Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Lin Qi, Are You Afraid? Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Lin Qi, Are You Afraid? Huo Tingdong smiled, “You’ve actually figured it out. How did you tell that I really had ulterior motives?”
Lin Qi stared at him suspiciously: “What exactly do you want to do?”
Huo Tingdong said, “I…”
A childish, milky voice interrupted him at just the wrong time: “Daddy…”
Huo Tingdong lifted his head.
From the bed next to him, Han rubbed his eyes and sat up from the bed, his milky-white little face still sleepy.
His eyes widened a bit when he saw Lin Qi leaning against the headboard, a rush of delight in his eyes.
“Aunt Qiqi is awake!”
Momo sat up with a start from the bed: “Mommy, Mommy…”
As he called for Mommy, he looked towards Lin Qi. Seeing Lin Qi awake, he immediately rolled out of bed, running barefoot to Lin Qi’s bedside, “Mommy, you’re awake!”
He hugged Lin Qi’s arm affectionately, rubbing against her arm stickily.
Lin Qi could only laugh and cry: “Momo, put on shoes, the floor is dirty and cold.”
Momo looked down at his bare feet and muttered: “The floor is cleaned by the cleaners every day, it’s even cleaner than a dog’s lick.”
Han, however, listened to Lin Qi, obediently put on his shoes, and rushed to the other side of Lin Qi’s bed, hugging her hand and rubbing the back of her hand contentedly: “Aunt Qiqi… you’re finally awake, Han was so worried…”
Lin Qi pinched his cute nose: “Don’t talk about ‘dying’.”
Han nodded obediently: “Okay! Han will listen to Aunt Qiqi.”
Lin Qi looked at him and suddenly remembered that baby whose whereabouts were still unknown.
She turned to Huo Tingdong and said, “That Zheng Xuanyi…”
Huo Tingdong said, “Was silenced to prevent her from speaking out.”
Lin Qi said, “She was connected to that organization. Presumably, the day we went to find her, she realized her cover was blown, so she wanted to contact the organization and silence me by killing me. What about the leader of Black Mass?”
Huo Tingdong said, “Dead.”
Lin Qi’s eyes showed surprise: “Dead?”
Huo Tingdong said, “Negotiations broke down, I killed him with one strike.”
He spoke of this startling fact in such a nonchalant tone.
Lin Qi dazedly said, “You killed him…”
She knew he was a ruthless person, but she hadn’t expected him to be this ruthless.
Huo Tingdong’s eyes grew tense: “Are you afraid?”
Lin Qi shook her head: “I’m not afraid, because I’ve killed people too…”
She had always worried about being held accountable, so she dared not mention that she killed.
As soon as she mentioned it, she somewhat experienced a stress reaction, her shoulders trembling slightly, “I didn’t want to kill… but if I hadn’t killed those people, I would have died.”
Huo Tingdong said, “I didn’t expect that you would actually kill someone.”
Lin Qi said, “Is it against the law? Will I be held legally responsible?”
She had a strong legal awareness, having been a law-abiding citizen for over twenty years; she never imagined her hands would be stained with blood.
Huo Tingdong said, “Are you worried about that?”
Lin Qi nodded guiltily.
Huo Tingdong said, “Firstly, the other party was from an organized crime group, they committed crimes first, everything you did was just self-defense to protect yourself. Secondly, it was on the Public Sea, out of any country’s legal jurisdiction.”
Lin Qi listened, and only then did she completely relax: “I was afraid of going to jail.”
She suddenly thought of something and asked, “What do you mean by the negotiation breakdown?”
Huo Tingdong said, “The negotiation was at a standstill, and I was anxious to see someone, you, and I didn’t have much time; I didn’t want to waste time on him. At the time, he was holding you captive, and I was worried that the longer it took, the more danger you’d be in.”
So, as a necessary measure, he killed Dieter.
Of course, he told Interpol about this incident without any concealment.
Apart from regret, they didn’t take any stance.
After all, as the leader of Black Mass, Dieter had significant investigative value; it was unexpected that he would die like that, and now many leads could no longer be followed.
Although this criminal syndicate was caught in one sweep, there was a lack of evidence chains to convict.
But there was no other way.
Why did that old fool have to offend someone, and of all people, the one he should never have crossed.
Huo Tingdong was from the special forces, and his accomplishments back in the days were top-notch, a rare caliber.
Han said, “My Daddy is from the special forces, he’s amazing!”
Lin Qi curiously asked, “How did you end up in the special forces?”
Huo Tingdong replied, “When I was young, I wanted to join the army, but later, I had to return home to take over the family business.”
“…” Lin Qi suddenly fell silent.
Why did he speak of it so casually?
No matter what he does, he excels.
During his service in the special forces, he was an ace soldier.
After taking over the family business, he expanded Huace Group to such grandeur.
An outstanding person, perhaps, can excel at anything.
Momo asked worriedly, “Mommy, do you have any pain anywhere else?”
He asked the exact same question as Huo Tingdong.
Lin Qi replied patiently, “Mommy is much better now, no pain anymore.”
Momo was then reassured, “That’s good. If Mommy is in pain anywhere, Momo will feel sad!”
Han also said, “Han would feel sad too!”
Momo suddenly remembered something: “Momo made chicken soup for Mommy, have you drunk it?”
Lin Qi glanced at the time and said, “There’s still 1 hour before I can drink water and eat.”
Momo looked towards Huo Tingdong.
Huo Tingdong explained, “The doctor said so.”
Momo crossed his arms, looking at Lin Qi with her hungry stomach, both anxious and heartbroken.
Han had just woken up and was hungry too, staring longingly at the chicken soup in the thermos, eyes wide, practically drooling.
Momo turned his head and saw Han beginning to drool, realizing that he was coveting the chicken soup he made, and immediately declared with disdain, “That was made for Mommy, you’re not allowed to sneak any!”
Han lowered his head in grievance, fiddling with his fingers and pouting.
Momo couldn’t hide his irritation at the sight of this expression: “You’re still trying to look pitiful, when you gulped down two bowls as soon as the soup was ready.”
Lin Qi said, “That means the chicken soup Momo made is delicious. That’s why Han can’t stop thinking about it! Han, it’s okay, Aunt Qiqi will give you a bowl later.”
Upon hearing this, Han’s face immediately showed an excited expression.
Momo couldn’t stand it anymore and tugged at his chubby little cheeks, “Mommy is the injured one, you’re not hurt or sick, you’re not allowed to steal Mommy’s chicken soup to drink!”
Momo’s grip wasn’t strong, but Han’s cheeks were still pulled out of shape.
Han wanted to show some resistance, but he was just too tempted by the chicken soup Momo made. Despite Momo’s veiled “threats and intimidation”, the little guy still put his hands together in prayer, as if beseeching either for Momo to spare him, or to grant him a bowl of chicken soup.