130: Chapter 130 Put down your weapons! Don't move!

In the left workshop of the abandoned machine tool factory in the west of the city, the smell of rust mixed with dust permeated the air. The only incandescent light bulb hanging from the rafters swayed, dizzying to look at, its light barely illuminating the discarded gears and machine tools piled in the corner, with an indescribable oppression hidden in the shadows.

As soon as Zhang Fan stepped into the workshop, he heard heart-wrenching crying. Lele was being held by her arm by Lin Haoyu, her small body twisting and struggling. Her cheeks were covered in tears and dust, her once neatly tied pigtails had come undone, and a strand of hair was stuck to her tear-stained face.

When she saw Zhang Fan, her eyes lit up instantly, and she cried out hoarsely, "Uncle Zhang Fan! Save me! He hurts so much..."

"Don't move!" Lin Haoyu's roar was like a thunderclap. His other hand suddenly covered Lele's mouth, his knuckles turning white from the force. "If you scream again, I'll throw you under the machine tool!"

Terrified, Lele immediately didn't dare to make a sound, only able to watch Zhang Fan with eyes full of fear, her shoulders trembling with every sob.

Lin Haoyu pulled Lele behind him, as if holding a hostage. His eyes were bloodshot with madness as he stared fixedly at Zhang Fan. "You came quite quickly. It seems this little girl is quite important to you."

He lifted his chin, his tone full of mockery. "Zhang Fan, I warned you long ago: stay out of my business, don't steal my woman! Now look, my company is gone, my money is gone, and it's all your fault!"

"Lin Haoyu, if you have any issues, come at me. Don't take it out on a child."

Zhang Fan stopped, slightly raising his hands to signal he had no malicious intent, his gaze locked tightly on Lele's arm, which was red from being pinched. "Whatever you want, we can talk about it. Don't hurt Lele."

"Talk?" Lin Haoyu sneered, putting a bit more force into the hand pinching Lele's arm. Lele let out a muffled groan of pain, and her tears fell even faster.

Seeing Zhang Fan's instantly tense face, a flash of morbid triumph crossed Lin Haoyu's eyes. "I want you to make the tax department drop the case! Take back all that bullshit evidence, and make them stop investigating Haoyu Group! Otherwise, I'll strangle her right now, and we'll all be finished!"

He moved a step to the side, his back against the abandoned machine tool, shielding Lele more thoroughly. His other hand quietly reached toward the back of his waist, where a switchblade was tucked; the metal of the handle flashed coldly in the light.

"Aren't you so capable? Isn't Richest Man Song able to help you? This little thing shouldn't be hard for you, right?"

Zhang Fan's fingernails dug deep into his palms, forcing himself to suppress the urge to rush forward. He knew that forcing the issue now would only make Lele more dangerous.

The system's prompt suddenly sounded in his mind, and light blue text clearly appeared: [Lin Haoyu is carrying a switchblade (unsheathed) behind his waist. Two henchmen are at the workshop entrance and the back door respectively (they are far away and have not yet noticed anything unusual). SWAT has arrived at the back door fire exit and needs to storm in within 30 seconds after the signal is triggered. Suggestion: Stall for time and trigger the signal device when his attention is diverted.]

"Fine, I agree." Zhang Fan slowly lowered his hands, softening his tone and deliberately feigning a look of compromise. "I can contact the tax department and have them drop the case. But I need time; I have to call my lawyer and have him handle the communication. It can't happen immediately."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Lin Haoyu immediately saw through his stalling and tightened his grip on Lele even more. Lele's small face turned beet red, and her breathing became rapid. "I want you to contact them right now! Make the tax department issue the notice to drop the case immediately; I want to see it with my own eyes! Otherwise, this little girl won't make it out of here alive today!"

He took his own phone out of his pocket and threw it at Zhang Fan's feet. "Use my phone to make the call! Don't play any tricks; my people are watching at the door. If you dare say one word you shouldn't, I'll act immediately!"

Zhang Fan bent down to pick up the phone. As his fingers touched the cold body of the device, he calculated quickly that he could stall by claiming "communication takes time due to procedures."

He opened the contact list, intentionally scrolling through it for a long time, muttering, "I need to remember my lawyer's number... I didn't add a note when I saved it last time."

"Hurry up!" Lin Haoyu roared impatiently, his eyes fixed on Zhang Fan's hands, not noticing Lele's small hand move slightly.

"Found it." Zhang Fan pretended to dial, held the phone to his ear, and deliberately raised his voice. "Lawyer Wang? This is Zhang Fan. Contact the Jiang City Tax Bureau immediately and tell them there's a misunderstanding regarding the Haoyu Group case, and apply to have it dropped... Yes, the notice needs to be issued immediately, the other party is waiting... What? It needs to go through the proper procedures? No, find a way. It must be done as soon as possible, otherwise..."

