Chapter 292 — Guan Xin Taken Hostage

"Boss, shall we go and take a look?" Kang Xiaofeng was curious; a standoff like this between police and criminal was not something you saw every day.

"If you want to look, let's look." Wei Zhao did not mind at all. He turned to Tang Zhi. "Are you coming?"

"Well…" Tang Zhi was a little afraid, yet a little curious as well.

"You're still going out to look?" Liu Xinlan was surprised. She had kindly come back to tell them not to go out, and now they were volunteering to go and watch the excitement.

"With the police up front, nothing should go wrong, right?" Kang Xiaofeng said as he rose and headed for the door.

Sure enough, when the door opened, the corridor was already packed with onlookers — patients in hospital gowns, doctors and nurses passing through. At the far end of the corridor, however, the police had set up a cordon and would not let the curious crowd through.

Qiu Lingshan came running all the way to the hospital, Liu Wangli at her side, briefing her on the details of the situation as they walked.

"The nurse being held hostage is named Guan Xin, twenty years old, just graduated this year. She went to change Liu Bojia's dressing, and happened to see Huang Guanya doing something to Liu Bojia, so she was taken hostage…" Liu Wangli said as he walked.

"What? Guan Xin?" Wei Zhao had just stepped out of the ward and ran straight into Qiu Lingshan. Hearing Liu Wangli mention Guan Xin's name, he was startled.

"Wei Zhao? What are you doing here?" Qiu Lingshan was likewise taken aback to see Wei Zhao at the hospital; she had not expected him to be here.

A faint pang of jealousy stirred in Tang Zhi's heart at Wei Zhao's concern for Guan Xin, but she said nothing — because when she heard that the hostage was Guan Xin, her own heart had tightened as well. Though she harbored a certain unspoken hostility toward Guan Xin, it could not be denied that after all this time together, the two had become friends. However it was put, Guan Xin was in trouble, and Tang Zhi was worried.

Wei Zhao did not answer Qiu Lingshan. Instead he looked at Liu Wangli. "Brother Liu, you're saying the hostage is Guan Xin?"

"What, you know her?" Liu Wangli was already well acquainted with Wei Zhao; just the day before yesterday he had driven Wei Zhao and Shark back home.

"Yes, a friend of mine." Wei Zhao nodded. "Shall I go and take a look?"

Qiu Lingshan frowned, but said nothing. Wei Zhao's skills were good — at the very least he could defend himself. If he knew the hostage, perhaps there might be a turn for the better.

Huang Guanya knew her, so if she made a move herself, Huang Guanya would certainly be on his guard. But in the police force, apart from Yang Huaijun, there really was no one whose skills surpassed her own.

If someone was to get close to Huang Guanya, Wei Zhao might be an excellent choice.

But to be honest, Qiu Lingshan did not want Wei Zhao's help. For one thing, she worried about his ability; for another, if the fellow really helped her again, he would only grow bolder about making her do all sorts of tiresome errands in the future…

"Don't give me that useless talk." Huang Guanya looked at the negotiation expert before him with contempt. "Hurry up and get me five hundred thousand in cash and a fueled-up helicopter, or else I'll kill this little bitch!"

Huang Guanya ran his tongue over his lips, a vicious light in his eyes, and pressed the knife against Guan Xin's throat a little harder. Fine, red lines of blood had already appeared on her neck…

The negotiation expert was sweating profusely. He had not expected Huang Guanya to be a man who would not respond to reason or force; not a word he said had gone in, and instead the man had begun telling him, in detail, the cruel tale of how he had put a three-year-old boy in a washing machine and churned him to death…

"All right, I agree to your terms!" Qiu Lingshan's voice rang out. "But you must guarantee the hostage's safety!"

Qiu Lingshan had no choice at the moment but to stall the criminal first. If Huang Guanya harmed the hostage, her responsibility as the head of the criminal investigation unit would be enormous! She was still only the acting captain — it seemed she could forget about ever being made official, and might well be demoted if things went wrong!

"Don't come any closer!" Huang Guanya had spotted Qiu Lingshan, and a flicker of hatred passed through his eyes. He was somewhat afraid of this woman; he was no match for her, and letting her get close would put him in danger!

"All right, I won't come over." Qiu Lingshan frowned slightly. She had meant to slip close without being noticed and then strike suddenly to subdue Huang Guanya, but Huang Guanya seemed clever — he knew Qiu Lingshan's skills were excellent and gave her no opportunity at all.

"Tell your men to put down their guns and back away," Huang Guanya said.

"All right, lower your weapons..." Qiu Lingshan waved a hand at the men behind her.

The situation demanded caution; without a sure shot at Huang Guanya, no one could risk firing.

"Bring me something to eat, I'm hungry!" Huang Guanya said. "Don't even think about tampering with the food — I'll make the girl eat it first! Call the hospital canteen right now and have them send a boxed meal here, and no tricks!"

"Fine, I agree!" Qiu Lingshan nodded, though her mind was racing for a way out. She had been glad to hear Huang Guanya ask for food — a little tampering would have been easy — but the bastard was cleverer than she had expected. He wanted her to call the hospital canteen in person, which meant pulling off any trick in such a short time would be next to impossible.

"Don't mind me, shoot him now! The patient in this ward has been stabbed — if he isn't treated soon, his life is in danger!" Guan Xin suddenly cried out.

Qiu Lingshan was taken aback, and only then remembered there was still Liu Bojia in the ward! Her face darkened at once; she had been so busy dealing with Huang Guanya that she had forgotten all about Liu Bojia.

"Damn you! You little bitch, have you got a death wish? I'll rape you first, then carve your flesh off piece by piece!" Huang Guanya had not expected the young nurse to turn on him, and he was furious. He pressed the knife hard against Guan Xin's throat, and blood could already be seen beading through the skin...

"Don't you dare! Do you still want the deal we agreed on?" Qiu Lingshan immediately shouted him down...

It had indeed been a good opportunity — if she could have ordered her men to fire heedless of casualties, they might have killed Huang Guanya. But Qiu Lingshan dared not take the risk! She truly dared not; she could not afford another slip-up.

"Hmph, spare me your threats!" Huang Guanya curled his lip and spoke with contempt.

Just then the boxed meal from the hospital canteen arrived, delivered by a young canteen worker. But at the sight of the standoff, the lad was startled, dared not come any closer, and turned to run...