I navigated through countless iron cages, but found no trace of He Xin. "Where is she?" I asked the hidden person.
No one responded. I called out several times, but the individual seemed to have vanished, offering no reaction to anything I said.
It wasn't until I discovered a wooden crate leaning against a wall, with a computer and numerous wires tangled behind it, that I paused.
I forcefully pried open the wooden door in front of the crate, but found nothing inside. It was empty!
"Hahaha! Detective He, you've fallen into our trap. He Xin isn't here at all!"
As soon as the voice finished speaking, a hunting dog lunged out from within!
Fortunately, I wasn't unprepared. I had anticipated something like this. The moment the dog leaped out, I struck its head directly. And I forgot to mention, the little girl was also by my side.
They only said not to bring police officers, not that police dogs were forbidden!
After my punch, the dog let out a pained yelp. Seizing the opportunity, the little girl sprang forward, snapping the dog's neck with a "crack!"
Hearing a few whimpers, the voice spoke again: "Bastard, when did I ever tell you to bring a police dog? Do you know that's a foul?"
"Oh? Really? Didn't you tell me to come alone?"
"Yes, so you've committed a foul!"
"Isn't the little girl a person?"
"You..."
The other party seemed about to retort in frustration, but a woman's voice intervened: "Forget it. Just let him continue upstairs. It's our fault for not anticipating this."
"Hmph, fine. If it weren't for you, I would have dealt with this damned cop right now. I told you, you're always so merciful."
"I want to finish him myself."
From their conversation, it seemed the woman was targeting me. Who was this person? She hadn't used a voice changer, yet I couldn't discern her identity from her voice.
Initially, I suspected she was related to a criminal I had apprehended before, perhaps a relative or a close friend seeking revenge. Then, the Polaris organization exploited her resentment and did her a favor.
I continued upstairs, the little girl now running ahead of me with astonishing speed, reaching the eighth floor in no time. Since they hadn't stopped us before, we just kept running. Upon reaching this floor, we saw a girl tied in front of a massive circuit board. She was bound by countless wires, a large pair of scissors hanging around her neck. Beneath her legs, a colossal seven-star compass with sharp spikes was spinning wildly!
This contraption reminded me of the case involving the physics genius. It was indeed the work of Polaris!!
The girl before me was none other than He Xin. I lunged towards her, about to touch her shoulder, when she suddenly opened her eyes. "Dad, don't mind me, escape quickly!!"
"Do you think I would do that?" I had intended to touch He Xin, but at that very moment, a strange shackle began to rotate before me, emitting a sizzling sound. If I hadn't seen the pulsing effect within, I wouldn't have realized it was electrified.
And this current seemed to connect the entire machine, ensuring that any point I touched would deliver an electric shock.
"Dad, don't touch that, or else..."
"I know, He Xin, don't be afraid. I won't give up on you!"
"No, Dad, don't you understand? This is a dead end, an absolute dead end. There's no hope left. Wasn't I a naive, fearless girl who never feared any danger before? But this time, I've chosen to give up, do you understand? Do you get it? It's impossible! Everything is over! And have you noticed, there's something above my head too!!"
As soon as He Xin finished speaking, my pupils contracted violently. A gas canister was suspended above her head. The glass on its surface looked ready to shatter. A rubber tube was connected to the opening, constantly filling it with gas!!
It seemed the situation was far more dire than I had imagined. What should I do? Was this truly the end this time...
"Dad, with your intelligence, you should understand. Either way, it's enough to kill me several times over. So, the only thing you can do now is leave here as quickly as possible!!"
Even so, realistically, regardless of the hazardous items on He Xin, if she could be detached from this machine, there was still a chance of survival.
I stood before her like an unmovable mountain, observing my surroundings. The eerie voice spoke again: "Ah, hahaha, our great Detective He, Mr. Sherlock Holmes of China, it's time for you to make a choice. We've actually captured someone else! Take a look at the large screen above!"
An endless wave of dread washed over me, reaching my limbs, my internal organs, and the depths of my heart.
Liu Yuning was completely bound within a coffin, raised high!!
"You demons! You are not human! You will definitely face retribution! This is an unforgivable atrocity!"
"Detective He, vent your anger here, or I fear you might lose control. Because of your appearance. No, it should be the entire Punishment Squad. Our organization has lost so many talented individuals. If this continues, I truly worry that one day you'll uncover us. But starting today, the wheel of history will turn anew, and the signs of victory will point in our direction. Ahahaha!! Kaka kaka!! Goodbye, dear Punishment Squad!!"
At that moment, He Xin let out a scream: "Dad!"
"No!!"
The seven-star compass, immediately after the woman's sinister voice faded, began to rotate at an alarming speed. It accelerated and decelerated erratically, spewing strange toxic mist from its crevices. I watched as the gas from the bottle above He Xin's head continuously diminished, spreading outwards, permeating every corner of the hotel. The furniture that had been on the eighth floor began to crackle and shatter as if instantly oxidized. But why wasn't I affected?
Upon closer inspection, I realized small bombs were installed inside the furniture, causing them to explode. I didn't understand why they would do this, perhaps to enhance the terrifying atmosphere.
At this point, He Xin's body tilted slightly forward. On the edge of the seven-star compass, several sharp blades suddenly appeared, arranged in a 360-degree pattern and spinning madly. He Xin was less than a centimeter away from them. If her body leaned forward even a little more, she would be sliced into pieces by the blades!