Chapter 84: Sniping and Encirclement

After leaving the set, Rong Qing caught sight of Huo Lingtian’s car from afar. Huo Lingtian waved at her, and she jogged a few steps before slipping into the vehicle.

Huo Lingtian drove with steady hands. At first, Rong Qing chatted with him about matters from the set, but gradually she sensed something was amiss. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she noticed a black sedan trailing them. It might have made sense in the city, but even as Lingtian took detours in the suburbs, the car kept following. Clearly, someone was deliberately tailing them.

“Darling, have you ever tried racing? Want to give it a shot?” Huo Lingtian’s calm smile instantly reassured Rong Qing. That’s right—what was there to fear with a man by her side?

Rong Qing glanced at the ordinary black sedan behind them, then at today’s luxurious Aston Martin. The difference was as vast as a king and a beggar. She could already foresee the outcome. With a playful curve of her lips and a teasing gleam in her eyes, she agreed, “Alright.”

The engine roared to life, its perfect thunder echoing. The black sedan, which had been traveling at a normal speed, suddenly took a sharp turn, shooting forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, stirring up clouds of dust. The trailing black car sped up as well, but as it watched the Aston Martin disappear into the distance, the pursuer slammed the steering wheel in frustration. Trying to chase a luxury car with an old clunker—it was hopeless from the start.

“The target is heading toward Tianhua Road. Prepare for a pincer attack.” The man in black ended the call, and the chase continued.

When a luxury car finally sheds its pretense and races at full power, the concept becomes something else entirely. Trees along the roadside blurred past, and at the next bend, both cars drifted through, engines screaming with passion and speed that made the heart race. Huo Lingtian’s car was stable, his skill exceptional. In mere minutes, the trailing vehicle vanished without a trace.

But the trouble was not over. At the next intersection, cars approached from three directions at once, forming a dead end, intent on forcing them into a corner. Huo Lingtian’s speed did not falter; he charged straight at the vehicle on the right. Rong Qing watched the incoming cars, utterly unperturbed, trusting her man. The rush of speed and adrenaline intensified her excitement.

Ramming headlong into a car at such velocity would be suicide. Yet Huo Lingtian’s lips curved in a cold, ruthless smile, calm as death incarnate. Ten meters… five meters… the collision seemed inevitable. Suddenly, the black Aston Martin swung sharply, tires screeching against the pavement, sparks flying. Both luxury cars skillfully evaded the obstacle and pressed onward.

Those in the blocking vehicle broke out in a cold sweat, slamming the brakes. Moments before, they’d thought they’d be smashed to pieces! The two cars had passed each other so closely they almost touched. God, this time they’d tangled with someone more terrifying than death itself. Their hands shook, and their feet clung to the brakes.

Even though they couldn’t match the Aston Martin’s speed, the two cars behind didn’t let up. Through the rearview mirror, Huo Lingtian’s eyes were as calm as still water. Someone dared to pull knives and guns in front of him. He remembered his days in the underworld: when a mutinous subordinate first pointed an unloaded gun at him, he’d broken all ten fingers and fed them to the dogs, one by one. He was more merciful now, but could not tolerate anyone pointing a gun at him and his beloved. This farce needed to end. He pressed a black button on the dashboard.

The cars behind didn’t slow down. A black-clad figure leaned from the window, pointing a handgun at their vehicle.

Bang! Bang bang! Bullets struck the window but bounced back, leaving only faint marks. Oh, and one thing yet unmentioned: all of Huo Lingtian’s luxury cars were bulletproof, made from the toughest metals. Threats of this level were little more than an itch.

“Damn! It’s a bulletproof car. We’re in trouble now—we must finish them off, or our fate will be unbearable!” The pursuing assassins cursed. They belonged to a minor but notorious local organization; most corporate chairmen wouldn’t have such driving skill or armored vehicles. Unless… the consequences of that possibility were beyond anything they could bear.

The chase intensified, bullets flying, but the car’s armor held strong, not even a single window shattered. Watching the luxury car slip out of their sniper range once again, the assassin leader fumed.

“Give me the gun. Quick!” He grabbed the latest firearm, aiming at the spinning tires ahead, eyes narrowed, seeking the perfect moment.

Now! Bang! The vehicle ahead merely shook, then sped away, leaving them in the dust. He was sure he’d hit the tire—his marksmanship was flawless. Unless… the assassin's face darkened as he considered the only possibility: the latest foreign-engineered tires, which, when struck, still had a safety layer allowing five hours of high-speed driving. Such tires cost a fortune. What was supposed to be an easy job had become a clash with a formidable foe.

