After everyone was suited up and had their breathing apparatus on, Zhao Xiao, standing behind Lin Shi, tugged at his arm. His eyes, hidden behind the diving mask, blinked a few times. Lin Shi smiled, "What's with all the blinking? Did you get sand in your eyes?"
It seemed that Zhao Xiao wasn't entirely oblivious; he had sensed something was off. Setting aside Shen Jinbin's status as a super-rich heir, it was inherently suspicious when a stranger invited you out, brought along eight burly men, and took you to a deserted place. It sounded incredibly dangerous. Zhao Xiao, initially blinded by the desire to be close to Shen Jinbin, hadn't noticed anything amiss. Or perhaps, it was natural for ordinary people to trust and revere someone with immense power, often overlooking many red flags.
Lin Shi, of course, didn't want to reveal anything. Hearing Lin Shi's words, Ah Biao's scrutinizing gaze turned towards Zhao Xiao.
Zhao Xiao cursed inwardly, forcing an awkward smile, "My eyes are just a bit uncomfortable. It's nothing, really."
The four of them checked their equipment, and Ah Biao explained a few underwater hand signals and safety precautions to Lin Shi and Zhao Xiao. Then, he led the way into the water. After Lin Shi entered the water, Zhao Xiao, noticing the watchful eyes of the bodyguards, followed suit, feeling uneasy. He tried to reassure himself that things might not be as bad as he feared.
The underwater world was breathtaking, and Lin Shi swam ahead, taking in the scenery. If it weren't for the constant, almost imperceptible gaze and the underlying threat, it would have been a wonderful trip.
As they reached a coral reef, Shen Jinbin gave Ah Biao a signal. Nodding, Ah Biao drew a knife from his thigh and swam towards Lin Shi. Seeing Ah Biao approach, Shen Jinbin's eyes, hidden behind his diving mask, were filled with a manic excitement.
Zhao Xiao, being a first-time diver, lagged behind, and when he saw what was happening, he was terrified! He wanted to warn Lin Shi, but as soon as he opened his mouth, his breathing apparatus nearly fell out, so he quickly closed it again.
As Ah Biao got closer to Lin Shi, raising the gleaming knife, Zhao Xiao felt his legs go weak. He turned to look at Shen Jinbin, who wore an excited expression. This was it! Zhao Xiao was desperate. They were going to kill him!
Realizing this was a murder attempt, Zhao Xiao immediately tried to swim to the surface. As for Lin Shi, Zhao Xiao had already given up hope, believing Lin Shi, with his build, could never stand a chance against a trained bodyguard. He needed to escape now, or he'd be silenced too!
Zhao Xiao tried to turn and swim up, but in his panic, he forgot to release the weights, floundering in place.
Lin Shi felt an unusual current behind him. Without thinking, he twisted his body. A gleaming knife sliced past his side! Ah Biao, surprised that Lin Shi dodged, swung again, aiming for Lin Shi's breathing apparatus.
Indeed, even in peaceful Xia, these people, if they were to kill, wouldn't do it blatantly. They wanted to make it look like an accidental death by causing Lin Shi to drown.
Restricted by the water's resistance, Lin Shi couldn't evade, so he grabbed Ah Biao's hand, preventing the knife from cutting the breathing apparatus. Ah Biao tried to grab Lin Shi's mask, but Lin Shi caught that hand too. The two struggled underwater.
Ah Biao's face was a mix of ferocity and shock. He tried to break free from Lin Shi's grip, but it felt like an iron clamp, unyielding! This kid was incredibly strong!
Lin Shi kicked Ah Biao, pushing him back over a meter. As Ah Biao lunged again, Lin Shi reached behind him and pulled out a handgun!
Ah Biao froze, his eyes wide with disbelief and panic: When did this kid get a gun?! Impossible, he had searched Lin Shi and confirmed he had nothing! And there was no place to hide a gun while changing into the diving suit! It was impossible!
Ah Biao even thought he was hallucinating. The gun in Lin Shi's hand was more surreal than any hallucination. But the blood blooming from Ah Biao's chest brought him back to reality. Bullets in water travel 772 times slower due to resistance, but human movements are also slowed. At this distance, even a seasoned fighter like Ah Biao couldn't dodge. Three shots hit vital points. Ah Biao died without understanding how Lin Shi managed to bring the gun underwater.
Zhao Xiao, watching in disbelief, felt the entire experience was surreal. How could Lin Shi have a gun? The calm, decisive, and skilled Lin Shi—was this really the same person he knew?
Just as Zhao Xiao thought Lin Shi was doomed, the situation suddenly reversed. Shen Jinbin, surprisingly, was the quickest to react. As soon as Lin Shi drew the gun, Shen Jinbin swam towards Zhao Xiao, who was still floundering, and grabbed him, using him as a shield. He also pressed the deflation button on Zhao Xiao's diving suit.
Zhao Xiao, terrified, shook his head as he saw Lin Shi raise the gun. The effective range of a gun underwater is less than 1.5 meters. As the distance between them increased, Lin Shi's eyes turned icy, and he fired without hesitation. The bullet, affected by the water, missed Shen Jinbin's head and hit Zhao Xiao's neck instead.
Zhao Xiao's eyes, behind the diving mask, widened in horror. His breathing apparatus fell out, and blood gushed from his mouth, nose, and neck.
Lin Shi prepared to fire again. A school of fish swam between them, and by the time they passed, the distance between Lin Shi and Shen Jinbin was over two meters. Lin Shi fired again, but the bullet lost its momentum halfway.
Seeing that Lin Shi's gun was no longer a threat, Shen Jinbin released Zhao Xiao, whose pupils were already dilated, and swam to the surface faster. Lin Shi!! Shen Jinbin's eyes were filled with malice, and he made a throat-slitting gesture at Lin Shi as he ascended. No one had ever made him feel so humiliated. He vowed to kill Lin Shi!
As Shen Jinbin neared the surface, the distance between them grew to three meters. Lin Shi, with a deep, determined look, filled his diving gear with air, released the weights, and ascended faster than Shen Jinbin, rapidly closing the gap.