Chapter 151: The Kidnapping
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Xia Xin glanced around, taking in the labyrinthine mountains that surrounded her. It was not an ideal place to make an escape. After weighing her options, she decided to go along with her captors for the time being.
Noticing that Xia Xin showed no intention of running away and obediently got into the car with them, Xu An and Xu Ping looked pleased.
“I must say, you’re remarkably calm,” commented Xu An.
“Would you actually let me go if I tried to escape?” Xia Xin asked as she lifted her eyes nonchalantly and looked at Xu An.
In reality, Xia Xin had used the moment to swiftly scan the landscape outside the window under the guise of casual observation.
“Of course not,” Xu An admitted.
“Exactly.” Xia Xin ceased to speak further, closed her eyes, and leaned against the car seat. She didn’t intend to sleep; conserving energy was her goal.
Meanwhile, the cameraman who had been left behind at the filming location had been knocked unconscious. He woke up in a cave, and upon discovering only Xia Xin’s donkey and not her, panic set in.
The cameraman checked his belongings and found that his camera had been mysteriously turned off. Stepping out of the cave, he called out Xia Xin’s name a few times. Receiving no reply, he pulled out his phone.
If Xia Xin had been there, she would have realized that the cameraman’s phone was receiving a signal. It turned out that Xu An and Xu Ping had set up a signal jammer nearby, which had run out of battery after Xia Xin was taken, thus restoring the signal to the cameraman’s phone.
Elsewhere, Jing MO, having chosen his path, suddenly felt a pang of unease.
“I wonder how Xia Xin is doing,” he mumbled to himself.
The feeling of unease increased as Jing MO walked, prompting him to call Xia Xin. The busy tone that greeted him indicated her phone was off, intensifying his anxiety.
Ignoring the ongoing filming, Jing MO turned back. The director, who had been watching the live feed, was puzzled and wanted to stop Jing Mo. However, Jing MO began to run, making it impossible to catch up.
“Follow Jing MO!” the director ordered through his walkie-talkie.
Obliging, the cameraman picked up his camera and chased after Jing MO, who retraced his steps to the starting point and followed the path Xia Xin had chosen earlier. Soon, Jing MO found donkey hoof prints on the ground. He followed them to the cave, where he found the cameraman fiddling with his phone.
“Where did Xia Xin go?” Jing MO inquired.
“I don’t know. I passed out for some reason and when I woke up, only the donkey was there. Xia Xin was gone, and I couldn’t reach her by phone. I’m in the process of contacting the director for help,” the cameraman explained, showing Jing MO the emergency page on his phone.
Listening to the cameraman, Jing MO felt his heart skip a beat. He stepped out of the cave and immediately called Sun Hu, asking him to come to the mountain immediately.
Jing MO surveyed the surroundings and found a narrow path leading up the mountain. He thought, ‘Knowing Xia Xin, she’d try to find another way out.
This path is a clue.’
Following the narrow trail, Jing MO discovered a wooden cabin with signs of a struggle. Alarmed, he opened the cabin door and without a second thought, entered the underground tunnel.
The cameraman who had been filming captured all that and fans began to comment on the livestream.
[Oh my god, is this still a variety show?]
[Why does it feel like a tunnel war?]
[I don’t think this is a warfare tunnel. This is transmigration.]
[Oh my god, did the production team prepare this? Did they dig a tunnel for a variety show?]
[Why does it feel so eerie here?]
[Why is Xia Xin missing?] [Yeah, what’s going on?] At the same, there was an increase in the livestream’s viewership. The director, thrilled by the unexpected rise in viewer numbers and the trending topic, encouraged the cameraman to continue following Jing Mo.
The cameraman continued to follow behind Jing MO and was only able to catch up with him at the exit.
Jing Mo’s expression was solemn. He noticed the tire tracks of a car and concluded his speculation. Jing MO informed Sun Hu of his findings and Sun Hu arrived shortly with his team.
“Are you saying Xia Xin disappeared from here?” Sun Hu asked.
Jing MO nodded.
“And the film crew?” Jing MO was on the verge of asking specifically about Xu An and Xu Ping when he noticed that the camera was still rolling. He quickly changed his question.
Deep within, a suspicion was taking root, one that involved some sensitive issues he was reluctant to reveal on camera..