Seeing Sheng Xiong's evasive maneuver, quickly disappearing from the fight and within two breaths reaching the villa's perimeter wall, Mo Ling's face darkened.
No wonder they dared to boast so loudly about escaping hundreds of pursuers.
So this was their trump card.
But she didn't believe that this skill alone would allow him to escape their pursuit.
Taking a deep breath, she glanced at Song Qiao and ordered, "Let's go!"
Song Qiao needed no further explanation. He simply nodded and shot forward.
"Mr. Song, don't leave us behind!"
From behind, Mrs. Shen's anxious cry echoed.
A hint of a smile touched Song Qiao's lips. Without looking back, he raised his hand.
With a powerful leap, he soared into the air, disappearing behind a rock garden, pond, and bamboo grove.
Sheng Xiong pushed his speed to its limit, his movement incredibly swift. By this point, he had already exited the villa grounds.
However, his subordinates, following his orders, were rushing in, shouting loudly, attempting to intercept Song Qiao and Mo Ling.
The first few to appear, seeing them, seemed to perceive them as weak and easily bullied, approaching unarmed.
They were instantly scattered.
The two dealt with them effortlessly.
Screams erupted.
More warnings followed: "Use guns, quick, use guns! These two are trouble!"
Immediately, the cacophony of gunshots erupted.
Bang, bang, bang!
However, Song Qiao and Mo Ling, with their extensive experience evading gunfire, rapidly changed direction, skillfully using obstacles to obscure the line of sight for the shooters.
Coupled with their swift movements, they soon broke free from their pursuers' entanglement.
In the distance, they spotted Sheng Xiong, moving somewhat unsteadily, approaching a building complex.
"Quick, don't let him get away!" Mo Ling urged.
The two increased their pace, drawing ever closer to Sheng Xiong.
By now, there were some people in the vicinity. Although this was already a suburban area, there were still quite a number of people around.
Sheng Xiong didn't spare them either, often using their bodies as cover to conceal his movements.
Furthermore, he had changed his attire twice along the way.
But none of these petty tricks escaped Mo Ling's keen eyes.
This skill surpassed Song Qiao's own capabilities.
This was not surprising, as Song Qiao had not been in the security department for long and had not yet undergone extensive training in many areas.
Mo Ling, on the other hand, had already undergone relevant training and had completed numerous missions.
Under Mo Ling's guidance, the two kept relentlessly pursuing Sheng Xiong.
However, strangely, as they closed the distance, Sheng Xiong's escape speed began to slow. Instead of heading deeper into the buildings, he moved along the edge of an open plaza.
Song Qiao and Mo Ling were less than a hundred meters from Sheng Xiong.
Suddenly.
Song Qiao shouted, "Watch out!"
Before his words fully registered, he forcefully changed direction, lunging towards Mo Ling beside him.
He had noticed a disturbance in a window of a building to his upper right – a reflection from a mirror?
Simultaneously.
"Bang!"
A gunshot.
Just then, Song Qiao tackled Mo Ling, and they rolled on the ground, taking cover behind a flight of stairs.
Bullets followed them, gouging massive holes in the ground.
Fortunately, Song Qiao had timely pushed Mo Ling down and kept her moving, allowing her to narrowly avoid a fatal shot, preventing a premature end to their pursuit.
"Ah!"
Mo Ling felt a wave of fear wash over her.
"Thank you!" she said solemnly, her gratitude evident.
"Heh, no problem," Song Qiao replied, a frown creasing his brow.
A question had arisen in his mind.
Just as he was about to speak, he saw Mo Ling wanting to say something.
"Can you... let go?" Mo Ling's face flushed, avoiding Song Qiao's gaze.
He then realized he was still holding her tightly.
"Uh, my apologies," Song Qiao released his grip.
However, they were still close.
Song Qiao shifted, about to seek an opportunity to disengage, but Mo Ling stopped him. "Don't move!"
She pointed in the direction of the gunshots.
