Chapter 40: I Originally Didn’t Want to Lay a Hand on You⌠part 1
Yu Shi stood by the diamond-paned window. Fireworks were being set off at the mountain peak, the brilliant, iridescent bursts illuminating the entire mountainous area for brief, dazzling moments.
He sent a message to Xie Ren, telling him there was an impromptu family dinner tonight.
Xie Ren sent back a dejected Samoyed emoji: [Thatâs such a pity. You wonât be able to see the gift I prepared for you!]
Yu Shi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: [A gift too?]
[Xie Ren: Yeah, a gift youâll definitely like. So, can you sneak away and come back to video chat with me? That dinner sounds boring to death.]
[Yu Shi: Are you instigating me to do bad things?]
[Xie Ren: Iâm just telling the truth. Rather than wasting time with a group of uninteresting people, itâs better to talk about something with nutritional value with meâlike my graduation design.]
Yu Shi smiled: [Iâll think about it. /Thinking/]
“Who are you messaging to be so happy?” Qin Yinâs voice sounded from behind him.
Yu Shi turned off his communicator. Just as he was about to speak, a dark shadow flashed before his eyes, and the device fell into Zheng Xiaoâs hands.
Zheng Xiaoâs movements were incredibly fast; Yu Shi hadn’t even seen when he entered the room. His gaze instantly darkened.
Qin Yin spoke nonchalantly, “Don’t be angry. Itâs the rule here; no electronic products are allowed. Heâs just keeping it safe for you temporarily.”
Without a word, Zheng Xiao silently retreated.
Yu Shi didn’t feel like wasting words and asked succinctly, “What do you want with me?”
Qin Yin laughed. “Why so impatient? Weren’t you in a good mood just now?”
Yu Shi stared at him without speaking. Qin Yin continued, “You should have seen the people downstairsâall political elites. Thereâs also a distinguished guest today whom you should remember: the Vice Chairman of the First Zone.”
Yu Shiâs expression finally changed. A crack appeared in his calm mask, and a trace of gloom flashed in his eyes.
“Do you want to see him?” Qin Yin asked meaningfully. “I know you hate him and wish you could kill him. If the news reports tomorrow that the Vice Chairman drowned after drinking too much, I don’t think that would be considered a major issue.”
He stared intently at Yu Shi, as if engaged in a silent game of chess.
The air grew still. Struggle surfaced on Yu Shiâs face before he finally closed his eyes tightly and replied coldly, “I don’t want to see him, and I don’t want to interfere in any of your business.”
Qin Yinâs willingness to sacrifice the Vice Chairman was nothing more than a bargaining chip. If Yu Shi agreed, he would have to offer something of equal value in exchange.
Both men were tacitly aware of this.
Yu Shiâs refusal was equivalent to telling him that the negotiations had collapsed.
Qin Yin sneered, “Director Yu, soon to be promoted, naturally disdains to associate with people like me. But don’t you think playing me for a fool is going a bit too far?”
Yu Shi looked at him abruptly. “What do you mean?”
A chip was thrown at his feet, landing on the patterned carpet.
Qin Yinâs expression turned sinister. “I went to great lengths to help you get what you wanted, yet you gave me a fake list. You didn’t truly think I wouldn’t know, did you?”
He approached step by step, his smile completely vanishing. Yu Shi was shoved heavily against the diamond-paned window, forced into a corner with no retreat.
“Don’t you think you’ve gone too far, Director Yu?” Qin Yin raised an eyebrow.
Yu Shi frowned in silence. After a long while, he realized, “You have someone in the Investigation Department? That department is directly under the Falcon Regimentâhow did you manage that?”
He had indeed given a fake list.
From the very beginning, he had no intention of working for Qin Yin.
From start to finish, he had merely used him to obtain the Grade A war criminal files. As for the list of high officials Qin Yin wanted, he hadn’t copied it from the main server at all. Instead, he had mimicked the file’s encryption method to forge a fake encrypted list.
He had thought it wouldn’t be discovered in the short term, but for Qin Yin to know now, it must mean that after the Investigation Department restored the traces and found no copy records, they had leaked the news to him.
Qin Yin laughed instead of becoming angry, even offering a compliment: “Your mind really turns fast. As expected of the person I took an interest inâyou figured it out so quickly. Yes, the Investigation Department said you only stole the file. Is it fun to play with me, hmm?”
