According to the assassin's confession, Chen Yi and his team learned that there was still one girl being held captive, and the assailants planned to act that very night.
For days, the two assassins had been stationed near this small mountain, tasked with intercepting anyone who tried to climb it and uncover the secrets hidden within. For over two months, they had been stuck in this desolate, godforsaken place.
With no entertainment and hardly any tasks to keep them busy, they were essentially glorified watchmen. A day or two might have been tolerable, but two whole months had driven them to the brink of madness.
Bored out of their minds, they had developed a routine. Since the mountain saw little to no visitors, they would sneak some food and wine at midday, find a sheltered spot to nap, and enjoy their lazy, uneventful days.
Despite their indulgence, they remained cautious, never drinking to excess. After all, if something went wrong, the consequences would be dire.
But today, they received a message that thrilled them: after tonight, their mission would be over, and they could leave. Excited and complacent from the long period of inactivity, they let their guard down. As they toasted and drank, one cup led to another, and before they knew it, they were drunk.
When they awoke from their drunken stupor, they were horrified to find a group of police officers on the mountain.
It didn't take much to realize that something had gone terribly wrong. The most alarming part was that they hadn't even noticed when the police had arrived.
Ordinary assassins, faced with such a situation, would have immediately reported to their superiors and fled. But these two weren't ordinary hired killers—they were the lowest rung in their organization, mere expendable pawns with no real authority.
If their superiors found out they had botched the mission because of drinking, the punishment would be severe. They would have their tendons cut and be thrown into the Yellow River to fend for themselves.
Who in their right mind would choose such a fate? Even if they survived, they would be crippled for life.
After some discussion, the two decided that since death was inevitable, they might as well take a gamble. If they could atone for their mistake by accomplishing something significant, they might yet survive.
Observing the police from a distance, they quickly identified Chen Yi as the central figure.
They overheard that Chen Yi was the one who had pinpointed their location through divination.
A master of divination!
Such a person posed a significant threat to their organization's plans. His continued existence would only bring more trouble.
But if they could eliminate Chen Yi, they would rid the organization of a major obstacle and potentially earn merit for their actions.
Thus, they decided to take the risk. Stealthily approaching Chen Yi, they loosed two arrows simultaneously—one aimed at Chen Yi, the other at Luo Yan.
Their primary target was Chen Yi, but their ultimate goal was survival.
Killing Chen Yi would disrupt the police's coordination. If the officers panicked for even five minutes, the assassins would have enough time to escape.
What they hadn't anticipated was Chen Yi's lightning-fast reflexes and extraordinary speed. Nor had they expected him to be a skilled archer.
In the end, one assassin was killed on the spot, and the other was left with arrows decorating his backside.
As for why the girls had been abducted, the assassins didn't know. They only knew that someone powerful was orchestrating a grand scheme behind the scenes.
Luo Yan and Chen Yi drove straight to the location revealed in the assassin's confession: an abandoned factory about ten kilometers from the city center of Quancheng.
Chen Yi had always prided himself on his physical prowess, but witnessing this raid changed his perspective.
No matter how strong an individual might be, they could never rival the might of the state.
Forget the military—even these heavily armed SWAT officers were enough to strike fear into anyone's heart.
The seven people hiding in the factory were all killed without exception. The kidnapped girl was successfully rescued, though her body was covered in whip marks and knife wounds, and her mental state was on the verge of collapse.
The operation was undoubtedly a success. Luo Yan's face finally lit up with a smile, and her gaze toward Chen Yi was filled with heartfelt gratitude.
The only flaw was that no one had been captured alive.
Chen Yi was deeply curious about the kidnappers' motives. He had never heard of any special significance tied to girls born in the Year of the Tiger. Unfortunately, with all the suspects dead, the trail of clues ended there, leaving a sense of satisfaction tinged with regret.
Still, it was a victory worth celebrating.
The Public Security Bureau had cracked the case, Luo Yan had laid her guilt to rest, and Chen Yi was set to receive a 500,000 yuan reward.
When Luo Yan personally handed the money to Chen Yi, neither spoke. They exchanged only faint smiles.
Chen Yi couldn't help but recall their first meeting, which had been far from pleasant. Back then, Luo Yan had been a fierce and domineering "demoness," making his life miserable.
