36: Is Chapter 36 horizontal or vertical?

Hu Gualing always considered himself a Genius. Although that might not actually be the case, it had to be said that whenever he was in a pinch, he did possess a certain amount of quick wit.

Just like now, he quickly realized that this group of Black-Clad Men in front of him definitely wasn't just here to move some sports equipment.

So, what exactly were they here for in the middle of the night?

As for anything valuable in the factory, besides the sports equipment produced and stacked in the warehouse, there were the assembly line machines used for production. He had heard other security guards bragging about them; a single assembly line, even the cheap ones, cost four or five million, and as for the expensive ones, they could even reach twenty million.

They were truly valuable, but as for those assembly lines, unless you brought a demolition crew, no matter how many people you brought, you wouldn't be able to move them.

Other than that, there really wasn't anything else of value in the factory.

Because mobile payments were the norm now, whether it was distributors paying or the factory paying salaries, transactions were all completed online, so even the finance office in the Office Building probably didn't have much cash on hand.

The Office Building? Oh no!

Hu Gualing suddenly realized that Wu Yingying was still in the Office Building!

Could this group be after Wu Yingying? Kidnapping!

This word appeared in Hu Gualing's mind.

If they kidnapped Wu Yingying, they would surely be able to demand a huge ransom from General Manager Wu Jinkai, right?

No wonder they didn't even look at a thousand bucks; it turned out they were eyeing this fat sheep, General Manager Wu Jinkai!

If this group was really after General Manager Wu Jinkai, Hu Gualing wouldn't mind. On the contrary, he would be quite happy to see the black-hearted capitalist suffer financial losses.

But his daughter, Wu Yingying, wasn't a black-hearted capitalist. At least for now, she was just a weak woman. If he just let it be, Hu Gualing would really feel bad about it.

But for him to face five people alone, especially since they were likely ruthless kidnappers, was a bit unrealistic.

It would be great if he could get the other security guards to join in.

He didn't expect all of them to go with him; as long as three or four people joined, he would have the guts to clash with the other side.

Just as Hu Gualing was thinking this, he heard a "pop," and the group of Black-Clad Men left the security room and closed the door behind them.

Good! There was no time to lose.

Hu Gualing was preparing to rally everyone and take a few guards out to catch them by surprise, but then he heard a "click."

With that sound, Hu Gualing's heart sank.

Because he knew that this meant the group had locked the security room door from the outside.

As for where they got the key? You didn't even have to ask; it was definitely Captain Tiao Zi who had handed it over voluntarily!

Unlike Hu Gualing, who was feeling down, Captain Tiao Zi was not worried about being locked in the security room. Instead, he beckoned to everyone: "What are you all still sitting on the floor like idiots for? Move all the tables and chairs and block the door for me! Otherwise, what if they change their minds and come back?"

Upon hearing this, everyone had a sudden realization. They quickly ripped off the ropes that were symbolically tied around their hands and moved tables and chairs to pile them against the door, fearing that the door wasn't locked tightly enough.

Hu Gualing finally couldn't take it anymore. He stood up and shouted:

"Enough!"

Everyone glanced at him, confused, and continued with what they were doing.

Hu Gualing's face twitched as he said: "Have you all forgotten that Wu Yingying is still in the Office Building?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone looked a bit embarrassed.

Regarding the fact that the Young Miss was still in the Office Building in the middle of the night, they had tacitly chosen to forget about it. Now that Hu Gualing had brought it up, they couldn't pretend to be ignorant anymore. They had to stop what they were doing and turned their eyes to Captain Tiao Zi.

After all, Captain Tiao Zi was their backbone. No matter what happened tonight, he, as the security captain, had to take the lead.

Captain Tiao Zi, however, didn't care at all. "Why are you looking at me? Do you think I don't know the Young Miss is in the Office Building? That group is just going to the warehouse to move some valuable things, and they'll leave when they're done. What could happen to the Young Miss?"

"Continue, continue, hurry up and block the door. Otherwise, if that group thinks the stuff is too heavy later and asks us to help move it, we'll be in trouble. That would be called aiding and abetting a crime!"

Captain Tiao Zi waved his hand, urging them.

The security guards thought he made a lot of sense, so they continued to move the tables and chairs.

