Ye Jiuliang nodded and looked back at the two elders, "Grandfather Charles, wait here for me. I promise to bring Bentley back safely. Don’t wander around; just stay here."

Those hiding in the dark must have known that Grandfather Charles had some information to tell her, which is why they chose this moment to strike. The place was crowded; it would be safer for the two of them to stay put for the time being.

"Ye, please take care of this," Grandfather Charles said solemnly.

Ye Jiuliang hummed softly in response, "Feng Yi, could you please look after them for me?"

Not knowing what riddle they were playing, but aware that it wasn’t the right moment to ask, Feng Yi simply nodded.

"Don’t worry."

Both left via a side door without attracting anyone’s attention.

The night was as dark as thick ink, and the rainfall was so heavy that the staff had gone inside to take shelter, leaving the terrace eerily quiet. Amid the ferocious storm, an invisible gunpowder was surreptitiously approaching.

Pushing open the small door, the downpour hit her head-on.

Through the blurry veil of rain, Ye Jiuliang narrowed her eyes, fixing her gaze on a dark figure not far away.

Her eyes traveled downwards, landing on the unconscious Little Tuanzi in his arms, and she frowned.

"Two minutes and fifty seconds, Ye Jiuliang. It seems you do care a lot about this child," the person in black said, his hoarse voice laced with scorn, as he saw Ye Jiuliang had come alone.

"Was it you who stole the medicine last time?" Ye Jiuliang raised her hand to wipe the rain off her face, her tone turning frosty.

The person in black sneered, "To tell you the truth, it was your own people who betrayed you."

Not believing a word he said, Ye Jiuliang asked coldly, "Where is the person?"

"I told you, he betrayed you. There’s nothing you can do if you don’t believe it," said the man in black ominously. "That damned old man Charles is too nosy, and he must pay the price."

As he spoke, he lifted Little Tuanzi, pretending to throw him into the sea.

"Ye Jiuliang, do you think you can find him if I throw such a little child in?"

A manic laughter echoed, drowning in the thunder.

"What do you want?" Ye Jiuliang asked, clenching her fists, her gaze deep as she stared at him.

"If Little One dies, the Charles family will probably hate you to death. They might even blame you and come after you with swords drawn. What do you think?" the man in black’s eyes showed a ferocious gleam as he swung Little Tuanzi’s body carelessly.

"Ye Jiuliang, my master asked me to give you a message. The game has just begun; don’t disappoint him," he said.

Before the echo of his words faded, his hand holding Little Tuanzi suddenly let go.

"Ye Jiuliang, consider this child a greeting gift for today," he said with a jeering laugh that filled the space, wild and grim.

In a flash, a tall figure burst out from the side, capturing the falling Little Tuanzi with a quick, agile hand and drawing him into an embrace.

"Mohan, catch," Ye Jiuliang said as she grabbed a rope and threw it down.

The hemp rope dropped straight down, and Li Mochan grabbed it, his lanky body swinging in the air.

"Dammit," the man in black’s face changed behind the mask; he drew a dagger from his waist, ready to sever the rope.

"You’re the one who should die."

A cold voice struck, and Ye Jiuliang, holding the rope with one hand, kicked towards the man.

With ghostly speed and swift as the wind, the man in black twisted to dodge, but he was already a step too late.

"Pu—"

A heavy kick landed on his chest, and a sweet taste rose in his throat, with blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

In that instant, Ye Jiuliang’s gaze grew sharp, her fingertips flicking several silver needles.

Against the dark night, the silver needles glinted with a chilling light.

The man in black’s face showed panic as he spun to avoid them.

"Heh."

Avoiding the silver needles, he laughed coldly, "Is that all?"

"Is it?"

The icy voice carried through the howling wind into his ear, and a slight sting suddenly appeared on his shoulder, followed by numbness.

The man in black looked down at the silver needle almost fully embedded in his shoulder, his eyes hardening. He flung the dagger at the rope in retaliation.

"Ye Jiuliang, we have a long way to go, just you watch," he roared hoarsely before jumping off the cruise ship.

The sea churned, and in an instant, no one was in sight.

The blade cut through the rope, and Ye Jiuliang’s eyes tightened slightly.

"Mohan."

Li Mochan’s dark eyes hardened as he threw Little Tuanzi upwards with all his might, "Catch."

Amidst the raging storm, Little Tuanzi’s rotund body swayed precariously.

Ye Jiuliang leaned outward, one hand grasping the railing and the other catching Little Tuanzi’s small leg.

"Bentley."

Having not heard back from Ye Jiuliang and the others for a while, Charles and a few others couldn’t contain themselves and came looking.

They didn’t expect to arrive and see such a heart-stopping scene.

Charles’s grandmother’s legs gave way, and she nearly collapsed to the ground.

"Jiuliang," Feng Yi was the quickest to react. He dashed over and reached out his hand toward Ye Jiuliang.

"Feng Yi, catch the child first," Ye Jiuliang used her wrist strength to pull Little Tuanzi’s hand upward.

Feng Yi reached out and scooped up Little Tuanzi while Charles and the old gentleman hurried over to help.

"Bentley," Mrs. Charles took Little Tuanzi and held him tightly in her arms, her voice choked as she said, "Bentley, wake up, don’t scare grandma."

Ye Jiuliang grabbed Feng Yi’s hand and leaped back onto the cruise ship.

Without waiting to steady herself, she turned to look at the sea. The waves were tumultuous, and the rain blurred her vision so that she couldn’t see a single person.

"Li Mochan," she cried out hoarsely.

"Li Mochan..."

Seeing this, Feng Yi had a bad feeling. Looking down at the pitch-black sea, could Mohan have fallen into the water?

Under the turbulent sea, a fierce fight was taking place.

It was hard to say whether the man in black was unlucky or just unlucky.

Jumping into the sea just happened to catch Li Mochan’s full attention.

Struck by the silver needle, the man in black’s right shoulder lost its strength, and with his left hand, he drew his gun from his waist and aimed it at Li Mochan without hesitation, pulling the trigger.

Li Mochan dodged to the side, his long dark eyes glinting with ice, and kicked the gun out of the man’s hand before reaching out and flipping off the mask from the man’s face.

The man’s pale face, sodden with seawater, was marred by a ghastly scar that cut deep to the bone.

The man in black’s expression changed dramatically, and he turned to flee.

Thinking of escaping?

Heh.

Too late.

Li Mochan, holding his breath, caught the falling gun and fired several shots at the man in black without looking back.

"Bang, bang, bang—"

In an instant, bright red blood spurted, and the pungent smell of blood spread.

The man in black’s eyes split wide open as he looked down at the bloody holes in his chest, his face filled with reluctance.

The tall figure fell backward, floating away with the seawater.

"Li Mochan..."

After calling out several times with no response, the calmness in Ye Jiuliang’s eyes was replaced by tension and worry.

She grabbed the rope on the ground, tied it around her waist, and clenched the knot.

"Jiuliang, what are you doing?" Feng Yi pulled her back.

Ye Jiuliang shook off his hand, her aqua-colored lips pressed tightly.

"Finding him."

Before her words fell, she tied the rope to the railing and dived into the sea.

"Ye Jiuliang."

Anxious shouts came from behind, the low voice distorted by stress.