Chapter 925: Chapter 925
"Are we really going to capture these mercenaries ourselves?" The group exchanged glances, and one person cautiously said, "Bao, those mercenaries are pretty tough. Just us few… I'm afraid we might not be able to capture them."
"Oh come on, did your brains also stop working after we came to the Mainland?" Zheng Tianbao looked exasperated and said, "We're not their match in terms of combat, true. But who says we have to confront them directly? That Zhao guy, if he wants to steal the credit, will definitely send people to capture them. All we need to do is follow them, stay behind, and act when it's opportune. Wait until the fight between them gets messy and then quietly nab a few mercenaries. No need for direct confrontation. Even if they're that strong, it won't matter to us."
"Bao's right, that's called benefiting from the fight between the crane and clam—the fisherman's gain!" A policeman said excitedly, "Let Shenchuan City's police risk their lives. We'll hide behind, seize the opportunity, nab the mercenaries, and take the credit ourselves!"
Several police officers were also visibly intrigued, though two remained worried. One of them said, "But Bao, this plan depends on Zhao Chengshuang secretly sending people to block the mercenaries. If he doesn't, won't we be in trouble?"
"How can you be so dense?" Zheng Tianbao rolled his eyes and said, "If they don't act, won't we hold back as well? We wait until they make a move, then we make ours. If they don't move, we don't either—just treat it like a sightseeing trip. What's there to worry about?"
The two hesitant officers relaxed instantly, nodding quickly to follow Zheng Tianbao to go after the mercenaries.
The group reached consensus without hesitation and drove straight toward the North Suburb location. Zhao Chengshuang hadn't blocked Zheng Tianbao's information access, so they knew exactly which spot the farmer had mentioned.
The place the farmer described was indeed remote. Their car couldn't get closer than three li away from the small forest. They then abandoned the vehicle and started walking along the mountain trail toward the woods.
As they walked, the group searched for signs of Shenchuan City's police. However, no matter how far they went, they couldn't find any evidence of the Shenchuan police, leaving them feeling increasingly uneasy.
"Bao, could it be that Shenchuan City's police really didn't come?" After walking some more, a policeman finally whispered hesitantly, "Should we head back? If we go any farther, we'll enter the woods—they could be dangerous."
"With guts like that, what kind of cops are you pretending to be?" Zheng Tianbao snapped furiously, "We're still two li away from the woods. If Zhao Chengshuang sent people, they'd already be deep inside the forest by now. From here, you can't spot anything inside. Let's check it out closer. If Shenchuan's police really didn't come, we'll retreat. But if they did, we can't waste the opportunity!"
Given Zheng Tianbao's words, the others, though apprehensive, stuck with him and crept toward the woods. However, as they advanced, the result remained the same—no signs of police presence the whole way.
More grumbling arose mid-route, but after a tongue-lashing from Zheng Tianbao, they dared not utter another word about retreat. Eventually, they reached a point one hundred meters behind a small hill from the forest, with its situation clearly visible from their vantage.
Hiding behind the hill, the group cautiously peered ahead, only to find the forest devoid of any presence. This realization demoralized the cops, while Zheng Tianbao frowned deeply. He had been certain Zhao Chengshuang wanted all the glory, so he was convinced they'd send their forces. To his surprise, no one had been dispatched, disrupting his plans entirely!
"Bao, seems like Shenchuan City police wasn't aiming to hog the credit after all!" One policeman muttered quietly, doubting Zheng Tianbao's earlier claims as they saw no sign of the Shenchuan force.
"Hmph, maybe their team hasn't arrived yet!" Zheng Tianbao said irritably.
The officers exchanged uneasy glances before one suggested, "Bao, I think we should retreat for now. If Zhao Chengshuang was truthful, maybe there really is an ambush lurking here. The longer we linger, the greater the risk."
"Cowards!" Zheng Tianbao rebuked sharply, though he, too, felt increasingly unwilling to stay. Waving his hand reluctantly, he said, "Fine, for your sake, we'll go back first!"
The assembled policemen were annoyed by Zheng Tianbao's attitude, yet given his higher rank they refrained from voicing their dissatisfaction. As they turned and started retracing their steps, a gunshot echoed from the woods. A policeman beside Zheng Tianbao collapsed instantly, blood gushing from the bullet hole in his forehead.
