【Strange】
Ji Nian crouched behind a wreath, peeking out.
The only thing here that could respond to her was the System.
【What's wrong?】
Seeing a man who hadn't managed to escape and was caught not far away, she touched her chin: 【These people don't seem to intend to kill ordinary people; instead, they injure them and then capture them.】
Previously, she had been shielded in Ji Tingzhou's chest and couldn't observe anything. Now, it seems there's something fishy going on.
【Someone's coming】
Hearing the System's reminder, Ji Nian immediately held her breath.
“Damn it, where did he hide!”
“He's badly injured, and all the people he brought have been cleaned up; there's no way he could have escaped.”
“The boss said Ji Tingzhou's arm is worth a billion, and we absolutely can't fail this time!”
As the two spoke, they didn't notice a child hiding behind a row of collapsed wreaths nearby.
Hearing that Ji Tingzhou hadn't been captured yet, Ji Nian breathed a sigh of relief and slowly moved by gripping the wreath.
【To the right, that passageway】
【Ji Tingzhou is there】
Ji Nian was startled: 【You're not helping me?】
She had just asked the System if it could locate Ji Tingzhou, but the System, being quite 'righteous,' had told her to solve it herself.
The System huffed twice, then spoke seriously: 【Important character's health bar is critically low. Special circumstances, I can only entrust this to you, host.】
Health bar critically low.
That means he's almost dead.
Hearing the System say this, Ji Nian didn't have time to tease it. She followed the System's guidance.
Luck was on her side; Ji Nian didn't encounter many people along the way, and those she did meet didn't notice the tattered wreaths on the ground, nor the almost wreath-blended Ji Nian.
She walked deeper and deeper until she entered a small, abandoned church.
Ji Nian found Ji Tingzhou behind a podium under a cross covered in overgrown vines.
He was covered in blood, his once finely crafted black coat stained with mud and blood, his exposed skin full of wounds.
Ji Tingzhou sat there quietly, his eyes closed, blood dripping from his forehead down his high nose, his chest not moving.
Ji Nian threw away the wreath, tiptoed over, and crouched down in front of Ji Tingzhou, leaning in close until she could see the pores on his face.
She whispered softly, "I'm going to flick a booger on your face, okay?"
Ji Tingzhou: "………"
The 'corpse' that had been lifeless suddenly lifted its eyelids, deep green eyes meeting another pair of clear green eyes.
Ji Nian grinned at him.
Seeing the little girl's stupid grin, Ji Tingzhou rolled his eyes.
“Didn’t I tell you to stay there?”
With so many bad guys around, it was good enough for someone so young to hide quietly and not make a sound. This little fool actually had the guts to come out and look for him.
Reflecting the little girl's foolish smile in his eyes, Ji Tingzhou's mood became complicated.
What he thought would be a stern scolding came out as a nearly inaudible whisper, too weak to say anything further.
He had lost too much blood; his vision was darkening, and he felt dizzy, almost passing out.
This wasn't good. Before the rescue arrived, Ji Tingzhou would bleed to death.
They needed to find a way to stop the bleeding.
Ji Nian bent down and tried to tear a piece of her skirt—
The skirt only wrinkled but didn't tear.
Ji Nian: "………"
She then tried to tear Ji Tingzhou's clothes, which were even sturdier.
Ji Nian: 【……Damn TV dramas and novels, you lied to me!】
Those who write about tearing clothes to bandage wounds! Have you ever tried tearing them yourself?!
The System: 【Maybe it's because you don't have enough strength... There's a restroom next to the church, and there's a first-aid kit inside. The hemostatic spray in it can help your dad stop the bleeding quickly.】
Ji Nian took a few deep breaths but didn't leave immediately. She first circled around, finding a narrow space hidden by vines and weeds under the cross.
She mustered all her strength to drag Ji Tingzhou into the hiding spot and covered him up.
During this, Ji Tingzhou weakly opened his eyes and looked at her.
Ji Nian hid him well, then wiped the bloodstains on her hands onto her skirt, picked up her wreath, and headed out.
But the more urgent the situation, the more likely accidents happen.
Just as she reached the main door, Ji Nian was caught.
A blonde man grabbed her with one hand holding a gun, lifting her up with the other, his blue eyes full of joy at his catch.
He spoke in fluent Chinese: "Damn it, finally caught you."
It was the foreigner who had blocked Ji Tingzhou's path earlier. His right cheek was swollen, and he reached out to push aside Ji Nian's annoying hair, revealing her face.
“Hahaha! No wonder he was so protective of you; turns out you're his kid!”
“Tell me! Where is Ji Tingzhou hiding! If you don't, I'll kill you!”
His grip was strong, tightly clutching Ji Nian's arm, making her cry in pain.
A sharp knife pressed against the soft belly of the child.
Ji Nian's tears fell like rain.
I... I don't know... Wuwuwu Mommy... I want my mommy!
Ji Nian's cries woke Ji Tingzhou, who had temporarily lost consciousness due to severe blood loss.
As soon as he had a vague awareness, he heard a gruff male voice: "Stop crying! Tell me where Ji Tingzhou is, or I'll slice your intestines out."
After cursing, he then spoke softly: "Little kid, I won't hurt you. Just tell me where your dad is, and I'll give you candy, okay?"
Hearing this, Ji Tingzhou's first thought was: Her dad is at home walking the dog.
At the same time, he prepared for the possibility of being discovered.
The child was crying heart-wrenchingly, and he half-closed his eyes, waiting for Ji Nian to reveal his location.
Just say it, and you'll be safe. The only thing lost would be a man who hadn't cared for you in the past five years.
In both sides' expectations, Ji Nian, her voice choked with sobs, spoke.
“Uncle, do you really want to know?”
The foreigner was so excited that his nose was practically steaming.
“Just tell me what you know!”
The wet lashes fluttered, and Ji Nian pouted, whispering, “If I tell you, you won't hit me, right?”
The foreigner suppressed his impatience and forced a smile: “Yes.”
Ji Nian hesitated for a while.
“Okay.”
“Then… then… then I’ll tell you…”
The foreigner held his breath, already imagining how to spend those billions.
“Actually…”
“When you poop, if you use both hands to catch it and slowly put it in the toilet, the water won't splash on your butt.”
The foreigner: "………"
Ji Tingzhou: "………"
