MM Racing Chapter 978 was still told to Uncle Tong.
Chapter 978 was still told to Uncle Tong.
Gu Nan stood on the assembly line at the steel rolling mill all day, his hands never stopping, but his heart felt like it was weighed down by a stone, making him restless. His mind was filled with thoughts of Xiao Bao, and he felt that those people wouldn't give up so easily. He kept getting distracted, earning several glares from his team leader. Finally, the afternoon bell rang, but instead of heading home as usual, he took a detour and headed straight for the police station.
There are some things he simply can't get past in his own heart.
Standing at the entrance of the police station, Gu Nan hesitated for a moment, looked at the police officers on duty at the gate, and took a deep breath. He circled the entrance twice, waiting for his hesitation to subside before finally stepping inside.
Tong Ren was organizing files in his office when he saw Gu Nan come in. He put down his pen and said, "Gu Nan? What brings you here? Did you remember something? Just say it, don't be shy."
Gu Nan nodded and sat down in the chair opposite him, his tone somewhat serious: "Uncle Tong, I still can't recall more details about what happened last time, but I found out about something else—yesterday I went with one of Xiao Bao's men to a small clinic in the suburbs called Wang's Clinic. I suspect it's one of their strongholds."
"You brat!" Tong Ren immediately became agitated upon hearing this, jumping up from his chair and pointing his finger at him, both angry and anxious. "Didn't I tell you? Contact us directly if anything happens and let the officers handle it! How could you act on your own? Do you know how dangerous that is? Xiao Bao and his gang have weapons!"
Gu Nan blushed at his words, feeling genuinely embarrassed. He scratched his head and said, "I was just in a rush at the time..." He paused and then recounted in detail what had happened yesterday: following Wang Ran, finding the clinic, and having Hei Zi keep watch outside. Finally, he looked up at Tong Ren with earnest eyes and said, "Uncle Tong, I know this was not the right thing to do, but I would like to ask you if we could arrange the operation again tomorrow?"
Tong Ren frowned, sat down again, and stared at him for a long time: "To be honest, has something happened? Why do we have to wait until tomorrow?"
Gu Nan opened his mouth, wanting to say that he suspected Xiao Bao might not go to the clinic tonight and wanted to lure him into a trap tomorrow, but he swallowed the words back—he couldn't very well say what he wasn't sure about. He could only bite the bullet and say, "Uncle Tong, I can't really explain why, but I just feel that tomorrow is more suitable. I've already had someone keeping an eye on the clinic, and they'll report any movement."
Tong Ren looked at the determination in his eyes and remained silent for a moment. He knew Gu Nan wasn't a reckless person; if he said that, he must have his reasons. Finally, he sighed, a slight smile appearing on his lips: "Alright, I'll trust you this time. I'll personally lead the men there first thing tomorrow morning."
"Thank you, Uncle Tong!" Gu Nan breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.
It was already getting dark when Gu Nan left the police station. Instead of going straight home, he went to the factory office to ask his team leader for leave the next day, explaining that there was an emergency at home. Knowing his reliable nature, the team leader granted his request without asking any further questions.
Walking home, Gu Nan silently vowed to himself—tomorrow, he had to find a way to keep Xiao Bao here. Whether for Qiu Ye and the child, or to completely end this trouble, he couldn't let him escape again. His eyes shone with unwavering determination in the night.
When Gu Nan came out of the police station, it was already dusk, and the evening breeze was a bit chilly, causing the hem of his clothes to flutter slightly. He didn't go straight home, but instead turned and entered a secluded alley—tomorrow was the day he would settle things with Xiao Bao at the abandoned brick kiln, and for such a life-or-death struggle, he needed a handy weapon.
He was heading to the city's infamous black market, hidden beneath a dilapidated general store in the old town. It was a melting pot of all sorts, but one could find things unavailable on the open market. Gu Nan wasn't particularly knowledgeable about firearms, and rarely used them, but he couldn't be without something for self-defense. He already had a bulletproof vest, left over from a previous mission, but he specifically wanted to return to the black market so that if Tong Ren's investigation came up, he could logically explain that the vest was bought from the black market, thus avoiding revealing more about his past.
Reaching the entrance of the general store, Gu Nan lifted the curtain and went inside. The store was dimly lit, with some scattered daily necessities on the shelves. The owner, a burly man with a thick beard, was sitting behind the counter wiping a rusty dagger.
"Buy some self-defense items," Gu Nan said bluntly, his tone calm.
The shopkeeper glanced at him, noticing that Gu Nan looked unfamiliar but seemed quite at ease. He then remembered seeing the face somewhere before (Gu Nan had indeed been here once before), so he didn't ask any further questions. He simply called out to the inner room, "Xiao San, you stay here and watch the shop. I'll go check the back."
A tall, thin young man came out from the inner room in response to the call, nodding and saying, "Understood, brother." He glanced at the doorway twice. This place was secluded and rarely visited, so he wasn't worried about anything going wrong.
Gu Nan followed the shopkeeper through a small door behind the counter and down a steep staircase. The basement was filled with the smell of engine oil and rust. A dim light bulb hung on the wall, barely illuminating the surroundings. The shelves and walls were covered with all sorts of weapons: guns, machetes, iron bars, and even a few modified crossbows, gleaming with a cold, hard light.
"Boss, look at these, they're all top-notch." The boss patted an AK rifle, his tone tinged with pride. "Whether for self-defense or to impress others, they're more than enough."
Gu Nan glanced at them; these weapons were quite powerful, but that wasn't what he wanted this time. "The stuff is good," he shook his head, "but I need something more discreet for self-defense, like... a body armor or something."
The shopkeeper's eyes lit up, as if he had remembered something. He turned around and dragged a long box out from the corner. "What a coincidence, boss! You've come at just the right time! I just received a shipment, and there's a really good one in there—a foreign-made bulletproof vest. It's lightweight, and its penetration resistance is absolutely top-notch. You can even withstand a bullet at close range without any problem." He opened the box, revealing a dark gray bulletproof vest inside. The fabric looked thin, but it had a sturdy feel. "It's just that the price... will be a bit high."
Gu Nan bent down, picked up the bulletproof vest, and tried it on. It fit perfectly and was the right weight, so he nodded and said, "I'll take this one." He then picked out two sharp short knives, one hidden in his boot and the other tucked into his waistband. He also took a few spare bullets—all of which he could stuff into his inconspicuous storage ring without anyone noticing.
After paying, Gu Nan was about to leave when the shop owner stopped him, a shrewd smile spreading across his face: "Boss, you bought quite a lot this time, so I can't treat you unfairly." He pulled out two round objects wrapped in oil paper from under the shelf. "These are free gifts, hand grenades, very powerful. They can be a lifesaver in a pinch, take them."