He squinted, his eyes fixed on the dim space above him.
The ventilation duct was still swaying slightly, as if from the impact of the bullet, or perhaps stirred by the gusts of air from the windows on either side.
The duct was empty. Only a little accumulated dust drifted down from where the bullet had pierced through.
Looking through the bullet hole, he could even see past the duct's sheet metal to the ceiling high above.
'An illusion?'
Qiu Shan frowned, then looked toward the three hostages in the corner.
He rose slowly to his feet. Standing over two meters tall, he cast a large shadow as he walked up to a young man in a security guard's uniform.
After pulling the rag from the man's mouth, he pointed to the ventilation duct.
"This thing—are there any entrances or exits?"
"N-no!"
Hearing the fearful, trembling voice, Lu Chao's heart hammered in his chest inside the duct. He quickly looked ahead.
