88: Chapter 88 Tracing the Clues and Breaking the Stalemate! A Clue Left Behind by a Spider's Web, A Thousand Tribulations in the Purgatory Cannot Change One's Will (1)

At dawn, the first ray of faint light struggled to penetrate the mist over Nanyang City-State, piercing the heavy night like a sharp sword and gradually dyeing the dim world in pale gold. The darkness receded like a ebbing tide along the outlines of buildings and the patterns of streets. The air still held the chill of late night and the moisture after rain, mixed with the fragrance of roadside greenery and the scent of soil. This dispelled the depression and gloom that had clouded everyone's hearts due to days of fruitless searching, and quietly brought a glimmer of hope to this cross-border search and rescue mission where every second counted. After several days and nights of sleepless, all-out investigation, and through the exhaustive efforts of Chen Feng, Zhang Hongyuan, and the others, this heart-wrenching rescue finally achieved a breakthrough. It was thanks to a tiny laboratory badge that had accidentally slipped from the inner side of Mu Li's lapel when he was abducted (the badge was small as a fingertip, engraved with exclusive patterns known only to internal team members, making it hard to notice but the most critical clue). Combined with the suspicious vehicle tracks tracked by surveillance, they narrowed the search range bit by bit. Furthermore, with the accurate coordinates obtained by a local informant who risked his life to sneak deep into the tropical rainforest to investigate, they finally pinpointed the location of Mu Li's imprisonment—a private manor hidden in the heart of the rainforest, layered in dense vegetation and filled with evil and blood. That dark, damp basement, like a living hell on earth, was the cage where Mu Li suffered endless torture.

At this moment, in that basement where the sun never shone, Mu Li was still tied tightly to a dilapidated wooden chair with heavy, cold iron chains. His entire body was a mess of blood and flesh, with not a single patch of intact skin. The incandescent light overhead flickered, its weak light waxing and waning, casting mottled and distorted shadows on the wall that made the hideous scars on his body appear even clearer. His back was covered with whip marks of varying depths; wounds left by the barbs on the whip were still slightly oozing blood, dark red beads of blood slowly sliding down the lines of his spine and intertwining with old, dried, blackened bloodstains. The branding iron burns on his shoulders and arms were gruesome and eye-catching; under the charred black skin, raw red meat was faintly visible, emitting a faint burnt smell. The skin around the wounds was red, swollen, and inflamed, bringing a piercing, bone-deep pain at the slightest touch. Blood dripped slowly from countless wounds, the light 'tap-tap' sound particularly jarring in the deathly silence of the basement, like a countdown to the end of life, gradually forming a dark red puddle on the cold, hard concrete floor, thick enough to pull out fine threads of blood. The pungent smell of blood, the burnt smell from the branding iron, and the sharp scent of low-quality disinfectant intertwined, thick as a physical substance, permeating every corner of the basement and stinging the nostrils, making one's chest feel tight and nearly swallowing the last trace of Mu Li's remaining consciousness.

Hu Ge's two henchmen were still watching like tigers stalking prey. They leaned against the mold-covered walls, their eyes cold and numb, without a hint of pity, as if Mu Li, who was being tortured to the brink of death before them, was merely a lifeless object. In the hands of one man, a red-hot branding iron hung in mid-air. The iron was glowing crimson, its surface emitting fine white smoke. The scorching heat hit their faces, and a faint 'sizzling' sound of the iron searing the air could be heard, making even the surrounding air seem to warp from the heat. A new round of cruel torture was imminent; they intended to continue forcing Mu Li, pressuring him to hand over the core technical parameters of the Nuclear Fusion Power Station. Even if they tortured him to death, they would never give up.

Mu Li's consciousness was already blurred, his eyelids as heavy as a thousand pounds of lead, impossible to lift. The intense pain throughout his body was like surging tides, one wave after another, repeatedly attacking his already fragile nerves. Every breath tugged at the wounds across his body, bringing a piercing pain that made him tremble slightly. Fine beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead, sliding down the contours of his face and dripping onto his lapel, blending with the dried, blackened bloodstains and making him look even more wretched. Yet, even so, his back remained as straight as a poker, without the slightest bend, like a green pine standing tall in the dead of winter, exuding a proud spirit that would rather break than bend and an unyielding tenacity. His eyes were half-open and half-closed, and the determination within them had not dimmed in the slightest, even amidst extreme agony or on the brink of losing consciousness. He gritted his teeth so hard that the tip of his tongue had long been bitten through; the thick metallic taste of blood filled his mouth and slid down his throat, bringing a spicy sting. From beginning to end, he never uttered a single plea for mercy nor revealed a single word regarding the core technology. Even at the height of pain, even on the verge of death, his conviction to protect the national secrets never wavered for a second.

