Chapter 91: The Hostage is Injured

The turn of events happened too quickly. Yuan Tianqing moved with such speed that even in front of battle-hardened veterans, no one had noticed her actions.

In almost an instant, she had seized control of Hou Manling.

Hou Manling’s life was now entirely in Yuan Tianqing’s hands. With the slightest movement, Yuan Tianqing could have killed her on the spot.

The atmosphere tightened at once. Every face turned grave, and more than a dozen pairs of eyes fixed unblinkingly on Yuan Tianqing.

With one hand, Yuan Tianqing held Hou Manling fast; with the other, she leveled at her the pointed end of a concealed weapon she had drawn from within her clothing, forcing her steadily backward.

“...Back away! All of you, back away!”

Yuan Tianqing seemed to have become an entirely different person. No longer the usual gentle and kind woman, her expression was now vicious, her gaze as sharp as a blade as it cut across the crowd before finally settling on Song Tingshen’s face.

“How did you find out it was me?”

Her tone was calm.

Song Tingshen looked at her with equal composure.

“Finding out about one person is easy. We were simply careless before and never suspected you.”

“Then why did you suspect me this time?” Yuan Tianqing roared.

She was truly breaking down.

She had hidden in the Taizhou Island Military District for so many years, yet because the district’s management was strict, she had rarely obtained intelligence.

Only after great difficulty had she finally gotten hold of an important piece of information and successfully laid an ambush. And yet, to her disbelief, every one of them had survived unscathed.

Now even her identity had been exposed. It would be a lie to say Yuan Tianqing was not in despair.

She glared at Song Tingshen with bitter hatred.

She had thought that since this man had lost his memory, she could use Hou Manling to draw closer to him. She never expected...

She asked again, “I’m asking you how you came to suspect me!”

Under the gaze of the crowd, no one answered.

At last, Yuan Tianqing slowly shifted her eyes and looked toward Zhong Xiao beside them.

It was her.

It had to be her.

Ever since this woman had arrived at the military district, Yuan Tianqing had felt an inexplicable pressure. First, this person had somehow discovered the whereabouts of Commander Song and the others, then had uncovered the plague outbreak.

She had even produced a great deal of the urgently needed Western medicine.

A few of the young nurses had said that later, when the plague was being treated, the many antibiotics and painkillers that appeared out of nowhere had all been donated free of charge by Zhong Xiao.

That was why Political Commissar Liu was going to apply for an official commendation for Zhong Xiao.

She should have realized long ago that Zhong Xiao was a hidden threat.

She should have thought of it sooner!

Yuan Tianqing’s eyes suddenly turned even more sinister and dreadful, fixed motionlessly on Zhong Xiao as her breathing grew heavier.

“I was too merciful with you. I should have killed you on the very first day you came! I thought you were only some ordinary capitalist’s daughter. If I had known earlier how cunning you were, I would never have let you live until today!”

“Don’t think you’ve won. I’m telling you, our Great East Asia Empire will never surrender and admit defeat like this. The world will ultimately belong to us—”

Yuan Tianqing roared, “My mission has failed, but I will not give you the chance to take my life. My life will be forever, freely devoted to Great East Asia! Before I die, I’ll drag one fool from your country down with me!”

With that, Yuan Tianqing’s expression turned resolute. She lowered her eyes to Hou Manling, who had gone rigid with terror, and moved her hand.

The sharp blade instantly tore across Hou Manling’s neck. After a burst of stabbing pain, Hou Manling could feel warm liquid streaming from the wound. Just as she despaired, believing her life would end here today—

A gunshot rang out.

Yuan Tianqing’s body went rigid. Her eyes widened. She died with her eyes open and collapsed to the ground.

Hou Manling also went weak all over and fell.

Someone caught her.

The person who fired the shot was Wang Erhu. The moment he realized Yuan Tianqing was an enemy agent, he had already begun shifting backward, hiding his movements behind the people in front of him. Silently, he drew his gun and aimed at Yuan Tianqing from the shadows.

After Yuan Tianqing’s death, Hou Manling collapsed, bleeding profusely. She pressed a hand to her neck, but still could not stop the blood from surging out.

“Stop the bleeding first. Get her to the emergency room immediately and prepare the operating room!”