Before he could turn his head, Huo Rou’s expression changed, and she quickly grabbed her gun, her stance full of vigilance.
He reacted just as fast, drawing his own weapon and alerting the driver.
The driver, his earlier wavering composure gone, also prepared for combat. "Director Zhao, a car is deliberately blocking us. It looks like three cars."
Huo Rou peered through the window. The car causing the jostling was the one in front, which had cut them off. The other two cars were positioned on either side, slightly behind, ready to force them to a halt. "They're quite capable to have found us," Huo Rou’s eyes glinted with ferocity. After assessing the vehicles outside, she paused for a moment of thought before discussing a plan with Zhao Wen.
"They're not overly aggressive yet, likely because they're unsure of the situation and are hesitant. Have the other cars blend into the traffic and move forward."
This car only held the three of them and a child. Her plan seemed to be leading them straight into a trap.
The driver was about to speak when, without hesitation, Zhao Wen used the equipment to send a signal to the other cars, instructing them to leave as if nothing had happened and then find a side road to turn back. After issuing the instructions, he glanced at Huo Rou and received an approving nod. Zhao Wen’s lips curved into a slight smile.
This maneuver stunned the driver. What kind of默契 (mòqì - tacit understanding) was this? Huo Rou had only voiced the first half of her thought, and he had already laid out the entire subsequent plan. Was he so perceptive, or was he simply accustomed to following his leader's lead?
Indeed, once the traffic thinned and only Huo Rou's car remained, the three blocking vehicles became brazen. They slammed on their brakes, and several individuals of varying styles emerged from the cars.
Huo Rou observed their disparate clothing and guessed they were likely spies planted in China by Country M. They lived normal lives in their respective fields without special assignments, gathering intelligence, and assembling for action when needed. Her phone being frequently checked probably wasn't a leak from her side; she surmised that Minister Zeng, as a personnel in a key department, had been under surveillance.
"They don't seem particularly smart. There are only about ten of them, how dare they block us so rashly?" the driver wondered aloud, unable to comprehend if these people hadn't considered that they weren't the only vehicle.
Zhao Wen let out a contemptuous laugh. "If they were smart enough, they’d be spies?"
The individuals carried weapons and approached with a degree of caution. Huo Rou looked at An An. "An An, hide under the seat for a while. Mommy and the uncles will chase the bad guys away, and then you can come out, okay?"
An An’s eyes were filled with deep worry. Being a child, he couldn't help but feel a little scared in such a situation. Huo Rou gently kissed his forehead. "It's alright, Mommy is strong, and we have many people. You are Mommy's weakness. If you stay hidden, Mommy can win."
An An slid down from the seat and crouched in the car, resting his small head on Huo Rou's lap. He looked at her with clear, profound eyes. In that instant, Huo Rou felt as if she were seeing Qin Ningyi. He spoke word by word, "An An only wants you to be safe, not to get hurt."
"Okay." Huo Rou glanced at the people outside. If Zhao Wen didn't back down, they could cooperate well enough.
With An An hidden, Huo Rou tucked her gun into her bag and opened the car door with a look of feigned confusion. Zhao Wen also alighted from the car with a roguish swagger.
"What's going on, guys?" Zhao Wen stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the men. His tone was natural, exuding the righteous anger of a passerby being accosted at the airport.
The men halted, exchanging uncertain glances. "Brother, is it really this car? We didn't follow the wrong one earlier, were there not several cars that looked like this?"
"How is that possible? This is my job; I wouldn't follow the wrong car."
"This doesn't look right either."
Finally, the leader of the group silenced their chatter with a cold tone. "Who said only people in military uniforms count? They didn't specify who they were looking for on the phone, just a woman's voice. Isn't this a woman?"
Someone holding a laptop slowly got out of a car. "Besides, the phone signal I was tracking is nearby, so it should be correct."
Huo Rou heard this and gave the speaker a meaningful look. Among ordinary people, only those working in telecommunications companies could track phone signals. She couldn't help but inwardly appraise them. Their choice of spy wasn't bad; while their intelligence might be average, their professions were quite practical.
An An was still in the car. Seeing how unintelligent they seemed, she thought if they could be deceived, they could be tricked into letting them go, and others could be called back to intercept them. With this in mind, Huo Rou spoke. Her voice changed, adopting a mature, commanding tone, a stark contrast to her gentle appearance. "Are you looking for someone?"
Her voice caused the others to become uncertain again. "Probably not? She doesn't sound like it."
"Yeah, doesn't sound like it."
"Brother, why don't we look around some more? Didn't he say the signal was nearby? What if it's someone else? We don't want to make a mistake and get into trouble."
"Exactly, brother. Let's just go?"
The driver, left in the car to protect An An, had excellent hearing. Hearing their murmurs, the corners of his mouth twitched. They had indeed found people to block them on the spur of the moment. Their unfamiliarity and hesitant demeanor showed they were a disorganised rabble.
"Whether it is or not, stalling them is always an option," the leader said, scrutinizing Huo Rou and Zhao Wen. Country M's instructions were to stop them, preferably capture the technical talent. If not, then stall, as their organization's formidable forces would follow.
Huo Rou saw their lack of unity but their unwillingness to leave. One person stepped forward to engage them in small talk. She noticed the leader frequently glancing back the way they came.
"If you're not here for anything, then leave. I have a flight to catch," Huo Rou said, her voice disguised, feigning impatience as she turned to get back into the car. Suddenly, the leader looked at Zhao Wen.
"Go!" he commanded abruptly. The others, caught off guard, were momentarily stunned. This brief pause gave Huo Rou and Zhao Wen the time to react.
"What?" Some individuals had already charged forward with the leader, while others stood frozen, unsure of what was happening. The leader yelled impatiently, "He's the Director! The woman he's personally escorting must be the one we're looking for!"
"Stop dawdling, hurry up!" Only then did the men hurriedly pull weapons from their bags and rush forward. In the tense situation, they still found time to ask, "How did you know he was the Director?"