The girl isn't dead?

At these words, not only Zhou Dalong but even Yang Wen was stunned.

"Mr. Lin, are you telling the truth? The hostage isn't dead?" Guan Feifei couldn't help but ask.

"Young man, do you not believe me?" Yang Wen said weakly. "I went in there myself. Would I lie to you?"

Yang Wu was furious. "Boy, what do you mean by that? Are you calling my brother a liar?" This kid is truly preposterous, daring to question my brother and me!

Lin Mu looked at Yang Wen and asked coolly, "Did you personally see the girl die?"

"That... no." Yang Wen fell silent for a moment before explaining, "But those kidnappers are ruthless. One of the two hostages is already dead, so the other one must have met with foul play by now."

"Seeing is believing. On what grounds do you declare her dead based on mere speculation? What is your motive?" Lin Mu continued his cold mockery, "If your misjudgment leads to her death—a death not at the kidnappers' hands, but at yours—how will you answer to her family? How will you answer to the countless soldiers who sacrificed themselves?"

Lin Mu's sharp questioning left Yang Wen speechless.

"This is... Mr. Lin, correct?" Zhou Dalong asked with a grave expression. "How can you be certain the hostage isn't dead? If we delay any longer, the kidnappers might escape." This was a detail that had to be confirmed.

"Believe it or not. What does it have to do with me?" Lin Mu stared coldly at Zhou Dalong. "As the commander of this operation, you applied to bomb the mountaintop without confirming the facts. With such recklessness, I'd say the Chief Instructor of the Sichuan-Shu Military Region ought to be replaced!"

"Presumptuous!"

"Audacious! How dare you criticize Instructor Zhou?"

"Kid, you're too arrogant!"

Zhou Dalong's subordinates were instantly enraged. How dare Lin Mu mock their instructor? It was a slap in the face to all of them.

"All of you, shut up!" Zhou Dalong barked. After silencing his men, he gave Lin Mu a sincere salute. "Mr. Lin, I was in the wrong earlier, and I apologize. But please, you must tell me: are you certain the hostage is not dead?"

"That's right. You haven't been inside, so how can you be sure?" Yang Wu also demanded.

Lin Mu frowned slightly. "I have my methods. You don't need to know them."

"What a joke!" Yang Wu snorted. "Are we supposed to believe you just because you say so? That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard!"

"If Mr. Lin says the hostage is fine, then the hostage is definitely fine!" Guan Feifei declared. "Instructor Zhou, gentlemen, I, Guan Feifei, stake my honor on it. Every word Mr. Lin says is the absolute truth!"

"And how much is your honor worth?" Yang Wu mocked coldly.

"A soldier's honor is worth more than the heavens!" Guan Feifei shot back bluntly. "It's true you are a Grandmaster, but you clearly have no idea what honor means to a soldier!"

"Well said!"

Just then, a gravelly voice rang out. An old man in a military uniform was walking over. His aged face held a natural authority, suggesting he was a high-ranking official from the Military Department.

Zhou Dalong hurried to greet him, saluting sharply. "Commander, what brings you here?"

"What, am I not allowed to come and have a look?" The old man glanced at Zhou Dalong, his tone flat. "Dalong, you've been with me for many years. I've always held you in high regard. But today, you have deeply disappointed me."

"Commander, I..." Zhou Dalong lowered his head, though his expression was tinged with defiance.

"What? You don't accept it?" The old man's smile vanished. "Deciding to flatten Mount Zoujiao without ascertaining the facts... Is that what I taught you?"

"But, Commander, Master Yang personally—" Before Zhou Dalong could finish explaining, the old man shot him a fierce glare. "Personally what? Did he *tell* you, or did he *see* it with his own eyes?"

"Do I really need to be the one to teach you that hearing is not the same as seeing?"

Familiar with the old man's temper, Zhou Dalong didn't dare say another word; he knew his commander was truly angry. This was the highest-ranking officer of the Sichuan-Shu Military Region, his direct superior.

"This young man is right. If the hostage isn't dead and you blow up the mountain, causing an innocent to die horribly, how will you answer to her family?" The elder turned to Lin Mu. "Young man, tell an old fellow like me the truth. Are you absolutely certain the hostage is still alive?"

"I am certain," Lin Mu said.

The elder nodded. "Zhou Dalong."

"Sir!"

"Prepare a rescue plan!" The old man's presence radiated a commanding aura, as if he commanded nations. "I don't care how difficult it is. You will rescue that hostage. Otherwise, you can step down as Chief Instructor."

With that said, the elder ignored Zhou Dalong's reaction and walked over to Granny Li, who had woken up but remained lost in despair.

"Ma'am, don't you worry," Xiang Yunlong said, speaking in a thick, local Sichuan-Shu accent as he tightly grasped Granny Li's hand. "I, Xiang Yunlong, promise you we will rescue your granddaughter, y'hear!"

"Thank you, thank you..." Granny Li was so moved that tears welled up in her eyes.

But the crowd fell silent. Rescue her? But who would go?

"I'll go," Lin Mu said.

Everyone, including Xiang Yunlong, stared at Lin Mu in shock.

You?

Yang Wu snorted. "My brother couldn't save her. What makes you think you can?" He was very confident in his brother's abilities. If even Yang Wen had failed, what hope was there for a kid like Lin Mu?

"Young man, let me tell you the truth. You have no idea what it's like in there. Even if my brother and I went in together, we couldn't pull off a rescue," Yang Wen said, before breaking into a violent coughing fit.

"Master Yang, this..." Zhou Dalong began to panic. Time was running out, and they still didn't even know if the hostage was dead or alive. If Lin Mu rushed in recklessly and got himself killed, what would happen? As the man in charge, he, Zhou Dalong, would have to bear all the responsibility.

"Just because you can't do it doesn't mean Mr. Lin can't," Guan Feifei said coldly. "The hostage was fine. If she comes to harm because of your indecisiveness, I'd like to see who's going to take responsibility for that."

"Young lady, I'm not one to brag, but I, Yang Wen, am still a Martial Arts Grandmaster. Do you really think I would lie to all of you?" Being questioned repeatedly had clearly angered Yang Wen. "Even if the hostage isn't dead, he's just a wet-behind-the-ears kid! How could he possibly face two Grandmasters and their countless expert allies all by himself?"

"Do you think my brother lost his arm for fun?" Yang Wu sneered. "He fell into their trap because the enemy was utterly despicable and had two Grandmasters on their side! You want to play the hero without even knowing what you're walking into? Do you think this is some kind of game?"

At this, the crowd fell silent. Granny Li shook her head, wiping tears from her eyes. "Xiao Mu, let it be. It's too dangerous. Your granny can't bear to see you get hurt."

Lin Mu suddenly burst out laughing. "Dangerous? To me, there is no such thing as danger in this world!"

"Since I promised you I would rescue your granddaughter, I will keep my word."

"Keep your word?" Watching the high-spirited Lin Mu, Yang Wu sneered, "Big talk. Let's see you don't lose your life backing it up."

"What do you think you are to speak to me like that?" Lin Mu suddenly turned his indifferent gaze on Yang Wu. "You really think you're somebody important? In my eyes, you are nothing."

"You..." Yang Wu raged, "I am a Martial Arts Grandmaster! How dare you speak to me like that?"

"A Martial Arts Grandmaster?" Lin Mu scoffed. "After I rescue the hostage, I'll be back to settle the score with you."

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