Urban Martial Saint

The team leader took a deep breath, looked at Yin Xianzi, and said, ”Miss, it’s not that we don’t want to help, it’s just that the conditions here are quite complex. Besides, even if we can open up this cave now, your friend might not be safe.”

”What do you mean by that?” Yin Xianzi asked coldly.

”Miss, haven’t you realized?” the team leader said, ”The sounds coming from the cave are not of a collapse, but of explosions. In other words, explosions are still continuously happening inside the cave. This cave was left behind from past mining operations and isn’t stable. Such a number of explosions is enough to destroy the entire cave, burying everything inside. This mountain is a Stone Mountain, and the explosions bring down boulders. Mr. Ye, to say something unpleasant, your friend inside is likely in grave danger now!”

”What!?” Ye Qing and Yin Xianzi exclaimed in shock, their faces darkening to the extreme. Yin Xianzi, in particular, staggered back a step, almost sitting on the ground, completely stunned.

The team leader glanced at Yin Xianzi and then at Ye Qing, saying, ”Mr. Ye, even if we manage to gather all rescue tools in the shortest time possible, it might take us ten days or half a month to open the entire cave. Moreover, according to our recent investigation, the entrance is completely sealed by collapsed rocks. If your friend is on this side, I’m afraid he truly is in grave danger. And if he happened to not be here, and ran deeper into the cave, rescuing him at this pace might not be useful even if we reach him.”

This statement made Ye Qing and Yin Xianzi feel even more desolate, both falling into silence, neither speaking for a while.

The team leader stood beside them, noticed they were silent, and said quietly, ”Mr. Ye, from a cost perspective, rescuing people here is really not cost-effective. So...”

”So what!” Ye Qing turned sharply to him, eyes glinting angrily, ”No matter dead or alive, we must rescue him, no matter the cost! No matter the consequences!”

Ye Qing’s words made Yin Xianzi’s eyes show a hint of emotion; she looked at Ye Qing, her face warmed. Despite their entirely hostile relationship, especially Ding Lianshun, who targeted Ye Qing several times and almost killed him, Ye Qing didn’t take the opportunity to retaliate, and such words surprised and moved her.

The team leader’s face turned awkward; he hesitated slightly before saying quietly, ”Mr. Ye, the Military Department hasn’t given me such authorization, and never mentioned disregarding costs and consequences. This cave is too deep; wanting to rescue people might mean digging through half the mountain, which is a formidable task. The potential costs and unforeseen circumstances are hard to predict. I’m afraid the Military Department won’t support this endeavor!”

”If the Military Department won’t support it, then I’ll fund it myself!” Ye Qing said directly, ”Whatever it takes, alive or dead, we must find him!”

”You’ll fund it yourself?” The team leader was stunned, glancing at Yin Xianzi, cautiously asking, ”Mr. Ye, do you know how much it costs to drill through a mountain?”

”I don’t know, but...” Ye Qing looked at the team leader, speaking deliberately, ”I will definitely not shortchange you on the money!”

The team leader was completely shocked by Ye Qing, unsure of his identity, only aware Ye Qing was from the State Security Department, specially tasked by the Military Department to assist. Ye Qing’s words led him to ponder his background; maybe he belonged to a powerful family, or else he wouldn’t speak so boldly.

After careful consideration, the team leader decided that regardless of Ye Qing’s identity, he was not someone he could provoke. Thus, he didn’t dare refuse Ye Qing’s decision, and quickly arranged for tool trucks to assist.

Ye Qing and Yin Xianzi stood outside the cave, their faces extremely pale. They came to deal with the sorcerer and unexpectedly fell into such a trap. Instead of finding the sorcerer, Ding Lianshun ended up trapped. According to the team leader’s description, Ding Lianshun inside was likely in grave danger.

Notably, in that dire situation, Ding Lianshun had created an escape route for both of them. If he truly died inside, neither could forgive themselves.

Like the team leader said, the terrain here was complex; it would take some time for the tool trucks to arrive. After over two hours, instead of the trucks, they received shocking news: a child from the village had been kidnapped!

Though such incidents weren’t rare, the timing and location were too coincidental, happening just then in the village Ye Qing and others visited earlier. The key point was, there were many police and soldiers guarding the surrounding areas; even if traffickers dared act, they wouldn’t choose such a time.

Yet under such circumstances, a child was kidnapped, even under the noses of police and soldiers, leading suspicions that the kidnapper might have a connection to their situation.

Ye Qing and Yin Xianzi clearly sensed something was amiss; exchanging glances, Ye Qing first asked, ”Who kidnapped the child? Did he leave any clues?”

”He only left a note, addressed to you, Mr. Ye.” The soldier delivering the message pulled out a note and handed it over.

”A note for me?” Ye Qing was surprised, tightly furrowing his brows. A note addressed to him suggested the person knew him; who might this person be?

Ye Qing was about to reach for the note but was blocked by Yin Xianzi.

”Careful!” Yin Xianzi softly reminded Ye Qing.

Ordinarily, they’d be unsuspecting, but the recent events heightened their alertness, ensuring no mistakes at any moment.

Ye Qing nodded, one hand in his pocket, tightly gripping Mu Ling, and cautiously extending the other to take the note, prepared for any surprises.

Fortunately, the note contained no traps. Perhaps poisoned, but Ye Qing held Mu Ling, neutralizing any poison. Ye Qing smoothly received the note and, after reading it, his face changed.

The note simply stated: ”To find me, come to Beimang Mountain!”

Eight simple characters. No signature, no identity information, making it impossible to guess the note’s author and their relation to Ye Qing.

Initially, upon hearing about the note, Ye Qing thought of Old Wang Ba, suspecting he reappeared. But considering it further, Old Wang Ba wouldn’t kidnap a child, and the handwriting didn’t match Old Wang Ba’s. Ye Qing dismissed Old Wang Ba.

If not Old Wang Ba, who could it be?

”What does the kidnapper look like?” Ye Qing asked.

”We don’t know.” The soldier awkwardly replied, ”After kidnapping the child, we discovered this note at the scene.”

”How do you know it’s addressed to me?” Ye Qing asked curiously.

”Uh, he left a line in blood at the scene, explicitly asking us to give you the note.” The soldier showed a photo, ”Here’s the photo from the scene.”

Ye Qing glanced at the photo, seeing the messy wall with a large blood-written line: Give the note to Ye Qing!

Holding the photo and note, Ye Qing was briefly baffled. Who left this note and kidnapped the child? Why ask him to meet at Beimang Mountain?

While Ye Qing pondered silently, Yin Xianzi beside him suddenly asked, ”What are the birth details of the kidnapped child?”

”Excuse me?” The soldier was stunned, unable to comprehend why Yin Xianzi asked such a question.

”Birth details!” Yin Xianzi said, ”His birth date and time.”

”Uh...” The soldier eyed the team leader, unsure how to respond. After all, they were just soldiers focused on duties, nowhere near worrying about such details. They weren’t tasked with inquiring about birth dates and times.

The team leader asked, ”Mr. Ye, why do we need the child’s birth details?”

Upon hearing this question, Ye Qing understood Yin Xianzi’s intent. He nodded, saying, ”Captain, could you have your men check the child’s birth details? It’s crucial.”

The team leader hadn’t expected Ye Qing to say that, feeling momentarily at a loss, and glanced at his subordinate, saying, ”If so, make a call to inquire about the child’s birth details.”

”Yes!” The soldier responded, ran off to handle it, albeit puzzled and confused. Are there truly such superstitious people in this day and age?