Following closely behind the figure, Xiang Ri felt an unexpected calm wash over him. He never imagined that his once impulsive, hot-blooded self could face an enemy with such restraint.
The man ahead was equally cautious, not heading straight for his destination but stopping now and then, pretending to tie his shoelaces, all the while checking if anyone suspicious was tailing him. He even lingered at food stalls for ten, sometimes thirty minutes. To the uninformed, it might seem he was merely out for a leisurely stroll—an easy trick to fall for. But Xiang Ri knew him too well, as intimately as he knew his own skin, and thus, he followed without haste.
After two hours of trailing, Xiang Ri realized they had reached the border between the Eastern and Southern districts, a desolate place, often a battleground for gang conflicts. Few dared to venture here, and even the original residents had long since fled.
Suddenly, the man halted. Xiang Ri quickly ducked into a corner. The man scanned his surroundings, and after finding nothing amiss, darted into a nearby alley.
Xiang Ri dared not follow. A streetlamp cast its light near the alley's entrance, but beyond lay impenetrable darkness. To proceed now would be too conspicuous. He knew the man's meticulous nature; surely, he was still lurking in the shadows, watching.
It became a test of endurance. But Xiang Ri had the advantage—he knew the man was there, while his target remained oblivious to his presence. Soon enough, impatience would break him.
Indeed, mere minutes passed before the man reappeared, glancing around furtively. Seeing no one, he quickly retreated into the alley.
Still uncertain, Xiang Ri held his position. It wasn't until half an hour later that he decided to investigate.
The alley wasn't pitch black; faint light seeped in, just enough to discern larger objects. Within a few strides, he reached the dead end. But Xiang Ri was sure the man had entered—had he flown away?
There were no doors or windows in the surrounding walls. Escape via conventional means seemed impossible. "Could he really have flown?" Xiang Ri chuckled at the absurdity.
If not through the air, then perhaps... underground. His eyes lit up as he searched the ground meticulously.
With a sharp clink, his hand struck metal. It wasn't cement beneath his feet but steel—a manhole cover. He pried it open, revealing a faint light from below.
Xiang Ri slipped down, closing the cover behind him, and cautiously followed the light's source.
To his surprise, the sewer was immaculately clean, almost akin to a living space. The tunnel was not a maze of exits but a single, broad path.
As he ventured deeper, the space widened, until it was nearly the size of a room. Although he hadn't encountered anyone, Xiang Ri remained on high alert. In an unknown, perilous place, any lapse in vigilance could mean a swift death.
Voices drifted from ahead, faint but unmistakable. Excitement surged through Xiang Ri—at last, the mystery would be unveiled.
Creeping forward, he saw two heavily armed men standing in front of a round, door-like iron plate. They were tall, muscular, clad in blue-gray camouflage, gripping AK-47s. Holstered at their waists were silver pistols, and strapped to their thighs were triangular military knives.
Xiang Ri quickly retreated, his heart racing. The equipment these men carried rivaled that of elite special forces. They stood a good six or seven meters from his position, but there wasn't a single object in between—not even an egg-sized stone to hide behind.
Charging in was suicide. He'd be riddled with bullets before he could take two steps. He needed to divert their attention or somehow lure them over.
The ground offered no pebbles to toss, and Xiang Ri abandoned any notion of using old tricks. But as he patted his pockets, a sudden idea flashed in his mind.
Pulling out a wad of cash, the remaining ten thousand yuan from a recent withdrawal, he smiled. It was thick enough to catch anyone's eye. "Let's see who can resist the sight of money," he muttered.
Tossing the money directly would be too risky. He needed finesse. Gently, he slid the bundle forward. It wouldn't draw immediate attention, but once spotted, the pink bills would be impossible to ignore. That's when the tables would turn in his favor.
Now, it was just a matter of waiting. He hoped the guards' eyes were sharp.
"What's that?" One of them finally spoke, and Xiang Ri's heart leapt with joy. The bait had worked.
