Chapter 1116

Realizing they could not prank Orion, everyone decided to return to playing the game as usual.
After dinner, Orion started fussing about wanting to go home, and Nina couldn’t say no. She asked the director for leave.
At first, the director wasn’t happy about it since there were plans for early morning filming the next day. But Nina was firm, and eventually, he agreed, on the condition that she return promptly in the morning.
After a heavy rain, the rural road was muddy. However, Nina, being an experienced driver, handled it with ease. The bumpy ride eventually brought them to the main road. Nina sent a message to Nash, suggesting they meet at the downtown shopping district. There weren’t many cars on the road, and Nina drove steadily. Suddenly, from the opposite lane, a large truck veered toward them, smashing through the median barrier. The truck swerved and headed straight for their car. “Mom! Watch out!” Orion shouted.
Nina had already reacted instinctively. She floored the gas pedal and swerved to the left lane, trying to avoid the oncoming truck.
However, the truck driver also adjusted course, as if deliberately aiming for them. Cursing under her breath, Nina decided to take a risky move and broke through the guardrail. She was betting on whether the truck would follow. If it did, then this wasn’t an accident. The slope they were heading down wasn’t too steep. Nina gripped the steering wheel tightly. “Orion, hold on tight! Grab the seat!”
“Got it, Mom,” Orion replied, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, staying calm.
The car bounced over several rocks, bumping its way down the slope until a large tree finally brought them to a stop. Without wasting a second, Nina quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed into the back to unfasten Orion’s seatbelt. She then opened the door. “Orion, get out first. Be careful. As soon as you’re out, run straight ahead.”
Nina noticed shadows moving along the roadside. She wasn’t sure of their intentions, but considering how the truck had targeted them, she had to be cautious.
Once Orion was out, Nina followed him. She scanned the road quickly and confirmed that several figures were indeed standing nearby. Without hesitating, she picked up her son and started running.
“They’re fine! Go after them! Get the kid!”
The men on the road no longer bothered to hide their intentions. Nina let out a slight grin. She had guessed correctly. They were after Orion.
She didn’t know why, but escaping was her only option right now.
The path was difficult to navigate, especially in the dark. She nearly stumbled several times. The two men chasing them were also struggling. However, since Nina was carrying Orion, she couldn’t move as quickly, and they were closing in fast.
Nina spotted distant headlights and gritted her teeth, running toward the road. Climbing up the slope required speed and strength, so she told Orion to hold on tightly as she used both her hands and feet to scramble upwards. “Don’t let her get away!” one of the men shouted.
A rock came flying through the air, striking Nina’s forehead squarely. She cried out in pain but quickly set Orion down, grabbing a baton from her bag.
“Alright, you two, come at me,” Nina growled, her anger rising.
Earlier, she had been cautious, worried that the men might be armed or in greater numbers. But after hearing them panic about her reaching the road, she realized there were only two of them. She no longer held back.
As the men approached, Nina smirked and went on the offensive. In no time, she had them both on the ground. She didn’t waste any more time on them. She scooped up Orion again, and climbed back onto the main road.
“Mom, I called the police,” Orion said softly as he wiped the blood from her forehead, his eyes filled with concern and guilt. “It’s my fault. If I hadn’t insisted on going home, we wouldn’t have run into those bad guys.”
“Orion, this isn’t your fault,” Nina reassured him gently. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to go home. Running into bad people is just something that happens. Think about it. It’s nighttime, and this place is pretty isolated. Anyone with bad intentions would choose a spot like this.”