bookcurios Chapter 464: Resistance
Chapter 464: Resistance
Suddenly, a rapid knock on the door pulled Su Ming out of his thoughts. The rhythm of the knocks was unusual, like an urgent signal. His heart skipped a beat, and he walked towards the door alertly.
"Are you still stalling?" the man inside spoke again, his voice filled with impatience. "If you don't have any conditions to offer, then don't waste any more time."
Su Ming took a deep breath, trying to calm his heartbeat. He glanced back out the window. The figures in the darkness remained motionless, as if they had surrounded him. Time seemed to slow to a crawl at this moment.
"I'm not stalling." Su Ming's voice was deep and powerful, tinged with urgency. He knew that at this moment, every decision he made would be a turning point in the entire situation. He didn't have time to continue empty conversations with them. Zheng Yaoxian's words still echoed in his ears: "Stay vigilant at all times and avoid unnecessary actions."
He turned and stood by the window, his mind calculating. The negotiations seemed to be completely out of control, and all he could do was make this final choice. Since there was no hope at the negotiation table, he could only break it with action.
"What do you want?" Su Ming asked in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the shadows that were gradually appearing.
"Give us an answer, Su Ming." The man said coldly, "Otherwise, everything will be too late."
Countless possible scenarios raced through Su Ming's mind. Those waiting outside were no longer ordinary adversaries, but a hidden force quietly approaching. He gritted his teeth, pondering his next course of action. He knew the situation was becoming increasingly complex, and if he wasn't careful, he could completely lose the initiative.
The knock on the door sounded again, urgent and threatening. This time, he didn't hesitate, but made a quick decision - to temporarily escape from this situation, find a breathing space, and buy himself more time.
He took a deep breath, turned, and headed for the stairs. He didn't look back, nor did he pause for a second. The most important thing for him now was to find a place to hide temporarily, to calm himself down and plan his next steps.
The basement. This was probably the safest place—no one knew he would appear here, and no one could easily track his whereabouts. Even with the intelligence in those people's hands, it would be difficult to trace back to this point.
Su Ming's footsteps were hurried, and every echo on the stairs seemed particularly dull. The basement door was inconspicuous and even had a smell of old times, but at this moment, it seemed like his only refuge.
He pushed open the door, only to find it utterly dark inside, barely able to make out anything. Su Ming groped his way inside, then closed the door, leaving himself with a faint ray of light. His heartbeat was still pounding. Although he was in a safe place, he couldn't relax at all. Everything outside was still a constant threat to his existence.
In the basement, the air was thick and humid. A few rays of dim light filtered through the window slits, casting mottled shadows on the ground. The atmosphere here seemed cut off from the outside world, the silence unsettling. Su Ming leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing, trying to calm himself.
But his thoughts grew increasingly confused. He struggled internally between Zheng Yaoxian's calmness and the pressure of the enemy outside. Every second seemed to force him to make a choice. Should he continue to trust Zheng Yaoxian, or trust the information he had? He knew that every decision he made would determine his future.
"If I can just survive this moment..." Su Ming whispered to himself, his voice trembling slightly. "I must persevere and not let them push me too far."
His hands unconsciously clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white. The sense of urgency almost consumed him. He knew he couldn't wait any longer and had to make more arrangements.
As his thoughts raced, Su Ming's heart gradually settled. He knew that while his situation was difficult, it wasn't hopeless. Zheng Yaoxian had always been there for him, providing guidance and support. He needed to trust in that trust, not just rely on himself. Even though Zheng Yaoxian's every move made him doubt, he couldn't deny that his composure and control were his only hope.
The air in the basement seemed to grow even thicker. Su Ming felt a little breathless, his head spinning, and he found a corner to sit down. Looking down at his tightly clenched fists, he silently pondered his next plan.
"Why are they here?" he whispered to himself, his eyes gradually becoming sharper. "If they really are targeting Zheng Yaoxian, then how could they know everything about us here? Did the intelligence leak, or..."
A series of questions flooded his mind, but he had no answers. He was filled with a complex mix of emotions: anxiety, unease, even a hint of fear. How strong was the enemy? What was their goal? Why had they chosen this moment?
Zheng Yaoxian's face surfaced in Su Ming's mind. That calm, emotionless face, as if he had foreseen all this. Even in these seemingly irreversible situations, he remained detached and calm. At that moment, Su Ming suddenly realized that the gap between him and Zheng Yaoxian was no longer just a gap in experience and ability.
"If he controls everything, then what am I?" Su Ming suddenly felt like a pawn on a chessboard, manipulated by Zheng Yaoxian. Although he tried to resist, every attempt only seemed to add more doubt and complexity.
He closed his eyes, refraining from these chaotic thoughts, and began to try to calm himself. Only by staying calm could he see the situation clearly and find a way out. The people outside couldn't wait forever; they would come in sooner or later. During this time, he had to buy himself more space.
Time seemed to pass exceptionally slowly. The humidity in the air was still uncomfortable, but Su Ming had begun to adapt. He slowly stood up and walked to a corner, searching for a place to think for a while. The basement walls seemed unremarkable, yet within this lonely space, they offered him a quietness he had never experienced before.