At this critical juncture, just as the red-hot branding iron was about to fall ruthlessly and Mu Li was about to endure another round of torture, the iron door of the basement was kicked open with a bang. The heavy and powerful sound exploded like thunder in the deathly silent basement, instantly shattering the long-standing gloom and terror. The impact caused the mold on the walls to peel off and dust to fall in flurries, filling the air and making one cough involuntarily. Chen Feng rushed in with a team of elite security personnel, weapons in hand, like a tiger descending from a mountain. He still bore wet rainwater and wounds from combat—a knife wound on his arm was still bleeding, the white bandage long soaked through and tightly wrapped around his arm. His face was covered in dust and bruises, and his clothes were torn and stained with mud and blood, looking quite disheveled. However, his gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, fixed intently on everyone in the basement. The fury and urgency in his eyes were undisguised as he shouted in a voice as cold as winter ice, 'Don't move! Drop your weapons! Surrender now! Or else, you will be shot on sight!'

Caught off guard, Hu Ge's henchmen were thrown into a panic by this sudden turn of events, instantly falling into chaos. The numbness on their faces was replaced by terror, and their eyes were filled with disbelief and fear. Someone instinctively tried to pick up a nearby torture tool to resist, attempting a desperate last stand, but was quickly subdued by the prepared security personnel. The sounds of gunfire, shouts, chairs being overturned, the clatter of falling torture tools, and the screams of the thugs intertwined, breaking the long-standing silence of the basement. Like a thunderclap, it dispelled the gloom here, bringing hope of life and the light of justice to illuminate this corner shrouded in evil. The security personnel acted decisively without any hesitation; dark muzzles were pointed at every thug, and cold handcuffs locked around their wrists with a 'click,' controlling them firmly and leaving them no room for resistance.

Chen Feng's gaze quickly swept over every corner of the basement, sharp and urgent, for fear of missing any clue or Mu Li coming to harm. His heart, which had been suspended for so long, was now beating so violently it nearly burst from his chest. When his eyes landed on Mu Li, who was tied to the wooden chair and on his last breath, his heart suddenly wrenched as if gripped by an invisible hand. The pain was so intense he could hardly breathe, and his eyes instantly reddened. The guilt and heartache in his gaze surged like a tide, nearly drowning him. He rushed over, his steps hurried and frantic, completely oblivious to the pain from his own wounds being pulled. Zhang Hongyuan and Lin Wei, who had just arrived, followed close behind with hurried steps, their faces full of anxiety and worry. Their hearts beat rapidly, every step feeling like walking on knives, for fear of seeing the worst possible outcome.

When Lin Wei saw Mu Li's state clearly, her eyes instantly turned red, and tears fell like broken strings of pearls. She bit her lip hard, using all her strength to keep from crying out, but her shoulders shook uncontrollably. They had never seen Mu Li so bedraggled and covered in wounds. In the past, he was a steady, elegant, and high-spirited research leader, wearing a clean, white lab coat with a gentle yet firm gaze, exuding an air of scholarship and responsibility. No matter how great the difficulty, he was always calm and composed, the most reliable and trustworthy partner in their hearts. But now, he was covered in wounds, a mess of blood and flesh, his clothes tattered and stained with blood and dust. Even his breathing was extremely weak, his chest barely rising and falling as if he might stop breathing at any second. That massive contrast was like a knife twisting in their hearts, causing unbearable pain.

“Engineer Mu! Engineer Mu! Wake up!” Chen Feng's voice carried an unmistakable tremor and deep guilt; his throat was terribly hoarse, and every word was filled with urgency and heartache, even his fingertips trembling slightly. He carefully reached out, wanting to undo the iron chains binding Mu Li. His movements were as gentle as if he were tending to a fragile treasure, for fear that moving too roughly would pull at his wounds and cause him more pain. The chains had long been soaked in blood and were stuck to Mu Li's skin. With every inch he unfastened, he could see skin that had been squeezed purple and black, and wounds that were oozing blood. Chen Feng's fingers shook slightly, his eyes full of heartache and self-reproach, hating that he hadn't found Mu Li sooner, hating that he had allowed him to suffer such inhuman torture, and hating that he hadn't protected him well. That guilt was like a giant boulder, pressing down until he could hardly breathe.

