[{"content_id":155,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":1,"chapter_title":"Inheritance","content":"

When Shi Jin opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a soft and spacious wooden bed, wearing pure cotton pajamas, and holding a cucumber pillow in his arms.

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Where was he? It didn't look like a hospital, and it definitely wasn't hell.

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He blinked in confusion and rubbed his forehead.

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Wasn't he hit by a truck while chasing a thief? With the speed of that truck, his chances of survival were almost zero. But what was going on now?

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"It's because you've been reborn," a crisp mechanical voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

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Shi Jin's body trembled as he sat up, looking around warily. "Who's talking?"

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"It's me, your golden finger and life-saving talisman. You can call me Xiao Si*."

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*T/N: It means Xiao Si. Xiao also sounds like the word for 'laugh', but not exactly.

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"Laugh to death?"

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"...My Mandarin pronunciation is very standard, thank you."

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With a searching gaze, Shi Jin finally confirmed that the voice he heard was indeed directly in his own mind. He tentatively raised his hand and knocked on his own head.

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"Don't knock, you'll break it if you do it again," the voice said.

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Shi Jin: "..."

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With things having come to this point, Shi Jin finally realized that he was alive again, but definitely not in his own body. His own body was a handsome guy with eight-pack abs and long legs, but now this body was chubby and round, with four dimples on the back of its hand. The pajamas were stretched out from his breathing, and the pants were tightly stretched over his legs when he bent them.

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...He had never been so "dignified" in his life.

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He might as well just die.

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Xiao Si clearly saw his thoughts and asked a soul-searching question: "Is life more important than weight?"

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Shi Jin lay back on the bed, closed his eyes, and looked peaceful.

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"...Weight can be lost, but life cannot be regained. And once you're dead, you can never taste delicious food or feel the smooth touch of mahjong tiles again."

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As these words echoed in his mind, Shi Jin's breathing hitched. He remembered the silky sensation of the tiles slipping through his fingers and abruptly sat up, adjusting his clothes.

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"Tell me, what's going on now?"

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Silence filled the room. Just as Shi Jin began to doubt if it was all just a hallucination before his death, his brain suddenly throbbed with pain, flooding him with a jumble of memories and images.

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Half an hour later, he lay back down on the bed, peacefully closing his eyes.

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"Hey, don't do this! As a public servant, where is your justice and passion?" Xiao Si protested.

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Shi Jin snored.

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"Boohoo, police uncle, you can't do this, boohoo..." Xiao Si continued to cry.

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Shi Jin endured.

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"Sob sob sob, Sob sob sob... Pong! I won! Fishing the moon from the bottom of the sea! Blossoming upon a gang!*"

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*T/N: Phrases used in mahjong

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Shi Jin couldn't take it anymore and lifted the covers, getting out of bed to straighten his clothes. He looked utterly dejected as he asked, "So, the novel I read before I died was your original form? You dragged me into the world of the book after I died?"

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Xiao Si stopped crying and obediently replied, "Mm."

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"Is this really the world inside the book?"

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Xiao Si remained silent.

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"Can I still leave from here?"

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"If you leave, you also won't be able to live," Xiao Si replied.

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This time, it was Shi Jin's turn to fall silent. After a long while, he continued to ask, "Why me?"

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"Because..." Xiao Si hesitated this time, pausing for two seconds before saying in a clear voice, "If you have difficulties, find the police uncle!"

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"... "

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You make a lot of sense.

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Without a word, Shi Jin walked into the bathroom connected to the bedroom and stood in front of the mirror.

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In the reflection was a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar. It was familiar because he recognized the features, but unfamiliar because the body was completely different. This body was the exact same as the one he had when he was young, even down to the small mole on his nose, but it had been enlarged several times.

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Thankfully, it was still his own appearance, and the sense of dissonance was much less. Shi Jin let out a long sigh and resignedly washed his face and brushed his teeth.

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According to the memories provided by Xiao Si, he was now also called Shi Jin, almost eighteen years old, and the protagonist of a revenge novel labeled as a realistic and satisfying read. The novel was called "Death Progress Bar," but in fact the plot was frustrating and depressing, and it even killed off the original protagonist.

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The protagonist Shi Jin had a father who was a stud horse and five half-brothers. When the stud horse father was alive, Shi Jin was the little prince of the family and was adored by his five brothers.

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However, after the stud horse father died, Shi Jin became a despised bug that everyone in the family could step on. He was tortured to death by his five brothers who had torn off their friendly masks.

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But the moment he was reborn was exactly when the stud horse father had just passed away, which was also where the novel had left off.

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After taking care of himself, Shi Jin did not leave his room. Instead, he sat back on his bed and continued his conversation with Xiao Si in his mind.

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"What do you need me to do?"

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There's no such thing as a free lunch. Xiao Si must have a request for him if it went through all the trouble of bringing him back to life.

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In his mind, Xiao Si displayed two progress bars and said, "These are death progress bars. The one with a total of 999 is yours, and it has already hit 998. Once it reaches the end, your body will face death. Even I cannot save you. I am bound to you, and I will disappear with you. I need you to clear it and keep me alive."

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Being a bit OCD, at first, the protagonist didn't care about the connection between the progress bar and his life. Instead, he made a face like he had eaten shit and asked, "Can't we just round it up to 1000?"

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Xiao Si's serious tone suddenly changed, and he pinched his voice, saying, "You damn ghost! The 1000 progress bar doesn't belong to you. It's my baby's bar."

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Shi Jin shuddered and said, "Let's talking about serious matters, don't joke around!"

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"...Your progress bar down there is at 1000. I need you to find the owner of that progress bar and help them clear it, while ensuring your own safety and saving their life." Xiao Si's tone became serious again, with a hint of caution and pleading. He asked, "Will you help me? I can offer you a reward and guarantee your safety."

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With things having come this far, what else could Shi Jin say? He had to suppress his OCD and nodded heavily.

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He had narrowly escaped death, and he knew that his life could still end at any moment. He now had a little voice in his head that called itself a "golden finger" and he needed to find someone who had the other progress bar.

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But for now, he was just happy to be alive and able to play more mahjong.

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In the end, he had come out on top.

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Xiao Si cheered, "Yay! I knew our family's Jin Jin was the best!"

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Because of his nickname, Jin Jin, people often mistook him for a girl.

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"Shut up," he told Xiao Si.

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After exchanging information, Shi Jin sorted through his memories and finally stepped out of the room.

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The body he inhabited belonged to Shi Xingrui, a successful businessman who had built a massive commercial empire from scratch. He had immigrated overseas with Shi Jin and shifted his focus to him after Shi Jin was born. His funeral had just ended yesterday, and today his lawyer would come to announce the will.

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The will announcement was done privately, with only one person present to hear it, and all five of his brothers were absent. This was the intention of Shi Xingrui, as he had no plans to give a single dollar to his other five sons.

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Despite being his sons, Shi Xingrui's attitude towards his children was drastically different. He favored his youngest son, Shi Jin, the most, and only revealed the existence of Shi Jin to the outside world.

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The other five lived with their mother and only came to reunite on holidays. Even though the outside world had heard of these five talented and handsome young men, they had no idea of their relationship with Shi Xingrui.

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"They are all his sons, how could Shi Xingrui be so biased?" As Shi Jin flipped through the memories of the original owner and the information provided by Xiao Si, he couldn't make sense of Shi Xingrui's behavior.

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"Maybe it's because you're the best-looking one?" Xiao Si flattered unashamedly.

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Shi Jin: "..." He glanced at his own belly and legs, deciding to stop this topic and not torture himself.

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As the two of them chatted and reminisced, Shi Xingrui's lawyer had already arrived. After a brief greeting, he began to read out Shi Xingrui's long list of inheritance.

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Shi Jin listened with one ear and out the other, analyzing the death progress bar that concerned his own life with Xiao Si in his mind.

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"How do we clear this bar?" Shi Jin asked.

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"If there are fewer factors that cause death, the progress bar will naturally decrease," Xiao Si replied.

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Shi Jin pondered over this. In the plot of the novel, the original owner was tortured to death by his five brothers. This means that the threat of death for the original owner came entirely from his five brothers.

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And the reason why the five brothers treated the original owner so poorly... his gaze shifted to the inheritance list in the lawyer's hand, and he cursed Shi Xingrui as a foolish teammate in his heart.

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Children who are neglected or even ignored by their father, how could they possibly like their favored younger brother? And the situation in the Shi family is even more complicated, involving money and interests.

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Shi Xingrui's practice of leaving all the inheritance to his youngest son without the knowledge of his five elder sons is simply wanting them to develop grudges against Shi Jin, and wanting him to die even faster!

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"...Maria Manor, that's all the real estate. In addition, Mr. Shi instructed that you will inherit all of Ruihang's shares. However, considering that you have not yet completed your university studies, the company will be temporarily managed by Vice Chairman Xu Tianhua until you are able to take on the responsibility, and you can supervise from the sidelines. That's the entire content of the will. If you have no objections, please sign here."

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The lawyer finally finished reading the list of assets and pushed several documents in front of Shi Jin.

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Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at the progress bar in his mind, which had already reached 998. He decisively pushed the documents back and firmly said, "I don't want these things."

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If he took them, the death progress bar would be filled up so fully it would start burping.

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The lawyer rubbed his ear doubtfully and wondered if he had misheard something.

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"If my brothers don't get these things, I don't want it either." Shi Jin stood up, with a childish stubbornness on his face, his expression tense as if he was holding back sadness. "Dad was wrong to do things like this. I don't want these things. You can take them and divide them into five parts to give to my brothers."

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The lawyer was now truly confused and said, "But Master Shi, your brothers already have their own careers. Whether they take the inheritance or not, it doesn't make a difference to them. And you are still underage, so..."

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"How can it be the same? The difference is huge!" Suddenly, Shi Jin's acting skills exploded as he shouted, "Enough!"

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The lawyer was silenced by his outburst and comically stared at him with wide eyes.

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"I can work hard and achieve success just like my older brothers," said Shi Jin, with a sad tone and turned away slightly. "Dad always says that my brothers make him proud, and I want to make him and my brothers proud of me too... You can go now, I'm tired."

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After speaking, Shi Jin turned around and walked back to his room on the second floor. With a loud bang, he closed the door and let down all his pretenses. He nervously clutched his chest and asked, "Xiao Si, how did I do just now?"

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"Clap, clap, clap, clap," Xiao Si applauded affirmatively.

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"Thank you, thank you," Shi Jin blushed and thanked him, rubbing his hands expectantly. "I refused the inheritance, so my progress bar should have gone down a bit, right?"

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Xiao Si also rubbed his hands expectantly. "Definitely, definitely."

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The two of them looked at the progress bar together. Shi Jin was shocked and turned pale. "What's going on? Why is the death progress bar going higher instead of lower?"

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It went from 998 to 998.5!

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Xiao Si screamed, "I don't know!"

\n","published_time":"2023-03-31T21:50:48.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:07.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":160,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":2,"chapter_title":"Sneaking Away","content":"

Shi Jin was pacing frantically in the room, while Xiao Si anxiously bit his nails.

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"How about you go and get the inheritance again?" Xiao Si suggested.

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Shi Jin was on the verge of a breakdown. "In the original plot, when the older brothers of the Shi family found out that Shi Xingrui had given all the inheritance to their younger brother, they were completely heartbroken and decided to take revenge on me! If I take the inheritance, the progress bar won't be at 998.5 anymore, it'll be at 999!"

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Knock, knock, knock.

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The two of them froze and turned to look at the door that had been knocked on.

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"Young Master, the eldest young master is on the phone," the butler's voice came from outside the door.

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Shi Jin's heart skipped a beat and he whispered, "The first suspect is calling, should I answer?"

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Xiao Si trembled, "What if you die right after picking up?"

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There was only a 0.5 point window of reprieve, and they couldn't afford to waste it.

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Shi Jin hesitated and asked, "Will I die immediately after the progress bar is full?"

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"No," replied Xiao Si.

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Shi Jin's eyes lit up.

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Xiao Si felt like crying and added, "But you will lose control of your body and watch yourself die as the plot develops."

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This was even scarier than just dying!

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Shi Jin went crazy, his gaze scanning the room before suddenly walking to the desk and pulling out a utility knife from the pen holder. He flicked out the blade and aimed it at his wrist.

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Blood gushed out.

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Xiao Si went insane, "Ah! What are you doing?!"

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"Of course, I have to save myself. If I answer this phone and say the wrong thing, it could make Big Brother Shi even angrier and then we'll be done for." In the face of crisis, Shi Jin became calm. He quickly cut his wrist and searched for all the original owner's documents and cash. He grabbed the cucumber pillow on the bed and walked into the bathroom to fill the bathtub with water.

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Xiao Si was already about to faint from his actions and asked, "Why are you filling the tub with water?"

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Cutting your wrist and getting into a bathtub, isn't that a classic suicide move?

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Shi Jin had already gotten into the bathtub and was enduring the dizziness caused by the loss of blood. He carefully opened a small corner of the cucumber pillow, stuffed all the documents and cash inside, and hid them. He hugged the pillow and leaned back in the bathtub, closing his eyes.

\n\n

"Retreat temporarily so we can advance, let's delay to buy some time... We can't stay in this dangerous place, we need to find a chance to escape." The youngest of his five brothers was already nine years older than the original 'Shi Jin'. They have all grown up and with their mothers' support, they were able to deceive Shi Xingrui by pretending to love and care for Shi Jun.

\n\n

They have already planted many traps around Shi Xingrui's company and Shi Jin. With his current lack of power and connections, he is no match for them. His top priority now is to save his own life.

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The bathtub quickly turned red with blood. If Xiao Si were human, he would have turned pale by now and trembled as he called out, "Jin, Jin Jin..."

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"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Shi Jin reassured him. He heard the faint sound of a door opening and felt relieved. He instructed Xiao Si to make his body hold onto the cucumber pillow tightly and then fainted with ease.

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......

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The smell of disinfectant filled his nostrils as Shi Jin slowly opened his eyes, only to see a tall figure sitting by his bedside.

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"The progress bar dropped to 997 after news of your suicide attempt spread. The man sitting by your bed is Shi Jin's eldest brother, Shi Weichong," Xiao Si reminded him just in time.

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Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief and tightened his grip on the pillow in his arms. He looked up at the man by his bed and weakly called out, "Big brother."

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The man turned his head to look at him, his narrow eyes resembling Shi Xingrui's, filled with disapproval and concern. However, his tone was gentle as he asked, "Xiao Jin, why did you do it?"

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Shi Xingrui had great genes, and each of his children was more handsome than the last. However, little fatty Shi Jin was an exception.

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Shi Weichong, Shi Xingrui's eldest son, looked just like his father with his handsome features, thick eyebrows, bright eyes, thin lips, straight nose, and square face. He had a calm and mature temperament, making him the epitome of traditional beauty.

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He was the only child in the Shi family, besides Shi Jin, who was allowed to have their father's surname, and was also the brother who seemed to spoil Shi Jin the most.

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Shi Jin lowered his eyes, avoiding his brother's gaze. He pinched himself under the covers, feeling a pang in his heart. His eyes turned red as he whispered, "I know my brothers don't like me."

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As soon as he spoke, the air became heavy.

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Shi Weichong didn't say anything, but his gaze towards Shi Jin became slightly less gentle. It was as if he was trying to figure out whether Shi Jin's words were genuine or just a ploy to test him.

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"It's reached 998! Jin Jin watch out!" Xiao Si screamed in panic.

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Shi Jin's eyelashes trembled as tears gathered in his eyes from the noise. He bit his lip and met Shi Weichong's gaze, tentatively taking his hand and saying, "Big brother...if there's a next life, let me be the older brother to you guys...I'll repay everything I owe you..."

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"Xiao Jin," Shi Weichong pulled his hand away from the grasp, tucking it back under the covers. "Don't talk nonsense. I will always be your big brother."

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"We're at 998.5! Back to the original death sentence! Jin Jin, sob sob...Jin Jin, please don't die!"

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To his surprise, the eldest brother of the Shi family was even more difficult to deal with than expected.

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Shi Jin knew things were not looking good and quickly abandoned any attempts to soften Shi Weichong with words. He pretended to be exhausted and closed his eyes, whispering, "Big brother, I'm tired..."

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Fortunately, the progress bar did not increase again. Shi Weichong helped him adjust the blanket and left the hospital room.

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Over the next two days, Shi's eldest brother came to visit several times. The other brothers who were not in the area also made many phone calls. Shi Jin remained silent, not speaking or answering the phone. He spent his days staring blankly out the window like a soulless puppet.

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During this time, Shi Jin attempted to self-harm again with a fruit knife. The nurse on duty discovered this and informed Shi Weichong.

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Like a normal older brother, Shi Weichong was both anxious and angry. He scolded Shi Jin severely.

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Shi Jin twisted his own thigh and silently shed tears in the face of Shi Weichong's anger.

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"Xiao Jin," Shi Weichong said helplessly, bending down to get closer to him and holding onto his shoulder. He spoke in a gentle tone, "What's wrong with you? Look at how thin you've become."

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Shi Jin managed to force a smile, he loved hearing those words, it made him feel like all those missed meals were worth it.

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As Shi Weichong looked at the smile on his face, his emotions suddenly disappeared, replaced by an inscrutable expression.

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This was the first time Shi Weichong had shown this expression in front of Shi Jin. He couldn't smile anymore and lowered his head, hugging his pillow tightly. His heart was pounding - it was coming, Shi Weichong was about to tear off his friendly mask.

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"Xiao Jin, my lawyer called me today and said that the inheritance has been divided according to your wishes into five parts, but with nothing for you," Shi Weichong spoke in a flat tone, without the usual gentleness he showed towards Shi Jin.

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Shi Jin looked up at him, but there was no smile on his face - he just couldn't muster one. "I said I would pay back what I owe to my brothers."

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Shi Weichong looked deeply at him and said, "We need your signature to change the inheritance distribution."

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Shi Jin nodded. "I'll sign."

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Another silence filled the room. Shi Weichong didn't say anything else and turned to leave.

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After dinner that day, Shi Weichong brought over a few documents. Shi Jin didn't even look at them, he just signed them and then curled up in his blanket.

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Shi Weichong stood by the bed with the documents for a while and asked, "Why?"

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"I just want my brothers to be happy," Shi Jin replied, still clutching his last card - a cucumber pillow.

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Shi Weichong's gaze shifted to the dried bloodstains on the pillow and he asked, "Why do you keep holding onto it?"

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When Shi Jin heard this, his heart tightened. He quickly pinched his thigh and, with red eyes, met Shi Weichong's gaze. His voice was barely audible as he said, "This is the last gift my brother gave me... I can't lose it, if I lose it... it's gone."

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Xiao Si applauded Shi Jin's wit and acting skills in his mind, giving him a thumbs up.

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Shi Weichong clearly didn't expect to hear such an answer. After a few seconds of staring at each other, he furrowed his brows and suddenly found it difficult to meet Shi Jin's eyes, which were full of trust and dependence.

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He turned his head slightly and said, "You should rest. Second Brother and the others have already boarded the plane and will arrive tomorrow."

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This was really bad news.

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Shi Jin lowered his head in sadness, burying his face in the blanket and softly hummed in agreement.

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Shi Weichong turned around and took a step before stopping and turning back to lightly touch Shi Jin's hair outside the blanket. After a brief change in his expression, he inexplicably turned cold and left decisively.

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Xiao Si felt a bit weak and said, "Just now, the progress bar went on a roller coaster ride, suddenly dropping to 900 and then rising to 950. It scared me to death."

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"It's dropped to 950?" Shi Jin was pleasantly surprised. He lifted the blanket and got out of bed, looking at the progress bar with delight. "The inheritance is settled, it's time to leave."

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Xiao Si was puzzled. "Leave? Aren't you going to keep working hard? The other brothers from the Shi family will be here soon."

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Shi Jin's tone was gloomy. "Do you think 49 points on the progress bar is enough for me to not say the wrong thing to those fierce brothers?"

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"... " Xiao Si had no counter for that, but worried, "But what if your brothers in become furious when they find out you've escaped?"

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"I'm not afraid," Shi Jin replied confidently.

\n\n

He got out of bed, checked the documents and cash in the pillow, and said, "The progress bar decreases when the lethal factor decreases. The distance between me and the five brothers in the Shi family can also be considered a lethal factor. If I hide in a place where they can't find me, do you think the progress bar will still fill up?"

\n\n

Of course, the progress bar wasn't full yet, and they couldn't find the person, then even if the five older brothers wanted to kill their youngest brother, they couldn't make a plan or take action without finding him.

\n\n

They lacked the crucial condition for a successful murder.

\n\n

As long as the progress bar wasn't full, the two of them could slowly plan their next move in a place where the five brothers couldn't find them. This way, they wouldn't have to constantly improvise under the looming threat of a knife, and they would have more freedom.

\n\n

Xiao Si gave a thumbs up and spoke in a hoarse voice, "Jin Jin is really smart, I love you so much."

\n\n

"...Shut up."

\n\n

......

\n\n

After leaving a cheesy note in the handwriting of the original 'Shi Jin' that read, "Without me, my brothers will be happier. Xiao Jin hopes his brothers will be happy," Shi Jin hugged his cucumber pillow and had Xiao Si help him avoid the people in the hospital as they quietly left under the cover of night.

\n\n

Over a dozen hours later, Shi Jin stood on the soil of Huaguo City B, still wearing his hospital gown and clutching his cucumber pillow. All he had left was a small amount of cash after buying his plane ticket.

\n\n

"I hate how rich people don't carry cash," Shi Jin sobbed.

\n\n

Xiao Si's heart raced with fear, "Oh no, the progress bar is going on a roller coaster again. The five brothers must have realized you're missing. I'm so scared, Jin Jin!"

\n\n

As the progress bar crazily fluctuated, Shi Jin's heart raced and his eyes widened in anticipation.

\n\n

980...990...930...990... After a wild dance of numbers, the progress bar finally stopped at 910, and didn't budge any further.

\n\n

Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the ground outside the airport.

\n\n

"It seems that distance is indeed one of the deadly factors," Xiao Si's tone was relieved, asking, "Jin Jin, you've survived for now. What should we do next?"

\n\n

Shi Jin looked at all his belongings, his face full of weariness. "Let's find a job to support ourselves first..."

\n","published_time":"2023-04-06T00:04:18.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:10.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":167,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":3,"chapter_title":"Treasure","content":"

Finding a job was impossible for Shi Jin. He didn't finish high school and was not yet eighteen years old.

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Even when he tried to do manual labor, people would complain about his weight.

\n\n

It seemed like the only way he could survive was by playing mahjong. The elderly people at the mahjong parlor were very generous and kind, and Shi Jin loved being there.

\n\n

"Self-drawn, I win!" Shi Jin confidently threw down an eight of bamboo tile and pushed his tiles forward.

\n\n

He smiled at his wailing opponents and said, "Thank you, bosses. If you need me, I'll be here until six."

\n\n

Then he looked back at the old man standing behind him and his smile became even more charming. "Uncle Huang, I helped you win some money!"

\n\n

Uncle Huang, who had just witnessed his winning hand, patted Shi Jin's shoulder and exclaimed, "You're a mahjong god reincarnated! You can win with anyone you play with. Here, take this as your hard-earned reward."

\n\n

He then took the money from the table that Shi Jin had just won and handed him two red bills.

\n\n

Shi Jin beamed with joy and quickly accepted the money, thanking Uncle Huang before standing up and saying, "You guys keep playing. I'll head out first."

\n\n

"Sure, go ahead," Uncle Huang waved him off with a smile, watching as Shi Jin left before sitting back down at the table, happily continuing his game.

\n\n

......

\n\n

Having stayed busy until six o'clock, Shi Jin carried his purchased ingredients and leisurely boarded the bus.

\n\n

It had been over a month since he escaped from the hospital. During this time, he traveled to several cities, worked odd jobs, sold goods on the street, and even bought lottery tickets. With his unwavering determination, he managed to survive through the toughest half of the month.

\n\n

After careful consideration, he decided to hide in Y province, located on the border of China, where he found a temporary job helping a friend at a mahjong parlor.

\n\n

Although the job had a complicated work environment and an unstable income, it allowed him to leave at any time without requiring any capital or formal registration. This was perfect for his current situation, where he needed to hide his tracks.

\n\n

While making a living, he also kept an eye on the situation at home. Ruihang was a big company, and changes in management were big news. By casually flipping through the international financial news, he could see a lot of news about the Shi family.

\n\n

As expected, after he gave up his inheritance, Shi Weichong forcefully took over Ruihang and suppressed the small actions of the deputy director Xu Tianhua with thunderous means, becoming the new president of Ruihang.

\n\n

It was only then that the outside world finally learned that this business tycoon who had shone brightly in the China in recent years was actually the son of the business giant Shi Xingrui.

\n\n

"Shi Weichong is really powerful. He managed to deal with Shi Xingrui's old team in just one month. How can I compete with him?" Shi Jin poked at his newly bought knockoff phone, looking at the imposing Shi Weichong in the news photos, and nervously touched his scarred arm.

\n\n

Xiao Si comforted him, "After Shi Weichong completely takes control of Ruihang, your death value directly dropped to 880."

\n\n

"Well, that's the only good news," Shi Jin closed the news and looked at the scenery outside the window, sighing softly.

\n\n

After he no longer had a sword hanging over his neck, he spent some time getting to know the world in the book. To his surprise, he found that the world in the book was subtly different from the world he lived in, despite sharing a similar overall background.

\n\n

For example, in the book, the country of Hua allowed guns and even permitted certain violent organizations to exist legally.

\n\n

This was unbelievable to him. In his past life as a police officer, not all officers were allowed to carry guns.

\n\n

"Jin Jin, when are you planning to meet your five brothers again?" Xiao Si suddenly asked.

\n\n

Jin Jin snapped out of his thoughts and replied after some consideration, "At least wait until my death value drops to around 700, and leave each brother with more than 50 points of buffer. Otherwise, it's too risky."

\n\n

"What's your plan for bringing the points down?"

\n\n

"I still need to plan it out," replied Shi Jin. He had come up with a tentative plan, but he still needed to refine it. After all, this was a matter of life and death, and he couldn't afford to be careless.

\n\n

"Um, um..." Xiao Si suddenly stuttered, suggesting in a small voice, "Since we have some free time, why don't we go look for the owner of the other progress bar?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback, glancing at the inactive progress bar in his mind. He smacked his lips and nodded decisively, "Sure, how do we find that precious treasure of yours? Do you have any leads?"

\n\n

As fellow wanderers in this strange world, it wouldn't hurt to have another companion on their journey to self-preservation.

\n\n

"Wah wah wah, Jin Jin, you're so good to me! I love you so much! I want to give birth to monkeys for you!" Xiao Si was so excited that it couldn't speak coherently.

\n\n

Shi Jin had a solemn expression on his face. "You're a good system, but I just can't get it up for you, so... I'm sorry."

\n\n

Xiao Si: "..."

\n\n

Shi Jin, feeling a bit guilty, asked, "You haven't told me how to find your precious treasure yet. Can you give me a clue or a hint so I can do my best to find them?"

\n\n

Xiao Si's voice was mechanical and numb. "Fate."

\n\n

"What?" Shi Jin didn't understand.

\n\n

"The clue and hint to finding my precious treasure is fate," Xiao Si explained.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt a sense of despair. "Are you serious?"

\n\n

"More serious than your self-draw* today," Xiao Si replied.

\n\n

*T/N: Referring to his mahjong play earlier.

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

Alright then.

\n\n

He continued to look out the window with a world-weary expression, feeling that the future was bleak. As the sky turned dark, the bus finally arrived at its destination - a run-down park on the brink of abandonment.

\n\n

With his groceries in hand, Shi Jin got off the bus and made his way around the park's entrance, turning onto a small hill behind it and entering a small cottage nestled on the mountainside.

\n\n

He had stumbled upon this house by chance. Despite its dilapidated exterior and overgrown surroundings, the interior was well-equipped with a bed, table, kitchen utensils, and full utilities. There was even a separate bathroom in the basement. If one ignored the environment outside, it was quite comfortable to live in.

\n\n

According to the old man guarding the park entrance, this house used to belong to a park-keeper. However, when a wealthy person bought the neighboring mountains and turned them into orchards, the park-keeper was sent away and the house was abandoned.

\n\n

Shi Jin was very poor. After confirming that the room was unoccupied, he moved in with his few belongings.

\n\n

Today's income was good. Uncle Huang needed to leave from time to time to pick up his granddaughter/grandson, go home to feed his cat, or take care of his business. Each time he helped Uncle Huang, he would receive a few red tickets as compensation, and the earnings were not bad for a day.

\n\n

After collecting the money he earned, Shi Jin made a simple bowl of noodles to fill his stomach. Then, he slaughtered the wild chicken he caught on the mountain yesterday, stuffed it with the spices and vegetables he bought today, and put it in a pot to stew on low heat. Satisfied, he lay down on his bed.

\n\n

He fell asleep without realizing it, and in the middle of his dream, he was suddenly awakened by Xiao Si, "Jin Jin, someone is coming, several of them, and they look suspicious."

\n\n

As soon as Shi Jin woke up, he immediately hid his cucumber pillow, which contained all his belongings and documents, under the bed. He then turned off the lights and walked quietly to the door, holding the knife he had bought, and looked outside through the crack in the door.

\n\n

He met a pair of dark green eyes on the other side of the door, cold and icy, like the eyes of a wild beast.

\n\n

Shi Jin was startled, but before he could react, a gust of wind suddenly came from behind him. Then, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck and knew nothing else.

\n\n

Before losing consciousness, he only had one thought in his mind - he was so hungry, he wanted his wild chicken soup!

\n\n

...

\n\n

When he woke up again, Shi Jin found himself being dragged like a dead dog and taken into a stylishly decorated living room.

\n\n

Several people were standing in the room, and when they saw him being brought in, the leader asked in a cold tone, "Is he awake?"

\n\n

"It's almost time. Old Li knows what he's doing," the man who had been dragging him replied.

\n\n

"You can go now," the man who had asked the question waved him off.

\n\n

"Okay." The man who had been dragging him turned and left. With no obstruction, Shi Jin finally saw the three men standing not far away.

\n\n

They were all tall and had ordinary, honest, or refined appearances. None of them looked suspicious, and they were all wearing the same type of neatly styled work clothes in military green. On the chest pocket was a small banana pattern, with the words "Flower Fruit Orchard" embroidered underneath.

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart was filled with good fortune, and he shouted loudly, "I'm innocent! I didn't steal your fruit! Trust me, I'm a good person!"

\n\n

Xiao Si who was about to warn him that the situation was not good: "..."

\n\n

The atmosphere froze for a moment. The refined man who had been questioning before twitched his face and stepped forward, pressing down on Shi Jin's chest and asking in a deep voice, "Who sent you?"

\n\n

Shi Jin grunted in pain as the man's foot landed on him, but as he looked up at the refined man's face, he suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.

\n\n

After scrutinizing him carefully, he couldn't believe what he saw and exclaimed, "You're... Uncle Huang?"

\n\n

Old Huang from the mahjong parlor was always kind and generous. Although his hair had turned white, he was still full of vitality and always stood up straight, without the hunchbacked posture that many elderly people had. The refined man in front of him was young and energetic, completely different from Old Huang.

\n\n

However, as a police officer, Shi Jin was trained to recognize people not by their age or appearance, but by their bone structure and eyes. He quickly identified the man's identity. As soon as he was called out for his disguise, the man with the refined face's expression changed.

\n\n

He reached out and grabbed Shi Jin's chin, shouting, "Stop pretending! You deliberately approached me at the contact point, then loitered around the base. Your background and identity are all fake. Tell me, what do you want to do and who sent you here?"

\n\n

What contact point? What base? Shi Jin was dumbfounded, realizing that there must have been a misunderstanding.

\n\n

He quickly explained, "I'm just a struggling minor. I don't understand what you're talking about."

\n\n

"You still won't tell the truth? You'll have to face the consequences." The man with the refined face sneered, stood up, and pulled out a gun from his pocket. He loaded a bullet and aimed it at Shi Jin's head. "I'll give you one more chance. Say something I want to hear."

\n\n

Damn, damn, damn!

\n\n

As he stared wide-eyed, Shi Jin realized the danger of the gun. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead as he desperately tried to think of a way out. He must have been captured by some big shot and mistaken for an enemy spy. What was he going to do?

\n\n

After a long silence, Xiao Si suddenly cried out, "Jin Jin, the progress bar is moving! It's already at 900!"

\n\n

Shi Jin felt like crying. He never imagined that playing mahjong could lead to a threat on his life.

\n\n

"You're not going to say anything?" The man with the refined face put his finger on the trigger and lightly caressed it. "I'll give you three seconds. One..."

\n\n

"Ah! It's at 930!" Xiao Si screamed.

\n\n

How could it be rising so quickly?

\n\n

Shi Jin felt like he couldn't breathe, his chest tight and painful.

\n\n

"Two..." The man with the refined face continued to count.

\n\n

Xiao Si wailed, "950! 960! Jin Jin!!!"

\n\n

Oh no! Shi Jin became even calmer in the face of danger, repeatedly thinking about the words the refined man with the gentle face had said that he wanted to hear.

\n\n

Suddenly, a bright idea struck him and he shouted, "I am the younger brother of the new CEO of Ruihang! I am worth a lot and my background is complicated. You can't kill me!"

\n\n

The refined man with the gentle face hesitated, lowered his gun, and looked at Shi Jin with suspicion.

\n\n

"Ruihang? The one from overseas?"

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded frantically. The refined man with the gentle face moved his foot aside, frowned, and looked in the direction of the other two companions. Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief, coughed a few times while holding his chest, and followed the refined man with the gentle face's gaze.

\n\n

As he looked, his eyes widened in disbelief. As the refined man looked around, he noticed a thin man in a wheelchair who had been standing motionless behind the other two men.

\n\n

The man in the wheelchair glided forward, his pale skin and delicate features almost otherworldly. His phoenix eyes were upturned and lifeless, and he wore a black silk robe with red embroidered flowers that looked like blood spilled in the darkness.

\n\n

Approaching the disheveled man, he asked softly, "Are you Shi Jin, the youngest son of Shi Xingrui?"

\n\n

Shi Jin's lips trembled as he shifted his gaze from his clothes to his face, finally settling on the progress bar above his head.

\n\n

He wanted to cry and laugh at the same time, his expression contorting as he exclaimed, "Baby!"

\n\n

What are you doing here, and why is your death progress bar so full?

\n","published_time":"2023-04-13T23:34:12.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:43.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":174,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":4,"chapter_title":"Making a Move","content":"

His call was powerful and full of energy, reaching the skies and shaking the expressions of everyone in the room.

\n\n

Shi Jin was quick to notice three pairs of eyes filled with murderous intent aimed at him. The man with a refined face even moved his hand towards his gun.

\n\n

But with a sudden burst of clarity, he calmed his overheated mind and cautiously looked towards the only person in the room without any killing intent - the 'treasure' himself.

\n\n

He forced a smile and tried to salvage the situation, "My father always calls me 'treasure', he loves me very much..."

\n\n

The man in the wheelchair remained indifferent, waving his hand to stop the refined man from approaching Shi Jin. His gaze slid gently over Shi Jin's body as he asked, "So?"

\n\n

"So, so..."

\n\n

The man's voice was clear and pleasant, but Shi Jin felt a chill run down his neck. He desperately called out to Xiao Si in his mind while trying to save himself.

\n\n

"So, what I mean is... I am Shi Xingrui's youngest son, Shi Jin."

\n\n

"How can you prove your identity?" The man continued to ask.

\n\n

Shi Jin swallowed hard and couldn't help but glance at the progress bar above the man's head. He replied, "There is a cucumber pillow hidden under my bed where I live, and my ID is inside..."

\n\n

At the same time, he couldn't help but worry about Xiao Si's 'treasure', which seemed to be not doing so well with 999.5 points in his progress bar.

\n\n

As he was thinking, Xiao Si, who seemed to have frozen for a while, suddenly screamed in his mind without warning, like a madman: "...Ah ah ah, my precious, you finally appeared! How did your progress bar reach 999.5, no, wait, how did your progress bar also reach 998.5! Sob sob sob, what should I do, how can Daddy save you all..."

\n\n

"..." What the hell are you talking about, 'Daddy'!

\n\n

Shi Jin felt like his brain was about to be scrambled by Xiao Si's screaming. He frowned in pain, and then realized what Xiao Si had said. He looked at his progress bar in shock.

\n\n

- It really was 998.5, not a single point less! Before, it had only risen to 960, how come now... His heart trembled as he thought of something.

\n\n

Cold sweat dripped down his forehead as he looked again at the man in the wheelchair, who stared at him like he was looking at a dead person. He sang a song of despair in his heart.

\n\n

So, the other person did hear him calling him "baby" just now... And not only did he hear it, he seemed to be super concerned about it...

\n\n

He's done for.

\n\n

"I won't let anything happen to you, don't worry, Daddy... cough, I'll protect you and make sure you don't hurt each other. Close your eyes, I'm going to use my strength." Xiao Si waved his hand vigorously, proud and confident.

\n\n

Use his strength? What strength?

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled, but before he could ask, the ground suddenly shook violently outside, and the sound of explosions could be faintly heard. At the same time, the ground beneath their feet began to sway unsteadily.

\n\n

Holy... crap... Shi Jin was stunned, admiring and exclaiming in his mind, "Xiao Si, I didn't know you were so powerful..."

\n\n

"It's not me..." Xiao Si weakly retorted, feeling very embarrassed. "I can't use natural powers, I can only give you some buffs and open some back doors..."

\n\n

"What's going on outside?" Shi Jin was stunned.

\n\n

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the progress bar belonging to Xiao Si's precious item, which seemed to be flashing slightly, indicating that it was about to be filled. His heart skipped a beat as he quickly turned his head to take a closer look.

\n\n

Sure enough, the last half of the bar was flashing, indicating that it was about to be filled. He panicked, but his calmness in times of crisis kicked in. He quickly looked around and noticed that the crystal chandelier at the top of the hall was swaying slightly. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, grabbed the man's leg, pushed him back with all his might, and rolled to the ground.

\n\n

Crack.

\n\n

The chandelier came loose and crashed to the ground in the next second.

\n\n

Xiao Si only noticed the abnormality of the progress bar at this moment. Seeing the situation, it couldn't help but scream, giving Shi Jin a bunch of buffs all at once!

\n\n

Boom! The chandelier crashed to the ground, shattering into a million pieces. with many pieces hitting Shi Jin, while the man he had pushed was sent flying with his chair, crashing into the sofa with a loud bang.

\n\n

"Young Master Jun!" The man with the refined face, who had been on the phone with his subordinates, dropped his phone and rushed towards the fallen man.

\n\n

"Jin Jin!" Xiao Si shouted in Shi Jin's mind.

\n\n

Shi Jin stirred and weakly spoke, "Don't shout, I'm not dead..."

\n\n

He turned his head towards the sofa, where he saw the man he had pushed looking back at him through the crowd. He managed to force a smile and then passed out with relief.

\n\n

Surprisingly, his death value had decreased by half. The progress bar of this 'treasure' of Xiao Si's seemed to be easier to deal with than his...

\n\n

......

\n\n

The smell of disinfectant filled the air. When Shi Jin opened his eyes, he saw a man beside his bed. He couldn't help but frown and groan in pain - why did this scene feel so familiar?

\n\n

"Jin Jin, you're awake! Look, your progress bar has gone back to 880. Hehehe." Xiao Si's energetic voice came through, and Shi Jin reluctantly turned his head to look at the figure by his bed.

\n\n

The handsome man was still sitting in a wheelchair, but he had changed into a hazel robe with blue flowers. He seemed to sense Shi Jin's gaze and looked up. His lips, pale in color, parted slightly as he spoke in a clear and pleasant voice, "Shi Jin, my name is Lian Jun."

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't know what to say, so he nodded politely and replied, "Hello."

\n\n

"Mm." Lian Jun responded to his greeting and lowered his head to poke at the tablet in his hand.

\n\n

One minute, two minutes...five minutes passed, and Lian Jun showed no intention of looking up or speaking.

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't hold it in any longer and asked, "Um, yesterday..."

\n\n

Lian Jun lifted his eyes to look at him.

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't help but admire Lian Jun's stunningly beautiful yet pale face. In a moment of impulsiveness, he advised, "We should be law-abiding citizens in a harmonious society. Playing with the underworld* is very dangerous..."

\n\n

*T/N: organised crime syndicates in China

\n\n

"Pfft." Number Two, who was standing guard at the door, couldn't help but laugh.

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced over at him and then set down his tablet. He said, "I'm not part of the underworld."

\n\n

As Shi Jin finally noticed there were other people in the room, he felt a bit embarrassed by their laughter. But in his mind, he couldn't help but wonder, "Are they trying to deceive me? With all the talk about guns, explosions, and contact points or base movements, if they're not part of the underworld, then what are they? Could they be regular soldiers or...?"

\n\n

He couldn't help but widen his eyes in shock.

\n\n

"I'm not with the government either." Shi Jin's thoughts were almost written all over his face, and Lian Jun saw right through him. He slid his wheelchair over and placed a tablet by Shi Jin's pillow, saying, "You should rest." After speaking, he slid his wheelchair away.

\n\n

Number Two held back his laughter and waved goodbye to Shi Jin before following Lian Jun out of the room.

\n\n

The room fell silent, and Shi Jin couldn't help but wonder, "So why was he guarding my bedside? Just to introduce himself?"

\n\n

Xiao Si had a look of intoxication on his face as he exclaimed, "Ah, my precious baby is so kind. He was afraid that you would feel lonely while recovering, so he came to keep you company and chat with you."

\n\n

"..." This precious baby filter is too much.

\n\n

The tablet left behind by Lian Jun was a brand new machine with only some pre-installed system software and no unnecessary extra apps. As he scrolled through it, he became increasingly confused about what Lian Jun was trying to do.

\n\n

Seeing that there was no one in the room, he silently opened the software download center and searched for mahjong - he needed to relax after the big scare he had last night.

\n\n

But as a result of this relaxation, he ended up being stuck for five whole days.

\n\n

During this time, except for the silent delivery guy who brought food and the doctor who came to change his medicine on time, no one else saw or heard from Shi Jin. He couldn't even take a step out of the room.

\n\n

"What exactly does your precious baby mean by this?" Even someone with the best temper like Shi Jin was starting to get angry from being locked up for so long.

\n\n

Xiao Si felt a bit nervous and stuttered, "Uh, w-would you like to play a few more rounds of mahjong with me?"

\n\n

Shi Jin pulled the blanket over himself, indicating his refusal through actions.

\n\n

During dinner time that day, Shi Jin finally saw some new faces - a young man who had come with Lian Jun and was standing at the door trying to hold back his laughter.

\n\n

"I'm Number Two," the handsome man with a smile greeted warmly, placing a bag of clothes on the bed. "Change into these, I'll take you out for dinner."

\n\n

Shi Jin silently got up and took the bag to the bathroom - after five days, he could finally go out for some fresh air.

\n\n

As they walked out, Shi Jin kept secretly observing his surroundings without saying a word.

\n\n

Number Two, on the other hand, was talkative and initiated a conversation, "I heard you're the young master of Ruihang?"

\n\n

Shi Jin glanced at him and nodded, then shook his head. "Ruihang has nothing to do with me now."

\n\n

"Well, your company was taken by your older brother," Number Two smiled warmly and added, "You're really pitiful."

\n\n

"..." If the original owner were here, he would probably be crying with anger.

\n\n

But Number Two wasn't done yet.

\n\n

He continued, "I heard that as soon as you arrived, you called Young Master Jun 'baby' and even touched his leg?"

\n\n

Shi Jin's body trembled as he remembered the progress bar that shot up immediately when Lian Jun heard the word 'baby'. He shook his head frantically, "No, I didn't do that, it's all a misunderstanding."

\n\n

"Don't be afraid, everyone has a desire for the beautiful. Young Master Jun is indeed very tempting, but anyone who dared to have thoughts about him in the past..." Number Two deliberately left the sentence unfinished, leaving them both hanging.

\n\n

Shi Jin was foolishly hooked and asked nervously, "What happened?"

\n\n

Number Two had a mysterious expression on his face and slowly shifted his gaze to three inches below Shi Jin's navel, making a scissor gesture with his fingers.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt a chill in his groin and his mouth tasted as bitter as if he had eaten bitter melon.

\n\n

He explained in a pale voice, "Brother, it's all a misunderstanding. I like girls..."

\n\n

Number Two's face darkened and a mini gun appeared in his hand. His tone was ominous as he asked, "Are you saying that Young Master Jun isn't as good-looking as women?"

\n\n

This guy changed his tune so quickly! Shi Jin thought, feeling deceived by Number Two's previous friendliness.

\n\n

"Hmm?" Number Two began to twirl his gun.

\n\n

Shi Jin weighed the pros and cons and quickly flattered, "No, no, no, that's not what I meant. Your Young Master Jun is naturally better-looking than most girls. He's the best..."

\n\n

Number Two suddenly stopped and all his emotions were instantly suppressed. He reached out and slid open the simple and elegant sliding door beside him, extending his hand with great respect and saying, "This is the dining room, Mr. Shi, please."

\n\n

Behind the door, Lian Jun, who was sitting crookedly on the tatami mat, looked over through a table of food and asked, "How am I the best?"

\n\n

Shi Jin: "............"

\n\n

Xiao Si was so angry that it was about to explode, "This Number Two is a bad person! He actually instigated trouble between you and my precious baby. Look, your progress bar has gone up to 900 again. I don't care, I'm going to beat him!"

\n\n

Shi Jin also wanted to beat up Number Two, but he didn't move.

\n\n

He simply said, "Number Two, I know you're jealous that I touched Young Master Jun's leg, but it was to save a life... There's nothing wrong with liking the same sex, don't feel inferior. I don't discriminate against you." He even patted Number Two's shoulder with great force.

\n\n

Xiao Si secretly added a powerful buff to Shi Jin's hand.

\n\n

Number Two's expression visibly twisted, but he didn't dare to struggle out of Shi Jin's grasp.

\n\n

He turned his head to look at Lian Jun and explained dryly, "Young Master Jun, I was just joking. It's because Mr. Shi is so cute..."

\n\n

"Go receive your punishment." Lian Jun had a heart of stone and ignored Number Two's instant change of expression.

\n\n

He looked at Shi Jin and beckoned him over. "Come, let's eat."

\n\n

Shi Jin released Number Two's shoulder with satisfaction and said with a smile, "You're really pitiful."

\n\n

After seeing Number Two's expression of frustration, as if he had eaten shit, Shi Jin was finally satisfied and walked into the dining hall with a sense of revenge.

\n\n

He sat proudly across from Lian Jun.

\n","published_time":"2023-04-19T23:36:51.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:46.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":181,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":5,"chapter_title":"Buff","content":"

Today, Lian Jun was dressed in a white and blue striped robe, lazily reclining on a light-colored tatami mat with a beige pillow behind his back. He didn't look like a leader of the underworld, but rather like a carefree nobleman from ancient times.

\n\n

After Shi Jin took his seat, Lian Jun personally poured him a glass of wine and asked, "Are you happy?"

\n\n

Shi Jin's smile froze for a second when he saw the progress bar above Lian Jun's head showing 600. In his mind, he screamed, "What's going on? Didn't your precious baby's progress bar drop back to 500 five days ago? How did it go up by 100 now?"

\n\n

Xiao Si was also at a loss and stuttered, "I-I don't know."

\n\n

Without getting a response, Lian Jun looked at Shi Jin's eyes, which had lost focus, and calmly asked, "What are you looking at?"

\n\n

"I was looking at you..." Just as he started speaking, Shi Jin snapped back to reality. His heart tightened and he quickly leaned over to grab the hand of Lian Jun, who was still holding onto the slender-necked wine bottle. He forced a dry smile and said, "I noticed that you don't look too well. You see, I'm not of legal drinking age yet, and since you're not feeling well, it's not suitable for us to drink right now. So let's forget about this wine..."

\n\n

Lian Jun's gaze fell onto his own hand.

\n\n

Shi Jin instinctively followed his gaze.

\n\n

On the delicate porcelain bottle, a chubby, white hand shamelessly clung onto the pale, slender hand below it, tightly gripping it. It looked particularly shameless.

\n\n

Xiao Si cried and laughed, "I should be happy to see you two getting along so well, but Jin Jin, why did your progress bar go up again? It's already at 950, I'm so scared, wuwuwu..."

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly withdrew his hand and was on the verge of tears as he explained, "I didn't mean to touch your hand..."

\n\n

"I know," Lian Jun replied, retracting his hand and pressing the call button on the table. His voice was gentle as he added, "Just like how a few days ago, you didn't mean to touch my leg."

\n\n

Shi Jin felt like crying, but no tears came. Why was this precious baby such a person?

\n\n

As the bell rang, there was a knock on the sliding door. One of the men who had appeared in the lobby five days ago stood at the door, looking respectful as he addressed Lian Jun, "Young Master Jun."

\n\n

"Number Three, go get Mr. Shi's things," Lian Jun instructed.

\n\n

Number Three nodded and quietly closed the door behind him.

\n\n

The room fell silent once again. This time, Shi Jin dared not look around or speak, instead burying his head like a statue. Lian Jun ignored him and took a bite of the dish, staining his pale lips with a touch of color.

\n\n

He asked, "Why aren't you eating? Don't you like the food?"

\n\n

He was clearly asking a rhetorical question.

\n\n

Shi Jin still kept his mouth tightly shut, obediently picking up his chopsticks and reaching for the plate of sauce-covered cucumbers closest to him. He had made up his mind to keep his distance from Lian Jun, this beauty.

\n\n

"I heard that the young master of the Shi family enjoys all kinds of delicacies, but hates cucumbers... Well, I can understand. Cucumbers are tasteless and bland, not very appealing to those who prefer strong flavors," Lian Jun said leisurely, picking up a peanut with his chopsticks.

\n\n

Shi Jin's hand stiffened, and his chopsticks veered off course, stabbing into the three-colored stir-fried shrimp next to the cucumber dish.

\n\n

In his mind, he argued with Xiao Si, "Is your precious little one trying to set me up for a death banquet? Can't you control him?"

\n\n

Xiao Si whined and refused to face reality: "Nonsense! My darling has a pure and kind heart. He wouldn't... he wouldn't..."

\n\n

"Wouldn't intentionally put a plate of pickled cucumbers in front of me to test me?" Shi Jin gritted his teeth, his tone ominous. "And wouldn't twist the truth about me touching his leg?"

\n\n

Xiao Si whispered, "But you did touch it... um, was it nice?"

\n\n

Shi Jin felt like he was going to be driven crazy.

\n\n

"O-okay," Xiao Si, seeing his silence, softened and tried to comfort him. "Feelings need to be cultivated slowly, and trust can't be built overnight. Let me try to make my darling less wary of you. Just wait a bit, okay?"

\n\n

Shi Jin finally felt a little better and picked up the shrimp he had been poking at for ages, stuffing it into his mouth. Lian Jun observed his every move and asked, "What were you doing just now? Did you recite prayers for the shrimp before eating?"

\n\n

Shi Jin paused his chewing, quickly swallowed the shrimp, and spoke with a hint of meaning, "My dad said we should be grateful for everything good in life, whether it's food, the sunshine we bask in every day, or even a stranger's smile. Especially for those who have helped us, we should always have a kind heart."

\n\n

Lian Jun put down his chopsticks and picked up his wine glass, "I never would have thought that Mr. Shi Xingrui, known for his ruthlessness and lack of empathy, would have such a...kind philosophy when it comes to educating his children. It's truly surprising."

\n\n

"He's pretending! He doesn't want to acknowledge my debt of gratitude to him. He's so evil!" Shi Jin angrily condemned in his heart.

\n\n

Xiao Si quickly comforted him, "It's okay, the buff is done, and the baby won't bully you anymore! Jin Jin, you're the best, Jin Jin is the most good-looking minor in the world!"

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..." This flattery made him want to vomit the shrimp he just ate.

\n\n

The sliding door was knocked on again. A stranger appeared at the door, holding a bag. He had short hair, well-defined features, deep eye sockets, and a lingering hostility between his eyebrows. His pupils were a harsh green, indicating his mixed-race identity.

\n\n

"Young Master Jun," the man greeted respectfully.

\n\n

Lian Jun's gaze shifted lightly as he asked, "Why are you here? Where's Number Three?"

\n\n

"Number Three was called away by Number One," the man replied simply.

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded in understanding and ordered, "Put down the things and leave."

\n\n

"Okay." The man stepped into the room, placed the bag on the table, and quietly left without even glancing at Shi Jin.

\n\n

Shi Jin furrowed his brow slowly. "Did you notice?" he asked gravely in his mind.

\n\n

Xiao Si replied hesitantly. "When the man entered the room just now, it seemed like the progress bar for my precious baby increased a bit. But when he left, it went back down again."

\n\n

"So, it wasn't just my imagination." Shi Jin put down his chopsticks and couldn't help but turn to look at the sliding door that had been closed, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter.

\n\n

"This person wants to kill Lian Jun, he's a threat. Maybe the 100 progress points that Lian Jun gained in the past few days were because of him."

\n\n

"But he seemed like one of the baby's subordinates..." Xiao Si's tone also became serious.

\n\n

As Lian Jun watched Shi Jin constantly turning his head to look at the door, he asked, "Does Mr. Shi care a lot about Number Four?"

\n\n

Shi Jin turned his head back to look at Lian Jun and the progress bar above his head.

\n\n

His expression was no longer relaxed and a bit tense as he asked, "The person just now was called Number Four?"

\n\n

Number Two, Number Four, and the previously mentioned Number Three, their code names all had the same format but with different rankings. They were able to get close to Lian Jun, so it seemed that they were Lian Jun's important right-hand men... This situation was difficult to handle.

\n\n

Lian Jun swirled his wine glass, his eyes so black that it seemed like no light could enter.

\n\n

He looked straight at Shi Jin and his voice became even softer, "Number Four has always been a likable person. I don't oppose my subordinates falling in love."

\n\n

Why did he say such strange things?

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't understand, so he decided to ignore the statement and answered a previous question from Lian Jun seriously, "I do care about Number Four."

\n\n

"Mm." Lian Jun took a sip of wine with his eyes half-closed, making it hard to read his emotions.

\n\n

Xiao Si trembled, "Jin, Jin Jin, your progress bar has increased again, it's now at 960."

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback, then looked at Lian Jun, who seemed to be focused on tasting the wine.

\n\n

He continued with a sense of despair, "Because I'm afraid of him! The day he was brought in, he looked me in the eye through the crack in the door. There was no emotion in his green pupils, like a bloodthirsty beast. Today, after seeing his full appearance, I feel that my intuition was right. He's dangerous, with a fierce aura in his eyes and brows. He doesn't seem like a good person."

\n\n

He also didn't seem like someone who would be loyal to his employer. As Shi Jin was speaking, Jun Lian suddenly lifted his eyes and gazed at his moving lips with a mysterious expression. He took another sip of wine, and it was unclear what she was thinking.

\n\n

"Lowered, lowered! Jin Jin, your progress bar has dropped to 950!" Xiao Si exclaimed excitedly.

\n\n

"But your precious baby's progress bar has gone up, by 2 points, one point per sip of wine." Shi Jin poured cold water on the conversation, feeling frustrated by the convoluted progress bar. He didn't want to continue testing the waters with Lian Jun, so he stood up and sat next to him.

\n\n

He snatched the wine glass from Lian Jun's hand and grabbed a chopstick, taking some food for him. Irritated, he said, "If you're not feeling well, don't drink. Do you want to die early? I'm hungry, don't talk to me anymore. I don't want to talk to you today."

\n\n

With that, he started eating with his head down, still thinking about the suspicious Number Four. He was far away from home, and from his five brothers, living in a remote mountainous area and distant waters.

\n\n

Although it was hard to read the mind of Lian Jun, it didn't seem like he really wanted to kill him at the moment, so despite his progress bar being close to full, he was still relatively safe.

\n\n

However, Lian Jun was different. His progress bar was dropping and rising quickly, and his death sentence seemed to be different from his own. When his progress bar was full, he would really die immediately. There was also a villain lurking around him, and his own physical condition was much more dangerous than his.

\n\n

Sure enough, there was no easy-to-lower progress bar in this world... Shi Jin picked up a piece of fish and silently mourned for himself five days ago when he was still naive.

\n\n

For the first time, Lian Jun had his wine glass snatched away from him. He was stunned for a moment before regaining his composure. He looked over at Shi Jin, who was busy eating beside him, and was surprised to find that he wasn't angry about the rude gesture.

\n\n

He also didn't feel uneasy with the close proximity between them. In fact, watching Shi Jin enjoy his meal made Lian Jun suddenly feel hungry too. He picked up his chopsticks and reached for the piece of fish that Shi Jin had just given him.

\n\n

The meal started off with a bang but ended rather uneventfully. After eating and drinking to his heart's content, Shi Jin was led by Number Three, who had an ordinary appearance, to a cozy and comfortable guest room.

\n\n

Holding his recovered luggage in his arms, Shi Jin was puzzled, "How is it that my progress bar dropped back to 880 after just one meal? Does silence really make one live longer?"

\n\n

Xiao Si proudly puffed out his chest, "It's because the buff I gave you is working!"

\n\n

As he realized he too was a man with a "golden finger," Shi Jin's eyes lit up and he asked eagerly, "So what kind of buff did you give me? A trust bonus or a friendliness boost?"

\n\n

Xiao Si shook his head and explained, "Trust and friendliness are based on how others perceive you, and I can't add to that. I can only give you a buff tailored specifically to you."

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled. "Then what kind of buff did you give me?"

\n\n

Xiao Si suddenly became evasive.

\n\n

Shi Jin had a bad feeling and his tone turned ominous. "Confess and you'll be treated leniently. Resist and face the consequences."

\n\n

This threat was more effective than anything else, and Xiao Si relented, muttering, "You guys were eating just now, and I thought if everyone was happy while eating, the atmosphere would become harmonious. So, I gave you a 'happy eating' buff..."

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't understand: "What does a 'happy eating' buff mean? Will it make able to eat more?" But he didn't eat much for dinner.

\n\n

"It's not like that," Xiao Si answered, her voice getting lower, "It's just, it makes you look especially appetizing... Look, even Baby just ate an extra bowl of rice..."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "......"

\n","published_time":"2023-04-27T23:15:59.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:49.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":190,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":6,"chapter_title":"Staying","content":"

Later that day, there was suddenly some commotion coming from the master bedroom on the other side of the small courtyard from the guest room - it seemed that delicate and frail Lian Jun had eaten too much for dinner and was feeling unwell.

\n\n

Shi Jin peeked through the door crack and asked softly, "How long will the delicious buff last?"

\n\n

Xiao Si's voice was weak, "I don't know."

\n\n

"You don't know your own things?" Shi Jin couldn't believe it.

\n\n

Xiao Si became even more nervous, "Because I've never used this buff before, and the duration of the buff varies from person to person."

\n\n

"..."

\n\n

Shi Jin was helpless and asked, "So how long can it last at most?"

\n\n

"O-one year?" Xiao Si wasn't too sure.

\n\n

Shi Jin's face was expressionless, "...You're really great then."

\n\n

Xiao Si spoke shyly, "No need to be polite, I only used a small amount of my power."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

The commotion of the doctor coming in and out continued until the early hours of the morning. Shi Jin saw that the progress bar in his mind belonging to Lian Jun had stopped at 620, and he sighed with worry.

\n\n

Lian Jun's progress bar was really difficult to handle. It hadn't increased by 100 in five days, but just one meal could increase it by 20. The safety margin of 500 was disappearing in the blink of an eye, with one-fifth gone. Shi Jin couldn't understand how Lian Jun managed to survive in such a frustrating situation and even became a suspected leader of the underworld.

\n\n

"Xiao Si, we need to come up with a plan to keep him alive," Shi Jin said, his voice muffled by the blanket. "With Lian Jun's current condition, I feel like he could die at any moment if we're not careful."

\n\n

Xiao Si's voice became serious as he let out a low "Mm" and added, "Jin Jin has worked hard, thank you."

\n\n

"We're in this together, no need to thank me," Shi Jin turned over and looked at the sliding door with delicate patterns not far away. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked, "If Lian Jun dies..."

\n\n

"The background of the world in the book may become unbalanced," Xiao Si answered.

\n\n

Shi Jin knew exactly what book they were talking about, but even now, he still couldn't believe that he had been reborn into a book.

\n\n

Forget it, why think so much? Just take it one day at a time. He pulled up the blanket and closed his eyes.

\n\n

After a good night's sleep, Shi Jin woke up feeling rejuvenated. With the new buff given to him by Xiao Si, he strode confidently into the dining hall and forcefully pushed open the sliding door, shouting, "Lian Jun, I want to follow you and make it big in society!"

\n\n

As he entered, a pill that Lian Jun had just picked up fell onto the table with a clatter.

\n\n

The doctor standing nearby, with an impassive expression, picked up a few more pills and handed them to Lian Jun, saying, "Young Master Jun, you can keep throwing away your medicine, but I have plenty more. I'll make sure you take them."

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly retreated and closed the door, saying through the door, "I'm sorry, I didn't see anything just now." In his heart, he couldn't help but marvel at how Lian Jun, who seemed so powerful, was actually like a child when it came to taking medicine. It just goes to show that everyone has their weaknesses.

\n\n

As soon as the medicine was handed to him, Lian Jun's heart skipped a beat. He raised his hand, closed his eyes, and swallowed the medicine in one gulp. He looked at the old doctor and asked, "Are you happy now?"

\n\n

The old doctor knew that he was a bit agitated at the moment, so he wisely didn't say anything. Instead, he gestured towards the door and changed the subject, asking, "What are you going to do with him, Young Master Jun?"

\n\n

Lian Jun replied, "Of course, I'm going to pack him up and send him back to his brother--"

\n\n

"No, you can't!!!" Suddenly, Shi Jin rushed in, pushing the door open with a bang. He threw himself at Lian Jun's feet and hugged his legs tightly. "Young Master Jun, you have to take me in. My brother wants me dead. You can't send me back. Please, let me stay with you. I saved your life once, remember?" He pinched his own thigh hard and looked up at Lian Jun with tears in his eyes.

\n\n

"Wow." The old doctor took a step back and leaned against the wall, enjoying the show.

\n\n

Lian Jun was taken aback by the sudden embrace, but then his face darkened as he said, "Let go!"

\n\n

"I won't let go! It's easy to invite a god but hard to send one away. You brought me here, so you're responsible for me!" Shi Jin abandoned all shame and, taking advantage of the youth of his body, threw a tantrum. He knew that his recent brush with death had given him a significant boost, and he calculated that this was the best way to ensure success. He absolutely couldn't let go!

\n\n

Lian Jun's legs were naturally weak and he couldn't kick Shi Jin away. His pale face turned slightly red, whether from anger or something else, and he tightly pursed his lips. Suddenly, he drew a dagger from his waistband and held it to Shi Jin's neck, threatening, "Let go, or I'll kill you."

\n\n

As Shi Jin's body stiffened, he hesitated. Xiao Si quickly reminded him in a loud voice, "He's just trying to scare you! He won't really hurt you. Look at your progress bar, it hasn't gone up at all! Don't be afraid, go ahead and take down this treasure!"

\n\n

The words were somehow a bit strange.

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled by Xiao Si's words, but his heart settled down. He held onto Lian Jun's thigh tightly and quickly explained the situation of the Shi family. Then, he looked at Lian Jun pitifully and tried to flatter him, "Young Master Jun, you're so kind. You won't let me go back and die, right? Besides, I'm not even of age yet. Can you bear to let me wander alone in society? What if I run into real gangsters next time? I might really be done for."

\n\n

With a flicker in his eyes, Lian Jun moved the dagger aside. It wasn't because he was moved by Shi Jin's pitiful story, but rather he asked, "Besides Shi Weichong, do you have four other brothers?"

\n\n

"Yes, yes, they're all vicious," Shi Jin replied, revealing the scar on his wrist. "Look at this, in order to avoid being killed by my brothers, I had to fake my own suicide to buy some time and escape. So please don't send me back, I'll really die."

\n\n

Lian Jun pondered for a moment, then gently shifted his weak legs and relaxed his tone. "Let go, or I'll really send you back."

\n\n

Seeing him soften, Shi Jin slowly released his grip, feeling a bit nervous inside.

\n\n

Ignoring the doctor who was only there to watch, Lian Jun straightened his disheveled clothes and gestured for him to leave. Once they were alone, he asked, "Is everything you said true?"

\n\n

"As true as gold," Shi Jin replied confidently, trying to make his words more convincing. "Do you remember the cucumber pillow I brought with me? It had my blood on it from when I tried to commit suicide. I used it to hide my ID and cash from my eldest brother and escaped when I had the chance."

\n\n

Lian Jun fell silent, looking thoughtful with his head bowed.

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't dare to disturb his thoughts and just watched him eagerly.

\n\n

After a few minutes, Lian Jun finally spoke. "I can let you stay."

\n\n

Xiao Si screamed in excitement, "Ah ah ah ah! Jin Jin, your progress bar suddenly dropped to 780!"

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback at first, but then he was overjoyed. When Lian Jun finally agreed to let him stay, the progress bar dropped by 100 points in an instant. Did this mean that as long as he stayed by Lian Jun's side, even if his whereabouts were exposed, the five brothers of the Shi family would not dare to easily lay a hand on him because they feared Lian Jun? And the progress bar would never fill up?

\n\n

This was truly an unexpected delight! Shi Jin never imagined that Lian Jun was such a powerful treasure!

\n\n

Shi Jin's happiness was written all over his face, and Lian Jun couldn't help but notice his silly and sweet smile. As he looked at him, he suddenly felt...hungry.

\n\n

He glanced at the breakfast on the table, which had seemed tasteless and unappetizing before. Perplexed by his sudden hunger, he furrowed his brow and continued, "But I never keep useless people around me. Shi Jin, your background is troublesome. Based on your previous life-saving favor to me, I can let you stay, but you need to think carefully. Here, you can no longer be the young master of the Shi family. You have to follow my rules."

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't hesitate to reply, "I don't want to be a young master anymore either, Young Master Jun. I will work hard to become useful and won't let you regret your decision today." This was also his way of telling Lan Jun that he didn't want to be unnecessarily sheltered, but rather wanted to truly follow Lan Jun in every sense of the word.

\n\n

Lian Jun understood the hidden meaning behind his words. He tapped his slender fingers on the table and scrutinized his face before saying meaningfully, "If that's the case, then show me the proof."

\n\n

Xiao Si was overjoyed and spoke incoherently, "It's at 700! Your progress bar has dropped to 700! Wahh, I'm so touched. You're amazing, and so is your progress. I love you all, and I want to see you guys succeed..."

\n\n

Shi Jin, who was originally happy, interrupted, "...If you can't speak properly, then shut up, thank you."

\n\n

......

\n\n

Shi Jin, who was allowed to stay, was led by Number Three to move out of the courtyard where Lian Jun was located and into the single dormitory where Number One lived. He was given several sets of work clothes from the Flower Fruit Orchard and officially became a member.

\n\n

"Our Flower Fruit Orchard is one of the largest fruit orchards in Y Province. We mainly grow fruits such as mangoes, black grapes, red grapes, pomegranates, pears, and more. The total area of the orchard is several thousand mu, including three hills, two artificial lakes, four small cultivation gardens, and some other basic facilities.

\n\n

"Since you are new here, just follow Number Two to the mango orchard for now. There isn't much work there recently, so you can get familiar with the place first. As for your salary and benefits, because you came in through the back door, we will give you the same treatment as our regular employees, including room and board, and a monthly salary of 6,000 yuan."

\n\n

As Shi Jin listened to Number Three's explanation, his excitement about joining the underworld was replaced by confusion. He couldn't help but ask, "Wait, you guys are part of the underworld, right? How come you're really growing fruits?"

\n\n

Number Three corrected with a serious face, "We're not a gang, we do legitimate business."

\n\n

Shi Jin's gaze fell on the holster at his waist, unable to find words.

\n\n

"That's the basic situation. Alright, go do your job. We happen to have a batch of mangoes to transport today, over by the second gate. Hurry up and meet with Number Two, don't delay things." Number Three handed Shi Jin a map of the orchard and a new phone, and unceremoniously confiscated Shi Jin's old phone. Then he briskly walked away.

\n\n

Shi Jin watched him leave, his mouth twitching. He tucked the phone away and followed the map's directions towards the second gate.

\n","published_time":"2023-05-03T22:34:56.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:53.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":197,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":7,"chapter_title":"Battle","content":"

All the buildings in the Flower Fruit Orchard were nestled in a valley, surrounded by mountains on three sides, with the fourth side facing a small hill where Shi Jin had parked. Beyond the hill lay the park and the road, making the location very secluded. There were four gates leading in and out of the valley, each located in one of the four directions. The two eastern gates were situated in the gap between two mountains, wide enough for two trucks to pass through side by side. When Shi Jin arrived, the iron gates of the second gate were wide open, and more than ten large trucks were parked in an orderly manner on the spacious ground inside.

\n\n

He put away the map and glanced at the open gate, then looked up at the mountains on either side of it. As expected, he saw two sentries standing guard there. "Xiao Jin Jin, what are you looking at?" Number Two suddenly appeared out of nowhere, holding a promotional foam board and blocking Shi Jin's view of the mountain outpost.

\n\n

Shi Jin glanced at him and pointed to the mountain, not hiding what he had seen. "Before we came, Number Three told me that we are legitimate businessmen. But would legitimate businessmen build an orchard in such a easily defensible location, with outposts on both sides of the entrance, and even arm their employees?"

\n\n

Number Two raised an eyebrow and laughed, showing his white teeth. "This place is too close to the border and the security is not good. It's all because of the situation."

\n\n

What a liar.

\n\n

Shi Jin rolled his eyes. Seeing that Number Two wasn't going to say anything, he knew he hadn't gained everyone's trust yet, so he changed the subject and asked, "What is that in your hand?" "We need a promotional board for our orchard," Number Two replied, walking over to a large truck and effortlessly nailing the board onto it. He turned to Shi Jin and showed off, "How's that? Is it eye-catching enough? This promotional method was my idea, pretty impressive, right?"

\n\n

Hanging promotional boards on vehicles is such an outdated method, isn't it?

\n\n

Shi Jin swallowed his sarcasm and asked, "When do we leave? Where are we shipping these fruits to?"

\n\n

"Don't ask too many questions, good boy," Number Two walked over and patted Shi Jin's shoulder with a smile, "You just need to follow me, you don't need to do anything else."

\n\n

Shi Jin shook off his hand, no longer asking any more questions, and replied with a straight face, "Okay, little second brother." As soon as Number Two realized that he was being thanked for calling out "Xiao Jin Jin" earlier, he burst out laughing and playfully patted Jin's shoulder, looking like he had just found a treasure. "You're so cute, not at all like a pampered little young master. I like you."

\n\n

Jin kicked Gu's leg without hesitation, signaling that he didn't want to chat anymore.

\n\n

After fifteen minutes, the convoy was finally ready to depart. Jin followed Gu onto the middle vehicle, with Gu driving and Jin sitting in the passenger seat.

\n\n

"Do you have a driver's license?" Gu asked.

\n\n

"No, I'm not old enough yet, but I can drive," Jin replied.

\n\n

"Then let's take turns driving. You can rest for a bit and recharge," Gu suggested.

\n\n

Jin frowned. "Aren't you afraid of me getting caught by the police for driving without a license?" "Number Two" gave him a strange look, as if smiling but not really: "Don't worry, the route we're taking won't encounter any traffic police."

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled.

\n\n

Several hours later, when Shi Jin woke up from his nap and was ready to take over for "Number Two," he finally understood the meaning behind "not encountering any traffic police."

\n\n

"Did we cross the border?" Shi Jin looked around at the desolate surroundings and occasional unfamiliar road signs, feeling very confused.

\n\n

"You have good eyesight." "Number Two" had an unlit cigarette in his mouth and mumbled, "The convoy will stop for a 15-minute break in ten minutes. Hurry up and eat, get ready to take over for me."

\n\n

They had actually crossed the border. Shi Jin now had serious doubts that the truck behind him was carrying mangoes, but he wisely didn't ask and bent down to take food out of the car fridge to eat. After a brief rest, the convoy continued on their journey.

\n\n

Number Two, who had switched to the passenger seat, fell asleep immediately. Shi Jin followed the lead car towards an unknown destination, silently asking Xiao Si in his mind, "What exactly does your precious do? Don't tell me you don't know."

\n\n

Xiao Si knew for sure that once the progress bar for Lian Jun was activated, all information about him would be fed back to it. So, it replied in detail: "Dearest is the head of a legalized multinational criminal organization called Annihilation. The organization's rise to power was somewhat murky, and it had some conflicts with many underworld forces. But that's all ancient history now.

\n\n

"Since Dearest took over, Annihilation has become better and better. Not only has it cut off all illegal business, but it has also cooperated with various countries' officials and occasionally assisted them in eliminating some illegal criminal organizations. It's gradually whitewashing its image and turning towards the light. So trust me, Dearest is really a good person."

\n\n

As Shi Jin listened, his heart grew more and more uneasy. He finally understood why just from Lian Jun allowing him to stay, his progress bar dropped rapidly - businessmen like Lian Jun, who had connections in both the legal and illegal worlds, were truly fearsome.

\n\n

He had unwittingly latched onto a big shot's thigh.

\n\n

Shi Jin sighed with mixed emotions. Thinking of the progress bar, his mind began to wander, and he absentmindedly took out his phone from his pocket.

\n\n

Xiao Si was puzzled, "Jin Jin, are you going to make a call? Let me do it. It's not safe to be distracted while driving."

\n\n

"With Number Two beside me, who knows if he's really sleeping or faking it. If he sees my phone making a call by itself, he'll probably burn me at the stake," Shi Jin said, his fingers already skillfully dialing a string of numbers as he made the call.

\n\n

Xiao Si was startled, "Jin Jin, isn't this the Shi family's eldest brother's phone? Did you dial the wrong number?"

\n\n

"I'm looking for him. We're currently overseas, using an encrypted phone given by Lian Jun. The progress bar has even dropped to 700. It's a perfect opportunity, we can't afford to miss it." Jin Jin replied.

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Xiao Si calmed down and helped Jin Jin keep an eye on the road while he made the call, to prevent any accidents.

\n\n

Shi Jin had put the call on speaker, not caring that Number Two could listen in on their conversation. However, Number Two seemed to have already fallen asleep, not even the loud dialing tone could wake him up.

\n\n

After a few seconds, the call finally connected and Shi Weichong's voice came through, "Hello."

\n\n

Shi Jin intentionally lowered his voice and affectionately called out, "Big Brother."

\n\n

"Xiao Jin?" Shi Weichong's voice rose and his speech quickened, "Where are you?"

\n\n

Shi Jin continued to behave in a sticky manner and said, "I found a good job in a very safe place, so don't worry, big brother. I saw the news and congratulations on officially taking over Ruihang. I called you to remind you..."

\n\n

"Xiao Jin," Shi Weichong interrupted him, his tone not allowing refusal, "Tell me the address, I'll come bring you back."

\n\n

Bring him back? Bring him back to die?

\n\n

Shi Jin glanced at his progress bar, which had increased by 10 points, and realized once again how strong Shi Weichong's killing intent towards the original owner was.

\n\n

His tone was no longer sticky as he quickly said, "Be careful of your assistant. I once saw him in contact with Dad. If fate allows, we'll meet again. Take care, big brother."

\n\n

He hung up and blocked the number in one go, putting his phone back in his pocket.

\n\n

Xiao Si was very worried, "Jin Jin, the progress bar has increased to 720."

\n\n

Shi Jin tried to reassure, "It's okay, it will come down eventually. There's nothing we can do about it. As long as we restore contact with the Shi family's five brothers, the progress bar will definitely fluctuate. I just hope Shi Weichong can show some humanity. After accepting my selfless help, I hope he can have less desire to kill me."

\n\n

"He definitely will," Xiao Si comforted, trying to find reasons. "You no longer pose a threat to Shi Weichong. He doesn't seem like the kind of person who would go to extremes. If we continue to play the emotional card, he will eventually give up on killing you."

\n\n

"I hope so."

\n\n

......

\n\n

As the car continued to drive, Xiao Si suddenly exclaimed.

\n\n

Shi Jin was focused on observing the surroundings and casually asked, "What's wrong?"

\n\n

"Jin Jin, your progress bar is steadily increasing," Xiao Si said with a serious tone. "And it's getting faster and faster. It's already at 750. At first, I thought the bar was increasing because Shi Weichong was angry after you blocked him, but now it seems like there's danger ahead and you're getting closer to it."

\n\n

Hearing this, Shi Jin's heart sank. He tentatively increased his speed and noticed that the progress bar increased along with it. He couldn't help but curse under his breath.

\n\n

"What's wrong?" Number Two opened his eyes, looking like he had just woken up. He yawned and asked, "How long did I sleep?"

\n\n

"Not long," Shi Jin replied, hesitating whether or not to remind Number Two to be careful ahead.

\n\n

As he was thinking this, Number Two suddenly reached out and closed the half-open window of the truck, smiling as he said, "It's getting dark, and we'll be passing through a forested path ahead. There may be wild beasts around, so be careful."

\n\n

Shi Jin heard the hidden meaning in his words, and his tense heart suddenly relaxed. He gritted his teeth inwardly, thinking, "This bastard obviously knows there's danger ahead!"

\n\n

Xiao Si timidly replied, "Y-yes, probably."

\n\n

As soon as night fell, the convoy's vehicles turned on their headlights and drove steadily onto the dirt road in the dense forest.

\n\n

The progress bar had already reached 900 and was increasing rapidly at a rate of 10 points per minute. Shi Jin's palms were sweaty, his body tense, and his gaze scanning the pitch-black trees on either side, on guard against any potential danger that could arise at any moment.

\n\n

"Don't be nervous, it's just a minor situation," said Number Two as he reached out to touch Shi Jin's shoulder, his tone relaxed.

\n\n

Shi Jin remained silent, focusing on driving.

\n\n

960, 970, 980, 990... As the progress bar approached completion, Shi Jin slowly held his breath, his foot hovering over the brake pedal, eager to press down.

\n\n

"Don't stop, keep driving and follow the car in front closely," Number Two tightened his grip on Shi Jin's shoulder, reminding him in a timely manner.

\n\n

Shi Jin gritted his teeth and glanced at the progress bar, which was only three points away from completion. He moved his foot away from the brake pedal and stepped on the accelerator - he didn't care anymore!

\n\n

Number Two's strength had better be as strong as his attitude, otherwise everyone would die today!

\n\n

Boom!

\n\n

Suddenly, there was an explosion ahead, and the dark forest was illuminated by flames. Shi Jin's eyes were almost blinded by the brightness, and he reflexively wanted to hit the brakes.

\n\n

But then Number Two's reminder sounded in his ear: "Follow the car in front of you. Drive the way they do. We can't use heavy weapons in the forest, or we'll start a wildfire. The other side won't dare to randomly detonate explosives."

\n\n

With this explosion, what the hell does it mean to say that they won't dare to randomly detonate explosives?!

\n\n

Shi Jin wanted to curse, but his brain remained calm. He quickly scanned his surroundings, using the light from the explosion and thick smoke to locate the position of the car in front of him. He turned the steering wheel and followed the car onto a small path, brushing past tree branches and leaves as they charged forward.

\n\n

Bang! Bang! Bang!

\n\n

Suddenly, a dense barrage of gunfire erupted. Number Two lowered the car window slightly and leaned out, firing several bullets towards the forest.

\n\n

The flames of a battle ignited, gunfire ringing out as they exchanged shots. Time was of the essence, and they couldn't afford to be distracted. They kept their eyes fixed on the vehicle in front of them, walking a tightrope on this winding path through the dense forest.

\n\n

After what felt like an eternity, the explosions and flames finally died down, and the convoy returned to the road.

\n\n

Number Two took his place in the passenger seat and praised, "Xiao Jin Jin, you're not bad, your mental fortitude is impressive."

\n\n

"Damn it," Shi Jin couldn't help but curse as he looked at the bullet holes in the car's windows. He fumed, "And you guys say you're not part of the underworld!"

\n","published_time":"2023-05-11T00:22:58.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:56.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":217,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":8,"chapter_title":"Practice","content":"

"What do you mean by 'you guys' and 'they'? From now on, it's all 'us'," Number Two grinned and patted Shi Jin's shoulder. "Xiao Jin Jin, you have to trust Number Three, we really are doing legitimate business."

\n\n

Shi Jin was not in a good mood and gritted his teeth as he asked, "So, are you saying that all the mangoes in these trucks are real?"

\n\n

"Well..." Number Two withdrew his hand and asked with concern, "Xiao Jin Jin, are you tired? Do you need a break?"

\n\n

This attempt to change the subject was really not well thought out!

\n\n

Ignoring him, Shi Jin stepped on the gas pedal and closed the distance between his truck and the one in front.

\n\n

In the early hours of the morning, the convoy veered off the small road and drove along an obviously temporary road towards the depths of the dense forest. As Shi Jin lacked experience driving in such terrible road conditions, he voluntarily switched positions with Number Two in a self-aware manner.

\n\n

After driving through twists and turns for another hour, the convoy finally arrived at its destination - a hidden village deep in the forest.

\n\n

Number Two got off the truck and spoke a few words to a short, thin man guarding the entrance of the village. The man nodded and blew a whistle, and then a large group of men dressed in camouflage emerged from various hiding places in the village. Without needing any instructions, they went straight to the truck to unload the cargo.

\n\n

Shi Jin observed the men and noticed a hint of military bearing in their every move. His heart skipped a beat. The dense jungle, the mysterious cargo, the potential roadblocks, and the suspected military personnel all indicated that this delivery mission was far from simple. It was better for him to play dumb and not arouse anyone's annoyance due to his curiosity.

\n\n

Number Two, who had been paying attention to Shi Jin's actions, smiled even more deeply.

\n\n

The delivery men quickly unloaded the cargo. One after another, metal boxes painted with dark green paint were transported into the village. In less than fifteen minutes, the truck was completely empty. Number Two and the thin man exchanged greetings and returned to the vehicle.

\n\n

"Are you tired?" Number Two asked, closing the car door.

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded, "Yes, I am."

\n\n

"Then go ahead and sleep," said Number Two as he started the truck and took another cigarette, but didn't light it. "When you wake up, take over for me."

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded again and glanced at the village hidden in the darkness ahead. He leaned back in his chair and said, "You can smoke if you want. I'm more afraid of you getting tired and crashing the truck than inhaling a few puffs of secondhand smoke."

\n\n

Number Two laughed and cursed, "You're the one who would crash the truck." But as he spoke, he took out a lighter and lit his cigarette.

\n\n

......

\n\n

Another day of high-speed driving passed, and in the early hours of the second day, the convoy safely returned to the orchard.

\n\n

Shi Jin spent two days on the truck, unable to eat or sleep well. When he got off the truck, he was practically half-dead and had to be dragged back to the dormitory by Number Two. As soon as he touched the bed, he fell asleep.

\n\n

After a deep sleep, Shi Jin woke up at noon the next day with a growling stomach.

\n\n

Luckily, there was a cafeteria in the dormitory building. After washing up, he headed over and spotted Number Two eating noodles at a table near the door. Shi Jin walked over and sat across from him.

\n\n

Number Two noticed him and waved with a smile.

\n\n

"How do you have so much energy?" Shi Jin asked weakly, observing Number Two's energetic appearance.

\n\n

"It's because your spirit is too low. You don't seem like a young person at all," Number Two replied, calling over the cafeteria chef to serve Shi Jin a bowl of noodles. He looked Shi Jin up and down, shaking his head.

\n\n

"Although you're cute with your chubby figure, your physical fitness is really poor. You'll be a liability in critical moments. You need to train more."

\n\n

Shi Jin rubbed his belly, which was now two sizes smaller than before, and knew that his physical strength was a big problem. He thought about his eight-pack abs from his past life and picked up his chopsticks to twirl his noodles, determinedly saying, "Alright, I'll do it! I've already lost the weight, now it's time to exercise."

\n\n

Number Two raised his eyebrows in surprise, impressed by Shi Jin's decisiveness. He said, "Great, let's start then. The mango orchard is on the farthest hill from the dormitory. After breakfast, go there and run ten laps around the orchard."

\n\n

As Number Two spoke, Shi Jin's noodles slipped from his chopsticks and splashed into his soup bowl, making a mess.

\n\n

......

\n\n

Good physical strength and a great figure cannot be achieved in just a few days. Shi Jin gritted his teeth and didn't need anyone to supervise him. Every day, he voluntarily ran up and down the mountain, and his body quickly slimmed down. He even grew a bit taller, but his clothes became a size smaller.

\n\n

Number Two leaned against the wall in the monitoring room, watching Shi Jin run from one screen to another.

\n\n

He exclaimed, "I've never seen a newcomer with such high quality. He's self-disciplined, diligent, observant, crisis-aware, mentally tough, obedient, doesn't ask unnecessary questions, doesn't look where he shouldn't, isn't arrogant, and has a sense of propriety... If I didn't know his background, I would have thought he was a graduate from a military academy who had snuck out."

\n\n

Lian Jun also watched the monitor and asked, "Did you ask everything I told you to ask?"

\n\n

"I did," Number Two replied. He seemed to have thought of something and a strange expression appeared on his face, as if he wanted to laugh but didn't.

\n\n

"It was indeed a coincidence that he stumbled upon our contact point and ended up staying in the mountain cabin. According to him, when he first arrived in Y province, he was so poor that he couldn't even afford to stay in a hotel. After asking around, he found out about the small park outside that didn't require an entrance fee, so he went there to spend the night. While wandering around, he spotted the house on the mountainside."

\n\n

It was quite impressive that he could spot the house from the park.

\n\n

Lian Jun moved his hand on the wheelchair's armrest and said, "Go on."

\n\n

Number Two held back his laughter and continued, "As for the mahjong parlor, it was because he was underage and had no education, so he couldn't find any job. He thought he was pretty good at playing mahjong, so he decided to try his luck at the parlor. The bigger parlors have strict regulations, and he was afraid the boss wouldn't let him work as a dealer. After some field research, he finally chose our little mahjong parlor, which seemed to have loose management."

\n\n

Number Three, who had been silent all along, couldn't help but ask, "So he was wandering around our base..."

\n\n

Number Two finally laughed and replied, "He was eyeing the chickens we raise on the mountain. I heard that on the day Number Four went to catch him, he was even stewing a pot of chicken soup at home."

\n\n

Even the usually composed Number Three couldn't help but chuckle at the words. He opened his mouth, then sighed, "Well, it seems he has some fate with us."

\n\n

"Indeed, he's just unlucky," Number Two recalled the annoyed expression on Shi Jin's face when he talked about his situation, and his laughter grew even louder.

\n\n

Jun Lian's lips curved slightly, but the arc was so shallow that no one noticed. He stopped looking at the monitor screen, turned his wheelchair, and ordered, "After he reaches the standard physical condition, let Number One teach him marksmanship and combat skills. When he's ready, bring him to me."

\n\n

Let Number One teach him? It's been a while since Number One has taken on a new recruit.

\n\n

Number Two and Number Three exchanged a glance, nodded, and respectfully replied, "Yes, sir."

\n\n

On the mountain, Shi Jin stopped, sweating profusely, and leaned on his knees to glance at the sudden drop of his progress bar to 700 and wondered, "Why did it suddenly drop?"

\n\n

After returning from delivering goods last time, his progress bar slowly dropped from almost full value to 720, staying at the same value as when he finished the call with Shi Weichong. Although his score had dropped a few points due to his physical changes during this time, it had always remained above 710.

\n\n

Xiao Si was also puzzled and guessed, "Could it be that Shi Weichong's side caused the drop? Didn't you remind him about the assistant's matter during the phone call before?"

\n\n

Shi Jin thought for a moment, wiped his sweat, and replied, "Probably. Anyway, let's continue running. Today's task is not yet complete."

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed. During this time, Shi Jin persisted in running circles up the mountain every day. He had lost weight and grown taller, and had become familiar with everyone in the dormitory building.

\n\n

He had also followed Number Two on a few more "mango" delivery trips, but they never went to such a remote place as the first time, and they never encountered danger again.

\n\n

Now, he had completely shed his previous appearance after being reborn.

\n\n

His once exquisitely dyed flower boy curls had become neat black straight hair. His fair skin had turned into a wheatish color, and his features had become more defined and three-dimensional. His eyebrows and eyes were handsome, and his lips were red and teeth white. When he smiled, he was especially charming.

\n\n

Number Two was shocked. He never expected Shi Jin to look like a fresh idol, and he always teased him about his milky smile.

\n\n

After the transformation, Shi Jin's progress bar dropped to 690, safely within the safety line. Strangely, Lian Jun's progress bar did not increase anymore, and even slowly retreated to 600 after his stomach was taken care of.

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled until he heard Number Three mention that Number Four and Number One had gone on a mission together and were not in the orchard anymore. Only then did he understand why Lian Jun's progress bar had stopped moving.

\n\n

He had tried to inquire about Number Four's situation from Number Two and Number Three, but unfortunately, both of them were shrewd and tight-lipped. He was afraid of arousing suspicion by asking too deeply, so he only got some superficial information that was not very useful.

\n\n

The days suddenly became stable and leisurely, even giving off a feeling of peacefulness. But clearly, this tranquility was just an illusion. The progress bar never stops, and stability is like a flower in a mirror or a moon in water - it disappears with a moment's inattention.

\n\n

One early morning, Shi Jin was abruptly awakened from his sleep by Xiao Si's urgent tone.

\n\n

"Jin Jin, wake up! The progress bar suddenly started to rise, both yours and Dearest's! Yours is at 700, Dearest's is at 750, and it's still increasing. There must be something wrong!"

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly shook off his drowsiness. He rushed to the window and noticed that the headlights of a car were flickering in the direction of the orchard gate. He quickly got dressed and went outside, only to bump into Number Two, who was also coming out with his phone in hand.

\n\n

"What's wrong?" Shi Jin asked anxiously when he saw Number Two's troubled expression.

\n\n

Number Two furrowed his brow and explained briefly, "There's news at the gate. Number One and Number Four have returned. Number One is injured and unconscious. I'm going to check on him."

\n\n

Number Four has returned?!

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart skipped a beat as he glanced at the two progress bars still increasing in his mind. "I'll go with you," he said.

\n\n

Number Two nodded and didn't waste any time. He made a call to the infirmary while hurrying outside.

\n","published_time":"2023-05-17T00:24:20.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:20.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":218,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":9,"chapter_title":"The Traitor","content":"

When they arrived, the medical staff had already made it to the door and were working together to move Number One onto a stretcher. Number Four stood to the side, his clothes stained with blood and his arm injured. He looked grim and disheveled.

\n\n

"What happened?" Number Two stepped forward anxiously. "Didn't you go to deliver a message? How did you come back injured?"

\n\n

Number Four's expression turned dark with near-tangible anger.

\n\n

"Our cover was blown, and we were ambushed on the way back. Number One took a bullet in the shoulder trying to save me. It's all my fault. I let my guard down."

\n\n

"Don't overthink it, it's not your fault," On hearing that Number One had only been shot in the shoulder, Number Two breathed a sigh of relief. He saw the doctor pushing Number One away on a stretcher and quickly gestured towards another mobile stretcher for Number Four and said, "You too, get on and have your wounds properly treated. We'll deal with everything else once the injuries are taken care of."

\n\n

But Number Four refused to budge, saying, "When I was attacked, I learned some very important information that I must tell Young Master Jun immediately."

\n\n

"I'll help you convey the message, you go get your wounds treated first," Number Two offered.

\n\n

"The message must be delivered by me personally to Young Master Jun," Number Four interrupted Number Two. Seeing Number Two frown at him, he subtly gestured towards the people around them and emphasized, "This message is very important and must be delivered by me personally and alone to Young Master Jun."

\n\n

After understanding his hint, Number Two stopped talking and scanned the people around him. After a few seconds of contemplation, he said, "You go ahead, I will notify Number Three to open the door for you. I'll stay here and watch over Number One, don't worry."

\n\n

"Thank you." Number Four smiled gratefully and dependently at Number Two before walking towards the courtyard where Lian Jun lived.

\n\n

Number Two watched him leave and then gestured for the people gathered at the door to disperse. As he turned to go check on Number One's condition at the infirmary, he realized that the little tail following him had disappeared.

\n\n

Puzzled, he grabbed a familiar person nearby and asked, "Did you see the new guy who was following me? Where did he go?"

\n\n

"Seems like he followed Mr. Number One's stretcher," the person who was stopped answered, looking hesitant. He added, "That's what it seemed like, but I'm not entirely sure."

\n\n

"Okay, got it," Number Two breathed a sigh of relief and continued walking with big strides.

\n\n

At that moment, Shi Jin, who Number Two was searching for, was running towards the small building with all his might, on the verge of a breakdown. Ever since he heard Number Four say he was going to the small building, he knew something was wrong.

\n\n

When he saw the progress bar for Lian Jun's level continuously increasing, he felt like he couldn't breathe.

\n\n

"F*ck, is Number Four trying to kill Lian Jun?!" He screamed in despair, increasing his speed once again.

\n\n

Xiao Si was also going crazy, desperately giving him a speed buff while shouting, "840! Jin Jin ah ah ah!"

\n\n

"Don't shout, I'm running hard, aren't I? We'll definitely get to the small building first by taking a shortcut given Number Four's path!" Shi Jin yelled, spotting a bike parked by the side of the road. He quickly ran over and hopped on, pedaling hard while reaching into his pocket.

\n\n

"Jin Jin, you were in a hurry, and didn't bring your phone!" Xiao Si cried out.

\n\n

"Damn it!" Shi Jin withdrew his hand, scanning the area for someone to borrow a phone from. But to his despair, the orchard that was usually patrolled by guards was eerily quiet tonight. Not a single soul was in sight along the way.

\n\n

This was definitely not right!

\n\n

As he approached the small building, Shi Jin's heart sank. He regretted not shouting at the top of his lungs at the door, calling out Number Four as a traitor and alerting others. He never expected Number Four to be so heartless, not even giving a hint before coming to take the life of Lian Jun!

\n\n

Turning the final corner, the small building came into view. The door was tightly shut, with only a few night lights on. It seemed that Number Four, who took the small path, had not arrived yet.

\n\n

Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief, quickly braking his bike and not bothering to knock on the door. He was afraid that Number Four, who could arrive at any moment, would become suspicious if he saw any movement in the small building. Instead, he ran towards the wall, jumped up, and grabbed onto the edge, flipping over into the courtyard.

\n\n

"Who's there!" The guard immediately pulled out his gun and aimed it at Shi Jin. Shi Jin quickly raised his hands in surrender and said, "I am a newcomer following Number Two. Number Four is a traitor and he is coming this way. The patrolling personnel in the garden are missing, and I suspect there may be an insider working with Number Four. Where is Number Three? I need to find him!"

\n\n

The guards recognized Shi Jin and were shocked by his explosive words. They furrowed their brows and quickly dialed Number Three's phone number on their mobile phones, but they still kept their guns trained on Shi Jin, being cautious.

\n\n

Shi Jin was getting anxious. The progress bar in his mind, belonging to Lian Jun, had already reached 940. He was worried that there might be a spy from Number Four around Lian Jun. He couldn't wait for the guards to slowly report to Number Three.

\n\n

With one swift step, he grabbed the hand of the guard holding a gun and used his other hand to skillfully snatch the guard's phone.

\n\n

Pointing the phone at the guard, he shouted, "Number Three, take Young Master Jun to a safe place. From now on, don't let anyone get close to him, even if they are familiar! I suspect there are other traitors around Young Master Jun!"

\n\n

After hanging up the phone, he immediately called Number Two. As soon as the call was connected, he quickly said, "Send people to guard the four gates of the orchard. Isolate the car that just returned from Number Four. From now on, try to stay with trustworthy people and don't be alone! Don't ask anymore, Number Four is a traitor!"

\n\n

After throwing the phone back to the stunned guard, he snatched the gun from his hand and strode to the gate. He opened a gap with his hand and found Number Four, who had already appeared more than ten meters away from the gate. He loaded the bullet directly and shot him down with one shot.

\n\n

Bang!

\n\n

With a gunshot, Number Four couldn't react in time and fell to the ground in disbelief. The black bag he had somehow gotten hold of fell to the ground as well. The guard finally snapped out of his daze after witnessing the chaos of his phone and gun being snatched.

\n\n

He was infuriated and marched towards Shi Jin, grabbing his shoulder and shouting, "What are you doing?! The investigation hasn't even started yet, and you're already--"

\n\n

"But by the time the investigation is done, everyone will be dead!" Shi Jin shrugged off the guard's grip and saw that the progress bar in his mind, belonging to Lian Jun, had stopped at 970.

\n\n

He felt slightly relieved and rushed to Number Four, who was lying injured on the ground. He kicked the gun out of his hand and opened the black bag beside him, only to find explosives inside.

\n\n

He couldn't help but give Number Four a harsh kick and curse, "You lunatic!"

\n\n

Number Four was already shot and now, after being kicked in the head, he was dizzy and unable to speak. The guard finally noticed that Number Four was outside and followed him out with a scowl, shouting, "Shi Jin, what exactly--?"

\n\n

"Shut up!" Shi Jin kicked his bag over to the guard and made him look at it. Then he bent down and flipped Number Four onto the ground, binding his hands with a belt. Just as he was about to drag him off to Lian Jun, he noticed that the progress bar in his mind belonging to Lian Jun had started to rise again.

\n\n

"Damn it!" Shi Jin cursed and threw Number Four to the ground before turning and running towards the small building.

\n\n

The guard was both angry and confused, shouting, "What are you doing now?"

\n\n

"I'm saving your boss's life!" Shi Jin shouted back, also extremely angry. "Keep an eye on Number Four! This isn't over yet!"

\n\n

975, 980, 985...

\n\n

The progress bar was rising at lightning speed. Shi Jin was running hard, his heart beating just as fast as the progress bar's movement.

\n\n

He was screaming in his mind, "Locate your Dearest's position! Don't tell me you can't do it! If you can't, your Dearest is done for!"

\n\n

Xiao Si was so anxious that he broke into a falsetto voice, "Right away, right away... in the study at the end of the left corridor!"

\n\n

Shi Jin turned sharply and ran towards the study. As soon as he entered the corridor, he saw a person in a white doctor's coat holding a medical kit standing at the door of the study. The door was half open, and the Number Three was lying face down on the ground, life or death unknown.

\n\n

"Call 995! Jin Jin!" Xiao Si screamed.

\n\n

"Damn it! Didn't I say not to let anyone near Lian Jun?!" Shi Jin's mind was about to explode. He raised his hand and aimed at the doctor's hand, which was about to push the door open.

\n\n

With a burst of speed, he charged forward and tackled the doctor to the ground, grabbing his hand holding the medical kit and twisting it. With a final twist and kick, he sent the medical kit flying to the other end of the corridor.

\n\n

Bang!

\n\n

The medical kit hit the wall, and the metal clasp came loose, revealing a gun and explosives inside.

\n\n

"More explosives! Do you bastards just love hurting people with this kind of thing?!" Shi Jin was furious. He aimed a blow at the struggling doctor's head, knocking him unconscious. Then he pushed open the study door and shouted, "Lian--"

\n\n

A muffled gunshot rang out, and Shi Jin's pupils shrank as he dodged the attack with a swift side step.

\n\n

Suddenly, a scream from Xiao Si echoed, "Ah ah ah ah, Jin Jin!"

\n\n

"It's you?" In the study, Lian Jun lowered his gun, surprised by Shi Jin's appearance.

\n\n

Shi Jin's tense body relaxed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Who else could it be? Look at your subordinates, one is a traitor, one is disobedient, and the guards at the gate are all idiots. It's a miracle you're still alive!"

\n\n

Lian Jun raised an eyebrow and gave him a deep look before sliding his wheelchair towards the tall bookshelf. He moved a small decoration on the lower level and with a click, the seemingly heavy bookshelf slid open, revealing a secret passage inside.

\n\n

With a face that looked like he had just been choked by an egg, Shi Jin couldn't help but feel anxious. While he was panicking over here, it seemed that Lian Jun had other means of escape. Was he worrying for nothing?

\n\n

Of course, Lian Jun was a master at this game, and he probably had other tricks up his sleeve. Shi Jin realized that Lian Jun's progress bar hadn't been that close to its maximum, so he didn't need to be so frantic. How could someone like Lian Jun not have other ways to protect himself?

\n\n

"Jin, Jin Jin..." Xiao Si timidly spoke up, trying to calm him down.

\n\n

Shi Jin held his chest and couldn't speak.

\n\n

Lian Jun was amused by Shi Jin's angry and frustrated expression. He smirked and said, "Come on in. Number Four suddenly attacked, so he must have been well-prepared. Let's go meet up with the others first."

\n\n

Shi Jin rolled his eyes and was about to bend down to lift up Number Three, who had fallen at the door, when he was shocked to see the supposedly unconscious Number Three suddenly move.

\n\n

He quickly got up and gave Shi Jin a look that said "not bad, young man", before pushing Lian Jun into the secret passage ahead of him.

\n\n

God...damn...

\n\n

Shi Jin's hand froze in mid-air as he quickly replayed the events of the night in his mind, and howled in his head, "We've been played! Played by Lian Jun! He knew all along that there was something wrong with Number Four. This is infuriating, I'm done with him!"

\n","published_time":"2023-05-25T02:08:05.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:21.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":219,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":10,"chapter_title":"Resolution","content":"

Once they entered the secret passage, Lian Jun's progress bar began to rapidly retreat, quickly dropping to 500, ensuring complete safety. Shi Jin's progress bar also followed suit, returning to 690.

\n\n

Seeing this, Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief and gritted his teeth, while also forming a suspicion in his mind. He thought to himself, "Your Dearest's progress bar retreats to 500 every time a crisis is resolved, but what about the remaining 500...?"

\n\n

Xiao Si chimed in, "Jin Jin, do you have any ideas?"

\n\n

Shi Jin glanced at Lian Jun, who was being pushed ahead by Number Three, and speculated, "Could the remaining 500 be related to Lian Jun's physical condition?"

\n\n

"I think Jin Jin is right! Jin Jin is so smart! Jin Jin is my favorite!" Xiao Si enthusiastically flattered, trying to make Shi Jin happy.

\n\n

After finally managing to regain his composure, Shi Jin's heart was almost knocked down again by Xiao Si's confession. He quickly pinched himself to stay calm and asked, "What's wrong with your Dearest's health? Is he sick?"

\n\n

Xiao Si's tone became serious as he replied, "No, he was born with a weak constitution and has some issues with his nerves."

\n\n

"What does that mean?" Shi Jin furrowed his brows.

\n\n

Xiao Si sighed and explained in detail, "My Baby was born prematurely and has always had poor health. His legs have always been weak since birth, but it wasn't as severe as it is now. He used to be able to walk normally and do some basic exercises to strengthen his body, but he couldn't engage in intense physical activity for long periods of time. After intense exercise, his legs would spasm and he would feel uncomfortable for a long time.

\n\n

"Actually, with my Baby's perseverance and effort, it's only a matter of time before he can slowly improve his physical condition. However, a few years ago, something happened that 'destroyed' everything. My Baby was secretly attacked and exposed to a new type of nerve toxin. He almost died, and although the poison was barely neutralized, it still caused irreparable damage to his body, which completely collapsed."

\n\n

Shi Jin's brow furrowed tighter as he continued to ask, "Then his legs..."

\n\n

"Now he can walk, but only for a few steps. And because of the residual toxins, the nerves in his legs have become extremely sensitive. Have you heard of the story of dancing on the tip of a knife? That's probably how it feels for him to walk now."

\n\n

Dancing on the tip of a knife.

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't help but glance again at Lian Jun sitting in the wheelchair ahead. He pondered for a while, then his furrowed brows slowly relaxed as he asked, "Xiao Si, is it possible for there to be a lethal factor in the progress bar that cannot be eliminated?"

\n\n

Xiao Si was taken aback by the question and replied, "No, there isn't. Otherwise, this game would be too unfair for you and the Baby."

\n\n

"Then that's alright!" Shi Jin's spirits lifted as he exclaimed happily, "Since there are no fatal factors that cannot be eliminated, it means that your Baby's body can still be saved. As long as we find the right method, he will definitely become healthy again!"

\n\n

Xiao Si was stunned for a few seconds, but then it too realized what Shi Jin meant and laughed foolishly, saying, "Yes, yes! The progress bar doesn't lie. If the remaining 500 progress bar really is related to his body... Ah, ah, ah, Jin Jin, you're so good! Jin Jin, I love you! Jin Jin, will you have little monkey babies with my Baby--"

\n\n

Shi Jin's tone was faint, "Want to try self-harm?"

\n\n

"...Jin Jin, we've reached the end of the secret passage," Xiao Si changed the subject, saving itself from punishment. Shi Jin looked up and saw that the secret passage had come to an end, with an iron door standing quietly.

\n\n

Number Three went to open the door, while Lian Jun slid his wheelchair to face Shi Jin from behind and asked, "Why so quiet? What are you thinking about?"

\n\n

Shi Jin looked at him, took in his frail body and pale complexion, and sighed with mixed emotions. He replied, "I'm thinking about whether you'll give me a bonus this month. After all, I helped you capture Number Four."

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't expect such an answer and was silent for a few seconds. He then pointed to the armrest of his wheelchair and continued, "What kind of bonus do you want? Power? Money? Or...freedom?"

\n\n

Huh? So a bonus doesn't just mean cash, but can also have other meanings?

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled and couldn't understand the hidden meaning in Lian Jun's words. Just as he was about to offer to double his salary, he thought of something and swallowed his words back. He confirmed and asked, "This bonus, no matter what I say, you will give it to me, right?"

\n\n

As soon as he asked this question, Lian Jun's fingers tapping on the armrest stopped, and Number Three by the door and Number Two behind the door also stopped talking and turned their heads to look at him.

\n\n

Shi Jin was confused and asked, "What's wrong with you guys? Did I say something strange?"

\n\n

"No," Lian Jun controlled his emotions, waved his hand to let Number Three and Number Two look away, and promised, "What do you want? As long as you ask, I will agree."

\n\n

With this assurance, Shi Jin felt relieved and said, "Then I want--"

\n\n

Boom--

\n\n

A loud explosion suddenly came from afar, causing Shi Jin's words to be held back. He turned his head towards the direction of the sound, but saw nothing. Behind the secret door was a small medical room with no windows for him to observe the outside world.

\n\n

Lian Jun frowned and ordered Number Two and Number Three to deal with the remnant companions of Number Four who were still causing trouble outside. He moved his wheelchair closer to Shi Jin and said, "Don't be distracted, Shi Jin. What do you want?"

\n\n

He showed an unexpected persistence towards this question, as if he wouldn't give up until he got an answer.

\n\n

Shi Jin turned his head again and tried to speak.

\n\n

Boom! Boom! Boom!

\n\n

A series of intense explosions echoed through the air, each one coming from a different direction. Shi Jin became anxious and cried out, "Could our orchard have been bombed away by Number Four's people? My pillow is still in the dormitory building!"

\n\n

The constant interruptions of the explosions made Lian Jun lose his patience. He grabbed Shi Jin's arm and squeezed it hard to regain his attention. In a deep voice, he asked, "Shi Jin, what do you really want?"

\n\n

Shi Jin shivered from Lian Jun's cold hand and finally realized that something was wrong with his emotions. He wanted to pull his arm back but held back and instead, grabbed Lian Jun's hand and rubbed it gently to warm him up.

\n\n

He replied, "Why are you in such a hurry? I just want to have dinner with you every day. And why is your hand so cold? It's not that cold today."

\n\n

Having meals together every day?

\n\n

Lian Jun was stunned, looking at his hand that had just been gently rubbed by him. His eyes flickered for a few seconds, and his tense arm slowly relaxed. He subtly closed the distance between them and asked, as if coaxing him, "So, what you mean is that you want to become like Number One and the rest, having equal rights and staying by my side? Or do you want to be even closer than them...what?"

\n\n

Why did he suddenly get so close...Shi Jin took a step back and shook his head, replying, "No, I simply want to have meals with you. After all, the food there must be better than the dormitory building's. Sigh, the canteen chef in the dormitory building uses too much oil and salt in his cooking. I really can't stand it."

\n\n

Lian Jun's expression stiffened, his gaze falling on the foot that had just stepped back. He asked, "...Is that all?"

\n\n

"Just that, wait, someone's coming," said Shi Jin, his expression serious as he pulled out his gun and held it tightly in his hand. He pushed Lian Jun to the corner of the wall and then crept towards the door, listening carefully to the footsteps approaching from outside.

\n\n

Three meters, two meters, one meter... Shi Jin loaded his gun and kept his eyes fixed on the door handle, which was being turned.

\n\n

Click, the door opened, and Shi Jin immediately aimed his gun at the intruder, his finger on the trigger.

\n\n

"Don't be alarmed, it's me," said Number Two, raising his hands in surrender and calming Shi Jin down. He then searched the room and found Lian Jun emerging from the corner. He reported, "The remnants have been dealt with. Number Four did indeed collude with outsiders and tried to use them to his advantage. The police have already caught all the ambushers waiting outside."

\n\n

Lian Jun slid out in his wheelchair and glanced at Shi Jin without much interest. "Not bad," he replied before passing by the two of them and wheeling away.

\n\n

Number Two looked puzzled and turned to Shi Jin, mouthing, "Did you make Lian Jun angry?"

\n\n

Shi Jin shook his head at first, then nodded hesitantly. "I guess so..."

\n\n

Number Two became intrigued and asked, "What did you do? Lian Jun may seem cold, but he actually has a pretty good temper. It's quite an accomplishment to make him angry."

\n\n

Shi Jin sighed. "I told him I'm a picky eater and wanted to go to his place to mooch off his food... Was that really such an unreasonable request?"

\n\n

Number Two: "...pfft."

\n\n

Shi Jin glared at him and started wriggling his fingers threateningly.

\n\n

"Don't, don't, don't! Don't touch me, you... sigh, you..." Number Two held his hand and struggled to hold back his laughter. Finally, unable to resist, he stifled a few chuckles, patted his shoulder, and sighed, "Silly child," before walking away.

\n\n

Shi Jin's face was as black as the bottom of a pot - you're the silly one! Your whole family is silly!

\n\n

......

\n\n

At dawn, the internal conflict instigated by Number Four was finally resolved. Number Four was captured, and all of his followers were exposed. The Flower Fruit Orchard was in shambles, and the damage caused by the explosion was incalculable.

\n\n

The dormitory building where Shi Jin lived was also destroyed in the blast. After a busy night, he wanted to catch up on sleep, but found that he had no bed to sleep in.

\n\n

Number Two passed by carrying a bag and comforted him, "Don't worry, hold on a bit longer. We have to move today, and the car will be here soon. You can sleep on the car."

\n\n

Shi Jin turned his head and asked, "Move? Where to?"

\n\n

"To City B. Actually, we should have left half a month ago. If it weren't for solving the hidden danger of Number Four, we wouldn't have been stuck in this poor mountain valley even after everything was settled. For people in our line of work, staying in one place for a long time is a big taboo," explained Number Two.

\n\n

He thought of something and added, "By the way, we can't wear the Fruit Orchard's clothes anymore after we get to City B. Come on, follow me to get new gear."

\n\n

Shi Jin agreed and took one last look at the dormitory where they had briefly stayed before obediently following Number Two.

\n\n

Half an hour later, the Fruit Orchard group, now dressed in new clothes, boarded a modified small RV and headed towards Y Province's airport.

\n\n

The seats inside the RV were in a "U" shape. Shi Jin sat on one side of the "U", with Number Two beside him, Number Three and the rarely seen Number Five with his simple and honest face on the opposite side. In the centre of the "U" sat Lian Jun and the refined-looking man, Number One.

\n\n

At this moment, Number One was tapping away on his tablet. Other than his slightly pale complexion, there were no signs of injury on him.

\n\n

The RV was quiet, with no one speaking. Shi Jin felt a sense of unease for no reason and shifted in his seat. Just as he was about to distract himself by arguing with Xiao Si, he saw Number One stand up with his tablet and connect it to the RV's TV using a data cable.

\n\n

As the television turned on, a surveillance footage appeared on the screen. Shi Jin was shocked to see that the person in the footage was actually himself, who was frantically riding his bike to get to his destination last night.

\n\n

After adjusting the screen, Number One turned around to face everyone. His gaze lingered on Shi Jin before he spoke, "Since we have some free time, at the request of Young Master Jun, let's review the performance of our newcomer Shi Jin during the traitor elimination mission last night."

\n\n

Shi Jin remained silent, feeling a mix of embarrassment and anxiety.

\n","published_time":"2023-05-31T22:42:57.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:21.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":223,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":11,"chapter_title":"Promotion","content":"

Shi Jin was feeling very uncomfortable and wanted to disappear in the car.

\n\n

But Xiao Si didn't understand his shame and sorrow at all. With a proud tone, he said, "Jin Jin, don't be shy. Your performance last night was outstanding. Everyone was amazed by you!"

\n\n

Shi Jin's tone was melancholic. "Xiao Si, do you know that before I entered the police academy, I was a nerd who often failed in physical education?"

\n\n

Xiao Si was puzzled. "So what?"

\n\n

"So, all the combat and wall-climbing skills I displayed last night were learned in the police academy, with a strong influence from the standard teaching materials of the academy," Shi Jin explained.

\n\n

He looked at Number One, who had already assumed a lecturing posture, feeling hopeless. "And in this life, Shi Jin, the young master of the Shi family, was a lazy and overweight person with no diligence. I only successfully lost weight recently."

\n\n

Xiao Si: "..."

\n\n

Shi Jin let out a heavy sigh, "Do you think these people here will praise me or set me on fire after watching yesterday's surveillance footage?"

\n\n

Xiao Si trembled in fear, "Jin Jin, let's run away. I'll help you activate your buff."

\n\n

Shi Jin poured cold water on the idea, "Why run? Our luggage was dug out of the ruins by Number Three and is now in Number Two's suitcase. What am I supposed to run with?"

\n\n

"Waaah, Jin Jin, don't die. I don't want you to die," Xiao Si cried like a child about to lose their mother.

\n\n

Shi Jin spoke in a gentle tone, "Stop crying. If you make me lose my mind, we'll be even worse off."

\n\n

Xiao Si sniffled, "...Wuuu."

\n\n

Shi Jin comforted him, "Be good."

\n\n

While the two argued in his minds, Number One had already analyzed the first segment of Shi Jin's surveillance footage.

\n\n

He deliberately zoomed in on the screen, enlarging Shi Jin's figure and said, "Everyone, pay attention to the time on the surveillance footage. At this moment, Number Four is approaching Young Master Jun's residence from the small road. After realizing something was wrong, Shi Jin immediately took the main road and rushed towards Young Master Jun's residence. This decision was decisive and correct, but look here-"

\n\n

He pointed to the screen where Shi Jin was holding a bike with one hand and reaching into his pocket with the other.

\n\n

He emphasized the movement of Shi Jin's hand and continued, "Here, pay attention to this action. Shi Jin made a very basic mistake last night - he didn't bring any communication tools."

\n\n

"Pfft." Number Two couldn't help but laugh.

\n\n

Shi Jin looked over with a seemingly calm but actually murderous smile.

\n\n

"Cough, well, you know, Shi Jin is still young and lacks experience in handling things. It's understandable, it's understandable," Number Two said with a forgiving tone, as if he was a kind senior.

\n\n

But how could Number One not know his true nature? He gave him a warning glare and then turned to Shi Jin, emphasizing, "Remember, no matter when, losing contact with your teammates is the most unacceptable mistake. Do you understand?"

\n\n

Shi Jin still remembered Number One's fierce appearance when they first met, so he quickly nodded and dared not say anything more.

\n\n

Number One nodded in satisfaction and played the second segment of the surveillance footage - the part where Shi Jin climbed over the wall to enter the small building.

\n\n

He first showed everyone the surveillance footage and then paused the video at the moment when Shi Jin climbed over the wall. He played the slow-motion footage of Shi Jin's actions three times before finally freezing the frame and asking, "Did everyone see it clearly?"

\n\n

The previously relaxed atmosphere in the car gradually dissipated as they watched the repeated slow-motion footage. Shi Jin's heart began to race as he knew that this was the most crucial part of the review.

\n\n

"If you've seen it clearly, let's take a look at the remaining surveillance footage," Number One said, giving Shi Jin a deep look. He then played several edited slow-motion versions of the surveillance footage.

\n\n

These videos were no longer continuous segments but were carefully cut into small pieces, all showing Shi Jin in combat with someone. The excerpt is complete, showing scenes of him controlling and disarming the guard, snatching his phone and gun.

\n\n

He carefully opens the gate, precisely injuring Number Four and quickly rushing out at him. There's also a scene of him flying towards the doctor at the study's door.

\n\n

Every move he makes is decisive and efficient, taking down his enemies with a single blow and leaving no room for unnecessary actions. It's a sight to behold - and strangely familiar, as if you've seen it before in a group of formally trained individuals.

\n\n

The second group's expressions are all hidden, their brows furrowed as they all turn to look at Shi Jin with a curious gaze.

\n\n

"I can explain," Shi Jin said, facing the intense scrutiny of the crowd. He forced himself to calm down and began to spout nonsense with a serious expression.

\n\n

"As you all know, my dad is super rich and super hated. As his son, I don't know how many people want to get my attention. My dad is afraid that something might happen to me, so he hired a few bodyguards for me. These bodyguards include retired soldiers, and I learned some fighting skills from them in my free time...

\n\n

"...but after I gained weight, I slowly stopped practicing those skills. Now, I'm very rusty and it's embarrassing to show you. I apologize for my lack of skill."

\n\n

He finished with a slightly awkward smile, playing the role of a clueless rich kid who didn't know his own strength. Xiao Si was trembling with fear as it added a bunch of buffs to Shi Jin's argument, such as "sincerity," "reduced sense of threat," and "softer, more pleasant voice," secretly praying that everyone would be convinced by Shi Jin's reasoning.

\n\n

Silence.

\n\n

Still silence.

\n\n

Just as Xiao Si was about to cry in panic, Lian Jun suddenly spoke up and said, "I see."

\n\n

Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief and even had a momentary illusion that Lian Jun was adorable.

\n\n

Xiao Si, on the other hand, was overjoyed and cried out, "I knew my Baby loves you the most, Jin Jin, you're so good, wuwuwu."

\n\n

Shi Jin was both helpless and powerless, sincerely suggesting, "You can just say the last part, really."

\n\n

The atmosphere instantly thawed as Number Two's expression returned to its usual look. He reached out and patted Shi Jin's shoulder, saying, "To be able to do this despite being inexperienced... You're not secretly a genius, are you, kid?"

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly waved his hands, indicating that he was just an ordinary dropout.

\n\n

Number Two chuckled and rubbed his head, scolding him for being falsely modest.

\n\n

Shi Jin retaliated with a backhanded move, using his sharp claws to attack Number Two's heart, and scolded him for being a pervert.

\n\n

The two of them started to play around, but Lian Jun knocked on the armrest of his wheelchair to quiet them down, and gestured for Number One to continue.

\n\n

So everyone fell silent and obediently focused their attention back on the game analysis. After gaining a clear understanding of Shi Jin's skills, everyone turned off the edited clips on TV and watched the complete surveillance footage. They analyzed Shi Jin's tactical choices after entering the small courtyard.

\n\n

Firstly, they highly praised Shi Jin for knocking down Number Four from the door slit and reminding Number Two to isolate the vehicles.

\n\n

Secondly, they criticized Shi Jin for not properly handling the aftermath after subduing the enemy, stating that such carelessness could lead to serious consequences in solo combat.

\n\n

Finally, they concluded that Shi Jin, as a new recruit, showed great potential and only lacked experience, but was definitely worth cultivating.

\n\n

After saying all this, he gave Number Two and the rest of the members a blank sheet of paper and asked them to grade Shi Jin's performance from last night, with a maximum score of one hundred and a passing grade of sixty.

\n\n

Shi Jin dazedly watched as they finished grading him and handed the paper back to Number One. He felt like a pig being picked and chosen for its fat and thin parts.

\n\n

Number One didn't even look at the paper after taking it back, and handed it directly to Lian Jun.

\n\n

Lian Jun took the paper, glanced at the scores, and looked at Shi Jin. He asked, "One last question, how did you discover that there was something wrong with Number Four?"

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't expect that the situation would continue to unfold. His heart tightened, but his mind raced as he calmly replied, "Because... I am very familiar with false concern and love. When I saw Number Four yesterday, I immediately recognized that his worry for Number One and his self-blame were fake. He also avoided looking at the stretcher, which is a sign of guilt. If I'm not mistaken, the injuries on Number One were caused by Number Four, right?"

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Number One's eyes became dim, as if recalling an unpleasant memory. Obviously, Shi Jin had guessed correctly.

\n\n

"Furthermore, it's very suspicious that Number Four requested to meet with Young Master Jun alone. A normal person in his situation wouldn't have reacted that way." Shi Jin added more evidence to support his words.

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded and folded the white paper in his hand, saying, "That's it for today's review. From now on, Shi Jin will follow me closely. Number Three, you will temporarily take over the duties of Number Four until a new Number Four is selected."

\n\n

Number Three respectfully nodded and replied, "Yes."

\n\n

As Lian Jun's command landed, the atmosphere in the car quickly became relaxed and cheerful. Number Two and Number Five smiled and congratulated Shi Jin, while Number One showed a friendly smile and sat back in his seat.

\n\n

Shi Jin looked confused and bewildered, asking, "What are you congratulating me for? Wait, Young Master Jun, are you really letting me follow you closely--"

\n\n

"You don't want to?" Lian Jun interrupted him, coldly asking with an unfriendly gaze that suggested he would end him if he kept talking rubbish.

\n\n

As soon as Shi Jin felt a chill on the back of his neck, he quickly shook his head to indicate that he wouldn't say anything more. He glanced around at the Number Three and noticed that their attitudes had become much friendlier.

\n\n

It suddenly dawned on him that he had been promoted. He had gone from being a new recruit following Number Two to becoming a trusted confidant of Lian Jun. So the review just now was actually a promotion assessment?

\n\n

Xiao Si was thrilled and exclaimed, "Shi Jin, your progress bar has gone down again, it's now at 650!"

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't know what expression to make for a moment. After a while, he raised his hand to cover his face and let out a sigh. These past few days have been really exciting.

\n\n

Not long after the review ended, they arrived at the airport. When they got off the car, Number Three voluntarily stepped aside and let Shi Jin help Lian Jun push his wheelchair.

\n\n

Shi Jin looked at Lian Jun's expressionless but beautiful face and resignedly went forward to hold onto the wheelchair handle.

\n\n

Due to his special status, Lian Jun couldn't possibly take a regular commercial flight. To ensure his safety, Number One contacted the authorities and chartered a plane. Shi Jin followed closely behind Number One, gently helping Lian Jun onto the plane and carefully settling him into his seat. His movements were so cautious that they seemed a bit stiff.

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at Shi Jin and suddenly asked, "Am I heavy?"

\n\n

"You're not heavy at all," Shi Jin frowned, feeling anxious about Lian Jun's physical condition. He advised, "You're too thin. You should eat more in the future."

\n\n

"I have no appetite," Lian Jun covered his legs with a blanket and flipped through a magazine without looking at Shi Jin. He spoke in a calm tone, "I like dishes with heavy oil and salt, but I can't eat them due to my health."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

Boss, are you holding a grudge against me or something?

\n","published_time":"2023-06-08T00:33:02.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:23.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":233,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":12,"chapter_title":"Nightfall","content":"

After his activities all night and into the morning, Shi Jin unsurprisingly fell asleep on the plane. He thought he could sleep soundly until the plane landed, but halfway through his sweet dream, Xiao Si suddenly shouted.

\n\n

"What's wrong?" Shi Jin opened his eyes and asked groggily.

\n\n

Xiao Si's tone was panicked, "Shi Jin, your progress bar suddenly jumped up, it went up by 100 and now it's at 750."

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately woke up and sat up in shock, "What?!"

\n\n

He was too excited and blurted out the question. Lian Jun, who was sitting next to him, put down his magazine and turned to ask, "Did you have a nightmare?"

\n\n

"Um...yes," Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts and awkwardly smiled at Lian Jun. He stiffly leaned back in his chair, suppressing his emotions and asked himself in his mind, "Why did the progress bar suddenly increase? Could it be that your precious Baby has encountered some other threat that has affected me?"

\n\n

Xiao Si replied, "No, the progress bar for the Baby is still at 500 and hasn't moved."

\n\n

Shi Jin frowned and cautiously scanned his surroundings, trying to find the reason for the sudden increase in the progress bar.

\n\n

As he looked around, he suddenly thought of something - when he first returned to the country, he had speculated that the distance between him and the five brothers of the Shi family was also one of the fatal factors. Later, this speculation was proven to be correct, and B City as the capital of China was home to the residences of the five brothers of the Shi family.

\n\n

Distance can be deadly.

\n\n

He turned his head to look at Number Two on the other side of the aisle and asked hopefully, "Little Two, are we almost in B City?"

\n\n

Number Two grinned and replied, "The plane will land in fifteen minutes. You slept through the entire flight, little piggy Jin Jin."

\n\n

Shi Jin rolled his eyes and flipped him off before turning his attention inward to contemplate his own guesses. "The progress bar jumped 100 points as we approached B City. Conservatively speaking, at least three of the five Shi brothers are probably in B City right now."

\n\n

Xiao Si trembled with fear and asked, "What should we do then?"

\n\n

"What else can we do?" Shi Jin slumped in his chair, glancing at Lian Jun's beautiful profile from the corner of his eye. He sighed, "Of course, we have to stick to this golden thigh and pray that B City is big enough for us to avoid those ruthless brothers."

\n\n

Xiao Si sobbed, "...wuu."

\n\n

......

\n\n

Although the words sounded pessimistic, after the plane landed in B City and everyone settled into a high-end club called "Nightfall," Shi Jin took action and began to collect information about the five brothers of the Shi family through various channels, trying to figure out which ones were hiding in B City.

\n\n

Among the five brothers in the Shi family, there were three who had transparent information.

\n\n

The first was the eldest brother, Shi Weichong, a rising star in the business world, whose financial news could be found with just a quick search online.

\n\n

The second was the second brother, Fei Yujing, a lawyer specializing in economic cases and a big shot in the industry. He never turned down a big case and spent 300 out of 365 days a year away from home. Just by searching for what case he was currently working on, one could easily guess his whereabouts.

\n\n

The last one was the third brother, Rong Zhouzhong, the king of the entertainment industry with terrifying popularity. His every move was covered in the entertainment news, and by simply visiting one of his fan sites, one could get a detailed itinerary of his next month.

\n\n

Shi Jin frantically searched, even pretending to be a fan to infiltrate the fan sites of his third brother, and finally, in the early hours of the morning, he confirmed the whereabouts of the three brothers.

\n\n

The eldest brother Shi Weichong was definitely in B city and would be staying there for a long time because he was planning to integrate the old company's business with Ruihang; second brother Fei Yujing was definitely not there, he was on the other side of the earth fighting a legal battle with a certain economic tycoon and had no time to run around; third brother Rong Zhouzhong may or may not be there, because he had a recent notice that required him to travel back and forth between B city and S city.

\n\n

After ruling out second brother Fei Yujing, assuming that the remaining two other brothers whose locations were unknown were also in B city, Shi Jin now needed to be careful to avoid encountering any of the four brothers.

\n\n

"Basically, everyone is here now," Shi Jinfang put down his phone and looked at the progress bar in his mind that was stuck at 750. He let out a long sigh, "Fortunately, we have managed to secure some room for error from other sources, so the situation is not too bad."

\n\n

"Mm," Xiao Si responded sympathetically, feeling sorry for him. It comforted him, "Jin Jin, don't put too much pressure on yourself. There's no time limit for the progress bar to decrease. Actually, if you feel too tired, it's okay for us to continue like this. We've found the Baby, and things will get better."

\n\n

Shi Jinfang's eyes softened as he said, "But if the progress bar doesn't decrease, you will continue to suffer, being bound by me and your abilities being restricted, right?"

\n\n

Xiao Si remained silent.

\n\n

"Silly thing," sighed Shi Jin with a smile, placing his hand behind his head. "I don't want to hear you cry in my head for the rest of my life, that would be too noisy."

\n\n

Xiao Si's eyes welled up with tears and said pitifully, "Jin Jin..."

\n\n

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore," Shi Jin comforted, his tone becoming serious. "Xiao Si, I don't want to keep living in fear, hiding and constantly worrying about my life. The second chance you've given me is too precious to waste. Besides, I have a feeling that the original owner's death was suspicious.

\n\n

"Even if the five older brothers disliked their youngest brother, they could have tortured him slowly without dirtying their own hands. Killing someone is a serious crime, and if caught, it could ruin their lives. It's not worth the risk.

\n\n

"Also, don't forget what I did in my past life. Now, there's a murder case in front of me, and if I don't solve it, I won't be able to sleep soundly for the rest of my life."

