<h4>Chapter 1047: Chapter 1054: Peril at Every Turn</h4>


    Back in the police car, Xia Mutong started the engine and drove the vehicle straight out. As the police car moved forward, the wire was immediately pulled taut, forming a forty-five-degree angle.


    "Ling Chen, that building is copsing."


    Hearing Zhu Xiaozhu’s voiceing from behind, Ling Chen turned his head to look, only to see the building next to them already tilting, slowly falling toward their building.


    Taking a deep breath, Ling Chen held Zhu Xiaozhu’s body with one hand, securing her firmly on his back.


    "Are you ready?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu replied softly, wrapping her arms around Ling Chen’s neck, burying her head on his shoulder, and said in a voice only Ling Chen could hear: "If today is destined to be our end, I won’t regret it, at least... I have you by my side." With that, Zhu Xiaozhu leaned in and pressed her lips against Ling Chen’s cheek.


    Zhu Xiaozhu’s sudden action left Ling Chen stunned for a moment. He never expected Zhu Xiaozhu to kiss him at this critical moment. Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu’s blushing face and slightly shy eyes, Ling Chen quickly snapped back to reality, a slight smile appearing on his lips. He understood Zhu Xiaozhu’s feelings and didn’t mind.


    No time to think further, Ling Chen used a torn piece of clothing to hang onto the wire, then leaned forward and slid down along the wire.


    With Xia Mutong’s help, Ling Chen’s speed was very fast. In no time, he and Zhu Xiaozhu were above the police car, about four meters from the ground. However, at this moment, the two buildings collided with each other. With a thunderous crash, the buildings instantly copsed into countless stones, smashing down.


    At the same time, the wire entwining the rooftop also came loose. In an instant, Ling Chen, who was originally sliding downwards, suddenly felt his body dropping straight toward the ground.


    Xiaozhu!


    Thinking of Zhu Xiaozhu on his back, Ling Chen, fearing she might get hurt again, urgently adjusted his position in mid-air, moving Zhu Xiaozhu from his back to his front. Just as hepleted this move, there was a loud ’bang,’ and Ling Chen’s back hit the ground heavily.


    Thud!


    He coughed up a mouthful of blood, and Ling Chen’s face immediately turned pale.


    "Ling Chen!" Feeling the warmth from the back of his head, Zhu Xiaozhu knew what had happened without even looking and eximed quickly, "Are you okay?"


    "I’m... I’m fine, quick, get up!" Ling Chen gritted his teeth to endure the pain in his body, struggling to rise from the ground.


    "Hurry, get in the car!" At this moment, Xia Mutong poked her head out from the police car’s driver’s seat, shouting at Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Ling Chen didn’t dare dy, quickly scooped up Zhu Xiaozhu and dashed to the police car, flinging open the door and diving in. Lying on the back seat, Ling Chen didn’t even have time to close the door and shouted urgently, "Drive!"


    Without a second word, Xia Mutong floored the gas pedal, swerving the police car left and right to dodge the stones falling from above. Even so, plenty of small fragments hit and shattered the car windows, and the car roof sounded with continuous banging.


    A minuteter, the police car finally exited the dangerous area safely. As soon as the car stopped, police officers rushed over, lifting Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu from the back seat. At the same time, medical personnel who had been on standby moved in with stretchers, transferring Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu to the ambnce.


    After some simple bandaging and IV fluid, Ling Chen felt much better, his back no longer as painful as before. Thank goodness! Ling Chen thought to himself, it was a real stroke of luck that he survived such a dangerous situation. But it was really thanks to Xia Mutong’s help. Without her risking it to drive in, it would have been hard to say if he and Zhu Xiaozhu could have made it out alive. Even if they could, they wouldn’t have been nearly asfortable as they were now.


    As this ran through his mind, Xia Mutong climbed up into the ambnce from outside. ring at Ling Chen lying on the stretcher, she angrily snapped, "Ling, are you looking to die?"


    Ling Chen rubbed his nose, smilingly saying, "Um... Officer Xia, thanks so much this time."


    "Stop changing the subject," Xia Mutong said irritably, "I want to know why you didn’t get in and stayed down there?"


    "Officer Xia, you saw it yourself. I was rescuing someone," Ling Chen was talking about Zhu Xiaozhu.


    "You..." Hearing Ling Chen’s excuse, Xia Mutong was at a loss for words. After a moment, she red at Ling Chen and said grumpily, "You almost got yourself killed, and you still want to save others. Leave such things to us professionals next time, and stop ying the hero."


    "Yes, yes, I understand!" Ling Chen nodded repeatedly in agreement.


    After calming her initial anger, Xia Mutong changed her tone, asking seriously, "What happened? Why did the explosives buried under the building go off all of a sudden, and why were you, Nanrong Hao, and Zhu Xiaozhu there?" At this point, it seemed Xia Mutong thought of something, and she stared at Ling Chen, "Wasn’t Zhu Xiaozhu kidnapped and missing? We even filed a case and were preparing to investigate."


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen’s eyes twinkled as he smiled and said, "Officer Xia, like you said, Xiaozhu was kidnapped. Once I found clues about the kidnappers, I brought Nanrong Hao and rushed over immediately."


    "If you found the kidnappers’ whereabouts, why didn’t you inform the police?"


    "We only found a clue and weren’t certain if Xiaozhu was there, so we wanted to confirm it, see if the information was urate. When I got there, I found the kidnappers were about to harm Xiaozhu. I couldn’t just stand by and watch her get into trouble, so I had to step in. Who knew those kidnappers were desperate enough to ignite the explosives underground, trying to kill us? Luckily, we were lucky not to be buried underneath."


    "Is it really so?" Xia Mutong looked skeptically at Ling Chen, not entirely convinced.


    Ling Chen nodded, firmly saying, "Officer Xia, don’t you trust my words? When have I ever lied to you?"


    Xia Mutong snorted, "As if you haven’t lied to me enough times? Nanrong Hao and Zhu Xiaozhu are with the police now. Just wait; I’ll ask them everything clearly. If I find out you lied, you’ll see how I’ll deal with you."


    "Officer Xia, don’t worry. I absolutely didn’t lie to you." Ling Chen wasn’t worried about Xia Mutong finding anything out. Back on the building, Ling Chen had already spoken with Zhu Xiaozhu, instructing her not to pursue Nanrong Hao’s mistakes. If the police asked, just push all the me onto the ’kidnappers.’ Since the kidnappers were made up, Xia Mutong and the others wouldn’t be able to find anything. As for Zhu Hong’s appearance, Ling Chen had no intention of mentioning it.