Chapter 218: When Will It End?

In the abandoned gas station on the outskirts of the safe zone, a faint smell of gasoline drifted in the air.

Lin Hao curled up in the corner behind the gas pump, clutching half a piece of hardened compressed biscuit in his hand,

his parents sitting on a broken sofa nearby, their eyes looking hollowly at the dust-covered floor.

Since hiding in here, the three of them hadn't dared to go out, relying on food they picked up every day to barely survive, fearing they would be discovered by the Iron Hand Group or other factions.

"Rat, you tell me, when will it end for us hiding here?

" Lin Hao's mother's voice carried a sobbing tone, reaching out to pat Lin Hao's hair,

"If I had known, I shouldn't have let you mix with the Iron Hand Group; now it's good,

we didn't make any money, and we ended up being hunted down." Lin Hao's father sighed,

taking a fierce drag of a homemade cigarette: "Stop talking, what's the use of saying these things now? Wait until the heat dies down, and we'll think of a way to go somewhere else."

Lin Hao didn't speak, just stuffed the biscuit into his mouth, a dry, stinging pain coming from his throat.

He remembered what Lin Chen had said: as long as he went to the negotiation site to bear witness, he could stay in the safe zone,

but as soon as he thought of Zhou Bao's methods, he trembled all over. He didn't know if his choice was right or wrong, and could only take it one step at a time.

Just then, the iron door of the gas station was kicked open with a harsh sound.

Zhao Hu walked in with four Iron Hand Group guards, the light beams from their flashlights scanning back and forth in the darkness,

finally landing on the Lin Hao family. "Lin Hao, finally found you." Zhao Hu's voice carried a trace of teasing, walking slowly to the three of them.

Lin Hao was so scared he trembled all over, the biscuit in his hand falling to the ground, and his parents also stood up abruptly,

Lin Hao's mother subconsciously blocking in front of Lin Hao: "What do you want? We have already left the Iron Hand Group, it has nothing to do with you!" Zhao Hu sneered,

his gaze landing on Lin Hao: "Nothing to do with us? Lin Chen said he wants to use you to exchange for two hundred kilograms of grain; you tell me if it has anything to do with us?"

"Use Rat to exchange for grain?

" Lin Hao's mother's voice instantly rose, looking at Zhao Hu in disbelief,

"Are you still human?

Rat is a living person, not your trading item!" Lin Hao's father also stepped forward,

his face livid: "Zhao Hu, don't go too far! Our family is already miserable enough; do you still want to kill us all?"

Zhao Hu ignored their questioning, giving a look to the guards behind him: "Take him away." Two guards immediately stepped forward, reaching out to grab Lin Hao.

Lin Hao's mother, seeing this, suddenly screamed, spreading her arms to protect Lin Hao tightly,

"Don't touch my son!

If you have the ability, kill me first!

" Her voice was sharp and piercing, echoing in the empty gas station, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Mom,

save me!

I don't want to go with them!

" Lin Hao cried loudly in terror, clutching Lin Hao's mother's waist tightly, his body shaking like a sieve.

Lin Hao's father also rushed up, wrestling with the guards, but he was old, and no match for the guards at all; after a few blows, he was knocked to the ground, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

"Unappreciative.

" Zhao Hu frowned, shouting at the guards, "Move faster, don't waste time." Two other guards immediately stepped forward, one grabbing Lin Hao's mother's arm,

one grabbing her shoulder, dragging her backward with force. Lin Hao's mother struggled desperately,

her feet kicking wildly on the ground, screaming incessantly,

"Let go of me!

You bunch of beasts!

I'll fight you to the death!

" But her strength was no match for the two guards; she was pinned to the ground,

her arms twisted behind her back, hurting so much she grimaced, but still refused to let go:

"Rat, run!

Don't worry about me!

Run!"

Lin Hao watched his mother being pinned down, his father lying on the ground unable to move, crying even harder, but not daring to move a step.

The guards dragged Lin Hao's mother to the side; her hair was disheveled, her face covered in tears and dust,

her mouth still cursing. Zhao Hu walked to Lin Hao, crouched down,

and patted his face: "Kid, don't blame me; if you want to blame someone, blame yourself,

who told you to know too much. Come with me, go to the safe zone to exchange for grain; maybe Lin Chen can spare your life."

Lin Hao was so scared he couldn't speak, could only shake his head incessantly. Zhao Hu lost his patience,

saying to the guards: "Tie him up and take him away." One guard immediately took out a rope,

tying Lin Hao's hands behind his back; Lin Hao struggled, but was kicked fiercely by the guard, hurting so much he let out a muffled groan, not daring to move again.

Zhao Hu stood up, glanced at Lin Hao's father lying on the ground and Lin Hao's mother being pinned down,

saying to the guards: "Don't hurt them; they're still useful." After speaking, he walked out of the gas station first, the guards escorting Lin Hao following behind.

Lin Hao's mother watched Lin Hao being taken away, crying heart-rendingly, shouting at Zhao Hu's back: "Zhao Hu! I won't let you go even as a ghost!"

The guards pinned Lin Hao's mother to the ground, not letting her get up. Lin Hao's father struggled to climb up,

watching Lin Hao's back disappear at the entrance, his eye sockets red, but he couldn't say a word.

In the gas station, only the sound of Lin Hao's mother's crying and the footsteps of Zhao Hu and the others moving away remained, the smell of gasoline in the air seeming even more pungent.

Not long after, two Starfire Group team members walked out from the grass behind the gas station,

looking at Lin Hao's father and mother on the ground, then looking at the direction Zhao Hu and the others had left,

one of them took out a communicator: "Team Leader Lin, Zhao Hu has already taken Lin Hao away, the direction is the entrance of the safe zone; Lin Hao's parents were left at the gas station, not injured."

Lin Chen's voice came from the communicator: "Continue monitoring, report their movements at any time."

The team member put away the communicator, exchanged a look with the other team member, and quietly hid back in the grass.

In the gas station, Lin Hao's mother's crying gradually lowered, turning into suppressed whimpering; Lin Hao's father sat beside her, gently patting her back, the two figures appearing exceptionally thin in the dim light.

"Inside the gas station, Lin Mu's crying gradually quieted down, turning into suppressed sobs. Lin Fu sat beside her, gently patting her back, their figures appearing exceptionally frail in the dim light."