Hu Gualing was speechless. Did they really think that group was so simple that they would just take some things and leave? But he didn't have time to explain. He just said: "Even if they aren't after the Young Miss, the lights in the Office Building are so conspicuous. Won't they go over and take a look?"

Captain Tiao Zi chuckled and looked at Hu Gualing with disdain. "Do you think the Office Building is somewhere you can just enter whenever you want? Do you know what an access control System is? Except for those who work in the Office Building, no one else can get in! Do you, a trainee security guard, need to worry about this?"

Hu Gualing was stunned for a moment; he really didn't know about this access control System.

But he did know that the automatic door of the Office Building was glass.

"Since that group are robbers, would they obey the access control? Don't they know they can just smash their way in?"

"Besides, what if Wu Yingying happens to get off work and leave the Office Building right now? They wouldn't even need to waste the effort to break in!"

"If they can't find anything valuable and just kidnap Wu Yingying, who among us can take responsibility for that?!"

Hu Gualing questioned them repeatedly.

Captain Tiao Zi fell silent because he knew that the situation Hu Gualing described was indeed possible.

And once something happened to Wu Yingying, if General Manager Wu Jinkai were to investigate, he, as the security captain, would be the first to bear the brunt of it.

The other security guards also lowered their heads and didn't speak.

Seeing this, Hu Gualing struck while the iron was hot. "Among the five of them, there's a short guy, so they only count as four and a half combatants. We have nine strong men, are we really going to be afraid of them?"

Although most of those present were old, weak, sick, or disabled, and Captain Tiao Zi was a skinny beanpole who would fall over in a strong wind, in order to inspire everyone's fighting spirit, Hu Gualing couldn't care about that much.

"My good brothers, good uncles! If we swarm them, two against one, we can take that group down in minutes."

"As long as we save Wu Yingying, how could General Manager Wu Jinkai have the nerve not to give us bonuses and raises, or keep making us work ten-plus hours a day?"

The security guards worked ten-plus hours a day, and after getting off work, they could only squeeze into a dilapidated dormitory. What was it for? It was all for money.

Although a salary of 2,800 a month wasn't much, it was the guarantee they relied on to support their families.

So when they heard about bonuses and raises, many of them had their eyes light up. But soon, they lowered their heads with dim expressions again.

Hu Gualing noticed this and didn't understand. "You... can you really be this cowardly?"

Old Deng sighed. "Gualing, just save your breath. They have knives in their hands."

"Knives?"

"Yes, and not just ordinary knives. They are the kind with barbs and blood grooves. One stab and you'll lose two liters of blood even if you don't die."

"Otherwise, do you really think we are all spineless cowards who would tie ourselves up without even resisting?"

Barbs and blood grooves? Hu Gualing felt a pain in his chest just thinking about it and couldn't help but shudder.

However, it was evident that this group was definitely not ordinary thieves.

The possibility of Wu Yingying being in danger was even higher!

Hu Gualing didn't know where he got the courage, but he stiffened his neck and said: "Is having a knife such a big deal? I don't even care about big trucks, let alone a measly knife! I'll charge in front later; if they want to stab someone, they can stab me first! Are you old brothers brave enough to go and fight with me?"

Hu Gualing's words were spoken with conviction, but from the trembling in his voice, one could tell that he probably wasn't as brave as he appeared.

The other security guards were all old hands, and they had no reaction to his impassioned speech, only advising:

"Alright, don't try to be a hero, sit down and rest."

"We know you want to pull off a 'hero saves the beauty' scenario, but going out like that is just serving yourself up as a meal."

"Wu Yingying has a rich father. Even if she falls into their hands, it's fine because they need to keep her for ransom. But what do you have? A pair of genuine Nadi shoes? If you provoke that group, who knows what will happen."

"I'm being serious. With a salary of 2,800 a month, we should just guard the warehouse and watch the machines. It's not worth dying for."

"Gualing, although we don't usually like you, you should listen to your brother's advice this time. Nothing is more important than your life. Even if you lose this job, you can just change to another place or industry. You are still young, and you have a long life ahead of you."

"..."

The security guards advised him one after another, their voices echoing in Hu Gualing's ears.

Gradually, he finally understood—

It wasn't that he, Hu Gualing, was brilliant and could see that the group wasn't a bunch of ordinary robbers.

Almost every security guard present had seen it.

