The Hostage Exchange

Qin An had just stood up and stretched when a sharp cry of pain escaped Huang Jiajun’s lips.

She had only wanted to fetch water from the stream by the woods, but a middle-aged man burst out of the trees and knocked her over. The man had a scar across his face, a terrifying expression, and a travel bag on his back, looking like a hiking enthusiast. A bald man also rushed out, cursing under his breath.

Huang Jiajun clutched her forehead, bruised from the fall, and got up. Qin An watched the two men with a growing sense of foreboding. The voice of the television echoed in his ears. At that moment, Tong Tong was the first to run over, dragging Tongtong along with her. She said sternly, “Jiajun, are you okay? How can you walk like that! Don’t you see there’s a child?”

This stupid woman, Qin An muttered, but it was too late to stop her.

“It’s you,” the bald man grinned. The information was accurate.

Seeing their vicious eyes, Tong Tong grew uneasy. She tried to pull Huang Jiajun away, but with a cry, the scarred man snatched her, pressing a dark pistol to the back of her head.

“Nobody move! Or else I might accidentally pull the trigger!”

As he shouted, Huang Jiajun and Tongtong were also grabbed by the bald man’s massive hand; he also had a pistol at his waist.

The two men seemed intent on escaping into the mountains, dragging the two women and child with them. More than twenty people by the pond raised their hands, eyes wide, none daring to speak. Their lives were at stake.

Huang Jiajun trembled in the bald man’s grip, tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked at Qin An but dared not make a sound.

Then Qin An raised his hands and slowly walked toward them.

If it were just the madwoman Tong Tong and that idiot Huang Jiajun, Qin An wouldn’t bother saving them. But they had Tongtong, that pretty, doll-like little girl who inexplicably liked him. He didn’t want her to get hurt. That was enough.

“Stop! What do you think you’re doing? Want to die?” the scarred man shouted. Seeing that the approaching figure was just a child, he wasn’t too tense.

Qin An took a deep breath, trying to look scared to lower their guard.

“Um, actually… I want to… can I exchange places with them?” Qin An pointed at the two girls in the bald man’s hands.

Everyone—the criminals, the hostages, the onlookers—stared in disbelief. Then the scarred man and the bald man laughed. “Haha! I’ve done bad things all my life, but I’ve finally met a living Lei Feng! What do you want, kid? Trying to be a hero and save the beauties at such a young age? Don’t come any closer, or I’ll blow your brains out!”

Qin An stopped. He pointed at Tongtong first, then Huang Jiajun, and said, “They’re my sisters. As their brother, I have to protect them.”

He started walking again, slowly, his hands and feet trembling. The two criminals exchanged glances, uncertain. Just then, Huang Quanmin, who had been cowering nearby, gathered his courage and said, “Wait! Tell you what, I’m from the Huang family. Let them go now, or you won’t leave this mountain alive!”

Huang Quanmin was Huang Quantian’s younger brother, a dashing but useless man. He had long coveted the beautiful young Tong Tong and the power behind her. The family even tacitly approved his pursuit. Tong Tong was emotionally vulnerable, and a heroic rescue would be perfect. But the villains didn’t buy it.

“Don’t come here! You want to die?” The scarred man swung his pistol toward Huang Quanmin, who immediately raised his hands, too scared to speak.

Chasing women was one thing, but not at the cost of his life.

Meanwhile, Qin An had reached them.

“Brother Blade,” the bald man said aside, “let’s swap the girl you’re holding with this crying one. She’s not our target anyway. If the guy backs out, we’ll still have another hostage. He’s known to be cunning.”

“Back out…” The scarred man’s heart lurched. So the kid would be the good guy, and they’d play the bad guys? Seemed clever. If things went wrong, the boy could be a shield.

But Huang Jiajun cried, “No! I don’t want to switch!”

Her wailing annoyed them. The scarred man made up his mind.

“Shut up! Who do you think’s in charge here, you brat?” He pressed the gun to Qin An’s temple. The bald man released Huang Jiajun, who fell to the ground with a yelp.

Qin An took Tongtong’s hand and whispered, “It’s okay, don’t worry.”

Tongtong nodded silently, the unease in her eyes fading.

By afternoon, clouds gathered in the sky, threatening rain. Summer in the south always came early and left late.

Among the five, the two criminals urged them on like herding ducks. Tong Tong soon grew exhausted, barely keeping up. Qin An, who trained daily like in his past life, found the path easy. He carried Tongtong in his arms. Tong Tong had wanted to carry her but couldn’t, so she gave up.

The criminals occasionally asked him questions. Qin An acted timid, even crying sometimes, while subtly extracting useful information. It turned out everything was connected to the young, beautiful deputy director of education. The criminals had been migrant workers from a small village. When their boss didn’t pay, they got into a fight and accidentally killed him, then went on the run.