Song Qiao understood her intention; any movement might expose him to the sniper's aim.
Calming his thoughts, he mused, "That should be a QBZ, right?"
Mo Ling looked at Song Qiao, surprised. "What about the QBZ? You actually recognize a QBZ!"
After asking, she suddenly remembered hearing that Song Qiao was a military enthusiast with a certain level of research into firearms and ammunition from around the world, including China.
Song Qiao was about to answer but, seeing her reaction, fell silent.
Mo Ling, seeing Song Qiao's prolonged silence, became a little anxious. "Are you saying the ambush was from a QBZ? Hmm, indeed!"
QBZ, referred to the Type 95 assault rifle.
Mo Ling, being experienced, immediately understood upon Song Qiao's hint.
The QBZ was the standard issue rifle for the Chinese military.
Sheng Xiong was escaping, and during their pursuit, they had encountered a shooter wielding a QBZ.
Thinking of this, Mo Ling's expression turned grim.
Could it be people from the military? How deeply were they involved in this matter? The implications were chilling!
Seeing that she had grasped the potential depths of this affair, Song Qiao remarked, "It seems Sheng Xiong's assassination attempt was merely a diversion; the real objective lies elsewhere!"
Mo Ling nodded. "It appears Sheng Xiong wasn't trying to kill Mrs. Shen, but rather use himself to lure me out! But is it really necessary? For me to receive such treatment?"
She then let out a laugh, a mocking smile playing on her lips.
Song Qiao added, "As for why, you can consider if you've obstructed someone's path, encroached upon their interests... If that's the case, you could very well become a thorn in their side, someone they desperately want to eliminate."
Hearing Song Qiao's words, Mo Ling's expression shifted. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, then her face contorted with distress. "I never imagined I just wanted to be an ordinary employee."
"Heh, in this life, one inevitably clashes with others..." Song Qiao could only offer such a sentiment.
A silence ensued.
The air they exhaled brushed against each other, carrying a warmth that made them both feel a touch uncomfortable.
Song Qiao recognized this and knew the situation couldn't continue like this.
After a moment's thought, he said to Mo Ling, "Let me see if the other party has left."
Without waiting for Mo Ling's reply, he rolled over and moved towards the stairs on the other side.
Bang!
The gunshots rang out again.
Mo Ling's voice was filled with anger, "That detestable fellow! If not for him, with our combined efforts, we would have surely captured Sheng Xiong!"
Song Qiao replied, "Precisely because you two together are unstoppable, he ran faster than a rabbit!"
Mo Ling managed a smile.
Perhaps it was from lying down for too long, she wanted to shift her position.
But as soon as she moved, her mouth twitched, and her face turned a little pale.
"What's wrong?" Song Qiao asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
Mo Ling said nothing, turning her head to look at her right arm.
It was a bloody mess, with deep gashes in the flesh, revealing a sliver of bone.
That last shot had indeed hit her.
"You need to get this treated quickly."
"It's fine, I'll handle it for now."
With that, she said no more, lowered her head, took out a spray from her pocket, and sprayed it on the wound.
Song Qiao recognized it as a disinfectant and hemostatic spray.
Then, Mo Ling took out a roll of bandages and, using her teeth and left hand, quickly finished bandaging herself.
Her movements were practiced, suggesting she was accustomed to self-care due to past injuries.
Throughout the process, she kept her face stern, showing no signs of weakness.
This earned Song Qiao great admiration; she was truly a formidable woman!
Mo Ling surveyed the ambush location. After a moment, she said, "We can now definitively say that today's events were a setup. Sheng Xiong's attempt on Mrs. Shen's life was just one part of it; the main objective was to kill me... This must be reported!"
Song Qiao nodded.
Soon after, he asked with confusion, "Why didn't the security department inform me about this mission?"
Mo Ling was silent for a moment before admitting, "Because you haven't completed your assessment yet."
After a long pause, he softly said, "It seems I have to meet this Sheng Xiong alone!"