Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared-Chapter 1611: Searching for Clues

To rescue someone from a heavily guarded place, a thorough plan must be in place, detailing how to break in, how to execute the rescue, and how to retreat, etc.

Leng Feng’s team had carried out rescue missions more than once, usually staging a frontal feint while sneaking in from behind. In simple terms, it was a case of making a noise in the east and striking in the west.

Gu Fan believed that this time, Leng Feng’s subordinates had used the same old trick to rescue the female team member. It’s just that on the way back, they encountered an attack and lost communication, so now their whereabouts are unknown.

Lu Yi did not think so, and as he was about to express his view, his mouth was covered by Gu Fan’s hand.

"That’s too much, after so many years of friendship, this is the first time you’re silencing me, not letting me speak," Lu Yi protested, with a look of indignation, as if someone deeply in love had been betrayed.

Gu Fan did not want to pick up on that remark, immediately changing the subject and asking Leng Feng what he would do to retreat after rescuing the female team member.

Putting himself into the rescue operation, Leng Feng said he would immediately flee in the most likely direction to leave the city. If his subordinates truly followed his method, they would definitely head east.

Soon, Leng Feng started to grasp Gu Fan’s intention and began looking for potential retreat routes on the map, eventually locking onto a highway.

Gu Fan reasoned that if an attack had occurred, there must be traces of fighting, so he suggested they examine the highway, where they might find something.

Neither Leng Feng nor Lu Yi had any objections to this, and with the urgency of the rescue, they set out immediately, also informing others to take action together.

The three got into the car and drove at an even pace towards the highway, silently blessing in their hearts, hoping for a discovery since this was currently their only lead.

Gu Fan stared out of the car window, carefully examining both sides of the road, afraid of missing any abnormal traces.

Lu Yi was a bit worried and said, "What if we discover some traces and follow them, only to find out that what awaits us is not the person needing rescue but the enemy? Do we have a contingency plan?"

"My goodness!" exclaimed Gu Fan and Leng Feng, unable to help sighing—they had guarded against everything, but couldn’t guard against the doomsayer, unless they stitched his mouth shut.

Gu Fan rubbed his head and sighed, "Now that the doomsayer has spoken, we’re definitely going to encounter this situation, so let’s be prepared."

"What does that mean, anything that happens later is my fault?" Lu Yi felt wronged.

Gu Fan just smiled, "No, we should thank you. Because what you say never misses, and if the situation you described really happens, it presupposes we find the female team member."

Upon hearing this, a realization dawned on Leng Feng and Lu Yi; they wondered how they hadn’t thought of that.

"So, I should talk more, the more the merrier," Lu Yi perked up, feeling this was a good thing that deserved support and encouragement.

Unexpectedly, Gu Fan and Leng Feng chorused, "Please, can you just keep your mouth shut?"

"What’s that supposed to mean, saying it’s good one moment and bad the next, it’s self-contradictory," complained Lu Yi, finishing his gripe just as he noticed many holes and a big chunk missing on the wall of a shop by the road.

This was the place. The three parked their car aside, maintaining as much distance as possible from the shop, and pretending to be passersby strolling around.

The trio walked, laughing and talking as if they were ordinary pedestrians, especially Gu Fan, who continually admired the passing beauties, enjoying the view gracefully and convincingly in his act.

Lu Yi didn’t mention how much he wanted to ogle beauties like Gu Fan, but he was too old to be that shameless.

The three passed by the shop, and finding its goods appealing, they discussed and eventually all went in, acting very convincingly, giving the impression that their visit was not intentional.

Once in the shop, the three started slowly perusing items, touching this and that, giving their evaluations, while pretending to talk about other things, their demeanor entirely natural.

After about ten minutes, when the time seemed right, Gu Fan picked an item and asked the shop owner the price, subsequently bargaining.

Initially, the owner refused to lower the price, insisting on sticking to the listed price.

However, Gu Fan pleaded in a coaxing tone, talking about how he had only graduated a few years ago, his job wasn’t great, his salary was low, and after paying rent, he didn’t have much left, wanting to buy a small gift for his girlfriend, hoping the owner would do a young man a favor.

The owner was shrewd; he faced many bargain hunters daily, having seen all kinds of tricks and stories.

But Gu Fan was different; if one set of reasons wasn’t enough, he’d switch to another, talking about coming from a small place with dreams of working in the big city, thinking he could make it here with his hard work, only to be harshly slapped by reality etc.

After a spirited exchange, Gu Fan finally managed to negotiate the ideal price.

Leng Feng secretly admired him—not for his thick-skinned bargaining or acting prowess, but for a performance so convincing it had no flaws.

After concluding the transaction, Gu Fan expressed gratitude, then made small talk with the owner, such as calling him a good person, promising to patronize his business in the future, as long as the owner didn’t move elsewhere, Gu Fan would frequent his shop.

The owner indicated his shop had been right there for decades, to which Gu Fan picked up on the topic immediately, saying no wonder the shop felt so historical, both inside and outside, even noticing the holes and missing chunk on the exterior wall.

The owner informed that it happened last night; he was cleaning up the store, getting ready to close, when suddenly he heard the sound of a car collision from outside.

Thinking it was just a simple traffic accident at first, the owner did not expect it to be two groups exchanging gunfire, the gunshots and commotion terrifying him.

Since it was too dangerous at the time, the owner hid in a corner, not daring to look around, and not knowing how long it was before silence returned outside, followed by cleanup with a tow truck.

With this information and the timing lining up, Gu Fan preliminarily concluded that the rescue team encountered enemy ambush here.

Having learned enough and not wanting to probe too much to avoid suspicion, which could be counterproductive, Gu Fan picked up his item and bid farewell to the owner, stepping out of the shop to search for new clues.

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