668 Responsibilities and Family Ties

There was silence on the boat and ship.

Her words were strange and beyond the expectations of everyone.

A bomb was strapped to her body and her life was at stake. She was actually asking about his cold?

Bai Muchuan squinted his eyes slightly as he replied. "I'm fine now."

But just after he finished his sentence, he started coughing again.

Xiang Wan's eyebrows creased together as she couldn't bear to hear him cough. "Bai Muchuan, can't you take better care of yourself? I know now! Did you miss me so much that your condition has gotten worse?"

"You surely know me well… Cough, cough…"

"Do I even need to guess? I know you too well."

The two of them were conversing in a relaxed tone, showing off their affection for each other in public.

Ye Lun couldn't take it anymore. "Just a friendly reminder," he smiled coldly. "Can't you go straight to the topic?

Xiang Wan started laughing. "What important things are there? Didn't the two of you already finish talking about it earlier? Bai Muchuan and I just need to talk about romance."

"…"

It was suddenly quiet.

Nobody spoke.

The sudden quietness was indeed a scary thing.

Xiang Wan cleared her throat. "Bai Muchuan, Ye Lun will never let me off. They tied a bomb around my waist. So… even if Captain Cheng comes to exchange for me, it's meaningless."

She didn't want anybody to sacrifice themselves for her.

However, Bai Muchuan did not want her to think like that.

"It is the police's duty to save civilians. Xiang Wan, whether it is meaningful or not is not something that you should be considering…"

"Then what should I be considering now?"

Her tone was filled with powerlessness against her predicament.

Bai Muchuan's gentle voice was heard across the distance. "You don't have to do anything…"

"But Bai Muchuan…"

"There are no buts. Be good Xiang Wan, let Ye Lun talk to me—"

"Little Bai…"

"Shhh, leave this to me. Don't be afraid."

"…"

She wasn't afraid.

She just didn't want anyone to sacrifice themselves because of her.

Xiang Wan was about to talk when Ye Lun took the megaphone away from her.

He gave Xiang Wan a cold glance before turning to Bai Muchuan. "Captain Bai, you've now confirmed her identity so stop your mushy conversation. Our time is limited. Let's get ready for the exchange." A sense of impatience could be felt from his insolent tone. He urged Bai Muchuan to hurry up but he did not seem to be nervous. Instead, he sounded like he had already won the battle.

Bai Muchuan frowned in thought. "Alright."

Ye Lun: "Move your boat a little closer so we can link up with the ladder."

Bai Muchuan replied readily, "No problem."

The boat then sailed forward at a very slow pace.

Just like those slow-motion scenes in a movie, if it weren't for a sudden crashing wave from the ocean that rocked the boat from side to side, it felt as if the boat was not moving at all.

The waves were getting bigger.

The moon was no longer in sight.

The sky was getting darker.

The weather in the ocean was unpredictable as it could change any second. The boat and the ship looked like tiny ants on the sea, enveloped between the sky and the ocean. There was only water surrounding them.

The atmosphere was tense and uneasy.

A lamp was hanging on the boat. It was swaying left and right in the winds and looked as if it would drop at any moment.

The wind was getting bigger too.

Bai Muchuan stood still as he looked at Xiang Wan who was standing on the deck of the ship.

Finally, the boat and the ship came close to each other under the night sky.

They were now connected using a ladder. Ye Lun's ship was taller in height as compared to the boat Bai Muchuan was on. Ye Lun had the advantage of height as he had the bird's eye view of the boat. If Bai Muchuan and the Operation Team walked out of the cabin, they would expose themselves and be subjected to the enemy's firing range.

This was a dangerous situation.

Xiang Wan gulped as she looked on.

She was nervous to the extreme.

Ye Lun gave her a look then he picked up the megaphone.

"Bai Muchuan, let Houzi bring Cheng Zheng out."

"No need for that," shouted Cheng Zheng, "I have legs and I'll walk by myself."

Ye Lun repeated in a firm tone. "I've said, let Houzi bring him over."

"Hurhur…" Bai Muchuan laughed. "Ye Lun, do you bleeping know how a hostage exchange works? Let Houzi escort Cheng Zheng over? If that's the case, that would mean that Cheng Zheng is already in your hands. Do you even know the meaning of exchange?"

"That's exactly how I understand it…" Ye Lun chuckled. "Do you agree or disagree?"

Bai Muchuan took a look at Cheng Zheng. "I don't agree."

"I agree."

Cheng Zheng replied almost at the same time as Bai Muchuan.

Bai Muchuan: "…"

He stared at Cheng Zheng in silence for a long time. At this time, he didn't know what to say. Cheng Zheng patted him on his back, walked out of the cabin and called out to Houzi who was guarded by two Operation team members. "Let's go!"

Hmph! Houzi walked out of the cabin with his chin held high. He had the expression of "I've told you so" written all over his face.

Bai Muchuan ran over to the cabin entrance. "Cheng Zheng!"

Cheng Zheng turned around and looked at Bai Muchuan. "I'm leaving now. Don't persuade me and take care."

His eyebrows didn't even twitch when he replied to Bai Muchuan. That determined look of his rendered Bai Muchuan speechless.

Bai Muchuan could only close his eyes for a moment and gave a nod. "Be careful."

"Mm."

That was all.

They couldn't talk to each other for long with the current situation as well.

When they looked at each other, it seemed to have swept away all the unhappiness and misunderstanding over the years. It suddenly seemed that they were not as distant as they used to be.

"Boss!"

At this time, an armed police officer voiced out.

"Captain Bai, Director Lu wants to talk to you."

Onboard the boat, there were also some of the armed police forces which were brought by Director Lu.

However, Lu Jianming didn't go on board the boat. Earlier on, these people had remained silent but what were they up to now…?

Bai Muchuan looked at Cheng Zheng as he took the walkie-talkie from the officer. "Hello, this is Bai Muchuan."

Lu Jianming's somewhat nervous voice could be heard from the other end. "Captain Bai, listen to me. We… we can't let these crooks have their way! We can always find another way out to save the hostage!"

"I'm working on this case," said Bai Muchuan, "and I have my own way of handling it. Director Lu, you should just focus on your job!"

Lu Jianming was stumped by his words.

He paused for a short moment before he continued, "Deputy Minister Cheng wants to speak to you!"

"…"

Bai Muchuan's face sank when he heard that.

Just not too long ago, Cheng Weiji had contacted him a few times.

What he wanted to say was: Do not let Cheng Zheng be in any danger.

Bai Muchuan ignored him and ended the call.

He didn't expect that he would contact Lu Jianming.

Bai Muchuan replied, "Sure."

Lu Jianming quickly connected the call and soon he could hear Cheng Weiji's voice.

"Captain Bai, I have something to discuss with you in private. Get your men to excuse themselves."

Bai Muchuan looked at the men around him.

"Time is running out. Just go straight to the point."

Cheng Weiji kept quiet for a moment.

It would be inappropriate for him to speak his mind with Bai Muchuan when there were others around.

"Captain Bai, saving the hostage is the police's responsibility. However, it should not be at the expense of another police officer's life."

Between his own son and Xiang Wan, who would he choose to protect?

Naturally, he wouldn't want Cheng Zheng to be in any danger.

It was only normal.

A corner of Bai Muchuan's lips curled up as he replied, "I can understand how you feel. But this is a decision made by Captain Cheng himself. I have no reason to stop a police officer who is willing to risk his life to save another person. Why don't you talk to him personally instead?"