Before Xu Qingyan could react, Ah Bao swiftly removed the needle from Lord Liang’s hand and draped a coat around him. With Lord Liang on his back, Ah Bao hastened toward the exit, barking orders at Xu Qingyan, “Let’s go!”

Xu Qingyan sprang into action, grabbing her backpack and hastily gathering all the medicine bottles from the table into it. She turned around and followed them as they rushed out.

It was the first time in six days that she had left the basement. 

Da Li led the way, with Ah Bao carrying Lord Liang in the middle, and Xu Qingyan trailing behind.

The hallway was pitch black. Xu Qingyan assumed they were heading for the small hotel’s lobby upstairs. However, they led her down another passage and slipped out through an extremely narrow back door.

Honestly, if Xu Qingyan had decided to turn around and flee at that moment, they would have been too preoccupied to chase after her.

Yet, it was this very moment of indecision that set her on an entirely different course.

The sky had already darkened, and a discomforting dampness hung in the air, as if a recent rainfall had passed through.

Xu Qingyan felt an unpleasant stickiness beneath her feet and a tense sensation of blood flowing in an unsettling direction through her veins.

Visibility was near-zero as they ventured further away from the Kathmandu Valley, approaching the border, encircled by mountains in every direction.

Xu Qingyan could only trail behind Ah Bao, who carried another person on his back, his movements seemingly unhindered by the weight.

Xu Qingyan had pushed herself to the brink, nearly twisting her ankle multiple times on the rugged terrain, but she managed to keep up with him.

She had no knowledge of who pursued them, and she had no understanding of why she was foolishly running alongside them. All that mattered was that she had to keep moving without pause.

Da Li remained vigilant, constantly urging them to hasten their pace while casting anxious glances behind him. “Keep moving,” he implored.

“Do you see who it is, Da Li?”

Da Li spat on the ground. “Damn it, couldn’t see clearly.”

“Wait…wait a moment,” Xu Qingyan called out, gasping for breath, stopping them in their tracks.

Da Li was so frustrated that he nearly lost his temper. “Shut up! If you can’t run, I’ll kill you!”

But Xu Qingyan pointed at Ah Bao and said, “Be careful with his wound.” 

Ah Bao momentarily paused. Before he could assess the situation, a gunshot echoed through the night sky.

Xu Qingyan’s heart clenched with intense fear.

This wasn’t a movie; she was truly in a place where her life hung in the balance at any moment. How dare they open fire? They were all completely insane!

With a single swift motion, Ah Bao grabbed Xu Qingyan and practically hurled her behind a small mound of dirt. As she hit the ground, she felt something fly out of her bag. Before she could rise to her feet, another gunshot echoed through the air.

Xu Qingyan’s mouth became filled with gritty soil, yet she dared not take a breath. She pressed herself firmly against the ground, refusing to move, enduring the bitter taste of the dirt in her mouth.

To her left lay Ah Bao, and to her right was Da Li. Both of their heavy breaths resembled the sound of an old, worn-out car’s exhaust pipe, wheezing and ominous.

Ah Bao pushed Lord Liang toward Xu Qingyan and instructed her sternly, “Hold onto him tightly. If he dies, you won’t live either.”

Xu Qingyan felt the man’s rigid body against hers. Though she initially stiffened, she couldn’t bring herself to push him away. 

After the extended sprint, her stomach churned with nausea, dizziness blurred her senses. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she clung to the man. Suddenly, a cold hand covered hers, gently gripping it.

Xu Qingyan shuddered, quickly lowering her head. The man still had his eyes closed, but his hand firmly held onto hers.

Inexplicably, her trembling hands gradually stilled.

The exchange of gunfire between the unknown assailants behind them and on both sides escalated in intensity. The ground beneath Xu Qingyan seemed to vibrate with the ferocity of the battle raging around them.

“Ugh…” came a stifled groan from Da Li.

“How are you?” Ah Bao inquired, simultaneously engaging in the counterattack. 

“Doesn’t matter.” Da Li’s breathing grew heavier, and his eyes shone brightly in the darkness. 

“Brother Bao, just a little further ahead is the designated spot. Hand on a little longer, I’ll lead them away.”

“No, you can’t…” Ah Bao’s words were cut short as Da Li let out a loud roar and charged forward.

Xu Qingyan closed her eyes, listening to the intense gunfire and the sound of agonizing cries behind her. 

Ah Bao remained tightly by her side, while her palms became drenched in cold sweat. Her heart felt as if it had plummeted into a frigid abyss, on the brink of halting at any moment.

What kind of world had she been involuntarily thrust into?!

The hand gripping hers tightened further, and just then, several beams of light emerged on the horizon. They drew nearer, multiplied, and sped toward them.

