Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

It felt as though a thunderstorm was brewing.

Everyone was on high alert.

Besides their breathing sounds, it was silent everywhere.

Xiang Wan summoned her courage. “Don’t be afraid! Their weapons are definitely not as advanced as ours…”

After finishing her words, she fell silent and could not go on any further.

From what she saw at Brother Steel’s villa after their shootout, the weapons of these triad members might not necessarily be worse off than them. If the magnetic interference Quan Shaoteng mentioned was not natural—It was certainly bone-chilling.

“Yes.” Unexpectedly, Cheng Zheng agreed with what she said.

“They’re just some gangsters!” Another teammate concurred, “We’re armed police officers, they won’t be a match against us.”

Cheng Zheng sat with his back straight. “But,” he paused, “although they may be trash, their numbers are greater than us—let’s be more careful!”

When the enemy was in a much more advantageous situation, the best way to deal with it was to avoid it.

Nonetheless, their situation did not allow them to do so.

They had several “patients” with them now. There were two to three serious cases where they had severe edema in both of their legs. It was to the point where walking became a problem.

If the order to escape was issued, it would cause them to panic, and they would not be able to muster up their fighting spirit.

By then, the situation might be worse off.

What they could do now was just one thing.

“We must persist till Captain Quan comes back!”

The mention of Captain Quan and their confidence with Red Thorn boosted their morale a little.

“Captain Cheng’s right! We’re the police, we’re not afraid of a bunch of gangsters!”

“Seeing how slowly they’re moving, they must be feeling worried too!”

“Yes…”

Cheng Zheng did not have combat experience before, but his physical fitness was the best among them. He held a scalpel in his hand and performed his duties as a Medical Examiner. He looked cold. His countenance was that of a person who lacked compassion and was distant. He was totally how the appearance of a highly-skilled elite in his field should be.

Now, he was holding a weapon and hid in the temporary fortification they built. He was suddenly poised like a warrior.

People who exercise regularly were indeed different. They had positive energy around them.

As Xiang Wan thought about that, she told herself she should exercise more regularly if she could make it out alive…

Otherwise, in the future days ahead, as long as Bai Muchuan was with Serious Crime Division One, there might be unlimited dangers going ahead—she didn’t want to be weak and require protection.

“Stay alert!”

Sergeant Ma suddenly warned.

Besides Xiang Wan and Mei Xin, the rest of them more or less had experience.

They had placed their ill teammates behind them and laid on the mound where they camouflaged themselves with local plants. The muzzles of their guns were aimed at the slow, approaching lights.

The lights got closer and closer.

Not sure if it was a psychological tactic to create pressure, or if the other party was too cautious, but they were walking really slowly.

Cheng Zheng spoke in a low voice, “150 meters!”

Everyone held their breath. The atmosphere was extremely tense.

“One hundred meters!”

In the darkness, the voice that estimated the distance was as though a needle piercing a human bone.

It was painful, but they were unable to shout out loud.

That may be what real fear felt like—

Xiang Wan bit her lower lip and as always, she told herself—that she was experiencing the real fear—it was a feeling that gets into her flesh and bones, yet she couldn’t even groan in pain. “Remember this,” she told herself, “if I can get out alive, I will write this in my book…”

“Xiang Wan.”

Cheng Zheng whispered her name.

He poked her arm using his elbow. “Go behind me.”

Although it was a soft whisper in quiet places like this, however, it was easy for those nearby to hear it.

The teammates who were near kept quiet.

They could sense Cheng Zheng’s desire to protect her.

“Stay together with Mei Xin.”

Mei Xin was taking care of the seriously ill behind.

Xiang Wan actually hoped she could face the enemy with them instead of hiding behind.

However, if she didn’t comply with that, she would certainly become a burden…

“Mm.” Xiang Wan nodded her head and moved back slowly when she looked at Cheng Zheng. “Give me your knife.”

Cheng Zheng was holding a gun. He also had a knife with him.

That knife was from his medical kit.

Xiang Wan had seen it and knew it was a very sharp knife.

Xiang Wan was not a police officer, there was no way they would ever hand her a gun. However, a knife was different, if she would meet with any mishap, the knife might be able to help her—she certainly did not want to become a hostage, even if the knife could not protect her.

This thought was absolute and extreme.

Such a thought was not that she was impetuous or rash.

Xie Wanwan and Meng Chi had told her very clearly that the other party’s target was her.

She thought that there must be a reason why the other party was targetting her…

At the very least, she was Bai Muchuan’s girlfriend, right?

Therefore, if she could choose, she would choose death rather than being caught and humiliated like what they did to Lima.

Thinking back at Brother Steel’s villa, the traces at the villa that was left behind after Lima was humiliated sent shivers down Xiang Wan’s spine.

In the darkness, Cheng Zheng could not see her face clearly, but he could feel her tension.

He understood her thoughts.

Half a second later, he just handed her the knife in his pocket without a word.

“Be careful! It’s very sharp!” He reminded.

“Mm, I know.”

Xiang Wan replied softly and inched backward slowly.

At this time, she heard a sudden ‘whoosh’ that seemed to come from above her, as if something flew past through the air. Then it hit the leaves and continued on its trajectory.

Bang! The sound was as though slower by half a beat.

The other party had fired a shot at them.

The other party shouted immediately followed after the gunshot.

“Who’s there? Get your bleeping *ss out of there now!”

That voice was not familiar.

Sure enough, these people were not friendly.

Xiang Wan held the knife tightly out of reflex.

As they waited quietly, there seemed to be no other movement on the other side of the forest.

Obviously, the other party did not know who they were and did not dare to act recklessly.

The earlier gunshot was a test which they fired upwards.

The winds blew through the leaves and the howling of the wind started again.

They did not reply.

The other party did not require an answer as well.

This was because, by choosing not to answer, it was an answer as well—

“Brothers, they’re not one of us! Get them!”

In no time, Sergeant Ma quickly shouted in a low growl.

“These fools dared to come at us? Brothers, don’t hold back on them!”

“It’s time to earn merits! Fight!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Sounds of gunshots and shouts were heard almost at the same time.

It was deafening.

The other party did not know how many people they had.

Although they roared and bawled at them, their movements were not as swift.

The two sides were in a deadlock, gunshots were fired in the dark, to and fro with sparks flying around here and there—

Xiang Wan found it hard to keep her eyes opened.

This was a shootout! It was her first time to experience this.

Her scalp was tingling and her nerves were taut.

Although she shrank her shoulders so as not to let herself become a target, they were in the forest in the middle of the night. That was the best thing she could do.

Suddenly, someone put an arm on her shoulder.

It felt warm and strong.

She had to admit that, such an act at that moment was an affable source of consolation.

“Don’t be afraid!”

It was Cheng Zheng, he moved back and squeezed her shoulders. There was no ambiguity on his action. There was only moral encouragement between comrades in a life and death situation.

“Stay together with Mei Xin. Help move the seriously ill back further.”

Otherwise, they had limited space to maneuver around.

“Alright, all of you please be safe.” Xiang Wan replied softly.

“Mm—” Cheng Zheng took a glance at the dark surroundings before looking at their enemy who kept a distance from them. His cold face was now grave and chilly, totally different from his usual apathetic and poker face.

“Everyone, they’re no match against us! Persist on!”

“Got it!”