HBWMA -Chapter 83 Rescue, Assassination

The Shen family reacted quickly.

By the time Shen Zhuang returned to Shen Manor, both the second and third branches had already arrived.

“Dad!” Shen Jiao’s mind went blank with panic the moment she heard that Fu Sui’er had been in an accident. Now that she had lost everything else, her daughter was her lifeline. “Sui’er…”

Shen Che and Shen Rang hurriedly held her back. Shen Che spoke in her place, “Dad, we’ve already heard everything from eldest brother. Fourth brother has also sent people to Xiangying. I’m worried, so I want to go there myself.”

“I’m going too.” Shen Jiao’s eyes were red as she forced herself to stay calm.

Shen Zhuang nodded and swept his gaze over the second branch.

Shen Yuan immediately expressed his stance, “Dad, the Shen family’s forestry base is in Xiangying. I’ve already sent workers from the factory to search. They’re locals, so it’ll be easier for them. I originally arranged a helicopter for transport, but there’s a thunderstorm over Xiangying now, so we can only take the mountain roads.”

“Dad.”

At that moment, Shen E rushed into the hall. Seeing everyone there, she finally let out a breath of relief.

“Dad, I just heard about Xiangying. I called Xiao Qi—he’s in Jinshan right now. I’ve asked him to bring more people to support the search in Xiangying.”

Jinshan was only about an hour’s drive from Xiangying. With the Xiao family’s help, Shen Lanxi’s safety would be more secure.

Seeing the family so united, the old man’s tightly drawn expression eased slightly.

“Wldest and second son stay. Third, fourth, and youngest come with me to Xiangying.”

Everyone froze, immediately trying to stop him.

Shen Qian said, “Dad, the weather in Xiangying is too dangerous. You shouldn’t go. I’ll go instead—I promise I’ll bring those three children back safely.”

Shen Yuan also echoed him, “Yes, Dad, we’ve already made arrangements. Nothing will go wrong.”

Shen Zhuang waved his hand dismissively and turned to Shen Qian. “Enough. Your son is still in the hospital bed—go back there. And you,” he said, looking at Shen Yuan, “stay home and wait for news.”

The last sentence was directed at Shen Yuan.

In the Shen family, once the old master made a decision, no one could change it. Shen Qian and Shen Yuan exchanged glances and said nothing more.

Soon, a convoy of luxury cars departed from Shen Manor.

Xiangying

“What?!”

At the old residence, Great-Grandma Wu nearly fainted when she heard that Fu Sui’er and Jiang Huashan had gone missing.

Shen Lanxi quickly supported her. “Great-Grandma, please don’t panic. Their target is me. Now that I’ve returned to Xiangying, they should be safe for the time being. I came back to ask you to gather the villagers and help search the mountains.”

Rumble—

A bolt of purple lightning split the sky, illuminating the dark heavens like daylight.

Shen Lanxi frowned slightly. That had been his original assumption, but the rain was getting heavier. The mountain roads would be slippery—if they slipped again, things would become unpredictable.

Great-Grandma Wu finally steadied herself and nodded, calling the steward to summon the town head.

The Shen family held great prestige in Xiangying. The ancestral temple and clan shrines in the town had all been funded by them. No matter from which perspective, the villagers would not stand by and do nothing.

Half an hour later, villagers in raincoats gathered in front of the ancestral temple in Xiangying. The torches in their hands swayed weakly in the storm.

Gao Zhi stood in the rain holding a large black umbrella, while Shen Lanxi stood beneath it, watching the long line of villagers disappear into the storm.

The young man’s expression was calm, unreadable.

The Forest

“Someone… please save me… sob…”

In the dark, sunless forest, rain struck like whips. Her legs were gradually going numb…

Fu Sui’er’s consciousness was fading. Her beautiful eyes had lost all light.

Am I going to die?

So what Jiang Huashan said was true… she really wasn’t the heroine of this world. She was just an insignificant supporting character… a cannon fodder meant to die young.

“Sui’er!”

“Sui’er!”

In a haze, she felt someone slapping her face.

Fu Sui’er sniffled weakly and turned her head away, looking like she had already given up on life.

After a moment, the pain on her face stopped.

She slowly opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was a pair of hands covered in wounds—those hands were shielding her from the pouring rain above.

Then those hands moved away, revealing a familiar face.

Peach-blossom eyes. Star-bright pupils.

From that moment on, the word salvation took on a sacred meaning in Fu Sui’er’s heart.

“Jiang Huashan?”

She called out hoarsely.

“It’s me.”

Jiang Huashan jumped down into the ditch and crawled into the collapsed wooden pile to check the situation. Fu Sui’er’s legs were trapped between the logs—completely jammed, impossible for a small girl to move them.

But fortunately, nature left a sliver of hope. The heavy rain had softened and washed away the soil. Even if the logs couldn’t be moved, she could dig the mud beneath them. Once enough space was cleared, Fu Sui’er’s legs could be pulled free.

Jiang Huashan quickly made up her mind. She climbed up and patted Fu Sui’er’s face. “Don’t be afraid. Wait for me. I have a way—I’ll definitely get you out.”

Fu Sui’er nodded obediently, saying nothing.

Jiang Huashan didn’t dare go far. She quickly picked a suitable stone and returned, then jumped back into the ditch and started digging without hesitation.

At this rate, with the rain pouring in continuously, the ditch would be completely flooded within three hours. If Jiang Huashan couldn’t find Fu Sui’er in time, she could be drowned alive.

Fu Sui’er understood this too. So when she saw Jiang Huashan digging through the mud like a fish, tears welled up in her throat, and she couldn’t say a single word.

Jinggang

After Shen Zhuang left in the car, Shen Qian immediately returned to Taihe Hospital.

He wasn’t truly concerned about Shen Guiling’s condition—he was only performing the role of a “father” in front of the old master.

Shen Guiling’s VIP ward was a suite with a separate bedroom and a small living room.

From the moment Shen Qian entered, his phone never stopped ringing. Now that Shen Zhuang had taken people from the third branch to Xiangying, and with the Xiao family assisting, it was no longer possible to assassinate Shen Lanxi.

The ashtray on the coffee table was already full of cigarette butts. When the phone rang again, Shen Qian crushed half a cigarette and made a bold decision.

“It’s me. Since we can’t kill Shen Lanxi, forget it—send people into the mountain forest road and kill those two girls instead.”