\n\n

Xiao Si was deeply moved. "Jin Jin... wuu... wuuu..."

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback, then burst out laughing. "Xiao Si, you're not crying because you're stuck on a game, are you?"

\n\n

Xiao Si hiccuped a few times, then burst into tears, sometimes saying "Shi Jin, you're so good" and sometimes saying "Shi Jin, you're so bad," sounding like it had short-circuited.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt both heartbroken and amused, soothing it with a gentle voice until they both fell asleep.

\n\n

......

\n\n

The days of idling away at the club began. Because he needed to stay close to Lian Jun, Shi Jin couldn't go anywhere and could only stay by Lian Jun's side watching him go through what seemed like an endless pile of documents, making each day incredibly dull and boring.

\n\n

On the other hand, the group of Numbers looked very busy. Starting from the second day they arrived in B City, they went out every day and often didn't return until late at night.

\n\n

"How is it possible that there isn't even a single person to talk to?" sighed Shi Jin in his mind, feeling like he was about to go crazy. "If I had known that coming to B City was like going to prison, I wouldn't have bothered worrying about running into my brother. There's no chance of that happening at all."

\n\n

Xiao Si hummed and hawed, "It's not like you're in prison. You can use this time to cultivate your relationship with the Baby."

\n\n

"Do you really think he's the type to cultivate a relationship with me?" Shi Jin shot a resentful look at Lian Jun behind the desk.

\n\n

Xiao Si had no response.

\n\n

"Are you bored?" Lian Jun suddenly lifted his head.

\n\n

Shi Jin was startled, frozen for two seconds. He didn't want to continue with the dullness, so he honestly nodded his head.

\n","published_time":"2023-06-15T01:33:40.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:27.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":240,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":13,"chapter_title":"Zero Degree","content":"

Lian Jun closed the file and emerged from behind his desk, saying, "Follow me."

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled. "Where are we going?"

\n\n

"We're going to practice shooting." Lian Jun took off the thin blanket from his knee and gestured for Shi Jin to come and push the wheelchair. He ordered, "Take the dedicated elevator to the second basement floor."

\n\n

There was actually a shooting range in Nightfall?

\n\n

Shi Jin was surprised, then his eyes lit up and he eagerly went forward to support the wheelchair.

\n\n

Through Number Two's introduction, Shi Jin already knew that Nightfall was Lian Jun's private property. Although it appeared to be a normal high-end club, all the guests it entertained were either big shots in the same industry or military cooperation partners with hidden identities. There was not a single ordinary guest.

\n\n

These past few days, with nothing to do, Shi Jin asked Xiao Si for help to sneak in through the back door and secretly figure out the detailed layout of Nightclub. He had already discovered that there was a hidden underground level, but he had previously thought it was just a storage room. He never expected it to be a place for practicing with firearms.

\n\n

Finally, I feel like I'm getting a taste of the underworld... Shi Jin thought to himself.

\n\n

The elevator arrived, the doors opened, and a reception area that combined a front desk and waiting room appeared. Two ordinary-looking strong men stood guard behind the desk. When they saw Lian Jun, they respectfully stood up.

\n\n

"Young Master Jun," they called out.

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded in response and pointed to Shi Jin behind him, saying, "Find someone to teach him from the basics and then pick a suitable weapon for him."

\n\n

The burly men looked at Shi Jin with respect as they entered. One of them stepped forward and gestured for Shi Jin to follow him.

\n\n

Shi Jin hesitated and looked at Lian Jun, asking, "Aren't you coming with me?" After all, his job was to protect Lian Jun...

\n\n

As soon as he asked, the two burly men standing on the side seemed to have strange expressions.

\n\n

Lian Jun understood why Shi Jin asked and replied, "No, this is my place. No one dares to come in and cause trouble. You practice well, and I'll have Number One check on your progress later."

\n\n

Shi Jin grumbled inwardly. Wasn't the Flower Fruit Orchard also Lian Jun's territory? But unexpectedly, one thing after another happened, and the progress bar rose and fell like a roller coaster.

\n\n

"Maybe I should just go back with you," he said, feeling pained.

\n\n

The expressions of the strong men became even stranger, their gazes shifting discreetly between Shi Jin and Lian Jun, as if they had discovered some great secret.

\n\n

Lian Jun gave them a casual glance and waved at Shi Jin, "Practice well. If you don't improve, you'll have to go back to Number Two's side."

\n\n

Go back to Number Two? No way!

\n\n

Shi Jin knew there was no room for negotiation and he really wanted to satisfy his craving for guns, so he obediently agreed.

\n\n

Lian Jun turned his wheelchair and headed towards the elevator.

\n\n

"Hey, wait wait, wait for me to eat together, don't eat by yourself!" Shi Jin hurriedly reminded him.

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at him through the closing elevator doors, his face expressionless, as if he found Shi Jin's words annoying.

\n\n

Shi Jin sighed inwardly, "Sigh, your precious Baby actually finds me annoying."

\n\n

Xiao Si whispered, "The main problem is that when you and Baby eat together, you act too much like a mother... You're picky about food, you control how much he eats after he's grown an appetite, you don't allow him to drink alcohol, and you only let him drink milk and soy milk.

\n\n

"You don't let him touch cold dishes, and if he does, your expression changes dramatically, like a cheap concubine swallowing poison. Your nagging is really scary... What's even scarier is that Baby just lets you arrange everything for him..."

\n\n

"Who am I doing it for! Haven't you noticed that his appetite has increased lately? Eating a few more bites won't make him uncomfortable anymore!" defended Shi Jin, his voice full of anger.

\n\n

Xiao Si immediately bent accomodatingly, "Yes, yes, Jin Jin is the best, Jin Jin loves Baby the most, Jin Jin is so sweet."

\n\n

"...Shut up!"

\n\n

......

\n\n

The shooting range at Nightfall was extremely professional, and Shi Jin felt right at home inside. He quickly pushed words like "boring" and "tedious" out of his mind and was as happy as a mouse in a rice bin. He wished he could live there forever.

\n\n

In his past life, Shi Jin decided to attend police academy because he loved guns. Unfortunately, after becoming a police officer, he didn't have many opportunities to use or practice his skills, and his excellent marksmanship was almost forgotten. Now that he had the chance to immerse himself in guns every day, he was overjoyed.

\n\n

Half a month flew by in the blink of an eye, and Shi Jin had tried every type of gun at the shooting range and practiced every mode available. In the end, he chose a small pocket-sized gun as his personal weapon and was then thrown out by his instructor.

\n\n

"You shouldn't come anymore, it's too discouraging for others who are practicing shooting." The coach's tone was stern as he looked at Shi Jin with a complex expression, seeming to admire, appreciate, and grit his teeth all at once.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt wronged and said, "But I still have several simulated scenarios that I haven't cleared yet."

\n\n

"The simulated scenario area needs to be renovated and will be temporarily closed for a period of time," the coach replied with a frown, looking at Shi Jin's increasingly white complexion and milky face, his heart aching. He couldn't help but ask, "Are you really not yet of legal adult age?"

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded in confusion and emphasized with a frown, "You can't discriminate against me just because I'm young, and besides, I'll be turning eighteen at the end of next month!"

\n\n

Discriminate? Who would dare to discriminate against someone who can act cute with Young Master Jun and insist on having meals with him without being rejected? Do they feel like they've lived too long?

\n\n

The coach had an expression like shit had been shoved in his face, glancing at the hands that hadn't even worn out a callus, and after holding back for a while, he said, "Take good care of Young Master Jun and don't let him down." After speaking, he threw him into the elevator and pressed the close button.

\n\n

Shi Jin was swept out of the door of the underground second floor like this, and returned to Lian Jun's study dejectedly, and tried to pass the time by improving Lian Jun's lunch menu.

\n\n

Lian Jun obviously didn't expect Shi Jin to become qualified in marksmanship so quickly. He watched Shi Jin silently for a while, staring at his back until his hairs rose, and finally made another move - he called Number Two back.

\n\n

Number Two rushed back in a hurry, still dressed in a high-end suit. Who knows what he was doing before.

\n\n

Facing Number Two's questions full of doubt and anxiety, Lian Jun put down the documents and pointed to Shi Jin, who looked innocent on the sofa, and ordered, "Take him out and find something for him to do."

\n\n

Number Two's nervousness thanks to the emergency summons dissipated all at once. He looked at Shi Jin and said, "But Young Master Jun, you can't be unprotected, and I need to show my face for the things I'm doing now..."

\n\n

"Call Number Nine to come and follow me. Shi Jin needs to accumulate practical experience now. You take him out and let him learn more from you." Lian Jun was not to be refused. After speaking, he waved his hand and picked up the documents again, looking like he didn't want to waste any more words.

\n\n

Number Two wisely kept his mouth shut and looked at Shi Jin.

\n\n

Shi Jin smiled innocently.

\n\n

Number Two rolled his eyes and gestured for him to follow as he turned and left the study.

\n\n

Once outside, Number Two couldn't hold back any longer and leaned in close to Shi Jin, lowering his voice to ask, "What did you do to make Young Master Jun kick you out?"

\n\n

"It's because Jin Jin wanted to force my Baby to drink soup! But my Baby doesn't like soup!" Xiao Si shouted loudly in response.

\n\n

Shi Jin rubbed his forehead, unwilling to admit that he had been kicked out by Lian Jun for being disliked. He put on a thick-skinned face and replied, "I guess I'm just too talented. Young Master Jun doesn't want to bury a talent like me."

\n\n

Number Two said, "...I believe that."

\n\n

"Thank you for your trust," Shi Jin said sincerely.

\n\n

Number Two expressed his current mood with a downward-pointing pinky finger.

\n\n

After half a month, Shi Jin finally breathed in air outside of the clubhouse. Number Two shoved him into a sleek black luxury car and ordered the driver waiting in the driver's seat, "Take us to the nearest mall."

\n\n

The driver nodded and started the car.

\n\n

Shi Jin asked in confusion, "What are we doing at the mall? By the way, what have you been busy with lately and what do I need to do?"

\n\n

"Let's go to the mall and get you some new clothes. You look too rough right now," Number Two tugged at the tie around his neck and relaxed back into his seat. He pulled out his phone and opened an encrypted document, unlocking it before tossing it to Shi Jin.

\n\n

"I've been working on a mission to get closer to a target. There's an old retiree from the government who's been up to no good lately. He stole an important official document and wants to sell it overseas. The government wants to take him down, but they don't have any concrete evidence. So they asked Young Master Jun for help to find out who the old man is dealing with and where the transaction will take place. That way, they can catch the big fish behind him."

\n\n

So exciting?

\n\n

Shi Jin's expression became serious as he carefully flipped through the document.

\n\n

Number Two was very satisfied with his focus and continued, "This old man is very cautious and cunning, he is very careful in his actions, but he has a big weakness - he has an illegitimate son who is being raised by someone else. His son's name is Xu Huai, he is a playboy who only knows how to eat, drink, gamble, and womanize. As a casino owner and a drug dealer, I have already infiltrated his circle of friends. My next target is to talk to him directly and try to pry some information about his father from him."

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly scanned the information and frowned, "But what if Xu Huai doesn't know anything? You said the old man is very careful, and Xu Huai is so unreliable, he may not have told him such an important thing."

\n\n

"There's always a solution even if he doesn't know anything," said Number Two as he took a cigarette and placed it in his mouth, his expression full of meaning. "If legal means can't get us the information we need, then we'll have to resort to something more drastic. Xiao Jin Jin, pay attention and learn well. If you want to stay by Young Master Jun's side, you need a strong heart."

\n\n

Shi Jin furrowed his brows in deep thought and turned to meet Number Two's enigmatic gaze. He reached out and took the cigarette from his mouth, offering sincere advice. "Smoking is harmful to your health. You should quit."

\n\n

Number Two: "..." Damn, can't you let me act like a respectable elder?

\n\n

Upon arriving at the mall, Number Two dragged Shi Jin into a high-end styling salon and called for the most expensive hair designer to give him a trendy and shiny new hairstyle.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt hopeless, but he knew that this was a task he had to complete, so he had to let it go.

\n\n

A few hours later, when Shi Jin emerged from the mall, he had transformed into a trendy and stylish young man. He had a head full of naturally curly gray hair, was dressed in the latest fashion brand clothing, wore an expensive watch on his wrist, diamond earrings on his ears, and limited edition sneakers on his feet. He was now a genuine and cool fresh-faced young man, and a particularly eye-catching one at that.

\n\n

"This look is not bad. Come on, let me take a picture for Young Master Jun to see," said Number Two. He had Shi Jin lean against the station, put a pair of sunglasses on his nose, and snapped away with his phone.

\n\n

Shi Jin lowered his sunglasses and gave Number Two a threatening look, his gaze lingering on him in a menacing way. After getting a good shot, Number Two sent the photo to Lian Jun and Number One, so they could get familiar with Shi Jin's new look and avoid mistaking him for someone else when they meet again.

\n\n

Then, he pulled Shi Jin into the back seat of the car and with a grand gesture, said, "Drive to Zero Degree Bar."

\n\n

The driver obediently started the car. Shi Jin took off his sunglasses and asked, "What's the deal with this Zero Degree Bar?"

\n\n

"Zero Degree is one of Xu Huai's favorite entertainment venues. The owner is a friend of Xu Huai's. I found out that one of Xu Huai's shady friends is having a birthday party there tonight, and Xu Huai will definitely show up. We're going there to catch him," Number Two explained.

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded in understanding and asked, "What do I need to do when we get to the bar? Do I need to pretend to be a wealthy playboy who knows everything about eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling?"

\n\n

"No need, your character setting is not like that. Xu Huai is a fan of good looks, regardless of gender. He just broke up with his internet celebrity girlfriend and I think he wants to try something new. Your image is that of a young man I am sponsoring, according to my investigation, he happens to like this kind of clean and pure temperament."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

"Remember to act a little wild later. Xu Huai is very chauvinistic and although he likes a clean and pure appearance, he doesn't like his target to be too reserved. He's particularly difficult to please." Number Two added some more points.

\n\n

Shi Jin leaned back in his chair with a headache. He suddenly felt that it was more comfortable to stay by Lian Jun's side and watch him review documents. The air outside was not fresh at all, but rather polluted and chaotic.

\n\n

After spending too much time in the mall, the two finally arrived at the bar when the night had already fallen. It was just in time for the bar to start getting lively.

\n\n

In the car, Number Two changed into casual clothes and messed up his hair, instantly exuding a rebellious and carefree vibe.

\n\n

"In the bar later, stick close to me and don't accept any cigarettes, alcohol, or candy from anyone else. Even if you do accept them, don't consume them. They might be spiked. My character might require me to get physical with you later, so hold it in and don't vomit the bread you just ate."

\n\n

Shi Jin asked seriously, "Can I turn the tables and get physical with you instead?"

\n\n

Number Two paused, then grinned and bared his teeth at him.

\n\n

Shi Jin gave him the middle finger.

\n\n

The bar wasn't crowded yet, and Xu Huai and his gang of friends hadn't arrived. Number Two went straight to the bar and sat in the most prominent spot in the middle. He ordered himself a whiskey and got Shi Jin one of the bar's signature drinks, the "Dreamy Night".

\n","published_time":"2023-06-22T01:06:09.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":247,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":14,"chapter_title":"Dancing","content":"

The drink called "Dreamy Night" lived up to its name. It had a beautiful ice blue color and was served in a triangular cocktail glass with a cherry stem floating on top. The combination of ice blue and cherry red was stunning.

\n\n

Unfortunately, the drink was only for show and not for consumption. It was just a prop to increase the cool factor.

\n\n

"Remember to secretly pour out some of the drink every now and then to make it look like you've been drinking it. Don't give yourself away," Number Two reminded.

\n\n

Shi Jin lifted the glass and gave it a playful shake, using his body to block Number Two's view as he flashed an OK sign.

\n\n

It was time to dance and Shi Jin was ready to show off his moves. The two of them were flirting at the bar, waiting for their prey to take the bait. After about three rounds of drinks, one of their targets appeared - the birthday boy, accompanied by a group of friends, walked into the bar.

\n\n

Number Two gave a sly wink and mouthed the words "go wild". Shi Jin suppressed the urge to flip him off, put down his drink, and headed to the dance floor as planned.

\n\n

As a small police officer who loved playing mahjong, Shi Jin naturally couldn't dance. But with Number Two's buff, he could not only dance, but also do it in a particularly coquettish way!

\n\n

"Wow, Jin Jin, you look so good dancing. Everyone is watching you!" Number Two cheered excitedly in his mind, looking proud of himself.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt so frustrated that he wanted to vomit blood. He hypnotized himself into thinking that the people around him were just a bunch of vegetables, following the dance instructions and body movements instinctively given by Xiao Si. He would even occasionally toss his hair and adjust his collar.

\n\n

"Xiao Jin Jin, you're really good at dancing. I didn't expect that," Number Two's voice came from his diamond earring. Shi Jin rolled his eyes and didn't want to talk to him.

\n\n

But Number Two didn't let him off the hook and started to report the situation in real-time: "The birthday boy and his friends went to the booth directly facing the dance floor. It seems like they're waiting for someone... They saw you... The birthday boy took a picture of you with his phone and sent it to someone... Oh, why didn't I think of this before? Xiao Jin Jin dances so well, we have to take a picture and show it to Young Master Jun and the others."

\n\n

As he finished speaking, the sound of camera clicks could be heard. Finally, Shi Jin couldn't hold it in any longer. He turned his back to the group of birthday celebrants and shouted fiercely at the buttons on his clothes, "Number, Two!"

\n\n

"What Number Two Number Three? I'm Chen Er now, you have to call me Brother Er, don't get it wrong later." Number Two's tone was still very provocative, but the sound of camera shutters stopped.

\n\n

He continued to report in real-time for a while, and finally Shi Jin heard what he wanted to hear, "Xu Huai is here, you can dance for another five minutes, then come back to me."

\n\n

Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief, replied with a clear understanding, and avoided the nth person who came over to dance with him. He continued to dance for a while, then pretended to be tired, jumped off the dance floor, and returned to Number Two's side.

\n\n

With a greasy smile on his face, Number Two draped his arm over Shi Jin's shoulder and rubbed his head against his ear, saying, "My little darling, you're so tempting, I can't resist you."

\n\n

Shi Jin grinned and asked, "Does my sweat smell good to you?"

\n\n

"It's okay, you smell like hair dye," Number Two replied, still smiling greasily. He even picked up Shi Jin's glass and handed it to him, lowering his voice and saying, "Xu Huai is watching us, so be a little more provocative."

\n\n

Taking the glass, Shi Jin bit the stem of the cherry on top of the drink, sucked on it for a moment, then spat it out and leaned in towards Number Two, lowering his voice and asking maliciously, "Is this provocative enough? Here, have a cherry to eat."

\n\n

As a straight manly man, Number Two had never been flirted with by a man before. He looked at the cherry covered with what seemed like drool on it, hesitating to put it in his mouth. His expression twisted for a moment before he said, "You're quite vicious."

\n\n

"It's mutual," Shi Jin replied, satisfied. He turned his face away and rested his head on Number Two's shoulder, acting affectionate towards him. He ate the cherry himself and was about to move away when he locked eyes with a man sitting in the corner.

\n\n

The man looked familiar, like they had met somewhere before.

\n\n

Xiao Si exclaimed, "Jin Jin, why did your progress bar suddenly jump up, it's at 760!"

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly averted his gaze from the man and felt a sense of unease. He thought to himself, "I don't know either, Xiao Si, check the man sitting in the corner opposite me, the one wearing a dark blue coat. I feel like I've seen him before."

\n\n

Xiao Si acted quickly and soon gave the result, "The bar's record shows that his name is Long Shi, he is an agent of an entertainment company... Ah ah ah, Jin Jin, he is the agent of your third brother, Rong Zhouzhong! They have a very good relationship!"

\n\n

Damn it! Seeing someone familiar is never a good thing!

\n\n

Shi Jin broke out in a cold sweat and quickly stepped back, letting Number Two block him.

\n\n

But it was too late, the man actually got up and walked over, politely stopping two steps away from the two of them and saying kindly, "Hello, I am Long Shi, the head of the artist department at Zhongjia Film and Television. You see, I just saw this young man's dance and I think he is very suitable for developing in the entertainment industry. I don't know if he is interested in becoming a star? Don't worry, I'm not a fraud, here's my business card."

\n\n

As he spoke, he took out a business card and handed it to Shi Jin.

\n\n

Number Two was stunned when he heard this, and almost burst out laughing when he understood Long Shi's meaning. He quickly suppressed his laughter with a cough and saw that Shi Jin was not moving while looking at the business card, thinking that he was also stunned.

\n\n

He reached out and took the business card on his behalf, saying, "Sorry, my friend and I need to think about this carefully. You..."

\n\n

"There's no need to think!" Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts, snatched the business card from Number Two's hand, and shoved it back to Long Shi. He gave Long Shi a dry smile and refused, "I have no interest in becoming a star. Thank you for your appreciation, goodbye!"

\n\n

He then grabbed Number Two and tried to leave.

\n\n

This time, Long Shi was stunned. He had previously seen Shi Jin enjoying being the center of attention on stage and thought he was one of those young people who liked to show off. He didn't expect him to refuse the invitation so decisively.

\n\n

After hesitating for a few seconds, he couldn't bear to miss such a good talent like Shi Jin. He took a step forward and said, "Young man, you can think about it again. I'm really not a fraud. If you don't believe me, I can have my artist, Rong Zhouzhong, call you. You recognize him at least, don't you?"

\n\n

"I don't know him!" Shi Jin's head felt like it was about to explode. Seeing that Long Shi was persistent, he was afraid that he would really lead Rong Zhouzhong over.

\n\n

He turned around and blocked his footsteps, sincerely saying, "Mr. Long, please don't follow me. I really don't want to be a celebrity. Being a celebrity is too tiring and there's no privacy. It's too hard. Compared to being a celebrity, I prefer being a sugar baby. As a sugar baby can lie down and make money. Have you seen the rich man next to me? He's super rich and I love following him."

\n\n

As he spoke, he pulled on the sleeve of Number Two next to him.

\n\n

Number Two understood his meaning in an instant and cooperatively put his arm around Shi Jin's shoulder to help him act, saying, "Of course, darling. I love you the most. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. Being a celebrity is nothing compared to being my lover."

\n\n

"Exactly, what's so great about being a celebrity? Rong Zhouzhong, he's just a male actor with a mother who knows how to sleep well. There's nothing special about him." A slightly rough male voice forcefully interrupted the conversation, quickly causing the atmosphere to explode.

\n\n

Long Shi's expression sank as he turned his head to look over.

\n\n

Number Two and Shi Jin also followed his gaze and were surprised to find that the people speaking were none other than their ultimate target for the night - Xu Huai.

\n\n

"Watch your mouth," Long Shi spoke unhappily.

\n\n

Xu Huai gave Shi Jin a look that said "It's a small problem, this brother will help you out" and, relying on his bulky physique, walked up to Long Shi with an imposing manner, staring at him and saying, "You dare to be so arrogant on my turf? Get out of here before I have someone carry you out."

\n\n

Long Shi had been in the entertainment industry for many years and considered himself to have a good temper. But at this moment, he couldn't help but feel angry. He looked at Xu Huai with a deep gaze and asked, "What's your name?"

\n\n

"Ha, what, are you planning to come back and cause trouble? Then you better remember my name clearly. Xu Huai, my name is Xu Huai. I'll be waiting for you to come and settle the score with me." Xu Huai forcefully patted Long Shi's chest, causing him to take a big step back.

\n\n

Long Shi's expression became even uglier. He brushed off his chest and said, "I'll remember you, Xu Huai." After speaking, he looked at Shi Jin with a hint of resentment and regret, then turned around with a black face and walked away.

\n\n

As Long Shi left, Shi Jin watched him go and mentally cursed Xu Huai - offending Long Shi was equivalent to offending the Rong Zhouzhong. Rong Zhouzhong was known as the "King of Hell" in the industry for his vengeful nature, he would repay all grudges in full. Everyone feared him, even ghosts.

\n\n

Xu Huai was in trouble now.

\n\n

Feeling like crying, Xiao Si said, "Jin Jin, your progress bar went up to 770, right after Long Shi looked at you before he left."

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned at the news and felt like crying too.

\n\n

No matter how much he tried to prevent it, he couldn't stop a pig teammate from suddenly appearing. He'll remember Xu Huai's name now!

\n\n

Although the plan didn't go as expected, Number Two's mission was still accomplished tonight. Through this "heroic rescue," he successfully struck up a conversation with Xu Huai and followed him to his friend's birthday party.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt hopeless and increasingly realized that staying by Lian Jun's side was the best option - safe and peaceful. Later, when Xu Huai intentionally or unintentionally tried to get him drunk, Shi couldn't help but feel angry. He asked Xiao Si to give him a "thousand cups not drunk" buff and boldly drank back.

\n\n

Xu Huai had never met someone like Shi Jin before. He was handsome and charming, with a fiery dance and a bold and generous personality. Even his love for money was expressed in a straightforward manner. He was full of contradictions and irresistible charm, making people itch to see more of him.

\n\n

The more Xu Huai interacted with Shi Jin, the more he liked him. He almost forgot that there was a wealthy sponsor, Number Two, by Shi Jin's side. Xu Huai even moved his seat from facing Number Two to facing Shi Jin, and then to sitting next to Shi Jin. His eyes were practically glued to Shi Jin.

\n\n

Number Two was surprised to see how Shi Jin let loose after entering the private room and was in a great mood. He decided to let Shi Jin be and fade into the background, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

\n\n

Their only mission for the night was to strike up a conversation with Xu Huai, in order to establish a deeper connection for future endeavors. With that goal accomplished, He didn't see a need for Shi Jin to stick to the script and just let him enjoy his drinks. After all, he was by Shi Jin's side to keep an eye out for any trouble.

\n","published_time":"2023-06-29T02:39:04.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":254,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":15,"chapter_title":"The Cucumber Feast","content":"

Xu Huai was unsurprisingly drunk from all the alcohol poured by Shi Jin. Before he completely passed out, Shi Jin had Xiao Si give him a "voice temptation buff" and whispered in his ear, coaxing him to leave the private room with him.

\n\n

The birthday boy and his group of friends looked on, revealing ambiguous smiles. Number Two secretly rolled his eyes and closed them, pretending to be drunk and unaware of everything.

\n\n

"Baby, I know a good place. Let's go there and have some fun," Xu Huai was supported by Shi Jin, still trying to take advantage of him.

\n\n

Shi Jin grinned and replied, "Sure, let's go have some fun. I promise it will be unforgettable."

\n\n

The two stumbled into a secluded small room and locked the door behind them.

\n\n

After about half an hour, the door to the private room opened and Shi Jin walked out alone. He deliberately put on a face of dissatisfaction and ignored the teasing and flirting of Xu Huai's group of friends in the private room.

\n\n

He grumpily told them to go to the small private room to pick up Xu Huai, then woke up Number Two who was pretending to be drunk, and left without looking back.

\n\n

Back in the car, Number Two immediately perked up and asked, "What did you do with Xu Huai?"

\n\n

"Just got him to speak. There were too many people in the private room, so I couldn't really do much," Shi Jin replied.

\n\n

The real reason was that there were too many people in the private room and it wasn't convenient to use some not-so-ethical buffs.

\n\n

Number Two didn't dwell on it and continued to ask, "So what did you find out?"

\n\n

"Important news," replied Shi Jin, as he detailed his discovery. "I suspect Xu Huai is the person who was sent out to make the trade. When he was drinking with me earlier, he let slip that he was going to make a fortune overseas soon and become richer than you, asking if I wanted to join him.

\n\n

"Just now, I took him to a private room and coaxed him into revealing more about his plans. He mentioned that he and his friends were going on a cruise soon and then leaving the country, but I couldn't get the exact date out of him. He passed out drunk."

\n\n

Number Two stared at Shi Jin as if he were a monster, unable to believe that he had actually obtained such valuable information.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt uneasy under Number Two's gaze and said, "Can't you hear what's happening on my side? What's with that look?"

\n\n

Number Two pulled out a hidden earphone from his pocket, looking at a loss for words. "When you and Xu Huai went to the private room, I could hear Xu Huai's...moans through the earphone. It was too much for my ears, so I took them off. I thought you had sacrificed yourself for the mission and actually did it with Xu Huai..."

\n\n

Shi Jin raised his hand to strike, but Number Two quickly dodged and tried to flatter him instead.

\n\n

"Don't don't don't, don't hit me. It was just a joke. I know you have boundaries." Number Two then continued to flatter, "Xiao Jin Jin, you're amazing. You've completed most of the mission already. Once we verify this information, we can take a good vacation."

\n\n

Shi Jin was confused. "What do you mean? We're not going to deal with this matter anymore?"

\n\n

"Who cares? The rest will be handled by the government officials now. We small folks can't do anything about these cross-border deals," said Number Two lazily, signaling the driver to take them back to the club.

\n\n

He turned his head to glance at Shi Jin and remarked, "But I never expected you, Xiao Jin Jin, to have such a good drinking capacity. You can handle a thousand cups without getting drunk."

\n\n

Plop.

\n\n

As if a spell had been lifted, Shi Jin, who had been alert and clear-headed just a second ago, suddenly turned red and slumped back in his chair. He covered his mouth with his hand and looked at Number Two with a hazy gaze, weakly saying, "Damn, I feel like vomiting..."

\n\n

Number Two: "???"

\n\n

......

\n\n

Buffs have a time limit. Once the time limit is up, the body will have to suffer the consequences.

\n\n

After getting drunk, Shi Jin was acting half-crazy. After vomiting, he was given a bottle of water by Number Two and finally regained some consciousness. But as soon as he did, he started clinging to Number Two, arguing and making a fuss about wanting to go see if his Baby had eaten well.

\n\n

Number Two really wanted to knock him out, but seeing his pitiful drunken state, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Thinking of giving him some more water, he saw Shi Jin fumbling for his phone and dialing a number.

\n\n

When Number Two saw the name "Young Master Jun" on the phone screen, he almost choked on his own saliva and frantically tried to grab Shi Jin's phone, urgently saying, "I was wondering who your Baby was, but you really are lusting after Young Master Jun! Hang up quickly, don't you see what time it is now? Don't be reckless!"

\n\n

Shi Jin dodged and twisted around, showing off his incredible strength. Then, the scene that Number Two least wanted to see happened - the phone call went through.

\n\n

Lian Jun's voice came through the phone, sounding a bit low and clearly he had been woken up. He called out softly, "Shi Jin?"

\n\n

Number Two quickly tried to remedy the situation and loudly replied, "Sorry, Young Master Jun. Shi Jin is drunk and just randomly dialing numbers. You can go back to sleep-"

\n\n

"Baby!" Shi Jin suddenly roared, shocking everyone. He slapped Number Two and continued to speak into the phone, "Why don't you like drinking soup? Soup is so delicious, don't you know it's good for your stomach? Do you still want to be sick? Do you want to be healthy? You're an adult, how can you be so picky? You're too much!"

\n\n

Number Two took a deep breath and covered Shi Jin's mouth with his hand, speaking into his phone, "Young Master Jun, he's really drunk. I'll take care of him. You go back to sleep. He doesn't know what he's doing. Don't be angry."
\n
\n"Mmm...Baby!" Shi Jin struggled to make a sound.
\n
\nNumber Two wanted to kill him. He pressed down on him and reached for his phone.
\n
\nJust when Number Two thought Young Master Jun had hung up, his voice came through again, "Bring him back to me immediately." And then he hung up.

\n\n

Number Two finally managed to snatch the phone, but it seemed useless now. He hung his head with a defeated expression, watching as Shi Jin struggled in his grasp before finally closing his eyes and falling asleep.

\n\n

Frustrated and helpless, Number Two let go of him and muttered, "Go ahead and cry all you want, there's nothing this brother can do for you now."

\n\n

When they returned to the clubhouse, Shi Jin was completely passed out from drinking. Number Two had no choice but to carry him to see Lian Jun.

\n\n

Lian Jun was waiting in his study, dressed in a sleeping robe. When he saw Shi Jin being carried in horizontally, he furrowed his brows and took in Shi Jin's flashy attire. He then turned to Number Two and asked, "How did the mission go?"

\n\n

"We've made contact with the target, Xu Huai, and have obtained some information from him. We've preliminarily confirmed that he is the one conducting the transaction, and it should take place on a cruise ship," Number Two replied.

\n\n

Seeing that Lian Jun was looking at Shi Jin again, he quickly added, "Thanks to Shi Jin's help, everything went smoothly. He drank with the target to get closer and gather information, it wasn't intentional."

\n\n

Suddenly, Shi Jin, who had been left on the couch, moved and muttered, "Baby...drink soup..."

\n\n

Number Two's alarm bells went off in his head, and he quickly raised his voice to report the unexpected interruption of Long Shi, trying to drown out Shi Jin's call of "Baby".

\n\n

But obviously, Lin Jun's hearing was working fine. He slid his wheelchair over to the sofa and looked at Shi Jin's ugly and silly sleeping face. He slowly reached out and pinched Shi Jin's slightly open mouth.

\n\n

Shi Jin twisted his head uncomfortably, looking even more foolish.

\n\n

Number Two: "..."

\n\n

"Go check on that Long Shi," Lin Jun said, retracting his hand after pinching Shi Jin's mouth shut. He took off the earring from Shi Jin's ear and threw it to Number Two. He continued to instruct, "Verify the information that Shi Jin obtained and make sure it's accurate before handing it over to the authorities."

\n\n

After speaking, he waved his hand, indicating for Number Two to take Shi Jin to bed, and then he left in his wheelchair.

\n\n

Number Two was stunned, finding it hard to believe that everything had ended so easily today. He looked at Shi Jin, who was still sleeping soundly, and vaguely sensed a strange aura - it seemed that Young Master Jun was particularly... tolerant towards Shi Jin?

\n\n

......

\n\n

The hangover headache was unbearable, and Shi Jin had no idea what time it was when he woke up. He stumbled to the bathroom and took a quick shower, then ran to knock on Number Two's door with his faded hair.

\n\n

Number Two opened the door and looked at him sympathetically. "You're awake. Let's go eat. Young Master Jun is still waiting for you."

\n\n

Shi Jin was slow to react and took several seconds to nod, asking nervously, "I vaguely remember calling Young Master Jun last night. Did...did I say anything inappropriate?"

\n\n

Number Two sighed heavily and patted his shoulder heavily.

\n\n

"I, I did?" Shi Jin's throat tightened.

\n\n

"You called Young Master Jun 'Baby' and accused him of being picky...sigh, just go and I'll pray for you."

\n\n

Tears streamed down Shi Jin's face like a river as he mechanically turned around, struggling not to cry out loud in his mind, "Xiao Si, you weren't lying to me..."

\n\n

Xiao Si felt very wronged and replied, "Why would I deceive you about something like this?"

\n\n

"Then why didn't you stop me last night..."

\n\n

"I did try to stop you, but you didn't listen."

\n\n

Both man and system fell into a silent standoff, but eventually Xiao Si softened first and comforted him with a lack of confidence, "It's okay, Baby loves you so much, he won't blame you for drinking too much."

\n\n

"You don't understand, this has nothing to do with drinking..." It had everything to do with that word "Baby"... Shi Jin sighed deeply and tried to pull himself together, heading towards the dining hall.

\n\n

As the dining hall doors opened, a table full of cucumbers appeared before him. Lian Jun sat at the head of the table, a bowl of soup in front of him, scrolling through something on his tablet.

\n\n

"Young Master Jun," Shi Jin called out weakly.

\n\n

"Sit down and eat," said Lian Jun without looking up.

\n\n

Shi Jin sat down and looked at the cucumber dishes in front of him - cucumber with soy sauce, stir-fried cucumber, cucumber and egg vermicelli soup, cucumber salad... a pile of cucumber dishes. He couldn't help but feel the malice behind Lian Jun's choice of food.

\n\n

He tentatively spoke up, "Young master Jun, yesterday..."

\n\n

"Don't be picky," Lian Jun put down his tablet and picked up the soup in front of him, taking a sip. "After a hangover, it's not good to eat too much greasy food. Eat up, don't waste the chef's good intentions."

\n\n

But this good intention was too heavy.

\n\n

Shi Jin glanced at the soup in front of Lian Jun and picked up his chopsticks, lowering his head. It seemed that Lian Jun was really angry, so angry that he was forcing himself to drink soup... but luckily, Shi Jin wasn't picky about the taste of cucumber, unlike the original owner who hated it.

\n\n

First, he scooped half a bowl of cucumber, egg, and vermicelli soup into his bowl, then picked up a piece of egg and stuffed it into his mouth.

\n\n

"Rong Zhouzhong posted a Weibo this morning, looking for the young person who was dancing at the bar last night," Lian Jun suddenly spoke up. "He wants to sign him to his company. There was even a video attached of the young person dancing on the bar's dance floor."

\n\n

Shi Jin sprayed the egg he had just eaten out of his mouth.

\n","published_time":"2023-07-06T09:46:02.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":261,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":16,"chapter_title":"Boiled Egg","content":"

Lian Jun looked up at Shi Jin without saying a word.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly covered his mouth, feeling very embarrassed. "I'm sorry, it wasn't intentional. Shall we change to another table of dishes?"

\n\n

"No need." Lian Jun moved his soup slightly and said calmly, "Whoever pollutes, should clean up. Don't waste it."

\n\n

Shi Jin:"..."

\n\n

This meal which was neither a lunch nor a dinner continued. Shi Jin remained uneasy throughout the meal, and occasionally glanced at Lian Jun's tablet. He finally couldn't resist the temptation to secretly take out his phone and open the Weibo app.

\n\n

With the popularity of Rong Zhouzhong, Shi Jin didn't need to search hard. He randomly clicked on a page and saw the most prominent topic: "Rong Zhouzhong Looking For A Young Dancer".

\n\n

His heart was pounding as he asked Xiao Si in his mind, "Do you think Rong Zhouzhong recognized me?"

\n\n

Xiao Si hadn't expected Rong Zhouzhong to show up like this and hesitated before replying, "Probably not, you've changed too much and the progress bar hasn't increased, it's still at 770."

\n\n

Shi Jin felt a little relieved - the progress bar never lied, so if it hadn't gone up, then nothing had gone wrong. If Rong Zhouzhong didn't recognize him, then why did he post that Weibo? Was it just to help Long Shi vent his anger? Or was he trying to incite online violence?

\n\n

...How petty.

\n\n

Shi Jin turned off his phone and put it away, feeling like a student who had been caught playing with their phone in class. Instinctively, he looked up at "Teacher" Lian Jun.

\n\n

Lian Jun was staring at him with a straight face.

\n\n

Shi Jin's body stiffened. "Uh..."

\n\n

"Let's talk about Rong Zhouzhong," said Lian Jun, putting down his spoon and assuming a serious tone. "When you said you wanted to stay by my side, I agreed. But since you haven't completely settled down yet, I haven't asked too much about your personal life. Now that you're following me closely, I think it's necessary for us to exchange some information. Number Two said you were clearly avoiding Long Shi yesterday. Why?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback for a moment, quickly putting down his chopsticks.

\n\n

He had actually wanted to reveal his background to Lian Jun for a long time, so he honestly replied, "Because I know Long Shi's employer, Rong Zhouzhong. He's my third brother. Besides him, I have four other brothers. You already know my eldest brother, Shi Weichong. The other three brothers are my second brother Fei Yujing, fourth brother Xiang Aoting, and fifth brother Li Jiuzheng. I'm hiding from them."

\n\n

Lian Jun sat up straight and asked, "Fei Yujing, is that the lawyer Fei Yujing?"

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded.

\n\n

"Li Jiuzheng, if I remember correctly, is the closed-door disciple of Elder Sun from Rong City. He's a very powerful doctor."

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded again.

\n\n

"As for Xiang Aoting..." Lian Jun tapped the table, furrowing his brows as he tried to recall all the important figures in China with that name.

\n\n

Shi Jin nervously added, "He's a pilot...a fighter pilot, and he's in the military."

\n\n

Lian Jun's hand stopped tapping the table as he looked deeply at Shi Jin.

\n\n

Shi Jin lowered his head in silence.

\n\n

"Those brothers of yours..."

\n\n

"Each one is more troublesome than the last," Shi Jin added tactfully.

\n\n

"Are your brothers really all out to get you?" Lian Jun asked.

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded vigorously and even touched the self-harm scars on his wrist.

\n\n

They fell silent for a while. Eventually, Lian Jun reached out and pressed the call button on the table, signaling for the cucumber feast to be removed and a bowl of clear soup noodles to be served to Shi Jin.

\n\n

"Go ahead and eat," Lian Jun said.

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't quite read his thoughts, but obediently picked up his chopsticks and whispered, "Young Master Jun, I know my family background is complicated, but don't worry, I'll handle it carefully and try not to cause you any trouble..."

\n\n

"Your mere existence is already a trouble," Lian Jun interrupted him, giving him a glance before having someone serve him two more poached eggs. "I'll take care of the Weibo issue. You should stay home more often... Did Rong Zhouzhong recognize you?"

\n\n

Shi Jin shook his head, touched to the point that his eyes were practically turning into soft poached eggs, as he looked at Lian Jun with tears welling up. "Young Master Jun, you're so good to me..."

\n\n

Lian Jun moved his gaze away, showing no mercy: "Don't make that kind of expression with this messed-up hair, it's ugly."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

The Weibo post continued to ferment, as Rong Zhouzhong's popularity was too high. After he posted on Weibo, his fans actively responded to his call. Within a few hours, more than ten videos taken from different angles by different people were dug up on the internet.

\n\n

Some were clear and some were blurry, but the clear ones were enough to capture Shi Jin's entire face, allowing people to see his facial features.

\n\n

Shi Jin wished he could go back to last night and beat himself up for going on stage to dance.

\n\n

"I feel like it's only a matter of time before Rong Zhouzhong recognizes me if this keeps up." Shi Jin felt extremely depressed.

\n\n

Xiao Si wanted to comfort him, but it couldn't deceive itself. Although weight can affect a person's appearance, losing weight is not plastic surgery, and facial features will not change significantly. Moreover, before entering puberty, he was only slightly overweight. Comparing current photos with old ones, it wouldn't be too difficult to recognize him.

\n\n

"No, I have to change my image, otherwise I won't be able to go out in the future!" Shi Jin suddenly stood up and walked outside in big strides.

\n\n

Xiao Si was startled and asked, "Jin Jin, how do you want to change your image, plastic surgery?"

\n\n

"No, plastic surgery is too painful." Shi Jin shook his head and grabbed his hair, irrationally blaming it, "It's all because of this coquettish hair, I'm going to shave it off!"

\n\n

Xiao Si: "...Ah?"

\n\n

At dinner time, when Lian Jun saw Shi Jin again, there wasn't a single hair left on his head.

\n\n

Lian Jun put down his chopsticks, expressionless. "What happened?" he asked.

\n\n

"You didn't like my hair before, so I shaved it off, hehe," Shi Jin said, grinning foolishly and rubbing his bald head.

\n\n

It turned out that good-looking people still looked good even with a shaved head, but without the adornment of hair, Shi Jin looked even younger than before. Especially when he smiled, his silliness and childishness were off the charts.

\n\n

Lian Jun stared at his bald head for a few seconds, then rubbed his forehead with his hand.

\n\n

"What's wrong with you?" Shi Jin asked, looking clueless.

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at him and gestured for him to eat. He picked up his chopsticks and said, "Rong Zhouzhong has already deleted his Weibo and stated that he was just joking with everyone. The person dancing in the video is actually someone he knows."

\n\n

Shi Jin's voice cracked, "What?! He recognized me?"

\n\n

"He doesn't know. That's just the official statement. I had Number Two notify the authorities and they contacted Rong Zhouzhong on their behalf, telling him that you were an undercover agent sent by the authorities to get close to the criminal Xu Huai. They hoped he wouldn't publicize the photos of the undercover agent, so he cooperated with the official statement and deleted his Weibo," Lian Jun explained.

\n\n

"Oh, I see..." Shi Jin calmed down and noticed that there was another bowl of soup on Lian Jun's side. He immediately praised him, "Young Master Jun, you're drinking soup again. You haven't been picky with your food lately, that's great."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Lian Jun rang the bell and had someone bring up a hard-boiled egg, which he cruelly chopped up in front of Shi Jin*.

\n\n

*T/N: Because the hard-boiled egg is like Shi Jin's bald head.

\n\n

Feeling a chill on his head, Shi Jin knew he had flattered Lian Jun in vain and obediently ate his meal in silence.

\n\n

......

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed. Through Lian Jun's manipulation behind the scenes, Shi Jin's dancing video quickly lost its popularity and disappeared from the internet without a trace. Shi Jin's tense nerves finally relaxed, no longer living in fear of being recognized by his older brothers.

\n\n

During this time, Xu Huai had already been officially identified by the authorities as the person making the transaction. However, not long after, he was suddenly beaten up and stripped naked, then left outside the Zero Degree Bar, causing a big scene.

\n\n

After that, Xu Huai disappeared completely while on a trip to another city to recover from his injuries. Meanwhile, a certain cruise ship in Linhai had an accident, resulting in the deaths of several domestic and foreign tourists. Although it caused a small stir at first, it was quickly forgotten.

\n\n

The first snow of early winter fell silently, and Shi Jin wrapped himself tightly in a hat and scarf as he went out with Number Two to buy things.

\n\n

"Are we really going to spend the winter in B City?" Shi Jin asked, his voice muffled by the scarf.

\n\n

Number Two gave him a disdainful glance, then twisted his bare neck and replied, "Originally, the plan was to spend the winter on an island in M Country, but there was some trouble on the government's side. They asked Young Master Jun to stay a little longer, so we had to stay here."

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded in understanding and asked, "So what are we buying on this trip? Doesn't the club have someone in charge of procurement?"

\n\n

"You'll find out when we get there," Number Two deliberately teased.

\n\n

Shi Jin snorted discontentedly and got into the car with him.

\n\n

As the car headed towards the nearest shopping mall, Shi Jin was bored and played with the fog on the car window.

\n\n

When the car was close to the mall, Xiao Si suddenly screamed in Shi Jin's mind.

\n\n

Shi Jin was startled, his fingers slipped, and his body leaned towards the car door. He quickly steadied himself and asked in his mind, "What's going on?"

\n\n

"Jin Jin, your progress bar suddenly jumped to 870! There was no warning, it just suddenly jumped!" Xiao Si's voice trembled with panic.

\n\n

Shi Jin's body trembled as he quickly checked the progress bar's value. After confirming that he wasn't seeing things, he was dumbfounded. "What's going on? How could it suddenly jump so much?!"

\n\n

Xiao Si was also at a loss and replied in a high-pitched voice, "I don't know!"

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly looked around - he was in the car and hadn't done anything, yet the progress bar suddenly skyrocketed. There must be a danger source nearby! In B City, besides his brothers, there was no one else who could pose a threat to him!

\n\n

"What are you doing?" Number Two asked, puzzled by his fidgeting and looking out the window. He smiled and stopped the car, saying, "Alright, let's get off. We need to act fast. Young Master Jun is waiting for us to come back."

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't see anything except the nearby shopping mall. After hesitating for a moment, he firmly grasped the car door handle and said, "I won't, Number Two. Let's go back now. I need to use the bathroom."

\n\n

Number Two paused as he got out of the car and turned to look at him. He reached up and took off Shi Jin's hat, revealing his slightly prickly hair. He laughed and scolded, "I don't think you need the bathroom. You're just asking for trouble. Get off the car."

\n\n

But Shi Jin still refused to budge.

\n\n

The two of them had a heated argument about whether or not to get off the car. Shi Jin insisted on staying put, but couldn't come up with a reasonable excuse. Number Two insisted that they had to shop for at least two hours, and before the time was up, no one was allowed to go back.

\n\n

Just as the argument was getting intense, a figure suddenly appeared outside the car. He reached out and grabbed the handle of the passenger door, gently pulled it open, and said in a familiar voice, "Will you guys ever park the car? I-"

\n\n

Xiao Si screamed frantically, Shi Jin's body stiffened, and Number Two frowned as he looked over.

\n\n

Outside the car, Shi Weichong's words suddenly stopped as his gaze slowly fell upon Shi Jin, who was being twisted by Number Two. His eyes scanned over his face and finally stopped at the mole on his nose. A storm began to brew in his eyes as he coldly spoke, "Shi Jin, you really know how to hide."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "........." Damn it!

\n","published_time":"2023-07-13T00:37:56.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":268,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":17,"chapter_title":"Happy Birthday","content":"

In a life or death situation, Shi Jin remained calm and quickly freed himself from Number Two's grasp. He sat up and politely smiled at Shi Weichong, lowering his voice to speak in an unintelligible dialect. "Thish mister, it sheems you've recognished the wrong pershon. Goodbye!"

\n\n

With that, he grabbed the car door and attempted to close it.

\n\n

Shi Weichong's forehead bulged with a few veins, and he stepped onto the passenger side floorboard to stop Shi Jin from closing the door. He grabbed Shi Jin's right hand, pulling up his sleeve to reveal the scar from a suicide attempt, and coldly laughed. "Shi Jin, do you think I'm stupid? Get out of the car!"

\n\n

Meanwhile, Xiao Si continued to scream, "Jin Jin! The progress bar has reached 880! Help!"

\n\n

As sweat dripped down his forehead, Shi Jin's hand trembled as he tried to pull it back. He turned his head and shouted, "Number Two, help me pull-"

\n\n

Click.

\n\n

The sound of a bullet being loaded and the safety being released echoed through the air. Number Two aimed his gun at Shi Weichong and used his other hand to hold Shi Jin's shoulder, pulling him closer. He looked at Shi Weichong and said, "Let him go."

\n\n

What...the hell...

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned.

\n\n

Shi Weichong's face turned black as he tightened his grip on Shi Jin's fingers, not even avoiding the gun. He gritted his teeth and asked, "Shi Jin, you're asking someone to point a gun at me?"

\n\n

Xiao Si let out a high-pitched scream: "It's hit 890! Jin Jin ahhhh!"

\n\n

Ahhhh! Don't up up anymore!

\n\n

Shi Jin was also screaming in his heart. He had just prepared to say something to ease the situation when another figure, thin and tall, appeared outside the car. At the same time, a familiar deep male voice sounded outside the car: "Eldest Brother, why did it take so long? Is there a proble--"

\n\n

The man's words were cut short as he saw the situation inside the car. His eyebrows furrowed and without hesitation, he pulled out his own gun and aimed it at Number Two inside the car, shouting, "What are you doing? Put down the gun!"

\n\n

Xiao Si was so agitated that he almost jammed: "We're at 900, and my baby isn't with us. We're done for, ahhhh!"

\n\n

As for Shi Jin, he felt like he was suffocating. He couldn't believe his eyes as he looked at the man standing next to Shi Weichong outside the car. This man had a sharp and refined aura, and his gaze swept over Shi Jin's face, noticing the slight resemblance in their eyebrows and eyes, as well as the serious expression that made him look a bit fierce. Shi Jin was at a loss for words as he said, "Fourth, Fourth Brother..." Why are you here...

\n\n

The person who had arrived was none other than Shi Family's fourth son, Xiang Aoting. He heard Shi Jin's call and was visibly stunned. His gaze moved up and down Shi Jin's face before finally settling on his nose. He reached out to grab him and said, "Little Sixth, where have you been all this time? Come over here."

\n\n

"Stay away from him." Number Two leaned over to block Shi Jin, his gun pointed at Xiang Aoting, his eyes showing a threat. "Get out of here, or you'll be sorry."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting froze. His gaze shift upwards to meet Number Two, his grip on Shi Jin's hand not loosening, while his other hand pulled back the safety catch on his gun. His body was taut, ready to strike, as he asked, "Little Sixth, you're being threatened?"

\n\n

Two guns hung by Shi Jin's head, the progress bar still hovering uncertainly. Cold sweat poured down his body as he vigorously shook his head and said, "No, no, Number Two is my good friend. It's all a misunderstanding. C-can you please put down your guns, and while you're at it, let go of me..."

\n\n

"Let you go so you can run away again?" Shi Weichong gritted his teeth, and everyone could hear the anger in his tone.

\n\n

As his heart trembled, Shi Jin knew that the situation couldn't continue like this. If he was caught again, Shi Weichong would definitely not let him off easily. Although he had Number Two by his side, Shi Weichong also had Xiang Aoting.

\n\n

A two-on-two confrontation might not be in his favor. He needed to find a way to delay or hide back in the club.

\n\n

After weighing the pros and cons in his mind, Shi Jin calmed down. He stood between the two guns and looked at Shi Weichong, saying, "Big brother, I won't run anymore. Number Two, put down your gun. These two are my brothers and won't harm me."

\n\n

Number Two knew a little about Shi Jin's family situation, so he had tried to quickly force Shi Weichong back when he appeared. Now, hearing Shi Jin's words, he furrowed his brow and asked for confirmation, "Are you sure?"

\n\n

"I'm sure, I'll be fine," said Shi Jin, looking at Shi Weichong and forcing a somewhat ugly smile. "Big brother, I really won't run away again. I'm staying at the Nightfall club not far from here, and I'll be there until after the new year."

\n\n

Shi Weichong looked at him for a few seconds, as if trying to determine the truth behind his words. Slowly, he let go of Shi Jin's hand, his attitude not softening. He turned and walked to the back door of the car, opened it and got in. At the same time, he made a phone call and said, "Old Third, come to the entrance of the mall. Xiao Jin has been found."

\n\n

Shi Jin took a deep breath. Old Third? Did that mean Rong Zhouzhong is also nearby? As soon as he stepped out, he ran into all three brothers traveling together?

\n\n

When Number Two heard Shi Jin mentioning Nightfall, he raised his eyebrows and knew that Shi Jin was preparing to let Lian Jun take action. Without hesitation, he put away his gun and quickly made a phone call to report the situation.

\n\n

In less than two minutes, both Shi Weichong and Xiang Aoting's phones rang.

\n\n

They exchanged a glance, and one answered the phone directly while the other squeezed into the passenger seat next to Shi Jin and also answered the phone.

\n\n

"Hello, this is Shi Weichong."

\n\n

"Hello, Commander."

\n\n

Both spoke at the same time. Shi Jin was squeezed by Xiang Aoting and vaguely heard some of the content of Xiang Aoting's phone call. It should be Xiang Aoting's superior who was reprimanding him for using a gun against the military's partner and ordering him to stop immediately.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting frowned, responded a few times, and hung up the phone. He looked at Number Two with probing eyes.

\n\n

On the other end of the line, it seemed like it was Lian Jun personally making the call to Shi Weichong. The conversation wasn't long, but it was clearly unfriendly. You could tell from the sudden change in Shi Weichong's demeanor.

\n\n

Finally, Shi Weichong ended the call with the words, "He's my own younger brother!" He then turned to look at Shi Jin, who had been sneaking a peek, and asked, "Shi Jin, is this what you meant by staying in a safe place and finding a stable job?"

\n\n

Shi Jin nervously avoided eye contact and forced out a couple of awkward laughs. He didn't dare respond, but he couldn't help but wonder what Lian Jun had said to Shi Weichong.

\n\n

The situation stabilized temporarily thanks to a few phone calls. Five minutes later, Rong Zhouzhong, wearing a hat and mask, approached the vehicle. His beautiful peach blossom eyes swept over and landed on Shi Jin with his unique hairstyle. He revealed a smirk and without asking too much, went around to the other side, opened the back door, and got in.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt the hair on his nape stand on end under Rong Zhouzhong's gaze. He always felt that his eyes held some hidden meaning. He quietly moved closer to Number Two's side. Xiang Aoting noticed Shi Jin's movement, frowned, and promptly squeezed him into the back seat.

\n\n

By accident, Shi Jin ended up sitting in the middle of Shi Weichong and Rong Zhouzhong: "..."

\n\n

Oh my god, this is so scary.

\n\n

Xiao Si trembled and said, "Jin, Jin Jin, although your progress bar has stopped at 900 and hasn't increased, I feel like the situation is not good..."

\n\n

"Don't even bother thinking about it, it's really not good," said Shi Jin in his mind, as he looked at the two pairs of long legs beside him, feeling hopeless - if three people came at once, the situation would only get worse.

\n\n

Shi Weichong was very dissatisfied with Shi Jin's stiff and evasive sitting posture like a primary school student. He pulled him back and forced him to sit next to him against the back of the chair, and said to Number Two, "Everyone's here, your boss wants to talk to me, start the car."

\n\n

Number Two also received a message from Lian Jun and, upon hearing this, glanced at Shi Jin through the rearview mirror and started the car.

\n\n

He left happily, but returned home in fear and trembling.

\n\n

Upon arriving at the club, Number Two led everyone into a dedicated elevator and went straight up to the sixth floor where Lian Jun lived.

\n\n

To their surprise, Lian Jun was waiting outside the elevator, dressed in a long robe with a rare red and white plum blossom pattern. He looked like a mandala flower blooming to the extreme in a world of ice and snow.

\n\n

Number Two was the first to step out of the elevator and called out, "Young Master Jun."

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded and waved towards Shi Jin, "Come over here."

\n\n

Shi Jin's legs responded to the call and he walked over.

\n\n

The brothers of the Shi family were completely stunned to see that the backer for Shi Jin was this kind of Lian Jun. They were too stunned to stop Shi Jin's actions, as he approached Lian Jun like a fledgling returning to its nest. By the time they snapped out of it, Shi Jin was already standing next to Lian Jun, even taking the initiative to support Lian Jun's wheelchair.

\n\n

With a dark expression, Shi Weichong stepped out of the elevator and approached Lian Jun, looking down on him. "Mr. Lian, I want to take my little brother home. You have no right to stop me."

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't respond to his words, but turned to Shi Jin and asked, "Do you want to go home?"

\n\n

All eyes suddenly shifted to Shi Jin, who felt immense pressure and even felt like his legs were being dug into a hole. After a stiff moment, he finally shook his head and replied, "No, I don't want to. I like being with Young Master Jun here."

\n\n

"In that case, no one can take you away," Lian Jun reassured him before turning to Shi Weichong and saying, "Mr. Shi, this is my stance. If you can't accept it, then we have nothing to discuss. Please leave."

\n\n

Xiao Si breathed a sigh of relief and happily exclaimed, "It didn't go up, it didn't go up! The progress bar stopped at 900, it seems like the safety line that the baby held onto for you."

\n\n

Shi Jin also breathed a sigh of relief and gripped the wheelchair's armrest even tighter.

\n\n

When Shi Weichong heard Shi Jin say "I don't want to," he couldn't help but want to pull him back. Number Two, who was standing by, immediately stepped forward, although he didn't pull out his gun, the threat was clear.

\n\n

"Big brother." Xiang Aoting called out to Shi Weichong, indicating that he shouldn't act rashly - the soldier's intuition told him that although the reception hall outside the elevator seemed ordinary and empty, there were at least five guns pointed at them from the shadows.

\n\n

In any case, this was the other party's territory, and it would not be advantageous for them to force their way in.

\n\n

Shi Weichong understood his hint and withdrew his hand unwillingly. He looked at Shi Jin and asked, "Why?"

\n\n

Shi Jin glanced at the progress bar and remembered the days of fear and hiding since his rebirth, as well as the original owner's fate. Relying on the fact that his golden thigh was by his side now, he looked directly into Shi Weichong's eyes and said something that almost broke the facade of brotherly love, "Because I want to live well, Big Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, I don't understand why you all hate me just because Dad is biased. What did I do wrong?"

\n\n

After speaking, he didn't look back at Shi Weichong and the others, but pushed Lian Jun's wheelchair and left without turning his head.

\n\n

......

\n\n

The only sound in the corridor was the sound of the wheelchair sliding. The entrance to the living room was at the end of the corridor.

\n\n

"Shi Jin," Lian Jun suddenly spoke up. As he was nervously checking the progress bar, Shi Jin suddenly snapped out of it and asked, "What's wrong, Young Master Jun?"

\n\n

"Today is a special day. If you cry, I can pretend I didn't see it," Lian Jun said inexplicably, then waved his hand to signal him to stop and said, "The living room light is off. Go turn it on."

\n\n

Without suspecting anything, Shi Jin stopped and walked around to turn on the light.

\n\n

Click.

\n\n

The moment the switch was pressed, the small confetti cannon hanging at the entrance exploded, showering Shi Jin with streamers. At the same time, the living room lights came on, revealing a three-layered cake sitting in the middle of the coffee table.

\n\n

Shi Jin was dumbfounded.

\n\n

"You came back too soon, we didn't have time to prepare anything else." Lian Jun slid his wheelchair over to Shi Jin's side, took his hand, and stuffed a red envelope into it. "Happy birthday and congratulations on becoming an adult."

\n","published_time":"2023-07-20T01:58:53.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":275,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":18,"chapter_title":"Embrace","content":"

Shi Jin had a colorful ribbon on his head and hadn't spoken for a long time.

\n\n

Lian Jun was by his side, also silent.

\n\n

Xiao Si was originally screaming with excitement, but upon seeing the situation, its voice gradually weakened. Worried, it asked, "Jin Jin, what's wrong?" As far as it knew, Shi Jin and the original owner shared the same birthday, so this should have been a really happy surprise.

\n\n

"It's nothing." Shi Jin came back to his senses, replied to Xiao Si in his mind, and wiped his face with his hand. He smiled and shook his head, causing all the ribbons on his head to fall off. He turned to Lian Jun, pinched the red envelope in his hand, and deliberately asked, "Young Master Jun, what did you give me? Why does it feel like a card?"

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at him and ignored him, sliding his wheelchair towards the living room.

\n\n

Shi Jin, with his boldness, grabbed the wheelchair's armrest and pulled it back, leaning in close to Lian Jun. Though he appeared calm, he was actually quite nervous as he reached out his hand and asked, "Um... Young Master Jun, can I hug you?"

\n\n

Lian Jun furrowed his brows and looked at him, clearly unhappy.

\n\n

"Can I, please? It's my birthday today," Shi Jin shamelessly played his trump card as the birthday boy.

\n\n

Lian Jun stared at him for a while, seeming to have no way to refuse him. He lifted his hand and placed it on Shi Jin's shoulder, leaned forward slightly, and then immediately retreated, saying, "Go cut the cake, Number One and the others have prepared gifts for you."

\n\n

The hug was perfunctory and incomplete, but it was enough for Shi Jin. He smiled and turned to support Lian Jun's wheelchair. His tone unconsciously rose with happiness as he took advantage of the situation and acted cute, "Young Master Jun, I'll allow you to have a piece of cake today, and you don't have to drink soup tonight!"

\n\n

Lian Jun frowned and reprimanded, "Don't go too far."

\n\n

"Hehe." Shi Jin chuckled foolishly and accelerated, pushing him to the cake.

\n\n

When others pushed Lian Jun in his wheelchair, they were always very cautious. They maintained a comfortable speed, not too fast or too slow, and never made any sudden movements. However, when it was Shi Jin's turn, he suddenly accelerated, causing Lian Jun to instinctively grab onto the wheelchair's armrest.

\n\n

After realizing what had happened, he relaxed and felt the sweet aroma of cake blowing in his face. He couldn't help but smile and scold Shi Jin at the same time, "What are you doing? You're already an adult, you need to be more responsible in the future."

\n\n

Shi Jin casually responded and began to insert birthday candles into the cake. As soon as the candles were lit, Number One and the rest arrived, each pushing a small cart filled with all kinds of food. The carts were even decorated with small colorful lights, which was probably the most exquisite thing they could come up with according to their rough taste.

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't mind at all and happily helped everyone set up the food. Then he brought a chair over to the coffee table, climbed up to a position far higher than the cake, made a wish, and cut the cake.

\n\n

The first piece of cake was definitely for Lian Jun, and Shi Jin took the second piece. Then he swung the knife and let Number One and the rest have at it.

\n\n

Number One scolded him for being heartless, but Shi Jin didn't care. He snuggled up next to Lian Jun and happily opened his gifts.

\n\n

Taking advantage of his status as the birthday boy, Shi Jin waved his hand after opening gifts and finishing cake, asking the club's staff to bring over a mahjong set. They cleared a table in the living room and set up the game.

\n\n

Upon seeing the set-up, Number One couldn't help but shudder, remembering how Shi Jin was a natural at gambling when he used to go to the mahjong hall. Without waiting for an invitation, Number One immediately declined to participate in this kind of activity.

\n\n

Shi Jin choked and sneakily glanced at Lian Jun, hoping for some support.

\n\n

However, Lian Jun responded with a cold, deathly glare.

\n\n

Shi Jin had to abandon his idea of sharing the joy with his big thigh* and instead grabbed Number Two, calling out for Number Three and Number Five. Number Nine, who was newly assigned to Lian Jun's side, was a young man with a baby face who always seemed to be sleepy. He was currently napping on the couch, so Shi Jin didn't bother him.

\n\n

*T/N: Referring to Lian Jun as the powerful big thigh he's clinging onto for protection.

\n\n

At a table with four people, Number Two was the king of bluffing, with terrible mahjong skills and a tendency to cheat. Number Three didn't talk much, but had some skills and always quietly won big hands. Number Five's playing style matched his simple and honest face, not caring about winning or losing and always looking happy.

\n\n

Everyone was focused on Shi Jin, who was winning so much money that his smile never left his face.

\n\n

After playing late into the night and satisfying his mahjong cravings, Shi Jin was thrown back to his room by Number One to sleep. Even in his dreams, he was still playing mahjong and forgot all about the dangerous encounter with his older brother earlier that day.

\n\n

But when he woke up, the cruel reality hit him hard - after their fight last night, Shi Weichong didn't leave as expected. Instead, he had his assistant bring a car and camped outside the club all night, repeatedly demanding to see Shi Jin.

\n\n

Shi Jin was crouched by the window on the second floor of the club, looking at the black business car parked outside the entrance. His heart was pounding: "What does he mean by this? Does he want to confront me face to face?"

\n\n

Xiao Si was also nervous, but tried to comfort him: "Don't be afraid, this is our turf. Your brothers won't do anything to you."

\n\n

"But I can't stick to your baby's side forever, not even taking a step away. I'm willing to do it, but your baby will get annoyed," Shi Jin said bitterly, feeling regretful. "Impulsiveness is the devil. I shouldn't have torn my face off last night. Survival is one thing, but our main task is to reduce the progress bar. With this torn face status, how can we reduce the progress bar?"

\n\n

Xiao Si couldn't offer any good advice and was also worried.

\n\n

"No, I have to find a way to smooth things over with these brothers. At least I need to bring the progress bar back to the safety line."

\n\n

Shi Jin clenched the window frame and glanced at the business car downstairs before turning and running towards Lian Jun's study.

\n\n

...

\n\n

Shi Weichong had been standing outside Nightfall for several days, showing great persistence. Even if he occasionally had to leave for work or personal reasons, he would come back within a few hours, looking like he wouldn't give up until he saw Shi Jin.

\n\n

After six days of waiting, Shi Weichong was finally invited back into Nightfall.

\n\n

Shi Jin met him in the reception room, where several documents were laid out in front of him.

\n\n

"Xiao Jin, I need to talk to you." Shi Weichong opened his mouth as soon as he entered, his brow furrowed and his emotions clearly not good.

\n\n

"Wait a minute, big brother, let me finish what I have to say," Shi Jin interrupted him, gesturing for him to sit down.

\n\n

He then opened several files and placed them in front of him, explaining one by one, "This is a bidding case in the western district of Y city. I suggest you give up, it's a big trap; this is a development plan in K district of J country, I suggest you follow up, it's good for Ruihang's development; this is the three-line transfer plan that dad had planned before he passed away, you can refer to it...

\n\n

"Finally, this is dad's list of trusted people. If you want to move Ruihang's business focus back to China, I suggest you not use them, they will hinder you."

\n\n

As Shi Weichong listened, his expression grew more serious. He picked up the files and flipped through them one by one, then looked up at Shi Jin as if he didn't recognize him anymore. "Where did you get these?" he asked. There were even cases in here that he was currently planning.

\n\n

"I've been following my dad around. If he knows something, of course I can know too," Shi Jin replied, pouring him a cup of tea. "I've said what I needed to say. Big brother, what do you want to talk about?"

\n\n

Xiao Si was feeling hopeless. "The progress bar is still at 900. We gave him such a big piece of candy, why isn't Shi Weichong reacting at all?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was also a little discouraged, but he still tried to reassure him. "Don't worry, let's hear what Shi Weichong wants to talk about. At least for now, our positions aren't completely opposed. His attitude will loosen up eventually."

\n\n

Shi Weichong listened as Shi Jin explained how all the information came from Shi Xingrui. His expression became unreadable as he carefully examined the documents. He unconsciously restrained his aura and spoke calmly, "Why are you telling me this?"

\n\n

"The reason is the same as when I chose to give up the inheritance," Shi Jin met his gaze with honesty and asked, "Big brother, what do you want to talk to me about?"

\n\n

Shi Weichong answered quickly this time, "I want you to come back with me."

\n\n

Shi Jin refused firmly, "I don't want to."

\n\n

The conversation quickly reached a deadlock.

\n\n

Shi Weichong remained silent with a stern face.

\n\n

Shi Jin sat up straight. Though he was reluctant to do so, he had mentally prepared himself to completely break ties with Shi Weichong. He couldn't help but thank his lucky stars for his golden big thigh's existence. It was thanks to him that Shi Jin had the chance to confront the Shi brothers.

\n\n

The air seemed to freeze as Shi Weichong finally spoke again after a long silence. "Have you been well during this time?" he asked.

\n\n

Shi Jin replied, "Uh...what?" Something about this script didn't seem right.

\n\n

"You've changed so much. You've lost weight, grown taller, and you don't even care about your clothes anymore..." Shi Weichong's eyes softened, and his expression became tinged with helplessness and exhaustion. He sighed and continued, "After you disappeared, I worried about you every day. You were always pampered, and I couldn't imagine how you would survive on your own."

\n\n

As the plot developed, Shi Jin began to feel uneasy and had no idea what was going on. He looked silly and turned to Xiao Si for answers, "What is he doing? Is he trying to use emotions to deceive me into leaving?"

\n\n

Xiao Si stuttered, "M-maybe? Or perhaps he knows that Baby's influence is too strong and he can't force it?"

\n\n

"He's such a scheming boy," Shi Jin exclaimed.

\n\n

Xiao Si nodded frantically in agreement.

\n\n

"You still look so foolish, just like when you were a kid. You haven't changed at all," Shi Weichong looked at Shi Jin's dumbfounded expression and suddenly smiled, but the smile quickly faded and was replaced by a sigh. "Xiao Jin, I won't force you to come with me if you don't want to. I just want you to understand that you have a misunderstanding about your brothers. If you're willing, your brothers will always welcome you back home."

\n\n

Returning home, would you pinch me to death in your hands and mold me into any shape you desire? Shi Jin smiled dryly and politely declined, "I really enjoy my current life and being by Young Master Jun's side."

\n\n

Shi Weichong fell silent and asked in a low voice, "Is Young Master Jun really more important than your brothers?"

\n\n

Of course, a life-saving straw is more important than a murderer!

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't handle Shi Weichong's emotional attack and shifted uncomfortably, choosing not to respond.

\n\n

"I understand," Shi Weichong sighed, hesitating before speaking with a heavy heart, "Xiao Jin, you're still young and don't understand many things. Lian Jun isn't as good as you imagine him to be. His rise to power...is somewhat murky."

\n\n

Shocked and angry, Shi Jin bristled, "Wow, he's actually speaking ill of my baby! He's trying to sow discord! Don't believe him, Jin Jin!"

\n\n

Shi Jin was also furious - this Shi Weichong was truly a scheming boy! He couldn't win by force, so he resorted to underhanded tactics and slandered Lian Jun. How despicable!

\n","published_time":"2023-07-29T00:28:33.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":282,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":19,"chapter_title":"Cause of Death","content":"

Meanwhile, Shi Weichong continued, "I've been investigating Lian Jun these past few days and discovered that not only is his family history questionable, but he also has many enemies. It's dangerous for you to be by his side."

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately became alert and asked, "Someone wants to harm Young Master Jun? Who?"

\n\n

Shi Weichong's words were cut off by his own frustration.

\n\n

He loosened his tie and took a sip of tea from the table, taking a moment to digest his frustration. Suddenly, he changed the subject and said, "Xiao Jin, do you think it was just a coincidence that us brothers could find you this time?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback and instinctively asked, "Wasn't it?"

\n\n

"Of course not, Old Third suspected it was you when he saw that dancing video, but you've changed so much that he was afraid of mistaking you for someone else. So he went to Old Fourth. You know, because of his profession, Old Fourth is much better at recognizing people than the average person."

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned, then broke out in a cold sweat. How could he forget that soldiers don't rely solely on appearances to recognize people?

\n\n

He was able to recognize Number One, who had removed his disguise, at a glance. So it was natural for him to recognize his slimmer self through the video, especially since some of the videos were shot in super high definition, making his features crystal clear!

\n\n

Xiao Si also stuttered, saying, "B-but your progress bar didn't increase during that time, did it? D-did he really recognize you that early?"

\n\n

This was exactly what Shi Jin wanted to figure out now!

\n\n

Upon seeing the shock on my face, Shi Weichong let out a sigh and continued, "After roughly confirming that the person in the video might be you, Old Fourth and I followed this lead and discovered that you had been to the mall where we reunited a few days ago.

\n\n

"Shortly after, Old Third received a message from the authorities saying that you were an undercover agent and not to expose your video. We felt something was off, afraid that we had mistaken the person or that it really was you in the video. So, while Old Fourth checked the official message, we took turns keeping watch at the mall where you had been seen.

\n\n

"It was your birthday on the day we found you, and I thought you might go back to the mall to buy something or celebrate there. So I asked Old Third and Fourth out there togetehr, and luckily, we really did find you."

\n\n

Shi Jin was completely dumbfounded. His mind was frantically reviewing the changes in his progress bar during that period of time. The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed. He asked in his mind, "Xiao Si, why do I feel like something's not quite right?"

\n\n

Xiao Si was also at a loss and asked, "What's not right?"

\n\n

"It's the increase in the progress bar...I can't quite put my finger on it." Shi Jin frowned and glanced at Shi Weichong, who was sitting across from him with a completely brotherly demeanor. If he set aside his inherent bias towards the plot and just looked at him now, he actually felt that Shi Weichong looked quite sincere.

\n\n

But the progress bar couldn't lie. Up until now, the value of the progress bar had been stuck at 900, not moving at all. If Shi Weichong really loved his younger brother as much as he appeared to, there was no reason why the progress bar wouldn't decrease at all.

\n\n

"Big brother," Shi Jin's palms were sweating, feeling like he had been tricked by the plot, and also feeling like Shi Weichong was digging a hole for him. He asked, "Why do you want me to go home so badly? Aren't you afraid that if I go back and secretly team up with Dad's confidants, I'll cause trouble for you?"

\n\n

Shi Weichong looked at him as if he were a fool and replied, "Xiao Jin, don't watch those melodramatic TV dramas too much, they'll lower your IQ."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "......"

\n\n

Shi Weichong continued with a serious tone, "Xiao Jin, I'm telling you all this because I want you to know that it's not safe to stay by Lian Jun's side. He's not really good to you. You're still so young, but he's making you get close to scum like Xu Huai, and using those...methods. If I hadn't found you this time, what would he have sent you to do next? Would he have sent you to risk your life?"

\n\n

Shi Jin felt a sense of despair and thought to himself, "What should I do? I feel like he's convincing me. Is he really a bad older brother?"

\n\n

"But your progress bar hasn't decreased at all, it's still at 900..." Xiao Si's tone was uncertain.

\n\n

"Xiao Jin," Shi Weichong continued to speak on the other end, his tone becoming more and more sincere, "Come home with me. At your age, you should be going to school, not getting involved with the underworld. I know Dad's death has had a big impact on you, and you have a lot of questions in your heart. Maybe you even hold resentment towards me, and I understand that. But I really don't want to watch you jump into the fire pit. Come home with me, okay?"

\n\n

If it weren't for the progress bar blocking his way, Shi Jin would have been moved by Shi Weichong's brotherly love. Unfortunately, things weren't that simple.

\n\n

"Big brother, I'm sorry." He looked conflicted but spoke with conviction. "Young Master Jun is not a criminal. I feel safe around him. Thank you for your concern, I appreciate it." If this concern was genuine.

\n\n

The conversation once again hit a dead end.

\n\n

Shi Weichong looked at Shi Jin and fell into complete silence, as if he didn't know what to say to him anymore.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt uneasy under his gaze and suddenly realized that he might have been too much. He stood up, forced a smile, and said, "I have training later... I'll take my leave."

\n\n

Without looking back, he left the meeting room and rushed back to his room, turning on the bathroom faucet and plunging his head into the cold water.

\n\n

With a splash, the cold water poured down on him in the winter, even though there was heating in the room. Shi Jin shivered from the cold, but it forced him to calm down.

\n\n

"Xiao Si, there must be loopholes in the plot. We need to be more thorough and consider other possibilities," said Shi Jin as he turned off the faucet and looked at his reflection in the mirror, which made him look like a fool due to the cold. He wiped his face with a towel and left the bathroom.

\n\n

Xiao Si had already started to doubt itself due to the excessive love from Shi Weichong's older brother. Upon hearing this, it quickly asked, "What other possibilities?"

\n\n

"The possibility that five brothers of the Shi family don't actually want to kill their younger brother as the original plot suggested." Shi Jin sat on the sofa, with a towel on his head and tissue in hand to wipe away his runny nose. "From what I know about Shi Weichong, I don't think he would personally guard me outside the club for days and talk so much nonsense if he really wanted to kill me. I even think that my previous actions of giving up my inheritance and self-harm may have softened him, and he was genuinely concerned for me just now."

\n\n

Xiao Si hesitated, "I-is it like that?"

\n\n

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I just hope that we don't limit ourselves to the original plot and overlook the real danger." Shi Jin threw away the tissue and thought quietly for a moment before saying, "Xiao Si, get another copy of the original book's plot. There are some things I need to confirm."

\n\n

......

\n\n

It took Shi Jin three days to analyze the plot of the original book word by word, even though it wasn't very long. In the end, he frustratingly confirmed one thing - there was no clear and direct evidence in the original plot to prove that the original original owner was killed by his five brothers. Even the original owner himself didn't have any real evidence.

\n\n

The process of the original original owner's death was very long and painful. After Shi Xingrui died, the original original owner was kidnapped not long after. Although he was later rescued, he was disfigured and lost two fingers.

\n\n

Afterwards, the original owner had his company taken away by his five brothers and was "confined" to the private hospital of his fifth brother, Li Jiuzheng, and couldn't go anywhere.

\n\n

By this point, the original owner had already convinced himself that he had been harmed by his five brothers. The reason was that his brothers didn't love him as much as before, they took his inheritance, and they spoke to him with cold words and sarcasm. His brothers were all hypocritical liars!

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

Although the five brothers of the Shi family are indeed hypocritical liars, are you sure that your method of identifying the culprit is not too hasty and subjective, young man?

\n\n

After six months of being confined, the original owner's injuries had healed enough for him to be taken back by Shi Weichong from Li Jiuzheng. Shi Weichong sent him back to school, but due to his disfigured appearance, the original owner faced severe discrimination. He felt that Shi Weichong had sent him back to school to humiliate him!

\n\n

The flames of hatred burned fiercely in the original owner's heart, and he couldn't help but team up with Shi Xingrui's trusted confidant to trip up Shi Weichong, who had taken over Ruihang. However, halfway through the plan, he mysteriously got into a car accident and was critically injured.

\n\n

This critical condition lasted for a year, during which the original owner struggled in pain on his hospital bed. He couldn't eat or speak normally, and could only listen to doctors and nurses discussing his pitiful and miserable state.

\n\n

In the end, filled with hatred towards his brothers, his organs failed and he died. The book was written from the perspective of the original owner, making it easy for readers to immerse themselves in the original owner's role. Without realizing it, they follow the original owner's thoughts and emotions.

\n\n

The first time Shi Jin read it, he was almost suffocated by the plot and hated the five brothers to the point of his teeth itching. But now, upon rereading it, if he set aside those subjective emotions and only look at the plot, there were too many unclear parts.

\n\n

Whether it was the kidnapping or the car accident that directly led to the original owner's death, there was no evidence to suggest that the five brothers were responsible, even though they are the prime suspects with the strongest motive.

\n\n

"We've been tricked by the plot," sighed Shi Jin, coming to a conclusion.

\n\n

Xiao Si, who had provided the original plot, quietly faded into the background.

\n\n

"Perhaps none of the five brothers in the Shi family liked the original owner, and they all wished for the original owner to disappear, but they may not have actually taken action. It's like how in our lives, we occasionally have thoughts of wanting a scumbag to die, but we wouldn't actually go and kill someone." Shi Jin said.

\n\n

He glanced at the white paper with his analysis before soaking it in water and rubbing it until it was destroyed. He then picked up his old cucumber pillow and said, "Let's go and verify this conclusion."

\n\n

Xiao Si immediately snapped out of his thoughts and asked, "Jin Jin, how do you plan to verify it?"

\n\n

"We'll go find Rong Zhou, who has the worst temper, and test his attitude!" Shi Jin's expression was serious, and he was full of confidence.

\n\n

Xiao Si: "......"

\n\n

......

\n\n

An hour later, Shi Jin, who didn't have a driver's license, was personally driven by Number Two to the entrance of a villa area in B City.

\n\n

"Are you sure he's at home?" Number Two asked, cigarette in hand.

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded. "Yes, I went to his fan site to gather information."

\n\n

Number Two nearly dropped his cigarette in shock. "The fan site even knows if their idol is at home or not?"

\n\n

"Normal fans wouldn't know, but there's a type of fan that stars hate the most - stalker fans," Shi Jin replied, unbuckling his seatbelt and waving to Number Two. "You can go back now, drive safely."

\n\n

Number Two was still worried and asked, "Are you sure you don't need me to come with you?"

\n\n

Shi Jin readily agreed, "Actually, it would be better if you came with me. I'm scared."

\n\n

Number Two: "..."

\n","published_time":"2023-08-02T23:29:06.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":289,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":20,"chapter_title":"Fighting","content":"

The security in the villa area where Rong Zhouzhong lived was very strict, and visitors cannot enter casually. After calling Rong Zhouzhong's phone for half a day with no answer and receiving no reply to his text messages, Shi Jin decided to climb over the wall with Number Two instead of using the main entrance.

\n\n

Number Two was speechless. "How did you know this is a blind spot for surveillance?"

\n\n

"I've climbed over here before," Shi Jin lied with his eyes wide open. He patted the dust off his clothes, roughly determined the direction, and led Number Two towards the corner of the villa area.

\n\n

Number Two followed him without suspicion and asked, "What if Rong Zhouzhong really isn't home?"

\n\n

"If he's not here, we'll come back next time," Shi Jin said nonchalantly.

\n\n

Number Two raised an eyebrow. "Come back to climb the wall again?"

\n\n

"If he still doesn't answer the phone, then we can only climb again," Shi Jin replied with a shrug.

\n\n

Number Two gave him a thumbs up.

\n\n

They walked all the way to the quietest and most remote area of the villa district. Shi Jin stopped in front of a villa with a small courtyard and rang the doorbell.

\n\n

After a while, someone finally answered the doorbell. The video phone on the door lit up, and Rong Zhouzhong's voice came through: "Who is it?"

\n\n

Shi Jin angled his big face close to the camera on the phone.

\n\n

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds, and then it hung up. The door clicked open from the inside.

\n\n

Shi Jin pushed the door open and walked in, with Number Two following slowly behind him, taking a look around before stepping inside.

\n\n

The villa gate was open, and Rong Zhouzhong was sitting on the sofa facing the entrance in his pajamas. His hair was a bit messy, indicating that he had just woken up. He looked lazy and unfriendly when he saw Shi Jin coming in.

\n\n

"What are you here for?" he asked in a bad tone.

\n\n

Shi Jin had already expected his attitude, so he didn't react much to his words.

\n\n

He sat on the sofa opposite him, put the cucumber pillow on the coffee table, and said, "I'm here to return this to you."

\n\n

In the original plot, Rong Zhouzhong was one of the brothers whose character development was most clearly portrayed. Even when Shi Xingrui was still alive, he would sometimes show concern for the original owner, but his acting was not sincere. He only knew how to spend money on gifts for the original owner and would often make excuses to avoid answering the original owner's phone calls.

\n\n

After Shi Xingrui's death, he was the first to drop his disguise and no longer concealed his impatience and dislike for the original owner. Whenever he had the chance, he would stab the original owner in the heart with his words, and his tongue was especially sharp.

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong glanced at the cushion and asked, "What do you mean by this?"

\n\n

"When you gave me this, you said you wanted me to look at it more and eat more vegetables, and not be picky. You said if I got any fatter, I wouldn't be handsome anymore." Shi Jin's face was expressionless, his tone deliberately stiff. "But now I understand. That's not it. You gave this to me just to annoy me."

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong raised an eyebrow and looked Shi Jin up and down, then suddenly laughed, not very kindly. "I can't believe it. Even with a brain like a pig, there's still have a day when you become smarter. The eldest was right, you really are different from before."

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart skipped a beat when he heard this - the information had come. Shi Weichong had discussed him with Rong Zhouzhong before.

\n\n

"Indeed, I used to be like a pig, and yours and eldest brother's care was so perfunctory and false that I didn't even notice," self-mockingly said Shi Jin, continuing with a blank expression and a harder tone, "fortunately, I have awakened now before it's too late."

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong had a look of "I know you're up to something" on his face, gesturing for him to speak quickly, his eyes looking down on him with disgust mixed with a hint of pity.

\n\n

Shi Jin looked up at him and asked seriously, "Have you really never treated me as a younger brother?"

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong sneered, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

\n\n

Shi Jin frowned and continued to ask, "Then what about the gifts you gave me in the past..."

\n\n

"It was all chosen by eldest brother's helpers." Unexpectedly, Rong Zhouzhong was frank and stabbed Shi Jin's heart, "I only picked one gift, that pillow. As for the reason for giving it, you already know."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..." Suddenly felt that Rong Zhouzhong deserved a beating.

\n\n

"Are you done asking? If you're done, then get lost. I don't have time to play your boring question and answer game." Rong Zhouzhong stood up and wanted to leave, but not before throwing the pillow into the trash can next to the sofa.

\n\n

Number Two, who had been quietly listening, frowned at the sight and felt that Shi Jin was being treated unfairly. He took a step forward, but unexpectedly, Shi Jin pulled out a weapon and aimed it at Rong Zhouzhong, saying coldly, "Sit down, I'm not done asking yet."

\n\n

Number Two stopped in his tracks and looked at Shi Jin. Seeing his tense expression, he furrowed his brow and silently retreated, taking the opportunity to close the curtains and lock the villa's door.

\n\n

Seeing Shi Jin holding a gun, Rong Zhouzhong took a step back and sneered, "How pathetic. Who do you think you can scare with that toy?"

\n\n

Bang!

\n\n

Shi Jin shot the trash can next to the sofa without even blinking.

\n\n

"Interesting," Rong Zhouzhong sat back down, smiling on his face but with cold eyes. He raised his chin and said, "Ask away. I'm curious to know how much you've changed since we last met."

\n\n

"Not much, just almost like a completely different person," Shi Jin retrieved his gun, silently asking in his mind, "Xiao Si, has the progress bar increased?"

\n\n

"Still 900, no increase," Xiao Si replied.

\n\n

No increase, even with this?

\n\n

Shi Jin was surprised. Rong Zhouzhong was known for being petty. He even threatened him with a gun, but he still didn't show any signs of wanting to kill him. Could it be that his big thigh was really too strong?

\n\n

He couldn't figure it out, so he decided to be even more ruthless.

\n\n

He looked at Rong Zhouzhong and continued his questioning, "Did you intentionally post the dancing video? Did you recognize me at that time?"

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong seemed surprised that he was being asked this question. After observing his expression for a moment, he replied in a bored tone, "I just suspected it. I posted on Weibo to collect more live videos."

\n\n

"How did you recognize me?" Shi Jin asked. This was the most puzzling part for him.

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong sneered, "Just when I thought you were smart, you proved me wrong. Shi Jin, don't you know how much you and your mother look alike?"

\n\n

The original owner's mother?

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned and furrowed his brows. The original plot barely mentioned the previous generation of the Shi family. Shi Xingrui died at the beginning of the story, and the mothers of the five older brothers were like transparent figures.

\n\n

As for the original owner's mother, she died shortly after giving birth and there wasn't even a photo of her in the house. The original owner had no idea what his mother looked like, and neither did Shi Jin, who inherited his memories.

\n\n

But Rong Zhouzhong claimed that the original owner and his mother looked alike. Had he seen the original owner's mother?

\n\n

Shi Jin wondered this to himself and asked Rong Zhouzhong the same question.

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Rong Zhou's expression faded and he looked somewhat listless as he replied, "Of course I've seen her. In fact, everyone in the Shi family has seen her except for you. Shi Xingrui is just like a dog, wanting to show off the woman he likes to everyone. Have you finished asking your questions? If so, then hurry up and leave. I still need to catch up on my sleep."

\n\n

Shi Jin had a feeling that Rong Zhouzhong wasn't telling him everything and was avoiding something. He wanted to probe further, but seeing Rong Zhou's impatient expression, he decided to suppress his thoughts and stick to the original plan. "Third brother, were you jealous of me?" he asked.

\n\n

"What?" Rong Zhouzhong looked at him as if he had just heard a ridiculous story. His listless expression disappeared and he frowned at Shi Jin, as if he were looking at a lunatic.

\n\n

"Jealous that Dad loves me and keeps me by his side. I heard from the old housekeeper that before I was born, you were Dad's favorite child. It must feel terrible to have everything taken away by me, right? And it must feel even worse to have to please me in order to win Dad's favor. While I am showered with all of Dad's love, you still have to work hard in the entertainment industry.

\n\n

Even though you were already so famous, Dad never gave you a single glance, and when the media talks about your past, they always say 'father is unknown'. Do you know how your black fans laugh at you?"

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong sat up, clearly angry, and said, "Shi Jin, you better shut up!"

\n\n

"Why should I shut up? You've been playing the role of a good brother in front of me for over a decade, trampling on my sincerity. Now, why should I be the one to keep quiet!"

\n\n

As Shi Jin stood up, he leaned forward and grabbed Rong Zhouzhong's collar, looking into his eyes and angrily saying, "Every time I called to check on you, were you just laughing at me? And those birthday gifts I spend so much time preparing for you every year, did you just throw them in the trash like that pillow earlier? I looked forward to your visits, your calls, your words, but instead you all conspired against me, deceived me, and laughed at me behind my back.

\n\n

"Rong Zhouzhong, people have hearts made of flesh, but yours are not. Your hearts are filled with knives and murderous intent, yet you don't dare to stab the one who truly betrayed you. You only know how to aim your cowardice at me again and again. You are all cowards!"

\n\n

"What do you know!" Rong Zhouzhong was really angry.

\n\n

He grabbed the hand that was pulling at his collar and pushed back forcefully. "Stop trying to make yourself look good! I may not be a good older brother, but are you really a good younger brother? Stop making yourself sound so pitiful and noble. Do you think we don't know how that old bastard taught you? 'Those five people are not your brothers, they are just subordinates trained by Dad. You don't have to treat them too seriously, just act on the surface.' Does that sound familiar? Do you remember when you answered, 'Dad, I understand'? "

\n\n

As soon as Shi Jin heard this, he immediately remembered when this conversation took place and couldn't believe it. "You actually took the words of a nine-year-old seriously? Do you have to hold a grudge and be so narrow-minded!"

\n\n

"You really remember!" exclaimed Rong Zhouzhong, as if he had gotten leverage on him and wanted to push Shi Jin off. He angrily shouted, "Get out of here! I must have been out of my mind to let you in today!"

\n\n

But Shi Jin had undergone training and couldn't be easily pushed away. Seeing that the progress bar hadn't moved, he made a decision and aimed a punch at Rong Zhouzhong's handsome face, shouting, "You narrow-minded person! When have I ever treated you as a subordinate? It's always you who looked down on me!"

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong was stunned by the punch, then furious. He retaliated with a punch of his own, shouting, "Shi Jin, you're asking for it!"

\n\n

The two of them started fighting, throwing punches at each other with no technique, just purely venting. Number Two watched from afar, feeling speechless, and decided to just be a wallflower and enjoy the show.

\n\n

After more than ten minutes of fighting, Rong Zhouzhong couldn't beat the trained Shi Jin and was getting furious. Finally, Shi Jin pinned him to the ground, leaving him with no dignity. Rong Zhouzhong angrily said, "Shi Jin, I will definitely kill you!"

\n\n

"You can try!" Shi Jin flipped him over, took out his own gun and put it in Rong Zhouzhong's hand. He then extended his neck and said, "Go ahead, kill me. Here is my heart, here is my trachea. Come on, do it!"

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong was forced to hold the gun, staring at Shi Jin with clenched teeth. Suddenly, he threw the gun away, pushed Shi Jin hard and said through gritted teeth, "Shi Jin, you are a lunatic! Get out of here and never let me see you again!"

\n\n

Shi Jin fell to the ground and didn't move. He asked Xiao Si, "How's the progress bar?"

\n\n

Xiao Si was almost scared to death by Shi Jin's sudden outburst. Its voice was trembling and filled with confusion and disbelief as he replied, "Jin Jin, the progress bar has dropped and now it's at 890."

\n\n

Shi Jin exclaimed, "What?!"

\n","published_time":"2023-08-12T01:11:32.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":296,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":21,"chapter_title":"Noodles","content":"

The progress bar had actually gone down after Shi Jin and Rong Zhouzhong had a full-blown fight.

\n\n

Shi Jin looked dumbfounded as he glanced at the progress bar in his mind and then at Rong Zhouzhong, who was sitting on the sofa with a black face, adjusting his breathing. He couldn't make sense of what was going on, but one thing was certain - Rong Zhouzhong didn't want to kill him.

\n\n

Just moments ago, he had handed his gun over to Rong Zhouzhong, who was going mad with anger, but Rong Zhouzhong had turned around and thrown the gun away. This was not the reaction of a killer. A person with real murderous intent would not hold a weapon and not act when pushed to the brink of losing their mind.

\n\n

There were indeed gaps missing from the plot.

\n\n

Having confirmed this, Shi Jin felt relieved but also a little uneasy.

\n\n

The argument turned into a fight. Although he chose to do so in order to figure out the mystery of the progress bar and eliminate his older brothers' suspicion of being the murderer, he went too far by resorting to violence. Besides, he was not the original owner of this body, so doing these things was neither justifiable nor honorable.

\n\n

From the perspective of Rong Zhouzhong, today's events were simply a disaster that fell from the sky.

\n\n

Originally, he was sleeping peacefully at home, but was suddenly confronted by his younger brother who he never got along with...

\n\n

Feeling guilty for using Rong Zhouzhong as a "mine detector", Shi Jin got up from the ground and looked at Rong Zhouzhong, who was lying on the sofa with his eyes closed and breathing evenly. He tentatively asked, "Um, do your wounds hurt?"

\n\n

As Rong Zhouzhong opened his eyes and turned his head, his lips still had a hint of bruising and his peach blossom eyes were filled with cold light. Through gritted teeth, he said, "What do you think? Why haven't you left yet?"

\n\n

"I can't leave, my leg hurts. I hit the coffee table just now when we were fighting," Shi Jin honestly confessed, stealing a glance at Rong Zhouzhong's face. Feeling guilty, he asked, "Do you still have work to do? Um, the wound on your face..."

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong was taken aback, and he raised his hand to touch the slightly painful corner of his mouth. This made him even angrier, and he kicked the coffee table with a bad temper, shouting, "Shi Jin, you really know how to cause trouble for me. Get out, get out, get out! Leave now!"

\n\n

But Shi Jin didn't leave. Instead, he limped closer and asked, "Where's your first aid kit?"

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong turned his head away, looking like he was about to faint from anger.

\n\n

"Never mind, let me go get some ice for you to apply. Your face is your livelihood, and treating it is important," said Shi Jin as he headed towards the kitchen.

\n\n

"You little brat, who do you think relies on their face for a living?" Rong Zhouzhong sat up and glared at Shi Jin, gritting his teeth. "I rely on my strength! Strength! Are you doing this on purpose, Shi Jin? What are you here for today, to die?"

\n\n

Shi Jin looked at him with a face full of apology and offered him the gun he had retrieved, honestly admitting, "I did do it on purpose... Here, take this. If you're still angry, you can..."

\n\n

"...Damn it!" Rong Zhouzhong was so angry he grabbed his hair, his expression contorted. "I can what? Can just kill you? Can you just go, hurry up and leave!"

\n\n

...can vent your anger by smashing a few garbage cans.

\n\n

Shi Jin silently placed the gun on the sofa and didn't leave. He turned around and limped to the kitchen.

\n\n

Watching his brother's back as he left with a limp, Rong Zhouzhong was so angry that he closed his eyes and collapsed onto the sofa, his chest heaving as he tried to suppress his anger.

\n\n

Having witnessed the entire ordeal, Number Two suddenly felt a surge of sympathy for him. With an unlucky younger brother like Shi Jin, sometimes the thought of pressing him to death didn't seem like such an unreasonable idea.

\n\n

Shi Jin took out some ice cubes and conveniently started to boil a pot of noodles. After all the commotion, it was already past lunchtime and everyone was probably hungry.

\n\n

"First put some ice on the corner of your mouth." Shi Jin placed the ice in front of Rong Zhouzhong and began to scoop noodles from the pot into a bowl, muttering as he worked. "Why do you have nothing to eat in your fridge? Only a pack of noodles and a few eggs, not even a single vegetable. This won't do. Here, eat up and fill your stomach first."

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong had already woken up at the smell of the noodles. Now, he saw Shi Jin squatting across from him, skillfully scooping the noodles into a bowl, his face still purple and green.

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong was at a loss for words, feeling a mix of anger and confusion. He thought Shi Jin was crazy and stupid like a pig. His emotions were all over the place, and he felt the fire he had just suppressed rising up again.

\n\n

"You can cook noodles too?" Number Two inserted himself into the conversation, sitting down next to Shi Jin.

\n\n

"Of course, but my skills are not very good," said Shi Jin humbly, as he placed the first bowl of noodles in front of Rong Zhouzhong, the second bowl in front of Number Two, and the last bowl, which was slightly less in quantity, in front of himself.

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong stared at the bowl of noodles without moving.

\n\n

Number Two, who was already quite hungry, began to eat without hesitation.

\n\n

The two uninvited guests were now eating noodles in front of the homeowner, slurping loudly as if on purpose.

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong's forehead bulged with veins, his face showing theat he was desperately holding back his anger. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he sat up and glared at Shi Jin, who had buried his head in the bowl of noodles, ready to unleash his anger. But just then, Shi Jin suddenly looked up.

\n\n

"Eat quickly. The noodles will become mushy if left for too long and won't taste good," Shi Jin advised in a gentle tone, pushing the bowl towards Rong Zhouzhong.

\n\n

As Rong Zhouzhong met his innocent gaze, he found himself at a loss for words. He had wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat, leaving him unable to speak.

\n\n

His eyes darted around before he finally picked up his bowl and began to eat his noodles with a vengeance. He chewed with such force that it seemed as if he was trying to take out his frustration on the food.

\n\n

He had lost the fight earlier because he had not eaten all day, not because he was weaker than his opponent. That little brat who pretended to be crazy was going to get what was coming to him!

\n\n

But when Rong Zhouzhong finished his meal and prepared to deal with the little troublemaker who refused to leave, he was surprised to see that Shi Jin had already washed the dishes, swept the floor, and even taken out the trash. He politely bid farewell and warned Rong Zhouzhong to be careful of the stalker fans, as he had found his way here thanks to them.

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong took a deep breath and squeezed three words through his teeth: "Get, out, now."

\n\n

"Well, I'm leaving then." Shi Jin picked up the garbage and headed towards the door. But just as he reached the entrance, he suddenly turned around.

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong immediately glared at him, his body tense and ready for a fight.

\n\n

"Third Brother, I'm sorry about today." Shi Jin apologized, bowed deeply to Rong Zhouzhong, and then left with Number Two. He didn't even look back. When he closed the door, he did it carefully and quietly, showing great politeness.

\n\n

Click. The villa returned to silence.

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong stared at the entrance, and then stared some more. Finally, he couldn't help but kick the stool next to the entrance and cursed angrily, "Damn little brat!"

\n\n

As soon as Shi Jin got in the car, he slumped into the seat, frowning and rubbing his leg.

\n\n

"What's wrong, are you really hurt?" Number Two asked.

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded and replied, "It seems swollen."

\n\n

Number Two frowned, took a cigarette but didn't light it, and started the car. "Hold on, we don't have a first aid kit in the car. Let's go back to the club. Say, fighting is one thing, but secretly letting your brother win? What's the point? He hit you for real, and you even gave in by trying to avoid his face. He has a bruise on his mouth, but look at your own face. I don't even know what to say to you."

\n\n

"I didn't want to fight in the first place..." Shi Jin felt guilty and smiled at him, trying to please him. "Thank you for coming with me today. I'll treat you to dinner later."

\n\n

"Treating me to the free food from the club?" Number Two gave him a sideways glance and said, "Alright, alright. Don't force yourself to talk if you're in pain. Think about how you're going to explain your injuries to Young Master Jun when we get back to the club."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..." Shit, he had forgotten about that.

\n\n

During lunch that day, Lian Jun didn't see Shi Jin, so he asked Number One and found out that he had brought Number Two out with him, apparently to return something to Rong Zhouzhong. Lian Jun didn't show any emotion, but he ate half a bowl less than usual.

\n\n

Not long after lunch, Shi Jin and Number Two returned. Number Two was unscathed, but Shi Jin was limping.

\n\n

"What happened?" Lian Jun furrowed his brows and put down the documents in his hand.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt a little guilty and glanced at him before replying, "My brother and I got into a fight."

\n\n

"Did you win or lose?" Lian Jun continued to ask.

\n\n

Shi Jin hesitated for a moment before replying, "I guess I won. I managed to pin my brother down and beat him up." Although in reality, he was the one who sustained more injuries.

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at his bruised and swollen face and waved his hand, "Go tend to your wounds."

\n\n

Was he not going to punish him for going out to fight without permission?

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately felt relieved and flattered Lian Jun with several compliments before limping his way to the medical room.

\n\n

After he left, Number One, who had been standing by Lian Jun's side, furrowed his brows and asked, "Young Master, are you really going to let him handle the new mission in cooperation with the authorities?"

\n\n

"His age is the most suitable," replied Lian Jun. Seeing that Number Two had not left yet, he explained, "There were some news from the government. Give some short-term training to Shi Jin during this time. The authorities will also send someone over, prepare to get in touch with them."

\n\n

Number Two frowned and looked worriedly in the direction Shi Jin had left. He nodded and responded softly.

\n\n

After Shi Jin finished treating his wounds and returned to his room, Xiao Si suddenly spoke up, "Jin Jin, your progress bar dropped to 880 just now."

\n\n

It dropped again?

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled and was about to ask for more details when his phone in his pocket suddenly rang. He took it out and saw that Rong Zhouzhong had sent a text message, which was short and crude: You're dead meat!

\n\n

"..."

\n\n

The progress bar dropped as the text message came in, almost as if they were connected. Shi Jin stared at the message for a few seconds, smiled, and typed back: Okay, Third Brother, remember to apply medicine to the wound.

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong: ...Get lost!

\n\n

Shi Jin's face was filled with a fatherly love, and he sighed contentedly, "If threatening me with death can make the progress bar drop, I wouldn't mind him coming to curse me every day."

\n\n

Xiao Si: "..."

\n","published_time":"2023-08-16T23:36:04.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":303,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":22,"chapter_title":"Survival Factors","content":"

Although his body was suffering, Shi Jin was still satisfied with the results of today's experiment.

\n\n

Firstly, he confirmed that there were loopholes in the plot. Not all five brothers necessarily wanted to kill him. At least Rong Zhouzhong didn't want to, and even if he did, he wouldn't actually do it.

\n\n

Secondly, the increase in the progress bar was problematic. The correlations affecting it needed further analysis.

\n\n

Lastly, the increase and decrease of the progress bar may not only be related to the cause of death. Or rather, his previous understanding of the cause of death was too narrow.

\n\n

Xiao Si didn't quite understand what he meant.

\n\n

Shi Jin explained, "The factors that lead to death can be divided into subjective and objective factors. For the most part, the factors that led to Lian Jun's death were objective, such as his physical condition and the presence of dangerous elements in his surroundings. However, in my case, the progress bar fluctuates unpredictably, like a roller coaster.

\n\n

"This is because a large part of the factors that lead to my death are subjective, such as the intentions of my five older brothers or the unknown person who wants to kill me. This can be seen from the difference in the way my death-causing factors are judged, compared to your baby's. Lian Jun's progress bar reaches 100% and he dies, but for me, even after my progress bar reaches 100%, I still have to passively follow the plot before I can die."

\n\n

Xiao Si pondered over Shi Jin's words.

\n\n

"In addition, there is a big difference between my progress bar and Lian Jun's - his progress bar only fluctuates based on whether his own or surrounding lethal factors increase, while mine may also be related to survival factors."

\n\n

Xiao Si was puzzled, "Survival factors?"

\n\n

"Yes, this is my new speculation. Do you remember when Lian Jun allowed me to stay by his side, and there was a big drop in my progress bar? At that time, I only thought that Lian Jun's presence threatened those who wanted to kill me, causing my lethal factors to decrease, so the progress bar also dropped.

\n\n

"But if we think about it from a different perspective, it's not so much that Lian Jun scared away the lethal factors, but rather that he increased my chances of survival, increasing my survival factors. Doesn't this explanation make more sense?"

\n\n

Xiao Si still didn't quite understand the difference. It was already severely damaged and its abilities were limited due to being bound with Shi Jin. Its mind wasn't very sharp either.

\n\n

Seeing this, Shi Jin scratched his head in slight distress. He didn't know how to explain it in detail, so he simply said, "Just think of my progress bar as being influenced by both factors of death and survival. Before, I thought the Shi family was a factor of death, but now I think they might be a factor of survival. Of course, it's not impossible that there are people among them who want to kill me, but at least Rong Zhouzhong and Shi Weichong are not factors of death."

\n\n

Xiao Si finally understood and said, "So what you mean is that some of the five brothers from the Shi family may not be bad people. Avoiding them won't reduce your chances of dying, but building a good relationship with them can increase your chances of survival and lower the progress bar?"

\n\n

"Yes yes yes, that's what I mean, setting aside any subjective views, aren't all five brothers of the Shi family impressive? Forming a good relationship with them, isn't that like having a lot more big thighs to hug?"

\n\n

Shi Jin tasted some sweet hope, and even highlighted a recent example: "For example, after today's fight with Rong Zhouzhong, he would now proactively message and call me, when he wouldn't in the past. What does this prove? It proves that for bonds between men, a fight could strengthen them!"

\n\n

"..."

\n\n

Xiao Si had no words to refute his blind optimism and had to pour cold water on him: "But Jin Jin, even if they don't want to kill you, your death is very likely to be because of them. Getting close to them is almost equivalent to getting close to the murderer. Have you forgotten the progress bar that skyrocketed before you arrived in B City and met Shi Weichong and the others?"

\n\n

With a crash, Jin Jin's daydream only lasted for a second before being cruelly shattered by reality - Xiao Si was right. Given the pitifully small circle of relationships that the original owner had, the original owner's death could only be related to the five brothers. The person who killed the original owner, even if not one of the five brothers, should still be someone related to them.

\n\n

Otherwise, there was no way to explain the crazy and irregular increase in the progress bar when encountering something related to the five brothers. After analyzing and analyzing, even if the reasons for every increase and decrease in the progress bar were identified, the fundamental problem still remained unsolved.

\n\n

Instead, the situation became even more confusing as suspects like Shi Weichong were ruled out.

\n\n

Before, Shi Jin only needed to focus on the five brothers as the potential murderers and go after them. But now, the murderer was unknown, and every move was like walking on a tightrope, with the risk of stepping on the real murderer's trap.

\n\n

It was a bit hopeless just thinking about it.

\n\n

"But there has been some progress, at least we can narrow down the suspects for the murderer," said Shi Jin, feeling a bit better. He grabbed a pen and paper, quickly wrote down the names of his five brothers, and circled the names of Shi Weichong and Rong Zhouzhong.

\n\n

Muttering to himself, he said, "The suspicion of the eldest and third brother has been ruled out, leaving three brothers to be contacted. And those related to them include family members, subordinates, partners, and competitors..."

\n\n

Xiao Si continued to pour cold water, "With the connections of the five Shi brothers, there must be over ten thousand people on that list."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

He tried to narrow down the list, "Let's just focus on those who have a direct interest..."

\n\n

Xiao Si interrupted, "That's still over a million people."

\n\n

Shi Jin was shocked, "Why did the number increase?"

\n\n

"Fans who have spent money on Rong Zhouzhong should all be considered people with vested interests. Strictly speaking, this is just a conservative estimate," Xiao Si replied.

\n\n

Shi Jin remained silent, feeling like he had hit a dead end in his analysis. He slumped on the couch, his mind blank and feeling hopeless.

\n\n

Xiao Si sat with him in silence for a few minutes.

\n\n

Suddenly, Shi Jin bounced up from the couch, his eyes shining with excitement like a detective who had just discovered a crucial clue. "Xiao Si, we overlooked a very important question - the motive for the murder. The original owner was a high school student who was not yet of legal age. Why would someone want to kill him? What makes him so special?"

\n\n

Xiao Si hesitated for a moment, following his train of thought. "Is it because he's particularly wealthy? Or because he was favored by Shi Xingrui?"

\n\n

Other than that, there didn't seem to be anything special about him.

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded vigorously and skillfully coaxed, "Now let's screen those tens of thousands of people based on these two limiting conditions. Therefore, those who had originally intended to kill may have been influenced by money or Shi Xingrui's favoritism..."

\n\n

Xiao Si connected the dots and shouted, "The five brothers of the Shi family!"

\n\n

Shi Jin almost choked on his breath.

\n\n

"...and also their mother and relatives!" Xiao Si paused for a moment before continuing excitedly, "They also have a motive for murder!"

\n\n

Shi Jin finally calmed down a bit and felt a little comforted. He thought his "golden finger" could still be of some help and added, "There is another group of people we cannot ignore, and that is the confidants cultivated by Shi Xingrui. I suspect that there may be traitors among them who have colluded with outsiders.

\n\n

"In the original plot, the original owner contacted Shi Xingrui's confidants not long before he had a car accident. The timing was just too coincidental. We just don't know which side the traitors are colluding with."

\n\n

Xiao Si was a bit worried, "Why does it still feel like there are so many..."

\n\n

"It's okay, we'll eliminate them one by one, and we'll eventually find the real culprit behind the scenes," Shi Jin comforted. He glanced at the time and saw that it was already dinner time.

\n\n

He let out a sigh, sat up, and said, "Don't think too much for now. Let's eat first! We'll have the energy to investigate after dinner!"

\n\n

Xiao Si was infected by his words and echoed, "Eat first! Jin Jin, eat more!"

\n\n

After a moment, it added in a low voice, "Jin Jin, I'm so useless, I'm sorry..."

\n\n

"It's okay." Jin Jin smiled and waved his hand, opening the door towards the dining room. He comforted in a gentle voice, "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have survived. You're already amazing, and you'll only get better in the future. I believe in you."

\n\n

Xiao Si was deeply moved, wanting to cry but afraid of disturbing Jin Jin. It held back and only let out a burp.

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

......

\n\n

When they arrived at the dining room, Lian Jun was already sitting inside. There were seven or eight dishes on the table, and Shi Jin quickly glanced at them, realizing that most of them were his favorite.

\n\n

"Sit down." Lian Jun saw Shi Jin come in and put down his tablet. Shi Jin immediately sat down obediently and flashed a standard smile at Lian Jun, clumsily complimenting him, "You look so energetic today, Young Master Jun."

\n\n

Lian Jun gave him a faint glance and picked up his chopsticks, "Stop smiling, your face is too swollen and ugly."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

The two ate quietly, and the atmosphere was relatively harmonious. When they finished their meal, Shi Jin prepared to leave, but Lian Jun called him back again.

\n\n

"There's something I need to tell you."

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately sat back down and put on a focused listening expression.

\n\n

Lian Jun had someone bring him a drink and said, "Normally, when I'm on a mission with my men, I give orders directly without asking for their opinions beforehand. But your situation is a bit special, so I'll ask you this time. We've received a message from the authorities, and they want to collaborate with us on a mission. I want you to go."

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback, but then nodded to show that he understood. Just because he was following Lian Jun didn't mean he could just coast along. He had already mentally prepared himself for any tasks that may come his way.

\n\n

"Don't be too quick to agree," Lian Jun waved his hand and explained, "This mission requires you to go alone. Number Two won't be there to assist you, and you'll be working with official personnel. Plus, there is a certain level of danger involved. You can take some time to think about it before giving me your answer. I won't force you to take on this mission."

\n\n

An independent mission? And they want this rookie to do it alone?

\n\n

Shi Jin was surprised and asked, "Why do you want me to go, Young Master Jun? Aren't you afraid I'll mess it up?"

\n\n

"It's okay if you mess up, I can cover for you this time," replied Lian Jun, as he twirled his slender fingers around his water glass. "As for why I want you to go... objectively speaking, your age and qualifications make you the best choice."

\n\n

Shi Jin probed further, "But is there also a subjective reason?"

\n","published_time":"2023-08-23T22:36:44.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":310,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":23,"chapter_title":"Training","content":"

"Yes," Lian Jun answered after a moment, looking up at him. "You're too noisy. I want some peace and quiet for a few days."

\n\n

Shi Jin: ".........."

\n\n

Oh, Shi Jin, why do you have to bring this upon yourself? Wouldn't it be better to just be a mute?

\n\n

"Do you want to do this task?" Lian Jun asked.

\n\n

"...Yes," Shi Jin squeezed out the word through his teeth, feeling extremely aggrieved.

\n\n

"Then go rest," Lian Jun waved him off, heartlessly dismissing him. "Before the task starts, officials will come to give you a short-term training at the club. Don't wander around these few days, take good care of yourself and try to recover as soon as possible."

\n\n

Shi Jin left the restaurant with a mouthful of old blood, his back lonely and desolate.

\n\n

"Your precious little baby is so naughty, he wasted all the effort I put into coaxing him to eat so much!" Shi Jin lamented in his heart.

\n\n

Xiao Si tried to mend his broken teenage heart, "Actually, he doesn't want you to leave. Look at the dishes ordered today, most of them are your favorites."

\n\n

"Well, the pig needs to be fattened up before it's slaughtered," Shi Jin remained unimpressed.

\n\n

Xiao Si: "..."

\n\n

From that day on, Shi Jin began a life of training with Number One and his team while nursing his injuries. Although he wanted to continue analyzing the clues of the murderer, the sudden mission forced him to temporarily put aside his analysis and focus on training.

\n\n

During this time, Shi Weichong came to see Shi Jin once again. Shi Jin was worried that he wouldn't have a chance to test him out and ease their relationship. When he received the news, he immediately took the initiative to meet Shi Weichong outside the club. His heart was jumping with joy, but he maintained a cold demeanor.

\n\n

The two brothers had a brief conversation by the car.

\n\n

"Why did you fight with Old Third?" Shi Weichong asked.

\n\n

"I've wanted to fight him for a long time," Shi Jin replied.

\n\n

"Where did you get hurt?" Shi Weichong continued to ask.

\n\n

"Everywhere," Shi Jin answered.

\n\n

Shi Weichong frowned, looked at his bruised and swollen face, and fell silent for a moment before asking, "Do you still want to fight? I can accompany you."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..." Why aren't you following the script, brother?

\n\n

"I'm not going to fight with you," Shi Jin deliberately turned his head and answered with a rebellious attitude. Then he felt like he had played the role of a rebellious teenager enough.

\n\n

He glanced at Shi Weichong and his expression softened as he asked, "Big brother, do you still hate me?"

\n\n

Shi Weichong sighed softly as he saw him soften. He tentatively reached out and touched his prickly head. Seeing that he didn't refuse, his expression softened even more as he replied, "I'm trying not to have any prejudices towards you... Xiao Jin, you're still my little brother."

\n\n

Xiao Si couldn't contain its excitement and exclaimed, "The progress bar has dropped to 870!"

\n\n

Shi Jin's held breath was suddenly released and a smile appeared on his face. His speculation was correct. Shi Weichong was indeed a survival factor, and getting along with him could increase his survival rate!

\n\n

When Shi Weichong caught a glimpse of the smile on Shi Jin's face, he felt even more uneasy and said, "Xiao Jin, I know I misunderstood you before..."

\n\n

"Thank you!" Suddenly, Shi Jin reached out and hugged him tightly, patting him on the back with joy. "Big brother, I'm so glad you don't hate me. Thank you!"

\n\n

Shi Weichong was stunned by the embrace. In fact, he had never been hugged like this before, not by his father, mother, or siblings. Their relationships were always distant, and even their friendliness was kept within a very restrained range. Intimacy had never been a part of their lives.

\n\n

His body instinctively tensed up, but the hug wasn't too intimate, given how much they were both bundled up for winter. However, the weight of Shi Jin's head on his shoulder and the force of his pat on the back were both significant.

\n\n

As Shi Weichong looked at the head of his younger brother Shi Jin, near his own ear, he suddenly felt a sticky emotion rising in his heart - after all, the person in front of him was just a child, his younger brother who had just come of age, the youngest of his siblings.

\n\n

"...There's nothing to thank me for," he said, his hands reaching up as he tentatively tried to respond to the sudden embrace. But before he could make a move, Shi Jin Jin's body quickly pulled away.

\n\n

"Big brother, I have to go back for training soon," said Shi Jin as he released the embrace after a few seconds. He didn't want to overdo it and appear fake, or raise suspicion from Shi Weichong.

\n\n

After letting go, he immediately showed his goodwill, "Next time, just call me directly to arrange a time. You don't have to wait outside the club in this cold weather." Afraid of revealing too much, he waved goodbye to Shi Weichong and ran away.

\n\n

Shi Weichong watched him enter the club, slowly lowering his stiff hand. He stood there for a while, took a shallow breath, and then turned back to his car.

\n\n

After returning to the club, Shi Jin removed Shi Weichong's number from his blacklist and sent a smiling text message. About ten minutes later, Shi Weichong replied to the message, and Shi Jin's progress bar dropped again, this time to 850.

\n\n

"30 points down, today's harvest is not bad." Shi Jin was very satisfied. After thinking for a moment, he sent a text message to Rong Zhouzhong, saying, "Is your injury better? Big brother came to find me, I complained about you."

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong's reply came quickly, with only two words: "Get lost!"

\n\n

Shi Jin laughed foolishly at the screen of his phone. Suddenly, he felt that Rong Zhouzhong, the king of the entertainment industry, was actually not fierce at all, but rather cute.

\n\n

Two more days passed, and just as the last bruise on Shi Jin's body was fading away, the authorities finally sent a message - the training personnel had been confirmed and could arrive in the afternoon.

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled by this: "Wasn't this task very important? Why did it take so long for the authorities to confirm the training personnel? Did they have a problem?"

\n\n

As Number One shook his head with a hint of dissatisfaction, he replied, "It's not that there's a problem, it's just that there were disagreements among the upper management on the selection of candidates for training. They've been at odds for a few days, which is why it took so long to finalize."

\n\n

"But it's just a training, why make such a big deal out of it?" Shi Jin was even more confused.

\n\n

Number One intended to teach him, so he explained in detail, "They're not arguing about the training itself, but rather the opportunity to enter 'Nightfall', which is Young Master Jun's private place. Do you think any official personnel can just enter it? It's not easy to get a membership card for 'Nightfall.'"

\n\n

Shi Jin suddenly realized and shook his head in admiration, imagining the official training personnel as a bureaucratic fat man, and wisely refrained from asking any more questions.

\n\n

During the middle of the afternoon's combat class, the door of the training room suddenly knocked.

\n\n

As Number One paused his sparring with Shi Jin, he called out, "Come in.".

\n\n

The door was pushed open and Number Two poked his head in. He glanced at Number One before fixing his gaze on Shi Jin, his expression somewhat peculiar. "The person from the official side has arrived," he said.

\n\n

Shi Jin looked puzzled. "Well, if they're here, they're here. Number Two, why do you have that expression? Did you pull a face muscle?"

\n\n

Number Two rolled his eyes, too lazy to give him any more signals. He reached out and pushed the door open completely, stepping aside to reveal the person standing behind him in a black training suit.

\n\n

Due to his perspective, after Number Two stepped aside, Shi Jin Xian's first sight was a pair of long legs clad in black boots and matching casual pants. He was a bit surprised and even mentally joked with Xiao Si, saying that the official was more reliable than he had imagined, not sending over a useless fat guy.

\n\n

But when the person took a step forward and revealed his face, Shi Jin was dumbfounded.

\n\n

"Fourth, Fourth Brother?!" Shi Jin was in disbelief, staring in shock.

\n\n

When Xiang Aoting stopped walking and furrowed his brows, his gaze landed precisely on Shi Jin. His expression darkened when he saw the training uniform on Shi Jin's body, and he asked, "What are you doing here?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled by his question and asked in return, "Shouldn't I be asking you that? You're a pilot, how did you become a trainer? Also, what do you mean by why am I here? Don't act dumb, you know I live here, right?"

\n\n

"I know you live here, otherwise I wouldn't have applied to lead this external training. I'm asking why you're staying in this training room!" replied Xiang Aoting, sensing something was off.

\n\n

He looked at Number Two, the guide, and asked, "Why is Xiao Jin here? You said you were bringing me to meet the participant for this mission, where is he?"

\n\n

Number Two pointed at Shi Jin and replied, "He is the person you need to train."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting's expression turned sour, his eyes flickering. He spoke in a deep voice, "I want to see Lian Jun."

\n\n

The moment Number Two saw Xiang Aoting appear, he knew things were going to go wrong. When he heard the news, he wasn't surprised and greeted Number One with a wave before turning around and gesturing for Xiang Aoting to follow him.

\n\n

Shi Jin also sensed that something was off and quickly took off his protective gear and jumped off the training platform to catch up with the two. "I'll go with you guys," he said.

\n\n

Number Two nodded indifferently, while Xiang Aoting noticed Shi Jin's skilled movements when he took off his gear and his expression became even uglier.

\n\n

The three of them headed towards Lian Jun's study. As they walked, Shi Jin communicated with Xiao Si in his mind. Suddenly, he remembered the 'You're dead meat!' sent by Rong Zhouzhong and had a sudden realization. He quickly pulled out his phone and typed: "Third Brother, did you know Fourth Brother was coming to Nightfall?"

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong's reply came quickly, still short and to the point: "Die, you little brat!"

\n\n

This childish bastard really knew!

\n\n

Shi Jin closed his phone and glanced at Xiang Aoting walking ahead of him. He frowned and quickened his pace to catch up, attempting to strike up a conversation. "Fourth Brother, this time..."

\n\n

"Our issue can wait," Xiang Aoting interrupted without looking back. He saw that they were approaching Lian Jun's study and strode forward, pushing open the door.

\n\n

He ignored Number Nine, who immediately stood up in alert, and walked to Lian Jun's desk. He leaned in, propping himself up on the desk, and stared at Lian Jun with unbridled aggression. He asked, "Lian Jun, why was my little brother chosen to participate in this mission?"

\n\n

"Fourth Brother," as soon as Shi Jin entered, he noticed the movement of Xiang Aoting and his heart tightened, afraid that he would cause trouble for Lian Jun. He hurried over to stand by Lian Jun's side and blocked him with one hand.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting's expression became even more serious when he saw this, and his gaze towards Lian Jun was like he was looking at a great demon who had led an ignorant youth astray.

\n\n

Shi Jin tried to communicate with Xiang Aoting and said, "Fourth Brother, you..."

\n\n

"Shut up!" Xiang Aoting interrupted him and continued to look at Lian Jun, questioning, "Lian Jun, what do you mean by this? Why did you let a child like Shi Jin do this mission?"

\n\n

Shi Jin wanted to refute his use of the word "child," but was held back by Lian Jun.

\n\n

"It's nothing special," said Lian Jun, waving his hand to stop Number Nine and Number Two from approaching Xiang Aoting.

\n\n

Facing Xiang Aoting's hostile gaze, he continued, "I chose Shi Jin because his qualifications were the most suitable, and also because Shi Jin is not a child anymore, he is already an adult."

\n","published_time":"2023-08-31T01:02:25.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":318,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":24,"chapter_title":"Three in One","content":"

"But he just became an adult a few days ago!" Anger flared in Xiang Aoting's voice at Lian Jun's attitude. "A few months ago, he was just a chubby young master who would get tired after running a few laps! Sending him on a mission is like sending him to his death! Do you think he's suitable for the job? Or do you think it's worth sacrificing him as a cannon fodder for your own gain?"

\n\n

As soon as Xiang Aoting finished speaking, the expressions of Number Two and Number Nine turned ugly, and their gazes towards him became hostile.

\n\n

Lian Jun never used the lives of his subordinates to gain benefits. Xiang Aoting's words were an insult to Lian Jun and to their "Annihilation"!

\n\n

As the situation escalated, it became clear to Lian Jun that there was no reasoning with Xiang Aoting in his current state. So he turned to Shi Jin and signaled, "Go ahead."

\n\n

"You!" Xiang Aoting stood up straight, seething with anger and reaching for his weapon.

\n\n

Shi Jin understood Lian Jun's intention and felt it was time for Xiang Aoting to remember who he was dealing with. With a quick and agile leap, he kicked the table and lunged towards Xiang Aoting's hand, while grabbing a pen from Lian Jun's desk and using it as a makeshift dagger to aim for Xiang Aoting's eyes.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting's expression changed and he quickly dodged the attack, unable to draw his weapon in time.

\n\n

Taking advantage of the moment, Shi Jin landed on the ground and threw the pen aside, assuming a standard fighting stance with fists clenched as he charged towards Xiang Aoting.

\n\n

"Xiao Jin, you—" Xiang Aoting couldn't believe it, both surprised and doubtful.

\n\n

But Shi Jin didn't hold back in his attack, interrupting him: "There's no use in talking. Put down your weapon and let's fight."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting furrowed his brow, quickly controlling his emotions. He only dodged and didn't attack, intending to find an opening to subdue him before having a proper conversation.

\n\n

However, after a few moves, he discovered that Shi Jin's attacks were precise and powerful, with a clear method. He didn't seem like a beginner at all, causing Xiang Aoting to become even more suspicious and serious.

\n\n

He gradually began to counterattack.

\n\n

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

\n\n

The two of them exchanged blows, the sound of fists and feet colliding filling the study.

\n\n

Shi Jin's attacks were swift and fierce, while Xiang Aoting's counterattacks were steady and cunning. The two of them moved quickly, exchanging dozens of moves in just a short amount of time.

\n\n

As the fight continued, Number Two's expression gradually became more and more peculiar, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

\n\n

He muttered to himself, "What's going on? Did these two brothers learn martial arts from the same master? Their moves are so similar. And how can Xiang Aoting, who is a pilot, be so skilled in combat? He's basically fighting with Shi Jin using only one hand."

\n\n

"It is one hand," Number Nine observed carefully, even taking out his phone to secretly record the fight. "Both of them learned military-style martial arts, so it's normal for their moves to be similar. But Xiang Aoting focuses more on practical application, while Shi Jin has had less practice and has become somewhat rigid."

\n\n

Number Two looked at him speechlessly, wondering what he was doing with his phone. "What are you doing?" he asked.

\n\n

"Taking notes," Number Nine replied with a childish face and a serious tone. "Xiang Aoting is really strong, and even Number One probably can't beat him."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Number Two was absolutely furious - he had never seen anyone praise the 'enemy' like this before. But despite his anger, he couldn't come up with a rebuttal.

\n\n

Number One's greatest strengths were his marksmanship and sneak attacks, and he might not be able to beat Xiang Aoting in hand-to-hand combat.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly noticed Xiang Aoting holding back, and with a flicker in his eyes, he used a feinting motion to make Xiang Aoting kick, then took advantage of the opportunity to crouch down and grab Xiang Aoting's leg from the side, like a monkey stealing a peach.

\n\n

"Cough cough cough! What is he doing? What is Xiao Jin Jin doing? He can't win, so he's just acting like a hooligan!" Number Two immediately started to complain, only to receive disapproving glares from Lian Jun and Number Nine.

\n\n

Number Two: "......"

\n\n

To Xiang Aoting's surprise, Shi Jin used such shameless tactics. Xiang Aoting froze for a moment before dodging to the side, but Shi Jin suddenly changed from a claw to a palm and moved slightly, hitting Xiang Aoting's leg where the nerves were exposed while he was dodging. At the same time, Shi Jin leaned over and forcefully collided with him.

\n\n

Bang!

