I'll wait for you amidst the romance of nature.

My words had no effect. Cao Jinbo pressed the gun against me even tighter, and said to me coldly, "Don't take any chances now. It's 11 p.m. If I don't get the stuff by midnight, none of you will live..."

"Mr. Cao, are you trying to scare me?"

Cao Jinbo sneered and replied, "Why would I block your way here? Because every year, several cars plunge off the cliff on this mountain road... Michael, that's the kind of person I, Cao Jinbo, am. If someone doesn't give me a way out, I'll make sure they die before they do!"

"My request isn't unreasonable. Just let them go first, and I promise I'll deliver what you want to you."

Cao Jinbo shook his head and then said to the men he had brought, "If you don't get the goods before midnight, throw them off the road along with their vehicles."

The group nodded, and Cao Jinbo lowered the gun he had been pointing at my head. But I was even more terrified than before. I couldn't understand Cao Jinbo. Logically, he wouldn't dare do anything to us before he had evidence. But when he said those words, it didn't sound like a threat or intimidation at all. I had a strong feeling that if I didn't hand over the things to him before midnight, he would really take our lives. I had never seen such a vicious look in his eyes. He was a demon from hell, and my nightmare!

I panicked. There was no way I could hand over the things before midnight. This indirectly proved that Cao Jinbo didn't believe the evidence was sent by Yang Sisi via express delivery. He might think it was a joke, but for Yang Sisi, it was the only option... because before this, she didn't want to meet me at all.

……

My guess was right. Cao Jinbo didn't believe it. He got into Ye Zhi's car and searched the entire car, including the trunk, and even under the seats... After a while, he sat down in the driver's seat, looking very dejected, and then turned to look at us...

I thought he would go berserk, but after glancing at his watch, he fell silent... This silence made us feel oppressed and afraid, because I could sense that he seemed to be brewing some emotion.

He frowned again, then lit a cigarette, his fingers trembling slightly…

The sand blown up by the strong wind suddenly stung his eyes... He rubbed them, then stared at the distant snow-capped mountains, as if lost in thought.

……

Ye Zhi's face was deathly pale from the cold. After pulling her collar up, she finally spoke to Cao Jinbo in a seemingly calm tone: "Mr. Cao, Michael didn't lie to you. The item was indeed sent by express delivery, so we can't possibly give it to you before midnight... At the earliest, it will be tomorrow morning... I hope you won't take extreme measures. Give us a way out, and give yourself a chance... We are not the police, nor do we represent the country. It's not worth risking three lives for this."

"That piece of trash Cao Xue, we shouldn't have spared your life in the first place..."

Ye Zhi stood there stunned for a moment before turning to Cao Jinbo and saying, "Mr. Cao, you are a wise and rational person. The fact that you entrusted such an important thing to Cao Xiaobei proves that your son holds a very high place in your heart... I can make you a promise here: no matter what happens to you in the future, I will treat Cao Xiaobei well and ensure that he will be well-fed and clothed for the rest of his life... I believe you should feel a great sense of crisis right now, so you should also consider your son... You have committed heinous crimes, but your mistakes should not be borne by your son... You can certainly imagine what kind of looks and criticism your son will face in this society once something happens to you. He is not a strong-willed person and has no survival skills, so I think you need this promise."

Cao Jinbo's face twitched, then he met Ye Zhi's gaze and said, "You're trying to negotiate with me again!"

"It's perfectly reasonable for us to negotiate with you... these are our bargaining chips..."

After a moment of silence, Cao Jinbo replied, "Can you keep your word?"

"I'm a man of my word, and this is a promise only I can keep... I can send him abroad, whether to study or to do business, it's his choice, and I will definitely do my best to help him."

"Okay, your character is well-regarded in the industry... I believe in you... I'll let you go."

"I'm not leaving. Let Sisi go. This has nothing to do with her..."

Before Ye Zhi could finish speaking, Cao Jinbo slapped her across the face and then said viciously to her, "I, Cao Jinbo, haven't gone that far yet... You woman, you're so scheming... Even now, you still haven't forgotten to exploit my love for my son... If you don't get the things, none of you are leaving..."

……

Time ticked away in the stalemate, and I grew increasingly nervous, because only five minutes remained before Cao Jinbo's allotted time was up...

The immense psychological pressure finally broke Yang Sisi. She cried and said to Cao Jinbo, "I really did send the things... I sent them to Tie Nan and Lao Ma's farm, the two people who used to run the inn with us... You can send someone there to wait. I'll never dare to be stubborn again... Please don't hurt us, okay?"

Cao Jinbo sneered, "You're a menace; how could I believe you?"

"I'm not lying to you, I really am not lying..."

Cao Jinbo clenched his fists, seemingly weighing his options... Just then, someone handed him a satellite phone. Cao Jinbo answered it expressionlessly. Because it was in the mountains, it was extremely quiet, so we could vaguely hear the voice on the other end of the line.

"Old Cao... the police have already taken Cao Xue into custody. They just sent people to arrest him... I think this time they're serious. You absolutely must get that thing back... we're in this together now. If something happens to you, my life will definitely suffer too."

"Okay, I understand... Now find a reliable person to go to the farm in Ma Jiuyi... My people here say the goods have been sent there... Tell the people on the farm that if they want their friends to live, they should hand over the goods immediately."

"I'll take care of it right away."

I'll wait for your reply.

……

At that moment, we were even more anxious than Cao Jinbo was, waiting. Half an hour later, the satellite phone rang again. As soon as we answered, the person on the other end said, "Old Cao, something terrible has happened... You have an arrest warrant, and the items may have already fallen into the hands of the police... Don't worry about anything now, flee abroad immediately!"