Chapter 217: Hostage

When Lin Chen rushed to the logistics group warehouse, several team members were busy classifying and stacking the grain sent by the Iron Hand Group.

The sacks were printed with blurry logos, the opened bag mouths revealing plump wheat grains,

emitting a faint scent of grain. Li Wei stood by the table in the center of the warehouse,

holding a supply list, and seeing Lin Chen come in, immediately greeted him: "A total of five hundred kilograms of grain, packed in thirty sacks,

all newly harvested, no mold or deterioration; the machine guns and antibiotics have also been counted according to the list and placed in the adjacent warehouse."

Lin Chen took the list, scanned it quickly, and after confirming the quantity was correct,

wrote his name in the signature column. He handed the list to the logistics team leader beside him: "Seal the grain for now, and don't use it until the subsequent distribution plan is determined;

send the antibiotics and machine guns to the armory and register them into storage." The logistics team leader nodded, took the list, and turned to arrange manpower.

"Lin Guodong has already explained the three hiding spots of Zhou Bao clearly;

should we send people to search and capture now?" Li Wei asked in a low voice,

his gaze scanning the busy team members in the warehouse. Lin Chen shook his head: "No rush; Zhou Bao definitely has a backup plan; if we go to search and capture now, it's easy to startle the snake. Wait for Lin Guodong to rest for a night, and have him lead the way tomorrow morning, then we'll take action; this can increase the success rate of the capture."

The two were talking when the communicator suddenly rang; it was from the team member guarding the entrance of the safe zone: "Team Leader Lin, Zhao Hu of the Iron Hand Group is here again,

saying he has important matters to discuss with you, and also brought two people, waiting at the entrance." Lin Chen frowned: "What is he doing here? Let him in, and bring him to the headquarters conference room."

Hanging up the communicator, Li Wei was somewhat puzzled: "Just finished negotiating the agreement,

and he's here again; it definitely isn't anything good. Should we bring more people,

just in case?

" Lin Chen waved his hand: "No need; he wouldn't dare make a move in the safe zone; the two of us will just go."

The two walked quickly to the headquarters conference room, pushed the door open, and Zhao Hu was standing with his back to the door,

hearing the footsteps, he turned around immediately. His expression wasn't very good, his eyes carrying obvious fatigue, and the two attendants behind him were empty-handed, not carrying anything.

"Lin Chen, our leader said that in the previous compensation supplies, the quantity of grain was insufficient,

still short by two hundred kilograms; we really can't scrape it together." Zhao Hu said directly,

his tone carrying a trace of pleading, "Can we have a few days of grace? Wait until we find Zhou Bao and seize supplies from him, then we'll make it up to you."

Lin Chen walked to the conference table and sat down, his fingers tapping the tabletop lightly, his gaze looking at Zhao Hu calmly: "It's written very clearly in the agreement:

five hundred kilograms of grain, not a single kilogram less. You can't scrape it together; that's your business, it has nothing to do with the Starfire Group."

Zhao Hu became anxious, stepping forward: "We really have no other way!

The grain in the stronghold has long bottomed out, and the rest was distributed to the brothers under my command;

if we take out more grain, they will start making trouble! Lin Chen, just accommodate us; consider it as us owing you, we will definitely pay it back in the future!"

Li Wei sneered: "Now you know to beg us? What were you doing earlier?

When you were looting survivors' grain before, why didn't you think about today?"

Zhao Hu's face turned red and white, but he didn't dare refute, could only lower his head: "It's our fault, we admit our mistake. But this time we are really at the end of our rope, please give us a way to live."

Lin Chen was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly spoke: "The grain doesn't have to be made up, but I have one condition."

Zhao Hu's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly lifted his head: "What condition? Tell me! As long as we can do it, we will definitely agree!"

"Use Lin Hao to exchange." Lin Chen's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears,

"You hand over Lin Hao, and this two-hundred-kilogram grain gap will be written off."

Zhao Hu was stunned, clearly not expecting Lin Chen to propose this condition,

"Lin Hao?

That kid who was driven out by us? He has nothing to do with us anymore; we stopped caring about his life or death a long time ago."

"I don't care what method you use; within three days, bring Lin Hao to the entrance of the safe zone."

Lin Chen interrupted his words, his tone not allowing for doubt, "Remember, I want him alive.

If you can't do it, not only will you have to make up the grain, but the Starfire Group will also immediately terminate the agreement and launch a full-scale attack on the remaining forces of the Iron Hand Group."

Zhao Hu's expression changed drastically: "Lin Chen, you are making things difficult! Lin Hao doesn't know where he's hiding right now; where are we supposed to find him?"

"That's your business." Lin Chen stood up and walked to Zhao Hu, his gaze cold,

"You were able to find him before, so you can find him now. If you don't look for him,

it means you have no sincerity in negotiating peace at all. I'll give you three days; if I don't see the person in three days, bear the consequences yourself."

Li Wei also stood up and made a 'please' gesture to Zhao Hu: "Leader Zhao,

please go back. Think carefully: is it easier to find Lin Hao, or is it easier to go to war with the Starfire Group?"

Zhao Hu looked at Lin Chen's resolute gaze, knowing that arguing further would be useless,

and could only grit his teeth and nod,

"Fine, I agree to you!

Within three days,

I will definitely bring Lin Hao!

But you must also keep your word; as long as we deliver the person, the grain gap will be written off."

"I, Lin Chen, keep my word and never renege." Lin Chen's voice was without a ripple.

Zhao Hu took a deep breath, didn't say anything more, and turned to take his two attendants and walk quickly out of the conference room.

Watching his back disappear at the door, Li Wei looked at Lin Chen: "Why look for Lin Hao? He's just a minor character; keeping him is useless."

"Lin Hao knows many secrets of the Iron Hand Group, especially Zhou Bao's whereabouts." Lin Chen walked to the window,

looking at the safe zone outside, "Before, he said he heard Zhou Bao and you talking about the sneak attack;

he definitely still has things he concealed. Catching him back will allow us to dig out more useful information; he's worth much more than two hundred kilograms of grain."

Li Wei suddenly realized: "So that's how it is. Should we send people to watch Zhao Hu to prevent him from playing tricks?"

"No need; he wouldn't dare play tricks." Lin Chen shook his head, "The Iron Hand Group is currently demoralized; if they go to war with us, they won't last three days. Zhao Hu knows this very clearly; he will definitely bring Lin Hao."

The two were talking when a system notification suddenly popped up: 【Detected Lin Hao currently hiding in an abandoned gas station on the outskirts of the safe zone, with only his parents by his side, no other personnel. Suggest sending people to set up control in advance to prevent Zhao Hu from killing him to silence him after finding him.】

Seeing the notification, Lin Chen immediately said to Li Wei: "Arrange two team members

to go to the abandoned gas station on the outskirts of the safe zone and keep an eye on the Lin Hao family; remember, only monitor, don't make a move; wait until Zhao Hu's people arrive, then see the situation before acting."

Li Wei nodded and immediately took out the communicator to start arranging the mission. Lin Chen stood by the window,

his gaze cast toward the distant horizon, his eyes sharp as an eagle's. He knew that

this transaction three days later would not only allow them to get Lin Hao, this key figure, but also further disintegrate the Iron Hand Group's forces, laying the groundwork for completely eradicating Zhou Bao.