Chapter 252: Preparing to Withdraw

At 12:20 AM, after hours of negotiation, the Supervision Assembly hostage case finally broke the ice.

The Chi Army agreed to release 80% of hostages and withdraw from Dragon City, while the city command center would provide 30 million ransom plus release 80% of Chi Army soldiers captured on Xinaluo's coast as exchange conditions.

Negotiations ended, the Chi Army prepared to withdraw.

On the reception's second floor, Zhao Weihu put his mask back on, walking quickly down the corridor saying: "Withdraw according to predetermined Plan A - all soldiers orderly withdraw from defense positions, have lookouts outside Dragon City also watch withdrawal route conditions - if Dragon City's garrison troops, special police, or special forces move, we kill people."

"Yes!" Zhu Bajie nodded.

"Has Secretary-General Lu come back?" Zhao Weihu asked.

"Back - we have him under control."

"Good!" Zhao Weihu slowly nodded.

......

In the first floor hall, most hostages had been released - less than thirty were still being held, mostly high officials from Dragon City's government departments, mainly white people.

In the center of the hostages, Secretary-General Lu, who had just been required to return by the bandits, looked around with an extremely ugly expression.

Behind, a white man asked very puzzled: "Oh, Lu, weren't you released? Why did you come back? Is it to ensure our safety?"

Secretary-General Lu looked at him with complex expression: "Of course, this is my duty."

"Oh god, you're really a stupid bastard!" The other's rank wasn't low and he was very familiar with Secretary-General Lu, so he cursed without restraint: "If I were you, I absolutely wouldn't return to this hellhole."

"...!" Secretary-General Lu was speechless.

......

About an hour earlier, when the Chi Army released the first batch of hostages, Su Tianyu and Yu Mingyuan had talked in the back corridor.

"Damn it, are you stupid?! You can get out now - why won't you leave?" Yu Mingyuan demanded somewhat anxiously. "What are you staying for?"

"The mayor hasn't left - this is an opportunity for us," Su Tianyu replied softly. "I have an agreement with Zhao Weihu - if the Chi Army can escape smoothly, he'll hand the mayor to me. We currently lack connections, big connections - this is worth risking. If it succeeds, we can grab onto a big leg."

"Are you missing a heart?!" Yu Mingyuan replied firmly opposing: "What if the Chi Army goes back on their word? What if they want to take Mayor Li to Xinaluo and demand another 100 million ransom?! Our relationship with the Chi Army is too shallow - you can't trust them! Now we can use garrison relationships to mix among hostages being released - isn't ensuring our own safety first better?"

Su Tianyu waved: "No, listen to me. First, I believe Zhao Weihu has no reason to kill Li Mingsheng unless absolutely necessary. His goal has been achieved now - just safely withdrawing counts as success. But if he kills Old Li, or goes too far taking him to Xinaluo for more ransom, that's excessive. Think about it - Old Li is head of a city, equivalent to an autonomous region's local emperor, with who knows how many political connections behind him - Zhao Weihu doesn't need to fatally offend these people, it doesn't match his interest demands - this is also why Old Li dared to come."

Yu Mingyuan fell silent.

"We're close to the garrison, and the garrison can talk with the Chi Army - this is our advantage!" Su Tianyu continued softly: "If the Chi Army must sell a favor, we're the best choice. Moreover, even if Zhao Weihu really has a brain spasm and wants to do something to Li Mingsheng, at worst I just get released back to Dragon City, no life danger right? He has no need to kill me, right?"

"Why the fuck are you so bold?!" Yu Mingyuan replied helplessly.

"I'm caught in the middle, almost lost my life - if I don't risk it, I wouldn't deserve taking this bullet!" Su Tianyu lowered his voice: "Actually I have no choice - in the first forced rescue, only I knew the rough action time, but in the end the Chi Army reacted in advance, causing the plan to fail. Likely the command center already suspects I leaked the plan to the Chi Army, so... my best way to clear suspicion is at this key point."

Yu Mingyuan let out a long breath: "Then I'll go with you."

"No need. Just go out and control the perimeter - I'll find ways to contact you midway," Su Tianyu waved directly. "You going would be useless, and your status is higher than mine - if anything happens, your risk is also bigger than mine."

Yu Mingyuan considered for a while, reaching to grab Su Tianyu's arm: "Then be careful!"

"No problem, I have a hard life - specialize in harming others, not myself," Su Tianyu replied through gritted teeth.

The two looked at each other, saying nothing more.

After a while, Yu Mingyuan mixed into the first batch of released hostages, while Su Tianyu was escorted back to the first floor hostage hall.

......

Around 12:40 AM, the Chi Army that had been holed up in the reception building began appearing in batches in the compound, holding many hostages with black hoods over their heads.

The Chi Army soldiers' formation was quite concentrated - over thirty in front held telescopic riot shields and guns gathered at the compound entrance, while soldiers behind responsible for escorting hostages used curtains dismantled from inside to cover their own and hostages' heads, moving and boarding vehicles uniformly.

This way, viewing from reconnaissance drones above, in the compound below there were just several large flattened curtains moving - impossible to observe soldiers and hostages below, unclear which vehicles held hostages and which held soldiers.

After large numbers of Chi Army personnel all boarded vehicles, they sealed all left and right windows with paper, not letting those outside observe the situation inside.

Thus, six batches of people continuously rushed out from inside and boarded vehicles. Mixed in the crowd, Su Tianyu suddenly discovered Jing Yan was also taken to the lead car, and beside him were only Chi Army soldiers - no sign of Gu Baishun.

Seeing this scene, Su Tianyu frowned.

Before the city command center launched their attack, Su Tianyu had talked alone with Zhao Weihu, claiming he had information that could save the Chi Army's life - the condition was for the Chi Army to kill Jing Yan and Gu Baishun!

Su Tianyu wanted to use the Chi Army's hand to eliminate these two people, intending to avenge Yu Jinrong while disrupting the Dock Workers Association to let Wei Xiangzuo rise quickly.

But he hadn't expected Zhao Weihu, who always kept his word, would go back on his word in this matter!

Jing Yan wasn't dead?

Gu Baishun was missing?

What exactly was going on?!