\n\n

Xiang Aoting fell to the ground unsteadily, and Shi Jin successfully pinned him down. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he looked down at Xiang Aoting triumphantly and said, "Fourth Brother, I won."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting looked at the face of the energetic and spirited man in front of him, gasping for breath without speaking. His eyes were complex, and it took a while before he reached out and pressed his shoulder, using a bit of skill to separate from him and look towards Lian Jun.

\n\n

The anger had disappeared from his face, but he still disapproved and said, "Lian Jun, going on a mission requires more than just combat skills. I still disagree with letting Xiao Jin participate in this mission. I will submit a report to request a personnel change."

\n\n

Lian Jun's response was also very straightforward, saying, "You can't change it. We only have a cooperative relationship. You have no right to interfere with who I send. And you are not the real participant in this mission. If I say I am not satisfied, you have to leave now."

\n\n

So this is actually not a two-way choice, and Xiang Aoting is completely passive in Nightfall. He was able to go so far today because Lian Jun gave him some face.

\n\n

"Don't underestimate Shi Jin," Lian Jun threatened, then spoke with reason, "Shi Jin is far better than you think, Xiang Aoting. You older brothers all have a common problem, which is to subjectively judge what kind of person Shi Jin is, but you are all wrong. Shi Jin, take your brother to the shooting range. You should practice your marksmanship today."

\n\n

Shi Jin was flattered and showed a sycophantic smile to Lian Jun. He got up from the ground, patted Xiang Aoting's shoulder, and said, "Let's go, let's compare our marksmanship now."

\n\n

As Aoting listened to Lian Jun's words, he was a bit stunned. Turning his head to look at Shi Jin, who was smiling brightly and confidently, he realized that he had never seen him smile like this before. His lips moved, but he didn't say anything.

\n\n

Following Shi Jin as he walked outside, Xiang Aoting realized that Lian Jun was right. He didn't have a choice. The only thing he could do now was to fight to stay.

\n\n

The two of them arrived at the shooting range, and Shi Jin intentionally wanted Xiang Aoting to change his opinion of him. So he took Xiang Aoting to the most difficult simulation area and said, "You can choose any gun you want. Our battlefield is this simulation area. There are a total of fifteen robbers and five hostages. Do you want to compete?"

\n\n

The simulated area was just renovated and upgraded, making it perfect for practice. Xiang Aoting took a quick look around and looked at Shi Jin, accepting his challenge: "Let's compete."

\n\n

He wanted to see what his younger brother had grown into during the time he was away.

\n\n

"Then let's begin," Shi Jin said eagerly, as he went to change his equipment.

\n\n

Shi Jin was skilled in long-range attacks and marksmanship, with a quick mind and an exaggerated sense of danger. After the two of them rescued all the hostages in the simulation area and met up in the evaluation room outside, the scoring system had already given its evaluation. Although Shi Jin had rescued one less hostage than Xiang Aoting, he had taken down three more robbers than Xiang Aoting, and his marksmanship accuracy was even higher.

\n\n

"There's also a tactical training system here, which is newly installed. Do you want to try it out?" Shi Jin took off his safety helmet, still a little out of breath, and challenged Xiang Aoting once again.

\n\n

At this point, Xiang Aoting had completely changed his view of Shi Jin. He looked at him deeply, his thin lips tightly pursed, his serious face looking even more fierce as he nodded and said, "Try."

\n\n

Tactical exercises are the best way to see a person's overall combat skills. The two of them spent an afternoon in the training room, practicing until Xiang Aoting was the one who refused to let Shi Jin go. He repeatedly changed the scenarios, trying to figure out Shi Jin's limits.

\n\n

Shi Jin was exhausted, and by the end, he didn't even want to talk to Xiang Aoting anymore - this guy was a complete lunatic! A training maniac! Too harsh!

\n\n

Xiang Aoting didn't need him to talk, and remained silent after they left. He seemed to be lost in thought, occasionally glancing at Shi Jin with a gaze like a searchlight, making people feel uneasy.

\n\n

When Shi Jin suspected that Xiang Aoting was planning to cut open his body to examine his internal structure, he quickly stuffed Xiang Aoting into the Nightfall's cafeteria and ran to the small restaurant to have dinner with Lian Jun.

\n\n

"How's the situation?" After dinner, Lian Jun asked out of nowhere.

\n\n

Shi Jin was wiping his mouth when he heard the question. He paused for a moment, recalled his experience in the afternoon, and replied, "It's okay. Xiang Aoting is very powerful and has a lot of combat experience. I learned a lot from him."

\n\n

"Hmm," Lian Jun nodded and asked, "So you're not switching trainers?"

\n\n

He was asking if Shi Jin wanted to change his training personnel.

\n\n

After some consideration, Shi Jin shook his head and said, "No need to change. Let him stay. He'll only be training me for a while, and he won't be staying here permanently anyway."

\n\n

Besides, it was convenient for Xiang Aoting to come, as he could gather information about the five brothers' mothers' families, which was not well described in the original plot. He needed to collect clues.

\n\n

Over at the cafeteria, a conversation was also taking place.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting took the initiative to sit across from Number Two and asked, "How long has Shi Jin been training with you guys?"

\n\n

Number Two glanced at him and didn't really want to talk to him, so he asked back, "How long could he have trained? How long has it been since he got out of your sight?"

\n\n

Xiang Aoting sensed his hostility and furrowed his brows slightly, then asked again, "Doesn't he eat with you guys?"

\n\n

This time, Number Two didn't answer directly. He threw down his chopsticks and left.

\n\n

Watching him leave, Xiang Aoting thought back on everything he had seen and heard in Nightfall, lost in thought.

\n\n

The next day, after eating breakfast, Shi Jin went to the training room as usual. This time, instead of Number One or Number Two, he found Xiang Aoting, dressed in military green training clothes, waiting for him.

\n\n

"We're going to test your limits today," Xiang Aoting seemed to have accepted the fact that he was now responsible for training Shi Jin.

\n\n

Holding a record board with a list of items, he pointed to the running track in the training room and said, "Let's warm up first. Yesterday we only tested combat and marksmanship, today we'll test the basics, starting with endurance."

\n\n

Seeing his serious expression, Shi Jin suddenly had a bad feeling and asked, "How many laps?"

\n\n

Looking at him, Xiang Aoting's thin lips slightly parted as he spoke firmly, "Run until you can't run anymore."

\n\n

Oh my god...

\n\n

Brother, aren't you being too harsh?

\n\n

"If you don't want to run, then quit the mission. I won't send a lazy rookie to their death in the hands of the enemy," Xiang Aoting's tone was cold.

\n\n

His words sounded just like their old instructor back in police academy.

\n\n

Shi Jin sighed quietly and obediently went to warm up.

\n\n

Running, push-ups, sit-ups, single bar, double bar... Shi Jin was reminded of the fear he felt when he first entered the police academy and was dominated by physical training. His whole body was tense to the extreme, too tired to even speak, let alone try to gather information from Xiang Aoting.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting's attitude was also unpredictable. Every time Shi Jin completed a training exercise, his expression would strangely darken for a while.

\n\n

After a whole day of training, Shi Jin felt like he had almost lost half of his life. His clothes were soaked with sweat time and time again, and in the end, he was practically dragged out of the training room by Xiang Aoting.

\n\n

"Your endurance is okay, but your overall physical fitness is not up to standard. Your muscles are not well-defined and too soft," Xiang Aoting cruelly evaluated, throwing Shi Jin directly into the medical room and having the doctor give him an IV.

\n\n

Shi Jin knew that this body was not good, and physical fitness was a big problem, but he still deliberately retorted, "Yes, your muscles are hard, Fourth Brother. Are you seeking revenge for personal reasons? Can't we gradually progress instead of starting with such extreme training?"

\n\n

Xiang Aoting replied, "No, the mission could start at any time. You don't have time to gradually progress."

\n\n

Shi Jin slumped in his chair, unable to say a word.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting frowned at the sight and was silent for a few seconds before finally praising, "Your foundation is good, and you work hard."

\n\n

"Thank you, the world is a dangerous place, and if I don't work hard, I won't survive," said Shi Jin, half-jokingly.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting sat down next to him, looked at him for a moment, and suddenly asked, "Why?"

\n\n

What "why"? Why do these older brothers always like to ask "why"? It's fine to ask, but can't they ask in more detail? He's not a worm in their stomachs, he can't read their mind.

\n\n

Shi Jin was helpless and asked, "What do you mean by 'why'?"

\n\n

"Why did you choose to stay here." Xiang Aoting looked at his face, which no longer resembled his past self, and asked, "You could have chosen a more stable and comfortable life, so why did you choose to stay here?"

\n\n

"Don't you know?" Shi Jin raised his eyebrows and asked back.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting shook his head honestly. He really didn't know. For the past few years, he had spent most of his time in the military, and had very little contact with his family.

\n\n

As Shi Jin looked at his completely genuine expression, a slightly strange idea suddenly popped into his mind - could this Fourth Brother... really be completely oblivious to the situation?

\n\n

All the brotherly conflicts and calculations for personal gain seemed to be completely outside of his awareness. Every word and action he made was straightforward, as if he had nothing to hide.

\n\n

"Don't you hate me?" Shi Jin sat up and looked into his eyes, asking persistently.

\n\n

There was a hint of confusion in Xiang Aoting's eyes, as well as a discomfort from feeling exposed. He even felt a bit of self-blame and guilt for having such thoughts.

\n\n

However, his face remained serious as he replied, "Hate you? I don't like your past attitude towards life. But now, you're working hard and living healthily. Other than working for Lian Jun and being a rebellious student who doesn't want to go home and continue studying, everything else is pretty good."

\n\n

Listening to this answer and looking at this expression, is this really a bad brother?

\n\n

Shi Jin tentatively held onto Xiang Aoting's hand.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting's body stiffened, but he didn't pull away. He only furrowed his brows and asked, "What's wrong?"

\n\n

"Nothing." Shi Jin didn't know what expression to make anymore. He slumped on the bed and dryly said, "I just suddenly wanted to touch you... Fourth Brother, let's get along well, okay?"

\n\n

"It's useless. I won't go easy on you," Xiang Aoting coldly withdrew his hand and spoke righteously, "Since you've made your choice, you have to stick with it. The sweat you're putting in now is the vitality you need for your mission. Xiao Jin, your attitude still isn't serious enough."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

Xiao Si weakly spoke up, "Jin Jin, the progress bar has dropped to 840."

\n\n

Shi Jin let out a low sigh, feeling no comfort at all. Dealing with Fourth Brother seemed to be quite a headache.

\n\n

The devilish training once started, could not be stopped. Every day, Shi Jin would enter the training room standing up, and be dragged out by Xiang Aoting while lying down, looking extremely miserable.

\n\n

This continued for a week before his body finally adapted to the high-intensity training. However, his plan to gather information from Xiang Aoting remained at a standstill. Xiang Aoting was like a stubborn stone, only knowing about training and refusing to talk about anything else.

\n\n

After another day of training, Shi Jin was finally able to walk out on his own. As they said their goodbyes at the door and took a few steps away, Xiang Aoting suddenly called out to him.

\n\n

"What's wrong?" Shi Jin asked, puzzled.

\n\n

After hesitating for a moment, Xiang Aoting asked, "Where do you eat every day?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback and replied, "On the sixth floor, with Young Master Jun."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting suddenly looked unhappy and asked in a strange tone, "Xiao Jin, are you... are you..."

\n\n

"Am I what?" Shi Jin became more confused and puzzled.

\n\n

"...never mind." Xiang Aoting suddenly closed his mouth and said stiffly, "We can move on to the next stage of the training plan. Rest well today and come early tomorrow."

\n\n

With that, he turned and left.

\n\n

Shi Jin was bewildered and scratched his head, "What kind of riddle is this?"

\n\n

The training lasted for half a month. During this time, Shi Weichong called twice to arrange a meeting with Shi Jin and Xiang Aoting. It was obvious that he knew Xiang Aoting had arrived at Nightfall.

\n\n

Shi Jin actually wanted to go out and strengthen his relationship with Shi Weichong, but the mission was more important, so he had to decline politely.

\n\n

During another heavy snowfall, Xiang Aoting suddenly left Nightfall for a few days. When he returned, he brought news that the mission was about to begin, and Shi Jin finally learned the specific details.

\n\n

"This time, our mission is to gather information," Xiang Aoting projected an encrypted file and explained to Shi Jin in detail.

\n\n

"The person in the picture is Liu Yuan, also known as Yuan Ma-zi. He is involved in human trafficking and is your main target this time. He used to be our informant, but later betrayed us. Now we suspect that he has convinced some military personnel to support him from within. All of our previous undercover agents and scouts were exposed, so this time we have to seek outside help."

\n\n

Human trafficking? And colluding with insiders?

\n\n

Shi Jin's face showed a disgusted expression. It's not surprising, as anyone who has worked in law enforcement hates human traffickers more than murderers.

\n\n

"Yuan Ma-zi belongs to an illegal violent organization called 'Werewolf'. The main members of this organization usually hide overseas and engage in various illegal activities, including human trafficking. Recently, we received information that they have secretly returned to the country in batches, seemingly for some big business. This is our chance."

\n\n

Shi Jin probably understood his meaning and asked, "Does the government want to know who is behind Werewolf and Liu Yuan?"

\n\n

"Exactly," nodded Xiang Aoting, very satisfied with his thinking and reaction speed. He continued, "This mission is top secret. In order to prevent the plan from being leaked again, all personnel involved in the mission were transferred from other places. You are the only external aid and have the heaviest task. We need you to pretend to be a person abducted by Yuan Ma-zi, infiltrate the Werewolf group, and collect as much information as possible."

\n\n

Shi Jin frowned and asked, "How do I disguise myself? Also, aren't the main victims of human trafficking children and women? Would Yuan Ma-zi abduct someone like me?"

\n\n

After a moment of silence, Xiang Aoting replied, "Yes, contrary to popular belief, Yuan Ma-zi's favorite target group for abduction is young men, aged seventeen or eighteen, with handsome looks and a high tolerance for hardship, who come from rural areas to work in the city."

\n\n

As Shi Jin listened, his expression gradually disappeared. He looked at Xiang Aoting and said, "Don't tell me that Yuan Ma-zi is..."

\n\n

"He's involved in human trafficking and also works as a pimp. Due to his sexual preferences, he prefers to abduct young men. The men he abducts are usually secretly trained by him for a period of time. After he gets bored of them, he sends them to T country, where they are sold to various parts of the world."

\n\n

"..." Why does his mission always involve selling his body.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting also felt that this mission was difficult to speak of. He patted Shi Jin's shoulder and comforted him, "Don't be afraid. There is reliable evidence that Yuan Ma-zi can no longer be seen as human, and the Werewolf group is operating domestically this time, so they won't be as reckless as they are abroad. We will do our best to ensure your safety."

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't feel comforted and asked without hope, "How can you guarantee my safety?"

\n\n

Withdrawing his hand, Xiang Aoting said, "I also applied to participate in this mission and it has been approved. I will be your direct contact person. If there is any movement on your end, I will go to save you, so you don't have to be afraid."

\n\n

Shi Jin was surprised. He didn't expect Xiang Aoting to also participate in this mission. His mood suddenly became complicated. Xiang Aoting was a pilot and his department had nothing to do with the department responsible for this mission. It must have taken a lot of effort for him to be able to participate.

\n\n

"Fourth Brother, you don't have to do this."

\n\n

"I want to." Xiang Aoting turned off the projection and said seriously, "You are my younger brother. It's the older brother's duty to protect the younger brother."

\n\n

Shi Jin sighed in his mind, "I'm done for. I feel like he's using reverse psychology on me. He's such an honest and reliable good brother."

\n\n

Xiao Si thought carefully but couldn't think of anything bad about Xiang Aoting, so it remained silent.

\n\n

Two more days passed like this, and the specific date for the mission was set - Yuan Ma-zi appeared in a small town in H province, apparently preparing to take a train inland. This was a good opportunity to get close to him.

\n\n

Shi Jin received a departure call from Xiang Aoting while eating, and after hanging up, he looked at Lian Jun, wanting to explain the situation, but Lian Jun spoke first.

\n\n

"Be safe," Lian Jun said, putting down his chopsticks.

\n\n

Shi Jin's words got stuck in his throat, and he nodded instead, turning around to say, "Make sure you eat well while I'm gone."

\n\n

"Stop being so long-winded," said Lian Jun as he slid his wheelchair out from behind the table. He took out a small pendant and placed it in Shi Jin's hand, saying, "I heard you returned the cucumber pillow to Rong Zhouzhong. Here, take this and remember to carry it with you."

\n\n

Shi Jin lowered his head and saw that Lian Jun had given him a cartoon pendant in the shape of a chicken leg. He couldn't help but laugh and shook the little chicken leg, saying, "Young Master, I don't like eating chicken legs."

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at him and waved his hand, saying, "Go on, don't waste any more time."

\n\n

"Okay, I'm going." Shi Jin put away the little chicken leg and suddenly hugged Lian Jun.

\n\n

Then he quickly let go, backing away while waving at Lian Jun and saying with a smile, "When I come back after completing the mission, I want to eat a whole roasted lamb!"

\n\n

As Lian Jun's tense body slowly relaxed, he remained silent. Only when Shi Jin's figure was no longer visible did he coldly reply, "Don't even think about it. I can't eat it, and you can't either."

\n\n

......

\n\n

In the neighboring province of S, Shi Jin wore an outdated winter outfit and a tacky black knit hat, carrying a worn-out old cell phone and squeezing onto the green train with a luggage bag.

\n\n

His lips were purple from the cold, and he kept his head down with a shrinking gaze. His body language was restrained, clearly indicating that it was his first time traveling far by train.

\n\n

Such people were common, so no one paid much attention to him. He found his seat smoothly and tried to show some goodwill towards his seatmate, but unfortunately, the middle-aged man was a powerful figure who responded to his smile with a disdainful glare. He became even more restrained, tilting his body slightly and taking out his phone.

\n\n

Carefully dialing a number, he spoke softly in a dialect that nobody could recognize, "Mom, I'm already on the bus. Don't worry, I'll definitely earn enough money for my brother's dowry. Don't let him get too upset, even if he breaks his leg, he'll recover with some rest. Sister-in-law said we can wait until his leg heals before having the wedding, everything will be fine."

\n\n

On the other end of the phone, Xiang Aoting: "..."

\n\n

He shook his phone in confusion and increased the volume, "Mom? Can you hear me? Is there no signal?"

\n\n

"I can hear you," Xiang Aoting adjusted his state and asked, "Have you seen the target?"

\n\n

"Strange, no signal?" Shi Jin stood up with his phone and began to move around the carriage, turning in a circle. Finally, his phone had a signal and he stopped, happy to say, "I can hear you now, Mom. What were you saying?"

\n\n

This strange dialect really affected communication.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting coughed softly and asked, "Have you found the mission target?"

\n\n

"Yeah," Shi Jin replied.

\n\n

"Yuan Ma-zi is going to meet up with the Werewolf group in City C this time. From S Province to City C, he will pass through six stations, with a total travel time of sixteen hours. Try to talk to him during this time and get 'kidnapped' by him," Xiang Aoting instructed.

\n\n

Shi Jin shyly replied, "Mom, I know. My brother's wedding is important. He's almost thirty and still a bachelor. I'm still young and don't want to play with friends."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting: "..."

\n\n

After the first routine call of the mission ended, Shi Jin was ecstatic while Xiang Aoting felt a bit traumatised, realizing that he didn't really understand his younger brother Shi Jin.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi was a middle-aged man with a wax-yellow complexion, tall and thin, with sparse eyebrows and thin lips, and a somewhat harsh appearance. He sat in the corner of the carriage, dozing off when Shi Jin came in.

\n\n

He didn't notice Shi Jin until he heard his pleasant voice while making a call nearby, and opened his small, squinty eyes.

\n\n

Shi Jin was dressed plainly, spoke with a rustic accent, and had a timid body language, but his looks were undeniably good. Although he had made some effort to conceal his delicate and pampered nature, and had roughened his skin a few degrees to cover up, his features couldn't be changed, and he was still handsome.

\n\n

As Shi Jin put away his phone, he keenly sensed Yuan Ma-zi's gaze on him, lingering for a long time. He was pleased, but pretended not to notice and returned to his seat.

\n\n

As the train started moving, the carriage gradually quieted down - there weren't many people getting on at this stop, and no one was talking.

\n\n

Shi Jin leaned against his seat and looked out the window, occasionally glancing at his backpack and pressing the old phone in his hand. He looked like a little mouse, cautious and alert on his first trip.

\n\n

As the sky darkened, the smell of instant noodles and boxed meals wafted through the carriage. Shi Jin's face showed signs of fatigue as he yawned, but he didn't go to buy any food. Instead, he got up and rummaged through his luggage, taking out a tightly wrapped package of biscuits from inside.

\n\n

As the night grew deeper, the passengers in the carriage gradually fell asleep. Shi Jin's head also drooped and he dozed off. In the early hours of the morning, the train made a stop and some people got on and off.

\n\n

Shi Jin went to relieve himself and on his way back, he purposely raised his hand to scratch his neck, revealing a glimpse of his attractive collarbone.

\n\n

The frequency of train stops increased as they approached a bustling inland city. Shi Jin struck up a conversation with a middle-aged man who had a simple and honest face. He naively revealed a lot of personal information, but fortunately, the man he was talking to didn't seem like a bad person.

\n\n

Seeing how innocent Shi Jin was, he even reminded him to be more cautious outside and bought him a hot meal. Shi Jin was very grateful, his face full of embarrassment, but he ate his meal ravenously, looking very hungry.

\n\n

After a few more hours of swaying on the train, they arrived at the next stop, City C, but Shi Jin still hadn't spoken to Yuan Ma-zi.

\n\n

A call came in from Xiang Aoting, asking about his situation.

\n\n

Shi Jin was tearing apart a bread roll in his seat and replied, "Almost there, let's talk when we arrive. My phone is about to die, but don't worry, I've hidden my money well."

\n\n

When Xiang Aoting heard him mention money, he felt a twinge in his heart and asked, "Has Yuan Ma-zi already laid hands on you? Did he steal your money?"

\n\n

"Sure," Shi Jin replied, adding in his mind that he would strike soon after revealing that he would get off in City C.

\n\n

This Yuan Ma-zi was even more cunning and cautious than he had imagined. Although it was better that the other party took the initiative to make a move, it also reduced the possibility of him deliberately approaching and exposing his flaws.

\n\n

Feeling relieved, Shi Jin didn't know whether to say he was lucky or that he was good at reading people's hearts accurately. He gave a few more instructions and hung up the phone proactively.

\n\n

Half an hour later, the train successfully stopped and Shi Jin got off with his luggage, deliberately walking slowly to make it easier for Yuan Ma-zi to catch up. He followed the crowd out of the station and was bumped into several times. Each time, he apologized proactively. Finally, he stumbled and stumbled his way outside the train station, reaching for his phone to make a call.

\n\n

But when he reached for it, he found his pocket empty. When Shi Jin realized his wallet was missing, he panicked and frantically searched through his pockets and luggage.

\n\n

"Little brother, what's wrong?" A tall, thin figure appeared next to Shi Jin.

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart skipped a beat but he looked up at the person with caution, tightly pursing his lips to signal that there was nothing wrong, and he held onto his luggage, intending to leave.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi quickly stopped him, showing a kind smile, and said, "Don't be afraid, little brother. I'm the friend you sat with on the train, in the corner seat. Remember? I noticed that you seemed to be in a bit of trouble, so I came over to help. We're all struggling away from home, it's not easy, and we should help each other out a little."

\n\n

Shi Jin scrutinized him with suspicion, as if he had just remembered him. He slowly relaxed his guard, his eyebrows and eyes drooping as he spoke in imperfect Mandarin, "I am indeed in a bit of trouble. I can't find my phone... What should I do? My mother is still waiting for my call."

\n\n

"Don't worry, Uncle's phone is yours to use. Keep looking, maybe you just misplaced it somewhere," Yuan Ma-zi quickly comforted him and handed over his phone.

\n\n

This gesture successfully "won over" the naive Shi Jin, who showed a shy and embarrassed expression. He took Yuan Ma-zi's phone, repeatedly thanked him, and carefully dialed a number.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting quickly answered the phone, but didn't say anything.

\n\n

"Mom, it's me," Shi Jin greeted proactively, glancing at Yuan Ma-zi standing beside him and smiling apologetically. "My phone ran out of battery, so I borrowed a kind person's phone on the same car... Yeah, it's okay. I'll call Uncle Wang from the factory right away. I remember the name."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting: "...You're using Yuan Ma-zi's phone?"

\n\n

"Yes," Shi Jin replied.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting remained silent for a few seconds, gesturing to the other task members beside him to lock onto the phone number he was currently talking to. Then he asked, "Can you handle it? Do you need any help?"

\n\n

"I can handle it. Mom, I'll hang up first. I don't want to use someone else's phone for too long," Shi Jin said, grateful as he hung up and returned Yuan Ma-zi's phone, thanking him repeatedly.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi quickly said it was nothing and took the opportunity to strike up a conversation, asking if he was waiting for someone and what he was doing in City C.

\n\n

Shi Jinyi repeated what he had said in the car to others, saying that he had come to work and that an old friend, Uncle Wang, would come to pick him up. He then thanked Yuan Ma-zi again.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi nodded and pretended to suspect that his phone had been stolen, suggesting that he check if anything else had been taken. Shi Jinyi panicked and searched through his luggage for his money, only to find it missing. He looked like he was about to cry.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi exclaimed, "Oh my, what a terrible thief!" and quickly comforted him.

\n\n

After that, there was a series of tricks played on each other, and finally Yuan Ma-zi successfully convinced Shi Jin to get into his "friend's" car, saying that he wanted to take him to his hometown's factory.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi's "friend" was a plain-looking young man driving an old van. When he saw Yuan Ma-zi bringing Shi Jin into the car, he frowned and said discontentedly, "Brother Liu, what are you doing? This is not the time to mess around."

\n\n

"What are you yelling for? Don't scare Xiao Yuan, he's easily frightened," Yuan Ma-zi signaled to the young man with his eyes, then took out a bottle of water and handed it to Shi Jin, saying, "Here, drink up, we'll be at the factory soon."

\n\n

The young man rolled his eyes and muttered "damn gay guy" under his breath, then started the car with a black face. Shi Jin looked confused and a little scared as he glanced at the young man, while fetching water and silently asking Xiao Si in his mind, "He probably added something to the water, didn't he."

\n\n

Xiao Si gave a definite answer.

\n\n

"Then give me a buff," Shi Jin said calmly.

\n\n

Xiao Si silently activated it.

\n\n

After communicating with each other, Shi Jin twisted open the water bottle and drank half of it directly. Yuan Ma-zi looked satisfied, his eyes on Shi Jin like he was looking at a piece of obedient pork belly.

\n\n

Shi Jin smiled shyly at him, counted silently in his heart for a few seconds, and then at the right moment, he fainted cleanly and neatly.

\n","published_time":"2023-09-07T23:30:14.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":332,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":25,"chapter_title":"Pinching the Butt","content":"

As Shi Jin fell to the ground, he heard the young driver's question.

\n\n

"Is he asleep?" The young man spoke carefully, afraid that Shi Jin was not completely unconscious.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi reached out and poked Shi Jin's body, then pinched his butt hard. Seeing that he didn't move, Yuan Ma-zi was satisfied and said, "He's asleep. He drank half a bottle, so he'll have to sleep for at least a day."

\n\n

Shi Jin cursed Yuan Ma-zi in his heart, thinking that he was a despicable human trafficker. His pinch was so cruel that if it weren't for Xiao Si's help, Shi Jin would have been scared and trembling even if he didn't feel any pain.

\n\n

And why did he have to pinch his butt? What did his butt do wrong? The young man saw through the rearview mirror Yuan Ma-zi's predatory actions and sneered, "What are you going to do with him? Brother Wolf risked a lot to come back to China and establish connections. You better not mess things up and ruin this deal."

\n\n

"I know what I'm doing," Yuan Ma-zi replied nonchalantly. He didn't seem to care much about Brother Wolf and began to touch Shi Jin's body up and down. "We haven't even made contact with the client yet. I'll have some fun first, and when it's time to get down to business, I'll find a place to deal with this kid."

\n\n

The young man snorted and remained silent.

\n\n

Shi Jin continued to silently curse Yuan Ma-zi's lack of morals, but he kept his composure and let him touch him up and down like a piece of dead meat. Soon, Yuan Ma-zi searched everything on Shi Jin's body. Among them were a used train ticket, a used bus ticket, an old pocket for loose change, a few pieces of candy, a childish chicken leg pendant, and his ID card carefully tucked away in the pocket of his cotton jacket.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi casually tossed aside the first few items and focused on Shi Jin's ID card. To be sure, he even took off Shi Jin's hat and compared his appearance, confirming that everything was in order. He then put Shi Jin's ID card in his own pocket for safekeeping.

\n\n

Afterwards, he searched through the luggage that Shi Jin had brought and found a can of pickled vegetables inside. He wrinkled his nose and set it aside, then sneakily pulled out the underwear that was wrapped separately at the bottom of the bag. He picked up an old pair of underwear, examined it, rubbed it between his fingers, and then stuffed it into the inner pocket of his own coat.

\n\n

As Xiao Si was reporting on Yuan Ma-zi's actions to Shi Jin, he hesitated for a moment when he reached this part. Remembering Shi Jin's instructions to not miss any details, he dutifully recounted everything.

\n\n

Shi Jin: "............"

\n\n

Later, he would have to ask Xiang Aoting about where he got the old underwear from in that luggage bag. Through this information, Shi Jin had already formed a complete picture of Yuan Ma-zi's twisted personality - this guy isn't just inhumane, but he also enjoys things like sexual torture, and most likely has a fetish for collecting underwear.

\n\n

Truly a pervert!

\n\n

After analyzing everything, Shi Jin couldn't help but continue to criticize Yuan Ma-zi in his mind.

\n\n

As the car continued on its journey, Yuan Ma-zi and the young man had a few more brief conversations and made a few phone calls. From these fragmented conversations, Shi Jin gathered some useful information - Yuan Ma-zi was probably the last batch of Werewolf members to arrive, and the others had already reached City T, which was very close to B City.

\n\n

Now they were also heading towards City T by car, and Yuan Ma-zi would be mainly responsible for one of the clients they were picking up. Finally, Yuan Ma-zi's complaint caught Shi Jin's attention.

\n\n

"Damn it! If it weren't for that kidnapping case overseas that fell through a few months ago, we wouldn't have to risk coming back to China for such a small amount of money. Annihilation's methods are getting more and more ruthless. Those organizations that have official recognition are okay, but for us illegal ones, we're probably done for."

\n\n

The young man's expression also became serious upon hearing this, and surprisingly did not argue with Yuan Ma-zi. He said, "I hope after we finish these few deals, we can really get recognized like those people in the government promised, and get a little breathing room."

\n\n

"The world has changed." Yuan Ma-zi lit a cigarette and, lost in thought, his eyes gradually turned fierce. Suddenly, he reached out and pinched Shi Jin's butt, saying in a low voice, "If we can't get the job done, I won't be able to live. And those hypocrites in the government won't have it easy either. We'll go down fighting!"

\n\n

Shi Jin cursed Yuan Ma-zi in his heart - why does he always pinch my butt? Can't he choose another spot? It hurts, you know!

\n\n

When it was pitch black outside, the journey finally came to an end. Yuan Ma-zi began to shake Shi Jin vigorously.

\n\n

Shi Jin pretended to wake up slowly, but as soon as he opened his eyes, he sat up abruptly and accidentally bumped into Yuan Ma-zi. Then he collapsed onto the floor of the carriage, crushing all the scattered items beneath him. He raised his hand and rubbed his forehead stupidly, saying, "Strange, why is everything spinning..."

\n\n

"Ouch! What bad luck!" Yuan Ma-zi stumbled and hit his head on the car door. He got up, annoyed, and scolded, "Behave yourself! If you dare resist, I'll kill you!"

\n\n

Shi Jin still looked dazed from the medicine and struggled to get up, using one hand to prop himself up and the other to grab his luggage. He foolishly asked, "Where are we? Why hasn't Uncle Wang arrived yet?"

\n\n

The young driver frowned and said, "Brother Liu, did you drug him into a stupor?"

\n\n

"Those are all old medicines, how could they make someone stupid? This guy probably has poor resistance to drugs and is still feeling dizzy," said Yuan Ma-zi, as his anger subsided.

\n\n

Seeing Shi Jin looking foolish, he had an idea to tease him. He reached out to help him up and coaxed him, "You fell asleep in the car. When Uncle Wang came, you were still asleep. He said the factory doesn't need people anymore, but luckily I have a job for you here. Don't worry, follow me and you'll make big money."

\n\n

Shi Jin, who had taken the medicine, seemed easier to fool. He actually believed Yuan's words and asked excitedly, "Can I really make big money? If I follow you, can I earn a salary of three thousand, no, no, two thousand a month?"

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi sneered at him in his heart for being a country bumpkin, but smiled kindly on his face and promised, "As long as you work hard, not only can you make 3,000 yuan a month, but also 30,000 yuan!"

\n\n

"Really? Is it true?" Shi Jin was excited and grabbed Liu Ma-zi's hand, saying happily, "Brother Liu, you are such a good person! I will make a longevity tablet for you!"

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi's mouth twitched, but he held onto Shi Jin's hand and patted it, saying with a smile, "Xiao Yuan is so thoughtful... Come on, let's get off the car first. Remember to keep quiet later. Those boss friends of mine don't like noisy children."

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded quickly to show that he understood, turned to get his luggage, and then looked puzzled, "Why is my bag open? Oh no, my pickled vegetables!"

\n\n

"We accidentally hit a bump on the road," Yuan Ma-zi explained insincerely. Seeing that everyone bought his excuse, he gave a signal to the young man beside him and opened the car door.

\n\n

When no one was looking, Shi Jin quickly gathered the pickled vegetables and various odds and ends, pinched a piece of candy he picked up, and timidly followed Yuan Ma-zi off the car with his luggage.

\n\n

The car stopped on a cement village road, surrounded by abandoned old farmhouses. The only building with lights on was an old three-story house in front of them. Shi Jin discreetly surveyed the surroundings, pretending to be confused and scared, and asked Yuan Ma-zi in a low voice, "Brother Liu, can we really make money here? It looks similar to my hometown..."

\n\n

"Of course you can," Yuan Ma-zi replied confidently, intentionally scaring him. "If you don't believe me, then just go ahead and leave. I won't stop you. But let me kindly remind you, there are human traffickers lurking around this village. Be careful not to get caught alone!"

\n\n

With that, he quickened his pace, seeming to want to leave Shi Jin behind.

\n\n

Shi Jin was so frightened that he trembled. He looked around the dark surroundings and hurriedly increased his pace to catch up with Yuan Ma-zi. Nervously, he explained, "Brother Liu, I do believe you. Please don't be angry. I just wanted to ask, to ask..."

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi coldly snorted and said nothing.

\n\n

The young man walking beside him looked at Shi Jin as if he were a fool and chuckled meaningfully.

\n\n

The two of them walked straight towards the residential houses, with Shi Jin following closely behind.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi and the young man approached the farmhouse but didn't go in directly. Instead, they imitated the call of a bird three times and waited for the light on the third floor of the farmhouse to turn off before entering together.

\n\n

Shi Jin took note of these details as they stepped into the farmhouse.

\n\n

The interior of the farmhouse was very simple, with an empty main room containing only a rectangular table and a few chairs. Two people were sitting in the main room at the moment. One had a fat head and big ears, with a fierce-looking face, while the other was of medium height and had a sturdy build. Both were dressed in plain cotton jackets, and there was a heater at their feet as they chatted together.

\n\n

"Brother Pang, Brother Chen," the young man greeted them first, before asking, "Is there anything to eat? I've been driving all day and I'm starving."

\n\n

Brother Pang pointed to the kitchen and then looked at Yuan Ma-zi and Shi Jin behind him with an expression of indifference, asking, "Old Liu, what are you doing?"

\n\n

"Just making money with a little guy. Xiao Yuan is very obedient, don't scare him," Yuan Ma-zi still spoke with a nonchalant tone in front of Brother Pang, as if he wasn't afraid of making him angry.

\n\n

He even patted Shi Jin's shoulder and deliberately said, "Go, say hello to Brother Pang and Brother Chen."

\n\n

Shi Jin pretended to be scared out of his wits, trembling as he approached and called out to the two men. Then he quickly hid behind Yuan Ma-zi, sticking close to him.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi was very pleased with the beauty's reliance on him, and smiled with great satisfaction.

\n\n

Brother Pang and Brother Chen looked disdainful and impatient. Although they were clearly angry with Yuan Ma-zi, they managed to hold back their temper and simply waved their hands, saying, "You're responsible for the people you brought. Brother Wolf is already asleep, we'll talk about this tomorrow. Your room is on the second floor, go rest."

\n\n

So Yuan Ma-zi led Shi Jin past them and went upstairs to find his own room. He pushed Shi Jin inside and said, "I'll go get some food, you stay here for a while."

\n\n

Then he closed the door and even locked it from the outside.

\n\n

Shi Jin finally had some alone time. He took a look around the shabby room and found nothing special. He then retrieved the candy he had pressed earlier, checked that the locator on it was working properly, and pulled out a jar of pickled vegetables. He opened the lid and found a super-thin mini phone disguised as a wooden chip inside. After activating it, he made a call.

\n\n

On the other end, Xiang Aoting was anxiously waiting and quickly answered the phone.

\n\n

"It's me," whispered Shi Jin, motioning for Xiao Si to listen for any sounds outside the door. "I'm in a three-story house in a corner of a village in City T. The house has white tiles and you have to imitate the call of a bird three times to enter. I've seen two people so far, 'Brother Pang' and 'Brother Chen,' and 'Brother Wolf' is also here. I don't know which room he's in.

\n\n

"I'm sharing a room with Yuan Ma-zi on the second floor, the third room on the left. Yuan Ma-zi and the rest don't seem to have a good relationship, but they're reluctantly cooperating. They have more than one client this time."

\n\n

Taking note of this information, Xiang Aoting asked, "How are you?"

\n\n

"I'm okay. I ate some unknown drugs, got pinched on the butt twice, and was touched all over. Right now, Yuan Ma-zi has locked me in the room. He went to get some food, but I suspect he's going to drug me again. He's probably planning to do something to me tonight."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting: "..."

\n\n

He raised his hand to his forehead and said, "Then, you...you..." For a moment, he didn't know what to say.

\n\n

"Don't worry, Fourth Brother. I'll protect myself," Shi Jin reassured him, speaking softly. "If worse comes to worst, I'll slip some drugs to Yuan Ma-zi and pinch his butt."

\n\n

After recovering from his shock, Xiang Aoting furrowed his brow and said, "Don't do anything reckless. I'm on my way to your location with my men. If there's a problem, sound the alarm and try to buy time to protect yourself. Understand?"

\n\n

"I understand. Tonight, I'll try to gather some useful information," Shi Jin replied. Hearing a reminder from Xiao Si in his mind that someone was coming upstairs, he quickly hung up the phone, hid it, and sat on the bed looking worried and panicked, holding his luggage.

\n\n

He asked Xiao Si in his mind, "Can the effects of the delicious buff stack?"

\n\n

Xiao Si: "Yes, but Jin Jin, what do you want to do?"

\n\n

"I want to take down that perverted guy!" Shi Jin gritted his teeth, his mind racing with ideas. "You give me the buff to the max, and I'll slip him some medicine while he's distracted. It'll make things easier for us."

\n\n

Xiao Si nodded and began to work hard.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi came back carrying a bamboo basket. Inside were three dishes, two bowls of rice, and two bottles of water. After entering the room, he first observed the situation inside and saw that nothing had been disturbed.

\n\n

He was very satisfied with Shi Jin's honesty and obedience, and smiled as he placed the basket on the table next to the bed. "Have some food, you've been hungry all day."

\n\n

Shi Jin was moved and said in a cheesy tone, "Brother Liu, you're so kind. Actually, I only need to eat some buns..."

\n\n

"What buns? Follow me and I guarantee you'll have meat every day," said Yuan Ma-zi as he brought out the food and reminded Shi Jin to drink from the safe bottle of water.

\n\n

Shi Jin obediently complied and the two sat down to eat.

\n\n

As they began their meal, Xiao Si thoughtfully reminded him that one bottle of water had been laced with medicine while the other was safe.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt relieved and praised Brother Liu for the delicious dinner. He then purposely slowed down his eating, waiting silently for what was to come.

\n\n

In the first minute, Yuan Ma-zi ate normally and subtly urged Shi Jin to drink water.

\n\n

By the second minute, he had buried his head in his food and was too busy eating to talk.

\n\n

By the fifth minute, he was eating and drinking quickly, finishing his own food and leaving half of each dish. In the tenth minute, he put down his chopsticks and went to the kitchen to get more rice.

\n\n

Seizing the opportunity, Shi Jin poured out half of his own water and switched it with Yuan Ma-zi's. He also took out a candy, dug out some medicine hidden inside, and mixed it into one of the leftover dishes.

\n\n

Five minutes later, Yuan Ma-zi returned to continue eating, and he ate and ate... Shi Jin waited for the right moment and pretended to faint again.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi glanced at him, ignored him, and continued eating... Only after finishing all the dishes did he walk over to Shi Jin, holding his bloated stomach, kicked him, grinned wickedly, bent down and reached out his claw, then with a thud, fell onto Shi Jin's body.

\n\n

Shi Jin was pinned down, his eyes rolling back in his head. He grumpily pushed the person off him and kicked him in return. He didn't care if the person was sleeping on the cold ground in the middle of winter. He sat by the bed and asked Xiao Si to enhance his hearing, waiting for the night to deepen so he could eavesdrop on the movements in the other rooms.

\n\n

The power of the buff was strong, and soon Shi Jin heard something he wanted to hear. In a certain room on the third floor, two voices were talking and stood out from the jumbled noise, catching Shi Jin's attention.

\n\n

"Yuan Ma-zi has arrived, and he even brought someone back with him on the way. He's really lost his mind and doesn't know what's important!" A somewhat coarse male voice complained.

\n\n

"His arrogance will only last a few more days," another male voice spoke up, trying to calm the previous speaker. "The boss has already brought over his backer. Once we help that person take care of Yuan Ma-zi, he will become our new backer. Then, when the Werewolf organisation becomes legal, the good times will come."

\n\n

"True, Yuan Ma-zi is still busy eating, drinking, and playing with men. Let him continue to enjoy himself, he won't be able to for much longer," the rougher male voice replied.

\n\n

After some more meaningless chatter, the two gradually quieted down.

\n\n

Shi Jin was surprised and shook his head as he looked at Yuan Ma-zi, who was sleeping on the ground like a dead pig.

\n\n

Unexpectedly, the Werewolf group had already split up internally. It seemed that this domestic trip was a trap set by the Werewolf leader and Yuan Ma-zi's backer to kill Yuan Ma-zi. It was unclear what Yuan Ma-zi had done to earn the unanimous hatred of his backer and leader.

\n\n

This information was valuable to Shi Jin. After some thought, he decided to slightly alter his plan and add some drama. He instructed Xiao Si to keep an ear out for any movement in the house, then promptly went to bed for a nap.

\n\n

In the early hours of the morning, Shi Jin woke up refreshed and energized. He confirmed the situation in the house with Xiao Si and then proceeded to move Yuan Ma-zi from the floor to the bed. He removed Yuan Ma-zi's clothes and shoes, wrapped him in a blanket, and then shook him frantically.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi was jolted awake, feeling dizzy and bloated. He could feel the food in his throat about to be shaken out, and he slapped away the hand that was shaking him. But he couldn't hold it in and vomited all over the bed with a loud "wah".

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly backed away, pinching his nose.

\n\n

"What the hell, you little bastard! What are you doing? I'll stab you to death!" Yuan Ma-zi felt a little better after vomiting, but his face was full of anger as he cursed.

\n\n

Shi Jin looked startled, his face filled with fear and trembling as he spoke in a quivering voice, "Brother Liu, I didn't mean to disturb you. I had to pee urgently and couldn't find a restroom, so I wandered around. Then I heard two people talking about strange things like changing the backer, digging a pit, and using cannon fodder, and they even mentioned your name. I also saw them carrying guns... I'm scared, Brother Liu, where are we..."

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi had been impatient and secretly wondered if he had made a mistake in judging this person as foolish, but when he heard what Shi Jin said, his expression changed.

\n\n

He got up from the bed, grabbed Shi Jin's collar and said fiercely, "What else did you hear? Speak up!"

\n\n

"N-nothing else, that's all. I was so scared, I just came back," Shi Jin trembled and pretended, "Brother Liu, please don't scare me. I might wet myself..."

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi threw him off with disgust, his expression dark and uncertain for a moment. Suddenly, he relaxed and beckoned Shi Jin over to the bed, speaking gently, "Brother Liu was just too excited earlier. Don't mind me. Xiao Yuan, tell Brother Liu everything you heard. If possible, repeat it word for word."

\n\n

Shi Jin continued to act like a frightened boy for a while, stuttering and unable to complete a sentence. It wasn't until Yuan Ma-zi became impatient that he gradually calmed down and vividly recounted the conversation he had overheard, even describing the voices of the two people in great detail.

\n\n

After listening to his retelling, Yuan Ma-zi's face turned completely black. His facial muscles trembled and he clenched his teeth, slamming the bed and cursing, "What a backstabbing bastard! You want to kill me, but you're all not even capable enough!"

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly switched back to his "scared teenager" mode, shrinking back and not saying a word.

\n\n

After a moment of silence, Yuan Ma-zi suddenly calmed down and looked at Shi Jin with a strange expression. He suddenly smiled and said, "Xiao Yuan, you're really my lucky star... Don't be afraid, Brother Liu will definitely help you make big money, as long as you listen to me."

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly nodded and said, "Brother Liu has been so good to me, I will definitely listen to you."

\n\n

"Very good." Yuan Ma-zi nodded and turned around to pull out thirty thousand yuan from somewhere and handed it to Shi Jin. He had a smile on his face, but his eyes were cold. "This is for you. Brother Liu said that with me around, you will definitely make big money. From now on, you'll follow me."

\n\n

Shi Jin was excited to receive the bribe - so does this mean he has gone from being a kidnapped teenager to a human trafficker's accomplice?

\n\n

His identity changed too quickly, like a tornado. Doing tasks like this was really fun.

\n","published_time":"2023-09-16T01:06:28.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":340,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":26,"chapter_title":"00J","content":"

The more exciting things were yet to come.

\n\n

After handing over the money, Yuan Ma-zi unexpectedly pulled out a gun and handed it to Shi Jin with a coaxing tone mixed with a sense of world-weariness. "This is for your protection. To be honest, Xiao Yuan, some of my friends are involved in some shady business. They wanted me to join them, but I refused. As a result, they resorted to using my family to threaten me..."

\n\n

As he spoke, he even wiped away some non-existent tears from the corner of his eye.

\n\n

Shi Jin was completely dumbfounded. He never expected Yuan Ma-zi to be such a skilled actor. He couldn't help but show a look of disbelief and indignation on his face, and responded, "They used your family to threaten you? Your friends are truly despicable!"

\n\n

"Who said they weren't? I had no choice either. I thought helping them this time would make them spare my family, but they not only threatened my family, they also planned to kill me! It's my fault. If I didn't take the initiative to help you at the station and try to make money with you, you wouldn't have followed me into this wolf's den...

\n\n

"But I have to thank you. Fortunately you overheard their conversation tonight, otherwise we might have been done for here without explanation. Xiao Yuan, I'm sorry for what Brother Liu did to you. Brother Liu shouldn't have been so kind-hearted."

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi sighed three times, his face full of pain and regret. He grabbed Shi Jin's hand and rubbed it and kneaded it. It was unclear if he was taking advantage or just trying to increase the emotional drama.

\n\n

Shi Jin gritted his teeth, feeling the goosebumps rising all over his body. He couldn't take it anymore and finally grabbed Yuan Ma-zi's hand, tightening his grip with a fearful yet determined expression.

\n\n

With innocent eyes, he said seriously, "Brother Liu, don't be afraid! If we have trouble, we can find the police and report your bad friends! Let's call the police!"

\n\n

"Eh hem hem hem hem!" Yuan Ma-zi was choked by his own saliva and coughed violently, his hand hurting from Shi Jin's grip. He tried to pull back but couldn't, so he shook his head frantically and lied, "We can't call the police! You don't know, my friends have powerful backgrounds, and as you can see, they all have guns. We can't call the police, or we'll die even faster!"

\n\n

"Is that so?" The strength on Shi Jin's face immediately disappeared, revealing his cowardly nature. He let go of his grip and asked fearfully, "What should we do, Brother Liu? Should we run? Let's run!"

\n\n

At this moment, he had already left several clear fingerprints on Yuan Ma-zi's hand. He was wincing in pain, but managed to force a smile and replied, "Of course we have to run, but in order to protect my family, I need to steal some information from my friend first. Once I have that information, I can turn the tables and threaten them to let my family go."

\n\n

Information?

\n\n

Shi Jin's eyes lit up, but he immediately put on a scared expression to hide his excitement. He weakly said, "But isn't stealing wrong... Shouldn't we just call the police? I trust the police more..."

\n\n

"Then you don't trust me?" Yuan Ma-zi put on a hurt expression and turned around, pulling out a few more stacks of money from who knows where and forcefully stuffing them into Shi Jin's arms. "Xiao Yuan, only you can help me now. Reporting to the police will put my family in danger. Can you bear to see my family lose their lives? My grandson is only one year old! Just one year old!"

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned by his exaggerated acting and the constant throwing of money - where did Yuan Ma-zi even get all this money from? He didn't see a single penny when he helped him take off his coat earlier!

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi thought that Shi Jin was stunned by the amount of money and his expression became even more sorrowful. He took Shi Jin's hand and spoke slowly, "Xiao Yuan, we're not stealing, we're just protecting ourselves! As long as you help Brother Liu this one time, I'll give you twice the amount of this money! Didn't you say your brother broke his leg and is in a hurry to get married? With this money, your family will never have to worry about being poor again."

\n\n

Shi Jin looked hesitant, but finally made up his mind. He gritted his teeth and nodded, saying, "Okay! Brother Liu, tell me what to do, and we'll escape together!"

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi smiled with relief and reached out to touch his head, "Good boy, Xiao Yuan, you're really my lucky star..."

\n\n

Yes, indeed, I am your "lucky star".

\n\n

As Yuan Ma-zi allowed him to pat his head, he smiled at him with a look of dependence and trust, and his white teeth seemed to sparkle in the darkness of the night.

\n\n

......

\n\n

It was already late, and after discussing their plans, they each took half of the bed to sleep. Perhaps because he had something on his mind and also wanted to use Shi Jin, Yuan Ma-zi behaved himself that night and did not reach out to touch Shi Jin's butt again.

\n\n

The effects of dinner's medicine had not yet worn off, and Yuan Ma-zi quickly fell asleep. Shi Jin opened his eyes, took out his mini phone, and hid under the covers to send a text message to Xiang Aoting.

\n\n

00J: The Werewolf group is fighting within themselves. Yuan Ma-zi's backer has shifted his affections to the leader of the Werewolf and the scumbag third party is plotting to kill the original wife Yuan Ma-zi.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting, who was the first to open the message: "..."

\n\n

"Captain Xiang?" The temporary team member sitting next to him spoke up in confusion as he watched Xiang Aoting stare at his phone without moving.

\n\n

As Xiang Aoting snapped back to reality, he silently sent a text message: Have you encountered any danger?

\n\n

00J: No, I've reached a cooperation with the original wife and am preparing to seize evidence of the scumbag's affair with the mistress tomorrow. The original wife has paid me a bribe of 80,000 yuan and even gifted me a gun."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting was left speechless once again.

\n\n

"Captain?" The temporary team member grew even more confused, not understanding why the captain suddenly looked so world-weary while staring at his phone.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting composed himself and signaled that he was fine, continuing to send: Stay safe and watch out for Yuan Ma-zi's tricks.

\n\n

00J: Please rest assured, the sugar-coated bullets cannot corrode my soul!

\n\n

Xiang Aoting raised his hand to massage his forehead, trying hard to remember the past, and couldn't seem to remember what Shi Jin was like. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see were the devilish kiwis with their bright white teeth.

\n\n

......

\n\n

After sleeping until dawn, Yuan Ma-zi had a gloomy expression while Shi Jin was still as timid as a quail. The two of them huddled together to confirm the plan they had made the night before. Finally, both of them carried a gun and headed out the door.

\n\n

The plan was simple: they would continue their usual activities and put on a show for the other people in the house. Then, Yuan Ma-zi would scout out the boss's room and lure them away, while Shi Jin snuck in and stole the information that the boss had hidden somewhere.

\n\n

Of course, there is another possibility: the boss may have carried the information with him. If that's the case, Yuan Ma-zi will lead everyone away while Shi Jin puts drugs in the water that he will give to everyone. Once everyone is drugged, they can search for the information.

\n\n

However, there is a very unstable element to drugging everyone at once. If the Werewolf members catch on, Yuan Ma-zi and Shi Jin may face a deadly fight.

\n\n

The plan is simple, but the execution is too random, and the danger falls mostly on Shi Jin. If he successfully steals the information, then Yuan Ma-zi's plan will work. But if he fails, Yuan Ma-zi can easily distance himself and accuse Shi Jin of being an enemy spy sent to get close to him, putting all the blame on Shi Jin.

\n\n

Of course, Yuan Ma-zi wouldn't tell Shi Jin about this. Shi Jin had figured out on his own.

\n\n

Shi Jin sighed inwardly, "Yuan Ma-zi is really cunning."

\n\n

Xiao Si was indignant, "Yes, he deserves to be a eunuch!"

\n\n

In their minds, both Shi Jin and Xiao Si cursed Yuan Ma-zi with vulgar language that was too obscene to be heard. However, on the surface, Shi Jin still looked timid and foolish, completely concealing any flaws.

\n\n

He maintained this cowardly appearance as he followed Yuan Ma-zi to the main hall on the first floor.

\n\n

Unlike the emptiness of last night, the main hall was now filled with people. Roughly counting, there were about a dozen, with three sitting at the Eight Immortals table - a burly man with a beard that obscured his features, a thin man with a scar on his face, and a short, plump man with a bald head. The others sat on scattered plastic stools, their status clearly visible at a glance.

\n\n

When Yuan Ma-zi came down, the bearded man sitting in the main seat spoke first, his tone unfriendly. "Old Liu, we're here to do business this time. Don't push it too far."

\n\n

"How is it too far? I'm just bringing someone out to play. You guys are always so cautious, no wonder you can never accomplish anything big." Yuan Ma-zi maintained his usual arrogant attitude, and without being too soft or too hard, he jabbed at Luo Saihu. He walked up and pulled a chair over to sit opposite Luo Saihu, gesturing for Shi Jin to sit next to him.

\n\n

This move was undoubtedly provocative, allowing a mere "plaything" to sit on equal footing with the Werewolf boss. It could be considered an insult at the very least.

\n\n

The atmosphere in the hall instantly became tense.

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't move, in fact, his whole body was stiff, his mind frantically poking at Xiao Si: "Xiao Si, quick, take a look! Is that scar-faced guy and the bald fat guy the ones who kidnapped the original host in the original plot? Hurry and take a look!"

\n\n

Xiao Si was nervous when it heard the tone of his voice. He frantically searched his memory and gave a definite answer, saying, "It was them! One goes by the nickname Knife Brother, and the other is known as Rich Boss. They are the ones who kidnapped you! They destroyed your face and fingers!"

\n\n

Shi Jin felt a twinge of pain in his face and hands when Xiao Si referred to him as "you." He looked at Scarface and Rich Boss, who were sitting next to Luo Saihu with obviously high status within the Werewolf gang.

\n\n

Suddenly, he remembered what Yuan Ma-zi had said on the way here yesterday: "If it weren't for the kidnapping case overseas a few months ago falling through, we wouldn't have to risk coming back to China for such a small amount of money."

\n\n

The overseas kidnapping case! That case must have been referring to the original owner, which was now him!

\n\n

Sweat beads formed on Shi Jin's forehead as he forced himself to look away, his heart pounding with excitement and nervousness.

\n\n

"Xiao Si, we must steal the Werewolf's client list. The killer of the original owner is among them!"

\n\n

Xiao Si was equally excited, but tried to calm itself down. "Mm, Jin Jin I'll help you!"

\n\n

Shi Jin remained silent, even lowering his head and breaking out in a sweat. To those who didn't know, it looked like he was scared by the atmosphere in the room. Yuan Ma-zi was displeased, feeling that Shi Jin had embarrassed him.

\n\n

Luo Saihu wore a mocking expression and deliberately said, "Old Liu, the person you picked seems to lack courage. Don't force him to sit with us. I'm afraid he'll wet his pants. The best place for toys is still in bed."

\n\n

The people in the hall burst into laughter at his words.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi's face was as cold as iron, and he sneered, "You all look down on the people I brought, and I'm sure you look down on me too. Well, forget it. You can handle the opportunity to make big money yourselves. I, Liu, can't bear it. I'm leaving with my 'plaything'." With that, he stood up to leave.

\n\n

As soon as he spoke, the laughter in the room died down. Everyone frowned and looked at Yuan Ma-zi with anger and resentment, but no one dared to confront him.

\n\n

"Look at you, Brother Wolf. You know that Old Liu is the most considerate person, yet you still want to make fun of him. Now look, you've made him angry," said the bald and chubby man known as Rich Boss, stepping forward to play peacemaker.

\n\n

He got up and grabbed Yuan Ma-zi, who was pretending to leave, and smiled, trying to smooth things over. "Old Liu, don't be angry. You also know Brother Wolf's temper. We still need you to take care of this business. We're all brothers, so let's forget about it."

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi didn't leave, but he didn't respond either. He just sat there with a dark expression, not saying a word.

\n\n

Rich Boss signaled to Knife Brother with his eyes, and Knife Brother stood up and actually went around to help Shi Jin sit down in a chair. He then said to Yuan Ma-zi, "Let's focus on the important business, Old Liu. Don't let your brothers down."

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi sneered inwardly, but his face softened slightly. He frowned and sat back down, then gave Knife Brother some face by pushing Shi Jin to stand up and saying, "I can let it go this time, but I hope there won't be a next time."

\n\n

No one spoke, and everyone once again endured his arrogance and capriciousness.

\n\n

After the confrontation ended, everyone dispersed unhappily. Yuan Ma-zi took Shi Jin to the kitchen for breakfast, then hurried him back to his room and left alone.

\n\n

Shi Jin once again asked Xiao Si to enhance his hearing, trying to eavesdrop, but found that there were too many people and too much noise during the day, and he couldn't distinguish much useful information. So he had no choice but to give up and wait obediently for Yuan Ma-zi to return.

\n\n

After more than an hour, Yuan Ma-zi returned and told Shi Jin about the distribution of people in the house and the location of Brother Wolf's room. He carefully taught him how to use the gun and set the time for the operation at dinner.

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded silently, pretending to be the timid teenager he always was.

\n\n

During lunch, everyone ate in their own rooms. Yuan Ma-zi almost choked himself again while talking to Shi Jin, but Shi Jin pretended not to notice.

\n\n

As evening approached, Shi Jin received a message from Xiang Aoting, saying that he had brought his men to hide near the house and was ready to provide assistance at any time. Shi Jin replied with a simple "understood" and told him to hold off for now.

\n\n

At dinner time, Yuan Ma-zi left the room alone. It was unclear how he did it, but he managed to gather all the people in the house to the main hall, looking like they were about to plot something.

\n\n

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Jin slipped out of the door and had Xiao Si buff him up before heading straight to the third floor.

\n\n

The layout of the third floor was the same as the second floor, and Shi Jin quickly found Brother Wolf's room using the room number provided by Yuan Ma-zi. However, plans can never keep up with changes, and there was a big lock hanging on the door of Brother Wolf's room.

\n\n

Shi Jin hesitated between adventurously picking the lock and changing his plan to go downstairs to drug them, but quickly chose to pick the lock. He took out a small wire hidden in his belt and carefully inserted it into the keyhole.

\n\n

With Xiao Si's buff, after about two minutes, there was a soft click and the lock on the door opened.

\n\n

Shi Jin was so nervous that his palms were sweating. He had Xiao Si confirm the situation inside the room and quickly removed the lock before darting into the room.

\n\n

Brother Wolf's room was also decorated very simply, with few pieces of furniture and some clothes scattered on the bed. A few luggage bags and a suitcase were placed on a stool at the foot of the bed, with the bags open and the suitcase closed.

\n\n

He didn't know how long Yuan Ma-zi could hold out downstairs. Shi Jin didn't want to waste any time and went straight to the suitcase - the only object in the room that seemed to be hiding something.

\n\n

"Wait!" Xiao Si suddenly spoke up, stopping Shi Jin from touching the suitcase.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly withdrew his hand and nervously asked, "What's wrong? Did someone come?"

\n\n

"No," Xiao Si's tone was serious as he reminded him, "The lock on this suitcase has an alarm. If you enter the wrong password, the alarm will immediately sound and send a signal to the corresponding connector."

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly withdrew his hand, feeling both happy and worried. He was happy because the luggage was packed so tightly, indicating that there must be something very important inside. However, he was worried because the luggage was secured with a password lock, and he didn't have the password. He only had one chance to unlock it.

\n\n

As time ticked by, Shi Jin didn't want to waste any more time. He searched through the other open luggage bags while trying to come up with a solution. Unfortunately, he only found a pile of dirty clothes and nothing useful.

\n\n

"It's already been ten minutes, Jin Jin, we need to hurry," Xiao Si urged anxiously. It was more worried about Jin Jin being discovered and risking his life than he was about the information they were after.

\n\n

Shi Jin was sweating profusely with anxiety. He tried to calm himself down and racked his brain for a solution. Suddenly, he had an idea and asked excitedly, "Xiao Si, can you block sound and signals? I mean, can you temporarily trap all sound and signals in a certain space and prevent them from transmitting outside?"

\n\n

Xiao Si hesitated in its tone and replied, "I can try, but if I do that, I won't be able to help you keep an eye on what's happening outside."

\n\n

"It's okay, I only need a few minutes," Shi Jin's eyes lit up. He asked Xiao Si to block the sound and signals, then crouched down beside the luggage and took out a candy from his coat pocket. He carefully wiped some white powder from inside the candy onto the password lock with a soft tissue.

\n\n

Several blurry fingerprints with skin oil appeared on the keypad. Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief and quickly wrote down the numbers displayed by the fingerprints.

\n\n

He asked Xiao Si, "When is the birthday of the Werewolf boss? Also, the time when the Werewolf organization was established, the time when the Werewolf earned their first bucket of gold, and the specific dates of important days such as the Werewolf boss's family members' birthdays. Tell me all of them."

\n\n

These were all the information provided by Xiang Aoting. Xiao Si quickly recalled and reported them.

\n\n

Shi Jin listened and filtered while arranging and combining the numbers displayed by the fingerprints in his mind. Finally, he matched them with the date when the Werewolf organization earned their first bucket of gold.

\n\n

He reached out and carefully pressed the password according to the numbers he analyzed.

\n\n

Ding! The password was correct, and the suitcase opened.

\n\n

Xiao Si quickly disabled the sound-blocking buff and checked the situation downstairs. It noticed that there seemed to be an argument happening in the main hall, causing it to become nervous and immediately informed Shi Jin of the situation.

\n\n

Shi Jin hurriedly increased his speed and scanned through the luggage, which was filled with various prohibited items. After searching through it all, he found two chips, a USB drive, and a small box the size of a palm.

\n\n

He quickly tucked them into his chest and closed the luggage, returning everything to its original place. He then left the room quietly.

\n\n

When Yuan Ma-zi returned, Shi Jin had already returned to the room and was holding onto his jar of pickled vegetables.

\n\n

"Did you find the information?" Yuan Ma-zi asked anxiously.

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded and took out a small box to show Yuan Ma-zi. "I only found this. It seems to contain a USB drive, but the box is locked and I can't open it." Of course, this was a lie. In fact, Xiao Si had already scanned it and found that the box contained several precious gems.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi immediately took the box and shook it, hearing a slight knocking sound from inside. The box was also equipped with a password lock customized by Brother Wolf, which made him both surprised and delighted.

\n\n

He patted Shi Jin's shoulder and praised, "Xiao Yuan, you did a great job. Brother Liu didn't misjudge you."

\n\n

Shi Jin smiled shyly, then poured cold water on the situation. "But we may need to run quickly. I had to pry open Brother Wolf's luggage to find this, and although I tried to restore it as much as possible, he could discover it at any moment."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ma-zi's expression changed. He quickly put the box in his pocket and walked to the door to listen for any noise outside. After hesitating for a moment, he tilted his head to signal for Shi Jin to follow him.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly caught up with him.

\n\n

The two of them pretended as if nothing was wrong and swiftly left the house. As they passed through the main hall, they were stopped by the night watchman who asked them a question. Yuan Ma-zi impatiently brushed him off and led Shi Jin straight to the vehicle outside the house.

\n\n

He pulled out a key that he had somehow obtained and quickly unlocked the car. Barely waiting for Shi Jin to get in, he quickly started the car and drove off down the village road, as though intending to leave Shi Jin behind as cannon fodder.

\n\n

The people inside the house were shocked. Suddenly, a roar from Brother Wolf came from the third floor. Then, the window on the third floor was pushed open from the inside, and Brother Wolf aimed his gun at the van and fired wildly.

\n\n

Shi Jin was scared and lay down, but he still insisted on his identity as a timid young man and asked, "T-they have guns, they've found out about us. What do we do, Brother Liu?"

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi was so scared that he stepped on the gas pedal hard, and the car rushed forward, almost falling into a ditch. After he barely stabilized the car, he looked back at Shi Jin lying on the back seat through the rearview mirror, with an incredulous expression on his face. "When did you get in the car?"

\n\n

"Didn't Brother Liu ask me to get in the car and leave with you?" Shi Jin weakly asked, then said with grievance, "Does Brother Liu not plan to take me with him and leave me to be slaughtered?"

\n\n

"O-of course not," Yuan Ma-zi laughed stiffly, furrowing his brow as he tried hard to remember how Shi Jin had managed to get into his car so quickly and unexpectedly. He couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong, so he reluctantly replied, "You're quite fast, Xiao Yuan. I was just a bit surprised."

\n\n

Shi Jin had a look of understanding on his face and replied shyly, "It's nothing special. I often help my mother with farm work, so I'm used to doing things quickly."

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi: "...". What did getting into a car quickly have to do with farm work?

\n\n

Bang!

\n\n

A bullet had pierced through the back window of the van, narrowly missing Shi Jin's head and hitting the steering wheel directly.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly pulled his head back in fear, while Yuan Ma-zi twisted his face and looked at the two black sedans chasing them from the rearview mirror. He cursed, "Damn it! These people are up to no good. The glass in my car that they sent to pick me up with isn't even bulletproof!"

\n\n

Who needs bulletproof glass when you're about to die.

\n\n

Shi Jin huddled even tighter, and amidst the hail of bullets, he opened a can of pickled vegetables and fumbled for his phone. He blindly typed out a message: "Help! Bullets are flying!"

\n","published_time":"2023-09-21T01:01:54.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":348,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":27,"chapter_title":"Dinner Party","content":"

Hiding in an abandoned farmhouse nearby, Xiang Aoting had already noticed the three cars rushing out of the residential building one after another, and faintly heard a few muffled gunshots. He felt that something was not right and was about to get closer to find out what was going on when he received a text message from Shi Jin.

\n\n

His expression changed drastically as he took out his locator to confirm Shi Jin's location. He found that Shi Jin was moving at high speed and quickly instructed his team members to act separately while he himself rushed towards the vehicles hidden behind the firewood stack not far away.

\n\n

By now, the sky had completely darkened, and there were no streetlights installed in the village. The roads were narrow and driving was very inconvenient.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi had chosen a large van, which made him an easy target while driving. He was both angry and anxious, surrounded by farmland with nowhere to hide.

\n\n

He shouted at Shi Jin, "Quick, show yourself and shoot them! Stop them!"

\n\n

Shi Jin cursed Yuan Ma-zi in his heart for trying to trick him at such a critical moment. He pretended to be scared and replied, "I can't do it, Brother Liu. A bullet just grazed my head a moment ago. I'm afraid, I regret this, I want to go home and find my mother."

\n\n

"Fuck! You useless piece of crap!" Yuan Ma-zi was so angry that he almost burst a blood vessel. He slammed the steering wheel in frustration. There was no other choice but to speed up and try to enter the other side of the village where there were more people, using the crowd as cover.

\n\n

Shi Jin shrank down under his seat again, seeing that Yuan Ma-zi was too busy to pay attention to him. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed a number, reaching Xiang Aoting.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting answered immediately and asked, "How's it going over there? I'm leading my men to take the back roads to cover you. Stay safe."

\n\n

"Mom, I want to go home, wuwuwu..." Shi Jin fake cried and glanced at Yuan Ma-zi who was driving. Using a pickled vegetable jar as a cover, he sobbed into his phone, "I've earned my brother's dowry money, Mom, I want to go home. I'm with kind people in the car, please come pick me up. It's scary here."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting remained silent for two seconds, then stepped on the gas pedal and accelerated, saying, "Don't be afraid, I'll be there soon. Don't conflict with Yuan Ma-zi for now, protect yourself."

\n\n

Shi Jin continued to whimper.

\n\n

After pulling away from the pursuers a bit, Yuan Ma-zi finally noticed the commotion on Shi Jin's side. He looked back and saw that Shi Jin seemed to be talking to someone, and he was both shocked and angry. He asked, "Who are you talking to?! Did you secretly hide your phone?"

\n\n

Without hanging up the phone, Shi Jin reached out and lifted the jar of pickled vegetables, looking like he had been wronged. With a sob in his voice, he exclaimed, "Can't I talk to the pickled vegetables? This is my Ma's favorite jar of pickled vegetables! I'm about to die, boo hoo hoo, can't I say goodbye to my Ma?"

\n\n

Bang!

\n\n

A bullet pierced through the center of the jar, shattering the glass and sending pickled vegetables and shards flying everywhere.

\n\n

Shi Jin was so scared that he almost cried for real. He quickly withdrew his hand and stopped pretending, obediently waiting for rescue.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi was covered in pickled vegetables and glass fragments, and almost drove the car into a ditch again. His mentality completely collapsed, and he no longer paid attention to Shi Jin.

\n\n

He glared fiercely at the car behind him, suddenly pulled something out of his pocket, bit it open with his mouth, and threw it out of the car window.

\n\n

Holy shit!

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned. He never expected that Yuan Ma-zi would have a bomb hidden in his arms. His eyes scanned Yuan Ma-zi up and down, secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of a magical pocket filled with violent and powerful items.

\n\n

Boom!

\n\n

An explosion sounded from behind, and the rain of bullets finally weakened. Seizing the opportunity, Yuan Ma-zi accelerated and charged into an empty space on the other side of the village. He was about to make a final push to escape onto the main road when two bright lights suddenly shone ahead. A black off-road vehicle rushed out from the diagonal and blocked his path.

\n\n

"Damn it! Where did this turtle son of a b*tch come from? Can't he drive?" Yuan Ma-zi was almost blinded by the bright lights and quickly hit the brakes to avoid a collision. He stuck his head out of the car window and shouted, "Your high beams are blinding me! Get out of my way, or you'll regret it!"

\n\n

Opening the car door, Xiang Aoting strode towards Yuan Ma-zi with a stern expression.

\n\n

Watching Xiang Aoting's backlit figure, Yuan Ma-zi's expression of impatience and ferocity gradually softened as he realized that the one approaching was not who he expected.

\n\n

He was about to retreat and drive away when suddenly he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head. A hand reached out from behind and deftly snatched the car keys from his grasp.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi couldn't believe it and turned to face the owner of the hand. "You--"

\n\n

"Don't 'you' me, you sicko! Get ready to eat prison food!" Shi Jin interrupted with a complete lack of manners. His previous timidity vanished, replaced by a fierce and menacing expression. He grabbed Yuan Ma-zi's shoulder and pinned him to the driver's seat, bending down to tie his hands.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi was so shocked that he forgot to struggle and stammered, "Why, why are you, are you an undercover agent?! You, a country bumpkin, actually deceived me! Just wait, I will definitely rape and kill you, and smash your body--"

\n\n

Bang!

\n\n

As soon as Xiang Aoting arrived, he heard Yuan Ma-zi's threat and his face turned black. He reached out and forcefully pulled open the car door, aimed at Yuan Ma-zi's chest and delivered an elbow strike.

\n\n

Then, he dragged Yuan Ma-zi off the car like a dead dog and coldly said, "Shut up! If you speak out of turn again, I'll' make sure you can never speak again."

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi was both in pain and angry, struggling desperately and still unwilling to give up. He cursed incessantly with foul language.

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't help but kick him as well after getting out of the car. Seeing that no one else was following behind Xiang Aoting, he asked in confusion, "Where are the others?"

\n\n

"Taking care of the people in the two cars chasing behind, and there's another group of people by the civilian houses," explained Xiang Aoting. After handcuffing Yuan Ma-zi, he grabbed a piece of cloth from the car and stuffed it into his mouth. He turned his head to look at Shi Jin and asked, "Are you injured? I heard gunshots and explosions on the phone."

\n\n

"I'm fine," Shi Jin shook his head. Seeing Xiang Aoting preparing to drag Yuan Ma-zi to the car to lock him up, he quickly reached out to stop him and felt around Yuan Ma-zi's body.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting's eyebrows furrowed as he watched, and he asked, "What's wrong?"

\n\n

"He touched me, so I have to touch him back," said Shi Jin with a playful tone. His hands moved quickly and purposefully as he pressed on Yuan Ma-zi's slightly chubby belly, a smug expression on his face.

\n\n

He then turned to Xiang Aoting and asked for a dagger, slicing through Yuan Ma-zi's clothes layer by layer until he found a small package tied tightly around his waist.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi's eyes bulged with fury as he gasped for air.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting furrowed his brows and asked, "What is this?"

\n\n

"It's his magic pocket," explained Shi Jin, swiftly opening the package and revealing its contents to Xiang Aoting.

\n\n

There was a pile of miscellaneous items in the box: medicine, grenades, bullets, guns, strange little bottles, money, USB drives...even the box that Shi Jin had given Yuan Ma-zi was in there. It was unclear when Yuan Ma-zi had put it in.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi went crazy when Shi Jin exposed his secrets, struggling as if he were possessed. His eyes glared at Shi Jin with intense hatred, as if he could spew venom.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting found it irritating to watch, so he gave Yuan Ma-zi a few hits and then covered his head with a bag, out of sight, out of mind.

\n\n

Shi Jin closed the small bag and turned to Xiang Aoting, "People like him are full of tricks. Even if we catch him, we still need to be careful. Who knows what other tricks he has up his sleeve."

\n\n

As he watched Shi Jin's serious expression as he gave his advice, Xiang Aoting couldn't resist reaching out and patting his head, praising him, "You did great, you worked hard this time."

\n\n

Xiao Si happily reminded, "It's reached 800, Jin Jin, your progress bar has dropped to 800!"

\n\n

Shi Jin was momentarily stunned, then overjoyed. He turned to Xiang Aoting with a brilliant smile and replied, "It was no trouble at all, I'm here to serve the people."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting: "..."

\n\n

......

\n\n

With the main task completed, the remaining cleanup work would be led by Xiang Aoting's team. Shi Jin, having completed the main task as an outsider, was granted early rest.

\n\n

He made up an excuse to stay alone in the car and pulled out the chip and USB drive he stole from Brother Wolf. He poked Xiao Si and said, "These will definitely have to be handed over to the authorities eventually. While we still have them, can you copy the contents in advance?"

\n\n

Xiao Si knew the information was important and replied cautiously, "I can, but it will take some time. After all, we don't have the tools to read and convert the data."

\n\n

Shi Jin asked, "How long will it take?"

\n\n

"Two hours?" Xiao Si conservatively estimated.

\n\n

Shi Jin thought for a moment and said, "They should still need some time to wrap things up with Xiang Aoting and the others. We definitely have enough time. I'll go steal the USB drive from Yuan Ma-zi's little bag later, and you can copy everything together."

\n\n

Xiao Si agreed and silently got to work.

\n\n

As he held the chip and USB drive, Shi Jin suddenly felt a surge of electricity flow from the chip, up his arm, and towards his brain. It wasn't painful, but it was definitely strange. He reflexively tensed up, taking a moment to adjust to the sensation before finally relaxing his body.

\n\n

Yuan Ma-zi's bag was on Xiang Aoting's car, and Shi Jin, relying on the fact that he was Xiang Aoting's brother, boldly slipped past and smoothly made his way onto the car. He used the cheesy excuse of feeling safe only in his brother's car. Once inside, he found Yuan Ma-zi's bag and located the USB drive.

\n\n

To avoid arousing suspicion, he didn't directly steal the USB drive. Instead, he held the entire small package in his arms and carefully made a slit in the package. Through this small opening, he pinched the USB drive and then lay down on the car seat, closing his eyes and pretending to be asleep.

\n\n

...And then he really fell asleep. The current released during the copying of the data was so comfortable and tingly and he had been too tense for too many days that he was immediately "massaged" into a deep sleep.

\n\n

Seeing this, Xiao Si couldn't bear to wake him up. He took over a bit of control of his body, making sure he held onto the small package tightly, and carefully increased the speed of the data copying.

\n\n

When Xiang Aoting finished handling everything and came back, all he saw was Shi Jin sleeping soundly in his car.

\n\n

Perhaps due to not getting enough rest these past few days, Shi Jin had dark circles under his eyes and looked somewhat frail in the dim light of the night. His clothes were dirty and his old cotton jacket was covered in dust and stains from when he had run away, with the added imprint of salted vegetables.

\n\n

There were several deep red marks on his exposed fingers, which were caused by the shattered glass from the exploding salted vegetable jar.

\n\n

When Xiang Aoting opened the door, he paused and stared at Shi Jin for a moment. It wasn't until a gust of night wind blew in and Shi Jin shivered from the cold that he snapped out of it.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting quickly got into the car with a gentle motion and took off his own coat to cover Shi Jin. Xiang Aoting was much bigger than Shi Jin, and with his coat covering Shi Jin, it made his face look even smaller.

\n\n

It was late at night, and the melancholy atmosphere made Xiang Aoting feel emotional as he looked at Shi Jin's current state. Unable to contain his feelings, he took out his phone and sent a WeChat message to Shi Weichong: Big brother, maybe we've both made mistakes in the past.

\n\n

Shi Weichong didn't reply to his message, most likely already asleep.

\n\n

Years of self-discipline allowed Xiang Aoting to quickly detach himself from this inexplicable emotional turmoil. He hesitated for a moment as he looked at the message he had sent, but instead of retracting it, he added a photo of Shi Jin's current state and sent it over.

\n\n

After putting away his phone, he helped Shi Jin fasten his seatbelt, contacted the team members, and officially announced the successful completion of the mission, preparing to return.

\n\n

......

\n\n

When Shi Jin woke up, it was because of Xiao Si's piercing scream. He groggily opened his eyes and found that it was already bright outside. He was lying in a strange hotel room, wearing obviously oversized pajamas, and there was no one beside him.

\n\n

"What's wrong?" He yawned, feeling incredibly well-rested. He almost wanted Xiao Si to shock him again.

\n\n

Xiao Si sounded panicked. "Jin Jin, the baby's progress bar suddenly started to rise. It's already at 600."

\n\n

"Oh," Shi Jin responded, rubbing his eyes and snuggling under the covers. But two seconds later, he sat up abruptly, shouting in shock, "What?! Who's progress bar is rising? Who?"

\n\n

Xiao Si was on the verge of tears as it replied, "Baby, it's the baby. It just rose again, to 610!"

\n\n

When Shi Jin woke up, he was in a panic and frantically searched the room for his phone and luggage, but found nothing. It was only with Xiao Si's reminder that he realized he had been arranged to stay in the hotel by Xiang Aoting, and his luggage was next door.

\n\n

He quickly ran to knock on the neighboring door.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting opened the door quickly, holding a towel in his hand, his hair still dripping with water, and wearing only a bathrobe that revealed droplets of water on his skin. It seemed he had just finished showering. Seeing Shi Jin's anxious expression, he furrowed his brows and asked, "What's wrong?"

\n\n

Shi Jin casually replied, "I had a nightmare," and pushed past him to enter the room. He immediately spotted his luggage and pulled out his phone to call Lian Jun.

\n\n

The call was quickly answered, and Lian Jun's voice came through, asking, "Shi Jin?"

\n\n

When Shi Jin heard the voice on the other end, he breathed a sigh of relief and plopped down on the ground. "It's me. How's everything on your end, Young Master Jun?" he asked.

\n\n

Instead of answering, Lian Jun asked a question of his own: "Shi Jin, are you not planning on coming back?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was confused. "What?"

\n\n

Lian Jun paused for two seconds before explaining, "The officials have sent word that your mission was officially handed over early this morning, and the main force has already driven back to B City overnight. Shi Jin, why didn't you return to the club? Or is it that...you're not planning on coming back at all?"

\n\n

"How is that possible!" Shi Jin exclaimed, realizing he may have been a bit too excited. He quickly lowered his voice and explained, "I fell asleep after completing the mission yesterday and just woke up in my hotel. I'll be heading back soon. By the way, Young Master Jun, you're still at the club, right?" He had to be at the club!

\n\n

Lian Jun's tone returned to normal as he replied, "I'm not."

\n\n

"Oh, not there...wait, not there? Where are you? What are you doing? What do you want to do? You, you..." Do you know your progress bar is skyrocketing?!

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart, which had just settled down, was now racing again. His nerves were on edge as he glanced at the slow but steady progress bar in his mind for Lian Jun, ticking up at 10 point increments. Without waiting for Lian Jun's response, he asked, "Are you in the car? Where are you going?"

\n\n

Lian Jun had just gotten on the car and was surprised by Shi Jin's sharp timing. His tone unconsciously softened a bit as he sat down and replied, "I'm going to have dinner with an old friend. Call Number One later and have him pick you up at the hotel. And...you did well this time. I'm hanging up now, see you at dinner."

\n\n

With that, he hung up the phone.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt a chill in his heart as he listened to the busy tone on his phone and watched Lian Jun's progress bar rise to 750 in his mind. Without hesitation, he called Lian Jun again.

\n\n

Lian Jun still answered quickly and asked, "What's up?"

\n\n

"Can you not go have dinner with your old friend?" Shi Jin got straight to the point.

\n\n

After a while, Lian Jun finally replied in a much calmer tone, saying, "Don't worry, I won't eat anything I shouldn't. You go back to the club first, I'll definitely be back before dinner."

\n\n

But with the progress bar moving at this speed, it would be a miracle if he could even hold out until lunch, let alone dinner!

\n\n

Shi Jin was getting anxious, but he couldn't directly tell Lian Jun that there was danger ahead. The more he panicked, the less he knew how to convince Lian Jun not to go to this meal. After scratching his head for a while, he heard Lian Jun say that he was hanging up again. In a moment of impulsiveness, he shouted, "I forbid you from eating with anyone else. You can only eat with me!"

\n\n

The air instantly froze, and there was silence on the other end of the phone.

\n\n

Behind Shi Jin, the hand that Xiang Aoting was holding the towel with had bulging veins from how tightly he was gripping it. His face was as hard as a rock, and his mind was in turmoil.

\n\n

Lian Jun broke the silence.

\n\n

"Shi Jin, don't be stubborn. I'll go back right after dinner. This old friend once saved my life, I can't disrespect him." Even though Lian Jun's tone had become a bit stern, his words were soothing and conciliatory.

\n\n

It was a benefactor's relationship, and with Lian Jun's personality, it seemed that this dinner couldn't be stopped.

\n\n

Shi Jin forced himself to stay calm, resisting the urge to check the progress bar that was still increasing. He told himself that it wasn't really dangerous until the progress bar reached the end. His heart rate slowly slowed down as he said, "Then I'll come with you. I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone."

\n\n

Lian Jun called out, "Shi Jin."

\n\n

"I want to have dinner with you," Shi Jin insisted firmly, even to the point of being a little stubborn in the eyes of others. He found a reason for himself, "You said to me before that I should follow you closely and have meals with you. Now that I've returned to B city, it's not fair for you to leave me behind."

\n\n

Lian Jun remained silent, but eventually compromised and gave him an address, saying, "Come over, I'll have Number Two wait for you outside."

\n\n

"No need! Let Number Two stay by your side, I'll find my own way there." Shi Jin quickly stopped him, feeling relieved. He got up and grabbed a random down jacket from his luggage, too lazy to even change out of his pajamas. He turned around and was ready to go find Lian Jun.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting reached out and grabbed his shoulder, his expression tense as if he was holding something back, his face stern and silent.

\n\n

Shi Jin was feeling anxious and a bit impatient. He reached out to grab his brother's hand and said, "Fourth Brother, can you help me take my luggage to the club later? I have to rush to a dinner with Young Master Jun."

\n\n

"I know, I heard the phone call," said Xiang Aoting with a stern tone, holding onto Shi Jin's shoulder to stop him from leaving.

\n\n

He wanted to ask something, but saw that Shi Jin's expression had become visibly impatient and the strength in his grip was increasing. Xiang Aoting decided to hold back his questions and let go of Shi Jin, bending down to take out a pair of shoes and placing them in front of him.

\n\n

"Why rush? Go freshen up and change your clothes first. I'll check out of the room and then drive you there. It'll definitely be faster than taking a taxi."

\n\n

When Shi Jin heard this, his struggling stopped abruptly. He quickly weighed the pros and cons, obediently grabbed a set of clothes and ran towards the bathroom, saying, "Fourth Brother, wait for me. I'll change quickly. Five minutes, no, two minutes is enough! Young Master Jun must be getting impatient waiting for me."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting watched him run into the bathroom, almost hitting the door in his haste. He almost couldn't resist pulling him back to give him a good lecture, but he held back and turned to call Shi Weichong on his phone.

\n\n

...

\n\n

Fifteen minutes later, the two brothers left the hotel. As soon as Shi Jin got into the car, he immediately called Lian Jun and asked about his old friend while watching the progress bar in his mind and rambling on about various topics.

\n\n

Who knew what Lian Jun was thinking, but he actually joined in the idle chatter with him, his attitude so amiable that it could almost be considered indulgent.

\n\n

As he listened from the driver's seat, Xiang Aoting's grip on the steering wheel tightened and tightened until he couldn't resist dialing a phone call to Rong Zhouzhong. When the call connected, he asked directly, "Are you in B City?"

\n\n

"Yeah, I took a little break, what's up?" Rong Zhouzhong's voice was lazy and a bit muffled, as if he was eating something.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting glanced at the passenger seat where Shi Jin was engrossed in his phone call, and almost gritted his teeth as he repeated the address where his old friend and Lian Jun were having dinner, saying, "Come to this place, right away, Big Brother will also be coming."

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong was puzzled, "What's this for, a gathering?"

\n\n

"No," said Xiang Aoting, his thin lips pursed tightly, his voice as hard as iron. "We're going to talk to Little Sixth's boss."

\n","published_time":"2023-09-27T14:48:07.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":356,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":28,"chapter_title":"Signature","content":"

The hotel where Shi Jin was staying was quite far from the restaurant where Lian Jun was going to have dinner. When Lian Jun was about to hang up the phone and said he had arrived at the restaurant, Shi Jin still had about twenty minutes of driving to go.

\n\n

Shi Jin was very anxious and sat uncomfortably in his seat.

\n\n

Seeing that he kept looking out the window with a very restless expression, Xiang Aoting couldn't help but ask, "Is having dinner with Lian Jun really that important?"

\n\n

Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts, turned his head to look at Xiang Aoting, and nodded seriously, "Yes, it's very important."

\n\n

This was a matter of life and death. After speaking, he continued to watch the road outside the window, praying that there would be no traffic jams or red lights along the way, while closely monitoring the progress bar in his mind.

\n\n

As Lian Jun approached the location of the dinner, his progress bar continued to climb. By the time he hung up the phone, it had surpassed the 900 mark and was stuck at 910, a number that was not quite dangerous but definitely not safe.

\n\n

Xiao Si was so nervous that it was nearly going to crash. Shi Jin was also anxious and wanted to call Number Two to remind him to be careful of Lian Jun's safety, but was afraid that his call would distract him, so he had to grit his teeth and endure.

\n\n

"Why did an old friend suddenly invite Lian Jun to dinner? Does a lot of people in B City know about Lian Jun being in B City?" Shi Jin couldn't help but ask Xiao Si in his mind.

\n\n

Xiao Si replied, "Not many people know about it. The decision to come to B City with the baby was made at the last minute, and it was only after the officials' request for mission assistance that we decided to stay until after the new year. Only a few people know about it."

\n\n

"That's strange," Shi Jin frowned, trying to piece together the information he had just learned from Lian Jun. "According to Lian Jun, this dinner was not planned in advance, but was a last-minute invitation. How coincidental that an old friend happened to send an invitation while Lian Jun was in B City."

\n\n

Xiao Si could only offer comfort, "Don't worry, Jin Jin. Whatever you can think of, the baby can think of too. He knows what he's doing."

\n\n

"He wouldn't have only brought Number Two if he knew better. He should have brought Number One, Three, Five, and Nine as well!" Shi Jin was getting angrier as he spoke, and he couldn't help but reach out and scratch at the car window, wishing he could fly to Lian Jun's side.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting watched Shi Jin's reaction to his answer and became even more certain of his suspicions. He gritted his teeth and accelerated the car.

\n\n

Two minutes later, Lian Jun's progress bar increased again, reaching 940. Shi Jin guessed that Lian Jun had already met with his old friend. Fortunately, the progress bar didn't increase any further, which made Shi Jin breathe a sigh of relief.

\n\n

The car sped along and after more than ten minutes, Xiang Aoting stopped in front of a century-old restaurant where Shi Jin quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and jumped out of the car, ignoring Xiang Aoting's calls from behind.

\n\n

The restaurant was not big, and Shi Jin rushed in and grabbed a passing waiter, asking for the location of Lian Jun's private room on the third floor. He immediately headed to the stairs, taking two steps at a time.

\n\n

Xiao Si was trying to comfort him, "Don't rush, Jin Jin. The progress bar is still at 940 and hasn't gone up. Slow down, don't fall."

\n\n

"I won't fall," Shi Jin replied, and he quickly arrived on the third floor. He turned his head and checked the numbers on the private rooms near the stairs, then decisively headed towards the left corridor.

\n\n

As he walked along, he looked around and finally stopped at the second-to-last room on the left side of the corridor, Room 308. He didn't go in directly, but instead discreetly glanced at the two adjacent rooms that seemed to be empty.

\n\n

He frowned slightly as he recalled the lively scene in the lobby on the first floor of the restaurant. Only then did he raise his hand and knock on the door.

\n\n

Number Two opened the door and was not surprised to see Shi Jin, but his expression was a bit strange, as if he had something to say but was holding back.

\n\n

"Why do you look like that? Where's Young Master Jun?" Shi Jin asked as he squeezed into the room. When he saw that there was no one at the round table, his heart sank.

\n\n

Then he heard Number Two explain, "Young Master Jun is in the suite, and Mr. Chen, Young Master Jun's friend, is also there. You..."

\n\n

As soon as the first words left his mouth, Shi Jin headed straight for the inner room without any regard for politeness. He pushed open the door and froze when he saw Shi Weichong looking up from his seat by the window.

\n\n

Number Two followed behind him and whispered, "Your older brother, Shi Weichong, is also here."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

What was going on and why was Shi Weichong here?

\n\n

"Little Sixth," came a voice from behind. It was Xiang Aoting, who had been left behind at the restaurant and had caught up with them.

\n\n

Lian Jun turned his head at the sound of the door opening. He scanned Shi Jin quickly to make sure he was okay before turning his attention to Xiang Aoting, nodding in greeting.

\n\n

The only stranger in the private room also looked towards the door. His gaze shifted between Shi Jin and Xiang Aoting before settling on Xiang Aoting, whose demeanor was noticeably different. He tightly gripped his teacup, furrowed his brow, and his eyes were filled with unease, but he didn't say a word.

\n\n

The atmosphere inexplicably became tense. Shi Jin, Xiang Aoting, and Number Two stood at the door, while Shi Weichong, Lian Jun, and the thin man sat inside. The six of them stared at each other, but no one spoke for a while.

\n\n

Xiao Si excitedly reminded them, "The progress bar has dropped! It's back to 900, just after Xiang Aoting arrived."

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback and turned his head to look at Xiang Aoting. His gaze swept over Xiang Aoting's stylish yet ordinary black down jacket, which was customized for military use with insignias on the sleeves and chest.

\n\n

Feeling lucky, Shi Jin suddenly turned around and grabbed Xiang Aoting's shoulder, pulling down the zipper of his jacket while intentionally speaking loudly, "Fourth Brother, is this customized down jacket that you wear specifically for flying fighter jets especially warm? Let me try it on."

\n\n

"What are you talking about? This is just an ordinary down jacket," Auting frowned, but did not stop Shi Jin's actions. He cooperated by taking off his jacket and even scolded him, "I told you to change your clothes before going out, but you refused. Now you know it's cold. Don't be so impulsive in the future."

\n\n

Xiao Si happily reminded him again, "It's gone down again! Your progress bar is now at 890. You're really amazing, Jin Jin!"

\n\n

It was indeed effective!

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart was lifted and he felt a sense of relief.

\n\n

From his observations, there must be some bad people lurking in this restaurant. Previously, Lian Jun's progress bar had been stuck at 940 without any increase. Now, he realized that it was probably because the people lying in wait did not expect Shi Weichong to be here as well. They also did not expect him to know Lian Jun and sit in the same room as him.

\n\n

They were now hesitant to make a move. With the arrival of the government representative, Xiang Aoting, the people lying in wait were probably even more intimidated!

\n\n

For the first time, Shi Jin found his older brothers from the Shi family so adorable. He didn't mind the heat and took off Xiang Aoting's down jacket to wrap around himself like a ball, running over to sit next to Lian Jun.

\n\n

He even moved the chair closer to him and greeted the thin man across from them with a friendly smile, "Hello, I'm Shi Jin, Young Master Jun's... um, the person who relies on Young Master Jun for a living now. I heard you're Young Master Jun's friend? Nice to meet you, nice to meet you. I'm happy to make your acquaintance."

\n\n

As soon as Shi Jin finished his introduction, Shi Weichong slammed his cup on the table with a black face. Shi Aoting also looked displeased, but Lian Jun remained expressionless and turned his head to look closely at Shi Jin, who was sitting very close to him.

\n\n

The thin man was also stunned by Shi Jin's self-introduction. Sensing that something was off in the room, he looked at Lian Jun and, seeing that he did not refute Shi Jin's words, he awkwardly forced out a stiff smile and replied, "Hello, I'm Chen Qing, an...old acquaintance of Lian Jun's."

\n\n

Old acquaintance? Lian Jun had called this Chen Qing an old friend, yet he chose to use the somewhat distant term 'old acquaintance'... Shi Jin's mind started turning, but he maintained a friendly demeanor and introduced Chen Qing to his brothers, saying, "This is my elder brother, Shi Weichong, the new CEO of Ruihang. You've heard of Ruihang, right? That super powerful foreign company? My elder brother is amazing, he's really good at making money."

\n\n

As soon as those words were spoken, Shi Weichong's tense demeanor seemed to relax.

\n\n

He looked at Shi Jin with a look of being moved in his eyes.

\n\n

Chen Qing, on the other hand, was struggling to keep up with Shi Jin's enthusiasm. He mumbled a response and looked even more uneasy.

\n\n

"And this is my fourth brother, Xiang Aoting. He's also super amazing. He's in the military and can fly fighter jets, hehehe." Shi Jin reached out and pulled Xiang Aoting towards him, introducing him proudly.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting's expression softened as he followed Shi Jin's lead and sat down next to him. He even nodded politely towards Chen Qing.

\n\n

The atmosphere suddenly became much more relaxed.

\n\n

With everyone now acquainted, Number Two was tactful enough to prepare to leave. He wasn't like Shi Jin, who had the backing of an older brother and could sit next to Lian Jun without a care in the world.

\n\n

"Wait, don't close the door yet," Xiang Aoting stopped him and said, "Our third brother will be here soon, he'll be here in a moment."

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned, then he almost laughed out loud - even Rong Zhouzhong was coming? This was really, really good news! With Rong Zhouzhong's reputation, no matter who was hiding in the restaurant today, they would have to think twice before taking action.

\n\n

"Are you happy?" Lian Jun suddenly spoke, this was the first thing he said since Shi Jin came in.

\n\n

"Happy," Shi Jin straightened his head and looked at Chen Qing with a big smile. He deliberately spoke loudly, "Mr. Chen, my third brother is coming soon. Do you know who my third brother is? You must know him, he's Rong Zhouzhong. He is the one who excels in film, television, and music, winning awards left and right. He is extremely handsome and has an enormous fan base! Have you watched his movies? You must have, right?"

\n\n

"I, I've watched them. Your brothers are very talented," Chen Qing's forehead broke out in a slight sweat. After forcing a smile, he suddenly stood up and apologized to Lian Jun, "Excuse me, Lian Jun. I need to use the restroom."

\n\n

Lian Jun seemed completely oblivious to his discomfort and nodded, letting him go.

\n\n

As Shi Jin watched him leave, his gaze was alert and unwavering, not relaxing for a moment, until he could no longer see the man's figure before retracting his gaze.

\n\n

"Shi Jin." Lian Jun called out to him.

\n\n

Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts, turned his head to look at Lian Jun, with an expression that said: Why are you calling me? I'm perfectly normal, I don't have any ulterior motives, I'm just a friendly person who likes to show off my older brothers.

\n\n

Lian Jun looked at him straight for a few seconds, then didn't say anything more, retracting his gaze and pouring him a cup of tea, asking, "How was the mission? Did you encounter any danger?"

\n\n

"Yes!" Shi Jin answered with a clear and confident voice, immediately attracting the attention of everyone in the room.

\n\n

Shi Weichong frowned and asked, "What mission? Xiao Jin, you went on another mission?"

\n\n

As he spoke, he even shifted his gaze to Xiang Aoting, his eyes questioning. Xiang Aoting nodded and explained, "We've been on a mission together these past few days, an official one that's classified, so I couldn't tell you about it."

\n\n

Shi Weichong's expression immediately darkened as he coldly glanced at Lian Jun and asked, "Xiao Jin, did you encounter any danger?"

\n\n

"I ran into a pervert!" Shi Jin's mind was clearly elsewhere as he picked up his tea cup and downed it in one gulp.

\n\n

Suddenly standing up, he said, "You guys chat, I'm going to pick up Third Brother. His face is too attention-catching and there is paparazzi all over B City. I'll go cover for him." With that, he left without giving anyone a chance to react.

\n\n

Shi Weichong who was waiting for the rest of the story: "..."

\n\n

Lian Jun signaled for Number Two to follow Shi Jin, then put down his tea cup and asked, "You came all this way today for a reason. What is it?"

\n\n

He was not foolish enough to believe in chance encounters with acquaintances while out for a meal.

\n\n

Shi Weichong withdrew his gaze and carefully examined his appearance. He recalled what Xiang Aoting had told him on the phone and how he had just seen Shi Jin being very guarded towards Chen Qing, sticking up for him and asserting his dominance. Suppressing his emotions, he carefully chose his words and spoke as gently as possible, "I hope you will voluntarily let Xiao Jin leave. He is only eighteen years old and cannot afford to neglect his studies."

\n\n

"It's impossible," Lian Jun refused bluntly, without any room for negotiation. "Unless Shi Jin himself requests to leave, I will not force him to do anything he doesn't want to do."

\n\n

"You are misleading him," Shi Weichong rebuked.

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't budge, "On the contrary, I think Shi Jin has become more and more outstanding since he stayed with me."

\n\n

This was indeed true. Shi Weichong couldn't refute it and his expression turned ugly.

\n\n

"Do you know that Xiao Jin has feelings towards you?" Xiang Aoting suddenly spoke up, his gaze towards Lian Jun was scrutinizing.

\n\n

Shi Weichong didn't expect Xiang Aoting to directly bring up their suspicions in front of the person involved. He furrowed his brows and hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn't stop Xiang Aoting and handed over the right to speak to him.

\n\n

Lian Jun was clearly stunned for a moment, but quickly suppressed his emotions and asked back, "What does it matter if I know or not? Regardless of whether this so-called 'feelings' are your misunderstanding or not, let's talk about the objective situation. Shi Jin is already an adult and an independent individual. You ask me to let him go, but I have never forced him to stay by my side."

\n\n

"He's only eighteen years old and his thoughts are not yet mature. He's easily influenced by those around him and by superficial appearances," emphasized Xiang Aoting.

\n\n

Lian Jun disagreed with him: "Shi Jin is already an adult. I think he knows what he's doing."

\n\n

"Then do you know what you're doing? Are you using a young man's vague feelings to try to tie him to your side?" Shi Weichong couldn't help but question, speaking very harshly and losing his calm decisiveness in the business world, becoming a bit flustered.

\n\n

Lian Jun's attitude turned cold upon hearing this and said, "Mr. Shi, I'll say it again. As long as Shi Jin doesn't want to leave, no one can make him leave my side."

\n\n

Neither side backed down, and the atmosphere became tense.

\n\n

No one spoke, and the room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

\n\n

After a long silence, Xiang Aoting spoke again, his tone serious: "Lian Jun, Shi Jin has the opportunity to experience a normal life, where he can study, grow, fall in love, and start a family under the sun, instead of crawling through gunfire and bombs. I know you want to lead Annihilation towards the light, and you want your subordinates to experience a normal life, but why do you have to drag someone who should be living under the sun into your world during the darkest moment before Annihilation welcomes the light?

\n\n

"Shi Jin is only eighteen years old. This time, he was only taken advantage of by a pervert and got his hand scratched by glass. But what about the next time? I don't want my little brother to die in some unknown place at some unknown time. Lian Jun, Shi Jin cares about you, can't you care about him a little too?"

\n\n

The fingers that Lian Jun placed on the armrest of his wheelchair trembled slightly, then slowly tightened. However, there was no reaction on his face. His eyelids drooped, blocking the emotions in his eyes and all the pressure and emotions that surged towards him from the outside.

\n\n

"'Annihilation' is my world," he spoke, his voice completely cold. "Since Shi Jin has stepped in, no one else can pull him out. He will live until the light comes, for sure."

\n\n

......

\n\n

Shi Jin stared at Chen Qing as he entered the restroom, then deliberately walked back and forth in the corridor, pretending to wait for someone while having Xiao Si scan the surroundings of the private rooms.

\n\n

Xiao Si worked silently and finally came to a conclusion - all the seemingly empty private rooms around Room 308 were hiding people, and there were quite a few of them.

\n\n

Shi Jin frowned, quickly calculating in his mind.

\n\n

Surrounded by too many people lying in wait, he knew that trying to fight back would only end in defeat. It was too late to call for reinforcements from the club, so they had to come up with a way to scare off these people and prevent them from attacking.

\n\n

Lost in thought, a figure suddenly appeared at the corner of the stairs. Seeing Shi Jin blocking the entrance, he stopped and looked over, his voice muffled by a mask: "What are you doing standing here like a fool? Dressed like a bear, are you stupid?"

\n\n

When Shi Jin stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the person approaching, he noticed that Chen Qing had already returned to the private room.

\n\n

With a sense of certainty, he flashed a brilliant, almost terrifying smile at the newcomer and bounded up the stairs, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Third Brother, you're here! I heard your latest movie just broke box office records. Congratulations! On my way here, I even heard someone praising your acting, saying that your portrayal of this character was a major breakthrough and was played...mmph!"

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong rushed forward and covered Shi Jin's mouth with force. He took a quick glance at the lobby that had heard his commotion and dragged Shi Jin a few steps up the stairs.

\n\n

He angrily removed his mask and said, "You little brat, are you doing this on purpose? What are you shouting for? You'll attract people here. Today, we can forget about having a good meal!"

\n\n

Shi Jin struggled and continued to howl, "What's there to be afraid of? This hundred year-old restaurant isn't doing well today. The private rooms on the second and third floors are all empty. What's wrong with me howling a bit? If you act well in movies, can't I praise you? You're the best actor, Rong Zhouzhong, and I love you so much!"

\n\n

"You little rascal...shut your mouth!" Rong Zhouzhong looked around the private room with caution, relieved that no one had heard the commotion and ran out.

\n\n

He felt a mix of complex emotions from the praise he received, feeling both like floating but also like beating someone up. He grabbed Shi Jin's shoulder and covered his mouth, dragging him along while growling, "You better keep quiet! Show me which private room our brothers are in!"

\n\n

Shi Jin pointed to the private room where Lian Jun was located. Suddenly, he twisted his hand at a tricky angle and snatched the hat and scarf off Rong Zhouzhong's face, fully exposing him. Taking advantage of Rong Zhouzhong's stunned state, Shi Jin broke free from his restraints and stuffed the hat and scarf into his own clothes.

\n\n

He said with a serious tone, "Third Brother, do you know how valuable your personal belongings are? Give me these two items. I've promised to get some 'souvenirs' for two of your fans. They offered me a high price of tens of thousands for them."

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong was furious and reached out to grab him, threatening, "If you dare to sell them, I'll break your legs!"

\n\n

"I won't!" Shi Jin pulled his leg and ran towards the private room, taunting him as he went, "I'm going to sell them, anyway you can't beat me."

\n\n

"You little brat, you're asking for death! Don't run, give me back my things!" Rong Zhouzhong chased after him, his expression twisted with anger, completely losing his perfect and aloof image.

\n\n

Shi Jin ignored him, turning his head and entering the private room, asking Xiao Si, "Has the progress bar dropped?"

\n\n

"It has, it has. After Rong Zhouzhong showed his face, it dropped straight to 600. The baby should be safe now!" Xiao Si answered excitedly.

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong's destructive power was indeed great!

\n\n

Shi Jin clenched his fist and shouted "YES!" like a gust of wind, he swept past Number Two who was guarding outside, pushed open the door to the inside, and sat down next to Lian Jun. Then he turned his head and stuffed his scarf and hat into Rong Zhouzhong's chest as he chased after him, muttering 'stingy'.

\n\n

He then grabbed Rong Zhouzhong's arm and proudly introduced him to Chen Qing, who had already returned, saying, "Mr. Chen, this is my third brother Rong Zhouzhong. Isn't he even more handsome in person than on TV? Let me tell you, his acting skills are amazing, definitely not like those haters who say he's just a pretty face. Do you want his autograph? This is the signature of a future internationally renowned award-winning actor, it's sure to appreciate in value. Let me have my brother sign one for you!"

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong who was about to unleash his 18 techniques of cursing at his younger brother: "..."

\n\n

Chen Qing clearly recognized Rong Zhouzhong. Thinking of Rong Zhouzhong's influence, he felt uneasy but forced a smile and nodded in greeting. "Hello, I've heard of your name for a long time and I really like your performance in <Besieged>."

\n\n

"Cough, really." Rong Zhouzhong quickly withdrew his hand and adjusted his expression.

\n\n

He then threw the scarf and hat in his arms to Xiang Aoting beside him. He straightened his clothes that were messed up by Shi Jin's rubbing and extended his hand to Chen Qing with a reserved tone.

\n\n

"Thank you for your support. If you really want a signature, for the sake of my younger brother, I can make an exception and sign a few more for you."

\n\n

Chen Qing: "..." No, I was just being polite.

\n\n

Xiao Si exclaimed in a low voice, "Jin Jin, your progress bar has dropped to 790!"

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback and his emotions became complicated. He looked at Rong Zhouzhong, who had suddenly become serious and handsome, and thought for a moment. Tentatively, he complimented him, "Third Brother, can you also sign for me? I think your handwriting is especially beautiful."

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong withdrew his hand from Chen Qing's grasp, turned his head, and looked at Shi Jin with a sinister expression. He smiled insincerely, "Do you want me to sign it so you can sell it for money? Forget it, I will never sign anything for you in my entire life."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n","published_time":"2023-10-08T00:39:57.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":364,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":29,"chapter_title":"Dream","content":"

Rong Zhouzhong sat next to Xiang Aoting in the end, sandwiching Chen Qing between him and Shi Weichong. At this point, Lian Jun's reunion dinner could be considered to be completely ruined.

\n\n

After making sure that Lian Jun was basically safe, Shi Jin saw that it was time to call it a night. He was very tactful and quieted down. He even returned Xiang Aoting's down jacket to him and then made an excuse to go get more utensils for the brothers, leaving the private room alone to find Number Two.

\n\n

Number Two leaned against the edge of the round table. When he saw Shi Jin approach with a serious expression, he raised his eyebrows and asked, "What's wrong? Did your brothers bully you?"

\n\n

"No," Shi Jin leaned in close to him and lowered his voice, "When I went to pick him up just now, I noticed that there seemed to be people in several of the surrounding private rooms, but the waiters said that the second and third floors were empty today. I thought it was a bit strange, so we should be more careful."

\n\n

Number Two's eyes flickered and he said, "There really is no one on the second or third floor today. Mr. Chen considered Young Master Jun's special status, so he booked the entire second and third floors in advance. Which private room did you see people in? How did you find out?"

\n\n

Shi Jin felt that Number Two's reaction was a bit off, he was too calm.

\n\n

He looked at him suspiciously and replied, "It seems like both rooms next door have people in them. Just now, I was playing around and took off my brother's hat and scarf in the hallway. Then I heard some muffled voices coming from the supposedly empty private room..."

\n\n

As he spoke, he saw Number Two's expression becoming increasingly strange, gradually realizing what was going on.

\n\n

He grabbed Number Two's clothes, lowered his voice and gritted his teeth, "Did you know that there are people in the two private rooms next door?"

\n\n

"I know," Number Two touched his nose, looking like he wanted to laugh but held it in. He pointed to the ground, "The people sitting in the lobby on the first floor are all officials. Otherwise, how could Young Master Jun agree to let you come? So relax, eat and drink, even if the sky falls, there's someone tall to hold it up.

\n\n

"By the way, why are all your brothers are here? Did you call them? And when you were praising your brothers earlier, was it because you sensed that Mr. Chen was not right and did it on purpose? You're too sharp, how did you get so smart?"

\n\n

"...No, I was just having fun," Shi Jin squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth, feeling relieved when Number Two let go of him. Suddenly, he felt exhausted and shouted in his heart at Xiao Si, "I think I'm just a fool."

\n\n

There was a brief silence, and Xiao Si comforted him, "It's okay, I'm even more foolish than you."

\n\n

Shi Jin: ".........."

\n\n

With his cutlery in hand, Shi Jin returned to the room feeling hopeless. He slumped down next to Lian Jun and remained silent, completely dejected.

\n\n

"What's wrong?" Lian Jun asked.

\n\n

Shi Jin glanced at him and then at Chen Qing before shaking his head. He silently moved his chair closer to Xiang Aoting's side, deciding to temporarily cut off ties with Lian Jun for a few minutes to ease his turbulent emotions.

\n\n

Lian Jun noticed the distance between them and didn't ask any further questions. He rang the bell and called for Number Two to bring the menu. He added a few dishes, including a mini version of the roasted lamb that Shi Jin had mentioned wanting to try - roasted lamb chops.

\n\n

Shi Jin was already deeply immersed in self-loathing and didn't pay attention to the dishes that Lian Jun had ordered. Xiang Aoting noticed the change in Shi Jin's mood and was pleased that he and Lian Jun were 'keeping their distance'. He reached over and moved some utensils towards Shi Jin, asking, "Are you hungry?"

\n\n

Shi Jin shook his head and looked up at him, asking softly, "Fourth Brother, did I seem really foolish when I introduced you guys earlier?"

\n\n

If only he had known that Lian Jun was already prepared for this trip, he wouldn't have caused such a scene. He should have just sat there and enjoyed the free meal.

\n\n

In the end, it all boiled down to one simple truth: he was still too young.

\n\n

Upon seeing that Shi Jin had a downcast expression, his eyes and brows softened. Xiang Aoting was just about to comfort him when Rong Zhouzhong, who was sitting next to him, spoke up in a strange tone: "When will you stop being foolish? Some people may have grown to be eighteen years old, but their intelligence is still stuck ten years ago. It's impossible for you to not be foolish in this lifetime. How old are you and still trying to show off your older brothers? Aren't you embarrassed?"

\n\n

The last sentence was spoken in a low voice, almost just muttered under his breath.

\n\n

Shi Jin became angry and embarrassed, glaring at him and raising his fist.

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong gave him a cold stare and ignored him.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting was caught in the middle, feeling helpless but also wanting to laugh - it had been too long since he had seen this kind of scene between brothers, playfully fighting and getting along with each other.

\n\n

Today's meal was hosted by Lian Jun, so the Shi brothers came uninvited. While waiting for the dishes to arrive, Shi Weichong tactfully used the excuse of having something to discuss with his brothers and called a waiter to set up another table in the outer room. He took his brothers with him and left.

\n\n

Shi Jin followed suit, and Lian Jun didn't stop them. He just instructed Number Two to have the additional dishes sent to Shi Weichong's table later.

\n\n

The lively private room quickly became deserted. Lian Jun personally poured a cup of tea for Chen Qing and placed it in front of him, then said abruptly, "Shi Jin has a particularly keen sense of danger."

\n\n

As soon as Chen Qing heard the word 'danger', his heart skipped a beat. He took the hot tea that Lian Jun handed him and nervously replied, "Really? He doesn't look very old. Is he a new recruit you hired?"

\n\n

"Yes, he's grown very quickly," Lian Jun said, leaning back in his wheelchair and scooping himself a bowl of soup. He stirred it slowly and spoke casually, "Shi Jin knows how to behave and is very thoughtful. He never acts too rudely towards someone he's meeting for the first time."

\n\n

As Chen Qing listened, he felt sweat slowly forming on his forehead.

\n\n

The two had known each other for many years, and Chen Qing considered himself to have at least a five-point understanding of Lian Jun, if not seven. Lian Jun never spoke meaningless words in inappropriate situations, but now he suddenly praised a newly acquired subordinate and emphasized that this subordinate, who had previously been very high-profile, was actually very tactful in daily life.

\n\n

Combined with the earlier statement that 'Shi Jin is particularly sensitive to danger', Chen Qing almost immediately understood Lian Jun's meaning - 'I know something's not right with you, and not just me, even my new subordinate can see it. So, before I tear off the last shred of my affection for you, you better take the opportunity to confess.'

\n\n

"Lian Jun..." Chen Qing opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but then closed it again. He seemed to have lost all his energy and slumped in his chair, letting out a bitter laugh. "Lian Jun, you're still the same... I remember you never used to drink soup."

\n\n

"People change," Lian Jun finally looked up at him and asked, "Is the lucky bamboo I gave you still growing well?"

\n\n

Chen Qing was taken aback, chewing on the long-forgotten code word. His eyes glazed over for a moment, then suddenly turned red.

\n\n

He wiped his face and sat up straight, staring at Lian Jun's eyes. "It's doing well. It grew three new shoots, but unfortunately, one was scratched by a cat. The other two were moved to a new pot by my wife, and I don't know if they'll survive."

\n\n

The meaning of his words translated was: "Since we parted, I have gained three new family members. One of them was injured, and the other two were captured. My wife was the one who was injured, and my child was the one who was captured. Please save them."

\n\n

Seeing Chen Qing anxiously looking at him, Lian Jun furrowed his brows and nodded at him. He replied in a gentle tone, "They'll survive. Have some soup. It's good today."

\n\n

Chen Qing's body suddenly relaxed when he received the promise. A mixed expression of wanting to cry and laugh appeared on his face. It was as if a stone that had been weighing on his heart for a long time had finally been lifted. He quietly thanked Lian Jun and changed the subject.

\n\n

Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the dinner table of the Shi brothers in the other room was far from peaceful.

\n\n

Sitting alone on one side was Shi Jin, while his three older brothers sat across from him. In the middle were various delicious dishes, but no one touched their chopsticks. The atmosphere was like a trial in court.

\n\n

Shi Weichong got straight to the point and said, "Xiao Jin, we came here this time to talk to you and Lian Jun about something."

\n\n

Shi Jin had already guessed that Shi Weichong and Xiang Aoting had probably called Rong Zhouzhong over, but he didn't know why they had come. Seeing Shi Weichong's serious expression, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous and asked, "What do you want to talk about?"

\n\n

"About whether you should stay or leave," Shi Weichong replied, his brow furrowed and his tone serious. "Lian Jun said it's up to you to decide, Xiao Jin, and I hope you'll come back home with me."

\n\n

So that was what they wanted to talk about.

\n\n

Shi Jin relaxed a little, but still firmly refused, "Big brother, I'm sorry, but I don't want to go back."

\n\n

"Xiao Jin," Shi Weichong's face showed disapproval as he spoke, "I thought we had cleared up the misunderstanding."

\n\n

Shi Jin had been wanting to have a good talk with his brothers who had already been cleared of suspicion of being the murderer.

\n\n

Seeing that the timing was right, he carefully organized his words and said, "Big Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, I did have some misunderstandings about you before, and I was too stubborn during this time, causing you to worry about me. I don't want to deceive you, in the past, I didn't want to go home because of some of you, but now I don't want to go home because I want to stay in Nightfall, I like it here."

\n\n

Shi Weichong and the other two brothers frowned at the same time.

\n\n

"Our family's situation is different from ordinary families," Shi Jin continued to explain with a sigh. "You all have your own lives and careers, and you have your own relatives to take care of. My identity is awkward. If I go back with you, it's just going back to that empty big house, going to school alone, waiting for you to contact me occasionally when you have time...

\n\n

"I'm not blaming you for anything, I just want you to understand that I prefer my current life compared to the previous lifestyle. Staying with Lian Jun, I can still learn a lot, it's not worse than studying in school. They are all teaching me with great care, and I really like them. You can think of me as studying for university at Lian Jun's place, just learning something different... I'm already an adult, can you trust me this once, okay?"

\n\n

With a furrowed brow, Shi Weichong looked at Xiang Aoting with a tense expression. Even Rong Zhouzhong had a look on his face that seemed to say, "What nonsense are you saying?"

\n\n

They silently conveyed their answer to Shi Jin - it's not okay, how could it be okay? How could an older brother agree to let his younger brother go to the underworld to attend some bullshit "university"? Did he want to live a miserable life?

\n\n

Shaking his head, Xiang Aoting said, "Xiao Jin, this isn't about trust or distrust. It's about you staying by Lian Jun's side and potentially encountering dangerous situations at any moment."

\n\n

Shi Weichong added, "Xiao Jin, have you thought about your future? You're cutting off your own path."

\n\n

"I know, I've thought about it," Shi Jin looked at them and replied firmly, "but even if it's dangerous, I want to stay. Fourth brother, if I told you now that flying a fighter jet is very dangerous and I want you to choose a safer and gentler department, would you be willing?"

\n\n

Xiang Aoting frowned and said nothing.

\n\n

Shi Jin then turned to Rong Zhouzhong and asked, "Third brother, if I said being a idol is very dangerous, constantly being harassed by paparazzi and fans, and I want you to live a normal life or retire behind the scenes, would you be willing?"

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong sneered, "If you want to court death, go ahead. Don't compare me to anything, and don't put the title of 'idol' on me, or I'll twist your head off."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

Ignoring him, Shi Jin turned to Shi Weichong.

\n\n

Shi Weichong raised his hand to interrupt the question that was about to come out of his mouth. His expression was complex, as if he had just known him again.

\n\n

He said, "I understand what you mean. Although I have ten thousand ways to tell you the danger of staying by Lian Jun's side, which is fundamentally different from the danger that other professions may encounter, you probably won't listen. I will only ask you one question now, do you really have to stay by Lian Jun's side?"

\n\n

"Yes." Shi Jin answered without hesitation, and even flattered, "I also believe that I will not have no way out. You are my way out."

\n\n

This flattery was quite on point. Shi Weichong and Xiang Aoting's expressions immediately eased, and even Rong Zhouzhong slightly relaxed his eyebrows and eyes. He sneered and did not refute his words.

\n\n

"Why must it be Lian Jun?" Shi Weichong asked.

\n\n

Of course it's because of that annoying little devil, the progress bar.

\n\n

Shi Jin said that in his heart, but he ended up expressing his true feelings and spoke with sincerity, "Because he's a good person, and I want to follow him. Brother, please let me do this one thing, I just want to do something I really want to do."

\n\n

Shi Weichong remained silent for a while before asking, "Do you really like Lian Jun that much? You're willing to give up even your life for him?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback, "...Huh?"

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong suddenly sat up, his expression turning ugly as he asked, "What did you say? Who likes who? This little brat hasn't even grown all his fur yet, how can you say he likes someone?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was completely confused as he looked at Shi Weichong's pained expression, as if he were looking at a lost teenager. Suddenly, he realized what Shi Weichong was talking about and almost choked on his breath. He quickly turned to check that the door to the room was securely closed before letting out a sigh of relief.

\n\n

Lowering his voice, he explained, "Brother, what are you talking about? Like or dislike? I, I just admire Young Master Jun, do you know that? I just want to become as powerful as him. You, you... your thinking is too narrow-minded!"

\n\n

Shi Weichong was taken aback for a moment, then frowned and glanced at Xiang Aoting before fixing his gaze on Shi Jin. He asked, "You don't like Lian Jun?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was in a state of collapse and retorted, "You might as well say that I like you?"

\n\n

Although Lian Jun was indeed good-looking, had a good personality, and treated people well in every way, but... his life was still hanging by a thread, so what was the point of talking about liking or not liking!

\n\n

"Nonsense!" Shi Weichong frowned and scolded, finally realizing that everyone seemed to have made a mistake. He confirmed again, "You really just admire Lian Jun?"

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded so vigorously it was as if he wanted to twist his neck off.

\n\n

Unable to hold back any longer, Xiang Aoting asked, "Then why do you care so much about him?"

\n\n

"He's my boss. If he dies, I'll have nowhere to eat, so of course I care about him," Shi Jin replied matter-of-factly. After answering, he looked at Xiang Aoting with a pained expression that seemed to say, 'So this is the kind of person you were, I thought I knew you better than this'.

\n\n

There was no doubt in his mind that Xiang Aoting was the one who caused this misunderstanding today.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting awkwardly avoided his gaze, looking slightly embarrassed.

\n\n

Meanwhile, Rong Zhouzhong leaned back in his chair, his gaze sliding over the faces of everyone present. His expression returned to normal, and he pulled up the corners of his mouth, letting out a laugh that was both ambiguous and meaningful. "You guys really know how to have fun every day. Why don't you all come with me and join the entertainment industry? I guarantee you'll be on the front page every day."

\n\n

Shi Weichong remained silent, then was silent for a while longer, until he finally blurted out, "So what you're saying is that you want to become a gang leader like Lian Jun?"

\n\n

"What gang leader? Big brother, we're a legitimate organization doing legitimate business," Shi Jin earnestly refuted, his face stern as he countered, "You guys can be bosses and celebrities and fly planes, but I can't aspire to help a legal violent organization's leader wash away their past and become a hero behind the scenes for the good of the country? How can you stifle a young person's dreams like this?"

\n\n

Shi Weichong and Xiang Aoting: "..."

\n\n

Rong Zhouzhong looked at him like he was looking at an idiot, laughing out loud, "No, that's not a dream, that's a delusion."

\n\n

Shi Jin glared at him again and raised his fist. Rong Zhouzhong's face turned black and he kicked him under the table.

\n\n

......

\n\n

After Lian Jun finished his meal and came out with Chen Qing, there was only Shi Jin left in the room. Shi Weichong and the others had disappeared without a trace. Moreover, Shi Jin's expression was a bit strange, his eyes flickering and not quite right.

\n\n

Lian Jun furrowed his brows and asked, "Where are your brothers?"

\n\n

"They had something to attend to," Shi Jin replied, remembering the conversation between Lian Jun and Shi Weichong before he left. He felt so embarrassed that he couldn't even look Lian Jun in the eye. He wanted to explain, but didn't know how to start.

\n\n

Seeing that Shi Jin wasn't looking at him, Lian Jun's brows furrowed even tighter. He didn't say anything for the time being, but gestured for Shi Jin to follow him.

\n\n

He wheeled his wheelchair and accompanied Chen Qing out of the restaurant. The dinner ended without incident, and as everyone got into the car to leave the restaurant, Lian Jun's progress bar quickly dropped back down by 500, indicating complete safety.

\n\n

Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at Lian Jun sitting next to him. After hesitating for a moment, he decided it was better to explain things sooner rather than later.

\n\n

So he took the initiative to start a conversation, saying, "Um, Young Master Jun, I heard my older brother talked to you about something today...?"

\n\n

Lian Jun's fingers, which had been resting on his knee, twitched. He withdrew his gaze from the window and turned to look at Shi Jin. He signaled to Number Two, who was driving, to raise the partition to ensure complete privacy before responding, "Yes, we did talk about something. What do you want to say?"

\n\n

Shi Jin felt like he was suffocating - Lian Jun had already guessed what he wanted to say, and now he had even raised the partition!

\n\n

It was the most awkward moment he had ever experienced. His own brother had gone to his boss and accused him of having ulterior motives, even using it as a bargaining chip. Now he had to face his boss and explain that he had no ill intentions towards him.

\n\n

What a pig of a brother!

\n\n

"...I'm sorry!" Shi Jin apologized, though embarrassed. "My older brother was talking nonsense. I assure you, Young Master Jun, that I am loyal to you and have no disrespectful thoughts towards you. Please believe me!"

\n\n

Lian Jun's hand, which had been resting on his knee, paused for a moment before slowly folding and resting on his stomach. He turned his head to look out the window and gave a low response.

\n\n

Shi Jin waited, and waited some more, but there was no response from Lian Jun. He looked up at him and tentatively asked, "Young Master Jun, aren't you going to say anything?"

\n\n

"What should I say?" Lian Jun still didn't look at him, a hint of indifference on his profile. He countered, "Are you talking about your lack of respect for me, like forcing me to drink soup during meals, calling me 'baby' when you're drunk, or taking advantage of me before missions? Shi Jin, when you say you had no disrespectful thoughts toward me, did you include those?"

\n\n

"..."

\n\n

Shi Jin had nothing to say. He had indeed done all of those things.

\n\n

This time, Shi Jin remained silent. Lian Jun turned his head to look at him and asked, "Do you have anything else to say?"

\n\n

Shi Jin opened his mouth, tears in his eyes as he tried to explain, "Young Master Jun, I was just concerned about you."

\n\n

"Hmm." Lian Jun nodded, turning her head back to look out the window. "Well, I'll be concerned about you too."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

Xiao Si weakly spoke up, "Is my baby angry?"

\n\n

As Shi Jin leaned back in his chair, he gazed at Lian Jun's perfect profile, feeling a world of weariness. He asked in response, "Do you think the answer to this question could be negative?"

\n\n

Xiao Si remained silent, answering in its heart: "No way."

\n\n

......

\n\n

Upon returning to the club, Lian Jun immediately summoned all of his subordinates and gave them an order - to spare no effort in tracking down Chen Qing's family and finding out who the attackers at the restaurant were. They had to rescue Chen Qing's family as soon as possible.

\n\n

It was only then that Shi Jin learned that Chen Qing had been forced to meet with Lian Jun and had been under constant surveillance. He had even worn a wire during the entire meeting and dared not speak freely.

\n\n

If it weren't for the secret code between Lian Jun and Chen Qing, Chen Qing might not have been able to tell Lian Jun the truth. As he listened, Shi Jin furrowed his brow and finally understood why Chen Qing had been so uneasy the whole time.

\n\n

He felt a sinking feeling in his heart - to think that someone could dig up a friend of Lian Jun's and use that friend to set a trap for him. Whoever was behind this attempt to harm Lian Jun seemed to have a lot of power.

\n\n

"...Number Nine is responsible for gathering information. Disperse now, and make the most of the remaining time," Lian Jun ordered, gesturing for everyone to act quickly.

\n\n

The Numbers all acknowledged his command and left to carry out their respective tasks.

\n\n

Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts and realized that he and Lian Jun were the only ones left in the study. He asked in confusion, "What about me, Young Master Jun? What should I do?"

\n\n

"Follow me," Lian Jun replied, sliding his wheelchair and preparing to leave. As he passed by Shi Jin, he paused and added, "Rest well and make sure to have your injuries checked at the medical room."

\n\n

With that, he left. As Shi Jin watched him leave, he couldn't help but glance down at the bruised and swollen mark on his hand. He felt conflicted - now that he looked back, it seemed like Lian Jun wasn't even angry.

\n","published_time":"2023-10-11T23:23:28.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":372,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":30,"chapter_title":"Getting Sick (Catching Bugs)","content":"

In order to ease his mind, Shi Jin planned to secretly observe Lian Jun and judge whether he was angry or not based on various details. However, Lian Jun didn't give him the chance. After discovering that Shi Jin had finished bandaging his wounds but hadn't gone to rest, Lian Jun grabbed a piece of his clothing and pulled him in his wheelchair, personally driving him out of his room and closing the door.

