Chen Xiaozhu's mouth was gagged, and her face was filled with terror.
Xiang Jingzhu was about to step forward but was stopped by her teammate, who said, "She has a bomb on her. I can disarm it, let me do it!"
The teammate who spoke was named Nie Boyan, codenamed Stone. He was transferred from the special police and was proficient in many fields.
He strode over.
The ticking sound echoed in the vast, dark warehouse.
The management of the logistics park looked grim, filled with extreme fear.
Chen Fan did not hesitate and strode over as well.
Chen Xiaozhu shook her head desperately.
"We've arrived in good time. This timed bomb still has half an hour before it explodes!" Nie Boyan said with a hint of relief.
"Chen Xiaozhu, don't worry, the method of making this bomb isn't particularly sophisticated. There's no danger!" After glancing at the bomb's mechanism, Chen Fan comforted her and squatted down with Nie Boyan.
"Sir, you should stand back, just in case!" Nie Boyan said.
"There's no 'just in case'!" Chen Fan's gaze swept over the timed bomb mechanism, and he said, "Just cut the blue and yellow wires together. You can step aside!"
"Sir, you know how to disarm bombs?" Nie Boyan was very surprised. He was considered an expert in this area, and it would take him quite a while to figure out this bomb, yet Chen Fan was so confident.
"Just disarming a bomb." Chen Fan replied casually, picking at a wire with each hand. Simultaneously, he released his internal energy, cutting both wires.
The ticking of the timer immediately stopped.
Holding his breath, Nie Boyan, who had been tense, let out a sigh of relief and looked at Chen Fan with admiration.
Chen Fan removed the bomb, untied Chen Xiaozhu, and tore off the tape from her mouth.
Still shaken, Chen Xiaozhu threw herself into Chen Fan's arms, tears streaming down her face, and said, "I'm sorry, they interrogated me about what you got, if it was a booklet. I leaked important secrets!"
"It's alright!" Patting Chen Xiaozhu's back, he said softly, "You're safe, that's what matters most. It was my oversight; I didn't assign anyone to protect you!"
"No secret is important!" Chen Xiaozhu sobbed.
Xiang Jingzhu quickly came forward, helped Chen Xiaozhu up, and led her away while comforting her.
Chen Xiaozhu suddenly remembered something and pointed to a wall opposite them. The light shone on it, revealing a line of spray-painted words on the unfinished wall.
"The game has just begun, we are everywhere... Spider!"
Everywhere? How arrogant! Chen Fan sneered and said, "They're just a bunch of clowns. Don't mind them. Let the police search the place. When we get back, compile all the various documents and information for me!"
"Yes!" Xiang Jingzhu quickly agreed. She was also furious; this was the capital, and such an incident of kidnapping and planting a timed bomb was too dangerous to tolerate!
Chen Fan didn't say anything further. Seeing Chen Xiaozhu, who had calmed down considerably, he signaled Xiang Jingzhu to stay with her and inquire about the details. He, however, got into the car, a thoughtful expression on his face.
The enemy knew from Chen Xiaozhu that the booklet had been exposed, and they would undoubtedly take action. Yu Fuguo's situation also presented a new variable. However, there was a crucial question: did the enemy know the specific contents of the booklet? Knowing versus not knowing made a huge difference! This, in turn, related to the origin of the booklet, but it was impossible to investigate that for the time being.
But one thing was certain: those high-ranking officials who had been bribed and controlled by them, as mentioned in the booklet, were untouchable. When a pawn's status was too important, even if exposed, it could not be withdrawn. The biggest changes were likely to manifest in pawns like Yu Fuguo, who were less important but extremely useful! From Yu Fuguo's reaction, one could glean a hint. But the situation was undoubtedly becoming more complex.
Chen Xiaozhu, having recovered, still felt immense guilt. Chen Fan simply had Xiang Jingzhu take her back to get some clothes and move to the base. The Dawn Team's base was, of course, extremely secure.
It was already very late. Back at the base, Chen Fan rested in the lounge. The next morning, various pieces of information regarding Chen Xiaozhu's kidnapping were compiled. Xiang Jingzhu, still energetic, reported to Chen Fan:
"The sequence of events has been basically pieced together! The kidnappers abducted Chen Xiaozhu in Qingyan Town and went straight to the parking lot of Tong'an Building, then switched cars and left. The three kidnappers split into two vehicles..."
"One of the three kidnappers who abducted Chen Xiaozhu has been identified. His nickname is Big Head, a thug in the underworld. The police have already launched an arrest operation."
"However, given the methods of our enemy, I don't think the chances of catching him are high!" Chen Fan wasn't very concerned about these details. "You continue investigating these matters, digging into their masterminds. Are there any new specific leads?"
"There is one. According to Tan Wu's confession, the person who told him to pick up people in the underground parking lot was named Fang Da!"
Chen Fan was noncommittal. He had experienced such things many times; clues deliberately left behind by an enemy who hadn't covered their tracks were often of little value. It was the inadvertently discovered clues that often held immense worth.
"This Fang Da's identity is a bit special; he's from the Fang family. His father is Fang Baiyan, a martial arts master who runs a martial arts school and teaches students in the capital. His martial arts business is quite substantial!"
"There are thirteen Baiyan Martial Arts Schools in the capital alone, and they have considerable influence and connections!"
Chen Fan was taken aback. This matter actually involved the Fang family? Fang Baiyan held a significant position in that booklet. Why hadn't those people erased the clues pointing to the Fang family? Chen Fan absolutely did not believe they lacked the ability to erase the clues. The simplest way would have been to kill Tan Wu after picking up the people, thus preventing any connection to the Fang family. This seemed more like intentional action! Of course, even if these clues were intentional, he had to investigate them.
"I'll follow this lead." Chen Fan said, "Don't arrest Fang Da for now. I'll pay the Fang family a visit first!"
"Do you have any leads on that provocative message from Spider?" Xiang Jingzhu shook her head. "There's no information on this person in the special department's files. This codename 'Spider' is either meant to deliberately mislead us or was thought of on the spot!"
"After you've investigated and found no new leads, hand everything over to the police," Chen Fan instructed. "As for the Yu Fuguo lead, see if he contacts me again. Wait for three days. If there's no response, we'll take a more direct and rough approach: a secret arrest!"
The kidnapping incident here might implicate that lead; Chen Fan didn't expect…
"Alright." Xiang Jingzhu agreed, sat down beside him, and changed her tone, asking, "Chen Fan, who exactly are our enemies?"
"I'd like to know too," Chen Fan narrowed his eyes and said, "Based on our encounters so far, the enemy isn't easy to deal with!" He never worried about the enemy's strength. However, dealing with enemies who hid and played cunning games of hide-and-seek was much more troublesome and required great patience. But he had waited for three years, and if they wanted to play, he would play along.
Xiang Jingzhu, however, became more excited. "No wonder our security clearance is so high and our authority so great. I'd like to see who these enemies are!"