Chapter 721

At 3:07 a. m., the living room's curtains were tightly closed.

Time passed minute by minute in Li Shuting's suppressed groans of pain.

The strong painkiller began to take effect, easing Li Hengbo's chest pain slightly, but the dizziness from blood loss worsened.

He knew he could not delay any longer.

"Has the money arrived?" Li Hengbo asked, his voice hoarser than before.

Li Zhenyang glanced at his phone: "Liu Shu sent a message—five million in cash has been loaded onto the vehicle, right downstairs."

Li Hengbo smiled smugly: "Secretary Li, for the road ahead, I'll have to trouble you to act as my driver—are you willing?"

"Yes." Li Zhenyang glanced at his daughter Li Shuting, his face worried: "But Shuting's leg needs immediate treatment; if the bullet isn't removed soon, her leg will be ruined."

"Once we're out of the city, I'll naturally let her go." Li Hengbo said: "By then, you'll have plenty of time to take her to the hospital."

"Waiting until we're out of the city will be too late." Li Zhenyang emphasized: "From here to the nearest city checkpoint is at least a forty-minute drive. Shuting's injury is severe; any further delay will cause her to go into hemorrhagic shock."

Li Hengbo lowered his gaze to Li Shuting, slumped on the sofa.

At this moment, Li Shuting's face was deathly pale, her forehead beaded with cold sweat, and the gauze bandage on her thigh was soaked through with blood in a large area.

Although she was holding on and hadn't passed out, her gaze was beginning to scatter.

"That's not something I should be worrying about."

Li Hengbo extended his right arm, coldly pointing the gun at Li Shuting's head while staring straight at Li Zhenyang opposite him: "Don't bargain with me!"

This naked threat left Li Zhenyang angry but unable to speak.

Li Zhenyang clenched his fists, took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger: "Fine, I'll do as you say. But before we leave, I need to confirm one thing."

"Speak."

"Your wound."

Li Zhenyang stared at the ever-expanding bloodstain on Li Hengbo's chest: "Given your condition, you too are at risk of hemorrhagic shock."

Li Hengbo snorted coldly: "No need for your concern; I can hold out."

"You can't hold out."

Li Zhenyang opened the medical kit on the coffee table, taking out a packet of strong painkillers and two epinephrine auto-injectors.

He also told Li Hengbo: "These will keep you awake for a while, but they only treat the symptoms, not the cause—I suggest you use them now."

Li Hengbo stared at the medicines, hesitation flashing in his eyes.

He knew his own physical condition all too well.

The wound in his chest was worsening, the dizziness from blood loss growing stronger, his vision beginning to blur. Without intervention, he might not make it to the end of the escape route.

Li Hengbo suddenly pointed his gun at negotiation expert Wang Ming and issued a command: "You, bring the epinephrine over and inject it into me."

Wang Ming shuddered all over in fright: "I… I don't know how…"

"Learn then!" Li Hengbo barked: "Follow the instructions!"

Wang Ming's trembling hand picked up an epinephrine auto-injector, glanced at the instructions, then at Li Hengbo's gruesome chest wound, his face turning ashen.

Li Zhenyang watched coldly from the side.

He was waiting for an opportunity—the epinephrine would speed Li Hengbo's heartbeat, raise his blood pressure, briefly make him agitated, but also worsen the bleeding from his wound.

More importantly, at the moment of injection, Li Hengbo's attention would inevitably be diverted.

Even if only for a few seconds.

"Hurry up!"

Li Hengbo urged him on, the gun barrel aimed straight at Wang Ming's head.

Wang Ming gritted his teeth, tore open the injector's packaging, followed the instructions, and jabbed it into Li Hengbo's outer thigh.

"Pfft—"

A soft injection sound.

Almost simultaneously, Li Hengbo's body jerked violently!

The epinephrine took effect quickly, his heart pounding like a hammer strike, blood surging through his vessels.

After a brief dizziness, a near-violent surge of strength flooded his body, the severe chest pain seemingly subdued.

But the cost showed immediately—the gauze on his chest was visibly soaking with blood at a visible rate.

Li Hengbo let out a muffled grunt, veins bulging on his forehead. He forced down his discomfort, his gaze sharpening like a blade. Yet he did not faint from it, which left Li Zhenyang feeling disappointed.

"Can we go now?"