\n\n

"I wouldn't disturb his rest, so why did he kick me out?" Shi Jin felt resentful and a little sour. "Before, Number Nine could just sit on the sofa outside his room during his nap."

\n\n

Xiao Si cruelly reminded him, "I think it's because you're too dirty now..."

\n\n

Shi Jin looked down at his clothes and argued with conviction, "Where is it dirty? This outfit is clean and I just put it on today!"

\n\n

"But you haven't taken a bath in many days...or washed your hair..." Xiao Si cruelly reminded him.

\n\n

Shi Jin's face stiffened as he carefully thought back and realized that he really hadn't bathed in several days. During that time, he had rolled on the ground countless times due to mission requirements, and now he felt itchy all over. He asked, "When we went to the hotel, didn't Xiang Aoting wipe me down?"

\n\n

Xiao Si replied with pity, "Don't think about it. He helped you change into comfortable pajamas, which was already considerate of him."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

In a hurry, Shi Jin rushed back to his room, stripped off his clothes, and took a thorough shower. He scrubbed his skin so hard that it turned red before putting on a thin set of pajamas. Checking the time, he realized it was almost dinner time. He quickly changed into some proper clothes and made his way to the dining hall.

\n\n

When he arrived, Lian Jun was already seated at the table. As usual, he didn't say anything, just gestured for Shi Jin to sit down and start eating.

\n\n

Shi Jin still couldn't tell if Lian Jun was angry or not. Seeing that most of the dishes on the table were his favorite, he felt touched and couldn't help but explain again, "Young Master Jun, I really just care about you. If you don't like it, I can change."

\n\n

Lian Jun paused with his chopsticks and looked up at him, asking, "How would you change?"

\n\n

"...Maybe be a little more reserved?" Shi Jin tentatively replied.

\n\n

Lian Jun put down his chopsticks and picked up his soup bowl, saying, "Finish your meal, then come with me to the study."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..." Why did he feel like the air pressure had dropped even lower.

\n\n

......

\n\n

After finishing their meal, Shi Jin obediently followed Lian Jun to the study. They sat across from each other with a tea table between them. Lian Jun carefully brewed tea and asked, "Is your wound taken care of?"

\n\n

Shi Jin's gaze unconsciously fell on Lian Jun's fair fingers resting on the dark teapot. He nodded and replied, "It's taken care of. There's just a little redness and bruising, nothing serious."

\n\n

Lian Jun poured the first cup of tea and began brewing the second one. He then brought up the topic, "Tell me about the mission this time."

\n\n

Shi Jin carefully observed his expression but couldn't discern anything, so he obediently followed the topic and briefly recounted the process of the mission.

\n\n

As he listened carefully, Lian Jun kept his hands busy brewing tea. By the time Shi Jin finished speaking, the tea was ready.

\n\n

Lian Jun poured a cup and pushed it towards Shi Jin, saying, "Try it."

\n\n

Shi Jin took a big gulp and exclaimed, "It's delicious!"

\n\n

Lian Jun: "..."

\n\n

Shi Jin, who knew nothing about tea, received a belated reminder from Xiao Si, "Jin Jin, you don't drink tea like that. You have to take small sips and savor the flavor."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

Lian Jun straightened up, looking at Shi Jin without saying anything.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt embarrassed and began to sweat. He deeply understood the feeling of being caught in a lie, and shifted uncomfortably under Lian Jun's gaze.

\n\n

"Why did you insist on coming to dinner today?" Lian Jun suddenly asked.

\n\n

As Shi Jin opened his mouth to continue his flattery, Lian Jun cut him off, "I want to hear the truth."

\n\n

Sensing the change in tone, Shi Jin swallowed the flattery that had been on the tip of his tongue and carefully replied, "I'm afraid for your safety... Not many people know that you're still in B City, so when an old friend suddenly came to invite you out, I couldn't help but feel that something was off."

\n\n

"...You're quite perceptive," Lian Jun nodded and leaned forward to remove the tea that had been steeping. He rang the bell for a servant to bring Shi Jin a hot milk tea and continued, "In the future, don't be so impulsive. If you have any doubts or suspicions, come to me directly for confirmation. Don't try to handle everything on your own. It's not a good habit to fight alone."

\n\n

Was this an attempt to comfort him? Or was Lian Jun also teaching him how to handle crises properly?

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback as he looked at Lian Jun, who always had a pale face no matter how well he was taken care of. In a moment of impulsiveness, he blurted out, "Lian Jun, you must live on, live for a long time."

\n\n

Lian Jun paused and looked up at Shi Jin.

\n\n

Shi Jin was momentarily stunned by his own words, then sighed in resignation.

\n\n

Before, he wanted to save Lian Jun for the most part because of the progress bar and Xiao Si, and a small part out of human kindness. But now that he had been with Lian Jun for so long, he had to admit that he only wanted to save him because he wanted Lian Jun to live.

\n\n

Humans are emotional creatures, and Lian Jun was so good that Shi Jin didn't want him to die, not even a little bit.

\n\n

"Surviving is the key to having a future, Lian Jun. Can you please try harder? There are so many people out there who want you dead. If you don't take care of yourself, I'm afraid you might suddenly disappear one day. Plans can never keep up with changes, and danger doesn't wait for you to be fully prepared."

\n\n

Shi Jin spoke with a sincere and caring tone. As he spoke, he couldn't help but move closer to Lian Jun, grabbing the hand that was resting on the armrest of his wheelchair. He leaned towards him, emanating the worried aura of a concerned mother.

\n\n

He was truly afraid. Lian Jun's progress bar was rising like a rollercoaster every time. His rational mind told him to take it slow, as there was still a chance before the progress bar reached its limit.

\n\n

But as they spent more time together, emotions began to affect his mood more and more. He couldn't guarantee that he would always remain calm.

\n\n

Lian Jun lowered his head, looking at his hand that was being held.

\n\n

Shi Jin continued to mutter, "For example this time, so what if there are people in the main hall? They're so far away. What if someone in the adjacent private room suddenly attacks, or if Chen Qing decides to burn everything down? They won't have time to react."

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't respond, but instead turned his head to glance at the increasingly short distance between them.

\n\n

"And since you knew something was off about this dinner, why didn't you bring more people when you left? Even if you didn't bring everyone, at least bring Number Three and Number Five. Bringing only Number Two is too risky." Shi Jin was completely oblivious, still trying to persuade Lian Jun. Perhaps he felt that Lian Jun's hands were too cold, so he unconsciously rubbed them a few times.

\n\n

Lian Jun's gaze deepened, and he finally spoke, "Shi Jin."

\n\n

"Hmm?" Shi Jin turned his head to look at him. Of the two of them, one sat upright and the other leaned in so close that they could almost count each other's eyelashes.

\n\n

Lian Jun looked at Shi Jin with his sincere and innocent eyes that sparkled, and asked with a clear voice that was inexplicably low and slower than usual, "Is my hand nice to touch?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned, and the movement of rubbing Lian Jun's hand stopped for a moment.

\n\n

He looked down at the hands that were clasped together for a few seconds before suddenly letting go and backing off to the other side of the sofa. His expression stiffened as he awkwardly explained that he didn't mean to do it, while poking Xiao Si in his mind and asking, "How did I end up holding Lian Jun's hand? When did I do it?"

\n\n

Xiao Si's tone was strange, with a hint of excitement: "Jin Jin, don't be afraid! I support you! You can do it!"

\n\n

No, what are you supporting?!

\n\n

Shi Jin felt like his brain was malfunctioning or that he had been possessed by something strange. He looked at Lian Jun's inscrutable expression and struggled to swallow, attempting to save himself: "Young Master Jun, your hands are too cold. Although there is heating in the clubhouse, you should still wear more clothes."

\n\n

Lian Jun ignored him, turned around, and slid his wheelchair to the desk. He picked up a document and began reading, his figure extremely cold.

\n\n

Shi Jin secretly observed him, wanting to speak but hesitating.

\n\n

Ten minutes later, Lian Jun suddenly looked up and gestured towards the study door: "Get out, you're too noisy."

\n\n

Shi Jin was very aggrieved: "I didn't even say anything."

\n\n

"Your breathing is bothering me," Lian Jun remained unmoved, extremely heartless.

\n\n

Shi Jin held his breath reflexively, trying to endure it for a while, but he couldn't bear the sight of Lian Jun's death gaze. He lowered his head in despair and left the study with heavy steps, looking back three times with each step.

\n\n

With a soft click, the study door closed.

\n\n

"Xiao Si, have I offended the boss? Am I going to have bad luck?" Shi Jin asked in a low voice on the corridor.

\n\n

Xiao Si was very optimistic and spoke in a strange, excited tone, "No way, darling. The boss loves you very much."

\n\n

Shi Jin felt injured inside, feeling that his golden finger was probably useless. It was still early, and after washing up, Shi Jin lay in bed for a while, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. He was tangled up in the question of whether Lian Jun was really angry or not.

\n\n

His thoughts wandered aimlessly until he suddenly remembered the important spoils of war they had obtained on their mission. In an instant, his mind snapped back to reality, and he sat up abruptly, saying, "Xiao Si, where are the files you copied for me? Show them to me!"

\n\n

Xiao Si was also jolted out of some kind of dream, and excitedly clicked a few buttons before stuffing a pile of data into Shi Jin's brain.

\n\n

Shi Jin's mind exploded, and he fell back onto the bed.

\n\n

The pile of data rushed through his mind like a slideshow, and he couldn't help but hold his forehead, feeling like his brain was about to burst from the overload of information.

\n\n

Upon seeing the situation, Xiao Si panicked and quickly adjusted his physical condition, adding a bunch of buffs. It apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, I forgot that this data doesn't belong to the original body and the memories of the original owner are different. You may not adapt to it."

\n\n

"It's okay." With the soothing effect of the buffs, Shi Jin slowly calmed down and didn't have time to say much to Xiao Si. He focused on finding the information he wanted.

\n\n

Xiao Si had copied a total of four sets of data, three of which came from the Werewolf boss, Brother Wolf, and one from Yuan Ma-zi. Each set of data was extensive, and if he relied solely on manual browsing, it would take at least three to five days to finish.

\n\n

Fortunately, with Xiao Si's help, Shi Jin was able to sift through and find something that looked like a customer list in about an hour. It was a list made up entirely of letters and numbers, with the letters at the front and the numbers at the back. It was so dense that at first glance it looked like a jumble of code, impossible to decipher.

\n\n

"Earlier, I analyzed this with big data," said Xiao Si. "I'm pretty sure this is the Werewolf group's customer list. The letters at the front represent people's names, and the numbers at the back are contact information scrambled in a specific way. The last few numbers should be the dates the transactions were made."

\n\n

Shi Jin asked, "Can you figure out the pattern used to scramble the contact information and unscramble it?"

\n\n

"I can, but it'll take some time," replied Xiao Si.

\n\n

Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief and said, "No rush, take your time."

\n\n

He then began to ponder the list himself, trying to find useful clues by looking at the dates the transactions were made.

\n\n

However, he wasn't very good at this. Without analyzing for long, he was hypnotized and fell asleep by the dense numbers.

\n\n

......

\n\n

He slept until dawn and woke up feeling heavy-headed and a little sore. He raised his hand to touch his forehead and was speechless to find that he was actually running a fever, and it wasn't low.

\n\n

Xiao Si was very guilty: "It seems that you received too much information at once, which affected your physical condition..."

\n\n

Shi Jin struggled to get up, but the more he struggled, the more dizzy he became. Helpless, he gave up and took out his phone to send a leave message to Lian Jun while asking, "Did you get any results from yesterday's analysis?"

\n\n

"Got some," Xiao Si answered, its tone heavy. "I've reconstructed all the contact information on the list, but none of the numbers match those of the known characters in the plot. And because the transaction was ultimately cancelled, there are no subsequent records of money exchanges, which is the most important information for comparison."

\n\n

Shi Jin felt his headache worsen and asked, "So, we've analyzed everything but hit a dead end?"

\n\n

"Not exactly...I used the first letter of the client's name on the list and eliminated names through a process of deduction. Finally, I arrived at the most likely name," Xiao Si replied.

\n\n

Shi Jin sensed something off in its tone and quickly asked, "Who is it?"

\n\n

"Xu Chuan, the trusted lawyer of Shi Xingrui, the one who came to announce the will to you." Xiao Si replied, adding, "In the original plot, Xu Chuan was eventually won over by Shi Weichong and became his exclusive lawyer, providing him with a lot of important information and helping him consolidate his position in Ruihang."

\n\n

Shi Jin was speechless and quiet for a while before confirming, "Are you sure?"

\n\n

"Positive," Xiao Si answered confidently. Seeing his expression was not good, it reassured him, "Of course, it's also possible that I analyzed it wrong. After all, there is no concrete evidence to prove that the letters on the client list belong to Xu Chuan."

\n\n

"No need for proof," said Shi Jin as he lay back on the bed and let out a long sigh. "The person who made a deal with the Werewolf is most likely him. Do you remember the abnormal increase in the progress bar after I refused to sign the will? At the time, I couldn't figure out why the progress bar would increase instead of decrease after I refused the inheritance. Now I understand that the problem was not with me refusing the inheritance, but with me refusing to sign 'that' will document."

\n\n

Xiao Si immediately understood his meaning and asked, "Jin Jin, are you saying that the will document that Xu Chuan brought had a problem?"

\n\n

"Most likely, but all of this is just my speculation," replied Shi Jin.

\n\n

His mind was in a jumble, unable to sort out his various thoughts.

\n\n

"In the original plot, the original owner was kidnapped shortly after signing the will and was tortured for a long time. By the time the original owner was rescued, Ruihang had already been taken over by Shi Weichong. What happened to Ruihang during the short time between the original owner's kidnapping and rescue, and what roles did Shi Weichong and Xu Chuan play inside? These are impossible to investigate, so all we can do now is speculate conservatively."

\n\n

Xiao Si asked cautiously, "Then Jin Jin, do you think Xu Chuan could have colluded with Shi Weichong?"

\n\n

After some thought, Shi Jin shook his head and said, "I don't think so. Shi Weichong didn't seem to have any intention of killing me, and when we met at the hospital, the progress bar immediately dropped a few points. Now I'm more inclined to believe that Shi Weichong's timely appearance made Xu Chuan and the mastermind behind the scenes wary, and they didn't try to make me sign any documents or attack me directly."

\n\n

Xiao Si was still worried, "But what if it was him..."

\n\n

"If it is, then I'll just have to accept that I'm a fool and my eyes are blind, trusting the wrong person. But I still don't think it's true. Shi Weichong shouldn't have colluded with Xu Chuan, at least he definitely didn't know the contents of the will in advance.

\n\n

"This was clearly stated in the original plot. The five brothers of the Shi family only found out about the will after it was announced that Shi Xingrui had given all the property to the original owner. Although the original plot had many loopholes, this kind of clearly stated fact shouldn't be wrong, right?"

\n\n

Shi Jin pulled the blanket over his face and continued his analysis, "Also, if you think carefully about the ups and downs of the progress bar after I entered the hospital, you'll see that when I first met Shi Weichong, the progress bar dropped to 997. But after I probed him with my words, the progress bar went up again.

\n\n

"The logic behind this is crystal clear - Shi Weichong got angry with my probing. If I had continued, he would have most likely stormed off, and Xu Chuan could have taken advantage of the situation to trick me into signing the documents...

\n\n

"Luckily, I shut my mouth in time and kept Shi Weichong in the hospital. Through his efforts, Xu Chuan was forced to divide the inheritance equally among the five of us. Otherwise, I would have been done for. If they were in cahoots, the progress bar wouldn't have fluctuated like that, and Shi Weichong wouldn't have had to stay in the hospital with me, he could just have made me sign the document directly."

\n\n

Xiao Si pondered over hisi words.

\n\n

After Shi Jin finished speaking, his thoughts became a bit clearer. He thought about his interactions with Shi Weichong during this time and absentmindedly lifted the blanket covering his face. "It's no use thinking about it now. To find out if Shi Weichong and Xu Chuan are colluding, there's a simple way," he said.

\n\n

Xiao Si snapped back to attention and eagerly asked, "What way?"

\n\n

"Simply ask him," Shi Jin replied.

\n\n

Xiao Si was shocked, "Just ask him?!"

\n\n

"Right, just ask him directly. Shi Weichong is now a real good brother, so there shouldn't be any problem asking him face to face. And even if his good brother appearance is just an act, we still have the big thigh, so what's there to be afraid of? Anyway I won't die."

\n\n

Shi Jin suddenly became optimistic, sitting up from the bed, but then his vision blurred and he fell back weakly, saying, "No, I'm done for, Xiao Si my head is spinning. Help me send a text message to Number Two and ask him to bring a doctor over."

\n\n

Xiao Si: "......"

\n\n

A few minutes later, Number Two and Lian Jun came together with a doctor.

\n\n

Number Two saw Shi Jin, who was burned silly by his fever, and began to gloat without any humanity, making fun of him for being too arrogant and getting his comeuppance.

\n\n

Shi Jin rolled his eyes at him weakly and shifted his gaze towards Lian Jun.

\n\n

Lian Jun met his gaze, then signalled for the doctor to come forward.

\n\n

The old doctor checked Shi Jin's temperature, raised his eyebrows, and patted Shi Jin's forehead. "Your brain is almost cooked, young man. It's impressive that you still had the energy to send a text for help, and you didn't even make a single mistake. You have good physical fitness."

\n\n

Shi Jin felt miserable from the patting and said, "Uncle Long, please stop. My brain is spinning. Please give me some shots to ease the discomfort."

\n\n

Uncle Long let go with compassion and skillfully prepared the medicine and needle. "I like obedient patients like you. You want shots, right? Don't worry, Uncle will give them to you." He even glanced meaningfully at Lian Jun beside him.

\n\n

Lian Jun ignored him and slid his wheelchair to the other side of Shi Jin's bed, reaching out to touch Shi Jin's burning hot forehead.

\n\n

Shi Jin shivered at the touch of his hand, but then felt comfortable. He tilted his head, placing his overheated forehead in the palm of Lian Jun's hand.

\n\n

Lian Jun stopped his hand movement, hesitated for a moment, and then placed his hand back on Shi Jin's forehead. He gently pressed it and asked, "Is it very uncomfortable?"

\n\n

"I'm okay, just a little dizzy," Shi Jin replied, pushing his forehead against Lian Jun's palm.

\n\n

Number Two stood beside them, unable to believe what he was seeing, looking as if he had witnessed a miracle.

\n\n

Lian Jun's fingertips moved slightly as he touched Shi Jin's hair, suddenly saying, "Your hair has grown long."

\n\n

"Really? I didn't even notice..." Shi Jin closed his eyes, feeling his consciousness slowly slipping away. He knew he couldn't hold on much longer and was about to drift off, but quickly forced himself to open his eyes and said to Lian Jun, "Young Master Jun, don't stay here with me all the time. Be careful not to catch my illness."

\n\n

Lian Jun listened to his muddled voice and gently stroked his hair, replying, "Go to sleep."

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't resist any longer and fell asleep.

\n\n

Uncle Long's gaze lingered on Lian Jun's hand still resting on Shi Jin's forehead. He opened a fever-reducing patch, pushed Lian Jun's hand away, and slapped the patch onto Shi Jin's forehead, saying, "Shi Jin is right. Young Master Jun, you should leave quickly. Although a fever is not contagious, it's not good if you catch something else. Your body is weak and can't handle it."

\n\n

Lian Jun furrowed his brows and glanced at Shi Jin, who had a relieved expression after the fever-reducing patch was applied. He didn't say anything, withdrew his hand, and slid his wheelchair to Number Two's side, instructing, "Stay here and call me if anything happens."

\n\n

Number Two nodded and watched as Lian Jun left. He walked to the bedside and looked at Shi Jin, who looked even more foolish while sleeping. Unable to resist, he reached out and flicked his forehead, muttering under his breath, "You...you won't really succeed in your delusions, will you?"

\n\n

Uncle Long, who was binding the blood pressure cuff on Shi Jin, heard him and gave him a cold glance. He snorted and wiped the medicine on Shi Jin's arm before firmly and accurately inserting the needle into his vein.

\n","published_time":"2023-10-19T07:20:08.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":380,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":31,"chapter_title":"Angry","content":"

Illness comes like a collapsing mountain, and goes like pulling a thread.

\n\n

This time, Shi Jin's high fever was fierce and persistent. Every time Uncle Long used medicine to bring down his fever, it would rise again only a few hours later, repeatedly and without improvement.

\n\n

Lian Jun was worried and had Uncle Long give Shi Jin a detailed full-body examination. The result was that nothing was found wrong with Shi Jin's body. He was healthy, with no major problems, just a high fever.

\n\n

In the end, Uncle Long could only take a conservative approach to Shi Jin's treatment, afraid that giving him more injections would make him go crazy.

\n\n

For several days, Shi Jin had been drinking water and taking medicine. His complexion had become pale and he had lost his appetite. He felt dizzy after just a few steps and spoke with a weak voice. He looked more like a seriously ill patient than even Lian Jun.

\n\n

Xiao Si felt extremely guilty and heartbroken watching him. It blamed itself for not thinking things through and regretted not screening the list first before sending all the information to Shi Jin.

\n\n

However, Shi Jin was surprisingly optimistic and tried to comfort it instead. He said that he had actually benefited from this misfortune and had gained a free vacation.

\n\n

After lying in bed for several days, he finally woke up one morning feeling less headache and dizziness. He estimated that the after-effects of receiving the information should be subsiding soon. Immediately, he did a quick sit-up and got out of bed, wrapped himself in thick clothes, and headed to Lian Jun's study.

\n\n

During his illness, Lian Jun visited him every day, but he was always in and out of consciousness, so he didn't have many chances to see him. Every time he woke up, Xiao Si would tell him that Lian Jun had come to see him, and only then did he know that Lian Jun had been there.

\n\n

Now that his illness was improving, he couldn't resist the urge to flatter Lian Jun and see if he was still angry. He also wanted to ask for a day off to go talk to Shi Weichong about Xu Chuan's matter and see if he could get any information from him in person.

\n\n

When he arrived at the study, Lian Jun was in conversation with Number One and the others. The atmosphere in the room was heavy, as if the topic they were discussing was not a pleasant one.

\n\n

Seeing the situation, Shi Jin tactfully refrained from interrupting and greeted Number Two, who had opened the door, before preparing to leave and come back later.

\n\n

However, Lian Jun had already noticed him and waved to signal Number One to pause the conversation. He called out from the doorway, "Shi Jin?"

\n\n

Shi Jin stopped in his tracks, realizing he had been spotted. He turned back and stood at the door, smiling at Lian Jun. "I just came to take a look. You guys are busy, I'll come back later."

\n\n

"No need, come in," Lian Jun said, gesturing for Number One to let him in and indicating the sofa. "Sit down and listen for a while."

\n\n

Shi Jin obediently sat down and listened attentively.

\n\n

Lian Jun had Number Two get Shi Jin a cup of water to drink, and even gave his own blanket to Shi Jin, before continuing to discuss matters with Number One.

\n\n

The others in the room saw everything and exchanged knowing glances, silently pretending not to notice.

\n\n

They were discussing Chen Qing's situation. After several days of investigation, Number One had basically determined the whereabouts of Chen Qing's family and they could rescue them at any time. However, a new problem arose - it was easy to rescue the children, but rescuing the controlled Chen Qing was a bit difficult.

\n\n

Currently, Chen Qing's children were being held separately outside with few guards, making it relatively easy to rescue them. However, Chen Qing himself was being held in the enemy's lair, and if they wanted to rescue him, they would have to infiltrate the enemy camp, which was quite dangerous.

\n\n

It had been confirmed that the mastermind behind Chen Qing's downfall was the once-powerful but now-defunct legal violent organization, Black Rose. In the past, Black Rose was a formidable force, on par with the likes of the notorious Annihilation.

\n\n

They had official support and backing, but a few years ago, their support crumbled as they continued to engage in some shady dealings after gaining legitimacy from the government. They were reprimanded by the authorities several times, which hindered their growth and ultimately led to their decline.

\n\n

Black Rose was a peculiar organization indeed. Instead of focusing on picking up the pieces and recuperating after their downfall, they blamed Lian Jun for their demise. They believed that he had colluded with the authorities to bring down their support and ruin their business. They were obsessed with seeking revenge against him.

\n\n

Over the years, Lian Jun had been targeted by the Black Rose numerous times, but they never succeeded. In fact, Lian Jun always found a way to retaliate. However, this time with Chen Qing's situation, the Black Rose had finally succeeded in targeting Lian Jun.

\n\n

"Arrange our people and prepare to rescue the child. As for Chen Qing's side, we will come up with another plan." Lian Jun quickly ended the conversation and signaled for Number One and the others to disperse. He then slid his wheelchair over to Shi Jin and reached out to touch his forehead.

\n\n

Shi Jin was lost in thought about how to save Chen Qing and didn't even notice that everyone had already left. He had unknowingly slumped onto the couch. It wasn't until Lian Jun touched his forehead that he snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look at him.

\n\n

Lian Jun withdrew his hand and glanced at Shi Jin's pale face before asking, "How are you today?"

\n\n

"I'm okay, there's no fever anymore, and my head doesn't feel as dizzy," replied Shi Jin as he sat up. He first picked up a blanket and covered Lian Jun's legs before asking, "Have you been eating well these past few days?"

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at the blanket on his legs and his voice softened as he asked, "Is that why you came here?"

\n\n

"Not entirely...it's almost lunchtime, so I came to eat with you," Shi Jin replied. He felt that Lian Jun's tone today was particularly gentle, but he didn't think too much of it and assumed that Lian Jun was just being considerate of him as a patient. He then asked, "Did Chen Qing encounter any trouble?"

\n\n

"It's not a big problem," Lian Jun answered. He then reached out to touch Shi Jin's forehead to make sure he wasn't running a fever anymore. After confirming that he wasn't, Lian Jun pulled back his hand and turned his wheelchair to the side, saying, "Let's go to the dining hall. It's time to eat."

\n\n

Shi Jin was a bit stunned by Lian Jun's touch and it took him a moment to stand up. He took the initiative to hold onto Lian Jun's wheelchair and in his heart, he asked Xiao Si with great satisfaction, "Does Lian Jun's concern for me mean that he's no longer angry with me? Has my big brother's misunderstanding been resolved?"

\n\n

Xiao Si didn't say anything, only making an ambiguous "um" sound.

\n\n

But Shi Jin felt that it was an agreement with his words, and he became even more pleased. He couldn't help but chatter on about Uncle Long's various misdeeds during his illness, and he seemed to be in much better spirits.

\n\n

......

\n\n

The lunch spread was rich and the flavors were slightly heavier than usual. Shi Jin ate happily - he had been forced to eat bland hospital food by Uncle Long for the past few days and was feeling miserable. Finally, he was able to eat something different and wash away the bitter taste of the medicine in his mouth.

\n\n

After stuffing the last piece of cumin lamb into his mouth, Shi Jin patted his satisfied belly and exclaimed, "Meat is still the best! It's been so long since I've had lamb. Oh, by the way, Young Master Jun, didn't you promise to treat me to a whole roasted lamb when I come back from my mission? You're not going back on your word, are you?"

\n\n

Lian Jun paused in his drinking and looked up at him. He saw Shi Jin's righteous and accusing expression and slowly put down his glass, replying, "I don't owe you any lamb."

\n\n

Shi Jin sensed something was off in his tone and his courage, which had been buoyed by the meat, plummeted back to reality. He sat up straight and stiffly changed the subject, asking, "Young Master Jun, what are your plans for Chen Qing? Are you really going to the enemy's lair to rescue him?"

\n\n

"...I'm not going," Lian Jun said, avoiding eye contact as he picked up a tissue to wipe his mouth. "The new leader of the Black Rose is cruel and hates being suppressed. If we attack their headquarters directly, we might end up with nothing. There are two safe ways to rescue Chen Qing: either have the Black Rose release him again or to negotiate directly with them. Which method do you think is more appropriate?"

\n\n

Shi Jin furrowed his brows and replied without hesitation, "It would be better to make Black Rose release Chen Qing again. Given Black Rose's current situation, negotiating with them could lead to them making unreasonable demands and ultimately they may betray us by taking the benefits but not releasing Chen Qing."

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded in agreement and slid his wheelchair, saying, "Go rest, let them handle Chen Qing's situation. You should just take care of yourself."

\n\n

Seeing him leave, Shi Jin hurriedly went forward to help support the wheelchair, trying to please him by saying, "Young Master Jun, now that I'm almost recovered, can I go out for a bit?"

\n\n

Lian Jun frowned, "Where do you want to go?"

\n\n

"To find my eldest brother," Shi Jin replied, adding, "I have something important to discuss with him... family matters, the kind that's quite important."

\n\n

Lian Jun stopped the wheelchair and turned it sideways to look at Shi Jin.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly crouched down and took Lian Jun's hand, touching his own forehead and assuring him, "I really don't have a fever anymore, and my headache is gone. Can you let me go? I'll try to come back as soon as possible, okay?"

\n\n

Lian Jun's arm stiffened, but he didn't pull his hand back. Instead, he followed Shi Jin's movements and gently touched his forehead. He had intended to refuse, but seeing Shi Jin's pleading eyes, he finally relented and said, "Let Number Two take you there. You must be back before dinner."

\n\n

"Young Master Jun, you're too kind!" Shi Jin quickly flattered, even leaning in to hug Lian Jun. After realizing what he had done, he noticed Lian Jun stiffen and cleared his throat, awkwardly laughing and stepping back. He couldn't bear to look at Lian Jun and muttered, "I'll go find Number Two," before turning and running away without looking back.

\n\n

......

\n\n

Number Two had to put aside his work and become Shi Jin's driver.

\n\n

"You, you're really something..." Number Two started the car and glanced at Shi Jin several times, muttering under his breath, "What kind of love potion did you give Young Master Jun..."

\n\n

Shi Jin was fastening his seatbelt and didn't hear what Number Two said. He turned to ask, "What did you say?"

\n\n

"Nothing." Number Two sighed and shook his head, looking at Shi Jin's wan face due to his illness. "Maybe this is just a case of fools being lucky."

\n\n

Shi Jin glared at him angrily, "You're the stupid one! Why are you cursing me out of nowhere?!"

\n\n

Number Two: "..." Suddenly he felt so tired.

\n\n

......

\n\n

On a weekday afternoon, Shi Weichong was definitely not at home. Shi Jin called him to confirm that he was at the office, then had Number Two take him directly to the building and called Shi Weichong again once they arrived at the entrance.

\n\n

A few minutes later, Shi Weichong hurriedly walked out of the company and saw Shi Jin and Number Two waiting outside the gate. He quickly approached them, pulled Shi Jin into the lobby, and examined his face before furrowing his brows and asking, "Why did you suddenly come over? What are you waiting for outside? Why didn't you come in? And why do you look so pale, you fell sick?"

\n\n

"Two days ago, I had a bit of a fever, but it's all better now," Shi Jin replied with a smile.

\n\n

He carefully observed Shi Weichong's expression and was relieved to see that his older brother was not angry about his uninvited visit, but rather showed genuine concern. From Shi Weichong's behavior, it seemed that he truly cared about his younger brother and wasn't just pretending.

\n\n

"Why are you grinning like a fool? Your face is already turning red the cold," Shi Weichong said, unable to stay mad at his brother's antics. He nodded at Number Two, acknowledging his presence, and led the two of them towards the elevator. "Have you had lunch yet? How long have you been sick?"

\n\n

"Not long. I ate before coming here. What about you? Have you had lunch?" Shi Jin asked as they walked.

\n\n

Shi Weichong didn't answer. Instead, he led his brother into the elevator and suddenly reached up to touch his forehead.

\n\n

Shi Jin had already gotten used to Lian Jun's touch, so he quickly regained his senses after a moment of hesitation.

\n\n

Seeing Shi Weichong's furrowed brows almost forming a knot, Shi Jin felt a warm feeling in his heart and couldn't help but smile. He asked, "Is my forehead nice to touch?"

\n\n

"Not really. You got sick and still ran around, not knowing how to take care of yourself." Shi Weichong withdrew his hand and disapproved, saying, "If you want to see me, just give me a call. I can come to you. Why bother coming all the way here?"

\n\n

Shi Jin smiled, "I'm quite free anyway."

\n\n

Shi Weichong still didn't seem to approve, and after the elevator opened, he led Shi Jin out with a stride. They passed through the office area and entered his own office, bringing Shi Jin and Number Two with him. He had his assistant bring in two cups of hot drinks.

\n\n

Number Two knew he had some "family matters" to discuss with Shi Weichong. After sitting for a while, he tactfully mentioned going outside for a walk, leaving the space for the two of them.

\n\n

Once he left, Shi Weichong sat back down across from Shi Jin and asked, "Xiao Jin, what brings you here this time?"

\n\n

Without beating around the bush, Shi Jin replied, "Big Brother, do you remember the mission I went on with Fourth Brother a while back? After we returned, I carefully reviewed the mission information and discovered something."

\n\n

"What did you discover?" Shi Weichong asked, not forgetting to offer Shi Jin some snacks. Shi Jin observed his actions and expressions, organized his words, and briefly explained the general content of the mission and the background of the Werewolf gang.

\n\n

Then he said, "The mission target Yuan Ma-zi mentioned something. He said that a few months ago, the Werewolf group took on a kidnapping job overseas, but the job fell through. When I came back to look through the information, I accidentally discovered that the job they were talking about seemed to be me."

\n\n

Shi Weichong's actions of dismantling the snack suddenly stopped, and his expression became ugly. He asked, "Are you sure?"

\n\n

"It's just a guess, but when I looked through the Werewolf's client list, I found a very familiar name on it, Xu Chuan," Shi Jin replied, carefully observing Shi Weichong's expression.

\n\n

Upon hearing Xu Chuan's name, Shi Weichong was visibly stunned for a moment. Then, as if he had remembered something, his face turned dark and he pulled out his phone to search for a number. He started dialing, but then stopped halfway and instead called Xiang Aoting's phone.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting answered the call quickly and asked in confusion, "Big brother, what's up?"

\n\n

Shi Weichong explained what Shi Jin had told him and asked Xiang Aoting to find a way to confirm if the list mentioned by Yuan Ma-zi referred to Shi Jin.

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Xiang Aoting's relaxed tone disappeared and he replied seriously, "I'll take care of it right away." He then hung up the phone.

\n\n

Shi Jin listened to their conversation and finally felt completely relieved. It turned out that Shi Weichong really had no knowledge of the kidnapping case, and there was someone else behind the scenes. His brother was a good brother, and he had not misjudged him.

\n\n

After hanging up the phone, Shi Weichong looked at Shi Jin and the first thing he said was to reassure him: "Don't be afraid, Xiao Jin. Big brother will definitely help you investigate this matter thoroughly and clearly. No one will harm you."

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded and smiled at him, saying, "I'm not afraid. Anyway, if something happens, big brother will help me take care of it."

\n\n

Shi Weichong was relieved by his smile and couldn't help but stand up and pat his head.

\n\n

Two days later, Shi Jin's illness was finally completely cured. Shi Weichong and Xiang Aoting also passed on the news that Xu Chuan had indeed ordered the kidnapping of Shi Jin through the werewolf. Yuan Ma-zi confessed to it himself. Now the authorities are sending people to arrest Xu Chuan for questioning.

\n\n

Shi Jin never expected things to go so smoothly. He couldn't believe that the actions of Xiang Aoting and Shi Weichong were so efficient that they were able to confirm the truth with Yuan Ma-zi and have the authorities arrest Xu Chuan directly.

\n\n

"This is what it feels like to be protected by my brothers..." Shi Jin murmured to himself, even pinching himself a couple of times to see if he was dreaming.

\n\n

Xiao Si was also in a daze, saying, "Shi Weichong is really a good big brother..."

\n\n

Both of them were lost in their own thoughts, feeling a surreal sense of floating. They had forgotten one thing - Yuan Ma-zi's mission was a joint operation between the authorities and Annihilation. The information from the authorities would be fed back to Annihilation.

\n\n

Lian Jun hung up the phone from the authorities with a stern face and called Number Two, ordering him to bring Shi Jin to him. It had been a long time since Number Two had seen Lian Jun with such an unpleasant expression on his face. He couldn't help but wonder what had happened.

\n\n

When he arrived at the room and found Shi Jin, he lowered his voice and asked, "Did you do something to make Young Master Jun angry? He doesn't look right."

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback by the question and remembered the inappropriate hug he had given Lian Jun two days ago when he went to see Shi Weichong. Feeling guilty, he replied, "No, during meals these past two days, Young Master Jun seemed fine. He didn't look like he was angry."

\n\n

Not only did he not seem angry, but his attitude had become even more gentle than before, often chatting with him about trivial matters. With just one glance, Number Two saw through his guilty conscience. He lifted his hand and hooked it around the man's shoulder, threatening him, "Tell me the truth, or I won't be able to help you. It's been a long time since I've seen Young Master Jun with such an ugly expression. The last time he had that look was when Number One found out that Number Four was a traitor."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin became a little flustered. After hesitating for a moment, he finally told the truth, "It's nothing, really. Just the other day before I left, I acted on impulse and hugged Young Master Jun... I swear, it was just a quick hug and I let go right away!"

\n\n

Number Two couldn't believe what he was hearing. He slowly let go of the man's neck and took two steps back, keeping his distance. "Little Two, you have to help me!"

\n\n

Shi Jin rushed over and clung to him. Number Two cruelly tore him apart, with a face that was unbearable to look at: "You asked for it... Xiao Jin, I see you clearly now, you're like a toad, bold and shameless."

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart sank halfway, and he asked in pain, "Is there really no hope?"

\n\n

"No," Number Two shook his head. Seeing his bitter expression, he remembered the strange attitude that Lian Jun had towards him recently, and added, "Of course, you know that Young Master Jun is a bit soft-hearted. If you apologize, admit your mistake, say something nice, maybe you can get a lighter punishment."

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart was completely cold.

\n\n

When he arrived at the study, Lian Jun was not sitting behind the desk reading documents, but sitting on the sofa facing the study door, with nothing in his hands, a document on his knee, looking like he was waiting specifically for Shi Jin to come in.

\n\n

Shi Jin almost wanted to turn around and run away because the expression on Lian Jun's face was exactly as described by Number Two, very heavy, with no expression, and no warmth in his eyes, as if he had returned to the lifeless and expressionless state when they first met.

\n\n

"Shi Jin, stay here. Number Two, you go outside and stand guard," Lian Jun ordered, even his tone was cold.

\n\n

Number Two gave Shi Jin a look of good luck and turned to leave the study.

\n\n

Shi Jin nervously walked up to Lian Jun, forcing a smile and asking, "Young Master, why were you looking for me?"

\n\n

"Sit down," Lian Jun ordered.

\n\n

Shi Jin obediently sat down across from Lian Jun, thought for a moment, and then honestly apologized, saying, "Young Master, I was wrong, I'm sorry."

\n\n

The expression on Lian Jun's face was still unpleasant as he asked, "What did you do wrong?"

\n\n

"I shouldn't have hugged you..." Shi Jin lowered his head.

\n\n

Lian Jun's expression became even more unpleasant. He was so angry that he sat up straight and threw the file on his knee in front of Shi Jin. He forcefully suppressed his temper and said, "This is something that just came from the authorities. Take a look for yourself and then tell me where you went wrong."

\n\n

From the authorities?

\n\n

Shi Jin finally understood that Lian Jun wasn't angry about the hug two days ago. He picked up the file and opened it, his eyes widening in shock - it was actually a confession from Yuan Ma-zi about Xu Chuan and a complete list of Werewolf's clients that had been deciphered!

\n\n

"Explain." Seeing his expression change, Lian Jun knew that he had recognized something in the documents. He tried to suppress the disappointment of not being trusted and said, "I remember the day you returned after completing the mission, I asked you about the specifics of the mission. Why didn't you mention anything about being on the Werewolf's hitlist? Instead, you went to find Shi Weichong and asked Xiang Aoting to help you investigate before you even recovered from your illness. If it weren't for the official information that came, how long were you planning to keep this from me?"

\n","published_time":"2023-10-26T00:39:03.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":388,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":32,"chapter_title":"Forgotten","content":"

When Shi Jin was asked, he hesitated for a moment. He looked at the document, then at Lian Jun's unpleasant expression. He thought back to his own emotional journey over the past few days, and finally could only dryly reply, "I forgot to mention it...I didn't mean to hide it from you..."

\n\n

He really did forget. On the day he returned, his mind was filled with thoughts of Chen Qing. Later, because of the trouble caused by Shi Weichong and the others, he was busy worrying that Lian Jun might be angry. When he reported on the mission, he didn't even mention the list of clients he obtained from the Werewolf group. He only remembered it when he was lying in bed at night, lost in thought.

\n\n

Afterwards, when the analysis was complete, he had a high fever for several days and his mind was confused. Once he recovered, he immediately put the matter of Yuan Ma-zi behind him and only thought about investigating whether Shi Weichong had colluded with Xu Chuan. He didn't even think to tell Lian Jun about the matter.

\n\n

In short, he forgot, or rather, he never even thought to inform Lian Jun.

\n\n

Lian Jun looked at his sincerely foolish face and held back from speaking for a while. But after confirming that his explanation was just one sentence, he became even more angry and asked, "You forgot? Is that your explanation?"

\n\n

Shi Jin stiffly nodded under his anger.

\n\n

Lian Jun tried to move his wheelchair forward, but he stopped abruptly after just one step. He looked at Shi Jin and forced his voice to calm down as he asked, "When you went to see Shi Weichong that day and told me it was a family matter, were you referring to your suspicion of being one of the Werewolf's targets?"

\n\n

Shi Jin's face turned pale with anger and fear. He timidly held onto the wheelchair handle and nodded, "Yes, that was it."

\n\n

"What a family matter! Shi Jin, go back and think carefully. Come back to me when you've figured it out." Lian Jun grabbed his hand and threw it down before sliding away in his wheelchair without looking back.

\n\n

Bang!

\n\n

The study door was slammed shut from the outside.

\n\n

Shi Jin was frightened by Lian Jun's rare anger and stared at the door with wide eyes.

\n\n

A few seconds later, Number Two pushed open the door and poked his head in. He lowered his voice and asked, "Why did Young Master Jun leave? He was so angry that he went straight to the second basement."

\n\n

Shi Jin was still a bit confused and didn't understand why Lian Jun would be so angry. He could only shake his head in distress at Number Two's question and replied, "I don't know... Why would Young Master Jun go to the second basement?"

\n\n

"To practice shooting. Whenever Second Young Master gets really angry or is in a bad mood, he goes to the gun range to practice. It's an old habit," Number Two answered. Seeing Shi Jin looking both confused and foolish, he couldn't help but ask, "What did you talk about with Young Master Jun just now?"

\n\n

Shi Jin felt like he had caught a lifeline, and he picked up the documents and walked over to him. He stammered and told him what happened, then finally said, "I really did forget. But when I explained, Young Master Jun got even more angry. Then he told me to think it over and go find him when I had a clear answer."

\n\n

After listening to his explanation, Number Two frowned and said, "Shi Jin, perhaps it's because you arrived late and weren't promoted step by step in Annihilation, so you lack some common sense. Your approach this time is a fundamental mistake in our line of work. The most taboo thing in our organization is hiding information. This matter may seem small to you, and it's your private affair, it's alright for you to figure it out on your own, but you shouldn't have kept it from Young Master Jun.

\n\n

"Otherwise, if something unexpected happens to you because of this matter one day, we won't even have a clue to help you. This is the experience that countless members have paid for with their blood - when it comes to information involving personal danger, whether it's confirmed or not, it must be reported upwards. This is for your own good and for everyone's good. Do you understand?"

\n\n

Shi Jin had never thought about this before, but upon hearing Number Two's words, he suddenly understood and nodded, saying, "I...understand now."

\n\n

Seeing that Shi Jin had listened to him, Number Two was very pleased and continued, "Besides hiding information, you also made a mistake by secretly seeking outside help without informing Young Master Jun."

\n\n

Shi Jin defended himself, "I didn't intend to seek outside help. I just wanted to probe my elder brother's attitude at the time."

\n\n

"I believe you didn't intentionally seek outside help. Young Master Jun should have realized this too, otherwise he wouldn't just storm off to the shooting range in anger, you would be hauled off to be punished. You may not have had the intention to seek outside help, but what you did appeared to others as seeking outside help. In our line of work, when faced with danger or potential danger, the best course of action is to report upwards, not to try to handle it yourself and seek outside help, which could escalate the situation.

\n\n

"However, your seeking of outside help this time wasn't too much of a taboo, since it was your brother after all. Your main mistake was not informing Young Master Jun beforehand... Anyway, think about it carefully and when you've figured it out, go talk to Young Master Jun. He left you some leeway with that statement, so you better act fast."

\n\n

After finishing, Number Two looked at Shi Jin with a pensive expression. With a heavy sigh, he turned around and walked away.

\n\n

Sitting back on the sofa, Shi Jin lowered his head and flipped through the documents. "Xiao Si, did I really make a terrible mistake?" he asked.

\n\n

Xiao Si comforted him, "Not really, you just lack experience."

\n\n

"It's not about experience," Shi Jin quickly reflected on his recent thoughts and Number Two's words, letting out a sigh. "I just...didn't take it seriously."

\n\n

If only he had trusted Lian Jun a little more and kept him in mind, he wouldn't have forgotten to inform him about the hitlist. In the end, it was just that he didn't take it seriously. Although he cared about Lian Jun's safety and saw him as a lifesaving big thigh, he never thought about truly entrusting his own safety to him.

\n\n

Lian Jun always saw him as a subordinate who needed protection, but he never saw Lian as a reliable boss. This emotional difference was the real reason why he "forgot" to tell Lian Jun about the hitlist.

\n\n

Xiao Si didn't know how to comfort him and just kept stammering.

\n\n

"Let's go." Shi Jin suddenly put away the files and stood up.

\n\n

Xiao Si asked, "Where are we going?"

\n\n

"To apologize." Shi Jin replied with a sigh, "You know how fragile your Baby's body is. Shooting requires a lot of physical strength, and getting angry can harm his health. His face turned pale when he left, and I'm afraid that all the progress he made in recovering his energy will be lost because of this."

\n\n

Xiao Si's heart sank at his words and urged Shi Jin to walk faster.

\n\n

......

\n\n

The shooting range was blocked off by Lian Jun, leaving Shi Jin stuck outside the reception room, unable to enter.

\n\n

After waiting for several hours, Lian Jun finally emerged in his wheelchair, looking unchanged and even calm, with no trace of his previous anger.

\n\n

Shi Jin rushed forward and stood in front of Lian Jun, saying, "Young Master Jun, I understand now."

\n\n

Lian Jun stopped his wheelchair and glanced at him, saying simply, "Speak."

\n\n

Relieved that Lian Jun was willing to communicate, Shi Jin quickly confessed that he shouldn't have hidden the client list and seek outside help, and then sincerely apologized and offered to accept punishment.

\n\n

Lian Jun remained silent for a while, slowly tapping his wheelchair armrest with his fingers, and asked, "Did Number Two analyze it for you?"

\n\n

When Shi Jin's expression stiffened, he cautiously glanced at him and honestly nodded, then added, "I really know I was wrong. I will definitely pay attention in the future and there won't be a next time."

\n\n

Lian Jun still looked at him and asked, "Do you have anything else to say?"

\n\n

Shi Jin, holding onto a gambler's mentality, shook his head lightly.

\n\n

Lian Jun's face darkened as he turned his wheelchair to go back to the shooting range.

\n\n

"Don't! I still have something to say. Don't go back to the shooting range, just look at how pale your face is!" Shi Jin hurriedly reached out to stop Lian Jun's wheelchair, even daring to pick up Lian Jun's right hand and see that the palm was indeed red.

\n\n

He couldn't help but mutter, "You're already angry, why are you torturing yourself like this? Don't you know your body isn't good? The recoil from the gun is so strong, and you still practice for so long..."

\n\n

"Enough!" Lian Jun pulled back his hand and said with a stern face, "Go away and continue to reflect."

\n\n

"It's time for lunch. I'll reflect after I eat." Shi Jin supported his wheelchair, ignoring his objections and pushing him back into the elevator. He pressed the button for the sixth floor and said, "Let's eat first. You don't have to drink soup today."

\n\n

Lian Jun pursed his thin lips and said in a deep voice, "Shi Jin, don't push your luck."

\n\n

"I'm not pushing my luck. I just haven't finished explaining yet. Let's talk while we eat." Shi Jin said, afraid that he would really get angry.

\n\n

He softened his tone and comforted him, "You can vent your anger on me. Why are you so hard on yourself? I have thick skin and can take a beating and scolding. Just tell me straight, I may not be able to understand it myself, but I will definitely reflect on it."

\n\n

Lian Jun turned his head and remained silent, not even wanting to look at his reflection in the elevator.

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't keep nagging him. He bent down and pulled the blanket for him, then pushed him out of the elevator and walked towards the restaurant. Along the way, he even remembered to call the kitchen and tell them not to make soup today.

\n\n

When they arrived at the restaurant, Shi Jin settled Lian Jun in his usual seat and didn't sit in his own usual spot. Instead, he sat next to Lian Jun and sincerely said, "I really know I was wrong. Please don't be angry anymore."

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't look at him, but he also didn't stop him from speaking. Shi Jin sighed and dragged his chair closer to him. He helped adjust the blanket and spoke in a gentle tone, "I really didn't mean to hide it from you. The day we came back from the mission, I was already feeling anxious because of Chen Qing's situation and the misunderstanding with my big brother at your place. When I reported on the mission, I completely forgot about the Werewolf group's client list. And then, when I finally remembered, I started running a high fever and was in a daze all day. I really forgot."

\n\n

Lian Jun remained silent, but his head tilted slightly towards Shi Jin, indicating that he was listening carefully.

\n\n

When Shi Jin saw his positive response, he continued, "As for me going to find my eldest brother, I wasn't actually looking for outside help. I just wanted to probe my eldest brother's attitude."

\n\n

He then explained in detail how he had deduced that Xu Chuan was the one trying to frame him, and also talked about Xu Chuan's status in the Shi family and the possibility of collusion between Shi Weichong and Xu Chuan. However, he intentionally blurred the part about copying the information, only saying that he had deduced Xu Chuan's name from various clues.

\n\n

"You know, I used to have a lot of distrust towards my brothers. Although things have improved a bit lately and some misunderstandings have been cleared up, I'm still afraid that I might be too optimistic. So, I wanted to test my eldest brother's attitude. My intention was to eliminate any suspicion of collusion between my eldest brother and Xu Chuan, not to ask for his help and go behind your back to seek outside assistance."

\n\n

Finally, Lian Jun looked at him directly. Although his brow was still furrowed, his tone had softened a bit. He asked, "Then why didn't you tell me? From the time you recovered from your illness and went to find Shi Weichong, to the authorities' report that came later, you had countless opportunities to tell me about this. Why didn't you?"

\n\n

"I..." Shi Jin met his gaze, various excuses rolled through his mind. Faced with Lian Jun's eyes, he couldn't bring himself to say anything that would deceive him. He lowered his head and sighed, "Because I felt like this is my private matter, there's no need to talk about it... I never even realized that I should have informed you about it."

\n\n

This statement was too harsh, almost shoving the fact that Shi Jin never intended to rely on Lian Jun in his face. He was too independent, both inside and out, and he never had the thought of "seeking help from others when in need" in his subconscious.

\n\n

He always put himself in the position of helping others and never got used to asking for help himself.

\n\n

Perhaps he didn't even realize it himself - he cared about Lian Jun, but he didn't need him either.

\n\n

Lian Jun was not foolish, in fact, he was overly intelligent and sensitive. As he looked at Shi Jin's lowered head, the emotions that had been brewing in his chest all afternoon slowly dissipated. He released his grip on the wheelchair and slid it closer to the dining table, but also a bit further away from Shi Jin, saying, "Let's eat."

\n\n

Shi Jin looked up at him, hesitated, and called out, "Young Master Jun..."

\n\n

"Eat," Lian Jun interrupted him, picking up his chopsticks. "I'll keep an eye on Xu Chuan's situation for you. Take this time to brush up on your common sense with Number Two. I don't want to see a repeat of this kind of thing."

\n\n

Shi Jin looked at his calm visage, wanting to say something, but only opened and closed his mouth.

\n\n

He didn't know what to say. He had explained everything he needed to explain, and Lian Jun clearly had decided to turn the page. It seemed like... Lian Jun didn't want to hear anything more from him.

\n\n

After the tense meal, it seemed like Lian Jun wasn't angry anymore. He gave instructions when necessary and even asked about Xu Chuan's situation in detail, as if he was preparing to help investigate the matter. But Shi Jin still felt uneasy, even more so than when Lian Jun was clearly angry before.

\n\n

In the following days, with Lian Jun's intervention, Xu Chuan's interrogation process began to progress rapidly. It was unclear how Lian Jun did it, but he managed to get the leader of the Werewolf group and his two henchmen to talk. From them, they uncovered the specific process of the transaction between Xu Chuan and the kidnappers, as well as Xu Chuan's specific demands for the target to be tortured.

\n\n

Disfigurement, finger amputation, and even death were all on the table, but only after enough torture had been inflicted. Xu Chuan's demands were extremely cruel and vicious.

\n\n

When Xiang Aoting received the confession, he was so angry that he almost stormed into Xu Chuan's room to beat him up. His expression was terrifying when the people around him stopped him.

\n\n

With the detailed confessions of the Werewolf gang's leader and his two henchmen, the interrogators finally pried open Xu Chuan's mouth and forced him to say his first words since being caught: "I want to see Shi Weichong and Shi Jin."

\n\n

After receiving the news, Shi Weichong refused Xu Chuan's request to see Shi Jin without hesitation, unwilling for Shi Jin to face Xu Chuan's malice. However, Shi Jin insisted on going and expressed his desire to talk to Xu Chuan face to face.

\n\n

The brothers were at a stalemate, but in the end, Lian Jun made the decision: go, since Shi Jin wanted to go, then he should go.

\n\n

Shi Weichong was furious, but he had no choice but to compromise. Lian Jun had plenty of connections to get Shi Jin in to see Xu Chuan, and despite Shi Jin's objections, it was better to go together and keep an eye on the meeting process than to let Shi Jin see Xu Chuan without his knowledge.

\n\n

When they had a free moment, Shi Weichong drove to the club to bring Shi Jin in to see Xu Chuan.

\n\n

Before leaving, Shi Jin went to find Lian Jun and told him he would be back before dinner and wouldn't be delayed for too long.

\n\n

Lian Jun responded with a simple "call Number One if you need anything," without even looking up from his documents.

\n\n

Shi Jin hesitated for a moment, but ultimately kept quiet and left the study feeling a bit disheartened. For several days, he could clearly feel the coldness and distance from Lian Jun. Although they still ate together and stayed close during the day, there was obviously less communication, and Lian Jun's demeanor was always subdued, not as lively as before.

\n\n

To make matters worse, Lian Jun started to be picky with his food again, and his complexion worsened a bit. The weight that he had worked so hard to gain was looking like it was going to disappear.

\n\n

He sighed, feeling very worried.

\n\n

This was already the third time he had sighed since getting on the car. Shi Weichong couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with you? You're only seventeen or eighteen years old, but you're sighing more than an old man. Are you worried about Xu Chuan?"

\n\n

Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts, turned his head to look at him, and shook his head, "No... I'm worried about Lian Jun. He's been losing weight lately."

\n\n

When Shi Weichong heard this, his face turned black and he didn't say anything. Although Shi Jin had explained last time that he only admired Lian Jun and had no other thoughts, Shi Jin's constant concern for Lian Jun's behavior really made people wonder.

\n\n

But Shi Jin opened his mouth and said, "I always feel like Lian Jun is holding a grudge in his heart, but he just won't say it. I don't know what to do. He doesn't even eat properly anymore. Before, when I teased him a little, he could still manage to eat a few bites. But now, if I say anything, he'll just wheel away and would rather go hungry than continue eating. He doesn't care about his own health at all."

\n\n

Shi Weichong felt suffocated and couldn't help but say, "He's an adult, whether he eats or not is his own business. Why are you worrying about it? You're just with him as an alternative to 'going to college', not to be his nanny. Why bother thinking about these things?"

\n\n

"How can I not think about it? All the weight on his body was painstakingly earned by me, one mouthful of food at a time. Do you know how hard it is for me?" Shi Jin felt very uncomfortable in his heart and slumped back in his chair, letting out the fourth sigh since getting in the car. He murmured, "If only I could evenly distribute the flesh on my body to him..."

\n\n

Shi Weichong's forehead veins bulged and he slammed on the brakes, stopping the car on the side of the road. He turned his head and glared at Shi Jin.

\n\n

Shi Jin was startled and felt even more uncomfortable. "Brother, what are you doing? Don't get mad at me too, I can't take it."

\n\n

"...You really deserve it!" Shi Weichong started the car again, trying to avoid getting too angry. He changed the subject and asked, "It's almost Chinese New Year, do you have any plans? Where are you going to celebrate?"

\n\n

Chinese New Year?

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback and looked out the window. He saw that some buildings along the road had already put up red lanterns and "luck" characters, and only then realized that the new year was approaching without him even noticing. He couldn't help but sigh. He wouldn't be able to eat his family's homemade dumplings or receive any text messages from his colleagues this year.

\n\n

Shi Weichong got a headache from hearing him sigh and couldn't help but hit on his head.

\n\n

"Ow!" Shi Jin hit his head on the car window and turned to look at Shi Weichong, frowning. "Why did you hit me?"

\n\n

"To see if I can slap you awake," said Shi Weichong irritably. Seeing the pitiful look on his face, he couldn't bring himself to really scold him. He decided to stop chatting with him altogether, lest he really be angered to death.

\n\n

The place where Xu Chuan was being held was relatively hidden, in a detention center that was not open to the public. After all, he was a well-known lawyer and had connections with gray organizations like the Werewolf group, so he had to be treated with caution.

\n\n

When Shi Weichong and Shi Jin arrived, Xiang Aoting was already there, talking to the police in charge of interrogating Xu Chuan.

\n\n

"Fourth brother," Shi Jin called out as he entered the room.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting looked up at the sound of his voice, paused his conversation, and walked over to them. "Do you really want to go in and see Xu Chuan?" he asked.

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded. "Yes, I want to know why he wanted to harm me."

\n\n

"Big brother can help you with this," said Xiang Aoting, disagreeing with his thoughts. He asked again, but seeing that he couldn't persuade him, he turned to look at Shi Weichong, who was standing next to Shi Jin.

\n\n

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him," reassured Shi Weichong.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting was helpless, so he turned around and greeted the interrogators, allowing the two of them to enter the interrogation room.

\n\n

Upon hearing the sound of the door opening, Xu Chuan did not move. It wasn't until Shi Weichong and Shi Jin sat down across from him that he seemed to sense something and looked up. Since Shi Weichong was sitting across from him, he was the first person Xu Chuan saw. However, he was clearly not very interested in Shi Weichong and quickly shifted his gaze to Shi Jin next to him.

\n\n

Then, he froze.

\n\n

Shi Jin met his gaze, carefully observing his expression. He spoke first, asking, "Why did you want to harm me?"

\n\n

Xu Chuan's expression was somewhat peculiar as he carefully examined Shi Jin's appearance. He leaned back in his chair and slowly sat up, leaning in closer to Shi Jin, even reaching out to touch his face.

\n\n

"What are you doing?!" Shi Weichong slapped his hand away.

\n\n

Xu Chuan seemed to have been awakened from a dream. He looked at Shi Weichong, then at Shi Jin, and suddenly laughed, saying, "You guys sitting here peacefully together is ridiculous, truly ridiculous. I have nothing to say. The winner takes all, the loser is nothing. Behind me is Xu Tianhua, former vice chairman of Ruihang. He has long been dissatisfied with Shi Xingrui. When he learned that Shi Xingrui wanted to leave all the company's shares to Shi Jin, he came up with a plan to kill or cripple Shi Jin and take control of Ruihang. Unfortunately, his plan had not been put into action yet when you, Shi Weichong, suddenly appeared."

\n","published_time":"2023-10-11T23:22:41.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-11-02T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":396,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":33,"chapter_title":"Silver Bracelet","content":"

After finishing his confession, Xu Chuan fell silent and looked like he didn't want to talk anymore. He even lowered his head and stopped looking at Shi Weichong and Shi Jin.

\n\n

Shi Weichong tried to provoke Xu Chuan with a few words, but it had no effect.

\n\n

Xu Chuan had been a lawyer for Shi Xingrui for many years and knew the situation of the Shi family very well. He was also a powerful lawyer with no attachments. If he didn't want to speak up, no one could force him to do so.

\n\n

The conversation was going nowhere, and Shi Jin looked at Xu Chuan and asked, "Who are you looking at through me?"

\n\n

Shi Weichong frowned at his brother's question.

\n\n

Xu Chuan moved slightly and raised his head to look at Shi Jin without saying a word.

\n\n

"When I was fat before, you never looked at me like this," Shi Jin stared directly into Xu Chuan's eyes, giving himself a little buff, intentionally lowering his voice and slowing down his speech as he asked, "Third Brother said I look a lot like my mother, did you know her?"

\n\n

Xu Chuan's eyes flickered, his gaze slowly moving from Shi Jin's eyebrows to his nose, finally landing on his lips. His Adam's apple moved as he said, "The most similar part is the lips... Why did you have to lose weight? You don't deserve to have this face! Go die! Die!"

\n\n

He suddenly erupted, reaching out to grab Shi Jin's face. Shi Weichong's expression changed, standing up and blocking in front of Shi Jin. He pushed Xu Chuan back forcefully, shouting, "Calm down!"

\n\n

From outside the room, Xiang Aoting also pushed the door open and rushed in, calmly walked up and pulled Xu Chuan, who had fallen to the ground, and handcuffed him to the chair.

\n\n

"Tsk." Xu Chuan suddenly calmed down again, leaning on the chair, looking back at Xiang Aoting, then at Shi Weichong, but did not look at Shi Jin again, and said maliciously, "Shi Weichong, I admit, you are very capable. Several brothers were easily swayed by you, and although the shares were supposed to be split evenly, Ruihang ended up in your hands. But you are really ridiculous, it was you who instigated others to play the game of excluding the youngest brother, and now you're pretending to have brotherly love?"

\n\n

Shi Weichong's face was as calm as water, without refuting his words, only saying, "I owe Xiao Jin, and I will naturally repay him. Who do you think you are, causing harm and trying to sow discord?"

\n\n

"I'm not trying to sow discord, I just find it all too ridiculous," Xu Chuan lowered his head and spoke in a despondent tone, as if he no longer had any desires in life. "Shi Weichong, you should know better. Trash like Shi Jin is not worthy of being your brother. And as for Shi Jin, he's the typical fool who helps count the money after being sold. You deserves to be trash."

\n\n

"That's enough!" Shi Weichong stood up, walked around and punched Xu Chuan in the face. He then went back to Shi Jin, who was still sitting there, and pulled him up, leading him outside, not wanting to hear any more of Xu Chuan's nonsense.

\n\n

Xu Chuan's head was knocked to the side by the punch. He stuck out his tongue and touched his cheek, looking at Shi Jin who was walking away and turning back. Suddenly, he smiled, and mouthed silently: They're trying to harm you. Run.

\n\n

Shi Jin frowned fiercely.

\n\n

"Damn it, what did you say!" Xiang Aoting grabbed Xu Chuan and prevented him from looking at Shi Jin again.

\n\n

Xu Chuan lowered his head and laughed, his voice getting louder and his expression crazier like a madman.

\n\n

Shi Jin slowly withdrew his gaze and, with Shi Weichong, walked out of the interrogation room, leaving Xu Chuan's laughter behind the closed door.

\n\n

Just now, after Xu Chuan uttered that silent reminder, his progress bar dropped to 700. This was the largest drop since he entered B City - undoubtedly, the drop in the progress bar was related to the decrease in the lethal factor, not the survival factor.

\n\n

Xu Chuan was definitely one of the culprits who wanted to harm him, but his attitude was too contradictory. He clearly hated him, but the last hint seemed like he was helping him.

\n\n

What did that hint mean? Was it implying that Shi Weichong and his other brothers were bad?

\n\n

He looked at Shi Weichong walking in front of him and shook his head. No, Shi Weichong and his brothers couldn't be the culprits. Perhaps the "they" in Xu Chuan's words didn't refer to Shi Weichong and his brothers, but to someone else, like... Xu Tianhua?

\n\n

And what feelings were being hidden behind Xu Chuan's strange attitude, after seeing his own face?

\n\n

"Xiao Jin." Shi Weichong suddenly stopped and let go of Shi Jin's arm, turning around.

\n\n

Shi Jin was lost in thought about Xu Chuan's words and didn't react in time, directly crashing into Shi Weichong's arms.

\n\n

Shi Weichong was taken aback, then raised his hand to hold Shi Jin's shoulder and gently hugged him, saying, "Xiao Jin, about what happened in the past... I'm sorry."

\n\n

Shi Jin came back to his senses and patted Shi Weichong's shoulder to comfort him, saying, "No need to apologize, I understand. Xu Chuan is just trying to sow discord between us, but I won't fall for it."

\n\n

Shi Weichong tightened his grip on Shi Jin's hand, then let go and touched his head, saying, "Thank you, Xiao Jin."

\n\n

Shi Jin shook his head and smiled at him.

\n\n

Since he had chosen to trust Shi Weichong, he would not let the wild sayings of others destroy the trust they had worked so hard to build, unless there was concrete evidence that Shi Weichong had ulterior motives.

\n\n

When they went back, Xiang Aoting also got on the car and sent Shi Jin off with Shi Weichong.

\n\n

Shi Jin saw that the two brother's emotions had calmed down. Shi Jin asked, "Big Brother, Fourth Brother, Xu Chuan seems to know my mother. He hates me because I look like her. Do you know anything about my mother?"

\n\n

Xiang Aoting shook his head and replied, "I only know that your mother was brought back by Father from a remote small town. She followed him for two years, gave birth to you, and then passed away shortly after. It seems that her body was frail after childbirth."

\n\n

The information he provided was vague and unhelpful, just a passing mention in the original plot.

\n\n

Shi Jin turned to Shi Weichong - as the eldest son, Shi Weichong had more opportunities to interact with Shi Xingrui, so he should have more detailed information. As expected, Shi Weichong thought for a moment and said something different: "Your mother was young when she gave birth to you, not even twenty years old. I didn't have many chances to see her. After she appeared, Dad rarely visited us, especially after you were born. He completely ignored us brothers until your mother passed away and he reunited with us. And before your mother appeared, Dad hadn't been with any women for a long time. I remember Dad even had plans to marry and register with your mother."

\n\n

Shi Jin listened with mixed emotions and whispered, "I'm sorry."

\n\n

Their father had practically abandoned them because of a young woman who suddenly appeared. It must have been hard for the children like Shi Weichong at that time. They were just a group of ten-year-old kids.

\n\n

"It's nothing. We're used to it," said Xiang Aoting, trying to comfort him. Then he mentioned Shi Xingrui and his tone became colder. "Regardless of whether your mother appeared or not, Shi Xingrui never treated me and your other brothers as his father."

\n\n

Shi Weichong's expression also cooled down. He drove quietly for a while before continuing, "Actually, I always thought that when Dad said he wanted to marry your mother, it was just another way to woo a woman. It wasn't until your mother passed away and Dad took care of you carefully that I changed my mind. You mean something different to Dad, and that has never changed."

\n\n

Shi Jin fell silent, unsure of how to respond.

\n\n

Despite all being his son, the original owner of the body was always the special one among the five brothers, and this was the root of their conflicts. No matter what he said now, Shi Jin felt like he was standing on shaky ground.

\n\n

"Xu Chuan knew your mother, should be from when they met during the two years when she followed your father," Shi Weichong suddenly changed the topic, his tone returning to normal. "If we want to find out the reason behind his strange attitude, we must start from those two years."

\n\n

Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts and nodded in agreement, not wanting to continue the unpleasant topic.

\n\n

After returning to the club, Shi Jin reported the situation to Lian Jun, recounting Xu Chuan's strange behavior and his own speculations. He tried to be as honest and thorough as possible. He let out a sigh as he finished speaking, his tone lowering: "I originally wanted to ask Big Brother and Fourth Brother about Father's attitude towards their mothers before my mother appeared, but their faces at the time made it difficult for me to ask."

\n\n

Lian Jun continued to look down at the documents, not responding or interrupting him, and it was unclear whether he was even listening. Shi Jin leaned on the table and muttered to himself, "Actually, I've heard some rumors that my dad didn't look for my eldest brother's mother because he liked her. He just wanted to have more sons. Since I can remember, I've never seen my brothers' mothers. Dad intentionally avoided introducing me to them and blurred their existence for me.

\n\n

"Before my brothers grew up, Dad sent someone to pick them up whenever they came to play. After they became adults, they came on their own, and there has never been a woman's figure in our house. Dad rarely mentioned them, as if he had already cut off all ties with them and had nothing to do with them anymore."

\n\n

"A father who played favorites, the mothers abandoned and neglected by him, a younger brother who craved their attention despite being the only one showered with love... No wonder my older brothers used to hate me, even despise me. If I were in their shoes, I might have wanted to kill our irresponsible father and beat some sense into our clueless little brother."

\n\n

Finally looking up from his documents, Lian Jun said, "You wouldn't."

\n\n

"What?" Shi Jin didn't catch it and looked up at him.

\n\n

"With your personality, even if you were in Shi Weichong's position, you would still keep your distance from that mess instead of going along with the act." Lian Jun closed the file, poked Shi Jin's forehead with a pen, and rolled his wheelchair, saying, "It's time for dinner. Let's go to the dining hall."

\n\n

Shi Jin rubbed his head where he had been poked, his eyes lighting up. He eagerly leaned over to help support Lian Jun's wheelchair and asked with joy, "Young Master Jun, you're not mad at me anymore?"

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't refuse his eagerness, his hands folded on his stomach and his expression unchanged. "I'm not mad."

\n\n

"But you were definitely mad before," Shi Jin happily pushed him forward, talking to himself, "So now that you're not mad, can you eat a little more? You clearly want to eat, why hold back?"

\n\n

Lian Jun's face was stern as he coldly said, "I wasn't holding back, your eating habits are too crude and it affects my appetite."

\n\n

"..."

\n\n

Shi Jin gritted his teeth at being called out for his crude eating habits, and compromised, "Okay, I'll try to eat more politely from now on."

\n\n

Lian Jun tilted his head slightly and ignored him, but he ate half a bowl of rice more and drank a few mouthfuls of soup that day.

\n\n

Shi Jin was overjoyed and looked at Lian Jun as if he were a pleased father watching his child finally obey.

\n\n

......

\n\n

A few days later, Xu Tianhua, the former vice chairman of Ruihang, was tricked back to the country by the police, secretly arrested at the airport, and locked up next to Xu Chuan.

\n\n

Facing the accusation of hiring someone to kidnap and blackmail Xu Chuan, Xu Tianhua stubbornly denied it. But Xu Chuan, like a broken jar, suddenly became talkative and spilled all the dirt on Xu Tianhua, from his small actions at Ruihang to his evil deeds outside. He revealed everything he knew and even provided the account number Xu Tianhua used to pay the deposit for the kidnapping case.

\n\n

Xu Tianhua was absolutely furious.

\n\n

After being bitten, he didn't hesitate to tear down Xu Chuan as well, revealing in detail how he had sold secrets to himself while behind Shi Xingrui's back.

\n\n

The two of them were like dogs biting each other, and both were convicted and awarded a pair of "silver bracelets". They would face a lot of accusations in the future and probably spend the rest of their lives in prison.

\n\n

When Shi Jin received the confessions of Xu Tianhua and Xu Chuan, his mood was beyond complicated. He had originally thought that Xu Chuan was lying and deceiving them, and guessed that the person behind him was not Xu Tianhua. But he didn't expect that these two people were really colluding with each other, and had been doing so ages.

\n\n

He looked at his progress bar, which had dropped to 600 after Xu Tianhua's arrest, and didn't know what to say.

\n\n

From the two drops in the progress bar, it was clear that Xu Chuan and Xu Tianhua had murderous intentions towards the original host and indeed wanted to take action against him. However, they didn't seem to be the most deadly factor for the original host, as although the progress bar had dropped to the safety line, there was still a large portion left untouched.

\n\n

"Could it be that the kidnapping case and the car accident were not caused by the same culprit?" Shi Jin slumped on the sofa, replaying the ups and downs of his progress bar in his mind.

\n\n

He rubbed his forehead and thought aloud, "It seems reasonable to assume that most of the fluctuations in the progress bar came from Xu Chuan and Xu Tianhua. Like when we first arrived in B City, the progress bar skyrocketed, and when we met Shi Weichong and the others, it skyrocketed again. Xu Chuan confessed that Xu Tianhua had people watching Shi Weichong's movements. Xu Tianhua was very resentful about being excluded from Ruihang and tried to find my whereabouts. He used me and Shi Weichong to compete, and I got close to Shi Weichong, which also caught Xu Tianhua's attention. Moreover, Xu Tianhua has influence in B City..."

\n\n

Xiao Si was also analyzing with great effort, saying, "In the plot, the car accident happened when you contacted Shi Xingrui's old connections and wanted to play tricks on Shi Weichong. Xu Tianhua must have wanted you to oppose Shi Weichong, so the car accident shouldn't be his doing."

\n\n

"So, it's basically confirmed that Xu Tianhua didn't cause the car accident, he had no motive." Shi Jin agreed with Xiao Si's speculation, and flipped through the testimonies of Xu Tianhua and Xu Chuan, feeling more and more confused.

\n\n

"If it's not Shi Weichong, nor is it Xu Tianhua, then who caused the car accident? Who was stirring up trouble in the muddy waters?"

\n\n

Xiao Si struggled to think, but unfortunately got stuck.

\n\n

Shi Jin let out a sigh and emptied his mind, his thoughts drifting aimlessly for a while. Finally, he decisively chose to give up, collected the testimonies, got up and left the room, deciding to go eat with Lian Jun first.

\n\n

As the Lunar New Year approached, the clubhouse finally had a festive atmosphere. Various New Year's goods were being prepared, and lucky characters were hung up. The dining table was frequently adorned with the presence of dumplings - pan-fried, steamed, and in soup - satisfying everyone's taste buds.

\n\n

He used his chopsticks to pick up the last three-flavored dumpling and placed it on Lian Jun's plate. He took the initiative to start a conversation, "How's Chen Qing doing? Any updates?"

\n\n

After deciding to take a conservative approach to saving him, Lian Jun had been waiting patiently, betting that the leader of the Black Rose gang would make a second move after failing to harm him the first time.

\n\n

Now, almost half a month had passed without any further news from Chen Qing's side. Fortunately, his two children were still being taken care of, indicating that Chen Qing had not been deemed useless and disposed of by the Black Rose gang.

\n\n

Lian Jun took a glance at the plump dumplings in the dish, but ultimately picked up his chopsticks and ate the three-flavored dumpling. After wiping his mouth, he said, "The leader of the Black Rose is not a reckless person. He will definitely plan his next move after thoroughly confirming that the failed attack last time did not arouse my suspicion. So just wait, he'll act sooner or later."

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded in understanding, then cautiously suggested, "If Chen Qing asks you out again, can you take me with you?"

\n\n

Lian Jun turned his head to look at him and shook his head without hesitation, "No, the next meeting with Chen Qing is not just about having a meal. It also involves rescuing him, which may lead to a firefight with the Black Rose. You lack combat experience, I can't bring you along."

\n\n

Shi Jin refused to give up: "I can stay on the outskirts and not interfere with your actions."

\n\n

"Then it's completely unnecessary to bring you along. You stay at the club," Lian Jun's tone brooked no refusal.

\n\n

Shi Jin wanted to argue some more, but Lian Jun reached into the fruit plate and stuffed a piece of honeydew into his mouth. Then he slid his wheelchair away without looking back.

\n\n

Click clack, click clack.

\n\n

Shi Jin chewed on the melon, his brow furrowed. He lifted his hand to take the remaining piece out of his mouth and mumbled, "Mm, this melon is pretty sweet..."

\n\n

Xiao Si: "..."

\n\n

The next two days, Shi Weichong started calling Shi Jin every day, asking about his plans for the Lunar New Year. After much consideration, Shi Jin politely declined Shi Weichong's invitation to go home for the holiday and expressed his desire to stay at the club with Lian Jun.

\n\n

This made Shi Weichong so angry that he came over fuming.

\n\n

When faced with Shi Weichong's direct inquiry, Shi Jin remained unmoved and refused with sound reasoning: "With my identity, how can I go to your house for Chinese New Year? For the past few years, your father has always forced you to go abroad with us during the New Year, never once accompanying your mother and her family. This year, you finally have the chance to spend time with your mother, but if I go, what will your mother think? I won't go, unless you break my legs and drag me there."

\n\n

Shi Weichong was unable to refute. He did want to spend quality time with his mother this year, but he couldn't bear to leave Shi Jin behind. In this world, he still had relatives on his mother's side, while Shi Jin had lost both parents and was all alone.

\n\n

When he still wouldn't let go, Shi Jin softened his tone and spoke with concern, "Big brother, I know you're worried about me, but I'll be fine. I have a bunch of people here with me, I'm not alone. You stay home and spend time with your family. I'll send you blessings through text messages, and don't forget to send me a red envelope."

\n\n

After speaking, he smiled at him, trying to appear relaxed.

\n\n

The more he smiled, the more Shi Weichong furrowed his brow. Finally, he couldn't help but reach out and pinch his face, saying, "Stop smiling...you'll definitely get a red envelope. You take care, and I'll come visit you."

\n\n

"I'll definitely take care, and I'll gain a few pounds during the New Year. That's how you know it's really the New Year," Shi Jin said vaguely, pulling his hand down and hugging him. "Big brother, happy New Year, and may every year be peaceful."

\n\n

Shi Weichong patted his back and sighed in his heart.

\n\n

In the following days, Shi Jin received phone calls and text messages from Xiang Aoting and Rong Zhouzhong. Like Shi Weichong, Xiang Aoting wanted to invite Shi Jin to spend the Lunar New Year with him, but Shi Jin refused similarly. Rong Zhouzhong only sent a text message with the name of a TV station and the time, indicating that he would be on the live broadcast of the Spring Festival Gala that evening, and Shi Jin could watch it on TV.

\n\n

Shi Jin replied happily: I'll tune in on time to watch the monkey.

\n\n

Rong Zhou's reply was still short: Get lost.

\n\n

Shi Jin collapsed on the sofa with his phone, feeling amused. After he finished laughing, he decided to send a New Year's text message to his two other brothers whom he had never met before.

\n\n

In the original plot, the attitudes of the second brother, Fei Yujing, and the fifth brother, Li Jiuzheng, towards the original owner were always mysterious.

\n\n

Fei Yujing, the second brother, was a busy man. Before Shi Xingrui's death, he flew around the world but always made time to visit the original owner. He would take pictures of interesting scenery from around the world and send local specialties to satisfy the original owner's desire for adventure and world travel. He was a good brother who cared despite his busy schedule.

\n\n

However, after Shi Xingrui's death, Fei Yujing quickly disappeared from the original owner's life. He didn't answer phone calls or messages, and even when he came back a few times because of the original owner's troubles, he always kept his distance. Even when the original owner tried to talk to him, he was cold and distant, looking at the original owner as if they were a stranger, and not one he liked at that.

\n\n

He had never shown any strong love or hate towards the original owner. When he cared, he was reserved, and when he distanced himself, he did so quickly. It seemed as though he didn't care about the original owner at all, but occasionally he would express a sentiment of "it would be better if this person had never existed in this world."

\n\n

To him, the original owner was like an ink blot on a document - not particularly disliked, but something he desperately wanted to erase. Unfortunately, this blot couldn't be erased, so he just tried to ignore it as much as possible.

\n","published_time":"2023-11-09T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-11-09T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":404,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":34,"chapter_title":"Hundred Family Feast","content":"

Unlike his second brother Fei Yujing, his fifth brother Li Jiuzheng had more contact with the original host after Shi Xingrui's death.

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng was a young genius who started studying medicine at a young age. Although he wasn't as restless as Fei Yujing, his level of busyness was just as high. For half of the year, he was either catching up on coursework or doing research. Nine out of ten times, his phone was off when you tried to call him.

\n\n

Later on, he opened his own private hospital, and although his phone was now reachable, it was difficult to schedule a meeting with him. He always had critically ill patients to save, and his answer to when he would be free was always a no. Out of the five brothers, he had the weakest presence, and his concern for the original owner was expressed in the strangest way.

\n\n

Every time they met, he would give the original owner some strange little gadgets he had researched himself, and he would actively help with his studies, appearing very attentive and considerate. However, outside of tutoring, he never took the initiative to speak to the original owner. In his spare time, he would always be reading a book, inadvertently isolating himself from the rest of the group.

\n\n

He was a man of few words, enjoyed peace and quiet, and never actively participated in anything. He went with the flow and silently drifted outside of the group, like a ghost that appeared and disappeared from time to time.

\n\n

The original host had complicated feelings towards his fifth brother. He loved all the strange, mysterious, and exquisite little trinkets that his fifth brother gave him, secretly thinking that his fifth brother was very impressive and even idolizing him. But at the same time, he was also afraid of his fifth brother.

\n\n

Countless times during their study sessions, when he struggled to solve a problem and sought affirmation from his fifth brother, he would find his fifth brother sitting quietly in the corner, staring at him with a very strange look in his eyes.

\n\n

At the time, the original host did not understand the meaning behind those eyes. He thought that Li Jiuzheng was just lost in thought as usual. It wasn't until he was disfigured and had a car accident, and was sent twice to Li Jiuzheng's private hospital, that he began to understand what those eyes represented - a hint of murderous intent, not strong, but always present.

\n\n

During the time when the original owner was suffering and waiting for death after the car accident, Li Jiuzheng would always appear at the bedside at some strange times, doing nothing but silently watching the original owner. Occasionally, his hand would rest on the machines that were keeping the original owner alive, and his desire to turn them off was so obvious.

\n\n

This was the deepest nightmare of the original owner, and the reason why he blamed everything on his five older brothers - seeing their murderous intent with his own eyes was always more terrifying than an unknown killer.

\n\n

Buzz buzz buzz.

\n\n

Suddenly, his phone vibrated and a text message came in.

\n\n

Shi Jin snapped out of his memories of the plot, picked up his phone and was surprised to find that both of the New Year's messages he had just sent out had received responses, one after the other, as if the two people who replied had made an appointment.

\n\n

Fei Yujing: Who is this?

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng: Thank you.

\n\n

Shi Jin paused for a moment, realizing that Fei Yujing and Li Jiuzheng didn't know his current phone number. He had forgotten to sign his name in the text he just sent, so he quickly sent another message identifying himself.

\n\n

However, there was no response from Fei Yujing, and Shi Jin had already anticipated this. He even suspected that Fei Yujing had blocked his number.

\n\n

On the other hand, Li Jiuzheng quickly replied with a short message containing only one word: Oh.

\n\n

Staring at the word, Shi Jin couldn't help but imagine Li Jiuzheng standing like a ghost by the original owner's sickbed. He shuddered and quickly closed the message app, burying himself under the covers and playing a game of mahjong to calm his nerves.

\n\n

He was now certain that a portion of the deadly factor in his remaining progress bar of 600 came from Li Jiuzheng. He needed to plan how to deal with this fifth brother.

\n\n

On New Year's Eve, Shi Jin arrived early and sat across from Lian Jun, dressed in thick clothing and staring at him without saying a word.

\n\n

Lian Jun couldn't concentrate on his documents anymore and looked up at him, saying, "If you want to go to your brother's for the New Year, you can leave now. Let Number Two take you there. Remember to keep your phone on and report your safety every night. You must be back before the seventh day. After dealing with Chen Qing's affairs, we will prepare to leave B City, so we must prepare early."

\n\n

Shi Jin listened intently, shaking his head and saying, "No, I'm not going to my brother's place. I'll stay here and celebrate the New Year with you. I already told my brother about it."

\n\n

Lian Jun's eyes flickered as he asked, "You already told him?"

\n\n

"Yeah, my older brother and I agreed on it when he came to visit me last time. Didn't I tell you about it during dinner that day?" Shi Jin replied, then leaned on the desk and continued to stare at Lian Jun with a clearly suggestive look.

\n\n

Lian Jun's tense voice slowly relaxed as he put down his documents and said, "I forgot... What do you want to do dressed like that?"

\n\n

"The snow outside has stopped," Shi Jin pointed to the window.

\n\n

Suddenly, Lian Jun followed his train of thought, looked out the window, and asked, "So?"

\n\n

"So, today is Chinese New Year's Eve. Can you take a break from work? Let's go build a snowman and have some fun. I've already prepared a scarf and hat for the snowman, and look, there's a carrot we can use for its nose!" Shi Jin pulled out the things he had prepared eagerly, looking at Lian Jun with hopeful eyes.

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at the carrot in Shi Jin's hand, which was washed clean and had a distinctive shape. A faint smile appeared on his lips, but he quickly suppressed it and picked up the documents again, saying coldly, "You can go by yourself. I'm very busy."

\n\n

Shi Jin placed the carrot on the table and continued to stare straight at Lian Jun. It wasn't his fault for being so childish and shameless. It was because Xiao Si had painted such a miserable picture of Lian Jun last night.

\n\n

Xiao Si had said that Lian Jun had always been weak since he was young. He had to go to warm places during winter and had never seen snow or built a snowman. His life lacked a lot of fun and left behind many regrets. Xiao Si had said that if Lian Jun could see more beautiful things, perhaps his mental state would improve and he could face life more positively and adjust his physical condition.

\n\n

Faced with Xiao Si's poetic and sorrowful words, what else could Shi Jin say? Of course, he immediately went to the kitchen and washed a carrot, promising to make it up to Lian Jun tomorrow by reliving his childhood. He even offered his own scarf and hat - thanks to his bald days, he had quite a few hats.

\n\n

As Lian Jun looked at the documents, Shi Jin looked at him, and the study was very quiet.

\n\n

After ten minutes, Shi Jin softly spoke up: "You haven't even looked at the documents. Normally, you flip through them every five minutes. Now ten minutes have passed, and you're still on the same page."

\n\n

Lian Jun's hand holding the documents stiffened, and he looked up at Shi Jin.

\n\n

Shi Jin suddenly produced a thick coat and a thick blanket, gesturing towards the world outside the window covered in white snow, his eyes full of encouragement.

\n\n

Lian Jun lowered his eyes, put down the documents, and slid out without moving or speaking.

\n\n

Shi Jin's eyes lit up, and he happily helped Lian Jun put on the thick coat and cover him with the thick blanket, saying, "Don't worry, you won't freeze. You stay indoors and watch, I'll go shovel. If there's anything not done well, you tell me and I'll fix it."

\n\n

"Don't play for too long," warned Lian Jun as he wrapped himself in a blanket. "It's windy outside today."

\n\n

"I'm not afraid of the cold," replied Shi Jin cheerfully, as he bundled up Lian Jun and pushed him out the door at a brisk pace.

\n\n

The entire sixth floor watched as Shi Jin whisked Lian Jun through the hallway like a kidnapped victim, into the elevator, and down to the first floor, laughing like a mouse who had just stolen a bag of rice.

\n\n

"What are they up to?" asked Number Two, looking mystified.

\n\n

Number One remained silent, setting down the red envelope he was wrapping and standing up. "Let's go see," he said.

\n\n

Number Three and Number Five immediately followed suit, abandoning their tasks and standing up.

\n\n

The three of them quickly disappeared from sight, leaving Number Two behind. He looked at Number Nine, who was slumped on the couch, and poked him with his hand. "Why aren't you going?" he asked.

\n\n

"I'm not hungry*," Number Nine said with half-opened eyes, his voice slurred, looking like he was talking in his sleep.

\n\n

*T/N: Not hungry for the dog food from this pair.

\n\n

Number Two silently watched him and surprisingly understood the meaning behind his words. He stood up and said, "I'm hungry," then turned and ran towards the elevator, afraid of missing an important scene.

\n\n

Outside, the wind was indeed strong, blowing the trees in the courtyard crookedly. The snow on the branches was blown away.

\n\n

Shi Jin arrived on the first floor and chose a lounge facing the courtyard. He settled Lian Jun in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, placed a pile of snacks in front of him, and brewed a cup of hot milk tea. Then he left the room with great momentum... and quickly came back frozen.

\n\n

Lian Jun looked at him as if he was watching a foolish child who knew the outside world was dangerous but stubbornly insisted on going out to play for the sake of face. "Let's just forget it," he said, setting down his milk tea and giving Shi Jin a way out.

\n\n

"But it only happens once a year, how can we just forget it? I'm just not used to such strong winds..." Shi Jin argued, twisting his neck and afraid his face would freeze, he put on a mask and took a deep breath. With the determination of a hero, he stepped out of the house again, quickly closed the window, and ran into the snow-covered yard.

\n\n

The yard of the club was very large, with a big flat area in the middle. At this moment, the ground was covered with a thick layer of white snow, soft and fluffy like a piece of cream cake.

\n\n

"So this is what winter in the north is like..." Shi Jin stood in the snow, tears streaming down his face. His hometown was located in a relatively southern region. Although it snowed in the winter, it had never been this heavy, and the temperature had never dropped so low. During this time, he had been surrounded by heating, and subconsciously developed a small misunderstanding about the winter in B city. Now that he was out, he felt like even his poop was going to freeze solid.

\n\n

Xiao Si didn't expect him to be so intolerant to the cold. He regretted encouraging him to build a snowman and said, "Why don't we go back? The temperature has been unusually low these days, and you might catch a cold."

\n\n

"It's okay, just give me a buff, and besides, I haven't built a snowman in years. Seeing such thick snow makes me itch to do it," Shi Jin'an reassured him. He took a few steps to the side, squeezed out a smile through the French window, waved to Lian Jun, and then turned and ran to the middle of the yard.

\n\n

Xiao Si's buff took effect quickly. After a little movement, Shi Jin felt that his body wasn't as cold anymore. He took off his mask and began to truly enjoy building a snowman.

\n\n

He didn't plan on making a fancy snowman, just one that would fit the occasion. So, he first rolled a big, round snowball for the body and placed it in the middle of the yard. Then, he rolled a slightly smaller snowball and ran inside with it.

\n\n

Lian Jun slid his wheelchair over and helped him inside. Despite the cold wind blowing in, he didn't mind and went straight to touch Shi Jin's face. He frowned and said, "It's too cold, let's forget about it."

\n\n

"It's not cold, I'm actually a little hot," said Shi Jin as he turned around and closed the window a little bit, took off his gloves, and pulled out a carrot and two buttons to hand to Lian Jun. "Here, the snowman's nose and eyes are your responsibility now. This way, we can say we built it together."

\n\n

Lian Jun was stunned, looking at the buttons and carrot without moving.

\n\n

"Hurry, the heater inside is too strong. If we wait too long, the snowman's head will melt," urged Shi Jin, gently touching the snowman's head in his arms as if afraid it would really melt.

\n\n

Lian Jun looked up at him and scanned his frozen red cheeks and nose. He pursed his lips and took the buttons and carrot, clumsily pressing them onto the snowman's face. He wasn't used to the hard texture of the snow after it had frozen together, and accidentally poked a hole in the snowman's head when he tried to button it up.

\n\n

"It's okay, we can fix it with some snow later." Shi Jin wiped away the hole and picked up the button, handing it back to Lian Jun.

\n\n

Their fingertips touched, one cold and one icy. Lian Jun reflexively held Shi Jin's hand, but realized he couldn't warm it up. He slowly let go and placed the button back in its place. "It's done," he said.

\n\n

"Your skills are pretty good, Young Master Jun. The features are so distinctive. Just wait, I'll go put them together," said Shi Jin, feeling pleased. He carefully picked up the snowball and ran outside, placing it on top of the well-formed snowman. Then, he picked up some loose snowflakes and filled in the uneven parts of the snowman. After he had smoothed out the entire snowman, he happily put a hat and scarf on it.

\n\n

After finishing, he stepped back to admire his work. He felt that the snowman's body looked too bare, so he went to pick up two tree branches with forks and inserted them into the snowman's body, giving it two hands. With a round body, bald arms, and a small hat on top of his big head, the snowman had a big nose under his small eyes.

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't help but be amused by this cute and ugly snowman. He turned around and looked inside the house, where Lian Jun was staring straight at him. He smiled and waved at him, pointing to the snowman's round belly, hinting that Lian Jun should eat more and become as plump as the snowman.

\n\n

Lian Jun directly opened the French window and slid out.

\n\n

Shi Jin was startled and rushed up to him, standing in the wind to shield him. "Why did you come out?" he asked anxiously.

\n\n

"There was fog on the glass, and I couldn't see clearly," Lian Jun replied. After taking a few more glances at the snowman, he reached out and held Shi Jin's hand, sliding the wheelchair with his other hand. "Let's go inside, the wind is getting stronger."

\n\n

Shi Jin responded with a grunt and went behind him to help push the wheelchair. His hand, which was held by Lian Jun, was unknowingly pulled away.

\n\n

Lian Jun's hand was left empty as he watched Shi Jin's reflection through the French windows. He slowly withdrew his hand and let Shi Jin push him into the house.

\n\n

Number Two, who was hiding at the door, had a complicated expression on his face. He sighed, "No wonder Shi Jin can make his dreams come true. He has so many weird ideas every day... Just now, the expression on Young Master Jun's face when he saw the snowman... sigh, I feel like crying. And to think that Young Master Jun is even younger than us."

\n\n

Number Three and Number Five didn't say anything in response, their expressions somewhat dim - after so many years, what kind of life their Young Master Jun had been living, they knew better than anyone.

\n\n

"Let's go," Number One spoke up, turning around first. "At least we can have a good year this year. Let's make the reunion dinner tonight more sumptuous by having the kitchen prepare more dishes."

\n\n

After building the snowman, Lian Jun and Shi Jin decided to stay in the cozy lounge facing the courtyard. They set up a table of snacks and brewed a pot of hot drink, enjoying the view of the snowman while playing mahjong.

\n\n

Shi Jin was delighted when Lian Jun suggested playing games to relax. He even brought two tablets and downloaded the mahjong app, giving his account with plenty of game coins to Lian Jun and creating a new one for himself. He patiently taught Lian Jun how to play mahjong.

\n\n

Lian Jun quickly got the hang of it and soon led Shi Jin to victory. Shi Jin was so happy that he slapped his thigh and hugged the pillow, his mahjong personality emerging as he excitedly felt ten years younger.

\n\n

This was supposed to be a rare and heartwarming reunion during the New Year, but unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. In the late afternoon, Chen Qing called, inviting Lian Jun to dinner once again as an old friend.

\n\n

The invitation would seem strange coming from anyone else, especially during the Lunar New Year when most people would be spending time with their families. But for Lian Jun, who lived alone, it was a thoughtful gesture from his old friend Chen Qing to invite him to dinner.

\n\n

Lian Jun initially pretended to decline, suggesting that if Chen Qing was also alone, they could celebrate the holiday together at the club.

\n\n

However, Chen Qing insisted, saying that he had borrowed a friend's house and prepared a feast for Lian Jun to enjoy. He also hinted at a secret related to a task they had worked on together in the past.

\n\n

With this, Lian Jun accepted the invitation and asked for Chen Qing's address, promising to arrive on time.

\n\n

The phone call ended, and the game of mahjong in Shi Jin's hand had been taken over by the mahjong system due to not playing for too long. He was sure to lose.

\n\n

Frowning, he said, "The restaurant is in a residential area with many unrelated people and complex terrain. It's easy to get in but difficult to get out. I wouldn't recommend for you to go. Besides, it's already almost five o'clock, and they made the appointment for six. We don't have enough time to prepare."

\n\n

Lian Jun put down his phone and sent a message to Number One to come. He reassured Shi Jin, "An hour is enough time to plant our people there. Don't worry."

\n\n

"But what if this is just a trap? Chen Qing may not even be in that residential building. If you go, you may not only fail to save him but also put yourself in danger," Shi Jin still wasn't at ease.

\n\n

"I'll have Chen Qing come down to pick me up, I won't go up by myself. I've also made arrangements for the Black Rose's hideout. Even if things don't go as planned and they attack us, we won't lose. Don't worry," reassured Lian Jun as he prepared to leave in his wheelchair.

\n\n

Shi Jin held onto the handles of the wheelchair, his face tense as he said, "I'll go with you."

\n\n

Lian Jun turned his head to look at him, his expression softening. He suddenly reached out and touched Shi Jin's head, saying, "You stay at the club, I'll come back early to celebrate the New Year with you."

\n\n

Shi Jin still felt uneasy and shook his head, insisting, "I'll go with you. I can't let you go alone."

\n\n

"I won't be alone, they will all accompany me." Despite Lian Jun's refusal, he saw the worry on Shi's face and leaned in for a shallow embrace, patting his back gently and saying, "Stay at the club and behave."

\n\n

With that, he stepped back and saw Number One appear at the door. He lightly pulled away from Shi Jin's hand on the wheelchair and went towards Number One.

\n\n

Number One approached and supported Lian Jun's wheelchair. He exchanged a glance with Shi Jin and nodded towards him before pushing Lian Jun away.

\n\n

The previously warm and lively lounge quickly became deserted. Shi Jin was not giving up and wanted to find Lian Jun, but was stopped by Number Nine, who appeared out of nowhere. He warned Shi Jin that if he insisted on disobeying orders, he would have to lock him up.

\n\n

Shi Jin knew that Number Nine was serious, and he returned to the sixth floor with a heavy heart. He watched everyone bustling around, preparing various things, feeling completely useless. Finally, he watched as Lian Jun, who had changed his clothes, was pushed into the elevator by Number Two and went to the underground parking lot.

\n\n

"Remember to eat well," Lian Jun even reminded him before leaving.

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't even think about eating. After everyone left, he sat alone at the big dining table that was prepared for the New Year's Eve dinner. He watched as the progress bar slowly increased after Lian Jun left the club, feeling anxious and restless.

\n\n

"Don't worry Jin Jin, Baby must have made his preparations," Xiao Si tried to comfort him.

\n\n

"I know," sighed Shi Jin as he stared at Lian Jun's progress bar. Finally, when the value reached 800, he couldn't help but sit up and grit his teeth, saying, "I can't just sit back and watch. Lian Jun's death judgment method for the progress bar is different from mine. I have to make sure that when his progress bar reaches the death penalty, I'm nearby."

\n\n

Xiao Si asked, "What do you want to do, Jin Jin?"

\n\n

"Since Lian Jun didn't want me to follow him, I won't. They've been gone for a while now, and if I rush over there, I might disrupt Lian Jun's plan. But then again, I don't necessarily have to be beside Lian Jun to protect him."

\n\n

Shi Jin strode back to his room, grabbed his weapons, and after some thought, he also tucked the chicken leg pendant that Lian Jun gave him into his pocket. Finally, he dug out the doll costume he had prepared for the New Year and stuffed it into his backpack - it was something Xiao Si had encouraged him to buy, originally intended as a surprise for Lian Jun on New Year's Eve.

\n\n

Looking back now, he realized he had put in a lot of effort to make up for Lian Jun's lost childhood.

\n\n

When Xiao Si saw him with the costume, it was dumbfounded and asked, "J-Jin Jin, what are you going to do with that?"

\n\n

"I won't interfere with their rescue plan. I'll just go to the neighborhood where they're at and give out some candy. It's the New Year, who can't have a little hobby?"

\n\n

Shi Jin found a noble excuse for his disobedience, packed his backpack, and sent a New Year's greeting message to all his brothers in advance. As he walked towards the club, he muttered, "I can't eat a whole family dinner by myself anyway. I'm going to crash a hundred households!"

\n\n

Xiao Si: "..."

\n","published_time":"2023-11-16T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-11-16T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":412,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":35,"chapter_title":"Sniper","content":"

On a lively New Year's Eve, not far from a residential area, a brown teddy bear with a bow tied around its neck emerged from a public restroom in the corner of a small square, holding a backpack and looking around with an adorable expression.

\n\n

The people who came to the square to celebrate the New Year quickly noticed its presence. They turned their heads and looked over, with some energetic children even screaming and shouting "Teddy, Teddy!" They pulled their parents over, wanting to get close to the teddy bear.

\n\n

However, before they could get closer, the seemingly silly teddy bear suddenly stopped its head-turning and ran towards the activity vendors around the square with a strong sense of purpose. It finally stopped at an old man's balloon stand, gesturing and communicating with him. In the end, it took out a considerable amount of pink bills from its backpack and generously stuffed them into the old man's hand.

\n\n

The old man was moved and bowed to thank the teddy bear before picking up his plastic stool and money box, leaving behind his tricycle loaded with balloons.

\n\n

In the next second, the teddy bear placed its backpack on the tricycle filled with balloons, stepped on it, and skillfully rode the tricycle out of the vendor crowd...buying things while riding along the roadside shops and stalls.

\n\n

Onlookers: "..." Hey, isn't your style a bit off?

\n\n

"Candies, prank fireworks, colorful lights, New Year banners...so much variety. Is it really this lively outside for New Year's Eve?" Shi Jin muttered to himself while hiding inside a doll costume. He appeared relaxed on the outside, but his mind was being driven crazy by the slowly increasing progress bar.

\n\n

Xiao Si, who had been silent since they entered the square, finally spoke up excitedly, "I've located him! Baby hasn't entered the residential area yet. They're parked at the entrance of the community!"

\n\n

Shi Jin's eyes lit up. He quickly threw out a few red bills and cleared out a booth selling prank fireworks. He piled everything onto the tricycle, loaded it up with balloons, candies, and toys, and sped off towards the residential area like a gust of wind.

\n\n

Onlookers: "..."

\n\n

The children who were coming over exclaimed, "...Wow ah ah ah! The teddy is running! I want the teddy!"

\n\n

......

\n\n

The neighborhood where Chen Qing invited Lian Jun to dinner was called Tuanjie. It was an old neighborhood with a small area, messy greenery, narrow roads, few parking spaces, and a busy old street facing the main gate. At most, only two cars could drive side by side.

\n\n

Number One parked the car at a corner of the street, some distance away from the neighborhood, and observed the surroundings. He said, "The buildings here are too mixed up. Anyone could be hiding anywhere. Once we get ambushed, it'll be hard to escape."

\n\n

Number Two, who was sitting in the passenger seat, added, "The neighborhood is too old, with small internal alleys and no elevators. Is Black Rose's leader crazy? Does he not care if we get suspicious when Chen Qing chooses to have dinner here?"

\n\n

As Lian Jun listened to their discussion, he glanced at the bustling crowd on the street and asked, "Is everyone's task assigned?"

\n\n

Number Three, sitting on his left, tapped his tablet and replied, "The rescue team at Chen Qing's family is ready to go at any time. The officials and our people have successfully ambushed around the community and are currently investigating suspicious individuals and vehicles in the area. The situation inside the community is unclear, and we are still waiting for feedback from the reconnaissance team."

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded in understanding and checked the time before dialing Chen Qing's number.

\n\n

Number Nine, sitting on Lian Jun's other side, immediately began pinpointing Chen Qing's exact location. The phone was quickly answered, and Chen Qing's voice was as usual. He asked, "Lian Jun, have you arrived? My last soup is almost ready. You must taste my craftsmanship this time. This soup is special. I've carefully selected the ingredients for over half a month."

\n\n

Over half a month.

\n\n

Lian Jun extracted the important information and looked at the New Year's blessings posted on the shop window. He imagined the scene of Shi Jin enthusiastically building a snowman, but quickly refocused and replied, "I haven't arrived yet. The road conditions here are not good. The road is narrow, and the snow on the side of the road hasn't been completely cleared. It's difficult for my car to get in, so I may be a little late."

\n\n

"It's okay, it's my fault. I was just thinking about meeting up with you and forgot to consider the road conditions here," Chen Qing comforted. In the background, the sounds of a spatula scraping against a pot and a television could be heard, creating a cozy and authentic atmosphere. "Just drive slowly and give me a call when you're almost here. I'll tell you which building to come to."

\n\n

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lian Jun suggested, "Why don't you just come out and meet me when you arrive? I'll be waiting for you at the entrance of the community."

\n\n

There was a brief silence on Chen Qing's end before she responded calmly, "You come over first and give me a call when you're here. I need to take the soup off the stove. I'll hang up now, hurry up and come over." With that, he hung up the phone.

\n\n

The hands of Number Nine, dancing rapidly on the computer keyboard, came to a stop. With a frown, he said, "I can roughly confirm that the phone signal did come from within this area of the community, but I can't pinpoint which building it came from. The call was too short."

\n\n

"It's enough as long as we know the person is in the community," said Lian Jun, putting down his phone and looking at Number Three on his left. "Black Rose has been preparing for this meal for half a month. It's very likely that they have already replaced many of the residents in the community, so anyone investigating should be careful."

\n\n

Number Three nodded and immediately began sending messages to his subordinates.

\n\n

After waiting for about ten minutes, the person who went to investigate the community sent back a message - everything was normal. In other words, the people who entered the community didn't find anything.

\n\n

To be more precise, Lian Jun's guess was probably correct. Black Rose likely replaced most of the residents in the community, and the current residents in the community were probably all Black Rose's people in disguise.

\n\n

Everyone frowned, and Lian Jun pointed to his knee and instructed Number One to drive closer to the community while also calling Chen Qing.

\n\n

The phone was quickly answered, and after Chen Qing responded, Lian Jun said that he had already arrived at the entrance of the community and asked Chen Qing to come out and meet him.

\n\n

Chen Qing politely refused, saying that he suddenly had a stomach ache and was dealing with a physiological problem. He then reported the specific address of his house and said that he had already unlocked the door, allowing Lian Jun to go directly to his door. Everyone in the car was silent, unsure of what to do next.

\n\n

"What should we do now, wait or go in?" Number Two asked.

\n\n

"If we wait, Mr. Chen will probably call and say he's constipated," Number Three replied.

\n\n

"But if we go in, we'll be walking right into a trap," Number Nine added.

\n\n

All eyes turned to Lian Jun, waiting for his decision.

\n\n

"We wait," Lian Jun said firmly, his tone calm and detached. "Black Rose wants to lure us into a trap. If we stay put, they'll have to compromise. Chen Qing will come out eventually. We can't enter the neighborhood, the situation inside is unclear. Going in would be like delivering ourselves as prey."

\n\n

Everyone nodded in agreement and settled into a quiet wait. Three minutes, five minutes, ten minutes... Chen Qing still hadn't called, and Lian Jun remained calm, not calling Chen Qing either.

\n\n

The situation had unknowingly reached a stalemate. Outside the car was an old street filled with the festive atmosphere of the new year, but with few pedestrians. Inside the car was complete silence, and a car window seemed to separate two different worlds.

\n\n

...

\n\n

"Damn it!"

\n\n

In a room on the second floor of a shop across the street from the residential area, the leader of the Black Rose, Wang Mei, couldn't help but take off his headphones and slam the table in anger. He cursed, "This Lian Jun is too cautious, even when meeting an old friend!"

\n\n

His deputy sitting next to him didn't expect Lian Jun to be so cautious. Without seeing Chen Qing, he wouldn't even enter the residential area's gate. He frowned and said, "So, what should we do now, Boss Wang? Should we keep waiting?"

\n\n

"Stop wasting time! Lian Jun is the most cautious person I know. He's seen more traps than we've made money in our entire lives. If we keep dragging this out, do you believe he'll just cancel the deal and go back to his hideout?" Wang Mei snapped impatiently, walking over to the window to glance at Lian Jun's car parked outside the neighboring complex. "Go! Have Chen Qing call Lian Jun and try to coax him into coming into the complex. If he still refuses, then have Chen Qing go out and meet him!"

\n\n

The deputy was worried and asked, "But what if Chen Qing goes out and Lian Jun still refuses to come in? What if he even demands to take Chen Qing somewhere else for dinner?"

\n\n

This worry was not unfounded. With the level of caution that Lian Jun possessed, it was entirely possible for him to coax his old friend into giving up on cooking a grand meal and instead go to his place for dinner.

\n\n

But if that were to happen, what would become of Chen Qing when he fell into Lian Jun's hands? Would they still be able to lay their trap?

\n\n

Wang Mei's expression grew even more grim as he listened, his eyes darkening as he looked at the car where Lian Jun sat. He picked up the gun that was sitting on the cabinet and vigorously wiped it clean, saying, "We can't let Chen Qing follow Lian Jun. Send someone to warn him and make him remember who has his child now. If Lian Jun insists on not entering the community later, then we'll take him out right here! Tell Chen Qing to deceive Lian Jun into getting out of the car or rolling down the window, so that the sniper can get a better angle of attack. Let him know that if Lian Jun doesn't die today, then his child won't live to see tomorrow's sun!"

\n\n

His deputy was still a bit worried and said, "But..."

\n\n

"There's nothing to discuss!" Wang Mei interrupted him, pointing his gun at him. "Or are you just going to let Lian Jun get away like a coward? You know I don't keep cowards on my team."

\n\n

The deputy was scared into silence and didn't dare oppose anymore. After flattering him for a while, he picked up his phone and contacted their subordinates in the community.

\n\n

......

\n\n

In the car, Number One withdrew his gaze from surveying the surroundings and said, "There are five suitable sniper positions nearby. The closest one is on the second floor of the shop across the street and the second floor of the shop behind the vehicle. One is too dark to see inside, and the other has the lights on and the curtains drawn, both are suspicious."

\n\n

"Find someone to infiltrate," Lian Jun ordered, his fingers rubbing his phone. Suddenly, he asked, "What time is it?"

\n\n

Everyone was taken aback. Just then, Number Three, who was looking at his tablet, glanced at the time and replied, "It's already half past six."

\n\n

They had set off around five o'clock, spent half an hour getting here, and then found ways to delay for almost an hour. Now, the sky was pitch black and the number of pedestrians on the road was gradually decreasing. It was the perfect time to do something.

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded in understanding and ordered, "Send someone to slowly approach this area and prepare to engage in a firefight outside the residential complex. Let the authorities figure out a way to clear the streets to avoid accidentally harming innocent people later."

\n\n

Number Three nodded in agreement.

\n\n

Suddenly, a phone rang, catching the attention of everyone in the car.

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at his phone and said, "It's Chen Qing's call." Then he answered it.

\n\n

Chen Qing called to ask why Lian Jun hadn't arrived yet. Lian Jun explained that he was outside the community buying fruit because he felt it wouldn't be right to visit empty-handed during the Lunar New Year. Although they were friends, it was still important to be polite. He then asked if Chen Qing was free and mentioned that the buildings in their community were arranged in a confusing manner, and he didn't know the way. He needed someone to come and guide him.

\n\n

Chen Qing teased him with a laugh and then made up a few excuses. He gave detailed directions and still hoped that Lian Jun could find his way in on his own.

\n\n

Lian Jun continued to lament his poor sense of direction, saying that he just couldn't find his way.

\n\n

The two of them were secretly playing along with each other, speaking in a friendly and cheerful tone as if they were about to reunite. But Wang Mei, who was eavesdropping, was getting more and more frustrated and felt like vomiting blood. He cursed Lian Jun for pretending and lying.

\n\n

As the leader of the Annihilation gang, when did Lian Jun learn the ways of ordinary people's social etiquette? Buying fruit? Does Lian Jun even know where the entrance to a fruit shop is, having lived for so long? You can lie as if it were the truth, but if you have the guts to say you want to buy fruit, why don't you have the guts to get out of the car?

\n\n

"I'm not waiting anymore! Have Chen Qing go out to pick him up. Everyone, be prepared and ambush Lian Jun. Also, bring a few cars. Once we succeed, we'll immediately retreat!" Wang Mei couldn't take it anymore and after giving orders, he slammed down the phone and personally aimed his gun at the car Lian Jun was sitting in.

\n\n

......

\n\n

In the end, Chen Qing came out to pick him up. He was alone, dressed thinly and even wore a comical apron, trying to hide his true intentions.

\n\n

He walked up to the side of Lian Jun's car and, making sure that no one hiding in the shadows could see his face, mouthed silently to Lian Jun inside the car: There are people lying in ambush inside the gate of the community, all of them armed with guns, and there are snipers nearby. Don't get out of the car.

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded to show that he understood, and said, "Sorry, I made you come out to pick me up."

\n\n

"There's no need to apologize. It was my carelessness. I forgot that this community is hard to find," Chen Qing replied with a smile, but his heart was anxious.

\n\n

He was afraid that Lian Jun would really take risks for him. In fact, he had already resigned himself to his fate. He only hoped that Lian Jun could rescue his child and then send his wife and child to a safe place. He didn't care much about his own safety anymore.

\n\n

He was ready to die. Having lived a life on the streets, even if he were to quit halfway, he had already prepared himself to be pulled back into the dark world. He was content with the ordinary life he had lived for these years.

\n\n

Besides, if it weren't for Lian Jun protecting him back then, he wouldn't have had this peaceful period. He didn't want Lian Jun to get hurt because of him.

\n\n

With these thoughts in mind, he slowly stood up. He didn't follow Wang Mei's orders to open Lian Jun's car door. Instead, he took a step back and used his eyes to signal Lian Jun to leave quickly and not to worry about him.

\n\n

Lian Jun furrowed his brow and shook his head at Number Two, then gestured for him to open the car door and help Chen Qing inside. The others prepared to provide cover, still talking to soothe Wang Mei, who might be eavesdropping on their conversation. "Just wait a moment, I'll get out of the car. The gate of this community is too narrow, and it seems like the car won't fit through."

\n\n

However, Chen Qing thought that Lian Jun really wanted to get out of the car and hurriedly reached out to hold the door, his actions very obvious.

\n\n

"Damn it, what is Chen Qing doing? Why isn't he going to open Lian Jun's car door and instead blocking it? Doesn't he care about his own life and his kids'?" Wang Mei was so angry that he wanted to grab Chen Qing's hand and pull Lian Jun out under his gun.

\n\n

Standing next to him, his deputy suddenly panicked and put down his phone, urgently saying, "Boss Wang, it's not good. People are surrounding us from the outside, and several of our brothers guarding the perimeter have lost contact!"

\n\n

Wang Mei's expression suddenly changed, realizing that he had been outmaneuvered by Lian Jun, and his plan had already been exposed. With a fierce expression, he switched to a sniper rifle and aimed at Chen Qing beside the car, ready to take care of this useless waste first.

\n\n

Click.

\n\n

He loaded the bullet.

\n\n

Click.

\n\n

Number Two gently pushed open the car door, ready to drag Chen Qing into the car.

\n\n

All the snipers hidden in the dark also aimed their guns at Lian Jun's car.

\n\n

Time seemed to stand still as the Black Rose operatives hidden within the community and the henchmen of Lian Jun, who had been pretending to be pedestrians on the street, gradually approached the car, all carefully watching the situation on that side. The tension was at its peak, and everyone was waiting for a signal to start the battle.

\n\n

Ah ah ah ah ah aaaaaaah!

\n\n

Suddenly, there was a loud scream. Shi Jin was frantically pedaling his tricycle, his heart racing as he watched Lian Jun's progress bar suddenly soar to 999.5. He was so scared that he almost suffocated. Finally, he saw the familiar silhouette of the car in front of him. Without hesitation, he slammed on the brakes and quickly grabbed a prank firework from the car, letting Xiao Si give him a powerful buff. He lit the firework and threw it with all his might towards the other side.

\n\n

Boom!

\n\n

Crackle, crackle, crackle...

\n\n

Fireworks flew in a parabolic arc and landed with a loud bang in the middle of the old street. Upon impact, they exploded into a circle of colorful ribbons, followed by a burst of multicolored smoke that quickly spread and enveloped a portion of the street.

\n\n

Pah!

\n\n

After the fireworks display, Shi Jin extended his bear paw and pressed down hard on the horn of the three-wheeled cart's loudspeaker, turning up the volume to the maximum.

\n\n

"Congratulations on your fortune, congratulations on your brilliance... Come and buy some cute and beautiful balloons... The best ones come forward, the rest please step aside..."

\n\n

The distorted sound of the music and the hawking voices alternated, piercing through the city's night sky and deafening everyone's ears.

\n\n

What...were these things?

\n\n

Everyone was dumbfounded. Before they could react, there were several loud bangs and a bunch of lit prank fireworks came crashing down. Some landed at the entrance of the residential area, some hit the sign of the shop across the street, and some were even thrown directly into the entrance of the residential area. Everywhere was filled with the sound of exploding ribbons and colorful smoke drifting in the air, making the street instantly dreamy and hazy.

\n\n

Wang Mei, who was preparing to pull the trigger, was also stunned. The view in front of him was filled with a misty and hazy atmosphere. He couldn't even see clearly, let alone snipe his target.

\n\n

Number Two, who was pulling the car door, was momentarily stunned. But he quickly regained his senses and took advantage of the chaos to push the door open, half-step out of the car, pull Chen Qing into the car, slide the seat back, reach out to lay him down, help him tuck his legs into the car, and then slam the door shut with force. The whole process was smooth and seamless, taking only five seconds.

\n\n

"Drive, let's go!" he shouted, unable to resist turning his head in the direction of the singing.

\n\n

The others who didn't need to drive also made the same movements.

\n\n

In the midst of the swirling, colorful smoke, a teddy bear on a tricycle was approaching in a lively manner, throwing candy and fireworks as it went, occasionally popping a couple of balloons into the air. It was like a living "little rascal".

\n\n

"Damn! Whose kid is this? Pulling pranks during the New Year, this is just... too much! He just saved us from a fight," praised Number Two.

\n\n

But Number Three frowned and said, "He messed up Black Rose's plan. He could face retaliation. We need to send someone to protect him."

\n\n

"Then send someone!" Number One spoke up, quickly turning the steering wheel. Before Black Rose's people could react, he reversed, turned around, and left the scene without looking back.

\n\n

However, Lian Jun furrowed his brows slightly, his gaze still fixed on the colorful smoke. He couldn't shake the feeling that the teddy bear's actions were familiar, like he had seen them somewhere before.

\n\n

"Lian Jun," Chen Qing, who was sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly called out to him.

\n\n

As Lian Jun regained his senses and withdrew his gaze, he shook off the inexplicable thoughts in his mind and looked at Chen Qing, who was still in shock. He reassured him, "Don't worry, someone has already gone to save your child. There aren't many people guarding them, so they will be safely rescued."

\n\n

Chen Qing nodded and followed the help of Number Two to climb up, squeezing into the passenger seat. He gratefully nodded at Lian Jun and said, "Thank you. I thought I wouldn't make it back this time."

\n\n

Lian Jun comforted him for a few more words, but suddenly felt a little uneasy when he remembered that Shen Jin was still alone in the clubhouse.

\n\n

At the entrance of the residential area.

\n\n

After Lian Jun left, the clueless members of the Black Rose and Lian Jun's men pretending to be passersby immediately broke out into a fight. The official forces were rushing over in large numbers, and Wang Mei's ambush failed, making him so angry that he almost smashed the house. In the end, his deputy persuaded him with flattering words and prepared to evacuate.

\n\n

Even after safely boarding the evacuation vehicle, Wang Mei still felt unwilling and ordered fiercely, "Don't let the sniper leave yet! Find that bear who set off the fireworks and kill him!"

\n\n

The deputy was shocked and worried, saying, "Now there are officials and Annihilation's people everywhere. It's too dangerous to leave our people behind."

\n\n

"Are you the boss or am I the boss? Do as I say!" Wang Mei angrily pulled out his gun and pointed it at him, saying, "I said someone must die today. You wouldn't want that person to be yourself, would you?"

\n\n

The deputy struggled to swallow his saliva and shook his head before pulling out his phone and dialing the sniper's number right in front of him.

\n\n

Meanwhile, Shi Jin was racing down the old street on his tricycle, desperate to leave as quickly as possible. He had realized that there were no ordinary pedestrians on this street, only members of the underworld societies. If he didn't retreat now, he feared he would be caught in the crossfire.

\n\n

"Jin Jin, the progress bar is starting to rise!" Xiao Si suddenly screamed.

\n\n

Shi Jin was shocked and almost missed the pedal of his tricycle. "What's going on? Wasn't Lian Jun's progress bar decreasing?"

\n\n

"It's not the baby's progress bar, it's yours! Your progress bar is rising! It's going really fast!" Xiao Si yelled, its voice cracking with fear.

\n\n

Shi Jin glanced at his progress bar and was shocked to see it skyrocketing at a speed of 10 points per second. It had already reached over 900. His heart sank as he quickly looked around and identified several possible sniper locations. When the progress bar reached 980, he let go of the handlebars of his tricycle and jumped off, rolling towards the side of the street.

\n\n

Thud.

\n\n

A bullet whizzed past and hit the ground nearby.

\n","published_time":"2023-11-22T00:25:21.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-02T00:23:55.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-11-22T00:25:21.000Z"},{"content_id":420,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":36,"chapter_title":"Fate","content":"

It was indeed a sniper, probably from the Black Rose organization.

\n\n

Shi Jin broke out in a cold sweat. Just as he relaxed a bit, he noticed that his progress bar had suddenly increased to the death line. His pupils shrank, and without hesitation, he rolled on the ground and hid behind a nearby trash can.

\n\n

The next second, a bullet grazed the trash can and flew past him. Shi Jin let out a muffled groan and clutched his shoulder.

\n\n

This was bad. The trash can was too narrow, and he was too big of a target. He had become a sitting duck.

\n\n

His shoulder was burning with pain, and he gasped for air. He tried to shrink his body as much as possible and hid behind a trash can. He saw that his progress bar was still stuck at the death line, and frustration set in.

\n\n

He turned his head to survey his surroundings and noticed a small alley not far behind him. There was a large dumpster leaning against the wall in the alley. He gritted his teeth and removed the oversized teddy bear head covering his own head. He had Xiao Si add an acceleration and hearing enhancement buff, then threw the head covering away and kicked up a pile of garbage. With the trash and head covering as cover, he quickly ran towards the alley, crouching low and moving fast.

\n\n

Thud thud thud.

\n\n

The sound of several bullets whizzing through the air could be heard. Shi Jin could feel the disturbance of the air around him as the bullets grazed past his body. His nerves were stretched to the limit as he saw the alleyway just ahead. With a quick roll to the ground, he managed to avoid the danger and slipped into the small alley, hiding behind a metal garbage bin.

\n\n

Thud, thud thud.

\n\n

The bullets hit the walls and metal sheets, but gradually the sound faded away. His heightened senses could no longer detect any strange noises.

\n\n

Shi Jin leaned against the wall, with a small alley that led to who knows where on one side and a rusty trash can on the other. He felt the pain in his shoulder wound getting worse and the sensation of blood loss becoming more apparent.

\n\n

After making sure he was temporarily safe, he took a deep breath and covered his wound. He sat up and took off his doll costume, tearing off the lining while keeping an eye on the entrance of the alley. He then wrapped his shoulder with his coat to stop the bleeding, straightened his clothes, hid the doll costume in a corner, and ran towards the other side of the alley, feeling his way along the wall.

\n\n

"Jin Jin, are you okay?" Xiao Si had never seen Shi Jin injured before and was so flustered that its voice trembled.

\n\n

"I'm fine," Shi Jin reassured, trying to regulate his breathing as he observed the situation in the alley. "The Black Rose snipers are all hiding on the other side of the old street. I took off the doll costume I was wearing earlier, so as long as I don't appear in the old street as a doll again, those snipers won't be able to lock onto me."

\n\n

"I'm not talking about those snipers, I'm talking about your wound," Xiao Si panicked, almost on the verge of tears. It frantically used a buff on him while saying, "You're bleeding, a lot..."

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately felt the pain in his wound lessen, and his slightly lowered body temperature due to blood loss began to rise. He realized that Xiao Si was helping him and even managed to smile, saying, "I can't die yet, I still have you. I have the Midas touch--"

\n\n

Bang!

\n\n

The alley was cluttered with debris and had no lights. As Shi Jin walked, he stumbled and spoke without noticing a thin fishing line stretched across the debris pile ahead. He avoided the clutter but not the line, and before he knew it, he tripped and fell. Luckily, he landed on his uninjured side, but the pain was still unbearable. He groaned and felt his strength drain away.

\n\n

"Jin jin!" Xiao Si shouted anxiously.

\n\n

"I'm fine," Shi Jin replied, flipping over and lying on his back. His vision began to darken, and he knew the fall was serious. He resigned himself to his fate and changed the subject. "I have something to do...Xiao Si, I need you to keep an eye on the alley entrance."

\n\n

After finishing speaking, he took out his carefully guarded phone from the inner pocket of his jacket. He muttered to himself that he was probably going to get a severe scolding from Lian Jun this time, and dialed a number. He waited for a while before the call was answered, and with the last bit of consciousness, he shouted for Young Master Jun to save him. Then he reported his location in as much detail as possible before tilting his head and passing out.

\n\n

Ten minutes later, a black car stopped at the entrance of the alley. The back door opened, and a tall figure wearing a black long coat stepped out, holding a phone that showed an ongoing call. He lightly stepped over the dirty snow water in the alley and stopped in front of Shi Jin, who was lying on the ground.

\n\n

Click.

\n\n

He stepped on the phone that had already slipped to the ground, bent down, and touched the pale and bloodless face of Shi Jin. His slender fingers pointed to the small black mole on Shi Jin's nose. After a long time, he leaned over and lifted him up from the ground.

\n\n

Xiao Si was so scared that it almost crashed, unable to believe the appearance of the person in front of him. It also couldn't believe that the progress bar, which had dropped to 700, suddenly rose to 800. Finally, it glanced at Shi Jin's already scrapped phone and felt so sad that it wanted to rewind and restart himself.

\n\n

It held back its tears and called out, "Jin Jin, Jin Jin, wake up quickly... You dialed the wrong person... You have to wake up, the progress bar that you worked so hard to lower has gone up again... Jin Jin, wuwuwu..."

\n\n

On the other side, Lian Jun, who couldn't calm down, couldn't help but call Shi Jin. However, he found that the other party was still on the phone, and his anxiety grew. He then called the club and asked someone to check on what Shi Jin was doing.

\n\n

A few minutes later, the club called back and said that they had searched the entire six floors but couldn't find Shi Jin - he was missing.

\n\n

Lian Jun's face turned black, and he remembered the motion of the teddy bear throwing things. The more he thought about it, the more familiar it seemed. He hung up the phone and ordered, "Number One, turn back to Tuanjie Community. If Shi Jin isn't at the club, then that teddy bear that suddenly appeared is likely him in disguise."

\n\n

Everyone was shocked at his words, and Number Two blurted out, "What?! That was Shi Jin?"

\n\n

With a frown, Number One immediately changed direction and drove back towards Tuanjie Community.

\n\n

When they arrived at the entrance of the community, the authorities had already completely controlled the situation. Most of the members of the Black Rose had been caught, and there were scattered fireworks, candy, and balloon fragments on the street, giving off a lonely feeling after the revelry.

\n\n

The official in charge noticed that Lian Jun's car had returned and hurried over, asking in confusion, "Mr. Lian, why have you come back? Don't worry, we've caught all of the Black Rose members, and none of your dispatched personnel were injured."

\n\n

Lian Jun asked directly, "What about the teddy bear that helped us?"

\n\n

"The teddy bear? He's gone. Wasn't he the one sent by your side to disrupt the enemy's line of sight? At the beginning of the melee, I followed your previous orders and had someone release him and send him away," the official in charge replied, puzzled by the grim expression on Lian's face.

\n\n

Number Three's expression grew serious as he spoke, "We sent three waves of people to disrupt the enemy's line of sight. The first wave was the 'janitor' who was walking along the street towards the entrance of the residential area. The second wave was the 'delivery guy' and 'plumber' who had previously conducted an investigation inside the residential area and were preparing to sneak back to the entrance, and the last wave was the people who were infiltrating various possible sniper locations. There was no teddy bear among them."

\n\n

The official in charge was dumbfounded and said, "But didn't you order us to protect him? I thought he was one of your people, so we covered his retreat. After all, all of Black Rose's people are here, so he should be safe away from the battlefield."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Number One's face turned black. How could protecting and covering retreat be the same thing? And defining the battlefield area arbitrarily is simply foolish, as the sniper's attack range can be large or small.

\n\n

"Drive and search along this street," Lian Jun ordered in a deep voice, not wanting to waste any more time with the official in charge.

\n\n

Number One immediately started the car and began searching for clues along the street, while Number Three began to mobilize people to search for the teddy.

\n\n

Five minutes later, the car stopped beside a tricycle that had toppled over at the end of the old street. Number Two opened the car door and got out. He rummaged through a backpack filled with miscellaneous items that belonged to Shi Jin. He turned to face the people in the car with an unpleasant expression on his face, saying: "This is Shi Jin's bag, I was with him when he bought it"

\n\n

So, the bear they encountered earlier was actually Shi Jin.

\n\n

"We've caught all the snipers that Black Rose deployed. One of the sniper's attack range just happened to include this area," Number Three hung up the phone from his subordinate and informed Lian Jun of the news.

\n\n

Lian Jun's expression was tense as he said, "Everyone get out of the car and find him."