His voice was airy, without any omen of a temper. Instead, there was a hint of mockery that made one’s skin crawl.
Yu Shi met his gaze coldly. “Since your network is so vast, why did you let me take the risk to steal the things? Qin Yin, it was clearly you who played me first.”
He didn’t show a hint of panic. He lifted his chin defiantly like a little peacock who didn’t know the heights of the heavens or the depths of the earth; even his unreasonable words carried a bit of justification.
Qin Yin narrowed his eyes and suddenly took a deep breath, reaching his hand toward Yu Shiâs cheek.
Yu Shi reacted quickly, slapping the back of his hand with a sharp thwack. The force was considerable, leaving a distinct red mark on his hand.
Qin Yin shook with laughter. “Youâve really learned bad habits, actually daring to bite back. I kindly gave you an opportunity, only to be called a ‘white-eyed wolf’ who wants to harm you.”
“Do you know why I only sent you? Because the moment you cracked the password, you would have willingly followed me back to the Seventh Zone. You would have completely understood that there is nothing here worth your nostalgia.”
“The so-called peace and justice are all illusions created by those in power to deceive you. Tiangui is not as beautiful as you imagine.”
Yu Shi remained silent, unsure of what mystery he was trying to spin.
“I suspect you haven’t opened that file yet,” Qin Yin said. “You act cautiously; you wouldn’t hand it over to a third party for decryption. How about this: bring the chip and come with me. Iâll help you open it within a month.”
“You’re sick,” Yu Shi spat out coldly. “If you came here for this today, you needn’t waste my time.”
He pushed the other man away decisively and walked toward the door.
Qin Yin sighed, seemingly with regret. “This is the third time youâve refused me. Things don’t happen a fourth time.”
Just as Yu Shiâs hand was about to touch the doorknob, a sentence sounded from behind him.
“The Seventh Zone is about to enter a state of combat readiness.”
His footsteps paused, and he turned around in shock.
“The order will be issued tonight. I leave tomorrow morning at the latest,” Qin Yin said unhurriedly.
He was a warlord who moved only for profit, with a massive reach in Tianguiâs economic and military sectors. Although he had once said he would return to the Seventh Zone one day, Yu Shi didn’t think he would abandon everything here so abruptly.
Unless a coup occurred in the Seventh Zone, forcing him to return immediately.
In all these years, Yu Shi actually knew nothing about him, not even his identity in the Seventh Zone. He only vaguely guessed that his family was in politics and held a high status.
“What do you think? Considering boarding the starship with me?” Qin Yin opened his arms with a smile. “After all, that place can be considered half a hometown for you.”
A look of heavy disgust flashed in Yu Shiâs eyes. Without a hint of hesitation, he said, “That place will never be my hometown. We have always walked different paths; we don’t belong on the same ship.”
After saying that, he opened the door without hesitation.
Qin Yin said regretfully, “I originally didn’t want to lay a hand on you.”
“You really are disobedient, Yu Shi.”
The moment the door opened, a gun forced Yu Shi back. Zheng Xiao entered with several Alphas, pointing a gun coldly at him.
Yu Shi retreated expressionlessly, his mind racing. It turned out this was a “Hongmen Banquet” with a predetermined outcome.
Taking advantage of the moment Zheng Xiao closed the door, Yu Shi suddenly raised his leg to kick away the gun. Simultaneously, thin blades hidden in his sleeves shot toward the throats of several Alphasâthe security downstairs hadn’t searched his person, and he had been carrying them all along.
Zheng Xiao immediately picked up the gun and fired at him. Yu Shi flew to dodge. Seeing the anesthetic needles embedded in the wall, his entire body tensed to the limit.
Qin Yin lit a cigarette and leaned relaxedly against the window. “Take it easy. Don’t draw blood; don’t ruin my banquet.”
Yu Shi kicked over a coffee table, the anesthetic needles thudding into the tabletop. Bodyguards closed in from all directions. He swung his elbow back hard, smashing into an attackerâs eye socket, causing the man to let out a scream.
Zheng Xiao fired with pressing precision, avoiding his head and neck to force him into a corner.
In the next second, Zheng Xiao was stunned into a pause by the onslaught of offensive pheromones.
Bang!
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