A Desperate Escape and a Broken-Down Roadblock

The scenery outside the car window rushed past, the city lights gradually being replaced by the sparse lights of the suburbs, eventually merging into a somber darkness that only the car headlights could pierce through. Wei Guangyuan leaned back in the wide, comfortable leather seat in the back, his body swaying with the slight bumps of the vehicle. His face showed little panic, only an almost icy calmness.

This black sedan was one of his backup plans, prepared long ago. It had a complete set of fake documents, an untraceable fake license plate, specially tuned performance, and a full tank of gas, all for this desperate situation. The driver, A Cheng, had been with him for almost ten years. He was ruthless, had a dirty hand, but was also quick-witted enough to be one of the few confidants he could completely trust.

The carriage was quiet, save for the soft crunch of tires on the road and the low rumble of the air conditioning system. Wei Guangyuan closed his eyes, and the anonymous phone call from a few hours earlier, like a death knell, resurfaced clearly in his mind.

A few hours earlier, he was in his top-floor office, overlooking half of the Jiangcheng, processing some ostensibly "legitimate" business documents. His phone rang; it was a completely unfamiliar number. He didn't want to answer, but some intuition made him press the answer button.

The voice coming from the other end was a processed, emotionless, synthesized electronic voice, speaking extremely fast and carrying an undisguised rebuke:

"Wei Guangyuan! You self-righteous idiot! Every word you said to Qian Zhiming has been recorded! It's all over the internet now! You're completely exposed! If you don't want to die, get out of here right now! Right now!"

The call was abruptly disconnected, leaving only a busy tone.

Wei Guangyuan gripped his phone, his brows furrowing suddenly. Without hesitation, he immediately turned on his computer and quickly browsed several major social media platforms and news websites. When the glaring headlines and the accompanying audio files, clearly labeled as his conversation with Deputy Director Qian, came into view, his pupils contracted sharply.

A chill instantly ran up my tailbone.

He was being wiretapped! And it happened in what he considered the safest and most private place!

Who did it? How did they do it?

But these questions lingered in his mind for less than three seconds before being suppressed by an even stronger will to survive. Now was not the time to investigate; he had to leave immediately!

Without any hesitation, he picked up the internal phone and said only two words: "A Cheng, basement, usual spot, immediately."

He didn't try to contact Deputy Director Qian. That good-for-nothing was likely already under surveillance, or even caught; contacting him would be tantamount to walking into a trap. As for the source of the anonymous call, he had a few vague guesses. Over the years, he had woven a considerable network of relationships with money and benefits, bribing people at all levels and feeding many. Now that his misdeeds had come to light, it was probably some high-ranking "insider" who, fearing being implicated, risked giving him this final warning in self-preservation.

"Hmph, at least you still have some conscience," Wei Guangyuan sneered inwardly. He wasn't grateful; it was merely a self-preservation tactic at the end of the profit chain.

He had meticulously planned his escape. Like a cunning rabbit with three burrows, he had reserved funds, identities, and escape routes both domestically and internationally. Their current destination was an abandoned private dock outside the city, where a smuggling vessel he had secretly contacted was waiting. Once on board and in international waters, he could completely escape domestic law enforcement and head to Southeast Asia. There, his pre-transferred assets and new "partners" awaited him.

"Boss, everything's going smoothly." A Cheng, who was driving in the front seat, suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence in the car. "We've avoided all the main road checkpoints and major surveillance cameras, and we're taking the back roads I've scouted many times. We should be at the dock in another hour or so."

A Cheng's tone carried a hint of confidence. This escape route was determined by him after spending a lot of time conducting on-site reconnaissance, as instructed by Wei Guangyuan. He knew exactly which intersections had security cameras, which sections had speed cameras, and even what time patrol cars might be on the road. The vehicle also maintained a speed that was both inconspicuous and fast enough.

Wei Guangyuan hummed in agreement, without opening his eyes. He trusted A Cheng's abilities. What he needed to think about now was how to regroup after arriving in Southeast Asia, and... how to find out who was behind this! He would remember this grudge.

The vehicle drove smoothly along the winding suburban road, flanked by dark farmland or woodland, with the occasional glimpse of scattered farm lights in the distance. Everything seemed to be proceeding according to plan.

However, less than half an hour's drive from the designated pier, the car, which had been moving steadily, suddenly slowed down without warning and eventually came to a stop in the middle of the road.

Um?

The momentum of his body jolted Wei Guangyuan awake from his slumber. He opened his eyes abruptly, his sharp gaze sweeping ahead. Through the windshield, he could only see a dense darkness and the limited area of asphalt road illuminated by his own headlights.

"What happened? Why did it stop?" Wei Guangyuan's voice instantly turned cold, with a hint of tension that was barely perceptible. At this critical juncture, any unplanned pause was enough to make anyone's nerves tighten.

A Cheng, in the driver's seat, leaned forward slightly, squinting as he carefully looked at the dark end ahead, his tone tinged with doubt and a hint of seriousness:

"Boss, there seems to be a car that has broken down up ahead, blocking the road."

Wei Guangyuan's brows furrowed immediately. This road was his carefully chosen backup escape route, usually with very little traffic, and at this late hour, it was almost impossible to encounter any other vehicles. Why, at this crucial moment in his escape, would a broken-down car block his path? This was far too coincidental!

An ominous premonition, like a cold, venomous snake, quietly coiled around his heart.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his agitation, and gave the order in a low voice:

"Go over there quickly! Figure out what's going on, and if all else fails, try to get the other party to move the car immediately!"

"Yes, boss!" A Cheng didn't dare to delay. He immediately unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the car door, and nimbly disappeared into the darkness ahead, walking quickly toward the broken-down car blocking the road.

Inside the carriage, only Wei Guangyuan remained. Through the tinted windows, he stared intently at A Cheng's retreating Back View disappearing into the darkness, and the blurry, motionless outline of a vehicle in the distance. His fingers unconsciously clenched into a fist.

Time seemed to stretch out at this moment, each second filled with an unsettling silence.