\n\n

Scattered bullet holes, garbage strewn all over the ground, and a teddy bear head lying in a corner of the street... The more things they found, the heavier their hearts became. It wasn't until Number Nine discovered a bloodstained teddy's suit next to a trash can in the alley that everyone's expression changed completely.

\n\n

"There's blood on the clothes. Shi Jin must have been injured. Judging by the location, it should be a gunshot wound to the shoulder," Number One handed the clothes to Lian Jun.

\n\n

Lian Jun took them, but his face turned pale and terrifying, as if he had been frozen by the temperature outside. He touched the bloodstains on the teddy's suit and pushed his wheelchair forward along the alley, stopping next to Number Two, who had already been searching for clues in the alley.

\n\n

As Number Two stepped forward, he accidentally broke a fishing line that was lying across the road. He took a few more steps and picked up a shattered phone screen from the ground. Turning back to Lian Jun, he said, "This is Shi Jin's phone. There are footprints of a man going back and forth from that alley to here. Shi Jin must have been taken away by someone."

\n\n

Lian Jun stared fixedly at a pool of blood on the ground not far away, which was almost indistinguishable from the dirty ground. His voice was tight, as if squeezed out of his teeth, and his eyes were dark and heavy. He said, "Find and copy Shi Jin's call records. See who he last called!"

\n\n

......

\n\n

When Shi Jin woke up, he was surrounded by the strong smell of disinfectant. His consciousness was hazy and he couldn't feel his body. He struggled to open his eyes and saw a man sitting by his bed. But he quickly closed his eyes in pain - he didn't want to see this scene for the third time. He had a feeling that nothing good would follow.

\n\n

And as it turned out, his intuition was spot on.

\n\n

Xiao Si noticed that he had woken up and quickly spoke up, "Jin Jin, the person sitting next to you is the Shi family's fifth brother, Li Jiuzheng. He saved you, but he also seems to want to kill you. Your progress bar had dropped to 700, but after he took you away, it rose to 800. You are now in a private clinic near the B University City. The clinic owner is Li Jiuzheng's senior brother, and they both helped remove the bullet and treat your wounds. Now, there is only you and Li Jiuzheng in the clinic, and he's taken all your things, I don't know where he threw them."

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng? How is it Li Jiuzheng? Wasn't he the one who called for help for Lian Jun?

\n\n

Shi Jin was confused, and his eyes suddenly opened, meeting the surgical knife that Li Jiuzheng was holding in front of him. The tip of the knife was pointed straight at his eyeball.

\n\n

He gasped for a breath of cold air, almost fainting from fright. Instinctively, he wanted to lean back, but the bed board was behind him, so where could he lean?

\n\n

"Indeed, you're awake."

\n\n

A low, pleasant voice without any emotion came from beside the bed, and then the surgical knife that had been hanging in front of Shi Jin's eyes was moved away.

\n\n

Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief, his heart pounding rapidly. He stiffly turned his head and looked towards the person beside the bed.

\n\n

As the son of Shi Xingrui, Li Jiuzheng's appearance was naturally outstanding.

\n\n

Unlike his eldest brother's dignified appearance, third brother's charming looks, and fourth brother's sharp features, fifth brother Li Jiuzheng's appearance was rather cool and aloof. His cheekbones were soft, his eyebrows relaxed, the corners of his eyes slightly drooping, his nose straight, and his lips lightly colored. When he lowered his eyes and remained silent, he gave off the illusion of a melancholic beauty.

\n\n

But illusions were just that, and once Li Jiuzheng lifted his gaze, the person being looked at would quickly realize that he was not to be trifled with. The perpetual sense of detachment and coldness in his eyes was not something a fragile and melancholic person would possess.

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng was anything but melancholic. On the contrary, he had a knack for making others feel that way, such as the current situation with Shi Jin.

\n\n

This is a small ward separated by curtains. Shi Jin is lying on the bed, while Li Jiuzheng is sitting by the bedside in a white coat. Only one lamp is on in the room, casting a dim and bleak light that elongates Li Jiuzheng's shadow and blurs his expression.

\n\n

Shi Jin swallowed hard, suppressing the panic in his heart as he met Li Jiuzheng's seemingly emotionless gaze. He cautiously glances at the surgical knife in Li Jiuzheng's hand and forces a smile, saying, "Fifth, Fifth Brother, did you save me? Thank you."

\n\n

"The voice hasn't changed." Li Jiuzheng spoke up, his voice drifting in the air with a hint of chill. His gaze deepens, and that strange look that had caused countless misunderstandings for the original owner resurfaces. He spoke softly, "Shi Jin, why did you become so thin..."

\n\n

Shi Jin fell silent - why did this sound so familiar? Xiao Si was so scared that he almost froze: "It's gone up again! The progress bar is at 850 now, Jin Jin!"

\n\n

Damn it! Li Jiuzheng really wanted to kill the original owner! His murderous intent was so strong!

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart immediately tensed up. He caught a glimpse of the "luck" character posted on the window of the room and had a sudden inspiration. He quickly spoke up, "I, I just can't adapt to the local environment! I only lost weight after returning to China because of it. It's the Lunar New Year now, so I'll gain weight back if I eat more. Also, Fifth Brother, why are you alone in B city during the New Year? When did you arrive? Didn't you go home to be with your family? They must be worried about you being alone here."

\n\n

"It's at 900 now! His aura seems even more terrifying," Xiao Si trembled with fear.

\n\n

Shi Jin was stuck. He couldn't understand which words had triggered Li Jiuzheng's murderous intent. He dared not speak recklessly and was trying to figure out how to salvage the situation.

\n\n

Suddenly, Li Jiuzheng stood up, put down his surgical knife on the bedside table, picked up a syringe, adjusted the medicine inside, and turned back to grip Shi Jin's arm, injecting the medicine into him.

\n\n

Shi Jin's eyes bulged, wanting to struggle but unable to move his body.

\n\n

"Am, am I going to die?" he guessed in his heart.

\n\n

Even Xiao Si was on the verge of tears, saying, "I can only try to suppress the drug's effects. Hold on, Shi Jin. The progress bar is stuck at 900 and hasn't moved, so this medicine shouldn't be dangerous."

\n\n

"But Li Jiuzheng is very dangerous," Shi Jin was extremely uncomfortable.

\n\n

The medicine felt cool as it entered his body. Suddenly, as the medicine flowed in, Shi Jin was surprised to find himself getting drowsy. He couldn't control the urge to close his eyes.

\n\n

"You're too noisy," a blurry figure approached him. It was Li Jiuzheng. Shi Jin felt a touch on his cheek, followed by a gentle grip on his fragile neck. "I was trying to avoid you, why did you come to me on your own...?"

\n\n

Shi Jin could barely see anything, but he tried to keep his eyes open. He spoke softly, almost inaudibly, "Brother...what did I do wrong?"

\n\n

The hand on his neck paused for a moment, then slowly retreated to cover his eyes.

\n\n

"Don't look at me," Li Jiuzheng's voice lowered slightly, his back slightly bent as if he was burdened by something invisible. "You're not wrong...you just shouldn't have been born."

\n\n

...

\n\n

At the club, Lian Jun received the call records from Shi Jin and frowned deeply when he saw the last record. He immediately called Shi Weichong.

\n\n

Shi Weichong rushed over as quickly as possible and anxiously asked as soon as he entered the door, "What do you mean by saying Xiao Jin is missing? He sent me a New Year's greeting message before. How could he suddenly disappear?"

\n\n

"It's my negligence," Lian Jun said expressionlessly, handing over the call record. "I'll explain it to you later. Right now, I need you to make a phone call."

\n\n

......

\n\n

When he woke up again, Shi Jin found himself in a car with Li Jiuzheng sitting beside him.

\n\n

His voice came intermittently, "Sorry, I turned off my phone before going to bed last night... Hm? Oh, he did call me, but he didn't say anything after the call was connected, so I put my phone aside and continued doing other things. I don't know when he hung up... Yes, I'm still in Rong City... He also sent me a New Year's greeting message, probably dialed the wrong number... Yeah, let's meet up when we have time... He's in trouble?"

\n\n

"It's just a small problem, don't worry."

\n\n

It was Shi Weichong's voice!

\n\n

Shi Jin suddenly woke up and instinctively wanted to shout for help, but Li Jiuzheng quickly covered his mouth. "Okay...if there's any news, let me know. I haven't seen him since dad passed away, so that's it. Bye." Li Jiuzheng hung up the phone and removed his hand from his mouth.

\n\n

Shi Jin asked, "Fifth Brother, what do you want to do? Why don't you tell eldest brother that we're together?"

\n\n

"Let me take you somewhere first." Li Jiuzheng leaned back in his chair, looking a bit tired. He said something inexplicable, "Maybe this is fate."

\n\n

Shi Jin continued to ask, "What fate?"

\n\n

"Stop talking." Li Jiuzheng didn't look at him and closed his eyes. "It's too noisy, I don't want to give you another shot."

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't want to lose consciousness again, so he promptly shut his mouth upon hearing this. He turned his head to survey his surroundings and was surprised to find that it was already daylight. The car he was riding in was speeding down a highway in an unknown location.

\n\n

"Where are we?" he asked Xiao Si in his mind.

\n\n

Xiao Si quickly replied, "We've left B City, now we're heading towards L City. It seems that Li Jiuzheng is planning to take you back to Rong City."

\n\n

Rong City?

\n\n

Shi Jin furrowed his brows and withdrew his gaze from the window, shifting towards the driver's seat.

\n\n

The driver was a middle-aged man with a friendly appearance and average build. At that moment, he happened to be observing Shi Jin through the rearview mirror. When their eyes met, he was momentarily stunned before quickly looking away and focusing on driving.

\n\n

"Um, excuse me, who are you?" Shi Jin attempted to strike up a conversation.

\n\n

The driver raised the partition between the seats, making it clear that he didn't want to talk.

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..." The driver looked friendly, why was his personality so tough.

\n\n

He shut his mouth and turned to look at Li Jiuzheng beside him.

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng leaned against the back of the seat without moving, as if he were asleep. The light from outside the window blurred his profile, creating an illusion of fragility and melancholy.

\n\n

It was obvious that this person didn't want to talk either.

\n\n

Shi Jin looked away and tried to move his legs. He felt a twinge of pain and the wound on his shoulder suddenly became noticeable. Feeling the pain meant that he had regained control of his body.

\n\n

The situation wasn't too bad, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he leaned back in his chair. However, he was worried. Even though he had regained control of his body, in his current injured and half-disabled state, he probably couldn't take on Li Jiuzheng and his driver and find a chance to escape.

\n\n

It seemed like he would have to use his wits.

\n\n

Moreover, from the phone call Li Jiuzheng had just received, it was clear that Shi Weichong had already found out about his disappearance, most likely from Lian Jun.

\n\n

"I messed up..." he sighed heavily in his heart, feeling hopeless as he leaned back in his chair. "Lian Jun is probably furious with me now. Not only did I not follow his orders to stay at the club, but I also called the wrong number for help..."

\n\n

Xiao Si was both anxious and worried. "Jin Jin, Li Jiuzheng's intention to kill you is very real. Rong City is his stronghold, and his private hospital is located there. Once you go in, it will be difficult to come out," it said.

\n\n

"I know," sighed Shi Jin. He turned to look at Li Jiuzheng and said, "I will find a way to send a message out... Let's play it by ear. In the original plot, Li Jiuzheng didn't really make a move even though he stared at the original owner for so long. We still have a chance now. Besides, Li Jiuzheng is not a professional kidnapper. He must have left a lot of clues when he took me away. Lian Jun probably has already found something. Let's try to buy some time. As long as we hold out until Lian Jun arrives, we'll be safe."

\n\n

Xiao Si let out a sigh as it watched the progress bar freeze at 900. It silently prayed that Lian Jun would soon suspect Li Jiuzheng and come to his aid.

\n","published_time":"2023-12-07T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-09T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-07T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":427,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":37,"chapter_title":"Caring Little Cotton Jacket","content":"

In B City, Lian Jun had indeed followed the clues and located Li Jiuzheng. Through a phone call with Shi Weichong, they were able to pinpoint Li Jiuzheng's location.

\n\n

Number Nine stopped typing on the keyboard and said, "The target's phone shows that they are on a highway near the border of L City, moving at a high speed. They turned off their phone after the call, so we can't continue tracking them."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Shi Weichong wiped his face with his hand and any last bit of hope he had disappeared. He slumped onto the couch, feeling defeated.

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng said over the phone that he had been staying in Rong City all this time and had not left. He also mentioned that although he received a call from Shi Jin last night, there was no communication between them, and Shi Jin remained silent throughout the call.

\n\n

However, the subordinates of Lian Jun have located Li Jiuzheng not far from B City in L City, and his direction of movement seems to indicate that he has just left B City and is heading towards L City, which was completely different from what Li Jiuzheng said on the phone.

\n\n

Furthermore, shortly after Lian Jun retrieved the call records from Shi Jin's phone last night, he obtained the recording of the last call that was restored from Shi Jin's phone. The recording showed that Shi Jin spoke after answering the call, not only asking for help but also providing his exact location.

\n\n

The subsequent review of a large pile of surveillance footage revealed that a black car had briefly stopped on the street last night, and the duration of the stop perfectly coincided with the time when the phone call was abruptly ended.

\n\n

Most importantly, one of Li Jian's subordinates found all of Shi Jin's personal belongings in a nearby trash can. After reviewing surveillance footage from the area, they were able to confirm that the person who disposed of the items and the driver of the black car captured on camera were one and the same.

\n\n

All the clues pointed to Li Jiuzheng. Previously, Shi Weichong could still console himself with the words "there's no concrete evidence linking Li Jiuzheng to the black car, so we can't directly suspect that he took Shi Jin away." But now, Li Jiuzheng had hammered himself to death. He could no longer deceive himself - his youngest brother had been taken away by his supposedly honest fifth brother, who deliberately concealed his whereabouts.

\n\n

He couldn't understand why Li Jiuzheng would do such a thing. After all, Li Jiuzheng had never shown any obvious malice towards Shi Jin.

\n\n

"Perhaps Jiuzheng just wanted to help Xiao Jin heal..." He came up with a flimsy excuse for Li Jiuzheng's deceitful behavior, which he himself didn't quite believe.

\n\n

Lian Jun rolled out in his wheelchair and said, "Treating injuries doesn't require hiding people away. Number One, book a flight to Rong City and send someone to track down Li Jiuzheng's whereabouts at various highway intersections."

\n\n

"Yes," Number One nodded and turned to carry out the task.

\n\n

Shi Weichong frowned and said, "Even if it was really Jiuzheng who took Xiao Jin away, he definitely wouldn't actually harm-"

\n\n

"Can you be sure that Li Jiuzheng has no ill intentions towards Shi Jin?" Lian Jun interrupted him, getting straight to the point.

\n\n

Shi Weichong was speechless. He couldn't be sure. Everyone in the Shi family, including himself, had absolutely no goodwill towards Shi Jin before seeing the changes in him up until now.

\n\n

In the past, Shi Jin was really too annoying. The negative emotions accumulated over the long decade couldn't be easily covered up with just a "maybe". Everyone knew why they didn't show any ill will towards Shi Jin before, and he was well aware of it too. Although Li Jiuzheng never showed any emotions on his face, no one could really say what he was thinking deep down.

\n\n

Seeing that he couldn't answer, Lian Jun's lips curled into a cold smile. "You older brothers are all so ridiculous. What did Shi Jin ever do to you?" With that, he slid away in his wheelchair without even looking back.

\n\n

Number Two and the rest quickly followed.

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, the study was empty except for Shi Weichong. He held his phone, thinking about the words left by Lian Jun. He scrolled through the New Year's greetings sent by Shi Jin last night, his fingers tightening with each swipe. Finally, he stood up and strode out of the study.

\n\n

......

\n\n

Shi Jin was injured and it got worse in the car without proper rest. He tried to stay conscious, but couldn't help drifting off again. After a while, he began to run a high fever. It was difficult enough to maintain consciousness, let alone find a chance to escape or send a message.

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng quickly noticed that something was wrong with him. He glanced over and moved his fingers, but ultimately chose not to intervene.

\n\n

Several hours passed without notice, and finally, in the dimmest afternoon sunlight, the car came to a stop. Li Jiuzheng had reached his destination.

\n\n

Shi Jin was forcibly awakened and stumbled out of the car, his hands and feet weak. With Xiao Si's reminder, he looked ahead and was scared almost to death - Li Jiuzheng had actually brought him to a cemetery. What was he planning to do, kill and bury him?

\n\n

"On the first day of the lunar new year, it's a good day for worship," Li Jiuzheng said in a flat tone, gesturing for the driver to wait outside the cemetery. He pulled Shi Jin and walked towards the cemetery.

\n\n

"Fifth Brother, why did you bring me here..." Shi Jin was dragged forward, his throat sore and his eyes blurry. He walked very unsteadily, and if it weren't for Li Jiuzheng pulling him, he would have probably fallen to the ground by now. Li Jiuzheng heard his almost inaudible voice, turned his head to look at him, stopped and took out a few pills, feeding them to him, saying, "Swallow them, you can't pass out now."

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't resist, obediently opened his mouth and swallowed the pills, taking a deep breath to barely regain his composure. He asked again, "Fifth Brother, where are we?"

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng continued to pull him forward and replied, "The place where my mother is buried."

\n\n

"What? Where your mother's buried... cough cough cough." Shi Jin spoke too quickly and accidentally choked on the pill stuck in his throat, immediately bending over and coughing uncontrollably.

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng was forced to stop and turned to look at him, his hand on Shi Jin's arm tightening slowly, his expression becoming somewhat frightening.

\n\n

"Jin Jin, the progress bar has gone up again, it's at 910 now." Xiao Si was extremely anxious, feeling that something was off with Li Jiuzheng's condition.

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin quickly suppressed his cough and gestured to Li Jiuzheng to continue moving forward, indicating that he didn't need to worry about him.

\n\n

It must be said that Shi Jin's current appearance was truly pitiful. His complexion was terrible, his lips lacked color, his cheeks were a sickly crimson due to high fever, his hair was limp and flat, and the hospital gown he had thrown on last night didn't fit him properly, hanging loosely on his body. His coat was a mess, with blood stains on it, and his wrists, exposed outside of his clothes, were covered in blood vessel marks from the cold. Just looking at him made one feel cold.

\n\n

As Li Jiuzheng looked at his current appearance, his eyes were momentarily dazed. After coming back to his senses, his expression suddenly became solemn and he stopped speaking. He strode towards a corner of the cemetery without saying a word.

\n\n

Shi Jin followed behind, stumbling along, but dared not speak to Li Jiuzheng. Instead, he communicated cautiously in his heart, "Li Jiuzheng's mother died? Why wasn't this mentioned in the original plot!"

\n\n

Even Xiao Si was surprised by this news and hesitated before replying, "Probably because the original plot was written from the perspective of the original original owner, who didn't know about this, so it wasn't mentioned in the plot."

\n\n

Shi Jin felt bitter in his mouth and said in agony, "It's so frustrating that they didn't mention such important information. No wonder my progress bar surged after I asked Li Jiuzheng why he wasn't home with his family during the Lunar New Year. It turns out his most important family member has passed away. My question really hit a nerve."

\n\n

Xiao Si was very worried. Instead of the plot, it was more concerned about Shi Jin's health. It said, "Jin Jin, you need to get treatment and rest well. You can't keep dragging on like this."

\n\n

"I know, but right now we don't have the conditions for treatment and rest..." Shi Jin glanced at Li Jiuzheng, who was striding ahead of him, and tried to gather his thoughts. "And Li Jiuzheng's attitude is really strange. I feel like we could learn something from him... Let's see how things go. I can hold on a little longer."

\n\n

Xiao Si didn't have any other options, so it just gave Shi Jin a bunch of buffs, hoping he would feel better and hold on a little longer. It silently prayed for Lian Jun to come soon.

\n\n

The two of them walked for a while, with one pulling and the other following, until they finally arrived at Li Jiuzheng's mother's grave. Li Jiuzheng pressed Shi Jin towards the new tombstone and reached out to touch the photo on it. "Take a good look at her," he said.

\n\n

As he was pushed, Shi Jin narrowly avoided hitting the tombstone. He managed to steady himself by placing his hand on the ground, but his knee scraped against the rough surface, causing a sharp pain that he knew had broken the skin.

\n\n

He gritted his teeth and shifted his position, opting to sit in front of the tombstone instead of kneeling. He looked up at the photo pointed out by Li Jiuzheng and froze. Li Jiuzheng's mother looked nothing like him, but instead shared some resemblance with Shi Jin's facial features.

\n\n

Well, not entirely dissimilar. Upon closer inspection, Li Jiuzheng's mother did share some similarities with him, such as the shape of her face and lips. But it was those eyes and eyebrows...

\n\n

"We don't look alike, right?" Li Jiuzheng bent down, one hand on Shi Jin's shoulder and the other touching the photo on the tombstone. They looked at the beautiful and gentle woman in the photo together, and Li Jiuzheng whispered, "I am her child, but I don't look anything like her. Instead, it's you... She always dreamed of having a child who looked like her. Why don't I give you to her, isn't that good?"

\n\n

...Good my ass!!!

\n\n

Shi Jin was shocked by this statement, his mind in chaos - so Li Jiuzheng's deep hatred for the original owner actually came from such a ridiculous reason. Who would have thought that Li Jiuzheng's mother would look so much like the original owner!

\n\n

But didn't the original owner's face look so much like their mother's, but now he also resembles Li Jiuzheng's mother? Xu Chuan and Rong Zhouzhong both said that the original owner looked like their mother... Wait a minute! The original owner and their mother look alike, and now the eyebrows and eyes of Li Jiuzheng's mother are somewhat similar to the original owner's. Does this indirectly suggest that Li Jiuzheng's mother and the original owner's mother also look very similar...

\n\n

There was a faintly important piece of information about to jump out of his mind, and Shi Jin was still deep in thought when suddenly his neck hurt. He looked down and saw that Li Jiuzheng had taken out a surgical knife and held it to his neck, lightly cutting a small wound. All thoughts immediately vanished from his mind.

\n\n

- This time, I'm really going to die!

\n\n

Xiao Si panicked and screamed, "Jin Jin! The progress bar is at 990! Do something quickly!"

\n\n

Shi Jin was on the verge of collapse. What could he do in this situation where even ghosts couldn't make sense of it? He might as well just end it all and commit suicide with a knife. Li Jiuzheng was a madman. How could such a dangerous person be a doctor who saves lives?

\n\n

Wait, a doctor?

\n\n

Suddenly, a light bulb went off in Shi Jin's mind. With a desperate idea in mind, he reached out and grabbed Li Jiuzheng's hand that was holding the surgical knife. He earnestly said, "Brother, don't use this. And don't do it here. A surgical knife is meant to save lives. Don't stain your hands because of me."

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng's hand stiffened, and his tone suddenly became even colder. He said, "Do you think saying that will make me spare you?"

\n\n

"I just hope you can let yourself off!" Shi Jin quickly replied, trying to relax his body and lean against him. He glanced at the death date of Li Jiuzheng's mother on the tombstone and had an idea. He spoke softly, "Brother, over the years, you've had countless opportunities to kill me, but you never did. You don't want to kill me, do you?"

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng didn't speak, nor did he push him away. His eyes were fixed on the tombstone, his emotions deep and indiscernible.

\n\n

The wound was causing him discomfort, and Shi Jin furrowed his brows, but he tried to keep his voice steady. Slowly, he turned to the side and tentatively reached out to embrace Li Jiuzheng's waist, allowing Xiao Si to give him a bunch of buffs.

\n\n

His voice grew even lower as he spoke, "Brother, I know you're just feeling upset because you lost your mother recently, so you acted impulsively... You could have spent this year's New Year with her, but suddenly lost the chance forever before the holiday."

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng's hand on Shi Jin's shoulder suddenly tightened, and his body tensed up.

\n\n

Shi Jin rushed into his brother's arms, hugging him tightly and pushing away the surgical knife in his hand. He comforted him by running his hand down his back and said, "Brother, we are the same. I am also alone this year. And for so many years, I don't even know what my mother looks like or where she is buried. I don't have any memories of her. Brother, I only have all of you left..."

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng remained silent, gripping the surgical knife tightly and then slowly relaxing his grip, his lips pursed tightly.

\n\n

"Brother, let me accompany you. We can still celebrate the New Year together like we used to. Everything will be okay. It'll be alright," Shi Jin continued to comfort him, adding all kinds of buff effects to lift his spirits.

\n\n

"...Who do you think you are." After a long silence, Li Jiuzheng finally spoke. His voice was low and mocking, and his hand holding the surgical knife slowly dropped down. His body relaxed and he sat directly on the ground, as if he had lost all strength.

\n\n

Xiao Si excitedly reminded him, "It's decreasing, it's decreasing! The progress bar is down to 950!"

\n\n

Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing that his plan to seek sympathy was working, he quickly leaned into Li Jiuzheng's arms and rubbed his shoulder to comfort him. He continued, "Brother, if you're really uncomfortable, just cry it out. I'll be here with you."

\n\n

Scientific research has shown that hugs and emotional release can quickly soothe the emotions of those who have been hurt. Shi Jin only hoped that after Li Jiuzheng vented his anger, it would reduce his desire to kill him a little bit.

\n\n

However, Li Jiuzheng did not cooperate with him. Although he did not push away his embrace, his emotions gradually calmed down, and the initial alienation and indifference returned to his eyes. He said, "Only losers cry. I'm not a loser."

\n\n

"..." Shi Jin suddenly regretted not watching more emotional talk shows before, to learn from the hosts' tear-jerking techniques.

\n\n

The progress bar was still at a dangerous point. Li Jiuzheng's murderous intent had not completely dissipated. Shi Jin weighed the situation and said in a considerate and gentle manner, "Let me cry for you. I'm not good at anything anyway. When my mother passed away, I was too young, I don't even know whether I cried or not. Now we're like brothers in this difficult situation. If you can't cry, then I will. It's okay, little brother will always be big brother's caring little cotton jacket."

\n\n

After speaking, he had Xiao Si add some buffs for himself, and then he started crying with a sniffle. His tears flowed freely as if they were free, and in no time, he soaked Li Jiuzheng's shoulder.

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng: "......"

\n\n

"Wuwuwuwu, a child without a mother is like a weed. We're all weeds..." Shi Jin cried and even started singing, wiping his snot all over Li Jiuzheng's clothes.

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng, who had a bit of OCD, stiffened and pushed him away with a look of disgust.

\n\n

Shi Jin was crying so hard, how could he let him push him away? He reached out and grabbed his neck, holding him even tighter as he cried and cursed in his heart at Xiao Si, "What kind of buff did you add? I feel so uncomfortable, I want to cry on the Great Wall to vent my emotions."

\n\n

Xiao Si weakly spoke up, "I-I added the buff of Meng Jiangnu crying on the Great Wall*..."

\n\n

*T/N: An ancient story of a woman who cried bitterly on the Great Wall of China over the death of her husband.

\n\n

Shi Jin: "...Waaahhh..."

\n\n

The north wind howled as the sun slowly set behind the mountains.

\n\n

The two brothers sat in front of the tombstone, one with hands hanging limply, expressionless as he gazed at the tombstone, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, his eyes filled with suppressed emotions. The other was crying as if the world was ending, as if he wouldn't stop until he cried the heavens down.

\n\n

As sporadic visitors came to pay their respects at the grave, they couldn't help but imagine a dramatic scene of separation and reunion, sighing and shaking their heads before leaving.

\n\n

After more than an hour, Shi Jin's cries finally weakened. Dehydration, high fever, and hunger had taken their toll, and his consciousness was fading. He curled up in Li Jiuzheng's arms, shivering from the cold.

\n\n

"When she first met Shi Xingrui, she was just a naive girl under twenty," Li Jiuzheng suddenly spoke, his voice soft but devoid of emotion. Shi Jin's drowsy consciousness was pulled back, and he nuzzled his head against his chest, indicating that he was listening.

\n\n

"She was the last woman that Shi Xingrui had pursued before your mother appeared. Although Shi Xingrui abandoned her immediately after my birth, she still held onto the fantasy - you see, your father still cares about you, he hasn't found another woman, maybe he will come back someday... It was these ridiculous thoughts that made her perfect those ridiculous fantasies and gradually become addicted to them."

\n\n

Shi Jin woke up, feeling a bit stunned.

\n\n

"But fantasies are just fantasies. Your mother appeared and shattered her fantasy...and then she brewed up another dream. You see, that woman looks a lot like me. Your father just wanted a young body, but it doesn't matter. When she has a child like me and her body changes, your father will realize who the best one is...but your mother is special, and so are you."

\n\n

Shi Jinqiang propped himself up and looked up at Li Jiuzheng's expression.

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng looked down at him with a blank expression and reached up to touch his face. "And then after that she went crazy, truly crazy. At first, she would dream and wake up, not believing that she had been abandoned, ignoring the existence of your mother, and stubbornly believing that you were also her child.

\n\n

"She blamed me for Shi Xingrui not coming to see her, saying that he hated me because I didn't look like her or Shi Xingrui, and that's why he abandoned her. Eventually, she even suspected that I was switched at birth. Can you believe it? I was right in front of her, but she thought that you, whom she had never seen before, were her child."

\n\n

"Brother..." Shi Jin felt uneasy listening to this and wanted to comfort him, but didn't know what to say.

\n\n

"Genes are really strange things. Back then, there were many things I couldn't understand, so I studied medicine," said Li Jiuzheng. He blocked half of Shi Jin's face and only looked at his eyebrows and eyes. His gaze gradually became trance-like.

\n\n

"Later, I understood a lot, I knew why I didn't look like my parents, and I knew that her dreams were actually a physical problem. I tried my best to treat her, carefully maintaining her mental state... And then Shi Xingrui died, he finally died, and I thought she could finally wake up from her dreams..."

\n\n

"Brother, please don't say anymore," Shi Jin raised his hand to stop him from continuing.

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng let go of his hand and his expression disappeared completely. "But she died, the dream ended, and she didn't even have the will to live anymore. No matter how much I tried to persuade her, she still died, right in front of me. She even blamed me before she died, asking why I didn't look like her."

\n\n

Shi Jin hurriedly grabbed his hand again and said, "It's not your fault. She was just sick. Brother, it's all Shi Xingrui's fault. Your mother was just sick, don't blame yourself."

\n\n

"I almost made the same mistake as her, dreaming that it would have been better if you were never born, or if you were really her child...but what does that have to do with you? You're just a child who lost their mother..." Li Jiuzheng slowly withdrew his hand, building a thick wall in his eyes to hide all his emotions and prevent others from entering. "Shi Jin, you can go now."

\n\n

Xiao Si exclaimed, "It's dropping! Jin Jin, your progress bar has dropped to 500! It's unbelievable!"

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback, then frowned deeply and looked at Li Jiuzheng. "Fifth Brother, I'm not leaving. Don't overthink things, life will get better."

\n\n

"You can go now," said Li Jiuzheng without looking at him. He picked up the surgical knife from the ground and suddenly looked towards a nearby path. "That person is here to pick you up, right? He came straight towards us when he saw you... Go, I don't want to see you anymore."

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback and followed Li Jiuzheng's gaze to see a familiar figure in a wheelchair approaching from the end of the path. His eyes lit up and he instinctively stood up to greet him, but then quickly stopped himself.

\n\n

He bent down to snatch the surgical knife from Li Jiuzheng's hand, pulled him up from the ground and said, "We've paid our respects to our ancestors on New Year's Day. Now let's go back and continue celebrating."

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng frowned and stood up, reaching for the surgical knife in Shi Jin's hand. "Give me back the knife," he said.

\n\n

"No, it's mine now." Shi Jin decisively put the surgical knife into his pocket, grabbed Li Jiuzheng's hand, and pulled him towards Lian Jun while saying, "I already said I'll accompany you. Both of us lost our parents, it's nice to spend the New Year together. Let's go home, I'll make dumplings for you to eat."

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng stood still: "We don't eat dumplings during the New Year in Rong City."

\n","published_time":"2023-12-14T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-16T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-14T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":434,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":38,"chapter_title":"I'm Sorry","content":"

"What do you want to eat, spring rolls or dumplings? Oh, it's okay, I can make both," Shi Jin pulled with all his might, using every bit of strength he had, but his weak body couldn't budge. In the end, he gave up and turned to shout at Lian Jun who was approaching, "Young Master Jun, I want to bring my fifth brother back to celebrate the New Year together, but I can't move him. Can you help me tie him up and take him back?"

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Li Jiuzheng's eyebrows furrowed even tighter as he pulled his hand away.

\n\n

As soon as Lian Jun heard Shi Jin's words, his face turned black. Without even looking at Li Jiuzheng, he scanned Shi Jin's sorry figure up and down. He gestured for Number One, who was pushing the wheelchair behind him, to stop and took the blanket off his knee.

\n\n

Stretching out his legs, he surprisingly stood up and took a few slow steps, stopping when he could reach Shi Jin. He reached out and grabbed Shi Jin's arm, pulling him into a tight embrace.

\n\n

Shi Jin: "!!!"

\n\n

"I'll clean you up when we're back," Lian Jun said with a stern face. He pressed Shi Jin's head against his shoulder and wrapped him tightly in the blanket, holding him firmly. He gave Li Jiuzheng a cold glance before turning around and walking towards the wheelchair with Shi Jin.

\n\n

Without warning, Number Two and the rest emerged from their hiding spots and rushed towards Li Jiuzheng, who was standing still. They quickly subdued him.

\n\n

As Shi Jin followed Lian Jun's lead, and caught a whiff of the faint scent emanating from him, he was left dumbfounded.

\n\n

"Lian Jun is walking! He's really walking!" he exclaimed in his mind.

\n\n

Meanwhile, Xiao Si was on the verge of going insane, saying: "My baby is taller than you! Can you believe it? This is amazing!"

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

He tightened his grip on Lian Jun's clothes and gritted his teeth. "What did you just say, Xiao Si?" he demanded.

\n\n

Xiao Si froze, pretending to be dead. Seeing that Shi Jin was safe, it withdrew all the buffs it had placed on him to shield him from pain and enhance his physical abilities, allowing his body to rest.

\n\n

In the next moment, just as Shi Jin was energetically questioning Xiao Si, he suddenly went limp and collapsed into Lian Jun's arms without a word.

\n\n

Lian Jun stumbled under the sudden weight of his body, quickly steadying himself and lowering his head to find that Shi Jin had fainted. His thin lips tightened as he held onto Shi Jin's hand tightly, carefully placing him in a wheelchair.

\n\n

Number One quickly reached out to help, settling Shi Jin in the wheelchair. Seeing Lian Jun's pale face and the fine sweat on his forehead from the pain, Number One worriedly called out, "Young Master Jun, you..."

\n\n

"It's okay, go get another wheelchair," interrupted Lian Jun, his tone still calm but his body slightly bent as he struggled to stand with his hands on the wheelchair armrests. He reached out and touched Shi Jin's face before turning to look at Li Jiuzheng, who was being controlled by Number Two. "Take him back and inform Shi Weichong that both of his brothers have been found. Tell him to come to the military hospital in Rong City to find me."

\n\n

Number Two nodded and pulled out a gun, pointing it at Li Jiuzheng's back. "Let's go, Mr. Li."

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng glanced at him sideways, his gaze sweeping over the unconscious Shi Jin in the wheelchair and the obviously unwell Lian Jun. He suppressed his emotions and obediently followed Number Two's direction.

\n\n

......

\n\n

When Shi Jin woke up again, he was greeted by the smell of disinfectant. He opened his eyes and saw four people standing by his bed. He immediately felt hopeless and turned his head, hoping to pass out again.

\n\n

"You're awake?" came the voice of Lian Jun, soft and cold.

\n\n

It's coming, it's coming, his punishment was here.

\n\n

Shi Jin sighed and resignedly turned his head to face Lian Jun, who was closest to him. He forced a smile and flattered him, "Young Master Jun, you look so handsome when you walk. Your broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs are perfectly proportioned. You just need to gain some weight, you're too bony when hugged, you need to eat more... "

\n\n

Lian Jun's expression remained unchanged as he reached out and pinched Shi Jin's mouth to silence him. He sneered, "You talk too much. It seems like you're already feeling better."

\n\n

Shi Jin felt a chill down his back as he was sneered at. He closed his eyes and coughed, pretending to be in a bad state with exaggerated acting.

\n\n

Uncle Long, who was standing by, couldn't bear to watch anymore. He pushed away Lian Jun's hand, checked on Shi Jin's condition, and gave him some water. "Don't make a fuss anymore, be careful not to reopen your wound," he said.

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately calmed down and obediently drank some water. His dry, itchy, and painful throat felt much better. He looked towards the other two people standing further away in the room and called out, "Big Brother, Fifth Brother..."

\n\n

"Rest well and don't talk for now," Shi Weichong comforted him, then patted the silent Li Jiuzheng next to him.

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng looked at Shi Jin and said stiffly, "Sorry."

\n\n

Shi Weichong looked at him dissatisfied.

\n\n

Li Jiuzheng turned his head away, looking like he didn't want to talk anymore.

\n\n

Shi Weichong frowned, wanting to say something but holding back. He gave Shi Jin a look that said "I'll give you an explanation later" and pulled Li Jiuzheng out of the hospital room.

\n\n

Shi Jin widened his eyes to watch the commotion.

\n\n

Unable to bear it any longer, Lian Jun reached out and pinched Shi Jin's cheek, pulling him towards himself.

\n\n

Shi Jin was forced to turn his gaze back to Lian Jun, who had a displeased expression. He immediately forgot about watching the excitement and nervously explained, "It's not that I wanted to disobey orders, I was just worried about you. That day, I only planned to go to the neighborhood to see the situation. I didn't intend to get involved in your operation.

\n\n

"But when I got there, I saw you were in danger. My brain went blank and I acted without thinking. I didn't expect the sniper to target me. After I was injured, I immediately called for help, but unfortunately, I was in so much pain that I dialed the wrong number..."

\n\n

Lian Jun withdrew his hand and remained silent with a black face.

\n\n

"I'm sorry, I'll go and receive the punishment myself." Shi Jin lowered his head and hung his eyes, looking pale and weak. He appeared pitiful beyond words.

\n\n

Lian Jun wanted to scold him, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He frowned at him for a long time before finally blurting out, "You always apologize quickly, but you still make the same mistakes. Do you want me to lock you up?"

\n\n

Shi Jin awkwardly retorted, "It's not every time..."

\n\n

"Do you want it to be every time?" Lian Jun asked in response.

\n\n

His big thigh was angry and seemed to have lost his mind.

\n\n

Sensing the tension, Shi Jin wisely kept quiet and reached out from under the covers to try and flatter Lian Jun in a roundabout way.

\n\n

Lian Jun's hand rested on the armrest of his wheelchair, not far from the edge of the bed. Shi Jin struggled to reach it, but he was too weak from hunger.

\n\n

Lian Jun sat still and watched him struggle. Finally, when he saw that Shi Jin's hand was about to give out, he reached out and grabbed it with great force, saying, "There won't be a next time."

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded quickly, looking obedient on the surface, but his hand held by Lian Jun was restless, still fidgeting. Eventually, he managed to wriggle his body away and stretched out his arm, placing Lian Jun's hand on his leg and gently pinching it. He asked with concern, "Does your leg hurt?"

\n\n

Lian Jun stiffened at the pinch, his previously relaxed expression turning dark again. He picked up Shi Jin's hand and stuffed it back under the covers, saying, "Just rest for now. You need to observe your condition before you can eat anything. Endure it for a little longer."

\n\n

Why did it suddenly turn cloudy again?

\n\n

Shi Jin felt uneasy and called out, "Young Master Jun, I..."

\n\n

Lian Jun once again reached out and covered his mouth, looking at him expressionlessly. He said, "Shi Jin, if you can't give a response, don't release your concern recklessly. That's not fair."

\n\n

After speaking, he withdrew his hand and signaled for Uncle Long to come forward and guard Shi Jin. Then he turned and slid his wheelchair away.

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't understand what he meant and looked up at Uncle Long, seeking an explanation.

\n\n

Uncle Long patted him on the head and said, "Don't ask, shut up, and go to sleep."

\n\n

"But..."

\n\n

Uncle Long put on a pair of headphones, took out his phone, and started listening to music.

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

He thought, "Xiao Si, I feel like Uncle Long and Young Master Jun have a secret, but they don't plan on telling me." He turned to Xiao Si to complain.

\n\n

Xiao Si played a lullaby in his mind.

\n\n

Shi Jin choked up and was so angry that he fell asleep.

\n\n

When he woke up, he found that the person sitting next to his bed had changed from Uncle Long to Shi Weichong.

\n\n

Seeing that he was awake, Shi Weichong came forward and helped him adjust the bed a little, then poured a glass of water with a straw and handed it to him, saying gently, "Drink some water first."

\n\n

Shi Jin tilted his head and took a sip of water, looking around the room. "Where are the others?" he asked.

\n\n

"They went to do other things," Shi Weichong replied. He then lifted the bed table and took out a bowl of vegetable porridge and a few side dishes from the thermos on the bedside table. As he set the tableware for Shi Jin, he said, "Have some food first to fill your stomach. If you need to use the bathroom, let me know and I'll help you there."

\n\n

Shi Jin only had a shoulder injury, and his lack of energy earlier was due to a fever. Now that the high fever had subsided and he had slept well, he was feeling much better. He smiled and said, "I don't need you to help me. It's not like I have a life-threatening injury."

\n\n

Shi Weichong didn't say anything, his face tense. After setting everything up for Shi Jin, he sat down on the bed and said, "Let's eat first, and then we'll talk."

\n\n

When Shi Jin saw his expression, he sighed inwardly, knowing that he couldn't avoid this scolding. He obediently picked up his spoon.

\n\n

After eating and drinking his fill, Shi Jin's complexion improved slightly. Shi Weichong noticed and his expression also improved.

\n\n

Shi Weichong got up to help Shi Jin tidy up the table. After settling him down, he sat back down and prepared to speak. "Xiao Jin, Lian Jun has already told me everything about your injury. You were too reckless."

\n\n

Shi Jin obediently apologized, "I'm sorry, brother. I made you worry."

\n\n

"No, you haven't done anything wrong to me," Shi Weichong tucked in his blanket and fell silent for a while before continuing, "I've talked to Jiuzheng about it, and he promised not to cause trouble for you anymore. It's my fault for neglecting him lately. I didn't even know when his mother passed away and let him get stuck in his own thoughts. And you...I'm not a good brother, Xiao Jin. I should be the one apologizing to you. I'm sorry."

\n\n

Shi Jin frowned and called out, "Big brother."

\n\n

"I don't deserve to be your big brother," Shi Weichong lowered his eyes, his face showing exhaustion. "There are some things you probably don't know...Although Shi Xingrui abandoned our mother and my younger brother, he gave them a large sum of money as compensation for raising us."

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned and sat up straight unconsciously.

\n\n

"It's not just about money. All of our mothers have received some form of assistance from Shi Xingrui's resources. He invested in us like a business, and was never stingy with his money...but that changed after you were born. When we noticed that Shi Xingrui was favoring you and directing all of his resources towards you, our mothers secretly gathered and made a pact. Since then, we have learned to 'love' you as our little brother, under the guidance of our respective mothers.

\n\n

"Shi Xingrui also began allocating resources to us based on our level of closeness to you...it's a trade, an unspoken agreement among us all. It's a deal that only second brother and I know about, while our third, fourth, and fifth brothers remain unaware." Shi Jin was stunned, completely unaware of the hidden secrets within.

\n\n

Shi Weichong looked into his eyes, as if seeing a despicable and hypocritical version of himself, his tone somewhat strained. "In the first few years, we were all still young. We did whatever our mother told us to do. But as we grew older, we each had our own thoughts and pursuits, and wanted to change the situation. However, I stopped them."

\n\n

Shi Jin asked, "Why?"

\n\n

"Because I needed to be close to Shi Xingrui. I wanted to get revenge on him... There were too many of my own selfish interests involved, and everyone was tied to the ship of revenge against Shi Xingrui. You were used as a tool to get close to him, and the play of brotherly love and respect continued."

\n\n

As Shi Weichong spoke, his expression gradually became gloomy, with a hint of self-mockery. He said, "Everyone could have been liberated long ago. Shi Xingrui had become less ambitious as he got older. Except for you, he doesn't even care about business. Everyone had grown up and could stand on their own. They didn't need to fear or rely on Shi Xingrui's power anymore. They had the capital to break free from his shadow.

\n\n

"But I forced them to continue to be trapped in this game, leading them into a dead end. Jiuzheng's behavior this time got out of control, and I have to take half of the responsibility. Now I am extremely grateful that Shi Xingrui died before I could take action. Otherwise, I might have dragged everyone into a deeper nightmare."

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart skipped a beat as he listened and asked, "What would you have done if Shi Xingrui hadn't died?"

\n\n

Shi Weichong looked up at him and replied, word by word, "Take away everything he had, trample him into the dust, and then destroy the thing he treasures most, so that he will live the rest of his life in agony."

\n\n

The thing he treasured most... wasn't that the original owner?

\n\n

Shi Jin sat back on the bed, staring at Shi Weichong. Never before had he realized so clearly that the person sitting in front of him was a murderer, even if it was only a possibility, a potential threat.

\n\n

This person, whom the original owner relied on as an older brother, never actually treated the original owner as a younger brother. Shi Jin's previous speculation that Shi Weichong simply didn't like the original owner was now completely wishful thinking.

\n\n

"Shi Xingrui really treated you badly and even abandoned your mother. I understand if you want to seek revenge, but what did I do wrong?" He asked, no longer acting but genuinely feeling sorry and unjust for the original owner.

\n\n

The original owner was just born and appeared in this world passively. In his short life, the worst thing he did was to contact his father's old subordinates and try to hinder Shi Weichong.

\n\n

He died before he even turned twenty. For the first seventeen years of his life, he lived under his father's strict protection and never did anything wrong. The year he became an adult, he lost his father, his looks, and his freedom. He cruelly discovered that his previous life was just a fabricated illusion. After becoming an adult, he even lost his life.

\n\n

Even if he had some bad habits, such as being arrogant because of his being favoured or not being considerate of his older brothers, did he really deserve to pay with his life for these mistakes? He may not be outstanding, but he wasn't a bad younger brother.

\n\n

Faced with his questioning, Shi Weichong fell silent again, then reached out and touched his face, saying, "You didn't do anything wrong, it's my fault, I don't deserve to be your big brother."

\n\n

Shi Jin turned his head away from his hand - what Shi Weichong said was too utilitarian and subversive of his understanding. From the perspective of the original owner, he couldn't accept Shi Weichong's concern at this moment.

\n\n

Shi Weichong's expression darkened. He slowly clenched his fist and withdrew it, standing up and saying, "You rest... I will talk to Old Fifth and the others and make sure they won't disturb you again. If you don't want to recognize me as your brother anymore, I will respect your wishes... Xiao Jin, I'm sorry."

\n\n

After speaking, he paused for two seconds in place, seeing that Shi Jin didn't respond, he bent down to pick up the coat draped over the chair, turned around and left.

\n\n

After he left, Shi Jin looked towards the door of the hospital room with a complex mood, and stayed there for a while before coming back to his senses. He let out a sigh and slumped onto the chair, pulling the blanket over his face.

\n\n

Xiao Si was a little worried and called out, "Jin Jin..."

\n\n

"I'm fine," said Shi Jin, his voice muffled. "To be honest, I'm just a confused outsider who stumbled into the affairs of the Shi family. I have no right to judge anything... Xiao Si, I think I've been overthinking things. Am I too obsessed with the progress bar?"

\n\n

"No," Xiao Si replied. Seeing him so down, it couldn't help but blame itself and said, "I'm sorry, Jin Jin. I'm the one who brought you into this world."

\n\n

Shi Jin shook his head and didn't say anything. He closed his eyes and recalled everything he had experienced since his rebirth, letting out a heavy sigh.

\n\n

Not long after, Number Two pushed open the door and took over Shi Weichong's watch over Shi Jin.

\n\n

After chatting with him for a while, Shi Jin learned that he was currently staying in a military hospital in Rong City. The reason why Lian Jun and the others hadn't come to see him yet was because Lian Jun had also fallen ill, and the others were helping out over there.

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin furrowed his brows and immediately got up from the bed, anxiously asking, "How is he? I want to go see him."

\n\n

"What's the point of going to see him? Young Master Jun is already asleep. He just caught a cold and didn't get enough rest. He just needs some IV fluids and a good night's sleep," Number Two pushed him back onto the bed and gave him a pat on the head.

\n\n

He sighed and said, "You, just be honest when you're injured. You're still looking for trouble even at this age. Get better soon, or Young Master Jun will worry endlessly about you."

\n\n

With a furrowed brow, Shi Jin lay back and deeply recognized his mistake. His face fell as he said, "I won't act impulsively like that again. I'm sorry."

\n\n

Seeing him like this, Number Two couldn't bear to say anything more and comforted him, "It's okay, don't think too much about it. Actually, it's thanks to you that day, otherwise there would have been casualties on our side. Although Number One intentionally parked the car to avoid most of the sniper's attack angles, there were still other people on the street. If the enemy opened fire, it would have been impossible to avoid accidental injuries."

\n\n

"You don't have to comfort me." Shi Jin sighed and stared at the bleak ceiling for a while before suddenly asking, "Number Two, am I too impulsive?"

\n\n

Number Two covered his face with a blanket and said, "I've already told you not to think too much. You're doing fine... Rest up and get better soon, once we're on the island let's go crabbing."

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't muster up any emotions and just nudged him through the blanket before closing his eyes.

\n\n

After that day, Shi Jin never saw Shi Weichong again.

\n\n

According to Number One, Shi Weichong was still in the hospital and would visit the doctor every day to check on his condition. Even Li Jiuzheng was there, but both of them never came to the ward again.

\n\n

Shi Jin thought about the twists and turns in the plot and glanced at the progress bar that had dropped to 500. He didn't actively seek them out.

\n\n

The next day, when Lian Jun's health had improved a bit, he came to the hospital room to keep Shi Jin company. Although his complexion looked fine, the bit of flesh he had gained during this time had completely disappeared, which broke Shi Jin's heart.

\n\n

Worried that Lian Jun would stay in the hospital for too long and be affected by the illness, Shi Jin actively cooperated with the treatment. After a week, he was bouncing around again and clamoring to be discharged.

\n\n

But Lian Jun insisted on staying in the hospital for a full seven days to make sure everything was okay before finally being discharged. On the way back, he was afraid that Shi Jin's wounds couldn't handle the stress of flying, so he gave up the convenience of a plane and rented a motorhome to drive back to B City.

\n\n

On the day of departure, Shi Jin bought a bunch of dumplings and spring rolls and had them sent to Li Jiuzheng's private hospital, fulfilling his promise from before.

\n\n

In the afternoon, everyone boarded the RV outside the hospital. Shi Jin was bored and absentmindedly looked out the window. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shi Weichong and Li Jiuzheng standing side by side in front of a fruit shop across the street, both looking over at them.

\n\n

He hesitated for a moment, but then raised his hand to wave goodbye and mouthed the words 'see you again' before closing the curtains of the RV.

\n\n

Actually, he should have realized it long ago. He wasn't the original owner, so why bother getting involved in these fake brotherhoods? He struggled in this world just to survive and clear the progress bar.

\n\n

Now that he's pretty sure that the five brothers were not the ones who had ill intentions towards the original owner, and therefore towards them, he doesn't need to care too much about the authenticity of certain emotions. Those bits and pieces of survival factors that he fought for are gone, but he still has a ready-made golden thigh by his side.

\n\n

With that in mind, he shifted his gaze to Lian Jun, who was reading across from him. He reached out and pressed down on his book page, took out his tablet, and said, "Young Master Jun, let's play a game. If I win, will you help me check something?"

\n\n

As Lian Jun watched his hand come down, his gaze swept over the needle marks on the back of it. He put down the documents and looked up at him, asking, "What if you lose?"

\n\n

Shi Jin smiled, his eyes and eyebrows curved, with a hint of lewdness. "Then I'll give you a massage every day. Let me tell you, my massage skills are at the master level. Ordinary people can't enjoy it!"

\n\n

The real master Xiao Si: "Hmph."

\n\n

Lian Jun looked at him for a few seconds, and actually put down the book, saying, "Okay."

\n\n

Shi Jin was overjoyed and eagerly brought out a tablet, opened the mahjong app, and handed it to him.

\n","published_time":"2023-12-21T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-23T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-21T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":441,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":39,"chapter_title":"Egg Cake","content":"

Shi Jin deeply regretted the bet he made with Lian Jun.

\n\n

"I shouldn't have done it. How could I lose? I counted all the cards," he lamented with a bitter expression on his face.

\n\n

Xiao Si tried to console him, "Even masters make mistakes sometimes. It's normal."

\n\n

"But I lost. Now I have no reason to ask Young Master Jun to investigate the backgrounds of the five brothers from the Shi family," Shi Jin sighed dejectedly.

\n\n

Xiao Si, with its innocent and cheerful demeanor, suggested, "Why don't you just ask him to help you investigate? I'm sure he'll be happy to help."

\n\n

"But then I'll owe him a favor. How can I force him to eat and drink with me in the future with a clear conscience?" Shi Jin thought deeply and also thought far ahead.

\n\n

Xiao Si fell silent, then spoke softly: "But when have you ever backed down from being direct and confident, even when you make mistakes and face punishment...?"

\n\n

"What are you muttering about!" Shi Jin's tone was ominous.

\n\n

Without hesitation, Xiao Si grabbed its own throat and enthusiastically suggested, "You can just compete with Baby again, and after your loss this time, you'll definitely win next time! Come on, Jin Jin, you can do it! I believe in you!"

\n\n

Shi Jin felt that it made sense and a spark of hope reignited in his heart. He declared, "Yes, with my skills, losing once was just a fluke. I'll definitely win next time!" With that, he grabbed his tablet and eagerly joined Lian Jun's side.

\n\n

Ten minutes later, he returned to his own seat with his tablet, sighing heavily. "The dealing system must be targeting me. Why is it that Lian Jun always gets the cards he wants, while I'm stuck with ones I don't want? Now I have to make Lian Jun a birthday cake every year... Wait, when is his birthday again?"

\n\n

Xiao Si answered quickly, "Late March. He's a baby born with the scent of spring."

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback and checked his calendar on his phone. He realized that Lian Jun's birthday was coming up soon - with the Chinese New Year being later this year, it was already almost the end of February. After doing the math, he realized that there was less than a month until his birthday.

\n\n

Xiao Si continued happily, "So Jin Jin you can start learning how to bake now, if you start now, by the time it's the baby's birthday, your cake should look pretty good."

\n\n

As Shi Jin listened, he became more suspicious. Xiao Si's tone was too excited and confident, as if it had known all along. He furrowed his brow and thought about the two rounds of cards, as well as Xiao Si's betting advice. Finally, he figured it out and gritted his teeth, "Xiao Si, did you cheat? Did you manipulate the dealing system to give me bad cards on purpose?"

\n\n

Xiao Si was startled and stammered, "N-no, I didn't. How could I do such a terrible thing? Jin Jin, of course I'm on your side. I love you so much, you're my little baby."

\n\n

Shi Jin was so annoyed by it that he got goosebumps all over his body. He was more certain than ever that it was up to no good. He said angrily, "I may be your little baby, but Lian Jun is your big baby. You're so biased!"

\n\n

"I'm not!" Xiao Si argued.

\n\n

"You are!" Shi Jin was so angry that he almost slammed the table.

\n\n

The other people in the RV saw Shi Jin, who had lost the card game, huddled in the corner with a twisted face, blaming the tablet for all the losses and looking like he wanted to eat it raw.

\n\n

Number Two couldn't stand it anymore and said with a face full of judgement, "Is his brain really not damaged? Why does he look even more stupid?"

\n\n

Number Three and Number Five also looked like they couldn't stand it, wanting to say something but closing their mouths and secretly glancing at Lian Jun.

\n\n

After finishing the serious discussion with Number One, Lian Jun turned his head towards Shi Jin and pressed on the armrest of his wheelchair, then slid over to Shi Jin's side. Lian Jun reached out and took the tablet from Shi Jin's hand, saying, "Let's have another game. If I win, you have to pick up your studies again. If I lose, I'll agree to your previous request."

\n\n

Shi Jin snapped out of his argument with Xiao Si and his eyes lit up at Lian Jun's proposal. But then he furrowed his brows and asked, "Studies? What studies?"

\n\n

Lian Jun had already opened the mahjong app and replied, "Your high school studies."

\n\n

"High school studies?" Shi Jin was confused.

\n\n

What high school studies? He had graduated from university many years ago, how could he remember what he learned in high school? And why would he even bother picking it up again?

\n\n

Xiao Si kindly reminded him, "The original owner was only 18 years old when you were reborn. At that time, the original owner had not yet graduated from high school. Later, you dropped out of school, so technically, you only have a junior high school diploma now."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

Xiao Si continued to add cuttingly, "None of the people under Baby's command have a degree lower than a university degree. The highest educated one, Number Nine, has a double Ph.D."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..." Oh my god, why do you have to have an education to be in the black society?

\n\n

"Are you in or not?" Lian Jun didn't waste any more words with him, placing the tablet with the open software in front of him and emphasizing, "You only have one chance."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin's heart tightened as he struggled with a difficult decision. Eventually, he nodded and gritted his teeth, saying, "Deal!" Meanwhile, he sternly warned Xiao Si in his mind not to cheat for Lian Jun again. He refused to believe that he could lose again without Xiao Si's interference!

\n\n

As it turned out, when someone is unlucky, the system really does seem to target them relentlessly.

\n\n

Feeling hopeless, Shi Jin slumped in his chair and contemplated uninstalling the mahjong app.

\n\n

Number Two, who had been watching the whole scene unfold, couldn't help but burst out laughing. "This is too tragic! How dare you gamble with Young Master Jun? Shi Jin, you're too naive."

\n\n

"As long as you pick up your studies again, I can help you with something," Lian Jun placed his tablet back on the table and asked, "What do you want me to look up for you?"

\n\n

Shi Jin sat up abruptly and looked at him suspiciously, as if he had misheard something. Lian Jun propped up his chin with his hand and looked at Shi Jin's silly expression. His eyebrows and eyes slightly relaxed as he gently asked again, "Shi Jin, what do you want me to help you investigate?"

\n\n

The sunlight shining through the window illuminated the handsome man sitting in it, who was still tilting his head and smiling!

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned by Lian Jun's lazy and contented appearance. After coming back to his senses, he pounced on Lian Jun's leg and excitedly said, "Help me investigate the situation of my brothers and their families, the more specific the better! Young Master Jun, you are truly a good person!"

\n\n

Lian Jun was pushed back slightly by Shi Jin's pounce. His eyebrows raised slightly as he reached out and pressed his forehead, slowly pushing him back and sliding his wheelchair back to Number One's side.

\n\n

Shi Jin took advantage of the situation and leaned back in his chair, feeling very pleased, "Young Master Jun is indeed a good person..."

\n\n

Xiao Si pityingly touched his brain that was lacking nutrition and automatically pulled up his high school textbook, kindly saying, "Here, take a look."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..." Suddenly felt like crying.

\n\n

......

\n\n

After returning to B City, Lian Jun spent two days working with the authorities to deal with the remnants and hideouts of the Black Rose left in B City. Then, with great effort, he suppressed most of the Black Rose's remaining businesses and initiated a campaign to eradicate them.

\n\n

Shi Jin was very puzzled about this and grabbed Number Two to ask, "Didn't Young Master Jun say that it's not yet time to move against the Black Rose? He also said that this time we're only planning to give them a small punishment. Why are we suddenly making such a big move?"

\n\n

Number Two looked at him strangely and asked, "Don't you know?"

\n\n

Shi Jin shook his head and furrowed his brow, "If none of you are going to tell me, how am I supposed to know?"

\n\n

"Well, you don't need to know," Number Two turned around and walked away.

\n\n

Shi Jin forcefully pulled him back, glaring at him.

\n\n

Number Two sighed and looked up at the sky before explaining, "We went after the Black Rose because they went too far this time and angered Young Master Jun. They were also foolish enough to give him an excuse to deal with them. Starting a fight outside of the residential area on New Year's Eve, what charges do you think the authorities can press against them?"

\n\n

"What charges? Gathering to start a fight? Endangering public safety?" Shi Jin could only come up with these few charges for the moment.

\n\n

Number Two shook his head with a mysterious look on his face, patting Shi Jin's shoulder. "Young man, you should read more news. An organization as large as Black Rose is still legal. The two reasons you mentioned are not valid reasons to take action against them."

\n\n

With that, Number Two took advantage of Shi Jin's falling into deep thought and slipped away.

\n\n

Shi Jin was completely confused. If those weren't valid reasons, then what was?

\n\n

With this question in mind, Shi Jin continued to squat and monitor the news for several days. Finally, one day, he saw an official news report that revealed the reason why Black Rose could be targeted - the government had defined the conflict at the entrance of Tuanjie community as a terrorist attack by Black Rose against the residents of Tuanjie community.

\n\n

Gathering for a fiery brawl and a terrorist attack, the nature and level of danger of this event were simply worlds apart. Shi Jin remained silent, lighting a candle for Black Rose in his heart - with the escalation of the situation to this degree, Black Rose was definitely in trouble.

\n\n

In just a few days, Shi Jin's wounds had completely healed. He found some time to go to the infirmary and chatted with Uncle Long for a while, then after dinner that day, he brought a bunch of tools to Lian Jun's study.

\n\n

Lian Jun looked up at him and asked, "What are these for?"

\n\n

"These are tools to use for a massage." Shi Jin placed the items on the desk, sat behind it, glanced at Lian Jun, then at the documents in his hand, and finally at the clock on the wall. His intentions were clear.

\n\n

Lian Jun shifted his gaze back to the documents and asked, "Are your wounds healed?"

\n\n

"Uncle Long said there's no problem now, so I don't have to worry about hurting my wound and avoid moving my arm freely," replied Shi Jin, lifting his own arm to show off his strength.

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't even look up. "Then go back and pack your bags, we're getting ready to leave for the island. You don't need to bring winter clothes, it's warm on the island. Just bring a light jacket for the big temperature difference in the morning and evening."

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned and asked, "Are we leaving now? Weren't we busy with the Black Rose before? Why are we suddenly leaving?"

\n\n

Although Number Two previously mentioned going to the island to catch crabs after the New Year, everyone started to focus on the Black Rose as soon as they returned to B City, so he thought they would be staying in B City for a while longer.

\n\n

"It's the government's responsibility to deal with the Black Rose. We've already done enough to help," said Lian Jun as he signed the document on his desk. He glanced at the items on the table and added, "We can discuss the massage later when we're on the island."

\n\n

Shi Jin looked disappointed at his words. To be honest, he was curious about the condition of Lian Jun's legs. He had heard that the muscles in the legs of people who couldn't walk for a long time would atrophy, and he was a little worried.

\n\n

It was his own negligence that he had only been concerned about Lian Jun's eating habits before and had forgotten that people with mobility issues also needed to take extra care of their legs. If he hadn't seen Lian Jun stand up at the cemetery that day, he probably wouldn't have remembered to pay attention to the health of Lian Jun's legs until now.

\n\n

"Going to the island will take a while. How about we try out the massage tools first? Look, I brought everything with me..." Shi Jin persisted, touching the massage tools on the table.

\n\n

Lian Jun was focused on reading the documents and silently refused.

\n\n

Shi Jin secretly moved his chair closer to Lian Jun.

\n\n

Suddenly, Lian Jun put down the documents and asked, "How's your schoolwork going?"

\n\n

"Um..." Shi Jin froze.

\n\n

"When you make a promise, you have to keep it." Lian Jun slid his wheelchair out and surprisingly brought out a set of high school textbooks from the lower shelf of the bookcase. He said, "You went to high school in M country, and the teaching progress is different from that in China. It may be difficult to adapt in the early stages. Come here, let me see what level you're at."

\n\n

When Shi Jin glanced at the textbook in his hand, his heart sank to the bottom of his stomach. He awkwardly refused, "Oh, you don't have to do this. You're so busy, I don't want to bother you..."

\n\n

Lian Jun reached for the remote control on his desk and locked the door to the study.

\n\n

Hearing the sound of the door locking, Shi Jin froze halfway up and looked over at Lian Jun, who had already sat down at the coffee table. Resigned, Shi Jin sat down next to him.

\n\n

Lian Jun poured him a glass of warm water and handed him a set of paper and pens, then opened the textbook.

\n\n

What was supposed to be a massage session turned into a pop quiz. Shi Jin felt like he was dying inside, his face stiff and awkward.

\n\n

He had graduated from high school years ago and had already returned most of what he had learned to his teachers. He was completely clueless, and it was an accurate description of him now.

\n\n

After two long hours, Lian Jun put down the last textbook and looked at Shi Jin, who remained silent.

\n\n

Shi Jin kept his head down, absentmindedly drawing circles on his notebook with a pen, too afraid to look up.

\n\n

"After we arrive on the island, I will arrange for a few teachers to help you," Lian Jun spoke up, surprisingly gentle in tone, even with a hint of a soft-hearted parent who didn't want to criticize their struggling child too harshly, for fear of damaging their self-esteem. "Your language and linguistics skills are excellent, and with a little extra help, you can improve in the other subjects as well."

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't feel comforted and looked at him with little enthusiasm, asking, "Young Master Jun, are you asking me to improve so I can go to college?"

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't give a direct answer, instead asking, "Don't you want to go to college?"

\n\n

"I don't want to," Shi Jin replied quickly and firmly. He had already gone to university once, and that was enough. He didn't want to go back for a second time. Besides, staying alive was more important now, and going to school was not even in his consideration.

\n\n

"Why not?" Lian Jun asked.

\n\n

Shi Jin answered honestly, "Firstly, I don't like studying. Secondly, now is not the right time for studying. Everyone is working together for a brighter future, and I don't want to leave the team to do my own thing. If you, Young Master Jun, really look down on my education level, I can wait until everything settles down and then go to an adult university or something. There's no rush for me to do it now."

\n\n

"I don't mind that you have a lower education," said Lian Jun in a gentle tone after listening to his explanation. "I'm just afraid that you might regret it in the future. Shi Jin, there is a lot of knowledge and skills necessary for survival in this world that stem from these basic foundations.

\n\n

"You may not think it's important to learn them now, but you might think differently in the future. I'm not forcing you to follow the typical growth pace of an ordinary person, but you must understand one thing - only when you become strong yourself, will others not dare to mess with you.

\n\n

"And strength encompasses many aspects, including physical, intellectual, and the accumulation of capital. The easiest way for you to establish strength right now is through the first two, and with those, especially with intelligence, achieving the last one will become much easier."

\n\n

Shi Jin never expected that Lian Jun would serve up such a heartfelt bowl of chicken soup. He stared at him dumbfounded, his thoughts unconsciously following Lian Jun's words.

\n\n

Yes, Lian Jun's words made perfect sense. If he became as powerful as Lian Jun, would the killer hiding in the shadows still dare to target him? They would have to think twice. Just look at how Lian Jun's strength affected the Black Rose's fate. Wasn't his power evident enough?

\n\n

Thinking back, he had only clung onto Lian Jun's powerful thigh, and his progress bar had dropped significantly. If he became as strong as Lian Jun, who would dare to touch him? His progress bar would automatically drop, wouldn't it?

\n\n

Shi Weichong? Li Jiuzheng? If he really had the kind of power that Lian Jun has, why would he be afraid of them? How could they possibly hurt him? Has Lian Jun ever been afraid of Shi Weichong and his gang? Never.

\n\n

As Shi Jin thought more and more about it, he became increasingly excited. He felt that he had been foolish before, only focusing on external factors and forgetting that his own abilities were the biggest factor in determining his progress.

\n\n

He couldn't help but grab Lian Jun's hand and sincerely say, "Young Master Jun, I understand now. You're right. I will work hard to become a powerful boss like you and never give up!"

\n\n

Lian Jun: "..."

\n\n

......

\n\n

Bang!

\n\n

Shi Jin was kicked out of the door by Lian Jun, and before he left, he only received a cold and disdainful look from Lian Jun.

\n\n

"Why did he suddenly change his mind, didn't I listen to him and decide to study hard?" Shi Jin's face was full of confusion.

\n\n

Xiao Si sighed with a sense of world-weariness and said softly, "Shi Jin, I'm starting to wonder if I forgot to bring a part of your intelligence when I helped you be reborn..." and a lot of emotional intelligence too.

\n\n

Shi Jin first frowned, then became angry, "Xiao Si, you're insinuating that I'm stupid again. Aren't you going too far lately!"

\n\n

Xiao Si shut up and pretended to be dead, as if it was shutting down and restarting.

\n\n

......

\n\n

On the last day of the Chinese New Year, everyone who had been busy celebrating finally had time to stop and rest, gathering together to enjoy a belated reunion dinner.

\n\n

Shi Jin personally made dumplings, fried spring rolls, boiled sweet glutinous rice balls, and even baked a few ugly cupcakes to celebrate the arrival of the new year with everyone.

\n\n

Number Two mocked Shi Jin's terrible cooking skills mercilessly. In anger, Shi Jin shoved a burnt spring roll into Number Two's mouth and then presented the best bowl of soup dumplings to Lian Jun, secretly slipping a packet of egg cakes to him as well.

\n\n

"Don't let them see this. I made this just for you. Number Two is a beast. He complains about my cooking but still wants to steal it, he's shameless. The kitchen sent over a bunch of delicious food, but he still wants mine," Shi Jin grumbled, complaining to Lian Jun. "Next time, I'll put laxatives in his food!"

\n\n

Lian Jun squeezed the soft egg cakes in the bag and found that they were still warm. He turned to Shi Jin and asked, "Why have you suddenly taken up baking?"

\n\n

"I was bored since you guys are all busy... Of course! I read every day, and I do this during my breaks!" Shi Jin replied vaguely.

\n\n

Lian Jun's lips curled into a smile as he lowered his head to open the bag of egg cake. He pinched a piece and carefully tasted it before nodding and saying, "Not bad."

\n\n

Shi Jin was filled with satisfaction and felt like the best and most considerate "parent" in the world. He had even learned how to cook just to get the picky "child" to eat more. He truly was great.

\n\n

Xiao Si in his head who was watching his antics: "..."

\n\n

After a fun and lively dinner, it was finally coming to an end at around nine o'clock. Although Shi Jin wanted to set up a few more tables for mahjong and stay up all night with everyone, they had to leave B City the next day, so he reluctantly gave up the idea.

\n\n

He sent Lian Jun back to his room before returning to his own to prepare for bed. As he was rummaging through his wardrobe for pajamas, his phone suddenly rang. He checked the caller ID and saw that it was a call from Xiang Aoting. His face lit up with joy, but it quickly faded as he hesitated for a moment before answering.

\n\n

"Xiao Jin," Xiang Aoting's voice came through the phone, sounding tired. "I heard that you're leaving B City soon. I'm outside Nightfall, could you come out and meet me? There's something I want to tell you."

\n\n

Checking the time, Shi Jin thought back to Xiang Aoting's behavior in the original plot and let out a sigh before agreeing to his invitation.

\n\n

In the original plot, Xiang Aoting was the only brother who remained consistent in his attitude towards the original owner. Before Shi Xingrui's death, he was very busy and didn't have much time to contact the original owner. He wouldn't often give gifts to please him, but would regularly make a few phone calls. Each time, he would ask about his health and studies, and then give some unhelpful advice in a stiff and formal tone, as if he was just going through the motions.

\n\n

After Shi Xingrui's death, he remained busy and continued to make regular phone calls to the original owner, but the content of the calls remained dry and uninteresting. By then, the original owner had already vaguely realized something, and felt that these calls were a form of invisible mockery towards him.

\n\n

Later, a kidnapping occurred, and the original owner's feelings towards this older brother became complicated. The original owner, who was kidnapped, was rescued by Xiang Aoting and his men. But Xiang Aoting left immediately after rescuing the person, making him seem very heartless.

\n\n

Until the end, the original owner's feelings towards Xiang Aoting remained complex, unlike the resentment and hatred towards the other brothers.

\n\n

From an outsider's perspective, Shi Jin had to objectively say that the original owner's feelings were not wrong. Among the five brothers of the Shi family, perhaps only Xiang Aoting's concern for him was genuine, although it was probably very slight.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting was a very upright person. Perhaps he disliked the original owner's pampered upbringing, or maybe his reasons for showing concern towards the original owner were not entirely pure, but regardless he still treated the original owner like a younger brother. At certain moments, his care for the original owner should have been genuine.

\n\n

Just meet once then.

\n\n

Shi Jin put on his coat after taking off his pajamas.

\n\n

He decided to meet Xiang Aoting, partly because of the complicated feelings the original owner had towards him, and partly because Xiang Aoting had helped rescue the original owner from the kidnappers.

\n","published_time":"2023-12-28T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-30T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-28T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":448,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":40,"chapter_title":"Crescent Bay","content":"

After greeting the person on duty at the clubhouse, Shi Jin walked out with a bowl of steaming dumplings and headed towards the only military jeep parked at the entrance.

\n\n

Seeing Shi Jin, Xiang Aoting pushed open the door and got out of the car, standing by the side and watching him approach.

\n\n

Shi Jin stopped two steps away from Xiang Aoting and handed him the dumplings, saying, "Here, eat up. This is the perfect time for a midnight snack. I made these dumplings myself. They've been cooked once before, so they might not taste as good as the first batch, but you can still enjoy them."

\n\n

Upon seeing the paper bowl in his hand, Xiang Aoting paused and reached out to take it from him, placing it on the hood of the car. As he unwrapped his chopsticks, he remarked, "I didn't know you could make dumplings."

\n\n

"It's not that hard," Shi Jin replied, his hands in his pockets. He watched as Xiang Aoting picked up a dumpling without any hesitation and popped it into his mouth. Unable to resist teasing him, Shi Jin asked, "Aren't you afraid I put laxatives in them?"

\n\n

Xiang Aoting swallowed the dumpling without any resentment and asked, "Would you?"

\n\n

"Of course," replied Shi Jin sincerely and honestly. "I used to think you were very fierce and I was angry when you came home and said I was too fat, telling me to exercise. I thought of many pranks to play on you, but you never came home, so I never got to use any of them."

\n\n

These were all the thoughts of the original owner, so Shi Jin spoke without any pressure.

\n\n

Before everything was torn apart, the original owner faced this least friendly fourth brother with both a desire to be close and a fear of being close. The original owner was just an ordinary boy, and having a brother like Xiang Aoting who could fly fighter jets fulfilled all of the original owner's fantasies of having a hero.

\n\n

Unfortunately, this hero occasionally played the role of a villain in front of the original owner.

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Xiang Aoting remained silent, lowered his head, and picked up another dumpling to stuff into his mouth. He appeared indifferent, but his slightly anxious movements and the soup that accidentally splashed onto his clothes revealed his inner turmoil.

\n\n

"Do you know about that deal?" Shi Jin asked.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting coughed and turned his head to the side, swallowing the dumpling before wiping the soup off his clothes. He looked down at the plump dumplings soaking in the broth and suddenly remembered the first time he met this younger brother, Shi Jin.

\n\n

It was in the grand but lifeless mansion where Shi Xingrui resided in M country. At that time, Shi Jin had just lost his mother and was less than a year old. He was chubby and white, held in the arms of Shi Xingrui. When Xiang Aoting entered the room, the baby suddenly flashed him a silly smile.

\n\n

Children are innocent, this was something Xiang Aoting learned during his time in the military.

\n\n

"I didn't know," Xiang Aoting suddenly felt unable to face it, feeling the dumplings he had just eaten stuck in his throat, making him feel uncomfortable. "But I guessed some things. I joined the best army, followed the best instructor, and got the best resources. All of this happened after every time I saw you... I don't know how Shi Xingrui did it, I just hated the feeling of using connections. The military is a place where strength speaks, and most people look down on those who use connections."

\n\n

Shi Jin suddenly realized, "So that's why you came to see me less and less. Every time I asked, you had a bunch of training and tasks that you couldn't avoid."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting didn't say yes or no, stirred the soup in his bowl, and asked, "Xiao Jin, do you hate us?"

\n\n

"When I didn't know the truth, I didn't hate them. Once I knew, I hated them. But you're different. I don't hate you," replied Shi Jin.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting's hand holding the chopsticks stiffened. He turned his head to look at Shi Jin and asked in a strained voice, "Why am I different?"

\n\n

Shi Jin remembered the original owner's thoughts at the end of his life and sighed softly in his heart. He replied, "Because you're a hero. Heroes can make mistakes occasionally, as long as their hearts are always righteous."

\n\n

Xiang Aoting put down his chopsticks and lowered his head, leaning on the car hood for a while before speaking in a hoarse voice, "I'm sorry. I probably need to disappoint you... No one is righteous. From the moment everyone stepped back into that house with false emotions, no one was righteous anymore."

\n\n

It was a conversation with a terrible atmosphere. The two speakers were analyzing their own or other people's inner thoughts, and they both ended up hearing some unwanted information.

\n\n

Suddenly, Shi Jin didn't want to continue anymore and asked, "What do you want to tell me? I need to go back and take a shower. Just say it."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Xiang Aoting lowered his head to compose himself, stood up, faced him, and carefully examined his appearance. He forced a smile and said, "I heard you were injured, so I came to see you... It's too late and cold outside. Go in first."

\n\n

This was clearly not what Xiang Aoting had intended to say. Shi Jin looked at him trying to maintain his composure and didn't want to dwell on it any longer. After all, he had already said what the original owner wanted to say. So he nodded at Xiang Aoting and turned to walk towards the club's entrance.

\n\n

After a few steps, he suddenly heard Xiang Aoting calling out to him from behind. He stopped and turned around to look.

\n\n

"If you're willing, I'll always be your brother," Xiang Aoting said with a slightly awkward smile. "Of course, if you don't want to, it's okay... Xiao Jin, I'm sorry."

\n\n

"It's me who should thank you," even if it was just for the rescue in the original plot.

\n\n

Without saying another word, Shi Jin turned around and continued walking towards the door. Once inside, he glanced out through the semi-transparent printed glass door and saw Xiang Aoting turn around and pick up the bowl of dumplings. He lowered his eyes and suppressed his emotions before walking towards the elevator without looking back.

\n\n

After taking a shower and coming out of the room, Shi Jin noticed a new text message on his phone from Rong Zhouzhong. The message was still short and unfriendly: Little brat, did you not watch my performance on the Spring Festival Gala?

\n\n

With his hair still half-wet, Shi Jin scrolled through the message and remembered that Rong Zhouzhong was always verbally abusive and had a history of such behavior. He replied with a few taps of his fingers: Yeah, didn't want to watch it, big brat.

\n\n

Then he deleted all the message records and didn't bother to read any subsequent messages from Rong Zhouzhong. He rolled up in his blanket and fell into a deep sleep.

\n\n

......

\n\n

After more than ten hours of flying, the group landed in a coastal city in M country. Shi Jin nervously watched his progress bar, but breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it hadn't increased and had even decreased slightly.

\n\n

"No increase, no increase. It seems that Ruihang is no longer your deadly factors. And leaving B city has reduced your deadly factors a bit," Xiao Si cheered happily.

\n\n

Shi Jin was also very happy, looking at his progress bar that had dropped to 490, he let out a contented sigh and said, "It's been so long since I've felt so relaxed and safe. Leaving B city is really a happy thing."

\n\n

"Exactly, exactly," Xiao Si echoed.

\n\n

As Shi Jin's body leaned against the car pillow, he thought about the progress bar that hadn't changed since he had torn his face with Shi Weichong. He pondered the survival factors he had fought for from Shi Weichong and others, and drifted off into a daze. Finally, he shook his head and pushed those thoughts aside.

\n\n

Why bother thinking about it? He was safe now.

\n\n

With that in mind, he pulled a piece of candy out of his pocket and handed it to Lian Jun, who was sitting next to him. "Here, have a candy after waking up. It'll make your day better," he said.

\n\n

Lian Jun, whose face had turned wan from the flight, glanced at him and took the candy from his hand. He ate it, then leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest.

\n\n

Satisfied, Shi Jin put away his hand and took out his phone to play mahjong.

\n\n

In the front seat, Number Two silently withdrew his gaze from the rearview mirror and popped a lollipop into his mouth.

\n\n

......

\n\n

The car drove all the way to a private port, where they boarded a medium-sized cruise ship that was docked at the port. Shi Jin looked around in amazement and exclaimed, "I thought we were going to take a helicopter to the island. I didn't expect to take a boat."

\n\n

"There is a flight route, but Young Master Jun's body probably can't handle it. So we decided to take a boat. Everyone can have a good sleep on the ship," Number Two replied, glancing at Shi Jin's curious expression. He couldn't help but ask, "You used to be a rich young master, haven't you seen a cruise ship before?"

\n\n

"Uh... of course I have, but I was obsessed with studying and couldn't get away. I've never taken a cruise ship for leisure," Shi Jin tried to salvage his image.

\n\n

With a look of "I must be an idiot to believe you," Number Two stepped onto the deck and suddenly thought of something. "Do you get seasick? It'll take a while to get to the island, so if you do, you should take some motion sickness medicine now."

\n\n

Shi Jin seriously pondered the question and confidently replied, "No, I don't get seasick. I have good balance. I heard that only people with poor balance get seasick."

\n\n

Number Two raised an eyebrow at his response and stopped trying to persuade him. Instead, he led him to the cabin.

\n\n

Ten minutes later, the cruise ship set sail, and Shi Jin was left feeling hopeless as he collapsed onto the couch in the lounge, feeling like the whole world was spinning.

\n\n

"This isn't scientific," Shi Jin moaned, barely holding back the urge to vomit.

\n\n

Xiao Si felt sorry for Shi Jin, "You probably have never been on a boat before, so you're not used to it. Let me give you a buff to make you feel better. You look so uncomfortable."

\n\n

After a few minutes, Shi Jin gradually caught his breath and was extremely grateful to Xiao Si for helping him out. After thanking it, he took out his tablet and opened the mahjong app.

\n\n

When Number Two came back with the motion sickness medicine, he saw Shi Jin, who was previously feeling terrible, now happily playing mahjong.

\n\n

"Mahjong can even cure motion sickness?" he said incredulously.

\n\n

Uncle Long, who had followed them, glanced at the lively Shi Jin and gave Number Two a disdainful look before putting his hands in his coat pocket and walking away.

\n\n

"It was Young Master Jun who sent you here, why are you rolling your eyes at me?" Number Two felt it was ridiculous, he glanced at the ecstatic Shi Jin and then at the motion sickness medicine in his hand. He grumpily threw the medicine into the trash and left.

\n\n

During dinner, the cruise ship briefly stopped for a break. Shi Jin eagerly set up the table on the deck when he saw the sun setting, and then pushed Lian Jun up.

\n\n

Lian Jun had taken a nap on the ship and felt much better. In a good temper, he let Shi Jin do as he pleased and followed him to the deck. When he saw the "candlelit dinner" set up in the middle, his eyes flickered and he turned to Shi Jin behind him and asked, "Did you arrange this?"

\n\n

"No, I had someone else do it. The air on the sea is good, but it's too hot in the afternoon when the sun is out. It's much more pleasant to come out now that the sun has set and enjoy the breeze outside."

\n\n

As they talked, Shi Jin settled Lian Jun at the dining table and took a seat beside him. He pulled over the utensils from the kitchen, which were placed opposite Lian Jun's seat, and lifted the covers off the food. "Originally, they were going to serve us a traditional Western meal, dish by dish, but I couldn't stand the slowness of it. So, I had them switch it to a fresh seafood feast. Don't worry, they only use ingredients approved by Uncle Long, so it's safe to eat," he said.

\n\n

Lian Jun's lips curved up as he picked up his chopsticks. "You're considerate as always. How's your studying going?" he asked.

\n\n

Shi Jin's smile instantly faded as he pretended not to hear the question, lowering his head to eat.

\n\n

As Lian Jun saw that he had finally stopped laughing so foolishly, he felt somewhat satisfied and stopped teasing him. They ate their exquisite dinner in the cool night breeze.

\n\n

After finishing their meal in peace, the table was cleared and the night had completely fallen. The cruise ship set sail again, with stars scattered across the sky as if they were within reach.

\n\n

"It's been so long since I've seen such a beautiful starry sky," Shi Jin exclaimed, slouching in his chair. The sea breeze blew and the boat swayed, making him feel intoxicated by the beauty.

\n\n

Lian Jun leaned back in his wheelchair, also gazing up at the stars with a calm expression. He propped his head up with his hand, looking relaxed and casual.

\n\n

The whole world seemed to have quieted down, with only the sound of the wind and waves in their ears. As the night wind blew, Shi Jin turned his head to look at Lian Jun. His gaze followed the rhythm of the wind, sweeping over Lian Jun's black hair and robe corners that were lifted by the wind.

\n\n

Slowly, his eyes moved down, secretly glancing at the clothes inside Lian Jun's robe, sneaking a peek at the hem of the clothes that were blown open by the wind.

\n\n

"What are you looking at?" A clear and gentle voice asked slowly.

\n\n

Shi Jin seemed to be bewitched, honestly replying, "I'm checking if you're wearing pants. With the wind blowing like this, if you're not wearing pants, I should be able to see your legs."

\n\n

Lian Jun: "..."

\n\n

Shi Jin, belatedly realizing his mistake: "..."

\n\n

Xiao Si who had been watching the whole time: "..."

\n\n

The warm and soothing atmosphere was instantly shattered, and cruel reality set in.

\n\n

Shi Jin stiffened and met Lian Jun's gaze. He tried to salvage the situation, "No...what I meant was, I'm just curious why you always wear robes and nothing else. Is it to look cool? But I have to admit, you do look good in them..." He even added some flattery.

\n\n

However, Lian Jun didn't take it as flattery. He lowered his head and looked at Shi Jin expressionlessly, covering his legs with a thin blanket. He replied, "For people with poor mobility like me, these long robes are easier to put on and take off. There are no complicated buttons or zippers, which saves a lot of time." With that, he turned his wheelchair and left without looking back.

\n\n

Shi Jin was left speechless by this simple answer.

\n\n

Xiao Si couldn't believe it, "Jin Jin, you actually thought that Lian Jun dressed like this to look cool? You're so shallow!"

\n\n

Shi Jin covered his knees and bowed his head in shame. He had watched too much anime and his thoughts had started to wander.

\n\n

In the early hours of the morning, the cruise ship docked at the island port. Shi Jin was sleeping like a log, so Number One and the others didn't bother waking him up. They went ahead and made arrangements on the island.

\n\n

When Shi Jin finally woke up and walked out of his cabin, the sun had already risen and the ship was almost empty. Only Number Two was still waiting in the lounge to take him to the island.

\n\n

The gentle sea breeze blew as Shi Jin walked onto the deck. He looked at the beautiful crescent-shaped island surrounded by the blue sea in the distance and couldn't help but whistle in admiration. "This place is so beautiful. What's parked over there in the bay, jet skis?"

\n\n

Number Two exclaimed, "Your have sharp eyes, indeed they're jet skis. After we finish packing up, I'll take you to play. There are so many fun things to do on this island, so enjoy yourself. From now until the end of March, if there are no unexpected events, this month will be our vacation, and we can play to our heart's content."

\n\n

Shi Jin's attention was brought back by Number Two's words, and he asked, "Only until the end of March? Do we have any activities in April?"

\n\n

"No, we don't have any activities. We have to attend a meeting organised by the government for official organizations like us. Every April, the government re-registers the status of all major legal organizations in the country, and then discusses the matter of cleaning up illegal organizations with the leaders of these organizations. Young Master Jun needs to help sit in and supervise, otherwise some people won't listen." Number Two explained as he led him off the boat.

\n\n

Shi Jin followed him and asked, "Where is the meeting place? Is it in the country?"

\n\n

"No, it's on the high seas. There's a large cruise ship that's specifically used for official meetings. Everyone has to go there. You know, people in our line of work may be considered a legal organization on paper, but we're all still worried that the authorities will take advantage of the meeting to round us all up. So we never dare to gather on land."

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded in understanding and glanced at the progress bar in his mind that had retreated to 500 when Chen Qing was rescued. He mentally crossed out the April meeting with a big red X.

\n\n

The private island owned by Lian Jun was called Crescent Bay, named after the small bay surrounded by small islands. As it was a private island surrounded by the sea, there was no need to worry about surprise attacks. Therefore, everyone's demeanor became more relaxed after arriving on the island, unlike when they were in B City and Y Province where they had to be cautious at all times.

\n\n

The accommodation for everyone is a group of buildings located in the center of the island. The entire complex includes three large villas, an observation deck, one large and one small swimming pool, three restaurants with different styles and their own independent kitchens, a training center, a shooting range, a multi-purpose building, a tennis court, a basketball court, and a multimedia entertainment building.

\n\n

As they walked, Shi Jin felt like a country bumpkin who had just arrived in the city. He listened to Number Two's explanations while admiring the beautiful buildings around him. In his heart, he silently sighed, "The happiness of the wealthy is truly unimaginable for ordinary people. Compared to the Flower Fruit Orchard and the clubhouse in B City, this place we're staying in is like heaven!"

\n\n

"This is all we have in our living quarters, but there are other entertainment options on the island. When you get a map of the island, you can take the island tour bus and explore on your own. Just remember to have Number Six make you a pass." Number Two finished his explanation and led Shi Jin into the largest villa in the middle.

\n\n

Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts and asked, "Who is Number Six?"

\n\n

Number Two suddenly remembered that Shi Jin had not met Number Six yet. So he explained, "Number Six is the administrator of this island. He comes every winter to take care of things on the island and keep Young Master Jun company during the winter. But because Young Master Jun stayed in B City for a while this year, Number Six came later than usual and arrived after us. He's a mild-mannered person and good at logistics. I'll introduce you to him when we see him."

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded in understanding and followed Number Two through the warmly decorated villa hall, up the wooden stairs to the second floor.

\n\n

The second floor of the villa was spacious, with two large master bedrooms with great views, two study rooms, a small living room, and a comfortable terrace with a lounge chair and a swing.

\n\n

Number Two led Shi Jin into one of the master bedrooms and casually pointed to the wardrobe, saying, "Your new clothes are in there. Take a look around the room and if there's anything missing, give me a call. I have other things to attend to." With that, he turned to leave.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly stopped him and asked, "Do you live next door? It seems like there are only two rooms on this floor. Where do the others live, and what about Young Master Jun?"

\n\n

Subconsciously, he had already assumed that Number Two was his neighbor. Although his first sentence sounded like a question, his tone was very certain.

\n\n

As Soon as Number Two turned his head to look at him, he fell into an eerie silence for a moment before saying, "No one lives on the third floor or the first floor of this villa. I live in the villa on your left-hand side. If you shout for me on this terrace, I can hear you in my own room. There will only be one roommate on your side, and it's not me."

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback and asked in confusion, "Then who is it, Number Nine?"

\n\n

Number One, Number Three, and Number Five usually lived closer to Lian Jun because they always needed to help him with things. He instinctively excluded them.

\n\n

Number Two gave him a deep look and deliberately teased him, "It's not Number Nine. You'll know when you see the person later. Go and pack your things first. I really have to go now, and there are other things to attend to." With that, he turned around and walked towards the door.

\n\n

As Shi Jin watched him leave, he briefly wondered about his neighbor's situation before quickly pushing it out of his mind. He happily bounced onto the fluffy bed and rolled over, enjoying the beautiful view of the sea outside the window.

\n\n

"This really is paradise," he sighed contentedly. Remembering that he hadn't seen Lian Jun since waking up, he checked the time and realized that breakfast had already passed. He quickly pulled out his phone and called Lian Jun, asking, "Young Master Jun, where are you? Did you have a good breakfast?"

\n\n

"Did you get off the ship?" Lian Jun asked, with the sound of water in the background.

\n\n

"Yes, I just got off. Number Two just took me to my room to unpack. Where are you? If you haven't had breakfast yet, I can come find you now," Shi Jin replied.

\n\n

After a moment of silence, the sound of a door opening came from the other side. Then, the door on this side was pushed open and Lian Jun appeared at the doorway, holding a phone in his hand. He said, "I'm here. You--"

\n\n

Shi Jin was startled and twisted his body, staring at the door with wide eyes.

\n\n

The two of them stared at each other.

\n\n

Lian Jun closed his mouth and looked at Shi Jin, who was lying on the bed with his clothes rolled up due to rolling around, revealing his waist. He decisively lowered his eyes, stepped back, closed the door again, and picked up his phone. "Get dressed and let's go to the restaurant for breakfast."

\n\n

Shi Jin looked at the door, then at his phone. He jumped up from the bed like a carp and ran to the door in three or two steps, pulling it open and asking, "Young Master Jun, why did you come so fast? Could it be that you..."

\n\n

As Lian Jun watched him with his crooked clothes, he turned around and decisively returned to his own room. He slammed the door in front of Shi Jin and picked up his phone again, saying, "Come out when you're dressed properly. What kind of appearance is that?"

\n\n

"..."

\n\n

Shi Jin glanced at the door in front of him, then turned back to look at his own room behind him. He silently changed his question into a statement, "So you're the one living next door to me." This was probably the closest they had ever lived to each other.

\n","published_time":"2024-01-04T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-07T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-04T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":455,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":41,"chapter_title":"The Henchman","content":"

After sorting out their clothes, Shi Jin pushed Lian Jun to the restaurant closest to the villa.

\n\n

The restaurant was large, with both indoor and outdoor areas decorated in a tropical island style. The outdoor tables were all under simple and beautiful shell umbrellas, with fresh flower bouquets on the tables, making it very pleasing to the eye.

\n\n

There were many people wearing waiter uniforms bustling about in the restaurant. When they saw Lian Jun coming, they all stopped their work and greeted him respectfully.

\n\n

Lian Jun waved his hand to indicate that they could continue their work freely without worrying about him. So everyone continued to work while joking and laughing with each other, creating a very relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. As Shi Jin looked around curiously, he couldn't help but feel surprised. If it weren't for the sturdy and orderly movements of the waiters, he would have thought that this was just an ordinary restaurant on some vacation island, rather than a specialized dining hall for the underworld.

\n\n

Lian Jun casually pointed to a table outside, gesturing for Shi Jin to follow him. After they were settled, Lian Jun picked up the menu and handed it to Shi Jin, saying, "The fruit pie on the island is pretty good. Would you like to try it?"

\n\n

Shi Jin took back his gaze from the shell-patterned umbrella above his head and glanced at the densely packed menu, exclaiming, "How many chefs did you hire to make all these dishes?"

\n\n

"We cultivate our own chefs, so there's no need to hire anyone," Lian Jun replied, as two glasses of juice were brought to the table. Shi Jin found it unbelievable and asked, "Do we still have a department for training chefs?"

\n\n

Lian Jun liked that he used the word "we" and relaxed back in his wheelchair, replying, "There is no dedicated department, only cooperative schools and various training schools we have established ourselves. We will eventually break free from this life of living on the edge, and when that time comes, I want to make sure they have a skill to put food on the table."

\n\n

This was the first time Shi Jin had heard Lian Jun talk about internal affairs of "Annihilation." Before, he had just followed everyone else on missions and training, doing whatever was asked of him without daring to ask too many questions or pry too much, afraid of causing offense. But now that Lian Jun had brought it up, he couldn't help but continue asking, "So, Young Master Jun, are you planning to lead the entire Annihilation through this transformation?"

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded and pushed away the glass of juice the waiter brought him. Seeing that he had no intention of ordering, he took charge and ordered the signature fruit pie, a seafood congee, and several other breakfast snacks that were suitable. After the waiter left, Lian Jun said, "We've all suffered together and now that we're transitioning, we naturally have to bring everyone along. In this line of work, there's no reason to casually abandon our brothers."

\n\n

This was the most mafia-style thing Shi Jin had ever heard from Lian Jun, and for a moment, it was like he was getting to know Lian Jun all over again.

\n\n

As the largest legal violent organization in China, "Annihilation" had influence that spanned many countries and its membership was almost astronomical. The pressure of taking on the livelihoods of all these people was terrifying just to think about. Although he was young and not in the best of health, Lian Jun had an undeniable air of leadership about him.

\n\n

Taking a sip of his juice, Shi Jin looked at Lian Jun with admiration before continuing to ask, "So how many of these training institutions and corresponding schools do we currently have? And with so many people to support, we'll need a lot of job opportunities. Doesn't that mean you'll not only have to break free from your position as the leader of the underworld, but also become a CEO to reach the pinnacle of success in life?"

\n\n

The question seemed to have a hint of prying into the progress of the Annihilation's transformation. Seeing that Shi Jin was simply curious, Lian Jun replied frankly, "There are many schools that specialize in this field, training institutions are continuously opening up, and business networks are also expanding. However, these are not things you need to know. You are doing the most dangerous job by staying by my side, and there is always a possibility of being caught by the enemy. To prevent internal information leakage, the specific process of transformation is confidential and cannot be made known to you."

\n\n

Shi Jin picked up the fruit slices from the juice cup and chewed on them. He thought about the endless files in Lian Jun's study that could never be fully reviewed. He also thought about their habit of rarely mentioning "eliminating" internal affairs. With a sudden realization, he nodded and said, "I see now. Information separation is a good thing. Even if there is a spy among us, the internal information won't be easily leaked."

\n\n

Lian Jun was most satisfied with Shi Jin's attitude here. Although Shi Jin had a lively personality, he was never confused when it came to important matters. He had a sense of propriety and didn't ask unnecessary questions or think about things he shouldn't. He could see the big picture and was never overly sensitive or calculative.

\n\n

A person like this would be an excellent choice as a subordinate, a friend, or even more.

\n\n

"Young Master Jun? Young Master Jun? The food is here, hurry up and eat before it gets cold."

\n\n

As he was lost in thought, Lian Jun was startled by a hand waving in front of his face. He realized that he had been zoning out in front of Shi Jin and paused for a moment before taking a deep look at him. Sitting up, he picked up the spoon and stirred the seafood porridge that Shi Jin had pushed over to him.

\n\n

After a brief pause, he suddenly spoke up, "Shi Jin, there are some things that I think you have the right to know and the right to choose. The transformation of Annihilation involves two parts. One part is the transformation of the profit and business structure, which is not difficult to carry out with official support and relaxation of regulations, as well as a large accumulation of capital. Completing this part is only a matter of time. The truly difficult part is the other part."

\n\n

With a mouthful of fruit pie, Shi Jin asked vaguely, "What is the other part?"

\n\n

As Lian Jun watched him eat with a serious expression on his face, he couldn't help but be amused by the comical sight. Just as he had become serious, his tone relaxed and he said, "It's the transformation of the organization's definition. Do you remember the official definition of 'Annihilation'?"

\n\n

Shi Jin swallowed his fruit pie and furrowed his brow even tighter, replying, "The largest legal criminal organization in the country? And they have some kind of cooperation with the government... Is that right?"

\n\n

"It's basically like this," said Lian Jun as he stirred the seafood porridge. "But looking at history, for society to have stable and even thriving development, criminal organizations defined as legal are not necessary. As an existence destined to be eliminated by history, if we don't want to perish in the end, we must strive to survive. The other part of the transformation is that of the organization's positioning. What we want is for there to no longer be the 'Annihilation' organization in official records. Only then can we truly be safe and consider the transformation a success."

\n\n

In an instant, Shi Jin understood his meaning and blurted out, "Is the government going to crack down on criminal organizations?"

\n\n

As he watched the wide-eyed expression on his face, Lian Jun suddenly felt that these things that had once seemed so heavy were now surprisingly easy to talk about. He nodded at him and replied, "We started early, and Black Rose was the first cake the authorities went after. Fortunately, although we were on par with Black Rose, one of the major organizations that the authorities feared, we didn't have any official backing. Our accumulated capital was strong and stable enough, so the strategy the authorities took with us was to 'cooperate' rather than 'eliminate'."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin felt a sinking feeling in his heart. So the current situation is that "Annihilation" has been pacified and has become the knife of the officials to deal with other criminal organizations. In order to reward "Annihilation" for its "understanding of the situation", the officials have begun to vigorously support and help "Annihilation" transform its business, which is to help "Annihilation" whitewash its image.

\n\n

But if that's the case, then "Annihilation" is equivalent to a traitor in the criminal organization and has become the target of all criminal organizations. And this is not even the most dangerous part. When everything really settles down one day, as the last legitimate criminal organization that can threaten the officials and knows what they have done, will "Annihilation" really be easily let go?

\n\n

Even if most of "Annihilation's" members and business have gradually transformed and been spared, will Lian Jun, Number One and the rest of the central members of "Annihilation", really be allowed to survive?

\n\n

Throughout history, the practice of hiding bows when the birds are gone and cooking dogs after the rabbits are dead has never ceased.

\n\n

The current transformation of "Annihilation" is not an ordinary one. It is a transformation with no way out, both inside and out. The future is uncertain and not necessarily bright.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt that even the fruit pies were no longer appetizing, and fruit juice was no longer sweet. Even the sea breeze became irritating.

\n\n

His brow furrowed as he said, "Young Master Jun, do you know what happened to most bandits who were recruited by the court in history? Even if the small fry among the bandits could return to being law-abiding citizens and continue to farm and live their lives, the leaders of the bandits usually lost their heads. Some lost them early, and some lost them late. Have you thought about this issue?"

\n\n

Lian Jun was surprised by Shi Jin's line of thinking. He didn't seem to care whether he had been tricked or not, but instead was immediately concerned about the safety of Lian Jun, the "bandit leader".

\n\n

His eyes softened, and he picked up the straw on the table and poked Shi Jin's furrowed brow. He replied, "Yes, I've thought about it. But have you thought about what will happen after you surrender? Not only will the bandit leader be in danger, but his cunning strategist and loyal followers will also suffer. Do you remember what I told you before? You have the right to choose. So now, do you choose to be a low-level thug who can return to a normal life, or one of the loyal followers who will most likely be silenced forever?"

\n\n

When Shi Jin saw that he was still in the mood to joke around with him, he reached out and took the straw that was poked at him, twisted his brow and poked it into his own juice cup, slurping down half the cup in one go. He said fiercely, "You, the leader of the bandits, are very smart. You must have thought of a way out. I'll be your lackey, I'm willing! At least I can eat and drink well with you."

\n\n

Lian Jun hooked his lips, leaned back in his wheelchair, lifted his hand to prop up his chin, and said in a good mood, "No, I can't eat spicy food. You can eat well with me, but nothing spicy. It's better to be a little lackey, you can eat spicy too."

\n\n

Shi Jin was very bold and rolled his eyes at him, pushing the porridge bowl in front of him and saying, "Then you quickly get better, I also want to eat spicy food. You can't deprive me of my hobbies."

\n\n

Lian Jun couldn't help but chuckle. His previously uncertain heart had finally settled as he took a glance at Shi Jin and then at the seafood porridge in front of him. He reached out and pushed it away, gesturing towards the half-eaten fruit pie in front of Shi Jin and said, "I'm tired of porridge, I want that."

\n\n

Shi Jin was momentarily stunned by his laughter, but then regained his composure and gave a "I can't do anything with you" expression, offering his fruit pie to Lian Jun.

\n\n

......

\n\n

After their conversation during breakfast, the distance between the two of them had inexplicably narrowed. Shi Jin became bolder and more casual in front of Lian Jun, who silently approved. During the afternoon break on the island, the Numbers quickly noticed the subtle changes in the air. They didn't say anything to each other, but after the meeting, Number Two took Number Six aside and chatted with him for a long time, leaving him surprised.

\n\n

Later, when Shi Jin went to get his island pass with Number Six, he noticed that his new colleague was looking at him strangely.

\n\n

Number Six was a gentle and kind person, with a mature appearance and older than the other members of Numbers. He had watched Lian Jun grow up and had a deep affection for him, almost like an elder. Now, seeing his beloved junior show special attention to someone else, he felt a mix of emotions.

\n\n

"Is it Xiao Jin? How old are you now?" Number Six asked tentatively.

\n\n

Shi Jin thought that the reason why Number Six looked at him strangely was because he thought Shi Jin was too young. So, he confidently replied, "I'm 20 years old."

\n\n

Twenty years old, not too big of an age difference, still acceptable.

\n\n

Number Six nodded and took out a blank pass card, reaching out to Shi Jin, "Give me your ID card, I'll enter your information."

\n\n

Shi Jin obediently took out his ID card and handed it over. After handing it over, he realized that his date of birth was on the card, and his expression briefly stiffened - oh no, his lie was about to be exposed.

\n\n

Number Six also saw Shi Jin's date of birth on his ID card, hesitated for a moment, looked up at Shi Jin, and was very shocked in his heart, "This fake age, it's really a bit too far off." Hadn't he just become an adult not too long ago.

\n\n

"I have a more mature mental age," Shi Jin tried to salvage the situation. Number Six's heart was trembling as he carefully entered the information, then asked, "So, what do you think of Young Master Jun? Do you think he's too old for you, considering his age?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was completely confused, "Old? Isn't Young Master Jun the perfect age? He just turned 26 this month." They're practically the same age after including his past life.

\n\n

Number Six's eyes lit up at his words, and he spoke faster, "Do you remember Young Master Jun's birthday?"

\n\n

"I remember. Why are you making that face? Is it something hard to remember?" Shi Jin felt a bit uneasy under his gaze.

\n\n

Number Six quickly composed himself, smiled and waved his hand, "No, it's not hard to remember. What's difficult is this sincerity. Here, take this. I've given you the highest level of access on your card. Go have fun and enjoy yourself."

\n\n

Shi Jin left, completely bewildered.

\n\n

Number Six was satisfied and smiled, exclaiming, "Just a casual chat and he already talks about his birthday, it seems like Young Master Jun is constantly on his mind. Not bad, not bad."

\n\n

......

\n\n

During dinner, Lian Jun didn't feel like going to the restaurant and Shi Jin was too lazy to move, so he simply called the restaurant and had them deliver a table of food to the terrace.

\n\n

Lian Jun had no objections to Shi Jin's choice of dining location and happily took his seat.

\n\n

After finishing the meal in good spirits, Shi Jin noticed that Lian Jun didn't seem to have any intention of immediately going to his study to handle business. Seizing the opportunity, he said, "Young Master Jun, we're already on the island. How about trying the massage?"

\n\n

Lian Jun turned his head to look at him, but didn't say anything. However, his expression remained relaxed. "Let's give it a try. Massaging was my way of admitting defeat to you. I'm willing to accept the consequences of losing the bet, but you can't just let me off so easily. I might take advantage of it," said Shi Jin, with a self-reflective and self-reproaching tone, trying to sound noble.

\n\n

Lian Jun raised an eyebrow, propped his chin up with his hand, and spoke lazily, as if he was drunk on the sea breeze. "Shi Jin, why are you so obsessed with massaging?"

\n\n

With their earlier conversation as a preface, Shi Jin chose to be honest this time and replied, "I want to see your legs. People who can't walk for a long time are likely to have muscle atrophy in their legs. I asked Uncle Long, and he said you refused to do leg rehabilitation. I'm a little worried."

\n\n

Lian Jun's expression faded a bit, he looked away and said, "Why worry about these things? I know my body better than anyone else."

\n\n

"You're not being realistic, you're giving up on yourself," retorted Shi Jin, his expression unusually serious. "Your legs aren't disabled, once your body is properly adjusted and the nerve damage is gone, you can rehabilitate your legs and become a normal person again. You can't prematurely give up on your body."

\n\n

"But my fate was decided by the heavens since birth," replied Lian Jun, as if he had already accepted his fate.

\n\n

"Lian Jun, you can't think like that," frowned Shi Jin, feeling a headache coming on.

\n\n

As he expected, Lian Jun was not a cooperative patient, as evidenced by the occasional complaints from Uncle Long. Lian Jun never ate properly, and before he arrived, he would even drink alcohol despite knowing his stomach couldn't handle it. He also hated taking medicine and was very difficult to deal with. After their conversation that morning, he could probably guess where Lian Jun's attitude came from.

\n\n

The transformation of "Annihilation" was fast and dangerous, with no room for error. There was simply no time for Lian Jun to worry about his own physical condition. Lian Jun probably had some self-loathing for his current physical state and may have even harbored thoughts of self-destruction, thinking that once he sent all his brothers off to a better life, he would offer his own head to the authorities and bring everything to a complete end. How could someone who had already sealed their own fate possibly care about their own body?

\n\n

Seeing his stern expression and his struggle to find the right words, Lian Jun suddenly laughed and said, "You seem to care more about my body than I do. Shi Jin, can you tell me why?"

\n\n

His laughter was infectious, but Shi Jin couldn't help feeling downcast. "Why does it matter?" Shi Jin furrowed his brows, glancing at the progress bar in his mind that belonged to Lian Jun. He then looked at Lian Jun, who seemed indifferent to everything, and said, "I just want you to live a long and healthy life. From my current position and identity, isn't it normal to have such thoughts?"

\n\n

Lian Jun looked at him without saying a word, seemingly digesting his response.

\n\n

Shi Jin fell silent, pondering how to motivate Lian Jun to take action.

\n\n

"Let's go." Lian Jun suddenly dropped his hand from his chin, relaxing for a rare moment. He resumed his usual reserved demeanor, turning his wheelchair towards the small living room connected to the terrace. He tilted his head slightly and said, "Didn't you bring your massage tools? You said you wanted to give me a massage."

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback at first, but then his eyes lit up. He quickly went over to help support the armrests of the wheelchair and said with relief, "That's more like it. Life still has hope. Don't worry, I brought all my tools with me. I guarantee that you'll feel comfortable."

\n\n

......

\n\n

Shi Jin's tools consisted of three parts: various massage tools that were just for show, medical massage oil provided by Uncle Long, and a small speaker for listening to music.

\n\n

The massage was to take place in Lian Jun's room. Shi Jin first prepared a hot bath for Lian Jun and then had a mobile massage bed with a slightly lower degree of hardness brought in according to the information he had collected beforehand.

\n\n

After everything was ready, Shi Jin connected the speaker to his phone and found the soothing instrumental music he had specially collected under the category of "Cleansing the Soul."

\n\n

He clicked play. In the next moment, soft and ethereal music floated through the room, accompanied by the distant sound of muffled waves, causing emotions to settle unconsciously.

\n\n

Shi Jin was very satisfied and chatted with Xiao Si in his mind: "The sound quality of this little speaker that Number Two helped me find is good, it must be expensive."

\n\n

Xiao Si remained silent.

\n\n

Not receiving a response, Shi Jin stopped fiddling with the small speaker and asked in confusion, "What's wrong with you? I'll need you to guide me into the rhythm during the massage later, don't drop the ball now."

\n\n

Xiao Si: "Ah - hiccup."

\n\n

What was this strange sound?

\n\n

Shi Jin frowned and asked worriedly, "What's wrong with you? Is something really wrong?"

\n\n

"No." Xiao Si's voice suddenly became calm again, so calm that it was a bit serious, and he spoke at double speed, "Shi Jin, turn around quickly."

\n\n

Without thinking, Shi Jin turned around and crashed into someone's chest that was still moist with water vapor. The faint scent of shower gel rushed into his nostrils.

\n\n

"The music is good," Lian Jun reached out and took the small speaker from Shi Jin's hand, glanced at it, and casually placed it on the nearby cabinet. He then leaned over and propped himself up on the massage bed behind Shi Jin, looking at him who was almost half-embraced in his arms and asked, "Do I just lie down?"

\n\n

Shi Jin held his breath, his gaze shifting from Lian Jun's still-damp collarbone to his Adam's apple, then to his chest covered by a black silk bathrobe. He quickly lowered his gaze to Lian Jun's feet standing on the carpet, before finally returning to his face.

\n\n

Seeing his messy hair, Shi Jin couldn't help but gasp in awe. "Oh my goodness, is this really Lian Jun? He just took a shower and let his hair down, but why does he look like a completely different person? Is it really true that standing or sitting and having your hair up or down can make such a big difference?

\n\n

Thunk.

\n\n

His forehead was tapped, and Shi Jin snapped out of his daze, looking at the only living person beside him.

\n\n

Lian Jun withdrew his hand and stepped back, consciously lying down on the massage bed. The loose hem of his bathrobe opened up, revealing a pair of slender legs as he said, "Let's begin."

\n\n

His expression and tone were very natural and calm, in stark contrast to his sudden approach just now.

\n\n

Shi Jin's gaze followed his movements, and perhaps due to the shock, he didn't immediately look at Lian Jun's legs. Instead, he earnestly asked, "Are you...wearing nothing underneath that bathrobe?"

\n\n

"......"

\n\n

Lian Jun turned his head to look at him and said in a calm tone, "Shi Jin, although you may be foolish, your thoughts are quite beautiful."

\n\n

Shi Jin felt inexplicably embarrassed.

\n","published_time":"2024-01-11T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-14T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-11T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":462,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":42,"chapter_title":"Massage","content":"

The atmosphere was a bit awkward. Shi Jin lowered his head to organize his scattered thoughts, as if nothing had happened, and turned to face the massage bed, looking at Lian Jun's legs.

\n\n

Lian Jun was very thin, there was no doubt about that. Shi Jin had already prepared himself mentally to see a pair of skinny, not-so-pretty legs before deciding to give Lian Jun a massage.

\n\n

But when he actually saw Lian Jun's legs, he was still stunned. Lian Jun's legs were indeed thin, which made them look especially long when he lay down. However, his legs were not at all unattractive. They were straight and even had some meat in the calves. The proportions of his legs were also very good, and his skin was flawless.

\n\n

Perhaps due to his poor health, his hair was also very light. Apart from being a little thin and having overly pale skin that revealed some veins, there was nothing wrong with his legs.

\n\n

Contrary to what one might expect, his proportions and length made his legs quite attractive, especially if one didn't subscribe to the idea that "men should have muscular legs." In fact, one might even find Lian Jun's legs a bit too good-looking.

\n\n

"Are they really ugly?" Lian Jun asked in a low voice, staring intently at Shi Jin's expression. Shi Jin snapped out of his daze and shook his head. He couldn't resist reaching out to touch it, and even pinched the flesh on Lian Jun's calf to confirm if it was real. As it turned out, it was real. Lian Jun's legs were truly beautiful.

\n\n

Lian Jun was quite sensitive to touch, and when Shi Jin pinched his leg so suddenly and heavily, he reflexively bent his leg and furrowed his brows. Shi Jin quickly came to his senses and lightly touched his calf again, worriedly asking, "Did I hurt you? Sorry, I didn't control my strength just now."

\n\n

"It's okay." Lian Jun relaxed his brows and moved his leg slightly, avoiding his warm and dry hand. He wasn't used to direct skin contact with others. Shi Jin misunderstood his actions, thinking that his legs would only hurt if touched lightly. He furrowed his eyebrows and asked Xiao Si in his mind, "Is Lian Jun's legs more sensitive than expected? Can he handle the massage?"

\n\n

"He can handle it. Just use a lighter touch. Massages are good for my baby," Xiao Si replied confidently, even with a hint of excitement. "Don't be afraid, go ahead! I'll keep an eye on it. Lian Jun's body belongs to you!"

\n\n

Shi Jin sighed. It seemed that this "golden finger" had been blinded by beauty and was not reliable for the time being.

\n\n

He looked back at Lian Jun's legs, hesitated for a moment, and decided to try massaging them first. Although there seemed to be no visible after-effects on the surface of Lian Jun's legs, prolonged inactivity would have caused his muscles to stiffen. A massage would help to relax them.

\n\n

With that in mind, he turned around and grabbed a towel, folding it neatly and placing it over Lian Jun's waist to cover his private parts. Then he placed his hands on the robe that was spread out on the massage bed and said to Lian Jun, "I'll start now. If it hurts, just let me know and I'll ease up on the pressure."

\n\n

Lian Jun wasn't used to being in such a vulnerable position, lying down and exposing his body to someone else, but he didn't show it on his face. He nodded and even closed his eyes, making it seem like he was ready to enjoy the massage.

\n\n

It was quite a cooperative sight to see.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt relieved and quickly pulled up Lian Jun's robe to expose his legs. Then he turned around and picked up the ointment provided by Uncle Long, pouring a little into his palm and rubbing it gently before placing his hand on Lian Jun's calf.

\n\n

The palms that had been rubbed were hotter than usual. Lian Jun's legs were particularly sensitive, and when Shi Jin placed his hands on them, it felt like two warm, soft towels were covering his skin. At first, it was a bit uncomfortable, but after two seconds, it became snug and comfortable, as if the temperature had opened up all his pores.

\n\n

Then the warmth began to move, slowly up his calves, skin rubbing against skin, leaving a smooth sensation where the ointment had been applied. The sea breeze blew in through the window, brushing against his body and bringing a coolness to the ointment's warmth. The combination of heat and coolness was even more comfortable than just feeling the coolness alone.

\n\n

Lian Jun's eyelashes fluttered as he slowly exhaled, feeling Shi Jin's hand glide over his calf, knead his knee, and then briefly leave. After the sound of pouring medicine and rubbing palms, his knee grew warm again, and the warmth gradually spread up his thigh, gliding over the surface, circling around the side, and sliding towards the inner thigh...

\n\n

Lian Jun suddenly opened his eyes and half-sat up, bending his leg to block Shi Jin's hand. His Adam's apple bobbed as he said, "I want to drink water, cold water."

\n\n

Shi Jin had just finished applying the ointment to his entire leg, and seeing him suddenly sit up, he withdrew his hand and looked at him disapprovingly. "Cold water is not good for your stomach. Let me pour you a cup of warm water instead."

\n\n

Warm water wouldn't have much of a cooling effect.

\n\n

"...Never mind then." Lian Jun casually crossed his legs and lay back on the massage bed, gesturing towards the nearby window. "Open it a bit wider, the sea breeze today feels really nice."

\n\n

Shi Jin looked towards the partially open floor-to-ceiling window and felt the strength of the sea breeze. It was indeed quite pleasant, so he picked up a towel and wiped off the ointment on his hands before walking over to open the window a bit more.

\n\n

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lian Jun pulled down the towel covering his waist a bit, exposing more of his leg skin.

\n\n

The massage continued and Lian Jun closed his eyes once again, but this time he turned his head towards the window, facing the gentle sea breeze. His semi-dry hair swayed softly, brushing past his eyebrows, eyes, and ears, creating a beautiful scene that looked like a painting. Shi Jin frowned as he put down the bottle of oil he had just picked up and turned to grab a hair dryer. He walked around the bed and stood at the head, helping Lian Jun dry his hair.

\n\n

Lian Jun opened his eyes and looked at him, but didn't say anything.

\n\n

"Although the temperature on the island is high, it's better to dry your hair quickly after a shower," Shi Jin said as he ran his fingers through Lian Jun's hair, blowing the wet parts with the hair dryer. He looked focused and serious.

\n\n

Looking up at him from below, Lian Jun felt his heart gradually calm down as he felt the touch of Shi Jin's fingers on his scalp and the gentle warmth of the blowing air. He couldn't help but reach up and loosely grip the cord of the hair dryer, feeling the movement caused by Shi Jin's actions. It felt like he was holding his hand.

\n\n

"Shi Jin, your hair has grown long," he spoke, his voice no longer crisp but rather husky.

\n\n

"Really?" Shi Jin withdrew his hand from grabbing Lian Jun's hair and instead reached up to touch his own, saying, "It does seem a bit long. Is there a place on the island to get a haircut? I'll go tomorrow and get it trimmed."

\n\n

Lian Jun watched his hand, remembering how it had just slid through his hair. His lips curved slightly as he murmured in agreement and closed his eyes contentedly.

\n\n

After finishing with Lian Jun's hair, Shi Jin returned to the massage bed and noticed that the ointment on Lian Jun's leg had dried up. He promptly poured some more and reapplied it before letting Xiao Si partially take over his body and begin massaging Lian Jun.

\n\n

Massaging the front of the legs is simpler than the back, focusing on kneading pressure points. Shi Jin and Xiao Si worked together, carefully controlling the strength and asking Lian Jun for feedback. Only when they find a level of pressure that Lian Jun can tolerate do they confidently begin massaging.

\n\n

Lian Jun's leg muscles are indeed somewhat stiff, and upon closer examination, there is slight muscle atrophy. Shi Jin furrows his brow and massages with even more care, while asking, "Young Master Jun, do you take care of your legs?"

\n\n

If he didn't take care of them, his legs wouldn't be in this condition. Lian Jun seemed to be less self-destructive than Shi Jin initially thought. His eyebrows were furrowed, and he appeared visibly uncomfortable.

\n\n

Although Shi Jin tried to use less force, the pain from his sensitive legs couldn't be reduced by simply easing up. Fortunately, the pain was still within a tolerable range, and perhaps it was because Shi Jin's massage technique was really on point, after the initial sharp pain, the blood circulation in his legs improved and the pain became dull and dense, slightly hot and sour, and even had a strange sense of self-torture-like comfort.

\n\n

"Mmm." Lian Jun responded softly, not sure if it was an answer or just a groan of discomfort. He felt Shi Jin's movements stop instantly and quickly relaxed his forehead, opening his eyes to glance at Shi Jin before saying, "My legs are different from ordinary disabilities. It's not completely paralyzed and without sensation. If I can maintain a daily walking routine, I don't need special care. Uncle Long is just overly concerned."

\n\n

Maintain a daily walking routine?

\n\n

Shi Jin furrowed his brows and asked, "How can you maintain a walking routine? Have you secretly been walking on your own?" It would be too painful to walk without any regular rehabilitation or preparation.

\n\n

Lian Jun closed his eyes and replied, "It's not a secret... I can't rely on others to assist me with every movement, especially when standing and walking are necessary. Sometimes, after taking a shower, I will walk on my own for a while."

\n\n

Shi Jin sighed helplessly, "It's good to move your legs, but it's better to let Uncle Long help you relax your leg muscles before walking. He can also watch over you, so you can take it easy."

\n\n

"But it's too ugly." Li Jian still had his eyes closed, his expression calm and his tone indifferent as he spoke about the things he had never expressed before, "I have to rest every two steps, I'm covered in sweat, and sometimes I even fall... Annihilation doesn't need a useless and pathetic leader. I am the spiritual pillar of Uncle Long, Number One and the rest. I can't let them worry about me instead."

\n\n

Shi Jin was speechless. He wanted to say that Number One and the others probably didn't care if he looked pathetic while treating his illness, but the words died on his lips. Being the leader of a violent organization is different from running a regular company.

\n\n

As the boss of "Annihilation," Lian Jun has no advantage in terms of physical strength or convincing power. If he were to show a particularly helpless and useless side, people might still respect him and even care for him, but subconsciously, their trust, conviction, dependence, and sense of security towards Lian Jun and "Annihilation" would be somewhat discounted.

\n\n

This is truly a helpless situation because the human heart and subconscious are not controlled by reason.

\n\n

Lian Jun is doing his best to use his mental strength to establish a firm anchor in everyone's hearts. The cost is that he cannot show any weakness or helplessness in any aspect. His poor physical condition seemed to be just an external label and had not affected his life.

\n\n

As Shi Jin carefully thought back, he realized that Lian Jun had never shown any signs of weakness in front of others. He didn't need anyone to serve him in his daily life, and every time he appeared in public, he was already well-groomed and calmly strategizing. He even rarely asked others to push his wheelchair, preferring to move himself whenever possible.

\n\n

He didn't seem like a sick person at all. Aside from using a wheelchair, he had never caused any trouble or inconvenience for others, unlike many other patients who could be a burden.

\n\n

"Let me help you. If you want to exercise, just call me over and I'll give you a massage to help you relax. And I promise not to tell anyone that you're walking on your own. I can keep a secret," said Shi Jin, swallowing his comforting words and instead offering his own help. He spoke with enthusiasm, looking towards the future for Lian Jun. "When you can walk on your own again, we'll go scare Number Two and the others together and give them a big surprise!"

\n\n

Lian Jun listened to his lively and energetic voice, and as he opened his eyes to look at him, a small smile formed on his lips.

\n\n

"Okay," he replied. This person never failed to impress him in certain things.

\n\n

With a satisfied smile, Shi Jin clapped his hands and stood up, excitedly saying, "Alright, we're done with the front. Now for the main event. Young Master Jun, turn over." He reached out and lifted the silk bathrobe tied around Lian Jun's waist.

\n\n

The bathrobe was light and smooth, while the towel was made of cotton and had a strong friction. With one forceful tug, Shi Jin pulled the towel off, causing the fabric of the bathrobe underneath to shift and revealing parts of Lian Jun that should not have been exposed.

\n\n

"Wow, it's black..." Shi Jin was stunned, his gaze involuntarily shifting towards a certain unsavory area beneath the small piece of cloth at the corner of the bathrobe.

\n\n

Xiao Si excitedly controlled his body and reached out, slapping Lian Jun's thigh with a loud smack... dangerously close to a certain sensitive area.

\n\n

Lian Jun frowned, and snatched away the towel in Shi Jin's hand and threw it over his head.

\n\n

Shi Jin was completely covered by the towel and was shocked when he regained his senses. He couldn't believe it and asked in his heart, "What are you doing? Are you crazy?" His voice was a bit shaky due to his agitation.

\n\n

Xiao Si was quite satisfied with itself and replied nonchalantly, "Oops, my hand slipped... By the way, Jin Jin, this towel was covering his precious parts. Are you sure you want to keep it on your head?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was so agitated by Xiao Si's tone that his hair stood on end. He quickly pulled off the towel and looked at Lian Jun, who was sitting up and adjusting his clothes with a blank expression. Shi Jin forced a smile and awkwardly explained, "I... my hand slipped, it was just a mistake."

\n\n

Lian Jun gave him a cold glance, turned over, and lay down on the massage bed. With a sigh of relief, Shi Jin quickly covered him with a towel. The rest of the massage went smoothly without any more mishaps, and Lian Jun remained silent throughout. After washing his hands, Shi Jin escorted Lian Jun to the bathroom and suggested he take a hot bath before blow-drying his hair. With a simple "goodnight," Shi Jin grabbed his tools and left.

\n\n

The room fell silent, leaving Lian Jun alone. He sat back on the bed and stretched his muscles, feeling much more relaxed. Looking at the massage table by the window, he suddenly chuckled to himself before gazing out at the gentle night view of the island. His eyes gradually deepened.

\n\n

"You were the one who approached first...so don't blame me."

\n\n

......

\n\n

The vacation days were carefree, except for the fact that he still had to attend classes.

\n\n

On the third day of their trip to the island, the teachers that Lian Jun had arranged for Shi Jin finally arrived. There were three teachers in total, all of whom were said to have taught the top students like Lian Jun and Number One, and they held a high position in "Annihilation".

\n\n

The leading teacher was a small, white-haired old man with a bad temper. He looked down on poor study progress, but when he saw Shi Jin, he strangely didn't say anything negative. Instead, he carefully examined him and advised him with a serious tone, "This won't do. The knowledge you learn goes into your own brain, and it enhances your own abilities. You need to take the initiative, work harder, and not waste the hard work of Young Master Jun."

\n\n

Shi Jin, who had lived two lifetimes and was an 'old-time' student, quickly nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

\n\n

"Hmm, not bad attitude," said the teacher whose surname was 'Feng', and everyone called him Mr. Feng. Upon seeing that Shi Jin was listening to his advice, Mr. Feng was reluctantly satisfied. He quickly pulled out a schedule and said, "Let's follow this schedule for our classes. We'll have seven classes every day from Monday to Friday, with four in the morning and three in the afternoon. Weekends are off. Any objections? Since there are none, let's stick to this schedule and start our classes."

\n\n

Shi Jin remained silent, thinking to himself that the teacher spoke too fast and didn't give him a chance to voice his opinions or objections. However, seeing how serious and responsible the teacher was, he decided to keep his mouth shut and opened his textbook.

\n\n

......

\n\n

Shi Jin felt bitter inside.

\n\n

While everyone else on the island ran around and played, occasionally going out on boats for fishing and diving, he was the only one who had to stay inside and attend classes. It was truly miserable.

\n\n

Oh, it's not just him who's miserable, poor Lian Jun was also suffering. As the leader of "Annihilation", his daily routine was just work, work, work, with no weekends off.

\n\n

One worked in the big study, the other was taught in the small study, like a pair of unfortunate mandarin ducks, as Xiao Si put it.

\n\n

Shi Jin ignored his unreliable "golden finger" and, seeing how hard Lian Jun worked, felt sorry for him. So during every break, he would sneak into Lian Jun's study to chat and tease him a bit, helping him relax before going back to his own small study.

\n\n

Time flies when you're having fun, and before they knew it, a week had passed. It was the weekend and Shi Jin had no classes, so he put on a loose tank top and shorts, knocked on Lian Jun's door with a big smile, and prepared to take him out for some fresh air and fun.

\n\n

Without saying a word, Lian Jun opened the door and gestured for Shi Jin to come in. Shi Jin couldn't help but notice Lian Jun's loose tank top that revealed his collarbone and a hint of chest. Inside, Lian Jun handed Shi Jin a bottle of juice and a tablet, saying, "I've got the information you wanted. It just arrived. Take a look."