When he said "otherwise," he paused deliberately, glancing toward Lele to imply the situation was urgent. Lin Haoyu was indeed distracted, frowning as he asked, "What's the situation? What did he say?"

"The lawyer said it will take half an hour. The procedures can't be finished, and the notice to drop the case can't be issued immediately." Zhang Fan hung up the phone, spread his hands, and said with a helpless tone, "You heard it too. It's not that I won't help you, but the tax department has regulations, and it can't be rushed. Let go of Lele first; she's about to stop breathing. A child can't handle you pinching her like that."

Lin Haoyu looked down at Lele. The little girl's face was already turning purple, her lips were chapped, and tears kept falling, but she didn't dare to cry out loud again.

A flash of hesitation crossed his mind, but as soon as he thought of his collapsed company and the debts he owed, that bit of hesitation was crushed by madness. "No! I will absolutely not let her go until I see the notice to drop the case! Urge your lawyer again! Ten minutes! I'll only wait ten minutes!"

Just then, Zhang Fan's hand quietly reached for the signal device in his pocket—it was the palm-sized black square that Qin Xue had given him before she left. Pressing it would send a silent signal that the SWAT team could receive in real-time.

His fingertips touched the button of the signal device. His heart was beating fast, and his eyes were fixed on Lin Haoyu, waiting for the perfect moment.

"I'll make another call to urge him." Zhang Fan pretended to pick up the phone again, his fingers tapping randomly on the screen, while his peripheral vision noticed that Lin Haoyu's attention was entirely on the phone, completely unaware of the action in his pocket.

"Hurry up!" Lin Haoyu roared again, and his hand gripping Lele's arm loosened slightly—he thought Zhang Fan was really urging the lawyer, not realizing that the other's finger was already pressing on the signal device.

"Buzz—" The signal device in his pocket emitted a faint vibration that only Zhang Fan could feel.

He silently prayed, "SWAT, hurry up. Lele, hold on a little longer."

But just then, Lin Haoyu suddenly became suspicious, his eyes sweeping over Zhang Fan's pocket. "What's in your pocket? Take it out!"

Zhang Fan's heart tightened, and he quickly held up the phone, smiling to cover it up. "Nothing, it's just the phone sliding into my pocket. Look, I'm calling the lawyer right now." He deliberately brought the phone to his ear and raised his voice, trying to divert Lin Haoyu's attention.

But Lin Haoyu didn't believe him anymore. He suddenly shoved Lele toward the machine tool next to them. Lele didn't stand steady and fell onto the dusty ground, crying softly from the pain.

Lin Haoyu, acting like a madman, rushed toward Zhang Fan. The switchblade in his hand "swished" open, its cold light blinding. "You lied to me! Did you call the police?!"

Zhang Fan instinctively retreated, but his gaze darted toward the back door of the workshop. He knew that after receiving the signal, the SWAT team should already be on their way in.

He intentionally stalled for time. "I didn't call the police! Don't be impulsive, the notice to drop the case is coming soon!"

"You're still lying to me!" Lin Haoyu lunged over, waving the switchblade. The blade grazed Zhang Fan's arm, leaving a shallow bloody scratch. Zhang Fan endured the pain and retreated toward the center of the workshop, trying his best to stay away from Lele, who had fallen to the ground. He could not let Lin Haoyu hurt the child again.

At this critical moment, a loud "bang" suddenly came from the back door of the workshop. SWAT team members, wearing riot gear and holding shields, rushed in and shouted sternly, "Lin Haoyu! Drop your weapon! Don't move!"

Lin Haoyu looked back and his face instantly turned pale. The switchblade in his hand clattered to the ground.

He tried to rush toward Lele, but was pinned to the ground by two SWAT officers who held his shoulders firmly, leaving him unable to move.

Zhang Fan rushed over, picked up Lele, who had fallen to the ground, and gently patted the dust off her. His voice was full of heartache. "Don't be afraid, Lele. The bad guy has been caught. Uncle will take you home."

Lele lay in Zhang Fan's arms and finally couldn't help but burst into tears, her small hands clutching his clothes tightly. "Uncle, I was so scared... He was so fierce..."

"It's okay now, it's okay." Zhang Fan gently patted her back, watching Lin Haoyu being handcuffed by the SWAT officers. The stone that had been weighing on his heart finally fell to the ground. Fortunately, he hadn't let anything happen to Lele.

Lin Haoyu was being escorted out by the SWAT officers. As he passed by Zhang Fan, he suddenly struggled and shouted, "Zhang Fan! You just wait! Even if I go to jail, I won't let you off!"

Zhang Fan ignored him, simply holding Lele, wrapping his jacket tightly around her small body, and walking quickly out of the workshop. The sunlight outside was a bit blinding. Lele buried her head in his arms and whispered, "Uncle, I never want to come here again."

"Alright, we'll never come here again." Zhang Fan said gently, while in his heart he thought—Lin Haoyu has finally been caught. Xia Qinyi and Lele can finally live in peace.