episode 71
7:00 PM, Chao Phraya River, Thailand.
As night falls, a black curtain studded with scattered stars covers the entire Indochina Peninsula, while the Chao Phraya River, flowing from north to south through Bangkok, sparkles like stars, turning the night sky appear like a blue silk ribbon. The magnificent Grand Palace stands majestically on the riverbank, welcoming all visitors. Orange and blue flags flutter in the air, distinguishing the crisscrossing routes for tourists from all over the world. Candles and wine are ready on large luxury cruise ships such as the Princess and the Sparkling Pearl, which will depart from the River City pier, carrying people of all races to experience Thai culture.
The colorful fountain on the top floor of the cruise ship gushed upwards to the accompaniment of loud music, then cascaded down, creating a scene of dazzling extravagance.
The two muscular men walking slowly along the shore seemed out of place.
One of them was tall and strong, with a cigarette in his mouth and a fierce look in his small eyes; the other was thin and small, with a gloomy face, looking like a venomous snake roaming in a tropical rainforest.
Both men had tanned, muscular physiques; the only difference was that one was thinner and the other was heavier.
But regardless of their clothing or demeanor, they didn't look like tourists at all.
The tourists around them walked around them warily.
"Brother Chen."
Wu Sheng squinted at his cracked phone for a while, then pointed slightly to the young man weaving through the crowd like a fish in front of him. "You're right, the employer told us to follow this guy, aren't we?"
Chen Guang crossed his arms and glanced at the screen: "Yes, it's him."
"What was it called again?"
Chen Guang had a better memory: "I think his name was something like He Xun."
"Her name is nice, and she's good-looking, but she doesn't look like someone who's here for tourism!"
Wu Sheng slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, squinting as he observed the young man named He Xun—or more accurately, the young man they were to protect tonight.
The young man was dressed quite casually, in a blue and white plaid shirt and knee-length cargo shorts. His long legs were straight and fair, with even his ankles being dazzlingly white, and his skin had a pinkish tint, making one think of a doll with blush displayed in a shop window.
She clearly had a pair of moist, endearing almond-shaped eyes, but her lovely face was now as cold as ice, her stern expression lowering the temperature of the humid and hot Southeast Asia. She seemed to be recklessly scurrying into every nook and cranny.
He would kill anyone who stood in his way, whether Buddha or god; he had reached a state of selflessness.
It's such a disjointed view.
"They don't seem to be here for tourism," Chen Guang clicked his tongue and commented. "They seem to be here to seek revenge."
"He looks like he's ready to die. What if this makes international news? Should we report this to them right away?"
Wu Sheng asked, both agreeing and nervous.
Chen Guang and Wu Sheng's parents were both of pure Chinese descent and immigrated to Thailand in their early years for business.
As Thai citizens of Chinese descent, they would often return to their ancestral home in China with their parents during holidays. They were also fluent in Chinese. So when they learned that their employer and the person they were protecting tonight were both Chinese, they were more cautious than usual when carrying out their mission, thinking of the blood ties between them.
Chen Guang stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Don't say that yet. Have you forgotten what the boss's assistant told us? He said the people we need to protect these next few days are very important, and we absolutely cannot afford any mistakes. If we pass on the message to them now, wouldn't we look useless? How will we get any jobs then?"
“That’s true.” Contrary to his fierce appearance, Wu Sheng sighed heavily, pitifully rubbing the shattered screen of his phone from the last mission, his tone tinged with anticipation, “I heard this time the employer is a young big boss, how much do you think he’ll pay us? I’m still waiting to replace this phone.”
“It’s definitely going to be there,” Chen Guang said with unwavering certainty. “So let’s not say anything more for now. Let’s follow along first, and report back as soon as anything happens.”
“Okay, I’ll listen to you, Brother Chen.” Wu Sheng thought what the other party said made sense, and then tilted his head back and snorted, “Anyway, we’ve brought our weapons.”