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded and followed Lian Jun to the balcony where they sat on wicker chairs. Lian Jun handed Shi Jin the tablet and said, "It's all in there. Take your time."

\n\n

Shi Jin thanked him and opened the encrypted file, which was divided into six parts. He started with the first part. As soon as the information appeared, two photos jumped out together. One was of Shi Weichong, and the other was of a woman with beautiful features and a serious expression.

\n\n

Both photos had dates written in the corners, indicating when they were taken. Judging from the dates, the woman's photo was taken a long time ago, and she must be quite old now.

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately realized that this woman must be Shi Weichong's mother, the first woman that Shi Xingrui had provoked.

\n\n

He carefully examined the woman's appearance, and his brow slowly furrowed. It was strange that Shi Weichong's mother had no similarities whatsoever with Li Jiuzheng's mother as well as the original owner's mother, whether in appearance or temperament. They belonged to different styles. Shi Weichong's mother had beautiful features and a serious expression, clearly not an easy person to get along with, while Li Jiuzheng and the original owner's mother were both gentle and delicate.

\n\n

He had previously suspected that Shi Xingrui's choice of women was all of a certain style, but now it seemed that it was not the case.

\n\n

Could he have been wrong?

\n\n

He shook his head and continued flipping through the information.

\n\n

Shi Weichong's mother's name was Xu Jie, born in B city. She was a top student with a wealthy family background. Her parents were both in stable positions, one in a state-owned enterprise and the other a university professor, both with iron rice bowls. Xu Jie graduated from a top university in China and then studied abroad in Country Y for two years before returning to China and joining Ruihang as an assistant to Shi Xingrui.

\n\n

When Shi Jin saw this, he was stunned and double-checked the information, feeling somewhat surprised. Shi Weichong's mother had actually been an assistant to Shi Xingrui at Ruihang? So Shi Xingrui had gotten together with an employee? This was completely unexpected.

\n\n

After digesting this information, he continued to flip through the documents. Xu Jie had been an assistant to Shi Xingrui for several years, and was considered one of the founding members who witnessed Ruihang's initial takeoff. She only left her position unexpectedly after becoming pregnant and moving in with Shi Xingrui.

\n\n

However, a few months after giving birth to Shi Weichong, she suddenly moved out of Shi Xingrui's residence and cut off contact with him. From that moment on, Xu Jie's father suddenly resigned and started his own business, establishing a family company. Xu Jie returned home with Shi Weichong and became the vice president of the family company.

\n\n

From then on, Xu Jie focused on the family business and no longer talked about love. She didn't get married again or fall in love again, becoming a powerful businesswoman. It wasn't until Shi Weichong was able to take the lead that she stepped back and began to travel the world, enjoying retirement.

\n\n

Shi Jin opened a photo of Xu Jie now and looked at the woman who had shed her youthful seriousness and difficult personality, appearing warm and friendly. He couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

\n\n

If he set aside the complicated interests behind the scenes and simply looked at the story between Shi Xinghui and Xu Jie from the perspective of a spectator, Xu Jie was simply a woman who had dumped a irresponsible man, lived her life freely, and became a model of an excellent woman who raised her son well.

\n\n

It's no wonder that Shi Weichong is so good at doing business. With a father like his and a mother like Xu Jie, if he were a useless person, it would be a disservice to the genes inherited from his parents.

\n","published_time":"2024-01-18T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-21T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":469,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":43,"chapter_title":"The Substitute","content":"

Lost in thought for a while, Shi Jin gathered his mind and opened the second part of the information.

\n\n

Two photos popped up, one of a man and one of a woman. The man's appearance was both familiar and unfamiliar, with eyebrows and eyes like Shi Xingrui's, but his overall features and temperament were like the woman in the other photo. He looked cold and unapproachable, making it difficult to get close to him.

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned for a moment before he remembered that this man was Shi Family's second son, the original owner's only elder brother he had not yet met, Fei Yujing, the big lawyer who flew around the world.

\n\n

He carefully looked at the photo of Fei Yujing, who was smiling but had a cold look in his eyes. He remembered the original owner's memory of his kind and accommodating elder brother, and furrowed his brows deeply.

\n\n

This Fei Yujing seemed to have two faces when it came to dealing with people. No, to be precise, he had a different face when facing the original owner. The kindness and consideration that the original owner thought he had was probably just a polite mask that Fei Yujing used to cover up his true emotions.

\n\n

Glancing at this second brother, Shi Jin shifted his gaze to the other woman's photo.

\n\n

This woman should be Fei Yujing's mother. Shi Jin carefully examined her appearance and found that she was another style of woman - different from Shi Weichong's mother's beauty and Li Jiuzheng's mother's gentleness. Fei Yujing's mother was very "ethereal", both in appearance and temperament, a true ice beauty.

\n\n

So that's three different styles. It seems that Shi Xingrui doesn't have any specific preferences for women.

\n\n

Shi Jin became even more suspicious of his previous speculation and furrowed his brows as he continued to flip through the information.

\n\n

Fei Lin, the mother of Fei Yujing, was born into a slightly down-and-out literary family in N City. Her parents were an unknown painter and a calligraphy teacher, but Fei Lin herself had no interest in art and instead pursued dance.

\n\n

She met Shi Xingrui at a charity performance, where she was a promising young dancer and he was a successful businessman in his prime. They fell in love at first sight and moved in together after only a month. Two months later, Fei Lin became pregnant, but Shi Xingrui had to leave N City for long business trips to expand his company. Fei Lin put her dance career on hold to focus on her pregnancy, and the two of them separated.

\n\n

After Fei Yujing was born, Shi Xingrui visited Fei Lin once in N City, but they had no further contact after that. At the same time, around the time when Fei Lin was pregnant, the once destitute Fei family suddenly discovered a precious collection of ancestral paintings and calligraphy. After selling them, their financial situation greatly improved.

\n\n

Fei Lin's father used the money to open an art gallery, while her mother opened a painting and calligraphy training class. From then on, the Fei family seemed to have received the script for the lead role. Her father's gallery grew bigger and bigger and is now one of the top galleries in the industry. His own paintings were also sold for sky-high prices. Her mother's painting and calligraphy training class also expanded and became a golden signboard in the industry, earning them both money and fame.

\n\n

Compared to the glory of her parents, Fei Lin, who gave birth to Fei Yujing, seemed much more low-key and dim. She stopped dancing, moved abroad, and focused on raising Fei Yujing, never returning to the country again. She still lives in a picturesque town abroad, living a life that seems almost reclusive.

\n\n

The information did not include any recent photos of Fei Lin, and one can imagine that she rarely takes any now. Apart from her son, Fei Yujing, she seems to have lost interest in everything else.

\n\n

As Shi Jin finished reading this part of the information, he couldn't help but question Fei Lin and Shi Xingrui's 'love at first sight'.

\n\n

Considering the time when the Fei family rose to power, it seemed more likely that Fei Lin had made a deal with Shi Xingrui - she would bear him a child and raise it, while he would help her turn her family's fortunes around and help her parents achieve the success they desired.

\n\n

Of course, this was just Shi Jin's own speculation. The truth of what happened back then is known only to those involved. After summarizing the second part of the materials, Shi Jin continued to flip through the third part.

\n\n

As expected, a photo of a woman with Rong Zhouzhong popped up.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly skipped over the handsome photo of Rong Zhouzhong and looked at his mother's photo.

\n\n

The woman in the photo had peach blossom eyes, an oval face, and a charming expression that exuded a bit of allure. It was a very attractive look for men. Rong Zhouzhong looked very much like his mother, but because he was male, he had intentionally toned down his charm and allure, making him more appealing.

\n\n

Shi Jin was now certain that he had guessed wrong before. Shi Xingrui didn't have any particular preferences when it came to women. He was more like a stamp collector, collecting women of different styles and having a child with each one.

\n\n

What a lively stallion.

\n\n

Shi Jin was thinking like this as he scrolled through the photos, revealing more information behind them.

\n\n

The mother of Rong Zhouzhong, named Rong Xili, was born in a small town in China and was a beauty from a young age. She ventured out into the world before she even reached adulthood and, by chance, became an actress. However, she never became famous and was often typecast as a villainous supporting character in eight out of ten roles.

\n\n

During a certain business event, Shi Xingrui, who was already a big boss at the time, somehow took a liking to Rong Xili and supported her for a while, even spending money to make her a little more famous. A few months later, Rong Xili became pregnant and temporarily left the entertainment industry, causing her recently gathered popularity to quickly dissipate.

\n\n

After a ten-month pregnancy, Rong Zhouzhong was born and Shi Xingrui ended his relationship with Rong Xili and left without a care in the world. However, he did not completely lack a conscience, as he invested a huge sum of money to create a film for Rong Xili before leaving.

\n\n

After giving birth, Rong Xili became famous overnight thanks to the film and won the Best Actress award. But instead of continuing to strive for success, she retired from the limelight and started her own entertainment company, where she signed new talent. Now, decades later, her company has become a giant in the industry, and she herself has gracefully retired from the game of life.

\n\n

So not only is Rong Zhouzhong an award-winning actor, but his mother, Rong Xili, was also a powerhouse in the industry as a former Best Actress and a second-generation star with strong connections behind the scenes.

\n\n

Shi Jin wiped his face and sighed at the lack of information about the original plot. In the entertainment industry, where information is almost transparent, the original owner's memory had no information about Rong Zhouzhong's mother. Was it because Shi Xingrui protected the original owner too well, or was it because the original owner was too trusting?

\n\n

But it wasn't just the original owner. He himself was also too trusting. You see, he had infiltrated Rong Zhouzhong's fan site and had talked to some of his private fans, but he had no idea that Rong Zhouzhong's mother was also a celebrity in the entertainment industry.

\n\n

He was too careless.

\n\n

He reflected on himself for a moment and then turned to the next section of information.

\n\n

A photo of Xiang Aoting and his mother popped up.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting's mother had a dignified appearance and a sophisticated temperament. She was also a very beautiful woman. Unfortunately, Xiang Aoting looked more like Shi Xingrui and did not inherit his mother's elegance and beauty. Shi Jin only took a quick glance at the photo of Xiang Aoting's mother before flipping to the back page for more information.

\n\n

Xiang Aoting's mother, Xiang Qing, was born in G city. Her parents were a police officer and a nurse, making for a very reassuring family profession. Xiang Qing herself was a student at a teacher's college, and if she had graduated smoothly, she would have become an excellent teacher without a doubt.

\n\n

Unfortunately, she was unable to complete her studies. In her third year, her father passed away while on duty, her mother fell ill, and her underage sister suffered a mental breakdown due to the shock. In order to take care of her family, Xiang Qing resolutely gave up her studies.

\n\n

At the end of the year when she gave up her studies, she met Shi Xingrui. It was a cliché love-at-first-sight scenario, and they quickly moved in together. In the early part of the following year, Xiang Qing became pregnant, but unfortunately, she miscarried in the third month, probably due to the strain of taking care of her mother and sister.

\n\n

Afterwards, Shi Xingrui waved his hand and sent Xiang Qing's mother and sister to the best hospital and sanatorium, and then almost kept Xiang Qing hidden away like a treasure in a golden house. In the second half of that year, Xiang Qing became pregnant again, and her sister finally overcame her illness and returned to school to study hard. Her mother's condition also improved, and their family situation gradually improved.

\n\n

After Xiang Qing's pregnancy stabilized, Shi Xingrui left, leaving without any hesitation. He only came back to take a look after Xiang Aoting was born, and then cut off contact with Xiang Qing again.

\n\n

In the same year that Xiang Aoting was born, Xiang Qing's younger sister received a precious admission to a top domestic university and effortlessly entered. She worked hard and pursued further education, and is now the head of a major official scientific research project, leading a large group of talented individuals and having a significant say in the field of scientific research.

\n\n

Meanwhile, Xiang Qing continued her studies after giving birth to Xiang Aoting and is now a university professor at a certain institution.

\n\n

Both Xiang Qing and her sister remained unmarried for life, dedicating all their energy to their careers and giving all their love to Xiang Aoting.

\n\n

Shi Jin looked at the recent photos of Xiang Aoting's mother and her sister, his brow furrowed in concern.

\n\n

The feeling of a transaction was even more apparent.

\n\n

To confirm this feeling, he quickly looked at the next set of information. The fifth set of information belonged to Li Jiuzheng and his mother, Li Yuewei. Li Yuewei was a gentle and lovable woman with a naturally soft and weak personality. She was a local of Rong City and her parents ran a small hotel, making their family financially stable.

\n\n

Li Yuewei met Shi Xingrui at a joint university lecture. At the time, Shi Xingrui was a model of success and she voluntarily fell in love.

\n\n

According to the information, the two fell in love shortly after meeting. A few months later, Li Yuewei became pregnant. Despite her parents' objections, she dropped out of school and decided to keep the baby.

\n\n

After dropping out, Li Yuewei moved directly into the house that Shi Xingrui had bought for her. Shi Xingrui doted on her for a while, giving her almost anything she wanted. However, this kind of love abruptly ended after Li Jiuzheng was born.

\n\n

Li Yuewei could have anything she wanted, but she could never see Shi Xingrui again - yes, Shi Xingrui left after Li Jiuzheng was born.

\n\n

The following plot was Li Yuewei waiting foolishly in Rong City for Shi Xingrui to return, but Shi Xingrui was heartless and never went to see her. Li Yuewei even tried to actively find Shi Xingrui, but he never saw her. Every time Li Yuewei looked for him, he would ignore Li Jiuzheng for a long time. Gradually, Li Yuewei stopped looking for him and focused on waiting for Shi Xingrui in Rong City.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt very strange and repeatedly read this part of the information. Gone was the feeling of transaction. Unlike the mothers and families of his other brothers, the Li family did not receive any benefits from Shi Xingrui after Li Yuewei and Shi Xingrui got together, not even after the birth of Li Jiuzheng. Even now, Li's parents do not even run their small hotel, having sold it early and retired.

\n\n

Shi Jin furrowed his brows and skimmed through the previous information, then discovered a phenomenon - the mothers of the first four brothers did not actively seek out Shi Xingrui after he left, with a decisive and resolute attitude. But Li Yuewei was different. She loved Shi Xingrui and couldn't bear to be abandoned, wanting to find him back.

\n\n

So this is the reason why the Li family didn't receive funding? Because Li Yuewei is too clingy?

\n\n

Shi Jin's expression twisted as if he had eaten shit.

\n\n

Considering the situation with the other brothers' mother, Li Yuewei didn't seem to have any dealings with Shi Xingrui. She seemed more like she was unilaterally deceived by him.

\n\n

Shi Xingrui was really a scumbag...

\n\n

Suddenly, a pair of chopsticks reached in front of him. Shi Jin was startled for a moment before looking towards the person handing him the chopsticks.

\n\n

Lian Jun shook the chopsticks, gesturing towards the breakfast that had been placed on the rattan table at some point, and said, "Eat something first before you continue."

\n\n

"Uh... thank you." Shi Jin took the chopsticks and glanced at the steaming breakfast on the table. His thoughts slowly pulled away from the documents, and he apologized, "Sorry, I was too engrossed in reading and forgot that you haven't had breakfast yet."

\n\n

"It's okay," Lian Jun poured him a glass of juice, moved the tablet to the side, and said, "Eat quickly, it will hurt your stomach if it gets cold."

\n\n

Shi Jin responded with a sound and picked up the juice next to him, taking a sip. Then he suddenly realized that Lian Jun's words sounded familiar. Wasn't this what he always said to Lian Jun when he tried to persuade him to eat? And what was the situation now? Lian Jun helped him order breakfast? He even gave him chopsticks and poured him juice?

\n\n

Was he being served breakfast by Lian Jun? He actually let the boss serve him breakfast!

\n\n

"Cough cough cough-" Shi Jin was scared by his own imagination and choked on the juice, coughing loudly while covering his mouth. Lian Jun glanced at him and reached out to pull his hand down.

\n\n

He grabbed a tissue and wiped the juice off the corner of his mouth and his hand in a natural motion. "Take your time eating, no one is rushing you," he said, and then considerately moved some pastries closer to him.

\n\n

Shi Jin's body stiffened as he recalled the feeling of Lian Jun wiping the corner of his mouth. He poked at his heart in fear and asked, "What's wrong with Lian Jun? Why did he suddenly become so kind and caring towards his subordinates? Is he possessed?"

\n\n

Xiao Si happily replied, "Because he loves you, he loves Jin Jin the most. You are his little baby."

\n\n

Shi Jin fell silent and decided to put Xiao Si in a small dark room to calm down for a while. He then glanced at Lian Jun's face, which looked no different from usual, and suspected that he was just being too sensitive. He shook his head and focused on eating breakfast. After breakfast, Shi Jin invited Lian Jun to go around the island, but Lian Jun said he had something urgent to deal with in the morning and could only go out in the afternoon.

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately understood that Lian Jun was considerate of his desire to finish reading the materials. He didn't say anything, but he was deeply moved in his heart. He personally escorted Lian Jun to the study and settled him in before returning to his own small study to continue reading the materials.

\n\n

Shi Jin opened his tablet and flipped through the materials, only to unexpectedly find that the fifth part of the materials was not yet complete and there was some other content at the end. He quickly skimmed through the remaining content and was surprised to find that it was actually the growth trajectory of Li Jiuzheng.

\n\n

The information showed that Li Jiuzheng had enjoyed the best resources and treatment since birth, and after deciding to study medicine, he quickly became the apprentice of Elder Sun, a famous old doctor in Rong City. These were all things that the Li family and Li Yuewei could not afford back then.

\n\n

Not only that, because Li Yuewei was unable to take care of people and had some mental problems, Li Jiuzheng was actually taken care of by nannies hired by Shi Xingrui. According to the records, Elder Sun saw his own family's development improve greatly after accepting Li Jiuzheng. Thanks to his master's support and resources, Li Jiuzheng was able to open his private hospital.

\n\n

Shi Jin understood the significance of this information. It was to tell him that while the Li family did not receive any benefits from Shi Xingrui, Elder Sun, who treated Li Jiuzheng like his own grandson, did receive help and support for his family's development.

\n\n

With all the information about the five brothers and their respective maternal families now reviewed, Shi Jin hesitated for a moment before opening the last section of the records. He had a rough idea of what was inside. Two photos jumped out, one of the original owner as a child and the other of a young woman with gentle features and a warm demeanor.

\n\n

Sighing, Shi Jin realized that this last piece of information belonged to the original owner's mother. He hadn't asked Lian Jun to look into it, but Lian Jun had thoughtfully done so anyway.

\n\n

The original owner's mother was stunningly beautiful, with each feature individually perfect and even more so when combined.

\n\n

Shi Jin's emotions were complicated. He looked exactly like the original owner, but he had no idea what his biological mother looked like. He was an adopted child, and while his adoptive parents loved him dearly, they bore no resemblance to him whatsoever. Thus, he had always known he was adopted. Since he looked exactly like the original owner, he wondered if his biological mother in his past life also looked exactly like the original owner's...

\n\n

"Xiao Si, why do I look exactly like the original owner, even down to the mole on my nose? Do you know the reason?" He couldn't help but ask.

\n\n

Xiao Si remained silent, as if it hadn't heard the question.

\n\n

Shi Jin also fell silent, guessing that it wouldn't answer. After staring at the photo for a while, he gathered his thoughts and continued reading the information.

\n\n

The original owner's mother was named Yun Jin, an orphan who was abandoned and raised in a welfare institution. When Shi Xingrui met her, she was just about to leave the welfare institution to live independently.

\n\n

She was truly special. After meeting her, Shi Xingrui immediately displayed a near-obsessive passion, even going so far as to stop all his work and stay in that small town for half a year until he won her over and brought her back to his home in B city, satisfied and content.

\n\n

Once they were together, Shi Xingrui was positively radiant, introducing her to his world and publicly declaring her as his fiancée. He even went so far as to order a wedding dress and ring, fully intending to marry her.

\n\n

Unfortunately, before they could prepare for the wedding, Yun Jin unexpectedly became pregnant.

\n\n

During her pregnancy, Yun Jin focused on taking care of herself while Shi Xingrui, afraid of her overexerting herself, put their wedding plans on hold. He also suppressed all his playboy tendencies and became a devoted husband, carefully accompanying Yun Jin and personally taking care of her throughout her entire pregnancy like a model husband.

\n\n

After the birth of their son, Shi Jin, Shi Xingrui no longer abandoned his wife and child as he had done before. He transformed from a good husband into a good husband and father, personally taking care of Yun Jin and Shi Jin.

\n\n

However, the good times did not last long. Yun Jin passed away shortly after giving birth to Shi Jin, causing Shi Xingrui to sink into a long period of depression. After he pulled himself together, he immediately gave Shi Jin his name and carefully raised him by his side. From then on, he never went after any other women.

\n\n

Shi Jin silently repeated the names "Yun Jin" and "Shi Jin," rubbing his face with force. Undeniably, the original owner and his mother were special to Shi Xingrui. But he didn't quite understand the reason behind this special feeling.

\n\n

Was it just because the original owner's mother was particularly beautiful? A scumbag's nature was not so easily changed. Sure, the original owner's mother was beautiful, but was she really that much more beautiful than the mothers of his other brothers?

\n\n

What was the reason behind it all?

\n\n

Without realizing it, he pulled out a photo of the original owner's mother and carefully examined the gentle and beautiful woman in the picture.

\n\n

His gaze swept over her eyebrows and eyes, which were very similar to those of Li Jiuzheng's mother, and then slowly moved to her nose and mouth. As he looked, he couldn't help but sit up straight, his eyes filled with surprise.

\n\n

Wait a minute, it seems that the original owner's mother is not just like Li Jiuzheng's mother. Her lips also resemble Rong Xi's mother Rong Xili, both of whom have very beautiful lips that beg to be kissed. However, Rong Xili's lips are fuller, while the original owner's mother's lips are slightly thinner and lighter in color.

\n\n

Suddenly, a clue emerged.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly flipped through the photos of several other mothers and compared them one by one with the photos of the original owner's mother. Finally, he couldn't resist and brought over his computer, importing all these photos and analyzing them with facial recognition software. An hour later, Shi Jin looked at the six photos of women on his computer desktop, each with analysis marks, and felt a chill down his spine.

\n\n

Apart from Shi Weichong's mother, the other mothers all had some resemblance to the original owner's mother, either obvious or subtle in appearance.

\n\n

For example, Fei Yujing's mother, Fei Lin, had no resemblance to the original owner's mother at all, but if you slightly tilted their faces, you would find that the curvature of their profiles was almost the same.

\n\n

As for Rong Zhouzhong's mother, the resemblance was even more obvious, with her lips resembling those of the original owner's mother. Xiang Aoting's mother, Xiang Qing, had a nose shape and facial contour similar to the original owner's mother. And as for Li Jiuzheng's mother, her eyebrows and eyes were almost identical to those of the original owner's mother.

\n\n

"What was Shi Xingrui really doing..." Shi Jin collapsed onto the sofa, looking at these women's photos. Something that was previously only a vague awareness now became clear to him. "Was he looking for a substitute for someone, and then trying to have a child that looks like the substitute?"

\n\n

And the ones that don't look like it, he just gives them all to their mother to raise?

\n\n

Wait a minute!

\n\n

He suddenly realized something even more terrifying - all the children that Shi Xingrui has had are boys, not a single daughter. This was almost impossible based on probability.

\n\n

He suddenly remembered the first child that was lost by Xiang Aoting's mother, Xiang Qing, and felt a bit creeped out.

\n\n

If that child was not a natural miscarriage, but was intentionally aborted... could it be that Shi Xingrui is looking for a female substitute who looks like a certain man? And even trying to replicate the other person through having children?

\n\n

The beloved Yun Jin and the original owner... As soon as Shi Jin thought this, his heart skipped a beat. He felt as if a huge conspiracy was looming over him, making him feel dizzy and nauseous.

\n","published_time":"2024-01-25T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-28T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":476,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":44,"chapter_title":"The Exam","content":"

Shi Jin couldn't take it anymore and shut off his tablet, making his way to Lian Jun's study.

\n\n

Lian Jun was reading some documents when he saw Shi Jin enter with a look of confusion on his face. He glanced at Shi Jin's hands and noticed the absence of his tablet. Instantly understanding the situation, Lian Jun put down his documents and went to greet him. He even held onto Shi Jin's hand and asked, "What's wrong?"

\n\n

As various thoughts raced through Shi Jin's mind, he didn't even notice when Lian Jun reached out to hold his hand. In fact, he instinctively held Lian Jun's hand back, looking like a lost soul.

\n\n

As they moved towards the couch, Shi Jin explained, "I just feel like my imagination is too wild... Have you had a chance to look at those materials yet? I have a theory and I want to see if it holds any weight."

\n\n

He needed someone to help him sort through his thoughts, or else he would explode. Lian Jun was the one who had found the materials and knew his family situation well, plus he was intelligent. Asking for his help was the best choice.

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced down at their intertwined hands and followed Shi Jin's lead, wheeling his chair towards the couch and responding softly to agree.

\n\n

The two of them sat down at the coffee table. Lian Jun poured a cup of warm water for Shi Jin and lit a lightly scented incense.

\n\n

After drinking the water and smelling the faint scent in the air, Shi Jin's chaotic thoughts slowly settled down. He quickly organized his ideas while they were still fresh in his mind and carefully explained his speculation and the reasons behind it. Then, he looked at Lian Jun with hopeful eyes, seeking affirmation.

\n\n

Lian Jun listened attentively and after some contemplation, met his gaze and replied, "Your speculation is very reasonable. I will send someone to investigate the circumstances of Xiang Qing's first pregnancy and miscarriage, as well as gather detailed information about Shi Xingrui's life. We will also look into his past relationships to see if there is...a man who resembles you and your mother."

\n\n

As he spoke, his brow furrowed, indicating that he did not like this information.

\n\n

"Women should also be checked, in case my speculation is wrong, and the one Xingrui is thinking about is perhaps a woman," added Shi Jin.

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded, seeing his tense expression. He soothed him in a calm voice, "It will take some time to find the information. Don't think too much during this time and relax. The grudges of the previous generation cannot affect you. Whatever you want to do, I am here for you. Don't be afraid."

\n\n

I am here for you.

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned by Lian Jun's confident and domineering words, as well as the image of him appearing particularly tall and reliable at this moment. He thought to Xiao Si in his heart, "Is this the demeanor of a boss? 'I am here for you'... I suddenly feel at ease and want to recognize him as my boss from the bottom of my heart!"

\n\n

"......" Xiao Si began to worry about how to retrieve his lost intelligence and emotional intelligence.

\n\n

When Lian Jun saw Xiao Si looking at him with admiration, he leaned in slightly and whispered, "Shi Jin?"

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look at Lian Jun, who was now very close. As he gazed upon Lian Jun's handsome face, he couldn't help but feel that he was truly a precious gem. Without thinking, he leaned in and hugged Lian Jun tightly, patting his back and saying, "I know I still have you. You must remember that you have me too, Lian Jun. You have to live on and live for a long time. I will help you!"

\n\n

He would help Lian Jun erase the progress bar and live without worrying about the possibility of dying at any moment!

\n\n

The temperature on the island was high, and both of them were only wearing one layer of clothing. Today, they were even wearing loose tank tops, and as they hugged each other, Lian Jun could immediately feel the warmth of Shi Jin's body.

\n\n

Unlike their previous embraces, which were separated by thick clothing and brief restraint, this hug felt more intimate. Lian Jun's heart skipped a beat, and his body briefly stiffened before quickly relaxing. He felt the comforting warmth of Shi Jin's body and without hesitation, he lifted his hand to embrace him back, pulling him closer to himself.

\n\n

He turned his head to look at Shi Jin's head resting on his shoulder, and his nose brushed against the hair behind his ear. His expression softened, and he softly replied, "I will."

\n\n

Of course, he would work hard to live a long life with this beautiful person in his arms. How could he bear to let him belong to someone else?

\n\n

Shi Jin had originally planned to hold onto Lian Jun for two seconds and then let go. After coming to his senses, he even began to worry that he was being inappropriate and wondered if Lian Jun would be angry with him. But to his surprise, Lian Jun also hugged him tightly and showed no signs of letting go even after Shi Jin wanted to.

\n\n

He moved his head, which was resting on Lian Jun's shoulder, and couldn't help but sniff the faint scent of shower gel on Lian Jun's body. He poked Xiao Si and asked, "Did Lian Jun fall asleep while holding me? Why isn't he moving?"

\n\n

Xiao Si replied with a hint of sadness, "No, he isn't asleep. My baby's probably just too tired. Growing up in 'Annihilation', he was taught to always be vigilant and protect himself from danger. He's never experienced a hug like this before. Jin Jin, my baby really needs love. Please love him a little more."

\n\n

As soon as Shi Jin heard the story, he immediately imagined a pitiful child who had struggled to survive in a criminal organization. His heart softened and he hugged Lian Jun tightly, feeling sorry for him.

\n\n

'You can hug me as long as you want,' he thought. Lian Jun is so pitiful, he has never been hugged properly in his life. How sad.

\n\n

Lian Jun noticed Shi Jin's alternating tight and loose embrace, and turned his head to kiss the hair behind his ear, a small smile playing on his lips. 'Silly boy, what are you imagining now?' he thought.

\n\n

After lunch, Shi Jin finally fulfilled his wish and took Lian Jun for a walk on the island. In the afternoon, the sun was scorching hot, and Shi Jin was afraid that Lian Jun couldn't bear the heat. So they followed the small path paved with blue stones, weaving through flowers and trees, and climbed up a small hill at the edge of the island. They found a pavilion halfway up the mountain with the best view, and started playing Monopoly - something Lian Jun had always wanted to do since childhood.

\n\n

The pavilion was made of wood, with a simple design. A string of seashell wind chimes hung on the edge of the pavilion, making a crisp and pleasant sound whenever the wind blew.

\n\n

Sitting inside the pavilion, the two of them played Monopoly with the map spread out in front of them, along with various chips and dice. They had snacks and drinks brought by Shi Jin, and chatted aimlessly while playing. Whenever the wind chimes rang, they would look at each other and laugh for no reason. Before they knew it, the whole afternoon had passed.

\n\n

As the sunset painted the sky with hues of orange and pink, Shi Jin stretched lazily and rested his head on the pile of chips on the table. He sighed contentedly, "Life on vacation is so wonderful..."

\n\n

Lian Jun reached out and ruffled his hair, asking, "You've been hanging out with me all afternoon, don't you find it boring?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was momentarily stunned by the touch, but he looked up and shook his head, "No, Monopoly is quite fun. Young Master Jun, do you find it boring?"

\n\n

"Not at all. It's good to relax like this." Lian Jun poked his forehead and, satisfied that he wasn't bored, withdrew his hand in a good mood.

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't pay any more attention to his little gesture and immediately suggested, "Then let's come out and play again tomorrow."

\n\n

Lian Jun propped his chin up with his hand and nodded, "Sure."

\n\n

When Shi Jin saw that Lian Jun seemed to be in a good mood, he continued to probe, "How about we go out and play every weekend? Working all the time can be tiring, so we should pay attention to work-life balance."

\n\n

Lian Jun's lips curved into a smile as he nodded, "Sure, whatever you want."

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't help but twitch his ears. While the response was fine, the "whatever you want" part felt a bit strange, like an adult indulging a child.

\n\n

Xiao Si: "..." What adult and child, hehehe.

\n\n

Although Lian Jun's response was a bit odd, it didn't stop Shi Jin from feeling happy. He immediately began planning the weekend activities with enthusiasm.

\n\n

Time flowed lightly with the tinkling of wind chimes. It was a late March study day when Shi Jin and Mr. Feng skipped class, keeping it a secret from Lian Jun.

\n\n

"Any missed classes today must be made up at another time. Your learning progress cannot fall behind," Mr. Feng said sternly.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly promised, "I understand, I understand. Can we make up for it with a few evening self-study sessions? You can arrange the time."

\n\n

Mr. Feng's expression softened a bit as he replied, "That's better."

\n\n

The two of them went to the restaurant closest to the villa, where Number Six was already waiting. When he saw Shi Jin arrive, he warmly greeted him, "The kitchen is cleared for you, and all the ingredients are ready. You can make whatever you want. If there's anything you don't know, just ask the other people in the kitchen. They'll teach you."

\n\n

Shi Jin made an OK gesture and hurried off to the kitchen.

\n\n

Mr. Feng watched him go, his previously stern face slowly softening as he glanced at the various celebratory decorations scattered on the restaurant floor, his emotions complex.

\n\n

Seeing this, Number Six leaned in and said, "Xiao Jin is a good kid. You should go easy on him in the future."

\n\n

Mr. Feng gave him a glance but didn't reply, turning and walking away.

\n\n

In the study, Lian Jun checked the time and saw that it was almost Shi Jin's break time. He put down his files, slid out from his desk, and took out a bottle of chilled fruit juice from the small fridge, along with a fruit platter, placing them on the coffee table.

\n\n

With everything ready and only a minute left until break time, Lian Jun returned to his desk and picked up his files again.

\n\n

One minute passed quickly and the break between classes began, but Lian Jun did not hear the usual prompt knocking sound. He looked at the door and wondered if Shi Jin had gone to the restroom. He then looked back at the documents.

\n\n

Several more minutes passed and still no knocking sound. Lian Jun couldn't sit still any longer. He put down the documents and slid his wheelchair out of the door. He turned his head towards the direction of the small study room and saw Mr. Feng, who should also be on break, sitting outside the room with a chair and flipping through a teaching plan.

\n\n

"Mr. Feng?" Lian Jun was puzzled and looked towards the study room door behind him.

\n\n

Mr. Feng looked as if he had just been brought back to life. Seeing Lian Jun look at the door, he explained, "I forgot to tell you, I arranged a little quiz for Shi Jin today. One paper for two classes, and he won't have a break during the break. I'm afraid he'll be nervous if I watch him, so I came out to sit here."

\n\n

So it was an exam.

\n\n

Lian Jun frowned and nodded to show that he understood. He invited, "Why don't you come to my study and sit for a while? It's not appropriate to wait outside the door all the time."

\n\n

"It's okay, I'll just sit here." Mr. Feng waved his hand, looking serious. "Otherwise, what if Shi Jin sneaks out and goes back to his room to cheat?"

\n\n

Lian Jun corrected him, "Shi Jin won't cheat."

\n\n

"You don't understand." Mr. Feng shook his head, looking like he had seen it all. "Some poor students will do anything to pass the exam."

\n\n

"......"

\n\n

Lian Jun couldn't bring himself to say that Shi Jin wasn't a bad student. He recalled Shi Jin's lively personality and remained silent.

\n\n

The break passed in a blur, and when the next one came, Shi Jin had to put down what he was working on and rush back to the villa. He knocked on Lian Jun's study door right on time.

\n\n

Lian Jun opened the door and quickly assessed Shi Jin's mental state. Seeing that he seemed fine and not like he had failed the exam, Lian Jun felt relieved. Then he noticed a sweet smell and saw that Shi Jin's hands were covered in something resembling sugar glaze.

\n\n

"Did you eat something during the exam?" Lian Jun's first reaction was to ask this.

\n\n

"Um...yes!" Shi Jin stiffened and nodded vigorously, putting on a distressed expression. "My brain couldn't function after a long time of taking the test, so I ate something sweet to replenish my energy."

\n\n

"It's just a small exam, don't worry too much about it," reassured Lian Jun, as he took the opportunity to wipe the powdered sugar off of Shi Jin's hand and gestured towards the couch. "Why don't you take a break and sit down? The restaurant just sent over a fresh fruit platter. Mr. Feng said you had exams all day today, aren't you tired?"

\n\n

Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief and quickly sat down, grabbing a perfectly chilled piece of fruit and stuffing it in his mouth, using the act of eating to hide his expression. "Not too tired, exams are easier than classes at least. At least there's no homework."

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at his empty hand and frowned as he leaned over to pat Shi Jin's head. Then he turned to the other side and started to unpack some other snacks for him. Shi Jin ran his hand through his hair, feeling that Lian Jun had been touching him a lot lately. But when he remembered Xiao Si's words about Lian Jun lacking love, he quickly dismissed the thought.

\n\n

After another class break, Shi Jin entered the small study room within Lian Jun's line of sight. He waited until Lian Jun returned to the large study room before sneaking out and heading straight to the dining hall after greeting Mr. Feng.

\n\n

During lunch, Shi Jin was afraid that Lian Jun would notice something was off in the dining hall, so he convinced him to have lunch at the villa, using the excuse of being too tired from exams to move.

\n\n

With all the sneaking around and lying, it wasn't until the end of the afternoon class that Shi Jin's handmade cake was finally ready, and the dining hall was decorated with the help of Number One and others.

\n\n

"I'll go and bring Young Master Jun over, you guys keep an eye on the other dishes," said Shi Jin as he took off his apron and wiped the cream off his hands. He walked towards the villa while instructing Number Two.

\n\n

Number Two nodded and watched him leave. He glanced at the others who had gathered in the dining room and sighed, "Even if Young Master Jun is as unmoveable as a rock, Shi Jin will surely move him with his determination."

\n\n

The others gave him a look but didn't respond to his pointless remark. They dispersed and followed Shi Jin's orders to keep an eye on the dishes.

\n\n

Worried that the smell of cream on his body would be too strong for Lian Jun to notice, Shi Jin hurriedly acted as if he had finished an exam early when he returned to the villa.

\n\n

He pushed open Lian Jun's study and quickly said, "Young Master Jun, I got ink on myself, I need to wash up."

\n\n

He then closed the door and ran back to his own room, leaving Mr. Feng to handle the aftermath. Upon hearing this, Lian Jun quickly left his study and saw that Shi Jin had already disappeared down the hallway. He turned to Mr. Feng.

\n\n

Mr. Feng stood still as a mountain, his tone full of disdain: "I told you, when a student is taking an exam, they can make all sorts of mistakes. I gave him ink to use for his exam, but he managed to spill it all over himself."

\n\n

Lian Jun remained silent and said, "What brand of ink was it? I'll have logistics send you a set."

\n\n

So, does this mean that Shi Jin can just spill ink everywhere and someone else will pay for it?

\n\n

Mr. Feng choked and glared at him, saying angrily, "You just keep spoiling him!" He then turned and walked away with heavy steps.

\n\n

Lian Jun seemed like a foolish ruler who couldn't take good advice. Even after Mr. Feng had left, he calmly said, "He's my person, of course I have to spoil him."

\n\n

After taking a shower, Shi Jin followed the original plan and pretended to casually push Lian Jun to the restaurant for dinner.

\n\n

Lian Jun was afraid that Shi Jin was feeling down because of the exam, so he considerately suggested, "We don't have to go to the restaurant. Eating on the terrace would be nice."

\n\n

"It's okay. We had lunch at the villa. We finished our work for the day, and it's nice to come out and enjoy the sea breeze at night," Shi Jin replied. Seeing the restaurant in front of them, he quickly asked, "Young Master Jun, can we sit at the outermost edge of the outdoor terrace today? It's closer to the sea."

\n\n

Naturally, Lian Jun agreed and nodded, "Sure."

\n\n

So Shi Jin smoothly turned the wheelchair and positioned Lian Jun's line of sight towards the sea, saying, "Then let's sit there. It's right in front of the sea."

\n\n

At this time, the sky was still bright and the sun had not yet descended below the horizon. The restaurant was naturally not lit up, but Lian Jun trusted Shi Jin and obediently followed him to the outer terrace of the restaurant. They sat at the edge and Lian Jun complimented Shi Jin on his choice of location, as the scenery was indeed beautiful.

\n\n

Shi Jin was delighted and sat across from Lian Jun, ordering food as usual. They chatted about trivial topics while eating until the sun set and the sky gradually darkened.

\n\n

Shi Jin then looked puzzled and asked, "Why hasn't the restaurant turned on the lights yet? Is there a problem with the wiring?"

\n\n

Lian Jun was also confused and was about to call someone over to ask. However, Shi Jin quickly stopped him and volunteered to go check it out, saying, "Don't bother calling anyone, I'll go take a look. I actually need to use the restroom anyway."

\n\n

With a nod, Lian Jun withdrew his hand and watched as the man entered the restaurant. The gentle sea breeze blew and the night slowly unfolded. Lian Jun waited for a while but didn't see him come back.

\n\n

Just as he was about to go and ask, the lights inside the restaurant suddenly turned on all at once. The light spread along the thin lines and small colored lights wrapped around the platform, steadily illuminating the darkness. Then, it gathered on the umbrella above Lian Jun's seat and with a snap, a large cluster of hazy light spilled out, turning the umbrella into a small and colorful world.

\n\n

Lian Jun stopped turning his wheelchair and looked at the platform and umbrella surrounded by colored lights, realizing something. He turned his head towards the restaurant's entrance.

\n\n

Amidst the starry lights, a teddy bear dressed in a chef's uniform pushed a three-layered cake out of the restaurant. The cake was surrounded by many different sized gift boxes, with a small trumpet playing "Happy Birthday" in the middle. It looked both cute and funny.

\n\n

In the eyes of Lian Jun, the stars seemed to shine brighter as the wheelchair turned to face the teddy bear. His expression softened.

\n\n

The cart stopped in front of him, and the teddy bear didn't say a word. Instead, it turned around and began to insert birthday candles into the cake. As it did so, it grabbed the small gift boxes on the cake and stuffed them into Lian Jun's arms, with a very comical gesture.

\n\n

Lian Jun smiled and noticed that each gift box was labeled with a number. He asked, "What did everyone prepare?"

\n\n

The teddy bear nodded and crouched down after placing the candles, carefully adjusting the height of the cart to make it easier for Lian Jun to blow out the candles.

\n\n

Lian Jun only noticed up close that the cake, which looked beautiful from afar, was actually a bit rough. The words "Happy Birthday" on top were clearly not the work of a professional cake maker, but rather the handwriting of Shi Jin.

\n\n

Lian Jun's heart skipped a beat as he remembered Shi Jin's "exam" with its sweet fragrance. He reached out and grabbed the hand of the teddy bear, who had already stood up, and asked, "Did you make this?"

\n\n

"It's time to make a wish and blow out the candles," a deliberately mechanical voice came from the headgear, clearly Shi Jin's voice.

\n\n

Without making a wish, Lian Jun quickly blew out the candle and stood up from his wheelchair. He reached out and hugged the unresponsive teddy bear, closed his eyes, and planted a gentle kiss on its soft nose.

\n\n

Shi Jin was dumbfounded, his eyes almost popping out of his head. Through the breathing holes in his mask, he watched as Lian Jun tenderly kissed his own face, which was just inches away. His heart began to race uncontrollably, thumping loudly in his chest.

\n\n

Number Two, holding a small firework, quickly retreated his foot that was about to step out the door. He then blocked all his brothers behind him.

\n\n

The confused Number Nine at the back didn't understand and asked, "Why aren't we leaving? Didn't we agree to go out once Young Master Jun blew out the candle to set the mood?"

\n\n

Upon seeing the situation outside, Number One also stopped in his tracks and said, "Going out now would only dampen the mood. Number Three."

\n\n

Number Three understood without needing further instruction and took out his walkie-talkie, saying, "Let's start the fireworks."

\n\n

With a whoosh, fireworks shot up into the sky by the beach, followed by a loud bang and a dazzling display of light that illuminated the entire beach.

\n\n

Hearing the sound, Lian Jun stood up and looked towards the beach where the fireworks continued to light up the sky. A smile spread across his face as he reached out to the stuffed teddy bear in front of him, hugged it tightly, and rubbed its head, whispering, "Thank you, I really like it."

\n\n

As he sat inside the teddy bear costume, sweat dripped down his forehead. He couldn't tell if it was from the heat or the pounding of his heart. After a moment of stiffness, he finally hugged Lian Jun's back and gently patted him.

\n\n

In a dreamy tone, he asked Xiao Si, "Lian Jun seems to really like teddy bears, but why didn't he make a wish? Is it because my cake was too ugly, or because my cake wasn't worth his wish?"

\n\n

Just as he was about to continue his poetic musings, Xiao Si's response caught him off guard. It suddenly burst into tears and cried, "Jin Jin, I'm sorry. I'll work hard to help you regain your intelligence. Waaahhh..."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n","published_time":"2024-02-01T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-04T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-01T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":483,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":45,"chapter_title":"The Boat","content":"

After their embrace, Lian Jun urged Shi Jin to take off the doll costume, fearing that he would overheat. However, Shi Jin insisted on taking many photos with Lian Jun while still wearing the costume. He figured that this would make up for Lian Jun's lost childhood. Only after that did he run to the restaurant kitchen to take off the costume and wash his face.

\n\n

The weather indeed made it rather hot in the doll costume. Shi Jin only wore it for a short while, but his hair and clothes were already soaked with sweat. Despite feeling uncomfortable, he thought of Lian Jun's happy expression and felt that it was all worth it.

\n\n

"Raising a child is no easy task," Shi Jin sighed with satisfaction, feeling like a great 'father'.

\n\n

Xiao Si let out a sob.

\n\n

Shi Jin was at a loss and coaxed, "Stop crying. I know you're excited about your baby's birthday, but if you cry for too long, you might cry yourself to exhaustion."

\n\n

Xiao Si started hiccuping while crying.

\n\n

Shi Jin looked up at the sky, sighed deeply, and decided to let it be. He happily went back to the restaurant outside.

\n\n

Everyone had already gathered together and started playing. Lian Jun sat in front of the cake, unwrapping gifts.

\n\n

"Why hasn't the cake been cut yet?" Shi Jin approached with a puzzled look, still holding a towel to wipe his sweaty hair.

\n\n

Number Two winked and teased, "Of course, we're waiting for you, Master Cake Maker."

\n\n

With a smirk, Shi Jin rolled his eyes and looked over at Lian Jun, who was sitting in front of the cake. Their eyes met, and suddenly, Shi Jin's mind flashed with the image of Lian Jun closing his eyes and leaning in for a kiss. His steps involuntarily paused.

\n\n

No, that image was too impactful. He still can't quite shake it off.

\n\n

"Shi Jin, come over here," Lian Jun called out at the perfect moment, beckoning him over.

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't help but notice that Lian Jun's voice sounded particularly alluring today.

\n\n

Using a towel to wipe his ears, Shi Jin took a step forward and leaned in, asking, "Why haven't you cut the cake yet? Were you really waiting for me?"

\n\n

As soon as he approached, Lian Jun grabbed his hand and said, "Of course, I have to wait for you."

\n\n

With his other hand, he picked up a knife and, holding onto Shi Jin, he cut off the top layer of the cake.

\n\n

Number 6 was so excited that he snapped away with his camera, even pulling Number Two's obstructing hand away.

\n\n

Number Two: "..."

\n\n

"It's actually a layered cake, how long did it take you to make this?" Lian Jun turned his head to look at Shi Jin and squeezed his hand.

\n\n

Lian Jun's hand was cool, and on a hot day, it should have been very comfortable to hold. However, Shi Jin felt his palms sweating. He thought he had subtly pulled away from Lian Jun's grasp and used the motion of wiping his neck to wipe the sweat off his hands onto a towel.

\n\n

He replied, "Not long, everyone helped me a lot."

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at the sweat-soaked clothes on his back, wrinkled his brow, and reached out to touch them. He pulled them away from his skin, not minding the dampness, and then looked over at Number Six standing beside him.

\n\n

Number Six understood Lian Jun's meaning in an instant, nodded at him, and walked to a corner to make a phone call.

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't notice the exchange of glances between the two men, his attention focused entirely on the clothes being pulled away from his body. He turned his head and felt the sea breeze blowing in through the open fabric, closing his eyes in comfort. He thanked Lian Jun for his help.

\n\n

As they cut and ate the cake, everyone quickly became caught up in the lively atmosphere.

\n\n

About five minutes later, Number Six approached Shi Jin with a set of clean clothes and said, "Change into these. They'll be more comfortable."

\n\n

When Shi Jin received the clothes from Number Six, he was deeply moved and praised, "You're so thoughtful, Brother Six."

\n\n

"It's all thanks to Young Master Jun's thoughtfulness. He let me take the clothes for you. Hurry and change, the sweat on your clothes may have dried, but it's definitely sticky and uncomfortable. There's a small bathroom in the back kitchen, you can go wash up and change your clothes there," Number Six explained, subtly boosting Lian Jun's impression.

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned, looking over at Lian Jun who was surrounded by Number One and others, with a cake plate still on his knee. He pinched the clothes in his hand, thanked Number Six, and turned to go to the back kitchen.

\n\n

"Your baby is really a good baby," Shi Jin couldn't help but exclaim as he showered.

\n\n

Xiao Si started hiccupping again, looking like he couldn't stop crying.

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

Lian Jun, who usually didn't eat sweets, had his fill of cake on his birthday. After a long time without playing real mahjong, they finally satisfied their craving on Lian Jun's birthday.

\n\n

Everyone was happy, but unfortunately, some people's happiness came at a cost.

\n\n

In order to make up for the day's fun, Shi Jin had to embark on a painful journey of evening self-study.

\n\n

The self-study session started at 7 pm after dinner and lasted until 9:30 pm. It was a bit late, and Lian Jun felt sorry for Shi Jin's hard work and wanted to exempt him from massaging for a few days. However, Shi Jin strongly opposed, believing that taking care of his leg could not be neglected even for a day.

\n\n

He argued with Lian Jun and successfully won back the massage job, but considering the late hour, they agreed to only do a partial massage each day before bed. Feeling satisfied with himself for taking advantage of the situation, even though he had actually suffered a loss, Shi Jin said with a smug smile, "That's more like it. You should be more proactive, life is still beautiful."

\n\n

Although he had actually taken advantage of the situation, Lian Jun looked like he had reluctantly compromised and said, "Hmm."

\n\n

Xiao Si: "..." Sometimes it seemed like Shi Jin lacked intelligence, but it was also quite a good thing.

\n\n

That night, when the tutoring session was over, Shi Jin knocked on Lian Jun's door on time.

\n\n

Since they didn't need to use the full set of equipment anymore, the massage bed was temporarily abandoned. And because it was already too late, it would be time to rest after the massage, so Lian Jun simply designated the bed as the massage location.

\n\n

Shi Jin had no objections to this, so after Lian Jun lay down on the bed, he reached out and lifted the hem of Lian Jun's sleeping robe, and began to knead his legs.

\n\n

As he kneaded and massaged, he finished the leg closer to the edge of the bed. Shi Jin glanced at the large bed, then at Lian Jun's other leg that was on the inner side of the bed, feeling a bit unsure. The bed was too wide, making it difficult to switch sides like on a massage table. If he continued to stand on this side to work on Lian Jun's other leg, it would be difficult to apply enough pressure.

\n\n

Lian Jun quickly understood his dilemma and considerately suggested, "Come up on the bed. It's getting late, and if you finish massaging soon, you can rest early."

\n\n

Shi Jin hesitated, "But I haven't showered yet. Is it okay to get on the bed?"

\n\n

"It's okay. I don't mind," Lian Jun was particularly easy-going and even reached out to pull him up.

\n\n

Shi Jin was deeply moved and thought that Lian Jun was truly a good person. He obediently followed Lian Jun's lead and climbed onto the bed, sitting on the blanket that had been pulled aside earlier and massaging Lian Jun's other leg.

\n\n

From beginning to end, he had completely failed to realize that the problem he had just encountered could have been solved simply by having Lian Jun turn over or move to a different position. There was no need to get on the bed at all.

\n\n

But now that they were on the bed, there was no going back.

\n\n

Lian Jun watched as Shi Jin sat on his bed, completely focused on massaging his leg. A slight smile formed at the corner of his mouth.

\n\n

When the massage was over, Lian Jun seemed to have fallen asleep. Shi Jin carefully got off the bed, ready to leave quietly, when a cool hand grabbed his hand that was hanging by his side.

\n\n

He stopped and turned around to look. Lian Jun, who he thought to have already fallen asleep, suddenly opened his eyes. He turned slightly and met the gaze of the person looking back at him. He gave a faint smile and said, "Thank you for your hard work."

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart softened at the sight of Lian Jun's smile. He felt a rush of emotion and surprise at the beautiful reward he received after his efforts.

\n\n

He turned around and held Lian Jun's hand, bending down to give him a gentle hug. He then squatted down to look at Lian Jun's face and said happily, "You look so good when you smile. You should smile more in the future... Sleep well, Young Master Jun."

\n\n

Lian Jun carefully remembered Shi Jin's expression at this moment. He closed his eyes in his gaze and responded softly, "Goodnight, Shi Jin."

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't help but smile as he gazed at Lian Jun's sleeping face for a while longer by the bedside. He was surprised at himself for getting lost in watching Lian Jun sleep, but his heart was filled with a strange tenderness and excitement. He reached out to tuck Lian Jun in and then carefully got up, realizing his legs had gone numb. As he left the room, he even remembered to turn off the light.

\n\n

Click.

\n\n

As the door closed, Lian Jun opened his eyes in the dimly lit room and looked at the hand that Shi Jin had held. He let out a soft sigh, thinking to himself, 'What a silly boy. When will he ever understand?'

\n\n

Was it because he was too young?

\n\n

With that thought, he finally fell asleep.

\n\n

Time continued to pass slowly. On the day when the evening classes and make-up lessons ended, an official meeting notice was sent out. The date and location of the meeting had been set. Based on the coordinates provided by the officials, if they wanted to arrive at the target sea area on time before the meeting, they would have to leave the island at least three days in advance.

\n\n

It was already the end of March, and the meeting was scheduled for mid-April. Lian Jun was going to represent the officials' side, so they had to leave the island two days earlier to arrive at the meeting location earlier than the leaders of other organizations.

\n\n

With this calculation, they only had less than ten days to prepare for the voyage.

\n\n

The enjoyable holiday ended without warning, and everyone quickly got into gear, busy preparing for the voyage.

\n\n

As a 'student', Shi Jin could only watch from the sidelines.

\n\n

Every day, planes began to land and take off at the small airport on the island. The medium-sized cruise ship at the port was replaced with a larger one, and piles of goods were unloaded from the planes and transported onto the big cruise ship.

\n\n

During a break between classes, Shi Jin leaned on the windowsill in the large study room and watched the bustling scene at the port in the distance. He couldn't help but sigh when he thought about how there had been no progress with Lian Jun's death progress bar.

\n\n

He only hoped that the progress bar would remain stable until the day of departure.

\n\n

"Why are you sighing?" Lian Jun appeared next to him at some point and looked towards the busy port with him. "Do you want to go down and take a look?"

\n\n

Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head. "No, I don't know anything. If I go down there, I'll just cause trouble."

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't try to persuade him any further, and they both just watched the harbor. He changed the subject and said, "We're almost done with investigating Shi Xingrui's life. The information on Xiang Qing's miscarriage is too old and vague, so there hasn't been much progress in the investigation. It might take more time."

\n\n

It took Shi Jin a few seconds to realize what he was talking about. He nodded to show that he understood, but then he realized that he hadn't thought about anything related to the Shi family or Shi Xingrui since Lian Jun's birthday. Every day, he either focused on studying or thought about where to take Lian Jun on the weekends. He hadn't done anything productive.

\n\n

It seemed that a vacation really made people lazy.

\n\n

He reflected deeply and glanced at the two progress bars in his mind, one steady at 490 and the other at 500. He pondered the plot he knew of so far and then leaned back onto the windowsill, watching the ships leave the harbor. The remaining values on the progress bars seemed troublesome.

\n\n

Lian Jun quietly accompanied him, also gazing at the ships in the harbor with a distant look in his eyes, lost in thought.

\n\n

After the makeup sessions ended, the massage sessions returned to their usual rhythm.

\n\n

As they finished the massage for the day, Shi Jin escorted Lian Jun to the bathroom and bid him goodnight. Standing in front of the closed bathroom door, he checked the time and then looked at Lian Jun's neatly made bed.

\n\n

Suddenly feeling empty, he sighed in his mind, "I can't watch Lian Jun sleep tonight. I wonder if he'll secretly work in his room until late again."

\n\n

The newly revitalized Xiao Si immediately suggested, "You can go and supervise your sweetheart's sleep at the designated time. Your room is so close, it's very convenient."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin's heart suddenly felt less empty and he had a sudden realization, saying, "Right, I can go supervise his sleep. Early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy. Yes, yes, I'll go find him later."

\n\n

Xiao Si immediately expressed enthusiastic support for his decision.

\n\n

At 10:30 pm that night, Shi Jin, dressed in a tank top and shorts, stood outside Lian Jun's room, hesitating once again. He asked Xiao Si in his mind, "What if Lian Jun is already asleep? Won't I wake him up if I knock on the door now?"

\n\n

Xiao Si made a guarantee, "I scanned it, my baby hasn't slept yet, he's still looking at documents!"

\n\n

What, he's still looking at documents at this hour?!

\n\n

Shi Jin furrowed his brows and knocked on the door without hesitation.

\n\n

The door opened quickly, and Lian Jun was wearing a robe, looking like he was ready for bed. But when Shi Jin looked over at the desk by the window, he saw several documents and an open computer.

\n\n

He gave Lian Jun a accusing look.

\n\n

Surprisingly, Lian Jun understood his meaning in an instant and explained, "I was just about to go to sleep. Why aren't you resting?"

\n\n

"I'm about to sleep too. I just came to check on you before bed," Shi Jin explained. He walked around to the back of Lian Jun's wheelchair without hesitation and pushed him towards the bed. "You need to sleep early to ensure you get enough rest since you wake up so early every day."

\n\n

Lian Jun turned his head to look at him and said, "But I still have one document left to read. It's urgent, and they're waiting for my approval."

\n\n

After staring at him for a few seconds to confirm that he was not lying, Shi Jin turned around and walked to the table, asking, "Which one? You go lie on the bed first, I'll bring the documents over for you."

\n\n

Lian Jun obediently pointed to the documents and went to lie on the bed as instructed.

\n\n

Soon, the situation turned into Lian Jun lying on the bed reading the documents while Shi Jin sat silently playing mahjong by the bedside, neither of them disturbing the other. When Lian Jun finished reading the documents and informed his subordinates of the approval results, Shi Jin immediately ended the game and helped Lian Jun put the documents back on the table before watching him lie down.

\n\n

"Goodnight." Shi Jin furrowed his brows as he tucked Lian Jun in.

\n\n

Lian Jun grabbed his hand and asked, "Are you angry?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was momentarily stunned by the question, then shook his head and replied, "I'm not angry... but you'd better not do high-intensity work before going to bed. It really affects the quality of your sleep."

\n\n

"It was an accident today," Lian Jun answered, squeezing his hand. Seeing that he no longer felt uncomfortable and had completely adapted to this physical contact, Lian Jun's heart stirred. He couldn't help but look into his eyes and said with restraint, "I also want to recover quickly and be the one to watch you fall asleep... I'm sorry, I can't take care of you properly right now."

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't quite understand the deeper meaning behind his words, but his apology softened his heart. He knelt down in front of him, gently tucking his hand under the blanket and reassuring him, "You'll definitely recover soon. You're already much healthier than before. I'm not going to monitor your every move, I'm just worried... There will be opportunities in the future. When you're feeling better, you can supervise my sleep instead. I'll be waiting for you."

\n\n

With a reassuring smile towards Lian Jun, he still didn't grasp the other implications behind his earlier words.

\n\n

As Lian Jun watched Shi Jin's serious expression, he couldn't help but feel both helpless and amused. It seemed like this person always found a way to interpret any ambiguous atmosphere, words, or actions as something else entirely.

\n\n

But strangely enough, he never made anyone angry. Instead, he made people unconsciously sigh at how cute he was for being so foolish.

\n\n

"Okay, wait for me," Lian Jun nodded, propping himself up and giving Shi Jin a hug before retreating back to bed, pulling up the covers and taking the initiative to say, "Goodnight, see you tomorrow."

\n\n

Shi Jin had already gotten used to his embrace and naturally replied with a goodnight before getting up to help him turn off all the lights and quietly leaving the room.

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed. On a certain day in early April, Shi Jin pushed Lian Jun to the port and, under the arrangement of Number One and the others, boarded a ship, ready to leave the island.

\n\n

"Next time we come here, it will probably be the end of the year or next year," said Shi Jin, leaning on the railing of the ship and watching the Moon Bay gradually disappear. He felt a little reluctant to leave.

\n\n

Lian Jun sat beside him, also gazing at the island that was getting farther away. His eyes scanned every place on the island where they had stopped together, and he said, "If you like, we can come earlier at the end of the year. By then, my health should be better, and I can accompany you for fishing."

\n\n

During the entire vacation, Shi Jin had been studying, and all the weekends that he could have enjoyed were spent with Lian Jun. They didn't have time to try out the more time-consuming activities on the island, which was a pity.

\n\n

Upon hearing Lian Jun's words, Shi Jin smiled and said, "That would be great. Young Master Jun, you must work hard to take care of your health. You can't lie to me."

\n\n

When Lian Jun saw him smile again, he felt a little relieved and smiled back, saying, "I definitely won't deceive you."

\n\n

On the small platform outside the driver's cabin, Number One and Number Two leaned against the railing, watching Lian Jun and Shi Jin chatting and smiling on the deck. They exchanged a glance, remained silent for a few seconds, and finally Number Two spoke up, "Is Young Master Jun planning to trap Shi Jin first? The atmosphere between them seems to have changed a lot."

\n\n

In the past, Shi Jin wouldn't dare to act so casually in front of Lian Jun, let alone boldly interfere in everything.

\n\n

"Shi Jin is too foolish. This method seems to be the most effective for now," Number One said without giving Shi Jin any face, but his expression was noticeably gentler than usual. After a pause, he added, "Young Master Jun smiles a lot these days."

\n\n

As Number Two noticed the way Lian Jun turned his head and smiled at Shi Jin, he was mesmerized for a moment and exclaimed, "His aura has become much gentler and softer... The meeting is about to start, I wonder if this is a good thing or a bad thing."

\n\n

Number One quickly restrained his expression and said, "Young Master Jun has a good sense of propriety."

\n\n

"I know, but I'm afraid those cunning people will see through something," Number Two said, recalling the situation of previous meetings. His eyes gradually turned cold as he spoke in a low voice, "I just hope there won't be any fools causing trouble this year, otherwise we'll all have to suffer the consequences."

\n\n

"In our line of work, fools are never in short supply," Number One retorted coldly, his expression mocking. He didn't expect this year's meeting to pass peacefully.

\n\n

......

\n\n

After two days of sailing, Lian Jun's progress bar, which had been steady and unmoving, finally increased to 600. Shi Jin's own progress bar also increased, but only to 500. It wasn't much, but it was still an improvement.

\n\n

Shi Jin sighed, "I think I've been influenced by Lian Jun. These meetings with the underworld bosses are really dangerous."

\n\n

Xiao Si tried to comfort him, "Don't worry, Jin Jin. My baby will protect you."

\n\n

But Shi Jin didn't feel comforted at all. His mood inexplicably became even more downcast.

\n\n

Yes, everyone thought that even if something happened, Lian Jun would find a way to protect them. But if they all encountered danger together, who would protect Lian Jun? After all, he was just an ordinary person with a mortal body, not a mythical figure with three heads and six arms.

\n\n

......

\n\n

Another day passed, and on the third evening, the government's ship finally appeared on the horizon.

\n\n

It was a large civilian vessel, not a military one, and seemed much less threatening than anticipated.

\n\n

Number One ordered the ship to stop and scanned the surrounding waters with radar to ensure there were no hidden threats before establishing contact with the officials on board. Then, Number Two and Number One led a small team to the ship under the guise of helping with accommodations, but in reality, they were there to observe the situation.

\n\n

It was already late and the main group didn't need to board the official ship tonight. Shi Jin looked around the deck and noticed that the temperature outside was low. He couldn't help but tighten his thick coat and glance at the dark sea. In his mind, he asked Xiao Si, "If someone falls into the sea at this temperature, how long can they survive?"

\n\n

Xiao Si trembled and asked, "Jin Jin, are you setting a flag for yourself?"

\n\n

Shi Jin's expression stiffened. He realized that the question did sound like setting a flag. He couldn't help but imagine himself falling into the sea and swallowed his saliva before asking, "If I accidentally fall in, can you give me a buff to stay alive?"

\n\n

Xiao Si thought seriously and replied, "Mermaid buff? I can temporarily turn you into a fish."

\n\n

Turn into a fish???

\n\n

Shi Jin's expression twisted slightly as he cautiously stepped back, silently deciding to stay away from the sea and avoid any possible situation where he might end up in the water.

\n","published_time":"2024-02-08T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-11T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-08T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":490,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":46,"chapter_title":"The Bet","content":"

The next morning at ten o'clock, Number Two accompanied two officials back to the ship.

\n\n

Shi Jin was sitting in the driver's seat and glanced up at the deck. He saw that one of the officials was wearing military uniform with a high rank, while the other was in a suit with an imposing aura. Shi Jin felt a bit uneasy and turned to Number Nine beside him, asking, "Who are these two people?"

\n\n

As Number Nine typed away on his computer, he didn't even look up when he replied, "One is the leader of the meeting, Director Zhang Zhuoyuan from a certain government bureau. He's short and chubby with half-bald hair. He comes every year and is considered an old friend. The other is the deputy who helps maintain order, one of the Navy's Rear Admirals, Liu Zhenjun. He's a tough character and not easy to deal with. Like Young Master Jun, he's here to keep things in order, but he's attending this meeting for the first time. In previous years, it was always people from the Army."

\n\n

Shi Jin glanced at Lian Jun's progress bar again and saw that the value was still steady at 600 without any movement. He relaxed a bit.

\n\n

About an hour later, Number Nine and Shi Jin received a notification message from Number One: "Pack up and get ready to board the officials' ship."

\n\n

Number Nine immediately closed his laptop and said to Shi Jin, "Let's go."

\n\n

Shi Jin responded with a sound and got up to follow him.

\n\n

After a busy period, before lunch, Lian Jun led Number One, Two, Three, and Nine, along with Shi Jin, to transfer to the officials' ship. Number Five, who had returned with Number Two, stayed on their own ship.

\n\n

After boarding the officials' ship, Lian Jun took Number One and followed the official in charge directly. Shi Jin followed Number Two to the accommodation arranged for them by the officials.

\n\n

While packing, Shi Jin learned from Number Two that during the annual conference, except for Lian Jun, the leaders of other criminal organizations would never stay overnight on the officials' ship with their people. They would only come up to attend the meeting and immediately return to their own ship, showing a very cautious attitude.

\n\n

Shi Jin could understand their caution, but he had some doubts and asked, "So, no one else is staying on the officials' ship overnight except for Young Master Jun. Won't they think too much about it?"

\n\n

Number Two sneered and replied, "Do you think if Young Master Jun doesn't stay here, they won't think too much? Young Master Jun was pushed into this position of 'representing everyone to have a close dialogue with the officials and express everyone's demands.' Given the tense relationship between the officials and us at that time, what good intentions could they have had in pushing Young Master Jun out?

\n\n

"If it weren't for Young Master Jun, those people and the officials would have used us as cannon fodder to test the waters, and we wouldn't be living comfortably now. It serves them right that they wanted to bully Young Master Jun, but instead, they helped us build a bridge with the officials. How foolish."

\n\n

Shi Jin was surprised and asked, "So other organizations already know that we are cooperating with the authorities?"

\n\n

"Of course they know, those people are all shrewd," Number Two replied with a smirk, "But they don't know that Young Master Jun had already reached an agreement with the authorities to clean up the entire deformed underworld. Those fools are still envious of Young Master Jun's benefits from the authorities, not realizing that they are all trapped like rats in a pot and won't be able to escape."

\n\n

Shi Jin suddenly realized.

\n\n

So now everyone knows that "Annihilation" is cooperating with the authorities, but they don't understand the key point. They think that "Annihilation" is just trying to curry favor with the authorities for more benefits, but they don't know that "Annihilation" also wants to eliminate everyone. It seemed that "Annihilation" was still safe and had not been discovered as the "traitor".

\n\n

"But those fools, although foolish, there are always even more foolish people who will fall for their tricks," Number Two suddenly became serious and patted Shi Jin's shoulder, saying, "You have to be careful. During the meeting, you should receive many olive branches."

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled and asked, "What does that mean?"

\n\n

Number Two took a drag of his cigarette and replied while biting it, "Every year, those around Young Master Jun will receive obvious or subtle hints from other organizations trying to recruit them. You are the only new face this year, so you will definitely become everyone's target. Do you remember Number Four?"

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded and replied, "I remember. What happened to him?"

\n\n

"At last year's meeting, he was recruited by a medium-sized organization and betrayed Young Master Jun," Number Two spoke in a low voice, his tone becoming indifferent. "His ambition was too great, and although he had the ability, he was never honest. Young Master Jun never trusted him and always had reservations about him.

\n\n

"And sure enough, when he discovered signs of the organization transitioning to a legitimate business, his mind immediately became active. Including him, this is the sixth time Young Master Jun has been betrayed by someone close to him, one betrayal per year, as if it were a fixed plot. It's really unbelievable."

\n\n

Shi Jin became agitated as he spoke, reaching out to take the cigarette from his mouth and handing him a piece of candy, saying, "Some people are destined to change, and you can't keep them. Why bother worrying about them?"

\n\n

"It's not that I'm worried about them," Number Two smashed his lips and opened the candy wrapper to eat, his tone slowly returning to normal.

\n\n

"I'm just afraid that if we stay in the darkness for too long, our companions who are still with us now might suddenly turn against us one day and we'll be at each other's throats. You're new here, so you might not understand. Some people can't give up the dirty money and the fast cash, and they start making decisions that determine the life and death of others without any regard. They can't turn back to the right path anymore."

\n\n

Shi Jin fell silent upon hearing this. Indeed, the human heart is the most unpredictable. Even when he was a police officer, he had seen many people who had already been rescued and helped, but after a while, they voluntarily returned to the den of thieves or wolves, making people feel both angry and helpless.

\n\n

"Anyway, just be careful and if anyone approaches you, you should immediately report it to Young Master Jun. Let's be prepared early," Number Two patted Shi Jin's shoulder, his expression and tone unusually serious. "Shi Jin, Young Master Jun trusts you a lot, don't let him down. If even you have doubts, I'm afraid Young Master Jun won't be able to handle it."

\n\n

With that, he crumpled the candy wrapper in his hand and turned to leave.

\n\n

Shi Jin watched him go, understanding that he had come specifically to tell him these things today. He glanced at the progress bar in his mind belonging to Lian Jun and sighed. Number Two was really overthinking things. Even if he had doubts, not to mention how Lian Jun would react, with just this system in his mind, it would definitely not let him off easily. It would surely cry enough to make his brain useless.

\n\n

During lunchtime, Lian Jun and Number One still hadn't returned, probably having gone to eat with the officials in charge.

\n\n

Shi Jin followed Number Two and the others to the restaurant on the ship. After sitting down, he still felt uneasy and took out the satellite phone that had been reconfigured after departure and sent a text message to Lian Jun, reminding him not to drink.

\n\n

Lian Jun's reply came quickly, with only one word: "Okay."

\n\n

Shi Jin felt relieved and put away his phone before picking up his chopsticks to start eating. The people at the table noticed his actions and exchanged a glance, silently picking up their own chopsticks to eat as well.

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't return until after 4 pm. Upon his return, he immediately called a meeting and briefly explained the general flow of the conference, then instructed everyone not to wander around during the meeting before waving his hand and dismissing them.

\n\n

According to Lian Jun, the process of this conference was no different from previous years and will last for three days. The first day will involve reviewing the movements of all criminal organisations from the previous year. The second day will be dedicated to discussing and analyzing the current situation of all the illegal criminal organisations within the country. The third day is the main event, where the government will re-register all legal criminal organisations, adding some and removing others.

\n\n

At the same time, they will collect a new list of potential candidates for legal criminal organisations, which will be reviewed and announced at next year's conference. Finally, the newly established legal criminal organisations will be officially registered. There were many stories to be written about the collection of this list.

\n\n

Most of the bigwigs of criminal organisations who usually avoided public appearances were willing to attend this official meeting because it was a great opportunity to legally increase their power. Nobody wanted to miss out.

\n\n

Later that evening, Number One explained to newcomer Shi Jin the specific process of collecting names for the list. Not all legally recognized criminal organisations were eligible for recommendation.

\n\n

Only those that had been registered for more than five years had a separate recommendation quota. Those registered for less than five years but more than three years only had half a recommendation quota. If they wanted to have a say at the meeting, they had to cooperate with another organization with the same qualifications. As for those who have been registered for less than three years, they have no right to speak and can only wait to gain experience by listening to the results.

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin couldn't help but ask, "So how many years have we been registered? Do we have any independent recommendation quotas?"

\n\n

Number One replied, "We have been registered for the longest time, so naturally we have quotas. But Young Master has never used them. Other organizations fight for recommendation quotas to increase their allies or to promote their own small organizations and increase their strength. But we don't need any of that. So every year, Young Master hands in a blank piece of paper."

\n\n

This confident and domineering answer made Shi Jin feel relieved and he nodded, indicating that Number One could continue with his explanation. Number One stopped in his tracks and said, "Other than that, there's nothing else I need to tell you. You can look through the materials yourself. Shi Jin, don't let Young Master Jun down."

\n\n

With that, he placed the materials on the table and left the room.

\n\n

This was the second time today that Shi Jin had heard the phrase "don't let Young Master Jun down." He watched as Number One left the room and picked up the materials in front of him, feeling a bit helpless.

\n\n

Did he really look like someone who lacked loyalty? Why did both Number One and Two, who were the most reliable and detail-oriented, feel the need to remind him of this?

\n\n

With only one day left until the meeting, most of the leaders from other organizations would arrive the next afternoon or evening, trying to time their arrival with the official ships as closely as possible, according to past years' patterns.

\n\n

To everyone's surprise, later that day, a black-painted civilian ship that had clearly been modified suddenly appeared on the distant sea and headed straight towards them.

\n\n

At the time, Shi Jin was massaging Lian Jun's legs. It wasn't until Xiao Si reminded him that he noticed the new ship. Looking out the window, all he could see was a strange object wrapped in lights approaching them, which scared him into thinking that there was a ghostly presence on the sea.

\n\n

Lian Jun noticed his hesitation and sat up to look out the window. He said, "It's the Phantom. They like black, and every ship they send out each year is black."

\n\n

Phantom. Shi Jin had seen this name in the pile of information given to him by Number One. Phantom is also a legally registered violent organization that has been hanging around for many years. A few years ago, it almost became a big organization that could stand on equal footing with "Annihilation".

\n\n

Unfortunately, Phantom had bad luck. It lost its old leader at the peak of its momentum, and the new leader was inexperienced and made repeated mistakes in decision-making, causing the organization to gradually decline. Up to now, Phantom has become the bottom existence of the first echelon of legal criminal organisations in the country.

\n\n

"The new leader of the Phantom is a clever person," said Lian Jun suddenly, offering a completely different evaluation from what was written in the records. As he spoke, he reached out and took Shi Jin's hand, carefully wiping away the medicine oil with a towel. He explained in detail, "If the Phantom had continued to develop, it could have become the next Black Rose. The new leader's decision to sacrifice their own strength and retreat overseas was actually a very far-sighted move."

\n\n

Shi Jin turned his gaze back to Lian Jun, his eyes unconsciously falling on Lian Jun's thick and beautiful eyelashes as he lowered his eyes. "In recent years, many of the larger organizations in the country have fallen and disappeared. The first tier is constantly being updated at a faster pace. Phantom's figures may seem to be getting worse, but they have always remained in the first tier without truly stepping down. They maintain a position that is not suspected by the authorities, but also do not lose their threat and influence. They are very clever and cautious."

\n\n

Lian Jun carefully wiped each of Shi Jin's fingers clean, then looked up at him and said, "This time, Phantom has come early. They must have made a new decision. You can observe them more closely and guess their next move. If you guess correctly, I can promise you one request."

\n\n

When Shi Jin looked up, he was caught off guard by the intensity of Lian Jun's gaze. After a moment of being stunned, he nodded and said, "I'll definitely make a good guess...wait, can you promise me one thing?"

\n\n

"If you guess correctly," Lian Jun emphasized.

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately perked up and asked, "Is there a time limit for guessing?"

\n\n

Lian Jun squeezed his hand and replied, "The bet will be void if you don't submit your answer before the start of the meeting on the third day."

\n\n

"Don't worry, I'll definitely submit my answer on time," Shi Jin quickly agreed to the bet. He had already decided that if he won this bet, he would ask Lian Jun to go to the hospital for a thorough check-up. Uncle Long had mentioned that Lian Jun hadn't had a proper physical examination in many years.

\n\n

With the bet in place, Shi Jin immediately made the mischievous Phaontom his number one target for observation. However, the Phaontom was not cooperating with his plans. Upon arrival, all the lights were turned off and it was peacefully still, showing no intention of contacting the authorities.

\n\n

"Could it be that it's too late and they're already asleep?" Shi Jin muttered, realizing the time was already quite late. After asking Xiao Si to keep an eye on the Phaontom's movements, he climbed into bed and fell asleep.

\n\n

He slept soundly until morning, and as soon as he woke up, he rushed to the window to check on the Phaontom's situation. However, the Phaontom remained motionless, like a black background embedded in the vast ocean, devoid of any signs of life.

\n\n

"Have they contacted the authorities?" Shi Jin asked.

\n\n

Xiao Si replied, "No, there has been no movement all night."

\n\n

Shi Jin was increasingly confused and glanced over at Phantom. He hesitated and said, "Could it be that they simply arrived too early and are waiting for the main force to arrive before contacting the authorities together?"

\n\n

As if to confirm his speculation, the next whole day passed with no movement from Phantom. Instead, other criminal organisations' ships arrived one after another, either alone or in groups, and sent people to negotiate with the authorities.

\n\n

At dinner time, several criminal organisations with comparable strength to "Annihilation" arrived one after another and stopped at the inner circle closest to the official ships, surrounding them faintly.

\n\n

After these large organizations arrived, Lian Jun's progress bar quickly increased to 800. Although Shi Jin had mentally prepared for Lian Jun's progress bar to rise, he was still stimulated by the increase and secretly recorded the names of these organizations and the locations of their ships.

\n\n

"Now, only Nine Eagles hasn't arrived yet, right?" Number Two counted the ships around them and asked Number One, who was also observing the situation outside.

\n\n

Number One nodded and replied, "They like to be the last ones to arrive, it's normal."

\n\n

Number Two sneered, "If they still arrive at the exact start time like last year, they will probably get a nasty surprice. That Liu Zhenhua who was sent by the authorities this year is no pushover."

\n\n

"They're just a clown jumping around, no need to pay too much attention," Number One replied with a calm expression, looking down on Nine Eagles.

\n\n

Shi Jin listened to their conversation and recalled some information about Nine Eagles, feeling slightly surprised.

\n\n

According to the information provided by Number One, Nine Eagles was one of the organizations with the best development momentum in recent years, and had the most potential to push "Annihilation" out of the picture. However, everyone seemed to be very indifferent towards Nine Eagles.

\n\n

Seeing Shi Jin's confused expression, Number Three explained, "Nine Eagles's development was approved by Young Master Jun. Young Master Jun needs a target to divert everyone's attention."

\n\n

Only then did Shi Jin understand the reason behind everyone's attitude towards Nine Eagles. As a precaution however, he still made a mental note of Nine Eagles.

\n\n

The once quiet sea area was now filled with all kinds of ships of various sizes and models in just one day. These ships were slowly adjusting their positions, familiar groups sticking together while those with grudges dispersed. Some took the opportunity to move towards the inner circle to get closer to the authorities, while others quietly retreated to avoid them.

\n\n

The only ones that remained unchanged were the few ships in the inner circle. They belonged to the large organizations that came every year, and no one dared to come and squeeze into their positions.

\n\n

As Shi Jin focused on the positions of their own ship and the Phantom's ship, he unexpectedly discovered that their ship was being excluded by the other ships in the inner circle. It was all alone in a corner, with even the outer circle ships afraid to approach. Meanwhile, the Phantom's ship, as one of the first to arrive, strangely withdrew from the inner circle and moved to the outer circle, all by itself.

\n\n

"What is the Phantom's ship up to?" Shi Jin was now worried that he might not win the bet.

\n\n

Xiao Si was also at a loss and couldn't offer any analysis. It could only remain silent.

\n\n

The eerie yet peaceful night passed by, and the next morning, as he stepped out early to witness the grandeur of the conference, he witnessed a scene that could only be described as magical on the deck.

\n\n

All the ships surrounding the officials' vessel suddenly began to connect with each other, building gangways and bridges, creating a spiderweb-like network of passages between the ships, connecting them all together.

\n\n

And the ships belonging to the large organizations located in the inner circle naturally became the most important link connecting the different ships.

\n\n

What surprised him even more was that the Phantom's ship that was on the outermost circle last night had somehow stopped next to the "Annihilation" and even offered a ladder, showing a hint of goodwill. As the scene unfolded before him, Lian Jun pointed to the armrest of his wheelchair and made a satellite phone call to Number Five, who was left behind, instructing him to answer the gesture of goodwill from the Phantom.

\n\n

"Young Master Jun?" Shi Jin looked puzzled.

\n\n

"Figure it out yourself." Lian Jun turned his head to look at him, his face stern. "I won't provide any hints."

\n\n

Remembering their bet, Shi Jin silently glanced at him and obediently began to think about the hidden meaning behind it.

\n\n

The meeting was scheduled to start at ten o'clock. After nine o'clock, the leaders of various organizations began to bring their people to the official ship one after another. After Lian Jun and the official in charge met up, Shi Jin and Number Five silently retreated to a position towards the back of the deck, observing their surroundings and watching the commotion.

\n\n

"Nine Eagles still hasn't shown up yet. Looks like they're going to be screwed." Number Five crossed his arms and spoke with a mocking tone.

\n\n

Shi Jin listened to him, but his attention was focused on the Phantom's ship. It wasn't until 9:30 that he saw some movement on the deck of the Phantom's ship. He quickly had Xiao Si give him a buff to enhance his vision and carefully looked over.

\n\n

He saw six figures appearing on the previously empty deck of the Phantom's ship. The one walking in front was a lean man in his thirties, wearing a simple black sportswear. He should be the leader of the Phantoms.

\n\n

Walking half a step behind him was a man in a suit. The man was tall with broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs, and was carrying a briefcase. Because he was talking to the leader with his head turned to the side, Shi Jin couldn't see his face clearly.

\n\n

Behind the two of them were several bodyguards, each with a restrained and agile demeanor. As Shi Jin roughly surveyed the room, his gaze couldn't help but shift to the man in the suit. Many of the big shots attending the meeting were dressed in suits, but this one in particular caught his attention. He felt like he had seen him before.

\n\n

The Phantom's ship was just in the inner circle, and it didn't take long to walk over.

\n\n

Perhaps sensing Shi Jin's gaze, the man who had been talking to the Phantom's leader suddenly turned his head and met Shi Jin's eyes with precision as he walked to the middle of the bridge.

\n\n

Xiao Si screamed instantly, "Jin Jin, it's Fei Yujing! It's the second son of the Shi family, Fei Yujing! What is he doing here? Wait, Jin Jin, your progress bar has increased to 550! It just went up by 50!"

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback as he stared at Fei Yujing's cold and piercing gaze, finally revealing his entire face. Various thoughts flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern - the increasing progress bar, the words spoken by Shi Weichong, and the information uncovered by Lian Jun. Glancing at the progress bar in his mind, his brain heated up and he raised his hand to flip Fei Yujing off.

\n\n

What did the original owner do to you? Why do you have such murderous intent upon seeing me, who owes you anything!

\n\n

Fei Yujing noticed Shi Jin and was obviously surprised for a moment, frowning slightly. He was about to carefully examine Shi Jin's appearance when he saw the straight middle finger raised towards him. His eyes narrowed and he shifted his gaze back to Shi Jin's face, his expression inscrutable.

\n\n

Even Xiao Si's voice trembled, "Jin Jin, what did you do? Your progress bar has increased again, it's at 600!"

\n\n

When Shi Jin's expression froze, his middle finger didn't know whether to curl up or stay straight, leaving him in an awkward and stiff position. He was caught in a moment of indecision, unsure of what to do next. The situation was so uncomfortable that he couldn't move a muscle.

\n","published_time":"2024-02-15T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-18T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-15T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":497,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":47,"chapter_title":"Nine","content":"

In the end, it was Number Nine who helped Shi Jin break the awkwardness. He reached out and patted him, gesturing towards the distant sea, saying, "Nine Eagles is here."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin immediately turned his head to look in the direction of Nine Eagles's arrival. He also took the opportunity to retract his middle finger, pretending that nothing had happened.

\n\n

Sure enough, Nine Eagles's ship appeared on the distant sea. Their ship was very large, and on the deck was a gold flag with a picture of an eagle, which was very easy to recognize.

\n\n

The people from other organizations also gradually noticed Nine Eagles's arrival, and the previously quiet deck immediately became restless.

\n\n

"It's Nine Eagles."

\n\n

"Nine Eagles is getting later and later."

\n\n

"I heard that even Annihilation can't control them anymore." Whispers and discussions could be heard from different corners. Thanks to his enhanced hearing buff, Shi Jin could hear everything clearly. He looked at the large ship of Nine Eagles, his brow furrowed. Nine Eagles had already weakened the deterrence on the road to destruction, which was not a good thing.

\n\n

"Putting on a show." A woman in her forties, dressed very fashionably, suddenly sneered. Her voice was not loud, but many people noticed it because of her special hoarse voice.

\n\n

Everyone looked over.

\n\n

But the woman had already withdrawn her gaze. She no longer watched Nine Eagles's grand finale and, after greeting the host Zhang Zhuoyuan, led her people to the large conference room connected to the deck.

\n\n

"She is the leader of the Tarantula, named Lu Shan. She is very cunning and has a history with Young Master Jun, but they are putting on a show of enmity," whispered Number Nine into Shi Jin's ear.

\n\n

Shi Jin was surprised and looked at Lu Shan, confirming the position of the Tarantula's ship. He silently marked a friendly green dot for the Tarantula in his mind.

\n\n

While they were talking, the Nine Eagles' ship had already approached. It moved aside from the circle of ships and even pushed aside a few smaller ships on the periphery, finally stopping on the other side of Annihilation's ship. Together with the Phantom's ship, they sandwiched Annihilation's ship.

\n\n

Xiao Si was so scared that it couldn't breathe and said, "Jin Jin, the progress bar for the treasure has reached 900. It happened after the Nine Eagles' ship stops next to our ship!"

\n\n

Shi Jin frowned deeply, looking unhappily at the Nine Eagles' ship. The progress bar was rising rapidly, and it was clear that the Nine Eagles had impure intentions for stopping their ship there.

\n\n

Number Nine's expression was also unpleasant. His face was stiff, and a rare hint of disgust appeared on his face. "The leader of the Nine Eagles probably doesn't want to live anymore."

\n\n

Those who understood the situation knew that the seemingly ordinary action of the Nine Eagles stopping the ship there was actually a provocation towards the Annihilation. They all looked towards Lian Jun, who was still sitting in the middle of the deck with Zhang Zhuoyuan, to see what his reaction would be.

\n\n

Lian Jun was also looking in the direction of the Nine Eagles' ship, but his expression didn't change much. He even took out his phone to check the time and said to Zhang Zhuoyuan, "It's already 9:45. Let's prepare to start the meeting."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhuoyuan withdrew his gaze from Nine Eagles and did not ask what if they should wait for Nine Eagles who had not yet built their connecting bridge. He nodded towards Liu Zhenjun, who was standing outside the cockpit on the third floor. Liu Zhenjun waved his hand, and the soldiers waiting in various corners of the deck moved together, directly lifting the deck fence that had been lowered to build the bridge. They dispersed at fixed intervals, enclosing the deck.

\n\n

The leaders of various organizations still on the deck noticed this and their eyes flickered. The smarter ones immediately guessed that the authorities were unhappy with Nine Eagles's arrogance, while the less astute ones could also sense that Nine Eagles would probably be given the cold shoulder by the authorities for being late. Everyone walked towards the meeting room connected to the deck with restless thoughts.

\n\n

When they arrived at the door, all the people brought by the leaders stopped, and only the leaders went into the meeting room. The people who had followed the leaders into the room earlier also began to leave on their own.

\n\n

Soon, all the leaders of the various organizations on the deck had entered the meeting room, leaving only their subordinates outside.

\n\n

As for Lian Jun, he couldn't bring his subordinates into the meeting room. When he reached the door, he waved his hand for Number One to stay outside. He then glanced at the position where Shi Jin and Number Nine were, but found that Shi Jin wasn't looking in his direction.

\n\n

He furrowed his brows, but quickly composed himself and entered the meeting room with Zhang Zhuoyuan. At 9:55, the doors of the conference room closed. At the same time, the floor-to-ceiling curtains that had been blocking the view of the room were lifted, revealing the scene inside the conference room.

\n\n

The subordinates who had been waiting outside were familiar with the routine and immediately looked through the glass windows towards their respective leaders' positions. The leaders of the organization sitting in the conference room looked like a group of monkeys being observed.

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

This isn't quite what he expected from a secret meeting.

\n\n

Number Nine explained, "These glass windows are all specially made to be bulletproof. The leaders who enter the conference room are not allowed to bring weapons, but their subordinates can. This way, even if there is a conflict outside, the people inside the conference room will not be harmed. And if there is any disturbance inside the conference room, the people guarding outside can quickly rush in to help. This is the result of a compromise between the government and us, and it has been maintained for many years."

\n\n

Shi Jin could only remain silent.

\n\n

The conference room had a rectangular table, with Zhang Zhuoyuan sitting at the head, accompanied by several assistants who were probably there to help with paperwork. Lian Jun sat to the right of Zhang Zhuoyuan, with Lu Shan sitting next to him. The position opposite him was empty, which should have belonged to the leader of the Nine Eagles who was late.

\n\n

The leader of the Phantom didn't give a real name, only a code name - Old Ghost. He sat across from Lian Jun, in the fourth position on the left, not a great spot in the first row.

\n\n

At exactly ten o'clock, the meeting began on time, and Zhang Zhuoyuan's assistant began distributing materials and equipment.

\n\n

Outside, people couldn't hear the sound inside. When Shi Jinjian saw Lian Jun start looking through the materials, he withdrew his gaze and looked towards the Nine Eagles' ship.

\n\n

The Nine Eagles' crew was busy setting up the gangway and bridge. They arrived too late and, although they stopped in a spot relatively close to the official ship, Annihilation wasn't helping them set up the gangway, so they had to take more time and do it themselves.

\n\n

Objectively speaking, the Nine Eagles' speed in setting up the gangway was still quite fast, but they arrived too late. By the time they finished setting it up, the meeting had already been going on for more than ten minutes.

\n\n

Liu Zhenjun went down to the deck and watched as the leader of the Nine Eagles walked over the gangway and was blocked by the deck fence. With a stern face, he said, "Please leave. Once the fence is closed, it won't open until the meeting is over. Please come back in the afternoon."

\n\n

The leader of the Nine Eagles was a young man about the same age as Lian Jun. He had a pretty good appearance and looked like a rogue. When he heard this, he raised his eyebrows and said, "Oh, I see... Well, forget it. The morning meeting is just a roll call, it's boring. You can get busy, I'll go back first. Bye." With that, he swaggered away with his men.

\n\n

Liu Zhenjun watched him leave with cold eyes and then turned back to the cockpit.

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't expect the leader of the Nine Eagles to be so arrogant and was a bit speechless. He asked, "Is he always like this? Even to officials?"

\n\n

"He's just used to being brainless," commented Number Nine with a tone of disdain. "Couldn't he have taken a small boat instead of waiting for the ladder? He could have easily made it to the meeting on time. He's just too proud and brainless. Maybe he's been living too comfortably and wants to stir up trouble with the authorities."

\n\n

Shi Jin listened to his words, but he didn't think that the leader of the Nine Eagles was brainless. On the contrary, he seemed to be holding onto something that the authorities or other organizations couldn't use against him, which made him very confident.

\n\n

"Shi Jin," suddenly Number Nine turned to him.

\n\n

Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts and looked at him in confusion. "What's wrong?"

\n\n

Number Nine gestured towards a certain direction on the deck and said, "That person has been looking at you. It seems like he knows you." Shi Jin turned his head and unsurprisingly found that the person staring at him was Fei Yujing, whom he intentionally ignored and overlooked. His heart skipped a beat, and he decisively chose to retract his gaze, turning to face the sea. He said, "That's my second brother, Fei Yujing. I want to pretend not to know him, just play along."

\n\n

Number Nine was surprised and speechless, but he complied and turned to face the sea as well. He asked, "I remember your second brother is a lawyer. How did he end up in this kind of situation?"

\n\n

"I don't know. He came with the Phantom's leader," Shi Jin replied.

\n\n

Number Nine nodded in understanding and took out his phone to report the situation to Number One. During a break in the meeting, when Lian Jun pretended to casually glance over to the corner where Shi Jin was, he was surprised to see that Shi Jin was completely absorbed in the scenery, completely ignoring his employer who was in the 'wolf's den'.

\n\n

"Is that your new subordinate?" Lu Shan, who was sitting next to him, lowered her voice and asked while flipping through some documents.

\n\n

Lian Jun discreetly averted his gaze and also pretended to look through some documents before replying, "Don't ask about things that you shouldn't be asking about."

\n\n

"Tsk, you're becoming less and less lovable as you grow older." Lu Shan frowned in dissatisfaction and noticeably moved her chair to the other side, as if she didn't want to be too close to Lian Jun.

\n\n

The others quickly noticed their actions and, seeing that Lu Shan had moved her chair to create distance between herself and Lian Jun, they didn't think much of it and averted their gazes. As an organization grows older, it tends to accumulate more enemies.

\n\n

Both Annihilation and Tarantula are well-established organizations, and over the years, they have built up a deep-seated hatred for each other, perhaps even deeper than the ocean outside. However, for some unknown reason, the authorities arrange for the leaders of these two organizations to sit together every year.

\n\n

The morning meeting was just a simple summary and roll call, and it ended promptly at half past eleven. The real show of the day would begin at two in the afternoon.

\n\n

Each leader's subordinates met them at the door of the conference room, and after Liu Zhenjun's men put down the deck fence again, they all dispersed. After staring at the sea for over an hour and feeling the occasional gaze from Fei Yujing on his back, Shi Jin was exhausted. When he saw Lian Jun come out, he eagerly went over and took the initiative to push his wheelchair, asking, "Are you tired from the meeting, sir?"

\n\n

Lian Jun replied in a calm tone and expression, "Not as tired as you are from looking at the scenery."

\n\n

Shi Jin nodded straightforwardly and rubbed his eyes, saying, "Looking at the scenery is quite tiring. Staring at the blue sea for too long can make your eyes sore."

\n\n

Lian Jun's hand on the wheelchair tightened, his expression even more subdued as he said, "Then you can look at something else in the afternoon."

\n\n

"I was planning to do something else this afternoon. Although there's no signal for mobile phones on the sea, I can still play single-player mahjong. I'm planning to play mahjong this afternoon," Shi Jin happily shared his joy and suggested, "Young Master Jun, you can also play some single-player games to relax during the break. I brought a power bank, do you need one?"

\n\n

Lian Jun decided not to talk to him for the time being, afraid that he might be angered into revealing some flaws and be seen through by those cunning people.

\n\n

Without getting a response, Shi Jin wanted to ask again. Number One couldn't help it anymore, he held Shi Jin's shoulder and pushed the wheelchair, giving Number Two a "watch him" look, and walked ahead of Lian Jun.

\n\n

Number Two caught Shi Jin and covered his mouth.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt targeted and reached out to poke Number Two's eyes. The group chattered and prepared to go down to the lower restaurant for lunch. Suddenly, the mischievous leader of Phantom caught up from behind and called out to Lian Jun.

\n\n

Lian Jun waved his hand to signal Number One to stop and turned his head to look at the old ghost who was approaching quickly with Fei Yujing. His gaze stopped on Fei Yujing for a moment before asking, "Old Ghost, do you have business with me?"

\n\n

"I want to have lunch with you," Old Ghost replied simply, but gestured with the number "9" in his hand.

\n\n

"9". Nine Eagles.

\n\n

Lian Jun understood his hint and nodded, saying, "Then let's go together. And who is this?"

\n\n

"Fei Yujing, the lawyer I hired. I've had some business problems lately and several of my subordinates have been implicated. He's here to help," Old Ghost replied, introducing Fei Yujing to Lian Jun as the leader of the Annihilation. Fei Yujing took the initiative to extend his hand to Lian Jun, with a very formal and polite attitude, saying, "Nice to meet you."

\n\n

Lian Jun shook his hand but did not respond to his words, only nodding in acknowledgement. He then signaled for Number One to continue leading him to the restaurant.

\n\n

Old Ghost looked puzzled at Lian Jun's behavior, which clearly showed that he was not very fond of Fei Yujing. However, Lian Jun was not the kind of person who would be impolite to someone he met for the first time. He frowned and lowered his voice to ask Fei Yujing, "Have you met Lian Jun before?"

\n\n

"No," Fei Yujing shook his head, keeping his gaze on Shi Jin, who was trying hard to act like a stranger and blend in with the background. After thinking about Lian Jun's attitude, he replied, "Lian Jun's behavior is probably due to some other personal reasons. Don't worry, it won't affect your business." Old Ghost still had confidence in him, so when he heard this, he let out a sigh of relief and didn't ask any further questions.

\n\n

The group settled into a private room in the restaurant.

\n\n

Shi Jin could feel Fei Yujing's gaze still occasionally falling on him, but he pretended not to notice and silently ate his meal with Number Nine at the end of the table.

\n\n

With Old Ghost present, everyone was more restrained, and apart from Lian Jun, Old Ghost, and Fei Yujing, no one spoke at the table.

\n\n

After the initial pleasantries, Old Ghost finally got to the point. "I've had some trouble with my business in the southeast region, and now it's confirmed that it's the work of Nine Eagles. The leader of Nine Eagles, Zuo Yang, has great ambitions. He doesn't just want your position, he wants a higher status. As far as I know, he has already made connections with some local organizations in the southeast region. This is why I'm in trouble this time. The situation in the southeast region is getting more chaotic, and Nine Eagles is here to disrupt my plans. I'm not prepared to fight him, but I can't abandon my brothers. I can give up my business, but I must protect my people."

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded and tapped the armrest of his wheelchair, asking, "So?"

\n\n

"So I hired Lawyer Fei to come over and prepare to go public, using official business as a cover, to put pressure on that side through official channels and extradite my people back through legal means. This is currently the safest way I can think of to save them," Old Ghost spoke candidly and sincerely.

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Lian Jun understood his intention and said, "Old Ghost, you are not a naive person. Nine Eagles and the local organization have detained people together and crossed borders. The government's hands cannot reach that far."

\n\n

"I know the government's hands cannot reach that far, but yours can," Old Ghost said.

\n\n

This was a request for help.

\n\n

Number One and Number Two both looked over, then casually looked away and continued eating as if nothing had happened. Lian Jun remained silent, and the atmosphere at the dinner table became somewhat heavy for a moment. Old Ghost was clearly anxious, but he managed to keep his composure and did not urge Lian Jun to give an immediate response.

\n\n

"Excuse me for interrupting, but may I ask who this gentleman is?" Fei Yujing, who had been quiet all this while, suddenly spoke up and directed his question at Shi Jin, who was busy gnawing on a piece of pork rib.

\n\n

Everyone at the table turned their heads in unison to look at Shi Jin, their movements synchronized and precise.

\n\n

Shi Jin was caught in the spotlight, with a piece of pork rib bone stuck in his mouth. He didn't know whether to spit it out or swallow it, and he glanced at Fei Yujing before turning to Lian Jun, his expression one of innocence.

\n\n

"He's my newly recruited subordinate, codenamed Number Four." Lian Jun answered, looking at Fei Yujing and asking, "Is Lawyer Fei interested in my subordinate?"

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Fei Yujing shifted his gaze away from Shi Jin and replied nonchalantly, "I am indeed interested. After all, it's been a long time since I've seen someone with such a 'unique' way of eating. It's quite enlightening."

\n\n

In other words, Fei Yujing was subtly commenting on Shi Jin's unappetizing eating habits.

\n\n

Shi Jin spat out a bone with a "pu" sound, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and retorted, "I never expected Lawyer Fei to have such a narrow perspective. You haven't even seen someone like me who enjoys food with their whole being. I can only imagine how miserable your past few decades must have been. Young Master Jun, it seems that my eating habits are affecting Lawyer Fei's appetite. Should I leave first?"

\n\n

"No need," Young Master Jun interjected in a calm tone. "Number Three, please arrange for Lawyer Fei to have a separate table."

\n\n

Number Three put down his chopsticks and left the room.

\n\n

The others continued to eat, seemingly oblivious to the exchange. Old Ghost never expected things to turn out this way. When he saw that Lord Lian was really going to set up a table for Fei Yujing, he quickly stepped in as a mediator and tried to calm Shi Jin down. He even personally got up and made a gesture to stop Number Three from leaving.

\n\n

Lian Jun could embarrass Fei Yujing, but he couldn't do so to Old Ghost. So he let Number Three come back, but his attitude became even colder.

\n\n

Shi Jin stuffed a piece of pork rib into his mouth in front of Fei Yujing, full of provocation.

\n\n

Fei Yujing looked straight at him, his face not showing any embarrassment from being targeted, but rather a deep thoughtfulness. During the meal, Old Ghost kept trying to steer the conversation back to the previous topic, but Lian Jun refused to engage and remained evasive. Perhaps feeling desperate, Old Ghost suddenly fell silent for a while as the meal was coming to an end, before finally making a bold offer: "Young Master Jun, if you help me this one time, I can help you get rid of Nine Eagles."

\n\n

This was a significant sacrifice, as Old Ghost had always kept a low profile and never actively sought trouble. By making this offer, he was essentially agreeing to be Lian Jun's pawn.

\n\n

However, Lian Jun remained unmoved and replied, "I don't have any thoughts about Nine Eagles."

\n\n

Old Ghost was at a loss and visibly agitated, but just then, Fei Yujing suddenly spoke up again, still pointing at Shi Jin, and said, "I'm sorry."

\n\n

Shi Jin was confused and then strangely discovered that his progress bar had actually dropped back to 550.

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at Fei Yujing and finally relented, saying, "Old Ghost, I can help you deliver a message to the authorities to cooperate with your economic cover, but I won't interfere in the southeast. Your brothers' lives are valuable, but so are my brothers'."

\n\n

Old Ghost's expression first brightened when he heard him loosen up, but then his brow furrowed again after hearing him out. He fell silent for a moment before gritting his teeth and saying, "I was targeted by Nine Eagles for another reason."

\n\n

Finally, he was going to reveal his true motives.

\n\n

The atmosphere on the table inexplicably relaxed, and Lian Jun leaned back in his chair and said, "Go on."

\n\n

Upon seeing his attitude, Old Ghost knew he had fallen for a psychological tactic from Lian Jun. He sighed in resignation and said, "My subordinates found out that Nine Eagles was investigating that doctor of yours back then, and they found a clue in the southeast area."

\n\n

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere at the dining table changed instantly. Everyone sat up straight and looked towards Old Ghost.

\n\n

"Let's continue eating," Lian Jun tapped the table.

\n\n

So everyone tried to calm down and resumed eating and chatting, but their attention was all on Old Ghost.

\n\n

Shi Jin also looked at Old Ghost with a slightly furrowed brow. He had a hunch that the doctor mentioned by Old Ghost was related to Lian Jun's current condition, and his heartstrings tightened a little.

\n\n

The eerie atmosphere on the table made Old Ghost's scalp tingle. He decided to spill everything he knew at once and said, "After discovering Nine Eagles's movements, I ordered my subordinates to pay attention to them for a while. We followed their trail and found a small, unremarkable local hospital. This hospital is only an old community hospital on the surface, but in reality, it is a place where the local organization hoards goods. The doctor who betrayed you has been hiding there for years. He had plastic surgery and changed his identity. If it weren't for Nine Eagles's people keeping an eye on him, I wouldn't have discovered his suspicious behavior."

\n\n

Lian Jun listened quietly and asked, "What about him?"

\n\n

Old Ghost clenched his fist and replied, "He was taken away by Nine Eagles's people after my subordinates tried to approach him." The atmosphere at the table changed once again.

\n\n

Everyone was no fool, and they all understood what Old Ghost meant. When Old Ghost talked about "getting close", it wasn't just a simple approach. He wanted to snatch someone from Nine Eagles's hands. As for the purpose of snatching this person, it goes without saying that it was the same as Nine Eagles's - to use this person to do something against Annihilation or Lian Jun.

\n\n

Unfortunately, Old Ghost's strength was not enough to capture the person, and he was bitten by Nine Eagles instead. Now, Old Ghost had been unable to resolve matters in the southeast region for two years, and he had no choice but to come to Lian Jun, whom he had originally planned to scheme against, for help.

\n\n

This action was truly despicable.

\n\n

It's no wonder he had been reluctant to reveal the truth before. With this kind of motive, it would be good enough for Lian Jun not to kill him, let alone help him save others.

\n","published_time":"2024-02-22T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-25T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-22T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":505,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":48,"chapter_title":"The Original","content":"

The atmosphere at the dinner table became heavy. Number One and his companions no longer concealed their emotions, staring straight at Old Ghost with unfriendly eyes.

\n\n

"Lian Jun, whether you believe it or not, when I wanted to intercept someone back then, it wasn't to use him against you or to do anything bad," Old Ghost explained in a sincere tone.

\n\n

However, Lian Jun was not easily fooled and said, "But if you only want to bring the person back and use him to show your goodwill towards me, then the best thing for you to do is to inform me immediately after obtaining any information about him. This way, not only do you not have to face Nine Eagles directly, but you can also earn my favor. It's such a profitable deal that you shouldn't miss. Instead, you choose to take risks and confront Nine Eagles. To be frank, I don't see any goodwill towards me in your choice."

\n\n

Old Ghost was choked up, knowing that he couldn't hide anything from Lian Jun anymore. He thought of his brothers whose fate was still uncertain, and his once straight back suddenly bent down. He wiped his face and said, "Yes, I admit it. I wanted to intercept someone and use him for something. I even wanted to get the origin of the toxin that you were poisoned with from him. I know you need it."

\n\n

Upon hearing the words "origin", the emotions of Number One and the others immediately stirred up.

\n\n

Lord Lian waved his hand to calm them down and looked at Old Ghost, asking, "You know I need this, so what do you want to do with it?"

\n\n

The despondent Old Ghost replied, "I'll trade it for your resources. The government may not be making any moves on the surface, but they're constantly making small moves behind the scenes. I have a rough idea of what they're up to, so I want you to take me with you to find a way out. What I need is not something that can be obtained with a small favor from an information provider. In order to get a bargaining chip that's strong enough for you to help me with all your might, I have to take a risk and confront Nine Eagles."

\n\n

Lian Jun had to admit that Old Ghost was indeed very clever. He was able to deduce the government's intentions based solely on their small actions behind the scenes, and immediately locked onto himself as a lifeline. However, sometimes smart people tend to do foolish things.

\n\n

The conversation had come to an end.

\n\n

With a slight movement of his wheelchair, Lian Jun faced Old Ghost and said, "I appreciate your willingness to provide information today. I will try my best to rescue the people detained in the southeast region. I will also help you establish a connection with the authorities. However, I will not speak on your behalf. Whether or not you can obtain official assistance depends on your own abilities."

\n\n

After speaking, he glanced at Number One, who immediately stood up and helped him with his wheelchair.

\n\n

Number Two and the others also stood up in unison, no longer looking at Old Ghost, and followed Lian Jun out of the private room.

\n\n

Shi Jin and Number Nine were the last to leave. Just as Shi Jin was about to step out of the room, they heard Fei Yujing's voice from inside.

\n\n

"Shi Jin, you shouldn't be here."

\n\n

Shi Jin stopped in his tracks and said without looking back, "No, you shouldn't be here." And with that, he walked away.

\n\n

Xiao Si was a bit confused and said, "Jin Jin, your progress bar has gone back to 500."

\n\n

"That's to be expected," replied Shi Jin, who had already figured out Fei Yujing's way of thinking. "Fei Yujing is someone who prioritizes his own interests. He was good to me before because I could provide him with benefits. But when I lost my usefulness to him, he quickly withdrew. When we met this morning, I showed hostility towards him as a member of another criminal organization, which could have been a destabilizing factor for his business. So naturally, he became wary of me. Now that I am confirmed to be under the person who wants to please him this time, I am someone who can provide him with benefits. What do you think he will do to me?"

\n\n

Xiao Si hesitated before asking, "Will he try to please you?"

\n\n

"He's already started doing this. That last sentence was just his test," Shi Jin said, feeling bored. He remembered how Fei Yujing treated the original host in the original plot and made up his mind. No matter what Fei Yujing planned to do next, he wouldn't follow the other's script.

\n\n

As soon as Lian Jun left the private room, he called Zhang Zhuoyuan and told him about the incident with the Phantom. Then he sent a text message to Old Ghost, asking him to go directly to Zhang Zhuoyuan.

\n\n

Number One was a little puzzled and asked, "Young Master Jun, why are you helping Old Ghost? I can understand us saving people, but why help him connect with the authorities...?"

\n\n

Lian Jun put away the satellite phone and said, "Old Ghost is a smart man and would make a good ally, but he needs a little push. Helping him connect with the authorities is not only doing him a favor, but also distancing ourselves from him. The authorities wouldn't want me suddenly gaining a new helper. Let's not forget that we are living on their ship. Our contact with Old Ghost will surely be known to the authorities. To avoid suspicion, we must actively involve the authorities in this contact and give them the control they want."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Number One seemed to understand Lian Jun's meaning. In short, when on the authorities' ship, it's best to always have their approval and support in whatever they do. They should butter them up to avoid unnecessary trouble.

\n\n

The two continued walking for a while until Lian Jun suddenly turned his head back and looked at Shi Jin, who was at the very end of the group. He said, "Be more careful of Fei Yujing."

\n\n

Number One also turned his head to look at Shi Jin and nodded in response.

\n\n

Not long after the dinner party ended, Old Ghost was invited to Zhang Zhuoyuan's office. He didn't come out until the afternoon meeting was about to start. His expression was serious, with a slight frown on his forehead, but the urgency on his face had diminished, and his steps were much lighter.

\n\n

Lian Jun hung up the phone call from Zhang Zhuoyuan and said, "The government has accepted the surrender of Phantom and expressed their willingness to cooperate with their operations, helping them to catch their enemies. However, they did not agree to help Phantom wash their hands clean and transform, and ensure the safety of their entire organization."

\n\n

The faces of Number One and his companions relaxed a bit upon hearing the news - the authorities were at least not foolish. After accepting the face they had given, they also showed some sincerity and trust in return.

\n\n

"It seems that Phantom wants to break free from this chaotic situation now, and it will require a big sacrifice," Number One said, his tone serious but with a hint of schadenfreude in his eyes.

\n\n

He held grudges, and Old Ghost had once tried to plot against them, but he had not yet turned the page on this incident.

\n\n

Shi Jin sat next to Lian Jun, holding an orange that was half-peeled. Seeing that they had no intention of continuing the topic, he tried to change the subject and asked, "What about the doctor who was taken away by Nine Eagles and the toxin's origin that may be in his hands?"

\n\n

As soon as these words were spoken, the previously relaxed atmosphere in the room immediately became tense again.

\n\n

In fact, Number One and the others also wanted to bring up this topic, but they had been hesitant because of Lian Jun. So when he spoke up, they quickly shifted their gaze to him.

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at them and said, "Let's discuss this after the afternoon meeting. The leader of the Nine Eagles, Zhuo Yang, will definitely come to the meeting this afternoon. Knowing his personality, if he really has something in his hands, he won't be able to resist coming to test me. Let's see how he reacts first."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Number One and the others breathed a sigh of relief. They realized that Lian Jun wasn't avoiding the topic, but had already thought about it.

\n\n

Only Shi Jin still looked confused and worried. Upon seeing the situation, Lian Jun asked Number One and the others to leave first, leaving only Shi Jin behind.

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately offered the peeled orange to Lian Jun, saying, "Try it, it's very sweet. I heard that people who stay at sea for a long time lack a lot of vitamins, so you should pay more attention."

\n\n

To be honest, the hand-peeled orange was quite ugly, but Lian Jun thought the one Shi Jin peeled was particularly cute. It was perfectly round like a ball and had a sweet fragrance.

\n\n

"Lack of vitamins is due to an unbalanced diet. The supply on official ships is sufficient, so this kind of problem won't occur," Lian Jun explained.

\n\n

He ate a slice of orange, praised its sweetness, and then took a tissue to wipe the orange juice off Shi Jin's hands, saying, "Ask me anything you want to know, and I'll tell you."

\n\n

When Shi Jin heard this, he forgot about the hand that was holding him and leaned in closer, asking, "The doctor who betrayed you... was it the one who caused your legs to become like this?"

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded and replied, "Yes, his name is Long Shi. He is the adopted son of Uncle Long and has great talent, but unfortunately, he turned against us."

\n\n

Uncle Long's adopted son?

\n\n

Shi Jin furrowed his brows and continued to ask, "And the origin..."

\n\n

"Both Long Shi and Uncle Long specialize in nutrition and body maintenance. Uncle Long originally intended for Long Shi to inherit his position and continue taking care of me, but Long Shi doesn't like those gentle subjects. He prefers to see blood and enjoys researching various poisons. The poison in my body was extracted and formulated from the toxins of various creatures. The known ingredients include snake venom and a certain highly toxic seaweed, all of which are psychotropic toxins. The poison in my body was not completely cured back then. To completely remove it, we need to obtain the origin of the toxin and conduct targeted research. However, Long Shi took the origin toxin away."

\n\n

As Shi Jin listened, his brow furrowed tighter and his expression even became a bit solemn. When Lian Jun saw him like this, his heart softened.

\n\n

He reached out and pressed his forehead, saying, "Don't worry, it doesn't matter if there's no origin. There are only so many neurotoxins in the world, and with the simple method of permutation and combination, I will eventually be able to piece together the components of the mixed poison I was exposed to back then. It will just take a little more time."

\n\n

"I'm not stupid," Shi Jin pulled his hand away, still frowning. "Although I don't understand medical things, I know that drugs can react with each other and produce new elements. This is not a simple permutation and combination, it's like finding a needle in a haystack."

\n\n

"The sea also has its limits, and the needle will eventually be found," Lian Jun was still trying to reassure him.

\n\n

Shi Jin looked at him with dissatisfaction and said, "Yes, the ocean does have boundaries, but your lifespan also has its limits. If we just wait, who knows when we'll get results. We must find a way to retrieve Long Shi from Nine Eagles's hands and question him thoroughly."

\n\n

"We will definitely retrieve him," reassured Lian Jun. After some thought, he decided to give him a warning, "But you shouldn't have too much hope for the origin. Long Shi is a cunning person, and any clues we get from him may be false or used to set another trap. Shi Jin, don't worry too much."

\n\n

Shi Jin fell silent and secretly refuted in his heart: No, as long as we retrieve the person, with Xiao Si's help, he will be able to extract the true origin from Long Shi.

\n\n

The afternoon meeting started on time. Shi Jin and Number Nine stood in their usual spot from the morning, but this time they didn't look out at the sea. Instead, they both looked towards the direction of the Nine Eagles' ships.

\n\n

Their actions didn't attract too much attention because most of the people on deck were staring in the direction of the Nine Eagles' ships, hoping to see if Zhuo Yang would skip the afternoon meeting as well.

\n\n

However, to everyone's disappointment, at 1:50, Zhuo Yang appeared on the deck of the Nine Eagles' ship, lazily walking towards the official ship's side.

\n\n

The crowd lost interest and withdrew their gaze - it seemed like they wouldn't be able to witness the showdown between the big organization and the officials.

\n\n

What a pity.

\n\n

Three minutes later, Zhuo Yang jumped onto the officials' deck and met the gaze of Lian Jun in the middle of the deck. He smiled and waved at Lian Jun, greeting him, "Hey, Lian Jun, long time no see. You seem even more beautiful than last year. Sickly beauties are truly more endearing."

\n\n

Shi Jin's face turned black as he was infuriated by Zhuo Yang's joke about the appearance and body of a leader. Zhuo Yang was truly despicable.

\n\n

Lian Jun was clearly not someone who could be joked around with without consequences. He reached back and took the gun that Number One handed him, loaded a bullet, and without hesitation, aimed it directly at Zhuo Yang and fired.

\n\n

Bang!

\n\n

This shot was extremely precise, aimed at Zhuo Yang's three-inch navel. It was not easy to dodge, and even if he did, it would not be a pretty sight. Lian Jun's original intention was to make Zhuo Yang look bad, but Zhuo Yang went too far in order to save face and pulled one of his subordinates to block the bullet.

\n\n

The subordinate was quite tall, and the bullet hit him in the thigh near the groin. The moment he was shot, his leg went weak and he almost fell down, blood gushing out.

\n\n

The expressions of the people on the deck became very ugly.

\n\n

It's one thing to have a conflict and use a gun, but as the leader of an organization, Zhuo Yang could have easily dodged the bullet himself. Instead, he chose to pull his subordinate in front of him to block it for the sake of his own face. This behavior was really heartless.

\n\n

"Zhuo Yang, your posture for dodging bullets is really too pitiful." Lian Jun coldly retorted, returning the gun to Number One and looking at Zhang Zhuoyuan beside him, saying, "Sorry, my hand slipped."

\n\n

Zhang Zhuoyuan reassured, "It's okay. As long as we don't enter the conference room, we won't interfere with the private friction between the organizations."

\n\n

This was clearly a show of support for Lian Jun.

\n\n

Lian Jun thanked him and looked at Zhuo Yang with concern, saying, "The doctors I have with me are top-notch. Your subordinate doesn't look too good. Do you need any help?"

\n\n

Zhuo Yang was clearly angered, but he forced a smile and replied, "No need. Go ahead and take him back to the ship." He was speaking to another subordinate behind him.

\n\n

The subordinate responded with a grunt and roughly dragged away the injured subordinate, who was already pale.

\n\n

Everyone's expressions immediately became even uglier. Zhuo Yang's attitude towards his subordinates was simply too terrible, as if he didn't even consider them human. Lian Jun stopped looking at Zhuo Yang and turned to Zhang Zhuoyuan, saying, "Director Zhang, the meeting is about to begin."

\n\n

Zhang Zhuoyuan nodded and began to call in the organization leaders who were still outside. Lian Jun was pushed by Number One and turned to head towards the meeting room.

\n\n

After this interruption, the atmosphere on the deck became somewhat heavy. Everyone stopped talking to each other and intentionally or unintentionally kept their distance from the Nine Eagles' people.

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't dare to distract himself by looking at the scenery anymore. His gaze was fixed on Lian Jun in the meeting room, worried that Zhuo Yang would cause trouble again.

\n\n

The atmosphere of the afternoon meeting was noticeably less relaxed than that of the morning. Zhang Zhuoyuan had been speaking the whole time, holding a document and seemingly pointing out certain organizations by name. Every organization that was mentioned had an unpleasant expression on their face, and some even argued with Zhang Zhuoyuan.

\n\n

The most intense reaction came from Lu Shan, who even slammed the table and stood up to curse at Zhang Zhuoyuan. Despite his unremarkable appearance, Zhang Zhuoyuan had a slick and confident demeanor. He remained resolute and serious, no matter what Lu Shan said. In the end, it was Lu Shan who compromised, muttering under her breath before sitting back down with a stern expression and refusing to speak.

\n\n

As the tension in the meeting room grew increasingly palpable, the crew on deck also became more and more on edge. This was Shi Jin's first time here, and he was slightly affected by the atmosphere, his nerves taut. After about two hours of the meeting, a tall figure suddenly blocked Shi Jin's view intentionally. Without hesitation, Shi Jin reached out and pulled the person aside, saying, "Don't block the view, thank you."

\n\n

Only after pulling him aside did Shi Jin realize that the person was Fei Yujing. He frowned and asked, "What are you here for?"

\n\n

"I came to talk," Fei Yujing replied, patting the sleeve that Shi Jin had just pulled.

\n\n

Shi Jin noticed his actions and rolled his eyes inwardly. He shifted his gaze back to Lian Jun in the conference room and spoke frankly, "There's nothing for us to talk about. I won't deliberately instigate Young Master Jun to harm your employer, nor will I help you just because you acted well as a big brother. If you want to distance yourself from me and be strangers who don't bother each other, that's fine with me. I hope we can have some understanding in this matter. Right now, I am 'Number Four' and you are Lawyer Fei. We have no personal relationship, understand?"

\n\n

Fei Yujing leaned against the railing next to him and replied, "I don't understand. Shi Jin, you've changed too much."

\n\n

Shi Jin ignored him. He had said what he needed to say and didn't want to waste any more words with Fei Yujing. Due to their positioning, Fei Yujing was facing the side of Shi Jin's face. He listened to Shi Jin's words and observed the curve of his profile, squinting his eyes slightly before saying, "Shi Jin, I don't like your current attitude."

\n\n

Shi Jin was a bit annoyed by his words and turned his head to look at him, coldly asking, "Then have you ever asked me if I like being used by you as a good brother in front of me for your own benefit? Fei Yujing, don't be so hypocritical. I don't like it."

\n\n

Fei Yujing met his gaze and remained calm in the face of his accusations, saying, "Hypocrisy is inherent in people like me. Shi Jin, I don't like the current you. You've become smarter and harder to deceive."

\n\n

"Tch." Shi Jin really didn't like people like Fei Yujing who were self-aware 'bad guys'.

\n\n

Even if you accused him and he was in the wrong, he wouldn't get angry or argue back. Instead, he could easily accept all the accusations without being affected. If you tried to reason with him, he wouldn't listen. He had his own set of rules and wouldn't easily be swayed. If you played the emotional card, sorry to say, he had no emotions. Congratulations, you just fell into his trap.

\n\n

Fei Yujing seemed oblivious to Shi Jin's disapproval and continued, "Shi Jin, you're good at finding backers. It used to be Shi Xingrui, now it's Lian Jun. Maybe I don't know you as well as I thought."

\n\n

"No need to guess, you just don't understand me," said Shi Jin as he turned to look at him. He pulled out the gun he always carried with him and aimed it at his heart. He spoke coldly, "Either leave immediately and never bother me again, or I'll shoot you right now and put an end to any thoughts of using me. Fei Yujing, I hate being used and I hate people who wear the mask of family to deceive me. Don't waste your breath coming to me again, I have no patience left."

\n\n

Fei Yujing's expression remained unchanged as he said, "You won't shoot."

\n\n

Shi Jin was also quite calm and replied, "To avoid causing trouble for my boss, I will try my best not to use my gun. But if you continue to bother me, I may be able to resist using it today. But your mother's side may not be so lucky to avoid a bullet."

\n\n

Finally, Fei Yujing's expression changed. He reached out and grabbed Shi Jin's hand that was holding the gun, and said in a deep voice, "Shi Jin, how dare you."

\n\n

"You can see if I dare, Fei Yujing. Let me warn you, as long as you have a weakness, don't do things that hurt others without reason. Otherwise, those injuries will eventually come back to haunt the people you care about." Shi Jin tapped Fei Yujing's chest with the gun, then broke free from his grip, sneered, and turned to the side without looking at him.

\n\n

Number Nine, who had been watching the whole time, stepped in between Shi Jin and Fei Yujing at the right moment.

\n\n

Fei Yujing's eyes were heavy as he touched his chest that had been tapped. He glanced at Shi Jin, who was half-blocked by Number Nine, and finally turned and walked away.

\n\n

In the conference room, Lian Jun withdrew his gaze from outside and shifted his attention back to the documents in front of him. Across from him, Zhuo Yang watched his every move and asked the same question Lu Shan had asked yesterday, but with a much more hostile tone: "Lian Jun, is that your new subordinate over there?"

\n\n

The people in the conference room were all checking the new information issued by Zhang Zhuoyuan and no one had spoken. When Zhuo Yang suddenly spoke up, he immediately drew everyone's attention and many people turned to look out the window that Zhuo Yang was gesturing towards.

\n\n

Lian Jun calmly put down the papers and looked at Zhuo Yang, not answering his question but instead asking one of his own: "Zhuo Yang, you still haven't settled the score for the Heavenly Horse leader taking my people from me last year. Now you're eyeing another one of my subordinates. What's the matter? Has the Nine Eagles gang run out of capable people?"

\n","published_time":"2024-02-29T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-01T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-29T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":512,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":49,"chapter_title":"Hatred Born from Love","content":"

As soon as the words "Heavenly Horse" were uttered, the atmosphere in the conference room immediately changed. All eyes turned from the window to gaze suspiciously and warily at Zhuo Yang.

\n\n

It's no wonder they reacted so strongly. Heavenly Horse had done some truly despicable things over the past few years.

\n\n

Heavenly Horse was a medium-sized, legal violent organization that has been around for a long time. They used to be pretty average and didn't attract much attention in the underworld. But about four or five years ago, their methods suddenly changed. They started swallowing up smaller organizations, assassinating medium-sized organizations at the same level, crazily poaching members from other organizations, and planting spies among their peers...in short, they became more and more disgusting and despicable in their tactics.

\n\n

They're like a stinky bug that follows you wherever you go, even trying to leave some poop in your home. It was extremely cunning, and when faced with opponents weaker than itself, it will relentlessly stomp on them. When faced with opponents of similar strength, it will only harass and cause trouble for them. When faced with opponents stronger than itself, it won't do anything overtly, but will secretly dig at them. It jumps around from one place to another, making people annoyed and frustrated.

\n\n

The worst part is that it can't be eliminated.

\n\n

Many organizations have targeted it, both openly and covertly, but it's like a cockroach that can't be killed. It continued to exist and make their lives miserable, jumping around and preventing them from developing peacefully. It's enough to make one grit their teeth.

\n\n

This year, the leader of the Heavenly Horse gang didn't show up for the meeting. Everyone was happy about it because a violent organization not attending could only mean two things - they were either finished or they were shut down by the authorities. Either way, everyone was pleased to hear it.

\n\n

In fact, since the middle of last year, people had heard very little about the Heavenly Horse gang. The smart ones were guessing that they had done something despicable and were taken care of by a larger organization that didn't approve of their actions.

\n\n

Now, when Lian Jun suddenly pointed out a connection between the Nine Eagles and the Heavenly Horse gang, everyone's minds became lively in an instant. According to Lian Jun's words, it seemed that Heavenly Horse had been taken down by him, and he had also discovered some connection between Heavenly Horse and Nine Eagles.

\n\n

In fact, everyone had been guessing for a long time whether Heavenly Horse had a big organization supporting him to act so recklessly. Now, with Lian Jun's suggestion, everyone immediately realized that Heavenly Horse's style had changed rapidly since the year when Nine Eagles started to develop wildly...

\n\n

Zhuo Yang endured the gaze of the crowd and almost couldn't resist cursing Lian Jun opposite him. Others may not know, but he was very clear about what was going on with Heavenly Horse's leader now. This useful pawn had been taken down by Lian Jun in Y province last year, and there had been no news since then.

\n\n

It was said that he had been sent to prison by the authorities. At first, he was worried that Lian Jun might pry open the mouth of the leader of Heavenly Horse and discover that he was behind it all. He waited and probed, but he never saw any follow-up action from Lian Jun. He thought that the leader of Heavenly Horse had kept his promise and didn't reveal his identity after being caught, and Lian Jun didn't suspect him of being a traitor.

\n\n

Little did he know, Lian Jun knew everything and had been holding onto the information for almost a year. And not only did Lian Jun know, but he also revealed it in front of everyone, fueling Nine Eagles' hatred.

\n\n

How cunning and despicable! How shameless! What a bastard!

\n\n

His heart sank as he realized the depth of Lian Jun's cunning. He had underestimated the man's deviousness and was now paying the price for it.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang's satisfaction with finding Lian Jun's weaknesses was diluted, and his face trembled as he forced out a nonchalant smile. He looked at Lian Jun and asked in return, "I was just curious and asked a question, but your reaction was so big. It's inexplicable that you're trying to pin the blame on me. Do I have reason to suspect that your new subordinate is very special?"

\n\n

"He is certainly special, but every one of my subordinates is special," said Lian Jun, putting down the documents in his hand. His expression remained unchanged as he continued, "Zhuo Yang, your level of probing with words is still too inexperienced in my opinion. The fact that I took care of Heavenly Horse is something I don't believe you are unaware of, but you still dare to provoke me.

\n\n

"In my eyes, you are simply brainless. If you don't fear me exposing all of your other 'pawns' to the public, then you can continue to harass me. I don't mind letting everyone know more about the internal information of the Nine Eagles. Don't forget, if it comes to manipulating people, you can do it, and so can I."

\n\n

Zhuo Yang's expression finally changed, but he still stubbornly denied knowing about Heavenly Horse and the 'pawns', saying, "Lian Jun, your skill at distorting the truth is still so masterful."

\n\n

"I am not distorting the truth. Everyone has their own judgment." With that, Lian Jun picked up the documents, looking as though he didn't want to say anything more to him. "Zhuo Yang, stop dreaming about being the emperor of the underworld. We're not fools here."

