Crimson Instinct

Dongcheng.

Lin Zihao and his team of officers surrounded the apartment area.

Xin Nianzu was visibly surprised by the situation overturned.

I see. So this was why Zhengsheng brought him here.

One sergeant quickly disarmed Rodey of his weapon. The others took Xin Nianzu and Rong Zhengsheng with them.

Rodey stood alone, surrounded by the Army. He shut his eyes, and he clenched his jaw trying to repress his anger for his stupidity.

"Bai Li," He slowly said.

Lin Zihao chirped cheerfully. "At this point, who else could it be other than him?"

Rodey opened his eyes. He sneered. "He is in Andingzhen, but he already made full preparations for my welcome here. He never lets me down. That bastard."

Xin Nianzu narrowed his gaze.

Bai Li…

Lin Zihao smirked. "I don't deny that. He is one bastard."

"Heh! Such a brilliant man wasting his time saving useless lives. But I admire him so much. With his skills and brain, he was best suited to be on this side. We could have been such a great team."

"Sadly, for you, that is not the case."

Rodey smiled. "Fine by me. It isn't much fun, either if the fight is not challenging. A villain like me on this side deserves a hero like Bai Li on your side."

"Hero?" Lin Zihao chuckled. "If he hears that, then he will surely kill you more because you called him that."

"Kill me?" Rodey laughed. "Let's see about that."

Rong Zhengsheng twitched his brow. "Well, if your reunion chat is over, then can we leave? The wound on my shoulder is hurting now."

Rodey smirked at him. "A setup, huh? Good acting skills you got there."

"Thank you for the praise. But Bai Li deserves it much more. He really knows you down to your last nerve. Your actions, your reactions; he gauged it all just perfectly."

"As expected of someone who I have recognized as my enemy."

Lin Zihao looked at the sergeant at his side. "Take him."

The sergeant walked behind Rodey and twisted his arms at the back. He put the cuffs on his wrists.

Rodey laughed. "Do you think this is the end? Bai Li will never win until he puts a bullet in my forehead."

Lin Zihao smiled. "Sure, he will do that honor. That time will soon come. Because now you have nowhere to run, Rodey. Oh yes. Bai Li has asked you, "How does it feel that you fell for my trap again? You are losing your touch, Rodey."'

The first time was when Bai Li fooled him into coming to the container terminal.

Rodey was quiet for a bit. Then he rolled his head back and laughed hard.

"Bai Li, Bai Li. He is one fine and worthy opponent, indeed. Only he has been able to catch me. Twice. Che! All this time, I ordered my useless men to kill him. What a fool I am. It should be my honor to beat him. That would be my greatest satisfaction."

He tilted his head and smiled. "Tell him that he is right. I did lose my touch. But not again. Because next time, the situation will be reversed. And I will kill him with my own hands. That's a promise."

Lin Zihao narrowed his gaze. "There is no next time. You cannot escape."

Rodey said nothing, but his gaze contained a mysterious glint in them.

Lin Zihao signaled his sergeants to take him away. Two of them stood at his side, and the other at his back and pushed him inside the army jeep.

Rong Zhengsheng glanced at Xin Nianzu. "Well, finally, you are here."

Xin Nianzu shrugged. "I wondered why you would bring him here, but then I understood that something was up. I thought you might have planned an ambush by the cops, so I feigned to escape to buy us some time."

"Bingo. That's what we wanted. Smartass as always."

Xin Nianzu then carefully sized up Lin Zihao. "But why is the army here instead of the cops? And Bai Li…"

Lin Zihao said, "Bai Li served in the army before. We are comrades from the army. He is with Xin Lei in Andingzhen now."

Xin Nianzu remembered that Xin Lei was working with a man when Gen Gen shouted about him suddenly popping up to help her in his base.

That must be him.

He asked, "Lei Lei...How is she?"

Lin Zihao smiled. "Your daughter is smart and brave. She is fine. And now Bai Li is with her. She cannot be any better."

He felt a little relieved.

"Is he involved in this case because of that man? It seemed like Bai Li, and he has quite the history."

"You are right there. But right now, this case isn't just about your client anymore. We will fill you in on the details."

Xin Nianzu squinted his eyes.

"I see…Can they not come back? She started to look in the case because I was kidnapped. She wanted to find me. But I am here now. It's too dangerous to keep digging further."

Lin Zihao scratched his head. "Well yeah. Xin Lei can come back, although I am sure Bai Li wouldn't. Once we head back, we will try to reach them, and you talk to her about it."

He nodded.

Coming back… Rong Zhengsheng thought. I don't think so she would do that.

He couldn't wait to know what would happen when his friend learns about their budding feelings.

Xin Nianzu looked at him in disdain. "Why are you smiling like an idiot?"

"Nothing," he shook his head.

Lin Zihao said, "Thankfully, we found you in time. Tomorrow is Fu Ting's preliminary hearing."

Xin Nianzu nodded.

"I need to prepare for the case."

"And we need to keep you under tight security. Let's go."

---

*Xin Lei*

The four goons took us to their base. They led us on gunpoint as we entered. Liao Huifang seemed nervous but determined too.

"Stop. Don't act smart and stay here," the leader said.

The other three kept an eye on us while he went inside somewhere in a room.

I quietly looked around if I could see Chu Jie anywhere. But it was of no use.

A few minutes later, the door opened, and the leader came out with a woman.

She was wearing the same red dress that I had seen when I saw her with Chu Jie.