My Wife is Actually a top-tier Soldier King?!
Chapter 1048 - 1048 1009 Thunderous Fury!

1048: Chapter 1009: Thunderous Fury!

Why Delay?

1048: Chapter 1009: Thunderous Fury!

Why Delay?

Remove the flame from under the pot!

Eradicate the roots!

Everyone has their limits.

If we let the criminals get away with it this time, and they exchange Su Leige for Tang Xiao, what will happen next?

Will they commit even bigger crimes with impunity?

We’ve tolerated enough, there’s no need to endure further!

The rage of one man can splatter blood five steps away.

The fury of an entire nation must result in rivers of blood.

The joint task force had received orders that they must, at all costs, resolutely eradicate the crime syndicate!

The fewer the words, the more serious the matter.

This simple statement contains several key words.

Two very strong adjectives are used: must and resolutely.

And most crucially, at all costs.

What does this imply?

It signifies the need to break the norms, to forsake all restraints, not to consider laws or ethics, to disregard public opinion and reputation, and to not worry about the expenses.

As long as it leads to the annihilation of these criminals, any method of solving the case, any weapon, any combat unit can be used!

Such an order indicates the anger of the higher-ups.

For years, numerous cases of missing persons had gone unsolved, with no news of the victims’ whereabouts.

Just as we made a breakthrough by using special technical means to solve the case of Lin Yuan’s disappearance, what was the result?

Some buyers and a fraction of the kidnappers were caught, but international forces behind the scenes remain at large.

Even more audaciously, they kidnapped the well-known young philanthropist and entrepreneur Tang Xiao, demanding a hostage exchange…

If they don’t seek death, they won’t die!

This brazen act of the crime syndicate has infuriated millions and enraged the leadership.

How can justice be served and public anger quelled if they are not resolutely wiped out?

Public opinion is boiling over, with widespread calls from the populace.

Against this backdrop, solving this case and eradicating the crime syndicate behind it has become a battle awaited by the entire nation, a war that must be waged resolutely against the crime syndicate and must be won in the name of justice!

As a result,

the scale of the joint task force was once again expanded.

Not only the War Statistics Institute and the External Affairs Bureau were involved, but also various military districts and branches of the armed forces.

In other words,

whether it’s the warships sailing the seas or the fighters patrolling the sky, any available weapon can be deployed in the fight against the crime syndicate.

Because this case is no longer simply a criminal offense, it has been classified as a war.

Since it’s a war, all armed forces will naturally participate.

Indeed,

several Missile Destroyers, Escort Ships, and supply vessels already patrolling the nearby waters of the Jiazhou Continent were on standby, ready to launch missiles or deploy special forces for precise strikes or targeted operations.

Meanwhile, in Pawei City, Daniel Su Leige, who was secretly detained for interrogation, was already under the control of a well-equipped, highly trained, and formidable Counter-Terrorism Combat Team.

If there really were to be a hostage exchange, sending Su Leige to Sangkrei in Jiazhou, then what’s stopping us from executing a counter-terrorism operation in conjunction with aerial and naval strike forces to flatten Sangkrei?

After all, the local forces were a mixed bag, with minor conflicts every three days and major battles every seven, so fighting and killing were too common.

Additionally,

Tianyuan and its surrounding cities and counties have entered a ‘martial law’ state.

To minimize disruption of civilian life and the economy, trains and planes were still operating.

However, all the major roads leading out of these cities and counties remained open, but with a strict ‘check every vehicle, inspect every person’ policy, rigorously searching for and targeting criminals.

And the kidnappers, likely still hiding in the city with hostage Tang Xiao, had reason to stay; after the incident, authorities quickly implemented a ‘citywide lockdown’, and the anonymous email contained a photo that was clearly taken indoors.

Therefore, the entire city was mobilized.

Each district, street office, and neighborhood and community association launched a thorough investigation, sparking a major battle against crime.

In previous efforts to combat crime, the focus was on establishments within the jurisdiction, such as hotels, guesthouses, internet cafés, and entertainment venues.

But this time, these cunning kidnappers were likely hiding in residential houses.

Recently rented apartments, long-vacant properties, and serviced apartments were all key targets for the search.

What’s vital is the incentive of a reward!

The police had announced a rare bounty of one million.

Tanglong Industrial Group, with its deep pockets, was even more impressive.

Five million for valuable leads, ten million for accurate whereabouts of the kidnappers.

Of course,

both the police and the group’s bounties made it clear.

The kidnappers are extremely brutal, ruthless, and experienced, so the public is not encouraged to engage in confrontation.

Providing leads at the earliest opportunity was all that was needed.

With high rewards come brave souls.

The concern was that too generous a bounty could lead people to impulsively fight the kidnappers for the money, putting themselves at risk and possibly endangering hostage Tang Xiao.

Yet the promise of a substantial reward for just providing information was enough to engage the masses.

Especially the retired and idle elders, who took to the task with great enthusiasm, stopping just short of turning every street inside out.

As the saying goes, many hands make light work.

While Tianyuan City covers a vast area with numerous buildings,

the more citizens who actively participate in the meticulous search, the sooner hidden kidnappers will be identified.

Especially considering Tang Xiao’s abandoned Mercedes SUV, citizens weren’t just conducting thorough searches of each building; they were also scouring for surveillance footage everywhere.

It’s unlikely that the kidnappers, who had several people with them and abandoned the Mercedes, left on foot; they had probably switched vehicles.

Whoever had seen that unusual Mercedes, and figuring out what other vehicles were nearby at the time, could lead to further investigation…

With everyone involved, it was a collective effort.

Tanglong Industrial Group, which had brought many jobs and substantial tax revenue, driving economic prosperity in Tianyuan City, already enjoyed high prestige.

