311— Found

Charlie gave a low whistle, "Really? I'm on it Boss." He became serious as he scanned around.

Li Chuanmo knew the exact second he spotted them.

"They're here." Charlie informed before telling him the their approximate location. Then he added, "I couldn't see it earlier, but the b*st*rd actually tied her hands, and it seems he taped her mouth!"

Li Chuanmo exhaled, "How about the other men?"

"They've been taken care of already, except the one we decided to let go. This is the last one."

"Good. Do a clean job."

"Sure thing Boss."

"And one more thing." Li Chuanmo took a deep breath, "Please be careful." He couldn't afford to see her hurt.

Charlie nodded once, firmly. You can rest assured."

Li Chuanmo nodded, then came out of the car and went in the direction Charlie mentioned.

*****

Pei Yueran wasn't sure how far they had walked, but she stumbled along for most of it, and judging by the way her feet hurt, she knew she probably had countless bruises already.

She wanted to ask where they were going, anything to break the awful silence, but her mouth was obstructed.

The man's increasingly annoyed tone as he cussed made her back tense. It seemed he was trying to call some people but there was no response from them. She hoped he would not turn his anger on her soon.

Currently, he was engaged in a heated whisper with someone on the phone, talking about meeting at some hidden gate.

Pei Yueran didn't know, but the thought of been taken away from here, away from her husband and family, was terrifying.

She sincerely hoped she had not caused irreparable damage by her idea. Now that her abductor was occupied, she discreetly felt around for a weapon, anything that could cause harm, but it was doubly hard to do that blindfolded.

Before she could even take a step away, a hand pushed her roughly, causing her to fall down hard to the floor.

Anger filled her heart and she held on to it. Better that than the mindless fear that tried to creep in. She could do nothing else.

A few minutes later, she suddenly felt the man take her hand again and propel her forward, causing her to almost fall. She struggled for a few metres before regaining her balance. Her wrist had been rubbed raw already.

After a few minutes, she heard the sound of a door opening, and the cool, night air hit her face. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the fresh air.

Then the air hit her body and she shivered, reminding her that her clothes were not suited to traipsing outside.

Now that she knew they were outside, she began to think about how she could escape again. If only she wasn't blindfolded.

She pricked her ears, trying to listen for the rustle of leaves. If there were bushes nearby, she could at least make a last-ditch effort to run for cover once her captor got distracted.

While she was still thinking about it, a muffled sound rang out in the silent night, and the man beside her suddenly let out a muffled groan before sliding down in pain.

Confused, Pei Yueran turned to what she hoped was her side, trying to figure out what just happened. She tried to ask the man if he was okay, but all that came out was her muffled voice.

Frustrated, she spun around, as if that could help her see beyond the blindfold.

"Who's there?" That was what she wanted to shout, but the tape made her sound intelligible.

The panic she had managed to keep at bay suddenly came back in full force. Here she was in the open, while her enemies hid in the dark. The eerieness of the situation was spooking her.

She heard the sound of a dog barking nearby and she started. This wasn't the time to stand and wait for his accomplices to catch up with them, she had to escape somehow.

As she moved forward, she tried to loosen the bind on her hands with her teeth. So intent was she on the task that she didn't notice the footsteps approaching her.

She almost screamed when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Desperate, she fought blindly with all her might, kicking and hitting. The only thought she had was that she couldn't allow herself to be captured again.

The man shook her several times, speaking softly to her, "Ran Honey, it's me." But she wasn't listening. The shock was too much for her.

Li Chuanmo was at a loss for what to do. She was thrashing about so much that he couldn't even untie her bindings.

Since she wasn't responding to his words, he hugged her tightly, willing her to inhale his scent and recognize him, all the while speaking calmly in spite of the terror clawing at him.

His words finally passed the haze in her mind. "Chuan?" She mumbled.

"Yes, it's me Honey. I'm sorry I came late." He said as he removed her blindfold and the tape on her mouth.

Seeing the person that had been her mind all night in front of her eyes, she dissolved into tears, "Chuan!"

Li Chuanmo held her and patted her back as she cried, "I'm sorry Honey, I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you come earlier? I was so scared, I was." Pei Yueran babbled on.

He removed the hand bindings and winced in hurt and anger when he noticed her reddened wrists that were bleeding in some places.

It took all his might to focus on her only instead of punching the man who lay a few metres away, "It's all my fault, I'm sorry. Don't cry Honey."

It took a few minutes for her to calm down, but she did, eventually. "We need to leave here immediately. They took Mom."

"She's safe, don't worry." Li Chuanmo assured her as he set out with her towards the car. He hadn't parked far away.

Pei Yueran heaved a sigh of relief and allowed herself to be led away. She looked at the man who was passed out on the floor, and Li Chuanmo spoke, "He'll be fine."

Charlie and his men would transport him and the others away quietly.

When they got to the car, Li Chuanmo buckled her in before checking his phone to see nearly a hundred calls from "Idiot." He planned to call him later.

By his side, Pei Yueran said she wanted to go back to the hotel room to get her purse and phone. Li Chuanmo acquiesced.

Just as he wanted to throw the phone to the back, another call came in. Pei Yueran spoke again, "Isn't it an important call?"

"Not really." He replied, but still picked it.

"Brother-in-law, you finally picked! How is my sister? Have you—"

Li Chuanmo wasn't feeling generous enough to listen to his ramblings, so he interrupted him curtly, "She's with me. Meet us at the hotel room."

"Okay, but there's something else you need to know—"