\n\n

The emperor of the underworld? Zhang Zhuoyuan turned his head to look at Zhuo Yang and said, "Zhuo Yang, we may need to have a private talk after the meeting."

\n\n

Zhuo Yang's face turned sour, as if he had eaten shit. He finally stopped pretending to smile and shut his mouth.

\n\n

Seeing Zhuo Yang's defeat, Lu Shan laughed outright, twirling a pen between her fingers. "It's the modern age, and yet there are still children who haven't been weaned off their dreams of being the emperor of the underworlds. Lian Jun, I suddenly don't find you so annoying anymore."

\n\n

"If the price of not being hated by you is to become shorter and be one of the 'children' you're talking about, then it's not necessary. Please continue to hate me." Lian Jun coldly replied, maintaining his hostile attitude towards Lu Shan.

\n\n

Lu Shan's expression stiffened and she looked at him with great dissatisfaction. She threw her pen down, sneered, and cursed, "You ungrateful brat." She didn't say anything else.

\n\n

And so, the power struggle between the top leaders of the first-tier organizations came to an end. The meeting room returned to silence, but the atmosphere inside was very different from before.

\n\n

Previously, everyone had intentionally or unintentionally excluded Lian Jun, but after he exposed the connection between Nine Eagles and Heavenly Horse, the focus shifted to Zhuo Yang one by one. Although Lian Jun was hated by many for his close ties with the authorities, he never cultivated 'pawns' to harm other organizations, making him much less dangerous.

\n\n

It was different for Zhuo Yang, who had great ambitions and no scruples. He was even caught secretly supporting other organizations and stirring up trouble on the streets, making him a walking source of danger.

\n\n

Between someone who wanted to be the emperor of the underworld and someone who was a low-key powerhouse who never suppressed other organizations without reason, it was clear which side was more worthy of fear. There was no need to think twice.

\n\n

The meeting lasted until just before dinner, and when the leaders of the major organizations emerged, their expressions were not good. Zhuo Yang's face was particularly bad, and he was unlucky enough to be 'invited' away by Zhang Zhuoyuan and Liu Zhenjun as soon as the meeting ended.

\n\n

As usual, Shi Jin squeezed Number One to the side, taking over the job of pushing Lian Jun's wheelchair. He asked with concern, "I saw that Zhuo Yang talking to you. Did he give you a hard time?"

\n\n

"It wasn't too bad. He's just as brainless as ever," Lian Jun replied simply. After Shi Jin pushed him to the next level of the ship and the people around them thinned out, he continued, "But he did have something in his hand. He dared to provoke me face-to-face, not even considering the fact that he might have given me some leverage. He must have some chips in his hand."

\n\n

Shi Jin frowned. "So Long Shi is really in his hands?"

\n\n

"Not just that. The person should be on his ship," Lian Jun replied, guessing, "Zhuo Yang was suppressed by me today, so he will definitely come to me sooner or later. We'll wait for him to come to us." Upon hearing this, Shi Jin glanced at Lian Jun, whose progress bar was still stuck at 900, and nodded in agreement.

\n\n

As expected, later that day, someone from Zhuo Yang's team came looking for Lian Jun, inviting him to a meeting on the Nine Eagles' ship and leaving behind a card with the word "Long" on it.

\n\n

In front of Zhuo Yang's subordinates, Lian Jun threw the card into the trash and retorted, "Tell Zhuo Yang that I'm not as foolish as he thinks." He then had Number One sweep Zhuo Yang's subordinates out the door.

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't help but take notice of the card in the trash.

\n\n

Lian Jun thought that Shi Jin didn't understand why he had kicked out Zhuo Yang's men and explained, "We can't follow Zhuo Yang's rhythm. Don't worry, he'll come back."

\n\n

Shi Jin shook his head and turned to hold Lian Jun's hand, frowning. Suddenly, he went around and supported the wheelchair, pushing him towards the restroom. He picked up the soap and vigorously washed Lian Jun's hands.

\n\n

Lian Jun, being the intelligent man he was, immediately caught on and asked, "Is there something wrong with the card?"

\n\n

"I'm not sure, but it's better if you don't touch anything that Zhou Yang sends in the future. Who knows what might be on it?" Shi Jin replied, his attention fixed on the progress bar that had suddenly increased after Lian Jun touched the card. He repeatedly washed Lian Jun's hands several times until the progress bar went down before turning off the tap and helping Lian Jun dry his hands.

\n\n

Lian Jun allowed him to do so and then called Number Two, instructing him to seal the card and send it back to the ship for Uncle Long to examine. Upon hearing this, Number Two's face turned black and he cursed Zhuo Yang for playing so dirty. He fetched a sealed bag and tweezers, carefully collected the card, and took the trash can out to destroy the evidence.

\n\n

Number One's face also turned black upon learning of the situation. He was very regretful, saying, "It was my negligence. I saw the card being held by that subordinate with bare hands and didn't inspect it carefully."

\n\n

"It's not your fault," Lian Jun squeezed his fingers, feeling the intimacy of being washed by Shi Jin's hands just now. He said, "Who could have thought that Zhuo Yang would be so brainless as to make a move on me on the officials' ship? He really doesn't take the authorities seriously. Besides, that card may not necessarily have a problem. Everything is just a precaution."

\n\n

Although he had said so, Lian Jun still ordered everyone who had come into close contact with the card to wash their hands and faces thoroughly, including Shi Jin.

\n\n

While hiding in the bathroom washing his hands, Shi Jin poked Xiao Si in his mind and asked, "Can you help me locate Long Shi's position? It would be best if you could confirm whether he is on the Nine Eagles' ship."

\n\n

Xiao Si was a bit hesitant and replied, "Locating someone requires a medium that is closely connected to the person being located, otherwise it's difficult to operate. Other than you and my baby, I can't locate anyone directly."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "I'll figure out the medium, but can you scan the interior of the Nine Eagles' ship for me first? Like the distribution of personnel and such."

\n\n

"I can do that," Xiao Si's voice was full of enthusiasm, happy to be able to help. "I can start scanning tonight. The Nine Eagles' ship is quite large, but if I work quickly, you'll have detailed results by tomorrow morning."

\n\n

Shi Jin was pleased and praised Xiao Si before turning his thoughts to finding objects related to Long Shi from elsewhere.

\n\n

After some consideration, Shi Jin focused his attention on Number Two.

\n\n

He took out a Monopoly game board and pretended to want to play and have fun with Number Two. Sneaking into Number Two's room, he smoothly steered the conversation towards Long Shi without leaving any trace.

\n\n

Number Two looked at the Monopoly chips with disgust and replied, "It's not that we didn't go after Long Shi back then, it's that he was too cunning. He betrayed Young Master Jun and burned all traces of himself in Annihilation. He disappeared quickly. At that time, everyone was busy trying to save Young Master Jun, and amidst the chaos, he managed to escape. Over the years, we never gave up on searching for Long Shi, but there were no leads. Long Shi knows too well how to evade our search in Annihilation."

\n\n

Shi Jin, unwilling to give up, asked, "Did he really leave no trace at all?"

\n\n

"No, he even burned the adoption certificate that Uncle Long carefully kept. He's truly a heartless person. This time, he was caught by the Nine Eagles, and I'm actually grateful to them. This traitor should have been destroyed long ago."

\n\n

Number Two spoke, but eventually couldn't convince himself to continue playing such a childish game. He pushed the Monopoly chips away and waved his hand in disgust, "What's the point of playing games? Go to bed and get some rest, it's getting late."

\n\n

Shi Jin refuted Number Two's claim that it was getting late, but he still collected the Monopoly game pieces and stood up to leave.

\n\n

Number Two stopped him again and said, "Don't ask Uncle Long about this. He may seem tough, but he's actually very soft-hearted. Long Shi's betrayal is a sore spot for him, and every time it's mentioned, he feels sad for a long time. Don't worry, Long Shi will be caught, and Young Master Jun's health will improve. Just trust me."

\n\n

Shi Jin paused and looked back at him. Number Two took out a lollipop from his pocket and casually threw it in his direction before leaving.

\n\n

After Shi Jin walked out of Number Two's room, he saw Lian Jun standing outside his own room. He was surprised and quickly walked over, asking, "Young Master Jun, why haven't you gone to bed? Do you need something?"

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at the Monopoly game in his hand and the door to Number Two's room nearby before replying, "No, I don't need anything. Did you go see Number Two?"

\n\n

Shi Jin replied, "Yes, I wanted to go play games with him, but he wanted to sleep early, so I came out."

\n\n

Lian Jun asked, "Why didn't you just come find me?"

\n\n

"Um..." Shi Jin was momentarily dumbfounded, but quickly thought of a reason and said, "I didn't want to disturb your rest. A game of Monopoly takes a long time."

\n\n

Lian Jun looked deeply at him and took the Monopoly game from his hands, placing it on his own lap. As he slid his wheelchair, he said, "I'm not that fragile. It's okay to stay up a little later. Come on, I'll play with you."

\n\n

Shi Jin looked at his empty hands and then at Lian Jun's back, which brooked no refusal. He realized he had dug himself a hole and resignedly followed Lian Jun back to the room. At first, Shi Jin was planning to just go through the motions of playing the game.

\n\n

But once the game started, he found that tonight's game of Monopoly was strangely slow and unexciting. It was so boring that he was getting sleepy and wanted to just lay his head on the table before the game was even over.

\n\n

"Feeling tired?" Lian Jun put down his own chips and asked in a low voice.

\n\n

Shi Jin rubbed his face vigorously and replied, "It's nothing, let's just finish this game."

\n\n

"We're not playing anymore." Lian Jun directly scattered the chips on the table and rolled his wheelchair over to Shi Jin's side. He reached out and touched his hair, asking, "Shi Jin, is life on the ship particularly dull?"

\n\n

Shi Jin felt comfortable as he was being touched, lazily leaning back on the sofa chair. Seeing that the chips were all mixed up, his nerves, which had been tense from the game, completely relaxed. He yawned and shook his head, saying, "It was good. I learned a lot and it was very interesting."

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't say anything, but wiped away the tears that had welled up in Shi Jin's eyes from yawning.

\n\n

Shi Jin's eyes itched from being touched, so he turned his head to avoid Lian Jun's hand. Perhaps influenced by the warm atmosphere or perhaps tormented by sleepiness, he suddenly took the initiative to hold Lian Jun's hand and said, "Lian Jun, I want to save you. I want to catch Long Shi and extract the toxin's origin, so that you can become healthy again."

\n\n

"I know," Lian Jun replied, holding his hand back and looking at his face. He repeated, "I know... your intentions are very precious."

\n\n

Shi Jin felt a sudden urge to sigh and asked Lian Jun, "Do you have any plans or preparations to bring back Long Shi?"

\n\n

Lian Jun leaned in closer and replied, "Yes, Nine Eagles's growth cannot be separated from my and the government's tacit approval and support. I have people on the inside, but Zhuo Yang is very cautious about Long Shi. My people have not found any clues before."

\n\n

"After all, Long Shi is big leverage over you," Shi Jin interjected, turning his head to look at Lian Jun's face. His gaze slowly settled on Lian Jun's beautiful eyes, feeling as if they contained a magical power that made him feel at ease. He continued, "Today, Zhuo Yang did not get the response he wanted from you. I don't know what he will do next..."

\n\n

"Most likely, he will give me more detailed information or evidence to make me believe that Long Shi is really in his hands, and then when I am confused, he will make demands of me," replied Lian Jun. He looked at Shi Jin, who was staring straight at him, and with a slight change in his tone and a twinkle in his eye, he asked, "Shi Jin, do you...like looking at me like this?"

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't answer. His body slid down on the sofa, and his eyes, which had been open the whole time, suddenly closed without warning, falling asleep in seconds.

\n\n

Lian Jun: "..."

\n\n

Xiao Si: "..."

\n\n

......

\n\n

When he woke up in his own bed, after a dreamless night, Shi Jin saw sunlight streaming into the room and couldn't help but feel satisfied. "Ah, I slept so well. I must have had a beautiful dream. In the dream, a stunning beauty looked at me with deep affection, holding my hand and covering me with a blanket. How considerate!"

\n\n

But then, the mechanical voice of Xiao Si interrupted his thoughts. "Oh, the scan of the internal situation of the Nine Eagles' ship is out. Do you want to accept it?"

\n\n

Shi Jin sat up abruptly, about to say yes, but then hesitated. "Will I get a high fever like last time if I accept it?" This was a critical moment, and he couldn't afford to get sick.

\n\n

Xiao Si was silent for a moment before replying, "No, you won't. You might feel a little dizzy, but there isn't much data this time."

\n\n

"Then you send the information, and I'll take it from there," said Shi Jin, satisfied, as he lay back on the bed and closed his eyes.

\n\n

Ten minutes later, Shi Jin stumbled into the bathroom, feeling dizzy and disoriented. He splashed cold water on his face to try and regain his senses, but still felt weak and breathless. "This doesn't feel right," he muttered.

\n\n

"The symptoms will gradually subside, and should disappear within two hours. Please persevere," replied Xiao Si in a mechanical voice.

\n\n

Finally realizing something was wrong, Shi Jin asked in confusion, "What's going on with you? You seem strange."

\n\n

Xiao Si fell silent, then suddenly burst into tears, deeply saddened. Shi Jin was taken aback and called out in concern, "Xiao Si?"

\n\n

"Don't worry about me..." Xiao Si started hiccupping, clearly upset but still trying to be strong. "I'm fine, I'm used to it. I'm strong, just like my precious. Waaah...and you're so stupid, Jin Jin."

\n\n

Shi Jin: "..."

\n\n

During breakfast, Shi Jin noticed that Lian Jun seemed to have a poor appetite and was eating less than usual, which worried him greatly.

\n\n

Lian Jun insisted that it was nothing, just that the food on the ship was getting repetitive.

\n\n

Shi Jin fell silent, looking at the menu with over ten pages in front of him, thinking that Lian Jun might just be picky with his food again.

\n\n

The meeting started promptly at 9am, an hour earlier than the previous day.

\n\n

Today's meeting was focused on all non-legal criminal organisations within the country, which didn't have a direct impact on the attendees. As a result, everyone's attitude was much more relaxed than the day before. Zhuo Yang arrived on the official ship as usual today, but he didn't try to provoke Lian Jun. Instead, he glanced in the direction of Shi Jin and entered the meeting room with a strange smile on his face.

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled and responded with a middle finger in his mind.

\n\n

The morning meeting ended smoothly. As everyone was dispersing, Zhuo Yang, who had been well-behaved all morning, suddenly approached Lian Jun and looked at Shi Jin who was pushing his wheelchair.

\n\n

He said to Lian Jun, "Lian Jun, Long Shi said that the first time he checked your body was when he was nineteen years old, and he was already interested in you... Now that you have a young subordinate with you, aren't you afraid of history repeating itself? Young people can be very dangerous when it comes to love and hate."

\n\n

Lian Jun's face turned black as he pulled out his gun and aimed it at Zhuo Yang's heart. Zhuo Yang's subordinates saw this and aimed their guns at Lian Jun.

\n\n

Shi Jin furrowed his brow, stepped to the side, and stood in front of Lian Jun, giving Zhuo Yang a menacing look.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang raised an eyebrow at Shi Jin's actions and wore a smug expression that said 'I already know everything'.

\n\n

He spoke in a strange tone, "Wow, it seems like I asked a stupid question. Some people are repeating history. Lian Jun, I advise you to quickly send this little guy away, or he'll be the next Long Shi."

\n","published_time":"2024-03-07T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-08T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-07T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":519,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":50,"chapter_title":"Bonus Question (Bug Catching)","content":"

Crazy.

\n\n

Shi Jin was unable to continue watching Zhuo Yang's despicable way of provoking people. Unable to hold back, he asked, "Are you jealous of me?"

\n\n

His words were spoken with clarity and confidence, immediately drawing the attention of everyone around them. Those who had already noticed the commotion turned their gaze towards them, curious to see what was happening.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang's face froze into a wicked smile as he glared at Shi Jin and asked, "What did you say?"

\n\n

Shi Jin deliberately put on a face that seemed to say 'I already see through everything' and loudly said, "I know you're jealous of me. Jealous of my youth, jealous that I can stay by Young Master Jun's side. Do you have a crush on Young Master Jun? If not, then why do you act like a spoiled princess trying to attract the attention of a younger boy, saying all sorts of ambiguous things in front of Young Master Jun?

\n\n

"One moment you say Young Master Jun is handsome, the next you're jealous that someone liked him before. And now you even find fault with me. Do you have a problem? You even had to park your boat next to ours and get so close. Do you dare say you don't have any ulterior motives? You say it's scary how love can breed hate in young people, but I think it's disgusting how you, an old cucumber, can hate out of love. In the future, stay away from Young Master Jun, you're just a nuisance."

\n\n

Everyone who heard these words was stunned by the nonsensical but irrefutable logic. Even Number One and the others all turned their heads to look at Shi Jin with expressions as if they were seeing an alien.

\n\n

Lian Jun silently withdrew his hand that was about to pull Shi Jin behind him. Seeing that Shi Jin had not suffered any losses, he even cooperated by saying to Zhuo Yang, "Sorry, I didn't know you had such thoughts. If I had known, I would have aimed the gun a little better yesterday."

\n\n

Number One and the others: "..."

\n\n

Young Master Jun, you've changed. You weren't like this before.

\n\n

"Ha!" Lu Shan, who had been standing in the corner watching the commotion, suddenly burst out laughing and even clapped her hands. "What a great show! So Nine Eagles has been working so hard to develop, all for the sake of helping their boss pursue the most difficult-to-obtain prize on our path, this cold flower. Zhuo Yang, as your senior, let me give you a piece of advice. For the sake of the two ounces of flesh under your crotch, it's best to avoid unrealistic dreams. It's not trendy anymore to play the role of a Emperor in the underworld."

\n\n

As soon as these words were spoken, the other leaders of the organizations, who had been quietly watching the commotion, all had strange expressions on their faces.

\n\n

At yesterday's meeting, Zhuo Yang had been officially reprimanded for trying to be the "Emperor of the Underworld," and had been put in his place. Today, Lu Shan was saying that Zhuo Yang was playing the role of the Emperor of the Underworld, implying that Lian Jun was the true Emperor of the Underworld, and that Zhuo Yang wasn't even worthy of dreaming of it. As the leader of an old organization, his ability to mock was truly excellent.

\n\n

When Lu Shan made that statement, it made everyone feel a bit uncomfortable. After all, no one likes to see more "emperors" popping up in the underworld, especially when the "emperor" in question is referring to Lian Jun. But after the news about Heavenly Horse broke out, everyone was more willing to see Zhuo Yang suffer a loss than feel uncomfortable.

\n\n

So, although no one else spoke on the deck, there was a clear sense of joy in the air.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang's face had turned completely black by the time Shi Jin finished his long speech. Later, Lian Jun and Lu Shan continued to bombard him, making it seem like he had been targeting Lian Jun all along because he liked him. He was so angry that he almost couldn't resist taking his gun and shooting everyone on the deck.

\n\n

But in the end, he held back. This was the officials' ship, and he couldn't afford to cause trouble. As he suppressed his anger, he suddenly felt an unusual calmness. He looked around at the people, focusing on Shi Jin with a cold sneer. From his pocket, he took out a small white object and threw it towards Lian Jun's direction.

\n\n

He spoke coldly, "You can talk all you want, but take a good look at this. Don't come begging me too soon." With a wave of his hand, he left with his subordinates, still looking arrogant.

\n\n

The object that Zhuo Yang threw was small, white, and glinted in the sunlight. Shi Jin stood in front of Lian Jun, and with a raised hand, he took the small rectangular paper box that was about the size of a finger. He flipped it over and checked that his progress bar had not moved, indicating that the contents were safe. He then handed it over to Lian Jun.

\n\n

Lian Jun took it and didn't open it in front of everyone. "Let's go back to the room," he said.

\n\n

So Shi Jin quickly pushed his wheelchair, and under the curious gaze of everyone on the deck, they headed towards the cabin.

\n\n

After there were not many people around, Number Two couldn't help but tease Shi Jin, "Your mouth is a lethal weapon. I thought we were going to fight with the Nine Eagles' people. How did you come up with saying that? You're amazing. Zhuo Yang has never been so embarrassed before."

\n\n

Shi Jin flattered subtly, "No, no, it's because Young Master Jun has trained me well."

\n\n

Suddenly, Lian Jun let out a low hum.

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart skipped a beat at the hum and quickly changed the subject, saying, "Actually, I wasn't planning on saying that. Zhuo Yang isn't worthy of liking Young Master Jun. I just wanted to provoke him and see if he would move his ship. I have a feeling that he's plotting something by parking his ship next to ours.'

\n\n

This wasn't an unfounded accusation. Earlier that morning, while Lian Jun was in a meeting, Shi Jin had taken the opportunity to study the internal layout of the Nine Eagles ship that Xiao Si had scanned. To his surprise, he discovered that the Nine Eagles ship was not a civilian vessel, but a disguised military ship. Its exterior was designed to look like a civilian ship, but its interior was that of a warship.

\n\n

With there being something wrong with the ship, just now when Zhuo Yang was being so annoying, he remembered this point and couldn't help but blurt out his words.

\n\n

Number Two was surprised to hear this explanation and couldn't resist poking Shi Jin's forehead, muttering, "How come you suddenly don't look stupid anymore? You seem pretty smart."

\n\n

Shi Jin irritably swatted his hand away and rolled his eyes at him.

\n\n

"Don't stare at me like that, focus on the road," Number Two quickly surrendered with a smile. Seeing that Lian Jun and Number One didn't object to him and Shi Jin discussing this topic, he continued, "Don't worry too much about Nine Eagles parking their boat next to ours. Number Five is keeping an eye on them, and our ship is pretty good. Even if Nine Eagles is scheming something, they might not be able to take advantage of us."

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately understood the meaning behind Number Two's words and asked in surprise, "Our ship has been modified?" He had lived inside for a few days but hadn't noticed anything different.

\n\n

Number Two smiled and didn't say anything, the answer was self-evident.

\n\n

...

\n\n

After returning to the room, Lian Jun placed the small cardboard box that Zhuo Yang had thrown over on the table.

\n\n

Number One reached out and twisted open the box, carefully examining its contents. He frowned and took out a clean plastic container from the cabinet, pouring everything out inside.

\n\n

Clatter, clatter, ten blood-stained fingernail clippings fell into the container, a disgusting sight that made one's scalp tingle.

\n\n

Shi Jin had never seen anything like this before, his facial features immediately scrunching up together. He averted his gaze for a moment before looking back and asking, "Are these... Long Shi's fingernails?"

\n\n

"Most likely," said Lian Jun as he lifted the lid of the large plastic container and turned to Number Two. "Take the things back to the ship and have Uncle...have Number Five check to see if they belong to Long Shi."

\n\n

Number Two nodded and asked, "Should we keep this from Uncle Long?"

\n\n

Lian Jun thought for a moment and shook his head. "No, Uncle Long has the right to know about Long Shi's situation and whereabouts."

\n\n

Number Two nodded and picked up the large plastic container.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly grabbed the small white cardboard box that had been emptied of its contents and said, "I'll go burn this, it's too disgusting."

\n\n

The cardboard box was of no use anymore, and no one objected. Lian Jun even kindly said, "If you don't like it, you can let Number One handle it."

\n\n

"It's okay, I'll do it." Shi Jin shook his head, stood up, and squatted directly in front of the trash can. He asked Number Two for a lighter and lit it in front of everyone.

\n\n

Everyone thought he was disgusted by the fingernail and wanted to quickly dispose of it. They saw him gradually retract his gaze. Shi Jin took advantage of the opportunity to pretend that his hand slipped and dropped the small cardboard box into the trash can. Then he reached into the trash can, extinguished the small flame on the box, and opened it.

\n\n

He endured the slight residue of blood on his fingers and asked Xiao Si in his heart, "Can this be used as a positioning medium?"

\n\n

"Yes, let me try." Xiao Si replied. After that, Shi Jin only felt a numbness in his fingers, and the blood on his skin disappeared.

\n\n

Shi Jin shuddered with horror, feeling as if Long Shi's blood had entered his body. He ended up burning the small box completely. After he finished burning it, he threw the lighter away and quickly rushed into the bathroom to wash his hands several times. He didn't come out until he felt a little better.

\n\n

After he sat down, Lian Jun touched his red hands and frowned, saying, "Just don't touch it if you don't like it. I'm not afraid of that thing. You don't have to go out of your way to dispose of it."

\n\n

"I'm worried that it might fall into the wrong hands," Shi Jin replied nervously, changing the subject. "What should we do next? This time, Zhuo Yang produced evidence that Long Shi is indeed in his hands. How should we react?"

\n\n

Lian Jun replied, "Just continue to ignore it. If we don't make any moves this time, Zhuo Yang will not be able to resist bringing Long Shi to me next time. That will be the best opportunity to snatch him away." Shi Jin nodded, feeling a bit more confident.

\n\n

During the afternoon meeting, Zhuo Yang kept giving Lian Jun a look that seemed to say, "Come beg me, why haven't you come beg me yet?" The other leaders in the conference room couldn't help but twitch their mouths and even began to suspect that Zhuo Yang really had some feelings for Lian Jun.

\n\n

Lian Jun completely ignored Zhuo Yang's eye signals and focused on the meeting. In just a few sentences, he pulled out several 'henchmen' organizations secretly cultivated by the Nine Eagles gang from a long list of illegal criminal organisations and put them on the official list for next year's key crackdown, using various reasons.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang's attention was gradually drawn back, and his expression became increasingly ugly. Finally, when Lian Jun pointed out the sixth chess piece, Zhuo Yang couldn't take it anymore and muttered a curse under his breath. He picked up the meeting materials that had been lying on the side and began to figure out how to protect the remaining chess pieces.

\n\n

This afternoon, Nine Eagles suffered heavy losses. The leaders of other organizations could sense something from the expressions exchanged between Lian Jun and Zhuo Yang.

\n\n

They paid close attention to the criminal organisations mentioned by Lian Jun and discovered that they were all street scum. Zhuo Yang's eyes became increasingly unfriendly.

\n\n

Everyone could see that most of the organizations mentioned by Lian Jun this afternoon were probably related to Zhuo Yang!

\n\n

Zhuo Yang indeed had a dream of becoming the emperor of the underworld, with ambitions as big as the sky!

\n\n

After the afternoon meeting ended, Zhuo Yang looked at Lian Jun ominously for a long time before leaving the officials' ship. Lian Jun, of course, continued to ignore him, not even giving him a glance out of the corner of his eye.

\n\n

The other leaders of the organization were both pleased and amused when they heard the news. They were pleased because Zhuo Yang had suffered a loss, and amused because, in a way, Zhuo Yang seem to like Lian Jun, he loved him but could not have him, and thus harbored resentment...

\n\n

After dinner, the location of Long Shi was finally determined. He was indeed on the Nine Eagles' ship, in a very peculiar location - he was actually locked in Zhuo Yang's room.

\n\n

Shi Jin compared the internal scan of the Nine Eagles' ship with Long Shi's location, his brow furrowed as he asked, "Are you sure that's Zhuo Yang's room?"

\n\n

"With the level of specifications and security protection, there is only one room like that on the Nine Eagles' ship, and it must be Zhuo Yang's room," Xiao Si confidently replied, still very confident in the results of his scan.

\n\n

Feeling defeated, Shi Jin slumped onto the bed. "It's over. There's no way we can sneak in and rescue the person now. Even with your buff, it's impossible. Zhuo Yang's room is too deep inside, and I can't do it alone."

\n\n

Xiao Si took the opportunity to speak up. "I don't recommend you sneak in and rescue the person. It's too dangerous, and my baby wouldn't agree."

\n\n

"I know it's dangerous, but I just can't help but want to..." Shi Jin stared at the ceiling, lost in thought. After a while, he let out a sigh and pressed his forehead with his hand. "No, I'm getting too worked up. Let's just wait and see what Zhuo Yang does next. Lian Jun said that Zhuo Yang will eventually bring Long Shi out into the open. We just have to be patient."

\n\n

Xiao Si quickly agreed, expressing his full support for Shi Jin's decision to abandon the risky plan. Before bed, Lian Jun suddenly knocked on the door and came in.

\n\n

Shi Jin had just finished showering and was puzzled when he saw Lian Jun approaching. "Is there something you need, Young Master Jun?"

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at Shi Jin's still-dripping hair and motioned for him to come inside. "I came to ask you about the bet. Tomorrow is the last day of the meeting, and I wanted to see if you had guessed the answer yet."

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned. "Is the bet still valid? Old Ghost came to us himself and revealed his intentions. I thought the bet had already become invalid."

\n\n

"Of course it's still valid." Lian Jun closed the door, grabbed a hair dryer from the bathroom, and plugged it in at the bedside. He looked at Shi Jin, who was standing dumbfounded, and motioned for him to sit down. "After showering, you need to dry your hair quickly to avoid catching a cold."

\n\n

"Isn't this what I told you before," Shi Jin couldn't help but smile as he sat down obediently and reached out towards Lian Jun. "I'll do it myself, so you don't have to get your hands wet."

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at him but remained silent. He rolled his wheelchair closer and placed a hand on Shi Jin's shoulder, pulling him towards him. With his other hand, he turned on the hair dryer, indicating his refusal through action.

\n\n

Shi Jin was forced to move closer and felt the hand on his shoulder move to the top of his head, gently pushing it down. Knowing he couldn't win against Lian Jun, he compromised, "Alright, I helped you blow dry your hair last time, and you can help me this time. We'll be even." He lowered his head to make it easier for Lian Jun to work.

\n\n

"It's not even," Lian Jun grabbed his hair and rubbed his scalp with his fingertips while moving the hair dryer. He asked, "So what's your guess?"

\n\n

"This is simply a freebie question," thought Shi Jin to himself.

\n\n

He propped his hand on his knee and, because he was looking down, his line of sight could only see Lian Jun's chin and neck line. His gaze unconsciously stuck to it as he replied, "My guess is that Phantom came early to the meeting place this time to observe us and find an opportunity to talk to us, to seek our help."

\n\n

Lian Jun's fingertips brushed against his ear as he replied, "You only got half of it right."

\n\n

"Hmm? Half?" Shi Jin couldn't help but look up.

\n\n

Lian Jun was unprepared and his hand, which was placed beside Shi Jin's head, slipped and landed on his face. His other hand quickly pulled the hair dryer away to avoid hitting him.

\n\n

The two of them locked eyes, and Lian Jun's warm gaze had yet to dissipate when Shi Jin froze again.

\n\n

"Stay still," said Lian Jun as he pinched Shi Jin's face and pushed his head down. "The Phantom came early, not just to observe us, but also to observe the authorities. Old Ghost's goal is not just to seek our help, but also to establish a connection with the authorities through us. To be precise, seeking help is only secondary. What Old Ghost really wants is to show his loyalty to the authorities through us and gain their support. However, he is destined to fail because the authorities do not need a second 'Annihilation' as it is difficult to control."

\n\n

As he was pressed down a little harder this time, Shi Jin's head almost hit Lian Jun's chest. His gaze naturally fell on Lian Jun's legs, and he couldn't help but remember the feeling of kneading them during the massage. He reached out and gently rubbed them, saying, "That's only half of the answer. My response wasn't comprehensive enough. So, how should we settle the bet?"

\n\n

Lian Jun paused his movement of the hair dryer for a moment, then quickly resumed it. He didn't pay attention to Shi Jin's fidgeting hand, and instead looked at the ear that was peeking out from Shi Jin's hair. He couldn't help but move closer and suggest, "Let's call it a draw and change the bet. You can make one request of me, and I can make one request of you. What do you think?"

\n\n

A warm breath brushed past Shi Jin's ear, completely different from the hot air released by the hair dryer. It carried a hint of intimacy. As soon as Shi Jin heard the bet, his body instinctively shuddered and he got goosebumps all over. His head also turned to the side as he replied, "Sure, so the bet is on?"

\n\n

At that moment, Lian Jun turned to the side and Shi Jin's head directly bumped into his embrace, his cheek pressed against his chest.

\n\n

It was a distance close enough to hear each other's heartbeat, and Shi Jin was a little dazed.

\n\n

Lian Jun casually put away the hair dryer and reached out to touch Shi Jin's already dry short hair, saying, "It's on, okay, your hair is done."

\n\n

After speaking, he pushed away Shi Jin's hand and stepped back.

\n\n

Shi Jin maintained his crooked posture and looked up at Lian Jun.

\n\n

"Go to bed early," Lian Jun didn't stay long, he put down the hair dryer and left, as if he had only come to talk about the bet.

\n\n

Shi Jin stared at him in a daze as he left, only coming back to his senses when he heard the sound of the door closing. He rubbed his ears and the spot on his face where he had bumped into Lian Jun's chest, then glanced at the hair dryer, confused. "Why do I feel like Lian Jun was acting a bit strange just now..."

\n\n

Xiao Si's heart leapt with joy and it quickly asked, "What was strange about him?"

\n\n

"I don't know...it's just a feeling," Shi Jin unconsciously moved the hand that had just touched Lian Jun's legs and shook his head. "It's hard to explain...never mind, let's go to sleep. It's getting late." With that, he lay down on the bed and closed his eyes, looking peaceful.

\n\n

Xiao Si was so frustrated it felt like dying. It wanted to drag him out of bed and force him to keep thinking.

\n\n

......

\n\n

The next morning during breakfast, the results of the nail analysis came in - they were indeed Long Shi's nails. Along with the results came Uncle Long, who had dark circles under his eyes.

\n\n

Lian Jun furrowed his brows slightly and said, "Uncle Long, you don't actually have to deal with this. I understand."

\n\n

Uncle Long's face showed exhaustion, but his attitude was resolute. He said, "This person was taught by me, and I am also guilty. Lian Jun, you are merciful for not holding me responsible, but that doesn't mean I can keep avoiding this. After being father and son for over twenty years, I want to settle things with him."

\n\n

At this point, Lian Jun couldn't persuade him any further and silently agreed to let him stay. The meeting started on time. Instead of taking Number One's advice to rest in the cabin, Uncle Long stood with Shi Jin in the corner of the deck, his gaze fixed on Zhuo Yang opposite him. His expression was complex, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

\n\n

Shi Jin wanted to comfort him, but didn't know what to say. His expression showed his inner turmoil.

\n\n

Perhaps sensing his hesitation, Uncle Long suddenly spoke up: "Long Shi was someone I rescued out of kindness. His parents were a drug dealer and an alcoholic, both of whom had terrible character and died early. I was afraid that Long Shi would follow in their footsteps, so I've always been strict with him."

\n\n

Shi Jin turned his head to look at him, quietly listening.

\n\n

"He was always a solitary child. The previous leader once advised me to send him to the corresponding welfare home in the organization, so that he could grow up with other children. But I was afraid he would be bullied, so I refused. Now, looking back, the previous leader's suggestion was right. Growing up without peers is really detrimental to a child's mental health," sighed Uncle Long, as he raised his hand to pinch his forehead.

\n\n

"Perhaps I was too strict with him, which led him to have inappropriate feelings towards Young Master Jun when he first met him... Shi Jin, I'm sorry."

\n\n

Shi Jin was puzzled, "Uncle Long, why are you apologizing to me?"

\n\n

Uncle Long put down his hand and looked at Lian Jun, who was coldly watching the other leaders argue in the conference room. His voice lowered, "Because if I hadn't given Long Shi the opportunity to get close to Young Master Jun, Young Master Jun would not be the way he is now. The previous Young Master Jun was gentle and often smiled. If you had met the Young Master Jun from back then, you would have..."

\n\n

Lian Jun, gentle and smiling? Suddenly, an image of Lian Jun blowing his hair from last night flashed through Shi Jin's mind, and the buzzing sound of the hair dryer echoed in his ears. He couldn't help but rub his ears and ask, "What should I have done?"

\n\n

Uncle Long glanced at him sideways, wanting to say something but holding back. He replied, "You would have become smarter earlier," instead of being so foolish that you haven't realized your feelings for Young Master Jun until now.

\n","published_time":"2024-03-14T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-15T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-14T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":526,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":51,"chapter_title":"Clearing the Field","content":"

After being indirectly insulted as stupid, Shi Jin felt a bit down and dissatisfied. He asked Xiao Si in his heart, "Am I really not smart?"

\n\n

Xiao Si's tone was full of detachment from the world, and replied, "It's okay. You can ask my baby to buy you more walnuts to eat later."

\n\n

Shi Jin fell silent and decided to temporarily lock Xiao Si in the small black room.

\n\n

The deck was quiet, and everyone was nervously watching the situation in the conference room. No one spoke.

\n\n

Today's meeting was about re-registering the information of all legal criminal organisations and collecting a new list of candidates for legal criminal organisations. Re-registering the organizational information was an easy process, and with the cooperation of all the leaders, it was completed within an hour.

\n\n

To everyone's surprise, Heavenly Horse was not on the new registration list for the new year. The group looked at the unusually quiet Zhuo Yang, who was flipping through a document without lifting his head, seemingly unaware of their gaze. They eventually lost interest and looked away.

\n\n

After the information registration was completed, it was time for the most important part - the recruitment list. Zhang Zhuoyuan gave all the eligible organization leaders a blank piece of paper and announced a half-hour break before opening the doors to the meeting room.

\n\n

Lian Jun tore up the paper as soon as he received it and wheeled his chair to the door of the meeting room. Shi Jin rushed over to see what was going on.

\n\n

"Do you want some fruit juice if you're thirsty?" Shi Jin got a bottle of juice and offered it to Lian Jun.

\n\n

"I'm not thirsty, there's water in the conference room." Lian Jun replied, but still took the juice from Shi Jin and took a sip. He gestured for Shi Jin to move to a less crowded corner and asked, "Is it boring waiting outside?"

\n\n

"No, I have Number Nine and Uncle Long to talk to." Shi Jin replied, glancing at Zhuo Yang who had also left the conference room. He leaned in closer to Lian Jun and asked in a low voice, "Did Zhuo Yang bother you today?"

\n\n

Lian Jun shook his head and replied, "No, today's meeting is important. If he wants to cause trouble for me, he'll wait until after the meeting is over." Upon hearing this, Shi Jin furrowed his brows and couldn't help but glance in the direction of the Nine Eagles' ships.

\n\n

Today was the last day of the meeting. If they were to make a move after the meeting ended, wouldn't that mean waiting until everyone had dispersed and the officials had left, leaving them to fight one-on-one without interference from the authorities or other organizations? By then, wouldn't the Nine Eagles become even more arrogant?

\n\n

Lian Jun noticed his reaction and said, "Don't worry, I have a plan."

\n\n

Shi Jin withdrew his gaze and looked at Lian Jun's confident and calm demeanor, feeling a little more at ease. Seeing that several minutes had already passed during their break, he stopped talking about these unpleasant topics and started chatting about other things.

\n\n

Half an hour later, the break was over and the leaders of each organization returned to the meeting room, submitting their respective name lists. After collecting the name lists, Zhang Zhuoyuan instructed his assistant to sort out the list of names on them. He took advantage of this time to announce the results of last year's audit and asked for recommendations for the leaders of these organizations. He urged them to quickly notify the organizations that had already passed the audit to go to the official registration and complete the formalities.

\n\n

As soon as the results were announced, some were happy while others were sad. Zhou Yang's face looked a bit ugly, clearly indicating that the organization he recommended last year did not pass the official audit. On the other hand, Lu Shan had a big smile on her face, presumably having received good news.

\n\n

After finishing up, Zhang Zhuoyuan took the list for this year that his assistant had prepared. Following the procedure, he read the list out loud in front of everyone, made copies, and handed them out for everyone to discuss. He informed them that if anyone found any organizations on the list that did not meet the recommended criteria, they were welcome to bring it up at the afternoon meeting.

\n\n

With that, the morning meeting officially ended.

\n\n

Upon leaving, Lian Jun handed the list directly to Number One, gesturing for him to return to the cabin first.

\n\n

Shi Jin pushed Lian Jun's wheelchair and curiously glanced at the list. He saw that there were only strange names listed without any annotations. He asked in confusion, "I noticed that everyone was excited after receiving this list. Why is that?"

\n\n

"At the afternoon meeting, some organizations on this list will be removed because it's not the final draft. They will all decide together which ones to remove, so everyone is excited," Number Two leaned in to answer, glancing at the list in Number One's hand and raising an eyebrow. "Yang Dao? Isn't that... ahem, Senior Lu Shan is still so interesting this year."

\n\n

Shi Jin was skeptical, "How do you know that this organization recommended by Senior Lu Shan? There's nothing marked on the list."

\n\n

"I guessed," Number Two replied nonchalantly. Seeing that Shi Jin wanted to ask more, he quickly turned to Number One and changed the subject, "Can you confirm which organization Nine Eagles recommended?"

\n\n

Number One looked at the list of various organizations on the list with a serious expression, furrowing his brows and shaking his head. "Not sure... Young Master Jun, Zhuo Yang must have changed the recommended organization at the last minute. The 'Fugitives' we previously investigated are not on the list."

\n\n

"As expected," Lian Jun replied, soothingly. "Don't worry, someone will send us the real name of the organization that Nine Eagles recommended."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Number One seemed to have thought of something. He raised his hand and tapped his forehead, relaxing his expression and posture. He folded the list and stuffed it into his pocket, no longer pondering over it. Number Two and the others all understood the meaning behind Lian Jun's words and began discussing other topics in unison. As the only one still clueless, Shi Jin looked around at everyone's expressions, wanting to ask but holding back. He furrowed his brow and began to seriously consider whether his IQ was really a bit low.

\n\n

Half an hour later, Lian Jun received a call from Zhang Zhuoyuan at the dinner table. After a brief conversation, he reported a name to Number One. Number One immediately took out a list from his pocket, quickly found the name he reported, circled it, and handed the list to Number Nine.

\n\n

Number Nine took the list and skillfully took out his computer. He found a plug in the private room, plugged in the computer and connected it to the port, and began typing on the keyboard.

\n\n

Shi Jin watched everything and silently ate his food - so it turned out that the officials would come in through the back door... How could he forget that Lian Jun was a man with close ties to the authorities?

\n\n

"How come you keep eating plain rice? Don't the dishes suit your taste?" Lian Jun suddenly leaned over and asked, even kindly picking up a piece of vegetable for him.

\n\n

Shi Jin glanced at the extra beef in his bowl, picked it up with his chopsticks, chewed and swallowed it, and finally made a decision. He turned to Lian Jun and said seriously, "Young Master Jun, could you buy me some walnuts?"

\n\n

Lian Jun looked at him quietly for two seconds, then reached out and affectionately ruffled his hair, nodding in agreement. "Sure."

\n\n

He didn't even ask why and just agreed.

\n\n

Suddenly, Shi Jin felt a little sad. He shook his head, pushed Lian Jun's hand away, and buried his head to take another big bite of rice.

\n\n

......

\n\n

Before the afternoon meeting, Lian Jun received the materials that Number Nine had organized. The organization recommended by Nine Eagles this year is called Rattlesnake, a very new and fresh group. If it weren't for the obligation of the recommender to provide detailed information about the recommended organization to the authorities, Number Nine might not have been able to find out the origin of Rattlesnake in such a short time with just this name, without official help.

\n\n

"Based on the information provided by the authorities, I followed the trail and found that Rattlesnake has some connection with an organization called 'Python' in the southeast region. And Python is owned by 'Gunfire', which is in cooperation with Nine Eagles in the southeast region," Number Nine explained, succinctly pointing out the relationship chain.

\n\n

Number Two couldn't help but sneer and said, "What is Nine Eagles trying to do by recommending a small branch of a foreign organization for official review? Are they trying to help foreign organizations infiltrate and disrupt the domestic situation?"

\n\n

It's bad enough when family members fight amongst themselves, but inviting wolves into the house? And they still think the domestic situation isn't chaotic enough?

\n\n

"No wonder Zhuo Yang is so confident, turns out he has a big backer and has sold out his ancestors." Number One coldly continued the conversation, his expression also unpleasant.

\n\n

Lian Jun closed the file, tapped the armrest of his wheelchair, and said, "Nine Eagles cannot be allowed to stay."

\n\n

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's expressions became serious. Number One and Number Two exchanged a glance, and Number One asked, "What do you want to do, Young Master Jun?"

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded and ordered, "Number Nine, take this information and give it to Zhang Zhuoyuan. He will know what to do." Number Nine responded with a quick "got it" and immediately returned to his computer to continue typing away after receiving the information.

\n\n

Shi Jin sat quietly on the side, listening to the conversation of the group. He thought about Long Shi, who was still on the Nine Eagles ship, and furrowed his brows.

\n\n

The afternoon meeting started on time, and Shi Jin once again stood in the corner of the deck. As soon as the meeting began, the atmosphere between the leaders exploded. Some wanted to remove a certain organization from the list, while others wanted to protect their own recommended organization. Some were determined to stir up trouble with the principle of 'if others benefit, then I lose.' There were even two organizations that had cooperated to recommend a spot, but due to the issue with the list, they ended up having a heated argument on the spot.

\n\n

The situation quickly became chaotic, and the atmosphere on the deck became restless. The leaders were all arguing with flushed faces, and Lian Jian, who had been quietly observing, looked out of place.

\n\n

Shi Jin watched as the names of various organizations scrolled across the projection in the conference room. His gaze occasionally shifted towards Zhuo Yang, and as time passed, his nerves grew increasingly tense.

\n\n

After about two hours, the words "Rattlesnake" finally appeared on the projection. Zhuo Yang, who had been lazily slouching in his chair, unconsciously twirled his pen. His expression remained unchanged, and he didn't even glance at the projection, as if Rattlesnake had nothing to do with him and he had no interest in the small organization.

\n\n

As usual, Zhang Zhuoyuan first posted the specific information provided by the recommender. After a brief explanation, he announced that everyone could openly discuss and submit their opinions on whether the organization should enter the official review process.

\n\n

The previously noisy crowd briefly quieted down, and everyone looked at each other, obviously not knowing much about the small organization called "Rattlesnake". After a whispered conversation, the leader of a small group spoke up first and said, "I have no objections."

\n\n

Lian Jun's gaze shifted over and he noted the name of this small organization's leader. One person started speaking and soon others joined in. Most of them expressed no objections. After all, their power to veto was limited. Many didn't want to waste their chance on an unfamiliar and relatively non-threatening group. They preferred to focus their efforts on pushing out some of the more threatening medium-sized organizations.

\n\n

The fifteen-minute discussion quickly passed, and Zhang Zhuoyuan tallied everyone's opinions. Finally, he asked, "Does anyone have any objections? If not, this organization will be approved and officially enter the review process from today onwards."

\n\n

At this point, it seemed that the outcome was already set in stone. Zhuo Yang still looked bored, but the movement of his pen spinning in his hand became much faster.

\n\n

"I have an objection," said Lian Jun, finally breaking his silence since the meeting began that afternoon. This was also the first time he had voiced his opinion on the list.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang's pen stopped mid-air, his brow furrowed as he instinctively asked, "What's your objection?"

\n\n

Lian Jun looked over and instead of answering, he asked a question of his own, "Nine Eagles seems to be particularly interested in this organization. I haven't seen you speak up for any other organization before."

\n\n

The implication in his words was clear, and Zhuo Yang was caught off guard. He quickly tried to remedy the situation, "I just find it strange. If anyone is interested, it seems to be you. After all, you haven't spoken up until now."

\n\n

"Of course, I'm interested," Lian Jun replied, his expression calm and collected, "I hate snakes, so I have an objection. Your reaction just now, does that mean you like snakes?"

\n\n

Zhuo Yang's face trembled as he was so angry that he almost threw his pen. Even though Lian Jun had explained everything vaguely, everyone understood what was going on with this "Rattlesnake". Looking at the data on the projection, all of their expressions changed. They realized that this "Rattlesnake" was most likely recommended by Nine Eagles.

\n\n

Old Ghost was the first to regain his composure and raised his voice, saying, "Director Zhang, I am changing my neutral stance. This 'Rattlesnake' has only been established for a short time, and its qualifications and personnel are abnormal. It is not suitable to be listed so early. I think it should be removed."

\n\n

The leaders of other organizations also regained their senses and changed their previous opinions. They found various reasons to express that "Rattlesnake" was not good or suitable and should be taken down. Zhang Zhuoyuan, who was very easy to talk to, collected everyone's opinions again and initiated a controversial vote. In the end, based on the reasonable results of the vote, Rattlesnake was removed from the list.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang was so angry that he slammed the table and stopped pretending to be bored. He looked at Lian Jun with a sinister expression, but Lian Jun continued to ignore him and returned to his quiet background.

\n\n

The list was very long, and the afternoon meeting inevitably extended. By the time everything was settled, it was already sunset.

\n\n

The sunset's afterglow spilled onto the deck, enveloping everyone's bodies, and unexpectedly added a touch of warmth to this underworld meeting. Liu Zhenjun stepped down from the cockpit and stood next to Zhang Zhuoyuan. He called for all the leaders of the organizations to gather on the deck and gave a speech thanking everyone for their cooperation and expressing his hope for continued collaboration in the future. He then officially announced the successful conclusion of the meeting.

\n\n

In fact, aside from the turbulent undercurrents, this year's meeting was relatively peaceful. There were no open conflicts, no verbal sparring between organizations, and no one foolishly attempted to challenge the authority of the officials or Lian Jun. Everyone showed rare restraint.

\n\n

The raised deck railing was lowered, and everyone could leave the ship directly. The leaders of each organization didn't bother with any fake politeness or sentimental goodbyes with the officials. Without a word, they turned and left. Within a short time, half of the people on the deck had disappeared. As usual, Lian Jun sat next to Zhang Zhuoyuan, giving him the final support.

\n\n

At some point, Zhuo Yang stood next to him, ignoring the presence of Zhang Zhuoyuan and Liu Zhenjun, and asked coldly, "Lian Jun, are you really trying to get yourself killed by targeting me everywhere?"

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't even look at him, gazing at the setting sun in front of him and replied leisurely, "I don't have many demands for my own life, I just need to live longer than you."

\n\n

Zhuo Yang's face turned black, and he suddenly took his subordinate's gun, quickly loading a bullet.

\n\n

Everyone's expressions changed, with Number One standing behind Lian Jun and Liu Zhenjun next to him, both with sharp eyes. One tried to block, while the other directly pulled out his gun. Shi Jin happened to be approaching, and seeing this his expression also changed drastically, and he quickly ran over.

\n\n

"It's okay." Lian Jun stopped Number One with one hand. In the next second, Zhuo Yang raised his gun towards the sky, pulled the trigger, and then threw the gun back into his subordinate's arms. With a disdainful look, he glanced at Number One and turned to Liu Zhenjun, saying, "Admiral, can you move your gun a little? The rules state that you cannot use force against conference attendees. I hope you haven't forgotten that."

\n\n

Liu Zhenjun took back his gun and warned, "Don't mess around, or I'll make sure your Nine Eagles ship never returns."

\n\n

This threat was not polite at all, and Zhuo Yang's face became even uglier. However, he didn't explode. Instead, he turned to Lian Jun and said, "You've done so much just to force me to reveal my cards to you, right? I'll give you what you want. Watch closely."

\n\n

After speaking, he gave Lian Jun a malicious look and stepped onto the bridge, leaving. As Shi Jin approached, he overheard the conversation and instinctively stepped in front of Lian Jun, scanning the surroundings for any traps that Zhuo Yang might have set up elsewhere.

\n\n

Suddenly, Uncle Long, who had been silent until now, spoke up with a hint of excitement in his voice: "Young Master Jun, look at the deck of Nine Eagles."

\n\n

Everyone turned to look.

\n\n

On the spacious deck of Nine Eagles, a thin man was suddenly dragged out by the crew and roughly pulled to face their direction.

\n\n

Xiao Si became excited and exclaimed, "It's Long Shi! Zhuo Yang must have released him!"

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart skipped a beat and he took a step forward instinctively, but upon seeing the surrounding water, he quickly retreated. It was not a good idea to directly rescue Long Shi in the current situation, even though he had been taken out of Zhuo Yang's room. Number Two couldn't help but look down at Lian Jun and said, "Young Master, it's Long Shi."

\n\n

Compared to everyone's excitement, Lian Jun appeared much calmer. He only glanced in the direction of Long Shi before shifting his gaze away and turning to Number Three, instructing, "Go pack our things and prepare to move back to our own ship." His words completely ignored Long Shi's presence.

\n\n

"Young Master," Number One couldn't help but call out to him. Right now, Long Shi was being taken to the deck by Zhuo Yang in a fit of anger. The Nine Eagles' ship was also very close to theirs. All they needed to do was inform Number Five, who was left behind, and they could start their operation directly. The chances of successfully snatching Long Shi were very high.

\n\n

Lian Jun waved his hand and said, "It's a trap, don't fall for it." After speaking, he looked at Shi Jin, who was still staring intently at the Nine Eagles' deck, and leaned over to grab his hand that was hanging by his side, pulling him closer.

\n\n

Shi Jin snapped out of his daze and looked at Lian Jun. "Young Master Jun, maybe I could--"

\n\n

"You're not allowed to think or do anything," Lian Jun interrupted, gesturing for Shi Jin to push the wheelchair. He then turned to Zhang Zhuoyuan and bid him farewell.

\n\n

Zhang Zhuoyuan also noticed the commotion on the deck of the Nine Eagles and asked, "Do you need any help?"

\n\n

"No, it's not good for the authorities to directly confront the Nine Eagles right now. It wouldn't look good. I'll handle this myself," Lian Jun shook his head.

\n\n

Zhang Zhuoyuan frowned but didn't want to force the issue. He offered to send a team to escort Lian Jun and his group back to the ship and told them to speak up if they needed anything.

\n\n

Shi Jin wasn't used to the swaying of the gangway and handed off the task of pushing the wheelchair to Number One. He walked at the back, his attention still on the deck of the Nine Eagles.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang had already brought his men back to his own ship, but instead of going into the cabin, he stood by Long Shi's side with a gleaming cold knife in his hand, tracing it over Long Shi's body and occasionally glancing towards Lian Jun.

\n\n

Long Shi was probably under the influence of drugs, his eyes half-open and his consciousness clearly not very clear.

\n\n

Lian Jun and his group were the last to return to their own ship. By the time they landed on their own deck, the official ships and the spiderweb-like bridges were already almost empty.

\n\n

After returning to their own ship, the distance between the crowd and the Nine Eagles ships became closer, and they could finally see Long Shi's appearance more clearly. It was a standard handsome face, covered in obvious signs of artificial sculpting, looking very unnatural. Number One frowned at the sight, while Uncle Long suppressed some emotion, his expression heavy and his hands tightly clenched into fists.

\n\n

Lian Jun still treated Zhuo Yang as if he were invisible, or rather, he treated the entire Nine Eagles ship as if it were invisible. After the official order to clear the area was given, he called in Number Five, who was left behind, to start dismantling the gangway and the bridge, preparing to return home.

\n\n

Number Five immediately sent people to arrange it.

\n\n

After the signal to clear the area was given, all the organizations took action. The spiderweb-like channels that had been maintained on the sea surface for three days gradually disappeared. First, the outermost small boats released their connections and scattered in different directions. Then, the middle-level ships released their connections and turned around to leave one by one.

\n\n

In less than half an hour, only the boats of the inner circle organizations and the official boat remained on the sea.

\n\n

During this time, Lian Jun stayed on the deck, keeping an eye on the departure of other organizations for the officials. Zhuo Yang also stayed on the deck, watching Lian Jun strangely and occasionally using a knife to cut Long Shi's body, like a lunatic.

\n\n

Shi Jin's nerves were stretched to the limit by Zhuo Yang's actions, and his frown became tighter and tighter. The wounds Zhuo Yang inflicted were not deep, but Long Shi was clearly in bad shape. If this continued, it was uncertain when Long Shi would be tortured to death.

\n\n

And if Long Shi died, they would never have any clues on the source of the toxin. After about ten minutes, only Annihilation, Nine Eagles, Phantom, and the officials' ship remained on the sea, and the gangplanks and bridges were all removed.

\n\n

Lian Jun withdrew his gaze from the sea and announced their departure.

\n\n

The group, including Number One and Shi Jin, who had been holding back, couldn't help but feel anxious - if they left like this, what would happen to the information on the toxin's source?

\n\n

Just as they were about to break the silence, Zhuo Yang couldn't hold back any longer. He saw Lian Jun about to leave and directly stabbed Long Shi's arm with a dagger.

\n\n

This was too cruel. Long Shi screamed in pain, and his consciousness seemed to have recovered slightly from the chaos. He opened his eyes in a daze and saw Lian Jun sitting on a wheelchair on this side of the deck.

\n\n

A kind of fanatic emotion surged in his eyes, and he shouted, "Young Master Jun! Young Master Jun, save me! Please save me for the years I have served you!"

\n\n

Served? What an ambiguous word!

\n\n

Number One and the others' faces turned black. Xiao Si suddenly panicked and exclaimed, "Jin Jin! The progress bar for the treasure has started to increase. It's moving so fast, it's already at 950 after Long Shi's plea for help!"

\n\n

Jin Jin was taken aback and quickly looked at the progress bar in his mind that belonged to Lian Jun. As expected, Lian Jun's progress bar, which had been decreasing slightly as the other large organizations' ships left, was now rapidly increasing along with Long Shi's cries for help.

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, it had already reached 980.

\n\n

Shi Jin's mind snapped, and he immediately pulled out his gun and aimed it at Long Shi, annoyed as he said, "Shut up! If you scream again, I'll kill you right now."

\n\n

Wow.

\n\n

The group of people, including Number One, all looked at Shi Jin with a certain inappropriate surprise on their faces. Could it be that Shi Jin had finally come to his senses?

\n","published_time":"2024-03-21T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-22T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-21T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":533,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":52,"chapter_title":"Mermaid","content":"

Lian Jun turned to look at Shi Jin and even proactively slid his wheelchair closer to him. He held Shi Jin's other hand that was hanging by his side and gently squeezed it, comforting him, "Don't get angry, it's not worth it for a traitor." His voice was so gentle.

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately held Lian Jun's hand tightly in return.

\n\n

Xiao Si let out a surprised squawk and felt that there was light shining ahead.

\n\n

Even the Numbers turned their bodies and stared at the two holding hands, their eyes unconsciously widening as if they were doubting what they were seeing.

\n\n

In such a tense moment, it seemed that pink bubbles were floating in the air. However, Shi Jin did not receive any emotional or meaningful eye contact from the crowd. After holding onto Lian Jun's hand, he took a few steps back and furrowed his brow, reminding him seriously, "Young Master Jun, don't get too close to that side of the deck. I suspect something is wrong with Long Shi." He then took a step to the side and continued to aim his gun at Long Shi.

\n\n

Long Shi had stopped shouting when Shi Jin pulled out his gun. After witnessing the interaction between Shi Jin and Lian Jun, his expression twisted and he began to struggle desperately, shouting once again, "Young Master Jun! Who is he? Who is this little bastard pointing a gun at me? What right does he have to touch you, to do anything to you?"

\n\n

Lian Jun's expression darkened and he was about to speak when Shi Jin, who was standing in front of him, pulled the trigger.

\n\n

Bang!

\n\n

The bullet flew out, but the target was actually Zhuo Yang, who was holding onto Long Shi's hand. Zhuo Yang looked back and forth at Shi Jin and Lian Jun with a pensive expression. Seeing this, he coldly snorted and pulled Long Shi aside, dodging the bullet together.

\n\n

The fragile peace between the two ships was shattered by the gunshot. A crowd of people gathered on both sides of the deck, pointing guns at each other, and the situation was about to escalate.

\n\n

Lian Jun's progress bar dropped to 950 as Long Shi shut up and the two sides faced each other.

\n\n

Shi Jin became increasingly certain that Long Shi was a problem. He couldn't let him directly interact with Lian Jun or even talk to him. He loaded another bullet, this time aiming directly at Long Shi's head.

\n\n

Long Shi's expression became even more terrifying as he looked at Shi Jin with a resentful gaze. He struggled to scream, but Zhuo Yang stuffed a cloth in his mouth, silencing him. "Lian Jun, it seems like your subordinate doesn't want you to live."

\n\n

Lazily, Zhuo Yang spoke and pulled out the dagger that was stuck in Long Shi's arm.

\n\n

Blood spurted out, and Long Shi's eyes widened as he groaned in pain. His forehead bulged with veins, and his face quickly turned pale.

\n\n

Uncle Long gritted his teeth and turned his head away from Long Shi's miserable state.

\n\n

After pulling out the dagger, Zhuo Yang wiped the blood off on Long Shi's body and looked at Lian Jun, who was being blocked by Shi Jin. He said, "Lian Jun, you need to think carefully. If you let your subordinate force Long Shi to death, your leg will never heal. How about we make a deal? You give me that little guy and the old man, and I'll give you Long Shi. This deal isn't bad, right?" As he spoke, he pointed his dagger at Shi Jin and Uncle Long.

\n\n

The expressions of Number One and his companions all turned ugly. Zhuo Yang was really good at picking people. Shi Jin and Uncle Long, one was a person whom Lian Jun cared for, and the other was a doctor who knew Lian Jun's physical condition in detail. To exchange these two people for a traitor who might not even reveal the toxin's base, Zhuo Yang was definitely making a profit!

\n\n

Lian Jun slipped out from behind Shi Jin and looked at Zhuo Yang, saying, "You are not qualified to negotiate with me. You can kill Long Shi, but my people, don't even think about it."

\n\n

"Uh, uh, uh!" Long Shi heard this and struggled desperately, staring at Lian Jun with wide eyes, tears streaming down his face.

\n\n

However, Shi Jin's mind was active. He turned his head to look at Lian Jun and whispered, "Young Master Jun, I can..."

\n\n

"No," interrupted Lian Jun, looking up at him and explaining, "Zhuo Yang doesn't really want you and Uncle Long. He just wants me to compromise. Once we take the first step back, we lose the initiative."

\n\n

Shi Jin understood this, but... he glanced at the pale-faced Long Shi across from him and said, "But if we keep dragging this out, Long Shi might be tortured to death."

\n\n

"If he dies, he dies. Ever since the day he betrayed 'Annihilation,' his life and death have had nothing to do with us," Lian Jun replied, holding Shi Jin's hand and comforting him, "Put down the gun and leave everything to Uncle Long."

\n\n

Leave everything to Uncle Long? Shi Jin didn't understand what was being said and was puzzled. In the next second, he saw Uncle Long suddenly snatch a gun from someone else's hand, load a bullet, and aim it at Long Shi. His usually steady hand was now trembling, his fingers touching the trigger, tightening and loosening, clearly struggling.

\n\n

"Lian Jun, forcing your subordinate to kill his own son, you are truly heartless." Zhuo Yang sneered when Lian Jun didn't take the bait, and suddenly pulled out the cloth ball from Long Shi's mouth.

\n\n

Long Shi immediately struggled and turned towards Uncle Long, crying out in despair, "Dad! Dad, I was wrong! I was wrong! Please don't kill me, Dad. I was just confused for a moment. You said you would always protect me, Dad!"

\n\n

Uncle Long's hand shook with force, his eyes turning red as he gritted his teeth and said, "But your mistake is just too outrageous, Long Shi. I don't ask you to repay my kindness, but you shouldn't be so heartless and actually make a move on Young Master Jun... The biggest mistake I've ever made in my life was taking you in as my son! Our father-son relationship ends today."

\n\n

With that, he pulled the trigger and a loud bang echoed through the air as the bullet flew towards Long Shi's forehead.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang didn't expect him to actually do it. His expression changed and he quickly threw Long Shi to the deck, narrowly avoiding the bullet. He then turned to Lian Jun and said, "Lian Jun, do you really not want to live? Will you let your subordinates kill your only chance at life?"

\n\n

Lian Jun signaled for Number Five to hold up Uncle Long, whose body visibly weakened after being shot. He replied, "I fight for my own survival and never rely on others. Zhuo Yang, you're useless. You don't need to try to provoke me. Long Shi has never been my weakness. Even if you gave him to me for free, I wouldn't keep him."

\n\n

"Hmph, who can't talk big?" Zhuo Yang's eyes darkened as he suddenly laughed coldly. He waved his hand back and had his men tie up Long Shi, who was almost unconscious on the ground. The other end of the rope was tied to the deck railing, and then Long Shi was thrown overboard. "What is this... Ahhh! Help! I don't want to feed the sharks, help! Dad! Dad, save me!"

\n\n

Long Shi regained consciousness and watched himself free-falling. Then, the rope tightened around him and he was suspended on the fence, struggling and shouting for help.

\n\n

Uncle Long lowered his head and, upon hearing the cries, his fingers twitched. His face showed exhaustion and indifference after a struggle, and he waved off Number Five's hand before walking towards the cabin, no longer caring about what happened next.

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at Uncle Long but did not stop him.

\n\n

Long Shi was suspended too low to see what was happening on the deck and did not know that Uncle Long had already left. He continued to plead for help, occasionally calling out to Lian Jun, his voice filled with despair.

\n\n

The night had fallen completely, and the official ship had already left without a trace. There were no stars in the sky tonight, and the entire sea was pitch black, with only the faint lights from the two ships.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang leaned against the railing, his dagger lightly tracing the rope that bound Long Shi. He laughed and said, "Come on, shoot him! Long Shi is now a live target, and this time I won't help him dodge the bullets. I'm a kind person, you've always wanted to deal with this traitor, and now I've found him for you and even taken half of his life. How will you thank me, hmm?"

\n\n

No one on the deck of the Annihilation spoke, and all of the Number One members stared at Long Shi, who was hanging from the sea and struggling with decreasing strength. Their expressions were tense, and their palms were clenched - if Long Shi died, then the information on the toxin would truly be lost.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang continued to speak leisurely, "Here's the deal. Since we're colleagues, I won't lay a hand on you. I'll give you a chance to take Long Shi away. Just...just bring over Number One, Number Two, and that little guy. The three of you can take a small boat over. As long as you can untie Long Shi's rope, I'll give him to you."

\n\n

Number One and Number Two were intrigued and immediately looked to Lian Jun, seeking his approval.

\n\n

"Go back to the cabin and rest," Lian Jun ordered, as if he hadn't heard Zhuo Yang's proposal.

\n\n

Number Two couldn't help but call out to him, "Young Master Jun."

\n\n

"Go back to the cabin and rest," Lian Jun's tone brooked no refusal. He looked at Number Five again, "It's getting late. Prepare to set sail."

\n\n

Number Five struggled with his decision, but ultimately gave the order to prepare for departure. Number One and Number Two both wanted to say something, but in the end, they remained silent, their faces filled with frustration.

\n\n

"Young Master Jun," Shi Jin couldn't help but stop Lian Jun's wheelchair.

\n\n

Lian Jun looked at him and promised, "Even without the toxin's source, I will work hard to get healthy, even if it's just for you. Zhuo Yang clearly wants to use one Long Shi to exchange for the lives of you three. I can't gamble with your lives."

\n\n

"Just for you," Shi Jin's heart skipped a beat, his hand on the wheelchair tightening. "You never planned to take back Long Shi, did you? You said you had a plan, but you were just lying to me, weren't you?"

\n\n

Lian Jun didn't say anything, trying to comfort him by holding his hand.

\n\n

Shi Jin directly shook off his hand.

\n\n

"Shi Jin," Lian Jun paused and looked up at him, explaining in a gentle tone, "Long Shi has a peculiar temperament and unstable mental state. Even if we manage to retrieve him, there is a high chance we won't be able to extract the knowledge on the toxin's base. It's not worth risking your lives for a low chance of success."

\n\n

"But your life is not something that needs to be measured in terms of cost and benefit with me," Shi Jin's expression turned cold for the first time towards Lian Jun. He suddenly left his side and strode towards the deck of the Nine Eagles.

\n\n

Lian Jun's expression changed and he quickly ordered Number One and the others to stop him.

\n\n

"I don't plan on going to my death, so don't try to stop me," said Shi Jin, halting his steps before the group of Numbers gathered. He looked towards Zhuo Yang, whose expression was now clearly visible, and continued, "Zhuo Yang, you must be dreaming. None of us would risk our lives for a traitor. If you're so capable, why don't you throw Long Shi into the sea to feed the sharks? It must be unbearable to feel threatened by Young Master Jun. You're just a useless waste! Young Master Jun will surely live a long life, even without the toxin's source, but as for you...you might as well go meet the King of Hell sooner rather than later."

\n\n

Zhuo Yang's casual smile disappeared from his face, and his expression turned cold as he said, "Young man, I advise you not to jump so high, or else you might not even know how you'll die in the future."

\n\n

Shi Jin responded with a mocking smile, cursed at Zhuo Yang again, and then turned around without even acknowledging Lian Jun. He strode towards the cabin with large steps.

\n\n

Everyone had never seen Shi Jin truly angry before, and now that they did, they didn't know what to do. They all looked towards Lian Jun.

\n\n

Lian Jun watched as Shi Jin entered the cabin, his hand tightly gripping the armrest of his wheelchair. He also gave a cold glance towards Zhuo Yang before sliding his wheelchair towards the cabin and ordering, "Set sail, everyone back to their cabins!"

\n\n

Ever since being mocked by Shi Jin, Zhuo Yang felt a burning anger inside him. The words "you're useless!" and "Young Master Jun will live a long life" kept rolling in his mind.

\n\n

The recent hostility and the look from Lian Jun only added fuel to the fire. His mind raced and in a fit of rage, he grabbed the dagger hanging from the rope and shouted, "You want to leave? Not so fast! You said Lian Jun can live without the toxin's source, well, let's see how this cripple can survive today! Attack!"

\n\n

His subordinates behind him were shocked and quickly tried to stop him, "Boss, we agreed not to harm Long Shi's life. He's a valuable pawn."

\n\n

Zhuo Yang was furious and did not listen to reason. He pushed away the hand of his subordinate and exclaimed, "What good is that? We've been waiting for so long for Lian Jun to take the bait, and even if we keep Long Shi alive, it won't make a difference. He's as good as dead! Hurry up and arrange for someone to take action! Today, I will take Lian Jun's life myself!"

\n\n

The subordinate dared not speak any further and frowned as he withdrew his hand.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang's dagger was extremely sharp, and the rope binding Long Shi was not very thick. Before Zhuo Yang could finish his sentence, the rope snapped with a loud bang, and Long Shi fell directly into the sea.

\n\n

At the same time, the people on the Nine Eagles deck suddenly received orders and began firing towards Annihilation's side.

\n\n

The expressions of Number One and his men changed drastically. They quickly instructed those nearby to take cover from the bullets and ordered those further away to fight back, providing cover for Lian Jun to enter the cabin.

\n\n

Gunshots filled the air over the sea as Number Five ordered the cockpit to set sail quickly and distance themselves from Nine Eagles. Nine Eagles's ships began firing in their direction, and the faint sound of helicopters taking off could be heard.

\n\n

"Has Zhuo Yang gone mad?" Number Two pushed Lian Jun into the cabin, his expression grim.

\n\n

If the two sides were to engage in a naval battle and unleash all their firepower, no one would come out unscathed!

\n\n

But suddenly, Number Five's expression changed. "The cockpit just received a message that several unidentified ships have appeared within radar range and are rapidly approaching our location."

\n\n

"Damn it!" Number Two cursed, finally realizing what was going on. "Zhuo Yang is trying to ambush us. He was just talking nonsense with Long Shi to delay us! He's waiting for us to waste time so he can attack us."

\n\n

Meanwhile, amidst the sound of gunfire, Lian Jun heard a few splashes in the water and instinctively panicked. He looked around and asked, "Where's Shi Jin?"

\n\n

Everyone was taken aback by his question. Number Two also looked around and said, "Yeah, where is Shi Jin? Didn't he go into the cabin first? Did he go back to his room?"

\n\n

"No," Lian Jun's expression suddenly turned pale and his voice was very dry. "He wouldn't stay in his room while the Nine Eagles are firing. He can't sit still... Find him! Go and find him!"

\n\n

A man standing on the deck suddenly rushed in and exclaimed, "I saw several of our lifeboats floating on the sea, Young Master Jun. Someone is dismantling our lifeboats! There's a traitor among us!"

\n\n

Lian Jun's face turned completely pale, although he tried to maintain a calm expression, his voice was trembling, "It's not a traitor, it's Shi Jin. He went down to retrieve Long Shi. Number Three, do whatever it takes to hold off Nine Eagles and prevent them from causing any more damage in this area. Move the battlefield away from here. Send someone to find Shi Jin quickly!"

\n\n

Everyone was shocked by his words and quickly dispersed, moving faster than ever before.

\n\n

At this moment, Shi Jin was indeed in the sea. He had intentionally angered Zhuo Yang earlier, and Xiao Si had given him a bunch of buffs just to help him successfully provoke Zhuo Yang into cutting the rope that bound Long Shi and throwing him into the sea.

\n\n

Everything went smoothly. Zhuo Yang did throw Long Shi into the sea, and Shi Jin successfully jumped in after him. Now, all he needed to do was use the mermaid buff that Xiao Si had given him to locate Long Shi and carry out the impromptu plan to rescue him. It seemed like everything was going according to plan.

\n\n

But... Shi Jin reached up to touch the strange, transparent thing growing by his ear. He looked down at the white, opaque substance between his fingers and felt the bones in his waist soften.

\n\n

"Is this your mermaid buff?" he asked incredulously. Wasn't this some kind of frog-like amphibian buff?

\n\n

"Of course, no matter what, Jin Jin is always the most beautiful," Xiao Si praised without a care in the world.

\n\n

Shi Jin replied, "...As long as you're happy."

\n\n

Saving people was more important, and he didn't have time to worry about these things. After getting used to the strange sensation of the buff, he tried moving around underwater.

\n\n

He felt that his swimming speed was too slow and said, "Can you stack the buff a few more times? I need to swim faster. Long Shi might not be able to hold on underwater for much longer." Xiao Si hesitated, "If we stack too many layers, your body won't be able to handle it. It will be very uncomfortable after the buff wears off."

\n\n

"I can't worry about that now. If Long Shi dies, we'll lose the information on the toxin's base. Just keep buffing me," Shi Jin replied.

\n\n

Xiao Si compromised and began frantically giving him buffs.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt his body start to heat up and then his skin and bones seemed to undergo some strange mutation, making him more agile in the water. With a gentle kick of his legs, his body slid forward like a fish.

\n\n

He was shocked to see his arms now had strange and flexible lines, unable to imagine what kind of monster his body had become under the buff's influence. Shaking his head, he no longer thought about it and swam towards the location displayed on the map, gliding through the water like a line.

\n\n

On the sea, Annihilation began to counterattack the Nine Eagles' assault, slowly leading the battlefield to the distant waters.

\n\n

After a few minutes, Shi Jin held the unconscious Long Shi and surfaced, wiping the seawater off his face. He located the nearest lifeboat and swam over, forcefully throwing Long Shi onto it before climbing aboard himself.

\n\n

Without even looking at the surrounding situation, he bent down to untie the ropes on Long Shi's body and knelt beside him to begin administering first aid.

\n\n

Long Shi was already injured, and his wounds were aggravated by the water. He had also swallowed water, causing his face to turn pale and blue. It seemed like he was beyond saving.

\n\n

Shi Jin was getting anxious, so he quickly had Xiao Si buff him with "increased success rate in rescuing" and "luck boost" before using all the first aid techniques he knew.

\n\n

Time seemed to drag on endlessly, and just as Shi Jin was beginning to lose hope, Long Shi suddenly coughed up some water and groggily opened his eyes.

\n\n

Shi Jin was overjoyed and quickly leaned in, asking, "How are you feeling? Are you conscious? What day is it?"

\n\n

As he spoke, he extended his hand, which had become twisted due to the buff, in front of Long Shi.

\n\n

Long Shi instinctively turned his head towards the sound of Shi Jin's voice. His previously muddled consciousness became clear when he saw the lumpy, twisted appearance of Shi Jin's ears, arms, and legs. He was so frightened that he almost passed out again.

\n\n

Suddenly, his hand moved, and he pulled out a tiny syringe from somewhere, quickly jabbing it towards Shi Jin. The progress bar on Shi Jin's computer suddenly froze, causing Xiao Si to jump in fright. Shi Jin was also taken aback and instinctively dodged to the side while kicking out at Long Shi's body with all his might.

\n\n

"Ah!"

\n\n

Long Shi let out a low cry and fell to the ground, the small syringe in his hand dropping to the side.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly picked up the rope and re-tied Long Shi, then picked up the syringe. Inside was a strange colored liquid, and unable to resist, he hit Long Shi again.

\n\n

"Damn it! You really are a problem. I don't believe that Zhuo Yang doesn't know you have this weapon on you. Have you been colluding with him all along?"

\n\n

As he spoke, he grew angrier and angrier, feeling that scum like Long Shi should just go and die again. But he restrained himself from attacking him, carefully collecting the syringe and feeling grateful for Lian Jun's calmness. No matter how much Zhuo Yang provoked him, he didn't fall for it.

\n\n

Long Shi groaned in pain, turning his head to look at Shi Jin more closely. Finally, he ignored the strange buff effects and saw Shi Jin's face clearly, shocked as he exclaimed, "It's you! With that appearance, are you a demon?! Did you use demonic magic to seduce Young Master Jun?!"

\n\n

Shi Jin rolled his eyes at him, fiercely saying, "Yes, I'm a demon. Tell me what the toxin's base is, or I'll eat you alive!"

\n\n

Hearing the words "toxin's base," Long Shi's expression changed again.

\n\n

After a moment of flickering eyes, his expression suddenly became calm as he said, "I'll only tell Young Master Jun about the toxin's base. Take me to see him."

\n\n

As Shi Jin was about to retort with some foul language, he saw the smug look on the other guy's face and let out a cold laugh. But before he could say anything, they heard a series of deafening explosions coming from the distant sea. Shi Jin's expression changed in an instant, and he quickly turned to look in the direction of the sound.

\n\n

"Baby must have clashed with Nine Eagles," Xiao Si said with concern. "Jin Jin, should we go back now?"

\n\n

"Of course we should—" Shi Jin stopped mid-sentence, realizing how he looked right now. He furrowed his brows and said, "No, we can't go back. I can't let Lian Jun see me like this. We have to wait."

\n\n

Long Shi also heard the sounds of gunfire and looked excitedly towards the direction of the raging battle. "Did they start fighting? Did Nine Eagles and Annihilation start fighting? Hurry! Take me to see Young Master Jun, take me to see Young Master Jun!"

\n\n

"Stop it! Be quiet!" Shi Jin started the rescue boat with an unpleasant expression and headed towards a farther distance from the battlefield. Although he was worried about Lian Jun, it was better for him to stay away for now.

\n\n

Long Shi was stunned as he watched him row the lifeboat further away. Suddenly, the man burst into wild laughter, looking completely insane. "Are you afraid that Young Master Jun will see your ghostly appearance? What's there to be afraid of? Let him see it! Weren't you arrogant before?

\n\n

"You don't know this, but Zhuo Yang's attack was planned. He had other ships waiting in the nearby waters, intending to trap Young Master Jun and exhaust the official ship before delivering a fatal blow! Aren't you going to protect Young Master Jun? Are you more concerned about your face being exposed than his life? Hahaha, don't run away, only cowards do--mmph, mmph, mmph!"

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't stand it anymore and stuffed a cloth into his mouth, his expression sour as he angrily said, "Who do you think you are? Only caring about looks like a shallow person! Whether you believe it or not, even if Lian Jun saw me like this, he would still eat with me at the same table every day!"

\n\n

After speaking, he glanced at the distant sea, hesitated for a moment, and then gritted his teeth, abandoning the idea of rowing the boat further away. He decided to stay and see what happens.

\n\n

If Lian Jun really encountered danger and the progress bar showed a slow death, he would immediately jump into the water to save him.

\n","published_time":"2024-03-28T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-29T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-28T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":540,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":53,"chapter_title":"He's a Demon!","content":"

The sounds of distant gunfire and cannon fire grew louder and more distinct. Shi Jin had Xiao Si activate his enhanced vision buff and nervously watched the situation on the battlefield.

\n\n

After watching for a while, Shi Jin furrowed his brow in confusion. He noticed that despite facing Nine Eagles' attacks, Annihilation's side was only defending and not launching a strong counterattack. They were also constantly trying to stay close to Nine Eagles' ships, limiting the battlefield to a very small space and forcing Nine Eagles to hold back on heavy firepower and expand their attack range.

\n\n

It was as if they were trying to force Nine Eagles to not move and attack. At first, he found it strange. After all, neither Lian Jun nor Number One were the type to avoid conflict. If they continued like this, Annihilation would gradually be suppressed.

\n\n

Then he faintly saw that on the other side of Annihilation's ship, facing away from Nine Eagles, someone was trying to get off the ship during the battle. It was only then that Shi Jin suddenly realized Annihilation's purpose in doing this.

\n\n

"Could it be that Lian Jun has already discovered that I jumped into the water and is only holding back because of me? Are those people coming to rescue me?" Shi Jin was shocked and quickly searched his body, finding a satellite phone wrapped in several layers of plastic in his pocket.

\n\n

After confirming that there was only a little water inside and the phone could still turn on, he called Lian Jun. The phone was quickly answered and Lian Jun's voice came through immediately. He spoke quickly and with obvious anxiety, asking, "Shi Jin? Where are you? Don't worry, I'll send someone to pick you up."

\n\n

As expected!

\n\n

Shi Jin rubbed his forehead and hurriedly replied, "Don't send anyone down. The situation on the battlefield is unclear and it's very dangerous to send someone down. I'm fine, I'm on lifeboat 03 and I'm not injured. I've already rescued Long Shi and he's still alive. You can see my location through the lifeboat's positioning, but don't send anyone over--"

\n\n

As the story unfolded, he noticed several ships appearing on the horizon, heading straight towards the battlefield. It was clear that they were not friendly. He looked behind him and saw more ships approaching. His eyes widened as he quickly spoke up, "There are several ships surrounding you, and I'm also within their range. I can find a way to avoid them, but what about you?"

\n\n

Upon hearing that he was safe and sound, and with a spirited voice, Lian Jun's anxiety lessened. He said, "First, protect yourself. There are emergency medicines and clean food and drinking water on the lifeboat. I will find a way to lead all the ships away from here. You stay away, and once I deal with them, I'll come and get you."

\n\n

This time, Shi Jin was anxious and said, "They have so many boats, how are you going to handle it? Why don't you withdraw first and come back to pick me up when it's safe? I can float on the sea for a while longer."

\n\n

"I have help, don't worry," Lian Jun said. After this sentence, he suddenly fell silent for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "Shi Jin, you must take care of yourself... Please, wait for me."

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback by Lian Jun's words. Suddenly, his heart felt a little sour and his emotions couldn't help but become a bit low.

\n\n

He moved his lips and whispered, "Lian Jun, am I causing you trouble again?"

\n\n

"No, it's me who has been holding you back all this time," said Lian Jun, his voice rising. But then he calmed down and reassured her, "Don't be afraid, I won't hang up the phone. Number Nine has located the position of lifeboat 03. Listen to my instructions and I will guide you to safety. The radar shows that there are ships approaching from the southwest and due south. Head east and I will try to lead the battle to the west. Your watch has a directional pointer, so if you can't tell which way to go, follow the pointer."

\n\n

As Shi Jin calmed down, he glanced at the progress bar that showed Lian Jun's card stuck at 950. After hesitating for a moment, he obediently reached out to restart the lifeboat and asked, "Do you really have help? I'm fine here, you don't have to worry about me. Lian Jun, you must come to pick me up safely."

\n\n

Lian Jun's response this time was only one word: "Okay."

\n\n

In the cockpit, Lian Jun put down his phone and looked at the screen showing the green dot of lifeboat No. 03 moving eastward. His tense mood finally relaxed a little. He looked at several red dots on the radar that were rapidly approaching their location, his eyes full of coldness, and ordered, "Number One, contact Phantom."

\n\n

Number One had also heard the conversation between Lian Jun and Shi Jin and had calmed down by now. Upon hearing Lian Jun's order, he immediately responded and dialed Phantom's phone.

\n\n

"Number Five, head west and meet with the officials on the western side," commanded Young Master Jun.

\n\n

Without hesitation, Number Five ordered the captain to change course and establish contact with the officials' ship.

\n\n

Number Three, noticing that Young Master Jun had not mentioned rescuing Shi Jin during the conversation, furrowed their brow and asked, "Young Master Jun, should we send a helicopter to pick up Shi Jin?"

\n\n

Young Master Jun waved his hand and replied, "No, sending a helicopter out recklessly may attract the attention of the Nine Eagles. We must try our best to keep Shi Jin hidden from them and lead them away first."

\n\n

Number Three nodded in understanding.

\n\n

Everything was proceeding smoothly. Number Two watched Young Master Jun's seemingly calm expression and tightly gripped phone, and then glanced at the location of the lifeboat 03 on the screen of Number Nine, which was moving away to the east.

\n\n

After holding it in for so long, he couldn't help but raise his hand and wipe his face heavily. "Shi Jin, he always manages to do things that make people love and hate him at the same time. And now, he has actually managed to bring Long Shi back, when everyone thought it was hopeless.

\n\n

He couldn't help but glance at Number One, who had just finished a call with Phantom. Their eyes met, and they exchanged a complex look that conveyed a lot without words. Then they both looked away and went back to their work.

\n\n

On the sea, Shi Jin listened to Lian Jun's instructions and felt his heart settle. It seemed that Lian Jun had made arrangements with Phantom and the authorities, so everyone's safety should be assured during the attack on Nine Eagles.

\n\n

Finally able to relax, he noticed that Long Shi had been still for quite some time. Seeing his flushed cheeks and delirious state, he was alarmed and quickly took out the cloth from his mouth, searched for medicine and water from the lifeboat, gave him some water, and began to bandage his wounds.

\n\n

"You can't die, at least not before telling me about the toxin's base," he muttered as he bandaged. Perhaps his voice was too loud, as it was heard by Lian Jun through the phone. Lian Jun's voice immediately came through, asking, "What's wrong?"

\n\n

Shi Jin glanced at his phone and replied, "Long Shi's condition is not good, I'm bandaging him."

\n\n

"Don't worry about him," Lian Jun's tone became calm again, almost indifferent, and he said, "Keep all the medicine, food, and drinking water for yourself. I only ask that you stay alive."

\n\n

As Shi Jin continued to wrap Long Shi's wounds, he suddenly felt a strange itch in his heart. He responded with a simple "okay," but his hands continued to work.

\n\n

On the other end, Lian Jun had already guessed that Shi Jin was going against his own words. After a moment of silence, he spoke again, "At least leave half for yourself. I will come find you as soon as possible."

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't help but smile at Lian Jun's compromise. His eyes curved and his heart felt warm as he replied, "I know. I'll be waiting for you. I believe you will come for me."

\n\n

"Mhmm," Lian Jun responded, his voice now gentle. He promised once again, "I will definitely come for you. Just wait for me."

\n\n

Shi Jin responded once more, unable to contain his happiness as he even hummed a song. He managed to bring a bit of sunshine to this dark and cold night at sea.

\n\n

As Lian Jun listened to the muffled humming coming from the receiver, a slight smile formed on his lips. He then covered the part of the phone where the sound was coming from and looked at the Nine Eagles ships chasing them on the radar.

\n\n

He estimated the distance between them and the approaching time, composed his expression, and ordered, "Start firing. The battlefield has already widened, there's no need to hold back anymore."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, all of the Numbers were instantly invigorated. They stood up, rubbing their hands together eagerly - they had been on the receiving end of attacks for too long and were itching to fight back.

\n\n

Number Two even let out a cold laugh, clenching his fists tightly and saying, "Damn those Nine Eagles. If we don't fight back, they'll think we have nothing on this ship and can be easily controlled. Watch me turn their entire ship into scrap metal!"

\n\n

In the back, Zhuo Yang leaned comfortably against the window of the driver's cabin, watching the "fleeing in panic" enemies ahead. He couldn't help but feel pleased and casually ordered, "Keep firing and have the other ships go around to block them from the front. Lian Jun has been playing with me for so long, today I will make him taste the feeling of being played with like a cat and mouse."

\n\n

Everyone in the cabin responded in unison. The captain was about to give the signal for the next round of attack when suddenly the quiet radar blared loudly. Then, a huge explosion sounded, causing the ship to jerk violently.

\n\n

Zhuo Yang was almost thrown to the ground by the shaking and quickly grabbed onto the window to steady himself. He frowned and asked, "What's going on?"

\n\n

The captain was sweating profusely as he pointed to a gun barrel suddenly protruding from the front of the ship. He spoke in a dry voice, "Boss, that ship opening fire is definitely not a civilian vessel. It's just like ours, and even more..."

\n\n

"What?!" Zhuo Yang's expression changed as he leaned in to take a closer look. Suddenly, the vice-captain on the other side shouted in panic, "Boss, the Phantom's ship has suddenly appeared behind us and is rapidly approaching. It looks like it's going to ram us!"

\n\n

Zhuo Yang's expression completely changed. After the swaying stopped, he leaned over to take a closer look and saw that it was indeed the Phantom's ship, which was completely invisible in the dark without any lights, chasing after them.

\n\n

He couldn't help but exclaim in anger, "Damn it! We've been played by Lian Jun! That Old Ghost actually teamed up with Lian Jun. Attack them! Don't let them get close! Have the other ships surround them and attack directly!"

\n\n

The cockpit immediately became chaotic. The previous leisurely atmosphere was gone, replaced by roaring and various alarm sounds.

\n\n

On the lifeboat, Long Shi's condition improved slightly after his wounds were bandaged. Shi Jin also gave him some basic medicine to take. Afterwards, he leaned against the small storage box on the lifeboat and lifted his hand to tug at his still damp collar.

\n\n

"How long has it been?" he asked himself in his mind, feeling a bit short of breath. Xiao Si was worried and said, "It's been half an hour already. The buff effect is going to end soon. You..."

\n\n

"No wonder I'm starting to feel uncomfortable. It's okay, I can handle it," Shi Jin reassured her. He picked up his phone, which still showed an ongoing call, and listened to the intermittent voice coming from Lian Jun's end.

\n\n

He glanced at the progress bar in his mind, which was gradually retreating, and breathed a sigh of relief.

\n\n

"It seems that Phantom has held back Nine Eagles. The officials' ship has also arrived, and everyone is going to be okay."

\n\n

Xiao Si still looked worried and said, "Jin Jin, have some water. Drinking water might make you feel better. The buff has changed your respiratory system, so when it disappears, you may experience breathing difficulties, body pain, and even confusion. I'm a little scared..."

\n\n

"Don't worry, I'm really fine," Shi Jin's voice was noticeably lower. Although he was trying to reassure Xiao Si, he honestly reached for a bottle of water and took a sip. He did feel a little better and quickly regained his normal voice, leaning closer to his phone and calling out a few times.

\n\n

Immediately, Lian Jun's response came through, asking what was wrong. "I'm a bit tired and want to sleep. It should be safe on my end, so just focus on your side and don't worry about me. If I don't respond when you call me later, don't panic. I just want to rest for a bit. I used up a lot of energy when I was rescuing someone earlier and I'm a bit exhausted."

\n\n

Hearing this, Lian Jun frowned. He didn't think it was a good idea for him to fall asleep on the sea, but he also felt sorry for him when he mentioned feeling tired.

\n\n

After thinking for a moment, he replied, "Okay, you can take a nap for a bit. I'll wake you up a few times. Just don't sleep too deeply. Remember to tie up Long Shi before you sleep, so he won't have a chance to harm you."

\n\n

"Alright," Shi Jin responded before feeling his breathing become difficult again. He quickly drank some water and then placed his phone a little further away before leaning against the storage box and breathing heavily.

\n\n

"Jin Jin..." Xiao Si panicked, afraid that he might suffocate.

\n\n

"I'm fine, just taking it slow and steady..." As Shi Jin panted, he lay flat on the storage box with his face turned towards the sea. He tried to regulate his breathing while continuing to talk to Xiao Si in his mind, hoping to keep his spirits up.

\n\n

Xiao Si responded with increasing concern.

\n\n

Without realizing it, half an hour had passed. Lian Jun called out a few times on the phone, and Shi Jin quickly turned to answer, his voice weak and groggy, sounding like he had just woken up.

\n\n

"Are you very cold?" Lian Jun asked with concern.

\n\n

Shi Jin did feel very cold, and his body ached as if all his bones and flesh had been shattered and reassembled. But he forced himself to reply, "It's a little cold, but I'm okay. How are things on your end?"

\n\n

Lian Jun looked at the Nine Eagles' ship on the radar that had started to flee instead of attack, and reassured Shi Jin, "It's almost over, I'll be able to come find you soon."

\n\n

"Okay, I'll be waiting for you," replied Shi Jin, unable to resist taking a painkiller.

\n\n

Xiao Si hesitated and said, "Jin Jin, should I give you some buffs so you can hold on until the baby finds you?"

\n\n

"No, the more buffs I have, the worse I'll feel when they wear off. I can still handle it for now," Shi Jin quickly stopped him. After chatting with Lian Jun for a bit, he took the opportunity to check on Long Shi while he was still alert.

\n\n

Long Shi's face had a sickly flush, and his fever hadn't gone down, but he was at least stable and breathing evenly.

\n\n

Shi Jin gave him some medicine and water, then loosened his tight collar to make him more comfortable." As the night grew deeper, the only sound around was the crashing of the waves.

\n\n

Thanks to the painkillers, Shi Jin felt a little better, and his consciousness began to blur as the boat rocked back and forth. Just as he was about to pass out, Long Shi, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly started shouting.

\n\n

"I'm not crazy! I'm not crazy! Young Master Jun, why don't you like me? Why... I'll destroy you! I'll destroy you!"

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately snapped out of his daze and was furious. He snapped, "Shut up, you freak!"

\n\n

Long Shi continued to shout, shaking his head and writhing, but his eyes remained closed. Shi Jin realized something was wrong and approached to take a closer look. He saw that Long Shi wasn't awake, but rather delirious and speaking nonsense.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly moved in to stabilize his head and called out to him anxiously, but received no response. He turned around and rummaged through the first aid kit.

\n\n

"Shi Jin? What's going on?" Lian Jun heard the commotion and asked on the phone.

\n\n

"Long Shi is delirious and speaking nonsense. I'm going to give him some fever-reducing medicine," Shi Jin replied. He found the pills and crushed them into powder, mixing them with water and giving them to Long Shi.

\n\n

With water in his throat and being jostled around like this, Long Shi regained some clarity and opened his eyes to see Shi Jin.

\n\n

Without hesitation, he wanted to attack and said, "It's you! You bastard, I'll kill you! How dare you touch Young Master Jun, I'll kill you!"

\n\n

Shi Jin slapped him directly on the head and shouted, "Don't think that just because you're having a fever, I won't deal with you. Shut up! If you dare to curse at me again, I'll turn you into a eunuch! And I'll even scratch your face!"

\n\n

For someone like Long Shi who valued his face and "male dignity" more than his life, Shi Jin's threat was too harsh. Although he continued to curse and grumble that Shi Jin was a dead monster, his arrogance had dissipated, and he looked cowardly and despicable.

\n\n

Shi Jin was about to burst out laughing from his anger. He rudely forced the medicine down Long Shi's throat and picked up his phone to say to Lian Jun, "I want to deal with Long Shi, but the details are too brutal to tell you. I'll hang up now and call you back later."

\n\n

Lian Jun remained silent, then kindly advised, "Don't act too rashly. It's dirty. I'll give you fifteen minutes, and then I'll call you back."

\n\n

"Rest assured, I know what I'm doing," said Shi Jin before hanging up the phone. He looked at Long Shi with a sinister expression and mentally instructed Xiao Si to apply the Voice Manipulation and Persuasion buffs on himself.

\n\n

Xiao Si hesitated, "Although these buffs have no major side effects, they will still be a burden on your current physical condition and make you feel worse."

\n\n

"It's fine. Long Shi's current state is perfect for manipulation. We can't afford to miss this opportunity," Shi Jin insisted.

\n\n

Xiao Si couldn't argue with him and reluctantly applied the buffs. Long Shi couldn't hear the conversation between Shi Jin and Xiao Si, but he could hear the dialogue between Lian Jun and Shi Jin.

\n\n

His heart was filled with jealousy, anger, and a little fear. When Shi Jin looked over, Long Shi instinctively moved back and tried to remain calm, saying, "You can't kill me. If you do, Lian Jun's leg will never heal."

\n\n

Shi Jin sneered and, after his buff was activated, approached Long Shi. He grabbed his collar and looked into his eyes, intentionally saying, "Why would I kill you? You make me so angry, I want to play with you. Long Shi, I heard you were only 19 when you first met Young Master Jun. You didn't look like this back then, did you?"

\n\n

Long Shi stared into his eyes at close range and listened to his voice. His thoughts seemed to spiral out of control as he was instantly transported back to those memories of the past.

\n\n

......

\n\n

Long Shi was a scumbag, that was beyond doubt. But delving deep into the world of scumbags was a task that would make any normal person feel frustrated and miserable.

\n\n

After several long minutes, Shi Jin threw Long Shi, who had once again lost consciousness, back onto the deck. Fuming with anger, he couldn't help but kick him a few times.

\n\n

Thinking of the warm and gentle Lian Jun that Long Shi had mentioned, his heart felt sour and swollen. He angrily cursed, "If you can't have him, you destroy him. You perverted bastard, you deserve to die alone. Dragging others down to hell with you is despicable! And you have the nerve to call it pure and noble love? Bah! You damn scumbag, Lian Jun must have had terrible luck to have met you!"

\n\n

Long Shi groaned in pain from the kicks, but he had no strength to fight back. Due to the high fever and the effects of the buff, he probably didn't even remember what he had said before.

\n\n

After scolding, Shi Jin leaned weakly against the storage box and touched his forehead, which was starting to feel hot. He knew he probably couldn't stay conscious for much longer. He quickly picked up his phone, which had fallen to the side, and answered the umpteenth call from Lian Jun.

\n\n

"Shi Jin, how's it going over there? Why haven't you been answering your phone? Hold on a little longer, I'm on my way to pick you up in a helicopter. I'll be there soon." Lian Jun's voice came through immediately, faster and more urgent than ever before.

\n\n

Shi Jin's voice was hoarse, and he guessed that he must be very anxious. He quickly explained, "Sorry, I fell asleep earlier... Lian Jun, I think I have a fever. I went into the water to rescue someone earlier and wore wet clothes for so long, so I got cold."

\n\n

After explaining, he also reminded Lian Jun to not worry too much when he sees him in such a half-dead state later.

\n\n

Lian Jun immediately urged the pilot to go faster and explained the situation to the accompanying doctor. Then his voice became clear again as he reassured Shi Jin, "Don't be afraid, if you're not feeling well, just sleep a little longer. I'll be there soon."

\n\n

When Shi Jin heard his voice, he felt at ease and responded with a low voice. He noticed a few small flying dots in the distance sky and couldn't help but laugh, saying, "I see you guys, flying towards here."

\n\n

Lian Jun couldn't help but call out to him, "Shi Jin."

\n\n

"I managed to extract a portion of the toxin's base and also got a strange syringe from Long Shi... Lian Jun, you will get better." Shi Jin said to himself, his mind repeatedly echoing Long Shi's twisted words.

\n\n

Tortured by high fever and body pain, he could no longer suppress his sour and swollen emotions and couldn't help but say, "Lian Jun, I want to hug you. You look really good when you smile... If only I had met you earlier."

\n\n

If only he had met him earlier, Lian Jun wouldn't have suffered so much.

\n\n

As Lian Jun tightened his grip on his phone, he took a deep breath and leaned in closer. His voice was tense, as if he was holding back something, as he said, "Shi Jin, don't even think about fooling me again this time. Not for the rest of your life."

\n\n

Several helicopters hovered steadily above the lifeboat. Shi Jin lay inside, looking up at the helicopter directly above him. The door opened and a clumsy Lian Jun, wearing full protective gear, descended slowly down the rope ladder.

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't help but smile - he knew Lian Jun couldn't resist coming down to personally greet him.

\n\n

The descent down the rope ladder, which should have taken only a few seconds, took Lian Jun over a minute. Shi Jin watched him the whole time, even reaching out as if to help him down, afraid he might fall. Finally, Lian Jun's feet landed in the lifeboat, and a thin layer of sweat formed on his forehead.

\n\n

Shi Jin hurried over, happy to see him, but couldn't help but worry and ask, "Are you okay? I-"

\n\n

After Lian Jun steadied himself, he bent down and pulled Shi Jin into his arms, holding him tightly. He rubbed the back of Shi Jin's head with force and said in a hoarse voice, "Shi Jin, there can't be a next time."

\n\n

"You said that last time during the incident in the community," Shi Jin said, still straightforwardly killing the mood.

\n\n

But his hand instinctively wrapped around him, forgetting to worry if Lian Jun couldn't hold on. All the strength in his body relaxed as he leaned into his embrace, burying his head and rubbing against him. The consciousness that had been struggling to stay clear finally had a reason to completely relax in this embrace.

\n\n

His voice grew softer and softer, "Lian Jun, I'm sorry. It seems like I'm always causing trouble for you."

\n\n

Lian Jun shook his head and hugged him tighter, kissing the top of his head. He had many things he wanted to say, but couldn't seem to find the words. He just wanted to hold onto this person in his arms and never let go.

\n\n

In the corner of the lifeboat that no one paid attention to, Long Shi, who was in a daze, was awakened by the sound and light of the helicopter. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the scene of Lian Jun embracing and kissing.

\n\n

His eyes widened and he struggled to twist a few times, saying incoherently, "Young Master Jun, don't hug him, don't kiss him, he's a monster! He's a monster!"

\n\n

Shi Jin had already passed out in relaxation, and Lian Jun carefully let him lean against his chest. Hearing the voice, he turned his head to look at Long Shi, and a cold curve appeared on his thin lips as he coldly said, "Is that so? Well, that's great. I happen to like monsters."

\n\n

Like, like--

\n\n

Long Shi looked at Lian Jun's cold and murderous eyes, and noticed his gentle touch on Shi Jin's cheek. His heart skipped a beat and he rolled his eyes and passed out.

\n","published_time":"2024-04-04T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-07T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-04T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":548,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":54,"chapter_title":"Pink Bubbles","content":"

When Shi Jin woke up in a dark room, he struggled to open his eyes and found them sore. He tried to move his body, but his limbs were weak and powerless.

\n\n

There was no smell of disinfectant in the air, but instead, a faint scent of shower gel.

\n\n

He blinked his eyes and tried to adjust to the darkness, turning his head to survey his surroundings and figure out where he was. As he did so, a familiar face appeared before him.

\n\n

Lian Jun?! His eyes widened in shock, and he froze in place as he processed the fact that he and Lian Jun were currently lying on the same bed.

\n\n

He kept his neck twisted and awkwardly stared at Lian Jun, frantically poking at Xiao Si in his mind: "What's going on? How did I end up in bed with Lian Jun? Where are we?"

\n\n

Xiao Si's voice was light and sweet, its tone affectionate as it happily replied, "You're on the ship! This is Baby's bedroom, didn't you recognize it? You've been sleeping for half a day and a whole night, and Baby has been taking care of you the whole time. You need to get better soon, Baby is so worried about you~"

\n\n

As Xiao Si's coquettish tone stimulated Shi Jin, he felt a surge of energy. He looked carefully at Lian Jun's face and vaguely saw a shallow shadow under his eyes. Remembering how Lian Jun had insisted on personally picking him up despite being in pain and sweating profusely before passing out, Shi Jin's heart softened.

\n\n

He couldn't help but shift his soft body slightly and turn to lie on his side, watching Lian Jun. His gaze slid from Lian Jun's hair to his chin, and he felt strangely satisfied.

\n\n

"Your baby is really beautiful..." he couldn't help but exclaim in his heart.

\n\n

Xiao Si corrected him seriously yet sweetly, "He's not my baby, he's our baby."

\n\n

"Ours..." As Shi Jin chewed on the word, a smile unconsciously spread across his face. But halfway through, the smile froze and he lifted a hand to touch his upturned lips.

\n\n

He stared blankly for a moment, his expression becoming complicated as he looked at Lian Jun's sleeping face. He closed his eyes and rubbed his face with the blanket.

\n\n

"Jin Jin, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Xiao Si's soaring emotions immediately plummeted as it expressed its concern.

\n\n

Shi Jin shook his head and pulled the blanket down, remaining silent for a while before finally saying, "If I hadn't saved Long Shi yesterday and left him to die in the sea, wouldn't I have become a murderer, who provoked Zhuo Yang's actions?"

\n\n

Xiao Si was stuck for a moment, whimpering before finally responding with a lack of confidence, "But didn't you save Long Shi? Don't think too much about it, you did great. Long Shi being in the hands of Zhuo Yang is definitely more bad than good."

\n\n

"But Long Shi dying in the hands of Zhuo Yang and dying under my instigation are not the same thing." Shi Jin sighed heavily, looking at his own hands as he continued, "Yesterday, I almost didn't think about it and impulsively made Zhuo Yang throw Long Shi into the sea. At that time, I didn't have a hundred percent certainty that I could save Long Shi, but I still did it without hesitation. My instincts told me that if we had just left at that time, we might never have been able to extract the information on the toxin's base again."

\n\n

"Jin Jin..." Xiao Si couldn't help but call out to him, wanting to stop him from continuing.

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't want to brush off the matter. His clear and introspective eyes were lowered as he thought back to his time in police school. His instructor had told him that although he had the ability, he lacked stability and wasn't suited for the job. Shi Jin had confidently argued back, saying that police officers were just ordinary people and not all students could be expected to be stable.

\n\n

But now, as he looked back on his career, he realized that he was still the least like a police officer in his entire district. His colleagues and superiors all thought he had chosen the wrong profession, but he didn't believe that. He thought he had done a pretty good job as a police officer... until now.

\n\n

He had to admit that he had chosen the wrong path and had betrayed his oath. Long Shi was indeed a bad person, but he shouldn't have gambled with his life for a plan that wasn't guaranteed to succeed. Taking a life was the last thing a police officer should do.

\n\n

"Disregarding life is the bottom line, something that cannot be touched. I have made a grave mistake this time," he thought to himself.

\n\n

Xiao Si felt like crying after hearing what Shi Jin said. It consoled, "Jin Jin, it's not your fault..."

\n\n

"How could it not be my fault? I can't even imagine what my mental state would be like if Long Shi didn't make it back. To be honest, I don't regret what I did yesterday, but now I feel like I was crazy at the time...

\n\n

"Xiao Si, I'm not saying all this to dwell on the past and make you worry with me, nor is it to avoid admitting my mistakes... I just suddenly realized that in my heart, Long Jun's life and death has become more important than my principles and bottom line... Xiao Si, is this world really just a book?"

\n\n

Xiao Si remained silent, not giving an answer.

\n\n

Shi Jin let out a bitter laugh as he looked at Lian Jun's sleeping face. He couldn't resist leaning closer to him and even reached out to touch his face. After confirming that there was indeed a warm, living person lying in front of him, he asked in a different way, "Xiao Si, tell me, is Lian Jun really real? Is he just a few lines of ink on a book? No, that's not right. In the original plot, Lian Jun doesn't even exist... Xiao Si, is he real?"

\n\n

"He is real," Xiao Si answered firmly. "Jin Jin, you and Baby will live well together, I promise."

\n\n

"Well, that's enough then," Shi Jin sighed, and touched Lian Jun's face again.

\n\n

Just as he was about to retract his hand, the person who had been sleeping with his eyes closed suddenly opened them.

\n\n

In just a few seconds, Lian Jun's eyes went from hazy to clear. He blinked, and his long eyelashes formed a beautiful curve. His voice was lazy and hoarse as he softly called out, "Shi Jin?"

\n\n

Shi Jin froze. All the melancholic emotions that rarely surfaced in his mind disappeared in an instant.

\n\n

He looked at his hand still resting on Lian Jun's face, then at the distance between them. He remembered his obvious movement towards Lian Jun's side and his mind went blank.

\n\n

There was nothing more embarrassing than being caught taking advantage of someone.

\n\n

"Um, well..." he tried to explain, but found that speaking out loud was different from talking in his head. In reality, his throat was extremely dry and his voice sounded like stones scraping against cement, not only unpleasant but also piercing. He was so scared that he immediately shut his mouth and withdrew the hand he had placed on Lian Jun's face.

\n\n

However, Lian Jun quickly reached out and held onto the hand that was placed on his face, then leaned in naturally and pressed his forehead against the man's forehead.

\n\n

Shi Jin froze, unconsciously holding his breath as he looked at Lian Jun's face, which was now so close. He could smell Lian Jun's scent and the conclusion he had just made came to his mind again.

\n\n

This person's life and death had become more important than his own principles and bottom line.

\n\n

For this person, he did something he would never have done before. Even though he realized this and felt self-reflection and self-blame, he didn't regret it too much.

\n\n

If he had another chance, he would probably still choose to gamble Long Shi's life for a chance at Lian Jun's recovery.

\n\n

"I am a selfish and despicable person..." he thought, but his other hand couldn't help but reach out and embrace the person in front of him, tightly holding onto his waist. His head lowered and he buried himself in the other's chest.

\n\n

Something was definitely wrong. Yesterday, after listening to Long Shi's story, even though his body was in pain and cold, all he could think about was how much he felt for the past Lian Jun and wanted to comfort the present Lian Jun with a hug. But something had changed, and it could never go back.

\n\n

As soon as Lian Jun was hugged, he instinctively hugged back and patted the man's back, asking, "Are you feeling uncomfortable? Uncle Long said that although your fever has subsided, your muscles are all strained to varying degrees. You need to rest well for a while."

\n\n

How gentle he was, not pushing away this opportunistic rogue.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt like he was done for, shook his head, and hugged him even tighter, forcing himself to fall asleep in his arms again.

\n\n

Just treat it as a dream.

\n\n

"Goodnight," he whispered, with a hint of self-deception.

\n\n

Lian Jun paused his hand on his back, lowered his head to look at the head buried in his arms, and gently rubbed his chin against the top of his head, saying in a warm voice, "Goodnight...get well soon."

\n\n

......

\n\n

After waking up from a nap, the cruel reality hit him hard. Shi Jin was lying on the bed, feeling thirsty, hungry, and needing to use the bathroom. His whole body was in pain, and he felt like life was not worth living.

\n\n

"Your darling has a heart of stone, leaving me alone in the room as a patient," he complained with tears in his eyes.

\n\n

Xiao Si defended, "Darling just went out to talk to Uncle Long for less than a minute."

\n\n

Shi Jin hit his pillow with the back of his head, feeling uncomfortable and said, "I need to use the bathroom!"

\n\n

Xiao Si felt like crying, "Then go ahead and use it."

\n\n

"I can't get up! I'm paralyzed!" Shi Jin continued hitting his pillow with the back of his head.

\n\n

Xiao Si suggested, "Why don't you call for Darling and ask for help?"

\n\n

"In that case, how can I face myself!" Shi Jin screamed in his mind, his voice sounding like a chicken with its neck squeezed by someone. "You talk about how beautiful your baby's face, hands, and eyes are! Can you bear to let him help me go to the bathroom? Can you bear it? Can you bear to let his beautiful eyes see my...my private parts?!"

\n\n

Xiao Si felt both a headache and happiness, its emotions were very complicated. It followed Shi Jin's broken voice and shouted back, "I can bear it! You call for darling! He loves you so much, he won't mind helping you!"

\n\n

"I can't bear it!" Shi Jin shouted back, but his spirit quickly faded when he heard the sound of the door closing and the wheelchair sliding. He looked at the ceiling with a calm expression that said, "I don't have to pee at all."

\n\n

Lian Jun rolled his wheelchair to the bedside and looked at Shi Jin without saying a word.

\n\n

Shi Jin's eyes began to roll as he wanted to look at Lian Jun, but he felt a little embarrassed for no reason. Plus, he was desperate to pee, so his face slowly twisted into a very distorted expression.

\n\n

It was especially ugly.

\n\n

Lian Jun admired Shi Jin's current extremely unique and ugly face for a while, then stood up, holding onto the wheelchair handle and approached Shi Jin's bed.

\n\n

He lifted Shi Jin's blanket, bent down, and reached his hand into the gap between Shi Jin's neck and pillow to embrace his shoulders, while placing his other hand under Shi Jin's knees.

\n\n

Shi Jin was startled and quickly reached out to stop him: "No, I don't want to be carried like a princess!"

\n\n

That would be too embarrassing!

\n\n

"You're too heavy, I can't carry you," Lian Jun spoke honestly, lifting Shi Jin's body slightly and helping him sit up. Then he gestured towards the wheelchair, "Let's use that."

\n\n

When Shi Jin saw the expression on Lian Jun's face, he realized that he had been honest - he was in a wheelchair. Suddenly, Shi Jin felt a little disappointed.

\n\n

Lian Jun pushed Shi Jin into the bathroom and lifted him up to face the toilet. Shi Jin was holding his urine so hard that he was weak, but he stubbornly refused to move.

\n\n

Lian Jun gently touched his lower back and coaxed him, "Don't hold it in, just pee. I won't look at you." After speaking, he turned his head to look at the bathroom door, really not looking at Shi Jin.

\n\n

Shi Jin never expected to hear the words "just pee" from Lian Jun's mouth one day. He felt a mix of emotions and knew that he had lost all dignity. He struggled to say, "Can you leave? I can do it myself."

\n\n

"You can't stand on your own," Lian Jun heartlessly refused. As Shi Jin felt his soft body, he sadly realized that what Lian Jun said was true. He raised his hand to his waistband and struggled to resist, but couldn't help but ask, "Can you cover your ears?"

\n\n

"I changed your pajamas, including your underwear," Lian Jun heartlessly exposed a fact that Shi Jin had been suspecting.

\n\n

Oh my god.

\n\n

Shi Jin couldn't hold it in any longer. He gritted his teeth, undid his waistband, and pulled down!

\n\n

Splash...splash...splash...

\n\n

Time seemed to slow down. When it was all over and Lian Jun pushed Shi Jin out of the bathroom after washing his hands, Shi Jin was dazed. All he could think about was ending it all.

\n\n

"Uncle Long will come to give you a check-up soon. You have to wait until it's done before you can eat. Just hold on a little longer," Lian Jun helped Shi Jin lie back on the bed, not in the wheelchair, but sitting on the edge of the bed.

\n\n

He reached out and smoothed Shi Jin's hair, "The ship will dock tonight. Your condition is too strange. It's best to go to a big hospital for a detailed check-up. The landing point is still in Country M. If you want, I can accompany you to your hometown when you're feeling better."

\n\n

Shi Jin felt so comfortable with Lian Jun's gentle touch on his hair. He turned his head to look at him and saw his warm and gentle eyes. His heart itched and he couldn't help but ask, "Why are you so good to me?"

\n\n

Lian Jun met his gaze and replied, "Because you treat me better than I treat you."

\n\n

He then withdrew his hand that was smoothing Shi Jin's hair. Shi Jin felt like he had received a "good person card," his heart sour and tired. Weakly, he said, "Young Master Jun, where's my tablet? I want to play mahjong..."

\n\n

At this moment, only mahjong could soothe his soul, which had been struck by reality.

\n\n

Xiao Si moaned in pain, feeling suddenly hopeless. Some people may seem smarter, but in reality, they're not at all!

\n\n

Lian Jun looked at his pale and pitiful face, his lips pulling down. He remained silent for a moment before saying, "You can play, but not for too long. You need to rest."

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly nodded, his thoughts already consumed by mahjong. He couldn't care about anything else.

\n\n

......

\n\n

Mahjong was especially fun, and Shi Jin became addicted to it. He briefly forgot about the pain in his body and the instability in his mind, and successfully endured until the ship docked.

\n\n

He was pushed off the ship while lying on a mobile bed, and was immediately taken to the ambulance upon disembarking. After a detailed examination at the hospital, when all the fuss was over and he was safely settled into the ward, it was already midnight.

\n\n

Lian Jun had been staying by his side the whole time, enduring without sleep. After settling in, Lian Jun went to the bathroom near the ward to freshen up before coming directly to the bedside of the accompanying bed not far from the patient's bed, where he lay down and propped himself up against the bed rail.

\n\n

Shi Jin was already almost asleep, but upon seeing this, he suddenly woke up and frowned, saying, "Young Master Jun, go rest at the hotel. I'm fine, there's no need for someone to watch over me."

\n\n

"Go to sleep," Lian Jun didn't respond, turning to face him and speaking in a voice that sounded particularly gentle in the night's reflection, "If you need anything, call me. Goodnight."

\n\n

With that, he closed his eyes.

\n\n

Upon seeing the situation, Shi Jin closed his mouth and looked at Lian Jun's face, which had become a little pale after all the commotion. He couldn't help but sigh deeply in his heart and resignedly said, "Xiao Si, your Baby is really good."

\n\n

Xiao Si replied with a stiff tone, "Oh."

\n\n

Lost in his own thoughts, Shi Jin didn't notice anything wrong with Xiao Si's response. He felt a bit embarrassed, uneasy, and even a little self-doubtful and uncertain as he continued, "I seem to have some feelings for your Baby..."

\n\n

Xiao Si, who never seemed to learn its lesson, couldn't help but interject with anticipation, "Feelings for what?"

\n\n

As Shi Jin struggled with his thoughts, Xiao Si's eagerness only added to the complexity of the situation. "Ah, it's just, it's just..."

\n\n

Shi Jin had different thoughts about someone for the first time. His emotions were all over the place. One moment he thought, "So what if I have some improper thoughts about someone? As a grown man, I should just say it out loud. What's there to be afraid of?" But the next moment, he became timid and worried that saying it out loud would ruin something. In the end, he kept saying "it's just" for a while, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

\n\n

Xiao Si: "..."

\n\n

Ahhhhhhhh! Xiao Si thought to itself.

\n\n

......

\n\n

After the check-up, the doctor gave the same conclusion as Uncle Long - Shi Jin's muscles throughout his body had varying degrees of strain, likely caused by over-exercising and improper movements. He needed to rest well for a while.

\n\n

Lian Jun frowned as he listened, and after seeing the doctor off, he came to Shi Jin's bedside. As soon as Shi Jin saw him coming, his nerves tightened, afraid that he would ask about the muscle strain. He had made up his mind that if Lian Jun really asked, he would adopt an attitude of not knowing anything, hoping to get away with it.

\n\n

"It should be due to improper swimming posture and sudden high-intensity exercise," Lian Jun suddenly spoke up, providing Shi Jin with a good excuse. He approached and pinched Shi Jin's arm outside the blanket, asking, "Does it hurt?"

\n\n

Of course, it hurt, especially his waist and legs, which were twisted the most severely by the buff, making him want to cry.

\n\n

But facing Lian Jun's concerned gaze, Shi Jin suddenly felt that it didn't hurt anymore. Instead, his whole body felt sore and itchy, and he wanted to snuggle into the other's arms.

\n\n

Lost in thought, he reflexively held onto the hand that Lian Jun had on his arm. It wasn't until after he had done so that he realized he had entertained the thought of being a "pervert", causing his body to stiffen up again.

\n\n

"The doctor said to wrap your arm for two days and see how it goes. You'll also need to use hot compresses and massage therapy, which might be a bit uncomfortable," Lian Jun allowed him to hold onto his hand while using his other hand to adjust the blanket. He then asked, "Do you still want to play mahjong? I brought the tablet over and it's fully charged."

\n\n

Feeling comforted by Lian Jun's gentle treatment, Shi Jin's mind became active again. He glanced at their hands holding onto each other and leaned slightly towards Lian Jun, asking, "Um, Young Master Jun, do you have someone you like?"

\n\n

Lian Jun paused in his action of pulling up the blanket, meeting Shi Jin's gaze for a long moment before nodding gently. Shi Jin's lively heart was thrown into an ice cellar at the mention of it.

\n\n

He looked at him in disbelief and stuttered, "Y-you do? You mean there is someone? Who is it? Is it Long Shi?!" His voice changed pitch towards the end.

\n\n

"Nonsense," Lian Jun frowned, pulling his hand away from Shi Jin's grip and tapping his forehead. "Think again."

\n\n

Think my ass!

\n\n

Shi Jin felt bitter in his heart and reluctantly forced himself to think. He asked with difficulty, "Is it Number Two? He looks good, has a good personality, and is even humorous..."

\n\n

As he spoke, he felt that Lian Jun must like Number Two, and he suddenly felt deflated.

\n\n

Number Two was so outstanding that he probably had no hope. As Lian Jun watched the changes in his expression, the slight discomfort that arose from his wild guesses and praises faded away.

\n\n

"Shi Jin, you really are stupid," he said.

\n\n

"Yes, yes, I'm naturally not as good as the excellent Number Two..." Shi Jin thought to himself in self-abandonment.

\n\n

Lian Jun finally couldn't bear to see his foolish and pitiful appearance any longer. He stood up, bent down, held his face, turned his head, and kissed his lips directly, even biting him in frustration.

\n\n

"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah! Baby, I love you!" Xiao Si exclaimed.

\n\n

Shi Jin's eyes widened suddenly, and he reflexively grabbed Lian Jun's clothes.

\n\n

After Lian Jun finished kissing him, he stepped back and gently pinched his stiff face, coldly saying, "Shi Jin, if you still want to fool around, we'll go back to our country tomorrow."

\n\n

Shi Jin was in a daze, his gaze fixated on Lian Jun's lips as he asked, "What are you going back to our country for?"

\n\n

"To register at the Civil Affairs Bureau," Lian Jun replied, rubbing his lips and sitting back down on the bed, slowly peeling an apple.

\n\n

Shi Jin's powerful brain circuits once again led him astray from the topic at hand. He covered his kissed lips and furrowed his brow, asking, "Same-sex registration is allowed now?"

\n\n

Xiao Si: "..."

\n\n

Happiness is always so fleeting, and some people's brain waves never stay on track.

\n\n

Lian Jun paused his apple-peeling motion, looked up at Shi Jin's bewildered and foolish expression, and replied, "It's been allowed for a long time in our country."

\n\n

Same-sex registration has been allowed all this time?

\n\n

As Shi Jin spoke, a pink bubble of excitement rose in his heart, but his rational mind quickly brought him back to reality. "But it's not possible. I haven't even turned 19 yet. Even if you take me back to register, I'm not of legal age to get married. We can't register."

\n\n

Slice.

\n\n

Lian Jun's knife pierced through the apple, and he took his time to precisely cut out a small piece of fruit before stuffing it into Shi Jin's mouth. He spoke expressionlessly, "Shut up and eat. Rest when you're done."

\n\n

"But..." Shi Jin tried to speak with the apple still in his mouth.

\n\n

Lian Jun reached out and covered his mouth, kissing him again.

\n\n

And so, the world fell silent, and the pink bubbles in the air were finally free to dance.

\n","published_time":"2024-04-11T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-14T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-11T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":555,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":55,"chapter_title":"The Protagonist's Halo","content":"

In the following days, Shi Jin became the most cooperative patient in the world. Whatever Lian Jun asked him to do, he did without complaint. He drank water when asked, went to the bathroom when asked, washed his hands when asked, and ate his meals obediently.

\n\n

After finishing their meal, Lian Jun played a few rounds of mahjong with Shi Jin. He figured that Shi Jin had probably digested his food by now and was ready for a nap. However, just as he was about to suggest it, there was a knock on the door.

\n\n

Shi Jin immediately looked over, forgetting all about the mahjong game. Lian Jun gave him a quick glance before getting up to help him adjust his blanket and said, "Please come in."

\n\n

Number Five entered the room with a light push of the door. When he saw Shi Jin's wide-open eyes, he was momentarily stunned before smiling at him and then turning to Lian Jun. He gestured towards his phone, which was displaying a call from the boss of Phantom, and said, "Phantom's boss wants to talk to you about something."

\n\n

Lian Jun nodded in understanding and turned to Shi Jin, saying, "I need to take this call. I'll be back soon."

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly reassured him, "Don't worry about me, go ahead and take the call."

\n\n

As Lian Jun looked back at him, he couldn't help but notice Shi Jin's dazed expression from the two kisses they shared earlier that morning. With a twinkle in his eye, Lian Jun kissed the back of Shi Jin's hand before placing it gently on the bed and wheeling himself towards Number Five.

\n\n

Shi Jin shivered. He immediately covered his right hand with his left and stared at Number Five with a look that said, "Brother, let me explain."

\n\n

Lian Jun had left the room, leaving Number Five behind to keep an eye on Shi Jin.

\n\n

Shi Jin tried to explain the situation: "Um, just now, Young Master Jun and I...we..."

\n\n

"Got together?" Number Five finished his sentence with a warm smile, looking both happy and sincere. "Congratulations! We've been waiting for this moment for a long time. You made us wait, but it was worth it."

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback. "Huh?"

\n\n

"We all knew you had feelings for Young Master Jun, except for you. He's a good person and takes relationships seriously. He'll treat you well...From now on, we'll leave Young Master Jun in your hands, Shi Jin. Thank you." Number Five couldn't help but sigh with satisfaction, looking at Shi Jin with the same affectionate gaze as a proud mother-in-law.

\n\n

Shi Jin felt a shiver run down his spine as he desperately wanted to ask what the phrase "we all knew you had feelings for Young Master Jun" meant. However, seeing the nostalgic expression on Number Five's face, he couldn't bring himself to ask. After a moment of contemplation, he forced a smile and tentatively replied, "You're, you're welcome?"

\n\n

Number Five chuckled at his response, a hearty laugh that filled the room. "No wonder Young Master Jun fell for you, Shi Jin. You're quite interesting," he said.

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback by the compliment, unsure if it was genuine or not. "Uh, thanks. But why does it sound like you're not really praising me?" he asked.

\n\n

Just as the two finished their conversation, Lian Jun returned with his phone in hand. He noticed that Shi Jin looked even more foolish than before and glanced at Number Five before handing him the phone.

\n\n

"Arrange for a car, I need to go out. Have Number Two come and keep Shi Jin company," he instructed. Number Five took the phone and answered with a smile towards Shi Jin before quietly leaving the hospital room.

\n\n

"You're going out?" Shi Jin's attention was immediately drawn back, and he frowned in inquiry.

\n\n

Lian Jun slid his wheelchair closer and replied, "I have something to discuss with Old Ghost. I'll definitely be back before dinner, it won't take too long."

\n\n

However, Shi Jin was still worried. He glanced at the progress bar in Lian Jun's brain, which had already retreated to 500, and felt slightly relieved.

\n\n

He couldn't help but nag, "Where are you meeting to talk? Don't go to any secluded places with no one around, it's too dangerous. Remember to bring a few people with you, and don't eat or drink anything outside. Who knows if there's anything strange mixed in there."

\n\n

As Lian Jun listened quietly to him ramble on, he suddenly leaned in towards him and called out, "Shi Jin."

\n\n

"Hmm?" Shi Jin's voice trailed off as he looked at Lian Jun's face, which was now just inches away from his own. His gaze drifted and settled on Lian Jun's lips, and he swallowed unconsciously.

\n\n

Is it happening again? This time, he'll do his best!

\n\n

"Thank you." But instead of kissing him, Lian Jun wrapped his arm around Shi Jin's shoulder and pulled him close for a hug.

\n\n

Shi Jin's heart tightened and then relaxed as he felt the weight of Lian Jun's body against his chest. He quickly hugged him back, feeling his heart soften as he looked at Lian Jun, who had tilted his head and lowered his eyelids.

\n\n

Gathering his courage, Shi Jin leaned down and planted a kiss on Lian Jun's forehead, saying, "Come back soon, I'll be waiting for you to have dinner together."

\n\n

Lian Jun was taken aback, he stood up and looked at him, raised his hand to touch his forehead, then suddenly curved his eyes and smiled. He took his hand and kissed it, then helped him tuck in the blanket and said, "Be good, I should be back when you wake up from your nap."

\n\n

What a smile it was, like a pearl that had been covered in dust suddenly being washed clean by clear water. With just a gentle roll, it emitted a gentle halo of warmth in the sunlight that made people unable to resist wanting to be forever immersed in it.

\n\n

Shi Jin was stunned, his heart beating faster and faster. Suddenly, he felt a bit jealous of Long Shi who was lying there. The Lian Jun that Long Shi had known back then, was probably this gentle and smiling Lian Jun.

\n\n

Too blissful, and too fortunate.

\n\n

Out of nowhere, he mustered up the strength to sit up from the bed and embraced Lian Jun, tilting his head to affectionately rub his face and earnestly promising, "Lian Jun, I will treat you well."

\n\n

Although he was still a bit confused about their relationship, his unwavering determination to treat Lian Jun well was crystal clear in his heart.

\n\n

This person deserved the best.

\n\n

Lian Jun hugged him back, feeling the strength of his embrace and closing his eyes in contentment, his voice soft and low, "I know, you've always been good to me."

\n\n

......

\n\n

When Number Two arrived at the hospital room, he saw Shi Jin lying paralyzed on the bed, hands folded over his chest, staring blankly at the ceiling.

\n\n

He furrowed his brow and looked up at the ceiling, which was adorned with a row of unartistic and unappealing drop ceilings. There wasn't even a pretty light to be found.

\n\n

He leaned in and poked his head, asking, "What's wrong with you, are you stupid?"