Chen Guang's face was grim. His right hand deftly reached inside his shirt. A night breeze swept by, and the black pistol flashed with a sharp, cold light.
He nodded.
"Walk."
*
He Xun put his hands in his pockets and walked several dozen meters further with the flow of people.
With fewer people around, he keenly sensed that the atmosphere had changed.
The excited and delighted tourists were gradually replaced by tall, sullen-faced males.
A few women stood among them, each with a high ponytail and a cigarette between their fingers, but their expressions were a hundred times fiercer than the men's.
Tsk.
He Xun chuckled lightly.
Does he really look that much of a fool? These people aren't even pretending anymore?
Of course, it's also possible that Cheng Qianyu is so arrogant that she doesn't even bother to pretend with him.
We'll just wait for him to come, kill him, and that'll be the end of it.
We had reached the end of the riverbank; beyond that lay a vast, dark rainforest, so dark that one more glance felt like being swallowed up by it.
He Xun finally stopped.
The air in Southeast Asia is humid and sticky, making clothes smell fishy and damp.
His hand gently brushed against the pinhole camera tucked into his shirt, a hint of a smile appearing in his delicate features, as he murmured to himself, "It's good that you're here with me."
As for Mo Shilin, alas, he is no longer the same person he was before he lost his memory.
Thinking of Mo Shilin before he lost his memory, it felt as if a piece of flesh had been ripped out of his heart and then soaked in acidic water. He felt a sudden, sharp pain, and He Xun's long eyelashes trembled and drooped.
At the same time, a series of hurried footsteps came from behind, as if thousands of wild boars were all swarming behind them.
They've arrived.
He composed himself, chuckled softly, and turned around calmly.
The group had already surrounded him, making a great commotion; anyone who didn't know better would think they were about to hold a large bonfire party.
But this isn't the Great Plains.
He Xun narrowed his eyes again and looked into the distance.
Just a few dozen meters away lies a glittering, decadent tourist area, while this side is a clandestine black market.
Who knows, there might be bloodshed later.
And if he dies here tonight, he might really be buried alive on the spot.
That's really interesting.
Soon, a beautiful figure emerged from behind the group of men in black, like a butterfly flying out from a swarm of bats.
Cheng Qianyu took two steps forward, boldly stood in the center of the circle, and casually took off her sunglasses.
Her ankle-length, moon-white dress swayed backward in the damp night breeze, her long, seaweed-like hair was meticulously gathered behind her ears, revealing her exquisite and divine features, her smooth forehead full and round, and her high, straight nose that looked like it had been sculpted.
This is roughly what is meant by God's masterpiece.
Beneath the high-hanging moon, she appears as a goddess.
But the wicked goddess.
—At least that's how He Xun sees it.
Cheng Qianyu casually tossed her sunglasses to the girl behind her, her cat-eye-like pupils fixed on He Xun.
Upon seeing who it was, a look of surprise immediately crossed his face.
She parted her red lips slightly: "So it was you."
"We meet again, handsome guy, that's great!"
She looked at He Xun with great interest, seemingly genuinely amazed by his face.
"But what are you doing here?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Miss Cheng," He Xun said with his hands in his pockets and a calm, mocking expression, "don't ask questions you already know the answer to."
"Okay, looks like you don't like chatting with me." Cheng Qianyu shrugged and smiled. "So, to make a long story short, do you want to end it yourself, or do you want my people to help you?"
Her tone was completely flat, as if killing someone was a casual remark.
He Xun chuckled and raised an eyebrow: "Heh, so skilled. How many have you dealt with before, Miss Cheng?"
"Tsk." Cheng Qianyu tilted her head back as if thinking, then replied lightly, "There are too many to count."
As she spoke, she gave He Xun a meaningful look from head to toe. “Handsome, I know you must have a recording device or a camera or something on you, but because you’re so handsome, I’m still willing to keep these damn tools and equipment for you after you die.”
