"But we don't know what material this box is made of. No matter what we try, we can't open it!"
"It doesn't matter. The key must be on that Chu Xiaoxiao. Once we capture her, the key will naturally be ours!" Team Leader Ruan said with a smile.
"Right, the boss is indeed wise. Hahaha!" The mercenaries laughed heartily.
Feng Ge was also eyeing the box with great desire, but he dared not say anything about dividing the spoils.
"Zzzzzt!" At this moment, a harsh electric cutting sound echoed from the yacht.
"It seems they've started on that side. Soon, we'll see what's inside this box!" Team Leader Ruan's eyes were filled with greed as he looked at the box.
...
In the core cabin, Chu Xiaoxiao looked pale and helplessly at Ye Min.
Ye Min was also in poor condition, with a gunshot wound on her left arm crudely bandaged with a cloth, blood staining her jacket.
"Miss Chu, it seems we're doomed this time. The signal has been blocked, and I didn't expect them to be so audacious, attacking so close to shore and even bribing Captain Wei in advance."
"Uncle Wei?! How could this happen?"
"There's no mistake. Otherwise, on the open sea, they wouldn't have been able to pinpoint our location. Even approaching us would be difficult. Yet, our yacht approached them voluntarily! Captain Wei also locked the control room in advance!"
"Then…" Chu Xiaoxiao was momentarily stunned, her face dimming.
"The people outside aren't from Rabbit Country. I heard them speaking Annanese, so they're likely foreign mercenaries. They're ruthless and leave no survivors. This level of opponent is beyond our security company's capability. Moreover, their numbers are several times ours, and they have rocket launchers and heavy firepower, while we only have handguns. We underestimated their determination to capture you!
Miss Chu, I'm very sorry, but I must regretfully inform you that I'm out of options. Unless a ship passes by and discovers the situation, we can only wait for them to break in and then surrender."
"Will we… die?" Chu Xiaoxiao asked, her voice trembling.
"From their actions, they won't leave any survivors except for the target, which is you!" Ye Min forced a smile.
"You mean they'll kill you too?" Chu Xiaoxiao's face grew even paler.
Ye Min smiled bitterly and nodded, "Don't worry. In this line of work, I've long been prepared for such a fate. I'll keep one last bullet for myself!"
Tears welled up in Chu Xiaoxiao's eyes. After spending a few days together, she had developed a bond with Ye Min, who had been like a big sister to her. The thought of watching her die was unbearable.
"Zzzzzt!" Suddenly, the sharp sound of electric cutting came from outside the door. The two women immediately understood what was happening and exchanged bitter smiles.
Chu Xiaoxiao looked down in silence for a long while, then raised her head with a faint smile. Though it was weak, it was filled with unwavering determination. "Sister Ye, please save one last bullet for me."
Ye Min looked at the girl in surprise, as if seeing her for the first time.
"Miss Chu…"
"Just call me Xiaoxiao."
"Alright, Xiaoxiao. You're their target. They've kidnapped you to force Chu's Group to make some commercial concessions. You… still have a chance to survive!" Ye Min hesitated before speaking.
"You don't need to comfort me. The way they've kidnapped me today, not sparing even innocent people, shows their ruthlessness. If I fall into their hands, my mother will certainly agree to all their demands to ensure my safety, but the final result will probably be them draining Chu's Group dry. Once I'm no longer useful, I'd still meet the same fate.
Besides, falling into their hands might be worse than death!"
Ye Min admired Chu Xiaoxiao's clarity in the face of such terror. It was impressive that she could remain so lucid in such dire circumstances, proving herself to be a remarkable young talent in the business world.
Ye Min sighed and shared a resigned smile with Chu Xiaoxiao. The two women leaned against each other, watching the door being slowly cut open, cherishing their final moments together.
Chu Xiaoxiao, feeling the familiar despair, couldn't help but recall someone.
That night, the deafening gunfire in the darkness and the subsequent flash of light had pulled her out of the abyss.
"Sister Ye, if someone were to appear in your most desperate moment, say, right now, and defeat all the bad guys, then smile and say 'Hi, beautiful,' how would you react to that person?" Chu Xiaoxiao asked, her face reddening slightly.
"Haha! If someone like that really appeared now, I'd offer myself to him right away!" Ye Min grinned.
Chu Xiaoxiao looked at Ye Min with surprise. She had always seen Ye Min as a stern bodyguard and hadn't expected such words from her.
"In fact, I hate the etiquette classes at our company the most. Everything has to be polite and proper. Now that we're about to die, I can't keep up this pretense of a refined lady. In the afterlife, you might not even recognize me, haha!"
Ye Min, despite her soft and charming appearance, had a strong aura that mixed with her gentle traits, giving her a unique charm.
"Hmm, before I die, I want to be my true self! I'll also offer myself if necessary! Hehe!" Chu Xiaoxiao said, giggling as she clenched her small fists.
"Hahaha!"
The two women laughed heartily, forgetting their fear in the face of their imminent demise.
...
Amidst their conversation, the heavy door was already three-quarters cut through, with sparks flying from the electric cutter. It was evident that soon, a large hole would be cut, and their last barrier would be breached.
Ye Min carefully checked her magazine. Due to the recent fierce battle, she only had three bullets left!
She reloaded the magazine, one bullet for the enemy, one for Xiaoxiao, and one for herself.
She gripped her handgun tightly, turned to Chu Xiaoxiao, and saw her looking back, her face pale but resolute, nodding in agreement.
Ye Min returned a reassuring smile, raised her handgun, and aimed at the door, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Outside, the cutting sound had stopped, and faint voices could be heard, indicating that they were preparing to break in.
"Boom!" At that moment, the entire yacht suddenly shook violently.
"Ah!" Chu Xiaoxiao lost her balance, falling to the ground with a cry, while Ye Min wasn't much better off but quickly crouched beside Chu Xiaoxiao, looking at the door with suspicion.
Could it be a distraction before their assault? Was it necessary to create such a commotion?