Past of the Tomboy (7)

With Zhong Li Chun pressing the detonator, a roar erupted, and the entire camp was instantly engulfed in a terrifying explosion. Zhong Li Chun had cleverly placed the bombs in crucial locations: the armory, the fuel depot, and the parking lot. Of course, she hadn't forgotten to place one on the outer wall of Grede's residence. If the plan had gone smoothly, Zhong Li Chun would have quietly taken all the hostages and detonated the bombs, leaving Grede reduced to ashes. Unfortunately, plans don't always work out. They were discovered, causing a commotion throughout the camp. Hearing the disturbance, Grede naturally rushed out of his room, so when the bombs exploded, he narrowly escaped.

Staring in fury at his house, now a ruin behind him, Grede's eyes turned red. He looked back at the speeding car and saw Zhong Li Chun. It was only then that he realized his adopted daughter was behind it all.

He couldn't understand why Zhong Li Chun would betray him. He had saved her life when she would have otherwise died. He had given her a life others could only dream of. Yet, she betrayed him!

Overwhelmed with rage, Grede let out a hysterical roar: "Catch them! Bring them back alive! I'll make that brat pay for what she's done!"

Although the parking lot had also been targeted, not all vehicles were destroyed. Hearing Grede's furious command, his subordinates rushed to the intact cars and sped off, pursuing the truck that was already pulling away.

A fierce chase ensued. Although Kabu's truck had been driving for some time, its speed was not high. Furthermore, the weight of the many people inside slowed it down considerably.

The pursuing vehicles were almost all jeeps, and even the trucks were empty, making them much faster than the truck Zhong Li Chun and the others were in. Kabu, sweating profusely, watched the pursuers getting closer in the rearview mirror. His hands, gripping the steering wheel, were also slick with sweat. He knew exactly what fate awaited them if they were caught after betraying Grede, and he was determined not to be captured, even if it meant death.

Zhong Li Chun stood at the back of the truck, coldly watching the pursuing jeeps. The closest one was less than a hundred meters away. She knew they would be caught if this continued, so she shouldered her semi-automatic rifle, prepared to fight the pursuers to the death.

A few minutes later, the pursuing vehicles were closing in. Someone in the lead vehicle stood up and aimed a gun at the truck ahead. Taking the initiative, Zhong Li Chun pulled the trigger. The high-velocity bullet tore through the air, striking the man in the center of his forehead.

The man, hit by the bullet, died instantly. He slumped to the side and fell from the vehicle. The driver of the jeep, startled, quickly swerved, angling the vehicle to avoid Zhong Li Chun's line of fire.

Since Zhong Li Chun had fired, the pursuers began to attack. Although Grede had ordered them to capture Zhong Li Chun alive, in this situation, who cared about his orders? A volley of gunfire erupted, and countless bullets whizzed towards the truck.

Zhong Li Chun quickly ducked behind the truck's tailgate and shouted to the terrified hostages behind her, "Get down! Keep your heads down! Hurry!"

Hearing Zhong Li Chun's command, all the hostages lay flat on the truck bed, covering their heads with their hands. A few of the more timid ones began to tremble.

After dodging a round of gunfire, Zhong Li Chun stood up again to retaliate. However, the enemy vehicles were swerving erratically, making accurate aiming impossible. Zhong Li Chun emptied a magazine but failed to kill anyone.

She ducked back behind the tailgate, reloading her magazine with practiced efficiency. Just then, a low rumble came from the right side of the truck, followed by a violent shake. Clearly, a vehicle had pulled up alongside and was ramming the truck.

Given the truck's weight and the people inside, it was impossible for an ordinary jeep to flip it. However, the impact made it impossible to drive normally. Kabu, in the driver's seat, gripped the steering wheel with all his might, trying to stabilize the vehicle. Before it could regain balance, a second impact occurred.

This time, the truck was knocked off course and veered towards a dead tree by the roadside. Seeing the impending collision, Kabu quickly turned the steering wheel in the opposite direction. Under his control, the truck narrowly scraped past the dead tree, but its branches snagged the canvas cover, tearing it clean off. The truck bed was now completely exposed.

The violent shaking of the truck prevented Zhong Li Chun from standing. She could only grip the tailgate to maintain her balance. Just as the truck stabilized slightly and she prepared to stand and fight back, a terrified scream suddenly erupted from the truck bed. Zhong Li Chun turned her head, her expression instantly changing. Rolling inside the truck bed was a grenade with its pin pulled.

The truck bed was full of people, all lying on the ground. If this grenade exploded, no one inside would survive. There was no time for Zhong Li Chun to think. She dropped her semi-automatic rifle and lunged for the grenade. However, the truck was shaking too violently, and the grenade rolled around the bed, making it difficult to grab.

After two or three attempts, Zhong Li Chun finally grabbed the grenade. Based on her experience, it was about to explode!

Zhong Li Chun didn't have time to stand. She quickly rolled onto her back and threw the grenade with all her might. Just as it flew about four or five meters away, it detonated in mid-air. The terrifying blast shook the truck violently again. Shrapnel from the explosion sprayed into the truck bed, hitting several unfortunate individuals. The unluckiest was struck in the head and killed instantly.

Zhong Li Chun was unlucky too. A piece of shrapnel hit her left thigh, embedding itself deep within. Fortunately, the area was fleshy, and the shrapnel didn't hit bone or miraculously damage any blood vessels.

Of course, the intense pain from the shrapnel hitting her thigh made Zhong Li Chun's body tremble. However, she let out no cry, gritting her teeth and remaining silent. By now, the jeeps had pulled up alongside the truck, and some people were climbing onto its sides.