African tropical rainforest.
Gongye held an assault rifle, his scarred face filled with ferocity.
He was in pursuit of the leader of an international drug trafficking syndicate, a vast dark organization that gathered all the desperadoes in the world.
He had invested a great deal of effort to capture these ruthless individuals.
Countless undercover brothers had lost their lives because of this.
If his distinctive features hadn't been so obvious, he would have infiltrated the group himself.
The brothers who had been undercover the longest had been there for about ten years, having risen to the rank of one of the leaders.
Just as the net was about to close, a careless mistake exposed them. Fortunately, vital intelligence was sent out just before their deaths.
To have held off the elites of major countries for so many years, the syndicate's boss was certainly no pushover.
While everyone else was rounded up, he still managed to escape.
Gongye, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, his sharp eyebrows etched with murderous intent.
Beside him, a foreigner with blonde hair and blue eyes offered consolation in broken Chinese, "Don't worry, he can't escape!"
How could Gongye not be anxious? He was in a hurry to get back to his daughter!
When he learned what kind of life his daughter had lived from childhood to adulthood, he had almost shot everyone in the Xia family.
But until this black boss was captured, he dared not reveal that he had a daughter.
With the operation nearing its end, he had to be even more patient.
The Gong family was full of loyal martyrs; he was merely following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father.
He would never forget the tragic scene of the Gong family's annihilation.
Fortunately, his daughter had narrowly escaped. For her safety, he had no choice but to send her to an ordinary family.
Rather than hiding, it was better to be hidden in plain sight.
For years, he had kept his distance, refraining from inquiring about her, fearing he would be targeted.
Just a few more months. That's all he needed.
Gongye had faced countless near-death experiences. As long as it didn't harm national interests, he could operate freely within L country.
"Chief, we have a lead over there."
Gongye stubbed out his cigarette, spat, and coldly ordered, "Be careful, this guy was a mercenary. His counter-reconnaissance skills are extremely sharp."
Everyone tensed up, moving forward.
After only a few steps, Gongye suddenly stopped. He dared not move, his expression grave.
"Chief Gong?"
The others looked at him, puzzled.
Gongye calmly stated, "I've stepped on a mine. It'll explode if I move my foot. You all retreat."
"Chief!"
The foreigners retreated, but a few loyal subordinates refused to leave.
Li Jiang urgently shouted, "Where's Old Han? Get him over here to defuse the bomb!"
"Yes." The one who responded quickly grabbed his walkie-talkie and urgently said, "Captain Han, Captain Han, do you copy..."
Gongye licked his lips, his eagle-like eyes scanning the surroundings, his voice chilling.
"He's nearby. Don't let your guard down..."
Before he finished speaking, a gunshot rang out.
The bullet sped towards him but whizzed past his ear, grazing it and drawing blood.
This shot was intentionally off, and Gongye's gaze was icy, showing no fear of death.
The bullet finally hit an American man behind him in the chest, killing him instantly.
Gongye quickly pinpointed the shooter's location and said rapidly, "Li Jiang, three o'clock."
Li Jiang quickly fired, the bullet disappearing into the dense jungle foliage without a trace.
The others shielded Gongye, ready to protect him with their lives, but there was no movement from the other side.
Soon, Old Han arrived.
He lay on the ground, carefully clearing away the soil to reveal the bomb under Gongye's foot.
He let out a sigh of relief and softly reassured, "It's alright, a small problem. I can defuse it in ten minutes."
"Don't dawdle, they're still watching!" Li Jiang urged.
The others were not idle either, flanking from the sides.
Gongye remained calm throughout, as he had encountered such situations countless times.
The bomb was quickly defused, and those who had gone to flank returned.
One of them cursed, "Damn it, he got away again. But he was shot just now, judging by the bleeding, he must be injured badly."
Gongye twisted his neck and sneered, "It doesn't matter. Let's keep playing, keep wearing them down. We have plenty of time."
...
Xia Wantang was completely unaware of all this. At this moment, she was lying on a hospital bed, undergoing an ultrasound.
Ling Yuchen stood beside her, watching her anxiously.
Xia Wantang was currently nine weeks pregnant.
The doctor gently dripped coupling gel onto her abdomen. The slightly cool sensation made Xia Wantang shiver.
Ling Yuchen pursed his lips, a hint of displeasure, but ultimately said nothing.
The doctor felt a sudden chill down her spine but didn't know why.
She placed the probe on Xia Wantang's belly and slid it gently.
A circular gestational sac quickly appeared on the screen.
The doctor operated the instrument and said, "The baby is developing very well, estimated at around ten weeks. Come, let's listen to the baby's heartbeat."
A rhythmic thumping sound filled the air, regular and loud.
Xia Wantang was slightly emotional, her eyes fixed on the screen, a wondrous feeling washing over her.
After a few minutes, the ultrasound was completed.
The doctor casually took a few tissues and placed them on Xia Wantang's abdomen.
Ling Yuchen meticulously wiped her clean and then helped her up.
After the report was printed, Xia Wantang looked at it several times in her hand.
It also included a picture, with the tiny dot in the center being her baby.
The hospital director had been waiting outside the ultrasound room for a long time.
Although the doctor had already said the baby was fine, Xia Wantang still handed the ultrasound report to the director.
Just as the director was about to look, Ling Yuchen said calmly, "It's autumn now. The coupling gel can be a bit cold on the stomach."
He didn't know the name of the substance, so he had looked it up on his phone.
The director's hand trembled as he took the report. He quickly said, "Yes, yes, it was our oversight. From now on, the coupling gel in the ultrasound room will be heated, heated."
Ling Yuchen smiled contentedly and casually added, "I've troubled the director. If there's any need, Tengkong Group will certainly be generous."
The director was momentarily stunned, then his face lit up with excitement.
"Thank you, President Ling, thank you."
Xia Wantang looked up at Ling Yuchen, her heart filled with adoration for his thoughtfulness.
The director instructed, "The next check-up is in three weeks, for an NT screening. We will make arrangements in advance and call to notify you."
Xia Wantang nodded politely, "Thank you, Director."
The director was overwhelmed, "You're too kind, Madam. It is our honor to serve you."
Escorted by the director, Xia Wantang and Ling Yuchen left the hospital.
In the car on the way back, Xia Wantang looked at the ultrasound photo again and again, her heart filled with joy.