He Xun smiled faintly upon hearing this, then suddenly leaned closer to Cheng Qianyu: "Are you so confident that I will definitely die here tonight?"
This action caused the surrounding bodyguards' expressions to change drastically! They all rushed over at once! It was as if they could immediately execute He Xun on the spot at Cheng Qianyu's command.
Cheng Qianyu didn't back down; instead, she waved her hand, signaling the bodyguards to retreat.
She reached out and hooked He Xun's chin, a gesture that was both provocative and teasing: "You've got guts, knowing I'm waiting for you, you still dare to come."
"It doesn't matter, I'm not afraid of death." He Xun blinked her almond-shaped eyes and smiled innocently.
But I—
His eyes suddenly sharpened, and he grabbed Cheng Qianyu's slender neck!
Cheng Qianyu immediately felt a suffocating sensation, but she held back her cries, her rounded nails digging deep into the flesh of He Xun's wrist.
He Xun sneered, grabbed Cheng Qianyu's chin with one hand, and suddenly pulled her face towards the surrounding bodyguards. With his other hand, he drew a dagger with lightning speed and pressed it firmly against her throat.
He added casually, "But I bet you're afraid of dying."
The silver daggers gleamed with a sharp, cold light, and the bodyguards clenched their fists, daring not to utter a word of anger.
Cheng Qianyu's face darkened. She hadn't expected this person to be so difficult. In the past, when those junior reporters saw this kind of scene, weren't they all terrified and ran away with their tails between their legs? This person really wasn't afraid of death.
That's damn good.
She coughed twice after being choked, and after a few seconds, she calmly asked in a hoarse voice, "What's going on here, handsome? Taking a hostage?"
He Xun smiled and patiently explained, "There's a more cultured saying: 'To shoot a man, shoot his horse first; to capture a thief, capture his king first.'"
Cheng Qianyu, with a straight face, said in a sarcastic tone, "Quite cultured."
Then, she changed the subject, seemingly conceding: "How about this, handsome? Let's make a deal. If you agree, I'll let you go today, how about it?"
"Oh?" He Xun feigned curiosity. "Didn't you want to kill me? Did you change your mind?"
"To be honest, I did at first, but once I saw your face up close, I regretted it."
Cheng Qianyu forced a sidelong glance as she negotiated with him, "Hand over what you've collected, then come work for me. You can name your salary, how about it?"
He Xun didn't speak, but stared at her coldly, his lowered eyebrows and dark pupils seeming to see through all ugliness.
The look in his eyes was so complex, it didn't seem like a human looking at another person.
Cheng Qianyu's Adam's apple bobbed, and she subconsciously opened her eyes to recognize him.
After a long pause, He Xun gave a mocking smile and said, "Fine."
"I just don't know—"
He paused subtly for a moment, then said, word by word, "Will the pregnant women and babies you killed agree?"
Perhaps because she had been deeply offended, Cheng Qianyu's emotions finally began to fluctuate noticeably.
Her eyes widened as she glared fiercely at He Xun, her stunningly beautiful face contorting into a grotesque expression: "What do you know! It's their honor to work for me, Cheng Qianyu!"
What an honor!
Is he out of touch with the times or what? Has the entertainment industry now come to regard murder as a glorious achievement?
He Xun probably wanted to laugh, but when he thought of the pregnant woman who was bleeding profusely that night, he couldn't laugh.
The gasoline spread, and his anger gradually flared up. He gripped the knife tighter than before.
The veins in his arms were bulging, but he still used his remaining rationality and the journalistic ethics ingrained in his bones to sincerely ask: "I really don't understand, you're already so famous, aren't you satisfied?"
"Looking across the whole of Asia, who is as famous as you, Cheng Qianyu?"
"..."
After a moment of silence, Cheng Qianyu suddenly burst into laughter.
Hahahaha!
Her eyes were bloodshot, like poisonous spiders spinning webs inside.
After a long pause, she murmured, "Who would complain about having too much love?"
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