Chapter 112: Showdown in Tianjin (5)

*Xin Lei*

It was a relief to know that Bai Li was alright. Now, I could finally breathe. I had to find Liao Huifang now.

I heard her voice from afar, so I followed that way. Somehow, I managed to find my phone. Fortunately, I found my gun, too, with the help of my mobile's flashlight. It didn't slide that far away.

Gosh, it was a huge mess. I looked around. The gantry crane was badly broken. It was impossible to see much further ahead in any direction. There were rocks and broken debris everywhere.

I wonder who could have done this… What was the purpose? 

I made my way through the debris.

I took a rock and tapped it on the wall beside me. I wonder if Liao Huifang could understand that it was me.

No answer.

I tapped again 

No answer.

I sighed. I just hoped that she was safe. I was alert and alternatively looked at every side to see any trace of Liao Huifang. First, this mess and on top of that, it was quite dark too. The collision hit one of the lamp poles, and the bulb's light was now flickering, straining my eyes to see my way ahead.

I made a plan. Once I find Liao Huifang, we will search for the clients - that foreigner and that Asian. Whatever Zhao Wenyan gave them, it was important for us to restore it. We would also find out what they offered Zhao Wenyan as an exchange.

I stopped walking.

I narrowed my eyes. I felt someone's presence. 

Was it any of the goons? Or the clients?

I got in position, holding my gun and aiming it in front of me.

I heard a soft movement from my left, maybe forty-five degrees, and I immediately pointed my gun towards it.

Then it was silence.

Who is it? There is definitely somebody there…

I slowly stepped forward towards the direction of the sound, aiming my gun straight at it.

I don't know if it was my illusion, but I saw something black flutter in the wind. The whole place was quite dark, so I wasn't sure if what I saw was real.

I stepped closer and closer. There was a large slab of a wall collapsed at an uneven angle. My instinct said that whoever that person was might be hiding behind it.

I silently took a deep breath.

Was it a friend or a foe?

I deliberately walked slower so that I didn't make any noise. It was hard not to with all the rocks and rods scattered all around.

I was now very close. The distance wasn't much farther away. I took a big step and jumped at the side of the slab to catch that person.

I held my gun steady, but it pointed at nothing.

There was nobody, just empty space. A slow gust of wind blew across my face.

I blinked my eyes.

I was sure that the person must be hiding here. If not here, then where?

*Crack*

I froze. The sound came from my back. In an instant, I turned around. I finally saw the figure above me.

It was kneeling on the pile of rubble on a rock. The figure was cloaked in black. With the help of the faint light, I could only see that it was wearing a black shirt and pants. Everything was black.

I was shocked. I didn't see any such person before the collision happened. Where did it come from?

I tried to see the face, but a black mask covered its nose and mouth. Only it's orbs were shining in the darkness.

The figure was staring at me, and I was staring back at it. She also had a gun with her and it was aiming right at my face.

It wasn't that clear, but I felt that...it was a woman. The figure didn't seem like that of a man. Once again, I don't know if it was my illusion, but I saw the curve of her chest. Breasts…

The darkness of the place and her black attire seemed to blend in with each other completely.

I narrowed my eyes at her. Quite a few moments passed by, and I heard her chuckle.

Yes, it was definitely a woman.

I signed. "Who are you?"

But she said nothing.

She was about to move, but I fired a shot at her side on a rock. I had put on the silencer. I didn't want the others to get alert and try to escape.

It didn't make any noise.

But that woman quickly dodged.

I signed. "Don't move. Tell me who you are."

The woman said nothing once again. But her eyes...it felt like she was looking at me as if she was enjoying this.

I shuddered.

It didn't seem nice to me at all. 

I saw her hand move. Instantly, I moved to a side. A bullet just grazed past me, and it hit the pole behind me with a ting.

I dodged it just by an inch. 

Wait, her shot didn't make any noise either. So she was also using the silencer on her gun.

I turned and shot again, but taking advantage of the momentary confusion when I dodged the bullet, she already jumped to the other side.

My bullet missed her.

Damn!

I quickly followed her, but she was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't good news. 

I went far ahead as much as I could, but I didn't find her anywhere. The darkness wasn't helping. I switched on my flashlight, but I didn't see her figure again.

Where did she escape so quickly?

But there was one thing to notice.

The direction in which she escaped...there was Bai Li on that side.

Why did she go there?

---

"Ow…"

Liao Huifang mumbled as she opened her eyes in a daze. She saw nothing but a pile of mess around her with a small source of light dimly lighting the place.

"W-what?"

As she tried to get up, a sharp pain shot on her forehead.

"Ouch, ouch!"

She clutched her head. She felt something wet and saw that it was her own blood.

Liao Huifang widened her eyes. 

"How am I hurt?"

Then she slowly recalled what happened. She was calling Xin Lei as soon as the crane collapsed. But her foot fell on one of the rods of a broken gantry crane, and she slipped. It was dark, and she was still making out her way.

"Ah!" She gasped.

She fell, and her head hit on a rock. She instantly felt dizzy and lost consciousness.

"Ah, now I remember…Damn, it hurts so bad."

She pressed on her head to ease the pain but to no use. She looked ahead, and everything was still spinning in front of her a little.

"Xin Lei…Can you hear me? Xin Lei."

She walked, shuffling the rock debris with her legs. It was quite dark, so it wasn't easy to figure out the way, plus her head was aching too.

"Where are you, Xin Lei? I need you,…" she cried.

From a distance, she heard some noise. It was really faint, but she felt as if she heard someone curse. It was almost a murmur.

She was about to head straight, but she stopped.

'No, wait. It could be an enemy. I have to be careful.'

She slowed down her pace towards the source of the voice.

There was a huge metal rod broken apart, and it was lying hanging on the ground, tilted at an angle. It obstructed the view beyond.

Liao Huifang stepped on her feet and peeked further away. She recognized a faint figure of a man.

The man got up, dusting the mess off from his shirt.

She recognized him when the light shone upon him.

Duan Deming! 

She felt grateful that it wasn't an enemy.

Then she remembered that she didn't like him or other cops for that matter because they delayed on Liao Chuntao's case. She was resentful.

But at this time, she had no choice but to take his help. Something was better than nothing.

She sighed.

Just as Liao Huifang was about to step out and call him, a figure approached behind her in a flash and covered her mouth with its hand.

She froze. Her eyes widened in shock.

She clutched the hand, trying to shake off, but his grasp was too tight. She resisted, but that man had firmly held onto her.

"Mmnnn."

She was scared. She panicked. Her heart was beating in dread as if it would jump out of her chest.

The man started to drag her away from Duan Deming's place.

She frantically shook her head.

'No!!!'

Despite her violent protests, the man was able to bring her afar without making any noise and without alerting Duan Deming.

He stopped. Liao Huifang finally was able to see her kidnapper's face.

Her body trembled. Her face paled as white as a sheet.

The man was staring at her, expressionless and impassive. His gaze was stern but oppressive.

'T-Tian Song…'