observing Gu Qixiao, she could tell his condition was extremely dire. If things continued this way, there was no telling what horrific state he might end up in. Today, even if it cost her life, she was determined to get Gu Qixiao out of there.

Gu Qixiao struggled to look at Ji Yu. "Yu, don’t worry about me."

He was already in a wretched state. Knowing that Ji Yu had come meant she’d thought through certain risks beforehand. There was no need for her to act recklessly now.

"How could I possibly not care about you?" she replied, her gaze toward Gu Qixiao exceptionally tender.

Gu Qixiao had always protected her, and this time, it was her turn to protect him.

Gu Qixiao couldn’t understand why things had escalated this way. Ji Yu’s demeanor gave him a sinking premonition.

He really didn’t know how to convey his worries to Ji Yu.

Ji Yu, on the other hand, maintained her usual calmness toward the whole ordeal.

"Either release Gu Qixiao, or we all die here together. Do you know why I came alone? Because I didn’t want to involve anyone else."

At these words, both Gu Qixiao and the man’s expressions changed.

Clearly, Gu Qixiao was worried about Ji Yu, while the man feared she might actually follow through. If anything happened now, this entire place would likely go down with her.

"Ji Yu, calm down. Isn’t it easy for you to walk out of here alive? We can even let Gu Qixiao go, but everything has its price. You can’t just casually say you’ll take him away and expect it to happen."

The man hoped to stall, thinking she didn’t truly have the leverage to act. If Ji Yu really had the power she claimed, why would she be wasting time talking?

But in the next second, he realized how wrong he was. Ji Yu had the audacity to back up her words. She pulled off her jacket, revealing an actual bomb strapped to her body.

"I don’t need you to do much—just let Gu Qixiao go. Otherwise, when this bomb explodes, none of us will leave here alive. That’s something you can’t afford to gamble on, isn’t it?"

Ji Yu knew these people were driven by fear of death, so she was certain they wouldn’t reject her demands lightly.

Seeing that the situation was spiraling out of control, the man didn’t dare provoke her further. He had no choice but to play along for now. If Ji Yu really decided to act, his life would be forfeit.

Ji Yu stared him down coldly, making it clear that unless Gu Qixiao was freed, the matter wouldn’t end.

The man reluctantly began dragging Gu Qixiao toward the door. "Don’t be hasty. I value my life. If you detonate it now, none of us will survive, not even Gu Qixiao. Do you think you can live with that?"

He banked on Ji Yu’s concern for Gu Qixiao, assuming she wouldn’t push the button in such a situation.

"If Gu Qixiao and I can’t leave, what difference does it make? If it comes to mutual destruction, so be it. I’ve always been this kind of lunatic, so whatever happens is on you, not me."

Her unyielding stance unsettled the man, who realized Ji Yu wasn’t someone to be trifled with. If things continued at this rate, he might very well lose his own life.

He moved cautiously toward the door, his every step slow and deliberate. Behind them, noises echoed ominously. It was clear that if they didn’t reach the exit within the given time, disaster would strike.

"Miss Ji, why don’t you stop the timer? If anything happens, it’ll be too late by then."

"I’ve already made myself clear—either you let us leave now, or we all die here together. If you still can’t wrap your head around something as simple as that, don’t blame me for being ruthless." Ji Yu maintained her original position, indifferent to their reactions. She only hoped they understood that this was their own doing.

At this critical moment, Hong’s voice came through with an update. "Sister Yu, Du Kang should be back soon—estimated within ten minutes. You should think about relocating quickly."

He was worried Ji Yu wouldn’t have enough time to escape. Even if their immediate threat was neutralized, the cost would be too great. Nobody wanted to pay such a steep price.

The situation had escalated this far, and Ji Yu had no intention of ending the operation prematurely.

This time, they had already exposed their hand. If they tried again, who knew what further dangers might arise? Remaining calm was still crucial.

"Got it," she replied, fully aware of the stakes.

Ji Yu understood these adversaries weren’t easy to deal with, but as long as she was alive, giving up on Gu Qixiao was not an option.

"Yu, be careful—don’t let anything happen to you," Gu Qixiao said, deeply worried for Ji Yu’s safety.