Li Hengbo held Li Shuting hostage, pressing the gun barrel against the back of her head.

He gestured to Li Zhenyang: "Secretary Li, you go first. Remember, no tricks. Shuting's life—and your secrets—are all in my hands!"

"!!!"

Li Zhenyang remained silent, sullen.

He gave one last look at his daughter, whose consciousness was beginning to blur, then turned and walked toward the door.

The door opened.

The hallway at 3 a. m. was empty, only the emergency lights casting a pallid glow.

Li Hengbo, holding Li Shuting hostage, followed closely behind Li Zhenyang. Each step he took was cautious, the gun never leaving the hostage's vital point.

The elevator descended.

First floor.

Unit door.

Outside the door, a black off-road vehicle sat idle, its engine already running.

Liu Shu sat in the driver's seat—this was the person Li Zhenyang had arranged beforehand, needing his most trusted confidant to drive.

But Li Hengbo, upon seeing this, immediately halted his steps.

"Change person." He coldly ordered: "Surname Liu, you get the hell down for me! Today, Secretary Li will personally drive for me."

Liu Shu looked at Li Zhenyang with a stunned expression.

Li Zhenyang nodded: "Chief Liu, do as he says."

Liu Shu gritted his teeth, got out of the car, and gave the driver's seat to Li Zhenyang.

Li Hengbo shoved Li Shuting into the rear seat, then followed her in, pressing the gun muzzle against Li Zhenyang's neck from the back seat.

Drive, turn right after exiting the residential area, onto Binjiang Road!

Li Hengbo had already planned the escape route.

The off-vehicle slowly drove out of the residential area, merging into the deserted streets at dawn.

Li Zhenyang glanced at the back seat through the car's rearview mirror.

His heart rose to his throat.

He saw his daughter and Li Shuting curled up, the gauze on their thighs completely soaked with blood, her breathing weak and rapid, her face deathly pale.

Li Hengbo, though somewhat refreshed after injecting adrenaline, still had his chest wound continuously bleeding, his gun-hand beginning to tremble slightly; it seems that previous scheme still had some effect.

Two wounded.

One is on the verge of death, the other is holding on stubbornly.

Li Zhenyang quickly calculated: given this condition, Li Hengbo can at most hold on for another half hour! When he can't hold on any longer, that will be his end……

"Secretary Li, don't play tricks!"

Li Hengbo seemed to see through Li Zhenyang's thoughts, pressing the gun muzzle forward: "Although I'm about to collapse, before I go down I definitely have enough time to beat Shuting to death, then use you as a shield!"

"I know." Li Zhenyang replied calmly: "Now we're in the same boat; you don't need to threaten me here."

"Good that you understand." Li Hengbo panted: "Now, listen to my command. Turn left at the upcoming intersection, onto the overpass."

The vehicle drove on the deserted street.

At three in the morning, Wu Zhou resembled a sleeping iron forest.

Occasionally a few taxis passed by; seeing the vague silhouettes in the back seat of this black off-vehicle and the glint of the gun barrel, they hurriedly gave way.

Li Zhenyang drove while paying attention to the road conditions.

He waited.

He waited for Liu Shu's arranged backup.

According to the previous plan, Liu Shu would immediately mobilize personnel after they left, setting up defenses at the city exit—either to intercept or to follow, the action wouldn't be too obvious, otherwise Li Hengbo would be driven to desperation.

So……

Now we need an "accident".

For example, a truck that suddenly drops anchor, blocking the way.

Or, a "drunk driving" driver causing a rear-end collision.

As long as we can get this vehicle to stop, the ambush police around have a chance to storm it. Of course, doing this carries great risk; Li Hengbo is extremely likely to shoot at the last moment.

But Li Zhenyang has no room for choice.

Daughter Shuting's condition is worsening; if we delay further, even if rescued she might be left with lifelong disability, or even……

Li Zhenyang dare not think further.

"Exit the overpass ahead." Li Hengbo suddenly said: "Take the auxiliary road, heading toward the dock."

Li Zhenyang's heart skipped a beat.

The dock?

Is Li Hengbo really planning to escape by water?

If that's the case, then Liu Shu's arrangements would all be for nothing; the dock's terrain is complex, with many vessels. Once Li Hengbo gets on a boat and leaves Wu Zhou's jurisdiction, regaining control would be nearly impossible.

We must take care of him midway.