Zhao Min sat in a chair in the hospital corridor, clutching her phone tightly, her eyes locked on the screen.
She was as anxious as an ant on a hot stove, yet there was no outlet for her worry. Chen Mo's security team had suffered heavy casualties. Xiao Yu had just come out of surgery but hadn't woken up yet. And Chen Mo himself had been abducted—still no word, no call, no updates.
From the look of things, the organization that targeted Chen Mo was anything but ordinary. If he had truly fallen into their hands… the consequences were unthinkable.
Zhao Min knew exactly what Chen Mo's technology was capable of. It had the power to reshape the world. If something happened to him, she truly didn't know what she would do.
Tap tap tap…
A rush of footsteps echoed down the corridor. Zhao Min looked up instinctively. When she saw the familiar figure at the head of the group, her blank expression instantly melted into relief. She jumped up from her seat, heels clicking, and threw herself into his arms.
"You're finally back."
Chen Mo had been in a rush to reach the hospital as soon as he was safe, worried sick about Xiao Yu's condition. He hadn't expected Zhao Min to completely lose her composure and fling herself at him the moment they arrived.
Had something terrible happened?
"Xiao Yu… how is she?"
His throat tightened. Even his voice trembled. He could barely bring himself to ask, terrified of the answer. He'd never seen Zhao Min like this before—this shaken, this panicked.
"She's okay. The surgery went well. The bullet's been removed. She lost a lot of blood and is weak, but she's resting in the ward now."
Upon hearing that, Chen Mo exhaled deeply, the weight on his chest easing slightly. The tight knot in his heart loosened.
Zhao Min still clung to him tightly, while Chen Mo stood there, unsure what to do. His bodyguards looked on with awkward amusement, quickly averting their gazes and pretending they didn't see anything.
"I want to see Xiao Yu." Chen Mo gently patted Zhao Min's back.
"Oh—right." Zhao Min snapped out of it, suddenly realizing she had gotten too emotional. Embarrassed, she quickly let go.
Chen Mo didn't dwell on it and walked quickly toward Xiao Yu's room.
He opened the door gently and stepped in. The moment he saw Xiao Yu lying quietly on the hospital bed, his heart clenched. His eyes turned red.
He took a few moments to calm himself before approaching the bed and softly brushed away the stray bangs on her forehead.
"How is her condition? When will she wake up?" he asked the doctor standing nearby.
Dr. Liu Xueqin, chief physician at Phoenix North Hospital, looked nervous. In her 20 years of medical experience, this was the first time she had been this tense. She had personally led Xiao Yu's surgery.
"She was shot in the shoulder. Fortunately, no vital organs were hit. The blood loss was significant, which has caused weakness. Combined with the effects of anesthesia, she'll likely wake up once she's had enough rest. There's no major concern."
"Thank you, Doctor," Chen Mo said, sincerely.
Knowing Xiao Yu was out of danger allowed him to finally breathe easy.
"No need to thank me—it's my job," Liu Xueqin replied. "The patient is stable, but she needs rest. Please try to keep the ward quiet."
"Understood," Chen Mo nodded.
Dr. Liu left the room. Zhao Min wanted to speak but held back. Chen Mo gestured for them both to step outside so they wouldn't disturb Xiao Yu.
Once in the hallway, Zhao Min looked at him more carefully. "You're pale. Are you hurt?"
"I… threw up," Chen Mo said.
"Threw up? What happened? How did you make it back?" Zhao Min was alarmed.
"I killed three people. I wasn't used to it. Felt sick."
Chen Mo took a deep breath.
It was the first time he had ever taken a life. It had left a deep discomfort in his gut—especially when he shot Ruth. That moment stayed with him. He had physically retched afterward.
"You… killed them?" Zhao Min was stunned.
Chen Mo's answer caught her off guard.
She knew he had some basic self-defense skills, but surviving an ambush, killing three trained agents, and making it out alive—she hadn't expected that.
Those enemies were professionally trained and had laid a careful trap. Even Wang Hai's team had been taken down. And yet, Chen Mo had not only escaped—he had eliminated the threat.
"You're not injured?" Zhao Min looked him over.
"I'm fine," Chen Mo said.
Zhao Min noticed some shallow scratches on his arms, but nothing serious. She finally allowed herself to relax. "Alright. I'll take care of the rest. You just stay with Xiao Yu."
She didn't press for more details. She could tell Chen Mo wasn't in the mood to deal with other matters. Better to leave him some space.
Though Chen Mo appeared calm on the surface, Zhao Min could feel the suppressed fury burning inside him. Anyone in his place would feel the same.
She had a lot to handle herself. While Chen Mo had been missing, she had held it together. But now that he was safe, it was time to deal with the aftermath.
There was no way to keep news of the attack under wraps.
Their convoy had been eerily quiet on the road, but several reporters had already been broadcasting live. Some even followed the police convoy. The ambush was caught on camera and exposed in real-time.
The factory dormitory fire was no longer the headline. All major news channels were now reporting on the attack on Chen Mo.
First, a fire at the company dorms. Then, an ambush during Chen Mo's visit to the site. Everything pointed to a planned conspiracy.
Chen Mo, a national symbol of technological progress, had nearly been kidnapped. The event triggered an online firestorm, capturing the attention of the entire country.
Within just one hour, the situation had become as shocking as an assassination attempt on a head of state. People all over the internet were speculating about who was behind it. From the sophistication of the attack, it was clear—this wasn't the work of ordinary criminals.
Outside Phoenix North Hospital, a massive crowd had gathered. Reporters swarmed the area. Half of Binhai City's special police force had been deployed to maintain order and security.
When Zhao Min emerged, flanked by bodyguards and police, the crowd erupted.
If not for the line of officers holding the reporters back, the media would've broken through in seconds.
"Ms. Zhao Min! Is it true Mr. Chen Mo was kidnapped by criminals?"
"President Zhao, did the attackers contact you for ransom?"
"We heard Mr. Chen Mo's fiancée was injured during the ambush. How is she doing?"
"Do you know who was behind this attack?"
Flashbulbs exploded in all directions. Microphones were shoved forward. The scene was chaotic.
Not just the media, but viewers watching live broadcasts across the nation held their breath.
This was the first time a senior executive from Marching Ant Company had appeared publicly after the incident—and it was Zhao Min, Chen Mo's most trusted confidante.
Zhao Min took a deep breath and raised her hand.
Instantly, the crowd hushed. The security team moved to organize the microphones, placing them neatly in front of her.
"This morning, there was an organized, premeditated attack on our company's chairman. Fortunately, he is safe and currently resting. The rumors of his kidnapping are false.
We are both shocked and furious about this incident. Marching Ant Company will fully cooperate with the police in their investigation to uncover those responsible.
To aid in this effort, our company is offering a 20 million yuan reward for any credible information related to this case. We hope that anyone with relevant knowledge will step forward and help the authorities solve this crime."
With that, Zhao Min turned and walked away, leaving the stunned reporters in her wake.
"Ms. Zhao Min! There are rumors that a ransom was paid—can you confirm this?"
"President Zhao, what were the kidnappers' demands? Did they ask for money or technology?"
"President Zhao—!"
Reporters surged forward once again, but no matter how loudly they shouted, Zhao Min didn't look back.