The moment the chains were undone, Mu Li's body could no longer support itself. Like a withered leaf losing its support, he fell straight down without a shred of strength, not even enough to lift a hand, as if he would completely lose his life in the next second. Chen Feng was quick and immediately reached out his arms to catch him firmly. He felt a wave of coldness; Mu Li's body was so weak it felt weightless, and his entire body was stiff. The branding iron burns on his back were still emitting faint heat, and the skin at the wounds was charred and ulcerated—a shocking sight. When Chen Feng's palm accidentally brushed the edge of a wound, Mu Li's body instantly jerked violently, and a faint groan escaped his throat. Even with his consciousness blurred, that bone-deep pain was still vivid and continued to torment him.

“Quick! Call an ambulance! Prepare the emergency equipment! Hurry!” Chen Feng roared at those behind him, his tone urgent to the extreme, his voice cracking from emotion and guilt. While he gently pressed on the bleeding wounds on Mu Li's body to try and slow the bleeding, his palm quickly became soaked in warm blood that dripped through his fingers and onto the ground, merging with Mu Li's bloodstains. He leaned down, bringing his face close to Mu Li's ear, and softly called his name. His tone was gentle yet urgent, carrying a plea and a glimmer of hope: “Engineer Mu, wake up! Hold on! We're here to save you! You must hold on! Don't give up!”

Lin Wei immediately wiped the tears from her face and took out the first-aid kit she carried. Her hands shook, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably from excessive tension. She carefully took out hemostatic gauze and disinfectant, fearing that the slightest mistake would bring more pain to Mu Li. Holding her breath, she used a cotton swab dipped in diluted povidone-iodine to gently wipe the blood around Mu Li's wounds. Her movements were so gentle they were almost reverent; even the slightest touch made her heart tighten for fear of pulling at Mu Li's wounds. Every action was done with extreme caution and slowness.

Zhang Hongyuan knelt to one side, tightly holding Mu Li's cold hand. He applied slight pressure with his fingers, wanting to transfer his own warmth to Mu Li. His eyes were full of self-reproach and worry, tears welling up but held back with effort. He repeatedly muttered, “I'm sorry, Engineer Mu, I'm sorry... It's my fault for not making a better security plan, my fault for not protecting you and letting you suffer so much. It's all my fault...” His voice choked up, every word filled with deep guilt and self-reproach, hating his own negligence and failure to fulfill his protective duty, which had led Mu Li into such a desperate situation.

Mu Li's consciousness remained blurred, but familiar voices faintly reached his ears. The urgency and heartache in those voices were like tiny sparks, slowly awakening his scattered consciousness. He struggled to lift his heavy eyelids, his long eyelashes trembling violently like the wings of a startled butterfly. In the blurred light and shadows, he saw the anxious faces of Chen Feng, Zhang Hongyuan, and Lin Wei, and saw the heartache and worry in their eyes. His lips moved slightly as he wanted to speak, to tell them he was fine, but he couldn't make a sound. His throat was as dry as if it were on fire. He could only use his last bit of strength to blink gently. In that gaze, there was relief and determination, as if telling them that he was okay, that he hadn't yielded, and that he had protected the national secrets.

A few minutes later, the siren of an ambulance approached from afar, piercing the early morning of the Nanyang City-State as it roared toward them. That sharp and urgent siren was like a bugle call for life, carrying everyone's hopes as it sped toward the manor. Medical staff carrying a stretcher rushed into the basement, their movements practiced and swift. They carefully lifted Mu Li onto the stretcher, inserted an oxygen tube, and quickly injected pain-relief and hemostatic medication. While using professional instruments to quickly check his injuries, they discussed his condition with solemn expressions. Every movement was a race against time, for fear that a single second's delay would result in a missed opportunity for rescue.

“The injuries are very severe—multiple severe burns and whip wounds across the body, a suspected lumbar fracture, as well as severe dehydration and traumatic shock. He must be taken to the hospital immediately for emergency surgery! A second's delay could be life-threatening!” an attending physician said with a solemn expression and unquestionable urgency. He quickly stabilized Mu Li's body, using soft pillows to protect his lumbar spine and the wounds on his back to prevent secondary injuries during transport, while signaling the medical staff to push the stretcher and run toward the ambulance.

Chen Feng, Zhang Hongyuan, and Lin Wei followed closely and quickly got into the ambulance. All along the way, the medical staff continued to provide emergency care for Mu Li—performing chest compressions, supplementing nutritional fluids, and monitoring vital signs. The 'beeping' of the instruments, the instructions of the medical staff, and the ambulance siren intertwined in a tense and urgent atmosphere. The ambulance siren pierced the morning of the Nanyang City-State as it sped toward the best local private hospital. As the wheels rolled, every minute and every second was a race against the Grim Reaper, and every inch of the journey carried everyone's hopes. Everyone prayed in their hearts, praying that Mu Li would safely pull through this crisis.