41-4：The Final Gambit

At 4 PM, Zeng Hua, Huang Wenxian, and Rui Xiaodan were in the temporary dining room at Qin Gu Hotel, negotiating the details of the farewell dinner with the restaurant manager. A conference on poverty alleviation was being held at the hotel, attended by business representatives from a nearby economically developed city, and all the restaurant tables had been reserved. The manager had temporarily arranged a small meeting room for them to use as a dining area, which was spacious enough to accommodate two tables. The tables were freshly set with white tablecloths, and each seat was arranged with a set of porcelain plates, wine glasses, and other tableware.

At that moment, Captain Wang from the Qin Gu County Criminal Police team entered. Captain Wang, who was not yet 40 years old, was one of the three criminal police officers transferred from the Qin Gu County Police Department to assist the Shaanxi police. Over the past few days, he had become well-acquainted with Zeng Hua, Huang Wenxian, and Rui Xiaodan as they traveled together from Xi'an to Yan'an and then to Qin Gu.

Seeing Captain Wang enter, Zeng Hua quickly stood up to greet him warmly, shaking hands and saying, "Captain Wang, you came just in time. We were just about to come find you. I've got everything set up, but I need your help to make sure our guests come."

Captain Wang responded, "Oh, look at this situation. Our brothers came to our place, and we still have to have them invite us for a meal. We're the poor relatives, it's embarrassing. Zeng Hua, I have a personal favor to ask, and it's a bit awkward."

Zeng Hua said, "Old Wang, just say it. If it can be done, we'll do it. If not, we'll find a way."

Captain Wang explained, "My elderly mother had gallstones and was hospitalized in the county hospital. She's being discharged this afternoon. We're in a remote area, and the bus only runs twice a day, in the morning and at noon. One of our department's cars broke down, and the other two haven't returned yet..."

Zeng Hua understood immediately, "You need a car, right?"

Captain Wang nodded apologetically, "Yes, that's right. It's not far, just to Daliu Village in Hongzhai Gou Township, about 40 kilometers. My mother and my sister-in-law need a ride. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

Zeng Hua laughed, "You can't go. If you leave, who will help us invite the guests? If they go home after work, who will come back for dinner? You need to help me keep an eye on the invitations."

Huang Wenxian added, "Captain Wang can't go. If he leaves, we'll have a cold reception here. I'll make the trip instead."

Rui Xiaodan interjected, "Let me go. There are two tables, and each of you can host one. I can't drink, and a woman at the table might make the men uncomfortable. It's 40 kilometers; I'll be back in two hours."

Captain Wang hesitated, "Is that appropriate?"

Rui Xiaodan smiled, "Is that really a question?"

Zeng Hua thought for a moment and handed her the car keys, "Alright, you make the trip then."

Rui Xiaodan took the car keys and left with Captain Wang. In the shade of the hotel's parking lot booth stood a rural woman in her sixties and a younger woman in her thirties. They had a bundle wrapped in a bedsheet and a mesh bag containing towels, a tea mug, and a washbasin. Captain Wang picked up the heavy bedding bundle, while Rui Xiaodan took the mesh bag of daily necessities and carefully helped the elderly woman into the car.

Captain Wang helped his mother into the car and seated his sister-in-law beside her, arranging the luggage before stepping back and speaking politely to Rui Xiaodan, "I'm sorry to trouble you. The road is straightforward. Just head south on the main road, and you'll reach the county town."

Rui Xiaodan nodded, "Got it, you take care."

As the car left the northern gate of the county town, the paved road soon turned into a dirt track, entering a desolate area. The sister-in-law leaned forward to guide Rui Xiaodan, "Just keep going straight on this road. No turns."

Rui Xiaodan replied, "Got it, I'll remember."

After a while on the road, the elderly woman suddenly asked, "Girl, can you drive faster?"

Thinking the old lady was eager to get home, Rui Xiaodan explained, "Granny, the car isn't slow, but the road is rough. If we go faster, it'll be too bumpy. Don't worry, we'll be home soon."

The old lady said, "I'm not in a hurry to go home. This car feels different from the ones I've been in before. Why isn't it bumpy? I feel dizzy without the bumps. Can you go faster to shake it up?"

Rui Xiaodan realized that the old lady was not used to the smooth ride of the Toyota Land Cruiser. This high-end off-road vehicle was far superior in power, performance, and comfort to regular jeeps, making the ride too smooth for her. Rui Xiaodan turned off the air conditioning, opened the windows, and increased the speed. The old lady, feeling the bumps and the wind, started to feel better.

Rui Xiaodan drove at 80 kilometers per hour on the dusty roads of the northern Shaanxi desert, raising a long trail of yellow dust. She reached Daliu Village in Hongzhai Gou Township in 40 minutes, dropped off the old lady and her daughter-in-law, and began her return journey.

Halfway back, she saw a car parked by the roadside in the distance, with a few people around it, some standing and some squatting, seemingly changing a tire. She slowed down for safety and to avoid kicking up dust, especially as she approached. It was a standard two-wheel-drive Beijing Cherokee jeep with four people around it, two squatting to secure the newly changed tire and two standing and talking while smoking.