They even guessed that the group's target was Wu Yingying.

But because they cherished their lives, they pretended not to know anything.

These security guards had all lived a dozen or decades longer than him; their life experience and handling of affairs were definitely richer than his.

What they chose was perhaps the best way to deal with it.

The worst outcome would just be losing the job.

Anyway, he had long planned to run away after working for a month. Even if he left half a month early, there was nothing to be upset about, right?

But, was this right?

Hu Gualing struggled internally.

Captain Tiao Zi suddenly sneered: "It's hard to save a ghost who wants to die. If he wants to go and save the beauty, let him go. Doesn't he often say that he is a Student Athlete and can take on several people at once? Maybe those five people really aren't his match. After he beats the robbers, the Young Miss might offer herself to him, and he'll be set, right? Hehehehe."

Old Deng frowned. "Brother Tiao Zi, what time is it now? Stop provoking Gualing. If this blockhead gets hot-headed and really rushes out, he will really lose his life!"

Captain Tiao Zi snorted disdainfully. "It's just one life. Anyway, his life is only worth a thousand bucks. What is there to be afraid of dying for? If he doesn't die, wouldn't that be a huge profit?"

Hu Gualing clenched his fists tightly, his face flushed.

Captain Tiao Zi paused, as if he suddenly thought of something. "Oh right, Old Liu, isn't the spare key with you? Give it to our Student Athlete now. As long as he dares to open this door and walk out, I, Tiao Zi, am willing to call him Grandpa Gualing!"

Suddenly, the security guards present all frowned.

This was putting Hu Gualing on the fire!

Even if there were conflicts at work, it couldn't be this vicious, right?

Old Liu squeezed his pocket and said in a low voice: "Captain, that's a bit too much."

Captain Tiao Zi looked surprised: "Too much? Wasn't he the one clamoring to go out and compete with that group, and by the way, save the Young Miss? Isn't what I'm doing just helping him!"

Then, he had a sudden realization: "Oh! I understand now. Our Student Athlete here is only daring to talk big and act like a hero because he sees that the door is locked, right?"

"Otherwise, when that group was here just now,"

"why didn't he dare to make a peep!"

Captain Tiao Zi said, his eyes scanning Hu Gualing with disdain, and he even made an unclear "tsk tsk tsk tsk" sound with his mouth.

Hu Gualing was furious. He rushed up in two or three steps, grabbed Captain Tiao Zi by the collar, and punched him squarely in the face with a loud "bang."

With this punch, Captain Tiao Zi slowly slid to the ground, blood already visible at the corner of his mouth.

Seeing this scene, everyone else couldn't help but tremble.

Although Captain Tiao Zi was indeed bullying others too much, it had to be said that Hu Gualing's punch really had a lot of force.

Little did they know.

Hu Gualing had long wanted to teach Captain Tiao Zi a lesson.

He originally planned to wait until he got his salary.

But with what was happening right now, Hu Gualing didn't know if he would have another chance after tonight, so he just hit him first.

After throwing the punch, Hu Gualing felt a surge of heroism in his heart. He reached out to Old Liu: "The key!"

Pushing aside the tables and chairs, he opened the door, threw the key back to Old Liu, and strode out of the security room.

Watching his tall figure walk away under the dim light and gradually disappear into the night, the security guards felt very complicated.

Suddenly, Captain Tiao Zi, who was lying on the ground, burst into laughter.

Everyone was confused and looked at him.

They saw Captain Tiao Zi wipe the blood and say with a smile: "I can count this as being injured in the line of duty while resisting the robbers. Even if there's no merit, there's at least hard work, right?"

The security guards immediately exclaimed, "Holy crap."

No wonder Captain Tiao Zi had tried every possible way to humiliate Hu Gualing just now, being as biting and mean as possible.

It turned out it was all to provoke Hu Gualing into hitting him.

The surveillance had long been turned off by him, and the injury on his face was real.

As for how he got it when asked, that would be up to him to decide.

Everyone could already imagine that when the time came for questioning, Captain Tiao Zi would cry and complain about how he had sacrificed his life, how he had fought fiercely with the thugs...

But this also gave them inspiration.

If they also punched themselves in the face a few times, would it be possible not to lose this job?

Of course, the prerequisite for all this depended on whether Hu Gualing would end up horizontal or vertical tonight...