Ning Bei, Chief Security Officer of the KG5 star-liner, was in the middle of savoring his beloved afternoon tea in the break room when an urgent call from the captain shattered his peace. The captain's frantic tone prompted him to quicken his pace instinctively. His mind raced—what could have happened to rattle the normally unflappable Captain Bai Jingxuan so severely, and why summon him, the security chief who'd been idling in boredom? Had a major security incident occurred aboard the ship?
Moments later, Ning Bei strode with measured steps into the captain's quarters, his eyes sweeping the room with practiced caution. Besides the somewhat portly Captain Bai Jingxuan, the room held an exquisitely elegant lady and a man in a suit and sunglasses.
'A VIP, no doubt,'Ning Bei thought, his mind working swiftly. Anyone warranting a personal reception from Captain Bai was certainly no ordinary passenger. The presence of that rock-steady bodyguard only confirmed his suspicion.
After Captain Bai's brief introduction, Ning Bei was shocked. The woman before him was none other than the Young Madam of the Yan family, one of the "Five Great Houses." An even greater shock followed: a kidnapping had occurred on his ship, and the hostage was the Yan family's little princess.
The gravity of the situation hit Ning Bei like a physical blow. If anything happened to the Yan heiress aboard his vessel, not only would his career prospects vanish into darkness, but he would likely face severe repercussions from the authorities, rendering years of diligent work utterly meaningless. Immediately, he mobilized nearly the entire armed security force and all relevant resources at his disposal.
Utilizing the ship's omnipresent network of micro-cameras, Ning Bei swiftly pinpointed the kidnapper's figure. Armed with specific details, he formulated a meticulous and exhaustive rescue plan, then launched the operation with maximum speed.
Meanwhile, Bai Hao hurried along the corridors with Yan Xiaoshi in his arms, his mind uneasy. Who were those men, to carry firearms so casually?Firearms were strictly prohibited on star-liners.
"Xiaoshi, why did you say those three men were bad people?" Bai Hao asked. His confrontation with them had been a forced, desperate act, leaving no time to consider their exact relation to the girl. Now, with a moment to think, he needed clarity.
Cradled in his arms, clutching her stuffed bear with one hand and wrapping the other around his neck, Yan Xiaoshi replied with earnest conviction, "They arebad. They locked Xiaoshi in a room and wouldn't let her go find Mama."
"Mama?" A flicker of hope sparked in Bai Hao. Finding the girl's mother would simplify everything. "Do you know where your mama is? And what's her name?"
"My mama is Su Mengchen. But... I don't know where she is. Xiaoshi ran away to look for her. Big Brother, will you help Xiaoshi find Mama?" At the mention of her mother, tears glistened in her large, dark eyes.
Bai Hao's heart melted with tenderness. "Alright, Big Brother will help you find Mama. But Xiaoshi mustn't cry. Little girls who cry can't grow up to be mecha pilots like Sister Shi'er."
"Mm-hmm," Xiaoshi nodded obediently. Studying Bai Hao's utterly ordinary face, her expression suddenly shifted to concern. "Big Brother, your nose is bleeding!"
Bai Hao touched his nose, a sharp pang of soreness reminding him of the punch he'd taken during the scuffle. His focus had been entirely on Xiaoshi, making him neglect his own injury. "It's nothing. Let Big Brother clean up, then we'll go look for Mama, okay?"
"Okay," Xiaoshi replied, her doll-like face still etched with unmistakeable worry.
Back in his modest cabin, Bai Hao set Xiaoshi on the bed. He fetched a tissue to wipe away the blood, then gave the minor wound a basic treatment. Such small injuries were nothing to him; back at the private quarters behind No. 44 Agricultural Trade Street, he and "Lezi" had "sparred" frequently, and bumps like this were commonplace.
"Big Brother, maybe you should go to the medical bay," Xiaoshi suggested, standing on the bed, her eyes fixed on his injured nose.
Bai Hao offered a faint smile. "I'm fine. Actually, I have something really fun here. You might like it." Under Xiaoshi's expectant gaze, he retrieved a metal-framed handheld game console from his luggage. It contained a mecha combat game touted by its manufacturer as bearing some resemblance to the real thing. Of course, that was just advertising hype; Bai Hao used it mainly to indulge in mecha fantasies. But since Xiaoshi aspired to be a great pilot, she might enjoy it.
As expected, after a brief tutorial on the controls, Yan Xiaoshi was instantly captivated, clutching the console as if she'd never let go. She handled it with surprising dexterity, and within a few rounds, had essentially mastered the basic operations. Bai Hao watched, mildly astonished. A five or six-year-old picking it up faster than I did?He felt a twinge of absurdity. Is she some kind of legendary mecha prodigy?
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Yan Xiaoshi manipulated the console with her small, agile fingers, utterly absorbed, seemingly having forgotten all about finding her mother in her newfound bliss. Watching from the side, Bai Hao couldn't help but frown. Right now, probably not even ten oxen could drag her away from the virtual mecha battle.
"Xiaoshi, how about Big Brother takes you to look for Mama now?" Bai Hao ventured tentatively as another round on the screen concluded.
But Xiaoshi promptly hit the 'start' button for a new match, then turned a pleading, adorable pout his way. "Big Brother, just one more round, please? It's already started!"
Faced with that pitiful, cherubic face, Bai Hao sighed in resignation. "Alright, onemore round—the lastone. Big Brother needs to use the restroom. Don't you run off anywhere."
"Mm-hmm," Xiaoshi nodded obediently, her attention already snapped back to the game.
The cabin lacked a private bathroom; facilities were shared to conserve space. Exiting the room, Bai Hao made sure to lock the door from the outside before heading at a leisurely pace towards the restroom a few dozen meters away.
"Unit One, target has appeared. Alone, heading for the restroom. The hostage is likely still inside the room." In a shadowy alcove, a plainclothes officer monitoring the scene whispered into his lapel mic.
"Copy that. Team One, prepare to extract the hostage. Team Two, stand by to apprehend the suspect. Remember: no gunfire unless absolutely necessary." Seated on a toilet stall, a cold smile curled Ning Bei's lips as he rapidly issued orders. A thought ran through his mind: 'Fool. The path to heaven lies open, yet you chose to walk through the gates of hell yourself.'