Chapter 117: Luring the Tiger Away from the Mountain

"Jack, I know you're in there. For the leader of a dignified mercenary group, you’ve certainly resorted to some low-down tactics, kidnapping an unarmed girl."

Chu Feng snatched a megaphone from a traffic officer and shouted toward the SUV.

There was no response from inside the vehicle; it didn't even budge. From his vantage point, the officer could only see the driver; the back seat was obscured by curtains.

"Jack, get out of the car. I’ll give you a chance—let’s settle this one-on-one. If you win, you can do whatever you want with me. If you lose, leave your life here."

Chu Feng continued to taunt him, hoping to goad Jack into stepping out. If he did, Chu Feng would take him down without a second thought.

"Chu Feng, I didn't think you were this gullible. I kidnapped your girlfriend, and you actually chased me all the way here from the capital. It seems you don't have much of a brain after all; you’re just a hot-headed fool."

A voice emanated from the SUV. The speaker used Chinese, and it was so fluent that it didn't sound like a foreigner at all.

"You aren't one of the Blazing Sun mercenaries. Who the hell are you? If you have any guts, show yourself instead of hiding like a coward."

Though Chu Feng had never heard Jack’s voice, he knew that the Blazing Sun mercenaries were almost exclusively foreign, and Zi Yan had never mentioned any Chinese members.

"It’s a bit late to realize that, isn't it? You’re right, I’m not from China. I did this specifically to lure you here, and now, my mission is accomplished."

As the voice trailed off, the doors of the white SUV swung open. Three people emerged: the driver, another man from the back seat, and Chu Feng’s girlfriend, Han Xuefang.

Ma Han and the surrounding police officers immediately leveled their weapons at them.

Chu Feng was struck by how strange the situation looked. Han Xuefang wasn't bound, and she appeared unharmed; she didn't look like a hostage at all.

*Damn it, it was a diversion.* They had kidnapped Han Xuefang on purpose to lure him here, allowing Jack to strike the hospital.

"Captain, take them back to the hospital immediately. Go straight to the rooftop and rappel down," Chu Feng ordered, realizing the trap.

Ma Han understood instantly, signaling for Wang Chen and Xiao Hei to sprint toward their helicopter.

"It’s too late for that. Even if your helicopter flies fast, by the time they arrive, our boss will have already finished the job."

Seeing Chu Feng’s panic, the kidnapper laughed hysterically. He had been the one to suggest this plan to Jack, and he hadn't expected it to work so perfectly.

After laughing for a moment, the man shoved Han Xuefang toward Chu Feng. She rushed forward and threw herself into his arms. Having been kidnapped twice in two days, she was understandably terrified. The first time, no one had touched her—the goal had simply been to lure Chu Feng. But this time, she had seen Zi Yan severely beaten, and these men had dragged her onto the highway, threatening to sell her off.

"I assume you're Chinese. Why do this? Is it just for money?" Chu Feng comforted Han Xuefang briefly before settling her into a nearby police cruiser.

"At first, it wasn't about the money; it was about revenge. Later, I realized this line of work wasn't bad—at least it beats working a regular job. You can make a lot of money."

The man who appeared to be the ringleader answered calmly, his eyes steady and unblinking. Chu Feng could tell that this man had already resigned himself to death. If he was willing to throw his life away for this, Jack must have paid him a fortune.

"You people in high positions have no idea what the common folk suffer. Seven years ago, when our neighborhood was slated for demolition, we were promised 3 million in compensation."

"But those unscrupulous developers, eager to please the officials, skimmed our payout. They only gave us 800,000, and the remaining 2.2 million went straight into the pockets of the developers and the corrupt bureaucrats."

"We went to petition for justice, but what happened? My father was beaten to death, and when I went to the police, no one cared."

"That’s why I voluntarily joined Blazing Sun. At least this way, I could avenge my father. I’ve said my piece. I hope you don't give the other man a hard time; he was just a driver I hijacked."

With those words, the man slumped backward, and black blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Chu Feng rushed over and checked his pulse—it was gone. The man had been prepared; he had no intention of being captured and had hidden poison in his mouth long ago.

"Bring the driver and the other man’s bodies back. Also, investigate his father’s death and the compensation issue," Chu Feng ordered the police officers, a mix of local Xiangnan and capital-based personnel.

Once finished, Chu Feng jumped into the car with Han Xuefang and sped off. He had to reach the Air Force Hospital as quickly as possible. Checking the GPS on his phone, he saw they were nearly a hundred kilometers away.

"Buckle your seatbelt. I’m going to drive fast," Chu Feng warned, floorboarded the accelerator, and the police car shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.

While driving, Chu Feng called Ma Han. When the call connected, the roar of helicopter rotors was audible on the other end, confirming they hadn't reached the hospital yet. He then tried calling Liu Shuiqing, who was stationed at the hospital, but her phone was powered off.

In the back seat, Han Xuefang looked out the window at the scenery blurring past and instinctively wrapped her arms around herself.

"Call your colleague at the hospital and check if everything is alright on the seventh floor," Chu Feng said, handing his phone to her.

Han Xuefang took the phone and dialed her head nurse. It was answered after two rings.

"Head Nurse, it’s Han Xuefang. Could you please go to the seventh floor and check on my friend? The girl with the purple hair who was with me today?"