Chapter 514: Negotiation
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The woman wearing red looked up and took a look at the fake Xuan Yue.
“Me?” When she was sure that the fake Xuan Yue was indeed talking to her, her trembling lips wore a smile as though she had been granted an amnesty.
The fake Xuan Yue: “If you can’t do it, I’ll change to another person!”
“I’ll do it, I’ll do it…”
The woman gritted her teeth, dragging her already limp legs and dashed out of the cafe. When she saw Ding Yifan, she felt her knees going soft and fell on the ground.
She shouted, “Save me!”
After that, she told the police what the fake Xuan Yue had instructed her. “She doesn’t allow anyone to enter the cafe…”
Ding Yifan stopped in his tracks.
Then he instructed two officers to quickly help take away the woman who was too frightened to be able to walk, to safety.
Bai Muchuan took the telescope and looked for a moment. “Continue!” he instructed.
Whether the fake Xuan Yue was willing to listen or not, they had to continue to negotiate.
This was a psychological game.
About patience.
Ding Yifan nodded his head and cleared his throat. He continued to talk while looking at the direction of the cafe, “Looks like you want to continue the face-off with the police? You said that you have no requests and did not want your life anymore. But are you really sure that you want to die? You’re just afraid…”
…
He was talking outside.
The fake Xuan Yue looked at the gla.s.s of water before her coldly.
Her lips were so dry that it was peeling.
She was thirsty but she couldn’t drink.
There must be a sniper pointing at her head from outside. They would be calculating the best position and figuring out how to hit her with precision…
The serving counter was a very good spot for her. She put the little girl on the counter, which she could protect her head yet also able to control the young hostage easily. She took a look at the rest of the hostages and thought for a moment. Then she moved the little girl to another position that could shield her completely. The serving counter was very exquisitely made. It was actually made of stainless steel—it was an excellent choice as a hiding spot.
“You are my little~little apple, it’s never enough to love you more…”
The ringing tone of the mobile phone on the counter rang!
As it also had the vibration mode switched on, that actually made the hostages jump in fright.
The gun was at the back of the little girl. When she heard those sounds, she began to cry.
“Don’t cry! Cry again and I’ll kill you!”
She yelled and the entire cafe quietened down.
Under the dead silence, only the sound of the mobile phone continued to resonate in the cafe.
The fake Xuan Yue took a look at the caller ID then she swiped to pick up the call and tapped on the speaker icon.
“Things has already come to this. What else do you want to say?”
“Xuan Yue…” It was Xiang Wan’s voice from the phone. “Let’s talk!”
“What else is there to talk? I’ve said it earlier, don’t bother to play any tricks. I know all that the police would say or prepare to do. I can tell you straight in the face that I’m prepared to lose my life here. To make the best of the situation, I’ll still have these hostages going to h.e.l.l with me…”
“That’s actually the easiest option. However… you sure you don’t want to live anymore? Don’t lie to me. If you don’t want to live, then what are you waiting for? You could have killed the hostages and shot yourself to death… Xuan Yue, you want to be alive. You’re hesitating as you don’t know how you could survive this.”
“Hah!” Xuan Yue scorned, “Xiang Gongzi, are you naive or I’m the naive one? How well do you know me, huh?”
“I don’t know you well. Nonetheless, I can tell you that the confrontation with the police is not going to be easy. At the very least, it won’t be as easy as what you are portraying now… You’re very frightened and worried. You’re searching for a way to stay alive and, I can help you achieve what you want.”
Xiang Wan was very patient and her tone was also gentle, as though she was talking to a friend.
The fake Xuan Yue however, did not appreciate that. “Don’t bother to act before me! Didn’t you already know that I’m not Xuan Yue?”
“Yes, I know that.” Xiang Wan smiled. “But that doesn’t affect anything. You wanted to live and I wanted to save the hostages. We can talk about it.”
Xuan Yue let out a derisive chuckle.
She did not respond to Xiang Wan’s question directly but asked another question.
“How did you know that I’m not Xuan Yue?”
Xiang Wan did not lie to her. “I guessed it from Shiliu’s death. You’re the one who plotted her death.”
“Yes, I killed her.”
“Why? She’s so nice to you. When she knew that you’re afraid, she accompanied you everyday instead of her editor…”
“She deserved it! She actually kept a picture of a selfie that Xuan Yue sent her a month ago. She also said that… I changed a lot, as if I’m a different person altogether!”
True enough…
That silly girl Shiliu.
She was so innocent!
She forgot about it after making that remark.
She totally didn’t think deeper… that her remark was actually true.
And her remark alarmed the fake Xuan Yue instead.
Shiliu was silly but Xiang Wan wasn’t.
Their editor, Fang Yuanyuan, had been asking them out for meals together. She had thought that if Shiliu revealed this information during a meal and Xiang Wan got to know about it… the fake Xuan Yue dreaded to think of the consequence. She didn’t want to take risks and planned a perfect murder case to kill off Shiliu without getting suspected.
It was a pity… as she still got found out.
The fake Xuan Yue let out a mocking sneer.
“Xiang Gongzi, it’s easy to have a short life when one is too intelligent. Don’t you know?”
“Thank you for reminding me, I’ve been living well. On the contrary, you should be worrying about yourself….”
“Hahaha!” The fake Xuan Yue laughed but did not continue her topic. “I mean you’re too clever for your own good,” she said coldly, “do you dare to acknowledge that? Xiang Gongzi, if it wasn’t for your reminder… I really didn’t know that I’m being targeted by the police!”
Xiang Wan felt her heart being clasped.
She took a glance at Bai Muchuan who was beside her. “When did I remind you?”
It was too noisy outside. When she was talking to Xuan Yue, she was wearing an earpiece, the other one was in Bai Muchuan’s ear.
So, the one who could hear Xuan Yue was only her and Bai Muchuan.
“I need to thank you, actually. If you didn’t tell Qing Dai and the rest not to meet up with me… How would I know that the police has casted a ‘net’ to catch me?”
True enough…
Xiang Wan wished she could strangle Fang Yuanyuan to death.
Couldn’t she find a better excuse to avoid meeting up with her? Why must she be so upfront?
“It’s my fault!”
She had a self-reproaching look on her face.
Bai Muchuan exchanged glances with her to want her to continue the conversation. He also told her that… she was not in the wrong.
Xiang Wan pressed her lips for a moment and continued to communicate with Xuan Yue. “I actually feel embarra.s.sed when you put it this way. Since things are out in the open, let’s cut to the chase. You know very well that if you didn’t take all these hostages, you’d have gone to h.e.l.l already.”
The fake Xuan Yue let out a peal of laughter. “Exactly! Since I have so many hostages as my bargaining chips, why should I be afraid?”
Xiang Wan sounded serious and cold. “Since you have so many bargaining chips on hand, why not try to make use of this to stay alive?”
This rhetorical question was valid.
There was no answer from Xuan Yue for at least 10 seconds.
She wanted to live.
All of them inside the cafe wanted to stay alive.
But with countless police officers outside, the fake Xuan Yue knew that her chances of survival were slim.
The moment she walked out of the serving counter, she could be shot to death.