Chapter 31: 031 For Whom The Alarm Bell Tolls
While Pei Ningle was in the toilet, Brother Song came to the window outside the first floor again and said in a low voice: “Classmate, your patience is pretty good.”
Wang Heng was sitting on the sofa in a daze. Hearing this voice, he stood up and walked to the window side.
He teased: “Brother Song, you’re more anxious than this captive of yours. That’s really seen it all.”
“What does seen it all mean?”
Wang Heng recalled that this term became popular a year or two later and casually gave an explanation: “It’s a dialect from my hometown, don’t mind it.”
Brother Song stared at him, squinted slightly, and said: “Young man, what exactly is your relationship with that girl?”
“Why are you asking this?”
“You’re not relatives, and definitely not a couple. She’s pretty good-looking. Aren’t you moved at all?”
Wang Heng blocked back with the same sentence: “Why are you asking this?”
Brother Song rubbed his fingers: “I only want money, nothing else. But I can help you create an opportunity to hook up with this girl. You two, man and woman alone in the same room, as long as there’s enough time and the atmosphere is right, a lot of things can happen. Seriously, aren’t you moved? If I were you, I’d have agreed long ago!”
Wang Heng sighed: “I really don’t have that thought. No need to bother, thanks.”
“……Fine, you little eunuch, you’re tough. Just wait and see!”
Brother Song already heard the sound from the toilet side, so he left this window, walked into the unit door planning to go upstairs. But at that moment, he heard the sound of a car engine and immediately became nervous.
This rundown building’s demolition was still stalled. He was certain that no one would come over for at least the next ten days. So, who had driven here?
Brother Song hesitated on the stairs for a moment, then tiptoed to the doorway and peered outside.
He saw an unremarkable van parked not far away, right next to the Mazda he had borrowed. Then, five strong young men jumped down from the van.
They looked like… undercover police?
Brother Song had a bad premonition; his legs began to shake. He wanted to run away quickly, but realized he couldn’t. All the crime evidence was in the house upstairs. Without a car, running on foot wouldn’t get far. With a car… he’d have to get close to them first.
He could only pray silently, hoping those people weren’t police and weren’t coming for him—the objects of prayer didn’t matter anymore; he prayed to everyone from the local Jade Emperor to the Western God, all the gods and Buddhas in the heavens.
However, none of it could withstand Wang Heng’s shout:
“Over here! We’re over here! That kidnapper is in this building!”
Brother Song’s whole body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.
In less than half a minute, three men appeared in front of him, taking out handcuffs and police badges.
Brother Song said with a mournful face: “I’ll wear them, I’ll wear them. Don’t press my head…”
————
After that van, less than ten minutes later, a police car with blaring sirens arrived. Obviously, this police car had been there early too, but hid to avoid alerting the enemy.
Wang Heng and Pei Ningle sat in the back seat of the police car, heading straight to the police station to make a record.
In the car, besides the two of them, there was only one young police driving. This police was wearing a uniform but looked very young, like a university student who had just graduated. After chatting a few sentences, it turned out he had indeed just graduated from the police academy and had been officially onboarded for less than two months.
The young police smiled and said: “I’ve seen so many cases, and yours is one of the fastest solved. Usually, kidnapping victims aren’t as clever as you, reporting early through someone else and even providing the license plate. The information you provided saved us a lot of trouble!”
“Hehe, that’s good.”
Wang Heng casually agreed.
Normally, his vigilance wasn’t much higher than others’. But with the time-space administrator’s reminder, he knew from the start that Pei Ningle would inevitably face a crisis, so not being vigilant would be really frustrating.
The young police said again: “By the way, you didn’t leave anything behind, right?”
“I didn’t bring anything,” Wang Heng looked at the young girl beside him. “Her things should all be brought.”
The young girl’s backpack was hugged on her lap, with the suitcase beside her. She secretly glanced sideways and found Wang Heng looking at her, so she quickly looked away.
Wang Heng asked in a low voice: “Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”
The young girl quickly shook her head: “No.”
Wang Heng: “You’ve been very quiet since getting in the car. What’s wrong?”
Pei Ningle said softly: “This is my first time in a police car… Right, is your little hamster still there?”
The young police was slightly surprised and couldn’t help glancing at the rearview mirror.
“You two brought a hamster during the kidnapping?”
Wang Heng took the time-space administrator out of his pocket and placed it in his palm, saying: “And during this kidnapping period, this guy was probably the most relaxed.”
The young police glanced at the rearview mirror again, seeing the leisurely gray-furred little hamster, and exclaimed in admiration: “You two don’t seem like kidnapping victims at all. More like you’re out on a trip!”
Pei Ningle tugged at Wang Heng’s clothes corner and asked softly: “Can I touch it?”
Wang Heng simply placed the hamster in her hand.
The young girl held the hamster in both hands, touching the fluffy soft little thing, and finally completely relaxed, even gently humming an unknown melody.
The young police tried to chat again: “Girls all like these cute little animals, right?”
Wang Heng: “Mm.”
The topic died, the young girl’s humming stopped, and the car finally became quiet.
Wang Heng looked outside the car window, silently contemplating a crucial question—the first thing to happen near Han Yixuan was a car accident, then kidnapping befell Pei Ningle. So what next? Luckily, this kidnapper was very cowardly, but would the next crisis be more challenging?
At that moment, Wang Heng’s mobile phone rang. Seeing Lu Qi on the caller ID, he jolted all over, nearly flinging the phone away.
It was as if what was ringing in his hand wasn’t the mobile phone ringtone, but the alarm bell for the next crisis.
————
After getting the news from the police confirming that Wang Heng and his fellow kidnapped friend were both unharmed, the first thing Lu Qi did was make a phone call.
The call was of course to Wang Heng’s mobile phone.
When the call connected, she heard Wang Heng’s voice: “Sister Lu, thanks a lot this time.”
Lu Qi asked gravely: “I heard from the police that what you encountered wasn’t a pyramid scheme, but kidnapping?”
Wang Heng: “Yeah… but it’s over now. The kidnapper was caught on the spot, evidence solid. He can go enjoy long-term free board and lodging.”
Lu Qi: “That’s good. I still have outsourcing work for you. You can’t have an accident.”
Wang Heng: “More extra cash? No problem.”
Lu Qi: “Alright then. I’m at work now. Chat when free.”
After saying that, she hung up and put down the mobile phone.
The computer screen in front of her was in sleep mode, turning into a black mirror that clearly reflected her face.
Lu Qi saw a smile at the corner of her mouth. Unlike the polite smile in the workplace, this smile seemed exceptionally real…
“Good that you’re fine,” she murmured to herself. “That kid should count as my friend too, right?”
————
