5
The car sped down the empty highway. The ropes bit into my flesh, raw and bleeding. The last police car disappeared behind us in the rain.
6/8
00:04
00 04
Chapter 1
The kidnapper chuckled. “Don’t bother looking. They’re not coming for you.”
“What do you mean?”
He turned on the radio and started humming a tune. A news report was playing-an interview with Raina. Her words were panicked and disjointed. “I heard the kidnapper say they were meeting up in the south district! Please, you have to save her!”
But we were racing north.
Soon, all police resources would be diverted south. The kidnapper took me to a dilapidated shack in the countryside. He pulled out his dagger.
“Miss Lin is much prettier than you. I have no idea what Mr. Goldberg sees in you.”
Even if I were a complete idiot, I would have figured out by now that he and Raina were working together.
I dodged his blade. “Please, just let me make one phone call.”
The kidnapper sneered. “To who? Your captain? In your dreams.”
“To Stefan Goldberg.”
At that, the kidnapper laughed. He kicked me hard. “Officer Crawford, are you some kind of lovesick fool? Do you really think you mean anything to Stefan Goldberg?”
He grabbed my hair and shoved my phone in my face. “Fine. I’ll indulge you.”
A few rings, and the call was disconnected.
The kidnapper grew more excited. He dialed again. Stefan hung up again. He seemed to be enjoying this, staring at my face, trying to catch a flicker of despair as he repeatedly dialed and was rejected.
But I disappointed him.
Enraged, he plunged the dagger into my back. A searing pain shot through me, and I let out a muffled groan. He pressed his face against my neck, his voice trembling with excitement.
“Let’s play a game, shall we? Tell Stefan Goldberg your location. If he can’t get here in thirty minutes, you’ll
bleed to death.”
Warm liquid streamed down my back, soaking my uniform.
The phone finally connected.
Stefan’s voice was ice. “What is it?”
My teeth were chattering from the pain. “He’s in the north district-”
“Who?”
“The suspect. He kidnapped me. I’m with him.”
7/8
00:04
Chapter 1
Stefan was silent for a moment. “Mindy, is this some kind of joke?”
I coughed up a mouthful of blood, my words slurring. “Stefan-”
00:04
“Enough.” It was the first time Stefan had ever spoken to me with such a sharp, cutting edge. “There are some things I’ve never told you. Raina is my bottom line. Don’t use this to test my feelings. If you’re jealous, then you can stay in your precious north district. I never asked you to be a hero for her.”
A sickening squelch. The kidnapper stabbed me again.
It hurt.
“It hurts,” I gasped, clinging to the phone like a lifeline, my voice breaking into a sob. “Stefan, will you marry
me? Please, just come find me now, please?”
Stefan was silent for a beat, then his voice came back, cold and merciless.
“Raina’s pregnant. Everything I said before… is off the table.”
[Ding! Mission Objective Achieved: Rejected by the male lead 100 times.]
[Congratulations, Host, on completing the mission.]
[Calculating rewards…]
[Calculation complete.]
[Mission Reward: 80 million. Severe Injury Compensation: 30 million. Total: 110 million. Special Bonus Talent Unlocked: Police Intuition. Countdown: 3 seconds to world departure. Welcome back to reality. We wish you
a happy life.]
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
00 04
The darkness faded. I found myself holding a bouquet of flowers. The brilliant sun filtered through the leaves of plane trees, casting a dazzling pattern of light on the ground.
I remembered. This summer, I had just graduated from the police academy. The senior I had a crush on had
come to my graduation ceremony.
A hand reached out to me. Its owner wore a police uniform, his smile warm and gentle.
“I heard you helped our professors crack several major cases. Mind if I get to know you?”