In her eyes, Chen Yi was nothing more than a charlatan seeking fame and fortune.
They had been utterly at odds, mutually disdainful of each other.
But fate had taken an unexpected turn. Who could have predicted that the two of them would come to this point?
Though it couldn't yet be described as a lifelong commitment, they now saw each other in a completely different light.
Unbeknownst to Chen Yi, he had quietly found a place in Luo Yan's heart, becoming someone she could rely on.
Meanwhile, Chen Yi had come to understand Luo Yan better. He realized that her fierce demeanor wasn't her true self. Reflecting on how close they had come to parting ways forever, he felt a pang of compassion for her.
She bore immense pressure—not only from the demands of her job but also from the victims and their families. She constantly faced off against ruthless criminals, and gunfire had become a routine part of her life.
In less than a month, Chen Yi had witnessed her brush with death multiple times.
The first was during the jewelry store robbery, where Chen Yi's "help" had nearly gotten her killed.
The second was when she faced Wang Wu's revenge. Had Chen Yi not arrived in time, she would have died on the spot.
The third was during this hostage rescue mission. First, there were the assassins' sudden arrows, and then the seven criminals in the factory—three armed with guns and four wielding weapons just as lethal at close range.
If it were up to Chen Yi, he'd rather Luo Yan not work in such a dangerous profession. With his current abilities, he could easily earn enough to support them both. Luo Yan could pursue another career and still excel.
He suddenly realized that he had been by her side during each of these perilous moments.
Could this be fate?
Or was he simply a harbinger of misfortune, bringing danger to her life?
The latter seemed more plausible.
After all, Chen Yi had been involved in every incident, directly or indirectly. He couldn't escape responsibility.
He thought of his childhood as an orphan, cursed by the "solitary fate." Was the heavens' punishment not yet complete? Would they take away the woman beside him as well?
Divulging the secrets of Heaven invites divine retribution.
Over the years, Chen Yi had revealed too much of Heaven's will. Was this his karmic payback?
He recalled the old man's recent advice: To break the curse, one must perform good deeds.
D*mn it! I haven't done anything wicked. Why was I born an orphan? Did I start committing sins in the womb? Sure, I've conned the rich with my fortune-telling and feng shui, but I've donated all that money to the orphanage.
Even if the orphanage kids were like his siblings and didn't count as charity, he hadn't squandered the money on himself.
Hell, I'm robbing the rich to help the poor, contributing to social equality! How could this be considered wrongdoing?
It must've been something from a past life, debts carried over to this one!
That had to be it. Though he didn't believe in such nonsense deep down, he couldn't find any other explanation for his misfortunes.
"Thank you for saving that girl… and for saving me again," Luo Yan said softly, her cheeks flushed, interrupting Chen Yi's spiraling thoughts.
Chen Yi froze. It was rare to see Luo Yan so gentle, let alone shy. His heart leapt with joy, though he tried to maintain a composed demeanor. Straightening his back, he puffed out his chest and said, "What's there to thank? Between us, there's no need for such formalities. Helping you is like helping myself."
Hearing this, Luo Yan felt a sweet warmth rise in her heart. This younger man seemed dependable, someone she could truly lean on.
Am I really going to be the older woman in this relationship?
No, no, no! What older woman? He's the young sapling, but I'm not some old cow!
Regardless of what the future held, she couldn't let him off too easily now. Otherwise, his ego would swell beyond control.
Men are prone to taking things for granted. If it comes too easily, they won't cherish it.
Feigning confusion, Luo Yan asked, "Our relationship? What relationship?"
"You said it yourself! A police officer can't go back on her word!"
Chen Yi panicked. She was showing signs of backing out. After finally winning over this policewoman, he couldn't let her slip away. He had fantasized countless times about handcuffs, whips, and uniforms—how could he give up now?
"What did I say? I don't remember. Little brother, are you sure you're not mistaken?" Luo Yan teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"You said… you said you'd agree to anything!"
"Did I? Show me the evidence, then!"
Chen Yi was dumbfounded. This woman was utterly shameless! He suddenly recalled an old saying: Believe in ghosts if you must, but never trust a woman's words!