Could the citizens of Tianyuan City not be furious at the kidnapping of Group President Tang Xiao, who might still be hidden within their city?

Many businesses simply took a day off, allowing their staff to help search everywhere.

Not to mention those who actively participated, those who wanted to claim the bounty.

In any case.

How to hide?

Where to escape to?

The whole city was undergoing a massive manhunt; it seemed they were close to digging three feet into the ground.

With such an unprecedented thorough investigation and sweep, where could possibly be absolutely safe?

And who would dare to secretly shelter and hide them?

…

Around one o’clock in the afternoon.

Three hours had passed since the incident occurred.

Over an hour had passed since receiving the anonymous email from the kidnappers.

Cyber experts had already broken through layers of deception to locate the real network address of the other side.

It was remarkably in Sangkrei of Jiazhou Continent, sent by none other than ‘Tao’ herself.

After consultation and discussion, the joint task force had officially decided to reply to the kidnappers.

In principle, they agreed to exchange Daniel Su Leige for the hostage Tang Xiao, but the photo showed Tang Xiao unconscious, making it impossible to verify if she was unharmed.

Therefore, the kidnappers had to either allow Tang Xiao to speak with Wu Jie on the phone to establish communication, or record a video of Tang Xiao awake and speaking on her own behalf.

Compared to the simple demands of the kidnappers, the reply was also straightforward.

There was no beating around the bush in the response; they just needed confirmation that Tang Xiao was unharmed.

Tang Xiao was of great importance to the joint task force and the entire nation, just as Su Leige was important to their criminal gang.

Thus, the task force was confident that the other side would quickly agree, though they would also demand proof that Su Leige was unharmed.

As expected!

Less than five minutes after sending the email, the kidnappers replied, exactly as the criminal psychologists within the task force had predicted.

Taking the mutual confirmation of hostage safety as an opportunity, the task force began to negotiate with the kidnappers.

And Wu Jie, who had the most unique role in this case, temporarily left the video conference call.

He was both an investigating officer and a relative of the victims.

Hence, others in the task force spoke to him with extreme caution, fearful of making Wu Jie angry or causing him to lose his composure.

But what they didn’t know…

What collapse?

What’s there to be frenzied about?

Wu Jie was not only aware that the kidnappers were holding Tang Xiao captive at a certain location.

It was in the Tianyuan Bailing Apartment, where Chu Yunxuan had once rented and nearly lured him into a photo and video trap, in that very building.

The underground two-level parking garage, various businesses on the three ground-level floors, and the towering apartment building comprised a dense maze-like array of individual apartments.

Wu Jie had been to that place; the small businesses, barber shops, massage parlors, dessert shops, and more—the whole apartment building was indeed a melting pot of sorts.

By taking Tang Xiao captive in such an apartment, the kidnappers had quite a high level of security.

Because should the neighborhood or police decide to conduct a rigorous search, those scantily-clad ladies would quickly shut their doors, and those unlicensed businesses hidden in the apartments would promptly close out of fear.

With all the commotion, it would act almost like a natural alarm system.

Moreover, the security in the apartment was terrible, with no security cameras or guards to speak of.

And with eight elevators, two per set, placed in four different locations.

They also had several fire escapes for emergency evacuations, which would greatly facilitate the kidnappers’ escape with Tang Xiao.

Besides, these kidnappers were professionally trained, skilled in disguise and counter-surveillance.

Should a door-to-door search commence, they could hide Tang Xiao and respond openly.

After all, the tenants in that building came from all corners of the country, comprised of workers, business owners, and hermits aplenty.

As long as they didn’t panic or slip up, how could they be identified as the kidnappers?

Only those with poor psychological quality, or inexperienced novices, would get panicky upon hearing alarms, showing fear at the sight of officers, some even turning tail to run—and then who else would you capture if not them?

Of course.

It wasn’t enough for Wu Jie to just know their hiding spot; he remained calm because the Phantom was already in position.

Invisible to the naked eye, it was silently accompanying Tang Xiao.

Should anyone dare to harm Tang Xiao, the Phantom could kill them instantly.

Qin Yutian, a highly skilled racer whose tombstone grass was nearly two inches tall, served as the best testimony to its formidable combat abilities.

So…

In this cat-and-mouse game, Wu Jie actually worried about unexpected twists.

For instance…

Whether the citywide intense investigations would mark Tianyuan Bailing Apartment as one of the priority targets?

After all, as the seasoned driver Xu Wei had said, many knew that place was a haven for vile deeds, where girls came cheap.

Eager to win the bounty, some might band together with swarms of officers, going door to door conducting searches.

The fear was that the kidnappers might decide to move Tang Xiao elsewhere on the spur of the moment—should they move, the risk of exposure would rise, wouldn’t that be like ‘startling the snake in the grass’?

Additionally.

During the meeting, Wu Jie could tell that most of the task force favored the ‘stalling tactic.’

The kidnappers had requested that the task force send a plane to transport Su Leige to Sangkrei in Jiazhou Continent, but the situation there was chaotic, with numerous armed factions.

Carrying out such a demand would be like sending more hostages their way.

With just a few portable anti-air missiles or artillery, they could threaten the safety of the plane and crew, making it practically impossible for the aircraft to return to base.

So, the task force planned to negotiate and make ‘Tao’ change the hostage exchange location and gain more time to locate both kidnapping hideouts—the one in Tianyuan City and Tao’s stronghold in Sangkrei, Jiazhou Continent.

Finding these two locations would allow them to turn the tables and take the initiative when the time came.

However, in Wu Jie’s view, why complicate matters?

Why drag it out, wasting too much time?

After leaving, Wu Jie sought out Zheng to report to Elder Tan together.

He asked for permission to approve the Hunter operation…