“They’re here!” Ah Bao’s voice held a rare trace of excitement.

Xu Qingyan immediately understood—their situation had taken a turn!

Several cars formed a protective ring around them, their occupants dressed in black surging out of the vehicles.

The group’s leader sprinted toward them and crouched down. Xu Qingyan could discern his rugged features. His initial words were, “Where is Lord Liang?”

Leopard Man remained composed and replied, “Don’t worry, Brother Jiu, Lord Liang is safe.”

The gunfire behind them gradually ceased, but these people didn’t seem to care at all. Their full attention was riveted on this man.

The individual known as Brother Jiu promptly summoned assistance, and they gingerly transported the man away. As he was being carried off, he momentarily struggled before eventually releasing the hand he had held.

The man in front cast a fleeting glance at Xu Qingyan, his eyes gleaming with a frigidness akin to a silver dagger grazing her throat.

Shortly after, she was engulfed in darkness.

Xu Qingyan was unsure if she had been kidnapped.

Her eyes were covered by a blindfold, her mouth was sealed with tape, and the lingering taste of gritty sand lingered in her mouth. Her hands were tied behind her and her bag had been confiscated. She was locked within a moving vehicle, enduring relentless jolts for what seemed like an interminable duration.

During this time, someone would provide her with food and water, but none of them spoke to her.

Whenever someone came close, she would seize the opportunity to ask questions, yet no one would respond, and the whereabouts of Ah Bao remained unknown.

After each meal, her mouth would be taped shut again.

Throughout the unimaginable ordeals of surgery, pursuit, death, and abduction, Xu Qingyan had transitioned from initial terror to a state of eerie calmness.

Her emotions had oscillated wildly during this entire period, making it impossible to describe the rollercoaster of feelings she had endured. The sole thought dominating her mind was how to survive.

She couldn’t just die like this, not when she still had promises to uphold.

Soon, someone escorted her onto a plane, and the journey continued with constant upheaval. It must have been another two days, as she had been provided with six meals during this time. 

Eventually, she found herself in a relatively stable location.

Nevertheless, she remained confined, albeit now with the ability to breathe through her mouth.

“Take her out, and remember to remove her shoes. The Third Miss dislikes having a dirty floor.”

The voice belonged to a stranger, not Ah Bao.

Xu Qingyan was supported by two people who forcefully dragged her forward.

She struggled momentarily, recognizing the futility of her resistance, so she relinquished control. However, she couldn’t suppress her curiosity as she asked, “Where are you taking me? And where is Ah Bao? I want to see him.”

Xu Qingyan refrained from shouting for help or making threats about summoning the authorities. She had enough common sense to understand that doing so would only lead to a quicker death in their territory. 

“I want to see Ah…”

Smack!

A blow struck her entire right cheek, inflicting searing pain.

“Make another sound, I’ll kill you right now.”

The cold and emotionless voice left no room for mercy.

Unable to see, Xu Qingyan’s other senses sharpened, and she tasted the metallic tang of blood in her mouth. She forcefully swallowed the bloody saliva, gritting her teeth in silence.

“We’re here.”

Pushed forward, she stumbled, her legs giving out, and she collapsed to the ground.

Before she could get up, a clear female voice came from her right.

“It’s her! Oh, oh! Big brother, how could you treat our second brother’s savior so harshly?”

Though she spoke these words, her tone was unusually light and cheerful.

“Third Miss, Doctor Xu indeed saved the Second Young Master’s life. Without her, we…”

Third Miss lazily interrupted, “Ah Bao, since when is it your turn to speak?”

“I apologize for my impoliteness.”

“Ah Bao, where did you find this woman?”

This time, a male voice came from the left—deep, steady, and tinged with skepticism.

Without hesitation, Ah Bao replied, “I stumbled upon her by chance and found out she’s a doctor.”

“Really? What are the odds?” The man seemed doubtful.

“Yes.”

The man pressed further, “Do you know who set up this ambush against you?”

Ah Bao’s voice quivered, “I’m ashamed to admit that we still haven’t figured out who leaked the information.”

Xu Qingyan remained on the ground, too afraid to move. Even Ah Bao appeared tense, revealing the man’s intimidating presence.

“Big brother, let her stand up”

Upon hearing the voice, Xu Qingyan turned her head towards the right.

“Our little brother is a softie,” the third miss giggled. “Since she won’t survive today anyway, let’s allow her to die more comfortably.”

Xu Qingyan’s heart raced, and adrenaline surged through her veins.

She struggled to sit up from the ground, suppressing her fear, and faced the direction of the third miss. 

