Inside the abandoned factory, Dong Quan's face was dark and tense. He hadn't expected a small change in the plan to spiral so wildly out of control.
Now he was stuck in a deadlock.
If things had gone as planned, he would have disappeared safely before the Binhai police or Chen Mo even arrived. Once Zhang Xinxin was hidden away, he would have had plenty of leverage and maneuvering room—he could have gotten the technology he wanted and escaped cleanly.
But everything had gone sideways, forcing him to hole up in this abandoned building.
"Three burrows for a cunning rabbit." It was a habit of his to prepare backup hideouts.
That habit had saved him more than once. From the moment he arrived in Binhai, he'd begun identifying potential fallback locations—just in case.
The interior was rigged with makeshift bombs. He'd crafted them from fireworks and firecrackers. Their explosive power was weaker than TNT, but there were enough of them—each packed with steel balls—to make them genuinely threatening.
With hostages involved, he knew the authorities wouldn't dare make a rash move. That was his only card left to play.
Fortunately, Chen Mo still cared about his sister.
Buzz!
His phone's sudden vibration pulled him from his thoughts.
Seeing the caller ID, Dong Quan sneered. His narrow eyes glinted like a fox catching the scent of prey. He licked his lips—dry and scarlet.
"I'm here. Outside the door," came Chen Mo's voice.
"You're really something," Dong Quan said coldly. "Clearly, you love your sister very much."
"Thanks for the compliment. So, are you letting me in?"
"Come in—but hands up. If a second person tries to follow, I'll put a bullet in your sister's leg. A third, and I'll trigger both bombs. I've got the remote right here. Don't think I'm bluffing."
The door creaked open as Chen Mo slowly pushed it in. His movements were deliberately small and nonthreatening.
With both hands raised, he entered the room. Dong Quan stood behind Zhang Xinxin, using her as a shield. Chen Mo had to admit—this man was more cautious than even an old fox.
He made no sudden movements, wary of provoking the man. Dong Quan was cornered, and cornered people could become dangerously unpredictable.
"Close the door."
Chen Mo silently complied. He reached behind him with exaggerated slowness and shut the door. Even as he moved, he scanned the room with his peripheral vision, mentally noting the layout and potential threats.
Fourteen makeshift bombs.
If those went off, everyone in the room would be dead or severely injured.
"What did you bring me?" Dong Quan asked.
"It's on me. How do you want me to hand it over?" Chen Mo replied.
"Take off the bulletproof vest."
Zhuang Yan's voice crackled in Chen Mo's earpiece: "Mr. Chen, don't—"
But Chen Mo had already removed the headset. Without a word, he reached up and began unstrapping the vest. Zhang Xinxin, tied up and gagged, burst into silent tears, shaking her head in desperation.
"Empty your pockets. Put everything on the table," Dong Quan ordered, eyes locked on Chen Mo's trouser pockets.
"Wallet."Chen Mo took out his wallet and tossed it onto the table.
Then he placed a small, egg-sized object beside it.
"What's that?" Dong Quan narrowed his eyes immediately.
"A smart robot egg. Just a little de-stressing toy I carry around."Chen Mo tapped the device lightly with his finger.
The robot egg came to life and began rolling along the edge of the table. It moved like a real egg—back and forth, but never tipping over. Clearly harmless. Dong Quan let out a silent breath of relief.
"Anything else?"
"This."Chen Mo pulled out a slim hard drive and placed it on the table. "It holds the data you want. Encrypted."
Dong Quan's eyes lit up at the sight of the drive, though his face remained guarded.
"There's a computer on the desk. Decrypt the data and send it to the address I provide," he instructed.
"The outside network is already blocked. You really think the data can be sent out?" Chen Mo asked coldly.
"That's not your concern. Just copy it to the blank drive beside the computer."
Dong Quan gestured toward the hard drive beside the keyboard.
"Let my sister go first," Chen Mo said.
"If you want to save her, do as I said," Dong Quan snapped.
"How do I know you won't just kill us both after getting the data?" Chen Mo stared at him, his voice steady. "Look—I'm in this room, unarmed, no vest, no backup. I'll be your hostage. Let her go. You'll still have leverage with me."
"You trying to play games with me?"
"I'm just a researcher. I don't even lift, much less fight. No weapons, no vest. You've got the gun, you've got the bombs, and now you've got me. What kind of trick do you think I can pull?" Chen Mo's voice was calm, unwavering. "I've brought you the tech. My only condition is that you release my sister."
Dong Quan didn't reply right away. He kept staring at Chen Mo, scanning his body from top to bottom.
Chen Mo didn't look physically threatening. If anything, taking him hostage would make the outside forces even more cautious. Compared to Zhang Xinxin, Chen Mo was clearly the bigger bargaining chip.
Still, Dong Quan hesitated. His instincts screamed caution.
Chen Mo said nothing more. Pressuring Dong Quan now would only raise suspicion.
The room fell into an eerie silence. Only Zhang Xinxin's quiet sobs and the faint rolling of the robot egg broke the stillness.
Outside, in the surveillance truck, Zhuang Yan leaned over the monitor, eyes glued to the screen. A tiny pinhole camera—snuck through a ventilation crack—provided a partial view of the room.
"The situation?" he asked urgently.
"The standoff is holding. No movement."
"Snipers—any shot?"
"No. One has no line of sight."
"Two neither. The suspect is positioned in a corner with full cover."
Zhuang Yan's face darkened. At this point, all they could do was pray that Chen Mo stayed safe. If anything happened to him, no one here could afford the consequences.
Back inside, Dong Quan finally spoke.
"Fine. I'll release your sister. But if you're lying or playing games, I'll blow this place sky-high. You die first."
His gun shifted slightly, motioning toward the corner.
"Get over there. Hands behind your head."
Chen Mo complied, walking to the corner. His eyes met Zhang Xinxin's. "He'll untie you. Don't try anything. Just leave."
"Did you hear that?" Dong Quan added coldly. "One wrong move, and I'll kill him first. Then you."
Zhang Xinxin nodded through her tears.
Dong Quan stepped forward, keeping the gun trained on her as he sliced the rope binding her ankles. He never lowered his guard. Once she was free, he quickly snatched up the remote and clutched it tightly.
"Go," he barked.
Zhang Xinxin's hands were still tied, but she turned and looked at Chen Mo, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I'll be fine," he said firmly. "He doesn't want my life."
Her steps were slow and shaky. But Chen Mo's words gave her the strength to move. She reached the door, opened it, and slipped outside.
Dong Quan's muzzle instantly swung back to Chen Mo, eyes full of tension.
"Your sister's out. Like I said—give me the data and you walk. This ends clean for both of us."
"Fine," Chen Mo said calmly.
He stepped forward and sat in front of the computer.