\n\n

Shi Jin turned his head to look at him, his expression serious as if he were announcing something very important. He said, "I can't sleep."

\n\n

Number Two rolled his eyes impatiently, sat down on the chair next to the hospital bed, and picked up a banana from the cabinet. He started peeling it and said, "All you do is eat and sleep all day long. It's strange that you can even fall asleep. Don't sleep, let's chat."

\n\n

"Eating a patient's banana, doesn't your conscience hurt?" Shi Jin let go of his hand and grabbed a banana to peel himself. He asked, "What's our situation now? Tell me."

\n\n

Number Two saw him struggling to peel a banana while lying down, so he decided to adjust his bed up and make him more comfortable. As he ate, Number Two explained, "It's no surprise. Zhuo Yang ran away, and the authorities are going after Nine Eagles. We're going to be busy again."

\n\n

Shi Jin frowned as he listened, but he handed Number Two another banana as a bribe to keep talking.

\n\n

So, the storyteller Number Two leaned back in his chair and began to tell the story.

\n\n

During the naval battle that night, Nine Eagles's ship was nearly destroyed by the tactics of the Phantom, who kept switching ships. Zhuo Yang realized the situation was dire and abandoned his subordinates to escape to another ship.

\n\n

His whereabouts are currently unknown.

\n\n

The next step for everyone is likely to be a trip to the southeast region, because the authorities want to deal with Nine Eagles, but they can't directly take action. They need a legitimate reason to stabilize the situation.

\n\n

Now the official stance is that this reason needs to be found by Annihilation. The authorities will only send people to help in secret. Therefore, after preliminary discussions, Lian Jun decided to go to the southeast region to dig up evidence of Nine Eagles's collusion with foreign forces and use this as an excuse to deal with Nine Eagles.

\n\n

This time, Old Ghost and Fei Yujing will also follow, because they want to help rescue their people. In addition, everyone is also prepared to go to the place where Long Shi has been hiding for these years, to see if they can find more clues about the toxin's base.

\n\n

When Shi Jin heard this, he quickly asked, "Where is Long Shi? What is the situation now?"

\n\n

"Long Shi is also in this hospital, under the personal care of Number One. His condition has stabilized and he even woke up yesterday, asking for food and drink. He's in great spirits," Number Two replied, his tone mocking.

\n\n

Upon seeing his expression, Shi Jin knew that Long Shi was in trouble. He asked, "If Long Shi woke up, how is Uncle Long doing?"

\n\n

Number Two's mocking expression faded and he sighed, saying, "Uncle Long seems to have adjusted his mood and has told everyone that he won't be involved in anything related to Long Shi anymore. He's now focusing on studying the syringe and information on the toxin's origin you got from Long Shi. With something to do, he should feel better."

\n\n

As Shi Jin listened, he felt a twinge of sadness. After a moment of silence, he continued to ask, "Is the part of the toxin's origin that I extracted useful?"

\n\n

The day after he first woke up in Lian Jun's bed, he immediately told him about the toxin's base, afraid that he would forget the difficult medical terms if he waited too long. As Number Two heard his question, his eyebrows and eyes unconsciously relaxed, even tinged with a hint of excitement.

\n\n

He couldn't help but lean forward and pat his shoulder with force, saying, "It's useful, very useful. Although the toxin's base you found out is only a portion, combined with several components we already know, it should only be a matter of time before we piece together the original toxin. According to Uncle Long's estimation, even if we don't get any new clues about the maternal source in the future, we only need to use the stupid method of permutation and combination, and it will take no more than a year to research the results."

\n\n

No more than a year.

\n\n

Shi Jin was overjoyed, then he leaned back on the pillow with a twisted expression.

\n\n

Number Two was stunned and asked in confusion, "What's wrong with you?"

\n\n

Shi Jin held his shoulder that was patted and shook his hand while gesturing a middle finger at him, unable to speak due to the pain.

\n\n

"Oh no! I forgot that you're fragile like a porcelain doll and can't be touched," exclaimed Number Two as his expression changed. He quickly rang for the doctor to come.

\n\n

......

\n\n

When Lian Jun returned, he noticed that Shi Jin had another bandage on his shoulder. He turned his head expressionlessly to look at Number Two.

\n\n

Number Two quickly apologized and retreated, his face full of embarrassment and guilt.

\n\n

"He just lightly tapped me, it wasn't intentional. Don't be fooled by how the doctor wrapped me up, it's not that serious," explained Shi Jin, trying to ease the tension.

\n\n

Lian Jun withdrew his gaze and approached Shi Jin, opening his collar to examine his shoulder. "Does it hurt?"

\n\n

"No, it doesn't hurt. How did your talk with Old Ghost go? When are we leaving for the southeast?" Shi Jin quickly changed the subject.

\n\n

Lian Jun helped him straighten his collar and said, "The conversation went smoothly. The departure date is still being discussed. Currently, the plan is to have everyone go in two groups. Number Two and Number Three will be in the first group. They will go ahead and prepare, get a feel for the situation. We will go with Number One and bring Long Shi along with us."

\n\n

Shi Jin was surprised, "Long Shi is going too?"

\n\n

"Yes, he has been hiding in the southeast region for many years and understands the situation there very well. He can lead us there and, if necessary, he can be a good bait." Lian Jun answered.

\n\n

Seeing Shi Jin's furrowed brow, he explained, "I only saw Long Shi as a subordinate back then. I never had any other thoughts about him."

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback for a moment before realizing that he was explaining himself. A strange mix of emotions washed over her - curiosity, joy, satisfaction, and a slight itchiness.

\n\n

"I never doubted anything. Long Shi is the kind of person who always has bad intentions. How could you possibly be interested in him?" Shi Jin replied, feeling pleased inside but maintaining a calm exterior.

\n\n

Lian Jun glanced at him but didn't say anything, instead pulling out a tablet and handing it to him.

\n\n

Shi Jin quickly waved his hands and said, "I don't want to play anymore. It's almost dinner time. Let's just talk."

\n\n

Lian Jun helped him turn on the tablet and said, "It's not for fun, it's for information. We had some transmission problems at sea, so Shi Xingrui's data couldn't be fully delivered. Now that we're back on land and the transmission is back to normal, we can receive the data. Take a look."

\n\n

Shi Jin suddenly remembered the data and took the tablet, but hesitated before opening it. Instead, he put it aside and said, "Let's eat dinner first. I'll look at it after."

\n\n

Lian Jun knew he wanted to spend more time talking with him, so he couldn't help but lean over and kiss the corner of his lips.

\n\n

......

\n\n

After dinner, Lian Jun left the ward to discuss the arrangements for the first batch of personnel going to the southeast region with Number One and others, leaving Number Five to guard the ward. Number Five sat quietly on the side, using his computer to flip through files and check information without disturbing anyone.

\n\n

At that moment, Shi Jin picked up his tablet.

\n\n

In fact, after the emotional changes with Lian Jun, Shi Jin no longer cared too much about Shi Xingrui and the affairs of the Shi family. If it weren't for the progress bar and his identity as the original owner binding him, he wouldn't want to care about anything related to the Shi family.

\n\n

But reality obviously wouldn't let him be so willful. He glanced at the progress bar in his mind that had already dropped back to 490, thought of Lian Jun, patted his face to perk himself up, and opened the information.

\n\n

There were two sets of documents, one thicker than the other. Shi Jin opened the thinner one first.

\n\n

As he looked through the documents, a hospital record for a miscarriage caught his eye. The patient's name was Xiang Qing, and the reason for the miscarriage was listed as "due to systemic illness in the pregnant woman, which would be detrimental to the development of the fetus."

\n\n

Systemic illness?

\n\n

Shi Jin was taken aback and quickly flipped through the rest of the documents.

\n\n

They were all records of medication and treatment. According to the information, Xiang Qing had contracted a severe case of the flu during her first pregnancy and had to take medication. However, the medication could have caused fetal deformities, so she ultimately chose to have a miscarriage.

\n\n

It seemed like it wasn't intentional after all. Shi Jin furrowed his brow, closed the document, and opened the other one. A very old black and white family photo jumped out. The person collecting the information was very thoughtful and drew a red circle on the photo of a young child in the front row on the right, indicating that this person was a young Shi Xingrui.

\n\n

Shi Jin didn't expect the person checking the information to be so thorough, not even missing the information about Shi Xingrui's childhood. He couldn't help but admire and looked at the appearance of Shi Xingrui and his family when he was a child, but didn't find anything special, so he continued to flip through the information.

\n\n

Shi Xingrui's information was very long, with more than ten pages just for his childhood to middle school period. Most of them were certificates and award-winning essays, showing that Shi Xingrui was always an outstanding child.

\n\n

Shi Xingrui's original family was not wealthy, in fact, they were quite poor. His father had a total of seven siblings, making it a large family. However, his father only had one child, Shi Xingrui. His mother was not in good health and could not do heavy work, so the family's livelihood relied mainly on his father.

\n\n

Perhaps due to the lack of offspring and his mother's poor health, Shi Xingrui's family was not very popular in the old family. They lived in the most remote house, and it seemed that Shi Xingrui was often bullied by his cousins.

\n\n

Shi Xingrui spent his time in his old home before graduating from elementary school. In the year he graduated, he became the only child in the village to be admitted to a high school in the county.

\n\n

This was also the beginning of a change in fate for him and his parents. In those days, it was very expensive to attend junior high school, and Shi Xingrui's father couldn't afford it. He wanted to borrow money from his siblings, but they all refused.

\n\n

Finally, Shi Xingrui's father, with an unknown determination, sold his newly built house and all his land, and took his family to the county with all their belongings.

\n\n

In the county, Shi Xingrui's father, who had no education or skills, struggled for a while. Fortunately, Shi Xingrui was determined and won a scholarship to attend high school, helping his father through those difficult times.

\n\n

During that era in China, opportunities were abundant everywhere. By chance, his father met a small business owner and began working with him, gradually becoming more financially stable. Meanwhile, Shi Xingrui smoothly integrated into the local middle school, continuing his glorious status as the "child of someone else's family*".

\n\n

*T/N: The child of someone else's family is always better, and used as a comparion to one's own child.

\n\n

Middle school passed by smoothly, and his father saved up enough money to buy a house in the provincial capital. He planned to move his business there and focus on accompanying him in his studies once he passed the entrance exam.

\n\n

Unfortunately, fate had other plans. The day after he received his middle school exam results, his mother passed away inexplicably while visiting his grandparents in their old family home.

\n\n

It was said that she suddenly fell ill and couldn't be saved. No one knows for sure what happened back then. All they have are records that show after his mother's death, Shi Xingrui's father never returned to their hometown or sent any money back. He closed all his businesses and settled down in the provincial capital, running a small shop and focusing on raising his son.

\n\n

Shi Xingrui also never went back to his hometown. Even after becoming successful, he refused the requests for help from his hometown and instead chose to support his mother's family. He seemed to be deliberately trying to upset someone.

\n\n

He smoothly finished high school, maintaining his reputation as a top student. He scored high on the entrance exam and was accepted into one of the best universities in B city, studying finance. It was also the year his father passed away, leaving Shi Xingrui alone in this world.

\n\n

After his father passed away, Shi Xingrui sold his family's house and shop in the provincial capital and used all his belongings to start a life of studying and entrepreneurship. This marked the beginning of his glorious and legendary life.

\n\n

In just two years, he invested in various businesses and completed his first wave of capital accumulation. Then, during his second year of college, he founded Ruihang. While balancing his studies and career, by the time he graduated from university, Ruihang had already become a well-known and innovative enterprise in B City.

\n\n

Once he was free from academic distractions and able to focus solely on managing the company, Ruihang began to develop at an astonishing speed. In less than five years, it had firmly established itself in B City and carved out a place of its own.

\n\n

As time flew by, when Shi Xingrui was 27 years old, he met Xu Jie, the mother of Shi Weichong, and hired her as his assistant. As Shi Jin read this part, he paused for a moment and went back to review Shi Xingrui's life trajectory. The more he read, the more he felt a strong sense of unease.

\n\n

Although the world has never lacked geniuses or lucky individuals who succeed in whatever they do, he had never seen someone like Shi Xingrui who had been outstanding since childhood and never made a wrong move, even when his parents had an accident. His grades remained stable.

\n\n

Moreover, was Shi Xingrui's investment vision too accurate? He never lost money in business and always made a profit. All the competing companies that tried to stop his development eventually failed, and he managed to avoid all the crises that could have harmed his business. He even seemed to have foreseen some of the sudden changes in official policies that affected certain businesses.

\n\n

It was too incredible. This must be what they call the halo effect of the protagonist. Is there really such a person in this world who is both outstanding and lucky?

\n\n

As Shi Jin furrowed his brows, he couldn't help but wonder if Shi Xingrui was also a man with a golden finger or someone who had been reborn like himself...

\n\n

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he refocused his attention and flipped through the legendary story of Shi Xingrui. He clicked on the section about his interpersonal relationships and began scanning through the numerous pre-arranged photos, scrutinizing every male and female face for any resemblance to himself.

\n\n

After searching high and low, Shi Jin's eyes were strained and tired, yet he still couldn't find anyone who looked like him. Doubts began to creep into his mind.

\n\n

Was there really no one?

\n\n

In this file, even the photos of Shi Xingrui's classmates from elementary school are included, but why isn't there any of her?

\n\n

Could it be that his previous speculation about Shi Xingrui having an unattainable white moonlight* is wrong?

\n\n

*T/N: An unrequited love.

\n\n

Feeling a bit skeptical, he scrolled through the photos again and added a new condition - "chubby" - to his search. But once again, he came up empty-handed.

\n\n

Shi Jin began to question the meaning of life, but as he was pondering, he noticed a straw in his mouth. Without thinking, he took a sip and realized it was his favorite mango juice. He couldn't help but praise, "Mmm, it's sweet."

\n\n

"Is there something you don't understand?" The person who handed him the juice asked kindly.

\n\n

Shi Jin smacked his lips and looked over at Lian Jun, who was so beautiful that he could almost burst with bubbles. He smiled and asked, "When did you come back?"

\n\n

"Just now," Lian Jun replied, his expression relaxing with a smile. He asked again, "Your brow has been furrowed, have you encountered any difficulties?"

\n\n

Shi Jin was delighted to have someone to analyze with, so he quickly moved over and showed him the data. He explained his guesses and troubles, sighing, "I'm starting to doubt if I guessed wrong, but my intuition tells me that the guess about the white moonlight should be right. I'm really conflicted."

\n\n

"Perhaps Shi Xingrui has unrequited love, and he hasn't had any interaction with this white moonlight on the surface," Lian Jun offered his thoughts and comforted him, "Don't doubt yourself easily. When all the clues point to one thing, no matter how impossible it may seem, that thing is likely to be the truth."

\n\n

As he listened to him speak, Shi Jin felt a little more at ease in his heart. He buried his head and continued to sift through the photos and information, tapping his forehead as he pondered. So where exactly did that white moonlight, whom Shi Xingrui couldn't forget, intersect with Shi Xingrui?

\n","published_time":"2024-04-18T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-21T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":562,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":56,"chapter_title":"Couple Skinship","content":"

In the following days, Shi Jin would flip through Shi Xingrui's files whenever he had free time, hoping to find some clues about his white moonlight. However, he was always left empty-handed. On the other hand, Lian Jun's efficiency was astonishing. On the same night after his meeting with Old Ghost, he had already finalized the list of personnel for the first batch to go to the southeast region, and set the departure time for two days later in the morning.

Number Two and Number Three were confirmed to be part of the first batch, and the Old Ghost would be joining them as well. Fei Yujing would temporarily stay behind and wait for the official personnel to arrive for assistance. In other words, the group of people who would be going to the southeast region with Lian Jun included the annoying Long Shi, the troublesome Fei Yujing, and a few unidentified official hangers-on.

When Shi Jin heard the news, he was lying on the bed in agony, letting Uncle Long give him a massage. His face was twisted in pain.

\"So, are Number Two and the others leaving tomorrow...Ugh, Uncle Long, can you be a bit more gentle?\" he asked, unable to resist begging for mercy.

Uncle Long's expression was cold as he patted Shi Jin's tense shoulders and said, \"Relax, don't be so tense. The more you tense up, the more it hurts. If I use less force, the massage won't be effective. And you feel the pain not because I'm too strong, but because your muscles are injured. How can a man be so afraid of pain? Endure it for a while, and it will be better in a few days.\"

Shi Jin took a deep breath and forced himself to relax his body. He turned his head to look at Lian Jun, who was sitting by the bed with a frown, and said, \"Young Master Jun, don't look at me like this. I must look stupid right now.\"

\"Shh, don't talk, you might bite yourself,\" said Lian Jun as he reached out to touch the sweaty forehead of his boyfriend. Despite knowing he shouldn't, he turned to Uncle Long and asked, \"Is massage therapy necessary, Uncle Long?\"

Uncle Long's face fell at the question. \"Young Master Jun, you don't even cooperate with your own treatment, and now you're here to ruin things for Shi Jin? Of course massage therapy is necessary. Otherwise, with all the muscle strains he has, how long do you think it'll take for his body to repair itself? Shi Jin, it's up to you. Do you want to endure long-term pain or short-term discomfort? Do you want to be bedridden forever?\"

\"No, no, no, Uncle Long, please continue the massage. I was just making noise,\" Shi Jin quickly expressed his stance and squeezed Lian Jun's hand to reassure him. \"I'm fine, don't worry. You know me, I just can't keep my mouth shut.\"

With a furrowed brow, Lian Jun didn't say anything more. He picked up a towel and wiped the sweat off of Shi Jin's face before stepping back and gesturing for Uncle Long to continue.

\"That's more like it. The sooner we cooperate, the sooner your body will recover,\" Uncle Long's expression softened as he finished examining Shi Jin's upper body. He then placed his hands on Shi Jin's waistband and pulled down his hospital pants, revealing his underwear.

Shi Jin was shocked and jumped like a frog, twisting his body and staring at Uncle Long in disbelief. Lian Jun's hand on the armrest also moved slightly, and his gaze shifted to the side.

\"Why are you staring? Don't you know you have to take off your clothes for a massage?\" Uncle Long retorted, pulling down his pants at the foot of the bed. He glanced at Lian Jun, who had weakly averted his gaze, and snorted. He deliberately walked back and patted Shi Jin's leg like he was pounding pork, complimenting, \"Young man, you have long legs and a nice butt.\"

Damn, Uncle Long, why are you so skilled, like an old pervert.

Shi Jin couldn't take it anymore and turned his head to Lian Jun, his voice becoming dry. \"Young Master Jun, why don't you go first...\"

\"I'll go get you a clean set of clothes. You'll need a shower after the massage,\" Lian Jun interrupted, sliding his wheelchair to the side of the bed and walking away without looking back.

As soon as Shi Jin heard this, his mood became very complicated. He felt a little disappointed, a little reluctant, and a little self-doubt. He sighed in his heart, \"Xiao Si, your precious baby is really well-mannered and virtuous...\" He didn't even want to take another look.

Xiao Si didn't respond, remaining quiet as if it didn't exist.

Shi Jin was puzzled and called out, \"Xiao Si?\"

But Xiao Si still didn't make a sound, as if the system had died.

As he thought about it, Shi Jin realized that Xiao Si had not spoken a word since he and Lian Jun had confirmed their relationship.

He was shocked and tried to get up, but was forcefully pushed back by Uncle Long and scolded: \"Now you know you can't bear to see someone leave, but why did you chase him away earlier? Young people with such thin skin, what's the point of being in love? Lie down for me! If you don't cooperate again, I'll strip off the last piece of cloth on your body and make you wait for Young Master Jun naked.\"

Xiao Si suddenly spoke up, full of energy and spirit: \"Take it off! Uncle Long, I support you!\"

Shi Jin was shocked by the loud shout that echoed in his mind and collapsed back onto the bed, in pain and exhaustion. He didn't know what to say for a moment.

Xiao Si fell silent again, not speaking anymore.

With Uncle Long around, Shi Jin was careful not to make any obvious movements or expressions. He simply raised his arm to cover his face and said, \"I'm sorry, Xiao Si.\"

Xiao Si still didn't make a sound, but Shi Jin had a feeling that it was listening.

\"I know you love your Baby deeply. Facing me, who took your treasure away, you must hate me and be angry. It's understandable. I'm sorry for what I did.\"

Xiao Si: \"...\"

\"You can curse me or even shock me with electricity. You can cry loudly, and I won't complain about the noise. I'm fearless and willing to endure some hardship just to please the system.\"

Xiao Si: \"...\"

When Shi Jin saw it refused to respond, he closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and said with a heavy heart, \"If you still won't forgive me, then I can only leave you and your baby--\"

\"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah--! I won't allow it!\" Xiao Si screamed, like a madman.

Shi Jin covered his forehead, feeling both pained and amused. Hearing this spirited scream, it seemed that Xiao Si was still healthy and nothing had happened to him.

He felt relieved, but Xiao Si was going crazy. After screaming, it started crying, saying things like \"You're actually going to abandon our baby,\" \"How did you become like this, Shi Jin,\" and \"I won't allow it, Daddy won't allow it.\"

Its voice was full of tears, and its words were all over the place, making anyone who heard it heartbroken and tearful. As Shi Jin listened, he felt like he was going crazy. He was in pain and said, \"Stop crying, my ears hurt. I was wrong. I just wanted to scare you. I was afraid you would suffocate yourself. I never intended to abandon our baby.\"

Xiao Si cried uncontrollably, then asked between sobs, \"Really?\"

\"Really. If I'm lying, I'll become a eunuch right now!\" Shi Jin made a solemn vow.

\"I don't want you to become a eunuch!\" Xiao Si screamed again, finally managing to stop crying. It sniffled for a while before whispering, \"If you fulfill one wish for me, I'll forgive you.\"

Shi Jin quickly followed its lead and asked, \"What wish? Tell me.\"

Xiao Si answered quickly, \"I want to see you and Darling have a baby monkey.\"

Shi Jin rubbed his ear and asked, \"What?\"

\"I want to see you and Darling have a baby monkey!\" Xiao Si answered passionately. Shi Jin fell silent, feeling that these words were all too familiar. He carefully recalled and gradually realized that he seemed to have misunderstood the system in his mind a little bit.

His expression instantly became calm and emotionless as he said, \"Then continue crying.\"

It turned out that this system had impure intentions from the beginning. It's amazing that he even felt a little sorry for it. It was all fake!

Xiao Si choked up and started crying again.

Shi Jin remained heartless and ignored it, gritting his teeth in his mind - what a impure-minded system. Cry, cry until you're useless!

Upon hearing his thoughts, Xiao Si's crying intensified, unable to control its sadness.

After this double torture of physical (massage) and mental (Xiao Si's crying attack), Shi Jin was left lying on the bed in just his underwear, barely conscious and feeling hopeless. After finishing his task, Uncle Long left without even bothering to give Shi Jin a blanket, behaving like a heartless scumbag who only cares about himself.

When Lian Jun entered the room with a clean hospital gown, he was greeted by the sight of Shi Jin lying on the bed, shamelessly exposing his body.

Pausing for a moment, Lian Jun quickly scanned Shi Jin's body with his eyes before lowering his gaze and approaching him. He covered Shi Jin with the blanket first, then asked in a gentle voice, \"Do you want to take a bath?\"

Shi Jin turned his head to look at him. Compared to the demonic Uncle Long and the crying goddess Xiao Si, he felt that Lian Jun was like a beacon of light, radiating warmth and strength. He bravely sat up and threw himself into Lian Jun's arms, resting his head on his shoulder.

In this cold and heartless world, only this embrace could bring him a little bit of warmth. The blanket slipped off, revealing Xiao Si's bare body glistening in the light. Lian Jun quickly reached out and wrapped his arms around him, rubbing his back gently.

\"What's wrong? Does it still hurt? Taking a bath might make you feel better,\" he said, turning his head to look at him.

\"...Gah,\" Xiao Si exclaimed.

Shi Jin: \"...\"

If this had happened earlier, Shi Jin might have foolishly thought that Xiao Si was simply trying to imitate a duck's quack. However, after seeing through some of Xiao Si's hidden thoughts, Shi Jin immediately realized that the reason for its vocalization was due to some kind of 'stimulation'.

He looked down at his naked body, then at the close proximity between himself and Lian Jun, and despairingly realized one thing - the one who would definitely disturb his love life was not the official \"third wheel\" Fei Yujing, who brought trouble with his attributes, but rather Xiao Si, the 24-hour online system.

Just imagine, if he wanted to get intimate with Lian Jun in the future, would its start quacking in their minds just as they hugged each other tightly?

Xiao Si angrily spoke up, \"Jin Jin, you have to trust my integrity as a system!\"

Shi Jin remained expressionless, \"Is it necessary for your integrity to understand everything I'm thinking in my heart?\"

Xiao Si was speechless and gritted its teeth in pain as he said, \"I-if you really mind my existence, then let me teach you a method to temporarily block me. It's simple, just use your mind to activate the progress bar that belongs to you and your treasure, and put it in a semi-active state. I will be blocked from all perception. But be careful, this method should be used sparingly because once the progress bar enters a semi-active state, it will no longer update in real-time. You have to activate it again to restore it to normal.\"

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin was surprised. He didn't expect to learn this just by teasing Xiao Si. He couldn't resist trying it out.

He activated the progress bar, and its color turned half-gray. Then, the whole world became quiet.

Could it really work? Shi Jin quickly pulled the progress bar back and was about to express his amazement to Xiao Si and give feedback on his first use when he heard Xiao Si's weak and pitiful crying: \"Jin Jin, boo hoo, do you really not want me anymore, boo hoo...\"

Shi Jin's heart softened a bit and he resigned himself to comforting the child. The two of them communicated happily in their minds, briefly forgetting about Lian Jun waiting outside to take Shi Jin to take a bath.

When Lian Jun waited for a long time without getting a response, he retreated slightly and looked at Shi Jin's expression, only to find that Shi Jin was happily playing with his own face.

Lian Jun: \"...\"

When Shi Jin noticed his gaze, he quickly sat up and regained his focus. He remembered the little creature he had just soothed and, with a sudden impulse, blurted out, \"Young Master Jun, actually I've raised a son for us. Well, maybe it's a daughter, but it's really cute. If we have a chance, I'll introduce you to it.\"

The little creature let out a surprised quack with a hint of tears, and shyly replied, \"I-it's not that cute. If you say that, I'll feel embarrassed. Actually, I'm gender-neutral, not a boy or a girl... If possible, I'd rather be your dad...\"

Shi Jin quickly changed the subject and smiled at Lian Jun, saying, \"I was just kidding. Let's go take a bath, shall we?\"

Xiao Si: \"...\"

Lian Jun: \"...\"

After sending the seemingly already massaged and tormented Shi Jin to the bathroom, Lian Jun slid his wheelchair back to Shi Jin's bedside and called for a nurse to change his sheets and blankets.

Once the nurse left, he remembered Shi Jin's previous words about his son or daughter, and his gaze couldn't help but wander over Shi Jin's various personal belongings.

Things that could be raised like a son or daughter... He scanned various small objects, and finally his gaze fell on the tablet.

During Shi Jin's recovery period, there were very limited things he could do every day, such as sleeping, eating, playing mahjong, and browsing Shi Xingrui's information. Lian Jun thought for a moment, reached out and picked up the tablet, quickly scanned the contents, and moved his fingers to open the mahjong app.

As soon as the software opened, the character page appeared. Lian Jun noticed that it was different from the basic set he had seen before. The character now had a cute doll skin and a small pet curled up at its feet, which must have just been purchased.

He felt a flutter in his heart and logged out of this account, then logged into the account that Shi Jin had helped him apply for. His own account had also changed, with the character wearing a new skin, also in the form of a doll, but with a slightly different style from Shi Jin's, and a small pet curled up at its feet.

This was clearly a set of couple skins. Lian Jun's heart was in turmoil. He switched back and forth between the two accounts several times, and then had someone send over a tablet so he could log in to both accounts and compare the two character interfaces side by side.

They had matching couple skins and two pets, possibly a son or a daughter...Lian Jun raised his hand to cover the lower half of his face, staring straight at the two pages until he heard the water in the bathroom stop. Then he quickly closed the pages and carefully put Shi Jin's tablet back where it belonged.

Since Shi Jin said he would \"have the chance\" to introduce him to his \"son\" or \"daughter,\" Lian Jun decided to respect his wishes and pretend he just found out when the time came for Shi Jin to bring it up.

He felt quite pleased with himself.

When Shi Jin came out, he noticed that Lian Jun was looking at him with a strange, deep, and gentle gaze, tinged with a hint of excitement. This made his heart race, but he pretended to be calm and asked, \"What's the matter?\"

Lian Jun shook his head and took his hand, saying, \"I just feel like I owe you... I can't give you many of the things that ordinary people can give their lovers, I'm sorry.\"

Shi Jin was touched by the term \"lover\" and immediately held his hand back, saying, \"There's no debt at all. You give me food, clothes, work, pay, and even take care of me when I'm sick. What do you mean by owing me? When you say ordinary people can give their lovers things like going on dates and watching movies, do you mean that? I don't care about those things. We're together every day, and if you want, every meal can be a date. And you've given me everything I want, like the information I asked you to help me find. If it were someone else, who could have found those things for me?\"

\"What warped logic.\" That's what Lian Jun said, but his smile deepened, making his complexion look healthier.

Seeing this, Shi Jin couldn't help but laugh. He was still pondering over the word \"lover\" that Lian Jun had used to describe him. He couldn't believe that he was Lian Jun's lover.

......

Late at night, when the world was quiet, Shi Jin woke up from his nap, unable to fall back asleep. He sat up in bed and looked over at Lian Jun, who was sleeping on the accompanying bed. He began to contemplate life and chat idly to himself.

\"Come to think of it... why did Lian Jun suddenly kiss me that day? Did he already like me? When did he start liking me?\"

Xiao Si always caught Shi Jin off guard with its quick wit. \"Shi Jin, you've kissed and hugged your sweetheart, whispered sweet nothings, and even bought matching skins for your game characters. Now you're only just thinking about this? Don't you think it's a bit late?\"

Shi Jin felt embarrassed by Xiao Si's words, but he still tried to save face. \"I was just too shocked at first. And besides, how could someone as great as Lian Jun be interested in me?\"

\"But Shi Jin, you're great too,\" Xiao Si wouldn't allow any uncertainty in Shi Jin's feelings.

Although it was a bit shameless to say, Shi Jin felt that Xiao Si was right to praise him. He gingerly got off the hospital bed and approached the bedside of the companion bed. He crouched down and leaned over to look at Lian Jun's sleeping face, feeling like he was dreaming: \"He actually likes me, it's really unbelievable.\"

Xiao Si continued to encourage him: \"I think my dear has liked you for a long time. He has always treated you differently from others. Haven't you noticed?\"

Shi Jin then thought back along these words and realized, belatedly, that Lian Jun was indeed different towards him. Although it was more subtle, Lian Jun was obviously more indulgent and tolerant towards him than towards others.

Suddenly, his heart was filled with a soft and sweet feeling, like being infused with syrup that was so sweet it almost bubbled over. Unable to resist, he stood up and lifted a corner of the blanket on Lian Jun's body.

He squeezed his not-so-small body onto the narrow single companion bed and hugged Lian Jun in his arms.

Xiao Si: \"......\"

\"This way, I can finally fall asleep.\" He scooted over to make more room for Lian Jun on the bed, closing his eyes with satisfaction.

Lian Jun, who was being held by him, still had his eyes closed, as if he hadn't been disturbed by his big movements at all.

But Shi Jin couldn't help but open his eyes again, looked at him for a while, leaned down and gave him a secret kiss on the corner of his mouth, whispered, \"Goodnight,\" and then closed his eyes again.

For a long time, until the person next to him breathed evenly and the arm around him completely relaxed, Lian Jun slowly opened his eyes, reached out to hug Shi Jin, pulled him back against the edge of the bed, and rubbed his back.

\"Silly.\" He whispered with a smile, locking all the satisfaction and happiness in his voice, \"Goodnight, sweet dreams.\"

......

When Shi Jin woke up at dawn, he found himself alone in the hospital room. He wondered where Lian Jun had gone.

After sitting up for a moment, he suddenly sprang out of bed and grabbed his tablet to frantically search through Shi Xingrui's information.

His sudden movements startled Xiao Si, who asked, \"What's wrong with you?\"

\"Got a clue!\" Shi Jin excitedly flipped through the materials and exclaimed, \"If someone really likes another person, how could they resist not seeing them or treating them well? If Shi Xingrui really had a deep, deep love for someone, with his personality, even if the person he loved didn't love him back, he would definitely use all means to keep them by his side. So the only reason why there is no trace of his white moonlight in his network is that he simply doesn't know where the person is! He may not even know the person's name!\"

Xiao Si didn't quite understand and asked, \"But if he doesn't even know the name, how could Shi Xingrui fall in love with that person?\"

\"In those days, due to the lack of information and the fact that mobile phones had not yet been invented, long-distance communication could only be done through letter writing. This gave rise to a form of friendship that has now largely disappeared - pen pals! With pen pals, there was no need to meet in person or reveal one's real name. Everyone could communicate while wearing a mask, just like chatting online now! Do you know about online dating? For people like Shi Xingrui who don't easily reveal their inner thoughts, is it possible to have a pen pal with whom they can freely express their innermost thoughts?\"

Xiao Si listened intently and asked, \"Can someone fall in love with another person just by exchanging letters?\"

\"Don't underestimate the power of words,\" replied Shi Jin. As he flipped through the documents, his hands gradually slowed down and his eyes grew brighter.

Suddenly, he slammed the tablet with force and exclaimed, \"This is it! Since elementary school, Shi Xingrui has had a habit of writing articles and submitting them for publication. At first, it was essays, but as he grew older, he wrote small stories and essays. He would occasionally earn some money to support his family. Families with children like this would definitely have a lot of correspondence, but there is not a single record of letters related to the Shi family in this material! What does this prove? It proves that Shi Xingrui must have intentionally erased this information!\"

Xiao Si finally understood and became excited as well. \"So, does that mean if we can find Shi Xingrui's past correspondence, we can follow the trail and find the mysterious white moonlight?\"

\"Very likely!\" Shi Jin replied confidently. His heart was racing with excitement as he couldn't resist slamming his tablet shut and turning to run out of the hospital room. He was eager to share his new discovery with Lian Jun.

","published_time":"2024-04-25T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-28T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":569,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":57,"chapter_title":"Stocks","content":"

He rushed out of the door in such a hurry that he forgot to comb his hair or wash his face. With his messy hair sticking up like a crazy person, he ran out happily. Due to his muscle strain, he limped a little while running, making him look even more foolish.

Number Five was originally standing outside the door. When he saw him suddenly run out, he was stunned for a moment. By the time he reacted and wanted to stop him, Shi Jin had already turned the corner of the corridor and met a tall man in a sharp suit. Number Five stopped in his tracks.

A man?

They were staying in a private hospital, and this entire floor was rented out. How could a man suddenly appear out of nowhere?

As Number Five furrowed his brow, he hurried over to block Shi Jin from the man on the opposite side. After taking a closer look at the man's appearance, he was slightly stunned. \"Mr. Shi, why are you here?\" he asked, although he really wanted to know how the man had managed to get up to this level.

The man blocking Shi Jin's path was none other than Shi Weichong, who hadn't been seen in a long time. He looked like he had just rushed a long way, with a slightly haggard complexion, messy hair, and wrinkled clothes.

Shi Weichong only glanced at Number Five before turning his gaze back to Shi Jin. Seeing that he still had a healthy complexion and his hair was tousled, he softened his expression and said, \"Xiao Jin, I heard from Second Brother that you were injured and I was a little worried, so I came here on my own.\"

Shi Jin hesitated, \"Um...\" Seeing Shi Weichong, who seemed to have already broken off their relationship, Shi Jin honestly didn't know how to respond and what attitude to use.

Should he continue to act out the good show of brotherly love as before? That was obviously unrealistic. After learning about those transactions, Shi Jin couldn't pretend to be the original owner and do such things.

Should he meet Shi Weichong with a cold gaze? But Shi Jin was not the original owner after all. He didn't have deep love or hate towards Shi Weichong. Moreover, what if being cold towards him pushed Shi Weichong, who was still relatively friendly, to the opposite side? The progress bar was not yet complete, and he couldn't be too reckless.

After thinking about it, it seemed that there was only one attitude left to use when facing Shi Weichong.

\"Thank you for coming to see me,\" Shi Jin quickly suppressed all his emotions and showed a polite smile to Shi Weichong. He politely asked, \"It's not appropriate to talk here. Would you like to come to my hospital room? I just woke up, so it might be a bit messy...\"

As soon as Shi Weichong heard his \"thank you,\" his expression dimmed and he pursed his thin lips, nodding in response, \"Sure, I hope I didn't disturb your rest.\"

Can't believe he agreed.

Shi Jin gave himself a mental slap. He handed his tablet to Number Five and gestured towards the hospital room behind him, saying to Shi Weichong, \"Please, but you may have to wait for me a bit. I haven't washed up yet.\"

Shi Weichong noticed his distance and slight defensiveness, so he lowered his posture even more and replied, \"It's okay, I can wait.\"

......

The three of them returned to the hospital room together. Upon arrival, Shi Jin arranged for Shi Weichong to sit on the visitor's sofa in the corner of the room and poured him a glass of water. He then left and asked Number Five to keep Shi Weichong company.

After a quick wash, Shi Jin came out and changed seats to sit across from Shi Weichong. He politely asked, \"Would you like to have breakfast together? The hospital food here is pretty good.\"

Shi Weichong nodded and said, \"Sure.\"

Wow, you really aren't shy, big brother.

He could tell that Shi Weichong definitely had something to say to him and wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. So, he turned to Number Five and asked him to help bring over two portions of breakfast.

Number Five nodded, looked at Shi Weichong, then got up and walked towards the door of the hospital room. He didn't personally go out to get breakfast, but instead made two phone calls. After hanging up, he waited at the door, looking like he was expecting someone to bring him breakfast.

While Shi Jin had been instructing Number Five, Shi Weichong took a quick glance around the hospital room. After Number Five left, Shi Weichong turned to Shi Jin whose attitude obviously wasn't very warm and said, \"Don't be nervous, I'm just here to see you.\"

Shi Jin responded politely, \"Okay.\"

\"How's your health?\" Shi Jin continued to ask.

\"Much better,\" Shi Jin replied politely.

\"How did you get injured?\"

\"Just a little accident.\"

\"How have you been doing lately?\"

\"Not bad.\"

\"You've lost some weight.\"

\"So have you.\"

\"...\"

After a dry conversation, the atmosphere became heavy and awkward.

Suddenly, Shi Weichong put down his water glass and spoke in a serious and heavy tone, \"Xiao Jin, I know I no longer have the right to say these things, but I...\"

\"Breakfast is here.\" Number Five interrupted, approaching with a tray.

Shi Jin breathed a sigh of relief and quickly helped Number Five set up the breakfast, urging Shi Weichong to eat.

Shi Weichong closed his mouth, glanced at Shi Jin's hospital gown, and temporarily suppressed his words, picking up his chopsticks.

After a similarly heavy and awkward breakfast, the two brothers once again stared at each other in silence. As Shi Weichong tried to say something, his phone rang in his pocket. The ringtone was clearly set for a specific person, and upon hearing it, his expression became complicated and he couldn't help but sigh.

Shi Jin immediately started to gossip in his mind - could it be that Shi Weichong is in love? Is it his girlfriend or boyfriend calling?

Perhaps sensing his curiosity, Shi Weichong took out his phone and explained, \"It's my mom.\"

Oh, it's just his mom.

Shi Jin's mind automatically flashed through various information about Shi Weichong's mother, Xu Jie, and he found it a bit boring at first. But soon, he found it very interesting - very, very interesting.

When Shi Weichong answered the phone, he greeted \"Mom.\". It was probably the other person asking where he was, and he quickly replied that he wasn't at the company or at home, but rather at a hospital on the other side of the ocean visiting Shi Jin.

Shi Jin and Xiao Si immediately noticed that after Shi Weichong said this, his progress bar increased, although only by one point.

\"Did it really just increase by one point? Am I seeing things?\" Shi Jin asked himself in his mind.

Xiao Si confirmed, \"You're not seeing things. It was 490 just now, and now it's 491.\"

So Shi Jin's sharp gaze instantly fixed on Shi Weichong's phone, then quickly pretended to be nonchalant and lowered his head to peel an orange, while also asking Xiao Si to amplify his hearing.

The buff quickly activated and Shi Jin perked up his ears, hearing a low and deep female voice coming from Shi Weichong's phone receiver. \"What did you say? Visit Shi Jin? Shi Weichong, did you completely ignore what I told you before?\"

Shi Weichong glanced at Shi Jin, who was 'seriously' peeling an orange, and lowered his voice to reply, \"Mom, I know what I'm doing.\"

Perhaps it was the moment when Shi Weichong's words hit Xu Jie's breaking point. Her tone instantly became stern as she said, \"Do you even know what you're doing? I don't think you know anything! It was Shi Jin's own decision to leave, so why are you trying to get involved? I heard you even want to give him a portion of the shares? Do you not remember that it was because of him that we had to deceive and guard against your father to get by? Do you want to make the same foolish mistakes as your father?\"

\"Mom!\" Shi Weichong's expression became somewhat unpleasant upon hearing this, realizing that his voice was too loud. He quickly suppressed his emotions and said as gently as possible, \"Mom, what happened in the past has nothing to do with Xiao Jin. It was clearly Dad who treated us badly. Please don't say things like that anymore, and don't worry about the shares. I know what I'm doing.\"

Xu Jie's voice became sharper and more severe, with a hint of ruthlessness: \"Ignore it? How can I ignore it? Your father treated us mother and son as pawns because of a momentary mistake. You ran to Rong City during the New Year's because of a momentary mistake, leaving me alone in B city for the whole year. Now, because of a momentary mistake, you threw the company's responsibilities aside and even gave shares to him, completely ignoring the current state of Ruihang. If you continue to contact Shi Jin, I'm afraid you will even abandon me as your mother one day!\"

Shi Weichong was obviously having a headache, trying to appease her: \"Mom, please don't say such words in anger--\"

\"You can continue to contact Shi Jin, and I will let you know whether what I said today is just hot air!\" Xu Jie interrupted him, and then hung up the phone directly.

Shi Weichong picked up his phone and rubbed his forehead wearily.

Shi Jin silently withdrew his attention and checked the progress bar in his mind, which had reached 500 when Xu Jie hung up the phone.

He ate a slice of orange and felt a bitter taste in his mouth - this was really an unexpected disaster. He never thought that even after running so far, Shi Weichong could still bring the deadly factor right in front of him and provoke him. It was truly a touching display of 'brotherly love'.

\"Xiao Jin,\" Shi Weichong regained his composure and called out to the seemingly absent-minded Shi Jin.

Shi Jin swallowed the orange and looked up at him, knowingly asking, \"Is your mother angry because you came to see me?\"

Shi Weichong shook his head and lied with his eyes open, \"It's not because of you, it's because of other things I did. She's a little mad at me.\"

Shi Jin immediately asked, \"What else have you been doing?\"

Shi Weichong seemed to have no energy to beat around the bush anymore. Upon hearing this, he turned around and took a file out of his briefcase, pushing it towards Shi Jin.

He said, \"It's this. Back then, when you split Ruihang's shares into five parts and gave them all away, not keeping a single part for yourself, I didn't stop you because of my own selfishness. Now, I think it was very inappropriate. After considering it, I've decided to give you the part that you should have taken.\"

Shi Jin didn't touch the file and asked in return, \"But shouldn't the part that I should have taken be the entire Ruihang? Dad was originally planning to leave the whole company to me.\"

Shi Weichong clearly didn't expect him to say that and was stunned for a moment, frowning and looking up at him. \"When I gave away my shares, they should all be under your name now, right?\" Shi Jin calmly met his gaze and asked with a positive tone.

Shi Weichong saw that his expression was somewhat cold and his furrowed brows relaxed. He nodded and replied, \"Yes... Xiao Jin, don't say such words from anger.\"

\"I'm not saying them just because I'm angry, big brother. You gave up a lot of benefits to get all the shares back from Second Brother and the others,\" Shi Jin continued to inquire with a positive tone.

There's nothing to hide about this. Shi Weichong nodded again and said, \"At that time, Ruihang was in turmoil. To facilitate stability, Second Brother and the others transferred all the shares they had dispersed to my name, and helped me challenge Xu Tianhua.\"

\"You all have such a great relationship,\" Shi Jin said with deliberate coldness, squeezing the orange in his hand. \"So, are you planning to give me a portion of the benefits you obtained through other means? Or are you going to return the one-fifth share you received from me?\"

Shi Weichong remained silent, clearly confirming Shi Jin's suspicions.

\"Well, that's no fun. I don't need that share because I don't want any more involvement with you in terms of benefits. I've already suffered losses because of it, and I don't want to suffer a second time,\" Shi Jin decisively rejected, pushing the documents back.

Shi Weichong pursed his lips and said, \"Xiao Jin, you need this. With this share, you can do whatever you want, instead of risking your life by staying with Lian Jun.\"

Shi Jin spoke frankly, \"What I want to do is stay by Young Master Jun's side. I enjoy taking risks for him. Even if I were to die for him, it would be my own choice.\"

Outside the door, Young Master Jun rushed back after receiving Number Five's message. He opened the door slightly and heard Shi Jin's words. His hand trembled, but he silently withdrew it and sat at the door to listen further.

Inside the room, Shi Weichong furrowed his brow, feeling that something was off about Shi Jin's words. He asked, \"What do you mean by that? Do you...\"

\"I love Young Master Jun,\" Shi Jin interrupted him.

Shi Weichong couldn't help but sit up straight and said, \"Xiao Jin, didn't you say you only admire Young Master Jun?\"

When Shi Jin heard the question, he remembered the embarrassing incident and felt a little uneasy. He coughed and replied, \"Well, maybe when you admire someone too much, you end up falling in love with them.\"

Shi Weichong's face turned black after hearing this and he said, \"But what about Lian Jun? One-sided love never ends well!\"

\"He likes me too,\" Shi Jin answered, cutting straight to the point. \"We're already together and planning to get married once I reach the legal age.\" Of course, the last sentence was a lie, but he said it just to shock Shi Weichong.

Outside the door, Lian Jun's posture went from tense to relaxed and his facial expression softened. He gestured to Number Nine, who had come back with him, to go and fetch Uncle Long.

Number Nine nodded and turned to leave.

Shi Weichong was completely shocked. He never expected that after only a short period of time, his just-turned-adult younger brother was already considering getting a marriage certificate with some big shot with a messy background. Taking a deep breath to steady his emotions, Shi Weichong gritted his teeth and said, \"I disagree. You're still too young. Major life decisions require careful consideration.\"

\"I don't want to consider it carefully. You can't stop me from pursuing happiness just because you're over thirty and haven't found a partner yet. I refuse to become an old leftover man.\" Shi Jin continued to strike back.

Shi Weichong's forehead bulged with veins as he suppressed his temper and said, \"Xiao Jin, you're still immature.\"

Shi Jin continued to lower his head and squeeze the orange, showing an attitude of no longer cooperating with the conversation. He said, \"Anyway, I won't take any shares, nor will I leave Lian Jun. You have no right to interfere with my life, and I don't like it.\"

With the first part of \"no right\" and the second part of \"I don't like it,\" Shi Weichong was hit hard by these direct punches, feeling short of breath. He looked at Shi Jin's resistant appearance and stood up with a solemn face, saying, \"Where is Lian Jun? I want to talk to him.\"

Shi Jin was secretly happy to hear this and was just about to politely send the guest away when the door to the ward behind him opened. Lian Jun appeared at the door and looked at Shi Weichong, saying, \"Xiao Jin is going to receive treatment. Please go ahead, Mr. Shi.\"

Shi Jin was surprised and delighted once again. He turned his head to look at Lian Jun at the door and greeted him, \"You're back? Have you had breakfast?\"

Lian Jun looked at him and replied in a gentle tone, \"I've eaten. I'll go talk to your older brother and come back to accompany you.\" After speaking, he looked at Shi Weichong and his expression turned cold and unfriendly.

Shi Weichong saw their interaction and felt a lump in his heart. He bent down to pick up his briefcase and walked quickly towards Lian Jun, deliberately blocking Shi Jin's line of sight towards Lian Jun.

Lian Jun noticed his actions and pointed to the armrest of the wheelchair, instructing Uncle Long a few words before turning around and leading him away.

Shi Jin wanted to follow and eavesdrop, but his thoughts were dispelled by Uncle Long's quick closing of the door. He was also scrutinized by Uncle Long with a strange look.

\"What, what's wrong?\" He felt a little uneasy under Uncle Long's meaningful expression.

Uncle Long's expression was very meaningful, and he rarely asked in a gentle tone, \"I heard that you confess to Young Master Jun through the door?\" As soon as Shi Jin heard the question, he shook his head quickly and denied having any knowledge of it. But in his mind, he was recalling his conversation with Shi Weichong before. His thoughts then drifted to the timely appearance of Lian Jun, leaving him silent.

Uncle Long shook his head and approached him, patting him on the shoulder. \"Young man, don't be shy. Having thick skin is not a bad thing. I think you're doing just fine.\"

Shi Jin winced as Uncle Long hit his sore spot, feeling like he wanted to die.

Uncle Long took the opportunity to pat his shoulder, his tone deep and mysterious, his expression serious: \"Before, I was worried about how to talk to Young Master Jun about certain things with his thin skin. But now that your skin seems to be thicker, I'll just tell you directly. Shi Jin, when two men engage in intimate activities, they must pay attention to certain details, such as measures to avoid injury and proper positions... Do you want to know more about this?\"

It was clear that there was an insurmountable gap between ordinary people and doctors when it came to the thickness of their skin. As Uncle Long continued to spout increasingly absurd statements, Shi Jin couldn't help but imagine some very inappropriate things.

Finally, unable to take it anymore, he covered Uncle Long's mouth and said solemnly, \"Uncle Long, let's start the treatment now. Use more force, I can take it!\" Just as long as you shut up.

Uncle Long impatiently pulled Shi Jin's hand away and, seeing him cower in fear, coldly snorted and cruelly pinched his shoulder joint.

Shi Jin screamed in pain, nearly dying on the spot.

......

By the time Lian Jun returned to the hospital room, Shi Jin had endured today's torture and was once again lying on the bed, barely breathing.

Lian Jun felt both heartache and helpless as he approached Shi Jin, covering him with a blanket and touching his forehead.

Shi Jin turned his head to look at him and asked, \"Where's Shi Weichong?\"

\"I had Fei Yujing take him away,\" Lian Jun replied, his hand still resting on his face as he traced the contours of his features. \"Shi Jin, when you reach the right age, we'll go get our marriage certificate.\"

Shi Jin suddenly understood that Lian Jun must have overheard his conversation with Shi Weichong earlier. His mind raced as he blurted out, \"Why does it sound like you're making a promise you might not keep? Aren't you afraid we'll break up before I reach the legal age?\"

Lian Jun's brow furrowed as he silenced him by pinching his mouth shut, his eyes warning him.

Shi Jin quickly raised his hands in surrender and leaned towards him, seeking forgiveness.

Lian Jun then released him, allowing Shi Jin to sit up and once again cling to him like a lazy sloth who had lost its bone. The two of them hugged in silence for a while before Shi Jin spoke up, \"Just now with Shi Weichong, his mother called him in front of me. I overheard a bit, it seems like she's angry at me for him giving me shares.\"

\"I'll have someone keep an eye on Shi Weichong's mother. If you don't want the shares, no one can force you,\" Lian Jun patted his back gently and comforted him in a warm voice.

Shi Jin had only intended to tell him about this, but when he heard Lian Jun's response, he felt a strange mood and continued, \"I think Fei Yujing is deliberately trying to trap me. He must know something, which is why he suddenly informed Shi Weichong that I'm here recovering.\"

Lian Jun remembered the report from his subordinates and frowned, \"I'll have Old Ghost warn him not to keep staring at you.\"

When Shi Jin heard this, he found it even more amazing. He thought of what he had discovered earlier in the morning, took a step back and released Lian Jun. Number Five handed over the tablet and Shi Jin explained his guess to Lian Jun.

After listening, Lian Jun seemed to be deep in thought and replied, \"It is indeed very possible. I will send someone to investigate this part and we should have results soon.\"

Shi Jin looked straight at Lian Jun with shining eyes, filled with admiration.

\"What's wrong?\" Lian Jun couldn't resist reaching out to touch him, feeling itchy in his heart.

Shi Jin quickly shook his head to indicate that there was nothing wrong, and then leaned back against him, rubbing his face and patting his back. He felt so happy - Lian Jun was almost completely obedient to him, and yet he was completely unaware of it.

How could there be such a precious treasure in the world? Who wouldn't love such a treasure?

Laughing at the way he was being petted and rubbed like a little dog, Lian Jun lightly touched the man's back, turned his head to lift his face, and closed his eyes to kiss him.

......

Shi Weichong was 'led' out of the hospital by Fei Yujing, and even the chance to see Shi Jin again was taken away by Lian Jun. Obviously, his conversation with Lian Jun did not go well.

\"Yujing, thank you for telling me about Xiao Jin's injury.\" Shi Weichong stopped outside the gate, looked in the direction of the hospital, and wearily said to Fei Yujing.

Fei Yujing wore a pair of glasses today, making him even more unapproachable. Hearing this, he spoke frankly, \"Brother, I don't understand why you rushed over here in such a hurry and asked me to take you to the hospital to see Shi Jin. I thought our entanglement with him ended on the day we got our shares.\"

Shi Weichong leaned against the car that came to pick him up and said, \"I used to think so too...but Yujing, Xiao Jin said something very right. In this whole matter, what did he do wrong? He was just passively born into this world and enjoyed the fatherly love he deserved. The root cause of all this is not him.\"

\"But he was the one who lit the fuse, big brother. You've become weak. At the moment of choosing between interests, you should give up unnecessary things. You used to do it well,\" Fei Yujing replied coldly and heartlessly.

Looking at Fei Yujing's demeanor, Shi Weichong suddenly remembered his past self who had wanted to trample on Shi Xingrui. Knowing that saying more was useless, he stood up, opened the car door, and finally said, \"Spend some time with Xiao Jin. You will understand what we have missed in these years.\"

Fei Yujing watched him leave and pondered over his words. He turned around and looked in the direction of the hospital, sneering and laughing mockingly.

Missed? That's non-existent. He doesn't need any unnecessary 'conscience'.

","published_time":"2024-05-02T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-04-04T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-05-02T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":576,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":58,"chapter_title":"Explosion","content":"

The incident with Shi Weichong was quickly forgotten by Shi Jin. The documents on the shares transfer left behind by Shi Weichong were thrown into a bathtub filled with water, becoming a pile of soggy waste paper.

Three days later, three official liaison personnel arrived to assist. Two men and one woman, with the woman being over fifty years old and appearing very kind. She was sent by the government to negotiate with Fei Yujing and help with Phantom's rescue efforts. Her name was Wen Baozhu, a lawyer with a pile of honors.

It was clear that she and Fei Yujing knew each other. Upon seeing him, she greeted him by name and did not address him as \"Lawyer Fei\" like the others did. Her attitude was very familiar and friendly.

Fei Yujing was very polite and respectful towards her, addressing her as Teacher Wen and personally pouring her water while introducing the situation. It was considerate and thoughtful.

As they were all gathered together for a meeting to discuss official matters, Shi Jin was also present. He watched Fei Yujing's affectionate and respectful behavior towards Wen Baozhu and couldn't help but shiver, thinking of Fei Yujing's usual attitude of \"everyone in the world is trash, the only true family are benefits\". He rubbed his arms, feeling a chill.

Did all the children in the Shi family have some strange skills, like changing faces, acting, or speaking differently to different people?

\"Are you cold?\" Lian Jun noticed his actions and asked with concern.

Shi Jin quickly shook his head and denied it, withdrawing his gaze from Fei Yujing and Wen Baozhu. He flipped through the documents in front of him and asked, \"Now that the officials have also arrived, when do we leave for the southeast region?\"

Lian Jun closed the file and replied, \"It will be at least three days later. The officials need time to sort out the materials and establish contact with the southeast region, which will delay us for a while.\"

Shi Jin nodded in understanding and was very satisfied with the timing. He said happily, \"By then, my body should be fully recovered, and I can follow you properly.\"

Lian Jun looked at his silly and happy expression, reached out and held his hand.

Although they were not going to a safe place, how could he be so happy about it? How silly.

In the following three days, Shi Jin began to actively cooperate with the treatment. Finally, on the day of departure to the southeast region, he was marked as \"fully recovered\" by Uncle Long.

When boarding the plane, Shi Jin saw Long Shi.

His hair was shaved into a crew cut, his complexion was a bit haggard, and he was wearing a plain casual outfit. Overall, his appearance was very inconspicuous, but he wore a cool black and diamond metal necklace around his neck.

Perhaps sensing Shi Jin's gaze, Long Shi suddenly looked up and glared at him with a dark expression, looking particularly sinister.

Xiao Si angrily reminded, \"Jin Jin, your progress bar has increased. After seeing you, Long Shi wants to kill you!\"

As Shi Jin glanced at his progress bar, which had just shot up to 550, he raised an eyebrow and calmly met Long Shi's gaze. Then he grinned, wiggled his fingers by his ear, and made two little circles with his hand.

Long Shi's expression changed, clearly imagining something unpleasant. His eyes were filled with hatred and fear as he couldn't help but turn to Number One, who was walking beside him, and say, \"Don't ignore what I'm telling you. Shi Jin is really a monster. He'll eat you sooner or later!\"

Number One didn't even bother to acknowledge him and treated him like air.

Long Shi was unwilling to give up and randomly grabbed a passerby, earnestly saying, \"Shi Jin really is a monster. Don't be fooled by his facade. Kill him quickly! He'll harm you all!\"

The person who was grabbed by him was Fei Yujing. Fei Yujing turned his head to look at him, his eyes hidden behind the lenses were cold and indifferent. He directly blocked his hand with his briefcase, patted the sleeve that was pulled over, and walked away quickly.

Long Shi's expression twisted from seeing Fei Yujing's obvious disgust. He caught a glimpse of Lian Jun sitting next to him and couldn't control his emotions. He shouted loudly, \"Young Master Jun! Shi Jin will harm you. Only I am truly good to you, Young Master Jun... Mmm!\"

Number One immediately covered his mouth, administered a sedative injection, and the world became quiet.

Because it was a private plane, everyone on board was their own people, so no one expressed any objections to Number One's behavior. They all looked unsurprised, even Wen Baozhu, who looked the most amiable and likely to say something, just frowned and didn't speak rashly.

As the commotion died down, Shi Jin sat back in his chair and saw that his progress bar had dropped back to 500. He inwardly sighed and turned to Lian Jun, intentionally asking, \"Young Master Jun, what if I really am a monster? Aren't you afraid I'll eat you?\"

Lian Jun was busy flipping through some documents and didn't even look up. He simply extended his arm and said, \"Go ahead and eat me.\"

Shi Jin chuckled happily, grasping Lian Jun's wrist and planting a loud kiss on it before leaning in to look at the documents with him. When they interacted, there was no intention to hide or avoid the attention of others.

Both the officials and Fei Yujing noticed their unusual intimacy. The officials were slightly surprised, apparently not expecting such a relationship between Shi Jin and Lian Jun. Fei Yujing, on the other hand, had a pensive look and his gaze shifted back and forth between Shi Jin and Lian Jun before quickly withdrawing.

After the plane flew smoothly, everyone tried to force themselves to sleep, hoping to adjust their jet lag on the plane. After all, when they reached the southeastern region, they would have to be on high alert and busy.

During his recovery, Shi Jin had developed a very regular sleep schedule. He would wake up shortly after falling asleep and after several failed attempts to go back to sleep, he decided to give up and not disturb Lian Jun. He got up and went to the tea room.

To his surprise, he found Fei Yujing sitting at the small table in the tea room, typing away on his computer.

The two brothers stopped in their tracks and briefly made eye contact.

\"There's coffee already brewed in the coffee pot,\" Fei Yujing said, breaking the silence. It was a rare occurrence for Fei Yujing to speak first, but his attitude was acceptable, at least not hostile or cold. It was as if he was treating Shi Jin like any other colleague.

\"Thank you for reminding me,\" said Shi Jin politely, without touching the coffee. Instead, he poured himself a glass of milk and sat in the corner of the tea room, pulling out his tablet to play mahjong.

Hearing the faint sound of mahjong tiles, Fei Yujing paused his typing for a second before continuing.

With the clacking of the keyboard and the faint sound of mahjong in the background, the two brothers worked in harmony, their relationship surprisingly peaceful.

After what seemed like hours, Fei Yujing finally finished organizing all the necessary materials. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, looking up to the other corner of the room only to find it empty. In its place was a pot of hot milk on the table.

[Take some time to get to know Xiao Jin, you'll understand what we've been missing out on all these years.]

As he sat there, a sudden memory of Shi Weichong's words flashed through Fei Yujing's mind. He furrowed his brow and stood up, looking disdainfully at the pot of milk.

What is this, playing the emotional card? Shi Weichong must have been fooled by Shi Jin like this.

Just as he was thinking this, Shi Jin, who he thought had already left, unexpectedly came back. He inexplicably glanced at Fei Yujing standing by the table and casually greeted him, \"Are you done with your work?\"

Then he squeezed past him, poured a cup of hot milk into a mug, and took out a bowl of hot porridge from the microwave. He carried the tray out with him.

Fei Yujing's ears perked up as he heard Lian Jun's voice coming from the cabin. It was clear that the pot of hot milk was prepared by Shi Jin for Lian Jun.

\"...\"

Sometimes, what's more embarrassing than being obviously targeted is the sudden realization of one's own self-importance. Fei Yujing felt that he was probably too tired. He stared at the pot of hot milk and poured himself a cup of coffee without adding any sugar.

A mature man should drink the bitterest coffee. Only children like milk.

The plane landed in L country in the southeast region. Shi Jin pushed Lian Jun off the plane. After leaving the comfortable air conditioning, they were almost knocked down by the humid and hot weather unique to the southeast region.

Although it was supposed to be the most comfortable temperature in April or May, L country was hot and stuffy. The ground was still damp, probably from the recent rain. The buildings in the distance were distorted by the steam rising from the hot air, and standing outside felt like being in a steamer.

\"I really hate coming here,\" Number Nine muttered under his breath, his baby face wrinkled like an old granny.

Shi Jin agreed and didn't want Lian Jun to stay in such a stuffy environment for too long. He quickly followed Number One's guidance and pushed Lian Jun towards the vehicles outside the airport that were there to pick them up.

Since there were quite a few people in their group, if they arranged for small cars, they would probably have to split up into several vehicles. Number One was afraid that if the personnel were too scattered, it would be inconvenient to move around. So, they arranged for a disguised tour bus to pick them up and crammed everyone inside.

Once they were on the bus, the air conditioning was blowing, and everyone finally felt relieved. After a brief rest, they immediately got back to work.

First, there was the matter of Wen Baozhu and Fei Yujing. They needed to work with other official contacts stationed in this area to establish a connection with the local government. Together, they would use the disappearance of Chinese citizens doing business in L country and suspected kidnappings as reasons to establish contact.

Next, the focus was on Lian Jun's team. They were responsible for the main task of rescuing the missing individuals. Number Two and Number Three had been preparing for a week, and Lian Jun needed to quickly understand the situation and take over the rest of the operation.

Finally, there was the issue of official support. Since the government could not openly intervene, they needed to come up with various excuses and disguises. This also needed to be arranged quickly.

The phone on the car kept ringing, everyone had a lot to do. Only Shi Jin was idle. He was just a newcomer to the industry and was good at fighting, but when it came to balancing the overall situation and networking, he was completely clueless.

Lian Jun was busy contacting Number Two, while Shi Jin sat beside him and listened in. He found out that Number Two was really busy this week.

Not only did he have to mobilize people in the southeast region, but he also had to keep an eye on Nine Eagles's movements and find out the whereabouts of Zhuo Yang. In addition to these two things, he also needed to monitor Gunfire and its various subordinate organizations that were in cahoots with Nine Eagles. He was so busy that he was almost going crazy.

Number Three, who came with Number Two, was also busy. He had to search for the specific locations of the trapped subordinates one by one with the Old Ghost, investigate the community hospital where Long Shi had been hiding, and the organization behind it. He also had to help Phantom clean up the business that was scattered by Nine Eagles. He wished he could split himself into three.

As he listened, Shi Jin's mood soured as he realized that the mess caused by the conflict between Phantom and Nine Eagles was far bigger than he had initially thought. It seemed that not only L country, but also the neighboring N and T countries had all been trapped by their minions.

And Gunfire that had ties with Nine Eagles held a position in the southeast region that was similar to Annihliation's in their home country, but their methods were even more brutal and wanton than those of Annihilation's. It was clear that it would be very difficult to rescue people from them across multiple countries.

That was why Lian Jun and the others had chosen L country as their first stop. The small hospital where Long Shi was hiding was located there, and the relationship between the official government and the local government was relatively good, which would make it more convenient for the later economic cases to be handled.

To sum it up, in order to successfully and safely rescue the people back to their country, they must first rescue and gather them to L country. Only then can the authorities cooperate with Wen Baozhu and Fei Yujing's economic case operation and extradite all the people back. This is completely different from what Shi Jin initially thought, which was that they only needed to cooperate with the authorities on this side and suppress the local organizations a little bit.

At this moment, the bus happened to be driving on a relatively remote road, and Xiao Si suddenly spoke up, \"Jin Jin, yours and baby's progress bars suddenly started to rise. There's danger nearby!\"

When Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts, he looked at the progress bar in his mind and saw that both his and Lian Jun's bars had suddenly skyrocketed to 700 and were still increasing at a steady pace. He furrowed his brows and turned to Number One, who had just hung up the phone, and asked, \"Number One, where are we going now?\"

\"We're going to the accommodation arranged for us by Phantom. The Old Ghost said he would send his deputy to pick us up. It's closer to the government office area of L Country, which will make it easier for Lawyer Wen and the others to move around,\" Number One explained.

Accommodation arranged by Phantom's deputy?

Shi Jin continued to ask, \"Will our people be there to meet us, or just Phantom's people?\"

Number One replied, \"Our people will be there. Number Three is on his way here to join us.\"

On his way, which means Number Three was never with Phantom's deputy, nor did he check the safety of the residence arranged by Phantom or the safety along the way to the residence?

Xiao Si reminded them in a panicked tone, \"Jin Jin, the progress bar is increasing faster now, it's at 850!\"

There must be a problem ahead! They absolutely cannot continue forward!

Shi Jin's mind raced, his face turning pale, and he grabbed Lian Jun's hand, saying in a low voice, \"Young Master Jun, my stomach hurts, I need to use the restroom. Can we stop the car?\"

Xiao Si: \"...\"

Lian Jun stopped and told Number Two on the phone to wait a moment. He turned to look at Shi Jin, who had a twisted expression and seemed impatient. Lian Jun silently touched his hand and gestured to Number One.

Number One's mouth twitched and he stood up, heading towards the driver. The bus came to a stop when the progress bar of the two reached 950. Shi Jin quickly got off the bus, wandered around outside for a bit, and then rushed back in with exaggerated acting skills, saying to the driver, \"Master driver, it seems like there are no public toilets nearby. Can you take a detour and help me find one?\"

The driver was a local resident of L country and was familiar with the local road conditions. Upon hearing this request, he immediately started the bus and said while turning the steering wheel, \"Actually, there is a public toilet nearby. However, the text around here is twisted and difficult to read, so it's normal if you can't recognize it. Let me take you to a larger public toilet. It's at a fork in the road we passed earlier, with a very big and easy-to-recognize sign.\"

When Shi Jin heard this, his eyes lit up and he praised the driver in his heart. He quickly thanked him and apologized to the other passengers for delaying their time. The others on the bus finally understood why the bus suddenly stopped and why Shi Jin rushed out. They didn't mind waiting a little longer on the bus.

Only two people on the entire bus knew the reason for the stop and their expressions became unfriendly. One was Long Shi, who was locked up at the back of the bus after landing, and the other was Fei Yujing, who was resting with his eyes closed. Long Shi's expression was mocking and hateful, while Fei Yujing's expression was cold and disdainful.

The bus reversed, turned, and took a different route, deviating from the original route. The values of the two progress bars had been decreasing since the bus started reversing, and by the time it turned onto a side road, they had dropped to 800.

Sighing with relief, Shi Jin leaned back in his chair.

Number One frowned at the sight and hesitated before saying, \"You couldn't hold it in...and just took care of it, did you?\"

Shi Jin was momentarily confused, not understanding what Number One meant. But when he realized, he rolled his eyes and stood up, pulling at his pants to show his innocence.

Number One fell silent, and when he saw Lian Jun looking at him, he quickly changed the subject, \"I'll go make a call to Phantom's side and let them know we'll be late, so they don't have to wait.\"

He then headed to a corner to make the call. Shi Jin quickly grabbed him and suggested, \"Let's first go find Number Three and ask him where he is. If he's almost here, we can let him join us and go together to the lodging arranged by Phantom. That way, even if there is danger ahead, we won't be at risk because we have more people.\"

\"Okay,\" Number One nodded and gestured outside the car. \"That should be the public restroom. Go ahead. If you take too long, I'll have Number Three come meet us first. Young Master Jun has some questions for him anyway.\"

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin looked towards the public restroom that was getting closer and closer, took the paper that Lian Jun had thoughtfully handed him, and decided to spend some extra time there later. The public restroom was surprisingly clean and had individual stalls. Shi Jin refused Lian Jun's offer to accompany him and went alone, choosing a stall near the entrance.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes...ten minutes passed and Shi Jin received a call from Lian Jun. He grunted a few vague responses.

After a few more minutes, Number Three's team finally located them based on the coordinates sent by Number One's team. At the same time, Shi Jin noticed that both his and Lian Jun's progress bars had dropped to 700, but at least they were safe.

Feeling relieved, Shi Jin stepped out of the stall and was about to wash his hands when he saw Fei Yujing also in the restroom, washing his hands. Shi Jin stopped in his tracks and the two brothers faced each other in the mirror. It was Fei Yujing who spoke first, his tone cool and slightly disdainful, \"You didn't even flush the toilet?\"

Shi Jin stiffened and retorted, \"You were eavesdropping on people in the bathroom?\"

There was a brief moment of silence in the air.

Fei Yujing's face turned black and he turned around and walked away.

Shi Jin snorted coldly, feeling proud of his successful comeback, and happily washed his hands.

Number Three arrived with his team. A row of more than ten modified jeeps were parked on the street, looking very cool and not to be messed with.

When Shi Jin came out, Number Three was explaining to Lian Jun why they were late, frowning and saying, \"I was supposed to go directly to the airport to pick you up today, but something happened within the Phantom last night, which delayed us, so we came late.\"

Lian Jun was sitting in the Jeep with Number Three reporting to him. Whenever he gestured for him to come in, Number Three would enter. Lian Jun asked Number Three, who was sitting in the passenger seat, \"What's going on inside Phantom?\"

\"There was a traitor who almost killed the Old Ghost. The Old Ghost was furious and spent all night reorganizing the situation inside. I stayed behind to help,\" Number Three explained, his expression somewhat grim. \"The Old Ghost made a big mistake this time. The traitor was an old member who had followed him for many years. Now the Old Ghost suspects that the reason why Nine Eagles was able to easily inflict heavy damage on him before was because there is a mole inside Phantom.\"

Shi Jin quickly took the opportunity to speak, saying, \"Could it be that there is a problem with the accommodation arranged for us by Phantom? Since there is a mole inside Phantom, our whereabouts may have already been exposed. Zhuo Yang may be lurking in L Country, waiting for us to deliver ourselves to him.\"

Number Three waved his hand to reassure them, \"Don't worry, your accommodation today was arranged by a trustworthy subordinate after the Old Ghost exposed the traitor. There shouldn't be any problems.\"

Shi Jin whispered, \"But what if that subordinate is also a traitor? What if two traitors are colluding and using the incident of one traitor hurting the Old Ghost as a cover to make us lower our guard, when in fact, we are the real target?\"

\"...\" Number Three turned his head to look at Shi Jin, and after a moment of silence, said, \"You have a wild imagination.\"

If it were really as Shi Jin said, then the Old Ghost would be in a pitiful state, with so many traitors hiding around him.

\"But it's always better to be cautious,\" Shi Jin replied, turning his head to look at Lian Jun. As Lian Jun caught his gaze, he pointed to his knee and was about to speak when suddenly a loud explosion sounded in the distance, followed by a thick plume of smoke rising up.

Everyone was shocked and turned their heads to look. Number Three's expression changed instantly as he compared the location of the explosion to the address that Phantom had previously given them. He said, \"This is bad. The explosion happened at the residence that Phantom arranged for us. His deputy is still inside!\"

","published_time":"2024-04-11T00:00:00.000Z","paid":true,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-04-11T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-05-09T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":583,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":59,"chapter_title":"The Doghouse","content":"

Everyone was in a frenzy, all looking towards the direction of the explosion. The bus driver and Number One, who knew the location of their accommodation, immediately realized that something was wrong and hurried towards Lian Jun's side.

\"Young Master Jun, this explosion was targeted at us,\" Number One said confidently as he approached.

The bus driver nodded in agreement and added, \"Based on the distance we've traveled and the timing of the explosion, if we hadn't stopped to wait for the others, we would have been caught in it.\"

While they were talking, Number Three quickly called the deputy of Phantom, but the call went unanswered. He felt increasingly uneasy and put down his phone to look at Lian Jun, calling out, \"Young Master Jun.\"

As Young Master Jun turned his gaze back from the direction of the explosion, he gave orders, \"Contact Old Ghost and inform him of the explosion. Notify the authorities and have them coordinate with the local government of L country to involve us in handling this explosion incident. Arrange for everyone to sit in separate jeeps for protection. Adjust the convoy with the bus as the center, stay in place for five minutes, and then depart for the explosion site.\"

With a series of commands issued, the restless hearts of the crowd immediately settled down, nodding in agreement and getting busy with their respective tasks.

Shi Jin remained quiet, listening attentively. Only after everyone had left did he ask, \"Why do we need to stay in place for five minutes?\"

\"Five minutes is the time we give for the L country's official rescue unit to arrive at the scene,\" explained Lian Jun in detail. \"We need their help to cover us. Usually, in this kind of ambush, if the first wave of attack fails, there is likely to be a second wave. If we rush over as soon as we hear the explosion, we may fall into the enemy's trap and be ambushed by their second wave. By delaying for some time and waiting for the official rescue team to arrive, the ambushers will be more cautious and hesitant to act recklessly. Some more cautious ones may even arrange for their retreat as soon as they see the official rescue team arrive first.\"

Shi Jin suddenly realized and felt that he had gained some knowledge.

However, Lian Jun suddenly said, \"There is an old saying that is very true, luck is also a part of strength.\"

Shi Jin felt a sudden tightness in his chest and quickly laughed it off, saying, \"Of course, our luck has always been pretty good... Uh, are you hungry? You haven't eaten anything since we got off the plane. I remember there's some food in the mini fridge on the bus. Do you want to eat something?\"

The topic change was so abrupt that anyone could tell something was off, but Lian Jun seemed to have been blinded by love and followed Shi Jin's lead, completely distracted.

After a five-minute pause, the convoy maintained their formation with the bus in the middle and headed towards the explosion site. The explosion was so loud that many residents of L country came out of their buildings, looking at the still smoking explosion site with surprise and suspicion. Sirens and the honking of fire trucks could be heard from nearby streets, indicating that all the official rescue departments in the vicinity were rushing towards the explosion site.

Shi Jin turned his head to look out the window, seemingly observing the situation along the way, but actually staring at the progress bar of himself and Lian Jun. When he saw that the progress bar had not increased, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The progress bar had not increased, which meant that the ambushers had retreated after seeing the L country official rescue team appear, and there was no danger ahead.

After more than ten minutes, everyone arrived safely at the explosion site. It was a large private villa with a courtyard, but now the main building had collapsed and flames were shooting up. The courtyard was in shambles, with the walls pockmarked by the force of the explosion and debris. The ornate iron gate was askew, and some of the explosion fragments had scattered onto the street outside. Inside the villa, there was only the sound of things burning, and it was impossible to tell if anyone was inside.

Police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks were parked in a circle around the villa, and nearby residents were craning their necks to see what was happening. The scene was chaotic.

Number One instructed the convoy to stop on a quiet street not far from the villa, and then called for Number Three to accompany the official personnel to negotiate with the local rescue team. Number Five got off the car and checked the surroundings with his men. After confirming it was safe, he returned to guard by Lian Jun's car.

Shi Jin felt uneasy and activated his enhanced vision buff. He vaguely saw rescue workers carrying something resembling body bags into the villa yard with unpleasant expressions. Unable to resist, he asked, \"Young Master Jun, were there people in the villa when the explosion happened?\"

Lian Jun also saw the chaos at the rescue scene. He looked at Shi Jin's serious and heavy expression for a while, then reached out and held his hand, comforting him by saying, \"Shi Jin, I don't want to lie to you... Being with me, you may see many unpleasant things. For those who live in the darkness, life is not guaranteed.\"

This was a gentle way of giving a definite answer. Shi Jin clenched his fist and furrowed his brows, and fell silent.

The communication between the official personnel and the local rescue team was not going smoothly. It took more than ten minutes before they finally obtained permission to enter the villa and investigate the situation. They managed to avoid all the media that had rushed to the scene by driving a low-key car.

After receiving permission, Number One and Number Three immediately turned around to find Lian Jun. The official personnel, on the other hand, headed towards the low-key car, which was their main battlefield for negotiation.

When they were about to enter the villa, Lian Jun asked Shi Jin about his intentions. He said that if Shi Jin didn't want to go, he could stay in the car and wait for everyone's news.

Without hesitation, Shi Jin chose to go. His attitude was very firm. He knew that when Lian Jun asked him this, it was because he was afraid that he would see something unpleasant inside the villa and not be able to handle it. But he wasn't just a teenager anymore, and he couldn't be a useless burden to Lian Jun while they were together.

Seeing him like this, Lian Jun squeezed his hand and didn't say anything more.

In the end, there were a total of five people who decided to enter the villa: Lian Jun, Number One, Number Three, Shi Jin, and Fei Yujing. Fei Yujing had requested to go in himself. He was now the lawyer for the Old Ghost, and there were problems with the accommodations they had prepared. His deputy was also missing and presumed dead, so he had to represent the Old Ghost and go in to take a look.

Shi Jin glanced at Fei Yujing, whose expression still seemed perfectly normal, and quietly prepared a few plastic bags. He also thoughtfully brought a few bottles of water. Taking advantage of the local rescue team's distraction of the media, a few people sneaked into the villa. Once inside, they quickly scanned the messy scene in the courtyard before heading straight towards the villa.

As they walked, Number One observed, \"The source of the explosion is in the center of the villa. The debris in the yard is too evenly distributed.\"

Number Three replied, \"It seems that the enemy had already taken control of the villa from the inside, rather than attacking from the outside.\"

By now, the flames caused by the explosion on the main building of the villa had been extinguished by firefighters. Police and rescue workers were going in and out of the ruins, occasionally carrying black bags containing unidentified objects, their expressions grim.

It was clear that those bags contained either corpses or body parts.

Silence fell upon them, their mood heavy. As the group approached the entrance of the villa, there was suddenly some commotion in the corner of the yard. Everyone turned their heads to see a team of rescuers pointing at a tree in the yard and saying something.

Shi Jin followed their gaze and saw what appeared to be a human body fragment hanging from the tree, still dripping blood despite the damage caused by the explosion.

He immediately averted his gaze and silently adjusted his emotions. In his past life as a police officer, he had occasionally seen some gruesome scenes, but those experiences were clearly not enough to make him tough enough to always control his state when suddenly faced with certain terrible images.

Everyone could clearly see the object on the tree. Number One and Number Three remained calm, as this was just a small scene for them. As the leader, Lian Jun was also unfazed. However, Fei Yujing had the biggest reaction. Although his expression didn't show it, the action of immediately taking off his glasses revealed his unease.

Lian Jun turned to Shi Jin and said, \"I can have Number One escort you out and bring in Number Five.\"

\"I'm fine,\" Shi Jin shook his head, indicating that it was no big deal. \"Let's go inside. If we wait any longer, the clues in the house will be destroyed by the rescue team.\"

Lian Jun didn't say anything else and gestured for everyone to continue into the villa.

Fei Yujing frowned and glanced at Shi Jin, surprised by his composure in this situation. The situation inside the house was even worse than everyone had thought. Almost all the furniture had been blown to powder, and there was now only a crater where the living room used to be. The remaining walls were charred black, with traces of extinguishing efforts still visible.

As far as the eye could see, there were blackened marks from the explosion and contaminated blood. Thick, dark gray dust filled the air, and unidentified body parts were scattered around. Rescue workers were cleaning up the area, but the air was filled with a nauseating smell of blood mixed with the stench of the explosion, enough to give anyone a headache.

Taking a deep breath and suppressing the urge to vomit, Shi Jin asked the rescue workers for some masks and distributed one to each person. Number One and Number Three took the masks and were surprised by Shi Jin's calmness. They had expected him to be scared and uneasy upon seeing such a gruesome scene for the first time, but Shi Jin was the first to snap out of it and think about getting masks for everyone.

Perhaps it was the power of love that made him so strong.

They thought this as they looked at Lian Jun, the first to receive a mask. Love can make people strong.

Compared to Shi Jin's quick recovery, Fei Yujing's reaction was more \"normal.\" He looked terrible, immediately putting on the mask and avoiding looking at the bloody scene, his brows furrowed tightly.

After Shi Jin handed him a mask, he silently took out a plastic bag and a bottle of water, and handed them over, saying, \"Here, go outside if you need to vomit. It's not good for the environment to do it here. If you really can't stand it, you can go back to the car.\"

Fei Yujing felt underestimated and refused to take the items, saying, \"Who said I need to vomit? Take it back, I don't need them.\"

If this were a normal situation, after being rejected by Fei Yujing's good intentions, Shi Jin would definitely not bother with him anymore. But the place where everyone was now was too much like hell. As the only \"ordinary person\" present who had never seen such a bloody scene, Shi Jin, with his basic sense of humanity, decided to show some compassion for this stubborn Lawyer Fei.

He said straightforwardly, \"Don't force yourself. I can see your Adam's apple moving up and down. If you swallow what you want to vomit, don't you feel sick?\"

His description was too vivid and realistic. Fei Yujing had managed to suppress his urge to vomit, but Shi Jin's words brought it back up. His Adam's apple moved again, and he gave Shi Jin a sharp look before grabbing a plastic bag and water and walking out of the villa without looking back.

Shi Jin didn't forget to remind everyone with care, \"If you need to vomit, do it further away and remember to throw the garbage in the trash can, don't add to the burden of the rescue team.\"

Fei Yujing paused for a moment, then walked faster towards the outside, with a hint of gritted teeth.

After some preparation, everyone officially began to search the villa.

Number One was responsible for investigating the cause of the explosion and searching for remnants, Number Three was responsible for identifying the bodies in the villa and searching for survivors, and Lian Jun was responsible for contacting Old Ghost who couldn't make it to the scene, informing him of the situation.

Shi Jin wasn't assigned a task, so he looked around and silently joined the rescue team.

He put on gloves and a protective suit, followed the rescue team as they moved through the villa, and learned their movements to carefully tidy things up. Soon, his clothes were stained with blood, but his actions became more and more skilled and professional.

After completing his task, Number One turned to Lian Jun and couldn't help but comment, \"Young Master Jun, Shi Jin is truly cut out for this line of work. His mental fortitude is remarkable.\"

\"Hmm,\" Lian Jun responded, his gaze fixed on Shi Jin. However, his expression did not show any signs of satisfaction from being acknowledged and praised. Instead, his brow furrowed slightly and his face grew somber.

Fei Yujing, who was on the side recording the scene despite feeling uncomfortable, overheard their conversation and turned to look at Shi Jin. He happened to catch a glimpse of Shi Jin carefully wrapping up the body bag, and his face twisted in disgust. He lifted his hand to adjust his mask and averted his gaze.

After half an hour, the villa was mostly cleaned up. Shi Jin took off his gloves and apron, ready to go back to Lian Jun and ask about the overall investigation. But just then, Number Three, who had gone to identify the body, hurriedly walked in and frowned, saying, \"The Old Ghost's deputy has been found. He's not dead, he's in the doghouse in the backyard.\"

The doghouse? Shi Jin furrowed his brows, feeling uneasy. He quickly ran a few steps to Lian Jun's side, pushing his wheelchair, and followed Number Three and the others outside.

The villa that the Old Ghost had prepared for Lian Jun was in a very nice environment. The backyard had a swimming pool and a small garden. In the corner of the garden was a cartoon-shaped wooden doghouse that looked very new and flashy. It was probably just a decoration and not actually used to keep pets inside.

When they arrived, medical and rescue personnel were carefully dismantling the roof and walls of the doghouse. Onlookers could only catch a glimpse of the scene inside through the damaged cracks on the roof caused by the explosion, but even that was enough to make one's heart ache.

It was a hand, covered in blood, lying limp on the ground in the upper right corner of the doghouse. There wasn't even a single finger left, only a bare palm.

Shi Jin's heart trembled, and he instinctively bent down to cover Lian Jun's eyes.

Lian Jun was sitting in his wheelchair, too short to see anything, and was momentarily stunned when Shi Jin suddenly covered his eyes. But he quickly realized why Shi Jin did it and pulled his hand down, gripping it tightly.

He couldn't help but say again, \"Shi Jin, you should go out and let Number Five come in.\"

Shi Jin composed himself and held onto his hand, still refusing. \"I'm fine, let's go see first,\" he shook his head.

While they were talking, Number One and Number Three had already approached the doghouse. The medical and rescue personnel had completely dismantled the doghouse, revealing the person lying inside. Then everyone fell silent, and a heavy, oppressive atmosphere filled the air.

\"We can't save him,\" the doctor said with sadness and reluctance, \"give him some painkillers, at least let him go more easily.\"

The doctor was from L country and spoke the local language, which Shi Jin couldn't understand at all. But as he pushed Lian Jun closer and saw the appearance of his deputy lying in the doghouse, he probably guessed what the doctor was saying.

The deputy lying on the floor of the doghouse was no longer recognizable as a human being. He had been mutilated by his attackers, who were apparently trying to stuff him into the doghouse, and one of his eyes had been gouged out.

Judging from the various wounds on his body, it was clear that he had been subjected to other forms of torture before being mutilated. His face was now blue and he was foaming at the mouth, indicating that he had likely been poisoned as well.

Fei Yujing quickly turned away when he saw the deputy's condition, covering half of his face with his hand. His complexion became even more pale and sickly.

Shi Jin clenched the armrests of his wheelchair, unable to utter a single word. He felt a deep sense of hatred rising within him, wondering how anyone could be so cruel to their own kind.

The scene was filled with a heavy silence. Perhaps it was the futile attempts of the doctors to bandage wounds and administer medicine that brought some consciousness back. The deputy, who had been staring blankly, suddenly turned his head and his eyes shifted.

When he saw Lian Jun sitting in the wheelchair, his eyes suddenly lit up. He struggled to move his body and said in a muddled voice, \"I...I didn't betray Brother Ghost...they...wanted to use the lives of my brothers to force me to lure you here...I...I didn't...Jun...Young Master Jun...help me apologize to Brother Ghost...I couldn't save the lives of my brothers...it was the Gun, the Gunfire...\"

His tongue seemed to be injured too, and blood oozed out as he spoke. Shi Jin couldn't bear to watch anymore and turned his head, taking a deep breath.

Suddenly, Lian Jun stood up and walked over to him. He crouched down and placed his hand on the location of his heart. Looking into his eyes, he said, \"I will pass on your message. I will also help rescue Phantom's other brothers who have been captured. You can rest assured and leave now.\"

Upon hearing this, the expression on the subordinate's face suddenly relaxed. The light in his eyes dimmed and slowly closed. His voice was barely audible as he said, \"I...trust you...thank you...\"

The weak heartbeat under Lian Jun's palm gradually disappeared. He took his hand back after a long time and looked at his body without moving or speaking.

\"There are no signs of life,\" the doctor sadly announced, giving up on his futile attempts to bandage the wounds.

Number One clenched his teeth and couldn't help but mutter something under his breath. Number Three couldn't take it anymore. He turned around and wiped his face, clenching his fists tightly and crumpling the paper with the list of names of the deceased in his hand.

Dealing with corpses and watching a living person lose their life in front of you are two completely different things. Shi Jin felt like he had lost all his strength as he let go of his wheelchair and stared blankly at his deputy's body, his eyes filled with sadness.

Everyone became even more silent. After helping to tidy up the deputy's body, although they were still completing their respective tasks, their emotions were clearly suppressed.

When Shi Jin gathered information from everyone, he pushed Lian Jun to a place in the yard with more plants and squatted down beside him. He used his clothes to wipe the blood that had gotten on Lian Jun's hands from covering the deputy's heart, carefully and meticulously wiping finger by finger.

\"Shi Jin,\" Lian Jun held onto his hand and asked, \"Are you afraid?\"

Shi Jin looked up at him, then sat down on the ground and remained silent for a few seconds before asking, \"What about you? Are you afraid?\"

\"I am,\" Lian Jun replied, looking at the bloodstains on his hands that wouldn't come off. Suddenly, he leaned in and hugged Shi Jin tightly, saying in a low voice, \"Shi Jin, you cannot die before me, absolutely not.\"

Shi Jin raised his arm and hugged him back, patting his back as if making a promise. \"Okay, I'll die after you.\"

Lian Jun didn't say anything more. He buried his face in Shi Jin's shoulder for a few seconds before suddenly letting go and returning to his normal expression. \"Let's go, we should leave now. The Old Ghost should be coming soon.\"

Shi Jin glanced at his tightly clenched hand and replied softly before standing up and helping Lian Jun onto his wheelchair, pushing him towards the exit. As the crowd and media outside had dispersed, most of the group had smoothly returned to the car.

After exchanging information about their respective investigations, they sadly confirmed that all sixteen of Old Ghost's subordinates sent to pick them up had died in the explosion, not a single one survived.

\"Gunfire.\" Lian Jun took the death list handed over by Number Three and read the name in a low voice, his eyes darkening.

Sixteen lives lost. Even if the dead were not members of the Annihilation, this act of Gunfire's was enough to provoke them.

","published_time":"2024-04-18T00:00:00.000Z","paid":true,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-04-18T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-05-16T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":590,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":60,"chapter_title":"An Eye for an Eye","content":"

By the time Old Ghost arrived, the rescue team had already cleaned up the scene and were preparing to load the bodies onto trucks.

Number One had originally wanted to stop Old Ghost from entering the villa to see the gruesome scene, but Lian Jun stopped him.

Old Ghost went straight to the villa and stopped at the spot in the yard where the bodies were laid out. He stood there for a few seconds before going forward to open each body bag one by one.

Finally, he squatted in front of his deputy's body, gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, his eyes turning red, but he didn't cry.

Lian Jun rolled his wheelchair up behind him and pulled out a cellphone. \"When we found the assistant, this was next to him, but he didn't use it to call for help. The explosives in the villa were remote-controlled, and besides the assistant, fifteen other people died inside. His left hand had all five fingers broken, and his right hand only had his thumb and index finger left. It was clearly intentional.\"

At these words, the Old Ghost whipped around and strode over, practically snatching the phone out of Lian Jun's hand. He found that it was just a regular disposable phone, completely clean with nothing on it, but it had a SIM card and could make calls.

\"He could have called for help... He could have called for help.\" The Old Ghost repeated this sentence over and over again, gripping the phone tightly. His voice was heavy with hatred, and his tone grew increasingly intense.

According to the investigation, the deputy was indeed able to call for help before he died. This phone was probably intentionally left for him by Gunfire, but the deputy did not use it. He watched helplessly as the bomb exploded in the room, taking the lives of his fifteen subordinates.

It was clear what had happened. Gunfire had already taken control of the villa, attempting to ambush Lian Jun, who was due to arrive today. But due to various unexpected circumstances, Lian Jun did not arrive on time. He even chose to deviate from his original route and park to wait for Number Three.

When Gunfire spotted Lian Jun's parked car, they probably wanted his deputy to quickly bring Lian Jun over and prevent him from meeting with Number Three. But the deputy didn't follow orders, so Gunfire tortured him. Later, Gunfire was probably provoked by his deputy's stubbornness and decided to nearly kill him. They threw a phone at him and tied up all of his subordinates in the room with explosives, using their lives to force him to call for help and bring Lian Jun over.

However, the deputy still refused to obey and held out against Gunfire. In the end, Lian Jun successfully joined forces with Number Three when the reinforcements arrived. Gunfire knew that their chance was lost, so they detonated the explosives.

\"When I decided to temporarily park, I called your deputy. He sounded normal and even said there was no need to hurry, it was okay to come later. He hung up quickly, but I didn't notice anything wrong. It was my negligence,\" Number One said, his tone filled with self-blame.

The Old Ghost's lips trembled for a moment, then he forcefully pressed them together, suppressing all his sorrow. \"Lao Wen is a very cunning and skilled negotiator. If he doesn't want you to notice anything wrong, you won't detect any problems in his tone. It's not your fault. He...he did the right thing!

\"Even if you hadn't stopped the car and continued driving forward, Lao Wen would have found a way to warn you not to approach the villa. If he couldn't stop you, he would have probably chosen to sacrifice himself and the person with the gun...he would definitely do that, he would. It's my fault. When I found out there was a mole amongst the Phantoms, I should have been more careful and not let anyone act alone. It's my fault.\"

Lian Jun could see the emotions that he was struggling to suppress, and after a moment of silence, he decided to relay the dying words that his subordinate had entrusted him with to Old Ghost. \"I did not betray you. I'm sorry I couldn't save our brothers' life.\"

Old Ghost's face trembled, his throat bobbing up and down. Finally, his rationality was shattered by this last straw. He let out a suppressed sob and turned to face his deputy's body. He knelt down, buried his head, and cried with his shoulders shaking.

It was early May in L country, the beginning of the rainy season. The weather was hot and humid, and dark clouds were rolling in the distance, as if another storm was about to hit. The gloomy sky, the hellish scene of death, and the suppressed cries all seemed to be shrouded in a layer of gray, making one's eyes sore.

As Shi Jin watched the Old Ghost's weeping figure disappear, he felt a heavy weight in his heart and wiped his own face to hide his emotions.

For those who walk in darkness, finding the light is an incredibly difficult task.

When night fell, everything at the villa had finally been taken care of.

The Old Ghost composed himself and led his men to handle the affairs of their subordinates, while Lian Jun took his own men and moved into an official building in L country.

This residence was the result of coordination between the local government and the L country officials. It was a cancerous presence in the southeast region, notorious for its violent and aggressive tactics. Now that someone was willing to help clean up the mess, the L country officials were more than happy to provide some assistance.

It was a strange experience, a group of foreign gangsters living in an official residence provided by the L country government, protected by L country soldiers.

After everyone settled in, they gathered for a tasteless lunch before retiring to their rooms. As Shi Jin pushed Lian Jun back to their room, he filled the tub with hot water for Lian Jun to soak in. After quickly showering himself, Shi Jin didn't return to his own room but stayed with Lian Jun to watch the rain outside gradually intensify.

\"What should we do next?\" Shi Jin asked.

Lian Jun looked at the raindrops on the window and replied, \"Pay this back to Gunfire.\"

Shi Jin was taken aback and turned to look at him, asking, \"How?\"

Boom!

The dark clouds in the sky rolled and thunder rumbled incessantly.

Lian Jun seemed to be brought back to his senses by the thunder, and he looked at Shi Jin, his expression slowly relaxing. He reached out and touched Shi Jin's face, asking in return, \"Are you tired? Do you want to take a nap?\"

The topic was abruptly changed, clearly to avoid answering the question.

Shi Jin held Lian Jun's hand and looked at the dark eyes that Lian Jun couldn't completely conceal, even though he tried his best. Shi Jin understood in his heart that Lian Jun didn't want to answer the question he asked because the answer would definitely not be what he wanted to hear.

The grudges between criminal organisations can only be resolved with four words - an eye for an eye.

In the evening, Old Ghost returned with his men, dressed in all black. His face looked worse than before, but his spirit was unusually good, as if there was something supporting him, not allowing him to be weak or fall.

After knowing that he had returned, Lian Jun went to talk to him for a while. Two leaders stayed alone in the study for about fifteen minutes. Afterwards, Old Ghost pushed open the door and led the way out into the rain once again. Following closely behind, Lian Jun instructed Number One, who was waiting outside, to make a phone call to Number Two and simply said, \"Fully cooperate with Old Ghost.\"

Shi Jin observed everything without asking any questions and pushed Lian Jun back to their room after their usual leg massage. After taking a shower in his own room, Shi Jin returned to Lian Jun's room.

Lian Jun was leaning against the headboard, flipping through something when Shi Jin entered wearing his pajamas. \"What's wrong? Did you drop something?\" Lian Jun asked.

Shi Jin didn't say anything and walked straight to the bed, lifting the covers from the other side and lying down, closing his eyes. Lian Jun paused and set aside the documents in his hand. He turned to look at Shi Jin, who was lying next to him, and reached out to touch him before retracting his hand. He whispered, \"Shi Jin?\"

Shi Jin opened his eyes and looked at him seriously. \"It's getting late. We should go to sleep.\"

Lian Jun looked at his serious expression and suddenly smiled. He put the documents aside and lay down on his side facing him. He reached out and touched his face, saying, \"Thank you.\"

\"I don't understand what you're thanking me for...\" Shi Jin frowned and muttered. He also turned to face him, holding his hand and closing his eyes again. \"No more talking. Goodnight.\"

Lian Jun hooked his lips, leaned in closer to him, obediently not saying anything, but his arm moved, propping up his body as he lowered his head to kiss him. Shi Jin's eyelashes trembled as he reached out and embraced the other's body, willingly parting his lips to deepen the kiss.

Their positions slowly shifted from facing each other to one on top of the other. Sensing Shi Jin's initiative, Lian Jun's movements became slightly uncontrolled as he groped for Shi Jin's face, suspending his body over him and indulging in his own desires.

\"Mmm.\" Shi Jin's tongue was bitten, causing him to let out a low moan.

Lian Jun let out a low laugh, slightly restraining his movements and lightly brushing his lips against Shi Jin's.

Shi Jin had only intended to come over and keep Lian Jun company, using their companionship as comfort. But he never expected the situation to spiral out of control. What was supposed to be a simple goodnight kiss turned into such a passionate scene, all because of his small initiative, which Lian Jun took and ran with.

The two bodies intertwined under the blanket. Lian Jun was wearing a nightgown that had been messed up, with the collar askew, revealing his collarbone and a small part of his chest, which looked very tempting under the light.

As Shi Jin was kissing him, he saw this and before his brain could react, his hand had already climbed onto Lian Jun's body, gently caressing him.

Lian Jun's breathing became irregular, and the kisses gradually shifted position. His body moved downwards, and his hand reached into the blanket, wanting to touch Shi Jin's body.

\"Click--\" As the tension in the air reached its peak, a strange and muffled quack suddenly echoed in Shi Jin's mind. His instinct-filled brain instantly cleared, realizing the situation he and Lian Jun were in, and remembering the presence of Xiao Si.

His mind exploded with realization, and he quickly pulled back his hand that was fumbling around Lian Jun, then grabbed Lian Jun's hand that had already slipped under the covers, and said, \"Don't.\"

The ambiguous atmosphere instantly dissipated.

Lian Jun paused for a moment, then bit Shi Jin's earlobe and sat up to look at him. He silently adjusted his breathing, lowered his head to touch Shi Jin's lips, then held his hand tightly and pulled him back onto the bed. He comfortingly stroked Shi Jin's back and said, \"I was too hasty. Go to sleep, goodnight.\"

Shi Jin was young and had a better reaction than Lian Jun. At this moment, his breathing was still erratic, his body was hot, but his heart was a little cold. He felt hopeless and kept poking at Xiao Si in his mind.

Xiao Si pretended to be dead, but eventually couldn't resist being poked. Its tone was even more hopeless than Shi Jin's, and it even cried with self-blame: \"I wanted to hold back, but I couldn't... Baby, I'm sorry, wuwuwu, please block me, Jin Jin... sob sob.\"

Shi Jin: \"...\"

It seems that Xiao Si had been trying very hard to hold back, but unfortunately couldn't.

It's a good thing it didn't hold back, otherwise he would have been watched by a system with a strange hobby during an intimate scene.

It's a bit scary.

Lian Jun saw that Shi Jin wasn't speaking and thought he had offended him with his abruptness, so he quickly whispered a few words to comfort him. As Shi Jin came to his senses amidst the sound of Xiao Si's crying, he sighed inwardly and buried his head in Lian Jun's embrace, explaining, \"No, I'm not angry, and I do want to do something with you. It's just that...I wasn't prepared this time.\"

He made a mental note to remember to lock Xiao Si in the small black room next time!

Upon hearing his thoughts, Xiao Si immediately burst into tears again, causing Shi Jin to feel a headache.

After all, as an adult man, it was perfectly normal to have some intimate moments with someone he liked. And since this person had just been through a bit of a shock during the day, doing something intimate to shift their focus seemed like a good idea.

Unexpectedly, just when he was ready to indulge himself shamelessly, his \"child\" came and ruined everything. In the end, not only did he not get to enjoy himself, but he also had to comfort the frightened \"child\" and explain himself to the person he had rejected. He felt so miserable.

Lian Jun misunderstood his explanation and patted his head, saying, \"I understand. You're still young. Go to sleep, I won't touch you again.\"

What did he mean by \"won't touch you again\"? Does he mean he won't touch him tonight or never again? Is Lian Jun planning to have a platonic love with him? No way, Lian Jun is so good, he can't just let this opportunity slip away.

He had waited for this moment for two lifetimes, he couldn't let it go to waste! Perhaps it was the impulse of his body that clouded his mind, but when Shi Jin heard those words, a storm quickly brewed in his head. His body acted faster than his brain, reaching out to tightly embrace Lian Jun and rubbing against him.

He earnestly said, \"No, you should move. I like it when you move.\"

\"Ga!\" Xiao Si exclaimed.

Shi Jin's eyebrows twitched as he glanced at Lian Jun's increasingly handsome face under the light. He decisively chose to hide the progress bar and then reached out to pull open Lian Jun's shirt, rubbing against him and kissing him. His hand under the blanket moved, grabbing Lian Jun's hand and placing it on his own body. He whispered softly, \"We don't have to move too much, just a little touch won't hurt.\"

Being so proactive, Lian Jun's breathing immediately became erratic. His previously passive hand became active, holding onto Shi Jin's waist and bringing him into his embrace.

......

The next morning, Xiao Si was finally released from the small dark room by Shi Jin. The whole system was sluggish, and Xiao Si said softly, \"The progress bar hasn't moved, that's great.\"

Shi Jin had snapped out of his daze from being seduced by beauty since last night. Seeing Xiao Si like this, he felt a little guilty and coughed softly, saying, \"The place we're staying in is an official building of L country, and Number Three has arranged for people to take turns on guard duty. Nothing will happen.\"

\"Oh.\" Xiao Si responded dryly, unusually quiet.

Shi Jin couldn't bear it and coaxed, \"I promise not to keep you locked up for so long next time.\"

\"Men can't be trusted, just like how a sow can't climb a tree. Men are all big liars. I'd rather believe in ghosts than believe in a man's broken promises.\" Xiao Si recited the curse-like words, its voice mechanical and numb.

Shi Jin: \"......\"

Xiao Si began to sob.

As Shi Jin lowered his head and poked at his tablet, he pretended not to notice Xiao Si's attempts to engage him. But eventually, it couldn't hold back any longer and asked tentatively, \"Did you and baby do anything last night? Anything at all?\"

\"No,\" Shi Jin replied, his heart skipping a beat at the memory of last night. He managed to keep a straight face, though, and stood up. \"Lian Jun said Number Two is coming over today. I'm going to go check it out.\"

Xiao Si let out a disappointed \"ah\". It was really starting to feel down now.

Before lunch, Number Two rushed over. He looked thinner and darker, with stubble on his face. He wore a crumpled camouflage suit and didn't even have time to drink water before reporting to Lian Jun: \"Last night, I cooperated with Phantom and raided three underground organizations, seizing several important shipments and capturing their leader. Old Ghost spared no expense this time, sacrificing a lot of business to hold onto Nine Eagles' part of the business here. Zhuo Yang probably can't sit still either.\"

\"Not bad,\" Lian Jun nodded, gesturing for him to sit down. \"And what about Old Ghost?\"

Shi Jin poured a glass of water in front of Number Two. After finishing his drink, Number Two wiped his mouth and replied, \"The Old Ghost didn't come. He's busy with the business part of things. He's planning to cut off all the current deals, give up all the interests in the southeast region, and have a final showdown with Nine Eagles.\"

Shi Jin's mood was complicated upon hearing this. It seemed that the blow dealt by the deputy to the Old Ghost was indeed significant, and the Old Ghost was determined to fight back.

Lian Jun rubbed the edge of the data and asked, \"Have you compiled a list of all the downstream organizations of Gunfire?\"

\"Yes, I have,\" Number Two replied, handing over a USB drive. \"But the list may not be complete. Gunfire has several business lines that are obviously problematic, and there must be undercover organizations helping them. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to investigate.\"

\"These are enough,\" said Lian Jun soothingly. He inserted the USB drive into the computer and quickly scanned the list, tapping his fingers on the desk. \"Call everyone for a meeting.\"

Number Two was about to get up and call everyone, but Shi Jin stopped him and told him to rest for a while. Shi Jin got up and went to call everyone instead.

After calling everyone, Shi Jin brought back some food for Number Two. Number Two praised Shi Jin for being thoughtful and was about to pat him on the shoulder. However, he noticed a red mark on Shi Jin's neck that looked like a mosquito bite.

He froze and glanced at Lian Jun, who was sitting behind the desk talking to Number One. Number Two quickly lowered his hand and bumped Shi Jin's shoulder, asking in a hushed voice, \"Xiao Jin Jin, did you take down Young Master Jun?\"

Shi Jin looked at him in confusion. As Number Two glanced at his butt, his eyes were lecherous.

Shi Jin's heart skipped a beat and without hesitation, he made a scissor hand gesture and thrust it towards Number Two's eyes.

Number Two quickly dodged and chuckled lowly, looking very punchable.

With Number Two's jokes, the atmosphere that had been low due to the death of the Old Ghost's right-hand man finally improved.

After Lian Jun and Number One finished exchanging information from Number Two's report, they regained everyone's attention. Lian Jun said, \"We can't be gentle when dealing with Gunfire. It's too difficult to retrieve the people from their hands through peaceful means, so the Old Ghost and I have decided to fight fire with fire.\"

Shi Jin's heart stirred as he immediately realized the significance of the list that Number Two had brought. \"Nine Eagles and Gunfire are so confident when facing this tricky situation because they have the upper hand over the Old Ghost and know that he won't dare to resist too much. So, we'll also capture some of Gunfire's men and turn the passive situation around.\"

Lian Jun turned his computer around to show them and said, \"This is a list of some of Gunfire's subordinate organizations, and four of these small groups are on Gunfire's important business lines. What we need to do next is to take down these four small groups and capture their leaders.\"

Indeed, that's the way to do it!

Shi Jin was excited and felt that Lian Jun, who was casually talking about these things, was simply awesome!

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. When dealing with situations that require confrontation, Lian Jun's methods are always tough and decisive, which is very satisfying!

Upon hearing this, everyone's spirits were lifted. Even Number Two couldn't resist rubbing his chin and sarcastically remarked, \"Nine Eagles initially targeted Phantom because Phantom had interfered with their interests and they wanted to warn him. Later, with Gunfire and Nine Eagles holding onto Phantom's people, it was because they saw the benefits Phantom had in the southeast region.

\"Actually, if they had talked to Old Ghost about conditions when they first held onto people, Old Ghost would definitely have given them some flesh, but they were too greedy. They not only wanted to cut Old Ghost's flesh, but also wanted to swallow him whole. Now, Old Ghost would rather ruin his business than compromise with them. Should we say they deserve it or they should die?\"

\"They should die,\" Number One, who rarely agreed with him, responded coldly. Shi Jin glanced at Number One and silently agreed with him.

After Lian Jun waited for them to finish speaking, he knocked on the table to regain their attention and continued, \"There are four organizations, and each of you will be responsible for one. Number One and Number Five's tasks will be temporarily assigned to Number Nine. You can all leave now and prepare.\"

The four of them responded in unison, stood up, and left.

Shi Jin stared at them leaving, feeling a bit confused. He turned to Lian Jun, who was busy with his computer, and pointed to his own nose, asking, \"Young Master Jun, what about me? Do I not have a task?\"

He thought he had been listening for so long, but in the end, even Number Nine, who wasn't even here, had something to do. Did he have nothing at all? He seemed to have been idle for a long time since the mission with Yuan Ma-zi, and he had not received any new jobs since then.

Lian Jun was stunned by his question and found himself at a loss for words.

Seeing him like this, Shi Jin carefully guessed, \"You haven't forgotten that I'm also your subordinate, have you?\"

\"...You're in charge of protecting me.\" Lian Jun quickly regained his composure, closed his laptop, and said calmly, \"And while you're at it, help Number Nine with his work and take care of Long Shi.\"

Shi Jin fell silent, feeling that he had discovered the truth: Lian Jun really didn't see him as a subordinate anymore.

","published_time":"2024-04-25T00:00:00.000Z","paid":true,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-04-25T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-05-23T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":597,"novel_id":8,"chapter_no":61,"chapter_title":"Fighting Poison with Poison","content":"

\"Ah.\"

Shi Jin let out a sigh for the umpteenth time, leaning on the sofa in the living room, feeling very worried.

Xiao Si was a little concerned and asked, \"Jin Jin, what's wrong with you?\"

\"I'm analyzing the pros and cons of office romance,\" Shi Jin replied, letting out another sigh.

Xiao Si was very confused, \"Office romance? Jin Jin, do you want your own office?\"

\"I, a jobless wanderer, don't need an office,\" said Shi Jin, flipping over and lying on the back of the sofa, looking out the window at the rain falling steadily. \"Lian Jun used to be my boss. I worked for him and he paid me. We both got what we needed and it was comfortable. Now our relationship has changed. He still pays me, but he no longer gives me work. Isn't that like him keeping me for nothing?\"

Xiao Si thought he was wrong and retorted, \"You do have a job, sweetheart. Didn't you say before that your job is to protect him up close? Now you eat with him every day, give him massages, take care of him and show him concern. You're clearly doing a great job, and you've even gained a little weight, honey.\"

Shi Jin was taken aback by what he heard. As he followed this train of thought, he realized that Xiao Si's words made some sense. After all, his job was to stick close to Lian Jun. From this perspective, he had been working hard all along.

But he still felt that something was not quite right. He furrowed his brow, flipped over and leaned back on the sofa, pondering for a few seconds. Suddenly, he sat up straight with a look of realization on his face and said, \"Wait a minute, I take care of him and care about him because I like him. It's just something I do naturally, not because I have to complete some task. How can taking care of him become a job?\"

Xiao Si weakly retorted, \"But even before you and baby got together, you were still taking care of him. At that time, it was your job, so what are you struggling with, Jin Jin?\"

Shi Jin was at a loss for words and couldn't refute Xiao Si's argument. He sat there in silence for a while, then relaxed and leaned back on the sofa, letting out a long sigh. \"I just feel that before we were in a committed relationship, it was fine for me to take care of him like that. But now that we are in this kind of relationship, if I continue to support him like this, what does that make me?...I want to help him with more things, he's too tired and has to worry about everything...\"

For example, right now, Lian Jun was worrying about the plan to destroy four small organizations. As soon as the meeting was over, he immediately called Number Nine to organize the information and help Number One with recruiting manpower. He was so busy that he didn't even have time for a proper lunch.

The Numbers were all busy preparing to destroy four different organizations located in completely different directions, with one even crossing the border. They needed to quickly prepare the necessary items, arrive at the location of each organization, familiarize themselves with enemy information, mobilize manpower, and formulate a battle plan.

While everyone was so busy, he couldn't help with anything and was idle, thinking about the frustrating issue of \"office romance\"...

\"I'm really useless,\" Shi Jin sighed, not realizing he had actually said it out loud.

\"It turns out you have some self-awareness,\" Fei Yujing appeared in the living room at some point, his tone still very punchable. Shi Jin looked up at him and noticed that his suit was still wet from the rain and his hair was half-damp. He guessed that the man had just come back from outside after finishing some work.

Seeing the dark circles under his eyes, Shi Jin didn't hesitate to ask, \"Did you have a bad dream last night?\"

After witnessing the terrible scene inside the villa, any ordinary person would have a decrease in sleep quality in the short term. With such deep dark circles, it was clear that Fei Yujing hadn't slept well all night.

Fei Yujing was taken aback by the question and sneered, \"Do you think I'm like you?\"

He then turned around and walked away without looking back, his pace quickening. As Shi Jin silently watched him walk away, he couldn't help but feel a bit speechless about his tough words. He turned his head to look out the window and saw the people brought by Number Three downstairs, braving the rain to organize the convoy. Remembering the tragic scene he witnessed in the villa yesterday, he couldn't relax his mood.

Although the counterattack was exhilarating, it was inevitable that there would be casualties during the process...

After preliminary preparations, Number One and the others left one after another, heading towards their respective mission destinations.

Lian Jun and Shi Jin saw them off together, watching as each vehicle disappeared at the end of the road, until they could no longer see any trace before retracting their gaze.

\"Shi Jin, I haven't forgotten that you are not only my lover, but also my subordinate. You are very talented, and I have never thought of wasting your abilities by keeping you by my side all the time and not letting you grow.\"

Suddenly, Lian Jun spoke up, lifting his hand from the armrest of his wheelchair and holding Shi Jin's hand that was hanging by his side. He looked down the road and whispered, \"I just haven't prepared myself to watch you leave my side and send you to the dangerous front lines. You lack experience and are not ready to handle bigger conflicts and battles, and my mental state is not strong enough to let you go deep into danger. We are both not ready... Shi Jin, can you give me some time?\"

Shi Jin was taken aback, and he lowered his head to look at Lian Jun. Instinctively, he held his hand back and called out to him, \"Lian Jun...\"

\"I like it when you call me that,\" Lian Jun looked up at him and kissed the back of his hand. \"Relationships require compromise and understanding. I'm often busy and may overlook things, so please remind me if I do. I don't want you to be unhappy.\"

Shi Jin's heart immediately softened at his words. How could someone be so gentle and considerate? He had only asked a simple question, and although he felt a bit down afterwards, he tried to hide it. But Lian Jun still noticed and took the time to explain after finishing his work.

Shi Jin couldn't help but bend down and hug Lian Jun, saying, \"I am a little unhappy, but it's not because of you. It's because I feel like I haven't been able to help you at all... I'm sorry for causing you trouble when you're so busy.\"

\"It's my right to worry about you,\" Lian Jun stroked his hair and comforted him, \"Your company is the greatest help to me.\"

He really knows how to talk.

The low mood that had been hanging over Shi Jin's eyebrows dissipated a bit. He felt like laughing, but also a bit helpless - although he knew that Lian Jun was just saying nice things to comfort him, he was still easily fooled by these sweet words.

They say that people in love become foolish, and he was no exception.

Sometimes it's not that people really become foolish, but because they don't want to burden the person they like, they're willing to be a good fool.

......

After dinner, the four of them set off, and Number Two was the first to send a message - he had already arrived near the headquarters of Gunfire's subordinate organisation and was organizing personnel and arranging firepower.

After another two hours, news started coming in from Number Three and Five. After inquiring about their personnel arrangements and confirming that everything was in order, Lian Jun stopped asking questions and let them focus on making their battle plans.

Around midnight, the furthest group, Group One, finally sent word that they had reached their destination and were adjusting their personnel and preparing their action plan with the local branch of the enemy forces.

With everyone now on track, they exchanged information and agreed on a plan of attack - to strike the enemy when they least expected it.

Lian Jun didn't interfere with their tactical arrangements and simply waited for their good results.

This was going to be a sleepless night. After midnight, the first battle cry sounded from Number Two. There was no doubt about the strength of Annihilation, who maintained communication with Number Two throughout the operation.

Based on his timely reports, Annihilation almost completely crushed the small subordinate organization of Gunfire, capturing their leader and discovering a safe containing important documents and account books. It was a major success.

Shortly after this, Number Three and Number Five also took action, similarly crushing and sweeping through their targets. However, Number Three was unable to capture their leader, who chose to commit suicide when the situation turned against them.

On the other side, Number One was in charge of the final operation. His small organization was highly valued for its firepower, and both its defensive measures and base layout were difficult to breach. Number One was a cautious person and chose to first find a secure breakthrough point before launching a full-scale attack.

Despite some delays on Number One's side, by daybreak, the final organization was successfully taken down, and Number One even managed to prevent the leader from committing suicide and captured him alive.

With this, all the tasks assigned by Lian Jun were completed in less than a day, an astonishingly efficient feat. Shi Jin watched the entire process in awe. In addition to being amazed, he also deeply understood why Lian Jun didn't assign him this task. With his current strength and experience, he really couldn't handle the work that the Numbers were doing now.

The difference in strength and experience between a small police officer in peacetime and a skilled gangster who grew up in the war is simply like night and day. It's not something that can be caught up with just a few small tasks.

\"Retreat immediately, don't let Gunfire cut off our back-up plan. I will send people to cover you, be careful.\" Lian Jun gave his final instructions, then leaned back in his chair and rubbed his forehead.

Shi Jin snapped out of his thoughts and hurried over to ask, \"Do you need to rest? You've been busy all night.\"

Lian Jun put down his hand and looked at him. Some of the fatigue in his eyebrows and eyes dissipated. He touched his face and said, \"You stayed up with me all night. Go rest. I'll have Number Nine take over for you.\"

\"What do you mean by 'staying up with me'? It's my job to accompany you. I'm just doing my own job.\" Shi Jin corrected him seriously, then grabbed his hand and kissed it, saying with a smile, \"Looks like we have to stay up a little longer. Wait here, I'll go get you something to drink to refresh your mind.\"

Lian Jun couldn't help but smile at his words. He held his hand and nodded in agreement, not saying anything about letting him rest first.

......

As the sky was just beginning to lighten, everyone else in the house was still asleep. Shi Jin moved quietly and quickly to the kitchen, heated up a pot of milk, grabbed some food, and then carried the tray outside.

When he reached the living room, Shi Jin noticed a figure sitting on the single sofa by the window. He was a bit puzzled, but as he approached, he realized that it was Fei Yujing, still dressed in his pajamas.

Fei Yujing looked terrible, with his eyes closed and his brow furrowed, and the dark circles under his eyes were even more pronounced. He looked like he was struggling to digest something.

Shi Jin immediately understood and asked, \"Did you have another nightmare?\"

Fei Yujing was startled by his sudden voice and quickly opened his eyes. He tried to play it off, saying, \"No, I just woke up early and came out for some fresh air.\"

\"But the windows are closed, how can you get any fresh air?\" Shi Jin didn't expose him. He put down the tray and took out a disposable cup from the cabinet on the coffee table.

He poured a glass of milk for him, gave him a stack of snacks, and then said, \"It's no use staying up like this. Milk can help you sleep. If you can't sleep at night, try drinking a glass of milk before bed. Exercise and proper leisure activities can also help relax your mind. And don't do high-intensity work before bed. If you have nothing to do, you can chat with friends. Anyway, anything is better than staying up alone. If you keep holding it in like this, be careful of psychological problems.\"

\"Are you cursing me?\" Fei Yujing frowned and asked back.

Shi Jin couldn't help but admire how unique Fei Yujing's mind was. He looked at him as if he were a fool, then picked up the tray and said, \"Yes, I'm cursing you.\"

With that, he turned and left, not intending to waste any more time on him.

Fei Yujing was left feeling suffocated by Shi Jin's final glance.

He stared at his back, then glanced at the steaming milk and sweet pastries on the coffee table. Frustrated, he furrowed his brow and closed his eyes, leaning back on the sofa.

......

By 10 o'clock in the morning, all of the members of Number One's team had finally retreated to a safe location.

Lian Jun breathed a sigh of relief and called Number Nine to continue monitoring the situation. He then took Shi Jin back to their room.

Shi Jin watched as Lian Jun finished his preparations for bed and settled in. He was about to leave when Lian Jun grabbed his hand and asked, \"Aren't you going to rest?\"

\"I am. I just need to take a shower first,\" Shi Jin replied.

Lian Jun shifted to the side and said, \"I don't mind, come up here.\"

Shi Jin hesitated. He wanted to say that he wanted to go back to his room to take a shower and rest, but when he caught Lian Jun's concerned gaze, he swallowed his words and followed Lian Jun's lead, lying down on the bed. He helped pull up the covers and said, \"Go to sleep.\"

But Lian Jun leaned over and pressed his lips against Shi Jin's.

Shi Jin was stunned, but when he saw how seriously Lian Jun was kissing him with his eyes closed, he closed his own eyes and wrapped his arms around him.

......

The two of them slept until just before dinner. When they woke up, Number Two and the others had already returned and were still sleeping. Lian Jun called Number Nine and asked about everyone's injuries. When he heard that no one was hurt, he felt relieved and went back to work.

Around ten o'clock that night, Number Two and the others woke up one by one and reported to Lian Jun about the situation. The three captured leaders and their important subordinates have all been dispersed and detained in various branches of Annihilation. The more important information has been brought back and Number Nine was currently summarizing and organizing it.

Lian Jun confirmed some details and then pointed out a few organization's names, assigning tasks to Number One and the others.

Shi Jin was surprised to see this unexpected second wave of cleaning against Gunfire's subordinate organizations. However, Number One and the others seemed to have been mentally prepared and each took their tasks before leaving in unison.

This time, Shi Jin didn't foolishly ask for a task again. After watching them leave, he asked, \"Are we going to continue fighting?\"

\"We'll keep fighting until Gunfire takes the initiative to negotiate with us,\" Lian Jun replied. Upon hearing this, Shi Jin remembered how Zhuo Yang had tried to lure Lian Jun with Long Shi as bait, but ended up being forced to jump first by Lian Jun. He suddenly felt that the current situation was somewhat similar to that time.

He felt that he had understood a bit of Lian Jun's principle of dealing with things - having chips as an enemy is nothing, as long as you find a way to regain the initiative, then you have won half the battle.

For the next week, Number Two and the others repeated the cycle of going out, cleaning up small organizations, retreating, receiving tasks, and going out again. With L Country as the center, they steadily swept through the important sub-organizations in Gunfire's business network.

In the following days, as the battle with Gunfire intensified and the resistance grew stronger, Number Two and his team decided to skip the retreat and move on to the next mission after clearing out a small organization. They were determined to keep up with the faster pace of attacks and immediately set off for their next target.

As the pace quickened, Lian Jun found himself staying up late more often, causing him to lose weight and look pale.

Seeing this, Shi Jin felt sorry for him and stayed up with him, making sure he ate and rested whenever possible to ease his exhaustion. During this period, due to staying up late, Shi Jin frequently saw Fei Yujing troubled by nightmares at various magical times in the living room. He saw that Fei Yujing's complexion was getting worse day by day and was afraid that he would collapse at any time, delaying everyone's work.

So every time he met him, he kindly handed him a glass of milk and poured some \"how to quickly adjust your state\" chicken soup.

Fei Yujing was annoyed by him and his attitude changed from sarcastic to irritable. Once, he was so annoyed by Shi Jin that he went straight back to his room.

Shi Jin watched him go back to his room, smacking his lips in satisfaction and asked Xiao Si, \"I just made him angry, didn't I?\"

Xiao Si felt a little sorry for Fei Yujing and replied, \"He's almost driven crazy by you, Jin Jin. Why do you keep bullying him?\"

Yes, it was bullying. Although others couldn't see it, Xiao Si knew it well. Those intentional nagging from Shi Jin were really a form of bullying.

In the face of others, Shi Jin had never been so annoying and tactless before.

\"What do you mean by bullying or not? I'm just showing concern, okay? Look at how he always gives me the cold shoulder, but I still treat him with kindness. Am I not a good person?\" Shi Jin asked with a righteous face.

Xiao Si was speechless and kept its conscience intact through silence.

Time flew by quickly in countless sleepless nights. Both official and underground resources were mobilized, and the economic suppression by the Old Ghost against the Nine Eagles became increasingly severe.

The situation in the southeast region gradually became turbulent, and numerous local organizations sensed that something was amiss. They all turned their attention to the gunfight that had been targeted all along, and were itching to take action.

After another round of sweeping, on a rare sunny day in L country, Number Two and his team returned and stopped their crackdown on Gunfire.

Shi Jin was puzzled and asked, \"Did Gunfire come to negotiate with us?\"

\"No, it was Zhuo Yang who approached the Old Ghost,\" Number Two replied, scratching his small beard and yawning. \"I can't take it anymore, it's been too exciting lately. I need to take a break. I'm going to sleep, do you want to join me, Jin Jin?\"

As Shi Jin took a step back to clear his name, he silently gestured towards someone behind him.

Number Two froze, realizing something was amiss. He turned around and saw Lian Jun standing behind him, staring at him with deep intensity. A chill ran down his spine and he quickly tried to cover up his mistake with a forced laugh. \"Just kidding, I was just kidding,\" he said before slipping away.

Number Nine was typing away on his computer, not even bothering to look up as he grumbled, \"He never learns. Every time he comes back from a long mission, he ends up getting punished for running his mouth. He deserves it.\"

Shi Jin couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's predicament.

But Lian Jun remained expressionless as he approached Shi Jin, pulling him down and covering his mouth to prevent any further laughter.

......

Of course, that night, Lian Jun once again discreetly kept Shi Jin in his own room to rest. Shi Jin thought about his own room that he had never slept in and pretended not to notice Lian Jun's little scheme. At Lian Jun's invitation, he climbed onto the bed.

In fact, Shi Jin had already realized that once you climb onto certain beds, it's hard to get off.

The days of staying up late had gone on for too long. Shi Jin woke up in the early hours of the morning and couldn't sleep. Afraid of waking up Lian Jun, he got up and habitually walked towards the living room.

Fei Yujing was once again leaning on the single sofa by the window in the living room, his face hidden in the shadows, his expression unclear.

\"You stay up like this every day, you're not going to die suddenly, are you?\" Shi Jin stopped in front of him, frowning.

It had been over a week now, and if Fei Yujing continued like this, he really wouldn't be able to hold on. Fei Yujing remained motionless, looking as if he had already died suddenly.

Shi Jin stared at him for a few seconds before turning and leaving.

Fei Yujing's fingers twitched upon hearing the sound of footsteps, but he still didn't open his eyes.

Ten minutes later, Shi Jin returned with hot milk and snacks. He first turned on the living room light, then placed the tray on the coffee table and dragged a table over to Fei Yujing's side. He then pulled a chair over and finally brought the tray over to the small table before sitting down across from Fei Yujing.

Fei Yujing opened his eyes and looked at him, asking, \"Shi Jin, what do you want to do?\" His tone was surprisingly calm, a rare occurrence in recent times.

Shi Jin glanced at him and took out his tablet, saying, \"I'm not doing anything. I've been feeling disoriented lately and can't sleep at night, so I came out to sit for a while.\"

\"Then go sit somewhere else,\" Fei Yujing shooed him away.

Shi Jin was tapping away on his tablet and said firmly, \"This is the best spot for the view. I'm sitting here, and if you want to change, you can do it yourself.\" He then clicked on a movie.

\"Ah!\" A piercing scream came from the tablet's speaker, amplified infinitely by the darkness of the night. Fei Yujing was startled, his face turning black as he gritted his teeth and asked, \"What are you doing, Shi Jin?\"

\"I'm watching a movie,\" Shi Jin replied with a mysterious look on his face. \"You know, when I first joined the organization, I was scared of everything and even the sound of gunfire would keep me up for a week. But then an old doctor in the organization told me a trick, and I could sleep again and wasn't afraid of gunfire anymore.\"

Fei Yujing really wanted to ignore him, or even curse him and drive him away. But after nearly ten days of insomnia and nightmares, he was almost driven crazy. Thinking about the work that still needed to be done, he struggled in his heart for a while.

In the end, he swallowed his pride and responded stiffly, \"What's your trick?\"

\"Fight poison with poison.\" Shi Jin dragged his chair closer and enlarged the terrifying and bloody movie on his tablet. He said, \"Everything becomes numb after seeing too much of it. Today is a rare night with a dark moon and strong wind. Don't you think it's perfect to watch something exciting?\"

Fei Yujing looked at the enlarged bloody ghost face on the tablet and forcefully closed his eyes. For the first time, he reached for the milk that Shi Jin had brought and drank it all in one gulp.

","published_time":"2024-05-02T02:55:17.000Z","paid":true,"show_flag":false,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-05-02T02:55:17.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-05-30T00:00:00.000Z"}]

Death Progress Bar

Death Progress Bar

Chapter 59 - The Doghouse

Ribbit