Since Below Zero chose to act on the rooftop, he must have planned to drop something from a height.
Directly above the entrance of the aircraft carrier's main hall was a large, circular golden clock face, displaying the standard time for six major cities including Beijing, Sydney, New York, and London. The clock, with a diameter of about six meters, had its upper half embedded above the roof's surface. Below Zero's plan likely involved tampering with this massive clock, weighing about 300 kilograms. Using the tools in the case he carried, he could loosen a screw on the clock's mount or directly damage the clock face itself. Then, as He Li walked out of the main hall, the whole or part of the clock would fall, easily crushing He Li into a pulp...
Listening to Mu Zi's description, Ouyang Liuse involuntarily shivered at the thought of the gory scene. Then, a crucial point struck her, and she urgently whispered, "Even if his plan succeeds, and in the chaos of He Li's horrific death, Below Zero could escape... But won't the police get involved in such an incident? Wouldn't the traces of tampering be hard to conceal from the police's eyes? In that case, even if Bennie doesn't intervene, the police would quickly bring Below Zero to justice."
"You're right. That's the crudeness of the plan," Mu Zi replied somewhat helplessly. "But at this moment, Below Zero is like Li Shu or Li Tian of yesteryears, blinded by hatred and unable to think clearly."
"Perhaps he's planning a do-or-die approach," Ouyang Liuse sighed.
"Do-or-die..." Mu Zi said, twirling his hair and adding regretfully, "The saddest and most worrying part is when the fish dies, but the net remains unscathed..."
"So, are we just going to watch Below Zero fall into Bennie's hands?" Ouyang Liuse asked anxiously.
Mu Zi pondered for a moment, stood up, stretched his limbs, and then said to Ouyang Liuse, "The show is about to begin..."
At 9:00 AM.
Escorted by bodyguards and hotel staff, Bennie walked out of his room with the beautiful He Li, striding through the opulent corridor towards the main hall on the first floor.
After a night of passion, Bennie felt exceptionally refreshed, especially with the beautiful model by his side. He felt rejuvenated, as if his lost sharpness due to the years had returned momentarily. The charm of a beautiful woman seemed much more potent than delicacies, ginseng, or bird's nests...
Thinking this, he unconsciously tightened his grip around He Li's slender waist.
Early that morning, the aircraft carrier's staff informed Bennie that to honor and welcome him, they decided to invite him to personally conduct the pigeon-releasing ceremony.
The aircraft carrier housed hundreds of pure white pigeons. Every day at around 9:10 AM, an official would start the cage release to the sound of solemn music, letting the pigeons flood the sky in a spectacular display. This ceremony, a hallmark event of the aircraft carrier, attracted many locals daily. Of course, when the hotel hosted high-ranking officials or wealthy guests like Bennie, they were specially invited to conduct the ceremony to honor them. As an internationally renowned hotel, the aircraft carrier's unique feature was talked about by many tourists. Having the honor to conduct the pigeon-releasing ceremony became a condition to satisfy many tourists' vanity.
But for someone like Bennie, who had fought and struggled for his status and wealth, honors meant little. His life of constant danger had cultivated a tranquil disposition. With money and power, he received extra respect wherever he went, no matter the occasion — such were the unspoken rules of this world.
Therefore, he wasn't particularly concerned about conducting the pigeon-releasing ceremony.
When informed he would be hosting it, he didn't show much excitement or agitation. Instead, it was He Li by his side who was thrilled.
So, when he decided without a moment's hesitation to let He Li conduct the ceremony in his place, her reaction was to cling to him like a python, showering his face with frantic kisses...
He was growing more fond of this passionate and delicate Oriental beauty. Her enthusiasm, softness, and even her childlike vanity and capriciousness were irresistible to him...
Through prior investigation, Below Zero had learned about the hotel's decision to have Bennie host the pigeon-releasing ceremony. Knowing both He Li and Bennie — and not just Bennie, but all men — he had deduced that Bennie would definitely bring He Li along for the ceremony.
So, at 9:10 AM, He Li and Bennie would surely step out of the hotel's main entrance. That's when he would execute his revenge plan.
As Mu Zi had speculated, Below Zero had taken advantage of the night to tamper with the golden clock above the main hall using tools from his case. He indeed planned to have the golden clock fall just as He Li passed underneath, crushing her to death. He didn't care about innocent bystanders. In his eyes, Bennie, his boastful men, and even the hotel staff who fawned over Bennie and He Li were all expendable.
At that moment, he was hiding on the rooftop, behind the golden clock, his black clothing blending with the shadow of the clock, his eyes, shining with intensity, peering through the gaps, nervously watching the main hall's entrance.
His forehead was beaded with sweat.
He knew his plan was too crude, but he wasn't Archangel. He lacked the energy and time to devise a new perfect plan, so he had to risk it all. Over the past few days, he had made preparations for various outcomes. If the murder succeeded and he could escape before the police suspected him, he'd take Zhen and flee to America, turning their sweet trip into a flight of escape, never to return. But if the plan failed, he'd ensure he and He Li met their end together before the police could arrest him, leaving Zhen with a substantial insurance payout.
Tick, tick, tick...
Being so close to the clock, the sound of the moving hands was clear. Each tick tightened the strings of his heart.
With the time for the pigeon-releasing ceremony approaching, onlookers gradually gathered, forming a large circle opposite the main hall's entrance.
Tick! 9:09 AM!