A dark night without a trace of light.

In the darkness, rain poured uncontrollably, the sound on the tent like a chaotic drumbeat.

Tongtong shifted, pressing against Qin An’s back, shivering. Water seeped in under the tent. Even in late spring, it felt cold.

“An… where’s Mommy?”

The two children sat in the tent with no tools, hands and feet bound, huddled together. Qin An tested the ropes and narrowed his eyes.

The ropes were tied carelessly, just to restrain. Easily broken, but if he rushed in, they still had a hostage. He had no weapon, and his body wasn’t strong enough. A direct fight wouldn’t work.

He looked at the little girl beside him. In the dark, he felt her looking back. He leaned his forehead against hers and whispered, “Don’t worry, it’ll be okay.”

Soon, the bald man brought in Tong Tong with her hands bound. Her clothes were mostly wet but still neat.

Exhausted, Tongtong soon fell asleep against Qin An. But Tong Tong’s mind was in turmoil; she dared not sleep. According to the scarred man, Chen Yang—her ex-husband—had ordered the kidnapping. He was coming tonight to take them. They feared he would back out and wanted her to cooperate. But that would be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

When the little boy suddenly pressed against her, she instinctively moved away. But then she felt him tugging at her bound hands. He was untying her ropes!

Her heartbeat accelerated. She didn’t have time to wonder how he escaped. If her hands were free, there was hope. It was better to take a risk than face the worst. At least Tongtong would survive.

Late at night, a flashlight beam shone in from outside. The vigilant Blade and Bald signaled Tong Tong not to move, then went out.

“Brother Chen, why bring so many people? Isn’t it just two women?”

Chen Yang didn’t answer, showing a sinister smile. “Where are they?”

“Inside. And the money?”

Chen Yang waved behind him. A large man in a black suit and sunglasses placed a suitcase on the muddy ground.

The bald man opened it, greedily counting bills under the flashlight. The rain hitting the money sounded like heavenly music to him.

“Brother Blade, it’s real.”

Blade’s expression softened. Chen Yang sneered, looking at them as if they were dead.

“Bring them out now,” Chen Yang said impatiently, lighting a cigar.

“Brother Chen, they’re inside. We’ve done our part. Can we leave now?”

“Hah—how do I know you’re not lying? Go get them.” Chen Yang pulled out a sleek M9 pistol, aiming at Blade. “Don’t test me.”

Blade drew his gun and fired into the air. Chen Yang’s eyes widened; he threw away his cigar.

From the surrounding grass, a group of men in black suits and sunglasses emerged. As the cigar spark died, pistols glinted. Danger was palpable from afar.

“Damn it, that woman didn’t scream. Should’ve killed her earlier.”

“Looks like you’re not good partners!”

“You son of a—”

Gunshots tore through the black sky. Blood mingled with rain. Money stained an eerie red, unspeakable evil.

This night would not be peaceful.

“Brother Blade!” the bald man yelled, reaching for his gun, but he fell into a pool of blood.

Chen Yang blew the smoke from his gun like a cowboy. “Killed wanted criminals, saved hostages. Not bad, not bad. Heh.”

Hearing the shots, Qin An knew things had changed. Tong Tong, trembling, held a pistol. “Take Tongtong and go. I’ll distract them.”

Qin An snatched the gun from her. “I’ll distract them. You take your daughter.”

“But…”

Qin An also grabbed a sharp dagger, feeling better armed. “Shut up if you want to live. At least my hand won’t shake. I have a better chance. Maybe he’ll let me go since I’m not related to you. Don’t get in my way, you stupid woman.”

Tong Tong, stunned by the scolding, tears in her eyes, silently picked up Tongtong and followed behind Qin An.

“Tong Tong, I know you’re in there. Come out now, and I’ll guarantee your and your daughter’s safety. If you’re late, who knows what my men will do to you.”

At those words, Tong Tong trembled uncontrollably.

Qin An walked out of the tent as if nothing was wrong.

“Kid, have you seen a pretty woman and a little girl?”

“Yeah, they were captured with me, but they hid in the woods.”

“Really? Lying is bad, kid. Or you might not see tomorrow’s sun.”

A dark gun muzzle aimed at Qin An, but his face showed no fear.

Chen Yang gestured to kill him.

A large man in black swung his gun, but just as he was about to pull the trigger, a flash erupted ahead.

“Pfft.” A bullet pierced his forehead, exactly like the criminals he had killed, spraying blood out the back of his head.

His life ended in that flash.

“I hate it when people threaten me, and even more when they point a gun at me…”

His childish voice echoed softly in the darkness.