"Looks like money."
"Damn! We've hit the jackpot!" Footsteps followed swiftly.
"Wait!"
"What for? I saw it first. I'll give you ten percent at most."
"Don't you find it suspicious? There didn't seem to be anything there just now."
"Could someone have broken in? Impossible! Ah, I get it—it must've been that guy who just came in and dropped it."
"Now that you mention it, that does seem likely. But I want half."
"Why should I give you that much?"
"If you don't want to walk away empty-handed, you'd better follow my suggestion."
"Damn, you've got guts! Fine, I'll take the loss!" More footsteps echoed.
"Wait, I'll come with you."
"Afraid I'll pocket something?"
"Those are your words, not mine!"
"I've had enough of that guy! Why should we risk our lives and end up with less money than him?" One of the larger men bent down to pick up the cash, but as he straightened, a shadow flashed before his eyes. He barely had time to look up before his throat went numb, and everything went dark.
The second man saw his partner collapse and instinctively raised his gun, but before he could fire, a fist struck his chest. He managed to block with his rifle, but a loud crack followed, pain shot through his ribs, and he crumpled to the ground.
Xiang Ri glanced at his handiwork, satisfied, and quickly retrieved the silver pistols holstered at the men's waists. "Damn! Desert Eagles—my favorite!" As for the two men on the ground, he paid them no further attention. One had his throat shattered, and the other had his ribcage crushed by the rifle stock. If they survived, it would be a miracle.
After pocketing the money, Xiang Ri approached the circular iron door, ready to open it, when a voice from within made him freeze.
"Doctor, when will A8 be ready for mass production?" a familiar voice asked.
A8? Xiang Ri clenched his fists, his body trembling with excitement. This was it—this was what had robbed him of his strength, turning him from a man who once ruled the streets into a mere student.
"At a conservative estimate, it'll take another five years," an elderly voice replied.
"Why so long?"
"This is already the fastest we can go. You think developing a new drug is as easy as eating or sleeping?"
"Sigh, the higher-ups have been pressing hard these past few days. How much of the finished product do you have? Let me take some to appease them."
"Not much, only 103 pills. You can take 100, and I'll keep the remaining three as samples."
"Even though it's not much, at least I can hand it over."
"Indeed, you can also hand yourself over to the Reaper!" A sudden voice interrupted their conversation.
The young man reached for his chest, but before he could move, something cold pressed against his head, freezing him in place.
"Old man, you'd better behave too..."
A deafening gunshot rang out, leaving the young man's ears ringing. When he looked again, the elderly doctor lay motionless on the ground, a gaping hole in his chest, still clutching a gun in his hand. He was unmistakably dead.
"Damn! Don't blame me for this—it's the price of ignoring my advice!" a brash voice taunted.
The young man felt a chill down his spine. That tone, paired with those familiar words—he couldn't believe it. But hadn't he confirmed his death himself? He had been sure, beyond a doubt, that the man was dead.
"Raven, no greeting for an old friend?" Xiang Ri's voice dripped with mockery.
"You...you... Are you Xiang Da?" Raven turned to see a young man he didn't recognize, but his fear only deepened.
"Heh. Thought I was dead, didn't you? Let me tell you, I'm immortal!" Xiang Ri declared with arrogance.
"Xiang Da, I didn't mean to betray you! The higher-ups forced me!" Raven stammered, trembling.
"The higher-ups? Which organization? That bastard Ma who came to me with the white powder deal?"
"Y-yes, that's him, but actually..."
Another gunshot rang out, and Raven's head exploded in an instant. His hand fell limply from his chest, revealing a sleek, mini handgun that slipped from his grasp.
Xiang Ri brushed off the debris from his clothes, glancing down at Raven's mutilated corpse. "You really shouldn't have reached into your coat. Trying to pull another trick on me?"
"Ugh, how am I supposed to face my girl looking like this?" Xiang Ri muttered with a bitter smile. After looting the small laboratory, he left without a second glance.