Chapter 154: Chapter 154 I’ll be your hostage Chapter 154: Chapter 154 I’ll be your hostage The fat man said, “Don’t worry! In a couple of days, we will return the person! Now let go…”
Huo Tingdong suddenly countered, “Does it have to be her?”
The more he spoke, the tighter he gripped Lin Qi’s arm, as if he would lose her the second he let go.
An intangible fear surrounded his heart, making him refuse to let go no matter what.
Huo Tingdong said, “Can’t I do? I’ll be your hostage. Take me with you and let her go.”
His words were undoubtedly discussing the final terms–an exchange of hostages.
The man only scoffed coldly. Being cautious, he didn’t even dare to stretch out his hand to touch Huo Tingdong; he could tell at a glance that Huo Tingdong was a trained fighter.
Whether it was more dangerous to kidnap a woman or a trained fighter, he was very clear about it after so many years in this line of work.
“Let go! If you don’t let go now, I will shoot!” His trigger finger was tightening, and Huo Tingdong could even hear the sound of the spring compressing inside the gun barrel.
He suddenly released his grip and warned sternly, “You won’t escape from the palm of my hand, so, don’t harm a single hair on her head! Otherwise, I’ll do as I say!”
The man was indeed intimidated by his gaze, so much so that he didn’t notice Huo Tingdong’s small movement.
He secretly attached a tracker to the hem of Lin Qi’s dress.
He said, “Alright! I agree! I will contact you with the specifics. Rest assured, as long as you cooperate, we won’t harm a hair on her head. Remember, don’t call the police!”
After speaking, he pointed the gun at Huo Tingdong, forcing him back outside the car door, then slammed the door shut and locked it.
The next second, he started the car, rammed Huo Tingdong’s blocking Mercedes Benz G-Class, and sped away.
A few minutes later, police cars quickly arrived.
Huo Tingdong still remained in place.
A police officer got out of the car, having received a report that there was a person with a gun in the area and rushed over.
“Hello, did you call the police?” The officer approached and blocked Huo Tingdong.
Huo Tingdong said, “I didn’t call the police.”
The officer had just turned on the police device when he suddenly saw the damaged Mercedes Benz G-Class nearby and was shocked: “What happened?”
Huo Tingdong said, “My wife has been kidnapped.”
Police cars escorted Huo Tingdong to the mansion.
The car turned off. Huo Tingdong got out, and the police followed him, stepping forward, “Mr. Huo, are you really not cooperating with the police? We have extensive experience with kidnapping cases…”
Huo Tingdong said, “I don’t want to take any risks.”
He could gamble in the realm of fame and fortune, but in this matter, he could not afford to gamble.
The police said, “The backgrounds of those gangsters are unclear, but from their modus operandi and carrying guns, they are extremely vicious…”
Huo Tingdong said, “Even the most vicious criminals understand the importance of a hostage. Give me 72 hours. If I haven’t made any progress, I will cooperate fully with the police.”
After speaking, he headed towards the entrance of his home.
The police stood behind, looking at each other.
Huo Tingdong was well aware that if he didn’t see Lin Qi alive within three days, the odds were grim.
He didn’t distrust the police, but he trusted himself more.
There had been similar incidents with the Huo Family before.
Huo Tingdong’s father had been kidnapped once, and the kidnappers demanded a ransom of five hundred million before releasing him. At that time, the Huo Family had chosen to cooperate fully with the kidnappers and did not report to the police, paying the ransom before getting the hostage back.
During the same period, another young master from a different wealthy family was kidnapped by the same criminal group. They chose to call the police between paying the ransom, and upon learning that he had called the police, the kidnappers chose to kill the hostage.
The event was greatly publicized at that time.
Everyone criticized the related media for lacking professional ethics, leaking the news of calling the police online, infuriating the kidnappers.
Thus, Huo Tingdong chose to handle this carefully.
Momo and Han had already been brought home by Mo Ke. Half an hour ago, he received a call from Huo Tingdong, asking him to increase security to protect the two children.
Although Mo Ke was very discreet, Momo still sensed that something had happened to Mommy.
Therefore, as soon as Huo Tingdong entered, Momo instantly stood up in the living room and rushed to him, asking, “Where’s Mommy? Has something happened to her?”
Han also ran towards Huo Tingdong, his small hands clenched nervously in front of his chest, his eyes flickering worriedly.
Momo’s expression darkened slightly, yet he didn’t make any verbal response; he suddenly ran upstairs.
Huo Tingdong called out, “Momo…”
He picked up Han and chased Momo upstairs, where Momo had darted into the study. As Huo Tingdong entered, he saw Momo taking a very small foldable notebook out of his bag, opening it, booting the system, and skillfully typing a string of commands, locating the real-time position of Lin Qi’s cellphone.
Huo Tingdong walked over and glanced at Momo.
The little guy’s calm and composed demeanor didn’t show any panic, but his slightly trembling fingertips undoubtedly proved how nervous he was at that moment.
Yet he also told himself that being nervous at this critical moment was futile.
He had to calm down and find every possible way to quickly locate Mommy.
Huo Tingdong put Han aside, stroked his hair, and stood behind Momo.
Without turning his head, Momo continued to operate the system and asked, “Did you call the police?”
Huo Tingdong said, “No.”
Momo said, “Don’t report it for now. Tonight, they can’t leave City B.”
Soon, he located Lin Qi’s cellphone number; the signal originated from a lake.
Momo’s heart slightly chilled.
It was evident that the opposition was highly cautious, knowing the ease of locating a cellphone’s signal source, so they threw the phone into the lake at the first opportunity.
Huo Tingdong, seeing the satellite map on the screen showing the signal source in the middle of a lake, also realized that the opposition had a significant counter-surveillance consciousness.
“The phone was thrown into the lake,” Momo said, “They are very wary.”
He then retrieved the pathway of the signal source through cellular towers, checking the points on the city’s cellular tower distribution map, and simulated a rough route, “They’re still in City B.”
Huo Tingdong said, “These people are probably organized and well-coordinated, not ordinary kidnappers.”
Momo then asked, “Who took Mommy? Do you remember the license plate number?”
Huo Tingdong said, “The license plate number is most likely fake.”
Momo said, “Even a fake plate number is useful.”
Even if it’s a fake plate that wouldn’t register in the public security system, he could directly hack into the Skynet surveillance system to retrieve the vehicle’s trajectory from various road checkpoints and roadside surveillance cameras.