Before anyone could react, another shot rang out, and another officer fell—exactly like the first.
Zheng Tianbao finally grasped the situation, diving to the ground while shouting, "Get down! There's a sniper!"
Though panicked, these policemen weren't without experience. Before Zheng Tianbao even spoke, they had frantically darted for cover, hiding themselves quickly. While the Xiangjiang police indeed displayed greater combat competence than their Shenchuan counterparts, facing snipers rendered those skills useless. They hadn't the faintest idea how to confront such concealed enemies.
Oddly, no further gunfire followed. As thoughts turned to escaping, the sound of rifles being cocked suddenly surrounded them. A harsh voice broke through: "Drop your weapons, raise your hands, and stand up—or we shoot."
Turning their heads, Zheng Tianbao and the others saw that seven or eight men had encircled the hilltop without their notice. Each was armed with powerful weaponry, barrels aimed squarely at them. Their modest revolvers were like toys compared to the mercenaries' assault rifles. The officers were paralyzed with fear, realizing any wrong move would end them.
Exchanging desperate looks, the cops begrudgingly threw down their sidearms, raising their hands as they stood. Around them, the mercenaries kept their weapons trained, ready to shoot at the slightest provocation.
Two men stepped forward, collecting the discarded revolvers. With their weapons seized, Zheng Tianbao's group was rendered utterly defenseless.
"You're Xiangjiang police. Why didn't Shenchuan's force show up?" The man who had spoken earlier directed his gaze at Zheng Tianbao. "Why didn't Zhao Chengshuang come personally?"
It seemed this man knew Zhao Chengshuang well, likely having investigated Shenchuan's police upon arrival here.
The sight of his dead colleagues and the mercenaries surrounding them left Zheng Tianbao trembling uncontrollably. Though he tried to present an air of calm, his quivering voice betrayed him as he stammered, "They… they thought it was a trap—that you… you intentionally lured them here. So… so they didn't come."
"Ha, Zhao Chengshuang is quite sharp!" The man grumbled, annoyed. "How did he figure we set up a trap for him? Seems we underestimated him. Instead of drawing him out, we've only netted this pack of losers."
Hearing this insult, the Xiangjiang officers were furious but helpless. What could they do when fully subdued?
Zheng Tianbao felt even worse—regret swamped him, recalling how he'd ignored Zhao Chengshuang's warnings. His grudge against Ye Qing had fueled his belief that Ye Qing was always wrong. Now, reality had proved otherwise, but it was too late.
"Captain, what should we do with them now?" One mercenary asked, hesitating. "These guys dislike Ye Qing—they can't help us bait him. Why not kill them outright? Less nuisance!"
The Xiangjiang policemen shivered visibly, fearing for their lives. Zheng Tianbao paled, finally understanding the mercenaries' true goal: to trap Zhao Chengshuang and eventually lure Ye Qing. Instead, they had walked right into the snare, practically begging for disaster.
"No need to kill them!" The Captain waved dismissively. "Hmph, if we want Ye Qing, Zhao Chengshuang isn't the only lead. Ou Keren is also his friend."
"Ou Keren?" The mercenary asked in surprise. "Captain, you mean…?"
"Using these Xiangjiang cops, we can bait Ou Keren. And once she's here, we can use her to draw out Ye Qing. It'll work the same way." The Captain sneered at Zheng Tianbao and his group, adding, "The plan hasn't changed—it only needs a slight detour."
The mercenaries erupted in cheers. The Captain leisurely approached Zheng Tianbao, saying coldly, "It appears you're the leader of this group. I'll give you one chance to live."
"W-what chance?" Zheng Tianbao stuttered nervously.
"Call Ou Keren. I don't care how—just trick her into coming here!" The Captain paused briefly. "And I mean alone."
"Wha—?" Zheng Tianbao's eyes widened in horror. "You… you want to capture Captain Ou? No! I won't make that call."
"Then don't." The Captain pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Zheng Tianbao's head. "If you won't, someone else will. Whoever makes the call lives; whoever doesn't—dies. It's your choice."