Before he said anything, she already felt her heart beginning to ache.
"Xinlan," he started slowly, pausing before continuing, "I’m sorry, I’ve dragged you into this after all. I promised to protect you, to prevent you from getting hurt, but I failed..."
Was he too careless, or were the enemies too formidable?
Why had she been caught despite having run away?
Lin Xinlan shook her head, holding back her tears as she whispered, "Their target is you. You need to run away immediately. If you escape, they won’t harm me because they need me to threaten you. Rong Shaoze, you mustn’t agree to their demands, otherwise, we both will die."
At that moment, Lin Xinlan’s mind was exceptionally clear.
Her words caught the man off guard, raising his eyebrows in surprise.
"You’re right, my target is indeed Rong Shaoze. I captured you to threaten him. However, are you sure that even if he doesn’t accept my demands, both of you will still be able to live?"
Lin Xinlan glared at him furiously, "If you weren’t using me to threaten him, do you think you could really kill him? If you were so confident, why did you feel the need to capture me to threaten him? Clearly, you’re not sure you can handle him, are you?!"
The man laughed heartily, but after finishing, his gaze turned sharp and his tone filled with intense hatred.
"Do you really think I would have used you as a bargaining chip if I couldn’t handle him? Naive woman, I captured you to ensure he couldn’t struggle before dying! I want him utterly unable to resist, at my mercy, waiting painfully and slowly for death!"
Lin Xinlan was taken aback and asked tentatively, "Does he have deep grudges with you? Why else would you want to torture him ?"
The man’s eyes grew even more sinister.
Rong Shaoze, hearing their conversation, had a thoughtful look flash through his eyes as he asked, "I know you’re with the Mafia, and I don’t think I’ve had any serious clash with the Mafia. Don’t tell me your hatred for me is because I annihilated the Black Hawk Gang."
"Ha, just a little Black Hawk Gang, if it’s destroyed, then so be it. Do you think I would seek revenge for them?" the man said disdainfully.
Besides, the Black Hawk Gang wasn’t even part of the Mafia; they were merely a small faction that brown-nosed us, so naturally, I wouldn’t harm my own brothers for someone else’s sake.
"Then why do you hate me so much?" Rong Shaoze asked again.
The man revealed a trace of cold amusement and said slowly, "Take a bullet from me, and I’ll tell you the truth. If you take another shot, I can also tell you how I found out about your trading location."
"Freak!" Lin Xinlan couldn’t help but curse out loud.
The man’s eyes turned fierce, and suddenly, the gun in his hand pointed at her forehead!
He stared at Rong Shaoze and said coldly, "Rong Shaoze, I don’t want to waste any more words with you. I’ll count to three, and if you don’t agree, I’ll kill her first!"
Rong Shaoze clenched his cell phone, his thin lips pressed tightly together.
His subordinates by his side also noticed something amiss. While protecting him, they urgently urged, "Sect Leader, please don’t do anything foolish. Even if you’re killed, they will not spare your wife."
"Yes, Sect Leader, let’s get out of here! Once we’ve escaped, we can plan a rescue for your wife!"
"Two!" The man’s voice was ice-cold and decisive, without a hint of hesitation.
"I agree to your terms, to take three shots," Rong Shaoze suddenly spoke up, his voice extremely calm, showing no signs of rage or reluctance.