As Rui Xiaodan passed them, she caught a glimpse of a familiar face. She was stunned to recognize Huang Fuhai, the prime suspect in the September 13 bank explosion and robbery case. This was a face she had seen on wanted posters for over two years. In that moment, her blood ran cold. "Is this real?" she thought.

Huang Fuhai, seemingly recognizing the police car, was also watching it closely, not for the siren or lights but the license plate. Now was not the time for shock. Where they came from, why they were there, or where they were going were questions she couldn't afford to consider.

Her first instinct was to call Ding Yuan Ying. This was her first time contacting him during the mission. She dialed while driving, and the call connected quickly, "Yuan Ying? Listen, don't interrupt. I'm on a dirt road in the northern Shaanxi desert, heading back to the county. I just encountered Huang Fuhai, the prime suspect in the September 13 bank robbery case. There are three others with him, and they're changing a tire by the roadside. I'm about 15 kilometers from the county town, 20 minutes by car."

Ding Yuan Ying remained silent, not saying a word for several seconds.

Rui Xiaodan hung up. She had used her Guangzhou number, and Ding Yuan Ying's landline didn't have caller ID, so he couldn't call back even if he wanted to.

She then called Zeng Hua, "Zeng Hua, it's Xiaodan. I'm on my way back to the county and just encountered Huang Fuhai, the prime suspect in the September 13 bank robbery case. There are four of them, driving a two-wheel-drive Beijing Cherokee jeep, likely armed. I'm about 15 kilometers from the county. Requesting backup, over."

Rui Xiaodan turned off her phone to avoid distractions and focused on the immediate threat. If that man was Huang Fuhai, the other three were likely accomplices Wu Jianjun and Liu Dongchang, also wanted. She stopped the car 500 meters from them, checked her gun and ammunition, and surveyed the terrain, quickly formulating a plan.

Her Type 64 police pistol had a full magazine of seven bullets. The area was an open desert, barren and flat, offering good visibility but little cover. She could use the Land Cruiser's superior off-road capabilities to maneuver and engage them. Her goal wasn't to defeat or capture them alone but to prevent them from reaching the county. She aimed to draw them into the badlands, where she could stall for time until reinforcements arrived.

She considered: if they recognized the police car's plate, they might suspect and attack. With one gun against four, she'd be outgunned. Alternatively, they might flee into the desert. Pursuing and shooting accurately while driving would be difficult, especially with a limited effective range of 50 meters.

But she judged: their likelihood of attacking was low. Seeing a police car might make them nervous, but not certain they were the target. They'd hope it was a coincidence and avoid confrontation. She decided to wait by the roadside, ready to engage if necessary.

When the Cherokee approached at 60 kilometers per hour, she noticed it wasn't slowing down. She lay back in her seat, avoiding the window, gun ready. As it passed, she sprang out, firing three shots at the right rear tire, then jumped back into her car and sped away.

The Cherokee swerved, the rear tire blown, skidding to a stop. She relaxed slightly; her first move was successful. She knew the suspects would now realize she was alone, which could embolden them.

The driver, a young man in his late twenties, got out to inspect the damage. He wore jeans and a dark blue shirt. He shouted angrily at Rui Xiaodan, accusing her of damaging his private car and frightening his passengers. She watched him approach, wary of a sudden attack. If he drew a gun, she needed to be ready to shoot to kill.

As he neared 20 meters, she suddenly aimed her gun. He instinctively reached for his waistband, and she fired, hitting him in the forehead. He fell, dead before hitting the ground.

The other three leaped from the car, guns drawn. She retreated, leading them into the desert, where she stopped again to watch them approach. Huang Fuhai and the others realized they needed the car and decided to rush her, guns blazing.

Rui Xiaodan drove in short bursts, keeping her distance. She knew reinforcements would soon arrive, and her job was to delay the suspects. They split up, but she focused on Huang Fuhai, forcing the others to regroup around him.

Huang Fuhai, realizing they were running out of time, instructed Wu Jianjun to sacrifice himself with a suicide bomb to take out Rui Xiaodan. Wu Jianjun agreed, knowing it was their only chance. He ran out, pretending to surrender, and was shot by Huang Fuhai. As Rui Xiaodan approached to check, Wu Jianjun grabbed her, detonating the bomb.

The explosion threw Rui Xiaodan aside. She realized she had survived but was gravely injured, her legs blown off, and her right hand and face badly burned and embedded with shrapnel. Despite the pain, she reloaded her gun and prepared to shoot out the Land Cruiser's tires, ensuring the suspects couldn't escape.

Huang Fuhai, seeing her condition, approached unarmed, pretending to surrender and offering to take her to the hospital. She saw through his ruse and shot him in the legs, disabling him. As police reinforcements arrived, she took one last action, putting her gun to her chest and pulling the trigger, ending her life.

The arriving officers, including Zeng Hua and Huang Wenxian, were stunned by the scene.