Huo Lingtian gave them no further chance. The Aston Martin broke free from their encirclement and raced back to Xiangshan Villa at lightning speed. Meanwhile, the assassins were blocked by vehicles converging from all directions.

Yan Dong stepped out of a luxury car, the ground littered with six or seven bound, black-clad assassins. “Damn! To block the boss’s car—you must be tired of living!” He kicked them fiercely. The would-be tough guys collapsed quickly, some fainting, others spitting blood, utterly disgracing the underworld.

Yan Dong yanked up the still-defiant leader, gripping his jaw, staring into his eyes as he prodded the outdated weapon at his feet. “You’ve got guts, pointing a gun at Young Master Huo. Hope your family’s all settled.”

This fellow was notorious in the underworld, but today he’d run afoul of the old master himself, the king of hell—sending his whole family down to the underworld. He squeezed his eyes shut, but his trembling hands betrayed his fear.

Yan Dong toyed with the latest gear at his waist, surrounded by a band of knife-sharpening brothers, any one of whom could send the lot to the next world with a single punch. “You play with these useless toys, huh? You must have eaten a lion’s heart and leopard’s gall, daring to lay a hand on our mistress. At least you’re gutsier than us.”

With a grunt, Yan Dong slammed his fist into the man’s abdomen, who collapsed with a muffled groan.

“Bind them up and take them back. The gang hasn’t seen blood in a while—tonight, let the brothers feast!” The men hauled the bodies into cars, and a dozen vehicles vanished like ghosts. The bloodstains on the road were scrubbed clean, cameras blocked—no trace of the bloody scene remained.

The night in City X was lively, but the solitary, deserted Li family villa stood eerily silent. The wind outside fluttered the sheer curtains, inside shadows moved and moans of passion pierced the night, incongruous with the darkness.

Zhu Xi lay submissively atop Li Yingming, tracing circles on his ample chest with her fingertips. Her makeup was exquisitely done, her breath sweet as orchid, and after their sweaty bout, she was even more seductive. Her pale arms draped over Li’s neck, her gaze sultry, a picture of allure.

“Master Li, didn’t you say you’d cleared things with the TV station? Why hasn’t my show been moved to prime time?” Zhu Xi’s situation was dire—blacklisted by Huo Lingtian, her ratings had plummeted, her popularity crashed. Anyone at the station dared to step on her, leaving her no choice but to pin her hopes on this fat pig, praying her gamble wouldn’t fail.

Li Yingming enjoyed her ministrations, squinting contentedly. “Just wait. With me, the national station will be your playground. Why talk business at a time like this, darling?” He pressed his bulk onto her.

“Ah… gentler…” Zhu Xi suppressed her disgust, speaking softly.

They were in the throes of passion when a tremendous crash startled them both—the entire floor-to-ceiling window shattered, glass raining down. “Ah—” The entire villa plunged into darkness.

Moonlight streamed in, the autumn wind howled, a chilling, ghostly atmosphere. Zhu Xi cowered under the covers, Li Yingming hurriedly pulled on his pants. “Someone, someone…”

Only silence and emptiness replied. At that moment, they realized something was wrong. The Li mansion had high security, staff always on standby. With such a commotion, someone should have responded.

“Oooh… ah… whooo—” Haunting voices seeped through the door crack. Zhu Xi shrieked in terror, Li Yingming’s face hardened. “Who’s there! Who!”

Only ghostly wails answered. The endless dark, fluttering curtains, and eerie sounds threatened to break their nerves. Unable to bear it, Li Yingming grabbed a handgun from the bedside drawer and fired twice through the door.

“Come out—if you don’t, I’ll shoot!” He edged toward the door, gun in hand, sweat pouring from his brow, hands trembling, ready to fire at any moment.

Bang. Bang… “Ah—” Li Yingming clutched his wounded arm, kneeling in agony. Zhu Xi had already lost consciousness, fainting on the bed.

“Master Li, how does the gun feel? This is the latest ammunition—once it hits, it spreads, until your whole body—” Yan Dong’s cold expression was illuminated by the smoking barrel pressed to Li Yingming’s head.

“Spare me, please! I’ll give you anything you want…” Li Yingming’s eyes widened in terror, shaking his head desperately, willing to do anything to survive.

“If you send assassins after the boss, you must face the consequences! Bang!” Without mercy, Li Yingming fell to the floor, eyes wide in horror. “Take the woman.”

Yan Dong gave no quarter, leading his men away from the desolate mansion like ghosts.

－－－－－－Extra－－－－－－

Bookmark, bookmark… Writing three thousand words is quite the challenge for Lanlan. Whew…