Struggling to rise from the ground, she suppressed her fear and addressed the third miss, saying, “Miss, as a doctor, I saved someone out of professional ethics. Right now, I have no idea where I am or who you people are. You’ve abandoned me hundreds of kilometers away, leaving me to fend for myself. I’ll consider it all a dream.”

“You’re not afraid at all? How Interesting,” Third Miss exclaimed, taking two steps closer in astonishment. “But you have already seen Ah Bao and the Second Young Master. How can I be sure that you didn’t deliberately infiltrate our organization?”

“Since they want the Second Young Master dead, if I really were an infiltrator, it would be easy to kill someone during the surgery,” Xu Qingyan remarked calmly, despite the circumstances. 

Blind to the subtle expressions of those around her, she continued to speak.

The third miss observed Xu Qingyan with great interest. 

The third miss observed Xu Qingyan with great interest. Despite her disheveled appearance, dirt smudges all over her body, and a scar on her right cheek, she maintained a straight posture and displayed a calm demeanor with a composed tone that made it impossible not to take a second look.

“Big brother, this doctor is quite impressive,” the third miss commented.

“Doctor Xu.”

Xu Qingyan immediately turned her head to the left, aware that the person referred to as “Big Brother” held the power over her life and death.

The man spoke slowly, “How can you prove your innocence?”

Proof? Why should she have to prove anything? She was innocent from the beginning, just a victim caught up in this mess. But would these bandits believe her words? They were merely searching for a reason to dispose of her.

However, she couldn’t just die like this. She had made a promise to someone, to live out his life no matter what.

She took a deep breath and said, “I captured the person you’re looking for in my camera.”

“What did you say?”

Her arm was grabbed excitedly by Third Miss.

“Dr. Xu, there’s no camera in your bag,” Big Brother said, unfazed.

“I hid it.”

During these days of anxious contemplation, she had thought of every possible way to save herself. 

According to her judgment, this attack caught Lord Liang and his men completely off guard. They had no idea which gang was targeting them, nor who had leaked the information.

So, she decided to take a chance.

“Release me, and I’ll tell you,” Xu Qingyan pleaded.

“Dr. Xu, I have dozens of ways to make you talk,” Third Miss threatened.

Xu Qingyan’s heart sank bit by bit. Was there truly no way out? Was escape impossible?

“Wait a moment.”

Xu Qingyan paused, looking ahead with a sense of bewilderment.

A fourth male voice echoed across the room.

“Untie her,” the voice commanded.

This voice wasn’t as deep as Big Brother’s, nor as gentle as the younger brother’s. It carried a metallic chill, tinged with a slight hoarse magnetism.

Soon, Xu Qingyan’s hands were freed, and the sudden brightness forced her to tightly shut her eyes.

After enduring the initial stinging sensation, she quickly wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and adjusted to the light.

She slowly raised her head, and the blurry scene in front of her gradually became clear.

It was a strangely spacious bedroom, dominated by shades of blue – deep blue cashmere carpets, navy blue leather sofas, and even the wallpaper flowed in shades of sea blue. 

Xu Qingyan refrained from looking around too much and kept her gaze fixed straight ahead.

Directly in front of her, a large bed hosted a man. His posture appeared relaxed, exuding an air of exhaustion yet resilience.

Indeed, he seemed as tough as a cockroach, impossible to kill.

She was familiar with his face. His face was not exceptionally handsome, but there was something intriguing about his features.

However, when he had been unconscious, his appearance had appeared slightly different – his pupils were intensely black, resembling a vortex that could suck people in. Despite this, his demeanor remained relaxed, which was surprisingly nonchalant.

“Are you attempting to read my second brother?” “Little Brother” asked.

Startled, Xu Qingyan quickly averted her gaze. The third miss had managed to approach her, her eyes blinking as she carefully scrutinized Xu Qingyan.

Xu Qingyan opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.

“Second brother, look, she can see us clearly now. Why go through all this trouble? Let’s stick to the old ways,” Third Miss suggested.

Whether intentional or not, the third miss delivered those cruel words with a smile on her face.

Xu Qingyan’s pupils involuntarily contracted. Despite her courage and composure, she was just an ordinary citizen from the city.

Who wouldn’t fear death?

The young man who had remained silent behind the third miss finally spoke up, saying, “But she did save our second brother’s life, after all.”

Xu Qingyan looked at him. This young man, around twenty years old, was in the prime of youth and possessed a handsome appearance. His double eyelids lent him a somewhat refined and scholarly look.

“Xu Qingyan.”

Xu Qingyan turned her head, only to find the man on the bed casually toying with her ID card. 

His fingers were slender and slightly curved, tapping on it with each motion, each tap feeling like a blow to Xu Qingyan’s heart.

He slowly raised his gaze and locked eyes with her, his black pupils radiating a faint, chilling gleam.