Everyone fell silent and stopped in their tracks.
The vice-captain turned his head around and said exasperatedly, âWhy the hell didnât you follow the footstep? Are you blind or what?!â
Xiang Qian pressed his lips and said, âIâm sorry, Young Master Gu, vice-captain, Iâ¦â
There was no point in saying anything right now.
Gu Yanqiâs face was grim.
Yu Sheng then continued, âYoung Master Gu, Xiang Qian didnât mean it. He will die if the landmine goes off. Please, you have to save himâ¦â
âSave him? How can I save him?â
Gu Yanqi opened his mouth and the light in the distance was getting nearer and nearer.
Xiang Qian closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, he said decisively, âDonât mind about me!â
He looked at Gu Yanqi and shouted, âGo! Donât care about me and take President Li away!â
âXiang Qian!â Yu Sheng shouted as tears began to form in his eyes.
âDonât come here. Go!â
âButâ¦â
âThere is no but!â Xiang Qian interrupted. He glanced across the crowd and continued, âIâve already lived long enough, and I donât have any regrets in my life anymore. Go now. I will hold them off.â
âYou are coming with us!â
âThere is a landmine underneath my foot! How am I supposed to come with you guys?â Xiang Qian said as he closed his eyes again. Then, when he opened his eyes once more, a newfound determination entered his eyes. âHonestly, you guys donât have to feel bad about it. Maybe this is the universeâs way of telling me that itâs time for me to go. Besides, if they really come, I can detonate the mine and bring some of them down with me!â
Yu Sheng wanted to say something, but he knew that there was nothing he could do as well. Besides, they were in a war with the Phantom Lord, so they must not be swayed by their emotions.
Howeverâ¦
Jiang Zhengâs eyes were red around the rims and tears began to fall from his eyes. He gritted his teeth and hissed, âThe Phantom Lord! I will certainly kill them all after I get out of here! I swear to God!â
Yu Sheng and Jiang Zheng were the closest to Xiang Qian in the Shadow Corp. Three of them were the same age. The rest of the members felt raw at their throats as they looked at the three youngest members in the Shadow Corp.
âXiang Qian, you⦠We will avenge you! I swear on my life!â
âLetâs go!â Gu Yanqi barked out his order through gritted teeth. His eyes were red and it seemed as if his eyes were bleeding.
The rest of the members were the same as well.
âIâm sorry, Young Master Gu, President Li, and vice-captain.â Xiang Qian took a deep breath and said. He lowered his head and his face was filled with tears. âI canât continue to serve you anymore, President Li⦠Yu Sheng, there is some money on my bank card. Initially, Iâm saving it for my wife in the future, but I donât have the chance anymore. Iâm now entrusting it to you and I hope that we can be brothers again in the next life!â
A gust of frosty wind blew and snow began to fall again. In front of them was the way out, while their back was bloodshed and endless darkness.
Xiang Qian was standing as stiff as a ramrod. Just when he was about to say anything, a female voice rang out, âThere are less landmines ahead and Iâve put marks on them. Gu Yanqi, take the team with you and I will catch up to you later.â
Gu Yanqi raised his head.
Fu Zhi took two steps forward and pulled a dagger out of her shirt. She walked across the crowd and squatted in front of Xiang Qian.
âMs. Fu!â Xiang Qian was dumbfounded. He instinctively tried to lift his leg, but Fu Zhi pressed his feet back on the ground. âDonât move if you donât want to die.â
Then, she began using the dagger to pry the soil apart.
Standing frozen stiff, Xiang Qian stared at Fu Zhi.
After he realized what Fu Zhi was doing, he said, âMs. Fu! Please donât care about me! Demining is not as easy as you think. You should go ahead and leave with President Li! My life is worthless, so itâs fine if I die!â
âFu Zhi!â Gu Yanqi did not expect Fu Zhi to be so bold as well. When he realized that she went back to save Xiang Qian, his face turned pale, âStop messing around! Do you really think you know how to remove a landmine after reading two books?â
âYoung Master Gu is right. Ms. Fu, I really appreciate you for coming back to save me, but you really should leave now. Or else, itâd be too late!â
Xiang Qian knew Fu Zhi really wanted to save him, but even an expert had to be very careful dealing with this kind of landmine, let alone Fu Zhi, who had just read a few books?
âMs. Fu, Iâve scolded you and Iâve been criticizing you since the moment you showed up. You really donât have to save me. Hurry up and go with Young Master Gu!â
However, Fu Zhi paid him no mind. She threw the flashlight to him and said, âHold it for me. Then, keep your mouth shut.â
âBut Iâ¦â Xiang Qian pressed his lips thin.
Liu Mi approached Gu Yanqi and asked, âYoung Master Gu, does Ms. Fu really knows how to remove a landmine?â
âOf course she doesnât! Didnât you hear what she said just now? She has only read a few books and she doesnât even have any hands-on experience before!â
Gu Yanqi pointed at the vice-captain and ordered, âBring a few people with you and take Nanli down the mountain first.â
âYes, sir!â
Liu Mi then asked, âHow about Ms. Fu?â
Gu Yanqi rubbed the center of his eyebrows and snarled, âDonât ask me! I donât know.â
There was a voice in Gu Yanqiâs head telling him that there was no way a 17-year-old girl would know so many survival skills.
Xiang Qian remained standing frozen stiff.
Even Yu Sheng and Jiang Zheng were looking at them with bated breath.
Xiang Qianâs heart was pumping fast in his chest. He could see with the flashlight that Fu Zhiâs forehead was filled with sweat.
âI will count to three, then you move your leg.â
Xiang Qian held his breath. âMs. Fu, I⦠Iâ¦â
âThree, two, one.â
Yu Sheng grabbed Jiang Zhengâs arm and closed his eyes.
One second, two seconds, on the third second, Xiang Qian felt a cold breeze on his cheek.
He had no idea why but he felt pain in his cheek.
There was no explosion.
He looked at the landmine as he could not believe that he was still alive. He turned to look at Fu Zhi and he was assaulted by regret when he remembered his attitude and those things he said to Fu Zhi when they were in the house.
âI⦠Ms. Fu, Iâm sorry. I shouldnât have misjudged you. Itâs all my fault.â
Xiang Qian was, after all, a 20-year-old young man who did not have experienced much in his life. Initially, he had prepared to perish together with the Phantom Lord, and he right now only felt sorry for treating Fu Zhi badly.
âMs. Fu, I will notâ¦â
âThe money in your bank card,â Fu Zhi chimed in, âIf you really want to thank me, transfer all your money in your bank card to me. Also, Liu Mi, donât forget to transfer his salary for the next ten years to my bank card as well.â
Xiang Qian became speechless.
He turned to Yu Sheng and asked, âThat means I will be a slave for the Li Corporation from now on?â
âI donât think so. Youâve offended Ms. Fu, so from today onward, your workload will not be equal to your salary and the Li Corporation will treat you worse than a slave.â
Fu Zhi took a look at her phone and she realized that Wang Rao had sent her a text message. She dusted her shirt and said, âLetâs go down the mountain. Iâm tired.â
Gu Yanqi did not know what to say.
âHello? Youâre tired? Do you know that weâre being hunted by one of the strongest mercenary groups from Country M? All of our lives are at stake now, and you tell me youâre tired??â
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