Back to the present, Jingnan Harbor.

W–What was going on here?!

He Juan could not wrap his head around the current situation. A moment ago, it was him alone fighting against the enemies, and just as he was thinking that the imposter really wanted to kill him here and throw his body to the ocean, all of a sudden, another group of people arrived in motorboats to... to aid him?

He Juan’s grip on the gun was shaky due to the adrenaline that rushed to his head. Still breathing heavily, he swept his gaze over each and every person who had just arrived before coming to a halt at someone outside the circle, his eyes rounding in shock.

"Y–You..." Why was this person here?! He Juan could not forget those blue eyes even if he wanted to. Not only because this person bore an uncanny resemblance to the foreigner who was photographed together with He Juan, but he was also the one who caused He Juan to be drugged with AX–03! He had obviously hated He Juan down to the core, so... how could he arrive together with this group of people?!

Alas, the young man whom he was gawking at did not even deign him a glance. His side profile was cold and frosty as he surveyed the surroundings. It was unknown whether he noticed He Juan’s surprise or not.

"Ah, it’s getting so crowded!" Ku Jin laughed happily. He was clearly surrounded, yet there was not an ounce of fear or apprehension on his face. "Everyone is more or less acquaintances here. Why don’t we say hello to each other?"

Hearing his words, the men burst out in guffaws, savage and mirthless. They made an imposing image when standing with gleaming black guns in their hands. "Old acquaintance? Hell yeah!" One of them turned the muzzle toward Ku Jin. "I have long wanted to kill you with my own hands, so let me start first!"

Ku Jin raised a brow, his smile seemingly careless. Subtly, he moved the person in his arms—

"Stop!" He Juan’s pupils dilated sharply and before he knew it, he had shouted out that command. That bastard, he... he was putting Jia Molei between himself and the gun! Chills ran down He Juan’s spine and the next words he said were laced with firmness that brooked no refusal. "No one is allowed to shoot!"

Everyone instantly froze. The man, whose gun was pointing at Ku Jin, was also immobilized with his finger ready on the trigger.

"Why?!" The man demanded angrily. "Boss XIU, he has reduced you to such a state! Why are you still protecting him?!"

He Juan gritted his teeth, eyes turning bloody red. He was so furious that every inch of his body trembled from the force it took to hold himself back. Why should he protect this person? He did not want to do it either! The one who wanted to kill this person the most was him! But how... how was he supposed to ignore Jia Molei who had been made as a shield? No harm shall come to Jia Molei’s way. He Juan would not allow such a thing to happen!

"Stay still," he growled. "If anyone shoots, I will tear you apart with my own hands!"

Ku Jin looked positively amused at the exchange, as if the person on the receiving end of their ire was not him. His eyes twinkled in delight and the smile on his face was on the verge of overflowing. "Hear that?" He taunted in a provoking tone as he tightened his grip further on the struggling Jia Molei, tearing a pained gasp from the latter. "Your Boss XIU has given the word. Do you dare to defy him? Hmm?"

The men cursed viciously under their breaths. But true to his words, nobody dared to go against He Juan’s order.

A gust of fierce wind blew by, carrying with it the thick scent of blood and pheromones. The air crackled with subtle tension. It was as if everyone was standing on a block of thin ice with cracks on the surface. A single powerful move was all it needed for the ice to shatter and plunge them into the violent current surging underneath.

Still with his gaze locked on Jia Molei, He Juan started to take one step toward the latter only to be noticed by Ku Jin. "Ah, ah..." he exclaimed softly. With every step He Juan took, Ku Jin was also dragging Jia Molei backward to the direction of the container where he had come out from. "I advise you not to do this, XIU."

He Juan finally tore his gaze off Jia Molei’s pale face to stare at Ku Jin dead in the eye. "Hand him over to me," he demanded through gritted teeth.

But Ku Jin merely shrugged. "Why should I? He’s mine." In his arms, Jia Molei struggled even more violently. He realized that he was the only one standing between Ku Jin and the guns. As long as he was still held in Ku Jin’s grasp, He Juan would not be able to bring himself to attack. Alas, if Jia Molei could think of it, why couldn’t Ku Jin? All the more reason why Ku Jin could not let this person go.

"Stop struggling, Molei..." he leaned down and whispered into Jia Molei’s ears, his voice so soft and gentle as though whispering to a lover. Yet the words he said sent Jia Molei further into the brink of despair. "Or... do you really want to see him dead? Hmm?"

He Juan had no idea what Ku Jin was saying to Jia Molei. All he saw was the deep helplessness and despair in best friend’s eyes. Just like that, a torrent of fury swept over him. He disregarded the throbbing ache on his ankle in lieu of pouncing forward, his expression ferocious as he aimed the handle of the gun on Ku Jin’s head.

Ku Jin quickly reacted and put some force on his feet to move even closer to the container. Just a little more and they would enter the enclosed space, when all of a sudden—

BANG!

A clear gunshot echoed in the air.

Ku Jin let out a gasp and he glanced down at the bullet embedded on the ground where he was standing a second ago had he not dodged in the nick of time, then his eyes moved to the one who had fired the shot — Little Guo.

The young man was expressionless as he tilted his chin arrogantly. "I dare," he declared in reply to Ku Jin’s provocation earlier. "I am not one of his men so of course, I dare to shoot. If you don’t want to die here, then... call your Boss out. He is inside, isn’t he?" After saying that, he moved the muzzle of his gun toward the container behind Ku Jin.

***

Meanwhile, inside the command car.

"Captain, they’re in a deadlock! They have seven Beretta M9! Awaiting further instructions!"

"Fuck!" Li Zhi cursed in a low voice when he heard the report that had just come in.

Beretta M9, a semi-automatic pistol with detachable box magazine, short recoil and maximum firing range of 100 meters. It was a favorite of the United States Armed Forces and had endured the toughest and most extreme conditions, from the scorching deserts of Iraq to the frigid heights of the Afghan mountains. It was the handgun that had rightfully earned the nickname — ’World Defender’.

Compared to the guns carried by the officers, it was downright bullying.

The air-con was clearly on full blast, but Li Zhi couldn’t stop sweating bullets. He wiped his clammy palm on his trousers and barked out, "All teams, on standby! As long as the Xuanlong’s Boss has not shown himself yet, you are not allowed to expose yourself! This is an order!!"

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A/N: Everyone, delana has redeem codes as a gift for you~ But unfortunately, webnovel no longer gives free coins QAQ so each codes is replaced by 10 fastpass instead. Just use it to read another book you like <3

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