Chapter 136: Not a Single Survivor
The man let out a cold laugh. "You're as smart as they say. Fine. If you want to trade, then come on over."
Lin Chuyue could tell these kidnappers were different, and Xiao Ye was being exceptionally cautious.
Otherwise, he would have made his move long ago.
'I never should have run out!'
'Xiao Ye has saved me so many times. How can I let him throw his life away for me?!'
Lin Chuyue shook her head frantically, but Xiao Ye just gave her a reassuring look before turning his gaze back to the man and slowly closing the distance.
At the same time, his fingers twitched, pressing a button hidden in his cuff.
The man's eyes were also fixed on Xiao Ye. Everyone was on high alert.
Suddenly, a red dot flickered past their eyes.
The faces of the men in black changed in an instant.
"A sniper!"
But before they could dodge, one of the men in black was taken out with a headshot.
The others reacted instantly and sprang into action.
Xiao Ye seized the moment of chaos, grabbing Lin Chuyue and pulling her into a roll across the floor.
By the time he was back on his feet, several men in black had already leapt over the body and were lunging at them.
Lin Chuyue squeezed her eyes shut in terror, certain she was about to die, but the expected pain never came.
At the same time, a commotion erupted from downstairs and at the windows.
Lin Chuyue opened her eyes to see Xiao Ye standing protectively in front of her, his shoulder stained scarlet.
The window shattered as several figures in combat gear swung in, still attached to their rappelling ropes.
Simultaneously, another team stormed in through the doorway.
In just a few seconds, the tables had turned completely.
The men in black, who had just held the upper hand, were all subdued by the strike team.
They had been briefed beforehand and immediately moved to dislocate the men's jaws!
But unexpectedly, the men in black were faster. They had already crushed the poison capsules hidden in their mouths!
Lin Chuyue snapped back to reality and rushed to check on Xiao Ye's injury. "Are you okay?!"
The situation had been too critical. No matter how fast Xiao Ye was, his opponents were too formidable.
To keep Lin Chuyue from harm, he had no choice but to use his own body as a shield!
Though Xiao Ye wasn't afraid of pain, he couldn't help but hiss as he drew a sharp breath.
'I don't know what kind of poison is on this blade, but the pain is intense—several times worse than anything I've felt before!'
Huo Wenqing came in, and seeing Xiao Ye's injury, he immediately ordered for the paramedics.
"I already had the hospital staff on standby. They're on their way up now."
"Miss Lin, please accompany Mr. Xiao to the hospital. You can leave the rest to me."
A member of the strike team reported in a grim voice, "Captain, they're all dead!"
Huo Wenqing's heart sank. He immediately strode over to see for himself.
Just as he feared, not a single one was left alive.
"Didn't I tell you? They have poison in their mouths! You were supposed to dislocate their jaws the second you got to them!"
"We were as fast as we could be, sir, but the moment they saw us, they... By the time we reached them, they were already gone!"
Xiao Ye pushed through the pain and forced himself to stand. "I didn't expect them to be so decisive."
Huo Wenqing's expression was grim. "No one is fearless in the face of death, but for them to be like this..."
Before he could finish, the paramedics arrived.
Huo Wenqing immediately changed the subject—some things were best not discussed in front of too many people. "Mr. Xiao, you and Miss Lin should go to the hospital first."
"Once I've handled things here, I'll come find you."
Xiao Ye didn't argue. With Lin Chuyue's help, he was lowered onto the stretcher.
'It had been a long time since he'd felt this weak.'
Seeing Xiao Ye's pale face, Lin Chuyue's heart twisted into a painful knot. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault again..."
This time, Xiao Ye hadn't just saved her.
He had taken a blade for her.
'Isn't he afraid of death?'
'Most people go their whole lives without ever meeting someone willing to take a blade for them!'
Lin Chuyue's heart was deeply moved. The feelings she had been trying to suppress came surging back.
"Don't be sorry," Xiao Ye said with a weak smile. "I'm your man. It's my job to protect you."
He had no strength left after saying that.
It wasn't a lack of physical strength, but the pain in his shoulder was simply unbearable.
'He'd already taken an Antitoxic Pill, but he hadn't expected the effects to be this severe.'
Seeing his state, Lin Chuyue grew even more frightened and hurried after the paramedics as they rushed downstairs.
Before they even reached the hospital, Xiao Ye lost consciousness.
「First Hospital.」
Lin Chuyue stared anxiously at the light above the operating room door.
After what felt like an eternity, the doctor finally emerged.
She rushed over to him. "How is he? Is the patient out of danger?"
"He's out of immediate danger, but we detected a toxic agent in the wound. For some reason, its effects were suppressed."
"We've sutured the wound, but he'll need to be under observation for a few days before he can be discharged. He'll also need anti-inflammatory injections. The wound is very deep, so we have to prevent infection."
Lin Chuyue finally let out a breath of relief. Remembering the pill Xiao Ye had taken, she asked, "What would have happened if the toxin had spread?"
"I can't say for sure what kind of poison it is, but based on what we've seen, the consequences would have been dire."
"The toxin would have entered his bloodstream and spread throughout his body. He would have been dead in under ten minutes."
The thought of Xiao Ye coming so close to death made her heart clench in pain again.
'This was all because of her recklessness!'
'Thank god, thank god he was okay!'
'Otherwise, she would never be able to forgive herself!'
An unknown amount of time passed.
When Xiao Ye finally woke up, the first thing he saw was Lin Chuyue, asleep by his bedside.
She looked incredibly fragile, with tear stains still visible on her cheeks.
Xiao Ye couldn't resist reaching out to stroke her smooth cheek.
Lin Chuyue's eyes fluttered open. Seeing that Xiao Ye was awake, she finally broke into a smile. "You're awake! How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay."
The fact that he had lost consciousness sent a chill through Xiao Ye.
'His Antitoxic Pill couldn't cure every poison in the world, but it should never have let him fall into a coma.'
"By the way, did the doctor say anything about my wound being poisoned?"
"He did."
Xiao Ye looked at Assistant Huo, who had been standing quietly to the side. "Go talk to the doctor immediately. Get a sample of my blood from the wound, or whatever else they have, and send it to the lab for analysis."
"I have to know what this poison is!"
'This wasn't a poison an ordinary person could get their hands on.'
'This could be an important clue in catching the mastermind behind all this!'
"Yes, sir. I'll go right away!"
Assistant Huo hurried out of the room.
Lin Chuyue poured a glass of warm water. "Here, drink some water."
"Today... I'm sorry. I never thought things would get this serious."
After taking a sip of water, Xiao Ye replied, showing no sign of blame. "If anything, I'm the one who got you involved. The mastermind is after my life."
"How can you say you got me involved?" Lin Chuyue had thought it over and realized that everything Xiao Ye was doing was, in a way, to protect them.
'Otherwise, he could have just left on his own. Why would he have needed to stay?'
'If he had run, they might not have even been able to catch him.'
Seeing the guilt still etched on Lin Chuyue's face, Xiao Ye said with a smile, "Well, next time, you have to listen to me. I don't give warnings for no reason."
"If I say it's dangerous, it's because it's not safe."