Li Shang didn't answer directly. He hesitated for a moment and gestured for silence to Hou Wendong. Then, he took out his phone, dialed a number, and put it on speaker.
The waiting sound of "beep beep beep" from the receiver was like a relentless pounding on Hou Wendong's heart.
The wait felt interminably long, with every passing second amplifying Hou Wendong's fear. The torment even surpassed the agony he'd endured over the past week.
The call connected, and a rich, masculine voice came through: "Hello, Captain Li."
Hou Wendong's eyes widened with anger. He immediately recognized the familiar voice.
Li Shang glanced at Hou Wendong, took a deep breath, and said, "Secretary Du, I've got good news for you—I found Secretary Hou."
The voice on the other end became urgent: "What? When did you find him? Where is he?"
Li Shang replied, "Just now, we located Secretary Hou in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. He's still alive."
